Wales

There’s something about Cardiff on gig day. This is the Land of Song, after all, and with <a href="https://www.depotlive.co.uk/katyperry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Katy Perry</a> at Cardiff Castle and <a href="https://www.visitcardiff.com/events/lewis-capaldi-new-date-added/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lewis Capaldi</a> playing Blackweir Fields on the same evening, the city centre was awash with sequins, cowboy boots and fans squeezing in pre-show cocktails before heading to their neighbouring venues. Yet rather than feeling overwhelmed, Cardiff somehow stayed friendly, buzzy and brilliantly easy to navigate. A minor miracle when you’re wearing platform boots and trying to locate your friends.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-2.png" alt="Katy-Perry-2" class="wp-image-8401" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-2.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-2-300x200.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-2-1024x683.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-2-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photography credit: Depot</figcaption></figure>



Cardiff really comes into its own on nights like this. From the Castle Quarter and St Mary Street bars spilling onto the pavements to the fact you can walk from Cardiff Central to the castle gates in around 10 minutes, it all feels refreshingly straightforward compared with the usual Wembley or O2 shuffle. <a href="https://www.tonightjosephine.co.uk/bars/cardiff/events/katy-perry-pre-drinks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tonight Josephine</a> was hosting ticket-holder pre-drinks, while nearby spots including <a href="https://www.wahaca.co.uk/location/cardiff/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wahaca</a>, <a href="https://www.brewhousecardiff.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brewhouse</a>, <a href="https://www.pianoworks.bar/bars/cardiff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Piano Works</a> and <a href="https://curadobar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curado</a> had offers on food and drinks too. Useful intel if you’re making a proper night of it rather than surviving on a sad packet of crisps at the venue.



Watching one of the world’s biggest pop stars perform in the grounds of a castle that is nearly 1,000 years old feels far more magical than another stadium show where you’re squinting at a screen from Row Who-Knows-Where. Cardiff Castle almost becomes part of the staging: floodlit stone walls, open skies, a little rain for dramatic effect and a real sense of Welshness that no arena can fake.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-8.png" alt="Katy-Perry-8" class="wp-image-8405" style="aspect-ratio:0.6669921875;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-8.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-8-200x300.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-8-683x1024.png 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-8-768x1152.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photography credit: Nathan Roach</figcaption></figure>



The last time I saw Katy Perry was on her&nbsp;California Dreams&nbsp;tour in 2011. I was 14 and she floated across the stage on a giant pillow surrounded by candyfloss clouds. Returning with the same best friend 15 years later, I expected more of the same: maximalist, camp and gloriously bonkers.



Instead, this tour introduced a more confident, self-aware Katy. She took to the stage in a plain white shirt emblazoned with ‘I Am Not A Robot’ – a wink to the online criticism, AI jokes and headlines she has faced in recent months. I’ll admit, part of me missed the giant peacocks, spinning peppermints and gloriously OTT costumes of tours gone by. But within minutes, it was clear the focus was firmly on the music and her personality. At 41, Perry’s voice is every bit as powerful as I remembered.







After the crowd had been warmed up by Robyn and Chappell Roan – while an enormous inflatable water bottle was manoeuvred onto the stage, more on that shortly – Perry appeared at 9pm with an unbeatable opening trio: California Gurls, Teenage Dream and Last Friday Night (TGIF).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-7-683x1024.png" alt="Katy-Perry-7" class="wp-image-8412" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-7-683x1024.png 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-7-200x300.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-7-768x1152.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-7.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photography credit: Nathan Roach</figcaption></figure>



The 90-minute set packed in favourites including&nbsp;Hot N Cold&nbsp;and&nbsp;Part of Me, alongside an emotional acoustic&nbsp;Roar&nbsp;and a spectacular&nbsp;Firework&nbsp;finale, complete with a sparkling vintage pin-up beach outfit and a squirting bottle of SPF. There has to be some camp, obviously. New song&nbsp;Watch It Burn&nbsp;and an unexpected cover of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’&nbsp;Heads Will Roll&nbsp;also went down a treat. Teenage me was delighted.



Perry chatted constantly between songs, somehow making a huge audience feel surprisingly intimate. Looking up at the medieval setting, she laughed: “I bet a thousand years ago they didn’t think this would happen in this castle. But it probably isn’t the weirdest thing to happen in this castle.” Probs true.



She even attempted Welsh with help from a nervous fan (“you’re gonna hear me roar”) and planted a Welsh flag on stage after her group of ‘the first gays in space’ handed it to her mid-performance of&nbsp;E.T.&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dark Horse. The gay-lien was a great touch, as was her waving of the trans pride flag; both were greeted with huge cheers.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-6-683x1024.png" alt="Katy-Perry-6" class="wp-image-8408" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-6-683x1024.png 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-6-200x300.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-6-768x1152.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-6.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photography credit: Nathan Roach</figcaption></figure>



Wonderfully ridiculous? Yes. Entirely on brand? Of course. The biggest talking point, though, had to be the inflatable water bottle. Watching Perry crowd-surf around Cardiff Castle inside a giant plastic bottle in a bid to connect with a giant straw is not something I ever expected to see. And yet, somehow, it made perfect sense.



One of my favourite moments came when Katy whipped out a giant phone to reject the men from her past, complete with a satisfying block for ‘RB’. Oh, so petty in the best way, and the crowd absolutely lapped it up. Musically, the fresh, synth-heavy arrangements gave her biggest hits a new lease of life.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-9-683x1024.png" alt="Katy-Perry-9" class="wp-image-8410" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-9-683x1024.png 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-9-200x300.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-9-768x1152.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-9.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photography credit: Nathan Roach</figcaption></figure>



There were tear-jerkers too. Perry shared home videos featuring daughter Daisy, auctioned one of her iconic polka-dot tour outfits for her Firework Foundation, then performed Thinking of You and The One That Got Away back to back with just her guitar. I spent much of my teens crying dramatically to both songs, so naturally I was transported straight back. Emotional stability? Never heard of her.



As for the venue, Cardiff Castle continues to set the standard of great settings. Despite two huge concerts happening simultaneously, getting into the city via <a href="https://tfw.wales/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Transport for Wales</a> was straightforward and well organised. Food options from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dirtybirdfriedchicken/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dirty Bird Fried Chicken</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brascosburgers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brasco’s Burgers</a> were a step above the usual gig fare (hello sticky soy strippers), while bar queues moved quickly.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-5.png" alt="Katy-Perry-5" class="wp-image-8406" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-5.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-5-200x300.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-5-683x1024.png 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/Katy-Perry-5-768x1152.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photography credit: Nathan Roach</figcaption></figure>



Katy Perry brought the hits, the camp and one frankly unhinged inflatable water bottle, but Cardiff Castle gave the night its magic. Singing Firework beneath floodlit medieval walls, then strolling straight into a city still fizzing with post-gig energy? That is a far more glamorous exit strategy than being funnelled towards the last Tube at Wembley.



A great reminder of just how brilliant Cardiff is as a live music destination. Especially when world class artists pop by a spectacular historic venue – where else do you get that? More of the same is coming from <a href="https://www.depotlive.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Depot Live</a> with <a href="https://www.depotlive.co.uk/bowlingforsoup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bowling for Soup</a> (sold out, but check for resale), <a href="https://www.depotlive.co.uk/bastille" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bastille</a> (starting at £64.60), <a href="https://www.depotlive.co.uk/ditc2026" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sugababes</a> (starting at £56.65) and <a href="https://www.depotlive.co.uk/biffyclyro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biffy Clyro</a> (starting at £78.35) taking to the stage later this month after the summer shows began back in 2018, followed by The Streets, Sex Pistols, Two Door Cinema Club (sold out), Hollywood Vampires and Jimmy Eat World (sold out) in August.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



GOOD FOR:&nbsp;Families, the girls and gays, reliving your youth and a genuinely brilliant night out.



NOT FOR: Anyone likely to be offended by the occasional c-bomb. It was post-watershed, though.



THE DAMAGE: £82.50 inc booking fee.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://wales.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/best-beaches-in-wales/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Move over Med: The 8 most beautiful beaches in Wales</a></li>



<li><a href="https://wales.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/july-fantastic-things-to-do-wales-this-month/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hello July! 15 fantastic things to do around Wales this month</a></li>



<li><a href="https://wales.muddystilettos.co.uk/wellbeing/best-summer-wellness-festivals-events-wales/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Good vibes only: The best feel-good festivals and wellness events in Wales this summer</a></li>
</ul>

Katy Perry at Cardiff Castle: camp, castle walls and one giant water bottle

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