The mighty Co-op Live’s first gig of 2026 was a sold out affair for Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro. I knew as soon as I squeezed myself onto an already packed tram that this was going to be very busy, as people alighted at The Etihad stop and cascaded out into the cold platform, many wearing Biffy adorned T Shirts, talking excitedly about the evening ahead.
The support came from punk duo Soft Play, who had an unusual array of pre-show music blaring out, including a couple of old school hymns which set a bizarre atmosphere and caused a few puzzled looks. The stage was triangular in shape, and quite honestly, really awkward to navigate from a photography point of view, I also felt that it restricted the view for the audience too, especially those in the stalls.
The band did not stay on the stage very long, as song two ‘Mirror Muscles’ played, lead singer Issac Holman came galavanting towards the crowd and launched himself into the crowd, with the longest guitar lead I have ever seen, it took six security to reel him back in as he had managed to make his way half way across the vast arena.
Music wise I must say these were the highlight of the evening for me, fresh, exciting and no gimmicks. Just classic punk behaviour, causing a nightmare for security and absolutely no agenda/or consideration for their own safety. The crowd loved every minute and encouraged these antics.
After what felt like an hour long security briefing from the stage manager about the various gimmicks the headliners were intending to use, I had sort of lost interest. It was chaotic, messy and I do not think had the desired effect. This made Soft Play’s set so much more authentic. Unlike Biffy Clyro, they did not feel the need to be draped in bedsheets with red lighting, (a bit like a low grade A level art project when the student has run out of ideas).
The music faired better but it would have been lovely to have the band just come and play. The pyrotechnics did not add much, just made it a bit lame. The songs do not need enhancement. The first song of the evening ‘A Little Love’ showcased lead singer Simon Neil’s guitar skills perfectly. The band recently took on bass player Naomi Macleod to fill in for James Johnstone who did a wonderful job keeping the backline in check. It is clear that this band still dominate the current genre of rock and no doubt will continue to do so.
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