Sheffield has always been a pincale when it comes to the local music scene, pushing up everything from grassroots musicians and bands to big names and everything inbetween.
So it’s fair to say I was pretty excited about going to Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus for the first time, having heard some incredible things – that said, I was gutted I couldn’t attend the extended version from the Wednesday!
Walking in early afternoon, I could see the big top tent from a mile away and it does get you a little bit giddy, and walking in, it weirdly gives both a huge crowd feel but in an intimate setting, so I was looking forward to seeing some of the different acts in there, as well as on the Electric Carousel and BBC Introducing stages, which were outside.
Day Fever made an introduction to the Saturday, which I managed to catch a fair bit of Sheffield icon Pete McKee’s set, as well as Hull’s own Lucy Beaumont.
Pete Mckee brought a fantastic set full of nostalgia, funk and soul and those on the stage seemed to be loving every minute of it as did the crowd and of course Mr Mckee too!
Pete McKee spinning some tunes as part of a Day Fever opener at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield.
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Lucy Beaumont took over, and she did accidentally cut off Pete’s last song, but we’ll let her off as she made up for it with some bangers, primarily from the 70’s and 80’s that I can remember!
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Now for some live music, and my first act of the day was on The Electric Orchestra stage outside the Big Top tent with Sheffield band Cruz.
Cruz on the Electric Carousel Stage at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
I’ve seen Cruz once or twice already and had already been impressed, but they brought their A game, it’s never easy being one of the first bands on, but they found their feet quickly and played as if they were three or four slots higher! They drew in a good crowd for the time of day and they all used the stage well.
There were big riffs, a good drum beat and a clear raw, eager energy, which you saw throughout their set – admittedly I need to learn some more of their songs, but the flavour of their set was enough to keep me intrigued, so I’ll be going away and brushing up on my homework!
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Next for me came Doncaster’s own, The Outcharms, again on The Electric Orchestra Stage and the place had started to get a little busier, but also with some drizzle! But the lads took that in their stride and cracked on regardless.
Curtis Cooper and Ross Fowler of The Outcharms – on the Electric Carousel Stage – Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield.
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
The Outcharms have a natural indie twang about them and after a rain shower, they woke up the crowd again and got them enjoying the overall atmosphere – their music is easy to vibe to and the choruses are easy to pick up, so there was some singing-along in no time, even from those that didn’t know much of them, frontman Curtis Cooper was great with the crowd and got them involved throughout the set.
Tracks like “Who’s Making You Smile?” and “Games You Play” got a good reception, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re higher up on the bill in future, as they had a good balance of grit and groove that makes them feel destined for bigger stages.
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Next up was my first Big Top stage artist, with band members from all across South Yorkshire and Chesterfield, it wa The Rosadocs!
Keelan Graney and Joe Egan of The Rosadocs on the Big Top Stage – Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
They drew in a very impressive crowd and for very good reason, their set was full of energy from start to finish and this was where the day really kicked up a notch for me.
The crowd sungalong to hits like “At Your Door”, “Towards the Sun” and ever popular “Run Away Instead” to finish things off, naturally.
There was a clear home following in the crowd and that was evident from the first chord but it was nice to see some signs in the crowd showing their support.
All of the lads looked buzzing to be there, their smiles infectious, their laughter and some pretty impressive jumps from Keelan and Myles too!
Everytime I see The Rosadocs live, they prove time and time again that they are destined for big things and whilst their growth and progression has been steady in recent years, I have a feeling the best is yet to come.
Next year they need to be higher up and on bigger stages, there’s no doubt about it.
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Back to the Electric Carousel now.
Only in Sheffield could you go from soaring indie anthems to a bunch of blokes with ukuleles belting out tongue-in-cheek covers – and only in Sheffield would it work this well.
Of course I’m talking about The Everly Pregnant Brothers.
The Everly Pregnant Brothers on The Electric Carousel Stage – Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 – Sheffield
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
It was pure joy, from start to finish, if you’re unfamiliar of The Everly Pregnant Brothers (and if so, have you been hiding under a rock?) then it is simply songs you know and love twisted into hilarious versions, with a sprinkle of local references and dry humour, that had the crowd roaring with laughter and singing loud and proud.
“Chip Pan” started and it was a good one to start with, as it is always an instant crowd pleaser and opens the pathway for their other hilarious hits like “Hendos” and “Stuck in the Lidl” with you, they drew a brilliant crowd and could have easily been on the Big Top stage, creating a huge tent atmosphere in that patch of Rock ‘n’ Roll circus, a community and a laugh with one another, a brilliant set, as always.
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After some belly laughs with the Everly Pregnant Brothers, it was time for another injection of Indie, but this time, it was just pure indie nostalgia in the form of Carl Barât and Pete Doherty, back together and bringing the Libertines magic to Don Valley.
Before they came on, they had an introduction by Ringmaster Steve Bracknall, Assistant Manager of The Royal Oak along with Bob the Bucket. (if you don’t know, get to know) and that riled up the audience.
Pete Doherty and Carl Barât on The Big Top stage – Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 – Sheffield
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, it was soothing, more acoustic than I was expecting, but I’ve seen The Libertines live twice in their full form, full throttle and Carl Barât do a DJ set in Hackney (a story for another time!) but that said, they delivered, it was subtle and probably in the right place in the lineup, they did a cracking cover of “Waterfall” by The Stone Roses and it was mainly Libertines tracks with a chilled out vibe, both Pete and Carl often harmonising together, they built up the energy more and more until the end of course.
There’s no denying the unpolished charm about the way Carl and Pete bounce off each other, it’s a mixture of bromance, competition, and unpredictability that makes it impossible to look away.
Their set felt nostalgic, fun and generally heartwarming, as if the whole crowd had been transported back to the early 2000s, but with thousands of people reliving it together, I don’t think I was the only one that felt goosebumps.
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All the acts so far have been a tough act to follow, but local band Matilda Shakes were headlining the BBC Introducing Stage on the saturday, and they certainly rose to the occasion.
Matilda Shakes frontman James Hallam – Headlining the BBC Introducing Stage at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield.
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
They have a mix genre of heavy rock, indie and an injection of blues to their music and a part of me thinks after a bit of time off, some change in the line up and generally getting back into the swing of it, they’re finding their sounds again and experimenting, which is good, they seemed settled – even when drummer Joel knocked over his pedal and they had to start again, but they took it in their stride and had a good sense of humour about it all.
They pulled in a good crowd to say it was chucking it down and outdoors and their hits didn’t miss, particularly “Adrenaline” and their cover of “Club Foot” by Kasabian showed off their skill and talent.
You can tell they’re a band who love playing live, and despite a stop-start, their set had a feel good factor and the slickness improved and the energy was high throughout.
They definitely have a touch of vintage Stones-style strut, but they’ve build up their sound with a modern punch and I think this time next year they could be on The Electric Carousel with a longer timeslot, I feel like bigger things are coming.
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And time now, for the grand finale of the night, and there’s no grand finale without a big introduction is there? No, quite frankly there isn’t.
Once again, enter Steve Bracknall, Assistant Manager of The Royal Oak and Bob the Bucket…
Steve Bracknall, Assistant Manager of the Royal Oak – with the new Royal Oak strip on, introducing Reverend and the Makers for their headline anniversary set at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield.
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
The introduction was funny, punchy and admittedly a little bit emotional, with a reference and dedication to Jon and Chris McClure’s late father, which put a lump in everyone’s throat, but it was a fitting introduction for the headline act of the night – Reverend and the Makers.
They’re celebrating 20 years this year and they’ve no intentions of stopping, if this set alone was the only thing to go by, drummer Adam Crofts led the walk on with a catchy drumbeat and with the Reverend and the Makers entourage following with a Rev flag, a Steve Bracknall and Royal Oak flag and a Day Fever flag, bringing together one big happy family.
Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure makes an entrance to headline the Big Top stage at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield – celebrating 20 years of the band.
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
If there’s one band who know how to turn a Sheffield gig into a full-blown homecoming celebration, it’s the Revs. Jon McClure strutted on stage like a man on a mission, along with the talented Makers Laura McClure, Antonia Poole and Tom Dibb and from the first note, the tent was bouncing to house indie Rev classic “Bassline” – the whole band included.
Their newer hits were hitting the spot just as much as the older classics, newest track “Haircut” was a big crowd-pleaser, along with “Late Night Phone Call.
I was really pleased to see “Miss Brown” and “Bandits” in the setlist, they’re personal favourites and despite seeing them live before, it felt like a while since I had.
Of course classic favourites like “Heavyweight Champion of the World” and “He Said He Loved Me” had the crowd in unison, singing back the song lyric by lyric and it all flowed seamlessly.
There was also an appearance from Thom Rhylance and Kate Lloyd of The Lottery Winners, who had played earlier in the day, joining the band for collaborated track “You Again” – which was really special and felt intimate.
Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers on the Big Top stage of Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 in Sheffield – Taking it all in.
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Jon always performs a masterclass in stage presence and interaction, bouncing around the stage as if he lives on it and interacting frequently with the crowd, he has this way of making the whole thing feel like a family gathering, but also part gig, part rally, part sermon and the religion is music.
The harmonies and chemistry between the entire band is nothing I’ve ever seen before, Laura, Antonia, Adam, Tom and of course Jon all belong together and they work together seamlessly, you can tell it’s a proper tight-knit family on and off the stage and their energy and passion radiated through the tent and beyond.
By the end, with “Silence is Talking” – which is the perfect song to end it on, the crowd had their arms in the air and were giving sweaty hugs to friends, family and strangers alike and it gave everyone the feeling that they’d just been part of something properly special and I think the band and everyone there will remember that for a long time to come.
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The Saturday offering of Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025 was nothing short of special, a killer lineup of big names, grassroots and up-and-coming bands, all of which relatively local, this was a day for Sheffield and their counterparts and it had the warm fuzziness from the minute of walking into Don Valley, right until the last note of the night, I was looking forward to the Sunday, and leaving on a high.
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