Another year, another edition of Rock N Roll Circus graces the grounds of Don Valley Bowl in Sheffield, it’s the first of a four-day stint for team RGM, after a what has felt like forever in heatwaves, naturally, today the rain has made a reappearance, but we take it in our stride, just as team RnR Circus did.
Unfortunately, the VIP area had to be closed due to flooding, but, it certainly didn’t dampen any spirits, if anything, punters there lapped it up and fully went for it, along with their circus performers and acts.
One of the performers at Rock N Roll Circus Sheffield 2026 entertaining at the gates
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
I had hoped to start the day with Miles Kane, but unfortunately, the queue for the box office and the weather prevented it, but from what I heard, he sounded fantastic, so it’s a short but sweet one for today.
One of the main acts was a bit of a right of passage for anyone and everyone connected to the Sheffield music scene, as the city’s own Milburn made a rare appearance on the stage…
Milburn on stage at Rock N Roll Circus 2026 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Now, I hadn’t been lucky enough to witness Milburn live, so admittedly, I was looking forward to it and they absolutely blew me away, frontman Joe Carnall really connected with the crowd and they all just looked like they were having one big party, was quite surprised to hear some of their bigger bangers like “Well, Well, Well” and “Send In The Boys” – but regardless, this went off, the crowd was bouncing from start to finish and what a fantastic choice ahead of the main headliner, although dare I say it, the lads could have quite possibly topped the lineup themselves.
How they didn’t get more attention, I will never understand, they’re incredible and 20 years since “Well, Well, Well” and still attracting that size of audience is something to be admired – a very fun, intricate and buzzing set all in one and consider me impressed.
CHECK OUT ALL THINGS MILBURN HERE
Thursday’s headliner is a band I loved in the noughties and really wanted to be special, and that they were…
The Kooks on stage at Rock N Roll Circus Sheffield 2026 – headlining the Thursday night
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
If I’m being completely honest, I had heard mixed reviews of The Kooks live performances in the past and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was honestly blown away, their set was a real healthy mix of the big charters, some newer material and big sing-a-longs, plus they attracted a very big crowd in for the Thursday ahead of a bank holiday for all corners of the country.
Frontman Luke Pritchard has some of the jazziest dance moves I’ve ever seen and really knows how to use the space on the stage, encouraged the crowd to sing loudly with them and could just tell they were all having a fantastic time up there.
It was quite a meaty setlist, but I rate them for packing so much in, the encore, naturally, went off with the likes of “Naive” and “Ooh La” finishing it off, but there was also some cracking tunes weaved in throughout, with “Sofa Song” making an appearance early on along with “She Moves In Her Own Way”, plus “Jackie Big Tits” and “Seaside” making an appearance part way through too.
Overall a very fun and the exhillirating set, what a way to finish off the first day of Rock N Roll Circus 2026.
FIND ALL THINGS THE KOOKS HERE
Through the wind and the rain, that wasn’t going to stop us throughout the bank holiday, the circus performances, the crowd and the acts all brought it together, the hendersons relish crisps went down a bloody treat too, day one down, three to go!
CHECK OUT RGM’S FESTIVAL COVERAGE HERE
FIND ALL THINGS ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS HERE
