Photo Credit: Jayne Slater
Born and raised in Bolton-upon-Dearne, THE SHERLOCKS burst onto the UK indie rock scene over ten years ago, and within the last decade they have sold out shows across the UK, including in the nearby steel city of Sheffield. They have performed on main stages at major festivals, supported huge names in arenas, and three of their four studio albums reaching the top ten in the UK album charts, their most recent ‘People Like Me & You‘ peaking at #4 to secure their highest charting release.
Each year, the band continue to push any boundary that is in front of them, which saw them become the first unsigned band to sell out The Leadmill since Arctic Monkeys, as well as numerous performances at Sheffield’s O2 Academy. It was time to take it to the next level, this time with an outdoor headline performance at the Don Valley Bowl.
Wigan-based quartet THE LILACS were first up to open the show. These lads have become one of the UK’s fastest growing acts in recent years; selling out several dates on their biggest headline tour in the spring, which has then seen them go on to securing their place at major festivals this summer. The band’s energetic ‘Sticky Dancefloors‘ had the Sheffield crowd bouncing off the dry grass, and with nearly the whole front section clapping along during the song, the ‘Up the Lilacs‘ chants quickly followed the opening track. In usual fashion, vocalist Ollie Anglesea dedicated the song ‘Grace‘ to anybody in the audience with the same name, capping off another spectacular display from THE LILACS.
Fellow Yorkshire band APOLLO JUNCTION took over from the Wigan boys and it was time for the Leeds men to step up. Another energetic performance to kick off this historic event, but this time frontman Jamie Williamson was able to use his freedom by making his way onto the barrier to serenade the front row, then leaping over into the crowd to deliver the most intimate atmosphere of the night. The standout track from their show was ‘Are You Happy?‘ which had the Sheffield audience involved from the get go.
This performance was an excellent warm-up for Birmingham’s THE CLAUSE. With their UK tour beginning in November, the Sheffield date sold out and has since been upgraded, providing the ideal experience of the huge stage in the steel city. The sky was still blue as the band made their way onto the stage, with a little sunshine still bouncing around. The crowd cheered as the foursome entered and began with ‘Time Of Our Lives‘. The Sheffield folk began to bounce around to ‘Fake It‘, while ‘In My Element‘ enhanced the energy on the front row. It was evident that both old and new fans were looking forward to The Leadmill later this year, with the show expected to sell out again.
Easily a festival main stage act in their own right, Liverpool’s RED RUM CLUB recently headlined their city’s arena and have been making waves across the UK in recent years. Their take on the standard indie rock sound includes an additional member on trumpet. This distinct sound distinguishes them from other bands, with songs like ‘Undertaker‘ and ‘Eleanor‘ becoming standouts early in the performance. ‘Alive‘ had a huge chunk of the audience singing along, and their closing number, ‘Would You Rather Be Lonely?‘ not only topped off a fantastic performance, but also received the loudest reaction of any of the bands before them.
Photo Credit: Jayne Slater
Following the four outstanding supporting acts, it was time for the main event, THE SHERLOCKS. As the band stormed the stage, the Sheffield supporters let out a thunderous cheer, with the recent fan favourite ‘Don’t Let It Out‘ launching their set. The audience was jumping, beverages were flying through the air, and it was certainly the ideal setting to begin this historic performance. Keeping their recent album in mind, ‘Remember All The Girls‘ followed a few of their older tunes, and it’s evident that this new record is an avid favourite. Their stunning new track ‘Death of Me‘ received its live premiere shortly after, and it was met with rapturous applause from the audience.
It was evident that the band is used to the outdoors atmosphere and enjoys being able to watch the crowd in front of them, having an enjoyable experience while shouting their songs back to them; this night was no exception. The set proceeded with a slew of audience favourites, including ‘Falling‘, ‘Live for the Moment‘, and ‘Sirens‘, which appeared back-to-back as the show neared its conclusion. The closing song of the night ‘Chasing Shadows‘ marked THE SHERLOCKS‘ momentous night in style.
Kiaran Crook may have donned sunglasses, but he could still clearly see what was going on in front of him. THE SHERLOCKS continue to bring fans together and push their own limits, with a continuous growing fan base attending their shows to witness one of the UK’s most successful unsigned bands.
Taped Magazine 