THE ROYSTON CLUB SEND SHIVERS THROUGH VICTORIA WAREHOUSE
LIVE REVIEW | THE ROYSTON CLUB | O2 VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, Manchester | 9th April 2026 by Jenna Laband
Returning to Manchester for the the second time on their ‘Songs for the Spine’ tour, after the incredible success of their first UK leg last October, Wrexham-born band, The Royston Club, played to a sold-out Victoria Warehouse last Saturday. The atmosphere began early, complete with a packed-out pre-show merch stall from 2-6 pm, which allowed fans to head down to Gorilla in Manchester to purchase merch and access exclusive items.
No different to last year, the band have gone on to sell out every date on this current UK/EU tour, with fans still clinging on for more dates to be announced. With 2 no-skip albums under their belt, the band have fostered a devoted fanbase, with a packed out series of festivals, support and headline slots over the past 12 months – proving the sheer growth of this band in just a few short years.
To the delight of fans, the show kicked off with the incredible support of upcoming bands, Permanent(Joy) and Overpass. Both bands were welcomed with open arms, with many singing along to the tracks; they certainly set the tone for the night. The crowd then waited in anticipation until the lights went down and the last song played before the band walked out. The blackout stage was met with chants and excitement as the loyal fans geared up for a night of screaming their favourite tunes. The bassline of ‘Shivers’ then radiated through the venue before the lights came up, presenting the band to the crowd. There’s no better way to say it than the crowd quite literally went wild.
Lead singer Tom Faithfull knows exactly what the fans want – connection. The way he prances around the stage, from left to right and hypes up the crowd along the way, really is something to be admired. As he continued with the upbeat tracks of‘I’m a Liar’ and‘Glued to the Bed’, the emotion and energy he pours into the performance is clear to see, and the fans go wild for it. He has a powerful way of capturing the crowd with his energy and guiding them through the performance.
The setlist featured hits from the band’s discography, many from their latest album release, Songs for the Spine. The widely anticipated album release was met with such love and support from loyal fans and has since attracted many new ones, with many noting how the band has only gone and done it again, branding it“another no-skip album”.’30/20′ and ‘Through the Cracks’ were met with just as much energy as if they were the first song; the fans were ready to give it their all. There’s nothing better than a gig where every song is met with as much energy as the last, and that was certainly the case for this gig. Track to track, the fans knew what to do: high-energy tracks? No one stands still. emotive and delicate ballads? sing back every word and take it all in.
‘Tender Curiosity’ then brought the pace to a slow, with guitarist Ben Matthias sharing the mic with Faithfull as the two delivered a captivating duet of the track (with backing vocals courtesy of the crowd!). This calm segment then moved on to the cover of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by the Kinks, followed by the newly announced, unreleased track ‘Puddles’.
‘The Ballad of Glen Campbell’ also made a welcome return to the setlist as the show came to a close, but ofcourse, not before an encore featuring the highlight tracks ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows‘, ’52‘ and ‘Cariad‘. The band really knew how to leave the audience on a high, reminding everyone of why they deserve to be on that stage time and time again. Their unique sound gives off some form of electricity, which compels you to move along and really take in the music; it’s infectious in the very best way.
Like many rising artists, The Royston Club are another example of the importance of grassroots venues in the UK and beyond. They allow bands to get their foot in the door and open a gateway for fans to discover talent early – creating the headliners of the future.
Missed out on tickets and want to catch this band before they sell out arenas? Find upcoming dates here!
