It’s Thursday night, and Manchester Academy is sold out and buzzing. Warmed up by support acts Arkayla & FEET. There’s an air of anticipation in the room, with chants of “Royston! Royston! Royston!” in the interlude prior to their arrival. You can sense the time is here, the two-pint cups are full, and the stage is set for an hour of Wrexham’s finest indie export.
There’s a roar as the lights come up and the band arrive on stage, which is amplified when the iconic intro to “The Patch Where Nothing Grows” gets the gig going, a popular opener. Straight off the bat, the crowd are singing the words back at the band, a rare and thrilling sight so early in a set. The energy in the room is palpable, and the band feed off it instantly. There’s no easing in here; The Royston Club come out swinging, confident and musically tight. This is followed by “Glued To The Bed”, the other lead single from the band’s latest album Songs for the Spine, of which the album cover frames the stage, a rip-roaring start.
On stage for around an hour, they rattle through fifteen songs, a brisk, hit-filled set that never loses momentum. “Blisters” and “Mrs. Narcissistic” are greeted like old friends, reminders of the band’s steady rise and the songwriting roots that got them here. The older tracks feel comfortable, frontman Tom Faithfull visibly relaxes during them, his delivery looser and more expressive.
Between the chaos and the choruses, though, there’s a welcome pause for “A Tender Curiosity.” The stage empties, leaving just Tom and Ben with a stripped-back arrangement that brings the room to silence. It’s a more delicate, reflective interlude that showcases Tom’s vocal control and the depth of their songwriting, something not every indie act manages to pull off convincingly. For a moment, the crowd stands still, respectfully taking it in.
What follows is one of the standout moments as the band play “Spinning.” It’s a song that feels made for live performance, starting with a teasing, measured build before bursting into a euphoric climax where Ben Mathias’ guitar solo and Tom’s vocals are close to bursting.
Newer tunes “Shivers”, “Crowbar” & “Curses & Spit”, keep the momentum going. It’s a clever set, with a good balance of fan favourites and new songs which are well on their way to joining them. Drummer, Sam Jones, too, deserves a mention; he’s the heartbeat of the show, driving the tempo with an intensity that gives each track its punch. It truly is relentless, three old classics follow, “52”, “Mariana” & “I’m a Liar”, with the band loving the interaction with the young, exuberant crowd. It’s indie rock and roll in its purest form, with busy guitars, frantic drums and 2,500 vocalists screaming “I’m sorry for being so unaware!”.
By the time “Cariad” rolls around to close the night, it feels almost cinematic. The band let the final chorus belong to the crowd, who sang every word back. It’s goosebump-inducing stuff, with Tom finishing the set alone, just audible above the mass of voices singing back to him. No encore, no theatrics, just a quick “thank you very much,” and off he goes. As the lights come up, you can’t help but smile at the show. A tight, raucous, and unpretentious reminder of why live music matters.
