Wrexham indie-rock band, The Royston Club, head to Victoria Warehouse in Manchester for their Song For The Spine Tour.
All live photography by Subhaan Khan. You can find more of his great work, here.
PERMANENT (JOY)
Liverpool indie-rockers Permanent Joy are first to grace the stage, opening with their track Nosebleeds. The set opened with a heavy guitar part and a strong drum beat, fuelling fans for an exciting night ahead. Lead singer Alex Davison’s confidence grew as the set progressed, sharing his energy with the crowd. 2025 single Lucky got the nod of approval from the crowd, with groovy instrumentals paired with Davison’s commanding vocals. “Thanks for being around to see us” he says and is met with a huge applause. Closing track I Wanna Go Home proved why the band were on stage in the first place. Dave Annis’ driving drums paired with flashing red lights gave their performance a bold finale.
OVERPASS
Next up were Birmingham-based band Overpass, who are on the build-up to their debut album: Elsewhere, Always. Getting the set started are Max Newbold’s powerful vocals, filling the venue and turning it into a sea of jumping fans. Their lead single Union Station, taken from their new album, opens the set. Fans sing the lyrics word for word despite it only being released this year. Take It Or Leave It is the song to listen to if you are yet to listen to Overpass, a classic tune which had not a single person standing still. The track stands as an anthem of self-acceptance, as you can’t change the way you are. Newbold owned the stage, getting the crowd clapping to the beat. Overpass closed their set with Heaven, the final track from their upcoming album. The catchy chorus got the audience singing in unison:
“I want it all or nothing
To put my faith in something
And I’ve prayed for loving
But I just need a second
I’m reaching out for heaven”
Overpass demonstrated why they are the next big name in the indie music scene. With their upcoming headline show at Manchester’s O2 Ritz in October, it won’t be long till they headline Victoria Warehouse themselves.
THE ROYSTON CLUB
The Royston Club launched into their show with Shivers; an explosive opener that immediately sparked a light within the crowd. Tom Faithfull’s gripping vocals have the crowd in awe. Even more so when Ben Matthias’ vocals are added in simultaneously backed by heavy electric guitars. It was clear fans were in for an unforgettable performance. I’m A Liar switches things up as the crowd danced under the green glow, soundtracked by Faithfull’s vocals and Dave Tute’s groovy bass lines.
Before launching into 30/20, Tom shouts out to the crowd, MANCHESTER! FUCK YEAH! Chants of ROYSTERN! ROYSTERN! echo through the venue. Mrs Narcissistic is the epitome of the perfect upbeat indie track. Tom got the crowd singing “why do I risk it all for you” as people were on shoulders and danced the night away.
SWITCHING MOODS
A Tender Curiosity switches the mood again, “let’s hear some voices for us” Tom calls out, and the crowd did just that. With just Ben and Tom’s heartfelt vocals through a singular microphone and the fans voices, it created a moment of reflection and connection in the crowd. It highlighted their harmonies and vocal ability, contrasting to the band’s stereotypically energetic performances. Mariana and Blisters saw the energy soar again, with mosh pits erupting left, right and centre.
The Ballad of Glen Campbell closes the band’s latest album Songs For The Spine and offers a moment of reflection during a set full of high energy tracks. It was then time for the encore, which featured The Patch Where Nothing Grows, 52 and Cariad. The crowd are in a frenzy the second the iconic guitar riff rang out through the venue. “Manchester has always been a special place for us to play,” says Tom before playing the opening notes to the emotional closure: Cariad. The atmosphere reached a new level, fans singing to the top of their lungs, not ready for the night to be over. Tom labelled the crowd “The voice of fucking angels,” and as the final notes to Cariad rang out, suddenly the night fans had eagerly anticipated was now an unforgettable memory.
Read our review of The Royston Club’s Songs For The Spine album here. You can find forthcoming tour dates here.
The Royston Club: Website