Hard Life? Not Tonight: Hard Life makes a surreal Comeback into the Live Music Scene

“Leedsss! We are so. Fucking. Back!” Hard Life frontman Murray Matravers screamed into the mic as he ran onto stage last week at their first Onion (2025) album tour show in Leeds. This band is back and arguably bigger than ever before. From public lawsuits to name changes to personal losses, they’ve had an undeniably tough year, but their show at O2 Academy proved that they are ready to be back under the limelight. Honestly I’m not sure who’s more excited about it – the band themselves, or their devoted fans.

This show was nothing short of incredible. The room was filled with an understanding between the band members and the crowd as a community of people who had all pulled away from reality to enjoy a few hours of feel-good music together. Matravers set a tone of spontaneity after the first few songs: “We have had the craziest day. We’ve been listening to our favourite songs, we’ve been getting gassed, we’ve been getting fucked up… and now we’re out here!”, closely followed by “I’m drunk as shit, I hope that’s okay”. He certainly mirrored the energy of the crowd, who also seemed to be equally as happy, tipsy and ready to step into the magic of Hard Life’s melodies for a while. The constant appreciation for their fans echoed the room between each song. “We thought about quitting over and over again, but we couldn’t because you guys are so out there, and I see you and I love you!”

The array of excitement and appreciation didn’t stop there, as it ran through the entire concert and produced an atmosphere of love (sorry to sound cheesy, but it’s true). Their opening act Woody set a perfect tone of groovy rhythm for Hard Life before they had even begun. The singer emphasised their newfound appreciation for upcoming artists, and it’s clear that they don’t need to chase the big lights: “When we first started, it was about who could put bums on seats and who could sell tickets, but with Woody, I just love Woody so much I think he is incredible”. They stuck to their roots and have continued their love for brand new sounds with their supporting artist, but also within their new album Onion (2025). The sound of their new record has proven to stay true to their original sound, fusing together elements of Kendrick Lamar’s honest lyrics alongside the likes of the dreamy melodies of Frank Ocean.

Halfway through the set, the singer toned it down a little to play a more stripped-back song with just him and his piano: “My voice is fucked and I’m way too drunk to play the piano but we’re gonna do it anyway!” Despite the frontman’s honesty, his voice was nowhere near “fucked”, and the song ‘Y3llow Bike’ gained an appreciative roar from the crowd. Although the song had a much slower feel, it was nice to sit back and relax for a few minutes amidst the chaos of the other songs in the set. There were a few technical difficulties with the piano to begin with, but it did not take away from the atmosphere of the room, and if anything, helped to shed light on his love for his crew. “We haven’t played a show in three years, a lot of shit has happened in that time. This band and our crew are like a big, happy, dysfunctional family. To be back doing this means the world to us, so thank you so much”.

Following up from this intimate moment, the band used it as a raw emotional moment to highlight their charity donation stand for LOROS Hospice that they had set up next to the merch stall. The band’s guitarist, Lewis Alexander Berry, was revealed to have suffered the loss of his father the week before their show to a 30-year-long battle with cancer, and the band spoke out about their support of their friend and bandmate. They managed to fill the room with a sense of hope despite the sad news, and it created a new understanding between them and us in the crowd. It made the show feel that bit more special, as Berry had turned up for his fans even with his situation. The drummer, Oliver Cassidy, explained, “The fact that Lew is right here on stage is why the fuck we’re family. He’s doing this for his dad”, and that pretty much sums up the band’s message of coming together through tough times. 

After a heartfelt connection with the crowd, they brought back the energy with one of their most well-known songs ‘Skeletons’. “Open it up bigger, bigger!” Matravers yelled as the dance floor erupted into a mosh pit pulsing with sweat, sound, and pure release. “It’s been a long time coming. When the beat drops, look after each other, but also enjoy yourselves.” As if this moment couldn’t get any more spectacular, the drummer launched himself into the audience and crowd-surfed across the sea of fans. The singer joined in on the famous Yorkshire chant and declared, “No where does it like Yorkshire, let me tell ya!” The night concluded with their iconic and most memorable song ‘Nightmares’, before surprising everyone with a separate final verse from a song that wasn’t even on the setlist as a beautiful surprise. It was a raw, unscripted farewell that left the crowd buzzing as the lights dimmed and they departed with a simple peace sign. After three years of silence, Hard Life’s return wasn’t just a comeback; it was a celebration of survival, love, and the unbreakable bond between the band and their fans. I have no doubt that their future shows will encapsulate the same thrilling experience.

Words by Katie Hawkins