Twice The Men They Were Last Year – The Royston Club Live at Stylus

Halloween 2025 brought big house parties, scary costumes and everyone’s favourite Wrexham rockers The Royston Club to Leeds. These guys have had a big 2025 with the release of their sophomore, and first top 5 charting album Songs For The Spine (2025), several festival appearances such as Kendal Calling, TRNSMT, a headline slot at Liverpool Sound City and a fully sold-out tour celebrating their latest release. Fans were showing their dedication hours before doors opened with fans queuing up to 4 hours before.

The excitement was rippling through the room as fans dashed to grab their barrier spots, all sporting new merch, you could really feel the love for the band from everyone. Permanent (Joy) opened the night with a smooth, no nonsense set. They powered through each tune with such professional delivery and a real swagger. My highlight of this set was ‘Stressed Out’ because despite the title, this song had such a great attitude and a groovy chorus that you couldn’t not dance to. The next support band, Feet, brought a change in pace with psychedelic vibes, but this was very well received with the crowd swaying to the slower songs and plenty of humorous interactions throughout their set. What was a breathtaking sight to see from the balcony was during ‘Why Would I Lie?’ when the crowd all had their hands in their air, swaying in unison and phone torches lit up.

After two contrasting but complimenting sets, the stage was set for The Royston Club to take their place. Set against a backdrop featuring the iconic bull from their latest album cover, the ‘Love Theme’ from the Cinema Paradiso (1988) soundtrack was their chosen walkout song. It was such a calming violin instrumental with contrasting ‘Royston’ chants being belted out by the crowd which proceeded to soundtrack the rest of the night. The band walked out, riling up the crowd that greeted them with screams of excitement. They took a moment to bask in all the noise and so they should with the trajectory they’ve been on this past year. Launching straight into the first song ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’ the crowd were bouncing straight away, and, from my angle, it was like perfect transverse waves reverberating to the back of the room. 

They played through a perfectly thought-out collection of tracks to open the set with the crowd all singing both guitar riffs and lyrics! There was no fear of anyone in that room who hadn’t memorised every song. What has been a new edition to this set is the quick, but very effective, acapella that introduces ‘Mrs Narcissistic’ that got the crowd going absolutely wild, with mosh pits opening up in different parts of the pit. Of course, this song ended like every other with the fervent ‘Royston’ chants and fists punching the air in unison. 

Sticking along the line of stripping things back, frontman Tom Faithfull and lead guitarist Ben Matthias remained together on stage alone to perform an angelic ‘A Tender Curiosity’ with dominant acoustic riffs and gentle guitar filler riffs. Set against a backdrop of dimmed lights, their darkened silhouettes contrasted the sea of phone torches undulating.

In an immediate variation, they brought the energy straight back to the max with ‘Spinning’ which was a shining moment of the set as they sang and played with such raw emotion, truly allowing themselves to get lost in this ballad. Keeping in with this intense theme followed ‘Shivers’ with iconic guitar riffs and a fierce build up before each chorus. The Royston Club played through the rest of the set with huge walls of sound, raw vocals and addictive drum riffs with the crowd maintaining their chants and pulsating movements as more tunes from their first album made an appearance.

This set was a perfect ratio of both albums with the iconic ‘I’m A Liar’ up next. Everyone went mental for this tune with its influencing bass riffs and incredibly addictive chorus. The band riled the crowd up again and this followed swiftly straight into ‘Cariad’ but despite the slower pace, it still proved anthemic. This has been a switch up for them this tour as ‘I’m A Liar’ made room for ‘Cariad’ to close the set. These final two songs felt like a final victory lap as the set ended so beautifully as Tom Faithfull sang the chorus in unison with the crowd before walking off to a touching tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, with ‘Crazy Train’ closing the night. Their set in Leeds was more fuel to the fire of their popularity this past year and long may it continue for them.

Words By Ruby Macklin