The Royston Club
As far as 2025s go, it’s safe to say it’s been a busy one for The Royston Club. From massive sets at Reading + Leeds Festival, to their top 5 sophomore album “Songs for the Spine”, the four-piece from Wrexham have continued their rapid rise within the ever-popular UK indie scene. Tonight, symbolising the cherry on top of their year, just one of several sold out dates on their biggest headline tour yet, including a huge show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London on Halloween. Not bad for a group of lads who’ve been plying their trade since they initially met in secondary school. With many drawing comparisons between them and some of the indie darlings of the 21st century, from the Arctic Monkeys to Bloc Party, they’re a band that are not only ambitious in their sound, but certainly ambitious in being something that many may look back on in a similar vein 20 years from now.
Even before the band came on stage, the bellows of “Royston!! Royston!!” echoed across the 1500 capacity room - an early indicator that this was certainly a crowd that was up for it. So too were the band, jumping straight into “The Patch Where Nothing Grows”, accompanied by the choir of the audience. Lead singer Tom Faithfull immediately cements that his live vocals are not just on par with the studio recording, but in some instances even better. Whether it’s one of their earlier singles “Mrs Narcissistic” or some of the newer music like “Glued to the Bed”, Tom’s performance is flawless. The band’s raucous energy and tight-knit cohesion helped elevate Tom’s vocals even more, whether it’s the lead guitarist Ben Matthias’ riffs on “Blisters” or the fast-paced drumming, courtesy of Sam Jones, on “Shivers”. There wasn’t a moment where the band lost track of the crowd.
Where the band really shined were during more intimate moments. “A Tender Curiosity” was a real highlight, where it was simply just Tom, Ben and the audience in unison for one sweet moment. It’s a testament to the band’s connection and impact on the fans that rather than lose them during slower moments, they only bring them in closer and closer. “Spinning” began in a similar manner, with Tom keeping his acoustic guitar close by to him. However, as the song continued on, the instrumental build-up to the track’s climax provided a sense of release for many in that room. It was another moment where the audience could feel free and one with the music (obviously helped by the fact the music was of such a high quality).
As the set approached its end, Tom signaled to the crowd to turn the energy up (as if it wasn’t already high enough), followed by the incredible singalong of “Mariana”. Dozens of young fans are seen perched up on shoulders, much to the dismay of security who are seen frantically rushing to get them down. Throughout the set, but especially at the end, you get a real feel that the band have found their demographic; many fans scattered around were wearing shirts of other indie hotshots such as Fontaines D.C and Wunderhorse, but every one of them was just as big a fan of The Royston Club as the other. The set ends with the euphoric singsong of “Cariad”, a touching song about longing and heartbreak. A track that perhaps resembles a sense of despair and anguish, it would usually feel strange to end a set on a song like that. But if any band can make it work, it’s The Royston Club. As Tom lets the audience unite for one last chorus, you get the feeling that this is a band that will only continue to grow. “Accepted it’s over, I let the air run out”, one of the lines of the song’s chorus reads; and while the show may be over, the air will continue to linger long in the memory of those who were there.