Featured image and gallery: Ameena Ceesay
Reverend and The Makers’ discography seems to incorporate the better aspects of rock, ska and techno, and their latest gig at Manchester Academy reinforced this. The venue was jam-packed with rabid fans, which allowed for a more intimate setting given its size.
The Sheffield rockers performed a mix of their back catalogue for the first two-thirds of the show, including ‘Shine The Light’ and, arguably their most famous song, ‘Heavyweight Champion Of The World’. The final third cleverly included the ballad ‘No Soap (In A Dirty War)’ which had a calming effort on punters, and the inclusion of their latest single, ‘Problems’.
The band, particularly the lead-singer Reverend, were electrifying to watch. His stage presence was magic, as he appeared akin to a conductor leading an orchestra. Throughout the two-hour set, there were frequent interludes where he’d interact with the crowd – asking if they were having a good night, remarking on the band’s nearly 20-year history and implementing call and responses within the songs themselves. Fans never wavered and hung onto his every word.
The Manchester crowd stayed in the palm of his hand throughout the show, and were honestly the real stars of the show. From the beginning, where they piled into the venue, to the supporting acts (The Rusty Spoons and Ramona Flowers), to the main act – the crowd was on fire. One may argue they were even rowdy. Amid the cheers and singalongs, there were ‘fuck the Tories’ chants as an homage to Reverend’s working-class background, and a few fans going old school and waving lighters.
As drinks were thrown across the room and crowd surfing ensued, there was still an element of wholesomeness, particularly when the band brought up some kids from the crowd to watch the show from the side of the stage.
After the show, Reverend declared the fans take it to the streets. They clamoured outside still singing along to the band’s encore, their cover of The Specials’ ‘A Message To You, Rudy,’ as a tribute to Terry Hall.
Whether it is was your first time seeing this band or your 50th, the mixture of crowd investment and good music is what made this show a hit.
Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…
By Evie-Iris Atkins and Megan Levick. Featured image: UNITOM. As part of our new series In Print: Celebrating Print Culture in Manchester, we speak to UNITOM head publishing buyer Tim Bell. “Celebrating the worlds of visual culture” is what Northern Quarter magazine and bookshop UNITOM does best, says head publishing buyer Tim Bell. With an…
Featured image: Ruby Sharp Good food has the power to bring people together, and in Manchester, this couldn’t be more true. We explore how family-run restaurants are going above and beyond for their community. Since opening in 2019, Fress, located in the Northern Quarter, has made a name for itself not just for its food,…
Featured image and gallery: Gracie Hall Gorilla gets its brains rocked out by Lambrini Girls. The Brighton-based punk duo who are touring their debut album, Who Let The Dogs Out, blend riot grrrl and neurodivergent humour to form a chaotic but inclusive evening. With Phoebe Lunny on vocals and guitar, Lilly Macieira-Boşgelmez on bass and…
Leave a reply