Featured image and gallery: Sam Holmes

From Mirfield to Manchester, this Yorkshire-born four-piece bring their funk-interwoven indie rock to a sold-out Gorilla for their biggest headline show to date. Fresh off the back of their new single ‘Watch Life Burn’ and signing their first record deal with This Feeling/ LAB Records, there is already a charged party atmosphere in the room.

Manchester-based quartet Everyman kick off the show with jangle-pop melodies layered over familiar indie rock. Made up of Nathaniel Maddock on vocals/guitar, Henry Hill on lead guitar, bassist Adam Valleley, and Ethan James behind the drum kit, Everyman cite artists like The Smiths and The Stone Roses as inspirations.

An early highlight is unreleased song ‘Seasonal‘, an indie heartbreak tune discussing a “whirlwind romance” as the chorus echoes, “Your love’s becoming seasonal.” Other highlights include the riff-heavy ‘Out of My Mind’, teased as a “blatant rip-off” of The Royston Club, and the melodic ballad ‘Lucy’, which brings the tempo down as Maddock takes to the keys.

Next up are Montello. Straight out of Wigan, they bring an alternative twist to the indie-rock theme of the night, punchy songs interwoven with social commentary akin to that of Manchester’s own Seb Lowe. Vocalist Jacob Knowles brings Gallagher-esque energy as he bursts on stage jeering to the crowd, backed up by Liam Conway (guitar), Jacob Ratcliffe (bass), and Toby Devereux (drums).

Drawing inspiration from bands ranging from Oasis to Madness, Montello hit their stride with Ska-inspired ‘House on Fire’, discussing a seemingly perfect relationship growing volatile. ‘Cold Calls’ offers a new side to their sound as Knowles swaps his guitar for a tambourine, asking: “Do you want to see some cool sh*t?” to an emphatic cheer as he riles up the crowd.

The set closes with newest release ‘Suit & Tie’, an anthem about navigating the music industry while staying true to your craft, as audience members rise on shoulders singing along to the chorus, proving Montello have cultivated a fond audience in The Slates fanbase throughout this tour.

You get the sense that something big is coming before The Slates even step out on stage, the screen counting down before a voice-over asks, “Are you ready?” The opening chimes of Gala’s ‘Freed from Desire’ ring out as vocalist Louis Barnes launches onto stage, commanding the crowd to jump around before the rest of the band; Joe Briggs (guitar), Jude Wales (bass) and Cohen Hall (drums), settle into position, ripping right into ‘Come Out & Play’.

Next comes ‘Understand the Groove’, transitioning from indie-rock into a funky, bassline-led tune to get the crowd dancing, Barnes then introduces unreleased track ‘YIS’ by having the audience chant it back to him, remaining in the palm of his hand all night.

Taking a break from heavier riffs, we arrive at summer anthem ‘Calling Up’, almost certain to land well at their Tramlines and Truck Festival slots this year. One of the show’s standout moments comes as they pull a fan named Joe on stage, joining them on guitar, to an emphatic reception.

The final moments showcase the energy of The Slates’ performance. ‘Shield Your Drink’ echoes early Arctic Monkeys – a high-energy track about a night on the town that culminates in Barnes crowd-surfing around the room while still playing his guitar. ‘What Have You Done?’ closes out the night, rocking Gorilla to the core as a mosh pit breaks out.

A sold-out Saturday night at Gorilla that makes one thing clear, The Slates are only heading in one direction – up.