Inclusive, explosive, and unforgettable… Don Valley at full tilt.
Once a landscape dominated by dark, satanic steel mills and the thunder of industry, Sheffield’s Don Valley has reinvented itself as a stage for something altogether different. Where smoke once rose from grimy chimneys, the air now reverberates with drumbeats, guitars, and the roar of festival crowds. The Rock N Roll Circus has made its home in this reclaimed ground, the grass amphitheatre offering a natural arena where the city’s industrial ghosts mingle with a new kind of fire and energy.
Across the weekend, three stages, one being the Big Top, hosted over 60 bands who filled the valley with noise and colour, the music matched by the carnival of spectacle: tightrope walkers teetering in the sky, jugglers and acrobats defying gravity, a circus school daring the brave to join in. Around the amphitheatre, stalls brimmed with food and drink, and the whole event pulsed with a sense of tremendous organisation, inclusivity, and celebration. Once a symbol of hard graft and steel, the Don Valley Bowl now carries its rhythm in a different way, one that Sheffield has fully claimed as its own.
Saturday at Rock N Roll Circus kicked off with Cruz, Sheffield indie rock with strong local roots and an obvious following. Arctic Monkeys influence runs through them, but they’ve carved their own bite. Sunburst followed, a rising five-piece with Olly White proving himself a frontman destined for bigger stages.
The Outcharms, indie rock out of Doncaster, carried the weight of their high-profile support slots and delivered with swagger. Then The Rosadocs, another Sheffield outfit, indie-alt rock with pedigree, having headlined one of the final gigs at the city’s iconic Leadmill.
The tone flipped with Steve Edwards — “globally successful and locally revered” — who has one of those voices you don’t forget. Soulful, gospel-infused, shifting from silky smooth to gritty in a heartbeat. A proper treat to hear live.
Lottery Winners are always a festival highlight. Thom Rylance has the crowd in the palm of his hand with his mix of banter, vulnerability, and indie-pop hooks that cut both ways. From there it was The Ramona Flowers, Bristol’s synth-infused indie pop band, bolstered by that huge collab with Nile Rodgers.
Then came the chaos and brilliance of Pete Doherty and Carl Barât. The Libertines co-founders put all their volatile history aside for a set dripping in raw chemistry. Defining songs of the British indie era played loose, ragged and perfect.
Sheffield’s own Everly Pregnant Brothers turned the big top into a giant pub singalong. Their ukulele-fuelled parodies like ‘My Chip Pan’s on Fire’ (Sex on Fire), ‘You’re Yorkshire’ (You’re Gorgeous), and ‘Hendo’s’ (Yellow) had everyone grinning and bellowing along.
The Denabys kept the local streak going, showing why their fanbase keeps growing. Frontman Niall Ogley, backed by his brother Declan plus Jack and Calum, drove a set that proves they’re only heading up.
The night hit club mode with Groove Armada. Tom Findlay and Andy Cato turned the tent into Ibiza, blasting ‘Superstylin’’ and ‘I See You Baby’ as the floor heaved.
Then Precious Pepala stepped up, another Sheffield talent. With Zambian roots and a church upbringing, her soulful voice carried hints of rock and gospel. She’s brimming with natural talent — another name to watch.
Closing out the day were Reverend and the Makers. Jon McClure led a set blending indie rock, electronics and dance, laced with politically charged lyrics like ‘Silence is Talking’. They’ve always spoken to Sheffield’s working-class lives, and with their dedicated fanbase packed into the big top, it was the perfect end to the penultimate day.
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