Live: The Sherlocks @ Sheffield University Foundry, Sheffield

by | Mar 9, 2017

Brandon Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Brandon Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

The Sherlocks were back in town on Friday night with their infectious good-mood beats and heavy riffs. It had been a while since I had seen them and like the sell out crowd, I was looking forward to their set and those of the supporting acts Oddity Road and Sundance

Like a ray of sunshine, Sundance brought interesting new sounds to the Sheffield University Foundry with a mixture of 4/4 and 7/8 beats, combining fun alternative pop with upbeat bluesy reggae vibes. Although not expecting to play to such a large crowd – the sold out Foundry was filling up fast – Sundance more than rose to the occasion with their well-crafted alternative stoner rock, winning the crowd over in no time.

Harry Walker of Sundance (Gunnar Mallon)

Harry Walker of Sundance (Gunnar Mallon)

With a stage presence and vocal aggression of Zack de la Rocha, frontman Harry Walker delivered heartfelt vocals backed by an excellent group of musicians. There was a clear harmony between band members and when they manage to refine their sound a bit more they will be ones to watch.

Jack Heath of Oddity Road (Gunnar Mallon)

Jack Heath of Oddity Road (Gunnar Mallon)

With the venue now at capacity and the audience fully limbered up for an evening of jumping around, local up-and-comers Oddity Road took to the stage. Although most of the audience was there to see The Sherlocks, after Oddity Road’s first two songs Intro and Elope, the young, predominantly female audience could not stand still anymore and erupted into a pulsating sea of bobbing heads and raised arms.

Oddity Road at Sheffield Foundry (Gunnar Mallon)

Oddity Road at Sheffield Foundry (Gunnar Mallon)

Picking up the pace with Don’t Say, Nova, and their latest EP release You, the four A-level students from Hope Valley did not let up for a breather and kept the energy levels at 11. Ending their set on their popular song Handshake, new fans were certainly won on Friday evening. The four multi-instrumentalists will be back at Sheffield Student Union on 7 April, with no doubt another sterling performance.

Andy Davidson of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Andy Davidson of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Sporting big grins on their faces and to the roaring shouts and whistles of the audience, The Sherlocks walked onto stage in complete darkness. With the first drumbeat of Last Night, the lights lit up and the crowd went wild. It had been a while since The Sherlocks played in their home town and their fanbase was out in numbers, singing along to all of their songs.

The Sherlocks at Sheffield University Foundry (Gunnar Mallon)

The Sherlocks at Sheffield University Foundry (Gunnar Mallon)

The alternative indie rock quartet from Sheffield chose to play in their hometown on the return leg of their almost entirely sold out UK tour, which kicked off in Inverness on 1 February and saw three extra dates added for shows in Glasgow, London, and Leeds in April.

The Sherlocks at Sheffield Foundry (Gunnar Mallon)

The Sherlocks at Sheffield Foundry (Gunnar Mallon)

In there relative short four-year history, The Sherlocks have managed to become a household name for solid pumping indie rock. This is largely due to lead singer Kiaran Crook’s gritty vocals, heartfelt lyrics of personal experiences and their arsenal of instant festival anthems.

Following their opening songs Last Night, Escapage and Nobody Knows the relentless wave of hits continued with last year’s EP release Will You Be There? and Candlelight before turning it up with Heart of Gold. The memorable chorus helped keeping the crowd engaged with the music. It is impressive that The Sherlocks have amassed such a loyal following, given that they are yet to release a full studio album.

Kiaran Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Kiaran Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Brandon Crook’s smashing beats and Andy Davidson’s deep evenly-paced bass lines made it impossible to stand still during any of The Sherlocks’ songs and before you know it, you are jumping around with the rest of the crowd. Their fast-paced indie rock vibes can only be likened to a relentlessly pouncing musical tiger that does not let up but hits you with thump after thump of musical delight.

The fifty minute set, which seemed to exhaust The Sherlocks’ repertoire, came to an end with Chasing Shadows, which they performed live in session at Maida Vale Studios for BBC Introducing in 2015.

Kiaran Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Kiaran Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

The fun that every member of the audience had was clearly mirrored by the four artists on stage, who appeared to have the time of their lives, jumping around and joking with each other. The Sherlocks clearly know how to entertain and keep a crowd bouncing while maintaining positive vibes and an all-round party atmosphere.

Kiaran Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

Kiaran Crook of The Sherlocks (Gunnar Mallon)

There are only a few dates left on their tour that have yet to sell out. If you are in the mood for a fun evening of cracking memorable tunes, make sure to catch The Sherlocks on their current tour or at individual gigs later in the year.

Josh Davidson of The Sherlocks playing to a sell out crowd (Gunnar Mallon)

Josh Davidson of The Sherlocks playing to a sell out crowd (Gunnar Mallon)

Live Review & Photography by Gunnar Mallon.

The Sherlocks at Sheffield University Foundry, Sheffield, March 3rd 2017.

Damian Lewis (Steve Gullick)

Damian Lewis Announces New Album ‘Sweet Chaos’ And Shares Expansive Title Track

Award-winning actor and musician Damian Lewis has announced details of his second studio album Sweet Chaos, set for release on 5th June 2026, alongside the arrival of its powerful title track.

Angine de Poitrine (Constantin Monfilliette)

Angine de Poitrine Announce New Album ‘Vol. II’ And Sold-Out UK Debut Tour

French experimental duo Angine de Poitrine have unveiled details of their eagerly anticipated new album Vol. II, set for release on 3rd April 2026, alongside news of a completely sold-out debut UK tour this May.

Where’s Your Sense Of Adventure?! Crymwav Hit Islington

From the graffiti-ed basement of the iconic Hope and Anchor in Islington comes an irresistible Rock rumble. LA’s...
Scouting For Girls @ Latitude Festival 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Scouting For Girls Celebrate The Moment With New Album ‘These Are The Good Days’ And Huge 20th Anniversary Shows

Scouting For Girls are firmly embracing the present with the release of their new album These Are The Good Days, arriving alongside the announcement of the biggest headline shows of their career to date.

Jess Ball (Charlie Barton)

Jess Ball Breaks The Cycle With Emotionally Charged New Single ‘Roundabouts’

Melbourne alt-pop riser Jess Ball continues her ascent with the release of her latest single Roundabouts, a reflective and emotionally candid track exploring the difficult realisation that a relationship has reached its end.

The Gleeman (Press)

The Gleeman Continues Ambitious Trilogy With New Mini-Album ‘Even If You Miss’

The Gleeman has unveiled Even If You Miss, the second instalment in an ambitious trilogy of releases that is fast becoming a defining statement of intent from the songwriter also known as Dean Morris.

Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Duran Duran To Headline BST Hyde Park 2026 With Scissor Sisters

London’s summer calendar just got another major highlight as Duran Duran are announced as the latest headliners for BST Hyde Park 2026, set to take over The Great Oak Stage on Sunday 5th July. Joining them as special guests will be fellow pop trailblazers Scissor Sisters, with further acts still to be revealed.

White Denim (Press)

Brighton Psych Fest 2026 Expands Line-Up With White Denim, Anna von Hausswolff And More

Brighton Psych Fest has revealed a second wave of artists for its 2026 edition, further strengthening its reputation...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing