Wholesome isn’t a word I thought I’d be using to describe The Reytons, but their night of non-stop head bangers and chants of ‘Yorkshire’ made me proud to call Leeds home.
A loyal crowd of all ages descended on Stylus, a bigger venue than the band have previously played in Leeds but one which they nonetheless packed with hardcore fans. The start was a mixed bag for me, as I got pelted in the face by a can of larger, but after I’d established my nose definitely wasn’t broken all was good. After all, it’s The Reytons. It’s bound to be lively.
The jam-packed hour started with hits including ‘Nothing to Declare’ and ‘On the Back Burner’, which had the crowd moshing, a familiar sight in Stylus, the home of ‘Fruity’ club nights. The atmosphere only improved as hits including ‘Slice of Lime’, ‘Low Life’ and ‘Landslide’ got the loyal fans screaming along.
The only pause in an otherwise relentless night was for lead singer Jonny Yerrel to say that the band are only four Yorkshire lads giving music a go against the likes of Ed Sheeran, and that only the fans make that possible, which led to more chants of ‘Yorkshire’.
Finishing with classics ‘Kids off the Estate’ and ‘Broke Boys Cartel’ brought the crowd together for a moment of slight calm and unity, followed by the biggest mosh pit of the night.
A raucous night of Yorkshire pride and indie vibes. The Reytons nationwide tour continues until October 29th.
By Tom Horn
Photo credit- @leedsunionevents