The connection between the band and the audience was a force to behold, with frontman Johnny Yerrell whipping the crowd into a politicised and emotional frenzy in between each raucous tune. They know their audience and have created a community through their simple yet charged lyrics that stay authentic to their ‘kids from the estate’ experience. All their songs have a catchy chorus, repetitive and usually on the angry side, and everyone sang along. Even if you weren’t familiar with the song, the choruses created a fantastic atmosphere, especially with tunes like ‘Broke Boys Cartel’ and ‘Low Life’. However, towards the end of this set in Newcastle, the formula started to feel obvious and slightly boring and the catchy choruses meant that they lost the height of the energy during the verses which was noticeable. Having said that, their onstage presence matched the energy of the crowd perfectly, which they maintained throughout their set.
The production value was impressive, and on a scale I haven’t seen from O2 City Hall before, with pyrotechnics, smoke machines, and lighting that contributed to the force of the music. The visuals behind the band were done well with lyrics for some songs, so people could pick up the words, they projected Yerrell’s face on a pound coin and edited logos of beer brands into lyrics which felt very on-brand.
The Reytons and their fans are ambitious, aiming to play Utilita Arena on their next visit to Newcastle. One can see how much their journey and the support means to them, as they named all the venues in Newcastle they had played and even shouted out the Cluny, a grassroots venue. They also mentioned the Reytons Grassroots Foundation ‘Levelling The Playing Field’, providing support for creatives of all disciplines from underprivileged areas.
During the tour, they are being supported by Freddie Halkon, a 20-year-old from Doncaster who is balancing his music career with a law degree. Speaking to the Courier, he described his sound as Britpop and alternative indie with some rock mixed in there, although he is still finding his sound. He writes from his own experiences, with authenticity and relatability being important to him, although during his set I felt some of the lyrics were so simple they walked the line of unrefinement. That said, the crowd seemed to love him, chanting his name at every possible occasion. Speaking to him before the show, he was excited to play his first show in Newcastle and I don’t think the crowd was a disappointment. He was excited to return to the city on the 24 April to play the Cluny, the venue the Reytons played at the start of their journey.