Gig review: The Rosadocs at Sheffield City Hall Ballroom

On Friday evening, 850 revellers packed into the Sheffield City Hall Ballroom to support the superb Rosadocs – a band continuing their meteoric rise – not just on the Sheffield music scene, but throughout the UK.

Support for the show came in the form of two great Yorkshire bands- Sheffield’s Matilda Shakes and Leeds quartet The Slates. Both bands commanded the stage with their energetic and frenetic sets. Matilda Shakes’ song Adrenaline, filled with Sheffield references, went down well with the hometown crowd, whilst The Slates, What Have You Done? proved to be popular.

“We’re The Rosadocs Army,” was the chant being vociferously echoed around the stunning Ballroom as the five-piece entered the stage, arms aloft, waving to the bumper crowd.

The band opened up with Towards the Sun, which was swiftly followed up with Oak Tree and recent hit At Your Door.

Frontman Keelan Graney thanked the crowd for coming and recalled a heartfelt history of the band playing at the smaller Sheffield venues when starting out in 2017 to now playing at the iconic Ballroom. It was, he said, “a dream come true”.

The band then gave an airing to a new song, Hopeless Optimist, which was extremely well received by the appreciative crowd. The band then dipped into their back catalogue with an older hit from 2017 – House of Commoners.

Time and Place and a brilliant acoustic version of Cross to Bear soon followed, before Graney took a few moments to reflect on the recent tragic accident at the Sheffield Steelers game last weekend resulting in a player losing his life to a freak collision.

“We would like to dedicate this song to Adam Johnson, his family and friends and all those fans affected on the night – no one should go to work to do a job they love and not come home.” The band dedicated Where You’re Supposed To Be – a raw, emotional rendition of the band’s iconic ballad – a really poignant, special moment.

The band then performed These People and 2021 hit Settle Down – a great opportunity for Graney to demonstrate his powerful voice and great range.

The South Yorkshire five-piece then performed a new song Too Much In Time, due for release later this year/early 2024. I’d go as far to say that it’s my favourite song from any band in the last five years – a real ballad that would suit a stadium crowd with infectious riffs, melancholic piano playing and powerful vocals.

The band left the stage for a brief moment and then 14-year-old guitarist Poppy Fletcher entered the stage with the band for the encore. The talented teen performed guitar in Run Away Instead whilst Graney made his way through the crowd, adding to the already electric atmosphere with his now customary trademark of performing the song with pandemonium around him.

The band finished with the classic hits No.54 and Concrete – two surefire songs to get the crowd bouncing. A great night and a suitably bigger stage for a band who continue to impress with each and every gig and I’m sure it won’t be long before even bigger stages and stadiums beckon them.