Review: Rock N Roll Circus Day 4: Hometown heroes Reverend and the Makers celebrate in style

The evening would culminate in a triumphant homecoming for Reverend and the Makers, celebrating their 20th anniversary on familiar territory.

The day began with promising performances across multiple stages. Local favourites The Rosadocs commanded a packed Main Stage tent, delivering an intimate acoustic set that showcased their songcraft at its finest.

With just lead singer Keelan Graney's haunting vocals and the superb multi-instrumental talents of Myles Henderson on acoustic guitar, tracks like Run Away Instead, Towards the Sun, and Cross to Bear resonated deeply with the receptive audience. Graney's vocal delivery earned thunderous applause- a band who continue their meteoric rise.

The entertaining Lottery Winners continued the Main Stage momentum with their infectious energy. Start Again, UFO, and a brilliant cover of Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars had the crowd singing and dancing in unison, their enthusiasm undimmed by the persistent rainfall outside the tent.

The BBC Introducing Stage provided its usual platform for emerging talent, with Matilda Shakes headlining an impressive lineup. Their standout tracks Frankie and the particularly catchy Fever Dream impressed the large crowd who had specifically come to witness their performance, suggesting bright futures ahead for these rising stars.

Sheffield quartet Cruz delivered one of the day's most energetic performances on the Electric Carousel Stage. Their high-energy, frenetic set was anchored by frontman Sam Thatcher's soaring vocals and commanding stage presence.

Hold On and recent single Play the Game proved to be genuine crowd pleasers, while the humour of the Everly Pregnant Brothers and their satirical songs provided entertaining contrast on the same stage.

The Libertines' Pete Doherty and Carl Barat brought their legendary chemistry to the Main Stage, delving deep into their expansive back catalogue.

Crowd favourites including Seven Deadly Sins, Time for Heroes, and Can't Stand Me Now built to a roof-raising finale that seamlessly blended Don't Look Back into the Sun with Oasis's Don't Look Back in Anger-a moment that perfectly captured the evening's celebratory spirit.

However, it was the headline performance that truly defined the night. At 9 PM, Chris McClure (known to many as Steve Bracknall) delivered a heartfelt and emotional introduction for his brother Jon McClure, setting the stage for what would become a career-defining homecoming celebration.

Reverend and the Makers exploded into action with Bassline, immediately sending the packed crowd into a frenzy of bouncing and singing.

The momentum continued with the ever-popular Heatwave in the Cold North before McClure delivered a deeply personal moment with Armchair Detective-a lesser-aired track from The State of Things album that held special significance as his late father John's favourite song.

"To the man who gave me my love for music," McClure dedicated the performance, creating a fitting tribute that surely would have made his father proud.

Shine the Light and recent hit Haircut proved incredibly popular, as did the emotional Late Night Phone Call. In a wonderful collaborative moment, McClure brought back The Lottery Winners to perform You Again, the song both bands had released together the previous year, highlighting the supportive nature of Sheffield's music community.

“If you don't bounce to this next song, you can't be from Sheffield. You must be from down south," McClure joked before launching into the anthemic Heavyweight Champion of the World, which had the entire tent moving as one.

The band concluded their anniversary celebration with Out of the Shadows, He Said He Loved Me, and Silence is Talking, ending not just a superb performance, but a truly memorable day that showcased Sheffield's enduring musical heritage.

Rock N Roll Circus Day 4 proved that even British weather cannot dampen the spirit of great music and devoted fans coming together in celebration.