Stereophonics with special guest Finn Forster performing their Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry, Make ‘Em Wait at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Thursday 4th December 2025.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

No strangers to the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, welsh wonders and one of the UK’s most enduring rock bands, Stereophonics, were back on Thursday night to deliver a masterful performance that struck the perfect balance between nostalgic reverence and vibrant energy, effortlessly combining fan favourites with their most recent releases.

Tasked with welcoming the crowd was Teeside talent Finn Forster, who has previously toured with the Stereophonics and is familiar with the arena stage having been the guest of Bastille only last month. Looking right at home on the massive stage with his five piece band, he didn’t hold back as he opened with Burning Bridges and followed up with a set list of modern rock with a synth driven twist.

Forster’s break out EP, Embers, has made a huge impression and songs such as Feels Like, On My Mind and Broken Game were all familiar to the crowd. Pablo, a tribute to his best friend, is already a much loved fan favourite. For an artist embarking on his musical journey, he looked completely at home, with his confident stage presence, and engaging sound that won over the crowd with ease. It was a polished and impressive start to the evening.

For over thirty years, Stereophonics have entertained millions around the world, and have such a unique and timeless style that the crowd comprises all ages. Straight into Vegas Two Times, they made it clear that they weren’t going to mess around as their energy surged from the first chord and didn’t let up for another twenty-two storming tracks.

Following up with the stunning I Wanna Get Lost With You before Have A Nice Day defied the sold out crowd to sing along. With front man Kelly Jones making great use of the walkway to get close to the crowd, his vocals were filled with passion and emotion, and were both formidable and flawless in equal measures.

With a back catalogue as rich as theirs the crowd were treated to fantastic renditions of Superman, the always emotive Local Boy In The Photograph and the brooding Mr Writer which saw them serve up a masterclass in raw rock intensity. New songs such as the beautifully optimistic There’s Always Gonna Be Something, and Seems Like You Don’t Know Me from their latest album, the fantastic Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry, Make ‘Em Wait were very well received.

The Bartender And The Thief brought the main set to a close and was positively thrilling, before an encore of 100 MPH, Traffic, C’est La Vie and the anthemic Dakota brought the set to a close, proving that Stereophonics are not just musical survivors, but masters of their craft, delivering a show filled with passion, precision, and timeless anthems.

Bastille with special guests Finn Forster and Bradley Simpson performing their From All Sides Tour at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Sunday 9th November 2025.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

English indie pop band Bastille were at the Motorpoint Arena on Sunday night, and with their enduring popularity they are no strangers to performing in big arenas having done so since their debut studio album, Bad Blood catapulted them into the limelight over a decade ago.

With Finn Forster, a Teeside talent on the rise, gracing the stage first, the crowd were intrigued to see what he was all about. With no sign of being intimidated by the huge stage, he delivered a polished and impressive set that included previously released singles Long Nights, Broken Game, Grey Skies and his latest release, Pablo. Delivering a confident set with his tight vocals and catchy hooks, he made it very clear why he is one to watch.

No stranger to the adoration of the crowd was Bradley Simpson, best known for being the front man of The Vamps. Delivering an exhilarating and intoxicating set he impressed with his spot on vocals. Having released his debut solo album earlier this year, he treated the crowd to fans favourites such as Picasso and Cry At The Moon. Daises and Carpet Burn had them all singing the words right back at him before he finished his set with The Panic Years.

When Bastille walked on to the stage, they did not waste any time as they got straight into their music with Things We Lost In The Fire which grabbed the crowd’s attention. With front man Dan Smith owning the stage, his band mates, bassist Kyle Simmons, guitarist Will Farquarson and drummer Chris Wood all added to the richness and texture of the set list.

The crowd jumped together for an outstanding version of Good Grief which saw Smith excel as he did during the 2013 throwback, Flaws, much to the delight of the crowd. When they started playing the intro to Warmth, a track from their 2016 album Wild World, the crowd screamed with delight.

There was a really heavy version of What You Gonna Do??? before the main set was closed with Marshmello’s Happier. For the encore they finished with their massive hit, Pompeii which just about took the roof off the venue, much to the delight of everyone on stage who walked off with huge smiles on their faces.