The spirit of the 90s arrived in Nottingham this past Sunday as two pillars of the Madchester era took over the iconic Rock City stage. It was a night of baggy beats, “twisting melons,” and a heavy dose of nostalgia that proved the 24-hour party is still going strong in 2026.
The Farm: Scouse Soul & Northside Tributes
The evening began with a bittersweet update. Northside were forced to pull out of the Newcastle, Leeds, and Nottingham dates due to illness. The Farm made sure they weren’t forgotten, acknowledging it was a pity they couldn’t join the tour and leading the Rock City crowd in a warm round of applause for the band.
Under a heavy haze of blue light, the six-piece ensemble, led by Peter Hooton and featuring a dynamic female backing vocalist, got the room moving. Hooton kept the banter sharp, joking about modern music habits while introducing the title track from their new album: “I bet you all stream, don’t you?” He eventually confessed to being a Spotify user himself, though he gave a massive shout-out to the vinyl lovers in the front row.
A major highlight was a “groovy bop” cover of “Bankrobber.” Hooton explained that Joe Strummer wrote it after watching Mrs. Cassidy, and dedicated the performance to Strummer and Mick Jones. The stage turned a deep, cinematic red as the crowd bellowed “Daddy was a bank robber” back at the stage. Other highlights included “A Moment in Time,” a track from the album fans recently voted as their best. They closed with a massive, phones-in-the-air rendition of “All Together Now,” before Brian snapped a photo of the cheering crowd on his phone.
Happy Mondays: 24-Hour Party People
As the intro built, the energy in Rock City shifted from a gig to a full-blown rave. A female vocalist danced across the stage, building the tension until Bez exploded into view, shaking his maracas and running around with his legendary, chaotic energy.
Shaun Ryder was in classic form: candid and effortlessly cool. After opening with “Kinky Afro” and “Donovan,” the room turned red for “Grandbags Funeral.” By the time they hit the fan-favorite “Step On,” Bez had the entire room jumping. Ryder’s intro was peak Mondays:
“F**k me, it’s that one now… you’re twisting my melon man, call the fucking cops.”
The set was peppered with refreshingly honest moments. During “Holiday,” played under blue and orange lights, Shaun admitted they hadn’t done the track for “f**king ages,” jokingly confessing: “I’m still reading it off the autocue.” Later, he had to check the setlist again, asking, “What’s this one about?” just before the blue lights and “jungle” flute sounds of “Rave On” kicked in.
As the room began to smell of strong cigarettes, the band moved through the 80s vibes of “Mad Cyril” and a purple-lit performance of “Jungle Fudge.” The night reached its peak with the penultimate anthem, “24 Hour Party People.” It was a final explosion of madness, maracas, and dancing that proved Happy Mondays still own the stage.
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Bez was iconic 🪇