Saturday night brought U.K. indie rock band The Reytons to Thornbury’s Croxton band room for the culmination of their second Australian tour.
For anyone who doesn’t know The Reytons, these Yorkshire lads are a truly independent band, doing this all without a label (or really much industry backing at all). Since releasing their first single in 2017, they’ve gone from strength to strength swiftly becoming on one the U.K’s most popular indie bands.
Fresh off the back of a sold out hometown show along with a number one U.K. album in the past year, the band were in fine form, blasting through a wide selection of their past hits as well as popular tracks from their latest album, Ballad of a Bystander.
The night started strong with The Valiants and local act The Velvet Club opening (this is band with a lot of potential in my humble opinion).
The one thing that sets a Reytons’ gig apart above anything else is the atmosphere. Australian crowds are generally quite mellow, but Reytons bring that true Northern English gig vibe with them. Ok, so I didn’t get a pint glass filled with piss thrown at me but you know, apart from that, they do bring the best bits – a cracking mosh pit, a lively crowd and the kind togetherness that, if you accidentally get punched in the face or lose your shoe, someone will look out for you (shout out to all those who had my back in the mosh at both Reytons gigs I’ve been too 
). They’re helped along by a mini army of loyal fans who travel to almost every show to cheer the boys on!
Having checked out the set list before the concert I was a bit worried, but I shouldn’t have doubted them as it worked perfectly. Opening with fan favourite ‘Red Smoke’, and winding through new and old tracks seamlessly it allowed for the excitement to build, then mellow out a little before kicking off all over again. I also like that they tuck their most popular track, ‘On The Back Burner’ in the middle of the set and don’t rely on that to bring the hype, because they don’t need it.
Lead singer Johnny Yerrell has always had a strong stage presence, but this time around you could feel the quiet confidence that has grown in him and the band after their most successful year yet. While still that humble, relatable guy, grateful for what he’s achieved, there was just this little undertone of “yeah, I deserve to be here” which was so great to see. Because he does, they all do. These kids off the estate have come a long way, doing it their own way! #allreytons
Give them a listen here:
Merch and Tour info here: