Stereophonics at M&S Bank Arena review: A stellar masterclass of rock
“While we are in this room, let’s leave our troubles at the door and have a good time,” Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones declared to a sold-out M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, and for the 15,000 in attendance, seeing the Phonics live was just what the doctor ordered as the four-piece closed out the penultimate leg of their Winter Arena Tour, reminding everyone why they are one of the best live bands in the business.
Earlier this year, Stereophonics’ deep catalogue expanded further as they released their 13th studio album in ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’ – their ninth to become a UK No. 1 – and treated the M&S Bank Arena to renditions of ‘There’s Always Gonna Be Something’, ‘Seems Like You Don’t Know Me’ and ‘Colours of October’ – the latter of which was added to a refreshed setlist from their stadium shows this summer alongside ‘Rewind’ and ‘100MPH’.
Despite the surprise omissions of ‘Step on My Old Size Nines’ and ‘Handbags and Gladrags’ from the setlist, it mattered not, as the Phonics were in undeniable form from the moment they kicked off the set with the swaggering ‘Vegas Two Times’ before swiftly following it up with a spine-tingling rendition of ‘I Wanna Get Lost With You’, setting the tone for what would be a stellar masterclass of rock.
The hits came thick and fast in the opening interval as the dreamy classic ‘Have A Nice Day’ left the sold-out crowd in a state of awe, a mesmerising performance of ‘Geronimo’ saw touring member Gavin Fitzjohn break off into a tremendous saxophone solo, and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ delivered arguably the biggest singalong of the evening and saw the Phonics make the cavernous M&S Bank Arena feel wholly intimate.
Since performing their first-ever headlining show in Liverpool – a performance in front of approximately 20 people at The Lomax in 1996 – the Stereophonics are a band who have come a long way in their 33 years together. A pulsating rendition of ‘More Life In A Tramp’s Vest’ was complemented by visuals of the band’s first-ever world tour in the late 1990s, and saw Jones strike a reflective tone, highlighting how he and Stuart Cable started the band by rehearsing at a nearby youth club before going on to perform in pubs and eventually becoming an arena- and stadium-headlining band, leading into Jones reflecting on their history of performing in Liverpool, noting their show at Anfield, which brought the only boos of the evening.
However, the boos quickly dissipated with Jones jokingly declaring, “We didn’t play the Everton ground. We didn’t feel like that.” Before leading into a rendition of ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’, performed with a ukulele bought for Jones by fellow bandmate Richard Jones, despite Kelly’s admission it was bought “knowing full well I can’t play the ukulele” and despite the frontman’s playful declaration, “The Everton fans don’t have to join in the chorus if they don’t want to,” 15,000 voices were once again united with a spellbinding singalong before a spine-tingling rendition of the slow-burning, brooding Phonics classic ‘Mr. Writer’ to keep the momentum going.
“Any of you having an affair?” Jones asked the audience as a camera panned around the standing pit, seemingly aiming to recreate Coldplay’s viral moment from Gillette Stadium in the summer before exploding into a pulsating rendition of ‘Mr & Mrs Smith’ with the powerhouse drumming of Jamie Morrison, a standout from the performance.
As the evening wound down, the band closed out the main part of the set with ‘Fly Like An Eagle’ and a high-octane rendition of ‘The Bartender and the Thief’, setting the tone for a thrilling encore. A three-punch combo of ‘100MPH’, ‘Traffic’ and an ultra-punchy ‘C’est La Vie’, which gave the sold-out crowd an opportunity to play with the band’s latex balls, was performed in quick succession, paving the way for the euphoria of ‘Dakota’, that left the 15,000-strong crowd singing their hearts out in unison to wrap up the performance on a breathtaking high.
After a year of highlights, which included the four-piece earning their aforementioned ninth UK No. 1 album in ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’ and two acclaimed homecoming shows at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, 2025 has been a year to remember for the Stereophonics – and one that has seen them add to a flawless legacy that continues to become greater with every performance.