Sheffield music royalty has announced news of a major new addition to a summer festival happening in the city alongside a touching tribute.
This summer, Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus returns to the Don Valley Bowl with festivities running between Wednesday, August 27 and Sunday, August 31. Headline acts include Queens of The Stone Age, James and The Wombats with Sheffield legends Reverend and The Makers topping the bill on Saturday, August 30.
The rev, frontman Jon McClure, curating the fun that day with Peter Doherty and Carl Barât from The Libertines set to perform alongside Lottery Winners, Groove Armada, who will be doing a DJ set, and the Dayfever club party team – among other acts.
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The Reverend and The Makers day, at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus, marks the band’s 20th anniversary. On Thursday afternoon, Jon invited press and esteemed guests to iconic Sheffield boozer Fagan’s to make a special announcement, in terms of an addition to the upcoming proceedings.
Comedy creation Steve Bracknall, assistant manager of Sunday league side Royal Oak Football Club, will be the ringmaster at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus 2025. The character, who has been a viral sensation, being portrayed by Jon’s brother Chris McClure – keeping things in the family.
“Ringmaster, they used to call it compère,” Steve explained. “There will be nerves, no doubt, but it is only the same as Sunday league when ahead of a big match I’ll say ‘embrace your nerves’. I can’t wait. Get me up there.”
Steve Bracknall, alongside Jon Corbett and Jon McClure at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus press event at Fagans in Sheffield
Steve added: “The only problem I have is that you have to wear bifocals to see my name on the f**king poster. Let’s be frank, they’ve messed up as since it (the event) got announced…I’ve f**king rocketed. The egg is on their face, not mine. I’d have redesigned it myself. Each to their own.”
After the announcement, we sat down with Reverend and The Makers frontman Jon McClure about the upcoming event, an emotional tribute, the band’s legacy and plans for the future.
Jon, how special is it to be here in Fagan’s to preview the big party your band is hosting in the city this summer?
“It is great, I love this pub. I come in here a lot. A bunch of my pals run it. We all play music in the back. It is just a great space. I would say if the Sheffield music scene had a headquarters this would be it. I love this place.”
We’ve seen both Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus and Tramlines Festival grow in Sheffield in recent years. How does it feel to curate and headline the Don Valley event?
“Obviously, we headlined Tramlines a bunch in the early days when it was quite small then and now we always get third slot (now after its move to being based solely at Hillsborough Park) at Tramlines but arguably have the best show.
“I kind of low key feel like we could headline Tramlines but they’ve never asked us and then they came in and said ‘you can headline Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus, let’s go’. Sometimes, you have to demonstrate a point.
Jon McClure on stage as part of Reverend and The Makers at Tramlines 2023 -Credit:Gerard Binks Photography
“Ticket sales are mad, they are great. It is just a joyful thing and I think for 50 quid what a bill. It is going to be a good day and you can bring your kids. It is going to be class.”
Given your connections in the industry, was it challenging picking who you wanted to play?
“Most of them I know. The only ones I don’t know right well are Groove Armada but I’m a big fan. So, we were looking to get them because I love them. Everybody else, I know them personally and they are friends. It has been quite easy, in a way, to put it together. I’m really just looking forward to getting on with it.
“It will sound a bit cheesy this, and I don’t want it to, but I want to honour my dad and do him proud (John McClure snr sadly passed away last year). It has been in my mind all the way through. He knew we were doing it before he died. We’ll hopefully make him really proud of us.”
You have a special tribute planned at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus to honour your dad?
“You just want to make sure they will be proud of you on every single level. We are going to have this bar, John McClure Snr Bar. I think we are going to smash it.
“My dad loved getting p**sed up and having a party. (At gigs) He used to wear a shirt ‘the reverend’s maker’. I’m just looking forward to getting up there and having a big party.
“My dad was a nutter, he loved dancing and drinking and partying. What better way to honour him than to have fun and put smiles on faces.”
As you mentioned, tickets are reasonably priced compared to some major events. Was that a key consideration?
“It is a bargain. It is going to be a great day for everybody concerned. Hopefully we’ll get bright hot sunshine, late August, at that time of year. Good vibes.”
Last year, your single Late Night Phone Call raised awareness of, and funds supporting, charity Samaritans. It garnered a lot of attention, that must have been a wonderfully overwhelming experience?
“It blew my mind, we had a real good run on radio and telly then raised bunch of money for them. We had a pop-up shop in Meadowhall. You can’t really hope for anything more from a single really and, I think also, it let people know we are not just some indie thing from back in the day. We are still writing class tunes now and I think you’ve got to remind people sometimes ‘I’m still here, I’m still doing it’. I’m in a good moment in my career vibe-wise.”
Thousands enjoy the fun at Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus in Sheffield
Two decades in, what’s the biggest lesson you have learned?
“Remember what you are not good at and don’t try to be everything. Because you are not going to be able to be everything. Be good at some things. Be smart, collaborate. Work with people that are good at other things and you’ll win. That’s the vibe.”
Reverend and The Makers have a new record called Heatwave in The Cold North coming later this year which we’ll bring you further details of. If you’d like to go to Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus you can find ticket info here.
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