Heading to Don Valley Bowl this August to check out Rock N Roll Circus? VIBE went down to Fagan’s last week for an exclusive press preview of Reverend and the Makers’ upcoming headline set to see what’s in store for their all-singing-all-dancing extravaganza this year. 

The festival is set to take place at Don Valley Bowl, Wednesday 27 to Sunday 31 August, with Reverend & The Makers headlining the Saturday (30 August), celebrating the band’s 20^th anniversary, with support from roove Armada (DJ set), Dayfever (the UK’s No.1 Daytime party), Peter Doherty & Carl Barat, Lottery Winners, Harriet Rose and Steve Bracknall. 

Joined by festival marketeer Jon Corbett, Reverend frontman Jon McClure sits down with assistant manager and now-ring master Steve Bracknall, of Royal Oak FC fame, to discuss some behind-the-scenes exclusives of the huge Sheffield event.

“It’s already a wonderful event in the city and I’m very excited about being asked to headline it. I think, if you’re a punter, it’s the best show in town this year,” the frontman tells Corbett. 

Bracknall, who will also be performing at the event, is set to take on a ring master role. Experienced, of course, in handling performance under pressure and exceptional leadership skill at Royal Oak FC, he says, “there’ll be nerves, no doubt. But it’s only the same as Sunday league when you go into a big match and I’ll say ‘embrace your nerves’, I can’t wait to get up there.” 

In conversation with VIBE, McClure spoke about what the event means to him. “It’s getting bigger and better, and it’s becoming a regular fixture in the city’s gig calendar, and I think we need that,” the singer explains, “This is a big city. You can’t just have tramlines, you need multiple events, and I think Rock N Roll Circus is providing something a little bit different. It’s got a slightly more chaotic feel to it, it feels a bit edgier, in a great way.”

When asked what audiences can expect this year, he simply replies, “a party, a sing along, a laugh, friends, family, community- Sheffield.” Reverend frontman says hopes his audience walks away from the headline set “hoarse from singing, aching from dancing, sweating from jumping up and down…I want them to have the impression that Sheffield’s the best place on earth, that’d be good.” 

Celebrating a huge 20^th anniversary this year, Reverend & the Makers will be joined by an incredible line-up, created by Jon McClure himself, for their day-long party. “We’ve got Groove Armada, who I love. Pete Doherty & Carl Barat, who are friends of mine, we’ve been touring in Australia with them. I mean The Libertines are one of the most iconic British bands ever. Lottery Winners, we had a hit last year together, so it’s great to have them. 

“Everly Pregnant Brothers, a real Sheffield supergroup. Pete McKee who is our kind of artist laureate. Obviously Steve Bracknall who is an absolute phenomenon and Day Fever’s now the leading daytime event in the country, it’s something we feel very proud of, so that’s going to be there,” McClure elaborates, “There’s a load of up-and-coming acts who are amazing. I’ve got some friends of mine coming from around the country, Kieth’s Brother, Rosie Alice from Scotland, a bunch of local acts. If I was just going as a punter, I’d be buzzing, because it’s class.” 

The frontman looks fondly back at the past 20 years, and even more fondly to the years ahead. “Seven albums, all over the top tens, we’ve been having a bit of a run of success over the last few years with songs on the radio- I feel good, like I’m here forever. You can’t ever count your chickens, but I feel like I’ll be a musician until the day I die and feel very lucky in that regard,” he notes. 

McClure speaks not just with excitement about his own work, but of other Sheffield artists too, noting huge names like Self Esteem, Bring Me The Horizon, Arctic Monkeys and more. “There’s a deep love for music in this city, it’s overflowing with great music, and I think it’s a very, very special place… I travel all over the world but I always come back here because it’s simply the best city in the land,” he says. 

The musician looks forward to the celebration, and other exciting future plans, including a new upcoming Reverend & the Makers album and a novel, which he hints is set in Sheffield in 1968. 

“I’m gonna finish this album, go back to Australia, Europe, Glastonbury obviously, where I’m playing for the first time in a long time. Day Fever’s going from strength to strength , we’re hoping to start doing that around the world now,” he says.

But amongst all the elaborate projects, McClure highlights his most important plans for the near future as, “just trying to be a better human…looking after my mam, she’s had a rough time with my dad passing away, we make a fuss of her and treat her like the queen that he is. Just being a good dad and husband, which is more of a low-key aim, but it’s important to me.” 

August 30^th promises not only an all-day party full of good music, but laughter, community, and a lot of heart- a celebration by Sheffield, for Sheffield. 

Visit www.rocknrollcircus.co.uk for more information