Review: Sheffield's own rockabilly troubadour Richard Hawley puts on spectacular show at Rock N Roll Circus

It is hard to imagine another artist who so perfectly captures the spirit of Sheffield: Richard Hawley is at once supremely talented yet self-deprecating; precise and passionate about his musical vision but still understated; and most importantly of all, he doesn’t take himself too seriously and knows how to have a good time.

He can break your heart with his beautiful and melancholic crooning one minute, and then get the whole crowd guffawing with jokes about the state of Sheffield football in the next.

The Steel City looms large in Richard’s writing, with songs forged in Steel that reference Coles Corner, Park Hill, Wybourn, Burngreave among others.

And so, who better to close the first night of the Rock N Roll Circus at Don Valley Bowl than the incredible Richard Hawley?

“You alright, then?” was his first comment to the audience, after coming on to the soaring She Brings The Light from his Standing at Sky’s Edge album, and the bluesy Two for His Heels from his 2024 album, In This City They Call You Love (ITCTCYL).

Richard responded to a shout from the crowd of ‘I love you, man’ with ‘you love my mam?!’ before going into the dreamy calypso ballad, Prism in Jeans, also from ITCTCYL. His next song, Open Up Your Door, was one of the highlights of the night for me. The stripped back, yet atmospheric, arrangement gives Richard’s vocals a greater resonance, and it was simply beautiful to hear the crowd singing along with him. It gave me goosebumps.

It’s also a memorable part of the Olivier Award-winning musical, Standing at Sky’s Edge, which tells the story of three families over a 60 year period in Park Hill - Sheffield's iconic, brutalist former council housing estate.

Richard wrote the music and lyrics for the musical, which had a lauded run at the West End, and brought me to tears when I saw it at Sheffield’s Crucible theatre before it transferred over to the capital.

It felt incredibly special to hear it surrounded by Sheffielders at Don Valley Bowl. Similarly, the wistful and anthemic Tonight The Streets Are Ours, also used in Standing at Sky’s Edge, was a delight to see live. Other highlights included his performance of Don’t Stare at The Sun, as a starry light display lit up the tent, and a triumphant encore of People and Heart of Oak.

Richard and his band put on a spectacular show, and made me feel proud to know that Sheffield is the city I call home.

The Rock N Roll Circus continues tonight with a number of artists including headliner, Becky Hill, set to perform.

Sheffield’s own Milburn will close the festival on Saturday night, following on from ska revival band, The Selecter, former Libertine, Peter Doherty and Mercury Award nominated, Jake Bugg.

Rock N Roll Circus Sheffield will also showcase 15 homegrown bands alongside their internationally-renowned counterparts.

For more information and to buy tickets, head to: https://www.rocknrollcircus.co.uk