For some bands, a first UK headline tour feels overdue. For Broadside, it feels like a milestone that’s been years in the making. Fresh from a triumphant appearance at Slam Dunk Festival and riding the momentum of their latest album Nowhere, At Last, the band arrive in Manchester for their first-ever UK headline show with excitement already running high. For longtime fans, this isn’t just another gig, it’s a chance to finally see a band that has spent years building a devoted following step into the spotlight they’ve always deserved. As someone whose most-streamed artist last year was Broadside, there’s an undeniable personal significance to the evening. Nowhere, At Last has soundtracked countless hours since its release, making the prospect of hearing these songs live feel less like attending a show and more like finally seeing a collection of memories brought to life.
First up are Lacey, and if I’m being completely honest, my expectations weren’t particularly high. Having seen them support The Maine a few years ago, I left that show largely unconvinced. Nothing about the performance stuck with me, and walking into tonight’s set, I expected little more than a competent opening act. Instead, Lacey completely won me over. Whether it’s years of experience, a refined creative direction, or simply finding the sound that suits them best, this feels like an entirely different band. The songs are sharper, the hooks land harder, and there’s a confidence running through the performance that wasn’t there the last time I saw them. Everything feels more focused and intentional, with a sound that has clearly been fine-tuned over time.
What really elevates the set, though, is their personality. Opening slots can be notoriously difficult; you’re often playing to a crowd waiting for someone else. Rather than trying to force audience participation or overcompensate with rehearsed stage banter, Lacey lean into a self-awareness that feels genuinely charming. Midway through introducing a song, frontman Graz casually remarks, “This song is called…actually, it doesn’t matter what this song is called,” earning one of the biggest laughs of the set. It’s a small moment, but it perfectly captures the band’s approach: relaxed, funny and completely comfortable in their own skin. That humour helps create an immediate connection with the crowd, turning what could have been a standard support slot into something far more memorable. By the end of the set, I found myself doing something I didn’t expect at all: wanting to hear more. Few bands can completely overturn a first impression years later, but Lacey manage exactly that here. I walked into the room sceptical and walked out a fan. And honestly, I can’t think of a better compliment than that.
If Lacey were the surprise of the evening, then Happydaze were exactly what I hoped they would be. Unlike Lacey, this wasn’t a band I needed convincing on. Ever since catching them on a previous support run, I’ve been desperate to see them again, and this set only reinforced why. From the moment they hit the stage, Happydaze possess that rare quality that separates good bands from genuinely exciting ones: presence. There’s an energy radiating from every member that immediately pulls you into their world, making it impossible to stand still or look away. Their blend of alternative rock, pop-punk hooks and modern production feels perfectly tailored to a bill like this one. In fact, describing them as a support act almost feels unfair, they slot alongside Broadside so naturally that they feel less like an addition and more like a missing puzzle piece completing the picture.
More than anything, though, watching Happydaze feels like catching a band on the verge of something much larger. The ingredients are all there: massive hooks, genuine charisma, and songs that stick with you long after the lights come up. It would not surprise me in the slightest if, a few years from now, they’re headlining rooms far bigger than this. For now, though, there’s something special about seeing them in venues of this size, where every moment still feels personal and every chorus feels shared. One day these rooms will probably be too small for Happydaze. Until then, I’m more than happy to soak up every opportunity to see them in spaces like this while I still can.
Then came Broadside, and to say I was excited would be a massive understatement. Opening with newer material, including the infectious I Think They Know, Broadside immediately establishes that this isn’t going to be a nostalgia-heavy victory lap. Instead, it’s a celebration of their entire catalogue. Tracks from across every era of the band find their way into the setlist, creating a perfect balance between old favourites and the songs that have defined their most recent chapter. It’s the kind of setlist every fan hopes for but rarely gets.
More importantly, Broadside prove beyond any doubt that they are a headline band. Frontman Oliver Baxxter is an absolute powerhouse throughout. Whether he’s sprinting across the stage, commanding crowd interaction or effortlessly ad-libbing sections of songs to keep them feeling fresh, his charisma is impossible to ignore. Some vocalists perform songs exactly as they appear on record; Ollie treats them as living things, tweaking melodies and throwing in vocal runs that make familiar tracks feel exciting all over again. It’s a small detail, but one that demonstrates a performer completely in command of his craft.
Throughout the night, he’s constantly encouraging movement from the crowd, reminding everyone that Broadside are, in their own words, a band to “shake ass to”. And honestly? He’s right. For all their emotional depth and introspective lyricism, Broadside’s greatest strength has always been their ability to make vulnerability sound fun. Every chorus feels designed to be screamed back while dancing as hard as possible.
The banter is just as entertaining as the music. Between songs, Ollie somehow finds himself advocating for letting your dog sleep in your bed, which naturally spirals into a brief distraction involving crowd members showing off photos of their pets. It’s ridiculous, charming and completely on brand for a band that have always balanced sincerity with humour. Rather than feeling like filler between songs, these moments only strengthen the connection between band and audience.
As for the songs themselves, the highlights are endless. Coffee Talk remains as untouchable as ever: the kind of song that instantly transforms a room, with every single word shouted back at deafening volume. More than a decade on, it still stands as one of pop-punk’s defining modern anthems and a reminder of why Broadside became such an important name in the scene in the first place.
Yet what makes this show special is that the newer material never feels overshadowed by those legacy tracks. Songs like Warning Signs and Dead Roses hit just as hard, proving that Broadside aren’t surviving on past glories. If anything, they sound more confident and more complete than ever. The newer songs carry the same emotional honesty that fans fell in love with years ago, but delivered with a maturity and self-assurance that comes from a band fully comfortable in their identity.
By the time the final notes ring out, there’s a feeling that this headline slot has been a long time coming. Broadside don’t just rise to the occasion, they own it. Their first UK headline show feels less like an experiment and more like proof of concept. The audience is there. The songs are there. The stage presence is there. Everything needed for them to become regular UK headliners is already in place.
Honestly, the only criticism is that it took this long to happen. Broadside need to be headlining the UK far more often, because nights like this prove they’re more than capable of carrying them. Manchester certainly got the message. Hopefully the rest of the country won’t have to wait as long for the next one.
Words by Ell Bradbury
