Stereophonics rocked Sheffield Arena on December 7 as part of their 17-date Sky’s Edge arena tour, which attracted over 200,000 fans from the UK and Ireland. The Welsh rock band played a mix of hits from their three-decade career, including songs from their latest album, *Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry, Make ‘Em Wait*, released in April via EMI Records. The album reached number two on the charts, marking their best performance since 2009, with most tracks recorded live in the studio.
Formed in 1992 by Kelly Jones and childhood friend Richard Jones in Cwmaman, Wales, the band added drummer Stuart Cable to the lineup. Their debut album, *Word Gets Around*, came out in 1997. Since then, they have released nine consecutive albums in the British top five, sold over 10 million albums worldwide, and scored a number one single with “Dakota” in 2005.
The Sheffield show featured a powerful setlist filled with fan favorites. The crowd enjoyed classics like “Vegas Two Times,” “I Wanna Get Lost With You,” “Have a Nice Day,” and “Superman.” The main set closed with “Dakota,” followed by an encore that included “100MPH,” “Traffic,” “C’est La Vie,” and another round of “Dakota.”
Sheffield holds special memories for the band. They played their first headline show there in 1997 and returned in December 2008 and February 2020. Local artist Finn Forster opened the night with a 30-minute set, performing tracks from his EP *Embers* and singles like “Broken Game” and “Pablo.” Fans of all ages filled the venue, creating an electric atmosphere.
This concert was the second-to-last date of their biggest UK and Irish arena tour in years. Fans can check for additional tour dates.
