At the back end of May, Yellow Arch saw the return of a much-loved figure from Sheffield’s recent musical history, as (Mark) Stoney hit the stage with an all-star band for the first time since a US show with The Crookes way back in 2014.
In recent years, there’s been a trend of bands from Sheffield’s ‘glory years’ dusting down their guitars, blowing off the cobwebs and returning with big comeback shows. Bromheads Jacket, Milburn and Little Man Tate have all recently got the band back together to local fanfare, but for Stoney – much like the man’s musical career to date – his return was a bit more understated than all that.
Despite the more subdued homecoming, what transpired that packed out Friday night in Neepsend was pure joy. Full of nostalgic renditions of old favourites mixed with new material that hints at a fresh direction for the Sheffield-based singer-songwriter, he’s still got that sprinkling of magic that made him his name.
Stoney is a rare breed amongst that era of Sheffield characters. Coming to prominence during what was dubbed the ‘New Yorkshire’ scene in the noughties – where a combative cohort of bands were trampling roughshod over each other to gain notoriety – he was an outlier, doing his own thing.
Not quite the forgotten man of the scene, he was, perhaps, on the periphery. Despite signing big record deals and spending a stint in the US, his Flaming Lips-inspired troubadour songwriting wasn’t quite the right fit for the indie guitar boys of the time. But to his immense credit, he kept going, kept writing music and, on a personal note, got sober along the way too.
The result of all that experience is a new album on the way, some catchy new singles already released and the wisdom that comes with the passage of time.
That work behind the scenes has also culminated in this Yellow Arch show, where he’s supported by long-time friend and collaborator Neil McSweeney – who, as if to emphasise the passage of time, is playing with his 18-year-old son.
Also in support are the, at times, wild vocals of Ayse, who features on one of Stoney’s new tracks, ‘Spoon Diamond’, and she joins him on stage for an unscripted rendition of the tune.
Before that though, Stoney – dressed all in white (he’s not the messiah, he’s a very… etc.) – takes to the stage with his trusty acoustic guitar and just the support of Greg Davies (not that one) on keys.
The stripped-back opening tracks feel powerful, and the silence throughout the audience is palpable – you could hear a pint pot drop (and we will!). During a particularly well-executed section of harmonies, I look to my right at George Moran (who’s about to take the stage as part of the band himself) and we share a moment of appreciation – they’d nailed it.
Following stripped-back versions of ‘One of You’, ‘Half-made’, ‘Swarm’ and ‘Bedpost’, his full band take to the stage and crash into a euphoric ‘If You Leave’. The line-up features guitarist Dan Whitehouse (formerly of Mabel Love and The Fights), bassist George Moran (formerly Miles Kane guitarist and Wolfman Fury frontman), and Rich Westley (formerly of Reverend and the Makers and Hoggboy) on drums.
Despite just a few rehearsals as a full band, they’re tight as fuck. Speaking to Rich before the show, he tells us he’s actually nervous. When pressed on this – considering he’s played to huge audiences far bigger than tonight’s – he says it’s probably because he cares so much about this show. Not that he didn’t care before, but there’s a collective desire to make Stoney’s return a success.
And a success it undeniably is. During the full band section, Stoney drops the comfort blanket of his guitar and becomes a frontman in a way I haven’t seen before. His freedom on stage adds life to the new tracks ‘Buttercup’, ‘Spoon Diamond’ and ‘Ash in My Mouth’. Stoney knows his way around a chorus, and these songs all boast an earworm that’s stuck with me for days and weeks after.
There’s a celebratory air to proceedings, and the aforementioned smashed glass that crashes down just in front of me (very nearly) punctuates the end of one of the new songs in perfect time – a crash marking the end of the old era and the arrival of Stoney’s new direction.
The final track of the set is the uplifting ‘Soap in a Bathtub’, the crescendo of which sees Stoney – visibly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love – stood high on the drum riser, conducting a crowd who are doing his job for him.
For the encore, fittingly, there’s one last nod to the past. An unplanned cameo from Neil McSweeney sees the pair perform a haunting rendition of ‘Ghost’. Neil, on his knees, picks his way through the muscle memory of the song and hits every note, the crowd again willing the fragile, unrehearsed performance to its close.
Welcome back, Stoney.
