Moments before The Rosadocs take to the stage, ‘Seven Nation Army’ booms over the PA. The crowd begin chanting: “We’re The Rosadocs army.” People slam against the barrier in time, sending a metallic thud through the room. Young fans climb onto their mates’ shoulders before security rush over to bring them back down.
In truth, atmosphere feels more like the terraces before an 8pm kick-off than a gig.
Rewind six hours and the mood couldn’t be more different.
“I’m liking the trim, Myles. Giving Dot Cotton vibes,” says Callum, the band’s drummer.
The interview has barely started before the whole room erupts with laughter. Callum doubles down by taking a photo of guitarist and pianist Myles’ new haircut.
“We’re doing content for Tramlines, giving a behind-the-scenes look,” explains singer Keelan.
Tramlines marks a significant moment for The Rosadocs. The South Yorkshire band are playing the festival’s main stage for the first time, having previously appeared at the Fringe, played the Library Stage three times and performed on the Leadmill Stage last year.
“It sounds really cliché, but we’ve done every step to get to the main stage,” says Callum. “We went as punters and we applied to play.”
“I remember going when I was about 14,” says Myles. “I went to City Hall and got a little wristband. I saw Reverend and the Makers at Devonshire Green and met Jon McClure.”
In a neat twist of fate, The Rosadocs will perform immediately before Reverend and the Makers. Another Sunday act, the Enemy, were equally formative for the band. Earlier this year, The Rosadocs supported them on their UK tour.
“Their gigs are carnage,” says Keelan. “When we started the band, that was the aspiration. We wanted to bring that sort of energy to our shows.”
“We took a lot from them,” adds Callum. “How to put a setlist together and keep things flowing.”
“Even in the writing process,” says Keelan. “We want to maintain that energy.”
“We’re people pleasers who just love big choruses,” says Myles.
Watching the band later that evening, it’s easy to see what they mean. Their set is relentless, packed with hooks that have the sold-out Octagon singing every word. It’s a show honed over months on the road, supporting both the Enemy and the Lilacs, alongside their first headline tour.
“It’s been astounding,” says Keelan. “We’ve hit nearly every city in the UK. I couldn’t point to Milton Keynes on a map. We played there last week and it was full-on bouncing. Absolutely cracking gig.”
Touring further afield has brought its own challenges.
“I’ve been told I need to talk slower once we’re below Coventry,” says Keelan.
“Some of our songs are very Yorkshire-centric,” says Callum. “We wondered whether they’d translate. Then you hear ’54’ sung back in a southern accent.”
’54’ was the first song they released. Named after the bus route between Chesterfield and Clay Cross, it captures life growing up in South Yorkshire.
The band look back fondly on those early songs.
“It’s young lads just having it, but it was real for where we were,” says Keelan.
“We were a lot younger,” says Callum. “It was going out, getting drunk, having arguments and girlfriends kicking us out.”
Their latest EP, the city’s no good for reflection, released last year, reflects how much the band have grown over the past five years.
“I don’t think fast-paced inner-city life is particularly good for anybody,” says Keelan. “You need to think about how you feel. People need to talk about their feelings because, at the end of the day, we’re all in the same boat.”
The band have matured off stage as well.
“In the past it was like a stag do,” says Callum. “Myles would pour beer down my throat during a song. Safe to say that needed to go. It’s not sustainable.”
“Someone’s going to get hurt,” laughs Myles.
“Myles loves a sauna now,” says Keelan.
“We’ve ended up at a few spa resorts, so we’ve been steaming every morning. It’s just a different kind of steaming.”
“I’ve realised you’re better off not booking the hotel beforehand,” says Myles. “Book it an hour before and you get some reet deals.”
The headline tour, the spa resorts and the Tramlines main-stage slot haven’t happened overnight. The Rosadocs have earned them.
“We started right at the bottom and played almost every venue in Sheffield,” says Keelan. “Just to get in front of people and build a crowd. We’ve got a lot of gratitude for the people who pay to come and see us.”
“Many of the venues we played have now gone,” says Callum. “Rocking Chair, the first place we headlined, is now just a building site.”
Along the way, the band have also had to work out how to navigate the music industry.
“Everything is trial and error,” says Keelan. “Unless you’ve got money straight away, which obviously, if you’re a working-class band, you haven’t. People don’t talk about it, but you have to get things wrong to learn.”
“You need the right people around you,” adds Myles. “We’re really fortunate to have close friends who work in the industry. We couldn’t do it on our own. It’s a team effort.”
When the lads walk onto the Tramlines main stage on Sunday, they’ll do so after years of graft rather than an overnight breakthrough. If their Octagon show is anything to go by, they won’t look out of place.
The Rosadocs play the Sarah Nulty Main Stage on Sunday, 14:45-15:15.
