Biffy Clyro Sets Finsbury Park Ablaze
“We are never going to forget tonight”, frontman Simon Neil told the crowd, and with 45,000 fans filling the park, it was definitely a night for the band’s history books - and ours too.
Biffy Clyro are a band that never disappoint. From a stacked setlist, filled with old classics and new favourites, to incredible lights, effects and staging, Finsbury Park came alive, with fans dancing, moshing and singing their hearts out from the moment the gates opened.
Festival-goers were kept entertained throughout the day with an incredible line-up of support bands, all playing under the rare London sunshine. Opening the day, Wavves played a cool, laid-back set that eased the crowd into the afternoon. Marmozets followed, and despite a few technical issues, the band powered through with their trademark chaotic energy. Next up was a personal highlight as Don Broco took to the stage, armed with their colossal recent album Nightmare Tripping. The Bedford boys had the crowd buzzing - proving once again they’re not just one of the UK’s most dominant live forces, but a band built for headlining. They will be stepping in for Alkaline Trio at next week’s 2000 Trees festival - a must-see band! Finally, Nothing But Thieves debuted the title track from their upcoming fifth album Stray Dogs, providing a calm, atmospheric reset before the headline act.
The Scottish titans then took to the stage for their biggest headline show on their own footing. They gave the crowd everything they asked for and more - quite literally warming the crowd up as Simon Neil wielded a flamethrower during Who’s Got A Match? Biffy pulled hits from nine out of ten of their albums, in a perfectly curated setlist that had us swaying along to Space before being catapulted into the chaos of Cop Syrup. This emotional whiplash continued as we shared an intimate acapella moment during There’s No Such Man as Crasp only to immediately scream along to There’s No Such Thing as a Jaggy Snake. There’s clearly no such way of stopping Biffy.
The crowd themselves were deafening - a 45,000 strong choir that sang out every single lyric with total conviction. Fans were blessed with Booooom, Blast and Ruin making its return to the setlist for the first time since 2017, sparking an explosive reaction that rippled through the entire field. You could feel the energy surging as the audience took over parts of different songs, turning choruses into full-scale sin-a-longs. It was the kind of atmosphere that only happens when a band truly means something to people - music being lived, shouted and held close by everyone in the crowd.
For the emotional Machines, none other than Stranger Things’ Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) took to the stage to join the band in a moment of disbelief. As Simon Neil stepped back from the mic, the field of voices carried the chorus, creating the most magical moment.
While the absence of bassist James Johnston was not referenced, Naomi McLeod from Neil’s Empire State Bastards carried the torch with absolute confidence, slotting into the lineup seamlessly and matching the thunderous energy throughout. The addition of Biffy’s touring violinists added cinematic levels to the entire performance, especially in Biblical, with the strings lifting the arrangements into an orchestral masterpiece.
Thirty years into their career, Biffy Clyro show no signs of slowing down. If anything, nights like Finsbury Park prove they are still climbing, evolving and continually delivering knockout performances and once-in-a-lifetime moments. From flamethrowers to acapella breakdowns, the band gave everything, and the crowd gave it straight back. This gig was a celebration of what Biffy Clyro mean to people, the community they have built and the music that has carried fans through decades. A night that will stay with us for a long time - MON THE BIFF!
