On the first night of the You’ve Got This tour, and the first of two sold-out shows at Rock City, Skindred arrived in Nottingham with their unparalleled force that turns a gig into a full-body workout. For more than two decades, the Welsh ragga-metal pioneers have built a reputation as one of the most electrifying live bands around, blending crushing riffs and reggae grooves with frontman Benji Webbe’s unstoppable charisma. A Skindred show always promises high-energy and opening night of the tour was no different...
First up was Nottingham alternative rock and indie-pop trio Girlband!
Despite a slow start to the show, with a crowd that was there for a heavier vibe, vocalist Georgie, joined by Kay on bass and Jada on drums, took control of the stage.
They delivered fan favourites 21st Century Suffragette, Thelma and Louise and Not Like the Rest with ease; they may have only taken up a small part of the huge Rock City stage, but they commanded every square inch. Look out for their self titled debut album out on 13 November!
Spineshank were up next, and the band wasted no time reminding Rock City why their long-awaited return has generated so much excitement. Early mosh pits erupted as soon as the band launched into a relentless set packed with nu-metal aggression and industrial grooves, with frontman Jonny Santos telling the crowd, “We make violent music for violent people with violent mood swings,” a statement that felt like both a warning and an invitation.
Fan favourites including (Can’t Be) Fixed, Cyanide 2600, Smothered and Detached landed with devastating force. During Beginning of the End, the track that made the 2003 film Freddy vs. Jason, Santos asked fans to raise their phone lights to “make this room feel like a funeral”, before a heartfelt dedication of New Disease to longtime sound engineer and tour manager HB Abels who recently passed away in a car accident.
A crushing finale of The Height of Callousness, Dead to Me and Slavery closed out their triumphant return.
From the moment headliners Skindred strode onstage, with frontman Benji standing beside a black Union Jack flag, it was clear this wasn't going to be a straightforward metal show. Since this tour is their first since the release of new album You Got This, the night was going to be a celebration. The band's trademark blend of ragga, metal and punk was as infectious as ever, with live debuts of My People and Big ’em Up giving the faithful something fresh to sink their teeth into.
Webbe spent as much time interacting with the audience as he did singing, constantly checking in on fans and keeping the atmosphere positive, matching the relentless energy in the room. He also treated the crowd to no fewer than four costume changes throughout the night, ranging from a huge fur coat to a dazzling red sequinned jacket worthy of a Saturday night gameshow host.
Musically, the set barely let up. Set Fazers, This Is the Sound, Rat Race and That's My Jam landed early, while You Got This, Pressure, Kill the Power and Nobody kept the sold-out crowd bouncing deep into the evening.
The band's ability to switch seamlessly between crushing heaviness and euphoric party vibes remains unmatched.
The night's most gloriously ridiculous moment came when Webbe instructed the audience to form a circle pit to commemorate the late, great Bonnie Tyler, while he waved a giant Welsh flag on stage, before quickly pivoting into a mass jumping frenzy soundtracked by Papa Roach, Kris Kross and House of Pain. It somehow made perfect sense.
By the time the encore arrived, featuring Gimme That Boom and Warning, Rock City was ready for one final tradition: the Newport Helicopter. Hundreds of shirts spun overhead as one, bringing a euphoric, sweat-soaked close to a night that demonstrated exactly why Skindred remain one of Britain's most exhilarating live bands.
Skindred performed at Rock City on 23 October 2026
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