Fifteen years on from its release, Fools and Worthless Liars still means a hell of a lot to a lot of people. Judging by the queue outside Rock City and the packed room long before the headliners appeared, tonight wasn’t just another anniversary show for Deaf Havana. For many in attendance, it was a chance to reconnect with an album that sound tracked a particular chapter of their lives...
Before the main trip down memory lane got underway, The Dangerous Summer took to the stage to perform Reach for the Sun in full. Album playthroughs can sometimes be an awkward prospect, especially when the biggest songs are spread throughout the tracklist, but there was never any danger of the crowd losing interest here. From Where I Want To Be and the title track through to The Permanent Rain and set closer Never Feel Alone, every song was met with enthusiasm.
Frontman AJ Perdomo was on fine form throughout, supported by Marcus Leopard on guitar and backing vocals, alongside former Mallory Knox members Dave Rawling and James Gillett. Between songs, Perdomo reminisced about touring with Deaf Havana around the original release of Fools and Worthless Liars, while also making it clear how much the band enjoy returning to the UK. It was a fitting opener, full of warmth, nostalgia and songs that have clearly stood the test of time.
When Deaf Havana finally arrived, the room was ready. The band have previously spoken about having a complicated relationship with Fools and Worthless Liars, but there was little evidence of that tonight. From the opening notes of The Past Six Years onwards, James and Matty Veck-Gilodi threw themselves into every song, while the crowd returned that energy tenfold. Tracks I Will Try and Anemophobia prompted huge singalongs, while Hunstanton Pier, Leeches and 54 reminded everyone just how strong the album remains from front to back.
Between songs, the brothers took time to thank fans for sticking with the band for more than two decades of music-making, reminiscing about the previous times they had played the main room at Rock City. Rather than feeling like a band revisiting old material out of obligation, they looked genuinely delighted to be celebrating these songs again.
After completing the album in full, the nostalgia kept coming. Everybody's Dancing And I Want To Die, 22 and Caro Padre drew huge reactions, while Fever maintained the momentum as the main set drew to a close. Of course, there was still one moment many people were waiting for. Returning to the stage for an encore, Deaf Havana launched into Friends Like These and the venue erupted. For years, the song felt resigned to the vault, despite near-constant requests from fans. Hearing it again was one of those moments that catapulted the crowd back to the start. Smiles All Round followed, making a welcome return to the setlist, before Happiness provided a surprisingly understated but fitting conclusion to the evening.
For plenty of fans, seeing Fools and Worthless Liars performed in its entirety was something they never expected to happen. Hearing Friends Like These again felt even less likely. Yet that's exactly what made the night special. Rather than feeling like a nostalgia exercise, the show served as a reminder of why these songs connected with people in the first place. Fifteen years later, they still hit just as hard.
Deaf Havana performed at Rock City on 3 November 2026, with support from The Dangerous Summer
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