A quarter of a century since his last ticketed performance, Nottingham music legend Whycliffe took to the stage for a triumphant return at the Old Bus Depot...
The night began with support from talented vocalist Amber Mckenzie. Unfortunately I missed their performance as I was travelling back from Splendour Festival, but I’m told she went down well with the crowd. When I arrived Karl Robin Junga, the head of Wollaton Street-based Sirkus Studios was on the mic giving the crowd a short talk about the importance to the 90s Nottingham music scene of Whycliffe - both as his friend and original engineer.
If you don’t know Whycliffe’s backstory, please read the recent interview with LeftLion. In the past this artist has played to much bigger venues and crowds than this. However, it’s also fair to say that after 25 years in the wilderness, the stakes have never been higher for him to perform and come through at a live gig.
Thankfully, Whycliffe came through it gave an excellent performance alongside his new band which consisted of Lisa Fay (vocals), Cameron Harris and Jacob Page (guitars), Harry Laycock (bass), Yaroslava Karpenko (keyboard) and Beau Presley (drums). As he first took to the stage, partially disguised by a wraparound pair of sunglasses and a bucket hat, the crowd cheered for an emotional return.
The set began with Heaven, a single Whycliffe originally released in 1994 and continued with Higher, which was on his 1991 Rough Side album. Both were fine renditions and helped ease both him and the crowd into the gig. Slowly people started to realise that his smooth and tuneful voice was back. He went on to perform a few more tracks, including some new material, before taking a break from the stage. At this point Lisa Fay filled in with three songs on lead vocals and was thoroughly entertaining.
Eventually Whycliffe returned to the stage, after a costume change (this time all in white with a black trilby), to play his 1991 single Magic Garden and the crowd were pleased with the familiarity and sang along. After this followed some more new material, before a finale of One More Time, which is perhaps his most famous song. During this song the crowd joined in before Whycliffe exited the stage looking happy and exhausted.
The crowd cheered for an encore, but it wasn’t to be on this evening. After 25 years in the wilderness it’s wise to take baby steps. However, judging by this performance Whycliffe still has a considerable vocal talent and his live band gives it a fresh new angle. Hopefully this will be the first of several ‘comeback’ performances.
The event finished with Whycliffe’s mentor Howard ‘Nuggz’ Nugent speaking to the crowd, awarding a signed gig poster prize to a member of the audience and thanking all the people who helped make this miraculous thing happen.
Whycliffe performed at The Old Bus Depot on Sunday 20 July 2025.
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