Gig review: Biffy Clyro at Motorpoint Arena

Kicking off proceedings tonight is Detroit hardcore collective The Armed who – according to their own website – are “THE WORLD’S GREATEST BAND”. That sets expectations sky high and, while the jury is very much out on that statement, the band are at least a memorable opening act. Boasting a lot of frantic energy and ear-piercing racket-making, their dual vocalists can often be seen running around, screaming into their microphones at the barrier, under the giant screens, or just about anywhere else they can travel around the stage area.

“You may have heard this on the radio!” announces frontman Tony Wolski, as the band launch into their heaviest and most un-radio friendly track to close out their set. The self-awareness is admirable, as Wolski enters the crowd and never returns to the stage again, all while another band member marches around the barrier and the guitarist hilariously belly flops into the front row. They may not quite be the World’s Greatest Band (yet), but they’re certainly entertaining. 

Next up is punk duo SOFT PLAY, who arrive to the sounds of popular hymn All Things Bright And Beautiful. It soon transitions into their own, much rowdier track All Things, with drummer and vocalist Isaac Holman then asking at the climax: “How the f**k you doing Nottingham?!” It may be a Monday night, but a good portion of the crowd are here to party, as Mirror Muscles and Isaac Is Typing… see the first few mosh pits start to open. 

Isaac and guitarist Laurie Vincent then both make their way into the crowd, revealing there’s only two of them in the band because “no-one else wanted to join”. They open a huge circle pit, with Laurie momentarily putting down his guitar to do some cartwheeling in the centre of it. With the huge pit now opened, they return to the stage and launch into F**k The Hi-Hat, a nod to Isaac’s chosen drum kit setup.

“Let me see your Strawberry Cheesecake puffs and Watermelon ICE clouds!” yells Laurie ahead of e-cig / vape diss track Act Violently, with some of the crowd naughtily obliging the request. Punk’s Dead then gets the evening’s first big singalong, the crowd helping Isaac to sing Robbie Williams’ refrain from the song. 15-second number Girl Fight is played twice in a row, allowing all the girls down the front to have a 30-second mosh pit without an interruption from any of the lads. A classy move! Shortly after, their electric support set ends with fan favourites Beauty Quest and The Hunter, the audience now suitably warmed up for tonight’s main event. 

When the time comes for Biffy Clyro to take to the stage, the arena is almost completely full, with every block seemingly filled up to the very back row. A large white curtain covers the stage at the start of recent single and tonight’s opener - A Little Love - with Rorschach-style, ink-blot silhouettes of the band projected onto the drapes. It’s a stunning visual, with the curtain eventually dropping to reveal the stage behind: a dramatic set-up, with a blood red grand staircase in the centre of it all and some peaked, mountain-shaped white tents at the front, seemingly covering the band. Further projections are shone onto these tents, before they are lifted to finally reveal the band underneath. 

While typically a trio, Biffy could’ve easily been left shorthanded tonight following bassist Jim Johnston’s announcement that he was not joining the band on this run of tour dates. However, the band seem bigger and better than ever, with guitarist Simon Neil and drummer Ben Johnston joined by an additional five musicians tonight, including two accomplished violin players. It really elevates their already massive sound, with the live strings bringing a beautiful new dimension to tracks such as Hunting Season and That Golden Rule early doors.

“Hello Nottingham!” says Simon Neil, eventually greeting tonight’s crowd after a lively opening run. He then starts shining a torch into the crowd as Who’s Got A Match? begins, the crowd volume turning up to 11 during the song’s “I’m a fire and I’ll burn, burn, burn tonight!” refrain. Simon then makes his way up the grand staircase for the first time, the pace brought down momentarily for a gorgeous rendition of Space, the two violinists once again stealing the show with their sweeping strings. 

From that point on, the performance is simply an audio / visual feast, each of Biffy’s instantly recognisable hits accompanied by some impressive staging and artistic use of the venue’s big screens. Wolves of Winter begins with blinding strobe lights, with an explosion of white confetti streamers then firing out as the thunderous guitars also erupt. After a haunting, string-tinged rendition of Goodbye and an anthemic Tiny Indoor Fireworks, newer cut Friendshipping is dedicated to the absent Jim Johnston, with pyrotechnic red flares shooting out from the front of the stage during the song’s chorus. Biblical is just that, Simon Neil stood atop the red staircase in front of hanging chains, the capacity crowd in the Motorpoint belting out every word back at him. It generates a mid-set ovation, with the break allowing for Simon to come down the stairs and return to the stage seeing the first wave of loud “MON THE BIFF!” chants. 

What’s most noticeable tonight, however, is just how much better the Futique songs sound in this live setting versus on record. The hugely impressive seven-piece live band, particularly the two violin players, and the less polished nature of the performance really seems to allow these new tracks to shine. The visuals help too, as a red silhouette of Simon Neil is projected on the screens during A Thousand and One, while later in the set the screens show a striking, close-up shot of an iris for Two People In Love. 

That said, it is still their biggest tracks that get the best reception as you’d expect, the crowd at their loudest during Opposites’ cuts Different People and Black Chandelier. There’s also a great moment towards the back end where Simon sings into a Go-Pro-adorned microphone during Instant History, the fish-eye lens view projected onto the big screens above him, before the song then seamlessly morphs into a triumphant version of Mountains.

“This is the hottest ice hockey arena I’ve ever been in!” jokes Simon, feeling the heat as the energetic main set reaches its climax. He makes his way up the red staircase one final time for a truly breathtaking version of Machines, the arrangement for which is just him on an acoustic guitar, one of the violin players and drummer Ben Johnston assisting on backing vocals. It’s a real goosebump moment, the Nottingham crowd lighting up the arena with both their voices and phone torch lights. 

The band aren’t off the stage for long, returning for the encore as Simon rhetorically asks the crowd if they’d like a few more songs. They’ve saved the best for last, with The Captain and Bubbles getting the whole building bouncing, while the stuttering riffs of Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies also send shockwaves across the arena.

“Thank you, everyone in this room tonight. Have a great 2026 – we are Biffy, F****ing, Clyro!” screams Simon Neil, before initiating tonight’s final big singalong – Many of Horror. 

As the blue and white confetti fills the room at the song’s climax, everyone in the arena knows they have witnessed a special one tonight. From the band’s performance and the string arrangements to the visually spectacular staging and production, this was everything you could want from a big arena rock show. For a lot of people this must’ve been their first gig of 2026 and if it was – what a way to begin. 

And as for Biffy... maybe don’t leave it 15 years till the next one this time, yeah?

Biffy Clyro performed at Motorpoint Arena on 12th January 2026.

@biffy_clyro