Wool City Rockers Get Yorkshire Bouncing with Rowdy Night at Bradford Live [Photos]

The Wool City Rockers event at Bradford Live – the city’s newest venue – was not only the first opportunity for Bradfordians to experience this reinvigorated venue but also to relive their youth with a line-up that celebrated some of Bradford (and its neighbouring towns) finest ever rock bands – all on the same bill.

The venue itself boasts a storied history. Nearly 100 years old, it has previously operated as a cinema and concert hall, hosting the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. After years of dereliction and the looming threat of demolition, it has now been brought back to life as a jewel in Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations.

The line-up was a combination of the city’s biggest names, all of whom could have sold the venue out on their own, and some of the younger local bands that are causing a scene in the scene, spread across two stages the main hall and the ballroom it offered a more festival feel to proceedings than an average gig.

Seminal 80s rockers The Skeletal Family were first up on the main stage and sounded fantastic. It was the first opportunity to hear the acoustics in the new venue, and as with anything new, there were a few teething problems, but nothing that spoiled the show, as their post-punk rhythms and atmospheric sound spilt forth from the huge stage and filled the venue.

Upstairs in the ballroom, the second stage provided a showcase for local talent. Poet and artist Joolz Denby captivated early on, before Keighley’s Goo injected youthful energy with an electrifying set of 90s-inspired indie-pop-rock, rooted in punk. Flame-haired guitarist and relentless headbanging included, they were a standout. Ska-punk locals Random Hand followed, raising the temperature several degrees with their infectious grooves and testing the limits of the sprung dancefloor.

The only drawback of the second stage was its capacity. While the main auditorium could accommodate far more people, the smaller ballroom required a strict one-in-one-out policy, resulting in long queues of frustrated fans eager to see what was kicking off inside.
The 3 big names on the main stage were all given a headline-length set to play with, and Halifax’s Paradise Lost used theirs to the fullest, bringing a darker vibe with their gothic metal and moody lighting changing the feeling inside the main auditorium. Pioneers in the doom genre, they had an army of fans singing along throughout a set that gave more from their latest release, Ascension, than 90’s behemoths Icon and Draconian Times.

Next up were Bradford’s best-loved party band, Terrorvision, who never ever disappoint. With an added spring in their step since the release of their latest album We are not Robots, they tore through their set which had the capacity crowd bouncing throughout. They started with a bang with “My House” and didn’t let up until the final chords of “Oblivion” rang out an hour and 10 minutes later.

They have so many sing-along anthems that demand to be part of the set list, but with newer tracks like “Baby Blue” and “You Gotta Want to be Happy” fitting in perfectly, and the timely addition of their bouncy Christmas song to the list, leaves no room for the likes of “Celebrity Hitlist” or “Friends and Family”. Nobody in the crowd cared though – they all just partied like it was the 90s again and left beaming from ear to ear.

The night could have ended there without a single complaint, but it fell to the brilliant New Model Army to close proceedings. Aside from The Cult, they are arguably one of the biggest bands to emerge from Bradford and were fitting headliners for an event marking such a significant moment for the city’s alternative scene.

Opening where it all began with “Christian Militia” – album one, side one, track one – they powered through a heavy set spanning nearly every chapter of their 45-year history. Packed with politically charged songs written decades ago, much of the material remains depressingly relevant in 2025.

They reaffirmed their status as an electrifying live band, backed by an adoring fanbase – some literally standing on the shoulders of friends – and an enduring energy that keeps them vital to this day. Charismatic frontman Justin Sullivan clearly relished the occasion, and the band as a whole appeared to have a little extra in the tank, fuelled by the significance of the night.

With the loss of so many rock pubs and clubs in recent years, this event felt genuinely important for Bradford’s alternative music scene. It offered a chance to reclaim the city’s musical identity and move forward, with a new generation drawing inspiration from those who came before. It’s just an absolute travesty that everyone couldn’t pile over to Rios afterwards to carry on the party like they would have done back in the day.

Our photographer, Frank Ralph Photography, brought back this gallery from the gig.