Live Review: JAWS - O2 Ritz, Manchester, 25/04/2025
JAWS bid farewell to Manchester with an unforgettable set at the famous o2 Ritz.
Having released their debut album ‘Be Slowly’ in 2014, JAWS have come to be a much-loved group, capturing the attention of many along their way. Their rise to the forefront of the indie scene was remarkable, with tracks like ‘Gold’ and ‘Stay In’ becoming huge anthems that are still as relevant and enjoyed today as they were over ten years ago.
Since the release of their debut, JAWS have gone on to put out two more full-length bodies of work, with ‘Simplicity’ and ‘The Ceiling’ following the incredible debut. With three studio albums behind them, the Midlands outfit have recently announced that their time has come to close the curtain on the life-changing chapter that has been JAWS.
Taking to Instagram in September of 2024, the band stated that: “This has been everything to us, and we’re so lucky to have been able to do this for the last 12 years. For now it’s goodbye. We’ll miss you”. This message was met with a great deal of sadness from fans, but also a great deal of love. People expressed just how much this band had given them and it was beautiful to see.
Alongside their heart-breaking announcement, JAWS also released three final tour dates, giving fans one last chance to soak up the brilliant band.
Manchester’s O2 Ritz was to be played on April 25th, and it would be a night to remember.
The venue filled up early, with gig goers taking in the full spectacle of the night.
First on the bill was the brilliant Joe Chandler. His raw energy hit the crowd instantly. He and his fantastic band showcased their talents, with many in attendance noting that Chandler is ‘one to watch’. This is certainly the case.
The Manchester crowd was treated to the beauty of having two support acts on the night. Second up was Witch Post, an exciting group who were fronted by an incredible duo. They had the crowd’s attention from the off, earning it with their stunning vocals and undeniable synergy on stage. One track of theirs which was particularly strong was ‘Dreaming’. The suspense created by the entire group was topped off by incredible vocals. The song really erupted after building up throughout. The crowd loved it. Witch Post seem to be on an upwards trajectory, and they’re accelerating rapidly. The Manchester crowd will hope to catch the incredible outfit again soon.
It was then time for the main event: JAWS. The lights went down and the Black Sabbath classic ‘Iron Man’ played. JAWS have really adopted this one over the years as their walk on number, and why not!
The crowd let the band know they were pleased to see them, and the energy was reciprocated on stage. JAWS kicked into ‘Driving At Night’, the perfect opener. The words sung by singer Connor Schofield really resonated with the audience as he sang “There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” It was beautiful.
The gig was then in full swing. Manchester was treated to the greatest selection of JAWS classics, including ‘Think Too Much, Feel Too Little’, ‘Just A Boy’ and ‘Swim’. The latter of those was particularly salient. It seemed as though every single audience member- front to back- sang that one. It provided one of a plethora of emotional moments on the night. The dreamy JAWS sound that we’ve all come to know and love filled the O2 Ritz, and it was surreal to think that this would potentially be Manchester’s last ever encounter with the group.
The tail end of the set was home to- as you might expect- the iconic tracks. There was also room for some cult classics, like ‘Breeze’ which saw a great deal of the audience take to their friends’ shoulders, bouncing to the dreamy sound as the iconic JAWS sign illuminated the venue.
After a wowing end to the set, the band vacated the stage. The crowd erupted, and it was clear to see just how much this night had meant to everyone in attendance. Before long, though, Schofield returned with his guitar, and delivered a spine-tingling rendition of recently released track ‘Yours’. He silenced the crowd, and everyone’s full focus was on the singer. It was a really emotional moment, but one that was beautiful nonetheless. The rest of the band returned to the stage as Schofield concluded, and there was another lovely moment as guitarist Alex Hudson returned, hugging the frontman. It’s clear that this group care, and they’re as emotional as the fans to be calling it a day.
The encore was truly something special. Of course, the most wowing moment was the rendition of hit track ‘Gold’. There are almost no words to explain how that went down. The crowd bounced and moshed as if their lives depended on it. That instantly recognisable, twangy guitar had the audience in a frenzy. It was beautiful.
With that, JAWS bid Manchester farewell. It was a truly fitting end to a remarkable run that has been JAWS. Despite the sadness fans feel that this is the end, it was clear in Manchester that there is so much love between the band and their audience. JAWS will live on.
Words by Matthew Caslin
