Words: Fin Harrison

Being 25 often feels like existing in a strange in-between space. On one hand, you’re determined to make the most of your youth, to enjoy it in ways that might not feel possible once life’s more serious commitments take hold. On the other, there’s a growing sense that it’s time to get serious, as everyone around you seems suddenly laser focused on their careers and their health, swapping out the pint glass for a large bottle of strawberry Huel. 

Every late night begins to carry a hint of guilt, shadowed by the feeling that this isn’t necessarily what you should be doing if you want to become who you hope to be. It’s Sunday night, and I’ve been turning these thoughts over for most of the day, sitting in the fragile aftermath of a heavy pub outing with my cousins. When Shaun Ryder and Bez triumphantly ascend to the stage alongside the rest of the Mondays’ motley crew to celebrate the 35 year anniversary of their platinum-certified third record Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, I’m provided with a much-needed, comforting sense of reassurance. 

“Bunch of old cunts and we’re still havin’ it. How about that?” Bez roars into the microphone, one leg propped up against a monitor as he points his maraca towards the crowd. 

In the moments leading up to the show, I overhear a woman in front of me reminiscing about how she lost her virginity to the band’s music back in the 90s. Respect, I think to myself.

“Alan Partridge is here!” Bez shouts, acknowledging the city’s biggest cultural export. It’s unclear whether he’s joking. After all, Steve Coogan famously played Tony Wilson in the 2002 Factory Records biopic 24 Hour Party People, in which the Mondays feature heavily. “Fucking hell, you look a bit like him, B!” Ryder laughs after Bez hands back his mic.

While their infamous partying days may be firmly in the past, it’s fair to say the Madchester legends have hardly slowed down, returning to the road across the UK and beyond with relentless regularity since their third reformation in 2012. 

Up until late 2024, Shaun Ryder’s gravelly, often near-incomprehensible vocals were crucially balanced by the angelic tones of Rowetta, who also placed fourth on the first season of The X Factor and played herself in 24 Hour Party People. 

As of 2025, her place has been taken by Firouzeh Berry, who has been married to Bez since 2022. She does a stellar job, hitting all the high notes with ease and moving across the stage with a blend of warmth, confidence, and swagger. It only adds to the undeniable sense of chemistry on stage. This is a family who have been through everything together, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and, against all odds, they are still going strong 46 years on.

They sound fantastic, and with Bez’s signature vibe-casting moves, their groove becomes virtually impossible not to dance to. Naturally, the set reaches new heights as the album’s biggest hit, Step On, booms across the student union, leaving everyone with an endorphin rush and wide, infectious smiles.

For all the madness and mayhem behind them, the Mondays are proof that having fun can be a deeply fulfilling life path. Watching them reminded me that joy, chaos, and wholehearted living can coexist with ambition. Sometimes that is exactly what it takes to make life feel truly worth it.