In 2025, the traditional practice of recording a new album and then embarking on a tour to promote its release seems outdated; bands, particularly those with a large back catalogue, now choose to celebrate the anniversary of one of their albums with a celebratory tour.

West Country alternative rock outfit Reef are currently honouring the thirtieth anniversary of their debut album Replenish with a tour that arrived at the O2 Academy in Leeds. Playing the album in full, the band still had the power and energy like it was still 1995.

Lead singer Gary Stringer, now aged 52, still sounded as raw, honest and soulful as ever, with bassist Jack Bessant providing some deep bass notes – and the moves to accompany them. Add to that the skilful dexterity of Amy Newton and Luke Bullen on drums, and the result was a formidable blues-infested package that took the Leeds audience back in time.

As the band ripped through Feed Me, Naked and Good Feeling, it became evident that Reef were on full form and equally as good as they were in the nineties. Ending the first set appropriately, the band still had a few more aces to play.

After a short pause the band were back on stage with the crowd-pleasing Stone for Your Love, though it was Place Your Hands, the track most associate with Reef, that provided the climax to a night where nostalgia was intertwined with enthusiasm, power and raw energy.

As the band concluded with Yer Old, Reef had rolled back the years in style, replenishing their Yorkshire fans with a belief that even thirty years on, rock music still remains as fresh, exciting and relevant as ever.