A Night of Indie Nostalgia: Art Brut and Maxïmo Park at Rock City

The iconic Rock City in Nottingham, with its long history of hosting legendary gigs, was the perfect backdrop for an evening that blended raw energy with polished indie anthems.

On February 18, 2026, Maxïmo Park brought their 20th anniversary celebration of debut album A Certain Trigger to the venue, supported by indie punk outfit Art Brut.

Doors opened early at 6:30pm, drawing a surprisingly diverse crowd – largely long-time fans in their 40s, with a sprinkling of much younger attendees, likely discovering the bands through Spotify indie playlists. By 7:15pm, Art Brut took to the stage.

Fronted by the charismatic Eddie Argos, Art Brut kicked things off with their trademark spoken-word indie punk. I’ll admit I hadn’t heard them prior to the gig, but they immediately brought to mind Yard Act, whom I’d seen supporting The Hives a few months earlier. The band teasingly opened with the intro to AC/DC’s Back in Black before Argos bounded onstage and launched straight into Formed a Band – a track that’s been stuck in my head ever since.

Argos’ lengthy monologues between songs, touching on past tours, family and former loves, bordered on stand-up comedy. It was both refreshing and oddly endearing. At one point, he even directed his attention toward me in the pit, warning that the first three songs might take a while – advice I was more than happy to take.

Tracks like My Little Brother and She Kissed Me had the crowd chanting and bouncing throughout the set, before the band wrapped things up with Emily Kane and the irresistibly catchy Wham! Bang! Pow!. Clocking in at around 45 minutes, even with the extended chats, it was a short but punchy set – an unexpectedly fun and memorable start to the evening.

Art Brut – Setlist:

Formed a Band

My Little Brother

She Kissed Me

Pump Up the Volume

Modern Art

Emily Kane

Wham! Bang! Pow!

Maxïmo Park emerged at 8:15pm to a huge roar from the crowd. Frontman Paul Smith followed the band onstage wearing a bright red tailored suit and his signature black fedora, commanding attention from the very first note. Celebrating two decades of A Certain Trigger, the band wove tracks from the album throughout the set, opening explosively with Signal and Sign. Smith immediately leapt onto the centre-stage risers, complete with high kicks and microphone twirls, sending the packed floor into motion.

The setlist struck a perfect balance between nostalgia and variety. Early highlights included Graffiti and personal favourite Our Velocity, delivered with ferocious intensity and met with ecstatic sing-alongs. From Our Earthly Pleasures, Girls Who Play Guitars provided melodic contrast to the debut’s angular post-punk edge, while The National Health stomped with political fervour.

Somewhat surprisingly, the only track from the band’s most recent album was Favourite Songs, which slotted seamlessly into the mid-set. Throughout, the band sounded sharp yet relaxed, clearly relishing the chance to revisit these songs at full throttle. Drummer Tom English laid down a relentless backbone, underlining why Maxïmo Park remain such a formidable live force.

Smith was animated and acrobatic throughout, unleashing his trademark scissor-kick jumps, and even producing his much-rumoured long-lost red notebook. The main set closed with Limassol and fan favourite Apply Some Pressure, leaving Nottingham’s famously enthusiastic crowd demanding more.

The encore delivered exactly that, with Going Missing and the mass sing-along of Books from Boxes sending everyone home on a high. The early start time which may have caught some commuters off guard ensured proceedings wrapped up by 10pm, leaving plenty of time for a post-gig pint.

This wasn’t just a gig; it was a celebration of enduring indie spirit. Art Brut’s witty, chaotic opener set the tone perfectly, while Maxïmo Park delivered a set that honoured their roots without ever feeling dated. In an era of algorithm-driven music discovery, nights like this are a reminder of the raw, communal thrill of live performance. Rock City’s 2,000-capacity intimacy amplified every moment – a triumph for both bands and the fans who packed it out.