In Their Element

Last night, we headed into Birmingham for the final gig of the year. A rather special one at that. The Clause played the final show of their debut album tour, in the biggest show to date at the O2 Academy in Birmingham.

The Clause has been a part of my listening habits for a while now, but last night (December 19th 2025) was the first time I've been to see them live, and it's safe to say it was more than worth the wait. 

'Victim of A Casual Thing', the band's debut record, is one of the best debut albums in recent memory, with ten of the twelve songs on the record getting a run out last in Birmingham. The remaining six came from the bands eight year discography. 

After walking on stage, Oasis 'Morning Glory', the band kicked things off with 'Nothing's As It Seems', and the pace was set early. This wasn't another tour show; this was a celebration of Birmingham and The Clause story. 

'Tell Me What You Want' quickly followed, the band weren't here to mess around. I can see why they picked these two as singles; they are two exceptionally strong tracks and absolutely brilliant live. 

Having never seen the band before, I was impressed. All four of them, alongside the touring musician who was on stage with the band last night, adding backing vocals and filling in extra guitar bits, are brilliant. Pearce is a charismatic frontman, a brilliant songwriter, and his vocal was on point all night. Even when, sometimes, being drowned out by the 3000 strong Birmingham crowd. 

Liam is an exceptional guitar player, working with the song, not against it. He had a couple of moments in the sun with some solos, but he perfectly held the songs together. Jonny, the bass player, is unbelievable; his bass tones are a cornerstone of The Clause sound, and he really embraced the evening. During the final song, he was seen crowd surfing, complete with his bass around his neck!

Niall, the drummer, again kept things ticking over; the songs played last night all require a different style of drumming, and he was more than capable of delivering on that front. In the quieter moments like 'Never Ending Affair' and 'Where Are You Now' but also in the louder moments, I thought he would take the roof off with his performance on 'Don't Blink' or 'Fever Dream'

It was a set full of highlights, from 'I Don't Care', which the band introduced by playing a little bit of 'Pump Up the Jam',  a runout of debut single 'Sixteen'. 'Elisha', getting 3000 people to chant about a snog behind a Wetherspoons in Leeds. 

'Where Are You Now' was a real poignant moment, a song written by the band when they were teenagers, dreaming about the possibility of playing venues like this, and wondering if it was ever possible. Lyrically, the song is one of the band's most vulnerable, written after the passing of someone close to the band's frontman. To play this at the biggest show of your career was a brave thing to do, and it's safe to say there wasn't a dry eye in the house. 

'Don't Blink' allowed the band to give love to the city that made them, uttering these words "it may be a shit hole, but it's our shit hole" before firing straight into one of the highlights from their debut album.

A rallying cry to all of those in the room. We've done it, so why can't you? It's a song about attempting to grow up, but your youth is dragging back in. 

The Clause have had their fair share of setbacks and moments of doubt. Last night, they headlined the venue they dreamed of playing on their own terms. Supported by their mates and backed up by a 3000-strong choir of Brummies. 

An encore of two of the band's best pieces of work, 2024's 'Weekend Millionaire' and a beefed-up version of 'In My Element,' brought the show to an end. Complete with confetti and a visit from Santa. 

'Weekend Millionaire' has become one of my favourite songs of the last few years. In recent years,s it's been the mission statement of The Clause, and a mission statement echoed by everyone in that room. We were all clinging on to those moments of youth, and excess, despite when the world doesn't always want us to, or even worse, allow us to. 

I will also stand by this, it's got some of the best lyrics in the band's discography. A song that we can, and have related to: tackling friendships falling apart, the nature of the world at the moment, young lust, young love, the ecstasy and agony that comes with a heavy weekend. A song that will go on to soundtrack plenty more heavy weekends, and lead the indie faithful to the dancefloor.

'In My Element' ended the show, as it does at virtually every Clause gig. A record that has become something of a defining moment for the band, and it's easy to see why. Birmingham bellowed every word back at them, and danced like it was going out of fashion

The crowd last night was one of the best crowds I've been in for a long, long time. Everyone knew every word; it was a mixed bag of ages, gender and dynamics. We were standing near the back, but there was still a real atmosphere where we were. Down at the front looked like carnage. What the Clause has created is something special. 

With a fanbase like this, an arsenal of songs this good. I can see The Clause heading into bigger rooms soon. 'Don't Blink' because pretty soon, Pearce, Jonny, Liam and Niall will be playing arenas, I'm sure of it.

Birmingham has a new band to hand their hat on.  

The Clause played:

Nothing's As It Seems
Tell Me What You Want 
Fake It 
White Lifelines 
Electric 
Pop Culture 
Never Ending Affair 
Exception
I Don't Care (Intro of 'Pump Up The Jam' by Technotronic)
Elisha 
Fever Dream 
Where Are You Now?
Don't Blink 

Encore:
Weekend Millionaire
Sixteen 
In My Element 

Thank you for reading 

Jack