An up-and-coming rock band which was given the chance to play in Sheffield for free has praised the venue after selling over 100 tickets to one of their first headline gigs.

Meridian played at Sidney & Matilda – a popular live music venue on Sidney Street – which often hosts bigger bands like the Florentenes but also values supporting the local indie scene. 

Alex Antrobus, 19, the lead singer, said: “Sidney & Matilda were kind enough and trusting enough to give us the headline slot without ever hearing of us. This is the place everyone wants to play.”

He added: “Community is what builds a band, and by Sidney & Matilda giving us a headline slot they are helping us do that.”

This is the band’s fourth gig, but only second time headlining. They had been originally allocated a smaller room in the venue but moved to one with a bigger capacity after selling so many tickets.

Will Hayes, the bass player for the band, 18, said: “It’s a great thing to be a part of and it is great that people are willing to support us. The band members are all from different places and music brings us all together. It is amazing to see.”

Aryana Parast, 19, a supporter of the band who attended the gig, said: “Meridian are a new sound. They combine the old rock and roll with their new attitude and their impressive lyricism. I cannot wait to see what they do next.”

The crowd was a mix of students and locals from Sheffield, some even bought the £1 ‘Meridian’ badges.

Mr Antrobus said: “If you happen to catch success, you don’t pull the ladder up with you, you give it to other people around, as they are the ones opening your shows or give you the show that gives you the opportunity to headline next time.”

The band hopes to release their first single on all platforms by the end of March and are planning on playing another gig soon following their success at Sidney and Matilda on Monday, thanks to the venue’s generosity.