Hull’s Let Man Loose made a triumphant return in 2025 with a brand-new record and their biggest shows to date, which saw original guitarist Jamie fly in from Australia to re-unite with his bandmates for the first time in two years, as they opened for Queens of the Stone Age at the personal invitation of Joshua Homme himself.
In early 2025, having finished four years’ work on ‘IV’ - the band’s latest ambitious and intricate EP - frontman Marc opted to take a shot and reach out to the QOTSA helmsman, inviting him to master the new record, expecting nothing. Yet, the very next day, Homme’s email reply was top of the inbox - graciously turning down the mastering invitation - but offering Let Man Loose the chance to open for his legendary rock ensemble.
“And now, all that’s left for you to do is decide to seize this moment from the sky and embrace the risk or not.
Perhaps, I will see you in Sheffield?”
The proposal did not call for deliberation.
With six months to assemble the band and re-instate their reputation as a live force to justify their place on the billing alongside Viagra Boys, Circa Waves, Demob Happy and more, phone lines buzzed for the remainder of the evening, with Daniel, Sam, Chris and Nick all stunned by the news. Jamie - now living in Melbourne and nine hours in front - was awoken from stupor and in no fit state to take it in. Ordered by Marc to drink at least two coffees and call back, within the hour he was looking to book flights back to his hometown to re-unite with his band, now a six-piece to best replicate the intricacies of the new songs live.
Still, ‘IV’ needed mastering, with the duty taken on by Dave Catching, owner of the fabled Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, California. The studio is crawling with history, having played host to Iggy Pop, ZZ Top, Arctic Monkeys, Homme’s own side-project The Desert Sessions, and before that, genre defining Kyuss. Dave’s exquisite work slotted the final piece into the jigsaw, whilst simultaneously further solidifying the ties to Let Man Loose’s desert inspirations.
True to form, the band moved at speed without backing or label support, making arrangements for August’s shows directly with the festival organisers, and assembling a close-knit crew of trusted friends to ensure operations across August would run smoothly. Months of preparation elapsed in no time, with Jamie flying back just in time to join the band at their final, crunch time rehearsals.
The crew departed for the rolling hills of Midhopestones on the outskirts of Sheffield, accompanied by driver Rob Burgess, videographer Ryan Baker and Grant Dobbs’ muscle, enjoying some local pub grub before bedding down and awaking the next morning knowing exactly what was about to unfold.
Let Man Loose played two varied sets across August 27-28’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus at Don Valley Bowl to an enormous crowd of both familiar and fresh faces - and in doing so - realised every dream thought impossible since their 2016 birth.
Moments after the first evening’s performance, Marc’s chance to thank Joshua personally came as the pair found themselves walking towards one another backstage, with the former holding out his hand to the latter and introducing himself as the opportunist behind February's email. The rest of the band took up invitation to rub shoulders with Queens at their hotel reception later that evening.
Safe in the knowledge that they can hold their own alongside the best in the world, Let Man Loose are now free to take off any inadvertent shackles and continue to create with no self-inflicted pressure to prove anything - to anyone.
