Mike Rimmer saw YFRIDAY's final concert and spoke to the band. Jason Thompson took the photos.

The future beckons and yet the band still have unfulfilled desires for what they want to see God do through them. Ken says, "I'm with Dez on fathering the next generation: it's so important. I've just worked with The Steels on their last project. More of that discipling, bringing the guys through who you see carrying something - helping them find their voice, helping them not make some mistakes. God's pressed the reset button in this last year or so: what was there is now disappearing, and the next thing's starting. People are wanting to be in the next thing. It helps if you find your own voice, but get round one of the fathers who'll just help you a little bit."

The band have always had a very strong fanbase, particularly in their home town. The band finally takes to the stage and as they launch into their set, it's very evident of the love coming from the audience. Where I am sat in the stalls, all around me people are on their feet, lifting their hands in praise and singing along. Even in the only worrying moment when the power fails and the PA dies temporarily, Riley doesn't look worried, the crowd are with him and power is soon restored and the band roar back into action and the crowd roars their approval.

Gav Richards

The fans have hooked into the worship lifestyle the band have been encouraging, and the fans are going to miss them. "I hope one of the reasons the fanbase has been like that is we actually give a stuff about them too," Dez explains. "Like I said earlier, there's a lot of people here tonight who we're going to know; it wouldn't be possible to get a room as full of people who I genuinely care about, and who are special to me, than there will be tonight. There are certain people who, when I'm playing the drums, I will not be able to look at, because I'll turn into the soppy middle-aged bloke that I am." Ken adds, "I would say they're passionate because they see the authenticity. I would hope so, because we are the same guys on and off-stage. The message is in my private life just as strongly as in my stage life. I think when things are authentic people can tell - we sniff it out."

Before this final gig, the band have invited a lot of people who have been supportive and influential in the band's history. Backstage there is time for us all to pray together and break bread before the band are called to the stage. I ask them a difficult question: from the band's history pick one high spot. Ken goes first, "The one moment that sticks out for me is 15 years of meeting fantastic people. I don't think I've particularly loved standing on big stages - big deal. Loved making records and writing songs - fantastic. The people that we've impacted, and the people who've sent their stories, who've given their lives to Christ, who've been healed, who have their own story as a result, that's the one highlight. I'm expecting to go to a lot of teatimes with scones and tea when I get to Heaven. So I would say that's the one thing I'd treasure forever."

Danny shares his top moment, "I think it was about the first year I joined the band, it was at the big Metro arena. It was a really big, huge event, it was a massive, big opportunity for people to bring their friends and let in the Lord Jesus. There were obviously loads of bands, and we played. I remember the feeling of the whole spectacular of it, the fact that there were so many people in there who had brought their friends just to hear the Gospel message. It was great, it was mind-blowing. A lot of people got touched, a lot of people got saved that night. It stuck in my head, because it was one of those great days that has never left me."

Dez remembers, "I said before we're learning things all the time. There's a lad that God's put across our path called Neil, who is impacting me deeper than anybody else. He's a guy who I'm proud to call my friend, who was involved in a motorcycle accident years ago; he's paralysed down one side of his body, and he's in a wheelchair. The first night we met him, in the middle of a worship set, it got to this moment, he got his helpers to hold him up, and he was stood there. That lad's taught me so much about worship. We lived in this worship world, where we're creating worship music, and we're thinking what's good and what's not; when Neil sings, it's not the most polished voice you've ever heard - some people who look at him and think, 'Shut up'. To God it's the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful thing. I won't be able to look at him tonight while I'm playing, because I won't be able to play. He's just a gentleman, and he loves Jesus with all his heart. He used to play the drums, and he keeps asking us when we get to Heaven, he wants to play drums together. I've learnt so much; although the other stuff's important, it's not all about razzmatazz - God doesn't listen to all that. He wants us to worship him in spirit and in truth. God's shown me more through this lad than anybody else."

Yfriday

Finally Gav shares, "A bit of a standout moment has to be when we went over to Singapore, playing three nights in a stadium where the churches had all got together and invited thousands and thousands of people there. Seeing many hundreds of people becoming Christians during what we were doing. It's crazy to pick out one, because there's so many times that that's happened, there're so many emails and stories. For God to have used me in that is quite humbling. Sometimes I don't have a massively high opinion of what I can do: it's been amazing that God's done loads and loads of stuff through me. It's difficult for me to put into words, seeing the things that God's done through me."

And then it's over. The band have romped through their most popular songs one final time. Ken has joked on stage that he's glad he won't have to sing "Holy, Holy, Holy", their longest enduring song, ever again. They've rocked out to "Revolution" one last time and they've taken their bows. Their families have joined them on stage and been acknowledged for the supportive role and the sacrifices they've given. For the first time ever, Ken's father came to see his son play live and he was in the audience tonight.

As the house lights come on and the audience slowly exits up the aisles and out the door, it really is the end of an era. I spot some old friends and spend a while chatting and catching up and by the time I head for the big front doors, the band are in the foyer talking with fans. I take a moment and then head out onto the dark street as the light goes out on another Christian band. There will be other bands but Yfriday were special. Their down to earth approach, their honesty and their simple desire for God to move were always impressive.

Somewhere in a bedroom in the north east, there are some teenagers picking up guitars for the first time, hoping, praying and dreaming of standing on that stage in Newcastle City Hall and leading people in worship.