05 July 2013 (gig)
06 July 2013
A massive part of the UK music scene died when Oasis parted ways in 2009. No area was more hard hit than their native Manchester, for over 15 years they were the cities archetypes in music. That hole was a hard one to fill, even for the biggest of bands, but The Courteeners tonight shown that they have pretty much filled that gap.
Tonight’s line up was one made up in indie rock heaven. Local lads The Heartbreaks came to show off their fledgling sound, The Strypes despite only being aged 15-17 wowed the audience with their rendition of modern blues rock, watch this band they're gonna be massive. Miles Kane came on next, clad in a union jack shirt, to rapturous applause and chants skitting his scouse heritage from the Manchester crowd. The raucous bunch were ready for the headliner!
The venue of choice was the Castlefield Bowl, a large amphitheatre in the heart of central Manchester; the venue itself is rarely used for concerts but tonight was an exception. Lucky were the on looking neighbours from the flats nearby, the train that stopped on the over ground railway , the boat that kept sneaking up and then getting sent back by security on the canal adjacent to the stage and Blondie singer Debbie Harry and comedian John Bishop watching from the wings.
Tonight was the first of two homecoming gigs for the now 7 year old band- the second happening the day after on the 6th. The band recently played a set Glastonbury festival.
The band came onto cheers and hollers with pints of beer flying from all angles (not cheap at £4.50 a cup). Ripping through the set composed of the bands three albums St Jude, Falcon and their latest release Anna. Opening proudly with Are You In Love With A Notion, the sun setting over the idyllic venue and the general great vibe you get from Manchester crowds everyone knew tonight was going to be something special. Crowd sing-alongs from Lose Control, Yesterday Today & Probably Tomorrow and their new single Van Der Graaf got the 6500 people strong crowd shouting. “How good is this?” Liam proclaimed mid-set. Moshing anthems courtesy of Acrylic, debut single Cavorting and Welcome To The Rave turned the ground into a hub of movement.
Through the sweat and the dancing I managed to hear one line from a drunken Yorkshire man that highlighted the night as a whole, “I hope they do Not Nineteen Forever next, blimey that’s one I’d tell the grandkids” .Lo and behold they played his desire, Not Nineteen Forever has become an Manchester guitar driven indie anthem amongst the fans and the crowd went volcanic for it. Flares lit up the night sky from fans, beer covered the crowd in a stale ale rain and the now ecstatic supporters turned the floor into straight up mayhem. “This is the best crowd we’ve ever had!” Liam declared with a massive grin on his face afterwards. Finishing with What Took You So Long there was only one emotion that passed over the crowd and that was wow!
Spreading from the start through word of mouth across Manchester and England there is only one way The Courteeners can really go, and that is up. After tonight they have stapled themselves firmly at the top of the Mancunian rock scene and they are there to stay for some time.
Setlist
• Are You in Love With a Notion?
• Lose Control
• Cavorting
• Acrylic
• Cross My Heart & Hope to Fly
• Van Der Graaf
• Please Don't
• Kings of the New Road
• Scratch Your Name Upon My Lips
• Bide Your Time
• That Kiss
• The Opener
• When You Want Something You Can't Have
• Welcome to the Rave
• Sycophant
• Marquee
• How Come
• Yesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow
• Fallowfield Hillbilly
• Here Come the Young Men
• Not Nineteen Forever
• What Took You So Long?
