Live: The Charlatans

5th March

Albert Hall

8.5/10

With their mix of baggy grooves, jangly guitar pop and swirling psychedelia, The Charlatans always sounded—not to mention behaved—like the best band to never come out of Manchester. It’s fitting, therefore, that their latest tour should see them performing not one, but two sold out shows at the Albert Hall, an establishment that is fast becoming one of the city’s most exciting venues for live music. And, with disco ball intact, the setting proved to be a perfect match for the band’s trademark brand of danceable indie rock.

Opening with hypnotic, bass-heavy ‘Forever’, the four-piece powered through a lengthy, career-spanning set, whilst paying special attention to their latest offering Modern Nature, their most well-received record in over a decade, and one that has served as something of a comeback for the band. Frontman Tim Burgess, the 90s’ perennially spaced-out answer to Mick Jagger, spent the evening swanning around the stage under the strobe lights, shaking his bleach blonde Ramones-cut hair, all the while never missing a note and keeping the crowd on their feet. The drum seat, meanwhile, was occupied by ex-Verve member Peter Salisbury, who’s shuffling rhythms and tasteful flourishes gave old school hits such as ‘The Only One I Know’ and ‘Weirdo’ a renewed sense of urgency.

Though the pace lagged a little in the middle due to too many sprawling, mid-paced numbers being played back to back, the band’s ability to maintain a vibrant party atmosphere whilst keeping a tight-knit groove meant the two hours seemed to fly by—and by the time the sing-along tracks like the raucous ‘How High’ and the vaguely Doors-y ‘Come Home Baby’ came round towards the end, it felt like both the band and crowd could have gone on all night.