After having seen them several times over the last 9 months, with the band getting bigger, bolder and more popular with every step, I guess you could describe this gig as the one where The Courteeners came of age as a proper popular UK indie band. Having released their album 3 weeks ago, this was the last date of the nationwide tour in support of it, in front of a packed Astoria. A landmark gig for any band on the way up, and the atmosphere was full of anticipation as everybody waited for the band to come on.The band came on stage very shortly after 8:30, a crazily early time for a Saturday night. Because the Astoria have club nights on after gigs, everything has to happen really early - that meant it was easy to get a good spot, as lots of people hadn't made their way into the main room that early. The band strode on and started off with the familiar Aftershow and Kimberley, followed immediately by a surprisingly early rendition of Acrylic. We then got to hear some of the band's excellent b-sides (one sign of a decent band, and one that Oasis were always very good at), including the first time I had heard the brilliant Smiths Disco live and electric with the full band. A great version of a really good song, and it was going around in my head for the whole day after the gig.
As the gig went on, I got the feeling that The Courteeners really are building a hardcore following of fans. People were shouting every word to every song, and seemed to know all of the words, all of the things that make the live songs different from the recorded versions, and all of Liam Fray's on stage tricks. They sound fantastic live of course, and they really do seem to be building momentum and a fanbase to match. At the end of the last song, What Took You So Long as ever, the audience were singing back the refrain long after the band had departed. It sounded like a football crowd on Charing Cross Road, as lads were singing The Courteeners at the tops of their voices.This band are definitely becoming something special in terms of the songs they have, what the lyrics seem to mean to people, and how many people are getting into them. They won't be as big as Arctic Monkeys or Oasis, but I can really see them getting into the Kasabian and Kaiser Chiefs league of bands - household names, songs sung in pubs up and down the country on Saturday nights, big crowds at festivals, and big headline gigs. I am thinking about retiring gracefully from watching them now, at least until they have a load of new songs - but tonight was a really good show (again) from a band that are just about making it big - and fully deserve to do so.
Setlist: Aftershow / Kimberley / Acrylic / Smiths Disco / Slow Down / Kings Of The New Road / Please Don't / Cavorting / Bide Your Time / Fallowfield Hilbilly / No You Didn't, No You Don't / An Ex Is An Ex For A Reason / Yesterday, Today And Probably Tomorrow / If It Wasn't For Me / Not Nineteen Forever / What Took You So Long.
2 comments:
Really good review, exactly what I was thinking.
Just wondering, do you have any more photos from this gig, would be much appreciated if you could help me out, cheers!
These are the best 2 photos I have, the others were pretty blurry and not as good. Just replaced the 2 on here with better versions, removing the black around the edges.
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