The Charlatans
22nd August 2018
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Megs Moss.
Joy. Euphoria. Bliss. Exultation …
Call it what you will, but last night Auckland’s PowerStation bore witness to hundreds of people rejoicing under the smiling face of Tim Burgess of The Charlatans, the sensation of pure delight felt by all simultaneously. It’s been ten long years since they last graced our shores, and only their second time here – so it was no surprise that half the English ex-pats living in Auckland had come out to witness them.
To warm up the evening however Auckland band Tablefox – who have certainly been touring hard this year supporting everyone from Scottish rockers Big Country to Australians City Calm Down and just recently The Feelers – were first up in the auspicious support slot. Delivering yet another fantastic set it suited them well to be appearing on such an iconic stage where they could truly spread their wings. Lead vocalist Clinton Bell was in fine form, his vocals on point as he shifted easily from their rockier tunes to a charming falsetto for their ballad number ‘Cigarette Glow’. While each member is quite obviously well accomplished, there is a marvellous chemistry in particular between bassist Liv Kotze and drummer Arie Harris. While their cover of David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ certainly drew many of the crowd closer to the stage, it’s much of their original work such as ‘Right or Wrong’ and ‘Nothing Ever Changes’ that seals the deal. Finishing on ‘Hold Fire’, it was good to see that Tablefox had switched it up a touch, with a sneaky little bridge from The Cure’s ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ threaded into the song, bringing a grin to many a fan’s face.
The jubilant punters didn’t have long to wait before the lights soon faded and onto the stage walked The Charlatans, roars reminiscent of lions on safari rising into the air above them. Standing front and centre, vocalist Tim Burgess hardly looks like he has aged a day, his immediately recognisable blonde bob – that really only Burgess can get away with – glowing under the spotlight. Dressed simply in a white t-shirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans he only needed a bucket hat to complete the look; but to be fair there were plenty of those in the audience…
Beginning the show with ‘Totally Eclipsing’ the next ninety minutes was musical bliss; truth be told It is nigh on impossible to have a bad night listening to a band such as The Charlatans. Their music evokes a feeling of belonging, of rebellion, of battles fought and lost and yet somehow spiritually won. Despite hailing from West Midlands, The Charlatans were always lumped in with the ‘Madchester’ scene, the correlations between bands such as The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays hard not to make. Even Burgess himself has admitted that his style is a hybrid of artists such as Ian Brown, Jagger, Ian Curtis and Shaun Ryder with a dash of Iggy thrown in for good measure. Shaken and stirred the resulting cocktail is something that is uniquely Burgess. Yet despite this The Charlatans found and forged their own sound, delivering tracks over the decades that will forever live on; a fact made evident by how many of the younger generation made up the crowd, perched along the barrier they sang their hearts out to each and every song.
Flanked on either side by Peter Salisbury from The Verve on drums and Tony Rodgers on keys – who quite frankly was having his own entire festival going on in his fortress of wood and ivory that was wildly entertaining to watch – the three made for a formidable front wall of sound that remained pitch perfect throughout the evening; both the undertones and the highlights handled beautifully by bassist Martin Blunt and guitarist Mark Collins respectively. But it was Burgess who stole the show; like a spiritual guru of the highest order he drew the gaze and filled the soul with light as he swivelled like the inside of a washing machine, his bob keeping in time with his hips. Indeed it was very rare that Burgess would remain still, hip thrusting and often raising his arms into the air he pulled from the crowd with the greatest of ease an energy that soon became self-replicating, fans on the barrier turning around and encouraging those around them to sing louder or pogo just that little bit higher.
Burgess continuously connected with those in the front, time and time again pausing to lean across the gap and hold the fingers of outstretched hands, his smile as he did so one of genuine warmth. While he said little apart from the odd “thank you” or the more amusing “this is for all the weirdo’s” just before the band ripped out a killer version of ‘Weirdo’, Burgess communicated so much more with his presence, right down to his endearing trait of standing on tip toes to sing into the mic.
This was a show that could not be faulted and while the encore of ‘Sproston Green’ with it’s emerald spotlights punctuated by strobe lighting was the ultimate heady mix to finish the set it also sadly signalled the end of a rather glorious night.
‘Let the good times be never ending’
Were you there at the Powerstation for this brilliant britpop show? Or have you seen The Charlatans live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Totally Eclipsing
- Emilie
- One To Another
- Not Forgotten
- So Oh
- Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over
- In The Tall Grass
- Let The Good Times Be Never Ending
- Different Days
- Plastic Machinery
- Weirdo
- Talking In Tones
- North Country Boy
- The Only One I Know
- Come Home Baby
- Over Rising [encore]
- Sproston Green [encore]
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