It’s Been Five Years

This is not your typical gig review. I’m not talking about a gig we recently went to but on the 5th year anniversary of this one I felt it was right to talk about it. 

On the 14th December 2019 we headed to Manchester to watch Courteeners play a second huge show in the city. We’d travelled up in June to watch the Heaton Park show. 

A show we had probably over hyped in our heads, a show that dampened quite literally by the famous Manchester rain. We got soaked and absolutely caked in mud. It wasn’t a bad gig but the day had probably but a bit of a downer on proceedings. Our first big outdoor show, our first time doing something like that. Perhaps we’d overhyped it perhaps it was the weather, perhaps it was the sound. Who knows. 

Anyway the band announced two more shows later in the year. An arena show in Manchester and a gig at London’s Olympia.

With very little anticipation, a few pints and a last minute Uber Ride. We headed into the arena. What we saw next, was nothing short of spectacular. 

The band were on fire, the arena was bouncing, the setlist was perfect. A 25 song affair. With a massive surprise! 

It was the perfect concoction of hits, b-sides and album tracks. We got the Liam Fray acoustic section, some tracks with an orchestra and some good old fashioned indie rock n roll. Even some tracks from the then upcoming new album ‘More. Again. Forever.’

If I had to hand pick a Courteeners setlist, honestly it comes pretty close to this one. 

Have a look for yourself.  

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/courteeners/2019/manchester-arena-manchester-england-b9bb1c2.html

I mentioned earlier that the band did something quite special. Mid way through Liam Fray’s acoustic set, in a space usually reserved for ‘The Rest of the World Has Gone Home’ the band instead played a rather famous song from another Manchester band.

Moments before this Liam commented saying the next song on his monitor wasn’t there song and he didn’t know how that had happened. Someone must have done it as a laugh. After a few quick scrambles by sound techs and roadies to change it. Liam stated that they would play it. 

Giving us one of the most amazing gig moments we’ve ever had. After a gig we’d hyped up, and proclaimed to be our Knebworth moment, ultimately not being that. We walked into the Manchester Arena on that cold December night, with very little in the way of expectations and we were blown away. That’s the best I’ve ever seen the band, it’s one of the most amazing crowds I’ve ever been in. It was special. 

Sometimes everything about a gig just goes right. This was one of those nights 

Thank you for reading x