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THE CHARLATANS
+ Mark Curtis and the Flannelettes
@ The Gov Adelaide
11th October 2022
(Live Review)

Review by Colin Reid

Photos by CDR Imagery

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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Forming in the late 1980s and breaking through with their debut album ‘Some Friendly’ in October 1990 has attached, in the minds of most people, The Charlatans with the Madchester scene of The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets etc. The fact is that their music is harder to define. The Charlatans are a bit of a weird amalgamation of Manchester and Midlands, the band actually started in the Midlands with the Hammond organ as its drive. This swirling, driving organ sound kind of harks back to soul, and when it speeds up it gets rocky, so it’s of like an infusion of soul and rock the makes for an unstoppable good vibe dance party. There is a saying amongst Mancurians that the best music in the world comes from Manchester but this sound definitely had its roots in the Midlands but maybe it just needed a couple of Mancurian lads to complete it.

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Mark Curtis and the Flannelettes // Photo – CDR Imagery

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Four years since their last visit and after COVID prevented The Charlatans from bringing a 30th anniversary world tour to Australia they have returned with a 32nd anniversary Head Full of Ideas tour. It may have been four years since they were last at The Gov, and by the way Tim noted that the last 3 times they’ve been in Adelaide it has been at the Gov so it is almost like a second home, but it seems like they are not a day older. Tim, especially, is just a bundle of happiness on stage. A huge beaming, infectious smile on his face as he bounces across every inch of the stage with his Brian Jones styled mop top swishing with the energy he creates.  As he first comes on to the stage, he spots a girl in the crowd wearing a Charlatan’s Weirdo t-shirt and catches her attention to let her know that he approves. He is totally connected to the crowd, engaging us at every opportunity as he encourages us to sing, dance and return the energy back to him. He isn’t let down and we respond accordingly, loving every minute of it.  “It’s great to be back” says Tim “It has been too long and we’ve a lot of material to get through”, “well get on with it” calls some voice that sounds like it originated in northern England. “Oh we will” Tim replies “I said we’ve a lot to get through I didn’t say we were go to rush it”

The venue is near full mostly it has to be said with British ex-pats, it is definitely more crowded than last time around. They have come out in force and they know what to expect tonight it will be another party. There is a wide variety of ages in the crowd. A smattering of bucket hat wearing offspring come along with their parents for this one.

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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Earlier this year the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of the ‘Between 10th and 11th’. They must have enjoyed revisiting this material because last time around only the single ‘Weirdo’ made the set list but this year there are four numbers from it including ‘Can’t Even Be Bothered’ which Tim tells us is the first time it has been played in Australia.

Mark’s guitar work is superb. Switching guitars from his favoured Les Paul on occasion to a Les Paul custom and even to a Telecaster on ‘Tremelo’. His guitar compliments Tony Rogers keyboards and organ perfectly as the orchestrate the riffs and melodies. There are so many stand out tracks and while there are a couple of favourites missing from last time around such as ‘Totally Eclipsing’ I feel that this is a much stronger set list. 18 tracks from 10 different albums is a great retrospective. There are massive crowd reactions to ‘Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over’ which then goes into the even bigger “One to Another”. Tim regularly accepting high fives and outstretched hands from the crowd and even posing for a photobombing selfie with people in the front row during a break between songs. ‘A Man Needs to be Told’ provokes some finger wagging from some women in the crowd…oh wait that’s my wife, point taken dear. It is no surprise that their huge hit “The Only One I Know” provokes the biggest reaction of the night with dancing bodies, arms in the air smiling and singing along.

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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There is time for a two-song encore. First is their last UK chart hit 2006 release ‘Blackened Blue Eyes’ before the night concludes as all Charlatans’ gigs do with ‘Sproston Green’. It is a monster of a song live and a fitting conclusion to the night. Mark’s guitar and Tony’s organ crescendo fills the venue and Tony takes a bow at the end laughing with and thanking the crowd for our part in their show.

Post gig Tim mingles with those of us that have stayed back. He happily poses for photographs and chats amiably with fans before running into British comedian “Bill Bailey” who is in Adelaide for a couple of stand up shows this week. Mark too comes out and is also gracious with his time. The band are all still jet lagged and he is looking forward to a day off today in Brisbane before tomorrow night’s show there.  There are hints of a new album to be written once the tour is over and they fly home. “Is writing easier now that Tim has moved back to the UK?” I ask him “Yes and no” Mark replies “I’ve moved to Portugal and Tony lives in Ireland!”.  We can but hope that they are back soon to tour whenever that new material gets recorded.

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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Check out CDR Imagery’s gallery of this show HERE

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Follow THE CHARLATANS
Website – Facebook – Spotify
Instagram – YouTube

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The Charlatans // Photo – CDR Imagery

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THE CHARLATANS October 2022
Australian Tour Dates

Saturday 8th October SYDNEY, Manning Bar
Tuesday 11th October ADELAIDE, The Gov
Thursday 13th October BRISBANE, The Triffid
Friday 14th October,MELBOURNE, The Croxton
Saturday 15th October PERTH, Rosemount Hotel

Tickets

AMNPLIFY – DB