1. 54 oFFbeat
HOW GOOD IT WASAs the spotlight continues to shine on Mancunian quartet the Courteeners, they’re gearing up for the gig
of their lives. Natalie Whitehouse looks back on what they’ve achieved so far, and what we can expect
when one of Manchester’s finest step onto the stage at Heaton Park this summer.
H
ow do you measure success in music? Is
it the amount of records you sell?The
collection of Number 1 singles you’ve
amassed? Or how many times you’ve sold out
arenas up and down the country?
But it can’t be any of those things. Because
there are success stories out there whose
music doesn’t make particularly great waves
in the charts; whose record sales aren’t Ed
Sheeran-esque, and bands who are more suited
to playing smaller venues.
To me, success in music is doing what you
love and being noticed for it, even if it’s not by
the whole of the industry. Because there are
fans out there who will do anything to hear
your music live, who will rush to the shops - or
to iTunes, as is now more commonplace - to
buy your albums, and who will talk about you as
if you are the greatest band to ever grace the
earth. Because they believe it.
The Courteeners, or simply Courteeners as
they now prefer to be stylised, fit snugly into
all the above.They aren’t your stereotypical
chart band, although their albums have charted
impressively; they aren’t going to sell out
Wembley Stadium three times over; and they
won’t break the record for albums sold any
time soon. But success?They’ve had plenty of it.
Since their debut album St. Jude hit the
shelves in 2008 and slotted nicely into Number
4 in the Official Albums Chart, the Manchester-
based quartet have become one of the biggest
bands on the indie scene. Follow-up Falcon,
released in 2010, went gold; ANNA, their third
offering three years later, spent some time at
Number 1; and last summer’s Concrete Love,
although criticised for its new direction, debuted
at Number 3 in the albums chart - their highest
ever position.
But it’s away from the charts where the band
really flourish. Front man and guitarist Liam Fray
owns whatever stage he’s on, be it a packed out
O2 Academy or even Manchester’s Castlefield
Bowl, where the band played two sold out gigs
back in July 2013, marking their biggest, and
arguably their best, shows to date.
Fray, along with Michael Campbell on drums,
guitarist Daniel Moores, and Mark Cuppello on
bass know how to put on a show, and this year
will be no different, except they will be placing
themselves on the greatest stage of their lives:
Heaton Park. 5 June.Their homecoming. . .
“The Manchester-based
quartet have become one
of the biggest bands on
the indie scene.”
The Courteeners in their element as they play to a jubilant crowd.
thesound
A capacity crowd of 20,000 Courteeners’
diehards will be in attendance, after selling out
the tickets in under an hour, making it the band’s
biggest ever headline gig, surpassing their previously
mentioned Castlefield gigs in 2013.
And what better place to do it than Heaton
Park? Following in the footsteps of Manchester
greats like Oasis andThe Stone Roses, with the
Courteeners hoping to emulate at least some of
their stage presence and success.
Admittedly, the Courteeners are nowhere near
the size of the aforementioned, but fans of the
band, and I’d argue the band themselves, will tell
you that does not matter.
When Fray, Cuppello, Campbell and Moores step
onto the stage on June 5; you can bet they’ll feel
just as much adoration.And those 20,000 will make
it sound and feel like there are 100,000 more.
It’s a given than passionate fans are always on a
Courteeners live gig checklist, but what else can we
expect at to happen at Heaton Park?
A set list encompassing the big ones from all four
of their studio albums is also nailed on, but you
know the band will throw in a few surprises too.
‘Smith’s Disco’ is likely to be on the list, and fans
must hope they add some more treats in too in
the form of songs like ‘Acrylic’ and ‘That Kiss,’ which
aren’t on any of their four albums, but are still huge
favourites amongst fans of the band.An acoustic
section from Fray would also be apt, and incredibly
moving, on such a big platform like Heaton Park. It
would be rude of him not to take centre stage for
five minutes, don his acoustic guitar and wow us
once more with his sensationally powerful vocals.
Moving away from the music side of things, the
atmosphere at Heaton Park will also be something
special to be taken away from the night.
Smoke bombs were talked about a lot on their
previous tour in November; where the band had to
stop several shows due to the use of pyrotechnics
indoors.
But flares should only add to the atmosphere of
an outside gig; and you can bet your life on a large
section of the crowd deciding to bring one along to
celebrate the occasion.
Above all else, Heaton Park will be a heroic
homecoming for the Courteeners: a hugely
successful band in their own right, by their own
rules, and with their own talent.
No gimmicks. Just four men on a stage with
instruments, incredible vocal talent, and powerful,
indie-rock songs.That seems to be all they need,
and who can argue with that?
The stage is set, the band are buzzing, and fans
up and down the country are ready for the gig of
their lives:‘GoodTimes Are Calling’.
The Courteeners (from left to right) Daniel Moores, Liam Fray, Mark Cuppello and Michael Campbell.
FAN WATCH
Bands would be nothing
without their fans, and
these Courteeners die-
hards have seen it all
following the quartet up
and down the UK. . .
DANNY O’DONNELL, 19
First time seeing them live: Finsbury
Park 2013 supportingThe Stone Roses
How many times: Nine
Best gig I’ve been to: Castlefield Bowl
Best memory: Probably them playing
‘The Opener’ in Nottingham for first time
on the tour and dedicating the song to
Nottingham
Favourite song:‘The Opener’ - by far!
KELLY JACKSON, 19
First time seeing them live: MEN Arena
in 2010
How many times:14
Best gig: Castlefield Bowl
Best memory: Meeting them at Piccadilly
Records
Favourite song:‘That Kiss’
CAMERON ANDERSON, 18
First time seeing them live: Castlefield
How many times: Nine
Best gig: Castlefield Bowl or Nottingham
Rock City
Best memory: Requesting ‘Beautiful
Head’ at Liam Fray’s acoustic show at
Sound Control, or lobbing a Cadbury’s
Flake on stage at Nottingham during
‘Here ComeTheYoung Men’… don’t ask!
Favourite song: A tie between ‘Here
ComeTheYoung Men’ and ‘Small Bones’
put all four albums here and a bit about them
DISCOGRAPHY
ST. JUDE (2008)
The band’s debut
album has numerous
referneces to their
city of Manchester.
FALCON (2010)
Their sophomore
album was much
more dark and much
more polished.
ANNA (2013)
Anna cemented the
Courteeners’ place
as a top band in the
indie scene.
CONCRETE
LOVE (2014)
Last summer’s release
saw a new direction
for the band.