Last night The Charlatans played a landmark homecoming headline show at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl. In what was a glittering first live performance of 2025, the Mancunian icons returned to the venue they last graced exactly a decade ago in 2015.
Thousands of lucky fans were treated to a setlist packed with hits including ‘The Only One I Know’, ‘One To Another’ and ‘North Country Boy’, but were also present for the first ever live performance of two unreleased tracks, which frontman Tim Burgess teased were called ‘We Are Love’ and ‘Many A Day A Heartache’. The five piece – made up of Tim Burgess (vocals) Martin Blunt (bass), Mark Collins (guitar), Tony Rogers (keyboards) and Pete Salisbury (drums) – haven’t released any new music since their 2018 Totally Eclipsing EP; the follow up to their 13th studio album, 2017’s Different Days.
The Charlatans walked out to songs by The Beach Boys and Sly and the Family Stone in a touching tribute to the recently departed Brian Wilson and Sly Stone. The band had previously teamed up with The Chemical Brothers to record a cover version of Sly’s ‘Time for Livin’ in 1995 for Warchild’s Help album.
