THE CHARLATANS + THE CORDS – BRIGHTON DOME 25.4.26
The Charlatans have been around since 1988, and tonight they play Brighton for the ninth time. They released their fourteenth studio album ‘We Are Love’ on 31st October last year, just five days short of the 35th anniversary of their first Brighton show (5th November 1990) when they headlined The Event in West Street (formally Top Rank Suite and now known as PRYZM) as part of their ‘Some Friendly’ UK and Ireland tour.
Since then, the West Midlands-formed band has played the Brighton Centre twice, with the first of those as part of a joint-headline two-date seaside event (along with Blackpool Express Ballroom) with Oxford indie band Ride. This was on 12th March 1993. Their only other 90s Brighton performance in the 90s was at Stanmer Park as part of the Essential Music Festival on 27th May 1995. The second time they played the Brighton Centre was on 20th April 2000. They first played the Brighton Dome on 5th June 2004 and return there for tonight’s gig courtesy of Lout Promotions. They played The Great Escape Festival twice. These were at Coalition in 2009 and The Haunt (now Chalk) in 2017. Their most recent appearance was ‘On The Beach’ on 28th June 2024 when they were main support for The Libertines.
The Charlatans have had a number of line-up changes since their formation. Bass guitarist Martin Blunt is the only remaining original member. Lead vocalist Tim Burgess joined in 1989 after original frontman Baz Ketley quit. Jon Brookes (drums), Jon Baker (lead guitar), and Rob Collins (keyboards) were the other original members.
Once Tim had joined, they relocated to his hometown of Northwich. In early 1990, they released their debut single ‘Indian Rope’ and followed up with Top 10 hit ‘The Only One I Know’ that summer and Top 20 third single ‘Then’ in the autumn. This was indie music that you could dance to, and at the time, they were associated with the Manchester baggy scene (part of Madchester) that was sweeping the nation along with the likes of The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, and James. The Charlatans’ debut album ‘Some Friendly’ hit the top of the charts in October 1990, and follow-up single ‘Over Rising’ was another Top 20 hit in the spring of 1991. After a mid-summer arena tour and a couple of European festival dates, Jon Baker quit the band and was replaced by current lead guitarist Mark Collins.
Although the popularity of the band chart-wise waned a little over the next few years, their popularity among their loyal fans continued with sold-out shows. They found themselves back at the top of the album chart in 1995 with their self-titled fourth album as the baggy scene had now morphed into Britpop. Disaster struck during the summer of 1996 as keyboard player Rob Collins, at the age of 29, lost his life in a car crash while the band were recording their fifth album.
The album ‘Tellin’ Stories’, released a year later, included the band’s biggest hits, ‘One To Another’, ‘North Country Boy’, and ‘How High’. Primal Scream’s Martin Duffy filled in on a temporary basis until current keyboardist Tony Rogers joined the band. There was further disaster for the band in 2013 when drummer Jon Brookes passed away aged 44, after receiving treatment for a brain tumour that had been diagnosed in 2010 following a seizure on stage. Although not officially announced as a permanent member of the band, The Verve’s Peter Salisbury has performed and recorded with The Charlatans ever since.
Tonight’s show at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall is the second of ten UK dates in support of the band’s 11th Top 10 album ‘We Are Love’, which was released last November. As the sold-out crowd of mainly fifty-sixty-somethings eagerly await the appearance of The Charlatans, the electronic backdrop screen at the rear of the stage starts to intermittently reveal a series of words. There are “We are love”, “This is the place”, “These are the days” and finally “The Charlatans”.
Moments later at 8:50pm the lights dim and the band walk on stage and take up their positions to warm applause and cheers. It’s a low-key start with the opening three songs from the new album being sung and played at a relaxing, chilled pace. These are ‘Kingdom Of Ours’, ‘We Are Love’ and ‘Many A Day A Heartache’. There is a noticeable slapback echo on the opening track and as it ends, frontman Tim welcomes his onlookers with “How are we doing, Brighton? It’s good to be back.”
The pace steps up following the three new ones with 90s bangers ‘North Country Boy’ and ‘Weirdo’. These both get the crowd dancing and singing along. During instrumental interludes, Tim provides unique dance moves, gripping his hands together and stretching them out, providing a circle motion as if he is stirring a pot. It’s no surprise his dance moves are less energetic these days than they were back in the 1990s, as amazingly he turns 60 in a year’s time.
Following ‘Weirdo’, Tim says “We love you” and the pace drops a bit as they move on to 2008’s ‘Oh Vanity’, a song that has more of a marching style to it. The crowd claps at the band and Tim claps back to the crowd. The excellent ‘Let The Good Times Be Never Ending’ is next. A groovy, funky 2015 track from the ‘Modern Nature’ album. The former Electric Crayons frontman says “Thank you very much” as the crowd provides plenty of applause.
There’s more groove for the danceable and distinctive key-changing ‘Blackened Blue Eyes’, during which Tim asks the crowd to “feel the energy”. They then raise the bar with the excellent early single ‘Then’ from debut album ‘Some Friendly’. In the early days, Tim used to shake maracas to this one, but for tonight, that job has been left to the additional percussionist who happens to be Ride drummer Loz Colbert.
Next up is ‘For The Girls’, from the latest album. As well as providing the vocals, Tim plays acoustic guitar on this one. Tim then remarks, “How’s it going? Some place. Brighton Dome. Abba have played here”. Following this, we have two crackers from 1997’s ‘Tellin’ Stories’ album. These are ‘Tellin’ Stories’ and their number three hit ‘One To Another’. For ‘Tellin’ Stories’, the crowd join in as the song is counted in by Tim, and for ‘One To Another’, the stage lighting goes wild, there’s more of Tim’s unique pot-stirring dancing style, and the crowd sing, cheer, and dance along.
Next, we get a live rarity, it’s ‘Title Fight’, a ‘B’ side from the 1997 single ‘How High’. Tim is back on acoustic guitar for the start of this one, and he then gets the crowd clapping along as Mark Collins performs an excellent solo. It’s then back to a couple more tracks from the new album. These are ‘Appetite’ and ‘Deeper And Deeper’. The backdrop then reveals a photo from their self-titled chart-topping 1995 fourth album. This features the five band members of the time, and as it’s a fitting photo, as number 12 hit ‘Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over’ is performed. This being one of my favourite Charlatans tracks. As the song comes to a close, Tim takes a bow and thumps his chest in appreciation to the crowd’s response. Next, it’s ‘You’re So Pretty We’re So Pretty’ from 2001’s ‘Wonderland’ album, then they play the classic ‘The Only One I Know’ which has the crowd in a frenzy. As it comes to an end, both Martin and Mark raise their guitars to show their appreciation. Tim takes another bow, and they all walk off stage.
It’s not long before the encore. Tim approaches his mic and says, “It’s good to be back. We’re going to do a few more.” They start with ‘Now Everything’, the final song from the new album. As with the opening song of the set, there is snapback echo on this one. Next up, we get ‘Tremelo Song’ from 1992’s under-rated second album ‘Between 10th and 11th’. This starts with electric piano from Tony and kicks into gear with added percussion and guitars. Tim then says, “We played this song last night for the first time in a long time. It’s been 25 years since we put out ‘Wonderland’. This is ‘Judas’.” This one features Tim singing falsetto. Following this, it’s time for the last song of the evening and a regular set closer since the early days of The Charlatans. It’s ‘Sproston Green’. This is instantly recognisable by Martin’s opening chords. As always, it’s a slow builder and ends in a crescendo of noise. A fitting end to a quality Charlatans performance.
The Charlatans:
Tim Burgess – lead vocals, guitar
Martin Blunt – bass
Mark Collins – lead guitar
Tony Rogers – keyboards, backing vocals
Peter Salisbury – drums
Loz Colbert – percussion
The Charlatans setlist:
‘Kingdom Of Ours’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘We Are Love’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘Many A Day A Heartache’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘North Country Boy’ (from 1997 ‘Tellin’ Stories’ album)
‘Weirdo’ (from 1992 ‘Between 10th And 11th’ album)
‘Oh! Vanity’ (from 2008 ‘You Cross My Path’ album)
‘Let The Good Times Be Never Ending’ (from 2015 ‘Modern Nature’ album)
‘Blackened Blue Eyes’ (from 2006 ‘Simpatico’ album)
‘Then’ (from 1990 ‘Some Friendly’ album)
‘For The Girls’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘Tellin’ Stories’ (from 1997 ‘Tellin’ Stories’ album)
‘One To Another’ (from 1997 ‘Tellin’ Stories’ album)
‘Title Fight’ (from 1997 ‘How High’ single)
‘Appetite’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘Deeper And Deeper’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over’ (from 1995 The Charlatans’ album)
‘You’re So Pretty’ – We’re So Pretty’ (from 2001 ‘Wonderland’ album)
‘The Only One I Know’ (from 1990 ‘Some Friendly’ album)
(encore)
‘Now Everything’ (from 2025 ‘We Are Love’ album)
‘Tremelo Song’ (from 1992 ‘Between 10th And 11th’ album)
‘Judas’ (from 2001 ‘Wonderland’ album)
‘Sproston Green’ (from 1990 ‘Some Friendly’ album)
The support band is The Cords. An emerging young indie ‘jangle’ pop duo comprising sisters Eva and Grace Tedeschi from Greenock in Scotland. Eva sings and plays guitar, while Grace plays drums. They have already played support slots with The Vaselines, The Primitives, Belle and Sebastian, Shonen Knife, Camera Obscura, and BMX Bandits. They released their debut self-titled album last September and tonight play a quick-fire twelve-song set that features four songs from the album and lasts 33 minutes.
As the pair walk on stage, they are greeted to a round of applause from those who have arrived early to see them perform. Eva says, “Hi, we’re The Cords. This is ‘Fabulist’.” ‘Fabulist’ is the opening song from the album and a standout track that echoes the best of C86. It’s an upbeat, poppy song with jangly guitar and melody. Eva thanked The Charlatans and said, “This is amazing for us.”
The other album tracks played are the faster-paced ‘October’, ‘Yes, It’s True’, that is dreamy with vocals resounding Lush and ‘When You Said Goodbye’, which is the longest song of the set and is a slower-paced tear-jerker. The pair showed variety throughout their set with ‘Unfond Of You’, ‘Do Do Do’, and the fast-paced ‘The Problem Was You’, and the set closer ‘Restless & Sad’ being standouts.
The Cords:
Grace Tedeschi – vocals, guitar
Eva Tedeschi – drums
The Cords setlist:
‘Fabulist’ (from 2025 ‘The Cords’ album)
‘Unfond Of You’ (unreleased)
‘October’ (from 2025 ‘The Cords’ album)
‘Tonight’ (unreleased)
‘Yes It’s True’ (from 2025 ‘The Cords’ album)
‘Do Do Do’ (unreleased)
‘Liar’ (unreleased)
‘When You Said Goodbye’ (from 2025 ‘The Cords’ album)
‘The Problem Was You’ (unreleased)
‘Control’ (unreleased)
‘My Love’ (unreleased)
‘Restless & Sad’ (unreleased)
