The Charlatans win over the crowd in straight sets at Delamare Forest

The Charlatans in the Forest 2013

Sunday 7th July 2013
Delamere Forest, Delamere, Cheshire, CW8 2JD, England MAP
£34

Daily capacity: 8,250

Three blistering sets from Scotland's Andy Murray may have stolen the afternoon of Sunday 7th July. But the raucous set played out by nearby Northwich's favourite sons The Charlatans ensured the night belonged to them.

Dressed in his own gleaming all-white outfit (that wouldn't look out of place on the courts of SW19), complete with French singer and musician Lizzy Mercier Descloux pin badge, front man Tim Burgess strode onstage to the throbbing Hammond organ sound of their 1999 Us and Us Only album opener, Forever. It's been served up as their usual set opener for the last decade, and remains a real crowd favourite which sets the tone for the night.

What followed was a set of the bands biggest hits and some real gems from the back catalogue. Flower (a track from the debut Some Friendly album), Jesus Hairdo (1994s oft-forgotten Up To Our Hips album) and Toothache (from the 1995 self-titled album). Toothache, in particular, just grooves along live in its own grime - keyboard player Tony Rogers' heavy organ and Mark Collins' effortless guitar strokes sounding deep down and dirty.

Tonight I was introducing my girlfriend to The Charlatans' sound for the first time. Seeing the olives and cheese and cracker platters (!) which preceded the gig on the grass verges around the venue, was also a first for me at a Charlatans gig! I couldn't help but recall the days of my first Charlatans gig dressed in 24" flares and baggy 'Looking for the Orange One' tee shirt… a definite difference where the Red Stripe was flowing, rather than the wine and in some cases tonight champagne - people even brought their own ice!

The Cheshire set were up and out of their folded chairs as the band raced through Then, North Country Boy, The Only One I Know, Telling Stories and biggest smash, One To Another.

There can be no finer setting than Delamere Forest for perennial set closer Sproston Green. The stage - always bathed in green light - was tonight enhanced by a beam shining on the beautiful green of the trees enclosing the stage, as Martin Blunt's driving slow burner of a bass line merging into Collins' piercing guitar, creating a slippery sound to match. I explained to my girlfriend that 'Sproston' was written about a special time in a young Tim Burgess' life in a small field in Northwich.

Tonight, in another field not too far away, it was a special time in my somewhat older life too.

Game, set and match – The Charlatans.

review by: Thomas Regan

photos by: Thomas Regan