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The 4 piece, fronted by Liam Fray, have had a strong bond since before the band was even formed, having known each other from the age of ten. After Liam played some well received acoustic sets during his (short-lived) university stint, he decided to pack his education in and form a band, initially recruiting Michel Campbell as drummer (even though he had never touched a drum kit) and rounding out the group with Daniel "Conan" Moores and Mark Joseph Cuppello.
The band quickly went from their first gig in October 2006 to their first chart appearance under a year later for their single ‘Cavorting’, their popularity being accelerated by word of mouth hype around Manchester.
The band was approached by Stephen Smith, a man who had previously produced with The Smiths and Morrissey making him the obvious producer choice for their first record which turned out to be 2008’s ‘St Jude’. The album reached number 4 in the charts, its success being driven by the anthemic single ‘Not Nineteen Forever’.
The continued success of follow up albums like ‘Falcon’, ‘Anna’ and ‘Concrete Love’ has made them a popular live act as well. They are a staple act at major festivals and have played everywhere from Glastonbury to Isle of White. They are still heroes in their hometown as well and have headlined the 16000 capacity Manchester Arena 3 times.
The Courteeners are adored locally and globally, having sold out the Manchester Arena in 2010 they have gone on to play massive outdoor shows such as Wigan’s Haigh Hall and Delamere Forest in 2011 and two sold out dates at Castlefield Bowl in 2013.
The Courteeners experience is never the same as the band also play many more intimate gigs on their tours across the UK at venues such as the O2 academies and even university unions. This scope of venue capacity is just the start of why the Courteeners are an addictive band. Their songs are anthemic and perfect for stadium shows but retain their intimacy through wonderfully crafted lyrics that anyone living in the UK can relate to especially those from the north.
There is no better tune to exemplify this than ‘The Opener’ taken from their second album Falcon. If you’re looking to get into this band, I couldn’t pinpoint one song or album to listen to, you need listen to all three albums as they show the progression of this incredible band.
From the first time I saw them in 2007 at O2 Apollo in Manchester I knew I’d fallen in love with their music and they haven’t disappointed the 6 or 7 times I have seen them since.
jack-ward
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