The Coral, Cut Glass Kings, Marvin Powell: Parr Hall, Warrington

The Coral

The Coral stopped off at Warrington on the final date of their Move Through the Dawn tour as Getintothis’ Jane Davies put on her dancing shoes.

Well it wasn’t quite a homecoming gig, but being Warrington it was halfway there. The final stop on the 2019 Move Through the Dawn tour certainly didn’t serve up half measures.

Marvin Powell was on early doors duty, serenading an ever increasing audience who preferred to fill the upstairs pews quicker than the standing stalls downstairs. Surely Coral fans aren’t beginning to nurse arthritic hips and dodgy knees? It’s impossible not to like Marvin Powell who wins hand down on the evening for audience interaction and engagement, something for which The Coral are not exactly famous for.

Whilst introducing Buried, Powell checks the audience have heard him correctly, stating: ”It is buried and not bevvied, although I will be later!” Sometime later Marvin Powell is seen in the circle leading the dancing, the party has started for him.

In a short and sweet set, a new single Samsara is given an airing and he admits he has the habit of writing song titles that no one knows the meaning of.

As Cut Class Kings take the stage, complete with trippy illuminated sign it’s time to pop the ear plugs in as the volume is cranked up. How one solo guitar player and drummer can muster such a powerful punch never ceases to amaze.

There has got to be lots of backing tracks hidden onstage surely? However they do it, the now swelling crowd like it and they are whetting the appetite for the headliners with full on fuzzy head banging Shadow of your love and Into the light. This band deserves a lot more exposure nationally and is crying out for inclusion on the rising talent slots on the festival circuit.

A blast of The Real Slim Shady heralds the entrance of The Coral who open up with Sweet Release and a subsequent quick fire succession of hit after hit. Releases from the latest album, Move Through the Dawn and the back catalogue are interspersed keeping both loyal fans and casual gig goers happy. Perhaps it is best not to engage in conversation when you have 17 songs and 2 encores to pack in?

The swift transitions between songs is maintained throughout the whole set. The quartet of Jacqueline, Pass It On, Bill McCai and In the Morning encourages the crowd to step up the singing and dancing without feeling the need to shower each other in beer as is often the case at festival sets.

An alternative St Patricks day Top Ten

As audiences go, it was a respectful crowd, both vocal and generous in their appreciation as each song tailed off seamlessly into another. They were also patient when Holy Revolution veered off into its customary protracted guitar solo, something which seems to lose the interest of festival crowds. A quick dalliance with Miss Fortune, whoever she may be, sent us back in time to old favourites In the Rain and 1000 Years.

We always assume that artists can remember the lyrics to every song in their back catalogue and this myth is exploded on this particular occasion when lyric sheets are spotted taped to a speaker, mini lectern style within the gaze of front man James Skelly. Crib sheets or not, the evening’s performance was certainly up to their usual standards and comparable to the last time Getintothis saw them at Liverpool University last year.

IN THE RAIN! Warrington, it was a finale, It was a pleasure. Full debrief tomorrow. Unseen photos, videos, handstands and moonwalks. See you then. Thanks to all x #TheCoral https://t.co/GDeir0TfI2

— The Coral (@thecoralband) March 17, 2019

Reaching Out from the latest album received a buoyant response from the by now permanently swaying heads who enjoyed reaching out to grab their friends and anyone else in the process. A cover of The Yardbird’s Heart Full of Soul” was introduced as one of the band’s favourite songs before closing the set with Stormbreaker.

A brief interlude ensued as the band walked off for some quick respite, before the lights were turned back on for Goodbye. During this penultimate song, there was a noticeable surge forward of fans who indulged in some rather more energetic dancing which continued into the classic closing number Dreaming of You.

The Move Through the Dawn tour had come to a successful conclusion, leaving just the after party and DJ set to complete, a case of dancing until dawn.

Images by Getintothis’ Warren Millar