Courteeners: Newcastle O2 Academy

WHILE music fans of a certain vintage wait patiently for Oasis’ seemingly inevitable reunion, a new generation of indie lovers have found their own Mancunian five-piece to fall in love with. And just for good measure, they’ve even got a frontman called Liam.

The Courteeners’ return to Tyneside was reminiscent of those cherished Oasis dates at the Riverside or Middlesbrough Town Hall more than two decades ago – a riot of energy and excitement from start to finish, with arms aloft and limbs careering here, there and everywhere, along with pints of beer.

The Oasis comparisons have followed the Courteeners throughout their five-album career, but rather than shy away from them, Liam Fray and the rest have embraced the chance to take on the baton from the Gallagher brothers.

Their stage entry followed a sing-along of What’s The Story Morning Glory, and Fray even broke up the gig with a Noel-esque acoustic three-song segment. The only thing missing was the Liam Gallagher snarl, replaced with a genuine pleasure at the euphoria in the crowd.

If you’re going to emulate Oasis, you’d better have some half-decent tunes, and The Courteeners are able to pepper their set with anthemic classics. Not Nineteen Forever and What Took You So Long remain firm favourites from debut album St Jude, while set opener Are You In Love With A Notion is as good as anything released by a British guitar band in the past few years.

Modern Love was the highlight from new album Mapping The Rendezvous, which was released last month, and by the time the night finished, Storm Angus wasn’t the only whirlwind to have whipped through the North-East.

Scott Wilson