The Charlatans play landmark Castlefield Bowl show & tease new music

CREDIT: GRACIE HALL

The Charlatans played a landmark homecoming headline show at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl. In what was a glittering first live performance of 2025, the Mancunian icons returned to the venue they last graced exactly a decade ago in 2015.

Thousands of lucky fans were treated to a setlist packed with hits including ‘The Only One I Know’, ‘One To Another’ and ‘North Country Boy’, but were also present for the first ever live performance of two unreleased tracks, which frontman Tim Burgess teased were called ‘We Are Love’ and ‘Many A Day A Heartache’. The five piece - made up of Tim Burgess (vocals) Martin Blunt (bass), Mark Collins (guitar), Tony Rogers (keyboards) and Pete Salisbury (drums) - haven’t released any new music since their 2018 Totally Eclipsing EP; the follow up to their 13th studio album, 2017’s Different Days.

The Charlatans walked out to songs by The Beach Boys and Sly and the Family Stone in a touching tribute to the recently departed Brian Wilson and Sly Stone. The band had previously teamed up with The Chemical Brothers to record a cover version of Sly’s ‘Time for Livin’ in 1995 for Warchild’s Help album.

One of the best loved UK bands of the last four decades, The Charlatans’ career spans 13 albums, 22 Top 40 singles, three Number One albums and multiple era-defining anthems.

The Charlatans at Castelefield Bowl 2025 set list:

01 Forever

02 Weirdo

03 North Country Boy

04 Can't Get Out Of Bed

05 Soul Saver

06 Just When You're Thinkin'

07 Toothache

08 We Are Love

09 One To Another

10 Just Lookin'

11 Blackened Blue Eyes

12 Impossible

13 The Only One I Know

14 How High

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15 I Don't Want To See The Sights

19 Many A Day A Heartache

16 Sproston Green