Gig Review: Elbow, Manchester Apollo, 6th February 2015

Elbow - I feel like they've been around forever, not like that annoying cold you can't shake off, but more like that warm cosy jumper you have worn every winter for the past 10 years. When I hear their music, when I hear Guy Garvey's voice, I feel that comfort and contentment.

This gig would be the 4th time I'd seen Elbow live, the first time was at my first ever festival, I was a keen 16 year old then and spent a solid 4 hours at the front of the stage, unable to drink in case I needed a wee and had to give up my prime spot! Now a little less dedicated to being a front rower at gigs, I'm happy as long as I've got a decent viewing spot and am not being dry humped by the person squeezed in behind me.

Six albums in and their talent shows no signs of fading, their sound is distinct - Garvey's vocals instantly recognisable on any song and some of their anthems make for some of the best British records of the past decade: 'A Day Like This', 'Grounds for Divorce', 'Lippy Kids' but a few to mention, these 3 unsurprisingly made it into their set at the Apollo. The Apollo in Manchester is a brilliant venue - the sloped floor a dream for anyone under 6ft as most of the time it means you can still see the stage - and the place is big enough to feel like you're part of something and small enough that you don't feel lost.

So despite this, having seen Elbow a few times before, this was my first time in Manchester - there's always something a bit special about seeing a band in their hometown, you can feel the shared pride between the band and the audience - a mutual understanding of what the city means to them. And you could certainly feel that in the atmosphere as Elbow took to the stage on Friday 6th February in Manchester.

Guy Garvey loved us and we loved him - every song they played sounded amazing and felt amazing to witness, the only odd choice was part of their encore - 'Birds', which in my opinion isn't the greatest track, so probably could have been scrapped from the set, but that slight grumble aside,  finishing on 'My Sad Captains' (arguably their best song to date) from their latest studio album was just right.

Garvey's humour and wit added to the shows charm - he joked about being reviewed in the MEN for the performance the night before and the writer describing him as a sociology teacher, he shouted "I'm too fucking mad and bad to be a teacher" we lapped it up, laughing along, putty in the palm of this sociology teacher's hands.

Highlights for me, as well as the obvious big hitters, were 'The Bones of You' and 'Switching Off'  - two gorgeous songs. They've got the British melancholy spot on, in the instruments, in the vocals and the lyrics are a poetry that entwines eloquence with street talk - there could be wording about the beauty of the world and getting pissed up in Salford all at once and somehow it works and it will continue to work, because the music is great and the fans are dedicated, especially the Northerners (of which I am an now an honorary one).

Switching Off - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxOWVmcZ2Y4  x