The Coral
The Waterfront welcomed The Coral back to Norwich for the first time since 2005 last night. A decent sized crowd had arrived early and in good spirits for the evening ahead.
First up were The Vryll Society who blended a mix of prog rock/pop/psych and funk over a short thirty minute set. There was a lot to enjoy on offer with the highlights being Beautiful Faces and closer Deep Blue Skies, both of which developed from relatively quiet beginnings to big beefy psych crescendos. Whilst not all songs quite hit those heights it's clear to see that the band have a knack for producing well-constructed songs which have far more depth than is first apparent. With nods to The Stone Roses amongst others the future looks bright for this band, the cheers to which they left the stage being testament to this.
The short wait for The Coral saw The Waterfront get noticeably busier and by the time they took to the stage the venue must have been nearly at capacity. There was a good atmosphere within, though perhaps more of a quiet appreciative one rather than a crowd up for a huge party. The reaction to the opening two songs Chasing The Tale Of A Dream and White Bird seemed to confirm this. As excellent as they were, complete with brilliant visuals, the crowd responded with some applause and minimal cheering. Sensing the mood James Skelly commented something about how nothing crazy happens on a Tuesday night: a call to arms or just a quip? Either way the band continued unperturbed playing both Pass It On and In The Morning. The upbeat musical tone to both caused the first serious head nodding and dancing and I sensed a change in the atmosphere. The crowd were more involved and more willing to let loose a little - all that was required was a final little push.
The push that arrived was more of a shove. New cut Miss Fortune was psych rock bliss with a relentless groove and super solos which really got the crowd moving. The closing extended outro to Million Eyes, again complemented by excellent visuals, kept them so. This was a definitive turning point in the evening and from here on out The Coral had everyone's undivided attention. 1000 Years continued the psych infused theme before a change in pace with a magnificent performance of Bill McCai. Being both bitter, sweet and catchy as hell only minor encouragement was needed from the band to cause the crowd to get involved. Arabian Sand closed the main set and yet again we were treated to extended jams and punishingly loud bass. The band left the stage to well deserved cheers and whistles.
Despite not getting the five or six more songs chanted for - the first time I've ever heard anything other than 'one more song' - the encore didn't disappoint. Goodbye was psych with a capital P and lasted near on ten minutes. It was and absolute trip and outstandingly good. Unsurprisingly Dreaming Of You brought the night to a close. This was no bad thing. Sometimes a band creates a song that takes on a life of its own and resonates with masses of people, this song is a prime example. It provoked a mass singalong, dancing and a shared sense of jubilation in the crowd. The Coral vacated the stage for the final time to prolonged applause.
Kudos must go to the band for succeeding where so many other bands have failed. That being waking up the crowd, keeping them engrossed and completely changing the atmosphere of a gig - which was no mean feat. This was in no small part down to the songs and the visuals but most important was the band members themselves. They were tight, dynamic and 'in to' the music. The audience fed off this energy and responded in kind. It was without doubt a triumphant return to Norwich.
