THE FRONT ROW

I’d normally start a review with a little bio of the band. But to be honest if you aren’t aware of The Coral, then I’m not entirely sure this is the blog for you. Formed in 1996, for many music fans The Coral helped to fill the chasm left by bands like The La’s and The Stone Roses – bands who valued melody, harmony and musicianship over hype and superficiality. Legend has it that these ‘young guns’ from Hoylake entered a ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition in a Birkenhead rock club called Stairways and came second to a Bon Jovi tribute act. No-one knows what happened to the winners* but the runner’s-up went on to produce 10 albums and be nominated for the Mercury Prize. It was the last time The Coral played Birkenhead.

Wirral’s musical regeneration has taken a while. Never short on talent, but always short on venues, the ‘One-eyed City’ had always struggled to provided a proper outlet for the ‘Leisure Peninsula’s’ artists. However, with the establishment of a proper, vibrant, live music venue in Future Yard, things are definitely heading in the right direction. It was only right that on the eve of Liverpool hosting Eurovision, the Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery’s ‘United By Music’ programme should bring together The Coral and Future Yard.

Before The Coral got to slay their Birkenhead ghosts there was a spoken word performance from local artist Roy. Well known locally on the poetry and spoken word circuit, Roy performed two pieces during a well received, funny, touching, 20 minute set full of pathos. When I say well received I mean that as well as laughing in the right places, the audience actually listened respectfully, there was no increscent chatter from the masses by the bar. The major part of Roy’s set was taken up with an epic Joycean tale of a man who believes that he can see ever so slightly into the future. Not far enough to see who Everton’s next manager might be (so he can decide about renewing his season ticket!) but far enough so he can predict what a TV presenter is about to say. By referencing local landmarks, usually pubs (The Jolly Miller and The Vernon), Roy planted you firmly in space, while his protagonist was transported on a physical and spiritual journey by a rogue, St Helens Rugby League supporting, taxi driver. It was an enjoyable existential tour round Liverpool with a Beckett from Breck Road. You can get hold of Roy’s work in a slim anthology entitled Algorithm Party available via Rough Trade Books. It’s a trip worth taking and paying the fare.

Following Roy’s 20 minute set, and over 20 years in the making came The Coral. Tickets for the gig had sold out in minutes and the Live Room at Future Yard was packed to the gills. There was no great fanfare, but through a thin veil of smoke, The Coral entered the stage and commenced with the psychedelic/jazzy Bad Man and the sea-shantyesque Simon Diamond, both songs from the band’s eponymous 2002 debut album. The band quickly moved on to more ‘poppier’ tunes from 2003’s Magic and Medicine – Bill McCai and the beautiful, trundling Pass It On.

‘You lot seem a bit hardcore so we’ll play a few off Coral Island ‘ declared singer James Skelly. There then followed three songs from the bands most recent album, a concept piece about an imagined ‘seen better days’ northern seaside resort – Faceless Angel with its Blackpool Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer organ refrains, Lover Undiscovered, and Vacancy a tune that seems to take inspiration in equal measure from The Kinks and The Doors.

‘Go ‘ed Duffy Lad!’ cried out a crowd member – offering encouragement to bassist Paul Duffy. ‘What you shouting at him for?’ responds James Skelly, ‘He’s working harder than the rest of us!’. It’s a moot point as The Coral make the complicated look simple. So relaxed and at ease with themselves and what they do, it’s hard to tell if they are trying. The band are back in mainstream territory with folky indie-rock tunes Jacqueline and In The Morning.

The Coral’s influence on Merseyside music is pervasive and if you peered carefully at the rear of the stage you may have spotted Zak McDonnell, lead singer and guitarist from The Dream Machine, providing additional percussion and vocals.

An unforgettable evening for Wirral in general, and the 300 lucky audience members in particular concluded with an encore that consisted of Skeleton Key, the psychedelic, uncontrolled frenzy of Goodbye – and the obvious finale, the sing-along crowd-pleasing Dreaming of You.

Thanks to the efforts of Future Yard it looks like the area that Half Man Half Biscuit once described as this ‘Oblong of Dreams’ is starting to stir. And as for The Coral, let’s not leave it another 20-odd years lads eh?.

*I’ve heard rumours that they are now a Bon Jovi/Ken Dodd mash-up act called ‘By Jovi Missus’, but I can’t confirm this.

Words – Ian Dunphy

Photos – Ali Dunphy.