Words by Jimmy Loughlin

Taking it back to the spring of this year, Jimmy Loughlin recalls his time at The Leadmill, witnessing The Coral celebrate twenty years since the release of their debut album…

“Can you believe it’s been 20 years?! Thanks for sticking with us!” Paul Duffy bellows to the room before the rolling toms give way to the duelling guitar intro of Bad Man as the crowd erupts. Two decades on, The Coral’s debut album is still as resonant and exciting as the day it was released, as proved by the enthusiasm of the crowd at the sold-out first date of their 2022 tour.  

The Coral’s first headline tour in over three years kicked off at Sheffield’s Leadmill to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their eponymous self-titled debut album. The evening begins with the gentle musings of singer-songwriter Marvin Powell. With the room still filling up with punters and the haze of dry ice made ethereal yellow by the stage lights, Powell entertains with a relaxed acoustic set. Particular highlights were Wind Before the Train and the new No Sleep, featuring interesting atonal chord progressions and abrupt tempo changes. 

The atmosphere is then turned up a notch for the set of Cut Glass Kings, a two-piece consisting of a guitar and drums, both providing vocals as well as featuring a backing track for certain songs. For one, Greg McMurray switches from drums to acoustic guitar and they employ a drum machine. Their psychedelic, grungy style provides an ideal foil for the headline act, and the growing crowd kindly offer their enthusiasm in return. A varied set incorporates heavy blues-rock in the vein of Led Zeppelin and The Black Keys and psychedelia reminiscent of The Lennon-Claypool Delirium, as well as some clear country and folk influences.  

Then, the main event. The band enter from stage left to a soundtrack of psychedelic guitars and organs crashing, like boxers entering the ring. A quick fist pump to acknowledge the baying crowd before the jangly guitar riff of Spanish Main gives way to the crescendo of the organs and the sea-shanty-esque chanting that first announced The Coral’s arrival on the scene twenty years ago. With Danny Murphy deputising on rhythm guitar on this tour, James Skelly is able to concentrate on his role as frontman, rising to the challenge with tub-thumping, maraca-waving pomp.  

The audience were incredibly enthusiastic, with hit single Dreaming of You unsurprisingly getting the best reception. Simon Diamond and Calendars and Clocks had the crowd singing along, and the chorus of Waiting for the Heartaches caused an eruption of dancing and crowd-surfing. 

As the band continue through the set, we’re reminded of the extraordinary range of styles and genres that are encompassed on the album, from the avant-garde guitar riff and outro of Skeleton Key to the Spaghetti Western tinge in Shadows Fall and Calendars and Clocks, with sprinklings of Merseybeat throughout which has imbued the band with a distinctively Liverpudlian sound throughout their career. 

I will however, mention a couple of minor criticisms: Paul Molloy, formerly of The Zutons, has been on lead guitar since 2016 when The Coral returned from their hiatus, and I got the feeling that he struggled with some of the licks and solos that were, of course, written by founding guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones. I also found it difficult to hear the keys from my position to the left of the stage. Wildfire and Bad Man were missing the brass sections that appear on the album, which may have been played on the keyboard, but I was unfortunately unable to tell from my position in the crowd. Time Travel, which appeared as a hidden track on the CD version of the album was used as the walk-off music before the band returned for the encore, and I thought it was a shame that it was not performed live. 

The band returned to the stage with Bill McCai and then ran through some of their hits from more recent albums such as Pass It On, Jacqueline and 1000 Years. Curiously though, only one from their most recent release (Lover Undiscovered). The performance gave a pronounced reminder of the enormous, and seldom recognised influence The Coral have had on the revival of guitar-based indie and neo-psychedelia of the past couple of decades. The band close with the genuinely thrilling Arabian Sand before Duffy concludes by telling the crowd: “Sheffield, you’ve been fantastic mate, nice one!”.