The Charlatans unveil new tracks at Manchester gig
The Charlatans unveiled two new tracks during a gig at Manchester's Castlefield Bowl on Thursday night (03.07.25) treating fans to the first live performances of We Are Love and Many A Day A Heartache.
The Charlatans unveiled two new tracks during a gig at Manchester's Castlefield Bowl on Thursday night (03.07.25).
The band returned to the stage for their first gig of 2025 - 10 years after they last played at the same venue - with the rockers walking out to the sounds of the Beach Boys and Sly and the Family Stone in a tribute to late stars Brian Wilson and Sly Stone, who both died last month.
They then stormed through a set packed with hits including North Country Boy, How High and Weirdo, but they also treated fans to the first ever live performances of new songs We Are Love and Many A Day A Heartache.
The group - fronted by Tim Burgess - hasn't released a studio album since 2017's Different Days, which was followed a year later by the EP Totally Eclipsing, and a 30th anniversary reissue of their 1994 album Up to Our Hips, featuring 10 added bonus tracks, landed in November 2024.
As well as the gig in Manchester, The Charlatans will also be performing at DocksFest in Cleethorpes on Saturday (05.07.25) as well as in Audley End in Saffron Walden, Essex on August 2. They will also perform at Victorious Festival in Portsmouth on August 22 and at Camper Calling in Warwickshire on August 23.
Frontman Tim - who was photographed by Gracie Hall at the Castlefield Bowl - recently unveiled a new project in Manchester which allows bands to sell their merchandise straight to fans and keep 100 per cent of the income.
The Merch Market project was held at venues across the city in May and Tim even had his own stall selling merchandise and rarities from his private collection.
He said of the venture: "The Merch Market is a chance for bands and solo artists to check what’s stashed in their rehearsal room, languishing in storage or hiding under the bed - and it’s also the opportunity to make some limited run items, only available at The Merch Market.
"Stalls are free, no commission taken, 100 per cent of the income can be kept by the bands."
The singer has previously been vocal in criticising venues which take a cut of merchandise sale from the artists they host.
In a series of posts on X back in 2021, Tim wrote: "Big respect to those venues that don’t take a percentage of a band’s merch sales. This isn’t about The Charlatans, it’s about those bands who need merch income to survive. Some places take 25 per cent.
"A quarter of the full selling price. Vinyl doesn’t even have that mark up to begin with ...
"To be perfectly clear about this, often it’s a completely separate ‘concession’ company that the venue deals with as part of a contract. A kid who has never heard of the band sells our stuff, while our merch person steps aside for the night - the whole system needs addressing."
