Opening for The Charlatans at Rock City is a big ask for any support act, but The Cords sisters Eva and Grace Tedeschi handled it with a confidence that felt entirely natural rather than forced.

Eva Tedeschi (guitar and vocals) and Grace Tedeschi (drums) delivered a set that was tight, immediate, and full of melodic bite. There’s a refreshing directness to them: no unnecessary flash, just well-crafted songs played with conviction. From the opening moments they set a brisk pace, racing through a 12-song set in what felt like no time at all, barely pausing between tracks and keeping the energy constantly moving forward.

Their sound sits in that sweet intersection between indie pop and pop-punk, with a raw, jangly edge that occasionally nods toward the youthful urgency of The Primitives. There’s also a brightness and immediacy running through each track, with songs typically clocking in at around two to three minutes—short, sharp, and built for impact.

One of the most endearing aspects of the set was the personality between songs. After every track came a soft, almost bashful little “thank you,” which added a genuine warmth and made the whole performance feel grounded and personal, even in a room the size of Rock City.

Standout moments for me were the opening track “Fabulist”, which instantly grabbed the crowd’s attention, and “When You Said Goodbye”, which carried a particularly striking early The Stone Roses feel – jangly, melodic, and effortlessly cool, with that slightly hazy confidence that doesn’t try too hard but lands exactly where it needs to.

By the end, The Cords had done exactly what a strong support act should: cut through the noise, win over a crowd there for the headliner, grabbing a few new fans of their own along the way.

Setlist:

1. Fabulist
2. Unfond of You
3. October
4. Tonight
5. Yes It’s True
6. Do Do Do
7. Liar
8. When You Said Goodbye
9. The Problem Was You
10. Control
11. My Love
12. Restless & Sad

There’s something fitting about seeing The Charlatans at Rock City. Sweaty, loud, and packed with history, it suits them. Back on stage playing to a sold out crowd as part of their We Are Love tour, the band delivered a set that balanced nostalgia with quiet confidence.

For some, this is a band tied to a moment. I first saw them in 1990 at similarly sweaty Newcastle Mayfair, riding the Madchester wave with that signature Hammond sound. Thirty six years on, not much has really changed and that’s exactly the point.

Opening to “Salt Water” over the PA, they wasted no time getting stuck in. From the off, it was a steady, assured run through old and new. Tim Burgess remains an effortlessly engaging frontman, while Tony Rogers’ Hammond organ still defines the band’s sound warm, slightly rough around the edges, and unmistakably theirs.

The set leaned on a mix of material, but it was the classics that hit hardest. “Weirdo” was the first real surge of energy, pulling the crowd back to the early 90’s in seconds. “One to Another” still carries that driving edge, while “The Only One I Know” turned the room into a full-voice singalong. “Title Fight” drew one of the night’s biggest reactions, and “Sproston Green” closed the 4 song encore with a drawn-out, satisfying finish and huge applause.

The newer tracks slotted in without fuss. No reinvention, no chasing trends, just a band still comfortable in its own skin.

That’s really the takeaway. The Charlatans aren’t here to surprise anyone. They’re here to do what they’ve always done, and they still do it really well. In a room like Rock City, surrounded by people who’ve grown up with these songs, that sense of shared history carries the night.

Overall, a solid gig that delivered what long-time fans wanted. Great to see the band still touring and playing these tracks live. Not groundbreaking, but never meant to be. Just solid, confident, and still very much alive.

8/10

Setlist:

1. Evesham
2. Evesham
3. Evesham
4. Evesham
5. North Country Boy
6. Weirdo
7. Let the Good Times Be Never Ending
8. Then
9. For the Girls
10. Toothache
11. One to Another
12. Title Fight
13. Deeper and Deeper
14. Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over
15. You’re So Pretty – We’re So Pretty
16. The Only One I Know

Encore

1. Now Everything
2. Tremelo Song
3. Here Comes a Soul Saver
4. Sproston Green

Words & images: Mac Byrne