The Cribs return to touring following the release of their ninth studio album, ‘Selling A Vibe’. The tour has been largely sold out, underscoring that this band, which formed 25 years ago, has a massive, vibrant fan base. Their punk-fueled, scything sound feels more relevant today than ever, and the Manchester crowd certainly seemed to agree. 

Liverpool-based post-punk rock band Courting opened the night with masses of energy and volume. The four-piece band filled out the larger-than-average stage, each performer bringing unique and different energies, and it’s refreshing for the members of a band to each stand out so singularly. The group have a special relationship with the Cribs, who collaborated and did production work on Courting’s sophomore LP, "[We] have similar ideologies as bands. We have that Northern connection. There is a definite level of kinship there". The Cribs have also often voiced their fondness of the four Liverpudlians, and it was lovely to hear some subtle similarities in their work - there is obviously a lot of mutual respect between the two bands.

The Cribs arrive on stage to rapturous noise from the crowd and they open immediately with ‘Dark Luck’. It’s a new song with a brilliant tune, and it’s clear the fans recognise and love it (the floor feels like it’s bouncing). The Cribs have an impeccable live sound, and the brothers from Wakefield work tightly together like a well-oiled machine, with strong shared instincts and trust between the three of them. Many of the newer tracks are favourites of the night, a telling sign that the endurance of the band’s sound and writing quality hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans. Along with ‘Dark Luck’, other songs from this year’s album, like ‘Point Too Hard To Make' and ‘Never The Same’, also had the venue pumping as if the songs were aged classics. 

However, the band, of course, has their fair share of universal classics. When the brothers begin playing ‘I’m a Realist’, the volume from the crowd grows exponentially. The song is nearing 20 years old, but you would never know by the clarity with which the fans sing every word. There are pints of beer flying, and bodies lunging around, and the hall feels transported back to a crazy night out in the early 2000s. The crowd were tireless throughout the night; the grinning faces of the standing crowd moved, moshed, and jumped in waves, exuding joy. This comes to a peak during a euphoric rendition of ‘Men’s Needs’, where there isn’t a single arm that’s not in the air.

Introducing ‘Another Number’, bassist and vocalist Gary Jarman sings praises of it being “The best song of the 2000s,” then laughs about this fictional accolade he has given the song. This is one of the few, rare moments of rest between songs, which up until now have been in rapid succession. It’s an incredibly impressive physical feat from the three brothers, especially for the 21-song-long setlist that goes for well over an hour. It’s a marathon of a gig.

When introducing a live debut of ‘Rose Mist’, Jarman explains the band has been “Saving this one because it feels like a Manchester song.” Through the show, it is clear that Manchester holds a special place in the band’s heart. “You know, we used to be 25% Mancunian!” says Gary early in the show, referring to guitarist Johnny Marr’s early involvement in the band. 

The Cribs returned to their Mancunian audience after over a decade in spectacular manner, and this was certainly a gig many will remember as one of the greats of a lifetime.