Artist bio

The Charlatans UK are often tagged "survivors," which really suits them well. The group has never been a groundbreaking outfit, but it has consistently defied expectations to continue making albums with stylistic progressions throughout the '90s and beyond. The group was spawned by the Madchester scene of the late '80s, which brought indie rock and dance music together in the form of such Britpop progenitors as the Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays.

Yet, the Charlatans outgrew their peers, turning in such legacy-breaking albums as 1994's Up To Our Hips and 1995's The Charlatans UK, which documented their evolution into a Stonesy throwback rock band who still worshipped and incorporated the dance rhythms and textures they assimilated in their early years. They became more reliant on the syncopated organ riffs of keyboardist Rob Collins, and their interplay with Mark Collins' (no relation) spider-fingered guitar work provided for a furious symbiotic bed over which singer Tim Burgess could exercise his melodic sensibilities.

The group made its biggest strides with 1997's Tellin' Stories, while dealing with tragedy -- a drunk Rob Collins wrecked his car heading to the studio one night during the album's sessions and died instantly, throwing a shadow over the group's bubbly creative resurgence. But over time, Collins' death lended weight to the "survivors" label, as the group closed ranks and Tellin' Stories triumphantly debuted atop the U.K. charts.

By 1999, new keyboardist Tony Rogers had gotten stuck in, and the group went old-school rock for Us And Us Only. Burgess' Dylan influence rose to the forefront, as the group seemed to be settling into middle age with dignity and great songs. Yet another right turn led to 2001's Wonderland, an electronically structured cocaine-and-ecstasy-fuelled party album, that just lent more credence to the group's ability to keep on truckin'; cranking out hit singles and tightly packed albums until they can't no more.

Albums by this artist

Wonderland (2001)

Us And Us Only (1999)

The Charlatans UK (1995)

Up To Our Hips (1994)

Between 10th And 11th (1992)

Concerts

August 1, 2001
Bowery Ballroom, New York

The Charlatans UK

Bowery Ballroom, New York (August 1, 2001)

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» TROY CARPENTER | CO-DIRECTOR

The Charlatans UK Bowery Ballroom, New York August 1, 2001 Setlist: Forever / Judas / Love Is The Key / North Country Boy / Tellin' Stories / The Blind Stagger / One To Another / A Man Needs To Be Told / Can't Get Out Of Bed / If I Fall / Impossible / You're So Pretty, We're So Pretty / Weirdo / How High / ----- / Is It In You? / Sproston Green

Psychedelic Brit-rockers Charlatans UK were dazzling in a Wednesday night performance at New York's Bowery Ballroom. Set to release their seventh album, Wonderland, in September, the quintet was finishing up a five-date U.S. promotional tour meant to give fans a bit of a preview of the new record.

Though the conventional wisdom is that the Charlatans are in that set of huge English groups that don't get as much recognition in the States, you wouldn't know it by the sold-out tour, the non-ticket-holding fans eagerly accosting scalpers outside, and the excitement evinced by the crowd during the Charlies' hour-and-a-half set.

But first things first. New York's own Black Rebel Motorcycle Club opened the night, and provided an extremely entertaining foil to the headliners. The group, while occasionally sounding repetitive or derivative, draws its influences from all the right places and blasts its corrosive, groove-laden rock attack with surprising power and depth for a trio.

In a set very reminiscent of Northern Soul-era Verve or early Jesus And Mary Chain, the BMRC managed to achieve the rare feat of thoroughly entertaining an audience eager to see the next performers. The group even played an encore (albeit without leaving the stage first) upon urging from the appreciative audience.

But the ensuing performance was surely the reason the place was packed to the gills, and it came in its turn, the Charlatans taking the stage to the opening hammond organ swells and building high-hat patter of "Forever." The lead track to the group's last album, Us And Us Only served as a stellar opener, its seven-minutes-plus a forum for the band to work out any pre-show jitters and get locked into a groove before attempting tighter fare.

Next up were a couple of new songs, the funky "Judas" and upbeat first single "Love Is The Key." Though few of the audience members were familiar with the tracks (what with Napster down, what's a lip-synching concert-goer to do?), the danceable beats and sultry grooves of Wonderland received a warm welcome from the cheering fans.

Still, the show's energy level was about to be raised further, with a series of three barn-burning tunes from the group's fifth record "Tellin' Stories" mixed with the blues stomp "The Blind Stagger." Hit U.K. Singles "North Country Boy" and "One To Another" were met with fist-waving and the type of anthemic reception one would expect of a crowd in Manchester.

The band continued to work away at its newest material, connecting most eloquently on the soulful meditation "If I Fall" and Wonderland's opening track, "You're So Pretty, We're So Pretty," a white-funk exercise that bests Jamiroquai's recent material at its own game.

After a smoke break, the group returned for a run through of the new track "Is It In You?" followed by always-prescribed closing track "Sproston Green." The latter never faltered from its purpose to close the concert on a high point, singer Tim Burgess taking leave of the stage with about two minutes to go as the rest of the band wrenched every drop out of the chestnut.

The dedicated rhythm section of bassist Martin Blunt and drummer Jon Brookes kept an invigorating beat all night, even when playing alongside and filling in some electronic samples for the new songs, and while guitarist Mark Collins provided an essential lick here and there, keyboardist Tony Rogers filled out the group's sound with keyboards of every feather: psychedelic swatches of sound, layered harmonies, terse riffs, and soft atmospherics. All the while, Burgess carried the band's signature torch, belting his English soul melodies and dancing to the relentless grooves his bandmates cooked up.

Mmmm, rock and roll. On a Wednesday night in New York City, you can't beat it.

TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.