Good Times with the Benjamin Button of Indie Rock: The Charlatans' triumphant return

Over a 25 year career The Charlatans have seen more than their fair share of trauma - enough to make most bands throw in the towel. Yet, as their musical output ceaselessly continues to show, Tim Burgess and co. possess an unfaltering sense of bloody-mindedness. They are defiance personified.

Tonight is the band's first official headline show since founding member Jon Brookes passed away last summer. Rather than falling victim to the grief and loss that shadows the loss of a loved one, they rise up to the challenge and embrace what they have and not what they’ve lost.

1999’s Us and Us Only (the group’s first without keyboard player Rob Collins, another loss for the band back in the mid-nineties) was the sound of a band reinvigorated - ridding themselves of the shackles of Britpop to deliver a gritty, Dylan-inspired record of country-tinged anthems. Much of the 2000s have been thus far spent with hit and miss moments - Wonderland, Up At The Lake, Simpatico, You Cross My Path, Who We Touch - all showing sparks of greatness but ultimately falling short.

Looking to the future, it’s in the aftermath of Brookes’ death that The Charlatans seem strident in delivering a new record that harkens back to their golden heyday of 1994-99. And it’s this particular five year period that the band zone in on at London's The Garage for a greatest hits set that delivers exactly what The Charlatans have always revelled in: good times.

Opening with “Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over” - Tim Burgess and guitarist Mark Collins’ finest Jagger / Richards moment - the sold-out room is suddenly filled-out with die-hard fans who, like myself, have grown up with the band. We hang on every word that drips out of Burgess’ forever pouting mouth.

Feverishly knocking out the classics, “North Country Boy”, “Weirdo”, “Can’t Get Out Of Bed” and “Jesus Hairdo” all make appearances within the first thirty minutes - and all delivered with the same youthful abandonment and wide-eyed wonder of twenty years prior.

It’s not entirely a nostalgia-fest though. After all, tonight marks the announcement of the band’s new album - Modern Nature - and judging from the four songs played, will find The Charlatans on classic form. “So Oh” and “Come Home Baby” in particular bristle with youthful vigour and new-found sense of excitement.

Now flanked by Pete Salisbury (The Verve) on drums, the band are composed and focused throughout with between-song chat kept to a minimum whilst Burgess - the Benjamin Button of indie-rock - basks in the spotlight, his bleached blonde bowl cut hair masking any signs of middle age with a knowing wink.

Closing the main set with a feverish “One To Another” - which tonight sounds more venomous than ever - before returning with a rare outing of Up To Our Hips favourite “Autograph” and a mighty one-two combo of “How High” and “Sproston Green”, The Charlatans bow out with a flawless comeback show.

A band that have always flanked away any status as a ‘national treasure’, they’re too busy thinking about the future. And, judging by tonight, there’s life in the old dogs yet.

Check out Gaelle Beri's exclusive backstage photo shoot from the show here.