The Academy made welcome Manchester rockers The Courteeners  who were over on Thursday in support of their new album ‘Anna’. Those who came early were treated to two fantastic Irish support acts. Neon Wolf were first up, and their bright, bubbly brand of indie-pop was highly impressive. Rob Grace’s voice was very powerful, and the use of synths and guitars was highly effective. The band also remained highly enthusiastic throughout their performance, despite the crowd largely ignoring Grace’s requests that they move towards the stage.

Raglans stepped up next, and despite having some issues with a malfunctioning amp, which unfortunately ruined the first song with a high-pitched squealing, still managed to perform a solid set. Morning Morning and High Road were especially pleasant, and the band’s lively sound got the crowd geared up nicely for the main act. The band’s harmonies, particularly on High Road, were the standout point of their performance. If you’re about next Saturday, catch them full flow headlining at Coast to Coast: Tea and Toast in Whelans. Well worth catching live.

The Courteeners opened strongly with several tracks from the new album. Push Yourself and Lose Control stood out from the others, with powerful choruses that showcase the breath-taking brilliance of Liam Fray’s voice. For the first five songs the band kept up a lively pace, with a large dependence on guitars for the overall sound. Van Der Graff changed the mood, with a prominent piano line, and a slightly more solemn mood. Money was that bit heavier, with a big riff for the distorted guitars to sink their teeth into. This song sounded better live than on the record, the bigger guitar sound really making an impact.

In fact, The Courteeners are quite different in person then they are on any of their albums to date. In concert, the band seem to lose some of the sheen that their songs tend to have on the albums, the guitars are more prominent, and Fray’s massive voice is sharper and clearer. You Over Did Doll undergoes quite a large change from record to stage, losing some of its haunting atmosphere. Similarly, the grandness of Take Over The World is lessened somewhat. Yet neither song seems any worse for these changes and are appealing in a different way. Sycophant was another track that sounded better live, and the immense performance was probably the band’s best of the night.

The band changed direction dramatically towards the end, with most of the band departing the stage, leaving only Liam and the keyboards. Here was when Fray’s voice was revealed in all its glory, with a warm rich tone while still retaining the distinctive Manchester accent that makes his voice so recognisable. Last of the Ladies was the highlight of these stripped down tracks, with Fray making it look so effortless. The rest of the band reappeared for the final few tracks, which included the wonderful Not Nineteen Forever.

The Courteeners put on a show that is quite different from the records, but it still sounds great. The band showed a bit of character when interacting with the crowd, acknowledging a crowd-member’s birthday by half-heartedly singing happy birthday before asking ‘can we get on with the rest of the show now?’ Although there was some nice guitar work throughout the night, The Courteeners are all about Liam Fray’s voice, which he showcased wonderfully.