The Charlatans @ Wolverhampton Civic Hall

Apr 26 2006 By Catherine Hendrick, Birmingham Mail

IT'S a 16-year love affair which has seen more than its fair share of ups and downs.

And when lead singer Tim Burgess turned it into a long-distance relationship by moving to LA, fans were left wondering if the writing was on the wall for indie band The Charlatans.

But they proved they're as close as ever when they kicked off their latest tour at Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

It may not always have been note perfect, but that's the beauty of The Charlatans.

The rawness of Tim Burgess' voice would never make it past the second round of Pop Idol with its search for bland perfection.

Fans were treated to a gig packed with Charlatans' classics ranging from One To Another to Love Is The Key, with songs from their latest album, Simpatico, weaved in between. Injected with the energy of a live performance the latest material, which has gained mixed reviews, sounded so much better here than on CD.

Latest single Blackened Blue Eyes, in particular, stood out.

But it was a fast and furious rock version of the normally tender My Beautiful Friend which left the crowd almost breathless.

The gig ended on another high with a slightly chaotic, but exhilarating version of crowd-pleaser Sproston Green.