The Charlatans were headlining the King Tut's Tent on Saturday.

It's no fluke that the Charlatans have attracted such an incredibly loyal fanbase - legions of devoted lads and lasses who sing along to every word and swing their arms like it's 1990.

Unlike so many other bands who have been in it for the long haul, they tread the fine line between old and new and always do it sounding fresh.

For the audience listening to the latest material is far from the usual self-indulgent trawl through uncharted waters - more like a guided tour to somewhere new and exciting.

New single Blackened Blue Eyes sits comfortably in Charlatans territory, somewhere between Manchester and the American Mid-West - but it's the tunes from back-in-the-day that really remind the T people why they have always loved the band.

There are the classics, the '...Thinking Things Over' and 'Crashing In' crowd-pleasers, and even a nod to smaller but dearly-cherished numbers (Jesus Hairdo makes a welcome appearance).

Maybe ironically, but not surprisingly, the band who have spent a decade and a half progressing get the biggest response for their oldest hit - after The Only One I Know, the cheering just doesn't subside.

As Tim Burgess looks out on his crowd, pulsating to the last notes of Sproston Green, he has the humbled look of man who knows that these people love him - and the feeling is mutual.

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