Live Review: Kasabian - Co- Op Live, Manchester 16/11/2024
Kasabian raise the roof of Manchester’s Co-Op Live, with a setlist full of the band’s best music to date.
The Leicester group have worked their way up the ranks over the years, playing all types of venues as they grew in popularity with each release of new material.
Now, in 2024, they are at the very top of their game, taking on the UK’s most formidable venues. On November 16th, they arrived at Manchester’s Co-Op Live: a venue that Kasabian front man Serge Pizzorno would later speak highly of during the band’s set.
Gig-goers streamed into the enormous arena in their thousands for what was to be an incredible evening.
The night’s entertainment was kicked off by legendary outfit: The Streets. The group, fronted by icon Mike Skinner, are a phenomenal live act, and their appearance on this tour with Kasabian was incredible.
Skinner and co. gifted the Manchester crowd an outrageously strong set of songs from the catalogue of The Streets. Tracks including ‘Don’t Mug Yourself’, ‘Has It Come To This?’, ‘Fit But You Know It’ and ‘Dry Your Eyes’ made appearances, and most had the audience bouncing and starting mosh pits. The Streets really set the tone.
The best moment of their set came at the end, though, when Skinner took to an audience member’s shoulders, and was immersed in the crowd as the heavy bass drop of huge track ‘Take Me As I Am’ ensued.
The Streets were the ultimate opener for Kasabian, and it was great to see Mike Skinner and co. at their very best.
It was then time for Kasabian. Manchester was ready. ‘Hey Jude’ played from the speakers, but the recording could scarcely be heard over the roar of Manchester’s collective voice, as the audience belted out the iconic chorus.
Serge Pizzorno then graced the stage, with a thunderous roar greeting him. He picked up a ringing phone to start off opening track ‘Call’. As the chorus of this one kicked off, the large curtain that stood behind Pizzorno was dropped, revealing the rest of the band and a huge, multi-coloured backdrop displaying the title of the group's recent album- ‘Happenings’.
The crowd lost it. Everyone on the floor, and most in the stands, bounced up and down with the energetic frontman.
Kasabian wasted no time at all and belted out some of their biggest tracks straight from the off. Early on, Manchester was treated to: ‘Club Foot’, ‘Shoot The Runner’, ‘Underdog’ and ‘You’re In Love With A Psycho’. The last of those saw a plethora of the crowd up on shoulders, fully immersed in the music.
Kasabian had the audience exactly where they wanted them. Pizzorno’s frequent trips into the audience showed just how much the occasion meant to him and the group. He seemed to want to be as immersed in the music as the crowd, and it was incredible to see.
There was room for new music in Kasabian’s set. One of the tracks picked from the band’s most recent studio effort was ‘Coming Back To Me Good’. This one, with its kaleidoscopic flurry of sounds, had the crowd in dreamland. It was something special.
The band were not only superb as a musical outfit, but also as showmen. They made full use of the venue’s facilities, with a B-stage at the rear of the room being used by the frontman on a few occasions.
Yet again, it felt as though Pizzorno was eager to be amongst it all. His B-stage allowed him to be in the midst of the action, and he seemed to relish that.
The tail end of Kasabian’s set was where their status as legends was truly cemented. The band performed huge hit ‘L.S.F’, before vacating the stage.
Manchester begged for more, and they got what they wanted. Kasabian re-emerged for an epic encore.
Within that encore were ‘bumblebee’, ‘Reason Is Treason’, ‘Bless This Acid House’ and ‘Fire’. The last of those has a reputation for sending crowds wild.
Manchester didn’t go wild. It went beyond that. Miles beyond. Every single member of the crowd, both on the floor and in the stands, bounced with Kasabian and completely lost themselves in the monster hit. It was truly breath-taking.
With that, Kasabian’s stay at Manchester’s Co-Op Live was over.
They showed that they really are at the peak of their powers right now. Manchester will hope that they don’t have to wait too long to catch the band again.
Words by Matthew Caslin
Photography by Leon Mansley
