Review: Elbow, Forest Live, Cannock Chase - with pictures
Under a gloomy grey sky in Staffordshire, Elbow stirred the spirits of a packed crowd with an accomplished performance of their uplifting anthems.
Frontman Guy Garvey acted as both lead singer and crowd conductor throughout the near two-hour set in Cannock Chase, imploring his audience to lift their hands to the sky or carry out elaborate Mexican waves.
The Manchester rockers played tunes from across their two-decade career, opening with Any Day Now from their first album Asleep in the Back.
Tracks from their latest record, Little Fictions, which came out this year, were prefaced by tongue-in-cheek comments from Garvey, who repeatedly joked 'I'm sure everyone in the crowd owns it already'.
Considering the reception for single Magnificent (She Says) he might have been right.
My Sad Captains from their 2014 album The Take Off and Landing of Everything was an early highlight, along with their ode to Manchester, Station Approach.
Garvey looked as if he was enjoying every second of the show, and his genuine warmth on the mic meant he had the crowd in the palm of his hand from the outset.
In between songs the frontman always had a quip at his disposal - hailing the setting and the concept of Forest Live, affirming the band's love for their hometown or praising his bandmates, sound crew or lighting engineer.
Throughout the set there were numerous cries of 'I love you Guy' - to which he modestly replied 'Love you too, chicken'.
There was even a moment of comedy halfway through the set when Garvey rang an audience member's mother - who also apparently loved him.
But when he finally got through to the woman and introduced himself she simply said 'I don't think so' and hung up.
It had the crowd in stitches even if Garvey was, for once, nearly lost for words.
As the set progressed Mirrorball and an epic version of The Birds showed off the band's variety.
Elbow's years of experience playing big venues certainly showed through, with the band revelling in the confines of the Chase's natural amphitheatre.
An epic version of One Day Like This was the final song before they took a quick breather.
A mass singalong saw the audience roaring the final chorus - and continuing to do so, implored by Garvey.
After heading off stage for some brief respite, the band returned to close out with Lippy Kids and a belting version of Grounds for Divorce.
It was a fine set from a great band.
