The Verve played their first show as an original four-piece in almost a decade tonight (November 2) with a much anticipated reunion gig in Glasgow.
During a 90 minute performance, the band, who reunited in June, stormed through a 17 song set that included favourites such as 'Bittersweet Sympathy' and 'The Drugs Don't Work'. However there were some boos at the end of the Carling Academy show when, after a three song encore, fan favourite 'History' wasn't dusted down.
There were no support acts tonight. Instead DJs played ahead of the hugely in-demand show - tickets were trading on eBay for £250 a pair.
The band took to the stage to the strains of 60's maverick David Axelrod's 'Holy Are You' (a track that frontman Richard Ashcroft re-recorded with the composer) alongside a screen flashing images that included Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and comedy character Reginald Perrin.
The show started with a classic Verve moment.
As the band strode on the shamanic Ashcroft moved to the mic and announced "this is music" to cacophonous yelps - introducing their classic track of the same name.
It was a night that saw little said from the stage. At one point Ashcroft announced simply that it was great to be back in Glasgow after nine years, though physically The Verve looked to have changed little. Any thoughts that animosity lingered between Ashcroft and his foil Nick McCabe were extinguished early on when, in a simple gesture, the frontman acknowledged his guitarist during a solo on the first track.
The band also unveiled one new song. Seven tracks into the gig Ashcroft announced "we're going to try something new here" and, apologising for reading from a sheet of paper.
He and the band worked through an untitled track that was distinguished mostly by a rumbling bass. The song owed more to Gorillaz and The Stone Roses second album than The Verve's back catalogue. Lyrics included: "I should have warned her/I'd fall to pieces".
The Verve finished their set with a massive 'Bittersweet Symphony' before returning for a three track encore. They play the same venue tomorrow (November 3).
The set-list in full was:
This Is Music
Sonnet
All In The Mind
Weeping Willow
Life's An Ocean
Space And Time
Sit And Wonder
Velvet Morning
Already There
Let The Damage Begin
Northern Soul
Drugs Don't Work
Rolling People
BSS
Man Called Sun
Lucky Man
Come On
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