The Coral at Electric Ballroom

The Coral is an English rock band formed in 1996, best known for the 2002 song Dreaming of You. They walk onto the stage at Electric Ballroom in Camden against a hazy orange backdrop with intermittent flashing lights, some wearing a fedora or a cowboy hat, to play their first song Bill McCal.

Despite a short hiatus in 2012, the group have been releasing albums fairly frequently for almost 30 years and they have managed to infiltrate the changing tastes of those decades. Their set begins with some western, acoustic singer-songwriter sounds. Pass It On is performed against a warm pallet of blue and orange spotlights, which creates an autumnal, sunset feeling that fits the vibe of the song. Lover Undiscovered also has a Western feel and is played in front of two sets of sea blue lights, one rich and one more aqua, which projects an underwater look onto the ceiling above. Wild Bird has a distinct country sound performed against an orange and yellow light design, and the whole set-up helps us feel like we’re at an intimate acoustic pub night.

James Skelly doesn’t attempt much rapport with the audience, and in general, the band has the air of having a job to do and performing the music rather than telling stories or interacting with the audience. Skelly’s voice is rich and well-tuned, working as another instrument along with the guitars and drums. He avoids being overpowered by their sounds, and the whole set has a cohesive, balanced air to it.

In the Morning is an upbeat, catchy song with interesting inflections in the words to create an elongated, moreish effect that makes you want to sing along. Holy Revelation, the last song before the encore, changes the vibe with surprisingly louder beats, emphasised guitar riffs and a flashing strobe light effect that shows the more early 2000s indie rock impassioned emo influence. The final song, Dreaming of You, is a catchy, dancy number that leaves the audience on a high. This set isn’t the most groundbreaking or unique thing you’ll ever see, but it is a night of good music, effective lighting and pleasant vibes.

Sophia Moss
Photos: Nick Bennett

For further information and future events visit The Coral’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Faraway Worlds here: