Corella have quickly become a band where you feel you belong, not one you just go and watch.

KU is small, intimate, and tightly packed, and on a night like this, it’s not a limitation, it’s a superpower. The four-piece Manchester band filled every inch of it, not just with sound, but with genuine, infectious, unscripted joy. Jack confirmed to me afterwards that it was probably the most enjoyable gig he’s played so far. Standing in that room, that wasn’t hard to believe.

Kicking off with bangers ‘Come Around‘ and ‘Puppets‘, the set wove together the best of old and new with real confidence and intent. OG fan favourites ‘Caught Up‘ and ‘Waterfall‘ sat alongside a more emotional acoustic moment in ‘Rock The Boat‘, and new tracks from the forthcoming album ‘A Beautiful World to Lose‘, including ‘Thunder Strike’, ‘Bitter End’, ‘Rewire‘, and ‘Simple Life‘, gave a tantalising glimpse of where Corella are heading. It’s a grittier sound than the indie bounce we know and love, harder-edged, more urgent, perhaps a reflection of the world outside finding its way into the music.

Joel Smith’s voice was in perfect form, a relief for those of us who were there at Newcastle Uni last year when things were rather more challenged for him in that department, and Ben Henderson’s harmonies added depth and distinction throughout. Jack Taylor’s guitar work was, as always, remarkable; dexterous, soaring, a sound that makes you want to close your eyes and just let it in. And James Fawcett on drums, an almost invisible backbone at the back of the stage, but a groove that you can’t help but feel. Relentless, formidable, the engine of the whole thing.

Between songs, the room became its own little ecosystem of heckles, callbacks, and running jokes. Missed chords and derailed conversations only pulled the crowd further into the band’s orbit rather than knocking them out of it. By the time the band split the venue into competing left and right side singalongs, the line between stage and crowd had practically dissolved. And if you were there, you’ll know exactly what, or rather who, kept making an appearance throughout the evening. 🐶 If you weren’t, well, what goes on at KU, stays at KU.

‘Barcelona Girl‘ closed the night in the only way it properly can, with Joel, hardly really needing any encouragement, finding himself unable to resist the lure of the mosh pit, much to the crowd’s absolute delight and to the considerable surprise of those experiencing it for the first time. There is a tradition here, and long may it continue.

What struck me most, beneath all the humour and chaos, was something surprisingly sincere. At one point, the band openly admitted that despite supporting bigger names and playing huge venues, it was nights like Stockton that reminded them why they started doing this in the first place. It was a moment for us all, because Corella don’t just perform, they create a space where people feel, for the time there, untangled from real life, where everyone leaves feeling like they belong to the same messy little universe.

The new album title, ‘A Beautiful World to Lose‘, feels like a statement as much as a title; a reminder to stay present, to pay attention, not sleepwalk through the world while it changes around you. If Thursday night was any indication of what’s coming, September cannot arrive quickly enough.

As always, Corella were generous with their time after the show, meeting fans, taking photos, giving the kind of post-gig access an audience clearly treasures. It is no small part of why the loyalty for this band runs so deep.

Huge thanks to Jimmy at KU for hosting another outstanding night.

Catch Corella at O Son do Camino in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, or at Truck Festival in Oxfordshire in July, and pre-save ‘A Beautiful World to Lose‘, out 18th September, and merch via the links below.

My takeaways… the number 24, bloody brilliant banter, and Tyson.

You really did have to be there.