The Manchester band celebrates their 35th year together with a new album and a North American tour.
elbow have been somewhat of an enigmatic band since coming into public awareness. They’ve lacked a hit, yet they have a rabid fanbase. They have a number of various awards and nominations but only in their home country. elbow is one of those band you just discover, usually by word of mouth. I had never heard of the band prior to 2001, when they were in the support slot for Doves, playing at the Palais Royale. I checked them out to see if they were worth arriving early for. Needless to say, the answer was yes and I’ve been a fan since, having seen them a handful of times. That rainy June night, as the waves of Lake Ontario dramatically crashed on the rocks outside the venue, I had a brief conversation with one of their crew members where I said I thought they could be the next Coldplay. My prediction was off but they did open some stadium shows for Coldplay on their Viva La Vida tour in 2009.
In support of their 10th studio album, Audio Vertigo, released last year, elbow finally made it back to North America after 8 long years. Their dip into Canada brought them to Montreal and to a sold out show at History in Toronto. I am guilty of using the phrase “Toronto is a stronghold for the band…” for several artists. But it’s true. While many Toronto audiences stand, nearly immobile with crossed arms, this city loves music and lets the bands they love know and feel it. Each time I’ve seen elbow, the shows reach a near-devotional state of singalong. This night was no different.
Despite exhaustion due to a broken tour bus, elbow took the stage with singer/songwriter Guy Garvey greeting every corner of the venue. The band, guitarist Mark Potter, brother Craig on keys, bassist Pete Turner and drummer Alex Reeves, were joined by a quartet of Cat Walker, Fiona Brice, Sara Field and Carol Jarvis on vocals, strings, and brass, adding lush power to the already lush band. Opening the show with a trio from the latest album in Things I’ve Been Telling Myself for Years, Lovers’ Leap and Adriana Again, Garvey paused to banter with the crowd. The showman referred to his setlist notes to congratulate the Toronto Blue Jays on winning the American League Division Series that day. Later, he admitted to not understanding baseball at all but appreciating its aesthetics. Before starting The Bones of You from their stunning The Seldom Seen Kid, Garvey dropped his usual phrase, “If you know the words, sing along. If you don’t know the words, sing along.” Later highlights came back to this album when Mirrorball (yes, accompanied by two mirrorball projectors) raised goosebumps. The ‘loose yourself’ moments came with The Birds, from Iuild A Rocket, Boys! and the unabashed joy released with Magnificent (She Says). New song, Sober’s late disco notes gave Bowie and Duran Duran, in a uniquely elbow manner. After Garvey insisted they were playing their final song of the night and asking which song the audience would sing to bring them back out (it was When I’m 64, which was never sung as a full group), they returned to play My Sad Captains and the usual night closer, One Day Like This, refraining one day like this a year would see me right.
The collective hope is that we get a return visit, at the latest, one day like this each year.
elbow wrap up this North American tour on October 12 in Seattle. More info here.
Aron Harris
Latest posts by Aron Harris (see all)
- How I Simplified My Nutrition Routine - November 13, 2025
- elbow at History - October 11, 2025