He tells us that he wants to play music “To take our minds off the bullshit of the last couple of years- f**k the Tories”, and that one of his biggest hits from the About A Boy soundtrack A Minor Incident was written as they couldn’t afford the Bob Dylan song originally selected.
Headliners The Lightning Seeds, led by frontman Ian Broudie, are met with rapturous applause, and launch into their impressive back catalogue of hits.
Set highlight Lucky You has everyone cheering along, with horseshoe images tumbling on the screens of the effective stage set, Broudie standing on a Persian carpet for a homely feel.
New song Great to be Alive is well received and shows a return to form for the band, who had prioritised touring over recording new music.
Psychedelic and 60s-influenced Byrds cover You Showed Me had the band rocking out, with a red mouth pulsating on the screens behind them.
It was one hit after the other with Sugar Coated Iceberg sending the crowd into a frenzy, singing along to the catchy refrain.
The namesake of the song, when it was written Riley had not yet been born, but his name had already been chosen. In the first verse Ian anticipates fatherhood: “Smile at the empty sky and wait for the moment”… “From cradles and sleepless nights”.
Closing their short encore, Three Lions lifted the roof off the venue, with the crowd chanting the famous refrain “It’s Coming Home” -which will be ringing out of pubs across the country in a matter of weeks for the start of the World Cup.
