A landmark photography project
Photography by Charlize Brown & Katie O'Neill
Liam Fray is the lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter of indie-rock band Courteeners, renowned for a string of enduring indie anthems including Not Nineteen Forever, What Took You So Long?, Are You in Love with a Notion? and Modern Love.
Courteeners
Born in 1985, Liam grew up in Middleton, North Manchester. The city’s rich musical heritage had a profound influence on his development as a musician. The Smiths and Oasis were particularly important influences, with Liam recalling that Noel Gallagher inspired him to pick up a guitar at the age of 11 as he attempted to learn Wonderwall.
The band played their first gig as Courteeners at the Manchester Roadhouse in 2006. Their reputation quickly spread through Manchester’s vibrant live-music scene, with their following growing through relentless gigging and word of mouth. From the outset, Liam’s songwriting stood apart for its intimate, observational quality. His songs frequently draw on relationships, friendships, nights out, Manchester itself, growing older and the people and places that have shaped his life.
Courteeners released their debut single, Cavorting, in 2007, followed by their debut album, St. Jude, in 2008. The album established Liam as one of the most distinctive young frontmen in British guitar music and cemented Courteeners’ place within Manchester’s celebrated musical tradition. Six studio albums followed: Falcon (2010), Anna (2013), Concrete Love (2014), Mapping the Rendezvous (2016), More. Again. Forever. (2020) and Pink Cactus Café (2024).
In 2026, Courteeners released their greatest-hits collection, God Bless The Band, followed by a UK tour that included a triumphant homecoming show at Wythenshawe Park.
Liam Fray
Liam’s enduring relationship with Manchester remains central to both his identity and his songwriting. His work is deeply rooted in the people, places and experiences of the city and surrounding areas, with his native Middleton frequently appearing directly or indirectly in his songs. His connection to the region has also been recognised beyond music. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Salford, and in 2025 he was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Liam attended Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School, Middleton before studying economics and later creative writing at the University of Salford. During this period, he began performing as an acoustic singer-songwriter around Manchester. In 2006, he formed Courteeners with childhood friends Michael Campbell, Daniel “Conan” Moores and Mark Cuppello.
Heaton Park has become synonymous with Courteeners’ rise from a local Manchester band to one of the city’s biggest and most celebrated acts. Their first headline show at the park, in June 2015, attracted 25,000 fans and represented the biggest concert of their career at the time. They returned in 2019 for a sold-out 50,000 capacity homecoming show, before playing the park again in 2023 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of St. Jude. Across three sold-out shows, Heaton Park has provided the backdrop for some of the most significant moments in Courteeners’ career, reinforcing their status as one of the defining bands of Manchester’s indie-rock scene.
Liam Fray - Heaton Park, 2023 (Photo: Michael Clement)
Courteeners - Heaton Park, 2023 (Photo: Michael Clement)
The Park where Liam enjoyed many happy times as a kid & the setting for Courteeners landmark homecoming concerts in 2015, 2019 & 2023
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Student reflection: Charlize Brown
Heaton Park in North Manchester was Liam’s chosen location for the shoot. We met him in the car park and walked to some of his favourite spots around the park to capture the photographs.
I wasn’t nervous about photographing Liam. I have completed many projects before and feel comfortable with the concept of working with a range of people. However, I was quite nervous about getting the shots right as I knew this was a very special opportunity.
We started the shoot at ‘The Temple’, a grand, round building situated high on a hill within the park. The impressive architecture provided a strong backdrop and gave me a productive start to the shoot.
Working with and directing Liam was a great experience. He was very open to all of the ideas I had in mind and was willing to try different poses and compositions, which helped us achieve the images I had envisioned.
We then moved to a variety of interesting locations, including the grassland in front of Heaton Hall, the disused tram tracks and the old golf pitch-and-putt building.
Charlize & Liam
The weather on the day was quite cloudy, which created a moody atmosphere throughout the photographs. The the muted colours, the overcast sky and Liam’s clothing complemented each other really well. There were no major technical issues during the shoot. However, due to the cloudy conditions and some of the more shaded locations, I had to pay extra attention to my camera’s ISO to ensure that I achieved the correct exposure.
Overall, I am really happy with the variety and quality of my final images. I feel that I successfully captured Liam in a range of different environments that reflect both the atmosphere of Heaton Park and the mood of the project.