Elbowing their way to the top

Elbow will round-off a spectacular award-winning year with a homecoming gig at the Manchester Arena on Friday.

The Bury boys bagged a BRIT for best band, an NME gong for outstanding contribution to British music and a Mojo award. In their 12 year history, the quintet have picked up a host of celebrity fans including REM, Blur and U2 — despite relatively minor career success.

But since winning the 2008 Mercury Music Prize for fourth album “The Seldom Seen Kid”, Elbow’s commercial success is finally beginning to match their critical acclaim.