STIFF LITTLE FINGERS // LIQUID ROOMS, EDINBURGH
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS PLAY EDINBURGH'S LIQUID ROOMS AS PART OF 40TH ANNIVERSARY
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS PERFORMING AT EDINBURGH'S LIQUID ROOMS - 22/08/2017
PICTURE BY: CAMERON PARTON PHOTOGRAPHY
★★★☆☆
Tuesday night we witnessed a sold out Stiff little fingers 40th Anniversary gig at the Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh, an intimate venue that never fails to produce an electric atmosphere. The audience was a mixed bag of old and new. But predominantly old, a generation who should know better but their inner rebellious teenager would never allow them to admit it especially at an SLF gig.
The tension rose as the opening bars to Go For It started and SLF came on stage, going straight into three instant crowd pleasers with "Tin Soldiers", "Just Fade Away", and "Straw Dogs" which instantaneously resulted in a dedicated, energetic, and enthusiastic pit of mature punks (and a couple of young ones too).
The set contained no surprises to any SLF fan that had previously seen them, lots of old classics with a few "newer tracks" thrown in, each and every song was greeted with a wall of noise with the audience joining in singing every single word.
Jake Burns let the audience share in his struggle with depression with "Not Going Back" and gave them a brief respite from the mayhem with "Safe As Houses", before going back to full throttle with three more old school favourites "Breakout", "At The Edge", and the love song "Barbed Wire Love".
The second third of the gig was easier on the crowd with "Guilty As Sin" a song about the failings of the church, "Roots, Radicals, Rockers And Reggae" and " When We Were Young" followed by Jakes homage to the late great Joe Strummer "Strummerville", all were well received by a tiring crowd.
However the tempo and the crowds energy was soon restored with an SLF staple trio of "Nobody's Hero", "Wasted Life", and "Suspect Device", before a much loved by many "Johnny Was" which led nicely into two tracks that they had to play or the place would have had a riot on their hands, "Inflammable Material" followed by "Alternative Ulster". A fitting end to a superb gig.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Jake Burns has lost non of his stage presence and was undeniably the front man, while Ali McMordie fed off of the crowds abundance of energy giving plenty back in return striking many a classic bass players pose. Steve Grantley on drums and Ian McCallum on guitar played their part giving everything they had but they will always be in the background to Jake and Ali, the two originals.
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS TOUR CONTINUES:
AUGUST 26 - CUSTOM HOUSE SQAURE - BELFAST, UK
SEPTEMBER 06 - BELLY UP - SOLANA BEACH, USA
SEPTEMBER 07 - EL REY THEATER - LOS ANGELES, USA
SEPTEMBER 08 - HOUSE OF BLUES - ANAHEIM, USA
SEPTEMBER 09 - THE CATALYST - SANTA CRUZ, USA
SEPTEMBER 10 - SLIM'S - SAN FRANCISCO, USA
SEPTEMBER 12 - EL CORAZON - SEATTLE, USA
SEPTEMBER 13 - THE HAWTHORNE THEATRE - PORTLAND, USA
SEPTEMBER 15 - METRO MUSIC HALL - SALT LAKE CITY, USA
SEPTEMBER 16 - MARQUIS THEATER - DENVER, USA
SEPTEMBER 17 - GRANADA THEATER - LAWRENCE, USA
SEPTEMBER 20 - METRO - CHICAGO, USA
SEPTEMBER 21 - TURF CLUB - ST. PAUL, USA
SEPTEMBER 22 - SHANK HALL - MILWAUKEE, USA
SEPTEMBER 23 - THE VOGUE - INDIANAPOLIS, USA
SEPTEMBER 24 - MAGIC STICK - DETROIT, USA
SEPTEMBER 26 - BLACK CAT - WASHINGTON, D.C, USA
SEPTEMBER 27 - UNDERGROUND ARTS - PHILADELPHIA, USA
SEPTEMBER 28 - BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL - ALLSTON, USA
SEPTEMBER 30 - WONDER BAR - ASBURY PARK, USA
OCTOBER 01 - GRAMERCY THEATER - NEW YORK CITY, USA
OCTOBER 06 - PICTUREDROME - NORTHAMPTON, UK
OCTOBER 07 - PARR HALL - WARRINGTON, UK
OCTOBER 08 - GREAT BRITISH ALTERNATIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL - SKEGNESS, UK
NOVEMBER 11 - GASTIEZ CALLING - VITORIA, GASTIEZ
NOVEMBER 15 - STICKY FINGERS - GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
NOVEMBER 16 - KATALIN - UPPSALA, SWEDEN
NOVEMBER 17 - ROCK AT SEA - STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
NOVEMBER 18 - KRAKEN - STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN