THE STRANGLERS // O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW
VETERAN PUNK ROCKERS RETURN TO GLASGOW TO PLAY HEADLINE SHOW AT O2 ACADEMY
THE STRANGLERS PERFORMING AT O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW - 8.3.18
PICTURE: STEPHEN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY
★★★★☆
Veteran punk rockers The Stranglers brought their latest tour back to Glasgow on Thursday night and turned back the clock playing a set splattered with hits from an extensive back catalogue, leaving the crowd begging for more, even after a blistering 1 hour 45 mins on stage.
Supporting the band on this tour were Irish rockers Therapy, and they warmed the crowd up perfectly: playing tracks including 'Die Laughing', 'Callow', 'Teethgrinder', 'Screamager' and a cover of the Joy Division classic Isolation, closing their set with 'Potato Junkie' from their 1992 album Pleasure Death.
Now it was time for the main act. The Guildford Stranglers, as they were originally known, took to the stage using their instrumental 'Waltzinblack' from the 1981 album The Gospel According to the Meninblack', and the crowd went nuts as their heroes got ready to attack! They launched into 'Curfew', 'Get a Grip On Yourself', '15 Steps' and 'Bear Cage'. The setlist included all their top singles and album tracks from way back, from their first album Rattus Norvegicus (released back in 1977) to Giants, the bands seventeenth album from 2012.
The current incarnation of The Stranglers band sees only Jean-Jacques Burnel on bass remain from the original 1974 line up, although Dave Greenfield on keyboards joined a year later in 1975. Jet Black, original drummer is still with the band but stopped touring in 2015, preferring to remain in the studio rather than on the road. Drums are played on tour by Jim MacAulay. Lead vocals these days are supplied by Baz Warne who joined the band in 2000, having taken over after original front man Hugh Cornwell left in 1990 to pursue a solo career. And what a grand job he makes of being Cornwell’s replacement.
The rest of the setlist on the night included such Stranglers classic tracks as 'Peaches', 'Walk On By', 'Five Minutes', 'Hanging Around', 'Nice and Sleazy', 'Go Buddy Go', and my personal favourite 'Duchess'. The crowd went wild as the band closed the evening with the monster punk classic 'No More Heroes'.
Time may be moving on for the guys on stage and for most of the packed crowd also, but as long as the band still tour and the public fill the venues, there will always be a few ‘Heroes’ left to worship!! And long may they continue.
THE STRANGLERS SETLIST: O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW - 8th March 2018
Curfew
(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)
15 Steps
Bear Cage
Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)
Norfolk Coast
Peaches
Relentless
Don't Bring Harry
Golden Brown
Always the Sun
Walk On By (Dionne Warwick cover)
Water
Summat Outanowt
5 Minutes
Just Like Nothing on Earth
Hanging Around
Freedom Is Insane
I Feel Like a Wog
London Lady
Tank
ENCORE:
Nice 'n' Sleazy
Go Buddy Go
ENCORE 2:
Duchess
No More Heroes