The Stranglers - Gig review

[Frank_Chickens]

Just saw them at the Robin2 in Bilston, Wolverhampton. Got there just in time to avoid the opening acts but not have to wait too long for the main act. Part of their rider includes a bottle of Tia Maria.

They started off with a couple of tracks from their late '70s period with the most notable one being "Peaches" before doing their first cover of the night, "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks. You would of thought that a band with their back catalogue wouldn't have to rely on covers.

The next half hour was a bit of a blur with me being lost in the sway and thrust of the crowd as they surged and retreated. However this soon changed when they started playing their biggest hit, "Golden Brown". Never have I seen a crowd go so quiet so quickly, one man next to me this was his most hated song of all time and agreed with me when I said this was their sell-out track.

People more au fait with their material can tell me if they have done anything in a country and western style, but that's what the next three tracks sure sounded like. Things continued to be upbeat before playing their second, and last, cover "Walk on By" the extended version. I didn't know there was an extended version of this track but it just Jean and the new singer/guitarist messing around for a couple of minutes.

On the hour mark the band finished their set before doing the first of two encores. The first was "5 Minutes" and "Get a Grip on Yourself". The second encore was "No More Heroes". For the encores the bassist took of his t-shirt to show that he's no stranger to the gym.

As for the band, they were excellent.

All in all, I would say that if you were a big fan you would of appreciate this, but I were never keen on them and was bored after the first 30mins and waited another hour just to hear "No More Heroes" and "Get a Grip on Yourself". Also, paying £20 ($35) was on the pricey side.




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"As chairman of the Cradle of Filth fanclub I'm the most insensitive man in Britain, but even I can see there's tension there"

[Eyesfan]

Wasn't Hugh there?

[Panorama]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Eyesfan[/i]
<br>Wasn't Hugh there?[/quote]Hugh who? [:D] Hugh Jorgan? [:D][;)]

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"Photography with a Vision"
http://www.cooganphoto.com

[Frau_Blucher]

Thanks for the review FC. Walk On By is just so classic. I hope the organ sounds came out strong. But I wonder how someone with such a catalog can only play a 1-hr main set. They should have been rocking a bit more than that. Would love to see them nevertheless.

[Ollie Stench]

With a drummer pushing 70 I'm surprised they made it an hour!

[Frank_Chickens]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
<br>Thanks for the review FC. Walk On By is just so classic. I hope the organ sounds came out strong. But I wonder how someone with such a catalog can only play a 1-hr main set. They should have been rocking a bit more than that. Would love to see them nevertheless.
[/quote]

The problem I had Blir was not with the set length (tho it was a bit on the skinny side) but with the fact they used covers at all, which is a bit poor for a band with their back catalogue.

My t-shirt is only now dry! [:D]


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"As chairman of the Cradle of Filth fanclub I'm the most insensitive man in Britain, but even I can see there's tension there"

[Eyesfan]

Hugh Cornwall, the main man in The Stranglers.

[quote][i]Originally posted by Panorama[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Eyesfan[/i]
<br>Wasn't Hugh there?[/quote]Hugh who? [:D] Hugh Jorgan? [:D][;)]

---------------------------
"Photography with a Vision"
http://www.cooganphoto.com
[/quote]

[Ollie Stench]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Frank_Chickens[/i]
The problem I had Blir was not with the set length (tho it was a bit on the skinny side) but with the fact they used covers at all, which is a bit poor for a band with their back catalogue.
[/quote]

Keep in mind that they've been playing some of their set for over 30 years.

As someone who has played in bands most of my life I can say that sometimes the originals get stale, and it's fun to kick out a cover or 2 of songs that you enjoy playing. They aren't in there to pad out the set, more for a chance for the musicians to let loose and have fun.

[Frank_Chickens]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Frank_Chickens[/i]
The problem I had Blir was not with the set length (tho it was a bit on the skinny side) but with the fact they used covers at all, which is a bit poor for a band with their back catalogue.
[/quote]

Keep in mind that they've been playing some of their set for over 30 years.

As someone who has played in bands most of my life I can say that sometimes the originals get stale, and it's fun to kick out a cover or 2 of songs that you enjoy playing. They aren't in there to pad out the set, more for a chance for the musicians to let loose and have fun.
[/quote]

You're right and the mix does help to freshen up the band, but then people paid a fair chunk of cash and came to hear Stranglers' songs.


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"As chairman of the Cradle of Filth fanclub I'm the most insensitive man in Britain, but even I can see there's tension there"

[hnmm]

Just a couple of points about Frank Chickens original post (I saw them in the 80s btw, a good fun night out!): the Kink's cover was "All day and all of the night" which The Stranglers have been playing for 20-odd years and was a big hit for them in 1987 and "Walk on By" was one of the first songs they ever used to play when the formed 30 years ago, was released as a single in 1978, was a hit and has been a crowd favourite ever since, maybe you didn't notice the huge cheer it got when it started, when Baz finished his guitar solo and the rapturous reception it got when they finished. The Stranglers have had 3 big hits with cover versions, the above two and "96 Tears" the old "? and the Mysterions" number.

I agree about Golden Brown, most of us are more than happy if they don't play it as they've got much better songs than that and not many of us take our Mums and Aunties along to gigs!!!

As for the "new singer/guitarist", Baz Warne has now been with the band for over 5 years - Baz was born to be a Strangler, pity he didn't join when Hugh Cornwell pissed off, in fact it's a shame he didn't join a few years before that as Hugh was very obviously bored by it all long before he eventually left!

Anyway, the new single comes out on Sept 11th, is called "Spectre of Love" comes from the forthcoming album "Suite XVI" and you ca hear most of "Spectre" here http://www.stranglenet.com/ - enjoy!!