The Stranglers

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/thestranglermar24.jpg" alt="The Stranglers : Live" /><span>A sell out and rammed O2 Academy in Bristol was ready and waiting for 'The Men In Black'.</span> ...
The Stranglers : Live

The Stranglers

A sell out and rammed O2 Academy in Bristol was ready and waiting for ‘The Men In Black’ on Thursday, March 24th.  Suitably warmed up by support from Mike Marlin and Wilco Johnson (best known for his time with Dr Feelgood and Ian Dury’s The Blockheads).  The latter went down really well with the already busy venue as he displayed why he is considered one of the most unique guitarists effectively playing rhythm and solo at the same time.

The lights went down and the familiar sounds of “Waltzinblack” echoed around the room with the 1,600 packed audience with their arms raised clapping and singing along in time.  Enter four men in black Jean-Jacques Burnel, Baz Warne, Jet Black and Dave Greenfield – The Stranglers.

One thing that hits you from the off was that if you closed your eyes and you could imagine Hugh Cornwell singing, except it’s Warne who has been picking up the mic since 2006.  However, Warne is a popular frontman in Jean-Jacques Burnelhis own right and the audience tonight enjoyed The Stranglers tonight, just like they would have back ‘in the good old days’.  The songs still remain relevant – “Peaches” and “Get a Grip On Yourself” are greeted like returning heroes from the bands début album, Rattus Norvegicus.  The music hasn’t dated; it’s still the fine blend of brilliant catchy guitars and swirling texture from keyboards. 

Not that it was a night solely for the old numbers, as a couple of relatively new songs had an airing; “Freedom Is Insane” and “Relentless” were all really well received.  Over the next hour and a half, the punk band that emerged from Guildford, Surrey was to put on a great night spanning an impressive 16 studio albums.  “Never Look Back” from the bands 10th album saw keyboard player Greenfield impressing with his ability to drink his pint of ale and still manage to play complex notes on his keyboards at the same time, whilst Burnel and Warne shared vocal duties.

Dave Greenfield“Always the Sun” started with Greenfield’s having to extend his keyboards intro as Warne battled to tune his stubborn guitar.  A classic pop/punk song with a rampaging uplifting sound, which insists on audience participation as a sing along fest with the whole audience joining in and jeering each time the intense lights above the stage dazzled them, making them partially blind, causing these rodents to turn their heads away.
The Stranglers

Baz WarneA call of “Nice and Sleazy” came from an audience member, which, Burnel, still wiping the sweat from himself with his towel, took time with his body language to say, ‘What do you know!’  As 73 year old Jet Black hidden below the depths of his drum kit thumped out the familiar beats of “Sleazy” the audience began to bounce in time to the almost ska like beat.  The Bristol crowd found it impossible to stand still as Burnel’s throbbing bass lines acted as though he were a snake charmer and the venue and all in it were under his spell.  Classically trained Burnel surely still has to be one of the finest bass players to have emerged from the U.K. and to emphasise the point Jean-Jacques literally thumped his bass guitar.

Next saw Warne having some fun with the audience telling a particularly chatty member of the audience to jokingly, “Shut the fuck up,” as it was the singer’s turn to talk.  Warne went on to explain this is what you get when you place a mic in front of a ‘Mackem’ (Note: Mackem is a term that refers to the accent, dialect and people of the Wearside area, or more specifically Sunderland, a city in North East England)

Warne said that he always thought the next song was about, “intergalactic travel and men in black”, but instead he offered the next track, “Two Sun Spots” to all the ladies, “Are there any ladies?” he called out… big cheer… “I can certainly hear females, but are there any ladies out there?”

“Something Better Change” was met with wild hysteria with pin-up good looking Burnel now teasing the ladies with his open black shirt, growling into his mic referring to, “Sticking fingers up your nose,” and the place went bonkers with the audience punching the air as the song reached its climax.  With mad sounds emanating from Greenfield’s keyboards and a leap into the air from Burnel, The Men In Black finished with “Nuclear Device” and left the stage to a crowd surging forward yelling for a quick return by their heroes.

The Stranglers returned to the stage to play a blistering couple of encores to use up any possible unspent energy lying around the place.  “Hanging Around” from 1977 and “Duchess” from the 1979 album Raven were clearly crowd favourites as the whole party really got going, with everyone joining in across the balcony.

For the second encore the band treated us to The Kinks classic, “All Day and All of the Night”.  Before reaching the finale Jean-Jacques informed the audience that it was Baz’s birthday tomorrow and they would like to get him, “laid.”  Baz further suggested that he considered himself to be most endowed on the band.  Baz himself without hair even gave time to mention all the bald men in the audience, picking out one particular bald punter as a recipient some sound north-east advice, and words of encouragement.  “You know what they say?  No grass grows on a busy street.”  The Gospel according to The Men In Black indeed!

The evening reached a conclusion with “No More Heroes”.  Everyone knew it was coming as the band teased the audience.  Burnel messing about on his bass, Warne collapsed having a snooze only to be awoken by Jean-Jacques Burnel who was waddling around taking the mickey out of Warne who responded by rolling around laughing.  Greenfield’s elbow leaning on his keyboards still sipping on his ale and smiling.  Jet Black awake and bushy tailed, because with some rapid beats from this jazz trained drummer and some fast running notes from Burnel’s bass, the place was crashing around to this punk classic with several people in the mosh pit throwing each other around causing havoc as they had all night.

A great finale to a great night.  This massively influential band need to be seen.  They have a loyal following from not only all over the country but also the globe.  Also in attendance was Yuka from Japan and the responsible for The Stranglers fan club in the Far East.  The love and passion people have for this band is not Skin Deep.
The Stranglers

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