As you may or may not be aware, The Stranglers partook of a sellout tour across the UK during March of 2015 winding up in Glasgow for the finale on 28th March.

Here for your delectaton, entertainment and delight is a brace of reviews . . .

First up – Maria Meli gives her account of the tour closer . . .

Strangled Weegie Night Out

Rituals give people stability and comfort and can be cleansing. They also offer a sense of community. Such was the case with March On, The Stranglers’ 2015 UK tour. The band tours the United Kingdom each March, this year culminating in Glasgow, home to lively audiences. The initiated flocked to partake of the final rite, and as with all pilgrimages, many of the faithful came from other cities.

The preamble was delivered by The Rezillos and it was a full body assault. Two mountains of speakers dominated each side of the stage, like sound canons that blasted waves into the audience. This was not for the faint of ear drum. The Rezillos kicked off with “Destination Venus” with an escape velocity to match. Singers, Fay Fife and Eugene Reynolds, along with guitarist, Jim Brady, provided visual interest as they danced, scaled the amps and interacted with each other. Brady, in his cobalt helmet, was particularly animated in his guitar wielding, lifting and multi-positioning. He is a rubber action figure! They played old and new songs like “(Take Me to the) Groovy Room,” ”Nearly Human” and the classic “Top of the Pops.”

During their penultimate number, “River Deep, Mountain High” the stage was invaded by some background singers and dancers – The Stranglers in drag – all in mini-dresses, garish lipstick and blonde wigs to the amusement of the audience. Fay tried to pull guitarist, Baz Warne, to sing with her, but he slipped away and she was more successful at nabbing bassist, JJ Burnel, who was relishing his alter ego. Keyboardist, Dave Greenfield, had the biggest grin (obviously enjoying himself), and drummer, Jim Macaulay, tried to hide his shapely legs in the background.

The Stranglers were soon on, all cleaned up and dressed as their MeninBlack personas, while sporting a new light show with a shimmering, almost serpentine screen behind them. The audience greeted them joyfully as they took the stage to the strains of the now familiar March On version of “WaltzinBlack.”

The crowd was wild, but now gone dead.
They wait to hear what comes instead.
The lights are up, the notes they tread,
unseen through fingers that pound, pluck, shred.

They unleashed a string of older and newer songs – a mix of upbeat, anvil-pounding and slower-paced tunes. The Stranglers’ sound is unmistakeable, yet it’s still as hard to define today as it was when Greenfield’s keyboard flourishes and Burnel’s bass growl made them stand out from punk and new wave’s more lumpen efforts.

“Four Horsemen” was dusted off and played much more compellingly than the original recording. During “Baroque Bordello,” a song Burnel considers a masterpiece, among the layerings and ripples, he lifted his heels and tapped them on the stage to punctuate the beat and pivoted on them as he slinked with his bass. A good segue into “Golden Brown”’ with Greenfield’s baroque accents, in which Warne sang, played his guitar solo, and then pulled back and crossed his arms as he made faces while the others played – his mark on the band’s hugely popular ode to heroin and possibly, a golden-skinned girlfriend. “Freedom is Insane” saw Burnel belt out the chorus like a battle cry. It’s his mantra on how Western democracy doesn’t gel with older, tribal societies. Warne smilingly announced that it was time for a pop song that went “something like this” as they launched into the cheerful strains of “Nice in Nice” about a pampered rich girl in the South of France.

At the end of the song, came a launch from female fans in the centre front, of women’s panties, followed by an answering catapult of men’s extra-large Y-front shorts. Warne and Burnel examined the offerings and read out the message written on the men’s shorts: From all the FatArsesinBlack – AKA HareminBlack. This was the answering volley’s reference to the lyrics in “Peaches” about “fat arses,” but also a reality check that middle-aged or older women are throwing panties (young groupie behaviour) that are much smaller sizes than they actually wear. It was basically, a “Who do you think you’re fooling?” statement.

After that comedic interlude, The Stranglers shot into “Norfolk Coast” for which Warne crooned, snarled and shred his guitar while a smiling Burnel karate kicked his way through the song. “I Feel Like a Wog” followed it continuing the sound onslaught, in the course of which Burnel executed two mid-air jumps! The regular set was capped off with “Lost Control,” “Curfew,” and the seven-minute “Down in the Sewer” about the cesspool that was London in the 1970s. “Sewer” won a fan poll last year as the most popular song out of forty Stranglers tunes they had to choose and rank for the Ruby anniversary. Amidst these songs, Burnel executed his lithe feline moves, Warne was spread-eagled, anchored and rocking, or doing his stamping walk. They got down for “Down in the Sewer” doing a crouching dual guitar advance, like brothers in arms. During “Curfew” they seemed to do a box step in tandem, and many times, they punctuated final notes on their instruments in the same up or down swing of their arms, like the string section in an orchestra. The two seem to exist on the same wavelength, unconsciously moving in synch – not the case with the two previous frontmen.

The cherry topping the performance was four encores including, “Go Buddy Go” a 1950s-inspired ditty Burnel wrote in his teens. Both the band and audience were sweating even before the end of the concert; a sure sign of a fun evening. As always, the band was prepared and well-rehearsed, conscientious of giving a good performance. Warne bantered with the audience and both he and Burnel bestowed smiles and nods to various audience members they recognized, giving them an extra thrill. Greenfield seemed surprisingly dry, focusing on his keyboards and saving his dexterity for arpeggios than brandy. Macaulay pounded all night with a precision and intensity that may explain his slimmer physique. Either that, or he needs to fit into a suit for his impending nuptials in September. The evening was a rousing success, full of sound and fury, signifying the gold standard for concert experience.

* * *

Elvis was there too, he had this to say . . .

Gig Review – The Stranglers – Glasgow O2 Academy 28th March 2015.

The City Slumbers . . .
Up before the dawn chorus . . .
A cab ride from South to North offers a timely reminder of her beauty.

Gliding across Waterloo Bridge,
The myriad lights from the various bridges and assorted buildings
Contrast with the still dark of the dying night and reflections from the cold, cold Thames
Providing a real treat for senses still coming to terms with being up at this ungodly hour . . .

Arriving at Euston Station in a blink,
Meeting a fellow traveller and then aboard the early train to another bejewelled city –
Glasgow, the destination for the finale of The Stranglers March On tour.

Off to a smooth start until . . .
Delays at Wigan allowing for a little more shut eye . . .
And, before not too long, crossing The Clyde into Glasgow Central Station.

Settling into a room with a view to shake off the journey
Then heading out as hunger makes its presence felt.

Sustenance in the form of Deep Fried Potatoes
Accompany the short ramble to the Thirteenth Note
To take in a pre-gig from local band The Vex.
Many familiar (in Black) faces, dotted here and there, some far from home . . .
A warm welcome, a convivial atmosphere and a fine performance.

Back to the Crystal Palace,
More friendly faces and the excitement is building,
Becoming almost tangible in anticipation of the main event!

Dusk gives way to night’s darkness . . .

Gliding across the Clyde Bridge,
The lights, while not as busy as those witnessed this morning,
Are equal in their beauty and effect.

On to the O2 Academy,
Inside where a capacity crowd buzz in anticipation of the Men in Black!
Anticipation becomes realisation;

The masses collide as one,
In a sweaty, writhing ball of worshipful adoration.
Cheering they leap,
Word-perfect they sing,
In awe of The Stranglers,
Who once more deliver the goods,
With unerring precision.

Perfect!

Over . . .

First Review: Words, images and video – Courtesy of Maria Meli.

Second Review: EiTC.