Artists: The Struts, Barns Courtney
Venue: London: Roundhouse
Date: 6th October 2024
"Great night with great bands and a completely Rockin’ line up made this yet again another gig I won’t forget."
This was a double headliner bill dubbed as ‘The Grand Union Tour’ with The Struts and Barns Courtney taking it in turns to actually go last. Tonight it’s The Struts. Despite the “cost of living” crisis, the bands have drawn a huge crowd excited to see their favourites.
So, while I know The Struts inside out, Courtney was pretty much unknown to me. He’s never been marketed as a Rock act, with (as I now know, having checked out his albums after the show) full-on Rockers being in the absolute minority on his records, so I have never really had him on my radar. When I looked him up before the show, ‘Glitter And Gold’ with its deep voice reminded me of Johnny Cash and, as he is billed as a singer-songwriter, not a Rock band, I sought no further enlightenment and was completely unprepared for a bloody good Rock show. So, when Andrew Berkeley Martin, unapologetic Glam guitarist from Palaye Royale, burst on stage in a red glittery shirt and black glittery pants with his enormously long legs cracking out the riffs and looking like a twenty-year-old Steve Vai, I was in shock - in a good way!
The material selected from all three of Courtney’s albums were delivered by him as if all he’s been given to watch for the whole of his life were Iggy Pop and The Struts’ videos. With the eighties guitar added by Martin (whose record collection must include as much Hair Metal as me) and a hard-driving back end, they were right up my street. In fact, I would go to see them headline, so there’s a turn up for the books. Further, they gave such an energetic performance they gave The Struts a run for their money. Tonight, while “singer songwriter” may be technically correct, they were a Rock band and so much more. I have seen a lot of Rock shows and it was brilliant to see the younger generation adopting the tenets of Classic Rock and smashing it!
Also with Courtney demonstrably drinking wine throughout the show, he appears to be partying like the old days too, while still managing to climb the amps, scale the drum riser and jump off high in the air, rag Martin around by his impressive long curly perm, crowd surf, and command the crowd to act en masse (including a left-right singing competition) as effectively as any other frontman I have seen without making it seem like a cliché. I guess they have another fan now, at least of their live act (might give the chart-like tracks on his albums a miss - maybe he should re-record Rock versions just for me, but for the live shows I’ll be there!).
The Struts are always an impressive live act and do not need to worry about being upstaged, Luke Spiller brings his charisma, indefatigable energy and sexy androgyny and applies it mercilessly as a double whammy with their super catchy material. Tonight both bands compliment each other to make a stronger bill and a joint tour was really an inspired idea. The press release suggests the bands were behind the coupling, and that rings true as there is no hint of any agenda other than putting on the best show possible for the fans.
The Struts are not marketed as Rock either, but are undeniably, largely a Rock act live. Indeed, tonight there are no cover versions, or piano solo spots for Spiller, keeping everything Rocked up to the max. This may be because, although it’s a longer set than Download by some five tracks, it’s still seven tracks less than the last headline London show, so fitting everything in must have been a challenge. They still manage to get all the hits in though, and they have so many they can afford to start introducing them early on, starting off with ‘Prima Donna’, ‘Fallin’ With Me’, ‘Body Talks’ and ‘Too Good At Raising Hell’. Spiller manages to be everywhere at once without pause for breath. Bassist Jed Elliot is stretching out his long limbs for impossible wide leg kicks and Adam Slack bucks his surname with his double legged jump.
Finally the band do pause and Spiller addresses the crowd to ask if they are feelin’ dirty as a precursor to ‘Dirty Sexy Money’. He tells the crowd he wants to see them shaking their arses. He asks them if they are at a Rock ‘n’ Roll show, if they are seeing the Struts and, channelling his inner Tim Curry with his slightly plummy accent, directs them to “Scream It Like You Mean It Bitch!”. The segue into ‘The Ol’ Switcheroo’ is the first hint of a deep cut. However, having satisfied the crowd with the familiar, the band then take the time to teach the crowd their completely new song ‘Can’t Stop Talking’ before actually rolling it out. It works, and the crowd enthusiastically take on completely new material, singing loudly, fully engaging and not taking the opportunity to go to the loo, so, bit of a result really. Not pushing their luck, the band follow up with ‘Kiss This’, a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Turning to the new album they go for a deep cut ‘Better Love’ with an opportunity to be a little pared back and to showcase Spiller’s fine voice and skilful harmonies from the rest of the band. At this point Spiller pulls on stage the girl who was the model for the new album ‘Pretty Vicious’, who does an Anthea Redfern like twirl before they launch into that title track (the final one they will play from that album). At this point Spiller commands the crowd to all get out their phones, “Everyone!”, in an about face from what bands usually want. It’s the introduction to ‘In Love With A Camera’ which is a cue for a Freddie Mercury style call and answer singing session in which the crowd enthusiastically reciprocates.
There’s no wasting time going off and on again for any of that encore nonsense: the penultimate track is ‘Put Your Money On Me’ for which Spiller goes deep into the crowd where I cannot see him for a couple of minutes. He finally emerges unscathed and asking the crowd to freeze and be silent for a second and then jump high in the air, but the crowd are too excited and silence proves an impossible ask. The final track is ‘Could Have Been Me’. Spiller is still singing like a lark and I recall him telling me that no matter how many shows he does, or how hard he parties, somehow he is always able to sing. He’s still got it. The final flourish is an imperious “Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are The Struts”. Very camp, very English and absolutely greeted with rapturous applause.
Great night with great bands and a completely Rockin’ line up made this yet again another gig I won’t forget. I would even do it all again, hint, hint!
Review and Photos by Dawn Osborne
Gallery. All photos © Dawn Osborne (used with kind permission)
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