From
one tradition that's just starting, last time out with The Hold Steady, to one
that's well established with original politico-protest punks Stiff Little
Fingers! For the 14th time in 15 years - and 19th time overall – da Fingers
appear on my "Spring Dance Card", their usual March tour making its
traditional Bristol Academy stop, this time on a Sunday (sadly meaning junior
punker Logan was left at home on a school night). Only one thing to say, as
ever... Go For It!
Going
For It with me was The Big Man (as usual) and Ady too, and I picked them both
up from Rich's new place promptly, for an early drive down. The reason for this
early arrival was that I wanted to catch support Eddie And The Hot Rods' set
given that it was likely their last tour, having already played a farewell 100
Club gig under the banner of "Done Everything We Wanna Do". The Rods
came on at 7.45 to the rockabilly bar-room blues of "Teenage
Depression", thereafter rocking through a well-played set of their
proto-punk New Wavey powerpop, with elements of that mid-70s Canvey Island pub
rock Feelgood sound. The problem however tonight was vocalist Barrie Masters;
apparently 62 but looking (and carrying himself) at least a decade older
(particularly when his trademark sunglasses were discarded), his voice deteriorated
badly after a decent mid-set "Quit This Town", and by the otherwise
fine set closers, the ubiquitous and classic "Do Anything You Wanna
Do" and cover of Them’s "Gloria", he was being propped up
considerably by his excellent guitarist and the crowd singalongs. A bit of a
shame, but glad I got to see this classic old band one last time.
A
lot of shit 70's pre-punk records over the PA (which prompted me to remark to
Rich, "this is why punk was so necessary!") were eventually – and thankfully
– cut short by SLF's excellent, rousing singalong "Go For It" entrance
music, heralding the boys onstage at 9.10, and whilst unexpected opener
"Law And Order" and a drum-propelled "At The Edge" felt
like them gradually easing in, an early, incendiary "Suspect Device"
really kicked the early gig into life. “We’re gonna blow up in your face…!”
damn right!
"You
may have noticed [from the opening numbers], that we're gonna wander off the
beaten track a bit tonight!" announced Jake, and so it proved! So we had a
higher proliferation of post-reunion numbers, thankfully mostly introduced with
some of Jake's trademark scathing social commentary (a bit absent, sadly, in
recent years); newie "16 Shots" dealt with the grim subject of a teen
killed by the police and was delivered with suitably fitting anger and vitriol,
"Don't Call Me Harp" attacked institutionalised racism ("since
the rise of Kommandant Trump and his cronies, some people think racist
behaviour has become normalised. It fucking hasn't!") and an equally Irish
folk-tinged "Guilty As Sin" set its sights on abuse in the Catholic
Church. A warm ovation also met Jake's referencing of the recent untimely loss
of The Prodigy's Keith Flint, his comment of, "if you're suffering with
depression, for fucks sake talk about it please, don't become a
statistic!" leading into an entirely apposite, and rather superb, "My
Dark Places".
This
"off the beaten track" approach however meant the omission of the
likes of "Barbed Wire Love", "Roots Radicals" and "Johnny
Was" in favour of the above “newies”, plus a smattering of rarely-played
oldies; "Law And Order" aside, "State Of Emergency" was
introduced by Jake as "possibly the first song I wrote for the band,"
and, later, a solo Jake number, the almost Cochran-rockabilly feel of
"Drinking Again", got an even rarer first encore outing. However, the
old familiars still shone brightest; a triple threat set closer of "Just
Fade Away", "Nobody's Hero" and a brilliant terrace chant-along
closing "Gotta Getaway" (my highlight tonight by some distance), was
a superb way to end the set, and encore "Tin Soldiers" was sprawling
and epic, before the usual punctuation point of "Alternative Ulster"
and fulsome thanks and bows from the band to end the night.
No
list, though, the obstreperous head roadie haughtily ignoring requests, but a
more helpful soundman declaring they're "not allowed" to hand them
out tonight. Dunno why, it's not like someone's going to scan it and put it up
on their blog... Oh...!
So
we headed off after another wholly entertaining SLF "Mad March" gig.
Kudos to the boys for shaking the set up and taking the path less trodden.
Whatever, we'll no doubt be back for more – my 20th – in 2020!
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