The Stranglers, Ruts DC: O2 Academy, Liverpool

The Stranglers

The Stranglers brought their Classic Collection tour to Liverpool and Getintothis’ Katie Murt was there to soak up the energy.

Walking up towards the venue, the number of leather jacketed blokes seemed to get more and more concentrated, plenty of people were making the effort to be punctual.

Of course, who wouldn’t for The Stranglers.

Ruts DC, a political punk band with some reggae influences take the stage. Despite their angsty sound they were nothing but polite and lovely.

Routinely playing their well loved classics Jah War, In a Rut and Babylon’s Burning, the odd reggae vibrations are definitely welcome. They were electric and anyone would’ve been glad to have made their set.

Opening at 9pm on the dot with a Waltzinblack intro and then into The Raven, The Stranglers enter to their signature synth sound that definitely starts to fire up the crowd. Ploughing on with Was It You, Sometimes and Grip before a magnificent Nice ‘n’ Sleazy they don’t seem to have aged a day since the late 70’s.

The room is packed for their sold out show and it seems plenty of people are here to reminisce the glory days.

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Influenced by The Doors with their keyboard sound, but always making it their own with the heavy, punky bass lines from Jean Jacques Burnel. Just when the keys start to sound chaotic and out of place, they bring it all back together in the chorus.

With a clear 80’s twist, everyone sings along to Always the Sun, The Stranglers are giving us a taste of everything they are still capable of.

The disco ball above starts to spill out a trippy light over the crowd as the dreamy first chords of Golden Brown fill the hot air and it becomes quite a serene moment, all of the sounds mash together perfectly to create this classic. The volume grows with the anticipation and by the time they play Peaches the bass line is so deep it vibrates through your chest.

The energy seems to grow and grow throughout the set. Lead singer Baz Warne finishes the set by saying “I hate football, but this is Liverpool…” It’s clear The Stranglers love a big finish, blasting out No More Heroes with the ultimate gusto.

You wouldn’t think you could love The Stranglers any more, but after that set, the obsession starts all over again.

Pictures by Getintothis’ Peter Goodbody