Punk Legends Buzzcocks and The Stranglers Prove Enduring Appeal on UK Stages
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Despite decades of lineup changes and personal loss, both the Buzzcocks and The Stranglers continue to captivate audiences, demonstrating the enduring power of punk’s rebellious spirit and innovative sound. Recent performances in Leeds reveal a remarkable resilience and continued creative energy from both iconic bands.
Buzzcocks Carry the Torch After Pete Shelley’s Passing
“Are you ready to rock, Leeds?” yelled Steve Diggle, embodying the energetic spirit of the Buzzcocks during their 45-minute set. Now the sole remaining founding member following the death of lead singer and principal songwriter Pete Shelley in 2018, the 70-year-old Diggle maintains the band’s signature energy, punctuated by his characteristic mid-solo gestures towards the crowd.
The band delivered classics like “What Do I Get?” and “I Don’t Mind” with a “distinctly ragged glory,” though a slower rendition of “Orgasm Addict” lacked Shelley’s distinctive vocal style. While Diggle’s voice leans closer to that of Francis Rossi, the band’s performance proved strongest when embracing its own evolution rather than attempting direct replication of past glories. Notably, “Manchester Rain,” penned by Diggle, stood out as the best new song in decades, while “Harmony In My Head” highlighted the band’s songwriting depth beyond Shelley’s contributions.
The Stranglers, similarly, find themselves carrying a legacy with only bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel remaining from the band’s earliest days, when they famously toured in drummer Jet Black’s ice cream van. Singer-guitarist Baz Warne has been a Strangler for 25 years, exceeding the tenure of original vocalist Hugh Cornwell.
Despite facing challenges including the deaths of Black and keyboardist Dave Greenfield, the band’s 2021 album Dark Matters marked a creative resurgence, propelling them back into the Top 5. It’s a testament to their enduring appeal that they are now performing in larger venues than during their initial chart success, attracting a diverse audience including younger fans.
Reinvention and Relevance in a Changing World
The Stranglers’ performance showcased a “masterfully restrained setlist” that highlighted their ability to reinvent themselves while retaining their core identity. The setlist blended playful electro-pop (“Thrown Away,” “Pin-Up”), gentle balladry (“Strange Little Girl”), and their signature hit “Golden Brown” – a song famously rumored to be about heroin, performed in waltz time.
The band demonstrated a keen awareness of current events, with Warne updating the lyrics to “Peaches” on the evening the Duke of York relinquished his titles, quipping, “I can think of worse places to be… like in Prince Andrews’s head.” Their newer material, described as “brooding dark epics laced with reggae, chamber pop or orchestral-type sections,” further underscored their ongoing inventiveness. The band even opted to perform 1977’s “Mean To Me” – a rarity played only for the third time in their career – alongside a selection of their most beloved classics.
Throughout the evening, Burnel appeared “unusually wistful,” seemingly reflecting on the passage of time. While Warne jokingly predicted “See you in another 51 years,” The Stranglers’ current form proves they are in “formidably fine fettle” after more than half a century of making music.
THE STRANGLERS SET LIST:
Goodbye Toulouse
Straighten Out
Was It You?
Skin Deep
15 Steps
5 Minutes
Tramp
Instead Of This
Strange Little Girl
Golden Brown
Thrown Away
Pin Up
Peaches
Mercury Rising
White Stallion
Dead Ringer
Breathe
Something Better Change
Duchess
Hanging Around
ENCORE
Always The Sun
Mean To Me
No More Heroes
BUZZCOCKS SET LIST
What Do I Get?
I Don’t Mind
Promises
Senses Out Of Control
Sick City Sometimes
Why Can’t I Touch It?
Destination Zero
Orgasm Addict
Manchester Rain
Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t Have?)
Harmony In My Head
