They have a certain stellar way about them that only British rock acts can bring to the stage. In the case of this co-headlining affair, The Struts & Barns Courtney aren’t ones to shy away from the glamourous side of rock ‘n’ roll. Welcome with style…
THE STRUTS & BARNS COURTNEY
There are very few things promised in one’s lifetime: birth, death, and the yearly declaration that the demise of rock music has befallen upon us once more. Yet with two very different bands on the bill, there’s double the amount of guitar laden outcries to rival that critique. It’s one of those nights where you go along to catch one artist and leave having discovered your new favourite one – and with royal ruptures of noise in equal measures, it’s hard to decipher which band is the ‘support’ band of the two…
…fear not! With an alternating setlist, both artists are gracing that headlining spot with a mix of confidence, pageantry, and an absolute dedication to the glamourous side of rock ‘n’ roll. Preaching to his congregation with a swagger and surety, his entrance to the stage soundtracked by Frank Sinatra’s My Way over the speakers, Barns Courtney is first on the bill. It’s safe to say the Fun Never Ends for the crowd, his Americana-tinged tyranny packing a fantastic groove from the start.
“IT’S A LOVELY SIGHT UP HERE – A SHAME YOU CAN’T SEE YOUR SHINING FACES!”
Courtney is covering every inch of the stage as he gutturally croons and spits out the lyrics (literally spits that is, all over the microphone he bears within his teeth – again, literally chomping down on the microphone). He goads participation out of anyone he hunkers his piercing gaze down onto, holding them hostage as he teeters on the edge of the barrier. London Girls is a furious run-through of the audience oooh-ing and aaah-ing in echoed delight, Courtney strapping on a guitar for some added bite. He’s warmly receptive to the crowd, the stage lighting hardly helping to cover his humbleness; National Treasure perhaps a newfound understatement. The track is ultra-modern enough for your teenaged believers and ballsy enough to have the grizzled gig veteran pogoing like it is 1977 all over again.
“I’m so appreciative to the three people who came to our meet and greet earlier,” The bottle of merlot he’s languidly raising in cheers garners a high-pitched scream of recognition from the crowd. It’s also the cause of his grimace – “This wine is awful s**t. I thought I’d look so cool swigging it!” – and our consoling chuckles. “We thanked them even when they told us they’d clicked the wrong button. They’d meant to click the option for The Struts instead.
“I don’t blame them. I’d want to meet The Struts, too!” Yet unlike the soundtrack to the latest indie-movie sensation missing Young In America somewhere out there, we’re not missing this. Not for one moment. Throughout the haze of the smoke and sound, Barns Courtney is performing a spellbinding syncopation of cinematic choruses.
“WE’VE BEEN IN NOTTINGHAM BEFORE BUT WE HAVE A FEELING THIS WILL BE THE BEST SHOW YET!”
Formed just a few miles up the road in Derby, our world-famous Nottingham venue is arguably the closest The Struts will get to performing in front of a ‘home crowd’. Performing more so an understatement, for the hour set was a one-stop tour in all things rock ‘n’ roll. Whereas Courtney is stark, monochromatic, and certainly grittier, The Struts are glorious technicolor.
A pastiche to the tongue-in-cheek excesses of glam, the band transform a typical Sunday into a night of debauched tyranny. The tasseled trousers that frontman Luke Spiller is wearing might suggest he’s most comfortable on the bygones of Studio 54, yet the mannerisms and performance are all Great Britain, baby! If you’re in any doubt, there’s a large backdrop of Big Ben to remind you. Of course, Spiller does that all on his own with that opening groove of Primadonna Like Me: “Hey you, don’t you know who I think I am?” Effortlessly embodying equal parts Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Freddie Mercury, it isn’t hard to imagine that Spiller could have been struttin’ his stuff at the infamous ‘54.
Guitarist Adam Slack is probably The Struts’ secret weapon, and he says with a handful of chords what other guitarists take an entire song to say. Non-fussy and to the point (as are bandmates Jed Elliott on bass, and Welsh fire-breathing dragon Gethin Davies on drums), Slack provides the hooky chords for Spiller to strut his stuff as the band plows through 10 years of material to please. ‘Bulletproof Baby’ (from 2018’s sophomore album ‘Young & Dangerous’) goes down particularly well, so much so that once Spiller introduces it the crowd down the front stage left goes insane. One fan spends the next 3-minutes or so jumping and stamping like the world’s first human dynamo and generates enough energy to power the city for a day or two.
THE STRUTS & BARNS COURTNEY PERFORMED SUNDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER
WORDS: TALIA ROBINSON
ROCK CITY NOTTINGHAM
We’re not only Nottingham’s favourite venue and nightclub – we’re the UK’s best live venue with a rich history of performers that have played here. Rock ain’t ever been as glamourous as it was tonight, thanks to The Struts!
Also while you’re at it, why not check out our gig guide and see if any other of your favourite artists like The Struts are playing soon! We also have our club nights on a Thursday (Tuned), Friday (Get Lucky) and Saturday (Rebel Rebel) so check those out too!
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