Punk isn’t dead: It’s just older

Some might say that punk has had its day and that it’s time for us nostalgics to put the leather jackets and platform boots away. That gone are the days of mosh pits, getting lifted up into the air by strangers, and wondering if the lead singer needs medical attention or if he’s just really getting into it. Some might even say that we should accept the new reality of concerts with stiff bodies, mumbling voices, and muted speakers. These few, however, have never gone to see The Buzzcocks or The Stranglers. Clearly.

Half a century of touring and only one original member of each band left, may lead you to believe these punk icons have had their day, but from their performances at the O2 Academy in Leeds, I can confirm that they are still in it. Their day is every day they’re on stage, and they know it. The minute Steve Diggle, guitarist and now de facto frontman for The Buzzcocks, practically pounced onto the stage, I was sure I was in for an amazing night. 

Their electrifying set started off with fan favourite ‘What do I get’, which immediately got the crowd buzzing and ready for more. Classics like ‘I Don’t Mind’, ‘Promises’, and ‘Orgasm Addict’, as well as songs from their first studio album since founder Steve Shelly’s death, Sonics In the Soul (2022), like ‘Manchester Rain’ and ‘Senses Out of Control’, that were played as if they had been part of their discography for years. With help from the incredibly talented Chris Remington on bass, Mani Perazzoli on guitar, and Danny Farrant on drums (or as I like to call them: “The new Buzzcocks”), every minute on stage was used to make a statement. The Buzzcocks won’t die. Their last track of the set, ‘Harmony in my Head’, and its extended guitar solo that Diggle absolutely destroyed, more than proves this.

Now the main event. What to say about The Stranglers that hasn’t been said already? If The Buzzcocks can never die, then The Stranglers can never be killed. 51 years of touring, fallouts, retirements, deaths… What has this band not endured? And yet, here they stood before me, in all their glory, ready to deliver the show of a lifetime. Perhaps not in the same configuration as they would have in the golden age of punk, but with a confident and triumphant walk onto the stage to Edith Piaf’s ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’, who was I to say these individuals didn’t carry with them the spirit of the members that played before them? Jim Macauley, Toby Hounsham, Baz Warne (enjoying his 25th year as guitarist and frontman of the band), all accompanying the iconic Barracuda Bassist himself, JJ Burnel, last surviving member.

As the applause died down, we all waited tentatively for them to deliver their first performance of the tour. An eerie keyboard intro, a moment of silence, and the reveal: ‘Goodbye Toulouse’. The crowd went absolutely mental. It had been 4 years since the band last played this song, and clearly, I wasn’t the only one awaiting its return. A mosh pit opened up immediately, plastic cups filled with a variety of drinks were thrown into the air as if they hadn’t cost 9£, and the night officially kicked off. This wasn’t going to be the only song to make a comeback after years unplayed, as this was reportedly the first time in a while The Stranglers gave their setlist a shake-up. ‘Was it you’, ‘Instead of This’, and ‘Thrown Away’, are just some of the songs that got to grace our ears once again in their live versions. Obviously, they were met with the same enthusiasm as when they were first released.

A triad of mosh-pit anthems including ‘15 Steps’, ‘5 minutes’ and ‘Tramp’ meant the audience needed a break, which the band delivered with the beautiful ‘Strange Little Girl’, featuring the haunting keyboard skills of Toby Hounsham, and  ‘Golden Brown’ which made its appearance yet again on a stage lit to perfection, bathing Baz Warne in an appropriate and mesmerising golden glow. It felt as if he was serenading each and every one of us personally with his guitar. If Heroine is so good that it makes you write songs like this, maybe it’s worth a try, eh? Only jokes, please don’t do drugs. The break doesn’t last long, and ‘Pin Up’ returns things to the status quo, the mosh.

As the night begins to end, ‘Dead Ringer’ plays (a personal favourite), and each member of the band gets to showcase their musical talent. JJ Burnel has his extremely well-deserved moment in the spotlight, Baz delivers his characteristically effortless guitar playing, Jim Macauley pummels his drums, and Hounsham plays those keys like no one else can. Three final songs and three heavily demanded encores later, all I can think about is how lucky I am to be witnessing such an amazing performance. What a display of talent. What a display of dedication. Making music is a craft that takes years to achieve, and these guys have half a century in the game. I am standing in front of true icons of punk. Founders and pioneers of the movement. 

Going back to the title of this review, punk isn’t dead: it’s just older, I wrote it because (even though I wasn’t there) I know in my heart that concerts in the glory days of punk felt just like this, just like how I was feeling in that moment. When used correctly, the stage can be a time capsule that lets you glimpse into eras of music you didn’t have the privilege of living through. Yes, the artists may look a little older, but their spirit is young. They are full of the energy and fire that got them to that stage in the first place. This is true of The Buzzcocks and The Stranglers. When they are on stage, they are more than punk stars of the 70s. They are punk stars of the 21st century. Perhaps even of all time. I’m looking forward to tour number 52, and every other tour that follows. See you there.

Words By Alex Barreira Purcell