A glam rock band from the U.K. have been gaining attention in the U.S. over the past few years with hits like “Kiss This,” “Body Talks,” and “Primadonna Like Me.” After opening for the Foo Fighters this past summer, The Struts are headlining “The Body Talks” tour to promote their second LP called Young&Dangerous. The tour started in September and continues through May 2019. They made their way to the Queen City Wednesday night headlining the WEBN Eggnog Social. Opening acts include Canadian alternative rockers The Blue Stonesand Salt Lake City rockers, Royal Bliss.
Check out Photos of the show by Ruth Preston!
The packed crowd ranged from children to adults. As soon as a The Struts walked on stage, their high energy intensified the crowd 10 notches. They seem to gain more energy and fans each time they tour. Fans were bobbing their heads, singing, and dancing the night away. Even though they put on a high-energy show, they still have room to develop their individual distinctive sounds.
Listening to Queen or Led Zeppelin without the lead vocals, one can distinguish the playing style of Jimmy Page or Roger Taylor, both of whom really developed the sounds of Led Zeppelin and Queen. The Struts have not grasped that yet, but they have potential to be headed in that direction. Once they get a hold of that, they could easily be one of the biggest rock bands of today and possibly the future.
Despite not having a well-distinctive sound, aside from Spiller’s vocals, their performances are filled with everything else a rock band should have. Their high energy, crowd participation, and passionately induced solo performances are well worth the ticket.
Lead singer, Luke Spiller’s Freddy Mercury-like attire blended with Mick Jagger-like moves and sweet killer vocals, really set the party-tone for the night. The band performed mostly songs from Young&Dangerousas well as songs from their 2014 LP called “Everybody Wants.”
Fans were clapping and singing along to almost every song.
During their cover of Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 hit “Dancing in the Dark,” Spiller called out for a “Courtney Cox” to come on stage and dance with him. Funny enough, the girl’s name was Rachel. They then played a semi-stripped down version of “Merry Go Round” where everyone held their phones and/or lighters up high swaying them back and forth.
Spiller talked about how was called names and how, now, he is content with himself. “Be your f-ing self,” says Spiller. They then performed “Bulletproof Baby.” What should be pointed out is during the solos on songs like “Bulletproof Baby” and “Freak Like You,” the amount of pure emotion and technicality running through the sounds of guitarist Adam Slack’s Mundo Les Paul and the connection with the other members of the band really ignited a fire within Slack’s soul. It then bounced back to the souls of the audience.
During their “Where Did She Go,” the band got personal and talked about how they are still not as big in the U.K. and they do not have enough money for a bigger production.
According to Spiller, the fans are all that matter. Then they made the fans get down on their hands and knees and then jump during the end of the song.
The band ended the night with the sing-a-long, “Could’ve Been Me.”
Setlist
Primadonna Like Me
Body Talks
Kiss This
In Love With a Camera
Fire (Part 1)
Dirty Sexy Money
One Night Only
Dancing in the Dark
(Bruce Springsteen cover)
Mary Go Round
Somebody New
Put Your Money on Me
Bulletproof Baby
Extended Blues Jam
Where Did She Go
Encore:
Ashes (Part 2)
Freak Like You
Could Have Been Me
