Review by JoJo Anthony
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
First off, let me say that I love the Struts. So I could simply write a review filled with endless praise for a band that I feel is doing everything by the playbook. The Struts not only have amazing songs but they are also one of the best live acts out there today.
The Struts formed in 2012 and signed to a few different record labels in Britain. They eventually released their debut album Everybody Wants in 2014. The album was reissued in 2016 when they signed a major deal with Interscope Records in America. The band spent most of the next two years touring predominantly in America, playing clubs and smaller venues while landing some opening slots for Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses.
In 2018, The Struts released their sophomore effort Young And Dangerous while securing an opening slot on the Foo Fighters North American tour. The band also recorded numerous videos from the new album while also headlining their own shows. They toured the United States constantly building up a loyal fan base. This was evident at their sold-out 2020 performance at the House of Blues.
I must give a special shout out to Los Angeles band Starcrawler who opened the show. They are cool mixture of punk and pop who write some good songs while visually strong.
The Struts opened their set with “Primadonna Like Me,” and then rolled into “Body Talks” from the Young And Dangerous album. Both songs have all the energy and attitude of such great bands like the Rolling Stones or Mott the Hoople.
If there were ever a secret weapon that The Struts possess, it’s their lead singer Luke Spiller. Spiller has all of the charisma of many of the greatest frontmen like Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, and Freddie Mercury. He commands the stage with such bravado that allows the other members to focus on the material. Spiller “struts” across the stage demanding participation from the audience. He occasionally takes a seat behind the piano which visually is reminiscent of the late great Freddie Mercury.
The show focused mainly on material from the Young And Dangerous album with songs like “Fire,” “In Love With a Camera” and “Tatler Magazine.” Other highlights included the single “One Night Only” (a personal favorite) and a new acoustic song called “Low Key.”
One thing the Struts did that I enjoyed was the performance of a medley of songs from their Everybody Wants, which included “Roll Up,” “The Ol’ Switcheroo” and “Black Swan.” It was a nice way to feature these songs due to time constraints.
The night concluded with two more fantastic songs from Everybody Wants — “Put Your Money On Me” and “Where Did She Go.” Spiller made sure that the audience participated by having everyone sing along or to physically jump, shout, and scream at the top of their lungs. He did not fail.
The band returned for an encore with Spiller sitting at the piano and performing a beautiful solo version of “Somebody New” from Young and Dangerous, while closing the show with two more — “Ashes” and fan favorite “Could Have Been Me.”
Like I said, I love The Struts. They’re my favorite band to have come along in the last 10 years. Their songs are catchy, yet polished. The band is tight, especially the rhythm section of bassist Jed Elliott and drummer Gethin Davies. Guitarist Adam Slack has style that is perfect for the material. He never overplays and is more concerned with composition as opposed to being a guitar hero.
Are the Struts the new saviors of rock n’ roll? They are definitely the kick in the ass that it needs. I expect this band to continue to grow and to release material that only gets better with each and every album. They are definitely the best live act I’ve seen since the 1970s and I have personally seen all of the greats. The band attracts fans from teens to baby boomers, which is definitely a new trend taking place in rock n’ roll today with other acts like Vintage Trouble, Greta Van Fleet and Wild Honey bringing in both older and younger fans. If rock n’ roll is going to survive, then we have to support newer acts like the Struts alongside legends like the Rolling Stones. I know I do.
