The Stranglers Review

By Will Stone

There are not many bands that maintain such a chokehold of their audience like The Stranglers, and their recent performance at the O2 Academy Leeds proved that time has done little to blunt their edge. If the sold-out venue wasn’t enough to prove this then maybe the buzzing atmosphere that gripped every inch of the room was. This performance was truly an omen to why they remain one of the most enduring names in British music.

Their setlist balanced a healthy mix of classics such as ‘Skin Deep’ and the more recent material such as ‘Breathe’, reflecting a career that stretches back five decades. They began the night with the upbeat ‘Goodbye Toulouse’, which was met with the usual headbanging one might expect. The night continued with the energy growing as the both the crowd and the band soaked up the buzz. The Stranglers kept the energy flowing by delivering renditions of some of their most famous songs, most notably ‘Golden Brown’ which to date has over 390 million streams on Spotify. That being said, it was the catchy bassline riff of ‘Peaches’ that gauged the largest reaction from the fans. This was where Baz Warne really got to have his fun singing the lyrics “Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches”.

On that note, while Baz Warne’s gritty vocals and punk attitude filled the room with a commanding presence, Jean-Jaques Burnel (The sole remaining founder of the band) was hard at work providing that notorious bass that has defined their sound for years. While Burnel is well known in the music industry, he is also a 7^th Dan Shihan in Shidokan Karate and the head of Shidokan GB. The 77-year-old maintains an impressive resume and on stage displays the same discipline and precision required by martial arts.

The finished they initial set with ‘Hanging around’, another classic that was well received by the fans. As the band left the stage, the crowd murmured wondering what songs would be included in the encore and the anticipation exploded as they came back on stage. Three final songs made up of “Always the Sun”, “Mean to me” and finally ending with “No more heroes”, all worked as a perfect crescendo to the night, leaving the crowd not just satisfied but elated. A sea of smiles, applause and raised fists saw the band leave the stage; their work here was done.

This was my first time attending a Stranglers gig, but it’s fair to say it won’t be the last. While the music itself was excellent, it was the performance that truly stood out. The band share a fascinating dynamic, with a blend of old and new, experience and fresh energy, mirroring the diversity of their audience. There’s a mutual respect between generations, both on stage and in the crowd, united by decades of timeless songs and the band’s unmistakable vibe.

As the lights came on and the applause slowed down, it was clear that The Stranglers remain as compelling as ever; a testament to the enduring grit of British punk, matured but never mellowed.