The Stranglers (w/ The Buzzcocks) Prove Punk is Timeless at The Piece Hall in Halifax [Photos]

The Stranglers, celebrating their 50-year career, stopped in Halifax to play The Piece Hall. They brought punk legends Buzzcocks with them for a show enjoyed by fans of all ages – from the dads who experienced it the first time to their kids and grandkids who were experiencing it for the first time.

Since Pete Shelley passed away in 2018, it has been down to original bassist then-guitarist Steve Diggle to be the frontman for the Buzzcocks. He does well at this job, although his nasal singing quality sometimes makes it sound like Frank Sidebottom is singing – which would have been a fantastic thing!

It’s odd to think that these songs were written nearly 50 years ago by angry, horny teenagers, but where the likes of “Orgasm Addict” seem a bit wrong sung by a nearly 70-year-old man, a song like “Ever Fallen in Love” is absolutely timeless and had the crowd dancing from front to back.

The Stranglers are a different beast altogether. Originally classed as punk rock they are a lot more varied than that, with a mix of styles in their arsenal to pull from they are a great mix of punk, new wave and goth – so much so that one of the highlights of the set “White Stallion” sounded like it could have been lifted straight off the Lost Boys soundtrack.

Frontman Baz Warnes hailed the iconic Piece Hall venue as a cultural gem and seemed happy to be playing Halifax. He was married in the town in 2018, so he shares a connection with the place.

Their set was a well-balanced journey through the last 50 years, with classics spattered throughout. “Toiler on the Sea,” “Duchess,” and “The Raven” opened the set and impressed with their musicality, with only original member Jean-Jacques Burnel’s melodic basslines carrying them. “Skin Deep” followed “Always the Sun” mid-set, with “Peaches” and “Golden Brown” following not too long after getting the crowd singing and dancing arm-in-arm together.

As mentioned, the brilliant “White Stallion” sounded immense and, with its gothic undertones, made you feel that a group of teenage vampires might make an appearance from the stage rafters before a version of Burt Bacharach’s “Walk on By,” which was good but wasn’t a patch on Isaac Hayes’ version.

A furious “No More Heroes” closed the show with a bang, with every audience member giving it their all. It was an exceptional show to mark half a century of an incredible band that still captivated generation after generation.

Check out all our coverage from Piece Hall this summer here.

The Stranglers (w/The Buzzcocks) @ The Piece Hall (Halifax, UK) on August 7th, 2024

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