Here's a review of sorts from one of several near legendary visits that The Stranglers paid to London's Roundhouse in Camden Town throughout 1977. Poor old Barry Cain eh!? Whilst part of me sympathises with Barry, an early advocate of the band and one of the few undoubted allies that the band had in the music press, for having to review the band once again when all available superlatives in the writer's arsenal have been exhausted. What more can be said? On the other hand for me who never saw the punk Stranglers, it is irksome indeed. I'd be happy with a dry Sunday matinee!! A word of explanation in the unlikely event that anyone under the age of 50 is reading this post. If you think Sunday's are dull now, back then the law was such that Sunday licencing hours were very restricted (a hangover (or not) from efforts to boost productivity during The Great war). Pubs shut at 2pm only to reopen at 7pm.
Record Mirror 2nd July 1977.
What more can Barry Cain say about The Stranglers. He's just...
LOST IN SPACE
The Stranglers
London
I'm fed up with reviewing strangler's concerts.
Screwing words to fit white spaces. Saturation level reached. Nothing more to say. Nice to go along and simply see them without making any hollow analysis.
Right I've got 15 minutes to write this…
Two shows at the Roundhouse. Queues along Chalk Farm Road. Staple guns in Camden. Around 6,000 tickets sold in one week. Reporters from the Guinness Book of hot shots abounded.
First show sober. This fair land strange licencing hours prevented a lot of people having a better time. The band (I thought Hugh Cornwell was dead anyway) played. Played very well in fact. Probably never played better. Lots of healthy new songs too.
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Second show – Bar-room blitz. Audience reaction one over the eight. Dedicated followers of fashion loving every minute. The band played again. Played very well again. Then they finished. Peachy.
End of a tour. And what a bummer summer. This is getting ridiculous.
Few minutes to kill. Oh yeah, The Cortinas were pretty good. Terrable view from side stage but there was a nice pair of Bristols up front (na, that's where they come from). Numb crowd first set, second, more support.
The Cortinas drove along at a… Enough of that. Just watch this space.
Thank you and goodnight. BARRY CAIN.
One of the day's shows (afternoon? evening?) can be found
here.
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