The Stranglers | Therapy? | 09.03.18 | Ironworks, Inverness
March, comes in like a Lion….. well, The Definitive Tour, which was to kick off on the 1st of March in Ireland, had to re-schedule the first three dates to April as the “Beast from the East” weather storm roared like a Lion. and resulted in the cancellation. The first date was kicked off in Liverpool, followed by Glasgow and has now reach it’s furtherest most point of the UK here in Inverness, Scotland.
Therapy?
Formed in 1989 by Andy Cairns, Therapy? bring their energetic, alternative and aggressive power chords to the 22 date tour supporting The Stranglers. Predominantly know as a three piece, with long standing bassist Michael McKeegan and drummer Neil Cooper, they are joined by Steve Firth, who doubles as guitar tech, guitarist and backing vocals.
Therapy? Inverness
You can see by the demeanour, Andy Cairns, a long life fan of The Stranglers, is proud to share the stage with his mentors. The set kicks off with Die Laughing from the Troublegum album released in 1994. This was the breakthrough year for Therapy? and going by Andy Cairns’ passionate delivery and energy, he’s far from ready to die! The tight compact hard hitting sound, delivered by these aggressive looking men moves on at pace through the set and welcomed by the sell out crowd, who are all in attendance, which is not often the case for support bands. There is a real bounce emanating from Therapy? tonight. Michael McKeegan moves around the stage wielding his bass guitar like a weapon. Hailing from Larne, his Celtic roots are evident and it could well of been a massive claymore sword as he raises the bass high above his head through out the set. Andy Cairns also wields his guitar like an axe and with Neil Cooper hammering his drums, the tribal feel emanates from the stage right through the crowd. The cover of Joy Division’s Isolation is a well known classic to Therapy? fans and has a wider appeal to the appreciative audience as they clearly enjoy the powerful rendition.
Announcing Neil Coopers birthday, the crowd are baited into a rowdy request to have the powerful drummer to “drum like a motherfucker”. Andy Cairns cleverly links the Celtic Irish/Scottish roots of the band with a brief rendition of Flower of Scotland which has the crowd singing along. As Therapy? move into Teethgrinder and Screamager, they are ready to end with the crowd singalong Potato Junkie. Any other night, this would’ve been a headline gig, but were more that happy to make sure the crowd are ready for their equally menacing counterparts!
The Stranglers
This should have been the 6th date of the 22 date tour, but due to the cancelled Irish gig’s, The Stranglers take to the stage after the legendary cursory Walzinblack intro. The Ironworks venue in Inverness was sold out many months ago and the crowd are packed into this great venue. The projected back screen images light up the darkness and portray the four members in true depictive fashion.
Jean Jacques Burnel (Bass/Vocals), Baz Warne (Guitar/Vocals), Dave Greenfield (Keyboards) and Jim Macaulay (Drums), The Meninblack as they are commonly known, begin their set with Curfew, from the Black and White album, straight away, they have the sell out crowd endeared as it’s an iconic dark and menacing song which references Scotland and has the largely Scottish contingent singing back at JJ as he snarles into the mic. The crowd has come from far and wide tonight as English, Irish, Welsh, Belgian, Dutch and the far travelled Australians (to name but a few of the accents heard) revel to the opener. Not to spoil the tour for those who haven’t yet attended, Get a Grip on Yourself follows straight on. The first single released in 1977 is always a crowd favourite and they are happily bouncing along in unison to Jim Macaulay’s hammering beat. Bear Cage, a recent regular to The Stranglers set list uses the projected images to great effect, the iconic bear head looms large behind Baz as he sings the chorus.
The set moves on with old favourites mixed in with new classic’s. Norfolk Coast, the first album to include Baz Warne rings out and establishes itself as a mid set essential.
The middle of the set brings with it the the hits. Golden Brown and Always The Sun are household songs known to most people when you mention The Stranglers and the classic Walk On By gives every member of the band the chance to showcase their individual talents.
A new song called Water is show cased to the sell out crowd, who by the third date, have been waiting with baited breath to hear it. The four screens are filled with imagery of the ocean in all its might and beauty and The Stranglers, well rehearsed, play the new track with ease. Its the third time this song has been heard by the many who have followed the tour so far.
Back to basics now as the back catalogue raises the energy in the venue and a rare airing of the seminal track Just Like Nothing on Earth.
The set ends with songs from the first three albums, Rattus Norvegicus, No More Heroes and Black and White.
The crowd are left almost deaf by the resounding bass frequencies from JJ’s Shuker bass and he batters it and almost destroys the building and the ear drums of the unwitting on-lookers. The title track of the 2nd Album, No More Heroes brings the end to another Stranglers gig. The Meninblack leave the stage the same way they came on, to rapturous applause and move on to the next venue, which is also sold out. For a band to still be selling out to a hard core following, says a lot for their staying power.