STIFF LITTLE FINGERS & WRECKLESS ERIC

Singer-songwriter Eric Goulden AKA WRECKLESS ERIC has been active since the mid-70s and, along with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Ian Dury, was one of the Stiff Records collective. He is alone on stage tonight, playing both acoustic and electric guitars. There’s a touch of sandpaper to the vocals but he is in fine voice. From opener Dead Man to fifth song Badhat Town, the guitar playing is energetic and driving, if unspectacular. This changes with Standing Water and Days of my Life. The former features an acoustic drone breakdown that wanders into Michael Chapman territory, whilst the latter sees the electric subject to Sonic Youth-style saddle/bridge molestation. Musically, these two are the my highlights of the set but lyrically that would be Southern Rock. Tonight’s gig buddy is unimpressed but I thoroughly enjoy it, the only downer being the incessant chuntering from large sections of the audience.

After an interminable, unnecessarily loud and, for me at least, torturous ABBA megamix, it is time time for the mighty STIFF LITTLE FINGERS. As is customary, they take to the stage to a tape of their own instrumental Go For It. As is also customary, the crowd sing along to the guitar parts and there are chants of Fingers! Fingers! before the band has played a note.

Suffice to say, it is a good mix of the old classics and newer stuff as the band rip through eighteen songs in 90 or so minutes. Fingers fans know what to expect. There’s storming takes on the likes of Suspect Device and Fly The Flag. The buzzsaw powerpop of Hate Has No Home Here is particularly relevant given the events of the last few days. The punk-dub of Last Train From the Wasteland and the cover of Bunny Wailer’s Roots Radicals Rockers & Reggae, see high energy skanking from bassist Ali McMordie. Get A Life features some cracking drumming from Steve Grantley. Jake Burns is in fine voice, particularly on Nobody’s Hero and Gotta Getaway, and looks to be in a good place, which is great to see. All of the band are enjoying themselves up there, with guitarist Ian McCallum seeming particularly happy. And 40+ years after I first heard it, the opening chords of Alternative Ulster still give me goosebumps.