Gallery, ReviewDitch This MagazineAugust 25, 2019gallery, live, melbourne, Gallery, review, Corner Hotel, the struts, J3

The Struts + J3 @ Corner Hotel 22-08-19

Gallery, ReviewDitch This MagazineAugust 25, 2019gallery, live, melbourne, Gallery, review, Corner Hotel, the struts, J3

words & photos: Lucas Hackett @lucas_packett_photography

Review

*“It is always a relief and eternally refreshing to hear and experience a great rock n roll band that is not afraid to perform, look the part and write killer tunes...”*

Hailing from Derby, England and currently on their ‘Young and Dangerous’ tour, glam rockers The Struts return to Australian shores for the second time this year.

Support is from J3, who incidentally is The Struts FOH sound guy (great bang for your buck), and blasts through a bunch of well-known covers on his acoustic guitar.

As support for the postponed Greta Van Fleet shows earlier in the year, The Struts gained the attention of many a punter across Melbourne when they added their own last-minute shows at Cherry Bar. Due to the late cancellation of the aforementioned gig, The Struts found the location and crammed a bunch of people into Melbourne’s rock n roll headquarters and blew us all away. Fast forward six months and The Struts are back, and this time they are playing headline shows at The Corner.

After a short intermission and quick line check of instruments, The Struts graced the stage to Gary Glitter’s ‘Rock N Roll’ and exploded into the opening track ‘Primadonna Like Me’. Singer Luke Spiller is energetic, charismatic, commanding and thankful towards the crowd. Playing the first of two nights at The Corner sees a packed house, full of punters just wanting to have a good time.

Spiller is overt in his rock n roll referencing (Mercury, Jagger, Plant), but has the pipes to match his swagger and over-the-top bravado, which the crowd lap up. Moving through the tracks Body Talks, Kiss This, One Night Only and Dirty Sexy Money the energy is kept high. The Struts have a solid rhythm section, which in turn allows guitarist Adam Slack the freedom to showcase his guitar chops.

Blasting through a 15-song set over 90 minutes The Struts cover material from their debut release Everybody Wants and last year’s Young and Dangerous.

It is always a relief and eternally refreshing to hear and experience a great rock n roll band that is not afraid to perform, look the part and write killer tunes. We look forward to your return soon!