Stiff Little Fingers live at Custom House Square (17.8.2024) with The Damned and The Skids supporting.
The afternoon black cab political tour of The Shankhill and Falls Road areas set the historical scene and context for tonight’s gig – I say historical: the peace wall is still up and divisions still exist in part, but it is at least workable and non-violent. Several hours later I’m standing in a packed Custom House Square as SLF come on stage, the walk-on music stops and Jake Burns plugs his guitar in.
“How yer doin’? Alright?… We’re Stiff Little Fingers” ..and Jake’s ripping guitar throws out the first bars of Suspect Device. I’m standing there in awe. How did I end up in the middle of Belfast listening to this in 2024. No Englishman could have dreamed of this when hearing this song in 1979. Jake bellows out “Inflammable material planted in my head; It’s a suspect device that’s left 2000 dead…” and we are well and truly off. It’s emotional – an experience to treasure.
What was so good about this gig, an annual SLF led event (Putting the Fast in Belfast), is that aside from the first band on – a local band I missed – the line-up is of bands I’ve been listening to since they started and I have seen live around 30 times between them.
We were a bit late in so The Skids were first for us – I’m over here with gig buddy Plymouth Dave and Big Gra. Although we’ve seen a lot of The Skids in recent years, this is Richard Jobson’s new band who we’ve not seen before. Jobbo delivers, as ever, this time with robust yet unfamiliar back-up.
A short but familiar set that starts with Charade. Lots of air punching with Masquerade and even more for the song Jobbo just can’t shake off: TV Stars (Al-bert Tat-lock! Oo he’d be so proud if he knew). Clash cover, Complete Control is one of the belters Jobbo has added in recent years (and appears on the excellent Songs from the Haunted Ballroom covers album). Jobson recalls The Skids being one of the few bands brave enough to come to Belfast, after The Clash did in 1976.
Circus Games live, without the kids singing, is always one of my faves. It’s that Hammersmith Palais gig just after it charted that hooked me…44 years ago.
Before leaving us with Into the Valley, Jobbo reminds us that the song was written around the Northern Ireland troubles. (More on the new look Skids when I catch them later this year.)
Next it’s The Damned. Vanian looking as youthful and fit as ever and The Captain in his familiar, cheeky Denis the Menace colours.
You can’t accuse The Damned of playing the same old stuff and what a catalogue they have. This has its sticking points when an audience hasn’t come especially to see you. I’m happy, but tracks from The Black Album – my chosen Damned work – recent albums and Strawberries don’t have the same reception they would at a Damned gig.
Wait for the Blackout and History of the World Part 1, for me hit the spot. Eloise the unusual big hit is familiar to all and it’s the end of the set choices that this crowd was hoping for: Love Song, Second Time Around and then maybe the best delivery of the set, Neat Neat Neat, as fast and chaotic as ever.
Then the golden moments – there are two songs that The Damned surely can’t miss out of any set, maybe unfortunately for them: the brilliant New Rose and the long version of Smash It Up – and we all still remember the Old Grey Whistle Test version don’t we?!
Stiff Little Fingers
As one of the first live bands I saw (twice on the 1981 Go For It tour) SLF will always be special. This is an icing on the cake gig, after the Crystal Palace Dog Day Afternoon last year (other SLF reflections in my Bournemouth gig blog). Perfect surroundings, the rain has stopped and a set load of familiar songs – with four songs from each of the first two albums: Inflammable Material and Nobody’s Heroes.
Jake looks so calm despite the ferocious sound of his guitar and vocals, as At The Edge screams out across the square.
The Hate Has No Home backdrop seems particularly worthy here – the newer than most single gets an airing early on, complemented by Love of the Common People (recorded here on my Grey-haired Gig Goer YouTube channel).
The angst returns with the classic, Wasted Life. (The full setlist is here.)
Before playing Strummerville, a dedication to Joe, Jake recalls meeting Joe Strummer in the Europa Hotel shortly after The Clash had to pull out of their tour due to insurance company wobbles. Joe promised they’d be back and they returned to play an infamous gig at the Ulster Hall…inspiring a city of young punks.
The Magners Cider was flowing by this point – partly medicinal on my part (no Guinness or nice beer located) – and the trio that finished the set was a belter. From the Nobody’s Heroes LP, the title track, followed by Tin Soldiers and Gotta Gettaway. Nobody’s heroes eh?
Room for an encore – the curfew beckoned. The Specials’ It Doesn’t Make It Alright and of course Alternative Ulster. A memorable gig this one, for the setting and the history. HANX!
It was back to our hotel bar to cement a lid on the evening…and early hours. A pleasure to bump into guitarist Ian McCallum in the bar.
Same again next year? Stiff Little Fingers crossed.
My gig-going has had a quiet few months, for me. After SLF and a few festivals in August it’s been a bit of a barren September. Elvis Costello cancelled his Poole gig. That leaves me with a solitary September gig left now…. Merrill Osmond 🤫
Gigs with Ivan 