Flying the Flag 30 Years On
They may have expected increased interest in their 30th anniversary tour but even Stiff Little Fingers couldn't have anticipated selling out most of the dates on the tour, which is probably the first time that's happened since the original reunion tour 20 years ago!
Liverpool turns out to be one of the dates that doesn't sell out but it can't be far off as the place is packed by the time the traditional intro of 'Go For It' begins. It might be 30 years since they began and it might be true that Jake Burns gets a little more rotund every time you see him but the return of original bassist Ali McMordie seems to have injected new life into SLF. Whilst previous incumbent Bruce Foxton did a perfectly good job, there is nothing like seeing the guy who played on all the old classics return to the fold and McMordie jumps, whirls and smiles from start to finish.
Kicking off with the rousing Roots, Radicals, Rockers & Reggae it's clear that SLF are way beyond being a nostalgia act. As if to emphasise this point they throw three newer songs into the first part of the set, the modern day classic 'Strummerville', 'Guitar & Drum' and 'Liars Club', which is so new it hasn't even been recorded yet. With staple crowd pleasers 'Nobody's Hero', 'At the Edge', 'Silver Lining' and 'Fly The Flag' making a strong start to the set it looks like the usual show will ensue but tonight comes with a twist! Jake Burns announces that to celebrate the anniversary they are going to play the whole of the first album, Inflammable Material, from start to finish (with the exception of 'Closed Groove'). This is met with a roar from the crowd, most of whom realise that this will be a chance to hear songs not played live for well over 20 years and that's where the real highlights come tonight. Of course the first album spawned many of the classic SLF songs such as 'Suspect Device', 'Wasted Life' & 'Alternative Ulster', all of which are delivered with the same passion and energy that they've always been.
'State of Emergency' is incredible, 30 years on and it remains as powerful and relevant today as when it was written and it's great to hear it alongside lost gems such as 'Rough Trade' and 'Here We Are Nowhere'. Surprisingly though it's long time crowd favourite 'Johnny Was' that steals the show, even though they've played it on virtually every tour tonight it just has such a hypnotic, powerful feel to it that it really stands out. On nights like this SLF can do no wrong, even when they return for a first encore of Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back In Town', a bit obvious perhaps but maybe it's an Irish thing and they do carry it off well before 'Just Fade Away'. They return for an unusual second encore and go out in fine style with a thunderous rendition of 'Tin Soldiers'.
Once again I leave an SLF gig with no voice left (along with most of the crowd!) and wondering just how they manage to keep such a high level of consistency. With crowds like this there's really no reason for them to slow down or throw in the towel. SLF continue to tower above many of those bands that now cite them as influences and with a new album due for later this year, it shouldn't be too long before they're back on the road.