THE STRUTS HIT THE STATES
Wednesday night, I reverted into my sixteen-year-old self, and it’s all because of The Struts. The U.K. four-piece, signed to Interscope in the States, sold-out the Troubadour in under 30 minutes when tickets went on sale back in August. I can say in all honesty that I do not remember the last time I attended a better live show. With the dynamic presence of a stadium band, the group successfully turns a tiny venue into a hyper-charged house party.
Frontman Luke Spiller, who’s been said to have the swagger of Mick Jagger and the vocal stylings of Freddie Mercury, proved the aptness of the group’s name as he commanded the stage with a seamless blend of flamboyance and clout. Subtlety is not his métier, and that’s perfectly okay with me.
Interscope chief John Janick, Vice Chairman Steve Berman and A&R prexy Aaron Bay-Schuck were all spotted in the crowd; these three may have left their sequined halter tops and crushed velvet bell-bottoms at home, but I sure as hell didn’t.
“Could Have Been Me,” the lead single off their recently released Have You Heard? EP, had the audience chanting full verses in synchronicity. The track has 1.5m+ views on its official video, is currently #4 on iTunes’ rock singles chart and is in the Top 5 at Alternative radio and Top 10 at Active Rock with 10m in audience and 3500+ spins per week. It’s also currently featured in the theatrical trailer for The Weinstein Co.’s Burnt, starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller & Uma Thurman.
The single wasn’t the only song of the set to get people belting and flailing, though. They wowed with “Kiss This” and “Where Did She Go”—both on the EP—along with “Dirty Sexy Money,” which is featured on the U.K. version of the EP.
Quite frankly, The Struts have a chance to spark a real rock revival with their hooky glam sound, which manages to pay tribute to the classics, while remaining impeccably modern.
The band, which was just dubbed a USA Today On the Verge artist, has performed at more than 20 sold-out gigs since their U.S. headline debut in August, including one at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom. They recently hit Kimmel, and more TV appearances are set to be announced shortly. They’re currently on a North American tour that runs through December, so catch ‘em while you can, and whatever you do, don’t forget your sequins.
