Review by John Callaghan for MPM
Saturday 16th August saw the seventh instalment in what is now a traditional August weekend Stiff Little Fingers gig in Belfast under the banner of “Putting the Fast in Belfast”.
The Belfast punk stalwarts from the late 1970s have seen a few changes to the line up with bass maestro Ali McMordie and singer/songwriter and guitar hero Jake Burns original members. Guitarist Ian McCullum, an accomplished recording artist in his own right joined the band in 1993, and Steve Grantley, when not playing with his own band, RTZ, has sat on the drummer’s stool since 1997. Stiff Little Fingers and Belfast are synonymous, inseparable. Two days before the gig the ‘sold out’ signs appeared across social media and the scene was set for a capacity crowd of five thousand to take in the latest in the series of iconic “Putting the Fast in Belfast” gigs. What is it about the punk ethos, the identity, the honesty of a band who burst onto the stage 48 years ago complaining about life in the city during The Troubles/Operation Banner that still attracts so many from afar to their gigs?
As Custom House Square filled to capacity I was introduced, by a friend, to “Karen from Australia”. She had travelled the ten thousand miles to stand in the same public space in the centre of the city as I had. A hug and “it’s great to see you here” was all that needed to be said. We are a family.
Belfast’s seminal DJ and undisputed godfather of Belfast punk, Terry Hooley, played a wonderful mix of pop, soul, reggae and punk to keep the anticipation levels at boiling point and when the first strains of Abba’s “Dancing Queen” drifted from the decks we knew the time was at hand.
The sun just slipped below the horizon, the sky noticeably darkened – the best time of the day for an outdoor gig, a tiny pause in the music and the magical walk on anthem “Go Fo It!” blasted forth from the speaker columns. That’s the cue. Conversation stops. Drinking stops. Movement stops and 5000 face the stage with their stiff little fingers raised in a gesture once considered rude. Despite being an instrumental track over the years fans have added the simple lyrics of “do, do, do…. doodle do, do” that first timers can latch onto and become part of the performance.
“Good evening Belfast, you alright? We’re Stiff Little Fingers” yells Jake and the band launch unexpectedly into “Roots, Radicals, Rockers and Reggae” a high tempo interpretation of Bunny Wailer’s influential song and acknowledging the reggae flavouring of so much of Stiff Little fingers material. The crowd started bouncing as only an SLF crowd can! I cue my son, Eimhin, to raise a V sign and scream “go for it” in unison at the right moment, it’s a ritual he will get used to. It was an energetic start and set the pace and tone for the “Fast” bit in “Putting the Fast in Belfast 7”. Without drawing breath we are treated to “At the Edge” immediately followed by the anti-paramilitary classic (and the world’s greatest B-side) “Wasted life” Suddenly I’m 15 again, not a care in the world living in the moment.
Jake speaks, grinning widely he tells us that it’s great to be back home. Unsurprisingly there’s no dissent from the 5000 most of us still in shock from the opening salvo! I notice that Ali McMordie is wearing a Kneecap T-shirt in support of the controversial West Belfast rap trio. Ali likes to make a statement with his choice of stage attire. Iain and Steve look excited. Jake informs us that they will be playing songs that they don’t play live that often. They don’t play it safe, keeping SLF fresh and unpredictable. “Won’t be Bold” is next. “Ww don’t want to be heros” Jake explains while paying tribute to the Sex Pistols, The Clash and in particular. Joe Strummer. No surprises that “Strummerville” starts to huge applause. Next is Jake’s latest song, “Mary’s Boy Child”, an acerbic side-swipe at the current President of the United States of America or, as Jake mused, “the current arsehole in chief”.
We go straight into the magnificent “Straw Dogs”, a song that never found a home on an album. It went down well as we, especially me, wondered why we don’t hear it live often enough! Jake talks briefly about the “Go for it” album from 1981 and launches into its classics, “Picadilly Circus” and the ode to unrequited love “Just Fade Away”. By now the crowd had realised that this was shaping up to be something special, a vintage gig! The loudness of the music, Jake’s uncompromising lyrics belted out with his uncompromising voice lifted the crowd to a new level. By now everyone needed a break from the hectic tempo. Ian was then pushed into the spotlight for a few “almost’ acoustic” tracks from the first couple of back-together-again albums “Flags and Emblems” in 1991 and “Get a Life” that saw a more mature and reflective band after the early heady days. “Each Dollar a Bullet” another dig at paramilitary violence and ” Harp”, Jake’s irritation at casual racism and being labelled as a “Paddy”. Ian steps admirably up to the mark. Jake has never been behind the doors when acknowledging that he succumbed to depression at one time. He makes an impassioned plea to anyone suffering to reach out and to talk. “My Dark Places” slips effortlessly into the set to loud approval. Not that surprising really, its one of the most uplifting and positive songs you will ever hear.
After that pause in the hectic rhythm for some of their more sober and thought provoking work the band once again upped the beat and exploded into “Nobody’s Hero” the thunderous title track of the second SLF album from 1980. The crowd responded in kind; yelling out the favourite line “everyone is someone!” which, incidentally, is the name of the 2023 tour. Then something wonderful happened…. crowd pleaser “Tin Soldiers” started with an exceptionally long drum and bass intro that built and built and built until everyone was clapping into mass hysteria. By the time Jake quietly told us that “He joined up to get a job….” the excitement in custom House Square was palpable! We knew this was going to be a gig highlight! It’s really refreshing to see Ian taking the vocal lead in the middle of the song, it encourages the crowd to join in and an SLF crowd needs no encouragement in that department! Straight into the one that started it all; “Suspect Device” – another one that demands audience participation to the max. After that quick fire frenzy I was hoping for a bit of a break. No chance! One of punk’s greatest bass lines signalled that I needed to find a bit more voice for “Gotta Get Away”. I struggled through.
Abruptly Jake yells “thank you, goodnight” an doff they trot for a few minutes breather. I look around at the mesmerized crowd it seems everyone has become a wide eyed, excited teenager again! A few words to friends “well what do you think?” and it confirms that we are all blown away, tonight has been special. Another cheer and they take to the stage again. Jake reminisces about the bad old days when Belfast was by-passed as a top flight music venue, no one wanted to come and visit us. Except Rory Gallagher, we are reminded. Jake pays tribute to the effect Rory had on his formative years and introduces Gerry McAvoy, bass player from the Rory Gallagher Band. He is given a tremendous welcome and we are treated to “The Devil Made Me Do It”. It delights the audience but not as much as it delights a grinning Jake Burns.
Ali speaks a few words in Irish thanking the crowd for coming out and for our continued support and introduces a love song, the venerable “Barbed Wire Love”. A last chance for everyone for a bit of a sing-along and it didn’t go begging. Poor old Ali is chastised, as usual, for his doo-wop dalliance and another “Putting the Fast into Belfast” is been brought to a close.”Same place, same time next year” teases Jake and launches into the explosive “Alternative Ulster”. Yet again I pledge myself to be anti security force, to ignore the bores and their laws and to alter my native land.
That was as close to my first 1978 Stiff Little Fingers gig as I can remember, I felt glad I was able to share this with my son, a real crossing of the generations. I think of those early anarchic gigs and the people we have lost on the way. As I gaze over the crowd leaving the square exhausted, exhilarated and grinning I remember Karen from Australia – I think and band and the fans successfully delivered an alternative to the Ulster she would have heard about. Will she make it back to Belfast next year? I hope so.
Photography by MPM
