Gig review: Joe Strummer tribute night

Published on Wednesday 23 December 2009 18:59

JOE STRUMMER TRIBUTE NIGHT *** KING TUT'S, GLASGOW

ON THE night of the seventh anniversary of Clash frontman Joe Strummer's death, Tut's found itself invaded by pilgrims paying tribute. That those who had braved the snow and ice to fill the gig were predominantly males over the age of 40 says much for the Clash's core audience. Still, it was great to hear his songs played with care and passion, and to note that their political edge is still worth paying attention to today.

Amid the conveyor belt of punk groups and tribute acts which filled up the bill, few were lucky to see more than ten minutes' stage time. So, using the old punk maxim that no more than three chords and three minutes are needed for a song, that meant everyone managed at least a trio of tracks. Most of the groups involved, among them Esperanza, The Zips, Dead City Riots and Combat Rock, were hard to separate from the crowd, giving off the air of teachers, working men and jobbing musicians united by their Strummer admiration.

Each group was good fun, although some were more polished. The de facto stars of the evening, however, were headliners the Counterfeit Clash, who had a whole 25 minutes to showcase their gruff take on the punk icon's best tracks, among them English Civil War and Tommy Gun. These were some of the most rowdily well-received moments of the night, along with a version of White Man in Hammersmith Palais courtesy of an earlier act. But even less boisterous tracks (the Chomsky Allstars' Know Your Rights and 1977, for example) were met with diligent respect from the most beery of revellers.