It was a Monday night in Santa Barbara and the line to the Velvet Jones venue was long and filled with excited music lovers. It was the opening night for The Struts as they began their US headlining tour and Santa Barbara was the first stop. The show had been sold out for a while and we couldn’t wait to see them.
We first caught The Struts live as they opened for Motley Crue in Las Vegas in December. They blew us away, and to be able to see them in a much more intimate venue such as Velvet Jones, was a dream come true. The diverse crowd which included fans of all ages were anxiously awaiting the show. The night kicked off with a great set from alternative rockers, The Shelters. They have such raw energy that grabs your attention and has you instantly hooked. Check out some photos by our Rockin Ryan:
The energy continued on as Bleeker hit the stage. They brought a garage-grunge rock vibe to the crowd, complete with hooky heavy sounds and powerful vocals. This is one band you will be hearing a lot more from.
The packed venue was ready for the headliner, The Struts. The second they took to the stage, the energy level rised once more. The Struts have such a spectacular stage presence that you are immediately in awe of their charisma. They completely ROCKED the Velvet Jones and had everyone on their feet dancing and singing along.
Frontman Luke Spiller has such powerful vocals and stage demeanor that is truly commanding, reminiscent of Freddie Mercury in David Bowie fashion. Adam Slack on guitar is a madman on his guitar, cranking out infectious riffs on his Gibson with endless energy. The cool cat Jed Elliott not only is laying down the bass, but has us also loving his vocals. Gethin Davies on drums brings it all home with precision and fervor. You are drawn to to his energy as he is moving around and dancing when he plays. Together these four deliver a stellar, straight up ROCK SHOW that is hard to rival, definitely one you don’t want to miss.
Check the dates on their website, www.thestruts.com and catch them out on tour. This band is a true testament to the fact that ROCK N ROLL will never die. We look forward to catching them at this year’s BottleRock Napa Festival. Make sure to pick up their new album, Everybody Wants The Struts, which we have had on replay ever since!
~ Marisol
Information & Links:
- Website:Â thestruts.com
- Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/thestruts/
- Twitter:Â https://www.twitter.com/thestruts
- Instagram:Â https://www.instagram.com/thestruts
- Youtube:Â https://www.youtube.com/user/strutsofficial
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