On St. Patrick’s Day, a huge crowd packed into the Barrowlands to see Stiff Little Fingers, proving that their music still means just as much to fans today. With Ricky Warwick kicking things off, the energy in the room built up fast, and by the time SLF hit the stage, the place was bouncing. The crowd erupted, singing along to every word, completely locked into the moment. After all these years, the band’s fire hasn’t faded, and neither has the ion of their fans, it was a great sight to see.
Ricky Warwick and The Fighting Hearts took to the stage to a warm Glasgow welcome. The crowd recognized him instantly, cheering and showing their love. From the first few notes, I could hear a strong Thin Lizzy influence in the music, classic, driving riffs and melodies that felt right at home in a city that loves its rock and roll. No theatrics, no nonsense, just raw, honest rock and roll, and the crowd was eating it up.
At first, the venue was pretty empty, with most people still downstairs at the merch stand. But as soon as the band kicked off, the room quickly filled up, proving just how much people wanted to see Warwick in action. “Alright Glasgow, how we doing? Happy St. Paddy’s Day! I’m so honoured to be playing here for you tonight,” Ricky called out before launching into The Crickets Stayed In Clovis.
Now, I’ll be honest, I know who Ricky Warwick is, where he comes from, and what he does, but I’ve never actually sat down and listened to his music properly. That didn’t matter, though. The songs were solid, and he put on a killer show. The crowd was loving every second of it and so was i.
Partway through the set, Ricky shared a bit of his heritage, “I am originally from just outside Belfast in Northern Ireland. My dad is Irish, and I’m Scottish on my mum’s side.”
That little connection clearly resonated with the Glasgow audience, and you could feel the warmth in the room.
Before the final song, Ricky took a moment to thank everyone and introduce his band:
- Ben Christo (The Sisters of Mercy) on guitar
- Richard Vernon ( The Mission ) on bass
- Jack Taylor (Tax the Heat) on drums
It was a brilliant, no-frills rock and roll performance that did exactly what it needed to get the crowd fired up for what was to come next.
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As the anticipation built for Stiff Little Fingers’ performance, the venue resonated with classic James Bond theme songs, a unique choice that intrigued and delighted the crowd. The iconic 007 theme concluded, seamlessly transitioning into the band’s intro, instantly prompting the audience to clap and sing along. It was clear, this crowd knew exactly what they were here for.
One by one, the band took the stage, greeted by enthusiastic shouts of “Fingers!” from the audience. Frontman Jake Burns stepped up to the mic, his familiar voice ringing out, “Good evening, Glasgow! Are you alright? We are Stiff Little Fingers.” From that moment, every person in the crowd sang along to every word, creating a powerful, unified chorus.
Having never seen SLF live before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But their performance was nearly record-perfect, radiating incredible energy. Despite the older demographic, everyone gave their all, revelling in the moment.
Jake addressed the audience with warmth, “Good evening, it’s always great to be back here. We have a bunch of new stuff we want to play tonight we haven’t played on stage before this tour… they’re not actually that new, we just haven’t played them before, so if we fuck this up, you’ll understand why.”
Introducing the next song, Jake shared,”This next song is where we got the title for the tour from. He was a massive influence on us and a lot of you, I bet, as well. This song is for the late, great Joe Strummer.”
They then launched into Strummerville, a heartfelt tribute to the Clash frontman. The lyrics, ‘Goodbye inspiration, voice of a generation,’ resonated deeply with the audience. The entire front of the stage was a sea of old-school punks, jumping around and loving life. Taking a poignant turn, Jake made a heartfelt speech about men’s mental health, urging, “If you are a man and you feel depressed, fucking talk to someone.”
They then played My Dark Places a song that delves into personal struggles with depression, striking a chord with many in the audience.
The night was a testament to Stiff Little Fingers’ enduring legacy, a band that continues to inspire, challenge, and unite their fans through the power of punk rock.
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