The Stranglers, appearing at Ryde Theatre as a warm-up for Guilfest the following day.
MUSICTHE Stranglers return to the Island on July 9.
The band plays Ryde Theatre as a warm-up to Guilfest the next day.
This year the band has already completed a 25-date European tour, and four dates in Australia, following 2008 when the band stormed through the UK Festival circuit.
They performed at T in the Park, V Festival, the Isle of Wight Festival, Hyde Park, Oxygen and Liverpool Pops and completed a 30-date sellout UK tour, culminating in a two-night stand at Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
First forming in 1974, the band’s straight-talking approach gave them the reputation as aggressive and confrontational with their notoriety later embraced by the punk movement of '77.
This led to their debut single Grip and their legendary first album Rattus Norvegicus. That was followed by such hits as Peaches, No More Heroes, 5 Minutes, Duchess, Something Better Change, Always the Sun and their ultimate classic Golden Brown.
To date, the band’s boasts 24 top 40 singles and 18 top 40 albums.
After re-signing to EMI in 2004 their last two albums Norfolk Coast and Suite XVI, have been hailed as their best for 20 years, with hit singles Big Thing Coming and Long Black Veil giving the band the rare accolade of maintaining top 40 hits over four decades.
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk