OPINION:
Summertime in the United States has traditionally been a time when Americans relax and recharge. Major movie releases have long dotted the summer theater landscape and live concert music-filled venues from coast to coast. COVID-19, however, interrupted that long-established routine and for the better part of three years, those entertainment staples, along with their fans, suffered.
In 2023 however, the world of entertainment appears to be returning to normalcy. Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible and Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, with more blockbusters on the horizon. In the world of music, a variety of tours have been selling out, ranging from the pop of Taylor Swift to the farewell tours of classic rock legends.
Perhaps the best concert experience out there this summer, however, may be British rockers, The Struts. Playing together for more than a decade, they continue to release infectious sing-along anthems at an unprecedented rate. Their live show is full of energy and arguably has more give-and-take interaction with their audience than any other live act out there today.
The Struts’ arc of success has been a fascinating one. Before their first album had even been released, they were asked to be the opening act for The Rolling Stones. In the ensuing years, they toured with a number of legendary rockers, including Foo Fighters. When the time came for them to headline their own tour, they relished the opportunity.
Lead singer Luke Spiller explains, “In 2019, playing from the second record, we thought we were on the cusp of sort of like, growing and I think the pandemic really shook everything up. It took a lot of groups out of business. We were really lucky to sort of like, stay engaged, release a record through the whole Covid period.”
“So a lot of this year has been, in some way, like clawing our way back to where we were,” Mr. Spiller continued. “And we’ve done that without any sort of real big release of a new record or anything.”
The Struts have not merely been selling out show after show, however. They have been working on a new record with expectations of taking the band and its fan base to a whole new level. Mr. Spiller says that while it’s a traditional Struts record all the way, the band continues to grow. “There’s a lot of different sides to the band that people haven’t heard yet. So it’s going to be great.”
Bass player Jed Elliot shares more detail, “Sonically, the process was totally different as well. The whole record was recorded in the same studio, the old-fashioned way, that we actually hadn’t done on previous records. Then the writing process was totally different. Fans will hear that like it’s closer to what we’re known for live. I am most proud of it, and I think fans will be when they hear it.”
That the band would tap into their live sound for the new album shouldn’t surprise anyone. They are generally regarded among the industry’s best concert experiences. Musically they are ridiculously talented and as showmen, second to none. While their “strutting” is certainly unique, traces of the influence of many classic rock acts are evident. The band reflected on the impending retirement from touring of several rock legends like Elton John and KISS.
Drummer Geth Davies sees it somewhat comically. “I can’t imagine being in my 70s and 80s doing what we do. It isn’t, you know… even tonight like with a bit of a hangover I thought I was gonna die. So arthritis, on top of that, and then a heart condition and it could be ‘goodbye Geth.’ It’s farewell Geth.”
For now, however, still young and dangerous, The Struts have constructed a well-laid plan to take over the world of rock ’n roll. November brings the new eleven-song record along with a relentless touring schedule until the holidays. They expect the new album to yield multiple singles and that in the new year, they will be touring on the strength of the record at ever-larger venues.
Luke sums it all up with the high expectations the band has set for itself. “In terms of the plan, it’s really been the same since day one. We just want to get bigger and bigger and bigger and be the biggest and the best.
The band concludes each show with five short words to their audience that serve as good advice to music fans everywhere. “Remember the name. The Struts!”
• Tim Constantine is a columnist with The Washington Times.
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