The Struts played their first NYC headline gig this past Friday at Bowery Ballroom. Watching the classic British rock band play the nearly hundred-year old venue felt like being transported back in time. Rocking jet black hair, killer eyeliner, glittery cheeks, and a studded leather jacket, lead singer Luke Spiller captivated the crowd in a way we haven’t seen in a long time.
This didn’t look or sound like a band started only 5 years ago. For one thing, the audience skewed a bit older which had us convinced we were in the wrong place (good looking British boys tend to attract fans of a certain age). Spiller channels every great front man and front woman you’ve heard of. Equal parts Freddie Mercury and Joan Jett, he gyrated and shook his hips as fans in the front row screamed themselves hoarse. The band have even opened for The Rolling Stones in Paris so we’ll spare you the Mick Jagger comparisons.
The Struts’ debut album Everybody Wants has been out in the UK since 2014 but they’re reworking and remastering it for U.S. release via Interscope. That didn’t seem to matter because the audience knew every single song they played. They closed out the show with an amazing red, white, and blue balloon drop. Based on the crowd’s reaction during their first NYC show, it seems we’re ready for a bit of glam rock in our lives.
See our photos of the show below.
The Karma Killers
