Cock Sparrer/Stiff Little Fingers

Live in Chicago (2014)

TomTrauma

If you go to see a lot of shows, it's easy to get jaded. Most of the shows are good, but not great. You see bands phone in their performances. You see bands that have become lounge acts, caricatures of their former selves. Some bands seem to enjoy playing live about as much as the rest of us enjoy going to work (not much). Fortunately, once in a while a band will come along and restore your faith in the punk system. You'll see a band that reminds you of why you fell in love with going to shows in the first place. Cock Sparrer did that for me.

The show was at the Concorde Music Hall in Chicago on Sept. 12, 2014. It was a late show and the place was packed. The crowd was a nice variety of ages, there were older skinheads and younger crusty punks. We missed most of the opening band, Victory. They're a modern Oi band from Minnesota, and I enjoyed the five minutes I caught.

Long running Irish punks Stiff Little Fingers had the middle slot. It was sort of an odd combination, proud Englishmen with Irish nationalists, but it turned out to be an inspired pairing. Truthfully, SLF are more than deserving of headliner status. Their first two albums are undisputed punk classics, and made up the majority of the set. They opened and closed their show with "Alternative Ulster" and "Suspect Device," both from their debut Inflammable Material. They also played "Wasted Life" from that LP. They played the title track, "At the Edge," "Doesn't Make it Alright," and "Tin Soldiers" from Nobody's Hero. Jake Burns mentioned Robin Williams, and that he also suffered from depression, while introducing a new song, "My Dark Places" from the brand new album No Going Back. They managed to work in some new stuff without overdoing it. Burns also talked about Joe Strummer before playing his tribute "Strummerville." Burns has an easy, conversational manner, and I would probably pay just to hear him tell stories. While he is the only original member, the line—up has been the same for years. These guys are an amazingly cohesive unit and their part of the show was outstanding.

I have been a Cock Sparrer fan for years, but had pretty much given up on seeing them live, let alone seeing them in a club. The band is based in London England, but has played a handful of American shows this year, mostly festivals. Along with bands like the Cockney Rejects and Sham 69, Cock Sparrer are one of the founding fathers of the Oi and street—punk scenes. They have been around for more than 40 years, in other words, they are no spring chickens.

Cock Sparrer took the stage by storm, clapping their hands to fire up the crowd before launching into "Riot Squad." It was just one of several songs from their 1982 full length Shock Troops. They also played "Where Are They Now," "I Got Your Number," "Working," and "Watch Your Back" from that LP. "Take 'em All," their ode to the music business, got the crowd singing and moving. It was sort of surreal watching a bunch of Midwesterners sing along at the top of their lungs to "England Belongs to Me." Colin McFaull is an animated and jovial frontman, but his thick cockney accent makes it difficult to pick out more than about every other word. The band tore through "Teenage Heart" and "What's It Like to be Old" without a hint of irony. The crowd reached a fever pitch when they played "Runnin' Riot," people trying to mosh among bodies packed in like sardines.

The thing that struck me most about Cock Sparrer's performance, was how much they seemed to be enjoying themselves. A lot of younger bands could learn a thing or two from these geezers. They exuded a joy that was undeniable. It was refreshing and contagious. Maybe they're old enough and wise enough to appreciate the fact that they're still able to play music, and that people still care. These childhood friends still seem to have a fire in their collective belly. Cock Sparrer closed their excellent and satisfying set with "We're Coming Back." Everyone who was fortunate enough to be at the show that night hoped it was true.