Stiff Little Fingers

The Opera House - March 2006
Image by Zach Bayliss
Words by Jo Daley

I get a blue VIP band fastened around my wrist and I feel a bit wrong. I’m here to see Stiff Little Fingers, my soundtrack to drinking cider and throwing stones at swans, yet I get to sip free champagne as the support band play. As Stiff Little Fingers appear on stage, the audience goes up in flames. Their performance is tight and works as well as a lovingly maintained 50s Jaguar. They’ve had years to play these songs and they do so effortlessly. They do, however, look like they were meant to play at a folk festival. It looks like they give it all they’ve got yet it’s not a memorable performance. Even the lengthy encore lacks lustre. I’m neither disappointed nor overwhelmed by the Stiff Little Fingers but they do leave me with a strange feeling of disillusionment.