WORDS AND IMAGES DESH KAPUR
It was an unusual gig tonight at The Albert Hall, Manchester for two reasons. Firstly, it was a co-headline tour with The Struts and Barns Courtney sharing the headline slot on alternate nights. Tonight, it was the latter. Secondly, a night of glam rock in Manchester—a city not particularly known for its glam rock scene. However, the glam rock community came out in force for this one. While The Albert Hall wasn’t completely full, it was nearly there, as all the die-hard fans were present.
First on the iconic Albert Hall stage were The Struts, bringing their glam-inspired rock and roll.
Hailing from Derby, UK, but looking like they stepped right out of the halcyon days of the 1970s with a touch of early 80s Mötley Crüe, Aerosmith, and Twisted Sister sprinkled in for good measure. The Struts are Luke Spiller on lead vocals & piano, Adam Slack on guitar & vocals, Jed Elliott on bass & vocals, and Gethin Davies on drums.
As the band kicked into the first rock anthem of the night, the crowd erupted. Boom! And we were off.
Luke Spiller is a frontman in the truest sense of the word. Yes, he has strong shades of Freddie Mercury, but he carries enough of his own persona to avoid becoming a mere imitation. He covers every inch of the stage with the strut and swagger of a man who’s clearly having the time of his life—and he really is!
The Struts have worked hard to get ahead in the music world. They’ve been picked up by record labels, dropped by record labels, but they’ve never stopped doing their thing, and now they’re starting to reap the rewards of their hard work.
Tonight had everything: massive stadium anthems, audience sing-alongs, power ballads, but most importantly, well-written and incredibly catchy songs. Add in a brilliantly tight band and a frontman like Luke Spiller, and it’s clear everyone in the venue is having the time of their lives.
The Struts play with passion and a deep love for good, old-fashioned stadium rock. They don’t take a step back or apologize for that. They wear their influences proudly on their sleeves and don’t shy away from it—and I hope they never do.
The Struts are a band the music world desperately needs in an era where many bands are “too cool for school”—often introverted, clever, but, in some cases, bland. The Struts are truly refreshing.
These Derby lads, as I mentioned earlier, are making waves in the States. Remember Def Leppard? You can see that they’re ready for much bigger stages than the one here at The Albert Hall. The way they work the stage, covering every inch of it, the way they grab the audience from the start and hold them in the palm of their hands—but most importantly, the way they make their fans feel special, like old friends, fully paid-up members of The Struts’ glam gang. Nice!
NO SET LIST AVAILABLE
The second half of the night was owned by Barns Courtney, a name I wasn’t too familiar with before, but I certainly won’t forget now. Bounding onto the stage with youthful exuberance, dressed in tight pants and eye makeup, Barns Courtney commanded attention from the very start.
The UK-born singer/songwriter was a perfect complement to The Struts, brimming with confidence and blessed with an incredible voice. His music is punchy, raucous, and full of life, with a clear message: rock will never die. And tonight, he was preaching to a congregation that was ready to believe.
As soon as he took the stage, it came to life in an explosion of action. Courtney covered every inch of it, spitting out lyrics and goading the audience into full participation. He locked eyes with everyone he could, swinging the microphone with a wild energy that recalled The Who in their prime.
When he strapped on a guitar for certain tracks, the room buzzed with a gritty, blues-infused rock sound. His songs, full of fantastic grooves, pumping drums, and wailing guitars, were tied together with big, bold choruses that the crowd couldn’t resist. His performance was equal parts raw energy and soulful intensity, as he seamlessly blended rock, blues, and pop into a sound that felt both familiar and refreshingly unique.
One standout moment came when Courtney raised a bottle of Merlot in a languid toast to the crowd, which immediately erupted into a high-pitched scream of recognition. That moment encapsulated his charisma—relaxed but electric, rebellious yet utterly engaging.
He crooned and growled his way through the set, delivering a gritty performance that left the audience buzzing. His relentless energy kept the room alive from start to finish, and by the end of the night, it was clear: Barns Courtney isn’t just playing rock and roll, he’s living it.
SET LIST UNAVAILABLE AT THIS TIME
FOLLOW BARNS COURTNEY
FOLLOW THE STRUTS
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
