The Struts
Bottom Lounge // Chicago, IL // October 30, 2017
The glam rockers dress as the Gallagher brothers for one night only.
Halloween is the one holiday where everyone can dress however they want. Whether you want to be a superhero, or a terrifying monster, or some weird amalgamation of a trending meme, Halloween is the time to be anything but yourself. The night before Halloween, UK rockers The Struts played a sold-out show at Bottom Lounge for 101WKQX‘s Halloween Bash, and they had a big surprise for everyone. The Struts opened the night as The Gin and Tonics, aka as Oasis, but as a cover band. Luke Strut, the band’s vocalist and frontman, normally channels Freddie Mercury and other glam rockers onstage. But, as Liam Gallagher, he wore a long cargo jacket and Lennon-style sunglasses and spoke in a perfect Manchester accent. The Gin and Tonics played some of Oasis’ biggest hits, including “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Wonderwall”. The Struts acted just like the iconic 90s Britpop band; Liam took the spotlight and got into fights with the band members on stage, guitarist Adam Slack played Noel Gallagher and modestly stood to the site in a woolen jumper, and the crowd seemed just as excited as if the real Gallagher brothers were in front of them.
The Struts truly have some of the best fans I’ve seen at a rock show lately. Mostly comprised of English and American women in their 30s and 40s, these die-hard fans were elated to see their favorite band twice in one night. Several fans told photographers that they follow The Struts around when they can, whether they’re touring in the US or the UK. Although the concert was on a Tuesday night, these women were ready to party. When the band came out as themselves and started playing hits from their album Everybody Wants, the Bottom Lounge was transformed into an arena. Their 2017 single “One Night Only” feels like a stadium anthem, even when played in front of 700 people. “Don’t post any of these photos to social media,” Luke Strut teased us in the photo pit, “I don’t have my makeup on!” The Struts played “Rebel Rebel” for their final song before the encore and put in an enormous amount of energy into it. I’ve never seen a band open for themselves as a cover band, but it was such a great Halloween treat.
The Struts are currently opening for the Foo Fighters and will be playing in South Dakota and Kansas over the weekend. Get tickets here.
