The Buzzcocks, The Shelter, Detroit, July 14, 2006

When a band has been going as long as the Buzzcocks, they end up with a wide fan base. I wasn't sure what to expect from the crowd at a Buzzcocks show, but the crowd was as varied as could be. Older couples in khakis mixed with leather jacket-clad punks, and there was even a guy who looked like he was from Dexy's Midnight Runners, overalls and all (so apparently that was Eileen he was dancing with). It was a really cool crowd to see in one place for the same reason.

The Strays started the night out. They have a great old school British Punk sound, with just a hint of grungy guitars, like they passed through Seattle for a few days and picked a bit of its remains. Aside from that, as they began their set I was noticing that they sounded a bit like the Clash. The longer their set went on, the more they sounded like the Clash, as if they were channeling them. Then they covered "Spanish Bombs", dedicating it to Joe Strummer, and it was amazingly dead on. The crowd was really into them by that point. When their album comes out in September, it's definitely going to be one worth picking up.

Following the Strays were the Adored. They were a pretty decent band with an old school Clash-meets-Buzzcocks sound. They had a few things going against them. For one, they were an American band playing British-style punk, and when they were sandwiched between two really good punk bands who were actually British, it paled. Also, at times they sounded too much like the Buzzcocks to be opening for them.

They were very tight, though, and the singer has great stage presence. They also played one "Whoa-ohh!"-chorus that could have easily been a Misfits cover.

The Buzzcocks took the stage with a simple "Allo" and opened with the title track from flat-pack philosophy. The set was a bit laden with tracks from their latest album like "Wish I Never Loved You" and "Big Brother Wheels", but their latest album is still their typical sound, so it was fine.

The Buzzcocks definitely look older than they did when they first started. That's not a dig; they've been together for 30 years, so it's to be expected. What really blew me away was that they sound just like they always have; their voices haven't aged a bit.

The pit was purely old school; everyone was simply having fun and picking up people as they fell. It was high energy but not violent. Everyone was simply dancing and slamming, but not throwing punches or trying to hurt one another like you see at many shows nowadays with no pit etiquette.

The Buzzcocks gave everyone what they wanted to hear in their encore, which included some of their biggest songs, including "Orgasm Addict" and "Ever Fallen In Love". It was great to hear, but I have to admit that it's a bit... unsettling... to see Pete Shelley as he looks today sing about something so explicitly sexual.

They sound as great as they ever have, and have just as much energy. I look forward to catching them on their next few tours, and I'm also looking forward to hearing more from the Strays.