stiff little fingers

Surfing on the back of rave reviews for their last run of Australian shows, Stiff Little Fingers are back in February 2018. 

Formed in 1977 in Belfast, Ireland, SLF were at the forefront of the Punk movement. The tour marks their 40th anniversary (better late than never.) 

SLF’s signature style combines the energy of punk, infectious hooks, and lyrics that meld the personal and political, with a delivery that rings of honesty and commitment. It’s longest-serving vocalist Jake Burns' integrity and style that has meant that all these years later Stiff Little Fingers are still as in demand as ever.

Monday 19th February – Perth – The Rosemount
Tuesday 20th February – Adelaide – The Gov
Thursday 22nd February – Brisbane– The Triffid
Friday 23rd February – Sydney – Metro Theatre
Saturday 24th February – Melbourne – Croxton Bandroom
Tickets on sale here

During these past few weeks there has been a stream of classic 1977 UK punks band bands floating through, or announced to play in, Sin City, aka Sydney.  Names like Buzzcocks and The Stranglers have been something of a call-to-arms. And now a band that has less of a profile locally, Stiff Little Fingers, is playing.

Stiff Little Fingers emerged out of Belfast in 1977 as a bunch of teenagers playing in a punk band in a city with its soul ripped apart. It was a hard place but one that still had heart. Anyone who looks at news footage at the time knows Belfast was a warzone.

I remember a great uncle telling me first-hand stories of how brutal the city really was. Daily body searches by the English soldiers, ruthless gangs that murdered you for your religion and children that were bashed within an inch of their lives after school for walking down the wrong street.  Entrenched generational anger and hatred ran deep on both sides.

Influential first wave punk Stiff Little Fingers have announced Australian tour dates.

Formed in 1977 in Belfast, Ireland, Stiff Little Fingers were at the forefront of the punk movement with the likes of TheClash, the Sex Pistols,The Jam, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Sham69 and theStranglers.

They wrote initially about their own lives growing up at the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. In November of '77, they released"Suspect Device"and"Wasted Life"on their own Rigid Digits label, and sent a copy to BBC Radio One DJJohn Peel - who started playing it every night.

These were the first of what became SLF's signature style: lyrics that meld the personal and political, music that combines the energy of punk with infectious hooks, and delivery that rings of honesty and commitment.