Words and Photos by Steve Watson
Ricky noticeably all dressed in black leather Ricky and band; Guitar, Ben – Christo ex Sisters of Mercy, Bass – Richard Vernon ex The Mission, Drums – Jack Taylor ex Tax The Heat. With Ricky himself ex SLF, Thin Lizzy, The Almighty, The Black Star Riders.
Here he was supporting SLF tonight but promoting his new album Blood Ties. Rise and Grind and Crocodile Tears were played from it but the biggest cheer came when the bass intro of Born To Lose by Johnny Thunders started. Also of note was the track The Arms Of Belfast.
Before the main course we had a Shirley Bassey singing the James bond themes bellowing out over the speakers. Then Stiff Little Fingers. They come on to Go For It and go straight into Roots, Radicals, Rockers and Reggae, Next up was At The Edge. And single and album tracks and fan favourites like Wasted Life, Straw Dogs. A new song with the title stolen from Johnny Mathis Mary’s Boy Child about Donald Trump. My personal fave was My Dark Place all about Jakes struggle with depression.
More classics follow just Fade Away, Harp, Nobody’s Hero, Suspect Device, Gotta Getaway. Being live always has it’s problems and Ali never plugged his bass in and Jake quotes 40 years man and boy and he forgets to plug in his guitar. And onto to the encore, Barbed Wire Love and everybody’s favourite SLF single Alternative Ulster ended a really enjoyable gig.
Links:
Stiff Little Fingers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StiffLittleFingers
Web: https://www.slf.rocks
Ricky Warwick and the Fighting Hearts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefightinghearts
Web: https://www.rickywarwick.com