Buzzcocks in NYC

Way back in 1977 me and my buddies Dan, George and Matt used to collect, listen to and discuss all the latest British Punk Rock singles as each one came out. Looming large (of course) were the Buzzcocks, first of all the Limey punks to release anything (early 1976!).

So 30+ years later me and my buddies ventured into Irving Plaza to hear if the Buzzcocks still had that punk spark. how did they stack up? Actually pretty damn good! They played their first two albums IN THEIR ENTIRETY and did a good job of getting the sold out crowds attention and keeping it from beginning to end. Below is a review of the show that has a suprise!

Buzzcocks Refuse to Stop Show During NYC Bomb Scare
5/14/2010 By Greg Pratt

Sure, Buzzcocks may be a bunch of old men, but they still have that punk rock attitude, no doubt about it. They still love to tour and as a recent incident in New York City proves, they still don’t give a toss about personal safety when they’re rocking out, which is a vital component of any punk show, isn’t it?

The band were playing a sold-out show at New York City’s Irving Plaza on Thursday (May 13) when there was a bomb threat outside the venue. During their set, police evacuated other buildings around the venue and blocked off some roads after a car was found outside with two gas cans in its back seat.

At around 11:30 p.m., the police interrupted the band’s performance and told vocalist/guitarist Pete Shelley to ask the crowd if anyone owned the vehicle. The band’s other guitarist/vocalist, Steve Diggle, said to the cops, “Tell them to fuck off,” reports Spin. “Isn’t there a robbery going on around the corner?” Then, in true punk fashion, the band continued the song they had stopped (“E.S.P.”) and finished their set.

Maybe they didn’t realize the seriousness of the situation or that the venue was on lockdown and no one was allowed to leave, as perhaps they couldn’t see the message the venue had posted on the television monitors, points out Spinner. But we like to think they knew and didn’t care. After all, if everyone’s stuck in there and potentially about to get blown up, why not keep playing?

In the end, it turned out the owner of the car — a blue 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass — was at the show. As for the gas cans, dude is no terrorist; he mows lawns for a living.

Buzzcocks’ last album was 2006’s Flat-Pack Philosophy; they also recently reissued three of their classic albums.

The band are currently on tour playing their first two albums, Another Music in a Different Kitchen and Love Bites, both originally released in 1978 (and two of the aforementioned albums that got reissued), in their entirety.