The Buzzcocks were back in the Bay Area.
Yet, it was a different kind of Buzzcocks than we’d ever seen before on Thursday night (March 14) at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. It was the first time that the band had played in the Bay Area since lead singer Pete Shelley died at the age of 63 in December 2018.
Shelley was greatly missed throughout the show. His high nasal voice — which stood as one of the most memorable “whines” in punk-rock history — was such a joy to behold over the decades.
So, it’s highly understandable why many fans doubted whether the Buzzcocks would still be worth their time after Shelley’s passing.
But, without a doubt, Diggle has pulled it off.
First off, 2022’s “Sonics in the Soul” — the group’s first studio album without Shelley — is certainly a solid effort. And that Great American Music Hall gig provided plenty of evidence that the Buzzcocks, now firmly under Diggle’s leadership, are still amazing in concert.
Taking the stage at 10:15 p.m., the group kicked off the show with the adrenaline rush known as “What Do I Get?” That first-tier punk classic got the party rolling in high style, as Diggle and company — drummer Danny Farrant, bassist Chris Remington and guitarist/backing vocalist Mani Perazzoli — displayed an intensity and energy level that only seemed to grow greater as the set progressed.
Diggle, who looked like he stepped right out of a Gap ad in his blue sweater with red and white stripes across the chest and his light-colored pants, sounded strong at the microphone. He’s always done some singing in the band, but it was certainly fair to wonder how his voice would hold up during a full show — especially given the demanding and wordy nature of the material. Yet, the 68-year-old Englishman seemed fully in his element as the band rolled through the 16-song main set and lengthy encore.
The show was many built from classic numbers — “I Don’t Mind,” “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays,” “Fast Cars,” etc. — which collectively showed why the Buzzcocks are the greatest pop-punk band of all time. Yet, the group also took some time to showcase the new album, delivering winning versions of “Bad Dreams,” “Manchester Rain” and “Senses Out of Control” in the main set. Overall, the new and old fit together pretty seamlessly in the set list.
Diggle is a guitar hero of the first order, which is a real rarity in a genre that came into being at least partly in reaction against the bloated guitar antics of the top rockers of the ’70s. Yet, Diggle grew up in a golden age of British guitar work, led by David Gilmour, Jimmy Page and others, and he has long incorporated that side into his stage shows, often coming across like the punk-rock Pete Townshend as he windmills and showboats his way through songs.
Simply put, the Buzzcocks will likely always be worth seeing as long as Diggle is on guitar.
The band finished up the main set in almost exactly one hour, leaving the stage after a big, grinding version of the new album’s excellent “Manchester Rain.”
The Buzzcocks then returned with a highly generous encore that lasted some 40 minutes, which, in punk rock years, is basically enough time to play 700 or so songs.
OK, maybe not that many. Yet, the Buzzcocks did find time to unleash the classics “Gotta Get Better,” “Chasing Rainbows” and — their signature songs — “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).”