Two of the finest British bands to come out of the late 1970s rolled back the years on a celebratory night at Brighton Dome, that showed just why these were two of the most-loved and respected bands of their time. The years have treated them well, and we were treated to one of the most explosive and ear-splitting shows that I've been to in Brighton recently.

Ambling onto the stage and asking for everyone to "come on out of the bar!", the three members of The Ruts looked so unassuming that you would never have known at first glance that this was one of the seminal punk bands of the original scene, and huge influences on so many bands over the years. Mixing new and old songs throughout, with choruses like "we are not your property" or "never surrender", they still showed the rebellious spirit that made them huge favourites of John Peel. Their sound was mammoth throughout, and finishing with ferocious versions of 'In A Rut' and 'Babylon's Burning' made me want to re-visit and explore these classics. 

Our headliners, The Stranglers, came onto the stage and burst straight into the title track from 1979's The Raven. While birthday boy Dave Greenfield (keys) and Jim MacAulay (drums) remained largely hidden behind their kit,  the frontmen of JJ Burnel and Baz Warne prowled the main stage. Easing into their back catalogue gently, all the crowd interaction took place within the songs themselves as the two playfully worked the audience into a mild frenzy. As they launched into a run of big hits starting with 'Nice ‘n’ Sleazy', Greenfield's distinctive keyboard sound swirled around Burne's bass, which was just as down and dirty as the song title suggested.

As a supremely mellow version of 'Always The Sun' wafted around the Dome, arms were up in the air – summing up the mood of the evening, I was hugged by a total stranger who told me that he had been "waiting 40 years to see these" before dashing off into the crowd. It was a blissful moment, topped by a beautiful light show during 'Golden Brown' as the venue was bathed in (of course) golden tones. Warne was clearly loving the evening, stopping to have a beer after being lightheartedly told to get on with it by a crowd member. Though he may be forever thought of as a newcomer to the band, it's easy to forget that he has actually now been with them for longer than original frontman Hugh Cornwell.

The Stranglers always straddled musical genres during their heyday, and this continued as they flitted between new wave and their early post-punk style. MacAulay, the touring drummer, and Greenfield were the unsung heroes throughout, with their beat and synths underpinning Burnel's classic bass sound and turning it into a deafening crescendo, showing that they were still capable of generating a mosh pit, during 'Peaches' in particular.

Finishing their set magnificently with 'Down In The Sewer', Warne and Burnel swaggered across the stage in perfect synchronisation with matching grins. Clearly having a great time together, laughing at missed cues or maintaining eye contact throughout the show. These tours are always about rolling back the years and having a good time, and a short but vibrant encore, which wrapped up with 'No More Heroes', ensured both crowd and band would disappear into the night having done just that.
Jamie MacMillan