COCK SPARRER
The Robin Bilston, Wolverhampton, UK.
Cock Sparrer’s first club tour in almost two years starts in Bilston at the resplendent, independent and beautifully old school The Robin. As the reassuringly familiar classical intro music kicks in the crowd steadily move forward before the long time Sparrer siren opener ‘Riot Squad’ explodes into life. ‘Shock Troops’ album favourite ‘Watch Your Back’ remains a full-on gnarly Street Punk classic as is ‘Working’ and a bear hugging ‘One By One’. The band revel in these intimate, whites of their eyes, live surroundings and ‘Nothing Like You’ plus the pavement splatter glam anthem ‘Running Riot’ whizz by. Tonight the crowd inside includes skinheads, punks, Hells Angels, Rudeboys and casuals once more proving Cock Sparrer’s alternative genre appeal remains utterly solid and united. The anthems flow as ‘Because You’re Young’ and ‘Argy Bargy’ toe punt us into the monumental closer ‘Take ‘Em All’. The band return to embark on a sing-a-long double shot encore of a celebratory ‘England Belongs To Me’ and a stirringly joyous and somewhat poignant ‘We’re Coming Back’. Next year in 2022 Cock Sparrer will celebrate their landmark 50th anniversary and if they continue in this rich vein of form then it will be one hell of a street punk party, as is every night in this legendary band’s company.
Words and pic: Guy Shankland
