Ruts DC at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea: 'A band with plenty of life left in it' | Review

They released a trilogy of some of the most classic singles from that period of rock’n’roll history.

Championed by Radio 1’s John Peel, the band looked all set to be one of the most vital bands of the era, sadly it was all cut short when lead singer Malcolm Owen died of a heroin overdose in 1980.

The band carried on as Ruts DC until 1983, reforming in 2007 for a benefit concert for original guitarist Paul Fox who had been diagnosed with cancer.

Tonight at The Wedge, following a rousing set from fellow punk-rock troubadour TV Smith (of Gary Gilmores's Eyes fame) the band take to the stage. Dressed in a sharp black suit, black hat and the ubiquitous black shades , bass player 'Seggs' cuts an imposing figure. Along with drummer Dave Ruffy they are still one of the finest rhythm sections around. Guitarist Leigh Heggarty is equally dapper in his polka-dot shirt and trilby.

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Opening with Faces in the Sky from new album Counterculture demonstrates a band not resting on their laurels – it’s a tight taught sound with Seggs and Ruffy settling into a tight groove which would be ever-present throughout the set. The first of many Ruts classics SUS is quickly followed by It was Cold from their 1979 album The Crack.

Despite Ruts DC clearly being a political band and one of the early supporters of the Rock against Racism movement, Seggs is at pains to tell the crowd he won’t bang on about it too much, he’s clearly as tired as the rest of us, waiting for the present incumbents to move on.

There is a touching moment during Something I Said where the band slot in a few bars of The Smiths’ How Soon I s Now in tribute to bassist Andy Rourke whose death was announced earlier that day.

In a Rut and Babylon’s Burning finished the set still sounding as fresh and vital as the day they were released back in 1979.

A feisty encore of the rabble rousing terrace anthem Staring At The Rude Boys concludes the evening, showing a band with plenty of life left in it.