The Struts perform at the Kentucky Derby Festival in Louisville, kicking off the next wave of dates on their Young and Dangerous Tour.
In the days and even hours before The Struts are due to hit the stage for a free concert at Louisville’s Waterfront Park, predictions of severe thunderstorms threaten to put a damper on things, but that doesn’t stop people from coming out in droves to see a band that never seems to disappoint. As things turn out, the storms bypass the festivities and what could have been a soggy night for everyone is instead a perfect night for a concert with a breeze coming in from the Ohio River to help cool the crowd from the heat being generated from the stage.
The Struts are truly in their element during their live shows. Since the release of their latest album, Young and Dangerous, they have toured virtually nonstop in both the United States and abroad. Tonight’s Derby Festa’ville is the first night of the current leg of their tour and they certainly hit the ground running with songs such as “Body Talks,” “In Love with A Camera” and “Freak Like Me” from the most recent album, as well as “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Put Your Money on Me” and the fan favorite “Kiss This” from the 2016 release of Everybody Wants.
The pace of their set is fast and furious as The Struts blaze through one song after another, barely giving the audience a chance to catch there breath before being called on again to participate in this fully fan interactive performance. Frontman Luke Spiller is dripping sweat before the first song, “Primadonna”, is over. He is in perpetual motion for the duration of the show, alternating from behind the microphone stand to the piano, darting from one side of the stage to the next, giving the crowd direction to sing or clap or jump. Jazzercise, take note: this is a full aerobic workout for both the band and the willing participants in the audience. Everyone present can skip the gym tomorrow without one bit of guilt.
After completing their main set with “Where Did She Go”, The Struts return to the stage with the debut of their first full band performance of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” giving a masterful rendition that stays true to the original yet seems like it was written for them. It is the perfect vehicle them and they take full advantage of this opportunity to shine, making this one of the standout moments of the night. Finishing the night with “Could Have Been Me,” a song that stresses living life to the fullest and without regrets, seems a fitting way to draw this electric performance to a close. Band and audience alike are all drenched with sweat instead of rain after an outstanding performance from The Struts, a band with a bright future and definitely one to watch.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based alternative rockers Mo Lowda & the Humble opened the evening with a strong set of original songs from their newest album Creatures
The Struts
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Mo Lowda & The Humble
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The Kentucky Derby Festival
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