Into Live Music Review: Lust For Life

It was at the start of the encore, one of David Bowie’s lesser know tracks in Stay that was rocking and reverberating around the glorious setting that is Saint Luke’s that the stars collided. An electric frisson seemed to course through the crowd, Clem Burke’s drums booming, Glen Matlock’s bass thumping, the twin guitars of Luis Correia and Kevin Armstrong sending sonic waves round the room, Katie Puckrik’s measured vocal and the acidic keyboards of Florence Sabeva topping it all off. Undoubtedly the highlight of the night but, by God, there were so many to choose from. 

An earlyish start with the band on stage at 8.30pm prompt, a group of musicians in their own right that have played with some of the best ever bands/artists (Sex Pistols, Blondie, Bowie, Sparks etc). Lust For Life were here to play and pay homage to Iggy Pop’s magnum opus of the same name, released in 1977. That record, recorded in the famous Hansa Studios in Berlin and co-written with David Bowie remains one of the foremost and influential albums ever made. 

Of course, the track Lust For Life kicked things off and it was better than I could hope for, the lengthy intro allowed the band to flex their muscles, kick out the jams and set the pace for the next ninety minutes or so. Katie Puckrik on vocals had the unenviable task of singing Iggy’s tracks but she more than stepped up to the task, her voice versatile and her stage presence immense. 

Of course, Saturday night in Glasgow is always a good night out and the sold out crowd more than played their part in proceedings, raucously roaring on and cheering the band in between songs, no more so than after The Passenger which rocked and rolled in equal measure. 

Another highlight and perhaps where Puckrik really came into her own was on the album closer, Fall In Love With Me, recounting tales of West Berlin, ably supplemented by Armstrong’s guitar buzz and Sabeva’s keys.  

Album done, we were then treated to a run of other Iggy tracks and a selection of songs from the band members own back catalogue. Nightclubbing was naturally sleazy, dark, sweaty and uncomfortably right, many in the audience making shapes under cover of the night. 

Coming up for breath, Armstrong sang Bowie’s Absolute Beginners which he helped arrange musically at Abbey Road Studios and Matlock led the crowd through a punk perfect Pretty Vacant (the 7″ of which has Iggy’s No Fun on the b-side). Burke’s drumming on Hanging On The Telephone threatened to take the hinges off the roof, a master at work and a privilege to watch one of the finest drummers out there at his craft. 

A final nod back to Iggy and the Stooges see the band finish with a blistering Search And Destroy. Short, sharp and simply sensational. 

Lust For Life, well, the word Down On The Street, Tonight is we had a Funtime and no one said I’m Bored, an unqualified Success. Seriously, if you get the chance to see them, go do it. 

To keep up to date with Lust For Life, head to their website here.