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Rock

Buzzcocks Tickets

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About

Formed in Manchester, England, in 1975, the Buzzcocks were one of the most influential bands to emerge in the initial wave of punk rock. Performing on the ANOTHER...BITES tour, the band will be performing their first two albums - Another Music In A Different Kitchen and Love Bites - in their entirety + other hits. With their crisp melodies, driving guitars, and guitarist Pete Shelley's biting lyrics, the Buzzcocks were one of the best, most influential punk bands. The Buzzcocks were inspired by the Sex Pistols' energy, yet they didn't copy the Pistols' angry political stance. Instead, they brought that intense, brilliant energy to the three-minute pop song. Shelley's alternately funny and anguished lyrics about adolescence and love were some of the best and smartest of his era; similarly, the Buzzcocks' melodies and hooks were concise and memorable. Over the years, their powerful punk-pop has proven enormously influential, with echoes of their music being apparent in everyone from Hüsker Dü to Nirvana.
The Buzzcocks certainly tested the limits of that artistic control with their debut single, "Orgasm Addict." Released in October of 1977, the single didn't become a hit because its subject matter was too explicit for BBC radio, but it generated good word of mouth. Following its release, Garth Smith was kicked out of the group and was replaced by Steve Garvey. The Buzzcocks' second single, "What Do I Get?," became their first charting single, scraping the bottom of the Top 40. In March, the band released its first album, Another Music in a Different Kitchen. In September of 1978 the Buzzcocks released their second full-length record, Love Bites. The rapid pace of the band's recording and performing schedules quickly had its effects on the group. Not only were the concerts and recordings wearing the band down, the members were consuming alcohol and drugs in high numbers.  The Buzzcocks broke up in 1981. Immediately after the split, Shelley pursued a solo career that initially produced the hit single "Homosapien" but soon went dry. Steve Diggle formed Flag of Convenience with John Maher, who quit the band shortly after its formation. Steve Garvey moved to New York, where he played with Motivation for a few years. In 1989, the group re-formed and toured the United States. The following year, Maher left the band and former Smiths drummer Mike Joyce joined the band on tour. By 1990, the reunion had become permanent; after Joyce's brief tenure with the band, the final lineup of the reunited Buzzcocks featured Shelley, Diggle, bassist Tony Barber, and drummer Phil Barker. The new version of the band released its first album, Trade Test Transmissions, in 1993. After its release, the band toured frequently. In spring of 1996, the Buzzcocks released their fifth studio album, All Set. Modern followed three years later, and a self-titled record for Merge appeared in 2003. Flat-Pack Philosophy arrived in 2006 on the Cooking Vinyl label. An anniversary set simply called 30 was released in 2008 on Cooking Vinyl.

Setlists

    1. 1.What Do I Get?
    2. 2.I Don't Mind
    3. 3.Promises
    4. 4.Senses Out of Control
    5. 5.Sick City Sometimes
    6. 6.Why Can't I Touch It?
    7. 7.Love You More
    8. 8.Destination Zero
    9. 9.Manchester Rain
    10. 10.Orgasm Addict
    11. 11.Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
    12. 12.Harmony in My Head
    1. 1.What Do I Get?
    2. 2.I Don't Mind
    3. 3.Promises
    4. 4.Senses Out of Control
    5. 5.Sick City Sometimes
    6. 6.Why Can't I Touch It?
    7. 7.Destination Zero
    8. 8.Manchester Rain
    9. 9.Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
    10. 10.Harmony in My Head
    1. 1.Promises
    2. 2.Harmony in My Head
    3. 3.I Don't Mind
    4. 4.Everybody's Happy Nowadays
    5. 5.Senses Out of Control
    6. 6.Fast Cars
    7. 7.Sick City Sometimes
    8. 8.Isolation
    9. 9.Autonomy
    10. 10.Bad Dreams
    11. 11.Why Can't I Touch It?
    12. 12.Destination Zero
    13. 13.Love You More
    14. 14.Orgasm Addict
    15. 15.Manchester Rain
  1. Encore

    1. 16.Love Is Lies
    2. 17.What Do I Get?
    3. 18.Why She's a Girl From the Chainstore
    4. 19.Just Got to Let It Go
    5. 20.Boredom
    6. 21.Chasing Rainbows
    7. 22.Time's Up
    8. 23.Harmony in My Head
    9. 24.Nothingless World
    10. 25.Third Dimension
    11. 26.Oh Shit!
    12. 27.Running Free
    13. 28.Sitting Round at Home
    14. 29.Gotta Get Better
    15. 30.Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
    1. -
    2. 1.What Do I Get?
    3. 2.I Don't Mind
    4. 3.Promises
    5. 4.Senses Out of Control
    6. 5.Sick City Sometimes
    7. 6.Why Can't I Touch It?
    8. 7.Destination Zero
    9. 8.Manchester Rain
    10. 9.Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
    11. 10.Harmony in My Head
    1. 1.What Do I Get?
    2. 2.Promises
    3. 3.Harmony in My Head
    4. 4.I Don't Mind
    5. 5.Everybody's Happy Nowadays
    6. 6.Senses Out of Control
    7. 7.Fast Cars
    8. 8.Sick City Sometimes
    9. 9.Isolation
    10. 10.Autonomy
    11. 11.Bad Dreams
    12. 12.Why Can't I Touch It?
    13. 13.Destination Zero
    14. 14.Love You More
    15. 15.Orgasm Addict
    16. 16.Manchester Rain
  1. Encore

    1. 17.Love Is Lies
    2. 18.Why She's a Girl From the Chainstore
    3. 19.Just Got to Let It Go
    4. 20.Boredom
    5. 21.Chasing Rainbows
    6. 22.Gotta Get Better
    7. 23.Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

Reviews

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 9 reviews
  • Great show

    by Modlife on 2024-09-16The Opera House - TorontoRating: 4 out of 5

    The Buzzcocks did a great show with lots of energy and really had the crowd moving. The Opera House is a great venue with great sound and ambiance

  • Incredible performance

    by Ess_Tee on 2024-09-16The Opera House - TorontoRating: 5 out of 5

    The venue is clean, the energy was high, and the show was amazing. One of the best shows I've seen in a long time. Great job done by staff and security.

  • When punk was fun....

    by raunch on 2015-06-22The Phoenix Concert Theatre - TorontoRating: 4 out of 5

    I always looked at the Buzzcocks as a kind of punk-pop band (as opposed to the many punk/hard rock bands who started around the same time ie: Sex Pistols, Damned, Stranglers) and Friday's show led credence to my assumptions. It was high energy fun....a mix of older and new tunes, blended together into a good humoured stew. No filler....all killer ! Pete Shelley's voice sounds the same as it did 40 years ago....Steve Diggle sounded great, as well. Hardly any breaks between songs....................the show had a great positive flow ! If you haven't heard the Buzzcocks newest album, The Way, do yourself a favour and pick it up..................there are some great tunes on it (People Are Strange Machines, Third Dimension, Keep On Believing) and the songs sounded terrific in a live setting.

  • Great Band, horrible sound

    by kingofthenerds on 2010-06-08The Opera House - TorontoRating: 4 out of 5

    The band was great but from where we were on the floor the sound was awful, all I could hear was the drums and the guitar amps off the stage, vocals were basically inaudible.

  • by Anonymous on 2010-06-02Republik - CALGARYRating: 5 out of 5

    Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! been in Calgary for 6 years and this was the best gig so far.

  • Buzzcocks are everything

    by Rickenbacker on 2010-06-02Republik - CALGARYRating: 5 out of 5

    Well, it took more than 30 years of being a fan, but I finally got to see the Buzzcocks play live. And the lads (actually "gents" is probably more appropriate these days) did not disappoint. Quite the opposite, in fact, as they roared through 28 songs, including every track from their first two full-length albums, and an encore consisting of five songs that only saw album release on the iconic Singles Going Steady collection. From the opening moment it was clear the Buzzcocks were here to rock. Pete Shelley, the de facto "leader" by virtue of writing most of the group's songs and singing lead on a majority as well, is in fine voice these days. Only his somewhat grandfatherly appearance belies his 55 years; his rather stolid stage presence is the same as it was in decades past, as can be seen in early performance footage. The other founding member still in the band is the wonderful Steve Diggle, His songwriting and vocal contributions have gained tremendous strength in recent years, but in this "oldies" show he only got a few moments in the spotlight. But his boundless, youthful energy, rock 'n' roll spirit and rough-and-tumble stage presence really made him the star of this night. Newer members Danny Farrant (drums) and Chris Remmington (bass) served the songs well, with Farrant especially adding charisma and energy. Remmington, the most recent addition to the band, served the songs to perfection, but is clearly still working out how he fits into the onstage dynamic. All in all, a wonderful, entertaining, thrilling, ear-blasting night of rock that proved once again how truly great the Buzzcocks' back catalogue is.

  • by Anonymous on 2010-05-30Republik - CALGARYRating: 5 out of 5

    punk pop at it's best by the orginators. The muscianship was top notch as usual but the enthusiasim was infectious.

  • Buzzcocks were unbeleivable!

    by Feronia17 on 2010-05-30Republik - CALGARYRating: 5 out of 5

    The show they put on was amazing, turning a mediocre venue into something it could never be without the influence of such a seasoned band. The talent of the opening band just proved that the buzzcocks know they will blow you away when they take the stage, they still got it!!

  • Suprisingly AWESOME!

    by GIGgirl on 2010-05-20The Opera House - TorontoRating: 5 out of 5

    I only knew one song going to this gig however my boyfriend knew them very well and we were front row the whole concert and the music was amazing!!! They still have an amazing sound that people can enjoy today!!! Ending drum solo was wicked!!! The last song in general ROCKED!