31st October 2014
The Struts and Casino Empire
at the Cookie Jar
It was Halloween and the last day in the month, so people have been paid and want to go for an evening of fun. No surprise therefore that the Cookie Jar was full tonight for Derby band The Struts and Leicester’s Casino Empire.
Struts musician Gethin Davies tweeted ‘Excited for tonight’s show – last time we played in Leicester we played to 2 people.. This time it’s sold out!’ Not to worry they played to a crowd of over 80,000 in Paris when they supported the Rolling Stones. Yes, THE Rolling Stones. They also played at this year’s Strawberry Fields festival. Lock42 saw them play in December 2012 with Ryan Dunn and The Naughty Step. Perhaps that was the one that had 2 people in the audience (out of 2.6 thousand who were invited!)
The band members entered the room through the crowd as a pre-corded tracked fanfared the start of their set. Even so, the introductory track failed to bear any resemblance to their first song. No matter. Their first song soon took off and the tightly packed throng of fans were soon singing along with them. The Struts soon had an electrifying atmosphere going in the crowded room at the Cookie. It turned into one massive rock and roll party. Oh and I loved the whole glam rock thing they were doing.
The Struts are signed to Virgin/EMI records. Currently on their autumn tour, the band is playing at venues across the UK. Members of The Struts are: Luke Spiller – Lead Vocals, Addo Slack – Guitar and Vocals, Jed Elliott – Bass and Vocals, Gethin Davies – Drums.
A major party band with a good stage show and a great set of songs.
Photo: Olly Stabler
The one support band that played tonight was Leicester’s Casino Empire – a band we have written about many times before. Whenever I go to one of their gigs I am always impressed. Casino Empire wrote on their Facebook page: ‘Tonight we support The Struts! We really can’t wait for this show as it is a honour to support a band that we are big fans of!!!’
The last time we reported on one of their shows, our reporter Keith Jobey wrote ‘Singer Tommy Cobley swaggers onto and around the stage with a mod haircut, striped jacket and dark glasses. He instantly makes his presence known, gets the crowd involved and cranks the intensity and heat up a few notches. ‘ Music in Leicester.
Tonight we heard new songs and a new style of music but still the same fizzing sounds and rock-star performance, like Kasabian and Oasis but by no means the same.
Casino Empire is having their EP launch at The Cookie on 12th December.
They are one of the featured bands on Music in Leicester
Follow the Struts on Facebook
Follow Casino Empire on Facebook
