U.K. rock group The Struts are taking a pit stop during their international tour with Foo Fighters to perform in Gainesville on Tuesday night. Although this isn’t their only Florida tour date, it’s their only headline show in the state.
The Struts will perform 9 p.m. Tuesday at High Dive. Early entry into the High Dive beer garden begins at 7 p.m., with doors to the venue opening at 8 p.m. The Struts will be joined by special guest MONA, a band out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Tickets for the show are available at ticketfly.com for $20 in advance and $23 on the day of the show. High Dive is open to guests 18 or older, and those under 21 will pay an extra $3 convenience fee at the door.
The four-piece rock group draws influence from rockers of every era. Adam Slack, The Struts’ guitarist, said the band has been influenced by several groups. These include everyone from The Rolling Stones to Oasis to Arctic Monkeys and, somewhat randomly, ABBA.
Early in their career, The Struts had the opportunity to perform with their idols. Before the release of their debut album, they opened for The Rolling Stones in Paris. The band was also chosen to play as the supporting act for Mötley Crüe in their final four performances.
The Struts is composed of lead vocalist Luke Spiller, bassist and vocalist Jed Elliott, drummer Gethin Davies and guitarist Slack.
At 17 or 18 years old in an effort to avoid going to college, Slack said he and Spiller formed a band.
“We call ourselves The Struts because he strutted around a lot when we used to rehearse, just the two of us,” Slack said.
How did Slack know he and Spiller would have the chops to pull off a rock band? He had Spiller sing “Far Far Away” by Slade. That was all the assurance he needed.
“I said, ‘f---, that guy can sing!,’” he said.
It was in 2015 that the U.K. rockers first toured in the United States, a trip Slack now says marked the moment he knew The Struts were here to stay.
“Coming to America was a pretty big milestone for us,” Slack said. “At the time, things weren’t going so well in the U.K., and it was quite a last shot. We came over here and did a sold-out tour straight off the bat.”
This marks The Struts’ second performance at High Dive. The band performed at the venue in September 2016 with a sold-out show.
“I think we’re a lot more professional now,” Slack said. “We’re just really excited. We were rehearsing yesterday and today, and we’re playing better than ever, so it’s going to be good.”
In the time since that performance, The Struts have continuously teased the release of their sophomore album and released their most recent single, “One Night Only,” in 2017.
Slack revealed the album is set for release this summer, though he could not disclose a specific date.
“You only get one shot to make an album,” Slack said. “We only get one shot to make the best second album we’ll ever do … The delay has been worth it.”
Known for songs like “Kiss This” and “One Night Only,” The Struts will bring their talents to High Dive on Tuesday.
