Gravel-voiced front man Jake Burns may be the only constant in Stiff Little Fingers' 31-year career, but that doesn't make the beloved British punk band any less relevant today. Last year saw the release of a documentary DVD and live album, and it should be no surprise that 1979's watershed debut, Inflammable Material , remains a thrilling ride. Besides deeply influencing three generations of punks, Stiff Little Fingers always made room in their high-velocity songs for piercing political dissent and snide sarcasm. But if you think of Stiff Little Fingers as just another old-school anthem machine, behold “Barbed Wire Love,” a taut and chugging gem that rides like the Buzzcocks until breaking into doo-wop-inspired multipart harmonies in the middle. Aw, shucks.
Sun., May 4, 8 p.m., 2008
