Rattus Inheritus

Rattus Inheritus are playing The Brickmakers on Friday 13 November, starting at 8pm. They're a Stranglers tribute act, and they've built their whole thing around that particular sound: bass, keys, guitar and drums, just like the original line-up. The set draws from the whole catalogue, the early classics and the later material, with 'No More Heroes', 'Peaches', 'Nice 'n' Sleazy' and 'Golden Brown' all in the mix.

They describe themselves as Stranglers obsessives, and it shows in how they approach the songs. They play them with passion, aggression and conviction, and they're a band formed by Stranglers fans for Stranglers fans. Each player brings more than twenty years of professional session and live experience to the stage, and they work their way through the set with power and fidelity. That background comes through in the way they handle the different eras of the band's work, from the raw energy of the early years to the more polished later tracks.

They've picked up praise from a few familiar names over the years, with Liz Kershaw, Stuart Pearce and Jo Caulfield among those who've spoken well of them. If you've spent any time with the Stranglers' records, you'll recognise the songs they're working through, and if you haven't, it's a good place to get a feel for what the band was about.

The night is at The Brickmakers, 496 Sprowston Road, Norwich, NR3 4DY, on Friday 13 November from 8pm, and entry is free.