Almost five decades since Buzzcocks emerged from Manchester’s punk scene, their three-minute songs still carry weight. January saw the release of their eleventh studio album ‘Attitude Adjustment’, an intriguing cross of fast-paced power punk mixed with unexpected Motown and acoustic folk influences.
There’s another reason Buzzcocks are particularly significant in 2026; this year marks the 50th anniversary of Rock Against Racism being founded. The Buzzcocks were a part of the movement that placed music firmly in the fight against the rise of the far right in Britain. They appeared at the first Rock Against Racism / Anti Nazi League Carnival in London in April 1978 and later at the Northern Carnival that July drawing in 40,000 people who brought punk and reggae together in an explicitly antiracist setting.
That history arrived at the vanguard of Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival on a Thursday evening on Victoria Street. The streets were overrun with American tourists, but as the venue came into sight so did the generations of Buzzcocks devotees. The backdrop was appropriately restless.
There’s something remarkable about seeing a band of such valour in a relatively small venue. The 800 capacity Liquid Rooms is the perfect environment for them, small enough to appreciate the band and feel the thud of the music. They immediately established the tone. With Buzzcocks, melody and agitation coexist; immediate riffs, simple choruses, brittle hooks and lyrics ranging from funny to romantic.
Their influences have always extended far beyond punk and the new album follows suit. ‘Break That Ball and Chain’ brings in motown influences whilst ‘All Go to War’ is a folky protest song. The latter is one of their most overtly political tracks; with most of their Rock Against Racism peers being more explicit, their place in the movement demonstrated how punk’s energy can be channeled into something beyond provocation.
Both the old classics and new tracks sit nicely side by side matching in speed, melody, attitude and vulnerability. Steve Diggel is a master showman, feeding off the intensity of the audience and keeping them in the palm of his hand. The set treaded the line between nostalgia and vitality making for a memorable evening for fans new and old.
By the time ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ and the encore arrive, the set has demonstrated Buzzcocks’ longevity isn’t just about preserving the past. Their history gives the tracks some extra weight, but the music survives because the emotions woven into the lyrics are still relevant.
