Strummer Takes a Global Approach

Not many veteran artists can evoke their glory days while staying firmly grounded in the now, but former Clash leader Joe Strummer and his quintet the Mescaleros made it look easy on Friday at the House of Blues Anaheim.

By connecting the multicolored dots between the singer-songwriter-guitarist’s old and new projects, the 100-minute set underscored the rich musical legacy informing both, and dynamically demonstrated the timely one-world approach behind the Mescaleros’ current album, “Global A Go-Go.”

In late-’70s England, the Clash was the most versatile of the soon-to-become-iconic punk bands, augmenting its aggressive guitar sound with dub grooves, dance-hall vibrations and American roots music.

Eschewing Sex Pistols-style nihilism for expansive reggae-inspired political and social protest, Strummer and his cohorts affected an outlaw image shaped by such outside material as the Bobby Fuller Four’s “I Fought the Law” and Junior Murvin’s “Police & Thieves.” They even crafted such lawbreaker-pop originals as “Rudie Can’t Fail” and “Bankrobber.” On Friday those tunes blended well with such new Mescaleros material as the danceable “Bhindi Bhagee” and the more personal “Bummed Out City.” Though not as furious as the Clash’s, the songs adeptly fused lean, muscular rock with African, Caribbean, Arab and other influences. Strummer’s quirky, rasping voice has gained mature depth, and he clearly relished being with his band, which included a link to the old days in the person of longtime multi-instrumentalist pal Tymon Dogg.

Lighthearted but serious, Strummer’s lyrics were characteristically densely packed but never dragged down the fun. Besides, after all these years, it was nice to know he still had plenty to say.

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Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros play today, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, 8 p.m. $30 (Friday sold out). (310) 276-6168.