Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

‘Took Out a Loan’ travels under the dirty blues guitar-work of Peter Hayes, who also tends to vocal duties, with the strengths of the song really coming to fruition during its reprise. ‘American X’ finds Hayes and Robert Levon Been switching roles and highlighting all that’s best about the BRMC: hypnotic guitars, strained vocals, and the sturdy backbone of Nick Jago’s drumming.

The band has an admirable onstage presence throughout: Been takes on a larger-than-life role as frontman (even when sitting in front of the keys), while Hayes sits poised in slouched rock-star style during most of the show. Both leads engage the front row, speak sparsely and churn out songs, each having the sweat to show for his effort.

BRMC prove to be uncontrived in their approach, so indebted to straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll that when they pull out certain stops – the band breathing life into songs with squealing guitars and blinding strobes, Been tossing his tambourine into the crowd, and Hayes’ methodic, cigarette smoking guitar – it seems so much an extension of their music that their actions need no build up, no call for explanation.

After the band’s exit, Hayes returns to play two acoustic numbers, and Been appears stage left to play one of his own. All members emerge with a traditional encore of fan favourites ‘Rifles’ and ‘All You Do Is Talk’, only to return again with a call for requests: a foot-stompin’ ‘Shuffle Your Feet’, a rollicking ‘Spread Your Love’, and the overflowing ‘Heart + Soul’. If at all possible, the final songs suggest that this is a band growing in strength. Perhaps, though, this feeling stems from their ready willingness to recreate endless nights of music in front of a dedicated, select few.

Photograph by bluedevils