On a cold Halloween night, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club took to the Dome stage to showcase how they continue to resurrect the legacy of garage rock with their effortlessly cool performances. New record Wrong Creatures won’t be with us until January, but the first taste of it in ‘Little Thing Gone Wild’ has been reverberating for a good few weeks now – and the dancey number proves the trio have lost none of their magic. They kicked off the show with this song in what was a career-spanning set.

The contrast between the two frontmen is one of the San Francisco band’s main forces on the stage. Peter Hayes’ reserved approach brilliantly complements Robert Levon Been’s more outgoing tactic as he jumps around and baits the crowd under the backdrop of drummer Leah Shapiro’s mesmerising drum work.

Following the new track, the almost sold out audience were treated to a more familiar number in the form of the infectious ‘Beat the Devil’s Tattoo’. The Hayes numbers ‘666 Conducer’ and ‘Six Barrel Shotgun’, meanwhile, got hips shaking as Shapiro maintained a steady and flawless speed.

However, although their most famous tracks carry a garage/stoner rock vibe, their inclinations towards blues and Americana have always been with the three-piece. The aforementioned ‘Little Thing Gone Wild’s deep south twang and bluesy stomper ‘Ain’t No Easy Way’ perfectly exemplify this and show the versatility and enhanced musicianship of the two frontmen. Although their traditional instruments are guitar and bass respectively, Hayes and Been switch between both as well as the odd splattering of the drum, harmonica and keyboard.

They also have a shoegaze quality to them, with ‘Rifles’ and ‘Awake’ offering some variety to the set later in the evening with some psychedelic fuzz. Whilst ‘Six Barrel Shotgun’ and ‘Berlin’ show that they can still bang out unpretentious stompers when they need to, with the crowd repaying in aggressive moshpits.

It was their two biggest hits which were saved for last though and undoubtedly gained the biggest reactions of the night. ‘Spread You Love’ and ‘Whatever Happened to My Rock ‘n’ Roll’s initial distorted bassline openings have been with us for over 12 years now and still sound as fresh as ever. Whether you’re a diehard fan or someone who let your finger slip from the pulse, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s comeback is something to be celebrated. The three-piece are a rhythmic powerhouse who are always keen to explore and test new sonic paths.

Paul Hill

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