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Review: Black Country, New Road, Bristol Beacon – ‘Shifting seamlessly between fragility and force’
The story of Black Country, New Road is one of evolution.
Faced with numerous challenges, the band has been forced into change, with the departure of original lead singer Isaac Wood leading to an abandonment of their original sound.
Any sense of angst, edge or post-punk flair has faded and the sound that has now blossomed is much more immersive, ethereal and entrenched in theatrical whimsy.
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Previous skepticism that followed the brilliant, albeit slightly disjointed and transitional, Live at Bush Hall has long been put to bed, with the polished and critically acclaimed Forever Howlong cementing their new identity with unmistakable conviction.
The band arrived at a sold out Bristol Beacon at the tail-end of their UK leg, before embarking on a world tour that will take them everywhere from Prague and Tokyo to Hong Kong and Auckland.
Joining the band in support were Brighton-based four-piece The New Eves, the latest troupe of 20-somethings appearing to be conveyor-belted into relevance by the industry.
Cosplaying The Last Dinner Party in appearance – and to a lesser extent, their sound – the group combined instrumentation reminiscent of Lankum with their own blend of spoken lyricism and incoherent shouting.
I don’t often find myself listening to music and thinking,“I just don’t get it”, however, this was definitely one of those instances. And that’s ok. Judging by the reaction of much of the crowd, I was in the minority.
What I did enjoy, however, were the band’s fundraising efforts for Palestine.
Alongside their merch, they handed out free badges paired with a QR code directing fans to the Sameer Project – a donations-based Palestinian initiative – that they fervently encouraged fans to contribute to.
A short while later, Black Country, New Road emerged on stage, with the band’s now-established vocal trio of Georgia Ellery, Tyler Hyde and May Kershaw moving to the fore.
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The band wasted little time, jumping quickly into Two Horses. Led by Ellery, whose vocals are simultaneously delicate yet commanding, the track is a sonic whirlwind; from moments of tenderness to sudden bursts of intensity.
Live, it blew the studio version out of the water – which is a no mean feat – with Ellery’s vocals even more formidable in person.
Weaving through tracks from their latest album Forever Howlong, it was notable how well the band’s new sound suited a venue like the Beacon.
The album is grandiose, theatrical and almost orchestral at times, a perfect fit for the Beacon’s resonance and atmosphere alike.
Indeed, this was a sentiment echoed by drummer Charlie Wayne, who spoke appreciatively about the venue.
He also recalled conversations with his mother, once a student in the city, who listed the bands she had seen play here.
“They were all boring,” he admitted with a laugh, but he conceded it was pretty cool to be sharing the same stage regardless.
As on the new album, each of the female vocalists had their moment in the spotlight during the set.
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Ellery impressed on fan-favourite Besties and Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me) while Hyde demonstrated the magnitude of her vocal range on tracks like Salem Sisters and Nancy Tried to Take the Night.
Among the pack, May Kershaw stood out with a spellbinding performance. I’ve seen few vocalists, if any, as powerful as her.
Every note, every word, every syllable carried technical precision and raw emotion in equal balance, shifting seamlessly between fragility and force on tracks like The Big Spin, For the Cold Country and the album’s title track.
Each time Kershaw sang, it was as if the room was stunned into silence, collectively holding its breath.
Nowhere was this more evident than Turbines/Pigs, a hauntingly stunning, near-ten-minute piece performed solely by Kershaw and her piano, before its rapturous instrumental crescendo.
To call the climax to the track one of the most breathtaking pieces of music ever made is no exaggeration.
Here, Wayne delivered a chaotic, almost violent percussive assault reminiscent of moments on Ants From up There while Lewis Evans shined with similar zeal on sax.
Guitarist Luke Mark was afforded the same ability to shine as the band covered Big Star’s The Ballad of El Goodo, a track Hyde claimed is the best classic rock song ever made.
As the night drew to a close, Hyde reiterated the band’s support for Palestine, urging the crowd to donate via The New Eves’ QR code, before leading passionate chants of “Free, free Palestine” which were roared back by the crowd.
Hyde carried this intensity into the band’s finale Happy Birthday, her vocals ringing through the venue triumphantly before sending the crowd out into the Bristolian night.
Once again, Black Country, New Road continue to impress with every evolution. Not one to miss out on.
Main photo: Josh Templeman
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