Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Stockholm Kugelbanan - 14/2/02
4/5
By: Julian Sewell
It was whilst sitting in the pub at 7.30 that yours truly began to curse the fact a ticket for the BRMC show tonight hadn't be obtained. However. One chance conversation later, and a ticket is ours - along with a Valentine's date with three men clad in leather...
As the room fills and the band creeps onstage, it becomes rather apparent that the dry-ice and back-lighting silhouettes the boys enchantingly, prompting a launch into the first number, 'Red Eyes & Tears'; and it doesn't take long to realise it's gonna be a good-un'.
Essentially, the boys have taken the best bits from The Roses, Ride, The Stones and fused it together with a dash of sleaze and a side-salad of rock riffery to satisfactorily meet the likes of any meaty appetite. A couple of numbers in, however, and it's announced that their regular drummer - one Nick Jago - 'couldn't be here tonight, due to visa problems.' How very rock 'n' roll.
One of the set's epiphanies arises after three or four tunes in the form of the ever-raucous 'Whatever Happened...' It's only fitting that as it explodes into to its perfect Air-Guitar moments, the Swedes start to come to life; you see, they're generally a bit of a conservative bunch, and occasionally give the worrying impression that they'd be better off at home with the CD and a bottle of wine.
By the time the set washes over our ears, it's essentially the whole album you've just heard, dosed up with a few covers thrown in for good measure. On the last number, the gospel-tinged 'Salvation', the band are joined by support band Vue, an act effectively dressed like members of the David Sylvian/Nick Rhodes fan club. They accompany the guys with maracas, tambourines, Kazoos (OK, well, maybe not) for an epic finale, leaving you hovering on the hope they'll come back for more. Which they don't. Great. Still, in all, a fine Valentine's night was had by all - and we didn't even have to buy them flowers.
Artists in this article: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
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