Concert Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Celebrates "Howl" 20th Anniversary with Raw Rock City Performance in Nottingham, U.K.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club rolled into Nottingham's famous Rock City on December 15th to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their seminal third studio album, "Howl". 

Texas-born Danny Lee Blackwell came out suitably donning a Stetson hat, leading Night Beats to open the show. They no doubt have some new fans this side of the pond, with the venue full and the crowd enamoured with the band's Western-infused garage rock.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's Robert Been treated fans to an early on-stage performance - first on keys and backing vocals for Night Beats' "That's All You Got", then on bass for a couple of songs to close the set.

This sole support act certainly set the tone before Black Rebel Motorcycle Club came out.

The crowd made it clear that the band has built a cult-like following over its nearly three decade history, littered with BRMC hoodies, jackets, and t-shirts. They could hardly contain their excitement with woos, yelps and the occasional profession of love shouted.

The band walked out to a recording of a folk classic from the 1940s, "Which Side Are You On"? by Pete Seeger. Both Peter Hayes and Robert Been masterfully share the spotlight (as well as guitars and vocals), with Leah Shapiro putting the heartbeat into the music on drums.

It is no surprise given the anniversary that the show features almost every track from "Howl", with a powerful opener of "Devil's Waitin'". With the third song, Been led a rendition of "Howl", with Shapiro and Hayes taking a back seat. Nobody expected a surprise performance with the impromptu revival of "Windows", which the band, in their own words, hadn't practiced in 'a long while'.

In the middle of the set came a shift to some slower, acoustic sound with ballads like "A Complicated Situation" with a beautiful harmonica accompaniment, and "Fault Line". Some of the most enthusiastic crowd reactions came with this, supporting the band and keeping the energy high.

They are no stranger to more gritty, noisy music, with "Red Eyes and Tears" pumping some fire back into the show. No set is complete without the band's most streamed song, "Beat the Devil's Tattoo", which was played to thunderous cheers and whistles late on in the night.

People were tightly packed onto the floor, the balcony, the stairs and some even stood on tables! With Rock City's modest capacity of 2,000, it felt as though they could easily have thrilled a crowd twice the size. 

On an otherwise quiet Monday night, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club delivered a beautiful yet undeniably gritty, demonstration of blues, indie, and garage rock with a level of raw emotion that was enchanting to a first-timer and a love letter to long-time fans.