Photos and Review by Sarah Smith
Gallery: BRMC
On the hottest night Boston has probably ever seen, a great big crowd gathered together on a venue by the water for one of the most jaw dropping bills we’ve seen in years. Covid is history, masks are off, it’s a hot Saturday night in mid July, and energy in all those attending is high and vibrant.
I have seen Black Rebel Motorcycle club just once before. And since that night, they have been in my constant listening rotation almost daily and for any occasion. I want to dance to them, I want to make love to them, I want to work out to them, I want to have the most intense cry of my life to them. Because this is what BRMC’s songs do; they enter your ear canals and move through you, like the curious drag of your first cigarette in your naive, teenage youth; capturing you. And if you haven’t heard of them before, familiarize yourself with them immediately.
The three members of BRMC took a very ominous stage, as silhouettes took their place. The opening to Beat the Devils Tattoo was slow and romantic yet dirty and sophisticated. This will always be my favorite BRMC song; the long, intense vocals are hypnotic, leaving behind burning chaos in the ears of its listener. I would confidently call its melodies addictive. BRMC will always be their own genre, doing things their way and with their own songwriting style. Pete Hayes took the stage in a black hood, the smoke from his cigarette hovering away from his face. Rob Levlon swayed back and forth in a pair of black shades, their identities were abstract visions that never broke character.
They evolved through their set list smoothly but with a sharp edge. Everyone responded to their slower songs just as much as their faster ones. In like a Rose transitioned smoothly into Red Eyes and Tears; this song is unpredictable and it feels almost natural to lose yourself in its many layers.
BRMC closed their set with Spread Your Love and Whatever Happened to My Rock & Roll; getting the crowd warmed up and loose for the Cult. At this point of the set, they were well received by those who had not heard of them before tonight.
Overall, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is a band that is more appreciated as the headliner; there is so much more in their songs left to be explored. Still, in just an 11 song set list, the crowd appreciated what this truly misjudged band had to offer them.