photo by Raphaella Lima

What better way to celebrate your 5th full-length album release than a 3-night sold-out home stand at the Echoplex? Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is a resilient band, and they continue to blend their mix of fuzzed-out droney goodness with a healthy side of rootsy-rock.  They took an enthusiastic audience on a solid 2-hour plus ride through their catalogue.

B.R.M.C. have tangled with the majors, and now release Beat the Devil’s Tattoo on their own Abstract Dragon imprint by way of Vagrant. After a decade making music, this seems the best fit. The new album is closer to their first two albums, but they have not left Howl behind. In fact, I don’t think Howl was the departure that many felt. It is all part of the same soup, and at the Echoplex show they drew from all their albums. Over its entirety the songs flowed in and out of feedback, distortion, acoustic ballads, soulful harmonica—white wings flapping through the caves.

B.R.M.C. opened the set with a strong statement—the new tune “War Machine.” A protest song on a dark matter laced with beautiful sonic soundscapes.  They then pulled out some older songs, “Stop” and “Love Burns,” which blend seamlessly with the new material. Guitarist Peter Hayes and bassist Robert Levon Been’s vocals mix and match on many songs with each singing a verse, and then the chorus together, as in “Spread Your Love,” or one of them will lead a song, like Hayes did on “666 Conducer.” New drummer Leah Shapiro has stepped-in nicely and no offense, Nick Jago, but this girl rocks driving the B.R.M.C. beat forward.

The crowd was a surprising mix of greyhairs, baldheads, WB Network fans, some that dressed like Grunge was topping the charts, emo-kids that made me think it was an all-ages show, and, yes, those in all black. There were so many couples grinding away in corners, I thought I was in a hip-hop video.  Fun for all and hopefully the dude reading a New Yorker had a good time as well.

For playing a 2-hour set the band only took one real break for an official encore. However, earlier in the set both Been and Hayes traded off doing solo acoustic songs. It felt like an open mic in the Village circa the ’60s—the perfect way to get a breather and showcase their pure songwriting talent.

Howl tracks included the floor-stomping, hand-claps, and acoustic strums of “Aint No Easy Way” and “Shuffle Your Feet.” Yet, this tour is focusing on the fuzz and B.R.M.C.’s intricate distorted balladry. “Shadow’s Keeper,” from the new album, took us star-gazing and pummeled us into the depths until finally coasting us into bliss.  Their music feels like a wounded prayer where struggle and redemption remain an elusive mix.  My ears ringing I stopped for a beer and Hank Williams “I Saw the Light” played. Perfect.

—Erik Ehlert