Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Blank Canvas
By Helena GeeBlack Rebel Motorcycle Club. They have a reputation of being, well, quite melancholy. The venue, or underground cave, we are standing in, should suit them perfectly. Dark, murky and bloody cold! Tonight, they stroll on stage, all black clad, and plunge straight into their first song without so much as a nod to the restless rabble surrounding them. (Well, no one was expecting stand up comedy!) It occurs to me that this lack of communication with the crowd may cause this gig to get a little insipid, but I realised very soon that BRMC are all about the music. That's all they need to communicate with their audience. No frills, just down right dirty Rock n Roll that sends chills down the spine. Mesmeric new songs are launched onto the crowd, who swallow them whole and beg for more. BRMC are more than happy to oblige. (Perhaps even catching a rare and momentary smile from guitarist Peter Hayes!) These guys are not on the same level as their peers. They have built their very own level out of indestructible black stone. And as Robert Turner (bass) aptly and beautifully said, "We'll keep playing till YOU say stop." I have a feeling they will be playing for a very long time indeed.
