Concert Review
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
W/ Pete International Airport
Town Ballroom
Buffalo, NY
Saturday May 12, 2018
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
Saturday evening marked the long-awaited return of San Francisco’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) to town. The band hadn’t played in Buffalo since their last appearance at The Tralf Music Hall well over a decade ago. Currently riding through with their recently released album Wrong Creatures in tow, the band picked up where they left off. That album by the way marked their first release in some five years. To say they’re back with a vengeance was an understatement.
The trio is still led by founding members, Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been. Since 2008 drummer Leah Shapiro has provided stability to the group and its sound.
The band came out and immediately connected to the audience with new song “Little Thing Gone Wild”. While the band played songs from many phases of their career, their set was heavily dominated with songs from their debut and latest effort which made up half of set. “Echo”, “Spook”” and “Question of Faith” were the standouts among the new album. The band threw in a pair of covers including a stirring rendition of Bob Dylan’s “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”.
The nearly two-hour set closed with a pair of cuts from the debut, gem “Red Eyes and Tears” and the frenetic “Whatever Happened to my Rock and Roll (Punk Song)”. A perfect way to end the show. After its long hiatus from Buffalo and the solid turnout this time through town I don’t think it will be too long before the band returns. Hopefully they return to the Town Ballroom which provided the perfect venue suited to the bands sound, gritty, tenacious performance and pure rock vibe.
Set List
Little Thing Gone Wild
King of Bones
Beat the Devil’s Tattoo
Ain’t No Easy Way
Question of Faith
Circus Bazooko
Love Burns
Berlin
Conscience Killer
Stop
Echo
Carried From the Start
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Bob Dylan cover)
Feel It Now
Spook
Let the Day Begin (The Call cover)
White Palms
Six Barrel Shotgun
Spread Your Love
Encore
Red Eyes and Tears
Whatever Happened to My Rock ‘n’ Roll (Punk Song)
