Back in 2013 I heard Royal Blood’s first single “Out of the Black” and became an instant fan. I was initially drawn to their massive sound, which was made all the more impressive when I
discovered that the band only consists of two members (guitarist Mike Kerr utilizes various amps and pedals to make his bass guitar sound like an electric and bass simultaneously, while drummer Ben Thatcher’s large custom kit surrounds him with drums and cymbals). Since then, I’ve kept up with the UK rockers’ every album and single release. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the band perform three times in venues of all sizes across the country, all the while applauding them as their popularity here in the States grows. And when they announced their show at the Fillmore in Minneapolis, with support from BAD NERVES, I jumped at the chance to attend.
BAD NERVES hit the stage first. The punk rock 5-piece from Essex had a smaller stage to work
with (since Thatcher’s drum kit was already out-front waiting for him, rather than staying in the
back), but the bandmates shared the limited space well and fed off each other’s enthusiasm.
Their set was filled with raw, frenzied energy that immediately won over the crowd, myself
included, who hollered and headbanged along with the band. The band played a flawless host
of songs from their various EPs with hits such as “USA”, “Can’t Be Mine”, and “Dreaming”. Their
second album Still Nervous is set to release on May 31, and the Twin Cities will be more than
happy to welcome them back.
By the time it was Royal Blood’s turn, the crowd was restless with anticipation. Thatcher and
Kerr took the stage to immense roaring from the audience and immediately launched into
“Hole”, one of their first singles as a band, followed by “Come on Over” and “Boilermaker”. The
duo was joined by keyboardist Darrin Watts, who rounded out the band’s signature sound and
added an extra layer of interest to the songs. Kerr kept the chatter and banter to a minimum,
but expressed his genuine appreciation to everyone who attended their show.
The band seamlessly blended hits from their four albums, their newest being 2023’s Back to the
Water Below, with crowd favorites being “Typhoons”, “Loose Change”, “Out of the Black” and “Shiner in the Dark”. For most of the evening the crowd danced and headbanged, but escalated to a circle mosh pit during “Lights Out”. During their encore they brought BAD NERVES guitarist, William Philipson back to the stage to perform “Waves” with them. Their sound and energy blew me away once more, and this certainly won’t be the last time I see them perform.
Royal Blood will finish this leg of the North American tour on May 19 in Ohio before hitting the
European festival circuit this summer.
BAD NERVES
Royal Blood
