ROYAL BLOOD w/ BAD NERVES
@ QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE, TORONTO
SEPTEMBER 25, 2023
The Queen Elizabeth Theatre continues to be Toronto’s best kept secret. The underused, mid-sized room looks as good as it sounds and on Monday, September 25, it hosted Royal Blood on their North American tour in support of their latest record, Back To The Water Below. With fellow UK punk rock outfit Bad Nerves opening the bill, Royal Blood’s Toronto stop was certainly one to remember.
Bad Nerves took the stage for a 30-min set. While brief, their performance was equal parts blistering as it was fun, resembling that of a veteran punk band. The band gave off a classic ‘70s punk vibe, something that felt incredibly refreshing when compared to their contemporaries. Looking like Mick Jagger fronting The Sex Pistols, Bad Nerves left a very strong impression for their Canadian debut. Songs like “Radio Punk”, “Mad Mind”, and “Dreaming” were especially exciting, however, their latest single, “USA” was a definite highlight. Watching Bad Nerves on their first ever Canadian show felt like watching history. There was something truly special to their set, something which I believe we’ll be talking about for years to come.
BACK TO THE WATER BELOW ALBUM REVIEW
Walking on to Edwin Starr’s “War”, following a playlist of classic and alternative hip-hop – a reminder that their roots go far deeper than simply rock – Royal Blood took the stage to thunderous cheers from the sold-out audience. Opening with the ferocious “Mountains At Midnight” and foiling this immediately with the funky strut of “Boilermaker”, the duo of bassist and singer Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher demonstrated its versatility in the live context immediately. Royal Blood is just as effective at delivering hard rock bangers as it is alternative-pop toe tappers. The push and pull between these two extremes is something that would make their performance a truly thrilling affair.
To call their set tight feels like an understatement. Thatcher is an absolute machine and his chemistry with Kerr is tangible. Kerr’s voice, as smooth as ever, contrasted the wild array of curated sounds he would get out of his bass making this a masterclass in tone. Furthermore, the band’s sound was filled out with touring musician Dan Watts on additional synths, vocals, and percussion, proving particularly crucial on the poppier numbers. Their set was greatly enhanced by Watts’ presence rather than the reliance of backing tracks. Highlights included much of their debut album – “Come On Over”, “You Can Be So Cruel”, “Loose Change” and the show closer “Figure It Out” – along with “Shiner In The Dark” and “Trouble’s Coming”. It should be noted that “Little Monster” was especially exciting with seemingly the entire room singing the anthemic chorus and Thatcher closing with a drum solo. Additionally, “Out Of The Black” was an absolute showstopper. The monstrous track was aided by Thatcher jumping into the audience as Kerr played an extended riff during the breakdown near the end of the song before returning to his beautiful brass kit for the climactic and explosive conclusion. Despite his stone-cold stare with an occasional and bashful smile, Thatcher may just be the one who brings this show to life.
Four albums deep into its career, Royal Blood continues to demonstrate just how vital they are to modern alternative rock. Their performance in Toronto only added to this, furthering their status as essential to the genre. With Bad Nerves on the bill, Royal Blood’s North American tour is truly an exciting musical experience, one that you must see.
Royal Blood Links
Bad Nerves Links
