Royal Blood and At The Drive In at Leeds First Direct Arena (17/11/17)
At The Drive In
After the lights went out and there was a moment of darkness, lights flashed and suspenseful music began to play. It felt very theatrical from the start and the music continued to increase tension until the band entered the stage. Immediately, the band made themselves feel very at home and took complete control, which highlighted their experience of performing. It was clear to see by the expressions on people’s faces that their presence and sound had taken them by surprise.
I would describe the frontman, Cedric Bixler, as extremely confident, fierce and energetic. During the first song, he jumped on and off the front of the drum kit. Throughout the set, he continued to jump on and off speakers and ran around the stage, whilst dragging the microphone stand behind him and throwing it up in the air like a baton (thankfully, he caught it on every occasion).
All their songs included heavy drum patterns and loud vocals, which were sometimes unclear. They maintained their energy for the whole of their set.
Overall, At the Drive In were highly theatrical. I would recommend them if you prefer more heavy metal/rock music.
Royal Blood
“It’s going to be a fucking fun night!” — Mike Kerr, frontman of Royal Blood
It was exactly that!
They came on to the instantly recognisable ‘Lights out’, which got everyone bopping. I love how this song builds from the verses to the energetic choruses. To accompany their amazing sound, the gig was interesting from a visual point of view. At either side of the stage, there were two large screens and one behind them. Strobe lighting was highly effective.
Royal Blood were supported by two female backing vocalists, whose voices complimented Mike’s vocals brilliantly. Their harmonies sounded perfect as they performed ‘Sleep’. This song is sensuous, with a powerful instrumental and a slow ending, where Kerr is left singing with very little accompaniment.
A stand out song for me was ‘Little Monster’. Everyone sang along with Kerr’s strong vocals, which were pitch perfect. I loved Ben’s drumming, especially his mind-blowing solo. As Kerr sings in the verses, Thatcher plays quieter drum patterns, yet between the lyrics, choruses and the instrumental, the drum phrases are heavier and more complex. Ben makes drumming look so easy as he can perfectly perform intricate drum patterns.
Royal Blood showcase their individual sound as they can make so much noise when there are only two of them. It is also lovely to see their ‘best friend’ relationship. When performing live, they replicate the quality of their studio recordings.
The mosh pit was feisty, rebellious and not for the faint-hearted. However, when the mosh seemed too aggressive, Royal Blood were watchful and concerned for the welfare of everyone. They stopped playing for about a minute and tried to remind the audience to stay safe whilst also having a good time. Overall, their interaction with the crowd was brilliant! They encouraged choral response from the crowd and the crowd obliged.
After the gig, I met Mike, who was generous and pleased to hear I thought it was an extremely successful gig. Whilst waiting for Mike, I met two lads from Newcastle-based band Crux, who told me about when they had previously seen Royal Blood. We all agreed, whilst standing in the freezing cold, that the gig was incredible. So, I strongly recommend you listen to Royal Blood and see them on their next tour.
This review was originally published on Alternative Atmosphere in November 2017.
