When I last saw Black Country, New Road, the Cambridge, England six-piece, it was such an unusual and utterly wonderful experience, I had written down that whatever I was doing when the band returned to the area I would drop it all to see them again. And I’m glad I did as they returned to Charm City and a larger venue, the Nevermore Hall on Friday.
Back at that first show, they ended up performing a host of songs from their live album, Live at Bush Hall, the first proper LP as a six-piece. Songs like “Nancy Tries to Take The Night” and “Socks” which they played at the Baltimore Soundstage ended up on their newest release, Forever Howlong. As beautifully brilliant that show was, I had the feeling this was one step in a larger journey for the band.
With the release this year of Forever Howlong it feels like BCNR is on sure footing and their performance at a packed Nevermore Hall on a particularly hot night (that whole week the East Coast has been bombarded with over 100°F weather) felt like a cool breeze – steady and almost uplifting even in those melancholy passages. But I’m getting ahead of myself here.
I was pleasantly surprised (having not looked at who was opening the show) that Horsegirl – a trio from Chicago steeped in the mid-80’s to early 90’s guitar driven jangly underground – was taking the stage. I’ve seen the band a few times over the years now, and having the chance again was icing on the indie rock cake. Although they played an abbreviated set, I finally got to see some of the fabulous Phonetics On and On performed. Enough to tide me over until they (hopefully) return to the area.
I assume as maybe a nod to the 4th of July, Black Country, New Road took the stage to Tom Petty’s “American Girl” and a huge applause from fans before they kicked things off with “Strangers.” Perhaps one of the more straightforward songs in the BCNR catalog, “Strangers” is featured in HELP(2) the compilation that benefits humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
What was clear from the onset was how the focus was on the music – no flashy stage props, no over-the-top lighting. Every band member in BCNR is a multi-instrumentalist with Georgia Ellery (violin/mandolin/guitar), Tyler Hyde (bass/keyboards), and May Kershaw (accordion/keyboards/bass) trading vocal duties. That flexibility means there’s a definite change in feel from one composition to the next.
Some songs like “Salem Sisters” went from straight four-on-the-floor rock rhythms one moment and then changed to something akin to a European folk waltz as the song then merged into “The Big Spin” (both new songs on Forever Howlong) before ushering sweeping crashes by drummer (and banjoist) Charlie Wayne.
When a song is recorded, there’s a dynamic that’s sometimes lost when it’s performed live, but with a band so tightly knit as BCNR all those intricacies are there. The intertwining saxophone and violin lines of Lewis Evans and Ellery, accordion and guitar between Kershaw and Luke Mark – that tapestry the six of them weave is a joy to see created mere feet from the audience.
Check out the single, “Besties” by Black Country, New Road below:
Some of the best moments came later in the set with the captivating “Nancy Tries to Take the Night” and one of the more poppy recent songs, “Besties” getting the crowd up and singing along. There was also an unexpected cover of Big Star’s “The Ballad of El Goodo” that might be my favorite Big Star cover of the myriad of covers I’ve heard over the years. I remember hearing the song on that album, #1 Record, and these brilliant warbly harmonies helped out by, I’m sure, a rotating Leslie cabinet, and Ellery, Kershaw, and Hyde both trading verses and harmonizing with Evans faithfully kept that magical feel of the original.
Black Country, New Road put on another unforgettable night and those new songs (which was maybe 90% of the set) sounded fantastic. I know it sounds hyperbolic, but I really can’t wait to hear more from this band and hope they return again soon.
The setlist included:
Strangers
Salem Sisters
The Big Spin
Socks
Dancers
Two Horses
Mary
Nancy Tries to Take the Night
Besties
For the Cold Country
Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)
The Ballad of El Goodo (Big Star cover)
Forever Howlong
Happy Birthday
Take a look at more photos of Black Country, New Road performing at Nevermore Hall on July 3, 2026. All photos are copyright David LaMason:
And here are photos of Horsegirl opening the evening at Nevermore Hall:
Nice work. Stage lighting is difficult to deal with and these are really nice and sharp.