Royal Blood / Bass Drum of Death @ House of Blues, Dallas, TX

You will hear from time to time that more is better.  While in most instances this rings true (certainly in Texas), there are definitely times where the phrase comes up short.  In the case of Royal Blood, the two-piece rock band from Brighton, UK, the notion that two members just can't cut the mustard, simply doesn't hold up.  When I think of two-piece bands, I immediately think of the White Stripes, the Black Keys (original, not the current live setup), and Death From Above 1979.  One cannot call it coincidence that Royal Blood are cut from the same cloth as these bands, as their sound is a blend of the three.  The rhythm and blues of the Black Keys and White Stripes and the raw, energized sound of DFA 1979. 

Opening the show was Bass Drum of Death, a three-piece garage band from Oxford, Mississippi.  No stranger to Dallas, Bass Drum performed a decent set for the large main stage of the House of Blues.  While the energy was good, it was nothing like their shows in the more intimate confines of Club Dada in Deep Ellum.  Royal Blood, on the other hand, hand no problem taking control of the nearly sold-out crowd.  Performing on a nearly pitch black stage with only flashing floor and overhead lamps, bassist and singer, Mike Kerr, made his presence felt immediately when the duo jumped into their radio hit, "Figure It Out".  Kerr was a monster, playing ferociously on his bass as a guitar, similar to Jesse F. Keeler of DFA 1979.  Drummer Ben Thatcher was a bit more reserved, not speaking a single word before, during, or after the show, only giving hand gestures to the crowd.  One of the highlights of the show came at the conclusion of the set when they tore through "Out of the Black" with an exceptionally nice cover of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man".  The show was loud but not to the point where the music was lost in a muddy mess.  It was fun and the crowd was loving every second of it.  Photos of the show are below:

Bass Drum of Death
 Royal Blood
enjoy.
Royal Blood / Bass Drum of Death @ House of Blues, Dallas, TX Royal Blood / Bass Drum of Death @ House of Blues, Dallas, TX Reviewed by Scott Rowe, Editor on October 14, 2015 Rating: 5
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