Photo: Aaron Sammut

It’s drizzling and windy when The Arena allows patrons into it’s den of sticky carpet, and by the time the crowd have endured Black Ryder’s Warlocks-meets-Brian Jonestown Massacre collection of homage’s everyone heads straight to the bar.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club haven’t been here in four years – something being dropped from a major label, no doubt, had a little something to do with – but by the size of the crowd at The Arena tonight, the absence of a major label marketing budget hasn’t really hurt the trio’s profile as fans clamor for prime position.

Ambling out with newly chopped hair, and clad in de rigeur black attire (save for sticksman Nick Jago, who’ll always push to boat out splicing white with wooden beads and reading glasses) – BRMC set about tackling their two-page set list.

The quality versus quantity debate is something that plagues all prolific artists, particularly those who feel a debt to their fans, and while it’s clear from the outset that BRMC are here to make up for their absent four years, perhaps displaying marathon-style endurance during their two and a half-hour show is not the best way to keep this reviewer engaged. However, it seems enough to keep the open faces and sing along chorus of attendees enthralled – and it’s not even the group’s signature songs which do it, with only Red Eyes And Tears and Stop getting an airing in the first hour, before their set takes a turn into album number three (Howl) territory.

Bassist Robert Been promised that this Australian tour would be weighted heavily toward Howl tracks, and he wasn’t fibbing, with each he and guitarist Peter Hayes taking individual 30 minute slots to showcase their solo acoustic, harmonica and even at times trombone-driven numbers. Robert at pains to express the gratitude and good fortune their fans have afforded them, though I remain unconvinced that his epic treatment of Bob Dylan’s Visions Of Johanna is the most well-received thank you gift.

Teetering over midnight the lads finally shift into Spread Your Love, sprinkling the remaining 40 minutes with the faster, noisier material this reviewer came to know and love them for.

The BRMC audience may have changed a lot in six years – but they still love the music these three traverse as it approaches 1am on a school night.

EVELYN HENDRICKSEN

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