REVIEW: Black Country, New Road @ Roadrunner 7/8

Photo Credit: Eddie Whelan

Review by Robin Sheng

On July 7, Black Country, New Road took the stage at Roadrunner for a perfect midsummer indie showcase. The band took the stage confidently in casual summer outfits and displayed effortless chemistry despite the band’s major shift after the departure of their lead singer, Isaac Wood, in 2022.  Current members, Tyler Hyde, May Kershaw, and Georgia Ellery have toured continuously over the past four years while releasing one album, “Forever Howlong,” in 2025. Their current sound is centered around layered, orchestral arrangements and three rotating vocalists. 

The night opened with Chicago band Horsegirl, which played several unreleased songs. The new material continued the relatively stripped-down, distortion-free sound of the group’s most recent album, “Phonetics On and On.” While the sound did not match the energy on their recorded versions, the band brought unique iterations that suited the Roadrunner stage.

After the energetic and playful performance from Horsegirl, Black Country, New Road took the stage with widespread applause. Their opening song, “Socks,” was an essential demonstration of band member Tyler Hyde’s songwriting capabilities. The song goes through several distinct sections without adhering to an organized sense of structure. At times, the performance felt sprawling as it approached the outro, but was a compelling performance throughout. 

The band shined even brighter in their performance of “Two Horses.” The song began with a slow, stripped-back introduction that established the scene of a horseback rider traveling alone through a desolate landscape. The following sections tell a heartbreaking narrative, reaching its climax when the narrator’s horse is killed. During this lyrical climax, the instrumentation swelled, resulting in a frantic feeling of emotional release. 

The dramatic storytelling continued with “Nancy Tries to Take the Night,” which explores the emotional complexity of an abortion. Longtime member Lewis Evans elevated the performance with his woodwind feature. The use of unconventional time signatures in the intro created a liminal atmosphere and an uncertainty that matched the song’s lyrical explorations of decision-making and complex family relationships. 

Not all of the band’s songs were so experimental, with more standard performances like “Strangers” encapsulating their energy in a more toned down style.  Newest released song off of the multi-artist compilation album “HELP (2),” “Strangers had a powerful chorus whose live performance greatly outshone the in-studio version. 

Later on, the single “Mary” from “Forever Howlong” testified to the band’s stylistic diversity. The performance relied solely on the harmonized vocals between the three co-lead vocalists and subtle backing guitars. The end result was intimate, though the restrained production choices did not fully capture the energy the song seemed to demand in a live setting.

Black Country, New Road’s set did not feature any unreleased songs, but did include two covers. They began the cover segment with “The Ballad of El Goodo,” by 1970s power pop, Big Star. The dialed back rhythms of Big Star transformed into a theatrical iteration on stage, creating a lively, distorted energy in the crowd. The instrumental strength the band used in its performance elevated its intensity. The choice to the cover song revealed the band’s inspirations from enigmatic 1970s artists. 

The band ended the show with Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Band on the Run.” Horsegirl was invited back onto the stage, together creating a fun and playful energy during the ending section of the entire show. The moment ended the night on a high note, the familiar lyrics and mid-song change of pace brought a dancing energy into the crowd one last time.