M'Lou Elkins
As I walked into the South Side Ballroom tonight, November 21st, in Dallas, TX, I was taken aback by how empty the venue was for how close it was to showtime. For a minute, I feared that the fact that tonight’s show was just two nights before Thanksgiving might mean a sparse turnout. I needn’t have worried…by the time the openers were due to hit the stage the place had filled out and people were eager to get the night started.
The supporting act is HotWax, a teenage trio that’s heavy on the grunge vibe and excels in their ability to go big with their sound while using just three instruments, and happen to be one of the most exciting new bands to come out of the UK of late. Fronted by guitarist/vocalist Tallulah Sim-Savage, and rounded out by bassist Lola Sam and drummer Alfie Sayers, their stage presence and level of confidence are on point, and I’m shocked by how technically proficient they are for being so young.
They blast through the tracks from their debut EP, A Thousand Times, with the chops of seasoned pros, easily winning over the audience whose cheers grow louder in intensity as the night progresses. “This is our first time in America!” shouts Sim-Savage. After the reception they’re receiving, I’m sure it won’t be their last.
When the final beat of their last song of the night, “Rip It Out” comes to a close, the stage goes dark and without a word, the three silently file off stage. Job well done. The crowd is sufficiently pumped for the main event and the air is thick with anticipation.
The stage goes dark and the familiar opening to the iconic theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, rings out. To raucous cheers, the English duo from Brighton takes the stage as impressive, yet simple, back-lighting erupts and Royal Blood launches into “Hole” followed by “Come On Over,” and “Boilermaker.”
Bassist and singer Michael Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher are both looking much more sleek and stylish tonight than they did back in 2017 when I first saw Royal Blood when they opened for Queens of the Stone Age on the Villains Tour. Kerr’s ego is on full display, and it’s obvious he is ready and able to command tonight’s crowd as if it’s second nature to him by now.
The ability of Royal Blood to generate such a huge sound while only using two instruments is a testament to Kerr’s unique style of bass playing. He utilizes various amps and effects pedals to transform the sound he gets out of his bass into the combined sounds of an electric guitar and bass guitar at the same time. But they’ve recently added a third touring member, Darren Watts, on keys into the mix to help flesh out their live sound and add a new dynamic to their live shows. This new addition works seamlessly with their sound and was a good decision.
Their set was packed with 19 songs that drew from all four of their studio albums, including 5 tracks from their most recent release – Back to the Water Below, which just dropped September 1st.
For their first encore song, HotWax joined them onstage to perform “Waves,” which was followed by “Ten Tonne Skeleton.” When they closed the evening with the song that put them on the map – “Figure It Out” – and the place went ballistic. The guys left everything they had on the stage and the crowd rewarded them with a deafening sing-a-long.
Another great show for the books. As I left the venue I reflected on the time of year – Thanksgiving – and how thankful I was for live music. Life would be so boring without it!
Check out our photos of Royal Blood from the show:
Check out our photos of HotWax from the show:
