Band of Skulls

They haven’t, but it does feel like Band of Skull have come from nowhere to a take a prestigious support slot with The Black Keys and a sold out show at the ever so trendy Roundhouse. This led to accusations from one tedious inebriated punter that they’d Americanised and sold out, without having heard the new album!

First up were Broken Hands who had an opportunity to sell themselves to a pretty tame crowd. They pretty much blew with a lacklustre set of uninvolving patented Brit guitar led rock. Very disappointing.

So to the headliners, who take a chance and open with Sweet Sour the title track, and has to be said, one of the weaker tracks off the new album. But they set their stall out: tonight was about creating and manipulating the vibes and you go with it or you don’t. As such the crowd don’t really get it until the hypnotic rhythms of Patterns and Fires kick in and then things to click into place. The skittering Bruises plays on the ear with the dual lead vocals – which throughout the gig are superb - and sublime bass, followed the slightly sinister Wanderluster. At various times there were pathetic attempts to create a mosh pit, and a couple of punters get dragged across the barrier, but there was no real heart in it.

It really is about the music as Russell Marsden (guitar) and Emma Richardson (bass) don’t do much more than stroll about the stage, and mutter the odd thank you. If they get to those heights, one can see this band taking the Tool route of melding music, lights, lasers and graphics. Both albums were well covered with highlights being a sublime Lay My Head Down and Dull Gold Heart. The main sets ends with the heavy blues of Light of the Morning and a vicious Death by Diamonds and Pearls, encoring was a bruising The Devil Takes His Own.

In truth there’s nothing particularly original on display here; there are flickers of early Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, the usual 70’s dinosaurs, and (debatably) more up to date with the White Strips. But they’ve found a way of making this all sound natural, fresh and interesting, and that's not too bad.