The success of Cambridge’s Black Country, New Road is both entirely expected and greatly surprising— while the band deserves every ounce of praise for the moving performances and complex arrangements that make up records like ‘Ants From Up There’ and ‘Live at Bush Hall,’ it’s nonetheless shocking to see just how revered the now six-piece have become in just a few short years. The group surely aren’t blind to their own wide-reaching appeal as they prepare for their biggest tour to date in support of upcoming record ‘Forever Howlong’— nonetheless, all six members saw fit to squash themselves into the cramped confines of Nottingham’s Rough Trade on Wednesday night to promote the album. Needless to say, Black Country, New Road had a crowd of less than 200 people screaming like there were 1000 of us, putting on a show both intimate and grand in equal respects.

Tyler Hyde’s joke that “you guys are crushed in like sardines: it’s unnatural!” wasn’t far from the truth: the band were playing to a venue at maximum capacity, with all manner of fans coming out to see the group playing a much more intimate show than an outfit of their size could normally afford. Really, the performance needed very little fanfare— Black Country, New Road took the stage almost apologetically, tuning up in a nonchalant manner before launching into hit single ‘Besties.’ The track sounded phenomenal, plain and simple. BCNR’s music has always had an off-the-cuff feel to it, capturing the group’s various vocalists in an honest manner— perhaps that might begin to explain how ‘Besties’ could sound just as tight and pristine in the live setting as it does in the studio. 

Really, the six-piece’s performances were beyond criticism. Georgia Ellery’s vocals soared across ‘Besties,’ bringing the fiery passion the song demands. Similarly, the entire band seemed entirely comfortable jamming on the cut. The backing vocals from Tyler Hyde and May Kershaw weaved their way through the soundscape deftly, fitting together with Lewis Evans’ rich saxophone accompaniments in a manner best described as gorgeous. The bulk of our praise should really be reserved for drummer Charlie Wayne though— though his percussion could arguably be a little overpowering at times, the sharpness of his playing brought an additional heft and gravitas, transforming each song into an infectious art-rock experience. Hyde could even be seen playing her electric bass with a bow at one point, cementing the band as one-of-a-kind musicians.

Setlist wise, Black Country, New Road continue their tradition of keeping their eyes firmly focused on the new material. Though the show only lasted around half an hour or so, it nonetheless felt sweeping and journeyed as the six-piece traversed all three singles from the upcoming ‘Forever Howlong,’ as well as some as-yet unreleased cuts from the record— needless to say, the show gave us good indication that the new album may be something very special indeed. ‘Happy Birthday’ felt even brighter and more whimsical in the live setting, with those do-wop vocal lines finding an additional shine. It was closer ‘For the Cold Country’ that had us truly spellbound though, as May Kershaw’s soprano vocals floated over a truly overpowering arrangement of dense guitar chords, saxophone runs and percussive hits: though BCNR are hardly a ‘rock’ band in the traditional sense, they certainly looked like stars at Rough Trade.

For as successful as Black Country, New Road have been in the last few years, it’s wonderful to see them holding onto their roots as an intimate, personal ensemble. Despite the strong performances and musical clarity that made up their latest show, the six-piece’s greatest strength is just how likeable and charming they are: whether joking around with the audience or playing some of the most whimsical music on the year, the band were able to win us over time and time again. Though the group’s rapid rise to fame was a little unexpected, their ability to connect with their vast fanbase is nonetheless unsurprising.