About 8 songs into the set, Robert Been said “We’ve been doing the loud thing for about 2 years now, so we wanted to do something different. And we also just wanted to fuck around.” This was some of the most moving fucking around I’ve heard in a while. I haven’t seen Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in a long time. In fact it’s been since Nick Jago had to take off for “personal reasons.” But the notion of seeing the boys on the stripped down stage at Club Dada in Deep Ellum (Dallas) was more than enough to get me out there. The show was incredible alive.

When BRMC hit the scene it was like the rebirth of Jesus and Mary Chain. Finally the Ravonettes had some company! But with the problems with Jago, along with those infamous “label concerns”, Robert Been and Peter Hayes went into record Howl amidst tremendous uncertainty. What came out was a folk record incredible enough to rival anything on Americana stations. This was a big change in sound, but somehow, it rang true. THIS is why I went to this show last night.

Dada holds about 250 people. At 8 PM when doors were supposed to open, there were probably 150 in line outside. The line grew. At 8:15 PM people are trying to find out if they are sold out and not even the door guy “knows yet.” The line grew. At 8:30 PM fire marshals show up and make their way inside as the crowd groans. And the line grew. And finally at 9:15 when I get through the door, the door guy tells me that they aren’t sold out yet. I look back and see another big group of people walking to the end of the line. I lost sight of them in the darkness, but I do know that the line grew.

Once inside, I manage to overhear the bartender saying “Yeah man, they’re doing 2 shows now. We have to kick everyone out at the end of the set to get the rest of the people in here that are outside.” So not only have they decided to bless Dallas with the greatness of the acoustic set in a tiny club, but they did 2 sets!

The show began with Hayes alone on stage for 3 songs. He was then joined by Been and their chemistry was absolutely magnetic. They played almost the entirety of Howl, and peppered in several newer song off Baby 81 and older ones of the self titled. Toward the end of the set they brought out Leah Shapiro to rock some tambourine on Stop, Ain’t No Easy Way, Weapon of Choice and several others toward the end of the set.

It’s a real treat when you get to see a quality band strip down and show you a little bit of their soul. BRMC didn’t have to play this show. Knowing Club Dada, they didn’t even make that much money to do it. This was their chance to pretend they aren’t famous. This was their chance to play in front of a crowd that loved them unconditionally. This was their chance to forget that they are opening for Stone Temple Pilots. This was their chance to remember what got them where they are today. This was their chance to fuck around. And you should have seen it.

(Photo courtesy of Tim Jansen.)

MP3:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - “Ain’t No Easy Way”