BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB SOLDIER ON THROUGH 20 YEARS OF HOWL AT MANCHESTER ACADEMY
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Lucy McLachlan/Northern Exposure)
PHOTO GALLERY | BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB | MANCHESTER ACADEMY | 12th December 2025 by Lucy McLachlan
When Black Rebel Motorcycle Club released debut album B.R.M.C back in 2001, it not only spawned indie classic ‘Spread Your Love’, but also their iconic live shows: a wall of smoke, silhouettes and loud loud loud fuzz.
Following up with 2003 album Take Them On, On Your Own, the trio adapted a “fuck you” attitude to match. When accepting their Best Video prize at the NME Award‘s for ‘What Ever Happened To My Rock and Roll’, the band’s original drummer infamously stood on the podium for 3 minutes in total silence whilst refusing to get off stage.
2005’s Howl took a different direction, choosing to break away from all the chaotic fuzz and instead focusing on Gospel, Folk and Blues – marking a turning point in their career. However, after being dropped by their label and dealing with a problematic ex drummer, the original 2005 ‘Howl‘ tour was stripped back and laid bare. 20 years later BRMC have embarked on a back to back US, EU and UK tour playing the album in full as they intended it to be played – including a string of classics from across their 7 studio album discography.
Manchester, the second of six UK dates, marks the end of this enduring run of shows and BRMC are getting tired. In Belgium, a date was rescheduled due to illness, yet the band soldier on. “I gonna drive to the next fucking horrific situation” bass player Robert Levon Been told the crowd, implicating how out of steam they are feeling, yet, to be honest, we wouldn’t have even known had they not mentioned it. Rolling through singles ‘Ain’t No Easy Way’ and ‘Shuffle Your Feet’ the band sounded on top form.
Levon Been remarked that a lot of his inspiration had come from Manchester bands, so naturally the Manchester date was always going to be special. Resulting in him performing the Stone Roses’ ‘I Am The Resurrection’ solo on stage in memory of Mani’s passing, leading to a sold out Manchester Academy crowd accompanying and singing at full force.
The second part of the night saw 2000’s & 2010’s classics ‘Red Eyes & Tears’, ‘White Palms’, ‘Berlin’, ‘Beat The Devil’s Tattoo’, ‘Conscience Killer’ and ‘Shadow’s Keeper’.
Support came from garage psych giants Night Beats who’s 2016 album Who Sold My Generation saw Levon Been guesting on bass, plus collaborations with vocalist Danny Lee Blackwell on Night Beats songs ‘Vultures’ and ‘That’s All You Got’.
