Tonight’s show almost didn’t happen, as fans of Black Country, New Road (BCNR) well know. Following frontman Isaac Wood’s shock departure in 2022, just prior to the release of Ants From Up There, the band cancelled their tour plans. The remaining six retired all of their past music and rebuilt the band – and its discography – from scratch.
In 2024 BCNR returned with chamber-pop single “Besties,” a whimsical, bisexual ode to unrequited feelings for a friend, taking a softer direction. This was followed by the release of Forever Howlong in April 2025. Reactions were mixed, with some fans mourning their former sound, making this tour a chance to see whether the band could hold its own.
In Montreal’s MTELUS the six-piece opened with “Strangers,” their recent War Child UK charity release, while a Palestine flag hung from the keyboard. Georgia Ellery, Tyler Hyde, and May Kershaw led the band as co-vocalists. They immediately formed an enchanting trio, with Ellery’s shimmering, ethereal breathiness, Hyde’s rich lower register, and Kershaw’s irresistible crystal tones.
Rounded out by Charlie Wayne on drums, and Luke Mark and Lewis Evans on guitar, their musicianship was astonishing and inventive. They finger-plucked violins, took a horsehair bow to an electric guitar, and all played giant recorders which they used to record the album’s titular track.
Despite the complexity of the arrangements and their obvious individual talent, there was a harmonious equality between them and no obvious leader. Between songs they kept the crowd talk brief and let the music speak for itself.
The impact of Forever Howlong can be easily downplayed when compressed into an audio file. It needs to be seen and heard live, where the band’s musical telepathy can be witnessed, their voices piercing through the dark. Live, its intricate arrangements breathe, revealing textures and emotions that flatten out in headphones. Hearing “Besties” mid-set felt like a warm hug. Ellery’s vocals in “Two Horses” and “Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)” dazzled me with their emotion and beauty, as did May’s in “For the Cold Country.” They also covered Big Star’s “The Ballad of El Goodo,” which they credited as an inspiration for the album.
The audience embraced the new arrangement, but it was hard to tell whether Forever Howlong had spawned BCNR fans of its own. Enthusiasts in the front rows still shouted back the lyrics, although the abstract musical arrangements did not lend well to coordinated headbanging. The majority of the room only perked up at the introductory harpsichord notes of “Besties.”
BCNR closed out the set with “Happy Birthday,” but not before Hyde led the audience through a Free Palestine chant (I suspect Hyde may have been preaching to the choir in that room). This reimagined BCNR may not be the band that fans remember, but as musicians, as boundary-pushers, as cultural tastemakers, the six-piece proved they have still got it.
Support came from Horsegirl
Review – Irene Wang
Photos – Steve Gerrard
