Royal Blood & cleopatrick - Typhoons Tour
Royal Blood at Terminal 5 - May 23rd, 2022
Formerly a several-story nightclub (and just a few blocks away from the former location of the iconic Studio 54), Terminal 5 is packed for a hedonistic night of its own. Crowded choke points and a floor that one can hardly navigate well before the opener has even thought about taking the stage set a tone of high anticipation - this crowd is excited for a good one. And they should be, catching a prominent hard rock band in what feels to be a creative prime is bound to stir up excitement.
Canadian rock duo cleopatrick kickstarted the night with the roaring riff of their 2019 single “sanjake”. They perform with laudable assuredness, leading more than a few straggling fans entering the venue or returning from the bar to rush in hurriedly. They could be forgiven if they’d thought they were missing the beginning of Royal Blood - the simultaneously stripped down supercharged blues rock is compellingly akin in both tone and style. The band continues with “GOOD GRIEF”, the first of four dips into last year’s album Bummer. Luke Gruntz is quick to express appreciation to Mike and Ben for the opportunity to be on the tour and to be able to share their music with ostensibly new fans, though a considerable contingent of crowd (or at very least those who do their homework) appreciate standout songs including “hometown” and the closer “youth”, both from 2018’s the boys EP. The set serves as a showcase in how a stylistically similar group is generally an exemplary choice to energize a crowd for the main event.
cleopatrick at Terminal 5 - May 23rd, 2022
Energy is one thing this show never lacks - Royal Blood make their presence felt quite literally on the opening notes of “Typhoons”; they are LOUD as fuck - the kind of loud that you feel vibrating in your rib cage. Frontman Mike Kerr runs a bass through both guitar and bass amps simultaneously, creating a distinctively layered and moody tone. Paired with Ben Thatcher’s punishingly powerful drumming, the band has a thundering quality with riffs that could level buildings, yet they retain a delightful catchiness at their core in a way that these are songs one can dance to - not unlike their more seasoned contemporaries in Queens of the Stone Age. After asking the crowd if they think we can be louder than Boston (and appearing to be somewhat genuinely impressed by the impassioned roar in return), the band shows their enthusiasm to celebrate their new material by blasting into “Boilermaker”.
“Lights Out”, the first of three songs they play off of How Did We Get So Dark?, serves as a perfect showcase of the stellar stage set-up and the meticulous light show that flows flawlessly with the song. Clearly conscientious connoisseurs of the visual element of performance (in case you hadn’t picked this up from the overarching aesthetic of their uniquely unhinged music videos), it’s satisfying to see them bring some of that flair to the stage. A choice like the stage igniting red at the same point in the song as in their video might not be like pop artists who have been occasionally known for staggeringly over-the-top visual recreations in their live shows, but it evokes the essence. After another seemingly genuine Mike compliment to the energetic crowd, the band rolls into “Come on Over”, the first song of the night from their popular self-titled debut album.
With the exception of the rollicking “Hook, Line & Sinker”, How Did We Get So Dark?’s title track, and their recent non-album single “Honeybrains”; the band spends the set alternating between new material from Typhoons and fan favorites from their self-titled. The band’s sonic dabbling into disco / dance-rock may have stirred mild concern amongst the occasional hard rock purist, but rest assured this deviation is only a positive; tracks including “Million and One” and “Limbo” are exemplary compliments to the classic material, and they sound heavier than ever performed live.
After delighting the crowd with staples “Loose Change” and the iconic “Figure it Out”, Royal Blood briefly leaves the stage before returning for the expected encore. The room seemingly appreciates the slower “All We Have is Now” both for the display of Mike’s softer vocals as well as a brief breather before the launch into the final salvo of “Ten Tonne Skeleton” and the quintessential closer “Out of the Black”. Expressions of deep appreciation and promises for exciting developments coming soon echo into the night as the wave of people floods out into the street. The fresh air and regained ability to move freely seem appreciated amongst the deafened and exhausted horde, a sea of glowing faces and excited post-concert buzz between friends echoes into the night as the crowd disperses into the fray of the city.
