December 8, 2023

Royal Blood – Spark Arena: December 7, 2023

Royal Blood returned to Auckland to get the holiday season in gear along with Elliot & Vincent and Racing. The 13th Floor’s Dylan Frater and Chris Zwaagdyk were there!

My longtime collaborator and close friend eagerly anticipated a night of rock and roll. As the lights dimmed, our attention was immediately drawn to the three prominent drum kits gracing the stage. The unmistakable presence of die-hard Royal Blood fans became apparent as a sea of merchandise started to fill Spark Arena.

Elliot & Vincent

Elliot & Vincent took the stage, occupying the left corner. The Auckland duo has a sound that is brave and original—more prog-rock than dance-pop. My initial comparison to the White Stripes was soon washed away in a sea of lengthy guitar drones, strange tuning, and pulsing tribal drums. Drummer and singer Elliot Finn and guitarist Vincent Cherry are rising talents whom we are sure to see and hear more from in the future.

Racing

This was the second time I’ve seen Racing live; the first was in Wellington at a much smaller venue. The band is now proving they fit perfectly in a larger arena setting. They easily could have been the headline act, with a stage presence and a catalog of superbly written pop/rock songs. Everyone knows the lyrics and chants along to the choruses of their more well-known songs like ‘Party Slow‘ and ‘Motel Pool.’ You can hear the experience and effortless confidence oozing from frontman and vocalist Ed Knowles (originally from The Checks, alongside guitarist Sven Petterson). The standout performance was their drawn-out take on ‘Run Wild,‘ showing the band’s ability to stir a fire in the audience.

Royal Blood

After a lengthy intermission, Royal Blood took the stage. Royal Blood, formed in 2011 in the UK, consists of Mike Kerr (vocals, bass, guitar) and Ben Thatcher (drums). The first half of the set launched into crowd favorites ‘Lights Out’ and ‘Little Monster’ with an outstanding lighting display backing them. Royal Blood has one of the biggest live sounds I’ve ever heard. It’s not only big but also very clear, with not a moment where I couldn’t hear any part clearly.

For songs like ‘Shiner In the Dark,’ the duo brought on stage Darrel Watts, who supported with keyboards and synths. This added an extra dynamic to the already very full sound. Kerr’s vocals were strong and on point throughout the entire show. The star of the show, for me, however, was the bass and guitar hybrid that frontman Mike Kerr has developed. Essentially, a bass guitar with the capability (I assume through pedals) to sound like an electric guitar, a bass, or both at the same time. At times it sounded more like a war machine growling at the audience. Paired with the nail gun precision of Thatcher’s drums, it makes the ‘Royal Blood sound.’ This sound you really need to hear live to appreciate its power.

The second half of their set was where the duo really came to life and unleashed the lion from the cage. It was in this half that the audience was sent into a mild frenzy as ‘that sound’ just grew bigger and bigger. The drum solo seemed at first to be an unnecessary moment of indulgence but added a nice dynamic to the set, propelling them into ‘How did we get so dark,’ which was one of my favorites. When often, a rock show will let off all its guns at the start and slowly fizzle, Royal Blood was just warming up. With songs like ‘Out of Black,’ showing the band’s true strengths aside from the well-known hits.

They ended the night with a two-song encore featuring their biggest hit ‘Figure It Out‘ and a huge trash can finale that seemed to never end (which the crowd did not mind). I keep coming back to that sound, that growling animal/war machine that just wouldn’t give up. Royal Blood is known for their garage rock, beer-drinking blues sound we hear on the radio, but for this listener, they have a lot more to offer when they take hold of an empty stage. Give them a few more years, and they may just find themselves reserving a spot in rock royalty.

Dylan Frater

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk:

Royal Blood:

Racing:

Elliot & Vincent: