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It’s hard to believe that only three musicians make up the enthralling, chilling, and spacious sound that
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club produces in concert. Indeed their Virgin debut album “B.R.M.C.” is loaded with booming distortion and cohesive unity, but it isn’t until after seeing the band in concert when listeners can truly see the band reach their full potential. When the group pulled into Chicago, it was near the end of their tour with Spiritualized and the day after their performance Cochella Music Festival in Indio, California. Cleary, the trio has come a long way since their indie beginnings, which began in November 1998.

On stage in the windy city, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club opened the evening with a 10-song 45-minute set showcasing most of the album. Amidst dark lighting and a sea of smoke, the group burst into “Red Eyes and Tears,” the second cut from the project known for its meaty guitar riffs and Peter Hayes’ moody vocals. Following “Red Eyes and Tears,” their grinding Brit-pop influence shined through on “Spread Your Love,” followed by the snarling guitar patterns of “White Palms.” Hayes’ spiritual questioning of “Jesus when you going to come back home?” throughout “White
Palms,” coupled with bursts of strobe light action on stage, earned the attention of virtually every
concertgoer at the sold out show.

Other performances ranged from the group’s onslaught of sonic overload during “Awake” to the ethereal vibe of “Head Up High to the mild mannered “Love Burns.” “Whatever Happened to My Rock N’ Roll (Punk Song)” showcased the group’s indie/punk roots while their finale “Stop” roared to a climatic conclusion. After a series of transitional guitar riffs, drum rumblings, and Hayes’ screams, the band called it a day and exited to unyielding fanfare. Although not immediately accessible or radio friendly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club can certainly put on a memorable show. Even if they don’t get the airplay necessary to drive up record sales, at least they’ll be prominently hanging around the club scene for quite some time to come.