Royal Blood

Royal Blood are on the crest of a wave right now. This gig has been sold out for some time, and it's the first since duo Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher picked up their Brit Award for Best British Group from Jimmy Page.

Tonight they're clearly lapping up the adoration, as they take to the stage in the carvernous lozenge of the Plymouth Pavilions to the rap intro of 'Simon Says' by Pharoahe Monch, and the hip hop influence can be heard woven into their carefully constructed rock.

I've listened to their self titled album a fair bit since it's release in August last year. Clearly I'm not the only one, the crowd tonight don't sing the lyrics as much as they do the crunching basslines, and that doesn't happen at gigs much these days.

Slightly hamstrung by only having one album, and a few Bsides the band rattle through every song in their arsenal and even throw a cover of T.Rex's '20th Century Boy', and roll out a headlining set of just over an hour featuring 14 songs.

The crowd appear to be cross generational, with a surprisingly large number of females in the audience, and they're all carried along with ease by a duo who are already at the top of their game as musicians. It's almost note perfect.  It's not surprising that big hitters, such as early single 'Come On Over' has the crowd in the palm of their hands, 'Little Monster', and 'Blood Hands' have the biggest response from the crowd who are here to worship the new bass playing frontman, from the front row to those near the bar at the edge mimmicking every noise those four strings make.

And boy what a noise! They certainly live up to the press who ask how on earth the duo generate such noise, a noise that's still crashing down on us, when drummer Thatcher leaves his stool to stand on the monitors and survey the crowd.

A forthcoming second album, can only add to depth to their live set, and I have the feeling watching them, that they could soon dominate the rock scene. It's amazing to see a band come so far in just 2 years since their getting together. Both protagonists seem confident enough to take their project all the way, and this was the perfect opportunity to see a fledgling act in full swing.

I expect the bar outside the main room to be at least partially full by those jaded by the set as I grab a swift cider as a salve to my 'whiplash' from being shunted by the fellow headbanger in front of me. But no it's practically empty, they're all still out there caught in the moody dark rock. Monster tune 'Out of the Black' has us reeling and wanting a sweaty encore, but instead the lights come up. Instantly there's a buzz from the crowd about what they've seen.

I just hope they remain a duo, I see no need for them to do a Black Keys and add unnecessary personnel to water down their tightly woven sound. Jimmy Page must be proud these guys come from the same school of rock, and it shines through their tracks tonight.

If their new material can match the power of their final song, then they're going to be one everyone's tongues for some time to come.

set list:
Hole
Come On Over
You Can Be So Cruel
Figure It Out
You Want Me
Better Strangers
Little Monster
Blood Hands
One Trick Pony
20th Century Boy
Careless
Ten Tonne Skeleton
Loose Change
Out of the Black