Black Country, New Road at Brighton Dome
Words by Willow Shields, Photographs by Rosie Carne
Black Country, New Road at Brighton Dome became a lesson on growth, and shone a light on how far we’ve all come.
The crossover between people who know who Black Country new road are and the humble readership of groupie magazine is probably a majority middle of a venn diagram sort of deal. But for those who don’t, a brief history of the group: beginning in 2018 with Tyler Hyde, Lewis Evans, Georgia Ellery, May Kershaw, Charlie Wayne and Isaac Wood. Playing the Windmill Brixton regularly, they became engrained in the golden age of the so-called ‘South London Scene’. They released their first (and pretty controversial) single ‘Athen’s France’ in 2019 via Speedy Wunderground, along with their sophomore single ‘Sunglasses’ they were cemented by fans and critics and ‘the next Big Thing’ with their unique blend of genres and usage of instruments. Their debut record ‘For The First Time’ was released in January 2021, and their sophomore record ‘Ants from Up There’ was released in February 2022. Just before the release of ‘Ants from Up There’ frontman Isaac Wood announced his sudden and immediate departure from the band. Tours were cancelled and are material was already in the pipeline. The band went onto record their ‘Live at Bush Hall’ performances in 2022. And in January 2025, they were finally ready to let the world see what they’d been working on for the new era of the band. ‘Forever Howlong’ was released in April 2025. They are now made up of Tyler Hyde (bass, vocalist), May Kershaw (keys, piano, accordion, vocalist), Georgia Ellery (violin, mandolin, vocalist), Lewis Evans (saxophone, flute, vocalist), Charlie Wayne (drums, vocalist), and Luke Mark (guitar, vocalist). As their current six piece, you can hear through the music that they are more cohesive and confident than ever.
Upon arrival to the dome we discovered we had circle tickets, a new experience for us all. So, upon taking our seats feeling like royalty, that feeling quickly diminished with every strained shimmy to get my coat off without standing back up. On stage at the time was My New Band Believe, headed by Cameron Picton of Black Midi fame. They delivered a fast pace and enthrallingly confusing set. With only three instruments between three of the men on stage, their sound billowed up into the ceiling and back down again with a might comparable to some great blustering storm. Their set made me driven to write a love letter to drummers. Take from that what you will.
When the lights shut off again, the crowd roared. Then, over the sound system ‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark covered everyone in attendance in a 1960’s cloak. As the band walked onto stage in the dark, the crowd roared again, louder this time. The first and only light on stage was a spotlight directly on Georgia Ellery as she began to sing ‘Two Horses’, her voice filling the otherwise silent expanse of the room. As the song built, every instrumentalist of the group was audibly introduced to the audience and as the song ended with a whistle, the wall of sound that the crowd produced climbed up the walls, jumped over the seats and hit me square in the jaw.
As they went onto play ‘The Boy’ sung by May Kershaw, I began to fall deeper and deeper into the world of Black Country, New Road. The song builds and builds, and I was lead to imagining up some stage play soundtracked by the band. The only note I made throughout the whole performance came at this time, “A plant about medieval shrews,” as in the little rodent-y river dweller. It shouldn’t be surprising that their music is so transformative, but other than at plays and ballets have I been so reminded of birdsong by flutes, or potential animalistic danger by the touch on a cymbal.
To punctuate the middle point of their set, they covered ‘The Ballad of El Goodo’ by Big Star. Tyler Hyde remarked that “it’s a song we wish we wrote.” Then with an opportunity to speak, Charlie Wayne thanked the supports Pete Un and My New Band Believe and talked of merch, USB sticks and cash only march stands, the crowd and - admittedly - I, hung on every word.
As they continued in their stride, my mind began to wonder back to when I knew them before. I came to the conclusion that this whole experience felt like seeing a friend you’ve not seen in a decade and suddenly they’re an entirely different person, shaped by events you never got to see. They look the same, and you know where that scar is from when you both fell into the river when you were 10, but they’re a different person. You love them still, but everything’s changed and you have too. For someone who crossed paths with them six-ish years ago, when they had a frontman and if a boy I was seeing said he liked them that it was a red flag. Black Country, New Road, in a way, are totally unrecognisable. In a mark of pure genius - accidental or purposeful - this band have evolved from one thing, something so distant that it becomes forgotten in an instant upon hearing ‘Forever Howlong’ live. They have melted everything down and transformed themselves into something completely beautiful, whimsical and that has a uniquely feminist voice. As I sat on my uncomfortable seat, legs slowly numbing, I found myself falling into the world that these three women’s voices were walking me through. Steeped in the deep sadness that comes with existing, while also showcasing the great joy in life, soundtracked by a mandolin.
Suddenly it was the penultimate song, punctuated with Tyler Hyde thanking the fans for sticking with them through everything saying, “boy have we changed, but you haven’t.” She then led a “Free free Palestine” chant and urged everyone to continue to raise their voices in aid of those who can’t. When they broke into ‘For the Cold Country’ the crowd were still cheering her. When they had finished and the lights came on, the band stood on the stage and clapped for their audience, Lewis Evans threw setlists and plectrums into the crowd. It was plain to see that they are so genuinely grateful for their audience and that they are enjoying playing shows.
