It is no secret to any long time readers of this site, or to anyone that knows me, that New Roses are one of my favourite bands. Having been introduced to them back in 2017 through Hard Rock Hell, I have seen them work hard to slowly gain more and more of a foothold in the UK. The other night was a testament to that. Midway through their first major tour of the UK with Massive Wagons and taking a couple of nights off to headline their own smaller, packed shows.
And, being supported by the wonderful Empyre and local boys Devil’s Ransom, it really was a show not to be missed. Thankfully, we didn’t, and are here to tell you just what you missed!
First on were Devil’s Ransom. They fit the bill pretty perfectly as they are very similar in sound and theme to New Roses. The band only had half an hour, but more than put that time to good use! Even with some technical difficulties, they played through it like pros and we had an improvised yet fun drum and bass solo while the guitarist sorted stuff out. The band played their hearts out through a fun set and put on a great show for the crowd!
Next up were moody alt rockers Empyre. Promising to bring the mood down in the best way possible, they delivered a much too short set full of moody, awesome music. They are one of the best bands in the UK underground scene today, be that live or on track, and that was on full display here. Hendrik has one of the most powerful, incredible voices in all of rock at the minute. On tracks like opener ‘Waking Light’ or ‘Hit and Run’, it honestly gave me chills. That’s not at all to take away from the other band members, either. Did, Grant and Elliot create such a brooding, captivating atmosphere with their playing and performance. It sucks you in immediately and holds your attention throughout. Their presence on stage is incredible.
Honestly, I’d love to see this band play bigger shows with a Tool-like stageshow. I think it would fit them perfectly and add even more to the aura of the band. One of the best sets I’ve seen all year! 🤌
Now, this is the fifth time I’ve seen The New Roses. Somehow, every single time I’ve seen them, they have gotten better and better. This was no exception.
Being a five-piece now for the first time since the band’s inception, it’s worked out better than I could have ever anticipated. Frontman Timmy having the freedom to move around and dance and interact with the crowd more without his guitar was awesome to watch. Meanwhile returning lead guitarist Norman Bites brings so much energy and showmanship to the stage that I honestly didn’t realise I’d missed from their shows until his return. Dizzy still holds his own as a phenomenal guitarist, and both Hardy and Urban play their parts to perfection too.
As for the setlist, it was awesome. Still touring on support of their latest release, last year’s Sweet Poison, the set was heavy with tracks from it. However, the likes of ‘The Usual Suspects’, ‘Warpaint’ and ‘Sweet Gloria’ are crowd favourites. Meanwhile, deeper cuts like ‘The Lion in You’ and my personal favourite, ‘Veins of This Town’, were very welcome and sounded amazing. And the band still threw in older classics like ‘Life Ain’t Easy’, ‘Glory Road’ and perennial set closer ‘Thirsty’. And they still had time to throw in a cheeky Tom Petty cover, too! It was the perfect setlist, and the 90-minute set flew by far too quickly!
They are one of the best live bands around today, and have somehow only gotten better now that they are a five-piece! I cannot recommend them enough, be it on track or live. If you have the chance to see them live on this tour or in the future, you must take it!
And there we have it, folks. An utterly awesome night of rock music. Three amazing bands playing their hearts out for all in attendance. And, a quick shoutout to the venue too, as the Craufurd Arms is a really awesome rock bar! If you get the chance to see any of the three bands live, I’d highly recommend doing so. It really feels like the future of rock music, and it’s looking very bright!