Band of Skulls Put The Riffs In Reach

Band of Skulls w/ Mothers
The Showbox, Seattle, WA
09.18.16

Anthemic and powerful, English rock three-piece Band of Skulls brought the heavy to Seattle’s Showbox for an intimate live set. With a small but loyal turnout at hand, the group unleashed their swaggering, at times bluesy, rock riffs and loaded beats, complete with the addition of a fourth player for the live set, filling out a new percussion and sampler sound.

Guitarist/vocalist Russell Marsden seemed most comfortable rocking out at the front of the stage, soloing within arm’s reach of the audience. They BoS played a nice mix of older songs laced with tracks from their latest album, By Default, keeping the energy high throughout, while shrouded in fog. The crowd kept up with clapping and stomping to the beat.

The band slowed it down for “Honest,” featuring an acoustic guitar, and then Marsden switched back to electric for a second slower track, “Cold Fame.” But the biggest cheers came as the band was welcomed back for an encore. After thanking the audience, they launched straight into “I Know What I Am,” from their 2009 debut Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, before Marsden hoisted his guitar high in the air and called it a night laying it atop the cheering crowd.

Touring their own debut album, When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired, Athens, GA based four-piece, Mothers, opened the show. Their slow, precise indie-folk was raw, vulnerable and a bit transfixing. Despite breaking a guitar string during the second song, the band delivered uniquely-crafted song with a lot of control.

Band of Skulls Set List
In Love by Default
Ligt of the Morning
Himalayan
Bodies
You’re Not Pretty
Black Magic
Patterns
So Good
Sweetsour
Brothers & Sisters
Blood
Ten Men
Honest
Cold Fame
Bruises
Hoochie Coochie
Devils
Diamonds and Pearls
Ikwia
Asleep at the Wheel