Royal Blood

Royal Blood are playing The Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom on Saturday 28 November, one of two headline shows they're doing at the venue. They're touring their new album, Dead Company, and the Glasgow dates are part of a seven-date UK tour. The second night was added after the first one sold out, so there are two chances to catch them in the city rather than just one.

If you're not familiar, Royal Blood are a two-piece from Brighton: Michael Kerr on bass and vocals, and Ben Thatcher on drums. That's it — just bass and drums, no guitar, though the bass is run through enough amps to make it sound like a full band. They've built their sound on the blues-rock dynamism of the White Stripes, the Black Keys and Two Gallants, and then cranked up the volume with scuzzy riffs and a fair bit of blustering energy. It's a loud, heavy approach that works best live.

They've been at it for over a decade now. Their 2014 debut, Royal Blood, earned a Mercury Prize nomination and a Brit Award, and they followed it up with How Did We Get So Dark? in 2017, Typhoons in 2021, and Back to the Water Below in 2023. Dead Company is the latest addition to that run, and these shows are built around it. With two nights at the Barrowland, you've got a couple of dates to choose from if the first one fills up fast.

Doors are at 19:00 at the Barrowland Ballroom, 244 Gallowgate. There are age restrictions to keep in mind: 14+, and under-16s need to be accompanied by an adult.