Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Cobbs, Dead Combo
Music Mill
Tuesday, June 5

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club came to the Music Mill in support of their latest album, “Baby 81,” which was released in May. I walked in during the beginning of the Cobbs’ set, and I wasn't terribly impressed — either they're one of those bands that sounds best recorded, or they were all a little too drunk to keep together.

After the Cobbs finished, half the crowd walked out of the smoke-free venue to puff away before returning for BRMC, which everyone seemed pretty pumped for.

Walking back into the venue, I understood something I was told about the Mill's acoustics: As you walk across the room, you get a totally different sound. Standing near the center of the room and standing 15 feet over brings a totally different feel. Maybe that's intentional; maybe it's not. It’s just not noticeable to your everyday live music fan. Of course, maybe that's why the Cobbs didn't sound very together to me.

I knew going into this show that I had a lot to expect from BRMC — bad asses with attitude who could really whip out some rock ’n’ roll. I wasn't let down.

As BRMC took the stage, singer Peter Hayes lit up a cigarette and let it hang from his mouth as the band churned out what sounded like a mixture of dirty acoustic blues, punk and stoner music with random satanic lyrics thrown about.

No doubt, these boys were bad asses, and they were here to remind us that rock clubs allow smoking.