Subscribe to Louder Than War
(and help keep independent writing alive)
Independent music journalism, interviews, reviews and more.
Louder Than War Fest
Manchester • Saturday 13 March 2027
The Wedding Present + more across Manchester Academy.
Band Of Horses
Manchester Albert Hall
10th October 2026
Captivating southern rockers play their charming debut and many other classics at a similarly lovely Manchester Albert Hall. Sam Lambeth dusts off his best – or, to be more appropriate, worst – baseball cap and plaid shirt to review.
Manchester’s Albert Hall has the ornate, hallowed beauty of an idyllic church, so it feels odd to see its tranquil setting swamped by a sea of what looks to be a congregation of car mechanics. If the visual of hirsute, becapped men in Detroit jackets decamping to a building of detailed majesty feels like a grand juxtaposition, it soon makes perfect sense when you remember Band of Horses are back in town.
For de facto leader Ben Bridwell and co are made for venues of such resonance. Since rising to prominence two decades ago, the Seattle-cum-Carolina natives have built an admirable back catalogue around plangent but rousing barnstormers. Sometimes burly and ragged, sometimes gentle and subdued, Band of Horses’ songs are always a soothing balm that make the beauty of the Albert Hall a perfect fit.
The five-piece are back in the UK revisiting their high-water mark, Everything All the Time, to celebrate twenty years of its release. Released at a time when contemporaries such as My Morning Jacket and The Shins were ushering in a new era for contemplative US rock, Bridwell matched that idiosyncratic approach to indie with the gossamer folk of Neil Young and the rough-edged jangle of early R.E.M.
It’s a classic album from start to finish, and hearing it tonight in almost chronological order – for some reason, Our Swords appears before Wicked Gil – is a reminder of the group’s gift for plaintive, sincere hymns of love and pain. The First Song, naturally, kicks things off, its languid, hypnotic pull aching with introspection. Equally as arresting are Part One and I Go to the Barn Because I Like The, tender and warm songs perfect for the ushering in of autumn. When Bridwell goes solo for the closing St Augustine, his tremulous tenor soars as the sold-out venue’s couples hold each other tenderly.
Everything All the Time also delivers moments of dishevelled beauty whose weather-beaten contours give way to hugely expansive anthems. The bruised melancholia of The Great Salt Lake’s stately riff surrenders to a twinkling, titanic crescendo. The Funeral begins suitably wraithlike with a fragile arpeggio that soon bursts into a supercharged chorus that shakes the rafters. The most lighthearted moment comes in the form of the breezy rocker Weed Party, which still packs a mighty punch.
Despite still carrying the slightly menacing look of deep south miscreants, Band of Horses are almost adorable in their stage patter. Hard-lunging, ravine-cheekboned bassist Matt Gentling bashfully apologises to those sitting above and behind him for having to constantly stare at his thrusting rump. Bridwell punctuates each song with an “aw, shucks”-style thanks and the occasional drop of “y’all.”
Returning after a brief interlude to wander through choice cuts from the rest of their back catalogue, you are reminded of Band of Horses’ longevity and consistency. No One’s Gonna Love You and Detlef Schremp are beautiful, brittle ballads built around Bridwell’s enchanting howl. NW Apt and Dilly are spit-and-sawdust blasts of barroom rock. Is There A Ghost and Cigarettes, Wedding Bands recall the Americana-leaning, arena-ready theatrics of former tourmates Kings of Leon.
Laredo and Crutch are contemplative and melodic, akin to the southern-fried crunch of Counting Crows. They even give us a taste of the future in the charging Little Suspect, a song set to feature on their forthcoming seventh album, which shows that the group haven’t lost any of their talent for heartfelt rockers.
Tonight has been about the past, however, in the best way. Fans young and old have looked deeply in love or, at some points, deeply in a trance. Everything All the Time’s slightly off-kilter but tranquil grace has quite rightly become renowned as a modern American rock classic. As the band leave with one final “thank, y’all”, you realise this truly has been a biblical experience.
~
Band Of Horses can be found online at bandofhorses.com. They’re also onFacebook.
All words by Sam Lambeth.Sam is a journalist and musician. More of his work for Louder Than War is available on hisarchive. Photos by Richard Ahern.
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief