On Wednesday night, Oct. 22, English rock band Black Country, New Road (BC,NR) graced Prague’s ROXY club with their presence in support of their newest album Forever Howlong, released in April of this year. BC,NR brought along alternative/indie band Westside Cowboy for this sold-out show.
ROXY was already starting to fill up by the time Westside Cowboy took the stage. The band kicked the night off with “Slowly I’m Sure” from their most recent EP, This Better Be Something Great, released back in August. Within the first few songs, Westside Cowboy had already earned wild cheers and whoops from the crowd as they poured their hearts and souls through their vocals and instruments on stage. Westside Cowboy’s music can be described as a mix of Americana and indie rock, and this style certainly makes for unique breakdowns — the crowd was loving it.
The first half of their set consisted mostly of songs from their most recent EP, while their newest single “Don’t Throw Rocks” was also met with high praise. The second half of the setlist included several songs from their upcoming EP So Much Country ‘Till We Get There, set for release on Jan. 16, 2026. The crowd was thrilled to have a preview of the upcoming record, and the band members’ passion during their performance was palpable. We were particularly impressed by bassist Aoife Anson O’Connell’s vocal performance.
The audience was already singing along in enthusiastic anticipation to “Downtown” by Petula Clark before Black Country, New Road even stepped onto the stage. By this time, the crowd had pressed in from the back of the venue, every inch of space on the floor and on the balcony taken by eager fans.
BC,NR immediately had us swaying along to “The Big Spin” from Forever Howlong. May Kershaw’s keyboards and Lewis Evans’ saxophone truly shone at the beginning of the show, drawing the crowd into the flow and calm of the atmosphere the band was about to create. The first half of the set was mainly songs from their newest album, and at some point the spotlight shifted from Kershaw and Evans to Georgia Ellery’s mandolin and violin and Tyler Hyde’s bass.
Charlie Wayne’s drums had been sitting comfortably in the back, subtly grounding the performance, until he spoke up, making some well-received jokes about rowdy British tourists partying at the pubs in Prague. He expressed his gratitude, and that of the band, for Westside Cowboy and for being able to tour across Europe playing their new music for such huge, passionate crowds. In that moment, it felt like he stepped out from behind the curtain to charm everyone with his down-to-earth charisma.
The first older song BC,NR played came around the halfway point with an updated version of “Dancers”, originally released in 2023. And when Hyde asked if there were any Big Star fans in the room, the crowd got even more excited (if that was even possible). After a cover of Big Star’s “The Ballad of El Goodo,” they turned back to the familiar territory of Forever Howlong.
The climax of the show was certainly the last few songs, as the band ran through “Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me),” “For the Cold Country,” and “Happy Birthday” to close things out. The stage lights went wild as BC,NR gave their all during their last few minutes on stage. Hyde thanked fans profusely for sticking with them through all the changes in recent years and expressed her hope that they could work together to make another night like this happen again.
Black Country, New Road is a band like no other. With the departure of founding vocalist and lyricist Isaac Wood in 2022, their direction became somewhat uncertain, but they’ve clearly found their path forward. What we witnessed on Wednesday night was a group of insanely talented musicians creating a one-of-a-kind atmosphere to share with fans. The slow, emotional songs accompanied by gorgeous vocals and unexpected instrumental elements spun the room into a sort of buzzing calm that we’ve never before experienced at a rock show.
While fans of older BC,NR may have been disappointed not to hear much early material, the band successfully leaned on their new album with just a few outliers to put on an incredible show. The musicianship we witnessed was unmatched, and they shared the stage with such grace and poise.
We highly recommend seeing BC,NR on tour if you have the chance, whether you’re camping at the front of the stage or sitting in the back just vibing to the music. Tickets to the remaining dates of their EU/UK tour are available here.
BC,NR Tour Dates:
Oct. 25 – Milan, Italy @ Magazzini Generali
Oct. 26 – Feyzin, France @ L’ Epicerie Moderne Feyzin
Oct. 28 – Bruxelles, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
Oct. 30 – Brighton, United Kingdom @ Brighton Dome
Oct. 31 – London, United Kingdom @ O2 Academy Brixton
Follow Black Country, New Road: Website // Instagram // X // Spotify
