Culture Music Live music

Black Submarine at Wilton’s Music Hall

Black Submarine at Wilton’s Music Hall | Live review
Avatar
Shot by Erol Birsen
Sarah Edmonds Shot by Erol Birsen

There’s life in the old guitarist yet. Never has this adage been truer than in the case of Nick McCabe, former member of The Verve and now one fifth of Black Submarine, along with fellow Verve alumni Simon Jones, Davide Rossie (Coldplay/Goldfrapp), Michele Schillace and Amelia Tucker. The band, formerly known as Black Ships, are gearing up for the release of their debut album with just two UK shows, so it’s no surprise that the London date at Wilton’s Music Hall is completely sold out.

The setting could not be more perfect for the highly anticipated performance. Wilton’s Music Hall is London’s best-kept secret, a gem of a venue steeped in so much history that you can almost smell the lingering smoke from the 16th century alehouse. Black Submarine up the atmosphere with mesmerizing visuals and their hypnotic self-titled opening track Black Submarine, a trance inducing blend of chant-like vocals, deep industrial beats and eerie strings.

Nick McCabe is returning to his experimental roots with Black Submarine, their sound being reminiscent of Gravity Grave from The Verve’s much underappreciated first EP. But this band isn’t just a rehash of what McCabe had hoped The Verve could be. They defy time, sounding surprisingly current despite their 60s psych revival vibe.

Moving from the dirty, growling guitars on See Through You to the tender drones of Move Me a Mountain, Black Submarine prove that there is variety in psych. It’s a serious and meticulous set, mirrored by the audience who stand in awe at the pure noise emanating from the exceptional five piece. A little awkward banter interrupts the gravity in places, but it’s the music that’s key.

Amelia Tucker’s vocals are understated, sometimes too much so, leaving her otherwise powerful voice buried under the layers of tumbling chords and pounding drums; although this may be partly due to the endless echoing potential of the venue. 

Heart First, with its ultra–experimental, mindwarp of an ending commands the set, and Everything That Happened to Me Is You, fresh from their new album New Shores lets Davide Rossi’s string skills shine through, proving he really is the king of violin. Epic Here So Rain finishes off a mind-blowing set with one final experimental binge, and finally shows Tucker as the masterful siren she is.

Sarah Edmonds
Photos: Erol Birsen 

For further information and future events visit Black Submarine’s website here.

Watch the video for Here So Rain here:

More in Live music

Ludovico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall

Cristiana Ferrauti

Zach Bryan at BST Hyde Park

Bev Lung

Linkin Park at Wembley Stadium

Antigoni Pitta

Iron Maiden at London Stadium

Hannah Broughton

Olivia Rodrigo at BST Hyde Park

Katherine Parry

Meltdown Festival: Lola Young at Southbank Centre

Talitha Stowell

Meltdown Festival: Jon Batiste at Southbank Centre

Paulina Subia

Isle of Wight Festival 2025: Day Three with Olly Murs, Nieve Ella, Jess Glynne and Justin Timberlake

Kirst Hubbard

Meltdown Festival: James Blake at Royal Festival Hall

Ben Browning