Somerset House Summer Series: Black Country, New Road

Black Country, New Road bring their evolving songbook to the Somerset House Summer Series on 22 July 2026 at Somerset House, Strand, London. Emerging from the Windmill Brixton scene, the London collective stitches bass, drums and guitar to saxophone, violin and keys, building long-form pieces that pivot between post-rock tension, post-punk edges, art-rock detail and hints of klezmer. Early singles Athens, France and Sunglasses led to For the first time (2021), a debut that set their maze-like structures in place. Ants From Up There (2022) arrived with Isaac Wood still on vocals; his departure just before release pushed the group to reshuffle, share the mic and lean into a more melodic, chamber-influenced writing style without losing their idiosyncratic pulse. Live at Bush Hall (2023) documented this chapter and a tighter, ensemble-first dynamic. On stage, the focus is collective: parts weave and peel away, crescendos grow patiently, and songs are reworked with a live logic. This show traces that journey, balancing earlier material with newer cuts shaped for the open-air courtyard.