London’s Hammersmith Apollo was transported far beyond earthly confines on Friday night as Los Angeles-baed indie-folksters Lord Huron unfurled a set of widescreen folk-rock, infused with cosmic storytelling and cinematic flourishes. The Los Angeles collective, fronted by Ben Schneider, transformed the legendary art deco theatre into a dreamlike liminal space, where old ghosts, star-crossed lovers, and timeless wanderers came out to play, bathed in a 1950s Americana pastiche.
Lord Huron @ Hammersmith Apollo
The band – Mark Barry on drums, bass man Miguel Briseño, Tom Renaud & Brandon Walters on guitars, and Misty Boyce taking up keyboards – appeared without Schneider to open on Who Laughs Last, a largely instrumental cut from latest LP The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1. The music pulsed with steady urgency until Schneider emerged from the wings, sauntering onstage with a slow bop to deliver the tune’s vocal-laced closing passage. Singing through the crackle of a vintage telephone handset, his voice carried both theatrical drama and sonic disorientation – the perfect portal into the night’s world.
From there, the set unfolded like an odyssey. Bag Of Bones’ ghostly shuffle gave way to a heartfelt greeting: “How you doin’ out there London, it’s good to be back,” Schneider smiled, visibly moved. “It’s a hell of a feeling standing on stage I tell you that.” he beamed. “The first act of our show finds our beloved cast of characters in strange and unfamiliar territory … England.” The crowd’s laughter rippled warmly, before the band launched into Ends Of The Earth, its sun-drenched harmonies swelling through the Apollo like a promise of escape.
Throughout the night, theatrics heightened the emotional heft of the music. The stage was adorned with a glowing “Cosmic Selector” jukebox, nestled by the drum riser like a relic from another dimension. During Wait By The River, Schneider alternated between his main microphone and the tinny phone handset, conjuring the doo-wop haze of Vide Noir with uncanny precision. When the handset suddenly rang mid-set, the Apollo fell silent.
Lord Huron @ Hammersmith Apollo
“Hello?” Schneider asked, an ethereal voice replying: “There are rules. And there is a price for breaking them … No one runs free from fate without paying back their cosmic debt … Nothing escapes the …” before a harsh dial tone cut in, immediately replaced by the infectious groove of Secret Of Life. The crowd broke into collective movement, Schneider himself sliding into a playful dance.
One of the night’s most exhilarating moments arrived with Used To Know, its jubilant rhythm prompting claps from the barrier to the back of the balcony. Schneider then paused to reflect on the band’s latest chapter: “What’s new, what’s new … oh yeah, we have a new album that came out a couple of months ago, maybe some of you have had a chance to listen to it,” he teased, to cheers. What followed was a self-deprecating riff on formats, praising “my CD ladies up front,” ribbing vinyl lovers as “nerds,” and applauding the “cassette army, strong.” “Maybe you like to put it on VHS and listen that way,” he joked, “it’s kinky.”
But soon his sincerity cut through: “Whatever way you choose, I have one request, I want you to listen to it the old-fashioned way, front to back, the whole damn thing … you just might find that new meanings reveal themselves when you listen that way and it becomes a more fulfilling experience.” Then, with a wry grin: “But whatever you do, don’t listen to it backwards, you’re gonna invite some shit into your life that you did not see coming.”
Watch Me Go showcased Tom Renaud on pedal steel, while Misty Boyce stepped forward to duet with Schneider on I Lied, her crystalline harmonies lifting the track into breathtaking territory. Schneider’s voice rasped with tenderness, while Boyce’s clarity provided the perfect counterpoint – a highlight of the night.
Lord Huron @ Hammersmith Apollo
The second half of the set offered a deft balance of moods: the lush melancholy of La Belle Fleur Sauvage, the hushed reverie of Frozen Pines, and the ritualistic stomp of Meet Me In The Woods. But the moment everyone anticipated arrived with The Night We Met. The Apollo became a choir, thousands of voices singing back every word in hushed reverence. Schneider often stepped away from the microphone, allowing the crowd to carry the song, visibly moved by the swell of voices.
For the encore, Lord Huron pulled no punches. The apocalyptic The World Ender roared with cinematic grandeur, followed by the fragile meditation of Nothing I Need. The night closed with the rollicking Not Dead Yet, its defiant energy sending fans dancing into the West London night.
At the Hammersmith Apollo, Lord Huron proved they are far more than an indie-folk band or, indeed, simply a moniker for their charismatic frontman – they are world-builders, storytellers, and conjurers of myth. Blurring the line between concert and cosmic theatre, they reminded London that in music, as in life, the journey is often stranger and more beautiful than the destination.
Live review & photography of Lord Huron @ Hammersmith Apollo by Kalpesh Patel on 19th September 2025.
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