The Long Ryders are back with High Noon Hymns, their first new album since the passing of original member Tom Stevens. Their show at Electric Ballroom on Thursday 15th October 2026 is part of the band’s current High Noon Hymns UK tour, bringing their distinctive blend of country, rock and jangling guitars back to London.
The Long Ryders @ Electric Ballroom
The Autumn Saints are already playing when I arrive at Electric Ballroom, with Britt Strickland’s throaty vocals introducing I’m In Love With You over a taut backing. Broken Parts sits somewhere between John Mellencamp and Grant Lee Buffalo, yet remains unmistakably The Autumn Saints, with some cool lap steel from Nick Bennett. New song Echoes Of Pines Now Said showcases the interplay between Britt’s guitar and Nick’s keyboards, while Fable In Diesel has a road-worn feel. They introduce recent single I Am The Gadfly, which gets their fans going with its cool harmonica and boastful storytelling, before closing with Josephine, a tale of lust and heartbreak carrying a dark country edge.
I have to admit it has been about 40 years since I last saw The Long Ryders live. Back then, they were perhaps a little too country for my tastes. Over the years, however, I have regularly seen Sid Griffin perform with The Coal Porters or as a special guest, so it is good to see him back with the band that helped establish his reputation.
They open with Run Dusty Run, full of swagger from Stephen McCarthy’s guitar and the economical drumming of Greg Sowders. Sweet Mental Revenge carries a slightly sad tinge, reflecting on how things can go wrong, before How How How Do You Wanna Be Loved becomes the first song from High Noon Hymns, its sweet harmonies from Sid, Stephen and new bassist Murry Hammond providing an immediate reminder of the band’s enduring melodic strengths.
If only we could all live in a World Without Fear, where our biggest concern was how great the next guitar solo might be. The sentiment feels particularly pertinent in the current climate. Sid then welcomes The Long Horns, the band’s brass section of Joe McGlohon and Glen Johnson, to the stage for the first time tonight. Their arrival adds a bluesy edge to Stand A Little Further In The Fire, another highlight from High Noon Hymns.
The band takes us back to the Mason-Dixie Line, whose terrible history seems to be rearing its head once more. Much of the audience sings along, while the horns add extra colour to the interplay between the guitars. Following a quick guitar change, Sid dedicates Ivory Towers to his good friend Gene Clark, who wrote the song. The result is a beautifully jangling version of this classic, followed by Four Winters Away, full of regret and swirling 12-string guitar epiphanies.
Sid introduces NRBQ’s I Want You Bad as a failed single, not only for its original performers but also for Dan Baird and others, including The Long Ryders. The story is enough to set up a room-wide singalong, with the audience clearly knowing every word.
Next, Sid introduces Murry Hammond, formerly of The Old 97’s, to sing Tom Stevens’ song Bear In The Woods, whose lyrics seem to hint at what might happen in that log cabin. The Long Horns return for Down To The Well, giving the song an almost country-funk feel in places as the band pays tribute to the well from which they found their inspiration.
Capturing The Flag feels sadly more pertinent now than it did when it first appeared in 1985, with Stephen getting right to the heart of the song. Sid introduces the band before they launch into I Had A Dream, a performance tinged with sadness. Stephen then makes much of the fact that Sid has walked from home to the gig rather than flying in like the rest of the band.
They follow this with Going Back Home, their take on the Dr. Feelgood classic, featuring some cool harmonica from Sid. I used to see Wilko Johnson performing not far from Electric Ballroom, making this a particularly welcome reminder of those days.
The Long Horns return once more for Greenville, bringing renewed energy and giving Stephen the opportunity to indulge in some excellent guitar freakery. State Of Our Union, with its almost-rapped lyrics and vivid vignettes of growing up in the South, rides a chugging rhythm that goes down a storm. The band then closes the main set with Lights Of Downtown, a song about everything that draws them towards those lights. A couple of false endings extend the moment as they thank the audience for coming and bid everyone goodnight.
The band returns for the encore, with Sid strapping on his trusty mandolin to lead Electric Ballroom in a mass singalong to Bob Dylan’s Forever Young. The band drops out, leaving the crowd to carry the song alone, and it is great fun. They finish with their biggest hit, Looking For Lewis & Clark, guaranteeing another room-wide chorus as the audience throws itself into the song’s intricate wordplay, which traverses American history. More harmonica from Sid, along with the band joining in on the chorus, ensures that The Long Ryders leave the stage to another huge cheer.
After four decades away from seeing the band live, this is a welcome reminder of just how effectively The Long Ryders bring together country, rock and ringing guitar melodies. With High Noon Hymns adding fresh material to a catalogue packed with enduring songs, they deliver a set that balances reflection and exuberance, leaving the Electric Ballroom singing long after the final notes.
Live review of The Long Ryders @ Electric Ballroom, London by Simon Phillips on 15th October 2026. Photos by J. Aird, courtesy of Americana UK.
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