After a month spent immersed in the country music scene at Arizona’s lively bars and juke joints, the news of Restless Road bringing a touch of Nashville to London sparked immediate excitement.
An added bonus was the venue choice: Camden’s Electric Ballroom, a longtime beating heart for live music. On this cold, wet London evening, the iconic space was set to pulse with the warmth and soul of country music.
Restless Road appear to be on an unstoppable rise. In November, they dropped “Done It By Now”, and the momentum hasn’t slowed since. At the iconic Grand Ole Opry, they were stunned with an RIAA Gold-certified plaque for their fan-favorite hit “Growing Old With You”—presented by none other than Lady A’s Charles Kelley, a co-writer on the song. Adding another milestone to their whirlwind month, the trio delivered a stirring performance of the national anthem at the Los Angeles Rams’ Salute to Service Monday Night Football game at SoFi Stadium on Veterans Day.
And the winds of fate brought them here: the Electric Ballroom, a venue with a unique sense of coolness and faded charm. If you haven’t been there in a spell, you might forget just how punchy the sound quality can be. That compact stage hammers sonic waves straight out into the auditorium, and tonight, it proved the perfect setting for the super talented Erin Kinsey, opening, and Restless Road. You could feel every guitar lick, hear harmonies soar clear and sharp, and experience drumbeats peppering you like scattergun fire—a Tennessee front-porch storm turned all the way up. On this night, the room’s sonic power was palpable.
“their sound was a welcome southern breeze on a balmy summer night.”
The boys came ready to impress—but don’t they always? Looking like they’d just stepped out of a Boot Barn display window, they kicked off with Bar Friends, instantly transforming the room into a collective celebration. This may not have been a honky-tonk, but it sure started to feel that way: the Stetson-hatted crowd swayed, boots tapping, beers raised high, and grins as wide as Texas. Songs like Sundown Somewhere and Leave Them Boots On came alive with vibrant, electric energy, as the trio delivered melodies wrapped in lush, three-part harmonies. Despite the chill outside, their sound was a welcome southern breeze on a balmy summer night.
“by the time Last Rodeo brought the night to a close, it felt as though everyone had been given a gift”
The set certainly had its moments of raucous fun. A mid-set medley had the house roaring like a Saturday night in the holler. Yet, despite that unrivaled Restless Road energy, it was the quieter moments that truly stood out. For us, the tender Growing Old With You was a highlight of the night—the kind of song that makes you want to stop, hold onto someone a little tighter, and feel as if love itself has filled the room.
“For a band still relatively early in their career, Restless Road has already mastered the art of balance”
For a band still relatively early in their career, Restless Road has already mastered the art of balance—blending the classic sentimentality of country storytelling with a fresh, modern edge. Headlights felt anthemic, while Most Nights (featuring Erin Kinsey) carried a bittersweet introspection that could leave a lump in your throat.
And let’s not forget the season. With Christmas just around the corner, a festive warmth was in the air. Perhaps it was the camaraderie of the crowd, or maybe the unmistakable joy pouring off the stage, but by the time Last Rodeo brought the night to a close, it felt as though everyone had been given a gift—a little piece of country warmth to carry home through the crisp London night.
We said of their show at Lafayette, London, that we thought these boys could do no wrong—and they continue to prove us right. Restless Road returned to London and again reminded us why country music—with its stories, its soul, and its power to bring people together—is a universal language. Tonight, every lyric echoed off the walls like Christmas bells ringing out, carrying a message that rang loud and clear—or, as Longfellow once wrote, ‘wild and sweet.’ Camden got its Christmas spirit early this year, as if Scrooge himself had thrown open the windows to declare, ‘God bless us, every one!’
RESTLESS ROAD played the ELECTRIC BALLROOM, London 0n 12th December 2024
Support from ERIN KINSEY
(Review to follow)
