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Band of Skulls ended its North American tour in Lawrence last night, performing infectious hits from all three of their albums to a sizeable crowd. Not bad for a night with Dar Williams at Liberty Hall and Detroit Cobras at Bottleneck.

With the crowd packed shoulder to shoulder on the main floor, the UK three-piece rattled the Granada with a bluesy rock and roll roots sound — similar to The White Stripes and Black Keys — that is taking them from supporting band to main attraction.

Russell Marsden worked the crowd from the opening verse of “Asleep at the Wheel,” pacing the stage, holding his guitar out over the front line of the crowd, drawing more and more raw energy from the devoted fans below. Emma Richardson stayed grounded opposite from him, singing cooly into the mic and keeping a steady baseline driving the fast-paced single from latest “Himalayan” with quick fingertips dancing effortlessly on the strings.

Matt Hayward, on drums, kept a strong sense of presence throughout, but teased out louder screams of adoration from the audience between each thrilling song with pounding solos and unpredictable tempo changes.

The three brought an intimate side to stage in their emotionally charged and slow-paced “Cold Fame,” which Marsden dedicated to two members of the crew that they were losing at the end of the tour.
Maintaining a calm demeanor throughout most of the song, Marsden built the anticipation as he inched closer to the final lines, taking deliberate breaks at the end of each verse. And then, finally, everyone got a chance to sing-yell along to the last repeated line: “cold fame in my brain, but it’s OK because I know it’s the best for me.”

An anxious energy filled the space the entire 90-minute set, as if everyone in the crowd could tell they were witnessing the beginning of this band’s breakout success and inevitable bright future.

Coming back to the stage to deliver three encore songs, Band of Skulls drew the end of their set to a close with three crowd favorites, with every lyric shouted right back at them. Marsden threw his pick out, and Hayward left two lucky attendees with a drumstick each.

Set List (approximation):

Asleep at the Wheel

Himalayan

I Know What I Am

I Guess I Know You Fairly Well

Pattern

Brothers and Sisters

Wanderluster

Toreador

Bruises

Cold Fame

Blood

Hoochie Coochie

I Feel Like Ten Men, Nine Dead and One Dying

The Devil Takes Care of His Own

Hollywood Bowl

Encore

Sweet Sour

Light of the Morning

Death By Diamonds and Pearls