Review: The Black Keys

The blues as we once knew them may have seen their better commercial days, but they are thriving in other places and in other incarnations thanks to record labels like Fat Possum and V2 and to bands like the Black Keys.

Photos by Chris Oberholtz/The Star 

The duo from the rust-belt town of Akron, Ohio, headlined a show at Crossroads KC on Friday night and, surprisingly, filled the place to its capacity -- somewhere close to 3,000 people. The Keys are drummer Patrick Carney and guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach. Their music blends various strains of primal rock (including punk and garage) and blues; thus they evoke a variety of kindred styles and performers. Among, them: Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and former Fat Possum label-mate R.L. Burnside.

The Keys are touring on their new album, "Brothers," which shows off some of the best songwriting of their career and ventures into other roots regions, like down-and-dirty soul, funk and R&B. The appeal is not necessarily immediate, but it is long-lasting.

To perform several of those new songs live, the Keys have enlisted the help of a bassist and keyboardist, who made what would have been a good show even better. The best of the new tunes included the sexy funk/soul number "Tighten Up," the miasmal "She's Long Gone" and the woolly, slow-burning Delta blues anthem "Next Girl."

As a duo, the Keys, like the White Stripes, can muster a sound and groove the size and weight of a quartet or larger. Auerbach and Carney were more than able to fill the large Crossroads KC with a thunderous roar that was felt in back of the venue, which is, literally, nearly a city block away from the stage. 

The change from duet to quartet broke up the show into thirds and provided respite from the invigorating, but sometimes repetitive, drum/guitar scuzz-blues/garage rock storm the band is so capable of.  But even within the drum/guitar format, the Keys paint in different weights and hues. So the heavy artillery, like "I Got Mine" and the infernal closer, "Till I Get My Way," contrast with garage-rock romp "10 A.M. Automatic," the bluesy-pop tune "I'll Be Your Man," the grimy psychedelia of "The Breaks" and songs that were more contained but just as visceral, like "Stack Shot Billy" and "Busted," which erupted into a frenzied jam that shook the place.

Aside from the light show that erupted around the two, the show was a relatively no-frills, no chit-chat, down-to-business affair -- an attitude that suited the music. In terms of age and gender the crowd demographics were all over the chart. This is a band that has revived a sound that resonates with Baby Boomers and excites a couple of generations that followed. Sometimes what is refreshingly familiar can feel like something brand new all over again.

Brian Olive: The sound was so inadequate during the opening set it was hard to get a feel for anything. This was the second time in two trips to Crossroads KC that the sound was less than acceptable. (It was bad for the first part of the Rev. Horton Heat's set, too.) 

Setist: Thickfreakness; Girl Is On My Mind; 10 A.M. Automatic; Set You Free; The Breaks; Stack Shot Billy; Busted; Everywhere I Go; Strange Times; Same Old Thing; Tighten Up; Howlin' For You; Too Afraid To Love You; Next Girl; She's Long Gone; Ten Cent Pistol; Your Touch; I'll Be Your Man; No Trust; I Got Mine. Encore: Everlasting Light; Till I Get My Way.

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[funny]

lol at the shows you skip versus the shows you see.

[JJ]

Sorry I missed this one. I was going to come down the night of the show but I saw it was sold out. That really surprised me. I figured they would draw about 500.

[mankvill]

Awesome to see these guys selling the place out. :D

[Green]

Blues are best served hot and last night was burning! Nice review Tim, I thought the crowd was pretty tame, might have been the heat and the later start, kinda wish they would have started at 8pm but it wasn't a big deal, outside shows usually look better in the evening anyway. The music was great, I stayed back and didnt crowd the gate like I usually do, found a nice spot in the middle, I think the it was wise with the heat. All and all, a great blues rock show with the thrills all in the music.

Lucked out and got a set list, guess I should thank the roadie with the sweet toss, thanks brother!

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/254/mg1802s.jpg

[Aardvark]

hey if anyone snagged an extra poster, i'd love to purchase it from you,

bluetrane@live.com

thanks!

[Green]

I didnt see the posters, were they special to kc or just a standard tour poster?

A lot of Black Keys posters here,

http://www.gigposters.com/band/9737_Black_Keys.html

[Aardvark]

yeah, there were specific KC posters...i arrived at the venue before the opening band took the stage, but they were already sold out...

[Music]

I wonder if a local artist made them, now i want one, grr!

[White Locks]

I have some "wWite Locks" posters if anyone wants some, but we are fresh out of "Black Keys" posters.

[Boogie Down w/ The Keys]

Let me guess, White Locks, them jokes is free....?

This one's going in the best of 2010 file. Not sure if it will get a chance to be dethroned, but if it happens I hope I'm there.

[Yolk on me]

my pleasure,
I am glad somebody got the yolk ... errr joke : )

[kmoon]

Really good show - so glad I made it in! Which album has "Your Touch" on it?

[Christoball Mogenstern]

kmoon,

Magic Potion is the album you seek.

[kmoon]

thx CM - i ... neeed.. the .. magic... potion...