Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Black Keys - Birmingham Carling Academy

black keys

I've been to a
 The Black Keys gig before, and like seeing The White Stripes the first thing you think when they start belting out their mix of lo-fi rock/ blues is,

'Wow! They make a lot of noise for just two of them'

Funny thing is, like last time I wasn't really looking forward to the gig, but once you're half a song in they totally grab you with their sheer passion for the music. And that is the essential element for these two remarkably ordinary looking guys from Akron, Ohia, they absolutely positively look like they're doing it for nothing more than the love of the music. 

Dan (guitar, vocals) and Patrick (drums) blasted though choice cuts from each of their five albums pausing only briefly for Patrick to get his breath before piling back into another riot of percussion and wailing cords. 

The lack of pretense with these two is so refreshing, that's not to say pretense in music is a bad thing, it most certainly is not, but the absence of any here just leaves the tunes to speak for themselves, and they speak real nice.

So, if you're in the mood for some real rock/ blues to blast out on a sunday morning, or when you're driving through Tesco's carpark, these are the boys. I'd suggest you start with Rubber Factory.

After the gig I hooned it down from Birmingham (actually Droitwich where my chum lives) to Brighton in 2hrs, which was perfect as I managed to get in 3 Black Keys albums. When I pulled up at 1am my head was ringing. Oh well. 


7 comments:

Inexplicable DeVice said...

OK. I can't find Rubber Factory on You Tube, but I have found Strange Times which I'm listening to now.

Video's a bit bizarre - loads of Australians shooting each other with lasers...

Herge Smith said...

What's weird about that? Happens everyday,

Rubber Factory is album, Strange Times is from the new album Attack and Release.

What do you think?

garfer said...

Hmmm...indie/blues rock is a bit Paul Weller dad rockish.

Should suit me.

Sniffy said...

Coldplay have a new album out this year. Unfortunately, it's not out till autumn and Herge will be on a boat to the far east. A bit extreme mechanism of escape from the turgid shite that the BBC will be creaming themselves over.

G-O-D!

Herge Smith said...

That is of course the only reason I'm leaving - fear of a coldplay nation.

Garfer, honestly, it ain't just for the dads, it rocks (although admittedly there were a couple of days at the gig).

spleenal said...

Yeah some bands have lead guitar, rhythm guitar and base guitar.
Surely two of those aren't actually pluged in and those guys are just there to fill up stage space

Herge Smith said...

On the other hand Arcade Fire have about 6 or 7 members and they kick ass - including 2 violinists. Noice, as they say.