BKW: Their songs all smell like whiskey

Striding down Clarkson on a cool summer night, there were many doe eyed fans, and close to giving up scalpers, searching for tickets. The line stretched seemingly forever, but I managed to walk in as Patrick and Dan took the stage feeling quite fine.

The Black Keys absolutely dominated the Fillmore for the extent of their set. Able to pull from a decade of playing and several albums of material, the setlist was endlessly surprising and pleasing. Early highlights included "When the Lights Go Out" and "Stack Shot Lee," which unwinded into the first serious jam of the night and put forth the idea that the Black Keys were not in the building to fuck around.

Both Dan and Patrick were on top of their game. Dan's ability to modulate perfectly between roaring solos and hard rock riffing allows the duo to create their indomitable, copious sound. Patrick is an endlessly compelling drummer; during most jams he appears completely absorbed in his own universe, then unleashes thundering force. Dan and Patrick were noticeably locked in, although I would assume that is a nightly occurrence.

Before a three song encore, the Keys closed with a frenzied "I Got Mine." As with "Your Touch" and "Stack Shot Lee," Dan and Patrick built a purposeful jam that tilted between blues rock powerhouse and psychedelic freakout. As the jam reached its peak, the floor boiled into a throbbing, unified mass. As the reverb mellowed, the roar from the crowd rose feverishly, and like a counterpart for Patrick's drumming, the many ecstatic fans certified the show with a footstomp. The hollering cheer continued to build until the band re-emerged.


Future topics -- Additions from the Day After

As a Quartet

During the second third of the set, the Black Keys brought out keyboard and bass players to play songs from the new album. "Tighten Up" was most anticipated and delivered. These songs are not yet favorites, but the extra texture added a new wrinkle to the ever-expanding Black Keys sound.

If the Black Keys decide to begin playing as a quartet I would like to see two things happen. First, I hope that their backing musicians rise to a point of being fully incorporated. In short I don't want them to be backing musicians. Keyboard solos, in particular, would be excellent additions to several songs. Second, I think the Keys would need to go through a period of playing two sets. I think, by incorporating a few more blues standards, the Keys would have enough material. They also are in full rights to jam out a few more songs, because the jams they played last night approached virtuosity.

Everlasting Light

As the quartet's obvious post in the second third of the set wound down, I tapped Lizzie on the shoulder and we had this exchange:

Me: I am really anxious for them to play "Everlasting Light."
Lizzie: Really? Explain more.

It had been growing on me. I wanted to see what it sounded like live. I thought it might sound awesome, but I wasn't sure. Lizzie is an mp3 blog (queen) and she's been a fan of this tune since its inception. I've had my doubts, but only so much as wishing they layered guitar shredding over that throbbing bass line. I don't think it is a great song, but I do think it is an important one, because it shows that the Black Keys are beginning to reshape or broaden their song. They added complementary players and pushed their sound farther beyond their prototype than ever before.

Both the placement and playing of the song were telling. Depositing it in the first encore slot added emphasis to the tune. Frankly, I, Lizzie, and many around us were in a tizzie. As the song began it was very clear that not many people had it pegged as the tune they were hoping to hear, which is probably because it is a newer song in their arsenal, and has received only a modicum of play online. For the first couple minutes, the band did nothing to change that. In a disappointing turn, the thumping bass did not come through until the song's final verse, although that did give one last burst of crazy to the dancers in the building.