Monday, February 23, 2009

Live Review: Black Keys @ Rams Head Live!, February 4

OK, so I'm a bit behind on a couple of show reviews that I'm giving you out of order anyway, but what can you do? My erstwhile partner has been trying to show me how to do more behind-the-scenes work here at the site, and let's just say, it's been slow going. Let's see how this one goes, eh?

So the Black Keys blew through Baltimore earlier this month, playing Rams Head Live! I had never been to the venue before, though I have been to the much smaller Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis. Gotta say, I wasn't super impressed with the digs. While there's a great deal of space, it seemed particularly poorly set up to me. The sound board is set up damn near dead center of the lower level, eating up a boatload of space where people assumedly would otherwise, you know, actually groove out to the show. The upper levels weren't much better, allowing for those right up against the railing to see the show, but nobody else. Now I'm about 6' 2", so it was no biggie for me, but my under five foot bride had a bit more of an issue. Granted, they have TV screens all over the place, but if I wanted to watch them on TV, I'd buy their live DVD .

Now, having seen Dan and Patrick about a dozen times, I refuse to believe they are capable of a "bad" show, but I have to admit, this was one of the weaker times I had seen them. While they tore through their set with the usual blistering abandon, the balls against the wall attitude one comes to expect from a Keys show seemed to be lacking. I dunno, it seemed like Carney only wanted to hurt his drumkit, not beat the snot out of it like usual.

On an up note, this leg of the tour has freaking tee shirts WITH A GIANT TURTLE ON IT!!!! If that's not worth the price of admission, well, you're just greedy.

And now for some additional BK audio pleasure for you:

mp3: Stack Shot Billy (live at (9:30 Club, 5-13-08)

[Photo by Chris Daly]

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

yeah i've heard it's not such a great place to see bands when full