The Black Keys



Lilly and Steve took me to see the Black Keys live.

I've never really listened to the black keys, so after going to Jets for her birthday (we made penis pudding and had delicious candlelit dinner while double bass and sax played) we headed on to the Palais theatre for the gig.

We were first faced with the hurdle of being unable to simultaneously smoke and drink on the outdoor balcony. It was either drink indoors, or smoke outside but not both. What a joke.

I don't even smoke but i know there are certain pleasures in life and smoking while drinking is one of them, and we're at a ROCK concert for godssakes. ROCK - the thing which sticks it to the man in a drug fuelled haze of shameless abandon and attitude. Did people FORGET?

I shouldn't get started, but basically, no one rocks much anymore.. and that segues into my review of the Black Lips.

The Back Lips rock.

They are not particularly original, or technical, or crazy or anything. They're not even very good showmen (the singer mumbled a thing or two, thank you, thank you so much).. but it didn't matter.. because as soon as they could, they began to ROCK.

They rocked out.. do people remember the Rock out?!! That which is now hidden in shame by bands with perfectly concocted song/drivel tailored for commercial success and radio time slots?

(The rock out comes after the second chorus typically, and the thought process goes something like this.. "Ok, we've played the verses and hooks, the second chorus is outa the way, we've created a platform of sound.. now let's fucking lose it!".)

To me, this is a band at its purest, when they are spontaneously creating grooves and melodies and riffs from thin air, it is creation in its pure emotive vibe. It's like seeing a cloud of matter manifest into reality, its like the big bang.

Any band that can rock out will forever hold my respect (Zoobombs), so I commend them for this. As I said, they weren't amazing, but it didn't matter as long as they gave us a bit of sweet sweet rock, which they did.

Good on 'em.