We all know the traditional music video is dead — MTV took care of that a long time ago. But there’s always room for innovation. And so it appears with The Black Keys’ latest video for the song, “Howlin’ For You.” Could this be the next evolution of the music video?
The video (below) plays out like a movie trailer — interesting enough — but with the song itself providing just background music. The video is a full narrative and there’s even a full cast; including Corbin Bernsen, former Playboy model Tricia Helfer and “Sir” Todd Bridges of Diff’rent Strokes. The Black Keys’ stuffed dinosaur even makes an appearance.
This is the first time I’ve seen a music video that actually puts the music in the background, instead focusing much more on the narrative. But it’s not the first time The Keys have experimented with video. The aforementioned dinosaur starred in “Next Girl” and an early music video release of “Tighten Up,” both of which took a decidedly less-than-traditional approach to the music video.
It’s an interesting concept and, really, it makes sense. Thanks to YouTube and the Flip handheld video camera, fans can watch countless hours of live footage of their favorite bands. And that’s great. But it also means that the standard music video needs to offer more than just stylized re-creations of a performance (I’m looking at you, Pearl Jam). They need to tell a story. Well, mission accomplished with “Howlin’ For You.”
So, while the music video is no longer a factor on television, it could be that we are entering the next golden era of the music video … online. Are The Black Keys onto something here?
Watch the video, and you tell me.
It didn’t take me long to decide what to do for New Year’s Eve. In fact, I didn’t really “decide” at all – I just clicked the link in the Ticketmaster email to buy Black Keys tickets as soon as it hit my inbox. It was involuntary, really. But I did voluntarily urge everyone I know to join me.
I’m not going to spend a ton of time explaining the magic that is The Black Keys. If you read Sound Citizen, you know how we feel around here already. Instead, I’m just going to point you to a few videos and simply say that it was a night that I’ll never forget. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are supremely talented. There’s no fancy stage setup, no pandering the audience and no bullshit. Straight-up rock and that’s the way we like it. They played nothing but the best from their catalog (no BlakRoc here) including “Have Love Will Travel,” a song quickly becoming a favorite, even though it was originally recorded by The Sonics decades ago. Check out a past article on Garage Rock’s Roots – there’s some great stuff from back in the day, including “Have Love Will Travel.”
The crowd was also excellent – fired up and extremely well-versed.
Highlight of the night: The countdown to midnight, followed by The Keys uncorking bottles of bubbly (complete with crowd-spraying) then ripping “Your Touch.” That was worth the price of admission right there. A video of it is posted below – the sound quality is not the best, but it’s a great glimpse into the fever that spread throughout the crowd.
Lowlight of the night: I could’ve used more. Perhaps due to the late start, it seems the show was not as long as it should have been. By contrast, the New Year’s Day show was five songs longer.
There is plenty more video out there, just search YouTube and sort by date uploaded. Below is a few I found. This time around, I decided to not take video. Instead, I wanted to soak it in naturally; without distraction. I’m glad I did, although I do wish I had some video to call my own. Lesson learned, I suppose. At any rate, thanks to those who did take video – we were counting on you!
Below the videos is the New Year’s Eve setlist.
Did you go to the show? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment. Go to a different NYE show? Tell us about that too!
Countdown to midnight, followed by “Your Touch.” Via lazymoon13.
“Psychotic Girl,” from New Year’s Day. Via stackshotbillie.
The Black Keys setlist, 12/31/2009:
1. Thickfreakness
2. Girl is on My Mind
3. Set You Free
4. Stack Shot Billy
5. Same Old Thing
6. Strange Times
7. Your Touch
8. Psychotic Girl
9. Have Love Will Travel
Encore:
10. 10 A.M. Automatic
11. Till I Get My Way
What separates simple bands from true artists is the willingness to step out on the edge, to take risks and create something new. Here at Sound Citizen we’ve long been touting the brilliance of The Black Keys and now they’re giving us yet another reason to get excited: BlakRoc. Produced by hip-hop mogul Damon Dash, BlakRoc came together in Brooklyn, New York over the course of 11 days.
Supergroups seem to be the flavor of the day – with new bands like The Dead Weather, Them Crooked Vultures and Monsters of Folk (set to release today, Saturday, September 22) being some of the latest installments. But most supergroups stay within the framework of their collective genre. Not BlakRoc. This collaboration takes The Black Keys and adds some of hip-hop’s biggest talents – Mos Def, RZA, Raekwon, Luda, NOE, Billy Danze, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and the incomparable Q-Tip, among others. And while you might not think blues, rock and hip-hop would make the best combination, it kind of makes sense. At the very least, when you put great talent together, more often than not you’re going to get something quite interesting.
“The Black Keys are about real music and all these other people that came through are really good at what they do,” Dash explained to XXL magazine. “We didn’t know what it was gonna be, we just knew that we just liked making music.”
What’s the result? See for yourself in the video below. The full album is available now for pre-order on both CD and vinyl and will release in stores on November 27.
You can also stream the single “Hoochie Coo.”
(Video included) Dan Auerbach, front man for The Black Keys, is touring to promote his first solo album, Keep it Hid. On Friday, March 6 he made a stop at The Metro in Chicago to play in front of a sold-out crowd. Simply put, the show rocked. By far, it’s one of the best shows around of the early 2009 season.
He led off with “Trouble Weighs a Ton,” a slow, back-country sounding tune that immediately signals a sound departure from the heavy blues of The Black Keys. But from there, Auerbach led the crowd into the meat of Keep it Hid, playing the ska-inspired but blues-based “I Want Some More.” It’s heavy but clean, scratching the surface of what’s to follow. The set included the aptly-named “The Prowl” with its stalking rhythm, “Mean Monsoon” and its quirky beat, the heartfelt “Goin’ Home,” “My Last Mistake,” “Heartbroken, In Disrepair” and just about every other song from the new record. There’s a sound emerging from Keep it Hid that I haven’t heard before. It’s blues, it’s rock and there’s some reggae thrown into some of the underlying beats. It all comes together seamlessly, and it sounds very good.
Seeing Auerbach on stage with a full supporting band – Hacienda, including My Morning Jacket percussionist Patrick Hallahan – I can’t help but be reminded of Jack White’s transition from The White Stripes to The Raconteurs. It’s clear that while The Black Keys showcases Auerbach’s unique style, his solo effort is a glimpse of what he’s really capable of as a musician. He stays true to his blues roots and his style, but it’s a richer, more complex sound. He has said that The Black Keys aren’t going to quit making music, and that’s a good thing. That said, go out and see this show if at all possible. I’d see him again tomorrow if I could. I want some more.
Below is video from the show, of “Heartbroken, In Disrepair.” It’s a little shaky at times, because I was having trouble staying still. Click “HQ” for best quality. Enjoy. Upcoming tour dates are below the video. And you can visit Dan Auerbach’s MySpace page to hear the entire new album.
| Nov 5 2009 | 8:00P | Newport Music Hall | Columbus, Ohio |
| Nov 6 2009 | 8:00P | The Majestic Theatre | Detroit, Michigan |
| Nov 7 2009 | 8:00P | Phoenix Concert Theatre | Toronto |
| Nov 8 2009 | 8:00P | Le National | Montreal |
| Nov 9 2009 | 8:00P | The Paradise | Boston |
| Nov 11 2009 | 8:00P | Webster Hall | New York, New York |
| Nov 12 2009 | 8:00P | Theatre of the Living Arts | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Nov 13 2009 | 8:00P | Sonar | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Nov 14 2009 | 8:00P | Cat’s Cradle | Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Nov 16 2009 | 8:00P | The Orange Peel | Asheville, North Carolina |
| Nov 17 2009 | 8:00P | Variety Playhouse | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Nov 18 2009 | 8:00P | House of Blues | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Nov 20 2009 | 8:00P | Minglewood Hall | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Nov 21 2009 | 8:00P | Cannery Ballroom | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Dec 3 2009 | 8:00P | Turner Hall | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Dec 4 2009 | 8:00P | First Avenue | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Dec 5 2009 | 8:00P | The Vic Theatre | Chicago, Illinois |
| Dec 6 2009 | 8:00P | The Bluebird | Bloomington, Indiana |
| Dec 8 2009 | 8:00P | Southgate House | Newport, Kentucky |
| Dec 9 2009 | 8:00P | House of Blues | Cleveland, Ohio |
(Video and audio after the jump) Every now and then I discover a band that reminds me why I love music so much. Not long ago, that band was The Black Keys. So when my brother called asking if I’d be interested in taking a quick trip to Cleveland to see the rock/blues duo, I jumped on it. We booked our flights and got our tickets to see them at the Agora Theater, near their hometown of Akron, Ohio. We also made a stop at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Black Keys are often likened to The White Stripes, probably because they are both two-person bands and they both rock. But The Black Keys have a much different sound – it’s dirty and unmistakably blues. Guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach’s rugged and soulful voice, combined with his mastery of rhythmic blues guitar (Robert Johnson is one of his influences) and Patrick Carney’s explosive drumming make these guys powerful and hypnotic.
They played much of their most popular music including, Same Old Thing, 10 AM Automatic, Girl is on My Mind, Your Touch, Psychotic Girl and a ripping Stack Shot Billy. Every one of their songs has a steady beat that sometimes grows frantic, sometimes lays low but always leaves people grooving. In most bands, the drummer is overlooked. Not here. Patrick Carney is every bit as important to The Black Keys as Auerbach, and simply a joy to watch. He is passionate, and pounds the skins when he needs to and gently taps them when appropriate. And instead of simply keeping a rhythm, he creates new ones throughout every song. Auerbach plays effortlessly – sometimes playing a few bars with one hand – and is one of those musicians that makes you feel music is playing him, not the other way around.
The venue, Agora Theater, is historic and a cool place to see a show. You’ll find that most great bands that pass through Cleveland will make a stop here. It was rebuilt after a fire in the 80′s and looks like it hasn’t been touched since. But, after the show, you can walk across the hall to the Agora Ballroom, where on this night The Doctor Teeeth were playing. And they were pretty good too – guitarist Rusty Boyer has some real talent. Then, on your way out you pass through a diner with late-night food and another small band playing in the corner. My only real complaint was with the sound system. They were having problems early on and never seemed to get Auerbach’s microphone right. That said, the next time I’m in Cleveland I’ll look to see who is playing there.
Sitting next to us in some VIP seats, I’m convinced were Auerbach’s parents. The woman was singing along to every song, and had a head of red hair and eyes that match Dan’s. The man was fairly bald but with a bushy beard. Of course, I’m speculating, but it looked right.
Below is some video from the show – don’t forget to click the lower right of the player and select HQ for better quality. And if you really want to see them live and at their best, get Black Keys Live at the Crystal Ballroom
Want to read more about The Black Keys and see some reviews for upcoming shows? Check out The Black Keys Fan Lounge.
Strange Times
I Got Mine
Dan Auerbach, of the power blues duo The Black Keys will release his solo debut record on Feb. 10, just ahead of a U.S. tour. Head over to Auerbach’s MySpace page and you can hear three full-length tracks from the new record, Keep It Hid, including a blues track with a reggae feel and a sweet acoustic “Trouble Weighs a Ton.” Click ‘More’ for current tour dates. Read more
