The Black Keys played at the Wiltern Theater on April Fools night. The show was a straight up shredfest. My face was melting from start to finish from the lack of S.P.F. (Shred Protection Factor). The Black Keys, from AK Rowdy (Akron), Ohio, are a duo consisting of guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. It was only 2002 when they released their first CD, “The Big Come Up.” Today, six years since their first sniff of fame, and four CDs to their credit, these two flannel-wearing Akronites are hitting the road and releasing their fifth CD, Attack and Release.

The Black Keys, from their beginning have been dishing out raw to the bone, bluesy rock n roll. Quick to be compared with Jimi Hendrix, they love to get loud and get extreme and that is why they are so sick live. I have been listening to the Black Keys’ numerous CDs for a couple years now, but the difference between listening to them at home and seeing them perform could not be greater. The sheer intensity of the show was unbelievable and no matter how crazy their music may sound to the ear, the Black Keys play with a certain passion that has to be seen to be appreciated. They sound raw and they sound loud, but to see them play live is like witnessing a couple of schoolyard bullies.

While Auerbach is body-slamming his guitar, which he has in a serious, uncompromising headlock, his co-bully Carney is pounding the pulp out of his drums like he’s some sort of roided-out street hooligan. The sight of it all conveys more sound than the ear-busting sound system does in a years worth of shows.

The Wiltern is an older venue and bigger than most. My tickets led me to the upper deck, which was originally a bummer, but may have been a good thing in the long run. I do not know if my senses could have absorbed everything if I had been any closer to the on-stage rage. In either scenario, the show rocked faces off.

While the show was not as long as some, there was so much shredding in the hour-and-a-half performance that it felt like an eternity, and when the encore came to an end, everyone in the audience had gorged down enough shred calories to hold them over for another offseason. The Black Keys’ new album was released the same day as the show and was produced with beat master Danger Mouse (Joseph Burton).

The tour will head overseas to European land and then down under through Australia before finishing up in the states towards the end of summer. If you have not taken advantage of one of the Keys’ live performances yet, take a look at your schedule and book a flight to the closest venue left that has not sold out yet.

By: Grady Winn

Source: The Los Angeles Loyolan

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www.theblackkeys.com