I was reading some reviews of The Black Keys’ New York shows on 6 and 7 February @ Terminal 5 when I came across this one at Brooklyn Vegan. I wasn’t so much interested in the review as I was in the comments left by people who were at the show.
Overwhelmingly the punters were critical of the venue, police presence outside hassling people and of other members of the crowd in a way I’ve not seen posted to other reviews. Maybe it’s just a New York thing? This particular comment really caught my eye:
The Black Keys are great. They could not have worse fans. And as the band gets bigger, their fans get worse. At least 75 percent were drunk, rowdy frat boys.
Posted by Anonymous | February 8, 2009 5:49 PM
It reminded me of how I described the crowd at recent ‘Keys shows I’ve been to. Not so much the rowdiness factor, rather they were heavily male dominated. The only girls present seem to have been dragged along by their boyfriends. I’m certainly guilty of that, in the past. I’d reckon recent shows have been more like 90% guys.
I’ve been thinking about why this is because, anecdotally, I’m sure the boy/girl ratio was different in years gone past. Come to think of it, I was actually introduced to the band by a female friend.
Some possible reasons for the demographic:
- Girls don’t like the heavy thump blues
- Girls don’t like power chords
- There aren’t enough melodies
- Dan and Pat are married
- Girls aint into a full beard
- Dan and Pat don’t dance
- Dan and Pat don’t make gossip mags regularly
- Dan and Pat aren’t dressed for the fashion conscious
- The band plays a much harder edged sound on stage compared to their records
- There’s already too many guys at gigs which makes them too blokey and not so appealing
The lack of girls definitely gives the gigs a different edge. I’m sure the band would simply love their music to appeal to as many as possible.
Maybe the Brooklyn Vegan comment is right: as the band does get more popular they simply draw in male fans just looking for heavy riffs who miss the subtlety of the band and their attitude.
It’s going to be very interesting who turns out to Dan’s solo gigs and whether this softer sound attracts more ladies.
Over to you girls, what do you think?
Related posts:
- One Year Anniversary of The Black Keys Fan Lounge
- Time is right
- Stiff Little Fingers vs The Black Keys
- Patrick Carney Twitter Star
- Interview with Patrick Carney from The Black Keys – Part 2
Want to discuss The Black Keys with other fans? Check out The Black Keys Fan Lounge Forum here
Whoa! I beg to differ. Lots of girls LOVE beards and long hair. And lots of girls love Dan!
But there are a shortage of ladies at their shows and that’s because most chicks are to busy listening to latest ABC gum on MTV. They don’t understand what REAL music is.
Sandy
grimygoods.com
Mostly because women come from another direction in music.
I mean even I started with the backstreet boys, but it’s never late for change and getting a taste in music that is not compatible with mtv or else…
the thing with the keys is, the make music thats from an old decade where music was hand made an IN YOUR FACE!
the chords are raw and that’s what I like…
so if they ever play a gig in germany I hope I’ll be there!!!
Woah, Woah.
I think it’s totally wrong to assume girls aren’t listening to The Black Keys. I’m a girl and I love them. And it’s not that girls don’t like good music or even in your face music, how else would you have so many female metal fans
Perhaps they are just not going to the shows even though they like the band. The reason? The shows are mostly guys. I know that I won’t go to a show where I know it’s going to be mostly guys by myself and if I can’t drag some friends along then I don’t go at all. Too many guys means girls won’t go. It’s a self reinforcing cycle.
Fair call. Maybe “Why Don’t More Girls Like The Black Keys?” would have been a better post title
I must not really be a girl then.
I think these two men make the sexiest music I’ve ever heard.
And I wouldn’t miss Dan’s solo show in Chicago for anything.
It’s cause the girls are too busy goin’ to the Kings of Leon concerts!!!
I LOVE the black keys.
and i’m a girl.
Love ‘em too. May be interviewing Dan Auerbach @ sxsw. I also shot their record release party for Attack & Release April 1st last year in L.A. Harsh Generalization! With Danger Mouse producing the last album? Jesus, these boys are genius. The Album art, everything. Dan’s solo Album, fabulous. Could go on and on, been following them since high school with Rubber Factory.
@anna. Cool. You can go on and on as much you like about the band, that’s what this site is for
[...] Why don’t more girls like The Black Keys? Are they really all at Kings of Leon shows, as has been suggested? [...]
Um, how does one get wind that shows are only attended by dudes? [This is the first time I've ever heard of this, other than the whole boy band concert where only teenage kids who are girls attend--but this is a given, in any case.] And if so, wouldn’t the dudettes want to attend these gigs, especially since there will be dudes that like the same band that they do? Or I guess, not, because they’ll be drunk. haha.
In any case, I find this interesting. I am somewhat generalizing, I must admit, but at the same time, just because Dan and Pat aren’t necessarily beardless or single or w/e, does not mean that girls will not go see them. Not everyone is shallow in this world. And not everyone likes a bloody band based on the looks of its members.
[...] most commented post was Why Don’t Girls Like The Black Keys (yup, maybe it would have been better titled Why Don’t More Girls Like The Black [...]
I love TBK! (and i am also a girl) way into the full beard- and the solo shows will only attract me more because of -well, the music of course- and the fact that the fast five have equally great beards.
AND… they are and will continue to be my favorite band- the music is amazing and it truly is the sexiest music a guy could play.
Any girl who disagrees is just eating what MTV is feeding her.
I don’t know why female fans aren’t at The Black Keys shows, but this woman is addicted to their music (and all other ventures by the members of The Black Keys discovered thus far). I don’t regularly attend large-venue concerts but I was truly devastated when I learned only the night before that The Black Keys were playing at Moffat Field in nearby San Jose earlier this year. I would have called in sick to work to see them, had I learned in time to arrange it.
Additionally, I’m not only a female fan, I’m a very feminine female fan. I’ve introduced my best friend and fellow ultra-feminine rock fan to The Black Keys and while they haven’t replaced Jimi Hendrix as her favorite musicians, she still holds them in high esteem. “Girliness” (to use the vernacular) aside, my first musical obsession was with Led Zeppelin at age 13 (in the 1990s, not their heyday of the 1970s). So the generalization that women don’t like heavy thumping blues or power chords is moot, in my case at least.
I don’t care for long hair or shaggy beards on the men I date, but I have no expectation of dating neither Dan nor Pat and am not the least bit disturbed by their hirsute styles. I care more about how they sound than how they look. Knowing that Dan and Pat are married only raises them personally in my estimation, though I do wonder how they manage living together AND working together.
Yes, that was sarcasm. Hold your fire.
Hold up.
I’m a female fan, and whether or not the Keys have more female fans, to suggest that girls don’t like Pat and Dan because they don’t dress like the guys on the cover of gossip magazines, and don’t dance around on stage is complete bollocks! I love their look- everything about them, from Dan’s ever-changing beard to their un-caring dress sense, it’s what makes them, them.
The Keys have girl fans- and this site is proof! Kings of Leon have got nothing on the Black Keys!
Besides both Pat and Dan aren’t both still married, are they? lol.
hah… this is the best read I have looked overact in awhile… There are plenty of female fans that go…. maybe not its overpopulated, but plenty enough.. I mean I hope that women are not refraining from the shows because of dan and pats looks, for their sake and forces mine…. cause me and pat are like twins…. no lie i get mistakin for him quite abit.. plus thats just superficial to base your opinion on looks.
the general population of girls don’t like the black keys (from my experiences) probably for the same reasons listed, the fact that they are blues based actually turns a lot of people off automatically. but the chicks on this sight who like them are cool! i wish i knew some of them.