It was by all reports a freezing cold day and the producer of the The Black Keys’ new track ‘Tighten Up’, Danger Mouse, was watching the show too.

MOG is an online music streaming service and they were launching a new mobile application at the conference. Indie rock meets the future of music, eh?

Seems fitting then this post is only possible through new technology.

These photos were uploaded by fans via Twitter during the performance.

Lucky fans being there, lucky for us technology can quickly represent the moment.

This post is published and the show isn’t even over. Bonkers!

Photos of the show including Twitter address credits of those who uploaded images below:

@robert_castro

@ultra8201

@Ryan_ShureAR

@jondekel

@eyesackversion4

@edinthekitchen

@isaac_arquieta

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I look forward to The Black Keys next live recording session on Radio 1 in 2010. It’s also perhaps a good opportunity to look back at The Black Keys past BBC Radio 1 live recordings.

In 2003 The Black Keys were more popular in the United Kingdom than anywhere else with the exception of Australia. The reason partly being they could get their records played on radio in those countries. The other was they toured heavily and had the support of people like John Peel on Radio 1, the national youth station. In Australia they were championed by the BBC1 equivalent Triple J radio.

John Peel had long supported new bands. He had an uncanny knack of more often than not recognising quality bands just needing a break. He gave them that opportunity and led with with his appreciation for the new. An important vehicle in presenting those bands was his Peel Sessions, as they becme known.

The Peel Sessions were an opportunity for a band to be recorded live in the radio studio, or Peel Acres – John Peel’s home and alternate radio studio. The quality of the recordings of the bands, who would shortly reach mainstream popularity, has become legend. A John Peel endorsement aided the incubation of a developing band by not only giving them exposure but also the confidence to go forth with his support.

You can listen to the Old Corn Market live Peel Session show below. It’s probably my favourite live recording of The Black Keys. There’s a fantastic intro from John Peel at the start. Even better is his summary of the show at the end of ‘Heavy Soul’ when he returns to the stage and says:

It’s not in my contract to come and speak to you at after the band has played, but I think you’ll agree with me, what is so good about these two, is they just don’t know how good they are.

Never a truer word said.

The Black Keys recorded 3 Peel Sessions including set lists:

20/04/2003  @ Maida Vale 4 Studios

Set You Free
Hard Row
No Trust
The Moan

31/07/2003 @ Peel Acres

Thickfreakness
I Cry Alone
Have Love Will Travel
No Fun
Them Eyes
Busted

28/10/2003 @ Old Corn Market/Exchange

Intro

Thick Freakness

Busted

Yearnin’

The Breaks

Have Love Will Travel

No Trust

Heavy Soul

Photo: John Peel

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MP3: Tighten Up and BBC Radio 1 interview with Dan Auerbach

Is ‘Tighten Up’ then the lead single from the album even though ‘Howling For You’ is being released as a 12″ on April 17 in the USA?

Zane says:

From out of nowhere comes a Black Keys album called ‘Brothers’. No word on the grape vine, no rumour, no warning, no nuttin’. No complaints. Big fan of Black Keys. Always have been. And the new tune ‘Tighten Up’ adds a little sweet soul to their dynamic blues. Here’s hoping the other 14 tracks match up. As if they won’t.

I’m not sure where Zane’s been if he’s a big fan and not known the new ‘Brothers’ album is on its way – obviously not checking in on this website regularly

Update:

The Black Keys have now added the track to their MySpace page for streaming.

What do you think of the track?

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So coming across this fan video (below) of The Black Keys performing live from the side of the stage clearly had a story behind it.

Watching The Black Keys from the side of stage would have to be a dream experience for most fans. No one just gets there without knowing someone who knows someone – unless you somehow have met the band.

The Black Keys Fan Lounge contacted jeangreydp, who took the video, about how exactly it was she managed to find herself side of stage watching The Black Keys perform. It’s a classic tale of a fan being in the right place at the right time:

It all began in Oakland, CA. I live south of there in Santa Clara and my best friend Jorden (a girl!) is a huge TBK fan. We went to the show and it was fantastic. Afterward we were hanging out at the bar at the venue and Patrick came out with some friends and we started drinking together. After a ‘greyhound’ or two we relocated down the street a bit and realized that the band was going to be in St. Louis, MO. playing a private show at a University campus.

I’m originally from St. Louis and already had a trip planned with my friend that same week. So, they put us on the guest list and we showed Patrick and some friends around St. Louis the night before the show. After the show we went to a low-key bar and met up with Dan.

It was a pretty good time and they are nice guys. My friend is an amazing artist and is going to be sending them designs for some shirts in the near future so perhaps you will be seeing them at the shows!

Good on you, jeangreydp, and thanks for sharing your story.

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The channel is adorned with the new ‘Brothers’ album graphic look.

The Black Keys Fan Lounge understands their record label is seeking to upload all available videos they have on file for the band here. Then live footage will be added as it comes to hand.

It’s a pro-active step to take the initiative to deliver quality vision and sound recordings of the band – all too often missing from uploaded camera phone vision from fans. Alike the new band Twitter News Feed, the YouTube channel will better co-ordinate and improve offerings to fans.

The Black Keys Fan Lounge understands Jonah Schwartz, who was the videographer on the Blakroc project, was present during the recording of the Brothers album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, USA. It will be interesting to see how this video vision is presented and no doubt it will appear on this channel. Perhaps it will be used for a series of videos leading up to the album release ala Blakroc, a documentary of the recording, or used for a live video?

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Their record label has started a dedicated @blackkeysnews Twitter account. It has been set up to get information directly to fans in a constant conversational manner.

Up to now only Pat Carney has dabbled with Twitter. Although the band’s Facebook updates have been more frequent of late.

The Black Keys Fan Lounge also understands there are plans for a dedicated YouTube channel to publish live and exclusive footage of the The Black Keys.

No doubt the band’s website will shortly be changing also with the new look and feel of the new ‘Brothers’ album, as it has for previous releases.

It seems there may well have been a shift in thinking from the band’s management, and Dan and Pat themselves, to go from minimal and humble self-promotion to at least some engagement whilst maintaining their integrity.

Previously The Black Keys Fan Lounge had critiqued the bands general media strategy in this post. The Black Keys Fan Lounge certainly welcomes these developments in the interests of all fans.

Stay tuned for more fan-based initiatives as they are released.

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Whilst that might have been true of their early recordings, people forget The Black Keys sound is much more than this. Blakroc has certainly muddied the waters further.

Some of the band’s more memorable tunes are arguably down tempo, slow-burning heartfelt songs.

The Big Come Up had no discernible slow songs on it. Attack and Release had four tracks. The energy of youth has given way to some subtlety of age.

It will be interesting to see on the next album ‘Brothers’ whether the trend continues.

The slower songs really highlight the range and texture of Dan’s voice. The guitar work is necessarily more emotive.  The beat lopes along along rather than drives the song. Dan and Pat are seemingly guided by those they have been inspired by and leave their attitude on these songs.

Arguably, improved production techniques, outside ideas and instrumental experimentation have allowed the slower songs to breathe on albums. Hopefully, in time some of these songs will be able to represented and developed more fully in a live context on the next tour.

Just think about what a contrast some of these tunes (for example, You’re The One) are to some of the better known four to the floor tunes like I Got Mine or Thickfreakness.

What’s interesting about the style of these songs is that although the tempo may be slower they don’t necessarily have to be quieter. Some of the songs if anything are ‘heavier’, the Chulahoma tracks are certainly indicative of this.

It’s often been said but The Black Keys can indeed take their music anywhere they wish to be led by it – something not all bands could easily stake a claim to. These slower tempo songs are proof of that.

A Playlist of The Black Keys’ slower songs:

(Attack and Release)

All You Ever Wanted

Psychotic Girl

Remember When (Side A)

Things Aint Like They Used To Be

(Magic Potion)

You’re The One

The Flame

(Chulahoma)

Keep Your Hands Off Her

Work Me

Meet Me In The City

My Mind Is Ramblin’

(Rubber Factory)

When The Lights Go Out

The Lengths

(Thickfreakness)

Everywhere I Go

I Cry Alone

(The Big Come Up)

-

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This info on the Black Keys album came from WEA Release schedule that’s made available to music retail accounts.

2/17/2010    The Black Keys  Brothers  520266  CD  Added to 5/18/10

The original reportage was from here.

Updated 3/3/10…

Told you so. The release date and name has been officially confirmed.

Danger Mouse, who produced the band’s last album ‘Attack And Release’, has produced one song (‘Tighten Up’) recorded at Brooklyn’s Bunker Studios.

As previously reported the bulk of the album was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio with Mark Neill.

The album features a cover of Jerry Butler’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’.

Billboard reports the album is highlighted by ‘Next Girl’, a Zeppelin-y blast of fuzzed-out guitar, and ‘Howlin’ for You’, which features a “da da da” chant and a drum beat akin to Gary Glitter’s glam-rock classic ‘Rock and Roll (Part Two)’.

A 12″ single ‘Howling For You’ will be released on Record Store Day in the USA on 17 April 2010.

Quotes from their press release:

Pat Carney:

Dan [Auerbach, fellow band member] and I grew up a lot as individuals and musicians prior to making this album. Our relationship was tested in many ways but at the end of the day, we’re brothers, and I think these songs reflect that.

Dan Auerbach:

We like spooky sounds…like Alice Coltrane, where a dark groove is laid down. That’s the headspace we tried to get into for this record

Pat on Tchad Blake mixing the album:

We are big fans of Tchad Blake. The way he approaches mixing is the same way we approach making music. Respecting the past while being in the present. The mixes he did for us on Blakroc impressed us so much we knew he had to mix Brothers.

Official track listing:

01 Everlasting Light
02 Next Girl
03 Tighten Up
04 Howlin’ for You
05 She’s Long Gone
06 Black Mud
07 The Only One
08 Too Afraid to Love You
09 Ten Cent Pistol
10 Sinister Kid
11 The Go Getter
12 I’m Not the One
13 Unknown Brother
14 Never Gonna Give You Up
15 These Days

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Chris Johnson was and is a fan of The Black Keys, the blues and outsider music. It’s that interest which by increments led him to set up the Deep Blues Festival in 2007. Sadly, it was recently announced that the festival would not continue past this years January 2010 event. Hopefully someone else will pick up the baton and carry it forward.

The live videos Chris took of The Black Keys now are part of a rare archive of early shows. The Black Keys Fan Lounge recently asked Chris about those shows and the taping.

Do you recall the first time you ever heard The Black Keys and the impression it made on you?

The first time I heard of the Black Keys was on the Fat Possum Records website on their June 24, 2003, newsletter.  This is what I read:

Last Monday (June 16th), MTV began introducing the Black Eyed Peas but playing the Black Keys video Set You Free instead.

This is exactly opposite of what life on the Fat Possum planet has taught me to expect. On our planet they might announce a R.L. video, then play a little Matchbox20, and three days later apologize for not announcing Matchbox20’s properly. Or worse, --our artist would die seconds before his music appears on all those American televisions. I appreciate the force was behind this and only wish I had better understanding of how it worked. The Keys 5 week tour with Beck comes to close on June 28th. They will return to the West Coast and headline a short tour of their own, before heading to the U.K and Australia. You can see the video that cause the stir, follow this link.

I watched the video several times and haven’t quite been the same ever since.  I checked their tour dates and saw they were coming through the midwest in Oct ‘03 and planned to travel to a few shows.

Most fans back in 2003 weren’t so onto it to have a camera at hand at a gig as they are today, how come you started videoing?  Was it for a personal record or some other plan?

The band website said that audience recordings were allowed, so I bought some microphones and a sony minidisc recorder.  I recorded audio at the Omaha NE show 10-29-03 and the Iowa City IA show 10-30-03.  I talked to Dan and Pat at each show and asked them if I could record video in Minneapolis for 10-31-03.  I was just a fan that wanted to share this music with others.  I burned dozens of cdrs to send out.  I also started trading recordings with other tapers and collectors.  I met a lot of people through trading.

I’ve attended and recorded dozens of Black Keys shows.  I sent copies of all my recordings to Pat and Dan.  They even released a song, Work Me, from a recording I made in Boston 11-16-05 on the single You’re The One.

Do you have additional footage of this 2003 show that you haven’t published?

I have that complete show on video and a few others.  In early 2004, they changed their recording policy to audio only.  There was someone selling a dvd of the 12-31-03 Beachland Ballroom show, and that caused the policy change.  The TX promo dvd with Rubber Factory was about to come out.  Of course, they’ve since come out with two commercial releases of live dvds.

I’ve certainly been in support of all non-commercial recording and sharing of live performances.  For the most part, I think this is positive for the bands and the fans.  I can also understand the arguments against it.  With the growth of youtube and other video websites and the increase in recording equipment, it’s certainly a challenge to try to prohibit it.

The 2004 show it looks like you were filming from the side of the stage or just right down the front? If from the side obviously you had met the band and they were keen for you to video?

I asked Pat and Dan before that Madison WI show if they would mind if I shot video again.  I told them it was non-commercial and just for free trading and sharing.  With their permission, I was there in the front row with the camera.  I don’t know if keen is the best word to describe their approval.  They just knew me as a fan, and I wouldn’t be trying to sell the recordings.

You might be interested to know that Dan used to record too.  I have a few dvds of video he shot of some blues bands.

The 2004 show version of ‘Busted’ is a bit of a classic. What song do you think best sums up the band’s performance, attitude or style?

The energy of their live shows is particularly appealing to me.  Very little banter or time wasted between songs.  They just push through the whole performance.  I guess my personal favorite live song would be Set You Free.

To my knowledge The Black Keys never played the Deep Blues Festival, correct?

I certainly asked every year and made offers.  My intentions for the fest were simply to put these outsider bands in front of a larger audience.  Having a band like the Black Keys involved would have been a huge draw.  Too bad it never came together.

See the videos below, the entire concert and more great blues videos over at Chris Johnson’s YouTube channel.

Oct 31, 2003 at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis MN

Countdown

22 September, 2004 at the High Noon Saloon, Madison WI

Set You Free

Busted

This is The Black Keys current policy for taping of shows: http://theblackkeys.com/taping/

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These live in studio performances really capture the band with something to prove. The audience listening at the time is probably hearing many of these tracks for the first time. The years between recording adds to the understanding of the growth of the recorded sound and band’s development.

Fans will enjoy the subtle differences between the album and these live versions.

The recordings are more than just a live set though, both include an interview with host Nick Harcourt. As ever, listening to an interview is so much better than reading one. The 2003 interview is so fresh and unaffected about their early influences, not to mention Pat’s ubiquitous dry humour. The 2008 interview is quite insightful about the recording process for the ‘Attack and Release’ album.

On July 25, 2003, The Black Keys had just finished opening for Beck when they were recorded. The seminal ‘Thickfreakness’ album had only been released a few months earlier. The recorded sound is really raw and fuzzed out. The 2008 recording is much better in sound quality. The rarely played  cover of  ‘She Said, She Said’ by The Beatles off The Big Come Up album is a treat to hear.

On March 31, 2008, The Black Keys were previewing new tracks from the ‘Attack and Release’ album but also playing some favourites. There’s an interesting version of ‘Girl Is On My Mind’ thrown in. The recording of the Captain Beefheart track ‘Here I Am, I Always Am’ they were playing live at the time is a real beauty and rarity.

Enough chatter, the music speaks for itself, turn it up…

2003:

2008:

Hat tip to fan James McIntosh.

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