Black Angels – from Austin, Texas – are on first tonight, playing to quite a few early arrivals. Their bass-heavy electro-country-rock music is distinctly unmemorable, and despite the polite whoops and cheers from the crowd, they fail to impress the majority who are here for the more gritty, blues-inspired full-on rock that is The Black Keys.
The ABC1 is packed tonight for the headliners. Which is surprising considering they come from some small town in the back-end of Ohio and ABC1 is a rather large venue which regularly sees actual famous bands grace it`s stage. But I guess with the ever-increasing popularity of southern blues rock, The Black Keys have acquired a large fanbase here in Glasgow. And good for them, because they put on a loud and exciting live performance. Rocking and rolling through their back catalogue, with hardly a stop for breath. Sounding like Death From Above 1979 covering The White Stripes, The Black Keys` songs are ferocious – lead singer Dan Aurebach`s soulful, meaty voice blends perfectly with his astonishing guitar solos and drummer Patrick Carney`s primal drum beats. Their light show illuminates them wondrously, two skinny midwestern men on the huge stage, wrestling with their instruments as if the last thirty-five years never happened.
