The Black Keys: a review

Bodies swayed. Bottles clattered into plastic barrels. The sickly-sweet smell of beer and cigarette smoke (“VOTE NO on May 7,” advised the signs taped on the walls) hung like an oily film above the heads of the sweaty crowd. In other words: another night at Emo’s.

Setting the scene can sometimes add something, and at least you didn't put yourself into it. But we've all been in rock clubs before. In spite of this, I do think that the descriptions that suggest that it was hot and sweaty in there (not all shows are), add something, so I wouldn't lose them completely. You definitely don't need to describe the "Vote No" signs. Tells me nothing.

but one thing was clear: the Black Keys had come to town, and they had come to rock.

1. This is a cliche.
2. It makes you sound so enthralled by the band that the audience will not trust you to say anything objective about them (it's ok to be enthralled, but you need some critical distance too).
3. Duh. Of course it was clear. You're reviewing a rock show of them playing in town. Hence, they have come to town, and they have come to rock.

By the time the ‘Keys closed their set with the raging “Have Love, Will Travel,” the hands of the converted were so high in the air, in various forms of applause and salutation, that the entire crowd seemed to swing from the rafters. When Dan and Patrick stepped offstage to recharge before the encore, the fervor in the crowd was audible as those pressed closest against the stage began chanting for their return. After a quick break, the ‘Keys closed down with two more songs, to the delirious applause of their fans, old and new alike.

This is basically an overlong way of saying "They played a great show and the audience was really into it." People go to rock shows, they get excited, they applaud a lot. You don't need to dwell too much on this. I also don't buy the "converted" bit, as though a bunch of Doubting Thomases came to the show with initial misgivings.

Earlier in the evening, Auerbach had growled the lyrics to one of his songs: “I’m gonna set you free.” In a way, he already had.

Really? In what way? From what did he set you free? A million bands have songs whose lyrics involve setting oneself free. Again, just sounds a little too "caught-up-in-the-excitement."

All that said, keep at it. You have some good moments in there.

"They are both passably handsome and untidily attired in the manner of working musicians"

1. Nothing in the article would indicate that the audience would care about the band's looks anyway. The opening scene setting doesn't exactly make it sound like everyone was expecting Annie to take the stage.

2. "untidily attired in the manner of" = "dressed like"

3. The Scissors Sisters are working musicians. So were the Village People. I think you mean that the band dress like Mike Watt, but why not make it clear?

Other examples = a bar that smells like beer and smoke, a loud rock band, the aformentioned come to town to rock, music is more than the sum of its parts, etc...

And if the band really did win the crowd over, I'd like to see more of the early parts of the show, pre-crowd-winning over, and hear more about how the winning was won.

much love to the 'keys, but the drummer no es guapo.

dan's voice, however, makes him 10x sexier.