It’s a bit disconcerting how rock and roll has changed over the last 20 years. Slowly becoming an amalgamation of frivolous power chords, meaningless lyrics, and auto-tuned vocals, rock today is generally uninspired and churned out for mass consumption. With the birth of musical nomenclatures like indie-rock, alternative, folk-rock, roots-rock, post-punk, and Britpop, the meaning and essence of rock and roll is but a mere shadow of itself – marginalized and fractured.
So what happened? When did rock and roll vanish?
To the elation of every Ohioan and anyone who ever heard a note played by Chuck Berry, rock and roll is not lost. To the contrary, it has been stolen with force and resides in Akron, Ohio where its protectors, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, have sworn to harness its awesome power for anyone who’ll listen.
So when The Black Keys emerged onto the LC Pavilion stage last Friday and rang out the long bend intro of “Thickfreakness” in their signature heavy distorted sound, rock and roll rose from the ashes like a fiery melodic phoenix.
The show from start to finish was a hard-hitting uproar of old school standards with a new spin. Songs like “Busted,” “Strange Times,” and “Your Touch” have never sounded better. Expanding into a four-piece for cuts from their critically acclaimed recent release, Brothers, The Black Keys soared on “Ten Cent Pistol” and “Tighten Up.” Dan’s spot-on falsetto on “Everlasting Light” was impressive, showing a new dimension for the Akron-duo and a possible direction for the future.
The show ended on a high note, literally. The Black Keys played “Till I Get My Way” like it was a decree from Robert Johnson himself – blasting on the chorus and unleashing their garage blues-rock into the deep tidal wave of crowd surfers.
As The Black Keys gave Columbus everything they had with a set that left the city wanting even more, behind them on stage was a testament to who they are: an enormous banner depicting two hands clasped together inside a rugged car tire. The Black Keys are Akron rubber-rat brothers united, not by kin, but by a vow to keep rock and roll alive – one incredible tour stop at a time.
This review was written by Josh Fitzwater and brought you by the Franklin University Plaza at the LC Pavilion. For more information about shows that Josh and the Franklin crew will be attending and for chances to win tickets to concerts all summer long, visit www.franklin.edu/concerts or like us on Facebook.
