After balmy debate about the vague directions given, you stumble upon the obscure, alleyway-hidden downward stairwell leading to what is said to be an edgy new jazz club. Though this part of the city is unfamiliar and the police sirens are telling you to reconsider, you approach with excitement. After shuffling down the stairs, you swing open the heavy door to find a dimly lit scene and a cloud of smoke hovering motionless amidst the heads of the club’s patrons. Everyone has unique facial hair. A red light hits the stage and the murmur dies.

The Black Keys - Lies

As the dense crowd funnels into the House of Blues San Diego, you can overhear conversations in the queue that symbolize the current buzz around The Black Keys. While some are expressing how they have been anxiously awaiting the band to play such a prominent venue, others are just along for the ride because they heard the band could rock. Either way thousands pile into the open two-story venue and pack the bar on a cool night in late March. After the closing song of the opening band, the crowd begins to congregate around the stage in tight fashion. Those in the back of the crowded venue can only make out the two shadows that come onto the dark stage, one picking up a guitar, the other taking position behind the drum set. An array of lights flood the stage. The crowd goes ballistic.

The Black Keys - Remember When (B Side)

The Black Keys are just that. A band that can fill a small underground jazz bar on the wrong side of town with the same energy as one of the biggest venues in a major metropolitan city. Why? Three very important reasons. First, the band, comprised of guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, are no strangers to the underground often producing much of their music in unfinished basements with limited equipment. Second, the band has some serious range and versatility. For example, on their latest album, Attack and Release (2008), the band used the exact same lyrics for two different songs that sound completely different, both entitled “Remember When”. Finally, the band is making moves in the right direction, seeking out Danger Mouse to produce this latest album. These Ohio boys are selling out shows, all over the news and should be in your record collection. Make it happen.

The Black Keys - Attack and Release ,