Search - Black Keys Live at the Crystal Ballroom on DVD

The Black Keys at Their Very Best.

dknight16 | 12/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't believe there are only 3 reviews of this fantastic concert DVD. I own around 300 music DVDs and this one is easily in my top 10. It has it all.

The sound is powerful and clear. Dan's voice is in top form. He sings with real commitment and passion. His guitar tone is thick, aggressive and prominently featured in the mix. Patrick plays with all of the energy he is known for.

The show has a great set list with a mix of songs from throughout their career. Some real thought went into the pacing of this show. Everything rolls along energetically yet there is still time reserved for some truly soulful moments (especially You're The One, and All You Ever Wanted). All of your favorites may not be accounted for here, but believe me, you won't mind in the least.

Set List:
Same Old Thing
Girl Is On My Mind
Set You Free
Thickfreakness
Stack Shot Billy
Busted (w/ extended outro jam)
You're The One
Remember When (Side B)
Your Touch
Oceans And Streams (played on electric keyboard to great effect)
Strange Times
Psychotic Girl
10 AM Automatic
No Trust
I Got Mine
All You Ever Wanted
Till I Get My Way

The camera work and stage light show compliments and reflects the high energy of the band. In contrast to many music DVDs out there, this one does not have constant camera cuts that come at you like a strobe light. The camera actually lingers a resonable amount of time before changing angles. It makes for a very enjoyable viewing experience and it won't make you seasick.

The venue and crowd are perfect for the band. Visually it has classic theater character. It's big enough to avoid the small club atmosphere of their last DVD, but intimate enough that you can see and feel the energy of the crowd.

Lastly there are some video extras about the recording of Attack And Release as well as some behind the scenes footage of making the music videos. Of course the videos themselves are here as well. And yes, the packaging is typically understated.

When I was at TBK show in my town over the summer, the demographics of the crowd appeared to be very diverse (age as well as social status). The band has so many elements in their music that it naturally appeals to a wide range of music fans. This DVD is a great document of that appeal. I very highly recommend this DVD.
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Black Keys Live = Wow.

Tyler Goff | Ann Arbor, MI | 12/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's remarkable that two guys can produce powerful, blues rock music that continues to attract people of all ages. The Black Keys sound great live, perhaps even better their respective studio recordings. This is hard to say for many bands today. If you have never heard of the Black Keys, this concert is a great start. If you have, then don't hesitate.

Favorite moments of the concert include "Thickfreakness", "Girl is on my mind", and "You're the one"

As for the content, bonus features include a very odd "behind the scenes" making of Attack and Release which is really just Dan, Pat and their buddies goofing around with no structure or point behind it. I was actually hoping for some interesting tidbits, but oh well.

Three music videos are also thrown in: Strange Times (Hillarious), Just Got To Be, and Your Touch.

Enjoy!
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These guys ROCK!!!

S. Busby | Midwest | 11/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nobody playing today rocks as hard as The Black Keys! I stood in a jam packed crowd earlier this year to see these guys... and it was great. They generally mix in a couple of lower key songs... but mostly they rip and roar.

Nothing beats the real thing. If The Black Keys come to your town... go see them. But, this DVD can hold you over until then.

If you have the first live DVD... the presentation is about the same... but the song list is different, of course."

Entertaining but poorly executed

J. Smithers | California | 06/20/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a big fan of the Black Keys, and I love Dan's raw, gritty guitar tone. Though the videography is high-energy and the DVD is entertaining overall, the entire concert suffers from really poor audio quality. Dan's sound is no doubt really heavy on his studio albums, but his guitars always retain note definition and clarity that really showcase his playing skills. I don't know how they recorded this concert, but the audio tracks are really muffled - as if recorded under a blanket. The sound is very dark and distant sounding, much like you might expect from a bootleg concert recording from someone's little tape recorder.

The drums and vocals, too, lack the presence and power of a really high quality recording.

I imagine the concert was spectacular live, but much more effort should have been put into capturing the audio properly."