Dan Auerbach lights up Minneapolis
Singer & guitarist, Dan Auerbach, whose resume also bolsters that he’s one-half of the famous power duo, The Black Keys, paid Minneapolis, MN a visit on Saturday March 7th. First Avenue was slow to fill but by the time Auerbach was onstage the place was packed to near-capacity. Those Darlins, a foursome led by a trio of young women from Murfreesboro, TN opened up the show with a simple unassuming set of country tinged honky-tonk. Their spirit was in the right place but their tunes didn’t seem ready for the confines of First Avenue and unfortunately I couldn’t wait for their set to end.
Dan Auerbach’s backing band, Hacienda, was up next and these guys were impressive. Hacienda is a Mexican-American quartet made up of three brothers and a cousin who hail from San Antonio, TX with their sound equally Texan, mixing a raw yet tight 1960’s pop rock-n-roll vibe with gorgeous harmonies. This was their first show in Minnesota and they appeared to be having quite a time, and the crowd was equally happy to accomodate as the band worked through a great set of tunes.
Dan Auerbach took the stage at 8:45 and by this time a diverse and respectful crowd had finally packed the room. Hacienda returned to their respective places onstage with an additional percussionist/drummer stepping out behind Auerbach. This guy looked all too familiar but the opening song “Trouble Weighs a Ton” had dark backlighting and it was hard to decipher who he was. When the lights kicked in for “I Want Some More”, the second song in the set I immediately recognized the man. Minneapolis was graced with the presense of My Morning Jacket’s very own Patrick Hallahan and there he was shaking maracas and bouncing to the beat with his recognizable hair flailing. Hallahan divided his time between the small percussion setup and an additional trap set and this was a great surprise since I hadn’t been following the tour and had no knowledge that he was backing Auerbach.
For the next 80 minutes Auerbach ripped through rockers and soft heartfelt blues numbers alike with his strong voice and guitar never failing. I saw the Black Keys two years ago at this very same venue and can only think of where they could go with some keys and a bassist. Auerbach’s performace was utterly amazing at times, and the addition of the backing band, Hacienda, only made the show stronger and more lively.
When all was said and done I don’t think a person could have left that room without stating they witnessed a very impressive performance. Although I’m not a huge fan of The Black Keys, I will highly recommend to anyone who likes old school blues-rock that they check out Dan Auerbach when he comes around. If he’s not coming to your town anytime soon, go out and buy his recently released solo debut Keep It Hid. It’s truly a great piece of work by a man whose sound is wise beyond the years.
Saturday, March 7th, 2009
Trouble Weighs A Ton
I Want Some More
The Prowl
When I Left The Room
My Last Mistake
Mean Monsoon
Oh Carol
Real Desire
Money And Trouble
Street Walkin’
When The Night Comes
Whispered Words
Heartbroken, In Disrepair
Keep It Hid
Inside Lookin Out
encore:
Goin’ Home
Hidden Charms
