“Good evening! How ya doin’? What ya say we get it movin’ ha?” hollers Dan Auerbach to a packed O2. Given the effusive response from the near-capacity crowd, it is difficult to believe that a mere 18 months ago the Keys played the far cosier Tripod across town.
Blasting into tour opener ‘Howlin’ For You’ the Ohio pair, backed by bass player Guy Seffert and keyboard player John Wood, set the tone for a high-octane night that rarely dips in intensity.
Many felt the fist-in-your-face nature of the duo’s shows would be lost in translation as they graduated to arenas. But the additional players, lighting and effects, and their inherent sonic potency prove these concerns unfounded.
Although this has been dubbed the El Camino tour, tonight’s set is more a greatest hits effort, incorporating songs from most of their long-players. ‘I’ll Be Your Man’ from The Big Come Up gets an airing, as does ‘Strange Times’ from Attack & Release. Auerbach’s guitar skills sparkle on acoustic number ‘Little Black Submarines’.
Gig zenith arrives when the opening chords of ‘Gold On The Ceiling’ ring out and the venue erupts. This moment more than any other confirms the Keys have arrived.
Even when Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney return to their core two-piece for a portion of the set that kicks off with ‘Thickfreakness’, the power of the duo is indisputable. The raucous evening closes with an explosive encore of ‘Everlasting Light’ and ‘I Got Mine’.
Next time The Aviva?