The Black Keys / Gomez / Dr Dog - The Palais, St Kilda - 11 Jan 2009

This gig had the perfect lineup and with a start time of 7pm, was impossible to resist. The afternoon was spent drinking beers at the espy and getting sunburnt with a few friends who were also going to the gig. Dr. Dog are a band I only recently starting listening to but they have become a favourite of mine. Their 2008 album Fate was one of the best of the year, and was featured heavily in the 45 minute set. The opening piano riff of "The Old Days" started the show off nicely as they played through a tight set of retro rock tunes. The vocals were shared by three of the five members and would not sound out of the place in the 60's. Highlights of the excellent set were "Hang On", "Uncovering the Old", "Army of Ancients" and closing track "The Rabbit, The Bat and the Reindeer".



Dr Dog were going to be hard to beat, but Gomez were well equipped to do so. They opened the set with "Shot Shot" and played all hits for over an hour, including one new track. As they were playing "Bring it On" in full at the Espy on Tuesday night, they left that album off the setlist. I was glad because I was going to the Tuesday show and it gave them time to play classics from Liquid Skin like "Rhythm & Blues Alibi", "Blue Moon Rising" and "We Haven't Turned Around". They closed with two tracks from How We Operate, "Girlshapedlovedrug" and an extended jam version of "How We Operate" which sounded amazing. I have now seen Gomez five times and they have always managed to bring something new to their live performance. Even seeing them twice in 48 hours during the week, they were both completely different and excellent in their own way. They have now become my favourite band. Setlist below


The Black Keys command the stage better than most 5 piece bands as they stroll on stage to their positions in front of impressive stage props. There is a giant inflatable dream catcher that is lowered behind Patrick Carney's raised drum kit and an inflatable indian figure behind singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach. After a quick greeting they go straight into their energetic and loud blend of rock and blues, playing tracks from Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory. It was 45 minutes into the set before the new album Attack and Release was featured with an excellent version of "Strange Times". Highlights of the main set were "Set Me Free", "The Breaks", "Your Touch", "Same Old Thing", "Hard Row" and "I Got Mine". They came back for a 2 song encore after a short break and was the highlight of the set. They started with a chilling version of "Psychotic Girl" and finshed with my favourite Black Keys track "Till I Get My Way". It was a night I will not soon forget, the highlight being getting to meet Gomez singer Ben Ottewell before they got on stage while he was outside having a ciggie. He talked a bit about the new album, A New Tide coming out at the end of March and that they will probably back in Oz before the year is out. I'll be there fellas.

Gomez Setlist:
Shot Shot / See the World / Silence / Homoa Beach / Rhythm and Blues Alibi / Ping One Down / Blue Moon Rising / Airstream Driver/ We Haven't Turned Around / Girlshapedlovedrug / How We Operate.