summer music calendar – the black keys, the swell season, robyn & kelis

WOW.

It’s been a crazy week in music, y’all. Last Wednesday, The Black Keys rocked my face off at Terminal 5. Friday, my sis and I mellowed out to The Swell Season in Prospect Park. And last night I got a permanent side cramp dancing to Robyn & Kelis at Webster Hall. So let’s get right down to the reviews, shall we?

THE BLACK KEYS

What a fan-f*cking-tastic show, good lord. Despite having played at Central Park Summer Stage just a few hours earlier, the BKs brought their a-game to T5 for a midnight gig last Friday. It made me realize just how long it’s been since I’ve seen some real rock ‘n roll.

Strangely, guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach took me right back to my childhood. His gritty guitar riffs remind me of the days when my dad would open up the living room windows and blast ZZ Top’s Greatest Hits while doing yard work. Watch this clip of “10AM Automatic” and tell me it doesn’t remind you of “Gimme All Your Lovin’.”

And because this will simply put you in a good mood:

Drummer Patrick Carney was outta control. Never before have a seen anyone move around a drum kit like that. I personally judge a drummer’s talent based on his or her facial expressions. You know they’re good when they get that crazy, contorted look on their face, and Carney looked as if he was about to go all Linda Blair on everyone at any second. I almost felt bad for him, his glasses would barely stay on his face he was thrashing around (and sweating) so much.

I was disappointed they didn’t play my favorite song, Meet Me In The City. But, if you download just one of their tunes after reading this, make sure it’s “Next Girl,” off their current album, “Brothers.”

THE SWELL SEASON

My new mission in life: marry Glen Hansard. We’d have ginger-haired babies and he’d serenade me to sleep each night. True, there might be some baggage left over from his relationship with band mate Marketa Irglova. (They broke up, but still play together? Right…sounds like some cake eating if you ask me.)

Regardless, I can put the baggage aside after hearing an amazing show by The Swell Season on the lawn of Prospect Park last weekend. (Note: the duo were formerly titled The Frames and are popularly known for winning the 2007 ‘Best Original Song’ Academy Award for “Falling Slowly.“)

Hansard has one of the most powerful male voices I’ve heard in a while. I was so glad he played “Leave.” I swear his wind pipe just bypasses his lungs and connects straight to his heart. If this sort of song is your schtick, you should definitely check out “Say It To Me Now” too.

By far the best moment of the show, for me at least, was their cover of “Into the Mystic.” I love me some Van Morrison, and I want to dance to this song at my wedding. It’s a sign!—Glenny and I are meant to be. *sigh

ROBYN & KELIS

THIS WAS THE BEST EFFING SHOW OF THE SUMMER, TO DATE.

I kid you not; Webster Hall was transformed into a psychedelic (predominately homo) dance floor for two hours of gyrating beats.

Kelis was pretty entertaining, though I think her outfit was hotter than her set (a turquoise-latex halter body suit, and a Cleopatra-esque wig, highlighted with streaks of silver glitter.) Everyone sang along to “Milkshake,” and she closed with her new single, “Acapella.” But I think everyone was politely waiting for the real show to begin.

To borrow a quote from Entertainment Weekly’s official review: “Once the stage was set for [Robyn], the crowd went from medium-grade frenzy to ‘I’m a 12-year-old girl who just touched Robert Pattinson’s underpants’ insanity.”

Yep…I think that sums it up accurately. Her voice! Her outfit! Somebody pass me a glow stick! I’m just going to let these videos speak for themselves.

“Dancing On My Own”

“With Every Heartbeat”