Dan Auerbach @ The Wonder Ballroom

So that's what the Black Keys would sound like if they filled out the band. I guess Dan Auerbach knew no one could replace Patrick Carney because he brought in tour drummers for this tour. I'd liken the difference between a Black Keys show and this one, as the sonic difference between bolts of lighting and rolling thunder. It was muscular rock and roll with less of an emphasis on individual virtuosity and it sounded great.

Hacienda & Those Darlins opened, with Hacienda pulling double duty as Dan's backing band. The country punk of Those Darlins' "Wild One" would have fit perfectly on one of Sympathy for the Record Industry's Alright, This Time, Just The Girls compilations.

Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid (2009)

Dan Aurbach plays the Wonder Ballroom tomorrow night and if past Black Keys performances are any indication, the show should be filled with awesome guitar pyrotechnics. He's out on the road supporting his new solo album, Keep I Hid. While the drums are definitely less prominent on it, the music isn't really that much of a deviation from the garage blues he plays with Patrick Carney. The difference seems to primarily be in tone - the album is laid back where the Keys were often intense. It also feels a little more intimate and off the cuff, likely a product of recording holed up alone at home. I probably will always be a fan - I have favorites on every album - but this one was more of a grower than the last few. Regardless, I look forward to seeing what the songs sound like live.

The Black Keys - Attack & Release (2008)

I love seeing the Black Keys live. Dan Auerbach plays the hell out of the guitar and Patrick Carney always seems like he's on the verge of destroying his drum kit. However, this album highlights their laid back side. "All You Ever Wanted" starts if off by sucking you in with its loping rhythm. The mellow songs, like "Things Ain't LIke They Used To Be", stand out in part because the production adds new textures to their sound. Songs like "Remember When (Side B)" and "I Got Mine" bring back the destructive guitar riffs, but they're used in moderation.

Mona's Summer Short List(lessness)

5) Danceable Hip Hop Songs and Summer Jammy Jams
I always inexplicably get more into hip hop in the summer and love the remixes of these already awesome tracks: Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" and Kid Cudi's "Day 'N' Nite." Unbelievably great danceable hotness that makes me car-dance with myself whenever they come on (looks more embarrassing than it sounds). But my summer anthem is Jamie Foxx's (feat. T-Pain) - "Blame It," especially that infectious chorus I know by heart. Not only does this track provide the impure thoughts, but it actually makes me wanna put them into action.. with or without the Goose ("gotcha feelin' loose"), the 'Tron ("gotcha in the zone"), or the Henny ("gotcha feelin' dizzy"). It's all good, just "blame it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-alcohol."


4) Rediscovering Rogue Wave
Ever the huge fan, I've recently fallen back in love with their sonic beauty- namely, Descended Like Vultures and Asleep At Heaven's Gate. Tender, gorgeous, lush, melodic, layered, can't even begin to describe their arrangements. I've been known to fall asleep to "Missed" and actually lounged on my couch all pensive and shit last weekend listening to "Eyes" on loop (I do this quite often to their records, in general). Enjoy this favs. sampler: older (1, 2, 3, 4), newer (1, 2, 3, 4).


3) Going To Shows I Actually Care About vs. Being A Show-whore
I've been too tired for shows for shows-sake and these days only hit up "must-sees" or else I'll get in a fight with myself and brood for days type-shows. Stellar nights that have made my half-year: Phoenix, Harlem Shakes record release party, Duncan Sheik, Blind Pilot, and the GUK reunion show. All uber-worth it and kept me in a good mood for at least two weeks afterwards.


2) [Indie] Rock In Advertisements...?
TV-watching feels like less of a waste with all the goodass music in commercials of late. I don't even hit the mute button anymore just in case I may hear The Dodos hawk Miller Chill, The Moody Blues add to the wondrous nature of this Visa ad, Matt and Kim invite me out 'til "Daylight," Mazzy Star makes me rethink my cellular service (effin love this song!), The Submarines sell their souls to Apple, and/or watch Her Space Holiday soundtrack this confusing one.



1) Meeting Musical Peoples
Surreality mixed with WTF, with a dash of "I must call everyone I know/someone who'd care!?" I've discussed Dan Auerbach with Matt Pinfield as he exited his cab, jumped into another and learned my driver had just dropped off Courtney Love as I sat in her warm seat (do I have an STD now?), got snubbed by Kimya Dawson, asked Michael Stipe the meaning of "Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite," discussed alternate endings to Once with Glan Hansard, stared at Ingrid Michaelson's incredible rack while jokingly trying to hook her up with Rhett Miller (within earshot), asked Hootie himself where the Blowfish were, laughed with Guster about their pot-smoking "star-fucker moment" with Willie Nelson, and unwittingly asked Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel if "the lasagna is vegetarian," only to realize 5 seconds later when he walked away that I'm an idiot who just asked Jeff Mangum from Neutral Milk Hotel if the lasagna was vegetarian. Yeah, that last one was very Baby "I, uhh, carried a watermelon" from Dirty Dancing.

The Gaslight Anthem @ Slim's

Headliner: Somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and Social Distortion their sounds meet at a junction called The Gaslight Anthem. With a combination of punk and rockabilly instrumentation and lyrics that pay homage "the every man's" real-life experiences, it is difficult not to be swept up in the energy of the music and the passion of the vocals and harmonies. There is certainly a charming element to the rough-around-the-edges appearance of the band members, which had the female portion of the crowd swooning, but what impressed me most was their spot-on live renditions of songs off of Sink or Swim, Señor and the Queen, and The '59 Sound. They played all my favorites and there were very few people in the audience who were not at least signing along with all the choruses. A fantastic performance.

2nd Act: If The Black Keys added two members, and Dan Auerbach was a female vocalist, then they would be the Heartless Bastards. As a HB first timer, I was blown away by Erika Wennerstrom's blue-eyed soul vocals and reverberating garage rock. They are definitely worth a listen, so check out their 2009 release, The Mountain. For San Franciscans, HB will be back for Outside Lands... so plan accordingly.

Opener: The opening act, A Death in the Family, were familiar sounding Australian punk rockers. Familiar because their sound was a combination of The Bouncing Souls, Rancid, and Bad Religion. A solid, energetic opener, but lacking originality... or maybe my pure punk days are behind me, which is possible.