Show Review & Photos: Arctic Monkeys @ KeyArena

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Arctic Monkeys @ KeyArena
Review & photos by Dagmar

Arctic Monkeys are viciously important. The way they attack their instruments, well, you can hear it on record and live they take over a room – gently when they need to, a bit harder when it suits them. I first saw them at the Crocodile in 2006, and have caught all of their shows here except one (I was ill) and have adored every album they’ve released. Lyricist/guitarist Alex Turner stomped out immediately as a poet in early Arctic Monkeys music and on Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and has just increased his strengths. Each band member is 26, so I think creatively they’re just hitting their stride. How were they opening for The Black Keys? Delicious and intense. KeyArena is the largest venue I’ve seen them play, and it showed they’re very at home in an arena. This shouldn’t be a surprise as they’ve played giant festivals and venues, but it was the first time for me seeing them in this setting. To hear their music – music that’s so personal to me – along with thousands of other fans was a first. A few key songs of the night were “Brianstorm,” “Still Take You Home,” “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” “Crying Lightning,” “Brick by Brick,” “Fluorescent Adolescent,” and the elaborately sexy R U Mine?


Arctic Monkeys

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Show Review & Photos: The Black Keys @ KeyArena

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The Black Keys @ KeyArena
Show Review & Photos by Abby Williamson

I stepped in the latter half of the show for The Black Keys – my second foray into covering a show at KeyArena. And come to think of it, it was only the 5th or so concert I have seen at the KeyArena that comes to mind.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are by far the most in sync couple of musicians that I have ever seen play live. I mean, they’ve been playing together for many years now, but it’s like they truly are one entity. The dynamic group played bits and pieces from their whole catalogue, with songs from the Thickfreakness era to the hugely catchy “Tighten Up” from 2010’s Brothers, whistles and all. I still marvel at musicians that can whistle on key.


The Black Keys

But the finale of the evening was beyond epic. The stage was embellished with perhaps the largest disco ball I have ever seen, and when the lights were shined upon it, the whole Key Arena lit up like one of those swirly mobiles you hang above a baby’s crib. The Black Keys had been playing for just over an hour when they hit the encore so hard it knocked the crowd back to what felt like 1977, with the subdued “Everlasting Light,” heavy “She’s Long Gone,” and “I Got Mine.”

The Black Keys are truly rock music at its best, and it’s encouraging to know as a music fan that real, rough, and talented rock bands still do exist.


The Black Keys

Photos: Kool and the Gang @ the Tacoma Dome

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“I am the genie of sound/everybody get down!” commands the genie in the disco funk Saturday Night Fever song “Open Sesame” and title track of Kool and the Gang‘s 1976 album. Just as I had the privilege of taking photos of Van Halen on Saturday evening, I took photos of Kool and the Gang, another band whose music you must appreciate. Their hits and awesome songs are too numerous to list here, but oh my check this list out: “Too Hot,” “Get Down On It,” “Ladies’ Night,” “Joanna,” “Cherish,” “Tonight,” “Celebration,” “Steppin’ Out,” “Emergency,” “Mighty Mighty High,” “Fresh,” “Rated X,” “Misled,” “Funky Stuff” “Hollywood Swinging” and “Jungle Boogie.” Any one of these songs would make this a huge band for me.


Kool and the Gang – all photos by Dagmar

Gallery of Kool and the Gang @ the Tacoma Dome

Photos: Gotye @ Showbox SoDo

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International star Gotye performed on April 10th at Showbox SoDo. Gotye, whose real name is Wouter De Backer, was born in Belgium and grew up in Australia. He’s been recording since 2001, but it was last year’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” which threw him into a whole new level of recognition. That song hit number one all over the world. When photographer Amy Elyse heard Gotye was coming here, she jumped right on it. Thank you Amy for these handsome photos.

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Photos: The Lumineers @ Neumos

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A wonderful friend of mine turned me on to The Lumineers – a band I had heard of but not yet seen – when she asked me if I wanted to join her for their Seattle show. I am on a mission to see shows and listen to music those close to me recommend, and I wanted to hang out with my friend and check the show out. It turns out I love this band. The show was joyous and warm, spiritually and physically (Neumos was packed and sweaty, very sweaty). Seattle, prepare yourself again to see The Lumineers at this year’s Capitol Hill Block Party on July 22nd.


The Lumineers – all photos by Dagmar

Gallery of The Lumineers @ Neumos