2005-11-16 The Black Keys

Recording #132

Two years earlier, I started recording live shows after seeing that the Black Keys allowed audience recordings.  I thought it might be a fun hobby.  On their website, they posted that they would like a copy mailed to their booking agent.  I had always done this, burning a copy and mailing it to Boche at Billions in Chicago.  At some point, I started mailing copies to Dan's dad, Chuck.  At some point, I commented to Patrick, that his dad might like a set of the live shows I had, and I mailed him a collection of all the Black Keys shows I had.

My equipment was amateur.  My technique is lacking.  My editing skills improved over time, but were always poor.  I enjoyed it.  It was fun for me.  I enjoyed sharing and trading.

The highlight for my taping efforts was Pat selecting a song from my recordings and releasing it on the You're The One Single.  It was a free, promotional release.  I imagine it went mostly to radio stations or press or whoever else they send those things out to.  Pretty cool to see my name on it.  Pat sent me a message that this was happening and that I could request a copy from their management.  I did.  Even more special, it's a Junior Kimbrough cover.

Set I

01 intro
02 No Trust
03 Girl Is On My Mind
04 Thickfreakn ess
05 She Said, She Said
06 10AM Automatic
07 The Breaks
08 Busted
09 Stack Shot Billy
10 Grown So Ugly
11 Set You Free
12 Everywhere I Go
13 Hard Row
14 Have Love Will Travel
15 applause to encore
16 Work Me Baby
17 Til I Get My Way

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2005-11-16 Nathaniel Mayer

Recording #131

I had spent some time in Boston and the cape cod area in the summer of 1983.  It was fun to be back and see some familiar places.

The Avalon was right next to the ballpark and I got there early enough for the soundcheck.  I couldn't get into the club, but there was a stage door where I could hear everything.  It's probably crazy, but I'd rather listen to a Black Key's soundcheck than seeing most other bands.

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Set I

01 What's Your Name?
02 From Now On
03 You Are The One
04 I Wanna Dance With You
05 Satisfied Fool
06 I Found Out
07 I Want A Woman
08 You Gotta Work
09 Village Of Love
10 Shake What Your Mama Gave You

2005-11-15 The Black Keys

Recording #130

The Black Keys at Toad's Place in New Haven CT.

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Set I

01 intro
02 No Trust
03 Girl Is On My Mind
04 Thickfreakn ess
05 10AM Automatic
06 She Said, She Said
07 The Breaks
08 Busted
09 Stack Shot Billy
10 Grown So Ugly
11 Everywhere I Go
12 Set You Free
13 Hard Row
14 Have Love Will Travel
15 applause to encore
16 Work Me Baby
17 Til I Get My Way

2005-11-15 Nathaniel Mayer

Recording #129

After five nights in a row of following this tour, there was a night off before the sixth show in New Haven CT at Toad's Place.  I spent the day editing recordings and uploading a few songs to share.

Toads' Place was the first and only time I recall a venue separated for over and underage.  There was some kind of fence or barrier through the middle of the venue.

I wanted to get a burger at that original hamburger place, Louis' Lunch, but it was closed by the time I got there.

Set I

01 I Had A Dream
02 What's Your Name?
03 You Are The One
04 I'm In Love
05 I Found Out
06 Satisfied Fool
07 I Want A Woman
08 Village Of Love
09 Leave Me Alone
10 Shake What Your Mama Gave You

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2005-11-13 The Black Keys

Recording #128

The Black Keys at the Ram's Head in Baltimore MD.  I remember this club being in a new entertainment district.  Everything all shiny and new, but I didn't like the sound.  I kept moving around trying to find a good spot to listen and record.

Set I

01 No Trust
02 Girl Is On My Mind
03 Thickfreakness
04 10AM Automatic
05 The Breaks
06 Busted
07 Stack Shot Billy
08 She Said, She Said
09 Everywhere I Go
10 Set You Free
11 Grown So Ugly
12 Hard Row
13 Have Love Will Travel
14 applause to 1st encore
15 Til I Get My Way
16 Work Me Baby
17 Heavy Soul
18 applause to 2nd encore
19 I'll Be Your Man
20 No Fun

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2005-11-13 Nathaniel Mayer

Recording #127

Nathaniel Mayer at the Ram's Head in Baltimore MD.  I didn't get set up in time and the first song is cut from my recording.

Set I

What's Your Name
You Are The One
From Now On
Leave Me Alone
I Wanna Dance With You
Satisfied Fool
I Want A Woman
Village Of Love
Shake What Your Mama Gave You

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2005-11-12 The Black Keys

Recording #126

I was following the Black Keys on their east coast fall tour.  This was the fourth of ten shows.

I drove from Minnesota and for this one night, my wife Kristen was flying out to join me.  The show was sold out.  I had purchased all my tickets in advance, but we made plans for Kristen to fly out to see this show later.  I emailed Dan's dad, Chuck, to see if she couldn't be added to their guest list.  He made arrangements and I picked up Kristen at the airport and we found our way to the club.

There was a line to get in and we chatted with the kids around us.  Kristen laughed as one boy said he was their biggest fan, and this was his second time seeing the band.  I'm sure he is.  I hope everyone out there has a band they look up to as their biggest fan.

Kristen wanted a seat and we went to the balcony and sat in the front row.  It was a great spot to watch.  I saw Patrick talking to friends and I went over to say hello and thank him for getting Kristen non the guest list.  He said it wasn't a problem and then wanted to go over and meet Kristen.  We talked for a bit and then went back to his friends, one I think was in the service and being deployed the next day or very soon after.

It was a great show.  They came out for three separate encores.

Set I

01 Thickfreakness
02 Girl Is On My Mind
03 10AM Automatic
04 She Said, She Said
05 The Breaks
06 Busted
07 Stack Shot Billy
08 Everywhere I Go
09 Grown So Ugly
10 Hard Row
11 Set You Free
12 No Trust
13 Have Love Will Travel
14 applause to 1st encore
15 Work Me Baby
16 No Fun
17 applause to 2nd encore
18 Heavy Soul
19 applause to 3rd encore
20 Til I Get My Way

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2005-11-12 Nathaniel Mayer

Recording #125

Nathaniel Mayer at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC

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2005-11-11 The Black Keys

Recording #124

The Black Keys at the Theater Of Living Arts in Philadelphia PA.

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 - there's a recording gap between the 2nd and 3rd songs due to battery failure.

Set I

01 No Trust
02 Girl Is On My Mind
03 Thickfreakness
04 10AM Automatic
05 The Breaks
06 Busted
07 Stack Shot Billy
08 Grown So Ugly
09 Hard Row
10 Everywhere I Go
11 Set You Free
12 She Said, She Said
13 Have Love Will Travel
14 applause to encore
15 Work Me Baby
16 Til I Get My Way

2005-11-11 Nathaniel Mayer

Recording #123

The third show on this trip was in Philadelphia at the Theater Of Living Arts.  I remember it was in a cool neighborhood and many bars and restaurants to enjoy before the show.

Set I

01 What's Your Name?
02 You Are The One
03 From Now On
04 Satisfied Fool
05 I Want A Woman
06 Village Of Love
07 Leave Me Alone
08 I Wanna Dance With You
09 Shake What Your Mama Gave You

2005-11-10 The Black Keys

Recording #122

The second show on this east coast road trip was in Brooklyn NY at the Warsaw.  I already wrote my memories of the night on the last blog for the opener.

Set I

01 Thickfreakness
02 Girl Is On My Mind
03 No Trust
04 10AM Automatic
05 The Breaks
06 Busted
07 Stack Shot Billy
08 Grown So Ugly
09 Hard Row
10 Everywhere I Go
11 Set You Free
12 She Said, She Said
13 I'll Be Your Man
14 Have Love Will Travel
15 applause to encore
16 Work Me Baby
17 No Fun

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2005-11-10 Nathaniel Mayer

Recording #121

Nathaniel Mayer opened for most of the fall east coast tour for the Black Keys.  The Black Keys played the night before at Irving Plaza with the Mighty Imperials opening.

I got to the Warsaw with plenty of time before the show.  They had a kitchen serving traditional polish food, and I bought a plate.  There were several picnic tables available, and I saw Nate sitting alone and asked him if I could join him for dinner.  He welcomed me and we talked.  Dan came along shortly after that and joined us as well.

Later, I was walking around the room and recognized Matthew Johnson from Fat Possum Records.  I introduced myself and told him how much I appreciated his work.  We'd spoken several times on the phone as I purchased records, but I'm guessing this evening he was quite high and our conversation was very brief.  The Black Keys were shopping record labels and Matthew was making his bid, but the deep pockets at Warner Brothers (Nonesuch) took control.

Set I

01 What's Your Name?
02 I Wanna Dance With You
03 You Are The One
04 Satisfied Fool
05 I Wanna Know
06 I Want A Woman
07 Village Of Love
08 Shake What Your Mama Gave You

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2005-11-09 The Black Keys

Recording #120

I decided to follow the Black Keys on their fall east coast tour.  I'd see 10 shows from NYC to
Toronto Canada.

The first show at Irving Plaza had a different opener than the rest.  The Mighty Imperials opened in NYC.  A couple of the members of this band started working with Dan later with the Arcs and other recording projects.  The rest of the tour had Nathaniel Mayer opening.

I had known Dan's dad, Chuck, through the Black Keys forums online and he asked me to call him when I got to the show.  He was there attending too.  He told me Dan had been working with him the day before at an antique show in the city.  He also said that Billy Gibbons was backstage with Dan at the moment and Chuck was anxious to get back to the green room.  It was nice to meet Chuck in person.

On my way to New York, I drove through Akron and saw some of the neighborhoods and sights mentioned by Pat and Dan in their interviews.  I remember having a burger at Swenson's.

Set I

01 intro
02 No Trust
03 Girl Is On My Mind
04 Thickfreakness
05 10AM Automatic
06 Hard Row
07 The Breaks
08 Grown So Ugly
09 Set You Free
10 She Said, She Said
11 Everywhere I Go
12 Busted
13 Stack Shot Billy
14 Have Love Will Travel
encore
15 I'll Be Your Man
16 Heavy Soul

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2005-11-09 The Mighty Imperials

Recording #119

The Mighty Imperials opened for the Black Keys at Irving Plaza in NYC.

I decided to follow the Black Keys for an east coast tour in late 2005.

It turns out a couple of the players in this band started working with Dan on other projects like recording Dr. John and then the Arcs.  Probably many more, these are just a couple I know of.

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2005-10-22 The Immortal Lee County Killers

Recording #118

It should probably be The Immortal Lee County Killers III, but I'm not certain.

Set I

Turn On The Panther
Boom Boom
Revolution Summer (Pussy Galore)
?
Cool Driver
Nothin' Hurt Like My Back & Side
?
Been Down So Long (Doors)
No More My Lord
Blues
Let's Get Killed
Goin' Down South (R.L. Burnside)

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2005-10-22 Thee Shams

Recording #117

Big show at the Triple Rock Social Club in Mpls MN.  Black Diamond Heavies, Thee Shams, The Immortal Lee County Killers.  All headliners.

Thinking back, after this tour all three bands either broke up or changed lineups.  This is my 10th and final time seeing Thee Shams.

Thee Shams

01 Not Gonna Make It
02 Something Happening
03 Everflowing Tune
04 San Martine Des Morrelle
05 Love Grows & Grows
06 Lonely One
07 S.S. Nowhere
08 No Trust Fund Blues

I shot the final song of Thee Shams set with Mark Porkchop Holder joining in on harp.  No Trust Fund Blues.  No clue why I didn't get video of the entire set or any of ILCK.

Here's the complete audio of Thee Shams.  Note that Chet of ILCK joins in the 3rd song Everlasting Tune. (at 6:55)

2005-10-22 The Black Diamond Heavies

Recording #116

Big lineup on this tour.  The Heavies with Thee Shams and the Immortal Lee County Killers.  I don't know the exact timing, but each of these bands broke up or changed lineups shortly after this tour.

Here's video of the Heavies with the three piece.

Set I

Hambone
My Black Name
Dirty South
Baby Please Don't Leave Me
All To Hell
Shake 'Em On Down
Baby Please Don't Go

2005-10-19 Thee Shams

Recording #115

Thee Shams at the Empty Bottle.  The Black Diamond Heavies and the Immortal Lee County Killers also performed.

Set I

01 Not Gonna Make It
02 Something Happening
03 Love Grows & Grows
04 S.S. Nowhere
05 Lonely One
06 Everflowing Tune
07 Come Down Again
08 San Martine Des Morrelle
09 No Trust Fund Blues

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2005-10-19 The Black Diamond Heavies

Recording #114

The Black Diamond Heavies opened for Thee Shams and the Immortal Lee County Killers at the Empty Bottle in Chicago IL.  For some reason, I didn't record the ILCK?  My brother Peter was with me.  I'm guessing we left after Thee Shams, not wanting to stay out too late and having an hour drive back to my brother's house.

This was my first Heavies show and one of the few times I saw them as a three piece.  These 3 bands play Mpls a couple nights later.  I see the 3 piece Heavies the last time a few months later in January back at the Empty Bottle.

Set I

Hambone
My Black Name
Poor Brown Sugar
Dirty South
Baby Please Don't Leave Me
All To Hell
Shake 'Em On Down

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2005-09-18 Scott H. Biram

Recording #113

Scott H. Biram performing at the Union Terrace in Madison WI.  UW show.  The .357 String Band opened.

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Set I

Green Onions/Cold River
Hit The Road
Train Song
Graveyard Shift
18 Wheeler Fever
Alcohol Blues
Blood, Sweat & Murder
Pastures Of Plenty
Muleskinner's Blues
Goin' Down South
Truckdriver
Plow You Under
Been Down Too Long
Work
White House Blues
Blues In A Bottle
I Got My Brand On You
Pullin' On A Reefer Load
Ain't It A Shame
Get Me Religion
I See The Light/What's His Name
Throw That Boogie/Black Betty
Church Babies