Last night, American duo The Black Keys graced the fine people of Manchester with irresistible rockand bluesy ballads at the AO Arena and it was nothing short of phenomenal, showcasing the exceptional talent that’s made them one of the most prolific bands of the last two decades.
Their ‘Dropout Boogie Tour’ was supported by fellow rockers Spoon and found them in the UK for a limited run of just three shows, London, Glasgow and, of course, Manchester. This was all on the back of their latest album release in 2022, which gained modest reviews.
Whatever you made of their last record, there isn’t much you can question about their live performance. Straight from the go, the show was electrifying, with the opening song ‘I Got Mine’ leaving the crowd screaming for more — I was definitely one of them.
The Black Keys brought a slice of that quintessential southern American blues-rock to the AO on Thursday night, taking us on a real sonic journey, weaving through different styles and more rock and roll sounds to those deeper, swampy tones that we’ve explored throughout their decorated career.
Their retro-inspired sound harkened back to a golden era of American music as they even covered some proper classics like ‘Crawling King Snake’ by delta-blues singer, Big Joe Williams, as well as ‘Have Love, Will Travel’ — which may only rattle around in your head has an advert song, but was originally recorded all the way back in 1959 by R&B singer, Richard Berry.
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They really leaned into those unmistakable bluesy, rock and roll roots and it really paid off because the whole vibe and reaction from the crowd was absolutely infectious.
The guitar mastery and soulful vocals displayed by lead singer, Dan Auerbach, were nothing short of awe-inspiring, but towards the final few songs he had to cut one short to call out, as Dan called him, a “beefcake”, that was being aggressive, pushy and putting a general “negative energy”.
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Dan said he’s not about that and neither are we or any of the Mancs who went along to watch, and he was met with rapturous applause when he declared: “That’s not how we do it at a rock and roll show”. Big respect to him for that.
By the time the encore came around, there was a single person not up on their feet and partying. They began with their 2011 track, ‘Little Black Submarine’ — which seemed ominously fitting considering the latest news headlines — starting slow but ending heavy and leading perfectly into the final jam and iconic hit, ‘Lonely Boy’.
It was obviously always going to end like that, being their most popular song, and for good reason. The show had already reached a euphoric climax which meant everyone was dancing and singing their hearts out. By the time the song finished, I truly wished I could’ve done it all over again.
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What a gig and what a night. It was truly an unforgettable experience that will be etched in my mind forever. The night wasn’t over for everyone, though, as the band actually headed to YES for their popular record hang after-party, where they DJ’d on vinyl into the early hours of the morning.
Sadly, for us, it was bedtime — some of us have work in the morning and we’d already partied plenty all night long. We will most definitely be seeing The Black Keys again the next time they’re in Manchester.
Featured Image — The Manc Group/The Black Keys (via Instagram)
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IDLES frontman Joe Talbot set for ’10 Songs That Made Me’ interview at AO Arena
Danny Jones
Cult favourite frontman Joe Talbot of IDLES fame is set to for an eye-opening sit-down interview as part of AO Arena’s ’10 Songs That Made Me’ series.
The lead singer of the politically-charged post-punk band will be joining the in-conversation event opposite BBC 6 Music host and popular radio host, full stop, Chris Hawkins.
Having often drifted into hardcore, art rock and even spoken word at times, Joe Talbot and co. have become known for the cutting lyricism and insightful songwriting in general, so we can only assume that diving into his own musical influences will be just as riveting.
Joining his fellow audophile on stage at the city’s legendary live music and entertainment venue this November, Talbot and Hawkins will be running through the tracks that quite literally helped create the musician we know today.
According to the AO, the arena will host an in-depth chat with the provocative 41-year-old artist as he walks Chris Hawkins through “the most important musical chapters of his life, his stunning musical journey from resident DJ at one of Bristol’s hottest clubs, through to headlining Glastonbury festival.”
It is quite the career he’s had when you break it down.
They go on to promise “raw honesty and trademark wit” as Joe reflects on the record, acts and cultural moments that shaped him as a young performer before breaking onto the scene with IDLES.
As for the ’10 Songs That Made Me’ series itself, it may be what it says on the tin, but most interestingly, being in the crowd and hearing it from each different group/individual changes the experience entirely.
“More than a story of success—it’s a journey of resilience, passion, and community”, they go on to add. “Expect an evening of candid conversation, unexpected anecdotes, and deep dives into the music that has not only defined Joe’s career but also resonated with millions around the world.
If you’re fans of the band or Talbot, in particular, you’ll already know they’re great orators; plus, if you caught even a small clip from his own fledgling Oh Gatekeeper podcast, you’ll know he loves nothing more than diving deep into tunes that shape not just the audio landscape but people at their core.
Just casually getting the lead singer of The Strokes on for in the first season, as you do…
On a personal note, we’ve watched the IDLES x Grammy Museum interview on multiple ocassions at this point, and know how much artistry there is behind everything they do.
The same goes for Talbot, specifically – there’s no doubt about that.
If you’re interested in being part of the audience for Joe Talbot’s in conversation event with Chris Hawkins as part of ’10 Songs That Made Me’, tickets for the date at AO Arena on Tuesday, 25 November are live now, and you can grab yours via Skiddle right HERE.
Last but not least, special mention goes to the interviewing expert himself, whose recent chat with Tim Burgess about The Charlatans getting back into the studio is also well worth a listen.
Tune in to 6 Music from 1pm today, @Tim_Burgess is my very special guest and rumour has it that we might get to hear a brand new Charlatans track… pic.twitter.com/vzoGDnvS7G
Wet Leg announce huge outdoor gig in Manchester as part of landmark live dates
Clementine Hall
Isle of Wight five-piece Wet Leg have announced their biggest headline shows to date, announcing a trio of huge outdoor gigs, including one right here in Manchester at Castlefield Bowl.
The multi-award-winning indie and alt outfit rose to fame back in 2022 with iconic tracks like Chaise Longue and Wet Dream, packing out stages at Glastonbury not long after releasing their critically acclaimed debut album.
Becoming their second consecutive number one in just as many attempts, moisturizer, is equally as fun and fabulous as the first – we cannot wait to hear it live in these.
Comprised of two lead singers in Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, Ellis Durand on bass, drummer Henry Holmes and guitarist Joshua Mobaraki, this lot can make plenty of noise.
And as you can see, to make things even better, they’ll be joined by Leeds’ very own English Teacher as the main support act at each one of the landmarks shows.
As for their down south show, they’ll also be playing Alexandra Palace Park down in the capital to round out this run of live dates next summer.
It goes without saying that we’re obviously buzzing to see them become the latest name on the lineup for the 2026 Sounds of the City series, with a hometown hero also joining the ranks as of this month:
Wet Leg are in good company when they rock up to Castlefield Bowl.
Set to play the Bowl on Wednesday, 8 July, before heading to Leeds and then London for consecutive nights, we’re sure you’ll see them playing tonnes more big stages throughout festival season.
Tickets for all three of Wet Leg’s confirmed dates for 2026 go on sale this Friday, 31 October from 9:30am, and you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
We reckon this one will be a real ticket scramble, so we wouldn’t mess about if you want to bag yourself a ticket; in fact, given that all of their live shows this year sold out, we know it will…
Dean Hadcock -
23rd June 2023 
