The Blacks
1/6/7
Schubas Tavern in Chicago
Bringing Chicago their own brand of bluesy country rock, The Blacks treated those at a sold out Schubas show last Saturday night to what has at least up until now a rare performance. Their set easily swung between notes of rock brutality to a more tempered religious air throughout their hour and a half long set.
Bloodshot Records darlings The Blacks are made up of Gina and Danny Black, James Emmenegger, and the lovely Nora O’Connor . Nora was easily the highlight of the night for me just listening to that full voice harmonize with Danny Black as she danced and rocked out on her guitar. Easily proving anyone wrong who might have the misconception that women can’t rock out, Nora also exhibits such grace she can even make playing an electric guitar with a beer bottle as her slide appear exquisitely balletic.
I don’t often go to see bands in this genre, though the band that comes to mind most easily to compare The Blacks to happens to be one I also saw at Schubas, Canada’s The Sadies. I could tell that the audience overall enjoyed The Blacks just as much as they had that show. The playing was tight but there were some great moments of interaction between Danny Black and Nora O’Connor as well as between Danny and Gina Black. Gina’s double bass playing with her long bow stood out to me as well as Danny Black’s trumpet playing. What impressed me the most was how each of the band members took such a dynamic role in the songs so that you felt like there wasn’t one true lead singer or lead period. If the making of a good band is one in which each member contributes something valid that makes up something much more complete and is truly the sum of different ideas, identities, and backgrounds then The Blacks are indeed a great band.
Listen to songs and become their friends on myspace
View the complete photo set with Thin Man on flickr
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