Support from The Maccabees.
Their gig at Birmingham's NIA started with support from The Maccabees - a five piece indie rock band from Brighton. The choice seemed to provoke a few disgruntled comments and there were a surprising number of people deciding to use the support act's time to stock up on drinks and take trips to the toilet. However, I'd seen The Maccabees twice before at the o2 academy and Bestival, so knew well enough they were worth half an hour of anybody's time. Songs from their latest album Given to the Wild were chosen, but the band ensured to also play crowd pleasers such as Love You Better and Can You Give It? from their second studio album Wall of Arms and a few tracks from Colour It In for the more long-term fans.
The Black Keys themselves employed a similar tactic, ensuring to play a range of songs from their entire discography. Entering the stage in their usual humble manner, the two put on a solid show - no thrills and gimmicks, just straight up music as the fans want it - performing in a similar way as I'd imagine them to have put on their first shows in bars, just on a much larger scale. That was until the lowering of the largest disco ball I've ever laid eyes on, creating an astonishing lighting effect across the entire crowd and arena. Very visually impressive and I guess if you've sold 36, 000 tickets you have the right to throw in a little extravagance and glamour somewhere.
Brilliant performances by two brilliantly unpretentious bands.