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Last Wednesday (I know I’m late getting this up, but better late than never!), The Black Keys played Rams Head Live. I forgot my camera, I’m afraid, so no photos, sorry! This was the second time I’ve seen the Keys live. Their performance last year at DC’s 9:30 Club was phenomenal, and they came close to matching it here in Baltimore.

The evening opened with Patrick Sweany and his band, playing their soul-inflected blues for about 40 minutes. Sweany is a powerful vocalist and a very capable guitarist, but the songs started to sound a bit too samey by the end of the set. Not a bad opener, but not remarkable either.

The blues-rock duo of drummer Patrick Carney and singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach, hailing from Akron, OH, hit the stage with “Same Old Thing,” one of the singles from their latest album, Attack & Release. From there, the song selection leaned heavily on 2003’s Thickfreakness and 2004’s Rubber Factory. The band seemed to be having fun throughout, which is great to see in a day when many bands seem to take themselves too seriously on stage. Highlights included “Everywhere I Go,” “Have Love, Will Travel,” “The Breaks,” and a blistering rendition of “Psychotic Girl.” Their cover of Captain Beefheart’s “I’m Glad” was sublime, though it seemed to confuse most of the crowd. The Keys did make their recorded version available online for a brief time, but I suspect most of the crowd hadn’t heard it, much less the original song. It would have been nice to see a more energetic crowd, but that’s a minor caveat.

The show was wholly enjoyable, and after the encore of “Set You Free” and “Till I Get My Way” came to a close, I felt I’d gotten my $25 worth. And I’ll certainly be there the next time the Black Keys head this direction.

A Sidenote: Dan Auerbach is releasing his solo album, Keep It Hid, tomorrow, Feb. 10. It’s currently streaming on his Myspace. He’s playing the 9:30 Club on Saturday, Feb. 28.