Keith And The Complications
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Music
Press
"...50 Cent...
...We don't play any of his stuff..."
Hey, blogspot readers, SouthSide's diggin' the soulful sounds at Double Door! Tonight, the famous venue was totally in the groove with lively R&B performances featuring bands like The Congregation and The Sometimes Family. If you're looking for a band that has energy ...fire rockin' the stage with a bit of the old-new school mix, then SouthSide highly suggests checking out Keith & The Complications.
There's nothing complicated about Keith and his swingin' music, blogspot readers. Hip cats would like the classic stax riffs (off the guitars), soulful rhythms (off the keyboards), HOT funkified horns and percussions. And then there's Keith and his two lovely divas adding powerful vocals and sexy charm to each song. What a dynamic combination! How can you not feel that vibe and momentum upon hearing the subtle crescendo at the start of the performance?
For example, this reviewer suggests listening to Sweat - everyone within this band added their own seductive persona into this song though in a downtempo groove, there's still plenty of spunk and fire in the music which had Keith and his divas literally sweatin' to the groove. He and his ultra suave falsetto had SouthSide feeling his sexy charisma and stage presence. She enjoyed the natural interaction between him and his female vocalists especially towards the end of the song during the hot electric solo.
The performance had this soulful vibe with a Southern Baptist gospel feel (off the keyboard rhythms) when Keith added some harmonics and deep emotion into his voice. The instrumental alone of this particular song in a slow downtempo pace rocked the stage with a splash of lively energy. And this energetic vibe wasn't solely contained to the stage. The audience felt it as well throughout this set especially when Keith would hop off stage to mingle amongst them. He was acting more like a gracious host than a front man of his band making sure everyone's having a fun time at his party. What a party this show turned out to be as Keith & The Complications closed in style by rockin' the stage to The Time (dedicated to Jerry Lee Lewis' birthday).
SouthSide highly recommends heading to Martyrs' on October 27th for Keith & The Complications' Record Release show. It should be one HOT rockin' time, blogspot readers. For more information, visit www.keithandthecomplications or www.myspace.com/keithandthecomplications.
- Southside On The Town
Discography
The Nine And Only Keith And The Complications (Live Album)
Keith And The Complications Tie One On (5 Song Demo)
The Time (Single)
Photos
Bio
Keith and the Complications don't think they do things the hard way; but when you have a dozen people being led by their fiery frontman, things just become complicated.
The songwriting is intricate, employing lyrics that are simultaneously timeless and modern, with just the right amount of snark; not everyone can pull off the lyric "While you sell yourself on ebay.com!" The subject matter can range from simple love songs like "A Fool 4 U" or "Darling Come Back" to bitter vengeance songs like "If It's A Whuppin' You're A-Wantin'..." or "You Can't Fool Me" to sultry come-ons like "The Song That Dare Not Speak Its Name" or "Every Time I'm Flying Blind." The arrangements are complex, tipping their hats to the likes of Motown, Stax, and... Aerosmith?
The live shows, though, are a bit simpler. They are sweaty, joyous, and intense for both the band and the audience. While most people's eyes are naturally attracted to Keith's antics, it's hard to turn away from the crisp reds and blacks worn by the whole band. Sharp suits for the boys, demure dresses for the girls. At the back of the stage, Danny's propulsive drumming and Gabe's soulful basslines drive the music, while the horn section of Kat and Gordon add the frills. Jen and Rani fill out the vocals, leaving just enough room left in the arrangement and on the stage for Adam's blistering guitar.
Meanwhile, as the musicians work, Keith plays. He runs through the audience, encouraging them to sing and clap along. He climbs back onto the stage, onto a bar, a table, or even a Complication. He mugs, he shakes, he jumps, he twitches, he never stops moving until long after the show is over. It's clear by his energy that Keith loves what he's doing, and it's clear that he's not alone; the band routinely gets a rowdy "Noooo!" whenever they announce their last song. As far as the audience is concerned, the shows are never long enough, and as far as the band is concerned, the audience is always right.
Links
