Black Keys: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blues

Retro blues-rock act The Black Keys proved Saturday night at The NorVa that what's old is new again, but, of course, with a contemporary twist.

The minimalist duo - Dan Auerbach (vocals and guitar) and Patrick Carney (drums) - take songwriting cues from the likes of early Led Zeppelin and Cream. Their grinding lo-fi delivery, however, is essentially a carbon-copy of the White Stripes and Flat Duo Jets. The combination is powerful and has garnered a diverse fan base that includes

ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Thom Yorke of Radiohead. The Akron, Ohio-based band drew a near-capacity crowd.

"Very few bands get into my skin," said Amy McKay, 33, of Norfolk. "It's all about the energy."

John Mock, 41, of Virginia Beach had his 12-year-old son on the front row for his first concert.

"It's pretty exciting to bring him out," Mock said, "and introducing him to new music."

The Black Keys got things off to a rousing start with "Girl is on My Mind," followed by "Set You Free" and "Thickfreakness." The sound of fury was surprisingly impressive for a two-piece group. The chaotic noisiness of Auerbach's guitar and the persistent pummeling of Carney's drumheads sufficed for a lack of bass guitar. The primal nature of the music kept the vocal audience engaged.

Auerbach and Carney were positioned at opposite sides of the stage. A large inflated tire served as the backdrop. The lighting varied from basic accents to full-on psychedelic.

Throughout the performance, the bearded Auerbach resembled a shaggy English sheepdog, his stringy hair obscuring his face. The grunge rock influences were not only evident in the simplicity of their music but also in their fashion statement: Auerbach, resembling Dave Mason circa 1974, was clad in blue jeans and a flannel shirt, an image harkening back to the early days of Nirvana.

Set list highlights included "Strange Times" and "Stack Shot Billy." The set ended with "I Got Mine."

For a well-deserved encore, The Black Keys performed "Psychotic Girl," a paper doll tracing of Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog."

Opening act The Whigs - Parker Gispert (guitar, lead vocals, keyboards), Julian Dorio (drums) and Tim Deaux (bass) - announced the occasion as their first appearance in Norfolk.

The trio from Athens, Ga., immediately won the crowd over with its raw, energetic sound and with the bouncy, body twitching of Gispert and Deaux. The 21st century mop-tops, like The Black Keys, unveiled a Seattle grunge-like groove, especially on "Mission Control" and "Like a Vibration." Their 30-minute set was too short, leaving the audience wanting more.

Both The Black Keys and The Whigs were well mixed, and the overall sound was powerful. To simply compare them to their overt influences wouldn't be entirely fair. They made the night their own, and each delivered an impressive performance.

Jeff Maisey, (757) 222-3934, jmaisey@pilotonline.com