Keane @ The Wiltern, 1/26

A stint in rehab for drink and drug addiction has served Keane singer Tom Chaplin well. Sounding completely rejuvenated the English trio blew the roof off LA's Wiltern Theatre on Friday night. Chaplin now sounds better (he hasn't hit all those notes in years), looks better (no more cherub face), and even got a haircut (curls, be gone.)

With only two albums under their belt the band is already able to pack their setlist with one track after another of classic-sounding anthems. Chaplin was a complete ham running around stage and interacting with the crowd in a Phil Collins-type manner, and it was f-ing great. Though his banter did sometimes go on a bit too long, slightly dampening the great energy that killer album tracks like "Leaving So Soon" and "Bend And Break" had created.

Mid-set they slowed things down with Chaplin playing acoustic guitar on "Your Eyes Open", and keys on "Hamburg Song" and "Try Again." A nice touch to the evening was the playback of Neil Hannon reciting a Yeats poem before "A Bad Dream." All in all a great show, and well worth the long wait for LA fans after the Greek Theatre show was cancelled last year.

Put It Behind You / Everybody's Changing / Leaving So Soon / We Might As Well Be Strangers / Nothing In My Way / Bend And Break / Try Again / Your Eyes Open / Hamburg Song / Can't Stop Now / A Bad Dream / This Is The Last Time / Somewhere Only We Know / Is It Any Wonder? // Atlantic / Crystal Ball / Bedshaped

Comments

[Jenn]

That was a f-ing great show. Rejuvenated, indeed, but I think he's still got the cherub face (thank God).

[phizzpop]

That is great news about Tom! I haven't heard it until I read it here and I'm a web publisher of an indie rock/pop blog!

Thanks
Phizz at IRC
http://www.indierockcafe.com
http://www.monkeytypesthebible.com

[larry b scott]

keane blows

[whatme]

if by "blows" you mean "blows everyone else out of the water", than yes.