Concert Review: Keane

Keane
May 17, 2007
Riviera Theatre - Chicago
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Keane is a decent band from England that forges a good sound without any guitars or bass, just two keyboardists -- one being vocalist Tom Chaplin -- and a drummer. Their two albums both hit #1 in the UK and their latest, last year's Under the Iron Sea opened at #4 in the US, so they arrived at their sold out show at the Riviera with a good bit of stateside renown. They were originally booked -- and then rebooked and again cancelled -- for a show at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre last fall, on tours that feel through due to Chaplin's rehab stint. Led by the ruddy-faced Chaplin, an energetic and gracious though less than captivating stage presence, the band played fine but largely unspectacular renditions of good but mostly not great songs, which were met with ovations far beyond their merit. It's probably wrong to hold crowd reaction against a band, but this was the loudest I've heard a crowd in quite some time. BS or not, Chaplin told the crowd it was "a night he would never forget." But though worthy of a look and listen, Keane at this point are far from unforgettable.