The Black Keys have long been known as the embodiment of gritty, raw, unfiltered garage rock. Formed in Akron, Ohio nearly 25 years ago, Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) sowed the seeds of their sound in 2002 with the release of The Big Come Up, a fantastic lo-fi bluesy stomp of an album released on the indie label Alive. Since that time, the band’s original fuzz-laden blues sound has blossomed into soul, psychedelia, pop and, with the 2009 release of the grossly underrated Blakroc album, even hip hop and R&B.
Sadly, some fans hate change. They clamor for complacency, criticizing any new song or album that does not replicate the formula of the band’s biggest hits. But music, like life, is a journey across a constantly evolving landscape of tastes, influences, and experiences. We can either embrace each one to shape who we are today, or ignore them – trapped like a relic in amber.
Dan and Pat have never been content to cruise on nostalgia or mire themselves in the past. No Rain, No Flowers is a testament to their continued growth as artists. It is arguably their most polished and layered mainstream pop album to date, but one containing songs such as “No Rain, No Flowers,” “The Night Before,” “Babygirl,” “Man On A Mission,” and “A Little Too High” that are no less worthy of The Black Keys’ canon.
And what a canon it is. With thirteen studio albums and multiple Grammy nominations and wins now under their belt, Dan and Pat are at no loss for filling out a spectacular setlist of music on their current tour, which recently hit Chicago for a sold-out show at the Huntington Bank Pavilion on the shore of Lake Michigan.
The evening kicked off much like the band’s career with a high energy medley of gut punching songs from their first two albums (“Thickfreakness/The Breaks/I’ll Be Your Man”) before jumping to “Your Touch,” “Gold on the Ceiling,” “Wild Child,” and “I Got Mine.”
“Everlasting Light” followed, which would be the first of six songs played from the band’s 2010 release, Brothers. Other songs from that album included “Next Girl,” “Tighten Up,” “Howlin’ for You,” “She’s Long Gone,” and “Too Afraid to Love You.”
The next most represented album was No Rain, No Flowers (“No Rain, No Flowers,” “Man On A Mission,” “A Little Too High,” and “Down to Nothing”), followed by 2011’s El Camino (“Lonely Boy,” “Little Black Submarines,” and the aforementioned “Gold on the Ceiling). Surprisingly, songs from Ohio Players, the band’s 2024 release, were entirely ignored, while 2022’s Dropout Boogie and 2019’s Let’s Rock were only briefly acknowledged, albeit with the standout hits “Wild Child” and “Lo/Hi.” That said, for a largely career-spanning set, the night was yet another triumph for The Black Keys. I can’t wait to see where Pat and Dan go from here.
For more information on The Black Keys, head to their website.
