Photos by Will Oliver
There was a time period not too long ago where it seemed surprising to not see The Black Keys headlining every major festival across the country (such as Governors Ball 2015). Then just like that, it became more of a question about where they went, with their last album Turn Blue coming out all the way back in 2014.
This year they finally returned to the spotlight with a new album along with them, the ever-appropriately titled Let’s Rock (released via Easy Eye Sound/Nonesuch Records). The record captures that old swagger of some of the duo’s earlier records, just with the cleaner refinement of their more polished sound.
Opening up the show was Jessy Wilson, whose record Phase was produced by Carney as well as Modest Mouse, who ran through a fan-friendly 10-song set of favorites both old and new to warm up the crowd. While they made sure to play the familiar hits such as “Float On” and “Dashboard” they also squeezed in some older cuts like “Dramamine” and “Gravity Rides Everything.”
They’ve been touring hard in support of the new record on the “Let’s Rock” tour, with Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney joined by Steve Marion of Delicate Steve and Zach and Andy Gabbard of Buffalo Killers as their new backing band. We caught their performance last week at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, our first time seeing them in four years. Although the stage is adorned with big-time light rigs and some vibrant colors, at its core this isn’t a flashy arena show but instead, an old school rock show delivered in a business-like fashion, but an effective one at that.
At this stage of their career, The Black Keys have a ton of songs at their disposal, and as they run through their setlist and you hear songs like “Gold on the Ceiling” mixed alongside “10 A.M. Automatic,” Your Touch,” and “Thickfreakness,” you realize just how deep their music well has become. As great as it is to see them turn to the blues-influenced old school tracks, it’s also hard to deny hearing them belt through new efforts like “Lonely Boy” on such a grand stage.
The Black Keys are back and still delivering the rock and roll goodness without any bs or pretension. Just mean riffs, hard-hitting drums and some killer hooks.
Find a full gallery of photos from all three performances below, along with Modest Mouse and The Black Keys’ setlist.
Jessy Wilson:
Modest Mouse:
Modest Mouse setlist:
1. Gravity Rides Everything
2. Bury Me With It
3. The Tortoise and the Tourist
4. Float On
5. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
6. King Rat
7. Bukowski
8. This Devil’s Workday
9. Missed the Boat
10. Dramamine
11. Dashboard
The Black Keys:
I Got Mine
Eagle Birds
Tell Me Lies
Gold on the Ceiling
Fever
Next Girl
Fire Walk With Me
Walk Across the Water
Everlasting Light
Howlin’ for You
10 A.M. Automatic
Your Touch
Strange Times
Tighten Up
Thickfreakness
Ten Cent Pistol
Little Black Submarines
Lonely Boy
Lo/Hi
Go
She’s Long Gone
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