The Black Keys Keep Blues and Rock-N-Roll Alive For The Modern Concertgoer
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 7: The Black Keys perform night two of their back-to-back headline run at The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Hitting the road in support of their fourteenth studio album, Peaches!, The Black Keys are sticking to their guns and doubling down on the soul driven blues-rock that made them a household name. Now over a quarter of a century deep into their career, Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (percussion) look to cement their legacy in the pages of rock history.
Getting the night rolling in a rather unexpected fashion, The Keys hit the stage as a duo to perform a melody of tracks from their first two albums, 2003’s “Thickfreakness” and 2002’s “The Breaks” and “I’ll Be Your Man.” It is a bold gambit for the opener, shying away from the bombast of a full band introduction in favor of a rather low-key affair, a move that certainly paid off. Keeping the audience on edge, this felt more like a sneaky pre-dinner sampling, a meager dropping of the meal ahead, rather than the appetizer. Auerbach and Carney are electric together, with their dynamic having been crafted and refined over decades of playing together.
Sticking to their debut, The Black Keys bring out their backing band for “Heavy Soul” a clear fan favorite. Short and rowdy, this track leans heavy into the band’s roots in the blues-rock scene, sounding at least sixty years older than its true age. It should come as no surprise, as Auerbach and Carney have made their love for the era abundantly known (as evidenced by the multitude of covers throughout their set). Auerbach easily takes the spotlight on this one, shredding relentlessly his guitar, a blistering reminder that the band means business. “Heavy Soul” is a good old-fashioned banger.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 7: The Black Keys perform night two of their back-to-back headline run at The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Feeling the need to hit a more modern speed, The Black Keys land on their crossover hit “Fever” from 2014’s Turn Blue. Polishing things up and adding a synth flair, The Keys have gotten the crowd moving, as “Fever” is easily one of their most danceable tunes. With its instantly recognizable bass line, it really didn’t take long for it to sweep over the audience either. Carney is in the pocket here, shifting from crisp snare and high-hat to the deep rumbling of his kick and toms masterfully.
Setlist
Thickfreakness -> The Breaks -> I’ll Be Your Man
Heavy Soul
Fever
Have Love Will Travel (Richard Berry & the Pharaohs cover)
Gold on the Ceiling
She Does It Right (Dr. Feelgood cover)
Everlasting Light
Next Girl
Lo/Hi
You Got to Lose (Earl Hooker cover)
Weight of Love
Howin’ for You
Just Couldn’t tie Me Down [ft. Eddie 9V]
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire (Willie Griffin cover)[ft. Eddie 9V]
I Got Mine
Tighten Up
Wild Child
I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover)
She’s Long Gone
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Little Black Submarines
Lonely Boy
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 7: The Black Keys perform night two of their back-to-back headline run at The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
While Nashville wrapped up leg one of The Black Keys’ tour, they still have plenty of asphalt (and ocean) to cover. The band will take a few weeks off before hopping the pond to a largely sold-out European leg before returning to the Americas for a New England and Eastern Canada run.
You can find tickets to all of The Black Keys’ upcoming tour dates here.
Aug 28 – Paris, FR – Rock en Seine 2026
Aug 29 – Southsea, UK – Victorious Festival 2026
Aug 31 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo [SOLD OUT]
Sep 1 – London, UK – O2 Academy [SOLD OUT]
Sep 2 – London, UK – British Airways Arc Olympia*
Sep 4 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 5 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 6 – Cologne, DE – Palladium* [LOW TICKETS]
Sep 7 – Bern, CH – Festhalle*
Sep 9 – Munich, DE – Zenith*
Sep 10 – Milan, IT – Alcatraz* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 11 – Milan, IT – Alcatraz*
Sep 13 – Madrid, ES – Movistar Arena* [LOW TICKETS]
Oct 10 – Verona, NY – Turning Stone Resort Casino^
Oct 11 – Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena^
Oct 13 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre^
Oct 14 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre^
Oct 16 – Laval, QC – Place Bell^
Oct 17 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre^
Oct 18 – Windsor, ON – Caesars^
Oct 20 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
Oct 21 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
* w/ Robert Finley
^ w/ Jeremie Albino
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 7: The Black Keys perform night two of their back-to-back headline run at The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
The Black Keys still have it. Champions of blues and old school rock-n-roll, The Keys have managed to drag the sounds of decades past to the modern era with an updated, yet still abundantly caring, flair. While the bombast of their numerous hits is immense, “Fever,” “Gold on the Ceiling,” and “Howlin’ for You” come to mind, the band has clearly not lost their fire and the love for their more artistic side remains firm. Copious early cuts and numerous covers ranging from The Stooges to Richard Berry & the Pharaohs have kept the duo’s teeth sharp. This is a feature-packed show for any fan of rock music; I can’t recommend it enough.