Article & Photos by: Kyle Ostrander

Springfield, MA – This past weekend, blues rock veterans The Black Keys stopped by the MassMutual Center, putting on a high octane show that reminded everyone why the band is still packing out arenas more than 20 years into their career. The band is on the road supporting their 13th album, No Rain, No Flowers, which dropped earlier this month.

Even with an early door time of 6pm, groups of excited fans rushed into the venue as soon as the gates opened, in anticipation of the memorable night ahead. Many lined up at the merch booth and grabbed drinks before the show, not wanting to miss out on any of the action once The Black Keys took the stage. The band’s members, drummer Patrick Carney and guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach, soon emerged from the shadows to loud applause from the crowd. The duo opened the night by locking into a fuzzed-out mashup of Thickfreakness / The Breaks / I’ll Be Your Man, immediately pulling the arena’s attention. With the stage cloaked in low light and a dark backdrop, the large space took on the feel of a small club with DIY energy. The two musicians built an effortless rhythm that had the crowd pressed against the barricade, dancing in time with the music. Keeping the energy flowing, Auerbach then dove right into the intro riff of Your Touch, as a backing band of musicians stealthily took their positions on stage, erupting with sound as the track hit its first verse. The dark stage became backlit with waves of light, revealing the backing band composed of bass, keys, percussion, and two additional guitarists.

Taking advantage of the full band, the live versions of almost every song were louder, heavier, and packed an additional punch that kept the audience on their toes. The songs often took on fresh live arrangements with shifting dynamics, expansive jam sections, extended guitar solos, and even moments where Auerbach traded riffs with the rest of the band. Amid the walls of sound, Carney anchored the performance with precise, emotive drumming that struck a perfect balance between raw energy and refined musicianship. The full group of musicians all contributed to vocal responsibilities as well, with nearly every member frequently layering in soaring backing vocals, creating a melodic wave that carried over the entire space.

The career-spanning 21-song set mostly flowed seamlessly from one song into the next, offering something for fans of every era of The Black Keys. This included rare cuts, such as an edgy slide guitar version of Psychotic Girl, a song the band hadn’t played live in nearly 15 years prior to this tour. Auerbach continued displaying his slide guitar expertise during a cover of On the Road Again by Canned Heat, during which he ran to the edge of the stage for some guitar crowd work. The guitarist frequently dashed over to Carney’s drum riser, the two locking into hypnotic grooves, before jumping back to interact with the backing band as the music surged into towering crescendos and collapsed into dynamic drops. “I want to say thank you all so much for being here tonight, and to our band for doing such an incredible job. My name is Dan, that’s Pat on the drums. We’ve got one more song, will you help us out with it?” said Auerbach cheerily before closing out the show with Lonely Boy.

The Black Keys continue their North American tour through mid-September, ending with an appearance at Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta, GA. Full details on all dates can be found on their website.