2005 ACL Fest Home > Reports from the ACL Festival > Archives > 2005 > September > 25 > Entry
Black Keys a hard-core White Stripes
Because they’re a two-piece blues band, Akron’s Black Keys have been compared to Detroit’s White Stripes. But there are plenty of notable differences — Keys drummer Patrick Carney can actually play, for one thing, and guitarist Dan Auerbach’s style is far grittier and more elemental than Jack White’s. It’s simple, hard-core and full of Hendrix influences.
Carney and Auerbach quickly won over a huge Heineken stage crowd eager to experience the young pair’s raw musical prowess, delivered on such tunes as “Thickfreakness,” “The Breaks,” “Girl is on my Mind,” “Set You Free,” “The Moan” and “10 a.m. Automatic.”
Just when they threatened to get boring, however — there’s only so much Black Keys one can take before it starts to sound repetitious — they pulled out a cool “Grown So Ugly” and an even cooler, fuzz-guitar-filled finale, the Beatles “She Said, She Said.” John Lennon would have been proud of the treatment they gave it, and their fans loved it. And loved them. No question they were one of the big hits of ACL fest. It won’t be surprising if they wind up on a bigger stage next year.
Comments
By Jill V.
September 26, 2005 06:07 PM | Link to this
The Black Keys were so great that when we turned around to watch Coldplay we were sorely disappointed. We had never heard of these boys from Ohio but you can bet that we are online right now buying all their cds. Every year we find someone great at the festival and they are definitely this year’s pick. :)
By pinballio
September 26, 2005 11:50 PM | Link to this
WOW… how can so much awesome music come from just two men?
:)