The Black Keys at Open Air Theater

The Black Keys embarked on a scaled-down version of their previously planned arena tour, enthralling a sold-out audience at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theater on a dreary Wednesday night. The No Rain, No Flowers tour was aptly named on an characteristicly June gloom evening, but the slight drizzle was not a deterrent for the packed audience of mostly thirty- and forty-something fans who swooned along to a well-designed set list from the rock duo.

The evening opened with The Heavy Heavy, a British band whose sound (and look) would fit right in the Laurel Canyon 1970s scene. Playing songs off of both their first album Life and Life Only and off of 2024’s One of a Kind, the band welcomed the crowd with their enthusiasm and excitement, as well as their melodic grooves. New hit Cherry is emblematic of the band’s style, and the tune’s harmonies and building crescendos are easy to toe-tap along to, as evidenced by the early–arriving audience’s joy in listening.

The Black Keys opened as the duo we know, powering through the first few numbers together before adding in the four piece backing band. Dan Auerbach settled in with old hits like “Your Touch,” “Everlasting Light,” and “I Got Mine,” and continued to work through old hits before sharing some tracks off of No Rain, No Flowers, due out in August.

The band’s bright, creative set featured an outer border at the front of the stage, with a screen filled with retro-vibe graphics behind, reminiscent of an old public access TV channel. The production fit the stage and venue, utilizing the back video screen for design and as a video board to give those in the upper seats a better view.

Attendees in the packed ampitheater were on their feet throughout the raucous, energetic set, moving to the beat anchored by Patrick Carney’s front-and-center drumming. While the duo certainly appeared aged up from their early days (and who doesn’t!) they showed off the wealth of experience gained from their tours, keeping the crowd engaged and entertained throughout the evening, and sending folks home with an encore of ‘Little Black Submarines‘ and ‘Lonely Boy.’

Photos and Review by David Israel

ListenSD