What a wonder prime time slots at Coachella two years in a row will do for you.
Everything's coming up Milhouse for The Black Keys these days. The blues/indie/garage group played a sold-out show at Mesa Amphitheatre last year and will return to a much larger venue in October. Thanks to the success of Brothers and El Camino, the boys from Akron, Ohio, are scheduled to perform on Tuesday, October 9, at US Airways Center.
The band has managed to break through to the the mainstream, a rare feat for acts not called Foster the People, though their band's formula -- a pinch of Delta blues, some garage rock, and a dash classic soul, is nothing new. It's the kind of a sound that's always had a place on the rock 'n' roll FM dial. Which isn't to say that the band rips anything off. Rather, they blend influences like craftsmen, and are quick to shout out their reference points (check out songwriter Dan Auerbach's spot-on production for Dr. John and Nathaniel Mayer).
Indeed, the Black Keys' stew is a tasty one. Let's take a closer look at some of the ingredients.