Every week we will be showcasing installments from a special artist discovery series for bands playing the Austin City Limits Music Festival this October from local websites hand-picked by the ACL Festival faithful. This installment comes from ACL Mike featuring The Black Keys.
Originally from Akron Ohio, The Black Keys is a blues-rock duo with Dan Auerbach on guitar/vocals and Patrick Carney on drums. Their 2001 debut album The Big Come Up, recorded in Patrick’s basement, quickly became an indie favorite. They have since released 6 albums and worked on several side projects.
Known for the intensity of their live shows, The Black Keys play well to any sized venue. I’ve caught The Black Keys at small venues, such as Emo’s (in and outdoors), and larger ones, including 2 previous appearances at ACL Festival. Regardless of where they play, The Black Keys bring a powerful, high-energy set that is not to be missed. Here’s a recent performance at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom.
Now 7 albums later, The Black Keys’ May 2010 release Brothers is receiving great reviews, not to mention a #3 spot on the Billboard Albums chart. With Brothers, The Black Keys play around with some new styles – including bass guitar, keyboards and harpsichord – and do so without losing the raw sound that their dedicated fan base has enjoyed for years.
The first single and video from Brothers is “Tighten Up”. This track is one of my favorites on the album. Don’t miss The Black Key’s at this year’s ACL Festival! They are playing Friday Oct. 8 at 4pm on the AMD stage – add them to your ACL Fest schedule today!
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