JACKSON, Wyo. — The more sophisticated The Black Keys get, the easier they make it sound. Leading out a seven-piece band, the core duo of drummer Patrick Carney and guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach brought the heat last night atop Snow King Mountain, with only a cool breeze to sizzle the set. It was the first of 23 shows kicking off the 2026 King Concerts season.
Fourteen albums in, The Black Keys are touring in support of Peaches! And while they could’ve easily slid into hit single era when they were filling arenas and collecting Grammys (they have six), they’ve been mixing up the setlist from show-to-show more than they have in a decade. Neo-primitive blues is not quite the swamp they’re rising from these days, though it seemed a slight return to its formerly raw self, albeit highly styled, concise, more textured, devilishly hooky, and hitting on all cylinders. If there was a low point in the set, this set of ears missed it.
This band kills, and it’s clear Auerbach and Carney work hard at it. It felt fresh, in top form, and full of power. A quick shout to a few band members that really upped the ante last night: Hired gun Barrie Cadogan (aka Little Barrie) was the ideal counterpoint lead/rhythm guitarist for Auerbach to co-pilot searing solos and harmonic content. Achieving this level of rock riff attack is next-level. Bassist Eric Deaton prioritized juke joint feel, propelling a steady groove. Squirrel Nut Zippers founder Jimbo Mathis pushed The Keys into woolier territory, manning percussion, backing vocals, harmonica, and Farfisa Organ, with the latter adding a crucially hip retro vibe.
Song-wise, it was a banger factory. The relentlessly hard-driving “I Got Mine” opener set the tone. The heavy grit kept rolling underneath cloudy skies with “Just Couldn’t Tie Me Down,” “Wild Child” and “Gold on the Ceiling” before finally pulling back on the throttle with the soulful shimmering of “Everlasting Light.” The moody and hypnotic “Weight of Love” from 2014’s Turn Blue provided a vehicle for a mid-set stretch into psychedelia and improvised guitar solos from Auerbach and Little Barrie. Carney’s hip-hop influenced beat for “Man on a Mission” drove the funk bus. His legendary Ludwig drum kit sat front of stage, across from Auerbach, while the touring band took the back of the stage.
The chugging treatment of Buddy Holly’s 1957 classic “Not Fade Away” proved that this cover can still find a meaningful spot in a modern set, especially with its repeating refrain, “You know our love will not fade away.” The encore featured two firecrackers from their massive 2011 album, El Camino. The first half of “Little Black Submarines” initially had Auerbach on a Gibson acoustic, slowly working a Travis picking pattern before slinging his 1950s Gibson Les Paul Goldtop to deliver the song’s massively heavy, bluesy climax that sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy. Garage rocker “Lonely Boy” — co-written and co-produced with Danger Mouse — closed the set, reminding us that the dual feeling of untamed wildness and mean rock and roll is another way to play it safe at the summit.
P.S. Don’t sleep on the high-energy, punk-infused dirtygrass vibe of The Dead South next Tuesday, June 16, at King Concerts. They blend a traditional string band instrumentation, delivering folk and bluegrass with the twisted lyrical edge of spaghetti Westerns and Tarantino films.
The Black Keys — 6/8/26 King Concerts, Jackson WY
I Got Mine
Gold on the Ceiling
Have Love
Just Couldn’t Tie Me Down
Wild Child
She Does it Right
Everlasting Light
Next Girl
Lo/Hi
You Got to Lose
Weight of Love
Howlin’ for You
Fever
Man on a Mission
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
Heavy Soul
Not Fade Away
Tighten Up
She’s Long Gone
Encore
Little Black Submarines
Lonely Boy
