The Black Keys to Debut New Tunes at ALTer Ego Festival

The dynamic rock duo The Black Keys, hailing from Akron, Ohio, are gearing up to present their latest music to fans at the upcoming ALTer Ego fest. While their 2022 album Dropout Boogie continues to make waves, the pair is already eager to showcase new material in 2024.

New Music on the Horizon

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, The Black Keys' guitarist-vocalist and drummer respectively, have consistently embraced a straightforward creative approach, which paid off during their productive session amidst the pandemic. Their compelling musical connection, which originated during their high school days at Firestone High School in 1996, has resulted in a succession of successful albums, culminating in Delta Kream and Dropout Boogie over the last two years.

These consecutive albums, including the Grammy-nominated Delta Kream, showcase the band's commitment to their craft. The latter was produced relatively swiftly over ten days, emphasizing their ethos of progress and efficiency in the studio.

ALTer Ego Festival Performance

Fans can look forward to seeing The Black Keys perform at the ALT/FM 98.7's ALTer Ego festival, alongside an impressive lineup that includes Paramore, The 1975, and more. The event promises an exciting display of the band's expansive discography, including their well-known hits and new material.

Collaboration and Experimentation

While the Black Keys typically keep their collaboration circle tight, Dropout Boogie saw them open up to work with external musicians, an approach the band had veered away from before with the exception of projects with producer Dangermouse. The album includes contributions from Greg Cartwright, Angelo Petraglia, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, adding to their classic sound with a fresh twist.

From the rocking Wild Child to the blues-infused Didn't I Love You, the album navigates through different styles, affirming The Black Keys' position as versatile rockers. Gibbons' involvement, at Auerbach’s Nashville-based Easy Eye Sound studio, led to spontaneous jam sessions which were instrumental in shaping the album's raw and genuine sound.

The Journey So Far

With eleven albums since their 2002 debut, The Black Keys has an impressive catalog that charts their evolution in the music world. Their journey saw a significant landmark with the Dangermouse-produced Attack & Release in 2008, which cleared the path to their later commercial success with platinum-hitting albums like Brothers and El Camino.

In addition to their band success, Auerbach has also invested himself in solo efforts and side projects such as The Arcs and Blakroc. His eclectic upbringing, filled with influences ranging from The Beatles to regional blues legends, has continuously fueled his and Carney's creative drive, now placing them on the brink of releasing more new music with Auerbach hinting at over half of the new material being ready.

What to Expect at ALTer Ego

As The Black Keys' presence at ALTer Ego solidifies, the anticipation builds for their performance on January 13 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Tickets for the event are available for fans eager to witness the latest chapter of The Black Keys' ever-evolving musical story.

music, festival, performance