The Black Keys Sizzle at the Astro!

Story and Photos: Spencer Fleming

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The Astro was on fire Monday night (7.20) with the sweet sounds of the blues. The Black Keys hit Omaha on their "Peaches and Kream tour" to play in front of several thousand fans. With the "feels like" temperature hitting well over 100 degrees only the brave dared step out for this one. I put in my request to shoot photos a little less than a week before the show. As the show day approached I hadn't heard anything yet and I joked over the weekend "I hope Mammoth (the promoter) deleted my email". In the final hour I got the fateful email, "Approved to shoot the Black Keys".

Monday came and all day at work I was dreading the crazy high temperatures. I kept checking the weather hoping for an incoming storm. Six o'clock rolled around and it was time to face the music. I grabbed a small cooler of waters, a neck fan, and an ice cold cool wrap. When I got to the Astro I splurged for premium parking so I wouldn't have to walk that far under the hot sun. Once inside I made my way to the photo pit for the first act of the night, Eddy 9V, from Georgia.

Even with the scorching heat Eddie had the crowd hootin and hollerin as he and his band tore up the stage. With rollicking guitar riffs and sweet southern vocals Eddie 9V got the party started right. I had the chance to say hi as he came off stage and let him know I enjoyed the set. With the crazy heat I seriously considered skipping Eddie to try and preserve my energy, but I'm so glad I didn't. You never know who the next big star will be, so always show up early and support the openers! Eddie has a new album dropping soon so give him a follow and check it out.

With a decent breeze and a little cloud coverage the heat went from searing to tolerable just before the Black Keys took the stage. It was a welcome reprieve. The band stepped out and received a warm welcome from the toasty fans. "Hello Omaha!" shouted lead singer Dan Auerbach. The band kicked things off with "Heavy Soul" taking it all the way back to their 2002 debut album The Big Come Up. It's a great choice for an opener. With a tasty little lick and a trot-along drum beat it made for an appetizer or preview of the full menu.

Next up was "Next Girl", a cut from what many would consider the band's breakthrough album Brothers. For casual listeners you can point to Brothers as the time when the Black Keys were everywhere. TV, Radio, and commercials, you couldn't escape them in the early 2010s.

When the band hit the song "Fever" things really started to pick up. Many people in the crowd turned to each other and said "Ok, this one I know, let's boogie". The Black Keys would go on to rock the crowd for over a solid hour with top hits, some deep cuts and a good handful of covers. The people left sweaty with smiles on their faces. I sure hope to see The Black Keys again someday, hopefully under much cooler circumstances. If you've never seen these guys live, you should definitely put them on your list!

Thanks so much to the Black Keys management and Mammoth Live for photo access. Thanks for reading and we'll see you at the next one!