The Black Keys Play a Decades-Spanning Set at Shaky Knees 2025
I have a lot to say about The Black Keys. They were one of the pillars of my teenage listening habits–you can’t talk about 2000s rock without mentioning El Camino. So walking up to their Shaky Knees set, I wanted to feel that same rush. Unfortunately, what I got instead was a reminder of how far they’ve drifted from their peak.
They opened strong with “Gold on the Ceiling” and went straight into “Wild Child,” getting the crowd clapping along. Their sound is still recognizable—fuzzy guitars, bluesy stomp—and Johnny Marr even joined them on stage for a guest appearance, sliding into a gorgeous solo that felt like a gift. But between those bright spots, the set faltered.
Where most bands at the festival were sharp and efficient, moving from song to song with barely a breath, The Black Keys did the opposite. Nearly every track was followed by a long lull, drawn-out pauses, awkward gaps, dead air. These stretches added up, pushing their set at least five minutes over the allotted time. With Shaky Knees’ stages sitting so close together, Peachtree practically bleeding into Piedmont, running long meant encroaching on My Chemical Romance’s headlining slot just a couple hundred yards away.
Musically, the timing was off too. Dan Auerbach drifted from Patrick Carney’s tempo more than once, leaving parts of songs feeling rushed yet somehow sluggish at the same time. It was jarring to hear a band this seasoned stumble like that.
Still, when they hit their old songs, they hit hard. “I’m Howlin’ for You” had the crowd roaring, and their big hits brought back flashes of what made them special. The lighting, deep reds, cool blues, was a nice touch, and their individual instrumental work is still sharp. But overall, it felt like a band coasting on past glory. A good show in pieces, but not the knockout I’d hoped for.
Review by: David Saxum; Photo by: Charles Reagan/Shaky Knees Festival
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