The Black Keys in Portland

About The Black Keys

The Black Keys are Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, two guys who basically took the blues and sandblasted it back to raw essentials. They started in Akron, Ohio in the early 2000s making grimy, minimal blues-rock that felt genuinely dangerous on albums like Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory. Then they got bigger. Brothers reached a wider audience, El Camino became their stadium move, and Turn Blue showed they could do moody and introspective without losing the grit. Lonely Boy, Gold on the Ceiling, Tighten Up—these aren't novelties. They're actually great songs that happen to have gotten radio play. The Keys have always worked both sides: the respect of blues purists and the ear of people who just want something that sounds heavy and cool. They're restless enough to keep changing without ever sounding like they're chasing anything.

Loud and sweaty. Auerbach's guitar work is the kind that makes you feel something physical. Crowds get genuinely into it, not polite but not aggressive either. No filler between songs. It's a workout for them and for you.

Known for Lonely Boy, Gold on the Ceiling, Tighten Up, Turn Blue, Fever

The Black Keys + Portland

The Black Keys have maintained a steady presence in Portland over the years, with their last visit to the Moda Center in November 2019 proving typically solid. They worked through a setlist that balanced early garage rock grit with later polish, hitting "Thickfreakness" alongside "Little Black Submarines" and closing out with "She's Long Gone." The two-hour set showed a band comfortable in their own skin, pulling from every era without pretension.

The Black Keys in Portland News

• The Black Keys Return to Portland, Maine, This Fall 94.3 WCYY · Feb 10, 2026
• Win Tickets to See The Black Keys at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine 94.3 WCYY · Feb 10, 2026
• At 80, Robin Trower Still Delivers Explosive Guitar Firepower (Portland Review) Blues Rock Review · Sep 22, 2025
• Black Keys and Modest Mouse announce Let’s Rock concert tour Los Angeles Times · Mar 14, 2019
• Live Blog: The Black Keys tinymixtapes.com · Nov 4, 2014

Live Music in Portland

Portland's never been a blues town in the traditional sense, but it's got enough indie credibility and guitar culture to appreciate what The Black Keys do. The city's spent the last decade leaning into psych, folk, and experimental stuff, but there's always been a current of people who just want straightforward, grimy rock and roll. That audience exists here too.

Portland road trip to see The Black Keys?

Stay in the Pearl District or Nob Hill for walkability and the kind of quiet that lets you recover between shows. Eat at Canard, where the charcuterie and wine list are thoughtfully curated—it's the kind of place that respects both food and your time. Spend the afternoon at Powell's Books, the massive independent that justifies its reputation. Walk through Forest Park if the weather cooperates. Portland's best element is how it refuses to take itself too seriously while maintaining actual standards. That's worth the trip.