May 09, 2026 – Peaches n’ Kream World Tour ’26 rolled into Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia Saturday night while fans packed the floor and balcony early waiting for The Black Keys to take the stage. The energy inside the venue was immediate, you could feel the heat building and then The Black Keys took over in full control.
Photos + Review by Steve Cerf @stevecerf
The duo from Akron, Ohio are currently touring behind their great new album Peaches!, a covers-based release heavily influenced by blues icon Junior Kimbrough, including a trio of songs written by him.
The Black Keys continue to have one of the more unique stage setups in rock. With Patrick Carney flailing his arms and hopping in his seat, his legendary Ludwig drum kit sits up front next to Dan Auerbach while the touring band takes the back of the stage. Auerbach ripped into his guitar like the blues masters of old as “Heavy Soul” exploded out of the gate from the band’s 2002 album The Big Come Up.
The audience erupted as soon as they recognized the beat to “Gold on the Ceiling,” before the band rolled right into “You Got to Lose,” the Earl Hooker remake from Peaches!. Everyone in the audience, both young and old, hung on to every note throughout the night. Auerbach belted across the band’s fuzzy garage-rock riffs while Patrick Carney tore it up behind his blistering drum set.
“Tighten Up” and “Howlin’ for You” brought some of the loudest reactions of the night as the crowd screamed back nearly every lyric. Auerbach crouched and danced across the stage and even occasionally jumped off his partner’s drum riser while Carney continued hammering away beside him.
“Fever” slowed the pace slightly with its dark groove before “Weight of Love” turned into one of the strongest musical moments of the night, giving Auerbach room to stretch out long, gritty guitar runs. Carney played with grit and precision behind his legendary Ludwig drum kit, feeling every rhythm and mood while holding the pulse of the band together. He looked completely comfortable as his arms beat the skins with power and precision.
As the night came to a close, everyone in the audience, both young and old, remained transfixed by the performance. “Little Black Submarines” brought a massive singalong inside Franklin Music Hall before The Black Keys closed the night with the explosive “Lonely Boy.”
Every person pressed against the barricade lost their minds as the band tore through the final moments of the set. More than anything, it was clear that these bluesy garage rockers are returning to their raw blues roots — back to the gritty basement-recording era that first made The Black Keys one of the most exciting bands in rock.
