The cover art for The Black Keys’ 2010 breakthrough album Brothers, along with its designer, Michael Carney, was praised for its simple power in a New York Times article about a new trend in the music industry to use designs that stand out on digital devices. The band performed a blistering set at San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival this weekend, "dominating the stage with its energetic, classic rock ’n’ roll," according to the SF Examiner.
The cover art for The Black Keys’ 2010 breakthrough album Brothers was praised for its simple power in a New York Times article about a new trend in the music industry to use designs that stand out on digital devices such as MP3 players, laptops, and tablets.
Michael Carney, brother of Keys' drummer Patrick Carney, has long been responsible for the duo’s visual imaging. Brothers’ minimalistic, "bare-bones cover," he said, "reflected a new boldness" in their music. Times writer David Browne cited it as is one of the leading examples of a shift towards more simplistic packaging in an era when fewer and fewer listeners are holding a physical album in their hands. And, as Browne says: "The industry certainly approved; in February Mr. Carney took home a Grammy — for best packaging."
But of course the Keys are best known for their blistering live performances, and they gave one for the books this past weekend at San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival.
"The Black Keys delivered Saturday’s biggest performance," says the SF Examiner's Brooke Robertson, "which transformed the crowd into a pulsing sea of hands the entire length of the polo field, especially during 'Howling for You' and 'Tighten Up.'" "The duo made it feel wonderful to be outside, dominating the stage with its energetic, classic rock ’n’ roll."
Maureen Coulter of MAGNET Magazine says the bandmates "were made for festivals." "Despite consisting of just vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney, their instruments rolled into the Polo Field like a massive four-wheeler at a monster-truck rally. From the balcony of the press tent, I could see tens of thousands of heads packed together, stretching back for a good quarter-mile. All of them were chanting along to the band’s bluesy 'Howlin’ For You' and crowd-surfing during 'Tighten Up.'"
SFist's Andrew Dalton also testified to the small but mighty sound of the duo: "The Black Keys were likewise a big draw at the Lands End Stage, sending their bluesy riffs back in to the woods and out in to the avenues. The Lands End stage is a big one to fill out for just two guys with a guitar and a set of drums, but as they did back at the inaugural Outside Lands festival, the Black Keys showed they were up to the task."
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