THE BLACK KEYS MAKE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE UK

The Black Keys – Eventim Apollo – 1st September 2026

The Black Keys made a triumphant return to the UK this week kickIng off with 3 dazzling nights at London’s finest venues. With the Peaches ‘N’ Cream Tour landing at Hammersmith’s iconic Apollo.

There’s nothing quite like seeing The Black Keys emblazoned across Hammersmith’s iconic Apollo, inevitably followed by the words SOLD OUT. After an abruptly pulled 31-date North American tour in 2024 and a previously cancelled European arena run, The Black Keys have once again found a ruthlessly committed audience back on the English Isles.

They could easily have consolidated their London fan base into larger rooms such as The O2 or Wembley Arena. Instead, they opted to spread their London residency across three modestly sized, theatre-based venues.

The Apollo’s stunning 1930s Art Deco interior, complete with grand chandeliers and ornate detailing, provided the perfect backdrop for the Ohio duo’s bluesy rock ballads.

With 14 albums and a heap of hits under their belts, The Black Keys could comfortably glide between fan favourites and deep cuts without ever losing momentum. They kicked off proceedings with the blues-rock belter Heavy Soul, lifted from 2002’s The Big Come Up. The track served as the perfect stomach liner before they ripped into crowd-pleasers Fever and Gold on the Ceiling. The latter, taken from their critically and commercially acclaimed El Camino, couldn’t have been more fitting for an auditorium adorned in gold.

The blues-rock maestros are no strangers to a cover, as they turned their attention to the ’50s obscurity Have Love, Will Travel by Richard Berry & The Pharaohs. Further covers throughout the set included Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire by Willie Griffin, You Got to Lose by Earl Hooker, and the left-field choice of I Wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges.

The latter was a particularly inspired choice, showcasing the band’s ability to bounce effortlessly between genres and proving more than welcome within an otherwise blues-rock-oriented setlist.

The band wasted no time in smashing through classics such as Everlasting Light, Howlin’ for You, Next Girl and Tighten Up, while also weaving deeper cuts into the set.

Lo/Hi, from 2019’s Let’s Rock, and She’s Long Gone, from their seminal 2010 record Brothers, offered welcome reminders that there was more to this set than just the hits.

What followed was an encore that reminded you exactly why selling out three nights at London’s modestly sized venues is no pressure for Dan and Patrick. Little Black Submarines, with its unmistakable build-up and pounding drum rhythm, created an electric tension throughout the crowd, before giving way to their biggest hit and encore- closing track, Lonely Boy.

A band with a style as heavily rooted in blues rock as The Black Keys could easily have seen their popularity dwindle after three decades on the scene. Yet, having effortlessly bridged the gap between gritty blues rock and arena-sized anthems, the two-piece proved once again that they remain as potent as ever and in the grand surroundings of Hammersmith’s Apollo, the duo looked right at home.

All words by Luke Stanley and All photograpy by Gary Walker for THE SONGBIRD HQ

‘Peaches!’ released May 1st 2026
Easy Eye Sound and Warner Records