Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Sometimes it takes a storm to come back swinging, and even if The Black Keys were overly ambitious planning a prior tour that ultimately got canceled amidst very public management disputes, the duo comprised of singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney rebounded mightily throughout their aptly-titled 13th long player, “No Rain, No Flowers.”

It did indeed turn out to be a lucky number after all, not only resulting in a hook-heavy and slightly glossier than usual indie rock record, but a fairly full Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island, where for nearly two hours, fans who braved the treat of literal rain were rewarded with the Akron, Ohio group’s latest and greatest.

Initially set against an understated backdrop of the two primary players bathed in white spotlights and the breathtaking Windy City skyline, “Thickfreakness,” “The Breaks” and “I’ll Be Your Man” flowed seamlessly and ferociously into one another.

Shortly thereafter, a wall of flashing lights was revealed, alongside a second row of supporting musicians filling in the blanks normally carried out by the multi-instrumentalist members of The Black Keys in the studio.

It resulted in a fuller, heartier wallop to the likes of “Your Touch,” “Gold On The Ceiling, “Wild Child” and many more multi-platinum singles or album tracks, now dating back to the early 2000s.

Even with their age, there was nothing remotely nostalgic about “Tighten Up,” “Lo/Hi,” “Fever” or “Howlin’ For You,” let alone the encores “Little Black Submarines” and “Lonely Boy,” while the new “Man On A Mission,” “A Little Too High,” “Down To Nothing” and the title track each displayed a similar hunger as the guys’ beginnings in the garage.

Far more than merely an opener, singer/songwriter Gary Clark Jr. and a smoldering band turned in an hour’s worth of bluesy, soulful or hard rock grooves that regularly verified his status as a certified guitar god.

They included a revitalized cover of Robert Petway’s retro “Catfish Blues,” “Maktub” off the latest broad-ranging project “JPEG Raw,” plus “When My Train Pulls In,” “What About Us” and “Bright Lights” as the Grammy Award-winner further illuminated a no-nonsense night.

For additional information on The Black Keys and Gary Clark Jr., visit TheBlackKeys.com and GaryClarkJr.com.

Upcoming concerts at Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island include Charlie Wilson (Sept. 6); Tedeschi Trucks Band and Gov’t Mule (Sept. 9); Goose (Sept. 20); Turnstile (Sept. 26); Shawn Mendes (Oct. 8) and Chance The Rapper (Oct. 10). For additional details, visit LiveNation.com.

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