The Black Keys will Rock the Forum with Their Brand of Blues

The Black Keys have been tweaking and experimenting with a blues/rock ’n’ roll sound since the duo’s inception. Before pursuing music, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney were just two Midwest boys mowing lawns in Akron, Ohio until they decided that enough was enough, ditching their weed whackers for guitars and drums and never looking back. The band has often been compared to the White Stripes and other blues/rock-tinged duos, but none of these bands offer the ferocity of the Black Keys.

In 2002, Auerbach and Carney released their debut album “The Big Come Up,” which gained enough interest for the folks at Fat Possum to sign the Black Keys by the end of that year. In a frenzied 14-hour session in 2003, the experimental duo concocted a cocktail of raw blues tracks for their follow-up “Thickfreakness.” The second album’s success helped the band to land an opening spot for the ’90s indie-punk band Sleater Kinney, sending the duo on a path to rock stardom.

In 2004, the Black Keys released the album “Rubber Factory” along with a music video for “10 A.M. Automatic,” featuring the darkly comedic “Arrested Development” alum David Cross. They then took a chance with the tribute EP “Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough,” which features a psychedelic, hazy spin on six of Kimbrough’s traditional blues songs. When the two-album contract with Fat Possum was completed, the Black Keys signed with the major label Nonesuch Records and released “Live in Austin, TX,” a live album of songs from “Thickfreakness.” The band then recorded “Magic Potion” in Carney’s basement to provide a grungy, homey aesthetic. The excitement created by the album led the bandmates to their longest-running tour to date.

On the other spectrum of the musical landscape, Danger Mouse is known for employing his production skills for big name artists, and the Black Keys were next on the roster. They collectively worked on “Attack & Release,” which the band recorded in a very expensive professional studio. The album debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the single, “Strange Times” was featured on the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

In 2009, Carney’s messy divorce created tension within the band, so he and Auerbach parted ways to pursue side projects. Auerbach eventually released “Keep It Hid” while Carney launched the indie band Drummer and released “Feel Good Together.” In 2010, they bandmates reunited to establish their own studio in Nashville and drop the new album “Brothers,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Danger Mouse produced their next effort “El Camino” in 2011 and the 2014 album “Turn Blue,” the first Black Keys record to top album charts in Australia and the U.S. The songs of “Turn Blue” will be featured on the Black Keys’ current tour.

The Black Keys will play the Forum on November 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.