It was loud. Really loud. When Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney finally stepped onto the Stone Pony Summer Stage on June 14, 2025, the air in Asbury Park didn’t just feel like salt and humidity. It felt like a coiled spring.
Fans had been waiting for this one. For a long time, honestly. After the 2024 arena tour got scrapped in a flurry of headlines about management changes and "intimate experiences," the pressure was on. Could a band that spent a decade playing hockey rinks still command a sweaty, open-air lot by the boardwalk?
The answer was a resounding yes.
Why the Stone Pony show felt different
Asbury Park is a weird town. It’s got that gritty, blue-collar history that basically mirrors The Black Keys’ own origins in Akron, Ohio. Playing the Stone Pony isn’t just another tour stop; it’s a rite of passage, even for guys who have won multiple Grammys.
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The No Rain, No Flowers Tour was designed to be smaller. Scrappier. The duo brought a five-piece backing band to fill out the sound, but at the heart of it, it was still just Dan’s fuzzed-out guitar and Pat’s relentless, thumping drums. They kicked things off with a medley of "Thickfreakness," "The Breaks," and "I’ll Be Your Man." It was a deliberate nod to their early days. No glitz. No massive LED screens. Just blues-rock in its purest, most aggressive form.
The setlist that shook the boardwalk
Most people expected a heavy dose of Ohio Players or the newer tracks from No Rain, No Flowers. While they did lean into the new material—including the title track and the single "The Night Before"—the real magic happened during the deep cuts.
You’ve gotta realize, the Stone Pony has a strict 10:30 PM curfew. The town’s sound ordinance is no joke. That meant the band had to pack a massive amount of energy into a tight window. They ripped through "Gold on the Ceiling" and "Howlin' for You" with a kind of frantic energy that felt like they were trying to beat the clock.
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Pat Carney, in particular, looked like he was trying to put his sticks through the drum heads. He hasn't lost that "caveman" style of drumming that made the band famous in the first place. Auerbach, meanwhile, stayed relatively quiet between songs, letting his guitar do the talking. His solo on "Weight of Love" was probably the highlight of the night, a sprawling, psychedelic journey that made the crowd forget they were standing on asphalt.
- Thickfreakness / The Breaks / I’ll Be Your Man
- Your Touch
- Gold on the Ceiling
- Wild Child
- Everlasting Light
- Fever
- Tighten Up
- No Rain, No Flowers
- Lonely Boy (The inevitable closer)
The opener: The Heavy Heavy
British duo The Heavy Heavy opened the show, and they were the perfect vibe for a beach-adjacent gig. Their 60s-inspired, sun-drenched harmonies set the stage for the raw grit that followed. It’s a bold choice to put a retro-pop act before a garage-rock titan, but it worked. It gave the evening a festival feel rather than just a standard concert.
What most people got wrong about the tour
There was a lot of chatter online when the 2024 tour was canceled. People said the band was "finished" or that they couldn't sell tickets anymore. Standing in that crowd at the Stone Pony, those rumors felt pretty ridiculous. The show was completely sold out. The energy was electric.
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The move from arenas to amphitheaters and smaller outdoor stages like the Pony wasn't a retreat. It was a recalibration. The Black Keys are a bar band at heart. When you put them in a 20,000-seat stadium, something gets lost in the rafters. In Asbury Park, you could see the sweat on Dan’s forehead. You could feel the kick drum in your chest. That’s how this music is supposed to be heard.
Navigating the Stone Pony Summer Stage
If you’re planning on hitting a show here in the future, there are a few things you should know. It’s a standing-room-only venue. There are no seats. If you want a good spot, you need to get there early and be prepared to guard your territory.
- Parking: It's a nightmare. Use a ride-share or park several blocks away and walk.
- The Curfew: As mentioned, shows end early. Don't expect a two-hour encore.
- The Vibe: It’s casual. Wear comfortable shoes. You’re on the Jersey Shore; act accordingly.
The Black Keys proved that they don't need a massive stage production to be relevant. They just need a loud amplifier and a crowd that’s willing to get a little bit dusty. As they wrapped up with "Lonely Boy," the entire crowd was bouncing. It was a reminder that while the music industry changes, the power of a simple, dirty guitar riff never really does.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you missed the Asbury Park show, the band is continuing their trek through 2026, with several festival dates lined up, including the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival in July. Check the official tour site for the latest ticket drops, as these smaller venue shows tend to sell out in minutes. If you're looking for the 2025 Summer Stage recording, keep an eye on fan-run sites like Setlist.fm or the band's official bootleg releases, which occasionally surface after a major tour leg.