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Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys Extend Arena Tour

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The most riff-roaring double-headed rock arena tour of the upcoming season just added a new leg. Presumably also of the riff-roaring variety. The Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys have tacked on 16 new dates to their schedule of shows together, which means they’ll now be playing Houston on April 24, Milwaukee on May 16, and a wide range of North American cities in between. Check out the fully updated touring itinerary here, and don’t miss our review of Black Keys’ new El Camino.

As for Arctic Monkeys, the British rockers will be joining their Ohio comrades with a new video under their belts. The clip for “Black Treacle,” a bouncy yet cryptic standout from last year’s widely underestimated Suck It and See, is of a piece with Arctic Monkeys’ recent videos for the album’s title track and its B-side “Evil Twin.” That means Diddy-approved drummer Matt Helders once again plays a leading role, and previous directors Focus Creeps once again set the Arctics’ blistering tune in a gritty Southern California criminal underworld.

We wish we could provide some more help for YouTube user SteelCityHitman5, who asks, “I like the video but can someone explain to me what the hell it’s actually about?”, but we … can’t think of a way to finish this sentence. The music, however, remains yet a compelling reason to catch these bands on the road: Both are as brawny as they are smart.