The Black Keys may be an Ohio act, but the rock duo behind “Tighten Up” has a fondness for classic Minneapolis bowling alleys. The band recently revealed that the cover art for its 12th studio LP, “Ohio Players,” was taken at Bryant-Lake Bowl.
Is that Bryant-Lake Bowl on the cover of the Black Keys’ new album? Yes, it is.
“Ohio Players” is the band’s 12th studio album.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
April 1, 2024 at 9:25PM
Drummer Patrick Carney, in a video the band posted online, said he and guitarist-vocalist Dan Auerbach came across an old photo of a woman bowling they wanted to use for the album cover.
“We tried to license it, but we couldn’t find the owner so we re-created it,” Carney said.
The band had their tour photographer, Nashville-based Larry Niehues, hire a model to make the picture once more at the Uptown bowling alley.
“Amazing place,” Auerbach said.
Carney added that the image is “a true classic piece of Americana.”
Bryant-Lake Bowl staff say they aren’t sure when the album cover shoot took place. The venue is a popular spot for visual artists to stage their projects, bartender Janel Golden said. The bowling alley went viral in 2021 when it starred in an impressive single-take video shot via drone by Minneapolis-based cinematographer Jay Christensen.
“We’re all very excited to be on the album cover,” Golden said.
The band’s most recent gig in the Twin Cities was as the inaugural act for the Minnesota State Fair’s 2023 concert season. The duo drew more than 6,600 fans to the grandstand that evening.
The Black Keys even teamed up with another iconic Minnesota mainstay for their 2023 tour. Their merch booth at the fair featured a Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar T-shirt. The band will be back in Minneapolis on Nov. 10 at the Target Center.
“Ohio Players” comes out on Friday.
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