Black Keys

July, 2002: two young men, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, college dropouts the both of them, are working together for an Akron, Ohio property owner, the type of fella who owns a variety of low-rent apartment buildings around town in various states of repair and, well, disrepair. You get the picture. That sort of operation. They're "horticultural technicians" for this property owner. Not to put too fine a point on it, the boys mow lawns for the landlord. Between them, they've got a truck, two lawnmowers and a weedwhacker. In addition to working together, these two childhood friends play in a band, a duo called The Black Keys. In a week's time, they're to embark on their first tour ever, playing songs off of their debut album, The Big Come Up, at tiny venues around the country, and the job is a vital cog in the big plan: work, save money, tour, come back to Akron, mow some more lawns, save money, maybe tour again, and so on. Humble rock dreams. A week to go. Big deal. So what do they do?