Cincinnati's the Greenhornes have quite the impressive resume for not having released an album since 2002. With their fingers firmly holding onto Jack White's belt loops, they're along for the ride of their previously unexposed lives. Patrick Keeler, drummer for the band, said he likes playing both the large venues that come with opening for the White Stripes and the small clubs, like the Black Cat, that preceding a Brendan Benson set brings.
"Playing a large venue gets you lots of crowd response, but I'd rather see a band myself in a small venue," he said in an interview with The Eagle at Austin City Limits.
The gritty rock sound the Greenhornes encompass is the Midwestern garage rock akin to their Stripes mates, with a bit of harmony like their tour buddy Brendan Benson. All three artists are on V2 Records, and Keeler will join Benson and White as drummer in next year's highly anticipated side project, the Raconteurs.
"It's just rock and roll," Keeler said about the state of his brand of music today. "It goes hand in hand with having a lot of time on your hands."
The band is taking this bit of time off to gain some exposure through their opening slots. Though a new, hype-fed album is in the works, Keeler said they haven't begun making it yet.
The Greenhornes will open for Brendan Benson at the Black Cat tonight, September 29. Keeler said his favorite Brendan Benson song is "Bird's Eye View," and his favorite thing to do in D.C. is go to the National Mall's museums.
Keeler and Co. have played the Black Cat before, and yes, they've visited Ben's Chili Bowl. D.C.'s brand of the grub, he said, isn't the same Cincinnati's chili, which is his favorite thing about going home.
