Stereogum // Black Keys Drummer Patrick Carney Subbing In For Local Legend John Adams At Cleveland Indians Home Opener

At almost every Cleveland Indians home game since August 25, 1973, a man named John Adams has played a bass drum in the last row of the left field bleachers. That summer, a 21-year-old Adams brought his drum to Cleveland Stadium because he wanted to participate in the tradition of banging on seats to make noise during the game, but he preferred to sit in the bleachers, where there are no seat backs to bang. A local reporter noticed Adams with his drum and asked whether he’d be back to drum at the next game. As the story goes, Adams said no, but the reporter wrote that Adams would indeed be back. So out of a sense of obligation, Adams returned for the next game, and then the next, and then the next. He’s kept it up for nearly half a century, missing only about 45 games in the past 48 years.
Adams has become a local legend; the team pays for two season tickets for him and his drum and even holds a recurring John Adams bobblehead night. But he’s recovering from some recent health problems and will have to miss the Tribe’s home opener for the first time in 48 years. As Cleveland.com reports, Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney — one of the only drummers from Northeast Ohio who rivals Adams’ local fame — will fill in for Adams at Monday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. The team sought to make Adams’ presence felt even though he can’t be there, and as they explained in a statement today, “The offer that seemed most appropriate to honor the occasion came from Akron native and Black Keys drummer, Patrick Carney.”

Carney issued his own statement on the matter:

When I found out that John Adams wouldn’t be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost fifty years, I reached out to the team. I share John’s love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise and drumming for him during the home opener when he can’t physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves. I want to be there for John.

The Indians-Royals game begins at 4:10PM ET this Monday, 4/5. It will mark exactly five years since Carney threw out the first pitch at an Indians game in 2016. Read our recent career-spanning interview with Carney here.

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Billboard // Black Keys' Patrick Carney to Fill In for Cleveland Indians' Ballpark Drummer

The Indians will use a pinch-drummer for their home opener.

With longtime drummer and ballpark fixture John Adams recovering from heart surgery and unable to attend his first opener in Cleveland in 48 years, Black Keys drummer and lifelong Indians fan Patrick Carney will fill in and pound away from the left-field bleachers at Progressive Field during Monday’s game against Detroit.

“When I found out that John Adams wouldn’t be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost 50 years, I reached out to the team,” Carney said. “I share John’s love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise, and drumming for him during the home opener when he can’t physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves.

“I want to be there for John.”
The Indians said Adams, who first started banging away on his drum in 1973, will bestow drumming duties and his bleacher seat for the day to Carney during an in-game video presentation.

A rocking duo from Akron, The Black Keys (Carney and lead singer Dan Auerbach) have produced plenty of their own hits, such as “Lonely Boy,” “Gold on the Ceiling,” “Little Black Submarines” and ’Tighten Up.”

Read the Full Billboard Article

Associated Press // Stick man: Black Keys drummer to fill in for Indians regular

The Indians will use a pinch-drummer for their home opener.With long-time drummer and ballpark fixture John Adams recovering from heart surgery and unable to attend his first opener in Cleveland in 48 years, Black Keys drummer and life-long Indians fan Patrick Carney will fill in and pound away from the left-field bleachers at Progressive Field during Monday’s game against Detroit.

“When I found out that John Adams wouldn’t be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost fifty years, I reached out to the team,” Carney said. “I share John’s love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise, and drumming for him during the home opener when he can’t physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves.

“I want to be there for John.”

The Indians said Adams, who first started banging away on his drum in 1973, will bestow drumming duties and his bleacher seat for the day to Carney during an in-game video presentation.

Read the Full Associated Press Article

Ultimate Classic Rock // Black Keys’ Patrick Carney to Replace Cleveland Indians Drummer

The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney will fill in for longtime Cleveland Indians ballpark fixture John Adams, better known as "the drummer," at the team’s home opener.

Adams has been drumming at Indians games since 1973 and has become a long-standing part of the ball club’s culture. The dedicated fan attends all the team’s home games, pounding on his bass drum from the outfield bleachers. Cleveland has honored Adams by paying for his season tickets (one for him, one for his drum), having him throw out the ceremonial first pitch and even created a bobblehead in his likeness for a 2006 promotional giveaway.

Unfortunately, Adams is recovering from heart surgery and will not be able to tend to his traditional drumming duties for the Indians April 5 home opener. Instead, Carney will happily lead the charge.

“When I found out that John Adams wouldn’t be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost 50 years, I reached out to the team,” the Grammy Award winning Black Keys drummer told the Associated Press. “I share John’s love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise, and drumming for him during the home opener when he can’t physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves.”

Carney grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio, the same city where he and guitarist Dan Auerbach would found the Black Keys. The rocker is a lifelong Indians fan and takes his pinch-drummer role seriously.

“I want to be there for John,” Carney matter-of-factly remarked.

This won’t be the first time that the platinum selling rocker has participated in an Indians opening day. Back in 2016, Carney threw out the ceremonial first pitch, remarking afterwards that he was “just happy that I kept the ball in the air.”

Read the Full Ultimate Classic Rock Article

Akron Beacon Journal // Black Keys' Patrick Carney to fill in for John Adams on drum at Cleveland home opener

Despite what is happening on the field, there has been a consistent, rhythmic sound at Cleveland baseball games since 1973.

That's thanks to John Adams pounding away at his bass drum in the bleachers. That's on pause for now because Adams, 69, is recovering from offseason heart surgery.

But the rhythm won't stop.

Sitting in for Adams for Cleveland's home opener on Monday will be Black Keys drummer, and Akron native, Patrick Carney.

“When I found out that John Adams wouldn’t be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost fifty years, I reached out to the team,” Carney said in a Friday news release. “I share John’s love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise and drumming for him during the home opener when he can’t physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves. I want to be there for John.”

A lifelong Cleveland baseball fan, this is not Carney's first time taking up the mallets in the bleachers.

In 2019, Carney joined Adams on the drum in a game against the Chicago White Sox.

Maybe on Monday, since he's playing solo this time, Carney can pound out a few beats from “Lonely Boy” or “Howlin for You.”

Michael Stanley, Joe Tait honors taking place at Cleveland home opener

Carney isn’t the only musical note for Monday’s home opener at Progressive Field.

Cleveland also will honor the late Michael Stanley, who died on March 5. The local rock star was a lifelong baseball fan.

The team also will hold a moment of silence for legendary Cleveland broadcaster Joe Tait, who died on March 10.

A pregame ceremony will be held celebrating pitcher Shane Bieber’s 2020 Cy Young Award win, Gold Glove Awards for Cesar Hernandez and Roberto Perez, and Jose Ramirez winning a Silver Slugger.

Read the Full Beacon Journal Article

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Cleveland Scene // Black Keys' Drummer Patrick Carney Will Take John Adams' Place in the Bleachers to Drum for the Home Opener

Akron-native and Black Keys' drummer Patrick Carney, no stranger to home openers at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, will be back in Cleveland this coming Monday for reasons beyond the pageantry of the first regular season baseball game for his favorite team.

He will be taking the place held for decades at the top of the left field bleachers of John Adams, who will be missing his first home opener since 1973 as he continues to recover from heart surgery in the offseason.

"When I found out that John Adams wouldn't be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost fifty years, I reached out to the team," Carney said. "I share John's love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise and drumming for him during the home opener when he can't physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves. I want to be there for John."

Though he's long since moved away from Northeast Ohio, Carney continues to give back in other meaningful ways: He recently donated money to the Beachland Ballroom, which hosted some of the Black Keys' earliest shows, to help make repairs at the venue as it struggled financially during the pandemic shutdown.

Read the Full Cleveland Scene Article

The Athletic // Black Keys' Patrick Carney to fill in for Indians' bleacher drummer at opener

Although legendary bleacher drummer John Adams won't be at the Cleveland Indians' home opener next week, the team won't miss a beat thanks to The Black Keys' Patrick Carney.

Cleveland announced Carney, an Akron native and drummer for the Ohio-based Black Keys, will fill in for Adams. This season marks the first time since 1973 that Adam will miss Cleveland's home opener. He is unable to attend the game while he recovers from ongoing health issues.

"When I found out that John Adams wouldn't be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost fifty years, I reached out to the team," Carney said in a statement. "I share John's love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise and drumming for him during the home opener when he can't physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves. I want to be there for John."

The Indians will open their season at Progressive Field against the Kansas City Royals on Monday at 4:10 p.m. ET.
Carney's relationship with Cleveland

Chris Strauss, MLB managing editor: Carney and his bandmate Dan Auerbach founded The Black Keys in their hometown of Akron in 2001 and both continued to reside there until moving to Nashville in 2010. In fact, they recorded their third album, 2004's "Rubber Factory," in a former tire factory they rented in town. In addition to his work with The Black Keys, Carney has also been willing to take on side projects in his career — writing the "BoJack Horseman" theme, for instance — so his willingness to step in here for Adams is certainly on brand.

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News 5 Cleveland // Patrick Carney from the Black Keys will fill in for John Adams on drums at the home opener

CLEVELAND — Akron native and Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney will fill in for longtime Indians drummer John Adams, who will miss the home opener for the first time since 1973, the Cleveland Indians announced Friday.

Carney will fill in for the famed bleacher drummer who is unable to attend due to health issues.

Read the Full News 5 Article

Fox Sports 8 // Black Keys Patrick Carney to fill in for Tribe drummer John Adams at home opener

CLEVELAND (WJW)– John Adams will miss his first Cleveland Indians home opener in nearly five decades, but his seat in the bleachers won’t be empty. Adams, known for bringing his bass drum to games and rallying the crowd, will not attend Monday’s home opener against the Royals. He’s been dealing with a series of health issues for about a year. “When I found out that John Adams wouldn’t be able to make Opening Day in Cleveland for the first time in almost fifty years, I reached out to the team,” Carney said in a news release on Friday.

“I share John’s love of baseball and the Cleveland Indians franchise and drumming for him during the home opener when he can’t physically be there feels like a meaningful way to show John the love and respect he deserves. I want to be there for John.”

Read the Full FOX 8 Article

Listen to tracks Pat produced here: