TheBlackKeys,anoutspokenlyliberalindierockduo,aresettoplayaconcertthisweekintheirnativeOhioforapro-cryptopoliticaloutreachinitiative—atthesametimethataffiliatedcryptoPACsarepouringtensofmillionsofdollarsintothestate’snailbiterSenateracetoliftupthecampaignofacontroversialpro-MAGARepublican.
OnFridayevening,TheBlackKeysaresettoplayafreeshowintheirhometownofAkronfeaturingcomplimentaryfoodanddrinksforattendees,putonbyStandWithCrypto—apro-cryptopoliticalorganizationlaunchedbyCoinbase.
Theeventispartofaseriesofflashy,free“AmericaLovesCrypto”concertsthatStandWithCryptohasheldinswingstatesinthelead-uptotheU.S.presidentialelection.RecenteventsinPhiladelphia,Milwaukee,andDetroithaveenticedattendeeswithfreerefreshmentsandmajoractsincludingTheChainsmokersandBigSean.
Akron!Seeyouon10/25forthe#AmericaLovesCryptoTour.18+,limitedcapacity.RSVPhere:https://t.co/yXupCPm3Jkpic.twitter.com/nfPoRF2yoS
—TheBlackKeys(@theblackkeys)October18,2024
Theevents,whichareostensiblydesignedtoshowcasethegrassrootspoliticalstrengthofAmericancryptoownersasavotingbloc,constitutejustonearmofCoinbase’saggressivepushtoinfluencethe2024election.
Thecryptoexchangehas,alongwithahandfulofothercrypto-focusedcorporations,floodedhundredsofmillionsofdollarsintosuperPACsinrecentmonths—whichhaveinturnspentrecordamountsinbattlegroundHouseandSenateracesthatwilllikelydeterminecontrolofCongress.
ThelargestofthosePACs,Fairshake,hashandilybecomethebiggestspecialinterestspenderinthe2024election,outraisingthewell-heeledpro-IsraellobbyinggroupAIPAC,forexample,bymorethanafactoroftwo.
Whilethesegroupshavebegununloadingcashondozensofracesacrossthecountry,noelectionhasattractedmoremoneyfromthePACsthanOhio’shotlycontestedsenaterace.Inthatrace—inwhichtheincumbentDemocrat,SherrodBrown,isattemptingtofendoffachallengefromoutspokenpro-MAGAbusinessmanBernieMoreno—Coinbase-affiliatedPACshavespentsome$40millionattemptingtofliptheseatforRepublicans.
ItmakessensewhythecryptolobbyissodeterminedtounseatBrown—hehaslongbeenskepticalofdigitalassets,andisacloseallyofindustryvillainSen.ElizabethWarren(D-MA).
ButBrown’sconservativechallengerisnotwithoutcontroversyhimself.Whileanoutspokencryptoadvocate,theDonaldTrump-endorsedMorenohasattractedscrutinyinrecentweeksfordoublingdownontheunsubstantiated,raciallychargedconspiracytheorythatHaitianimmigrantsinOhiohavebeeneatingneighbors’petsandstealinggovernmentservices.Lastmonth,thebusinessmanalsolandedinhotwaterforassertingthatabortion“isn’tanissue”forwomen“past50.”
AneventcloselylinkedtoMoreno’stopfundraisersthusmakesacuriousfitforTheBlackKeys,whohavepreviouslyexpressedcommitmenttoliberalcauses.DuringanappearanceonJoeRogan’spodcastduringtheTrumppresidency,theband’sdrummer,PatrickCarney,describedbothheandhisfrontmanDanAuerbachas“prettyliberalmotherfuckers.”
It’sunclearwhat,then,promptedthegrouptoplayFriday’scrypto-themedeventinOhio.TheBlackKeyshaveapparentlypokedfunatcryptocurrencyandNFTsacrosspromotionaleffortsfortheirlastcouplealbums,butotherwisedon’tappeartohavemadeanygenuinepublicstatementsaboutdigitalassets.
Ithasbeenatoughyearfortherockduo,though.Earlierthissummer,theKeyscanceledanationaltour,reportedlyduetolowticketsales,andfiredtheirmanagers.Inasince-deletedTwitterpost,Carneysaidtheband“gotfucked,”butdidnotelaborate.
DecryptreachedouttoStandWithCryptoregardinghowmuchTheBlackKeyswerepaidtoperformatFriday’s“AmericaLovesCrypto”event,butdidnotimmediatelyreceivearesponse.
Thecryptolobby’sprodigiousspendingonOhio’ssenaterace,meanwhile,appearstobepayingoff.WhileBrownledtheracethissummerbyamarginofmorethansixpoints,Morenohasnowalmostentirelyerasedthatgap,leavingtheraceinadeadheat,accordingtopollingaggregatorFiveThirtyEight.
And,inrecentweeks,Fairshakehasthrownanother$15millionintothefunddedicatedtoassistingMoreno,accordingtonewcampaignfinancefilingsreleasedSunday.
EditedbyAndrewHayward
decrypt.co