The Black Keys have pulled out of performing at Woodstock 50

They were one of the festival's headlining acts

The Black Keys have announced that they will no longer be playing at Woodstock 50.

Originally due to headline the Love Stage, along with Miley Cyrus and Imagine Dragons, the band, made up of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, have now cancelled their scheduled appearance citing “a scheduling conflict.”

Tweeting the news on Friday (April 5), the duo wanted “to let fans know as soon as possible and before tickets go on sale.”

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Woodstock 50 will take place in Watkins Glen, New York August 16-18 and will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original Woodstock festival.

With an eclectic line-up that features current acts as well as those who played at the festival in 1969, the likes of Jay-Z, The Killers, Run The Jewels, Vince Staples, The Raconteurs, Boygenius, Courtney Barnett and many more will be performing.

Speaking to the New York Times, Woodstock co-founder and co-producer Michael Lang said of this year’s festival: “We want this to be more than just coming to a concert. And hopefully a lot of the bands will become part of this effort to get people to stand up and make themselves heard, to get and out vote. And if they don’t have a candidate that represents their feelings, to find one – or to run themselves.”

Last month, The Black Keys announced details of their first US tour in four years, which sees them joined on the road by Modest Mouse.

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The co-headline ‘Let’s Rock’ tour will kick off in Las Vegas on September 21, before heading across North America for 31 shows.

The news followed the release of the band’s comeback single, ‘Lo/’Hi’.

NME said of the new song: “From the opening growling riff, it’s clear The Black Keys are operating just as expected. There’s a beefy chorus (“high like a bird in the sky/low because you’re angry”), studio howls and uplifting backing vocals. It’s the soundtrack to the type of party that doesn’t exist anymore, but one you still wish you were cool enough to get the invite to.

“The Black Keys have done that here and coloured-in neatly and diligently. But if they want to avoid being a legacy band – a distinct reality – perhaps it’s time to scribble outside the lines just a little bit.”

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