For roughly two decades, Jack White has been the rising figure of what it means to be a true, bonafide rock star and over two nights at Brooklyn's Kings Theatre, it was clear why he's earned the right to be called the savior of rock and roll.
Whether he was leading the White Stripes, co-starring as frontman of the Raconteurs, or taking a seat behind the drum kit in the Dead Weather, Jack White has been delivering the most earnest and fundamental rock and roll of the past twenty years. In an age where electronic music and hip hop have risen to be the commanding musical voices of a generation, aside from Dave Grohl, it's hard to think of a person that has most exemplified what it means to be a rock star quite like Jack White. He's stuck to his traditions of resurrecting the blues and using his uniqueness to jolt energy into his music unlike anyone else and seeing him onstage as he dives deep into his discography is such an electrifying experience, it's hard to leave feeling unchanged. Standing dead center, his band behind him on elevated platforms, it's clear that he is the one commanding all the power and dictating the direction of the show. This is the real Jack White experience and we're all lucky to bear witness. Of course, he's backed by an incredible band, but it's all about watching him command the stage as he picks up one of his several guitars and just rips into some of the most mesmerizing solos to prove he's still at the top of his game and we're all watching a legend unleash all of his glory. As he broke out the White Stripes' hit "Black Math" he ripped it apart into a thrashing jam that felt alive with the blues and a pulse all its own. He dug out some acoustic numbers as well, more classic Stripes songs "Hotel Yorba" and "We're Going to Be Friends" which both saw grand reactions from the crowd, but it's hard to think of a particular song that felt like the pinnacle of the evening, as people were on their feet non-stop and never once retiring to their seats, constantly on edge and waiting in suspense of what the superstar would play next. "This is the loudest crowd I've ever heard in New York in my life!" White exclaimed at one point which nearly caused the beautiful theatre to buckle as the crowd gave in and went totally ballistic as White delivered more and more compelling and earth shattering guitar solos. "The Hardest Button to Button" received such an overwhelming response and I was shocked to see a track I always thought of as a deep cut carry so much weight on stage. For the encore, White begged the question "you want one more song... or a lot more songs?" and it was clear that the crowd was not ready to go home. The next seven songs were a relentless tear that somehow took his level of playing to a whole new status and made the earlier part of the evening seem like just a warm-up. "Lazaretto" into "Steady as She Goes" quickly got things going and "Connected by Love" was a smashing touch that reminded the crowd that while White's latest solo records might not hold the gravity of those early White Stripes records, he is still the most quintessential man in rock. The night closed with the ultimate "Ball and Biscuit" -> "Sixteen Saltines" -> and "Seven Nation Army" which transformed Kings Theatre into one of the largest stadiums in the world as the crowd chanted along with the international anthem and again sealed White's status as a true legend of our times.
Set list:
01 "Over and Over and Over"
02 "Everything You've Ever Learned"
03 "Black Math"
04 "Corporation"
05 "Hotel Yorba"
06 "Love Interruption"
07 "Hello Operator"
08 "Why Walk a Dog?"
09 "High Ball Stepper"
10 "That Black Bat Licorice"
11 "What's Done Is Done"
12 "We're Going to Be Friends"
13 "Missing Pieces"
14 "The Hardest Button to Button"
15 "Carolina Drama"
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16 "Lazaretto"
17 "Steady as She Goes"
18 "Respect Commander"
19 "Connected by Love"
20 "Ball and Biscuit"
21 "Sixteen Saltines"
22 "Seven Nation Army"
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