Jack White played Brooklyn Paramount

For his third and final headlining shows across New York City in just as many days, Jack White once again turned it up for a sold-out show and rocked Brooklyn Paramount with unparalleled force.

The only thing better than seeing Jack White live in a mid-size venue, is obviously seeing him in an intimate venue, but seeing Jack White in any setting, whether it be headlining a festival, playing the world's most famous arena, at a regal Brooklyn theatre, or a tiny club, is something that registers like no other. Last summer, Jack White dropped his best solo record to date and hit the road, popping up with little notice to play some of the country's best and most personal rooms. Now, he's out on a proper tour that was announced months in advance albeit at venues that are still slightly below the capacity he could unquestionably sell-out. The thing about Jack White, though, is that no matter where you're seeing him, you know the caliber of the show will remain at the highest possible level. Naturally, the smaller the space, the closer you'll be to his diabolical shredding and in close proximity it can truly melt your face, but even from a distance, there's no one out there playing guitar quite like Jack. From the moments the lights dimmed on Brooklyn Paramount, White entered with such swagger as he shook his guitar over this head, brazen feedback raining over the crowd from the get go as he launched into what felt like a two-hour solo, ripping away at his fret-board with stunning perseverance and talent that will forever put him in a class all his own. Taking on the new persona of Archbishop Harold Holmes, White was there to resurrect us and the stage was lit up in his classic white, blue, and black color scheme and at times he himself looked like a black and white figure from the past who has come back to give us one last jolt of true blue rock and roll. Hitting us with "That's How I'm Feeling" early on, the new crowd favorite singalong of "oh yeah!" and "all right!" had the energy pumping and things wouldn't let up for the rest of the night. At every possible moment, Jack was hurling solos at us with divine form as he stalked the stage waging his guitar like Excalibur as he slayed the night. Forming an arc behind him, his bassist, drummer, and organ player followed his every move, picking up each queue and moving seamlessly into each tune while White called out the setlist on a pure whim. So many artists feed off the energy of the crowd, but Jack White is a powerhouse all his own and it's easy to imagine that he plays with the same electricity during band practice as he does in front of a jam-packed crowd. Stretching out each hit and bending them into new, bluesy renditions of themselves allowed for White to insert other bits of inspirational material like the Stooges' "Now I Wanna Be Your Dog" into the mix as well as some other freewheeling lines that enhanced the nights all out raw power. Digging deep beyond his raging solo numbers, White unearthed a grooving rendition of "Apple Blossom" and his old blues busters from the White Stripes days with roaring versions "Hello Operator" and "You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)" that lit up the room with unexpected yet enthralling joy. "Black Bat Licorice" saw White pacing across the stage once again, leading the band like a conductor in front of an orchestra. Throughout the night, White shifted between guitars with mesmerizing ease, his maneuvers on stage continuously causing heads to spin and with each new axe, he conjured up a different kind of magic that made for one absolutely spellbinding performance. During the encore, White hit the riff for the classic "Ball and Biscuit" and the crowd went into hyperdrive as the ultimate solo of the night blasted away for one last showing of unabashed brilliance. Of course closing things out with the world conquering anthem "Seven Nation Army" once again sent the crowd into a frenzy as the song's riff was chanted with such a tribal sensation. There are moments when it can feel basic or too obvious to keep saying that Jack White is the best live act you can see, but with every show he continues to prove his status as the ultimate rock icon of his era.

Set list:

01 "Old Scratch Blues"

02 "That's How I'm Feeling"
03 "Fear of the Dawn"
04 "(Unknown) (Played as an intro to rough on rats but distinctly different)
05 "It's Rough on Rats (If You're Asking)"
06 "Apple Blossom"
07 "Hotel Yorba"
08 "Love Interruption"
09 "Broken Boy Soldier"
10 "That Black Bat Licorice"
11 "You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)"
12 "Hello Operator"
13 "I Cut Like a Buffalo"
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14 "I Wanna Be Your Dog" [The Stooges cover]
15 "Encore Rave Up"
16 "Archbishop Harold Holmes"
17 "Icky Thump"
18 "Lazaretto"
19 "Underground"
20 "Ball and Biscuit"
21 "Seven Nation Army"