The White Stripes - Boston Live Show Review

Review:
The White Stripes rocked Boston - 7/23/07
Boston University's Agganis Arena

Welcome to Boston University's Agganis Arena - home to the Terrier hockey team. For one night however - it belonged to the White Stripes. The stage and everything on it were dipped in crimson. The backdrop – and everything in front of it: the amplifiers, piano, monitors and stands were Red, Red, Red. This effect served as a reminder (like we needed one!) that the songs of the White Stripes were not just in the air… they were in our veins. The sole splash of color on stage was Jack White’s guitar of choice – the guitar of the moment; and he changed them often as suited him. If you didn’t know already – Jack White is in control.

Guitar Wizard

Jack White - just electric!
Phoenix photograph by Carina Mastrocola

Song of the Night:
"Catch Hell Blues"

The White Stripes opened with “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” and the crowd went wild! Within moments they had burned through “Hotel Yorba” – an old-fan favorite they used to reserve until later in the show. It just demonstrated, immediately, that the band’s scope has been completely opened up with new albums worth of material. A live performance could be played to the album or be something else altogether. During “Hotel Yorba,” the White Stripes stopped on a dime so that Jack could play part of a sweet little country ditty on that guitar of his. The timing was right, the feel was slow and breezy – like a classic country song. Everything for those few moments were correct. And just like that, White returned to “Yorba” without losing a note. The audience was left with the briefest of memories of this temporary but artistic deviation. By the time Jack reached the electric blues-steeped track, “When I Hear My Name,” the crowd had already long since been won over. It was a hell of a night!

The high point for the entire night was the formidable play by Jack White on the amazing “Catch Hell Blues.” It’s a new song on the Icky Thump album that is vastly understated on the released recording. White tore the roof off the house last night – speaking to the guitar ghosts through his bared soul. This was sheer joy! During the dazzling sequence, the red stage was dotted with white lights from the disco ball high above (giving the room the look of a strawberry!), Jack White climbed red stairs playing guitar the entire way. He stopped when he reached the top – standing some twenty-five feet above the stage and even higher still above the crowd below. The last kick of Meg’s bass drum came. Silence in the Arena! Jack turned away from the crowd and raised his guitar. The anticipation grew by the moment until a squeal of energy and the instrument emitted a cackle of electric rage. Then silence again – the audience was being controlled and Jack White was the puppeteer. His shadow – Red on Red - loomed huge into the rafters. Playing again, Jack trod across this elevated stage slowly as smoke rose from the floor around him. It was as if he was summoning the spirits or at least communing with them. (The new track "300 m.p.h. Torrential Outpour Blues" - was almost as good. If you don't have the new album yet - you should really go out and pick it up!)

When the Stripes eventually got to the title track of the new album - “Icky Thump” – it was a fast-paced crowd pleaser. Fan involvement echoed through out the show but never was it so pronounced as during this track. White never had to utter the catchy lyric “La La La, La Laaaaa!” in the chorus. That was done for him by the audience! The Stripes used “Icky Thump” as a launching pad to enter into an intense version of “Ball and Biscuit.”

Not since Jimi Hendrix has guitar ruled with such a mighty fist on stage. Jack White toys with the audience – regularly making eye contact cues with Meg to make sure the drums and guitar are tight. Meg stepped out from the drums and took center stage to sing the fan favorite, “In the Cold, Cold Night.” During the set, Jack walked to the back of the stage – sat down on an amplifier, facing away from the crowd. He played well and loud, perfectly synched up with Meg – but never stole the spotlight during her song. They never fell out of beat.

During an especially memorable encore, Jack and Meg teased the crowd with a medley of White Stripe favorites. Jack began playing, “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself,” then launched into “I Think I Small A Rat,” before settling into the new song "Rag and Bone." Well into the song, the guitar and drum riff for “Rat” would return again before the song concluded. Also in the encore was a wonderful version of “Seven Nation Army” – a song that Jack White had vowed he would never again play live. Thankfully, that promise was not kept. One of the best live shows I have seen in the last two years. You must see this band play live!

More pictures from the Show:
from the On the Download Blog
(Photographer Carina Mastrocola)

Review of the new White Stripes album:
"Icky Thump"