On the first night, White performed Jolene for the first time in almost 20 years, honouring Dolly Parton after her death was announced earlier that day. Sadly, this wasn’t repeated yesterday, but it was far from a disappointing concert, especially for White Stripes fans.
The stripped-back, simple stage consisted of blues lights over the drummer, bassist and keyboardist surrounding the amps in the middle and the new album’s blue skull statue. Going for that authentic analogue feel, White’s guitar and the bass were wired up for one furiously energetic jam sesh. Truly, this performance felt more like witnessing a non-stop rockathon in the studio than a fourth-wall-breaking concert, as almost every song blended into the next. The creative powerhouse, dressed in a simple black t-shirt and jeans, pranced around the stage, fiercely strumming his electric guitar, as his long black curtains over his pale face and large white shoes gave him something of a gothic clown look.
White Stripes fans were thrilled by a set filled with classics from Black Math and We’re Going to Be Friends to Catch Hell Blues and You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket. Meanwhile, White covered the Raconteurs’ Carolina Drama and Otis Rush’s All Your Love (I Miss Loving) ahead of new single G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs and Icky Thump, concluding the main set. Then came the encore, which was a seven-song feast including the White Stripes’ Hypnotise and Ball and Biscuit, alongside Robert Johnson’s Phonograph Blues before, of course, concluding with Seven Nation Army to finish off one hell of an ear-drum-busting show.
