It took me a few minutes to settle in and compose myself after finding a position in the photo pit, and realizing I was about to shoot the legendary Jack White. It was hard to believe it was happening, considering that the last time I saw White was at Webster Hall where there was a strict no photo/cell phone use policy. But here I was about the photograph Mr. White on the main stage at Governors Ball.
As I finally got focused and composed, the main himself came out and kicked things into gear in wild fashion with The White Stripes’ “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground.” All my hard work at getting my mind ready to do the job at task was sent into chaos as I tried hard not to rock out to the White Stripes classic, as the many screaming fans of White’s did behind me in the GA and VIP pits.
White now plays with one band, no longer switching off from all-female/all-male bands as he did during his Blunderbuss tour. Although some of the members of the respective bands are in his current lineup. They are sharp and just as lively as they need to be, without taking the focus off of the guitar slinging man at work.
White is arguably the last real rock star out there (of modern times, of course), and the respect that he commands on stage is clearly there from the fans. White mostly stayed faithful to Lazaretto material as well as some of his work from Blunderbuss. That didn’t mean that there wasn’t time for select White Stripes material (“Hotel Yorba”, “Cannon”, “We’re Going To Be Friends”, “Icky Thump”, “The Hardest Button To Button”) and two of his songs with The Raconteurs (“Steady, As She Goes”, “Top Yourself”). There was no Dead Weather material to be found.
White had some good words to say about The Strokes and Broken Bells, specifically mentioning that he’s close with Julian Casablancas (who gave White some fashion tips) and Danger Mouse. White said he generally isn’t a fan of festivals, but he liked the vibe that was presented to him at Governors Ball. With the hot sun finally set, and an eager crowd at hand, it was a perfect set, and a nice cap to the second day of the fest. All we needed was “Seven Nation Army” and with that, a massive singalong/chant followed that sent us all home happy.
Photos and setlist posted below:
1. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (The White Stripes)
2. High Ball Stepper
3. Lazaretto
4. Hotel Yorba (The White Stripes)
5. Love Interruption
6. Missing Pieces
7. Sixteen Saltines
8. Cannon (The White Stripes)
9. Top Yourself (The Raconteurs)
10. The Rose With the Broken Neck
11. We’re Going to Be Friends (The White Stripes)
12. Weep Themselves to Sleep
13. Steady, As She Goes (The Raconteurs)
14. Icky Thump (The White Stripes)
Encore:
15. The Hardest Button to Button (The White Stripes)
16. Freedom at 21
17. Just One Drink
18. Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes)
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