No one likes being told what to do. Especially when you’re a paying customer. To tell a paying customer what to do with their cell phone, you’ve signed a death warrant. Well, that is unless you’re Jack White.
Unless you’re totally detached from the live music scene, you’re most likely aware that Jack White has banned cell phones from his shows on his tour for new album Boarding House Reach, opting to have fans put his fans in a Yondr pouch that allows them to enjoy his performance, distraction-free. White is a notoriously tough man to please and even when he didn’t ban phones, he made it quite clear how much their use at shows bothered him during his performances. Now while I do feel that is you’re paying upwards of $75 to see an artist you probably should have the right to take a photo or two to remember the night, I also totally understand where he’s coming from.
My understanding became totally clear on the night on March 23, when White played a very intimate performance in Brooklyn at Warsaw, a much tinier place than you’d normally see him shred. The show was announced only a week before the scheduled date and tickets were about as impossible to land unless you had some really good internet (and luck) or access to a presale code.
There was no opener, this was straight up with the rock and roll purveyor himself. Kicking off the night with a riveting performance of single, “Over and Over and Over,” arguably one of the few instant pleasures off of Boarding House Reach. He kept the momentum going, following that off with a rocking performance of The White Stripes’ “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground.” What’s so riveting about a Jack White performance, especially one as intimate as this one, is that you are right there in the thick of it with one of the last true rock stars of our generation, as he makes split-second setlist decisions based on the vibe of the room and eye contact with his fans. There are no written set lists at a Jack White show. He feeds off of the atmosphere, goes from there, shouting to each bandmate what song they’re to follow him into next.
It was noticeable just how happy White was during this show, remarking that it was cool to play in a venue that celebrates his Polish heritage, with pierogies being served in the room next door and poker lessons given just upstairs. White was in love with the entire operation at hand and it really made all the difference for him as I have never seen him so visibly happy and loose while performing.
Back to cell phones, this is why he so desperately wants fans to put down the brightness of their devices and just live in the moment. Naturally, I had an itch to take a few photos of moments where White walked surprisingly onto the front of the barricade, I also was able to completely immerse myself in the show and truly just enjoy the show. This wasn’t your typical setlist, there was no “Seven Nation Army” and not all of the new songs worked live (“Why Walk A Dog?” was a real momentum killer). But getting to see White play “Black Math” “Ball and Biscuit” and dip into the well of The Raconteurs (who need to reunite like, right now) with “Broken Boy Soldier” and “Carolina Drama” was a particular highlight of not just that night, but of my entire show-going year. This was hands down the best show that I’ve seen this year. While I hope banning of phones doesn’t become the new normal. it’s hard to argue that there aren’t some serious pros to the idea.
Find the setlist posted below and a few iPhone shots taken before / after the show posted below.
Jack White Setlist:
1. Over and Over and Over
2. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (The White Stripes)
3. Corporation
4. Lazaretto
5. Cannon (The White Stripes)
6. Why Walk a Dog?
7. Connected by Love
8. I Cut Like a Buffalo (The Dead Weather)
9. Respect Commander
10. Get in the Mind Shaft
11. I’m Slowly Turning Into You (The White Stripes)
12. Blunderbuss
13. Missing Pieces
14. Ice Station Zebra
15. Hello Operator (The White Stripes)
16. Just One Drink
17. What’s Done Is Done
18. We’re Going to Be Friends (The White Stripes)
19. Carolina Drama (The Raconteurs)
Encore:
20. Battle Cry
21. Black Math (The White Stripes)
22. That Black Bat Licorice
23. Would You Fight for My Love?
24. Broken Boy Soldier (The Raconteurs)
25. Blue Moon of Kentucky (Bill Monroe and The Bluegrass Boys cover)
26. Sixteen Saltines
27. Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes)
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