The White Stripes - London Shepherd's Bush Empire - 2/5/02
4/5
By: Toby L
Oh yeah, seeing The White Stripes in concert is a completely unique experience, alright. On record, you may be able to detect the bluesy-vein with which they execute the most traditional and stripped-down elements of their repertoire, yet - in a live-setting - the overall on-stage show provided, and energy emitted, is similar to that of a punk-gig from the late-70s. What with tonight's sold-out show at the Shepherd's Bush Empire being their first UK gig-proper since winter, anticipation is high - and excitement-levels are soaring.
Most other acts would fail to meet the demands; already, they've received the barrage of immaculate press-quotes, the surprisingly sturdy radio-support and glowing reports from obsessed fans that firmly cement their reputation as one of the US's most exciting rock-acts for years. However, despite all the nonsense, the truth was well and truly revealed this evening over the Stripes and their potential career-development from here on in... And, to not beat about the bush (no pun intended on the venue's name, I hasten to add), let it be known that Jack and Meg White are as exciting as ever - with even more special things possibly to come yet.
Holding his trademark red and white guitar up towards the direction of a vacuous stage-ceiling just after walking on, Jack wastes no time in drenching feedback and dirty riffs into the cranked-up PA-system, prior to his sister calling the shots and launching into a standard thump-thump rhythm - for which most of the show will bear during the course of the night. But, that's all right; the musical-diversity arrives in the form of Jack's distinctively riotous vocal-range (which at times bears touch of the Tom Verlaine howl and thrilling yells of more recent entrants on to the scene, Craig Nicholls of The Vines) and his manically enchanting usage of the electric-guitar and organ.
One rewarding aspect of their set - which will go on to include twenty tracks by the time the doors begin piling people out - is the immediacy with which they pace their material, and the unexpected variation and running-order of their tracks. Their now-legendary cover of 'Jolene' is fourth song in, for instance, and aside from triggering the first real mosh/pogo-pit for the encounter's duration, it serves as an unexpected and mighty lead into their first UK single, and top-30 hit, 'Hotel Yorba'. But, for every instant crowd-pleaser, there's a twist. The most apparent in this example includes an obscure Bob Dylan cover: 'Love Sick', from his recent late-90s LP, 'Time Out Of Mind'. Aside from this, there's also the treat of a new tune, whose influence doesn't so much as bear relevance to the double-act's choice of typical lo-fi US heroes, but instead nods towards a latter-80s thrash-metal band. No, really...
But, for all the madness, astounding run-throughs of 'You're Pretty Good Looking', 'Hello Operator', and the momentarily-halted-for-dramatic-effect 'Fell In Love With A Girl', echoey microphones, and bellows of, 'You look just like Elvis from hell,' the Stripes truly excel in the slower moments. When the tone (and distortion) rest for a while, a touching and sing-along rendition of 'We're Going To Be Friends' is what warrants a large majority of the applause, let alone 'Rated X', where Meg allows her simple, though endearing pitch of voice to take precedence over her brother for just some special seconds. The overwhelming reaction is just too much for a usually frowning Jack - who beams a rare smile on observing the supreme praise. Only a baffling, art-rock-esque pair of encores to round off events manages to serve on an equal footing. When the singer sensitively utters, 'We feel very at home here,' expectedly, the audience are only too appreciative of his compliment - welcoming their new neighbour graciously.
For some time, people have claimed that The White Stripes are trapped within a dilemma of not being able to carry out their produce in larger venues. Evidently, tonight, they proved they can - even though demand still exceeds available space. Clearly, though, the lack of instruments doesn't cut through the hidden power of their work - their soul. Beg the magic lives on.
Artists in this article: The White Stripes
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