Jack White at Warsaw, Brooklyn

photograph by David Swanson

Born in Detroit, Michigan, John Gillis learned to play the instruments that his older brothers had abandoned; he began playing the drums in the first grade after finding a kit in the attic, and later learned to play guitar. In high school he played the drums and trombone in the school band, and met his future bride and drummer, Meg White. In a reversal of tradition, Gillis took her last name and became Jack White. Jack played drums in local bands including Goober & the Peas, but switched to guitar when Meg started playing drums; the two Whites then formed a duo called the White Stripes in 1997. Before the White Stripes officially disbanded in 2011, Jack had moved in 2005 to Nashville, Tennessee, and had founded, recorded and toured with the Raconteurs (2006-2011) and the Dead Weather (2009-present). He launched a solo career in 2012, and his third solo album, Boarding House Reach, was released today, March 23, 2018.

Prior to a summer tour that includes headlining Governors Ball in June, Jack White assembled a band and performed three small venues, including the 1000-capacity Warsaw in Brooklyn tonight. It was a "no cell phone" event, requesting that patrons lock their phones into little green pouches. The two-hour set introduced songs from the new album as well as re-imagined songs from his catalog. Led by White on vocals and guitar, White's band consisted of keyboardists Quincy McCrary and Neal Evans, bassist Dominic Davis, and drummer Carla Azar. White seemed very much into the band experience, directing spontaneously what might have been under-rehearsed arrangements as he used rolling hand motions to instruct the musicians to stretch out solos and waving to them to end a song. The set started with the fuzz-riff-loaded "Over and Over and Over," which seemed to be a lively addition to the trajectory one would have expected from White. With two large trays of pedals by his feet, White distorted his guitar sounds increasingly as the sonic assault progressed. Frequently inviting improvisation, much of the set was as raw and loose as a jazz concert, with White perhaps freer than he has ever been on stage. White sang, rapped, funked and rocked rather noisily and explosively. Many moments were more accessible than others, but the wild unevenness of the performance made it more interesting than if it had been a polished package comprised of all strengths. The experimental nature of the 26-song set was enthralling.

Visit Jack White at www.JackWhiteIII.com.

Setlist:

1. Over and Over and Over
2. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (The White Stripes song)
3. Corporation
4. Lazaretto
5. Cannon (The White Stripes song)
6. Why Walk a Dog?
7. Connected by Love
8. I Cut Like a Buffalo (The Dead Weather song)
9. Respect Commander
10. Get in the Mind Shaft (Live debut)
11. I’m Slowing Turning into You (The White Stripes song)
12. Blunderbuss
13. Missing Pieces
14. Ice Station Zebra
15. Hello Operator (The White Stripes song)
16. Just One Drink
17. What’s Done Is Done
18. We’re Going to Be Friends (The White Stripes song)
19. Carolina Drama (The Raconteurs song)

Encore

1. Battle Cry
2. Black Math (The White Stripes song)
3. That Black Bat Licorice
4. Would You Fight for My Love?
5. Blue Moon of Kentucky (Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys cover)
6. Sixteen Saltines
7. Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes song)