Jack-White-A-Thon 2012: Soon enough you will care~

First of all, I would just like to say that I have THE BEST husband in the history of husbands.  His help & cooperation in Jack-White-A-Thon 2012 was so welcome & appreciated, I can’t even tell you.  I had no idea he had it in him, but he is a super-sleuth detective and if it weren’t for him, half of my tale would not exist.  

*insert CSI ‘duh-duh’ sound here*

Tuesday August 7^th:  I’m scatterbrained, too excited thinking about the next few days. Thank goodness I took a few days off work for all of this. It’s obvious (?) the Third Man Rolling Record Store is making its way to Denver. I know it was in Omaha, it’s gotta come here, right? So I start baking cookies. To take to the Rolling Record Store. Because I am that big of a TMR dork. Roughly 2pm-  my other half calls to inform me he’s staring at the RRS.  It’s here.  In Denver.  And we’re the first to know it.  Devine intervention +1.  So I deliver cookies to it. 

 'And that was all that I needed'

Wednesday August 8th: At Red Rocks by 9am to get in line for the show.  Because I am that crazy.  Four others in line ahead of us.  Luke & I establish ‘Tarp-City’ and set up camp.  Twitter/ email-early-entry-confirmation scouting commence.  A long, hot day made better by chatting with all of the super-cool Jack White fans in line around us.  (That's one of my favorite things about all of this, meeting other folks and hearing about their Jack White adventures- because what else can you really call them?)  Multiple hikes down the hill for bathroom breaks and water.  Our awesome friend Kris arrived around 2 with much appreciated sandwiches.  Luke "insults" my shortbread and a throw-down is set for some point in the future.  Meanwhile…

 … En route to the post office, my husband spies the RRS driving down the road and follows it. 

Because he is that cool.  Thus we had a roughly 3 minute advance notice over the official RRS tweet announcing a B-Show. Devine Intervention +2.

Kind folks hold our places in line at Red Rocks (we did provide the tarp after all) and we bolt to the B-show site. A 45 minute drive in traffic that I was able to make in 20 minutes.  We arrive just in time for the show.  It's at an old-school, independently owned tire shop/garage on West Colfax.  Clint was 1^st in line to purchase a Lightning Bolt ‘Blunderbuss’ and was then able to get us a spot right in front of Jack's mic. I cut through the growing crowd to take my place next to him, 

and a second later Jack strides onto the makeshift stage.

Launching into a seething rendition of ‘Black Math’,

quickly followed by ‘Freedom at 21’, 

a note-perfect cover of Dick Dale’s ‘Misirlou’,

capping off his 20 minute set with the most spectacular rendition of ‘Ball and Biscuit’ I’ve ever stood 4’ from.   The mic cuts out for the first few lines of the song.  It's just the kind of challenge I know Jack is looking for to make this a great show. 

Surreal.  I can’t believe I was there for it. 
 

He sets down his guitar & stalks away, right past my friend Kris where a photog caught one of the best crowd photos I’ve ever seen.  

We head back to base camp because the line natives are getting restless and the crush is on. 

Catch up with my brother as soon as we get back.  It’s his first time to see Jack White in concert.  The line has become a place inhabited by douche bags.  Seriously, complete fucking douche bags.  And to the assholes who jumped the line, pushed past us and managed to get a better spot us, Fuck You.  I know one day karma is going to seriously fuck you over because you, sirs, are complete fucking douche bags.  

*End of rant*

( Yes, Ivana, I’m mommy’s other friend that curses)

Finally get through the cluster that is the entrance, snag 2^nd row seats (alas, no early entry for any of us), luck out on getting a poster and a set of tour edition 7” before they sold out. 

Pokey Lafarge & the South City Three were a fantastic opener for this venue.  They fit right in with the history of the place and put on quite a show to boot.  To this point I have only been familiar with the 7” put out through Third Man, so it was great to hear some of their other material.  The guy who plays harmonica is insane, I don’t know how he does it.  They wrap up and soon Jack's band's equipment is uncovered less the drum kit-- he likes to keep it a surprise 'til the last minute as to which band you’re going to see and the bass drum head gives it away.

‘I’m Shakin’ comes over the loudspeakers (!!!!) and Jack White finally takes the stage.  It’s the Peacocks, which I was hoping for (I think they just lent a better vibe to the venue).  Clint & I had made a bet on what would be the opening song.  I was right with ‘Dead Leaves’, but it was followed up by ‘Missing Pieces’ which was his choice, so in a way we were both correct.  It didn’t matter.  The girls totally brought it on ‘Love Interruption’, Ruby Amanfu is such a little powerhouse.  Jack delivered a lovable flub during ‘Hotel Yorba’ that made the concert that much more special for me.  He really did top himself on ‘Top Yourself’ and the girls were in the groove right along with him.  ‘Weep Themselves to Sleep’ was amazingly good, such a treat as I had so hoped they would play it.  Follows that up with ‘Cannon/John the Revelator’.  Here’s were I get sentimental.  Hard to watch this without Meg.  By the end I’m screaming right along with him- Evil!  ‘Fell in Love With a Girl’.  OMG, he’s breaking my heart.  Can’t quite get into it, but it’s a fine version.  He takes to the piano.  Talks about the lack of air making it harder to breathe, has to remind his lungs to catch up.  Yeah, it’s like that.  We’re a mile high, don’t you know?  ‘I Guess I Should Go To Sleep’… his children have nodded off on the side of the stage with Granny, priceless.  ‘Take Me With You When You Go’.  So happy the set is turning out so ‘Blunderbuss’-y.  I think it was about this time he mentioned how nicely painted the venue was and how it looked just like the outdoors.  ‘I’m Slowly Turning Into You’.  I get teary (WTF???).  It’s amazingly good.  ‘We’re Going to Be Friends’.  I try to think about ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ and not Meg.  A pause where he laughs a bit to himself and then breaks into ‘Hip Eponymous Poor Boy’.  My heart completely melts.  It’s magical.  ‘Blunderbuss’, beautiful just as I knew it would be.  This night is amazing.  OMG!!!!! ‘Broken Boy Soldier’.  ‘Blue Blood Blues’.  Meh.  Sorry, I just need Alison, LJ & Dean for ANY Dead Weather.  ‘Ball and Biscuit’.  So nice to see the contrast between the Buzzards (who played the B-show) and the Peacocks.  Nothing could beat where I stood in the afternoon to see it but his guitar solos were thrilling to watch nonetheless.  I felt he really got into it and kind of lost the band there for a minute, but you’re really only paying attention to Jack during those segments anyways, so I paid it no mind.  Exit stage left.  I’m concerned the encore chanting is not loud enough, but after a bit the band  reclaimed the stage.  ‘Sixteen Saltines’, ‘Freedom at 21’, a 'Lafayette Blues' riff gave way to ‘Hardest Button to Button’ where we were prompted to clap along in time,

Photo Courtesy of Third Man Records

a completely rocking version of ‘Steady As She Goes’,  the anthem call of 7NA (blah) but fortunately followed with ‘Goodnight Irene’, Jack’s sign of a good show.  He was so appreciative of Denver’s-good-lovin’-vibes washing down the ampitheatre to him, it was such a warm feeling all around.  

Photo Courtesy of Third Man Records

August 8, 2012 is a day I will never forget. 

I’ve been fairly vocal in the fast few months re: how I’ve felt about him doing Stripes songs at his solo tour shows.  But kudos, Jack White, you got me.  Yeah, OK, it’s not Meg.  But it’s gonna be OK, you're still there.  I couldn’t see it before.  I see it now.  I can’t help but to still be captivated by the chemistry you two shared on stage, it jumps off of the screen for me when I’m watching your concert videos. But I’m sorry I doubted you, I can see you miss it more than I do.  So rock on with your bad self.  I will try not to speak of the lack of Meg any more, do what you like with your songs.  I don’t know why you said in your letter that they were ‘ours’ now... they’re so obviously yours its blinding, so I’ll shut up about it.  

You know, Clint & I have pretty basic, ordinary lives.  We work, we work harder and then we work some more.  So I'd love to send out a huge thank you to Jack White & all of his hard-working crew at Third Man Records for all the fun and excitement your crazy shenanigans add to the mix.  We seriously have so much fun chasing you guys around.  Ben’s, Lalo, Cam, Dani, Rebecca, Buzzards, Peacocks, Road Crew and all of the other staff I don’t know the names of, you guys rock.  Thank you so much for doing what you do.  I know I get irritated at times with certain aspects of the Vault, etc., but I just so appreciate all the work you put into giving us fans these great experiences.  It’s such a blast!  We’ve met such great people and have made so many cool friends along the way.  I’m sure you get burned out and tired of us all pestering you, but you keep at it, and just keep coming up with more & more interesting things to keep us entertained, so thank you.  But after all of this, I’m exhausted.  I don’t know how y’all keep up this pace.  

Oh, and did I neglect to mention that upon arriving home from the concert I found my Vault 12 waiting for me?

Way to deliver TMR.  Way. To. Deliver.

Brendan Benson~

Have I neglected to mention how SIMPLY FANTASTIC Brendan Benson's new album is?  As it was released the same day as 'Blunderbuss', you'd think it would have taken me a minute to take notice.  But, I picked up my copy right around Record Store Day and it's currently rivaling Jack for play in my iPod.

I have to admit, I wasn't a huge 'Brendan solo' fan until SXSW this year.  I have always appreciated Brendan's talent and songwriting with the Raconteurs but he performed a solo show in Denver a bit over a year ago and I just was not impressed.  To be fair, I think he may have been battling some bad-scary-snowy-mountain-drive-down-from-Aspen-to-Denver-road-sickness that evening, and he was playing with the Posies and not his current awesome band line up (Mark Watrous, I'm looking in your direction), but he certainly wasn't at his best.  What's so funny, too, is that we scored some meet & greet passes from my friend & fellow raffle host, Luke, and in our picture with Brendan, he looks so ill you might think we were holding him hostage.

Poor guy.  Poor us.  However, he was so gracious as to sign my Raconteurs 'Live in London', and for that I am forever grateful.  You know, it only took a moment of his time to shed some kindness our way & I'll always appreciate it. 

So came SXSW... and Brendan & the boys totally changed my mind.  I'll admit it, I'm hooked.  In fact, I'm a bit surprised at my total about-face, I don't normally do that.
I've now stocked up on some of his back catalog, but I'd venture to say that, from start to finish, 'What Kind of World', represents one of his best pieces of work.  'Bad for Me' is quite simply one of the prettiest songs I've heard this year.  From the piano to the lyrics, it stands out as just a truly beautiful song.  And 'No One Else But You' you totally had me with the Hawiiann/John Denver intro, but to also throw in a big band horn section?  I'm sold.
I'd say the major stand out for me is 'Pretty Baby'.  The first time I heard it, the following things sprang to mind-- Texas, 'The Switch & the Spur', a saguaro cactus, 'Rome', dust, John Wayne, dead trees, biscuits & gravy, 'So Far From Your Weapon' and Quentin Tarantino...  pretty much in that order.  The accompanying video is a very literal interpretation of the song that I wasn't really expecting and in the future, when listening to it, I'll probably stick with the imagery I'd already developed in my head.  Nonetheless, I've been pretty 'wowed' by this song... but then I'm always a sucker for those cowboy/rocker/western songs.

In summary, consider me a new Street Team recruit.  I was an idiot to not see it before.  I will now look past his 'Raconteurs' status to the solo artist that lies within.  Better late to the party than never I suppose.  #TeamBrendan

Musings of 'Blunderbuss'~

Wow~

Well I have to say, it’s taken me a few days to process the events of the past week or so.  If you didn’t already know, I was fortunate to be 1 of 20 lucky Vault Platinum members chosen to attend Jack White’s ‘Blunderbuss’ Listening Party at Third Man Records last Tuesday, February 21^st.  As someone who has listened to Jack White in all forms for over the past decade, this was obviously an amazing opportunity for me.  Though Jack’s lack of attendance at his own album's party did not go unnoticed, the event itself was one as yet unrivaled in the music industry and much appreciated by those of us who were invited.

By now the artwork is up & the track listings are out; fan reviews have been posted by some of the lucky invitees; most notably in fan forum White Swirl.  If you care enough to follow this stuff at all, you may already know of a few things to expect from ‘Blunderbuss’, set to debut publicly April 23rd- a plethora of piano, some quirky Jack-White-variety lyrics we all love so much, a wide range of sounds & styles.  And most importantly, for all you Jack White fans out there, guitar.  Jack himself has defended the amount of guitar on the album, saying, 'there's more guitar solos by me on this record than any I've made since 'Icky Thump''. While I can’t say I noticed that so much the first time around, I can certainly vouch for the guitar and its welcome appearance on this, his solo endeavor.

So… what else could I possibly have to add now, almost a week later, about ‘Blunderbuss’? Well, to the folks out there still speculating what ‘Blunderbuss’ has in store, I guess I would just like to say this:  

It’s Jack White.   

It’s Jack Fucking White.   

The same boy we’ve always known, just a bit more grown up.  While I cannot really compare this album to any of his other musical forays, it initially struck me, sound-wise, as being more Raconteurs-oriented.  Although there is certainly a nod to his heritage in The White Stripes and, more recently, The Dead Weather, this album will most assuredly be chalked up to being exclusively Jack White, solo artist.  Angrier?  More understanding of the world & the way things work?  More resigned?  With only one listen under my belt, I’m not sure.  He’s an almost twice-divorced parent now.  The White Stripes have officially dissolved. He’s been through a lot since the debut of the their self titled album, and it shows.  

The Jack on this album wants to show us what he’s learned, the extent of how far he can go.  The Detroit-rocker turned Nashville-mogul seems to have been softened a bit by his time in the south, but the hard edge that drove the White Stripes is still there.  To me, ‘Blunderbuss’ is a more ‘produced’ Jack White sound.  Not to say that he’s manufactured something by any means, it’s just a more polished, practiced sound.  Knowing that Jack likes to record things as they happen, to get the ‘rawness’ of a sound, a song, a band, I have to say that if these were first studio take recordings, my hat is off to him.  

Hearing this gem, the initial stand-outs to me were ‘Sixteen Saltines’, ‘Trash Tongue Talker’, ‘Take Me With You When You Go’ and, of course, ‘Love Interruption’.  Upon first listen I did not care for ‘Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy’, but the earworm has made it into my brain where it has resided happily for at least the past 24 hrs, so what does that tell you?  Putting giddy-school-girl feelings aside, my first impression of this album was the prominence of piano.  Melodious, practiced piano.  But the guitar is there, and when it makes its appearance, you’ll remember why you fell in love with Jack White in the first place.  There was most certainly a McCartney-esque vibe on a few of the tracks.  I would say ‘Blunderbuss’ is a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll, with some rag-time & blues thrown in for good measure.  And with lines such as “I’ve got no truck with you woman”, it’s totally Jack White.   

So if you’re hoping for another White Stripes album, sorry but this isn’t it.  Did you really think Jack would venture down that road again right now?  Wishful thinking…

But if it’s Jack White you’re looking for, you’ll find him, or pieces of him, buried in these 13 tracks.