Photo: David James Swanson
"This is not an arena show," squawks Jack White to the obviously vast, sold-out O2 Arena. "This is a club show, it's just me and you. We got no screens, no pyrotechnics - are you with us?"
Jack White - an artist with so much ambition that nowhere but a 20,000 capacity venue can hold him - and all he needs to hold us is the music. Many would play up to their ascent to stadium-level fame, putting on all of the bells, whistles and Spinal Tap-isms that it takes to tread the same boards as the greats - but White won't have that. He's spent his entire career on honing the focus on the art of the song, stripping the process of any glitter cannon gimmickry.
Tonight is no different.
He's claimed that the White Stripes' red cartoon aesthetic was a test to see if people could see past the image to enjoy the treasure of the music within, now he's flipped in on its head for the same result. It's just us, the songs and no distractions.
Opening, with The White Stripes' breakneck classic 'Fell In Love With A Girl', White kicks off a career-spanning lesson in pure showmanship - with newer solo tracks 'High Ball Stepper' and 'Lazaretto' showing the true flair and flourishes of his underlying maestro tendencies. Everything else is altered to fit alongside this. 'Hotel Yorba' is beefed out with a more three-dimensional country and skiffle approach, while other key tracks from The Raconteurs are magnified to fill what White refers to as 'this massive tent'.
His style and energy is a delight to behold - managing to bind the thousands of onlookers arm-in-arm in song throughout, with the sense of community most touching as he dedicates 'Love Interruption' to late keyboardist Ikey Owens, only to add "He's still with us today."
"This is the last time we'll play London for a while," he chirps - but he's left us with more than enough. With the Prince-like jamming and swagger comes a touch of self-indulgence at times, with some songs bordering on outstaying their welcome - but with 26 songs of relentless celebration, one struggles to find any other fault.
We can't say how the fans in the far back rafters may have felt, squinting for a view of the icon on the distant stage while constantly being reminded they were in fact at a club show, but White's spirit is infectious. Whether in a back alley venue or the biggest of stadiums, all we have is the music, and each other.
Jack White played:
Fell in Love With a Girl (The White Stripes song)
High Ball Stepper
Lazaretto
Hotel Yorba (The White Stripes song)
Temporary Ground
Hypocritical Kiss
Top Yourself (The Raconteurs song)
Weep Themselves to Sleep
Cannon (The White Stripes song)
John the Revelator (Blind Willie Johnson cover)
Astro (The White Stripes song)
Apple Blossom (The White Stripes song)
Three Women
Love Interruption
That Black Bat Licorice
Freedom at 21
Steady, As She Goes (The Raconteurs song)
Encore:
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (The White Stripes song)
Black Math (The White Stripes song)
Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes song)
Broken Boy Soldier (The Raconteurs song)
Would You Fight for My Love?
Just One Drink
I'm Slowly Turning Into You (The White Stripes song)
Missing Pieces
Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes song)
