Rock and roll without a rhythm section? The husband/brother and
wife/sister duo know for their blues/garage brand of rock kicked off
their Spring tour in style Easter Sunday at the Trocadero in
Philadelphia. An oversold Trocadero was packed with indie folk,
hipsters and frat guys wanting to find out just what the deal was with
this band that consists solely of a guitar and drum.
Whether or not you like their music, you gotta give The White Stripes
the nod when it comes to presentation. If Joan Rivers liked rock &
roll the White Stripes would be on the best dressed list. Their stage
set up is unique, the matching uniforms, the two mics, one with
reverb, one without, the insistence that everything be red and white
from the road cases and the guitars to the drums it all adds up to quite
a nifty package.
When listening to their latest CD, White Blood Cells, you cant believe
that there are only two people making that much noise – two people that
sound louder than most five-piece bands. When seeing them in concert
you wonder just where the noise is coming from. From start to finish
of their set, they rocked. There is some serious chemistry between the
duo. Throughout the set they feed off each other in a sort of ballet
Jack vs. Meg, Meg vs. Jack, twisting the songs and the beats.
The White Stripes aren’t about melodies, they are about rhythm. Tempo,
pace and cadence rule. Blues influence? Yes. Killer guitar solos? Yes.
Bass drum solos. Check. But, it is the pace that keeps the show
going. Mixing one song into another, extending others to rock harder –
it is all about the music. Highlights included “I Think I Smell A
Rat” and “Dead Leaves On The Dirty Ground.” Little talking from either
left the mysteries of their relationship unsolved.
I am not sure if I actually liked the show, but it was an impressive
performance. Unique? Yes. Saviors of rock and roll? Time will tell.
Source: Patrick Schmidt (Y-100 Philadelphia)
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