Given the massive catalog of songs Jack White holds in his back pocket at any given time, fans attending his current No Name world tour had been expecting lengthy set lists, but that’s simply not the case, and Jack is here with an explanation.
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Posting a photo on Instagram over the weekend showing his empty stage bathed in light, White decided to comment on some of the rumblings he’s been hearing regarding his set times, which average around 90 minutes.
“Been hearing a lot of chatter throughout the year of this glorious electric touring about how long our sets are ‘supposed to be’ on stage,” Jack began his caption. “As if the length of a show determines how ‘good’ it is. I know that we’re living in a current era where people like to say ‘so and so played for 3 hours last night!’, and brag about it the next day hahaha, I’ll let our fans know now that my mind has no intention of ‘impressing’ y’all in that context.
“The Beatles and Ramones played 30 minute (ish) sets, and If I could, I would do the same at this moment in my performing life,” Jack continued. “That’s actually the kind of show I’d like to put on right now. But there becomes this chatter that the cost of a ticket ‘entitles’ people to some kind of extra long show…uh…ok (hahaha) so I’m bridging the gap. I’m not sure y’all are knowing (or maybe remembering?) what a real rock or punk show is like though if you’re thinking that way, I think you’re talking about an arena laser light show with pyro, huge screens with premade videos, singers flying over the crowd, t shirt cannons, etc, that’s not the kind of shows we’re performing.”
“I’ve seen a plethora of rock and roll gigs that lasted 45 minutes and blew my mind and inspired me beyond belief,” Jack said of his own musical heroes. “Read the room, leave everyone exhausted and inspired (hopefully) and most of all wanting more, without needing 3 hours to do it. That’s like saying a film is supposed to be better cause they spent 300 trillion making it, well I’ve never seen that movie.
Lastly, White shared “Love to all of our fans, I see your faces every night and you can be assured I’ve never phoned it in in my life, whether its 20 minutes or 2 hours, I’m giving the room what the room is prompting me to do and share and that doesn’t mean if people cheer louder it’s going to be longer either! haha. There’s no setlist, and it’s not a Marvel movie, or a Vegas residency, it’s rock and roll and it’s a living breathing organism.”
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Jack White is keeping the celebrations alive around his GRAMMY-nominated 2024 album No Name with a global tour making stops in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and North America through May 2025. Click for a full list of dates and grab your tickets HERE.