Jack White’s penchant for the unexpected made his appearance at the intimate, 470-capacity Great American Music Hall a gift no one saw coming.
Announced just days before, this was one of only a handful of performances supporting his latest release, No Name. The spontaneity of White’s 2024 “tour” has been a refreshing departure from the norm. “We’re playing where we want, when we want,” White posted on social media. “Some shows, we won’t decide until that day.”
Related
It was an approach that sent San Francisco buzzing. Tickets were gone within minutes, with a few lucky people managing to score $25 day-of-show tickets. Outside on O’Farrell Street, the desperate scene was evident: fans scrambled for any last-minute chance to get in, but no one was giving up their spot. Inside, the evening opened with East Bay’s Naked Roommate, who set the tone for the night with an impromptu vibe. “We didn’t even know we were playing this last week,” their vocalist remarked, which got a knowing laugh from the crowd.
At 9 p.m. sharp, White stormed the stage, attacking his Telecaster with the same fury that’s defined his sound for decades. Stripped down and dressed in black pants and a black tee, this version of Jack White felt like a return to his garage-rock roots. He kicked things off with the blistering “Old Scratch Blues” setting a raucous and energetic tone to the night.
But no matter how compelling the new material was, the crowd truly came alive when White reached into his storied White Stripes catalog. “Hotel Yorba,” “Icky Thump,” (encore) and the explosive “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” sent the venue’s ornate ceilings shaking, as fans roared back the lyrics. And when the opening notes of “Seven Nation Army” echoed through the hall, it was as if the entire room became a stadium, the audience belting the now-iconic chant.
White also played select tracks from his other bands, Raconteurs and Dead Weather, to cheering and praise. Highlights include “Broken Boy Soldier” (Raconteurs) and “I Cut Like a Buffalo” (Dead Weather).
White’s guitar work remains as hypnotic as ever, with every bend, riff, and crash of feedback reverberating through the packed house. He barely spoke between songs, though when he did, it left a mark. At one point, he gave the crowd a spot-on Donald Trump impression, hand gestures and all: “Great American Music Hall, let’s make this music hall great again,” he joked, flashing his mischievous grin.
After “Seven Nation Army” White left the stage as the crowd screamed and chanted for more. He eventually returned for the encore and cut into “Archbishop Harold Holmes” where 100 Blessings from AHH paper tickets thrown into the crowd as White invoked a snake-oil salesman/bible-thumping preacher.
After nearly two hours of ferocious rock, White closed the night with the chaotic thrash of “Black Math,” leaving the audience awestruck. “You’ve been incredible, and I’ve been Jack White,” he said in his final words before exiting the stage.
Related
An amazing night for those lucky few who made it to the show! Check out images from the night below! No Name is available in stores and streaming now.