Jack White REVISED!
Tuesday October 23rd 2012, 9:53 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

Erin Ponder

 

Jack White played in Omaha this summer. White published his tour dates in late May.  For the first time White would be preforming in Nebraska for the first time in his music career. Best known for his work with the White Stripes, Raconteurs, and the Dead Weather. White came out with his own solo album in April titled Blunderbuss.

August 6th was the date that Jack was scheduled to play at the Omaha Music Hall.  People from all different walks of life filled the entrance to the venue.  Hipsters, middle-aged couples, and teenagers, were all eager to get inside to grab the best seats.  A table was set up in the front offering merchandise that cost an arm and a leg to buy.  Fifty or so people crowed the small table yelling sizes and colors at the people who were frantically digging through boxes.  Past the Merch table were two sets of double doors that led into the auditorium.  You had to walk past a dozen police officers that lined the walls in order to get inside.

Walking into the arena people were scattered all through out the seats.  Most people were all in the standing only area at the front of the stage. A young man was sitting with an older woman, who was presumed to be his mother. This must have been his first concert. A row in front of the them was a group of teenagers who were speaking in hushed voices. The only girl in the group was showing the rest of the  something that she had in her purse.  “Once he comes out I’ll whip this out.” She said the rest of the group. “Yeah! That’s good. Here is this for your troubles,” a guy said wearing a black stocking cap.

The lights dimed and everyone stood to their feet and started to cheer. A group of two women and one man came out on stage holding their instruments.  “How ya’ll doing?” the man said, “Were going to play a couple of songs for you, I hope you all enjoy.” The group went on for what felt like two hours, but it was in reality forty-five minutes.  The group finished singing their folky tunes and left the stage. The stage went dark for about three minutes, when a blue light lit the room. Men in Bowler hats walked on and went to their designated instruments. The audience erupted in cheers and yells in hope that Jack wasn’t far behind.

Once Jack walked out onto the stage and grabbed his famous red electric guitar and played the opening cords to “Hello Operator” from the White Stripe’s album De Stijl. It’s as if anarchy ensued on the people.  Screaming fans started jumping trying to get a better view of Jack playing his guitar. Songs from all of Jack’s bands were played, especially songs off of Blunderbuss.  All of the songs took about two hours to preform.

The entire performance was described as a religious experience. Zach a Sioux City native talked about his experience attending the concert. “You could have gotten a contact high from all the weed people were smoking in there.”  The auditorium was smoky. The blue lights lit the smoke as it traveled up onto the stage.  “Jack was amazing. Seeing him was defiantly a life goal of mine, and I’m glad I got to see him live.” Zach went on to say that Jack White is a huge inspiration to him and looks up to White as he goes into the music business himself.

Jack White said at the end of the concert that Omaha was a great city and the people are very welcoming. He would love to come back sometime to play another show. White left the crowd with high sprits that someday he will be back playing another show just like the one he preformed, or perhaps better.