The White Stripes have officially retired

[flattop2001]

You're right that Jack's solo stuff is more "technically" sophisticated than The White Stripes.
But that surely does not make it better.

If I'm personally going to get more excited about JW solo,
He's gotta drop all the country vibes and bring the Punk. Less Nashville. More CBGB's.
Less Willie Nelson. More Ramones.

OK let's dive into this.

Technically better does not make for a more emotional reaction (in fact the opposite in almost every occasion). The stripes to me was like watching a first love affair, tense, lots of fumbling, totally committed and unquestioning, and the purest form of art (innocence) and NEVER dull. I don't think even if they reformed the magic would be there. Ever tried going back to an old girlfriend?

Jacks now grown up and must be a little embarrassed to continually be dragged back to 2000. We must sound like his old Aunts and Uncles who keep telling him how cute he was back in the day, and "sing that song you sung for us when you were 10" (anybody else from an catholic family with 10 children like myself and Mr White might connect with this).

I think his sound and style have matured way beyond the stripes and with it we've lost the innocence and total passion we had back in the day, like after you lose your first love you realize nothing lasts and you never give yourself so fully again.

Live there are still moments of pure joy when he hits the right note right on time with Daru or Carla or throws an aside at Lily Mae, but as you pointed out at a stripes show every note resonated, at a jack show you can have a great time but if you nip the toilet during Hip eponymous poor boy (great song BTW) you don't leave the gig regretting it for the rest of the week.

[KNARF]

Flattop,

You are truly THE REAL DEAL. I love that REAL fans like you are on here.
Your response is a glimmering emblem of what makes a fan a FAN.
Flattop for president of White Swirl!!!

The fact that Jack is now "Grown Up" does not make The White Stripes just something he did as "A Kid". He was not exactly so young when it ended.
Jack was 34. To put this in perspective, John Lennon was 30 when The Beatles broke up. Similarly, Jack has accomplished a career's worth of amazing material
with those 6 White Stripes albums. If Jack was Billy Joel, he'd have packed it in after Icky Thump and rode out the rest of his career without making any new material.

I agree his solo shows indeed have great moments–but that's the very thing that pales in comparison to any of the sixty something White Stripes shows I've been lucky to see.
With The White Stripes–EVERY SINGLE MOMENT WAS "A MOMENT"! I don't think I ever blinked at a White Stripes show.
There was always something interesting happening that you don't get from watching any of the live DVDs.

Jack is in a band now, and so is every other act in the world.
It's a far cry from seeing 2 people at MSG and hearing what just those 2 made that place sound like.
I can't compare any show I've ever seen to a White Stripes Show.

It kills me when I meet WS fans who were too young to see them live even once.
I feel a pain-SERIOUSLY because I want everyone to have had a chance to see them at least once.
I almost feel guilty. I did put a lot of work into those shows though. I was the guy who lined up 3 hours before so I can be on the gate–"Practically center stage!"

Okay I have to end this now. Writing this takes me right back to so many incredible memories only Jack & Meg could have made.
If they reunited Flattop, they'd be even better. With 4-5 piece bands, there's always friction.
But when it just takes 2 people, as long as Meg holds it down, there's no doubt in my mind Jack would rock much harder in red than in blunderblue.

Here's an amazing photo I found from that legendary MSG show. You know that guy in the front row?
I found this in super high-resolution! There's a gigantic frame & a wall in its future.
Ahhhhhhhh the great old days...

KNARF-SPOTTING WHITE STRIPES MSG.jpg

[anonymousbrunette]

OK let's dive into this.

Oh. Well said, J.

[hellosmith]

frank there is a cell phone in your hand. front and center at a white stripes show.

[KNARF]

Good observation. I've never seen any photos I took that night.
They're buried in a hard drive somewhere. Will be a real treat to find them...whenever I do.

How does Jay Z & Beyonce fit into this thread?

[crimpies]

[crimpies]

This guy http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/tags/whitestripes must have been standing right near you:

[josephodonnell]

frank there is a cell phone in your hand. front and center at a white stripes show.

I thought it was pretty ironic too, haha

[KNARF]

Crimpies,

AMAZING PHOTOS! Is that really you that you circled?
If it is, then we must have rubbed shoulders. Was that show special or what?
I tell people all the time how even compared to the early days where TWS played small intimate bars,
that MSG show REALLY stands out amongst the best shows I've seen–regardless that it was an arena show.

Nothing better than when a fan takes photos. They feel so much more live.
Happy you took photos! We'll have to trade originals once I track down mine.

Thanks for posting Crimpies!

[KNARF]

Crimpies,

Do you see yourself in this video?

[Jettkoral]

I'm so confused.

[higherlimits]

Crimpies lives in Australia, I think he just linked you to someone else's pictures.

[crimpies]

It ain't me babe! As higherlimits deduced, I was just linking to these found photos for your further enjoyment.

I thought I was circling you! (?)

[Jamie]

Since we're photo-reminiscing...

Seeing the band for my very first time at this venue was literally the best gig I've experienced. Money would be no object if they played just one more show.

[dmdv1]

Is that The Rivoli?