THE RACONTEURS @ Metropolis

By Ida Jørgensen - Midnight Motion - 06/04/2008

To talk about The Raconteurs is inevitably to talk about the Jack White show, and so it also was when the quartet rolled into town last week. White's presence in the lineup is like a magic ingredient -- add him to any mix for instant rock 'n roll. The show delivered; between recognizable radio hits, Brendan Benson's poppy tunes and White's rugged howls, it was hard to go wrong. A pleasant surprise came in bassist Jack "mini-Jack" Lawrence's performance. His vocals perfectly accentuated those of White and Benson, and although he still stands squarely in the shadows of the two front men, he did not melt into the background. But, of course, it was all about White and his sidekick, Benson. The two clearly enjoyed being on stage together, and more than once, turned to each other to play off the other's rhythmic guitar riffs, building the crowd's expectation before releasing the catchy hooks. Still, attention swerved towards the pasty rocker to the right; White's penchant for raw, catchy tunes brimming with emotion left me wanting more...and created a void Benson's sweeter melodies could not quite fill. It came as no surprise, then, that the two highlights came in White's compositions, “Blue Veins” and “Many Shades of Black.” It's the kind of drum-thumping, fist-punching rock that makes you want to jump in unison and drink the night away. And that, more than anything else, was what a show was about, and the reason I'll be there the next time Jack White comes to Montreal, no matter who he brings with him.  

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