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White Stripes’ Canadian tour to cover every province and territory
May 5, 2007 1:48 PM Subscribe

White Stripes’ Canadian tour to cover every province and territory Including Iqaluit, Nunavut (63° north latitude, population 6,184). Shades of Courtney Love and Metallica playing Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories in ’95?
posted by joeclark (52 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite

I guess when you're hungry, you'll do anything to get your name out there.
posted by dhartung at 2:05 PM on May 5, 2007

People that live in places that far north will attend just about any show from the "outside" that comes around out of sheer boredom. They might wish they had stayed home all the same with this band.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:10 PM on May 5, 2007

Your favorite band . . .
posted by Nabubrush at 2:19 PM on May 5, 2007

Which is to say, if they were willing to see Courtney Love and Metallica, this will be like seeing Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight.
posted by Nabubrush at 2:20 PM on May 5, 2007

I try to hate on Jack White but man, he's a pretty cool dude.
posted by bardic at 2:32 PM on May 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

You play Winnipeg, Manitoba. What about the guys who live 200 miles north or whatever? I always think that if I lived in the Northwest Territories or the Yukon...

They're playing Mafeking?¹
Your favorite band's geography skills suck.²

¹Reason #50374 To Get Your Mother a Gift MeFi Account: She's the only one who'll find your obscure Manitoba geography jokes amusing.
²Regardless, props to the Stripes!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 2:56 PM on May 5, 2007

Some accompaniment:
Seven Nation Army
Hypnotize
Fell in Love With a Girl
Ball and Biscuit
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
the next two are mildly nsfw:
Black Math
I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself
posted by caddis at 3:16 PM on May 5, 2007

I think it's kind of cool that they are playing Nunavut.
posted by edgeways at 3:24 PM on May 5, 2007

They might wish they had stayed home all the same with this band.

Unlikely, since this is one band that mostly lives up to the hype.
posted by JeffL at 3:31 PM on May 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Mafeking? That's in South Africa.
posted by Flashman at 3:40 PM on May 5, 2007

I think it's kind of cool that they are playing Nunavut

To be honest, I am a 35 y.o. dude from Vancouver, and I have never heard of the White Stripes.

But, I think it says positive things about bands when they do shows in these small towns, or even small venues in large towns.
posted by SSinVan at 4:02 PM on May 5, 2007

I've seen JW with Meg and with the Raconteurs, and JeffL is right. Like the music or not, the fact reamains that he gives you your money's worth in terms of a show and sheer energy on stage.

Even if it's in that wacky Canadian money.
posted by Nabubrush at 4:18 PM on May 5, 2007

I try to hate on Jack White but man, he's a pretty cool dude.

Needed to be said again.
posted by psmealey at 4:22 PM on May 5, 2007

Sure. He is willing to visit all the parts of Canada now that dollar is strong. It's all about the Spirit of Haida Gwaiis.
posted by srboisvert at 4:27 PM on May 5, 2007

I was just watching The Raconteurs on "Austin City Limits" (which was fantastically good), and I thought to myself, if Jack White and Jack Black ever met in real life, would they cancel each other out and disappear in an multi-kiloton explosion of anti-jack?
posted by steef at 4:39 PM on May 5, 2007

Jack Black beat you to that joke, at an awards show.

The Raconteurs were on ACL? Sweet. Is there a Google Video up of it?
posted by roll truck roll at 4:47 PM on May 5, 2007

I try to hate on Jack White but man, he's a pretty cool dude.

Needed to be said again.

One more time. if you like a good rock and roll show, go see them play.
posted by Divine_Wino at 5:16 PM on May 5, 2007

"Get Behind Me Satan" was the first CD I actually bought in maybe 10 years. I downloaded it from dubious sources first, however,I loved it, and then I bought it.

Not too many other albums make me do that.

Love these guys!

and, speaking as a Newf living in Ohio, I sure wish I could see them in St.John's in July!
posted by newfers at 5:24 PM on May 5, 2007

if Jack White and Jack Black ever met in real life, would they cancel each other out and disappear in an multi-kiloton explosion of anti-jack?

No, but Joel Grey would be introducing them.
posted by dw at 6:12 PM on May 5, 2007

This is twelve kinds of awesome. I saw them at the Fillmore in SF and it was indeed a good show. I can only imagine what seeing them in Whitehorse or St. Johns would be like.
posted by the dief at 6:34 PM on May 5, 2007

This ACL page has a clip.
posted by steef at 6:38 PM on May 5, 2007

Ah, nice to see a little red and white on the blue!

"You play Winnipeg, Manitoba. What about the guys who live 200 miles north or whatever? I always think that if I lived in the Northwest Territories or the Yukon, it would be nice if bands came here once in a while."

Very cool guy - nice sentiments behind that. Yes, they are a great band live, to be sure - although both Get Behind Me Satan and the Raconteurs disappointed me. (I guess your favourite WS album sucks). I am looking forward to the tour, though - the shows promoting Get Behind Me Satan were fantastic even if the material was a little iffy in parts. Still, well worth seeing, and looking forward to it.
posted by rmm at 6:38 PM on May 5, 2007

I think the White Stripes are perhaps the best band making new music these days (sorry Bruce). I love the blues, I love rock, and I love Jack White's bluesy rock. He has that great Detroit sound, like the MC5 and the Stooges. Meg, well, she's pretty.
posted by caddis at 6:50 PM on May 5, 2007

and, speaking as a Newf living in Ohio, I sure wish I could see them in St.John's in July!

G'wan b'y, ye'd just end up passed out on George Street pissed to t'gills on ~~Blue Star~~ ~~Black Horse~~ Jockey Club.

/fellow ex-pat, out in Edmonchuk.
posted by hangashore at 7:34 PM on May 5, 2007

All in all, I have to say that this is a pretty awesome thing for the White Stripes to do. Growing up in a (relatively) small northern town I was always disappointed with the fact that I never got the chance to see a big national act locally.

The only time I could ever see a band that I'd actually heard of was when a show I wanted to see coincided with a family vacation. This rarely happened and was even more difficult in the pre-ticketmaster.com days (yes, I hate Ticketmaster as much as anyone, and yes I knew you could always call them up but by the time I'd actually hear about a concert it was probably already sold-out).

Also, the logistics of playing these Yukon and Northwestern-type territories must be pretty interesting as well.
posted by timelord at 9:20 PM on May 5, 2007

I think it's kind of cool that they are playing Nunavut.

Yes, but I think they'll find it kind of cold. Even at this time of year.
posted by Zinger at 10:40 PM on May 5, 2007

The blues, by the master - John Lee Hooker. 1 2

Jack White is probably his bastard son.
posted by caddis at 12:50 AM on May 6, 2007

I got no problem hating on JW and his "sister." Bad, bad music, pretentious attitude, all hype.
posted by spitbull at 3:33 AM on May 6, 2007

Calling Jack White "John Lee Hooker's bastard son" is an insult to bastards everywhere. It's just another white boy trying to sound black, or hillbilly, depending on his mood.
posted by spitbull at 3:34 AM on May 6, 2007

"Bad, bad music"?

So what's good music then?

Never mind, your opinions suck!
posted by newfers at 6:25 AM on May 6, 2007

I got no problem hating on spitbull. Bad, bad comment, pretentious attitude.

One man's meat is another man's murder.
posted by Nabubrush at 7:39 AM on May 6, 2007 [3 favorites]

The White Stripes are awesome. This is yet another reason why. I got my tickets. Haters: STFU.
posted by smorange at 8:24 AM on May 6, 2007

It's just another white boy trying to sound black, or hillbilly, depending on his mood.

Dude, without that there's no rock and roll, period. And even I like the White Stripes.
posted by jonmc at 9:10 AM on May 6, 2007

Oooooh.... look ma! I insulted some people's favorite no-talent pretentious "rock and roll" band.

Rock is dead. Long dead. You can only go to the well when there's still water left.

As for me, I prefer my Loretta Lynn and John Lee Hooker without the pretense, covert racism, minstrelsy, and chopless noodling of the White Stripes.

Fanboys kiss my ass. Toto had more talent. And soul.
posted by spitbull at 4:47 AM on May 7, 2007

WTF is up with all the animosity on the music threads that cropped up over the weekend? You'd think that Jack White and Tori Amos were torturing innocents in Guantánamo Bay.
posted by psmealey at 4:51 AM on May 7, 2007

spitbull hates all music and loves to tell everybody so
posted by caddis at 7:23 AM on May 7, 2007

Interesting that spitbull picked Loretta Lynn to namecheck.

Given that Jack White did so much work on her latest album, I have to assume we're dealing with a troll.
posted by Nabubrush at 12:22 PM on May 7, 2007

I have to assume we're dealing with a troll.

just another white boy trying to sound black, or hillbilly points more to someone who's sincere, but knows shit about music... or rather, knows just enough to embarrass themselves.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:33 PM on May 7, 2007

"Van Lear Rose" got a shout out on Aquarium Drunkard the other day. It sounds pretty good to me.
posted by caddis at 2:08 PM on May 7, 2007

And it gets better: Jack White is related to Ashley MacIsaac. Perhaps the White Stripes should play Craignish.
posted by joeclark at 5:37 AM on May 8, 2007

Maybe they're playing the extended tour of Canada because Jack's related to the fellow with the hardest slap shot in hockey.
posted by Nabubrush at 8:24 AM on May 8, 2007

I would guess that spitbull "namechecked" Loretta Lynn purposefully.

Van Lear Rose made me embarrased for Jack White. It was pitched as hipsters resurrecting an old chestnut and polishing her up for new generations to admire ironically; but in reality, it was all about Loretta Lynn lending Jack White a little sorely needed polish for a few songs.
posted by footnote at 9:30 AM on May 8, 2007

Sorry, I don't mean to be insulting anyone's taste in music, since I'm sure my own leaves much to be desired. Van Lear Rose definitely gave me the creeps, though.
posted by footnote at 10:06 AM on May 8, 2007

But, uh, who are these hipster kids who like Jack White but don't know jack about country history? When Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson can sell out multiple nights at the Fillmore in minutes, it seems that the old timers must be doing just fine.

Drunk alert. I hope that still made sense.
posted by roll truck roll at 12:09 AM on May 9, 2007

Hey Alvy, yeah, just a little, enough to embarass myself . . . as in most of my life lived as a professional musician and music writer. I'm probably the only person on this thread who has actually met Loretta Lynn or published a shelf full of writing on American popular music.

Jack White is still a poseur and a fake.
posted by spitbull at 5:31 AM on May 9, 2007

And being unpolished is, ironically, the new polished. John Lee Hooker and Loretta Lynn (and of freaking course I "namechecked" her on purpose knowing what a letdown Van Lear Rose was, and what an insult all the "Jack White Saves Loretta" press was) didn't try to sound "unpolished." They tried to sound as polished as their context would allow them to. Primitivism is alive and well in what's left of rock and roll.
posted by spitbull at 6:26 AM on May 9, 2007

roll truck, things are fine for Merle and Willie, pretty much. They've been canonized as "not really country." Get back to me when the kids know something about Wanda Jackson or Kitty Wells, both of whom still perform to almost no recognition or acclaim.
posted by spitbull at 6:30 AM on May 9, 2007

Van Lear Rose made me embarrased for Jack White. It was pitched as hipsters resurrecting an old chestnut and polishing her up for new generations to admire ironically; but in reality, it was all about Loretta Lynn lending Jack White a little sorely needed polish for a few songs.

When Van Lear Rose came out, I heard an interview with Loretta talking about how Jack begged to do her album, then he and Meg came down to her house for a chicken dinner where they sealed the deal. Jack, it turned out, played in a lot of country bands and had a lot of knowledge of and respect for her.

And in the studio, she said they did things in only 1-2 takes, which she said was a big change considering how heavily produced her last few albums had been.

Call him a poseur and a fake all you want, but he knew when to get the hell out of the way. I've heard too many "career revivial" albums that are 100% celebrations of the "now sound" and the producer's ability (I think I just described every Timbaland-produced album ever made). Van Lear Rose is Loretta's album, and Jack's just riding the coattails.

roll truck, things are fine for Merle and Willie, pretty much. They've been canonized as "not really country."

Oh please. Willie, Waylon, and Merle were outlaws once, but that whole sound became country. Toby Keith and Gretchen Wilson are just outlaws with that new Nashville polish.

Get back to me when the kids know something about Wanda Jackson or Kitty Wells, both of whom still perform to almost no recognition or acclaim.

Kitty Wells is over 80 now and basically retired from singing. As for Wanda Jackson, Bloodshot put out a tribute album a few years ago, with such nobodies as Neko Case, Jesse Sykes, and Robbie Fulks on it. And there's also this Wikipedia blurb:

In 1995, Jackson was invited by alt-country singer Rosie Flores to duet with her on an upcoming album. The two were so pleased with the results that Jackson joined Flores on a handful of promotional club dates which were soon extended into a five-week North American tour. Jackson, pleasantly surprised to discover that she and her songs were known by a generation of rockabilly fans her grandchildren's age, soon assembled her own band and returned to clubs and festivals, where she continues to perform.

In recent years Jackson has recorded with such artists as The Cramps, Lee Rocker, Dave Alvin, and Elvis Costello. 2006 saw the release of a new Jackson album, I Remember Elvis. Jackson also made a guest appearance on her longtime friend Norma Jean's 2005 album singing a duet with Norma and soloing on a biographical song she had written about her, "Pretty Miss Norma Jean".

So, yeah, maybe she didn't get the Jack White treatment, but she's got a nice little cult following in the alt-country and rockabilly world and has had some crossover success.

No, call me when Jessi Coulter gets rediscovered by Neko Case.
posted by dw at 7:38 AM on May 9, 2007

I'm probably the only person on this thread who has actually met Loretta Lynn

Wow, you're as cool and real as my great-uncle and aunt who keep going to Branson for their holidays. Didja take the bus tour and see Minnie Pearl's house too? Coooooool.

Kidding aside, statements like "Jack White is still a poseur and a fake." undermine your point, regardless of whatever cred you're packing. If you discount him because of his musicianship, hell, if you just don't like him because his music ain't your cup of tea, fine, that's cool. You don't have to. I don't like Wanda Jackson (How "authentic" is Wanda Jackson, anyhow? Her first big hit was a pop tune, and like Elvis, she often sounded "black".) because her voice gives me a grand mal seizure - I'm not saying she can't sing, and I'm not saying she sucks, it's just her sound doesn't appeal to me.

I've said this before, but what really turns me off of most pop music crit these days are writers who retreat into some sort of imaginary objective of what's "real" when confronted with music they don't like. Again, they don't have to like Musician X or Album Y, and it's not a sin to dislike something just because you don't like how it sounds. Escaping into some metaphysical, Manichean wank session of The Real (Btw, I'm surprised you didn't comment more in this awesome FPP discussion on pop music "Authenticity".) is so tired and transparent.

It's as though music writers, thinking the hoi polloi such idiots as to not realize that critic's opinions, however well-informed, are just as subjective as their own, lamely try to justify themselves by applying some bullshit metric of authenticity so as not to diminish their "authority".

"Authenticity" is the last refuge of a critic who's scared of losing whatever cultural status is afforded by their position, even if it exists solely in their own mind.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:57 AM on May 9, 2007

Sorry, I don't mean to be insulting anyone's taste in music, since I'm sure my own leaves much to be desired. Van Lear Rose definitely gave me the creeps, though.
posted by footnote

Fair enough.

Hey Alvy, yeah, just a little, enough to embarass myself . . . as in most of my life lived as a professional musician and music writer. I'm probably the only person on this thread who has actually met Loretta Lynn or published a shelf full of writing on American popular music.

Jack White is still a poseur and a fake.
posted by spitbull

Oh how I wish I was as cool as you. Wait, you're a professional musician? I'm just going to assume you're a poseur and a fake too.

I'm pretty sure that when it comes to real music and mature musicians, they probably usually feel the important thing is that the listener enjoy their music. Well, other than John Zorn.

Are you sure you should be giving this lofty criticism away? You might get another book for your shelf out of this. When you get a chance, can you get me your email address so you can tell me which other bands I enjoy are shitty (in a purely objective sense) - I desperately wish to be cooler. Tell me I don't have to give up my Aerosmith or Wham!
posted by Nabubrush at 1:27 PM on May 9, 2007

Stop me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the country/not-really-country dichotomy could more correctly be described as Nashville-country/West-Coast-country. Rock bands like Cake and The White Stripes are clearly tapping into the Bakersfield Sound tradition, so it's not surprising that their fans would also dig Merle and Willie and Buck and Red.

Not that smooth country isn't represented in hipster music either. Laura Cantrell is about as Nashville as you can get, complete with songs about Kitty Wells and Molly O'Day.
posted by roll truck roll at 2:53 PM on May 9, 2007

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White Stripes’ Canadian tour to cover every province and territory May 5, 2007 1:48 PM Subscribe

White Stripes’ Canadian tour to cover every province and territory
May 5, 2007 1:48 PM Subscribe