Jack White Acoustic in Alaska in 2015 (Full Show)
I’ve seen Jack tear it up in large venues with heavy riffs and signature blistering solos but this clean-cut, freshly brylcreemed version of Jack was clearly equally in his element in this all-acoustic decidedly old-fashioned setting too. He was visibly relaxed as he told stories between songs and flashed big smiles freely throughout the set. The audience at the tiny theater was enthralled and delighted—all present must have felt that the $3 ticket price was the bargain of the century. The whole evening was an inspired throwback to another era that Jack also would have been a star in. The man is real deal.
Jack played a worn acoustic guitar and was joined by fiddler Lillie Mae Rische (I recently saw her with her sisters holding court at their weekly Sunday night gig at Layla’s in Nashville), Fats Kaplin on dobro and Dominic Davis on upright bass. C’mon a dobro player named Fats—is there no amazing detail left out when Jack orchestrates anything? If you’ve ever seen his vinyl pressing plant in Detroit, you’ll know the answer to that is no.
The setlist mixed solo material, White Stripes, an unfinished Hank Williams song that Jack completed for a Bob Dylan-helmed project, and closed with the folk classic Goodnight Irene. Thank you Jack and friends, this coronovirus shelter-at-home nightmare was considerably brighter last night because of this brilliant acoustic set.
Jack White 2nd place YouTube performance is in the gym of his old high school (Cass Tech) in Detroit for a Bernie Sanders rally in October 2019. He closes that short set with a rousing rendition of 7 Nation Army. Both styles of Jack White are definitely alright with me.