My Monday culminated into the Jack White concert.
To say that I was psyched about seeing him would have been an understatement.
We arrived at the Columbus Lifestyles Pavilion (http://lifestylecommunities.com/lcpavilion/) quite early, as we had no idea where it was or how it operated. We were able to park close by and joined the long line of people waiting to get in.
As we waited, we were lined up in front of the gate that lead into the parking lot for the artist’s buses, trucks, etc.
At one point, they began to have the line separate to allow the gate to open. Soon after, not 10 feet in front of me, we saw Jack White arrive via an SUV! I suppose that will be as close as I ever get to him, until he marries me, of course.
The Lifestyles Pavilion is like a really small Riverbend, without any visual obstructions of the stage. It’s really nice, I was impressed.
We stood in the t-shirt line for about 45 minutes. Generally I never buy t-shirts at concerts because they are so ridiculously expensive, $40 is way too much to pay for a t-shirt. But, for Jack, I was totally prepared to pay it.
But, Jack, being the wonderful and gregarious artist that he is, sells his t-shirts for $25! So with the $40 I had budgeted, I was also able to buy a Third Man Records tote bag!
J bought a t-shirt too; we each had a Guinness, then found our way to the lawn and staked out a really great spot.
At the beginning of the show, we were standing next to a couple that we were also next to in the t-shirt line, they seemed cool and we chatted them up.
The opening act was a duo called Shovels and Rope, they were a man and woman only, they played acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keys, drums, maraca, tambourine, etc… switching back and forth. They were really entertaining and unusual. I was really digging on them; they really seem like someone that would tour with Jack. However, it doesn’t look like they are on his label.
He has varied artists on his label, but the one that I don’t understand at all is Insane Clown Posse, I mean, what the actual fuck? http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1670126/insane-clown-posse-jack-white-lech-mich-im-arsch.jhtml
I haven’t heard the “Lick My Arse” song, but I fully intend to listen to it… I think ICP are a couple of talentless fucktards, but if Jack sees something, who am I to say that they have no relevance? Jack is the musical genius, and he appreciates some shock factor… I will let you know what I think, when I get the time to take it all in.
So… after the opening act, it was announced to the crowd that Jack preferred that people not take video or photograph during the show. They had a professional photographer there that would take photos during the show and post them on his website for free download. That was pretty cool I thought. I wanted absorb every second of the concert, through my own eyes, not through the screen of my iPhone.
Once Jack took the stage, the entire crowd just lost their shit, me included!
Back to the couple that was standing near us. The girl had a cigarette in her hand during the entire concert. I don’t care about smoking, it doesn’t bother me, hell sometimes I smoke when I drink.
BUT…… she kept waving her arms around like a seizing scarecrow… that alone doesn’t bother me either.
The cigarette kept getting closer and closer to my head every time she raised the roof… so during most of the concert, I had to keep one eye on her cigarette hand and I especially got nervous when she accidentally launched one forward on to the sidewalk… I could just imagine my hair bursting into flames and it didn’t please me.
So I used my best defensive concert dance moves and successfully avoided being lit afire.
The concert was the BEST CONCERT I’ve ever seen, he played favorites, some covers, a little of everything, except Death Letter, which was ok, even though it’s my favorite song.
Jack’s enthusiasm on stage is so contagious… I love it when musicians obviously love what they’re doing and Jack does….
GUITARGASM, what more can I say???
I was not ready for the show to be over… He could have played into the next day and I would have stayed right there, bobbing my head, singing along and dodging potential smoldering projectiles.
But, it ended, like all good things do. I left with the satisfaction that I had just seen my favorite artist, and he totally lived up to my extremely high expectations. He was worth every penny I paid, and more!
