Phone Free show | theblocrock

Jack against technology

After a free and intimate show, Jack went to London again to play 3 dates at a big venue. It was time to give a big performance and we were there, ready for it. And I can tell you, he was ready too.

In March, Jack released his 3rd solo album. This one is really different and far away from anything else that he has ever done. It's more experimental, Jack tries things, he plays not only blues but funk too and the guitar is not the lead instruments. Jack tries to amaze us and he really succeeded. He even banned phones from his shows.

We will talk a little about the concert, but this approach to gigs in the 21st century really means something. That night in Hammersmith, London, Jack played in a big and well decorated venue. The place is old but at the same time we feel very comfortable. The place is reminiscent of the Overlook Hotel, a famous place where Jack Torrance lost his sanity and put his family in grave danger.

The stage was really surprising by itself. Another stage on the stage with stairs in circled shape. The guitars and microphones were on the "first" stage while the two drum sets and the keyboards were on the "second" stage, on top.

The show started with a big jam, time given for you to discover the new line-up (because White changes it in every album). So you have Neal Evans and Quincy McCrary on the keyboards, Dominic Davis on the bass guitar and Carla Azar on the drums. And then came Jack all in black with a mariniere top a la Francaise. Playing on the first stage, Jack was seen by the crowd and by the band playing behind him, like a preacher, standing in the middle and spreading the good word. The two-hour show was a mix between Jack's songs and those of the White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather songs. He played his new album almost entirely, with a remarkable performance on "Everything you've ever learned". On this one Jack went behind the second set of drums and he played like a beast, singing at the same time, with Carla Azar. The result was very powerful and tribal, exactly the same effect as when they played the b-side "Battle Cry". They then played very famous songs such as "Ball and Biscuit", "Steady As She Goes" or "Cut Like a Buffalo".

They ended the show with "Seven Nation Army". This song, the most famous song ever written by White, concludes almost every one of his gigs.

But the real novelty was the 'phone free show'. White started to think about the idea four years ago. At this time, he started asking people to leave their phones in their bags and to watch the show without distractions. Now it's another step. Jack always said he was a bit unhappy with the new technology. For him all of that makes people less creative and a bit lazy. So he decided to give only phone-free shows from now. It was very big news in the music world. Through this, he wanted to re-create a very positive attitude at gigs. He wanted to play in front of people and not in front of an ocean of phones. And the result was pretty amazing. People were here to actually see a Jack White concert, not to take a picture or a video of this concert.

To make the dream a reality, all the phones were sealed at the entrance in small pouches provided by the American company Yondr. The pouches were kept by the owners of the phones. Once sealed, the only way to unlock the pouches was to wait until the end and to return the pouches at the exits where stewards were waiting for you.

I can already hear people saying it's not such a good thing, "Who is he to ban phones?" and "I want to take at least one picture, to have a souvenir". And I would answer them by saying that there is no better souvenir than the memories you can have in your mind. By participating at this old-fashioned show, you are fully present and you will never forget, believe me. And if you really want pictures, there are officials photos uploaded just after every show here, for free.

And if the idea was incredible for some people, it was the best thing that had happened to the music industry for a long time. The Usher Hall in Edinburgh wants to host regular phone-free concerts in the future. One of the biggest venues in Scotland received Jack White in October and it was the first time they had experimented with going phone free. And the show took place without any problems and was warmly received by the audience. Some of them even came to the venue without their phones ! Ticketholders were told : " We think you will enjoy looking up from your gadgets for a little while [...]. Repost our photos and videos as much as you want and enjoy a phone-free, 100 percent human experience."

General manager Karl Chapman said : "For a lot of people mobile phones are quite annoying and if you’re using a phone you’re not actually watching the show. It must get pretty annoying for artists [...] It’s the first time we’ve had anything like this with a pop or rock artist. It all went surprisingly well here. We were quite apprehensive about it. It’s a complete social norm to use your phone at a gig. The feedback was very positive. Quite a few people said it was like rolling the clock black 20 years."

For Jack White it was more than an idea. For him it is just normal to keep your phone in your pocket while enjoying a show. "I go to movies and everyone turns their phone off. You go to the symphony, there’s no phones. Church, no phones. There’s all these places where it’s already happening." So why not at gigs ?

In France, the concept doesn't exist, yet. The humorist and actress Florence Foresti wants to start doing shows without phones. She wants people to keep their phones in the Yondr pouches. Some of the French newspaper are talking about a 'war' against phones. I would say it's a revolution, and once again, Jack White is the pioneer.