The Bloc-ROCK
Free Entry
On this day, Wednesday 28th March 2018, I woke up early. Earlier than usual. I knew something was coming and first thing, I checked my phone. This is a habit I'd like to avoid but, what can you do, it's the 21st century. On this occasion however, I was going to be really happy to have checked this black mirror. The Master was going to play for free in a London pub.
10 a.m then, I have my clothes, my hat on, and it's time. The George Inn is near London Bridge, and I live in Brixton, so they journey will take 30 minutes. I have plenty of time. So I stop by Borough Market and enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate. No rain on this windy day (actually, it doesn't rain as often as you'd think in London!). Around 12.17 p.m I get into the George Inn. The pub is average sized but the beer garden is huge. You can really feel an atmosphere in this place. It's old. The pub can be traced back to 1542, but it has probably there for longer. Shakespeare was a regular here. Full of stories. And another page of its History is going to be written on this Wednesday.
Indeed, Jack White (no need to introduce him again, for those who don't know him, click here) wrote a message early in the morning on Facebook. He said he was going to perform for FREE at the George Inn. His 3rd solo album Boarding House Reach recently released was going to be performed by Jack himself. Before a world tour Jack gave a few of very intimate concerts but the one on 28th March is something else. It was just an ambience, a feeling from Jumpin' Jack. He loves London and he certainly knows the pub as well. And if you want people talking about you and your new album, it is clearly a very good thing to do. But Jack wasn't in London for nothing. He was going to play at "The Garage" the very same day.
For lucky people (like me) who saw the message on Facebook, we came early to the pub. And it was a good thing. Around 1.30 p.m, the pub closed its doors with a sign saying "Free gig, 3:30 pm, first come, first served". Can you imagine, amazed people walking on the street seeing, Jack White free concert today ! And it was a very exclusive event with only 400 entries.
Around 3.30 p.m, the beer garden wasn't only a place to have a drink outside, but was now table-free with a huge stage to welcome Jack and 3 of his guitars, two keyboards, a drum set, a bass guitar and all the sound and light machines. Even a fog machine. Jack knows that we love him. He is a good artist and a strong businessman. And he loves us back. So he thought about everything for us to have a good time.
A beer was specially brewed
for the occasion, the
Humoresque (by the name of
the last song of his new
record) and we all received a
free beer token
(in collaboration with Camden
Brewery). Even the pub was
a little decorated with some of
White's song lyrics written on
blackboards.
At 5 p.m we were all there.
Even the musicians. We were
all waiting for him and
finally, he came. They
played and they played well. It
was a solid mix between Jack's
new songs and the White Stripes'. It was the perfect occasion to discover the 3 new members. The two keyboarders and the drummer, Carla Azar. Let me tell you, that she is a very good musician, she has a strong presence and she plays hard, she beats the drum with intensity (she reminds me a bit of John Bonham). They played "Over and Over and Over", "Corporation", "Cannon", "Dead Leaves and...", "Fell in Love with a Girl". The energy was incredible. They played like wild animals. No time for nothing. Or maybe just one little thing. At one point Jack made a joke about the Republican's alleged ties to Russia and Donald Trump. It's a good way of reminding us that White has been against Trump since the beginning, he even said : "He [Trump] symbolizes everything that's bad right now, especially in America" (The Scottish Sun). Obviously he received a loud cheer from the crowd. And then they played again "Lazaretto", "Connected by Love" and at one point Jack seemed a bit disappointed.
"They want us to stop right now... I had a feeling if I told you that I would get a negative reaction". The show was as electric as the atmosphere. He got it. "I salute your negative reaction and I agree with your negative reaction." Loud cheers. And they played again with "Ice station Zebra" for example. The finale was awesome.
And with that they left. Don't forget it was a free show, and they had to play again, less than 3 hours later.
Overall we were witness to around 45 minutes of pure rock'n'roll music, rock'n'roll attitude. It was the best way to present his new album. We can only salute the performance and say thank you to the genius of this 21st century, and to the George Inn. The walls of this pub now have another story to tell to the next generations, over and over...
