So with the White Stripes still as popular as ever, albeit without a hugely successful single since Seven Nation Army, the tour to support their latest album Get Behind Me Satan was always going to be a big event.
The first thing that struck me was the range in variety of fans, from kids with their parents through to middle-aged men doing crosswords in the foyer of the Apollo. Although it does highlight how wide an appeal can go when you put rock back-to-basics, with those kids wanting to 'play guitar like Jack' to those cross-word fans who yearn for more of the rock of old.
The set was classic Stripes, red, white and black, with even the roadies dressed to the nines in black suits and top hats. So with no introduction Jack and Meg stroll out onto the stage and lash straight into Blue Orchid, of which the first half was some what inaudible as we all adjusted to the volume. With microphones strategically placed around the stage, Jack could stroll around stage and continue the lyrics from wherever he pleased, but often ended up next to Meg, willing on the drums to grow louder.
Jack managed a cockney styled "Hello, hello, hello" before getting back to business and perfectly linking tracks, as well as effortlessly switching between guitar and piano, something the latest album requires due to its stronger piano influence.
They carried on with most of the new album, as well as dropping in some classics, not least Hotel Yorba and Seven Nation Army coupled with some awesome strobe lighting. Meg pulled in the biggest applause of the set when she stepped up to the microphone for In The Cold, Cold Night, before returning to her safehold behind the red and white drum set.
A nice touch at the end was the distribution of blank CD-Rs with artwork relevant to the night, with the instructions to go and download and burn Denial Twist, recorded that night, so we'd have our own live version of their next single. A very cool touch, they can come play again.
8/10