For quite a while, I haven't take any criticism of Jack White without a fight. After seeing The Raconteurs last night at the House of Blues, I am prepared to be more feisty on the issue. Oh, it was a sellout, and sure, it was cramped and a bit steamy for my taste, but The Raconteurs have become more than a side project and have evolved into a really terrific band. Best Friend, Co-Conspirator and Niece of Best Friend attended the show and it was clearly one of the best I've seen. This was the last show on this leg of the tour and they tore the roof off the sucka.

It's interesting to see Jack White out of his White Stripes persona. He's a tangle of a lot of hair flying around and constant motion and the audience interaction is still minimal. And he's not wearing red and black! Don't get me wrong, he fits into the concept of a band, but he's definitely the straw that stirs this drink. Unlike The White Stripes, we have more than two people on stage. The drum kit is surprisingly sparse, but we also have a bass player involved. Needless to say, to borrow my line about Dave Grohl, you know you're at a rock show when Jack White is involved. Raw guitar playing, incredible energy and loud.

They played all the cuts from their CD, which is only 35 minutes long, but they extended many of the songs and have some really good headbangin' stretches during these long passages. Trust me, I've seen a million of these shows, but this was one of a minute number that you felt that you saw a true genius at the moment he is at the top of his game. I thought that way when I saw the White Stripes last year and Jack White still has it. Very hard to describe, but I was incredibly jazzed after this one.

And without a lot of material, you have to play some covers. One was "Bang Bang", the old Sonny and Cher song. But this was definitely a more psychedelic version. "It Ain't Easy", popularized by Bowie was on the playlist and the encore started with, and you had to see it to believe it, "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley! A great song on it's own, but to hear the first few notes, you're standing there thinking, my God, they are gonna do "Crazy". Jack sang lead on this one, too, and it was a great rendition. Perhaps the best received song of the night.

An absolute monster of a show.

Meal of Links

Michael Hutchence to get the biopic treatment. Maybe there will be a reality show on who gets the starring role.

A bunch of reasons on why we are miserable. Solving the Sudoku not mentioned.

Now I want my BookMooch!

Exercise Yard

The 50 biggest rivalries of the WWF. Many old favorites are mentioned.

Speaking of Wrestling...



A classic from 20 years ago. Jim Cornette stirs up the pot.

Visitor

57 Across: Onetime partner of David Crosby and Graham Nash (13 letters) Answer: Stephen Stills