With the White Stripes making what I think is a soon-to-be legendary trip across Canada, Best Friend and I headed up north to take in the show in London, Ontario (Population: 348,000). The concert took place at the relatively new John Labatt Centre.

















The Venue: For this show, the JLC was seated in a "hybrid" format. 5,400 showed up. It was General Admission on the floor with no seating. The lower ring seated about halfway around, while the upper ring was curtained off facing the stage, but open on the sides.

The Secret Show: The Secret Show remained a secret to us. But 300 people showed up at a flour mill in Arva, earlier in the afternoon, to see a set played out there.















Unforeseen Rules: The JLC seemed to be paranoid about these rock-and-roll shows. Because they have too many rules. First of all, you need a wristband to drink which certifies that you are old enough. Hey, the House of Blues does that locally, but they have a system that avoids lines, as they tag you on the way in. JLC only had two "Wristband Centers", both located downstairs, for the entire building. Long lines! Also, you cannot take alcohol inside the seating area. WTF? They limit you to one drink per person at a time. So, if you want to grab one now and one for later to avoid lines, you are SOL. They stop serving alcohol when the main act hits the stage. If you go out to smoke, you can't take alcohol outside into the smoking area. I may have had to pee blue in a cup to leave after the show, but I can't remember.

The Tickets: We were in the second-to-last row in the section closest to the stage, in the uppers. Fittingly, behind the handicapped section.















The Sound: We thought this was an issue, especially in the uppers. Despite it being a good show, the sound was too muddied. Afterward, however, everyone else seemed to think it was the greatest show ever. Londoners can't afford to be discriminatory, it seems. When asked about the shows that come to town, apparently Cher opened the building. Metallica was there once. However, the next big act to come to town...The Moody Blues. I think they are now a traveling archaeological exhibit.

The Stage: A rather neat setup, if you could see it. Unfortunately for me, I only saw Meg White from the neck down as her drums were positioned on the left front. Jack White was all over the place with nonstop energy. The stage floor was red and they had red stairs that led up to a riser at the back. Big red backdrop with lights up front, so their shadows were prominently displayed. A mirrored ball was employed at times and strobes were used for the seizure-prone in the audience. There were no video screens. No question, Jack White is positively the most electrifying personality in music right now. He has an ability to mesmerize a room like no one else, because you never know what the hell he is gonna do. And Meg just kills on those drums, too. To get that sound from only two people still stuns me.

















The Music: As usual, you never know what songs you are going to get. First part lasted 45 minutes and another 30 for the encore. Here is the setlist for London:

Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
Icky Thump
Starts I'm Slowly Turning Into You then goes into
Canon
I'm Slowly Turning Into You
Hotel Yorba
I'm Finding It Harder To Be A Gentleman
Astro/Jack the Ripper
Death Letter
Cold Cold Night
Apple Blossom
The Union Forever
A Martyr for my Love For You
The Big Three Killed My Baby
I think I smell a rat (riff)
Little Cream Soda
Astro
I think I smell a rat

Encore

Blue Orchid
Party of Special Things To Do
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)
Hardest Button To Button
Catch Hell Blues
We're Going To Be Friends
Seven Nation Army
Boll Weevil

As you can tell from that list, they may have a new album out, but they certainly weren't plugging it in London.

Meal of Links

I guess Live Earth didn't go over very well. Hey, I heard Phil Collins say "Fuck" during "Invisible Touch" on an XM cut today, which didn't make it to TV. Was that a highlight? Performances are here.

The Top 10 Most Beautiful Social Networks. I do recommend Threadless. Some of my favorite shirts are from there.

Vanity Fair flips for "The Simpsons". I know it's old and some people don't like it anymore, but I still laugh at it.

Exercise Yard

Did you participate in the Home Run Derby Drinking Game? If so, we'll hold your mail for the 28 Days you'll need to recover.

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