It all started Thursday afternoon with a vague announcement in an e-mail from the Dead Weather. It said that they would be playing a free show in Chicago and to stay tuned. “Interrobang?!” I thought. Free show? Stay Tuned?

So began a whirlwind of searching and speculating. As it turns out, the whole thing was sponsored by Verizon to promote their new Kin phone. It’s Verizon and Microsoft’s answer to the iPhone (made by Apple and available exclusively by AT&T…in case you’ve been living in a cave), Early estimates put the show at the House of Blues, but it was in fact held in a garage for Marquardt Trucking Company. Not only was the show free to the first 500 (or so) 21+ entrants, but it was open bar (numbered tabs on the entry wristband limited drinks to four).

The location of the venue was not revealed until 4pm. I got in line around 5:45 and only about a dozen people behind me were also let into the show. It was tense there at the gates for a moment when they said no one else was getting in with just four people in front on my friend and me. Luckily the folks in charge did another little head count and granted us entry.

Of course the first thing just about everyone did was head to the bar for their free booze (and Nacho Cheese Doritos). The show was to start at 8pm, but I suspect that was the time the DJ started spinning. The Dead Weather didn’t take the stage until 9pm nearly on the dot.

What a performance. I’d only purchased the latest album, Sea of Cowards, earlier this week. So I’m simply not as familiar with it as their first effort, Horehound, which has become one of my favorite releases of the past decade. Does everything Jack White touches turn to gold? Time will tell, but I’ve fast become a fan of all the bands he’s kickstarted thus far. However, it is not Jack White, but Alison Mosshart who commands your attention on the stage. One look into her eyes suggests that she could just as easily pull the switch at your execution as she could belt out a rock tune. Lucky for us she chose the latter. Though she does step aside to let Mr. White sing and play guitar from time to time, she’s never far away from the mic.

Jack Lawrence and Dean Fertita do a fantastic job with their parts on bass and guitar respectively, but from my vantage point it was difficult to see when (or if) they switched it up (I could not spot Jack White on stage at all for the first few songs). Jack White left the drum kit to sing and play guitar a few times, and at one point even employed a drum machine to cover for him momentarily. This was a little surprising to me (drum machines carry a negative connotation for some), but it worked and they made the most out of everyone and every instrument on stage.

Sorry, I do not have an accurate setlist, but maybe someone else was keeping better track than I. I do recall that they opened with “60 Feet Tall”, closed the night with “Treat Me Like Your Mother” and between played “Hang You From The Heavens”, “I Cut Like A Buffalo”, “So far From Your Weapon”, “New Pony”, “Will There Be Enough Water?”, and the latest single, “Hustle and Cuss”. There were a handful of other songs from the latest album, but I think I’ve mentioned most of the songs that were played from Horehound.

With only some uncertainty would I say that this show makes the top ten list of best shows I’ve seen. Of course, a lot of that has to with the great story behind it. Thursday morning I had no plans to see the Dead Weather this weekend and now I’m one of a select few that can say they were at this event, even if it was a corporate sponsored hullabaloo. There was the time my friend won tickets to the Pixies and took me along and the time I was underage and “snuck in” to see the Violent Femmes; those shows are in my top ten too, because it’s the whole experience that counts. So last minute secret show with free liquor and amazing musicians? Yeah, that’s up there.

Filed under: General by John