Over the past ten years much has changed in the music scene. Garage came in and then went out, music goers started dancing and stopped shoe gazing, Vinyl came back in a big way and large scale chains like Tower Records closed their doors because people stopped buying CDs and and started downloading. The bands of the decade ushered in a return to guitars and simple hooks like The Strokes and The White Stripes. Sadly these and other popular rock acts that defined the decade had little to no longevity and either blew their load with one great recording or disbanded altogether. Really, there are few groups from the beginning of the decade that are still together and making recordings. In our opinion the '00s may be remembered as a time when bands came in and out of vogue as quickly as Bush went to war. more ›

It's been almost three years since The White Stripes embarked on their against-the-grain tour of Canada. Having never toured the country before, Jack and Meg attacked the idea with creativity and vigor, setting out to do things that no other band on their scale had done before. In addition to playing typical large venues, the duo hit every province, towns large and small, locations quirky and unpredictable. Canucks everywhere frantically scrambled to the town square or the local YMCA after receiving tips that The White Stripes would be playing a gig. They played bowling alleys, pool halls, and even boats. Performances were unrehearsed, chaotic, and free of charge, and all from one of the biggest bands in the world. Fortunately, for those who missed out on one of the most unique and meaningful tours in a very long time, director Emmet Malloy captured it all for your viewing pleasure. more ›

The last thing on our mind this morning was spending money, but then we started perusing what goes on sale this weekend and we’ve spent our whole damn paycheck! Meg and Jack White want us to believe many things about them - that they are brother and sister, that Jack will never be quoted accurately because he’s famous, or that they are unbelievable musicians who literally march to the beat of their own drummer. Whether... more ›

Jack White’s entire week was ruined by one fan with a bit of influence and a lot of airtime. DJ Electra, who handles afternoons on Chicago alterna-giant Q101, was fortunate enough to stumble across a full version of the White Stripes’ forthcoming and very much anticipated Icky Thump album. She did what any self-respecting superfan with a listenership of several hundred thousand rock fans would do – she put that shit on the air. While... more ›

Back in August, Chicagoist ran a contest to give away tickets to an upcoming Brendan Benson show at Metro. Unfortunately, the show was postponed as was the contest. But time has been good to Benson and to Chicagoist readers as we've got even more prizes to give away. more ›

Chicagoist headed to the historic Auditorium Theatre to see the first of three shows by the White Stripes Monday evening. The stage was set in the requisite red, white, and black that the band has branded themselves in with painted white palm trees and a red and black backdrop of palm trees. The stage was full of all the goodies that Jack and Meg need to create their staccato and sustain sounds, from extra... more ›

Often assailed as a huge megaplex with no soul, the AMC River East does have the occasional free screening that makes it worth braving the crowds who are all amped up to see National Treasure. Tomorrow night they’ll be showing The White Stripes – Under Blackpool Lights, which was released this week on DVD. Documenting a January 2004 show at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool England, the Detroit duo pulls out their own “hits”... more ›