Last week, in the middle of Jack White’s sold-out show at the Brooklyn Paramount, a five-feet-four-inch bass player got onstage. It was his 20-year-old daughter, Scarlett White, grooving along to “Cannon,” from the White Stripes’ self-titled 1999 debut.
She stayed with her dad for two more songs — the White Stripes’ cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s “John the Revelator” and “Black Math,” from the garage rock duo’s 2003 classic Elephant — with White posting a video afterwards like a proud father.
Scarlett’s surprise appearance is just one of the many highlights of White’s current tour, which kicked off in North America on July 10 and extends through the fall. It’s one of the best rock shows of the year, and he’s proving that at 51, he’s just getting started. Here are seven reasons why you should see him right now.
He’s Got a Killer New Album Out
White has had a career resurgence in the last couple of years, hanging out with famous fans like Olivia Rodrigo (who performed at the White Stripes’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction last fall) and Geese frontman Cameron Winter, plus giving a standout performance earlier this spring on Saturday Night Live (the host, fittingly, was Jack Black).
In 2024, he released the excellent No Name without warning or track titles, and he followed that up last week with the equally kick-ass Frozen Charlotte. His set list these days usually contains highlights from both records, from “That’s How I’m Feeling” to “Derecho Demonico.” And if that wasn’t enough, a silver Frozen Charlotte dancer usually interrupts the set until White kicks him off, giving the audience a moment of light comedy.
Some Tickets Are Just $20 For Students
Just like he did last year, White is selling a limited number of tickets to students for just $20. These are available at all of his North American headlining shows, only to be purchased in-person at the venue on the day of the gig — first come, first serve, in the name of rock.
It’s Phone-Free
Like Phoebe Bridgers’ recent shows and upcoming Lost Tour, as well as past shows by Bob Dylan, Madonna, and comedians like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock, White’s 2026 tour is phone-free. That means that in order to attend, your device needs to be secured in a Yondr pouch, only to be unlocked upon exiting the venue. It might be annoying to not be able to check the time or send some texts out, but it makes for a much more enjoyable concert experience, where you can physically see the stage without a bunch of other people’s blaring screens in your face.
He’s Passionate About His Support Acts
White puts a lot of thought into his shows, from his backing band (drummer Patrick Keeler, keyboardist Bobby Emmett, and Dominic Davis on bass) to his opening acts, posting photos with each group afterwards to thank them. New York rock band the Bobby Lees, for instance, played thrilling sets prior to White’s shows in Washington D.C. and Brooklyn.
He also goes out of his way to support smaller groups like Twin Temple, the L.A. duo who were recently nixed from Charley Crockett’s tour due to their Satanic imagery. As White wrote on Instagram with a playful White Stripes pun, “Twin Temple, Would you like to open my show in L.A. on September 29th at the Hollywood Palladium? Let me know. Get in front of me Satan!” In an interview with Rolling Stone, Twin Temple told us they’re trying to make that happen. “I’ve been a White Stripes fan since I was a kid,” said vocalist Alexandra James. “‘Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground’ was the first song I learned on guitar. But we do have this date and we have to honor our commitment there. So, we’re trying to work it out.”
His Set List Changes Every Night
White’s sets are anything but predictable. He throws curveballs — take his cover of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” in Toronto on Tuesday, only his second time playing the Sixties classic since 2012 — and takes unexpected turns through his wide-ranging catalog. He dips his toes into the music he’s made with the Raconteurs (“Steady As She Goes”) and the Dead Weather (“I Cut Like a Buffalo”). He also digs deep into his solo career, like during his second night in Brooklyn, when he played a semi-rare “Missing Pieces,” the opener of his dynamite 2012 solo debut, Blunderbuss. No set is the same, so you never know what you’re going to get.
He’s Not Above Playing White Stripes Songs
White isn’t one of those veteran artists who shies away from playing his most beloved songs, even though the band in question has been defunct since 2011. He regularly pleases the crowd by sprinkling in White Stripes gems like “Fell in Love With a Girl,” “Hotel Yorba,” and a lengthy “Ball and Biscuit,” reminding everyone why he’s one of the greats. He also pulls a Dylan by changing up the arrangement of some of those Stripes songs, giving them new life while keeping us on our toes.
….And That Includes the Most Popular One
White closes every set with “Seven Nation Army,” and you can feel palpable joy as the crowd sings along to the early-aughts anthem that’s now chanted at sporting events across the world. And he looks like he’s actually enjoying himself, despite having played this song hundreds of times, making the sweat drip out of every pore. He’s having fun up there, and so will you. See this show while you can.
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