The White Stripes - Under Blackpool Lights (DVD)

By the time The White Stripes played at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom, they were flying. Their most recent album of the time, Elephant, had taken their underground garage-rock blues to the mainstream and their most famous song Seven Nation Army was soon to become "rock song of 2004". This film was made over the penultimate two dates of their UK tour, which were both at Blackpool on the 27th and 28th of January, 2004.

And so, ...
...of Jack and Meg on the Blackpool promenade. The first thing you will notice is the quality of the footage. In true retro style, the film is shot using only 16mm film on Super 8 cameras. And once the concert begins, you begin to see why, as the vintage filming just adds to the atmosphere and experience. Having given up on the idea of setlists long ago, Jack and Meg White rely on instinct when choosing what song to play next, and they seem to choose ... more

By the time The White Stripes played at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom, they were flying. Their most recent album of the time, Elephant, had taken their underground garage-rock blues to the mainstream and their most famous song Seven Nation Army was soon to become "rock song of 2004". This film was made over the penultimate two dates of their UK tour, which were both at Blackpool on the 27th and 28th of January, 2004.

And so, the DVD starts to play and we're shown a few clips of Jack and Meg on the Blackpool promenade. The first thing you will notice is the quality of the footage. In true retro style, the film is shot using only 16mm film on Super 8 cameras. And once the concert begins, you begin to see why, as the vintage filming just adds to the atmosphere and experience. Having given up on the idea of setlists long ago, Jack and Meg White rely on instinct when choosing what song to play next, and they seem to choose correctly, as the crowd bounce up and down gleefully from beginning to end. Not only this, but they play at breakneck speed, which allows them to race through 26 songs by the end of their performance.

The White Stripes play songs from all of their released albums of the time: (self-titled debut) The White Stripes, De Stijl, White Blood Cells and Elephant. There are also some of their most famous covers, including Jolene (by Dolly Parton) and Outlaw Blues (by Bob Dylan). The set is varied and occasionally Jack White addresses his audience. Of the songs they played over the two nights, Black Math, Hello Operator and Seven Nation Army stand out.

I was unlucky in that I didn't get to see The White Stripes when they toured the UK, and this DVD makes me feel even more unlucky. Every member of the crowd seemed to be having an unforgettable night. As I have mentioned, the film is shot over two nights in Blackpool, and there is a cryptic element left by Jack White hidden in the footage. The more observant of viewers will notice that Jack White has writing on his arm which sometimes reads "Obnoxious" or "Noxious" depending on which night the footage comes from.

The DVD package itself is nicely presented: there is an outside sleeve and a little inset booklet. The booklet contains information on all the songs they played over the two nights and a message from a long time friend of the band, which is humorous and well written. There are also some interesting pieces of artwork on the package both inside and out.

When buying a DVD, most will expect tonnes of special features, interviews, backstage films and documentaries and they will complain that there's no point in a DVD if none of these are present. Such is the simplicity of The White Stripes however, that the only options from the menu screen are "Audio", "Play Concert" and "Songs". Already I can hear people moaning at their lack of special features. Those who do so completely miss the point. The reason the world has come to love The White Stripes is that the way they put such simple arrangements in a two-man band to great effect. Having special features on this DVD would be like having five members in The White Stripes.

For any fan of The White Stripes who has not had a chance to see them live, this is the next best deal. The way the film is shot with Super 8 cameras and edited makes it both intriguing and exciting. However if you are only enticed by DVD's with two hours of extra footage of the band picking their noses backstage, this DVD is not for you. 

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