JACK WHITE at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Wednesday, October 3. Rating: NNNN
After spending over a decade working with the musical limitations of being in a duo, Jack White now has a wealth of musicians to bring his visions to life. With two touring bands (the male Buzzards and the female Peacocks, who played with him Wednesday night), White builds his setlist from old and new material, but even songs as familiar as Seven Nation Army are given new sparkle.
Dressed in black suit and white t-shirt, White is the central figure on a stage surrounded by incredible musicians wearing demure white or pale blue dresses. Although he didn’t speak often, he did cryptically mention that when he was younger, he spent many nights in Mississauga. Most of the evening, however, was spent with White and company tearing through song after song.
While every Peacock plays with skill and style, backing singer Ruby Amanfu is particularly noteworthy. Her voice brings a layer of velvet to White’s wilder tones, and she makes the tambourine look like the sexiest instrument around.
