I was there last night. Great concert! I forgot how well Jack can play the gee-tar. And Meg's drumming was on point, and loud as hell! They supplied the hits too. But What was with the crowd throwing shit across the arena?

my favorite white stripes show yet.

Great Great Show. I think they stepped it up a bit b/c it was the Garden. I have seen the White Stripes play at various smaller venues over the years and thought they were great but this one was something special. I wouldn't have thought this prior to the show. They almost made MSG feel small! Jack seemed very happy and cracked a few jokes. He also made a couple of comments in regards to playing MSG including "we never played this bar before". I think they were so satisfied last night as if they finally made it.

Grinderman is sick! Very Very impressed. I'm downloading all of their songs immediately.

Well personally I'm flabbergasted. That was my fourth time seeing them and by far the best. Maybe even in the top three shows I have ever seen in my life.

WOW, it's as if you and I saw a completely different show. I went with my brother and we both thought the Stripes put on one of the best shows either of us had ever seen (we saw the Raconteurs at Roseland a year-or-so ago and thought they were good, but by-the-numbers; we saw the Arctic Monkeys at Hammerstein a few months ago and thought they rocked, but not like this).

I do agree that Grinderman was awesome. My brother hated them, though. So we fairly represented the crowd split you mention.

Applesaucer

I gotta agree with these people J, I thought they brought it last night. I was down pretty far in front but it seemed like people were freaking out. It's hard to believe that just two people can bring such noise to MSG. Then again, Thom Yorke's solo 'True Love Waits' at the Garden 4 years ago filled the room, that was chilling. Not my best Stripes show (Irving and Glace Bay were certainly very special) but still a very rockin one.

And Grinderman rocked! Fucking love Nick Cave. Made want to see 'em in a club really badly. Kick those mice and baboons out!

also, i think you meant jimmy the exploder.
though a depeche mode cover would have been awesome....

hey j, maybe it was the difference between your seat, which was at the other end of the arena, and mine, which was to the right of the stage. i could imagine sitting at that end would make one feel a little far removed. i felt so energized by the stripes' set and loved seeing the people go nuts in the pit (which i was relieved not to be a part of, for once). i sat right behind the guys from the YYYs, and Nick Cave for a while too, so that added to the excitement.

I guess it fair to say that I completely disagree with your review of the show. I thought it was sick and that was the 4th time I have seen them in the last 4 years.

Oh man, I have a lot to say. First, I agree- I have seen the White Stripes in smaller venues and their sound is much better suited for smaller venues- even smaller "big" venues like Roseland. I hate MSG. I really hate it there--aggressive, corporate, sports oriented "entertainment". Fine for what THAT is, but I would have rather seen this setup at The Beacon Theatre or Carnegie. I was at the Roseland show for the Stripes' Elephant tour, and that sounded fucking amazing. I was hugely impressed with Porter Wagoner & Marty Stuart's band. I have never seen either of them live and we were in the presence of Country music royalty. Nobody even knew.

During the Grinderman set, I was standing up, totally giving mucho love to Nick Cave, Warren Ellis & band because I am a *HUGE* fan of The Bad Seeds and The Dirty Three. I love how Cave keeps taking risks by letting himself grow into other sounds & projects. Grinderman were amazing and totally free. Blowing away any expectation from a typical mainstream American audience. The assholes behind me kept booing them after each song but they just have NO IDEA. No idea the cohesion of last night's lineup on a purely renegade outsider American music level. You had kings of Nashville up there - Porter Wagoner & Marty Stuart. Not pop Nashville, but a darker Nashville. Makes sense because Jack White lives there now. Nick Cave is hugely influenced by American traditional songs, blues songs & country songs.

I wish Jack White would have goven more props to Wagoner & Cave. He is in a position because of his popularity, to influence and educate people who didn't know what they just saw. At least say, "give it up for Nick Cave" or something- he did say that "Porter Wagoner is the best dressed man in country music" but that's fashion shit. I mean, Dollly Parton wrote "Jolene" while working with Wagoner! At least acknowledge that!

Even the security guard kept yelling at me to SIT DOWN!! The people behind you can't SEE!" during Grinderman's set. He told me that 3 times but I'd always reply with "well what are you gonna do when The White Stripes come on and everyone is standing up? huh?" And he would threaten to throw me out if I didn't sit down. I did sit , but would stand right back up after he left. He even yelled at another lady standing & dancing at her seat..what???
Of course, he walzed on by a bunch of times during the Stripes' set and said nothing because everyone was standing up.

Seriously disagree on the quality of the sound in the venue. The particularly unique sound of the White Stripes was captured really quite vividly. I recorded the show and I've posted it on my site. Hear it for yourself.

You're out of your mind Jason. I was on the floor middle-middle and the sound was perfect. Shockingly so. Nobody talking in my section.

Fantastic show and I disagree completely with you this time Jason. IT was the best of the times I've seen them and, as much as I was annoyed that they decided to play there, they've won me over as a stadium band. The sound where I was (up in the 200s !!) was incredibly loud for the garden (insufficient volume was my complaint about the Stones, the last MSG show I saw), and as crisp and clear as Jack wanted it to be... Amazing energetic performance, well paced.

I usually avoid the Garden, and I wondered how the WS would do there. I was absolutely amazed that these two people, with that simple mono-color stage, could own the place the way they did... no gimmicks, no close up video... just them and it was, just wow. Everyone around me stood for the entire show and there was no talking around me at all.

So, Jason...I feel like we were at different shows. I only went to this show begrudgingly because I hate the garden in most cases but this was just fantastic.

Netx... Lolla!!

PS Nick Cave bored the poop out of me...great voice but the sound was...slow..torturously grinding audio sludge. I couldn't remember when one song ended and the next began. It all sounded the same... THAT is when people were talking....

Sometimes the worst sound at MSG is on the floor even if you are near the soundboard. I though the sound was superb and I tend to very picky. Easily my favorite Sripes show. Also I just don't see how you can compare Irving Plaza or any other small venue to MSG. I get the impression that a lot of folks just do not understand how special it is to see a band you love step up to the big stage and pull it off. Also Grinderman and Porter Wagoner were great choices for openers and neither dissapointed. Great show!

The fact that you could even sit through a Coldplay concert renders your opinion useless!

I saw them in Thunder Bay a few weeks ago. They did a cover of Bob Dylan's "From a Buick 6". Does anyone know if they have ever covered that before?

This is first time in my life when I don’t know what to say. After reading all comments I’m shocked. What has happened with our society, with our young generation? They are commenting terrible information, their lexis sounds terrible. Is that true, that only words they know is “cool”, “cute” and cussing words? What are they thinking of? It’s better not to think about it, it’s too sad

Hm... all in all I'm agree with you, but your readership... what are they gonna say about it?