In the summer of 2007, shortly after the release of their sixth album Icky Thump, The White Stripes headed north of their hometown of Detroit to embark on an ambitious journey across Canada. The plan was to play a show in every province and territory in Canada, from B.C. to Newfoundland to Nunavut.
“Having never done a tour of Canada, Meg and I thought it was high time to go whole hog... from the ocean to the permafrost” says Jack White.
The band called upon filmmaker Emmett Malloy to come and document this trek. Equipped with a couple of 16mm cameras, Malloy, the band and crew all headed north and hit the road. The end result is the documentary film Under Great White Northern Lights and the band’s first-ever official live album.
What Northern Lights does best, is document one of the biggest bands in the world, playing to local crowds in small towns. Some of these towns were so small that many of the locals had no idea who The White Stripes were - they just knew something big was going on in their town. This forced a band that had been together for a decade to go back to a place reminiscent of the early shows they played together when they had to make a first impression with their music. The tour culminated with a 10th anniversary show at the legendary Savoy Theater in Nova Scotia, a gig that turned out to be the longest show the band had ever played on stage together.
The live album continues that celebration and is a perfect companion piece to the film, featuring 16 songs recorded at various venues throughout Canada. The collection captures all the intensity and spontaneity that The White Stripes have become known for and offers a fantastic reflection of the band’s ever-evolving career.
Under Great White Northern Lights will be available on-demand March 8 through March 21, 2010.
The album will be released on Tuesday, March 16.
Official artist website: www.whitestripes.com
Tracks
1. Let's Shake Hands
2. Black Math
3. Little Ghost
4. Blue Orchid
5. Union Forever
6. Ball & Biscuit
7. Icky Thump
8. I'm Slowly Turning Into You
9. Jolene
10. 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues
11. We Are Going To Be Friends
12. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
13. Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
14. Fell In Love With A Girl
15. When I Hear My Name
16. Seven Nation Army