End Of The Road

     Last week, Detroit rock band The White Stripes, announced they were officially done recording and touring together. The Stripes broke through in 2001 with the release of their third album, White Blood Cells, which included the single "Fell in Love with a Girl." They went on to release six studio albums, including 2007 Icky Thump. We were lucky enough to catch them live twice, most recently at Bonnaroo in 2007, and decided to review Under Great White Northern Lights. Lights is a concert documentary film which follows the band on their first, and last, tour of Canada in the summer of 2007. It first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September of 2009.
     The tour wasn't the usual trip across Canada, where bands play two or three shows at major venues. Instead, the White Stripes play shows at bowling alleys and elementary schools at small towns all over Canada, including the northern territories. They also play free shows, some announced only minutes in advance, in town squares, on public buses, and at a senior center. Virtually all of the hits are performed, as well as deep tracks, such as "We Are Going To Be Friends," and covers, the best of which is Dolly Parton's "Jolean."
     The film includes performance videos plus behind the scenes footage of Jack and Meg. Longtime fans are already familiar with the relationship between the two, who are ex-husband and wife. Meg is quiet, even painfully shy at times. In contrast, Jack is extroverted, forcing conversations with perfect strangers and cracking jokes, often at Meg's expense. It is this dynamic which has fueled speculation about the reasons behind the break-up of the band. Were there tensions between the two that drove Meg to call it quits? The last scene of the film, a behind the scenes performance of "Blue Moon," raises more questions than the film answers.
     For fans of rock docs, Under Great White Northern Lights is an unconventional look at an unconventional band. For fans of the White Stripes, Lights provides a look at the contentious partnership between Jack and Meg, plus some great tunes from a band at the top of their game. Thankfully, the film offers the chance to experience the Stripes live for thousands of fans who will never have the opportunity. The live CD of the same name is highly recommended for all garage rock fans.