First Aid Kit are an unlikely support act for one of the world’s most renowned artists. The Swedish three-piece offer a hymnal style which sees a guitar, keyboard, drums and powerful vocals combine to produce an atmospheric sound. Fleet Foxes fans, First Aid Kit are likely to be your new favourite band.
They more than managed to keep a fairly packed Brixton Academy entertained; Jack White picked his support very well. Their set saw some incredible renditions of ‘The Lion’s Roar’ and ‘Wolf’. For me their live performance of ‘I Met Up With the King’ and ‘In the Hearts Of Men’ were the highlights – an absolutely incredible and intense experience which ended with the keyboardist playing her keyboard with her head. Finishing on ‘The Lion’s Roar’ they left the stage with many new fans – leaving only one thing left, Jack White.
The Brixton Academy, now very much ‘packed’, was filled with everyone from bikers equipped with leather jackets to indie kids in sunglasses and skinny jeans. Seeing two people like this talking about their love for all things Jack White really pressed home the point that through his work in The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather and writing a James Bond theme, Jack White is a rare talent indeed.
Kicking off his set with a chaotic ‘Black Math’, Mr. White kept the audience on their toes – dipping into all parts of his back catalogue – while ensuring his solo album Blunderbuss got its fair share of playing time as well. Some gems from the album included current single ‘Sixteen Saltines’ as well as ‘Missing Pieces’ and ‘Freedom at 21’, the next single. His songs from The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather also went down well with the crowd – and throughout all of the songs White was on hand to play a stunning guitar solo when he fancied. Without doubt however, his strongest songs came from the band that made Jack White one of the greatest guitarists of this generation. ‘Black Math’, ‘Hotel Yorba’, We’re Going To Be Friends’ and a breathtaking version of ‘The Hardest Button To Button’ were the songs the crowd reacted to with sheer joy. Finishing on ‘Take Me With You When You Go’, he left the stage after one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen, and being part of a crowd who were exhausted but also wowed at the brilliance of Jack White.
