I WAS THERE: The Dead Weather Blow Through Most of Their Debut At Bowery Ballroom

Posted on April 15, 2009
Filed Under I Was There, Reviews | 1 Comment

[Photos/Text by Andrew Parks; slideshow available here]

Since the Dead Weather already spent a couple thousand words explaining the how and the why of Jack White’s latest impulse project, here’s what stood out about their live debut at Bowery Ballroom last night:

The secret weapon status of Dean Fertita. While he’s arguably the Dead-Weather-member-no-one-recognizes, Fertita smeared many of the band’s songs in his sinewy smoke ring riffs, warm organ rolls and synth stabs that’d make Justice jealous.
Forget “Hang You From the Heavens”—Horehound’s dirt-caked debut single—for a second. “Treat Me Like Your Mother” is the album’s true standout, a rollicking bar brawl of a song complete with gnarled keys, the trademark cock tease vocals of Alison Mosshart, and a couple climatic passages that’ll make you want to throw whatever’s closest to you out the window. Here’s hoping this one becomes Single No. 2, as pressed in a 500-copy 7-inch run by White’s Third Man Records.
Not that this comes as a complete surprise, but seeing White & Mosshart in such a small venue was a glaring reminder of how they’ve become two of today’s genuine rock gods. While the former practically got a standing ovation every time he dropped his drum kit and grabbed—nay, strangled—a guitar, the latter outmaneuvered her closest contemporary’s feral cat moves (from Sunday night’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs show) with a chain-smoking femme fatale approach that oozed confidence and the kind of sex appeal that dares you to bring her home to mom.
The consummate professionalism of everyone in this band, as evidenced by how airtight they sounded for a rather flawless 60 minutes. First public performance? Technically, yes, but these guys play like they’ve been figuring it out for the past decade.
“Will There Be Enough Water” will likely be the slow-burning set closer to many a Dead Weather show over the next six months.
Bob Dylan must be proud of the bruising “New Pony” gets in the Dead Weather’s play pen.
The taps at Dead Weather shows should be switched from beer to bourbon.
Can someone please explain what it means to “cut like a buffalo?” Does that mean a barnyard animal with a secret knife collection or something?
The White Stripes what? The Raconteurs who? And, oh yeah—we’ll be front and center at the Kills‘ show next month.

The Dead Weather, Bowery Ballroom, 4.14.09:
60 Feet Tall
Unknown Song
Treat Me Like Your Mother
Bone House
So Far From Your Weapon
No Hassle Night
I Cut Like a Buffalo
Rocking Horse
Will There Be Enough Water

Encore:
Hang You From the Heavens
New Pony (Bob Dylan cover)