Since Coachella, we have been promoting the new White Stripes album, Icky Thump by giving out ice cream in custom White Stripes boxes and telling people about the album, Ice Cream Man even had a few tracks from the album that he’d been playing from Bessie at Coachella, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo and just out and about.
Of course, when people find out that the White Stripes bought them ice cream, they go off in quite a cheery mood, and this all came to a peak when they played a free show at the now defunct Tower Records on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, now rechristened “Icky Thump Records.”
Tickets to the show were available to the first 200 people that bought the album, which went on sale Tuesday, June 19 at midnight. So I went up to Icky Thump Records Monday night to get the people standing in line some ice cream. I had no idea what the set up would be like, but it didn’t matter as I was mobbed. Naturally, the die hard White Stripes fans were very appreciative of the gift. I was cleaned out of over 300 pieces in a little over a half an hour, so got back home to prepare for the show on Wednesday.
That Wed, Sarah and I headed up with even more ice cream for the people actually going to the show. The line was around the corner, so I had Sarah go with Jeremiah to get the people standing in line while I worked out our setup in the parking lot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get J in to shoot pics, but none of the concertgoers could be in the parking lot either, so it worked out as Sarah and I got people walking by on the sidewalk once they got their wristband to get in.
Once the place started filling up we figured we better head in and save what ice cream we had left for people leaving, which proved to be a great idea because it was hot inside. People heading out couldn’t wait to get their hands on some ice cream, one person even snatched one from my hand as I was trying to tell them it was half melted.
The setup inside was a lot more low key than I had expected, not overdone with White Stripe-esque decor, and surprisingly not overcrowded (probably due in large part to the fact that the fire marshal was there). The stage was low, so it was hard to see the band, but the glimpses you could get were amazing, and the sound was much better than one would expect from a record store.
After an introduction from Jack Black (“I’m the other Jack, different color”), the White Stripes came out to thunderous applause and went right into the title track from the new album. It was quite a rocking opener, and definitely got the crowd pumped up (as if they needed to be). After a few more songs from the new album, Jack White addressed the crowd, welcoming them to their new record store, which “specialized in the sale of tangible records” (which I found a bit funny, seeing as how they’re releasing Icky Thump on flash drives as well as cd.) The band was spot on as they raced through their catalog, playing a lot of stuff from the new album, but also fan favorites like “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” “Hotel Yorba” and their version of the Dolly Parton classic, “Jolene.” Sarah and I headed out before the encore to set up and get ready for the rush, and heard them pump out three or four more songs including “Seven Nation Army.”
Filling up the last hands with ice cream, we headed out, hot, sweaty and in awe of a great rock n’ roll band.
Thanks to the White Stripes, Warner Bros. Records, Fingerprints and all the hard workers who made it all possible.
