To some people, The Raconteurs may be just another one of Jack White’s side projects; however, watching Live At The Montreux 2008 may be opinion-altering. From Nashville, these guys have done a great job at proving themselves to be more than an off-shoot.
A wave of all of the instruments crashing together in chaos for what seems like a sound-check before immediately falling into the opening track, “Consoler Of The Lonely,” could not be more fitting for an intro. There is not much time in between songs at this show, which is a great aspect, as the listener is never left waiting to hear what is next. It is clear, based on their performance visually, that The Raconteurs mean business with their music, yet they have not lost that aspect of enjoyment in what they do.
After the first two booming songs, White takes the reins on the piano and the band moves into playing “You Don’t Understand Me.” At the conclusion of “Rich Kid Blues” is where the hit of the DVD lies. Through the soft, dark, feel rises a jam based out of quiet blues before the preceding piece, “Blue Veins,” shows plenty of reminiscence from older tunes, such as Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You.”
The conclusion of the set is just as epic as the beginning and the crowd seems to be completely content with what they had just witnessed, which is the same case for any person watching it on DVD. The Raconteurs had a wonderful way of slipping into the minds of their fans and promoting that feeling of lust for wanting to see them, in reunion, for another live show.
In A Word: Fantastic
