Jack White Rocks Conan & El Rey w/ Wanda Jackson (Jan/2011)

Fearing it could be a Scientology pow-wow, I bolted quickly. It was surreal for certain, not to mention the reality of being here tonight to see one of my all-time idols, Jack White, performing with the legendary Wanda Jackson in such a great, intimate venue. Billed as Wanda Jackson and the Third Man Records House Band (featuring Jack White) they were only doing four of these special show – 2 on each coast (LA/NYC). My history with the El Rey Theater actually starts with Jack White, as over 11 years ago, on my first trip ever to Los Angeles, I came here to see the White Stripes literally incinerate the place. I bought a record at the show that I could probably make a down payment on a house with now. To add to the surreality, I met up with Hutch (soundman for Queen of the Stone Age) and Josh Homme. I’ve been with friendly with both since the days of Kyuss and have maintained that naturally through my work with Claude Coleman Jr. and Ween. It was great to see them both, and all this was happening before a note of music had been played.

El Rey’s red curtain opened to reveal the Third Man Records House Band dressed in pink and black swing-goth formal wear. The band teased Shakin’ All Over as Jack White rambled on stage with a swagger that is totally unmatched by anyone. This dude is a freaking pimp. The band was tight as hell and to call the bass player, Olvia Jean (the Black Belles), “hot”, would just be cheapening the whole experience. This girl had style/grace/chops that could kill.

A true raconteur, Jackson amused the crowd with tales from her past that were so charming it got as much of a response as the songs did. Before playing the classic lament Busted, she pointed out that she’d seen Elvis  play in Vegas, then fluttered a piece of paper: “If the King of Rock can have notes, so can the Queen.”
The crowd explodes at this and was red hot for the whole show.

Setlist:

Shakin All Over (just the band)
Riot in Cell Block # 9
Busted
Mean Mean Man
You Know I’m No Good (Amy Winehouse cover)
Like a Baby
Right or Wrong
Blue Yodel
Rip It Up
Nervous Breakdown (Eddie Cochran cover)
Fujiyama Mama
Funnel of Love
Dust on the Bible
Let’s Have a Party

Encore:

Heartbreak Hotel
Shakin All Over (reprise w/ vocals)

Conan O’ Brien Taping (musical guest: Wanda Jackson & Jack White) – Warner Bros. Lot 4 – Culver City, CA – January 25th

So the other night at the El Rey Theater for Wanda Jackson and Jack White, I meet up with some of the guys from Queens of the Stone Age, and they graciously gave me an extra ticket they had to the Conan O’ Brien taping where Wanda and Jack where set to perform.

Score right? – I wouldn’t say that I’m a dedicated Conan fan (though you couldn’t tell it by me catching 3 of the shows on his tour last summer) and my main motivation was to see Wanda and Jack again, but was very excited to see it in this setting. I’ve been to a few TV tapings before and I’m always fascinated by the process so I was really looking forward to this. I’m sure you have heard the whole story about his shakeup with Jay Leno, etc. and it showed just what a chord he strikes with young people as a groundswell of support rose up for him, so these tickets were impossible to get, so I was very grateful to the Queens guys.
I get to the lot and its a lot of standing around and waiting, and be filed like cattle in a series of different lines. Then you are walked into the studio exactly like how you were walked into the museum on Field Trip back in elementary school, (except holding hands was forbidden). So that was a little silly, but it was interesting to see the studio.

The other guests were Patton Oswalt, who I’m also a huge fan of, so this was like the ideal episode for me to attend (then again Motorhead was on the next night haha) and Steven Ho, a martial artist that trains people to do fight sequences in movies. He ran Conan through one of these exercises that was really entertaining and funny.

and then it was time for the musical guests and for me the main reason I’m there, of Wanda Jackson and the Third Man Band w/ Jack White. Having seen it the previous two nights at the El Rey, I knew what to expect but still no less thrilled.

Photos –

Lainna Fader
Jackie Canchola
Roy Turner
Meghan Sinclair