Jack White criticises entitled gig-goers who expect long sets

11 February 2025, 13:36 | Updated: 11 February 2025, 14:51

Jack White will return to the UK in February and March 2025. Picture: Press

The former White Stripes frontman has hit back at discourse surrounding the length of gig sets.

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By Jenny Mensah

Jack White has criticised fans who feel that they are "entitled" to long shows.

The former White Stripes rocker is currently on the North American leg of his No Name tour dates and took to Instagram to address the particular topic and reveal he has no desire to "impress" the crowds with three-hour-long shows.

Taking to Instagram he began: "Been hearing a lot of chatter throughout the year of this glorious electric touring about how long our sets are "supposed to be" on stage. As if the length of a show determines how "good" it is. I know that we're living in a current era where people like to say "so and so played for 3 hours last night!", and brag about it the next day hahaha, I'll let our fans know now that my mind has no intention of "impressing" y'all in that context."

Name-dropping The Beatles and the fact that they were known for playing shorter sets, White also confirmed he'd prefer to play shorter sets at this time in his career.

The Raconteurs singer added: "The Beatles and Ramones played 30 minute (ish) sets, and If I could, I would do the same at this moment in my performing life. That's actually the kind of show I'd like to put on right now. But there becomes this chatter that the cost of a ticket "entitles" people to some kind of extra long show... uh... ok (hahaha) so I'm bridging the gap."

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The 49-year-old musician went on to take aim at the new-style of larger-than-life arena shows, that include light shows and pyro and "singers flying over the crowd".

He added: "I'm not sure y'all are knowing (or maybe remembering?) what a real rock or punk show is like though if you're thinking that way, I think you're talking about an arena laser light show with pyro, huge screens with premade videos, singers flying over the crowd, t shirt cannons, etc, that's not the kind of shows we're performing."

He went on: "I've seen a plethora of rock and roll gigs that lasted 45 minutes and blew my mind and inspired me beyond belief. Read the room, leave everyone exhausted and inspired (hopefully) and most of all wanting more, without needing 3 hours to do it. That's like saying a film is supposed to be better cause they spent 300 trillion making it, well I've never seen that movie."

Despite his impassioned rant, White went on to emphasise the love he has for his fans and assure them that he's never "phoned it in" no matter the length of his set and that fans cheering won't make it any longer.

"Love to all of our fans," added the Seven Nation Army singer. "I see your faces every night and you can be assured I've never phoned it in in my life, whether its 20 minutes or 2 hours, I'm giving the room what the room is prompting me to do and share and that doesn't mean if people cheer louder its going to be longer either! haha. There's no setlist, and it's not a marvel movie, or a Vegas residency, it's rock and roll and it's a living breathing organism."

Speaking ahead of his Toronto show at Massey Hall, he concluded: "See you in the hall tonight friends, love you all so much and thank you for coming to these shows, standing in line and paying your hard earned money to help this train keep rolling. And the crew and the boys in the band are loving y'all as much as me, we are grateful, thank you."

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Meanwhile, Jack White is set to embark upon the European leg of his No Name tour dates this month, which will see him make four stops in Britain.

The musician is bringing No Name tour to Paris, Utrecht, London, Birmingham and Glasgow in February and March with shows, which will include two nights at the capital's Troxy on 28th February.

White issued his No Name LP in July of this year and it's been named as one of Radio X's Best Albums Of 2024.