Las Rayas Blancas

Review of the White Stripes show in Guatemala from Prensa Libre (first in Spanish, then in English)

a mystic atmosphere surrounded by apples

The White show apoteósico

Por Hilda Rodas

Con frenesí e hiperactividad rítmica, sellada con una tonalidad roja intensa que se trazo desde el parpadeo de las luces del escenario, pasando por los pantalones de Meg y Jack, hasta los rostros agitados del publico; White Stripes cargo la noche del miércoles ultimo al presentar su nuevo material Get Behind me, Satán en el país.

Dos instrumentos básicos (guitarra y batería), un piano y algunas percusiones en el parapeto instrumental (backline) fueron suficientes para acompañar a la electrizante voz de Jack –el circuito preciso de comunicación con el publico-, que junto a la sensual y vigorosa bataquera Meg hicieron su entrada enmascarados, para luego mostrarse tal cual en un intento de constatar, quizás, la pureza de su propuesta. La hora y media de espectáculo fue en su totalidad un derroche de sudor y euforia, en un ambiente místico rodeado de manzanas, con un mensaje sutil.

Si bien los jóvenes estadounidenses no hablan español, intentaron establecer una comunicación musical invitando a la gente a cantar con ellos al final del show. A juzgar por los gritos en un solo tono, no les entendieron; y sonriendo tuvieron que terminar sin coro su concierto minimalista (con elementos punk y blues), pero seguros de que la gente que hizo retumbar el expocenter del Tikal Futura Hotel, la paso muy bien.

Puntuación:

Organización **** Telonero **** Acústica **

Publico ***** Luces **** Seguridad ***

with the sensual and vigorous drumming Meg

The tremendous White show

By Hilda Rodas

With frenzy and hyperactive rhythm, sealed with an intense red tonality that was set from blinking of the lights of the set, passing through the pants of Meg and Jack, up to the excited faces of the audience; White Stripes carried the night last Wednesday to present their new material Get Behind Me, Satan in the country.

Two basic instruments (guitar and drums), a piano and some percussion in the instrumental backline were sufficient to accompany the electrifying voice of Jack –the precise circuit of communication with the audience-, that together with the sensual and vigorous drumming Meg they made their entrance masked, in order to show an intent to prove, perhaps, the purity of their proposal. The hour and a half of spectacle was in its entirety an abundance of sweat and euphoria, in a mystic atmosphere surrounded by apples, with a subtle message.

If the young Americans don’t speak Spanish well, they intended to establish a musical communication by inviting the people to sing with them at the end of the show. To judge by the screams in one pitch, [the crowd] didn’t understand them; and smiling they had to finish their minimalist concert (with elements of punk and blues) without chorus, but certain that for the people that made the expocenter of the Tikal Futura Hotel shake, it went very well.

Grades:

Organization **** Opening Act **** Acoustics **

Audience ***** Lights **** Security ***

the precise circuit of communication

As for me...

It was my first rock show in a long time. I had a blast. Good mix of old songs and new songs. The crowd, which was mostly chapin (Guatemalan) but had a very high gringo ratio, was really into it. It was held in a convention hall type place with a level floor. There were a couple of times, especially during the hits from Elephant, that you could feel the floor moving like a trampoline and threatening to dump us into the bowling alley below.

My ears rang for days and I couldn't have been happier...



Playlist (in no particular order):

Blue Orchid
The Nurse
My Doorbell
As Ugly As I Seem
The Denial Twist Passive Manipulation
Little Ghost
Seven Nation Army
The Hardest Button to Button
Black Math
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
I Want to Be the Boy
Hotel Yorba
Ball and Buscuit
I Think I Smell a Rat
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
Jolene (Dolly Parton song)
Part of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" (Stooges) mixed with another song I didn't catch...
...and probably a few more I don't remember or couldn't recognize...

an abundance of sweat and euphoria