He’s regarded as one of the most tireless live performers of his generation, but Jack White has decided to take a break from the stage, at least for a while.
According to a statement: “After many years of performing in a multitude of configurations, Jack White is announcing that he will be taking a break from performing live for a long period of time.”
There’s still chance to see him before he goes, though. Following an appearance at the second leg of Coachella festival on 18 April, White will play a series of acoustic dates in the five US states he has yet to play. The gigs are not set to be announced until 8am on the day of each show, with tickets sold on the door of each venue on a first come, first served basis. They will cost $3, and are limited to one per person.
The news follows a first Coachella show in which White tore through a selection of songs by the White Stripes and the Raconteurs, as well as performing a cover of Otis Redding’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long. At one point he ordered the crowd to “put your fucking phones down for five seconds”, which may hint at his frustration with the current live music scene.
It is as yet unknown what plans White has for his break from performing. He was recently announced as one of the co-owners of the hi-res streaming service Tidal, alongside Jay-Z, Rihanna, Madonna and others.
