Jack White manned the drums — for the most part — at the Dead Weather’s show last week at the Ogden Theatre. Photos by Joe McCabe.
“I Cut Like a Buffalo” is hardly a stand-out track from debut, “Horehound.” But the groove-jammed track was the highlight of the indie supergroup’s soulful set at last week.
We mention this so high because it was so unexpected. “Hang You From the Heavens” is the obvious hotness, the song you take your girl to bed to. “Treat Me Like Your Mother” is the sinister song with the unforgettable organ line that makes you wanna rock a semi-automatic — as Dead Weather drummer Jack White and guitarist Alison Mosshart do in the song’s music video.
I’ve seen plenty of “I Cut Like a Buffalo” YouTube clips, and they did little for me. It wasn’t until White started barking at his mic (from behind a tom-heavy kit) at the Ogden that I felt the groove. The soul of White’s vocals clash with the band’s live groove and creates a tremendous, infectious undertow. You feel it in your stomach first, and then you’re dancing along — in a way that you’ve never danced to any of White’s previous bands (White Stripes, Raconteurs).
The Dead Weather threw down a set that was as unforgiving as it was uneven. One minute, they were crushing you with the slow, slinky groove of “Will There Be Enough Water,” a song that brought White out to lead guitar duties. The next they were disappointing with some aimless psych-sludge that was little more than arty, druggy overindulgence.
Their set was short, but the sold-out crowd had to anticipate such a truncated length from a new band with only a full-length under its belt. Overall it was hard to leave disappointed. This band needs to be heard live to be understood, and understanding them is a beautiful thing.
O yeah, and here’s a YouTube of the band rocking “I Cut Like a Buffalo.” It’s not as magic as it is live, but it’s certainly better than the recorded version.
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the , Colorado’s premier festival of local music. Follow his whimsies at , his live music habit at and his iTunes addictions at .
is a Denver photographer and a regular contributor to Reverb.
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