Fans of all that is red, white, and black don't have to wait for their White Stripes rock-doc to arrive in the mail. In honor of the limited-edition box set release, Under Great White Northern Lights, Sweat Records is holding an official screening of the film tonight, Tuesday, March 16, at 8 p.m.
Under Great White Northern Lights takes fans of Jack and Meg on quite the ride, chronicling their 2007 tour through every province and territory of Canada. Music video director Emmett Malloy (Blink-182, Metallica, Black Eyed Peas) channels his passion for all the layers of their music, showing comedic exchanges between extroverted Jack White and the introspective Meg White before and after their shows.
The film even reveals what it would have been like to attend one of the White Stripes' first shows, since a lot of the towns they visited were so small, that many of the locals had never heard of them. After a decade of playing for loyal fans, they had to make first impressions with their music -- and it was all caught on camera.
So far it's only been shown at film festivals, but the documentary's already been compared to Gimme Shelter and Don't Look Back. It mixes live footage with off-stage moments, and documents concerts in strange locations (everywhere from bowling alleys to city buses and boats) and even matinee shows. An added bonus? Most of it is filmed in black and white -- and, of course, red.
For those who are curious, the box set includes the documentary, a DVD of the White Stripes 10th anniversary show, a 16-track live album recorded during the Canadian tour on both 180-gram vinyl and CD, a live seven-inch, a 208-page book with photos from the tour by Autumn de Wilde (and a foreword by Jim Jarmusch), and a silkscreen print.
Admission is free, and refreshments and popcorn are available. 8 p.m. at Sweat Records, 5501 NE 2nd Ave., Miami. 786-693-9309; sweatrecordsmiami.com
-- Christine Borges
