ACL Day 1: The Raconteurs

Help Us Stranger! The Raconteurs aren’t holding back any punches this year at Austin City Limits!

At 5:30 sharp, bathed in the glaring light of the Texan sunset, The Raconteurs took the American Express stage to a roar of applause.

They wasted no time in delving into their first song, “Bored and Razed.”

Fronted by Jack White and Brendan Benson, the quartet broke on to the scene in 2005 with Broken Boy Soldiers  to critical acclaim under White’s record label, Third Man Recordings. All four musicians are seasoned and versatile, and the band shines when blending experimentation with a brand of classic rock ‘n roll only few can still provide. 

An excellent example are the tag-team vocals on “Level”. The band teased the into, a habit they would continue during the set. There seemed to be an expert amount of improvisation during the set, with Jack taking the spotlight during guitar and piano solos that kept the crowd screaming. 

Clad in a classic black “Hi, how are you” t-shirt, White took to the piano for “You Don’t Understand Me,” proving the keys are just as metal as a guitar any day.

The band of multi-instrumentalists shifted around the stage to fulfill every note required. They truly shined as a unit during an epic medley of  “Top Yourself” and “Hey Gyp.” 

The set concluded with a spectacular rendition of “Blue Veins.” Despite the glare of the sunset directly on their faces, The Raconteurs matched the energy of their fans until the very end. 

If you missed The Raconteurs at ACL this weekend, never fear! They’ll be back for round two. Buy your tickets here.