When we told him his face betrayed a mixture of emotions, crushed and curious at the same time. Peel had been to an awards ceremony, but it was manifestly evident this champion of live music would have preferred to have been slumming it with us at the Empire. To see a band already legendary for their live performances, whose fame he was directly responsible for – having promoted them extensively on his show.

On the face of it, the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool does seem a strange choice of venue for the Stripes. Yet in playing there, the Whites demonstrate that not only 22nd-rate comedians, with the notable exception of Peter Kay, can thrive there. Indeed the Lancashire resort turns out to be tailor-made for the duo. Meg's red-and-white drum face resembles a stick of Blackpool rock and the crowd surges like the waves of the nearby Irish Sea.

The concert starts with ‘When I Hear My Name’. For the following eight tracks, it’s difficult to know when one song ends and another begins. Like at Ramones gigs of yore, there are no gaps between numbers. Just relentless noise. 'Dead Leaves & The Dirty Ground', though, is instantly recognisable despite Jack's perverse decision to croon it likes Vic Reeves' impression of a tuneless pub singer on Shooting Stars.

‘I Think I Smell A Rat’ is next up. Apparently it’s one of Meg’s favourite tracks to play live. Perhaps because it provides an opportunity for her drumming to stand up to Jack’s virtuoso guitar playing. The song is largely made up of exchanges between the two instruments with retort met with retort.

Jack finally addresses the audience before ‘Jolene’, a live staple and surprise recent single. The fact it’s a Dolly Parton cover will confuse the hell out of a girl I once had a dumb, drunken conversation with. Proclaiming the White Stripes to be her favourite band, I replied by saying country music was probably my favourite musical genre. She looked at me with as much disgust as if I’d just defecated in front of her, proceeded to eat my own excrement and then attempted to tongue her.

Then comes the dreaded: “Join if you know the words”. It can be none other than the novelty ‘Hotel Yorba’. It is. God, I detest karaoke. Obligingly, the bluesy ‘Death Letter’ restores my good mood.

Other highlights include ‘Apple Blossom’ with Jack juggling between guitar and piano. Announcing it, he reveals that it’s taken from his favourite White Stripes album, De Stijl. I’m with him on that one.

There’s still time for 'Seven Nation Army’, which receives the warmest reception of the night. Not that Jack and Meg will notice much. You don’t tend to feel any further heat, if you’re already on fire.
(5/5)

Release Date: 22 November 2004

Under Blackpool Lights