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There are few people in the world that I would pay an exorbitant (or even a moderate) amount of money to see. Jack White is one of them.

I have seen the White Stripes in Orlando, Florida.

I have seen the White Stripes at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.

Now I have seen the White Stripes at Madison Square Garden.

I hope to see them again many times in the future.

It’s difficult to articulate what I both expect and extract from a White Stripes concert, or why my devotion to them is so unquestionably fervent.

Most of the time, when people use the word “electric” to describe someone, the person in question does not live up to the images and feelings that word evokes.

In this case, that sentiment is not true. Jack White is electric; truly electric, in all the wild, beautiful, and vibrantly evocative glory of the word. It’s the best adjective to describe him; to describe the way he performs; to describe the way he makes the audience respond; to describe the way it feels to watch him and know that you’re that close to such a profoundly commanding personality.

I love Meg in a completely different way. The persona she adopts for the band is quiet, soft, and deliberately mysterious, so sometimes it’s difficult to see beyond her manufactured aura of fascination. Everyone makes a big deal about her being a mediocre drummer. Aside from that being untrue, I don’t feel the minimalist percussion themes in most of the White Stripes’ sets provide any valid basis to demean her contributions to the band. She strikes me as someone who would probably be wildly interesting if you were ever given the chance to know her. Of course I don’t actually know anything substantial about her, other than: it’s fun to watch her drum, she obviously motivates/inspires Jack, and the public/private relationship between her and Jack is fraught with intrigue.

I remember when I first discovered the White Stripes. It was late at night and I was watching M2. I was drawn to M2 originally because I was excited by the prospect of a music video channel that actually showed music videos. The Fell In Love With A Girl video came on; it was labeled a ‘breakthrough video’. It happened so fast. I was hypnotized. The combination of the music and the strange stop-action animation made a great, lasting impression on me. When the video was over, I heard the song over and over in my head, progressively becoming more attached to it with each passing repetition. I bought the album within the next few days. What I anticipate to be a lifelong romance bloomed within the first few seconds of aural exposure. Love at first sound.

I am irrevocably glad every time I get to see them perform. Some shows are better than others. At tonight’s performance, Jack played Little Ghost on an electric mandolin. Little Ghost is one of my favorite songs off the newer albums. I love bluegrass music and I love that Jack White loves bluegrass music as much as he does.

One day I would love to meet them, if only to make my life a little more magical. Until then I’ll keep going to their shows, thriving on the energy of the experience and cherishing the lingering aftereffects; especially once I’m forced to go home and live amongst those who have never felt the way I feel at a White Stripes concert.

NOTE: Title changed because I misquoted the song lyric I was referencing. How depressing.