Live Review: The Raconteurs in Austin, TX

Jack White, the mastermind behind the Raconteurs, has a golden touch. His infrequent performances in the Austin area notoriously sell out, be it with the White Stripes or the heavier rocking Raconteurs.Not surprisingly, the group's recent two-night stint at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater was the city's music highlight of the weekend, although only the Saturday night performance sold out. That evening, with a clear sky and a near capacity crowd, White and company turned in a solid rock performance.Set against a dramatic backdrop of dark curtains, the four constant members of the Raconteurs--Brendan Benson (vocals/guitar/keys,) Patrick Keeler (drums/percussion,) Jack Lawrence (bass) and White (vocals/guitar/synthesizers)--along with touring member Mark Watrous (keys/fiddle/percussion,) took the stage to a cacophony of applause and screams. Presented as serious showmen in fresh dress blacks, the quintet immediately dove into the title track from their recent release, ''Consolers of the Lonely.'' And, as the title so boldly states, the rock stars did just that, consoling eager fans with pounding electric guitar and catchy hooks before moving right into ''Steady as She Goes,'' satiating the few audience members unfamiliar with anything but what's found on mainstream radio.Throughout the evening's set, White and Benson took turns singing lead, with White doubling up on piano or focusing on his impressive guitar work when he wasn't at the mic. ''Rich Kid Blues,'' a lyrically downtrodden but sonically energetic four and a half minutes with a building intro reminiscent of Rush, had the two volleying vocals back and forth. ''Top Yourself,'' a just-right mix of modern twang, jangly percussion and headstrong lyrics, garnered the most audience reaction by far, particularly around the point where White threatened to ''give up my midnight creep.'' The Tennessee-based rockers didn't just stick to their latest album. They also delved ever so slightly into their 2006 debut, ''Broken Boy Soldiers,'' with ''Level.'' The sassy number turned sexy with White and Benson's scratchy electric guitars accompanied by the delicate tinkering of Mark Watrous on the keys. A return to the new album with ''The Switch and the Spur'' led to the rock show's finale and a short encore performance. The nearly 1,000 in attendance left the grounds with an overall air of supreme satisfaction.