As part of Third Man Records’ recently announced partnership with concert-streaming service nugs.net, the company has shared a new archival recording of The White Stripes’ final live performance, which took place in 2007 in Southaven, MS.

In an accompanying blog post about the show, White Stripes archivist Ben Blackwell explains how he heard that the Southaven performance would be the Stripes’ last time onstage together:


Not long after I walked offstage as the hired-gun drummer for opening act Dan Sartain, an assortment of crew and musicians and friends gathered together and took part in a celebratory, raise-the-glass toast, all led by Jack White to mark the end of the run of nine shows in the previous ten days. 

As the crowd thinned, Meg White and I were the last ones left standing there. Apropos of nothing, cups in hand, not even in a conversation at that point, Meg said to me, “I think this is the last White Stripes show.” Confused, I responded “Well, yeah, last show of this leg of the tour.” She replied “No…I think this is the last White Stripes show ever” and slowly walked away.

I was dumbfounded. I had no idea what she was talking about. I had no idea what she meant.  I had no idea what to do. I looked around to see if anyone else heard what Meg had said, but I was all alone.

Within minutes, the band was onstage.


Blackwell begins his post with a quote from Jack White at that July 31, 2007 performance: “I can’t even tell you how much it means for me to be here tonight…so I’m not even gonna bother.” He later quotes Jack’s final onstage words that evening: “I can’t believe how long it has taken us to get here. Thanks for waiting. Thanks for coming. Thanks for buying our records. Thanks for buying a ticket. We love you very much. Thank you. God bless you Son House. God bless you Robert Johnson. Thank you so much.”

Jack had also called out legendary blues guitarist/songwriter Son House earlier in the night, adding to the show’s feeling of finality as he nodded to the blues masters that the band constantly referenced in their covers and their own compositions. Appropriately, The White Stripes ended their onstage career with their cover of Leadbelly’s “Boll Weevil,” long a staple of their performances. The night also kicked off with their version of Robert Johnson’s “Stop Breaking Down” and included a career-spanning run of tunes, taking from all of their albums, from their 1999 self-titled debut to their final LP, 2007’s Icky Thump.

Check out the full setlist below. The show is available for purchase and streaming (for nugs.net subscribers) here.


The White Stripes
Snowden Grove Amphitheater – Southaven, MS

Stop Breaking Down, Let’s Build a Home, When I Hear My Name, Icky Thump, Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, As Ugly As I Seem, The Same Boy You’ve Always Known, Wasting My Time, Phonograph Blues, Cannon, John the Revelator, Death Letter, Astro, Apple Blossom, You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told), In the Cold Cold Night, I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother’s Heart, Hotel Yorba, A Martyr for My Love for You, Ball and Biscuit

Enc: 300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues, Blue Orchid, I’m Slowly Turning Into You, Boll Weevil