Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Jack White Gives B.S. Excuse for Storming Off Stage At Radio City


By

Jen Carlson

Published Feb 26, 2013

Modified Feb 26, 2013


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Jen Carlson

Published Feb 26, 2013

Modified Feb 26, 2013


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Chaos descended upon Radio City Music Hall at the end of Jack White's brief show (Tom Ganjamie)

Remember when Jack White played a 45-minute set at Radio City Music Hall, before addressing the crowd with "Jesus Christ, is this an NPR convention?" and walking off the stage? The incident, which took place last September, quietly dissipated with the passage of time, but now White has been pressed to give up some answers.

Rolling Stone questioned the musician what happened that night, and he basically blamed the audience while attempting to artfully dodge any sort of full reveal—RS's Patrick Doyle asked, "I was at the Radio City show where you walked off... What was going through your head that night?" White responded with the following:

"Oh, I just do what the crowd tells me to do. I always do that. I always have and always will. If I play an old folks' home or a fire station, I shut up when the crowd tells me to shut up. I provoke when the crowd tells me to provoke. The crowd's in complete control of me. So that's, that's what will happen at any given night you see me. I was just doing what they told me to do [Laughs]."

Did Jack White play an old folks home and no one told us?

Tagged

jack white

radio city music hall


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?

Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.

By

Lindsay Lee Wallace

Published Oct 8, 2026


Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

By

James Ramsay

Arts & Entertainment

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

By

James Ramsay


What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.

By

Jayson Greene

Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City

By

Sonia Rao

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

By

Alec Hamilton


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .