Aaron Grech August 17th, 2018 - 10:17 PM
Former front-man for The White Stripes Jack White will be hosting a free-concert for Tesla workers at the company’s factory in Fremont, California. According to his spokesperson, “Jack White asked Tesla if he could perform a free show for Tesla employees.”
“It’s been a thought of mine for a few years now that I would love to do a free concert for the employees at the Fremont factory,” White stated on Twitter. “I am a huge fanatic and supporter of everything @Tesla has been doing since day one.”
“It’s been a thought of mine for a few years now that I would love to do a free concert for the employees at the Fremont factory. I am a huge fanatic and supporter of everything @Tesla has been doing since day one.” – #JackWhite pic.twitter.com/x6OzJPjpEe
— Third Man Records (@thirdmanrecords) August 17, 2018
White has been a long-time fan of the company, having driven a Tesla Model S for years according to Rolling Stone. In an Instagram post in 2016 , White stated that Musk was the “Henry Ford of the 21st century.” According to Business Insider, Tesla employees will need their badges to get into the event. In addition, cameras and video recording equipment will be banned, echoing White’s banning of cell-phones on his upcoming tour.
In a sense of unintentional irony, White’s kind word’s regarding Musk have taken a darker meaning in regards to the Tesla CEO’s recent scandals. While Musk isn’t known to be an anti-Semite like the late Henry Ford, he is under controversy regarding the treatment of Tesla workers at his factories.
The United Automobile Workers Union alleges that Musk prevented workers at his factory from unionizing, after reports that the company was under-counting safety complaints within its Fremont factory. Tesla’s stock has also been fluctuating in the past year, leading Musk to express desire to make the company private.
White has currently been in the midst of touring and headlining multiple festival dates, the most recent of which was day four of Lollapalooza on August 7. On August 15, the singer-songwriter performed a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Daughter,” at a show in Seattle.
The former White Stripe also joined the grunge band on-stage in July for a performance of “Rockin’ in the Free World,” which served as the final song for that performance. This was the second time White has joined the band on-stage, the first time being a secret show in Nashville, Tennessee back in 2016.
White released his third-solo album Boarding House Reach, in March of this year. Despite relying heavily on physical sales the album was able to top the Billboard charts in April of this year.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
