Before this week's big dumping of snow took centre stage, last week, Toronto was all abuzz about Jack White, who played three concerts — one at History followed by another two at Massey Hall — between February 6 and 8 behind last year's No Name. During his time in the city, the musician also took the opportunity to visit a local institution: Steve's Music Store.
The Queen Street East location of the Montreal-based chain has been open since 1977. As manager Stefano told blogTO, White stopped in with his manager and backing band ahead of his Massey Hall shows.
"I was coming down from the second floor, and then I see that guy," Stefano told the publication's Phoebe Knight. "I come from Italy, I grew up seeing him on Rock TV channels there, ... and, when Italy won the World Cup, they used the melody from ["Seven Nation Army"] every day ... so, I saw him in the store, like, I slowly processed that. Then when I shook his hand, I was, you know, kind of sweating a little bit. I couldn't believe it was Jack White."
White's drummer apparently purchased a set of drumsticks — and while the rockstar himself didn't purchase anything, Stefano gifted him a Steve's T-shirt to remember his time in Toronto by. White's manager was also willing to snap a photo of the pair of them, which Stefano hopes will encourage more in-person visitors to the store.
"I want to bring the crowd here and feel the place is still alive," he told blogTO. "So that's why I asked for that picture. Hopefully it's gonna make people go 'Oh, let's go in the store, let's let's browse there, or let's buy something there, let's go in.'"