After masterminding several excellent albums, including last year's superb "Get Behind Me Satan," Jack White may just have run out of new places to go with The White Stripes. That could explain why he's decided to go someplace new with another band.

That group is The Raconteurs [ tickets ], which also features singer/songwriter Brendan Benson, bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler. And, thus far, the journey has been nearly as enjoyable as White's many trips as the leader of The White Stripes. The Raconteurs' debut CD, "Broken Boy Soldiers," turned out to be a very accomplished affair, one that rocks the listener's world in many diverse, though equally appealing, ways.

The Raconteurs can also deliver the goods in concert, which was illustrated quite nicely during the first half of a two-night stand (7/22-23) at The Warfield in San Francisco.

During the Saturday evening show, the music sounded even more raw, more powerful and--as Spike Lee would say--mo' better than it comes across on disc. At times, the band seemed to just use the original versions as navigational tools--sort of like sonic campuses--as the musicians charted their way through explorations of garage rock, '60s psychedelia, '80s MTV-style metal, indie-pop and glam-rock.

Those who doubted that White's ego would allow him to share the spotlight (and mic) with Benson were flat-out wrong. White didn't dominate The Raconteurs' live show. Instead, he seemed content to be just another guy in the band. The fans that wanted a night filled with White's fabled guitar heroics simply didn't get it. They'll likely have to wait until The White Stripes tour again, since almost all of White's leads with The Raconteurs work to further the songs--not dominate them.

Following an opening set by Kelley Stoltz, The Raconteurs came out swinging and immediately hit the crowd with a pair of winners: "Intimate Secretary" and "Level." The first was cocked with "Revolver"-era Beatles psychedelia, while the second was a bouncy rocker that sounds like it could have been a radio hit at anytime over the last 20 years.

After slowing it down a tad for the indie-pop nugget "Together," the group departed the land of "Broken Boy Soldiers" for some really interesting cover material. The Raconteurs first ran the glam-rock favorite "It Ain't Easy," which was featured on David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" record, straight through the garage and came up with a decadent rock gem. The group later followed with a rendition of the Nancy Sinatra-staple "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)," which many modern-day hipsters know from Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill, Vol. 1." White hammed it up on this number and the result was one of the most fun moments of the night.

But there were many fun moments. In fact, "fun" may have been the defining characteristic of the night. When's the last time someone said that about a White Stripes show? Probably never. Yet, the four Raconteurs--masterfully aided on stage by keyboardist Dean Fertita from Detroit's Waxwings--seemed to be having a blast as they charged through monstrous renditions of "Store Bought Bones" and "Yellow Sun."

The main set closed with the blues-rocker "Blue Veins." That song, which also closes "Broken Boy Soldiers," is the weakest moment on the band's record. In concert, however, it turned out to be a distinct highlight as White, for once, really let it rip on guitar. And we were ready.

The band, of course, would return for a well-earned encore that included the fabulous single "Steady as She Goes." In all, it was a highly successful night for "Jack White's other band." However, if The Raconteurs keep putting on gigs like this one at The Warfield, people might soon start referring to The White Stripes as White's other band.