As expected, the sweaty crowd responded most excitedly when White pulled from the White Stripes discography, including “Hotel Yorba,” “Icky Thump,” and “Cannon,” from the band’s 1999 debut. The opening descending buzzsaw guitar line on “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” was so loud it felt like it rattled the old theater’s walls.

Prolific songwriter and guitarist Jack White on Monday announced he's bringing his unorthodox pop-up tour to the Bay Area this week for a pair of shows in Petaluma and San Francisco.

The surprise show, part of Jack White’s current tour of small drop-in concerts, is a “huge honor for the Phoenix,” said theater manager Tom Gaffey.