Conan O’Brien claims he only had one special musical guest in mind to close out his 16-year run as the host of NBC’s Late Night franchise — the White Stripes, the idiosyncratic Detroit duo whose appearances had long since become show favorites, including a memorable four-night stand on the show in 2004. Indeed, the O’Brien/White Stripes bond was so warm that the network comedian/host even made a cameo appearance in the band’s “Denial Twist” video.
But with the Stripes sidelined for over 18 months due to Meg White’s bouts with acute anxiety, a farewell Late Night appearance seemed unlikely until just last week, when the duo announced they would reunite on O’Brien’s final show before the host takes over the Tonight Show from Jay Leno on June 1.
Typically confounding any hard-rocking expectations, the pair paid tribute to Conan Friday night with an ambling, low key version of “We’re Going to Be Friends,” a standout ballad from 2001’s White Blood Cells album. With Meg looking confident and happy as she strummed a guitar and sang along with Jack, the pair’s performance was as loose as it was warmly affectionate — perhaps a harbinger of more White Stripes music in the near future.