Getting a particular sound..

It's my guess that he has an open tuning (open G maybe) with a touch of slap echo (or a very short delay) and slight distortion . I watched his fretting hand and he was playing the chords with a single barre finger , leading me to believe he was using an open tuning . It could be another key because it sounds like the guitar is low-tuned also but that could just be light gauge strings being played really hard .

I've found a tab of it and it seems to be standard tuning ?

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/w/white_stripes/hotel_yorba_live_tab.htm

also, my next door neighbour has just lent me his Boss GT8 effects board :)

Well, you know, tabs aren't reliable at all.

There's more than one way (or tuning) to play just about anything, and sometimes what comes out when you play a tab doesn't sound like the real thing a bit.

It could be right , it could be wrong . Tabs are sent in by people who wish to add one to the site . They're not necessarily 100% Gospel . I am also not saying it is incorrect . Try it . If it sounds good , play it that way .

Well, you know, tabs aren't reliable at all.

There's more than one way (or tuning) to play just about anything, and sometimes what comes out when you play a tab doesn't sound like the real thing a bit.

I know tabs are about as reliable as the UK weather, but they do give a good starting point.

TBH, the way I am going to play it in terms of fretting is different to that tab, as i want it to be my interpretation of it.

I like the idea of playing so much of it in over drive, with some bits in clean as well, which i may just do - if only C and D where possible in with fretting one string like Gmaj is... unless it is?

That is just a good ole' Rock and Roll tone there, almost Country sounding.

You want lots of Mids to get that tone. These are just suggestions, but set Bass around 4-5, Mids about 8 or more, and Highs about 6-7. If your your amp has distortion or saturation, keep the Gain low. If you listen carefully that is almost a completely clean tone. So keep distortion or saturation down around 3-4. If your amp has Reverb, crank that up quite a bit.

If you use your Boss pedal for the distortion, try the same settings for tone and keep Gain down low.

It also sounds like he is using the Bridge pickup on his guitar for that song.

Start with these settings, they should get you close, and then fine tweak them by ear.

Good luck at the show, make sure to post a report.

This link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Stripes - has a fairly extensive list of the equipment Jack uses (guitars, amps, and effects) and lists open tunings used on more than a dozen of his songs. Might help......