AMERICAN band White Denim brought their talents across the Atlantic to Manchester’s O2 Ritz and we sent George McKay to the highly-anticipated gig…
Austin, Texas is often regarded amongst music lovers as the spiritual centre of guitar music for the modern generation.
As the self-styled ‘music capital of the world’, it’s no wonder that native Austin band White Denim present the most successful live performance this reviewer has seen for a long time.
The slightly bitter autumn night began with a stellar set from Canterbury band Syd Arthur.
With a strong 30-minute set building swiftly to a heated crescendo, despite being plagued by mixing issues, the band played practiced psychedelia with jazz-like precision.
The main act though, managed to dispel any doubts that may have arisen from the technical issues of the warm-up, with frontman James Petralli throwing himself into a musical menagerie of soulful rock groove.
This was an electric set with Petralli sweating profusely by the end of the opening track.
The pleasing riffs of “Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah)” only served to spur on both the crowd and the band members themselves into a frenzy of frenetic fanaticism that lasted the entirety of the set.
This was no mean feat when one considers the diversity of those watching the four-piece.
It was a difficult task to play to a crowd so diverse in age, but Petralli et al managed to whip even the most curmudgeonly gig-watcher into a foot-tap, whilst simultaneously making the eager young music lover stop and gawp at the technical prowess of what was occurring on stage.
This is where White Denim find their power, they exist in a space quite distinct from many of their peers.
When listening to the band, one cannot help but draw connections to the likes of The White Stripes and Alabama Shakes, who no doubt exist within the same musical sphere.
However, when witnessed live, it is clear that White Denim occupy a space so far above their stylistic counterparts.
With Petralli holding the position of front man and lead guitarist, schoolboy lookalike Steve Terebecki takes the mantle of bassist.
Herein lies the band’s magic.
With the complexity of the compositions which are being laid upon the audience, the two driving forces of Terebecki and Petralli talk to each other in a layered conversation, only fleetingly meeting in satisfying agreement.
Despite the relatively recent upheaval of the band, with drummer Josh Block and guitarist Austin Jenkins leaving the band after immense demand from new soul giant Leon Bridges, they sound content in the new set-up and settled in the new organisation of the sound.
New drummer Jeffrey Olson is unassuming but provided the necessary drive and intensity that helped the numbers rattle along.
Jonathan Horne provided the high notes in synth form, keeping the mix light and almost so smooth that one forgot about the intricacies of the music. Almost.
If one criticism could be levelled at the band it is that the set was on full throttle from the beginning, never really giving the audience a chance to fully reflect on what was happening.
This criticism does ring hollow, however, when the audience was complicit in the enthusiasm.
This is a band unashamedly about the sound, and one whose whole essence lies in sweeping you along in the moment of ‘proper’ music.
In a sea of postmodern cynical lyricists, White Denim prove a welcome escape in to the true, unabashed joy that can be found in the subtleties of musicianship for the sake of good music.
With a full 90-minute set of ups (and not many downs), if there was one thing that could be said of the crowd at O2 Ritz Manchester, it was that each one of them left with a huge smile on their face and the words “be yourself, and try to have a good time” ringing in their head.
By George McKay
@georgemckay_
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