Live music review: White Denim played triumphant homecoming with Nolan Potter at Mohawk

White Denim returned to their hometown of Austin, for a special homecoming Saturday, February 17. Founding singer, songwriter and guitarist James Petralli is something of a local legend. With over ten records, countless tours, and a now-defunct Austin studio all in his prolific body of work, White Denim has since relocated to Los Angeles, taking his rock vehicle with him and rendering the White Denim name synonymous with his own creative musings. For Saturday night’s gig at Red River Cultural District’s Mohawk, Petralli and company proved that their ties with Austin are indispensable, no matter how far away they go from their once hometown sanctuary. The venue was packed with fans.

Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band started things up for the evening, appearing in their usual star-studded, shredding form. Frontman and guitarist Nolan Potter is a master of progressive neo-psychedelia and has enlisted the help of a cast of all-star musicians, after replacing his entire lineup since the group’s initial formation. Drummer Cole Koenning is an in-the-pocket beatmaker, showing tenacity at every turn regardless of how long an instrumental jam stretches. 

Guitarist Raze Regal is also a Nolan Potter player with a glowing resume. Raze also played as a member of The Once & Future Band, a signee of Osees’ John Dwyer’s Castle Face Records. This collaboration also resulted in the introduction of also Castle Face signee Potter and Regal, who started a new team with a fiercely present trajectory in the local scene. Since relocating from Seattle to Austin, Regal has taken up with the local talent, even recording a record with Petralli, released late last year. 

Nightmare Band classics like “Seahorse Retreat” and “Gregorian Chance” all made their staple appearances, all of which included extended instrumental jam sessions that typically reach new heights with each Nolan Potter show. Since debuting the current iteration of his backing band at the farewell stop of legendary Japanese psychedelia act Kikagaku Moyo at South Austin’s Far Out Lounge, Potter and his relentlessly talented ensemble have been on a mission to be a constant thrill ride whenever they take the stage. “Stubborn Bubble” made its usual closing tune presentation, which showed the fivesome soloing through the set’s closer to create a statement for what would come for the rest of the evening from the equally jam-oriented headliners.

Following a brief intermission, White Denim took the stage, ready to perform for their birthplace for the first time since SXSW 2023. When trying to classify White Denim, there’s a lot to pinpoint. The Austin-turned-LA band’s technical chops is not understated; the guitars have a progressive edge, giving way to the drums that always have a tasty fill or two up their sleeve. Before moving out West, Petralli and his band wrote and recorded World as a Waiting Room, a record made in isolation during the pandemic shutdowns. Since this release, White Denim has returned to a busy touring schedule and showed no signs of letting up.

Petralli leans toward a prolific nature, which usually means playing new material whenever he can. The first few cuts of the evening showcased new, unreleased material. The new tracks continued for the first few songs of the set before “Cheer Up” appeared off White Denim’s acclaimed Corsicana Lemonade. Considered a classic for the prolific indie act, Petralli pulled cuts from all across a wide range of material, making it feel like he could have kept the music going for hours. “Pretty Green” also appeared, spurring audience singalongs that made it clear, the White Denim devotees were loud and present, some were overheard before the set that they had seen the Austin band a dozen or so times. 

To celebrate their collaborative record with Nolan Potter member Raze Regal, White Denim brought the guitarist onstage to perform a couple cuts from their recent Raze Regal & White Denim Inc. full-length effort. Joining White Denim, the ensemble performed the record’s opening track, “Ashley Goudeau.” Continuing his technical guitar prowess from the earlier performance, Regal accompanied Petralli as he relinquished his guitar for the collaboration section, allowing the frontman to be animated on all parts of the stage while Regal held things down on lead guitar. 

The seasoned musicians also performed “Dislocation,” staying in the pocket and hashing out the new material that exemplified the chemistry between the two artists. Petralli and Regal took turns showing their artistic appreciation towards each other during the two set list entries, making the evening special in the place the White Denim frontman once called home. The audience hoped for an encore, but a hand sign from Petralli to the sound guy proved no dice. White Denim continues down the road on tour before wrapping things up on the West Coast in April. 

All photos by Drew Doggett

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