Live music review: White Denim returns to Austin for Hot Luck Fest with Nolan Potter
Memorial Day in Texas is a tipping point of sorts. In what feels like a few weeks before outside temperatures climb to three-digit territory, the outdoor live music scene has a handful of hurrahs left before the general public hides indoors until the Fall concert calendar kicks the scene back into full gear. Austin to Pasadena indie outfit White Denim, the musical fusion of chief songwriter James Petralli has seen many forms. Since making the West Coast his home, the Austin-bred group has undergone a creative shift, no longer a vehicle of constant members and making Petralli’s name synonymous with the consistent stream of records released amid numerous lineup changes throughout the years. On Saturday night (May 24) at Mohawk in the Red River Cultural District as a part of the annual Hot Luck Festival culinary celebration, White Denim fed their hometown once again, their third stop in Central Texas in 18 months.
Fellow psych-jazz quintet Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Egg took the stage as the sole openers, one of the first outings since undergoing a name change with the departure of years-tenured drummer Cole Koenning. With the new form of Potter’s group making their way to stages across the nation, they have enlisted the help of local drummer Math Judson, known for his work in bands such as Prehuman and Vvvooollluuummmeee.
The Potter players have been riding high since the release of their latest LP, The Perils of Being Trapped Inside A Head, with numerous shows around town and now a tour with the evening’s closing act that have proven to be frequent collaborators. Guitarist Raze Regal, keyboardist Sam Blomgren, and bassist Dillon Fernandez have remained stable members since their debut as Potter’s trusted associates in 2022, and the outfit has proved seaworthy on the touring circuit.
White Denim proved to be beyond punctual by being ready to begin their set at 9:45 p.m. but, nonetheless, were told to wait by the Mohawk staff. By the time 9:55 rolled around, the headlining company emerged to launch into their set, with excitement across the venue as the two-hour onrush kicked off. Since the shapeshifting independent song machine is creeping up on a two-decade stretch, the music has never stopped coming. With the latest addition to their discography coming in the form of 12, a well-rounded work showing the first project to come out of the band’s SoCal studio. Lead single “Light On” acted as the opening number, a fitting statement for the latest era. Throughout the first leg of the set, an audience member was signaling to the sound engineer to turn up the vocals, a request that was honored on the condition that he stopped hand signaling because “It’s very distracting.”
More new cuts appeared in the realm of “Second Dimension,” “Ecolining,” and “Your Future As God,” all of which were taken for a walk in a live setting before the album’s release. The new material rollout didn’t stop there, as Nightmare Egg guitarist Raze Regal joined the group for Raze Regal & White Denim Inc. selection “Ashley Goudeau.” Regal and Petralli recorded a fantastic record together, and it takes a hometown show to get them on stage together to demonstrate that bond to the music scene that shows them universal love.
Corsicana Lemonade pieces “Pretty Green” and “At Night In Dreams” made their ceremonious appearances, much to the attendees’ vocal praise. The prowess of the ‘Denim backing band is undeniable, with the syncopated drumming from Matt Young being a honed-in highlight of the current iteration. Guitarist Cat Clemons handles the leads with precision, always locking into Petralli’s unconventional chord structures with searing riffs that transcend each track’s studio rendition. A rowdy crowd-pleaser came with Stiff entry “Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah),” a fan-favorite that resulted in a fist-pumping dance party. Petralli took time to shout out Austin local businesses, including an elbow-nudging, comedic remark about goth club Elysium. “Is Elysium still in business?” the WD operator joked. The banter from the frontman remains unchecked and honest, and we’ll hang on to his every word.
As the set crept up on the midnight hour, Petralli promised to play up until the clock struck 12. The songs kept coming, not to be stopped due to the later Saturday night curfew. A whopping two-hour set from the White Denim crew proved to be satisfying to the diehards in attendance, but not without the purists wanting more from the dozen-or-so records given to them by an Austin favorite who are still touring the globe and bringing the masses out to see them as their arsenal of tunes continues to grow.
White Denim wrapped up the first leg of their US tour in San Antonio over the weekend, with another stint planned for the Summer. Tickets can be found via the band’s website.
All photos by Troy Gonzales
You must be logged in to post a comment.