Photo Credit: Rhys Dolman
Words: Sam Walker-Smart
Hoping to end a year of gigs with scorching riffs and 10ccs of pure funk, I’m headed to Rough Trade Bristol to catch White Denim’s intimate in-store show. Always a promising live proposition, the James Petralli-led outfit was in town to promote their latest album, 12, an excellent LP that sees the band marry elements of prog-pop with their signature southern rock. As a rule, in-store shows tend to be laid-back affairs—hour-long sets where fans can enjoy an up-close, relaxed performance. Clearly, White Denim didn’t get the memo. The five-piece roared through a blistering 95-minute set at deafening volume.
With 12 clocking in at just 39 minutes, White Denim had ample time to dip into their back catalog, playing over 20 songs compared to the 14 performed in London and Liverpool. Within minutes, the venue turned into a sweatbox, the sold-out crowd of 200 crammed wall-to-wall. Although their albums had become increasingly slicker over the years, the band quickly had the place feeling like a dive bar show. SG guitar hanging tight and close, Petralli and his bandmates effortlessly burned through song after song, grinning with every note.
“You sound fucking tight,” roars one attendee. “I know! Sometimes I wish I was down there so I could watch these guys,” laughs the frontman. It’s no exaggeration—without a doubt, White Denim is the tightest band I’ve seen all year. Each musician is a master of their instrument. Newer recruits Cat Clemons (lead guitar) and Matt Young (drums) are infectious additions to the lineup. Young, for his part, holds down the groove with precision, his beaming smile never fading. Clemons, rocking a leopardskin hat, sweater, and sparkly purple Stratocaster, brings his jazz-trained chops to the mix, keeping pace with Petralli while laughing throughout. It’s clear the band genuinely loves playing together, often telepathically jamming as they flow from one song into another.
Between the guitar hero licks of “At Night In Dreams” and “Had To Know,” the band takes brief moments of soulful reprieve. New tracks like the dreamy “Light On” go down a treat, and Petralli’s vocals shine on the sultry pop of “Take It Easy (Everlasting Love).” An hour in, and the band is having too much fun to stick to the planned set, reintroducing a few songs, including the fan favorite “Magazin.” “Fine Slime” from 2018’s Performance album gives the quintet one last chance to jam out, with Petralli manipulating his pedalboard to create waves of cosmic noise before locking back into the main riff.
“Here’s something a little more relaxed to end with,” says Petralli. And with that, White Denim slips into the laid-back groove of “I Still Exist,” a reflective, slower finale. It’s a welcome change, as fans’ feet are now aching, and everyone feels like we’ve been boiled alive by the heat. Thanking the frontman as I leave, I realize I’m more exhausted than I’d expected to be after a promotional in-store show.
It’d been nine years since I last saw them play on a chilly night in East London, but I’m happy to report that Petralli has lost none of his live fire. Like all good dads, he’s gotten proggier with age (there was a Moog onstage, after all). But White Denim’s roots as an Austin Circuit power trio run deep. They’re always going to bring a good dash of danger to their live shows.