Out in support of their fantastic, recently-released new effort Performance, eclectic Austin group White Denim are set to play their first Music City headliner in a couple of years (more recent supporting stops aside) tonight, Sept. 22 at Exit/In, with New York jazz guitarist Rotem. Heralded for their genre-bending, decade-spanning sound and influence, White Denim are a fantastic and always unique live experience, impressive both for fans of psych, punk, jazz, experimental, prog, and indie rock, as well as casual newcomers who connect with their light and accessible presentation. Tickets for the group’s latest Nashville stop are still available here, so grab yours now and read on for more about the show!
WHITE DENIM
One of the most interesting acts to emerge from the eclectic Austin rock scene, first formed more than a decade ago, in 2006, White Denim are always a fun, unpredictable, and enthralling live show. Initially the result of the merger of two other projects, though their lineup has shuffled a bit over the years, White Denim somehow manage to mix elements of psychedelic rock, punk, indie, jazz, experimental rock, progressive, and soul, all without feeling overblown or clunky. Though very DIY in their early days, the group have grown to amass a sizable cult following, and have shared the stage with the likes of Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys, all the while continuing to produce some buzzworthy records and push their music to new directions and genre explorations. Arguably, the band found their stride with 2011’s fourth (or third, or fifth, depending on what you’re counting) album D, and continued to grow in recognition with critically-beloved 2013 “barbecue” effort Corsicana Lemonade, next furthering their reach with 2016 LP Stiff, the group’s first time working with an outside producer and first proper live, analog album, capturing the spirit of the band’s fast, heavy, uncontainable early sound fused with years of experimentation. Now celebrating their latest effort, this year’s recent Performance, recorded in the band’s on Austin studio, White Denim have once again augmented their sound, fusing rock with bits of garage punk, soul, psychedelic boogie, prog, jazz, and country blues to smart, thoughtful, adventurous, and great affect, at once modern, nostalgic, and timeless. Wholly unique and always fantastic in concert, any chance to see White Denim live is must.
ROTEM
Hailing from New York by way of Israel, Rotem Sivan, who simply performs as Rotem, typically as a trio, is a heralded and accomplished jazz guitarist who’s amassed worldwide accolades. While White Denim incorporate elements of jazz into their largely rock rooted sound, Rotem is a much more conventionally jazz fusion player, with several fantastic full-lengths under his belt released over the last five years. Needless to say, it’s not often you see a straight up jazz opener for a rock show, and if you appreciate White Denim’s ambitious, technical musicality, you’re bound to love Rotem; show up early!
White Denim and Rotem will perform tonight, Sept. 22 at Exit/In. The show is 18+, begins at 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $20.
