Monday, June 13, 2011

White Denim w/ White Arrows & Hotel St. George @ Casbah- 05.24.11


Catching up on some recent shows as I filter through a healthy amount of shots from the past 2.5 weeks...

White Denim made their triumphant return to San Diego playing in benefit of their newly released, exceptionally awesome album D. Los Angeles-based 'tropical crunk' act White Arrows and local boys Hotel St. George set the tone for an evening of good ol' fashioned jam band jamming. More after the jump.


Hotel St. George kicked off the night with a combination of garage rock-y tunes and simple layered vocals to impressive effect. Playing as a third (or fourth) combination of various other local band members, their sound is coming together in a way that should garner them more attention than simply as the opening band for other, more established acts. Now if they can just stick with the lineup as it is currently constituted...

Hotel St. George:



Playing in the midst of a tour that started in early March and made stops all over the country White Arrows took the stage to a rapidly filling Casbah crowd. Frontman Mickey Schiff led the five piece through its psych rock- tinged paces as the other band members helped demonstrate why the buzz around this band is steadily getting louder. The band's energy increased as the show progressed, culminating in a balls-to-the-wall super jam to finish the set that left the crowd in a perfect state of frenzy leading into the headlining act.

White Arrows:




Having last seen White Denim opening for Portugal, The Man at HOB about seven months ago I knew I was in for a treat, but wasn't prepared for how their sound would affect a much more intimate setting. The Austin-based quartet didn't waste any time getting down to business as they tore directly into material off the new album. Combining the best parts of jam-based rock with the outstanding musical talents of all four members, the set consisted mostly of new material while touching here and there on older stuff. What resulted was a incredible show that left a majority of the crowd scrambling for the merch table at the end of the night. If you haven't given these guys a chance in the past, go pick up D as soon as possible and enjoy what might just be the album of the summer.

White Denim:




For more pix from the evening click here and the rest of my concert photography here.
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All images copyright © Nate Vandermeulen, All Rights Reserved.
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