ACL Fest: White Denim Rock, Roll, & Satisfy

As the dust settled on another ACL Fest, a storm of a different kind brewed at the Austin Ventures stage where local act White Denim turned in a whirlwind performance. The band eased into their set via "Migration Wind," a breezy instrumental piece that gradually gathered momentum and showcased James Petralli's prowess on the guitar. "All You Really Have To Do" followed immediately, and by the time "Mess Your Hair Up" arrived, the audience was pumping their fists in conjunction with each Petralli howl, clearly invigorated by the sonic explosion.

With drummer Josh Block featured prominently in the middle, keeping time impeccably (and often leading the way), and Steve Terebecki's constantly pounding out throbbing basslines, the cohesive rhythm section allowed Petralli's distant vocals and screeching, distorted guitar output to roam free. The trio combined effortlessly throughout, as if they were born to build these constantly evolving walls of experimental garage rock together, complete with shifting rhythms and changing tempos. The havoc they create is definitely more intricate than it may initially sound. There was moshing at times near the front of the stage, a rare sight at ACL Fest this year, and White Denim took full advantage of the energy, stretching their blasts of rock mayhem to conjure up longer volcanic eruptions. Extended intros, intoxicating codas, and songs that seamlessly flowed into the next were all a part of the package as the band entertained the tireless attendees. "Shake Shake Shake," "Darksided Computer Mouth," and "I Can Tell" were further highlights of the ruckus generated in the forty minute set. We had seen White Denim tear up venues on Red River St. and also put in a stellar shift at last year's Fun Fun Fun Fest (where their performance was quite early in the day and sans a large crowd); they proved to us this evening that they can more than hold their own on the big outdoor festival circuit.