IN CONCERT: White Denim - Brooklyn Bowl October 7th, 2026
Concert review by Skye Matlock, all photography by Tommy Krause
White Denim at Brooklyn Bowl by Tommy Krause
James Petralli of White Denim sat behind the merch booth on October 7th, fresh off the stage at Brooklyn Bowl, a venue he estimates he’s played over 20 times. As James caught his breath while chatting with showgoers about finishing up his tour, the line of New Yorkers waiting to grab a poster and shake hands with him really captured the warmth of the crowd. It was clear the audience didn’t want the show to end.
The last time I spoke to James Petralli of White Denim was shortly before the release of their LP 13 in April, where he shared what inspired the record and where he is as a musician now. (Check out more on that here.) The band has been touring since its release, starting from Las Vegas in May, working their way through Europe in September, and finishing off in Chicago just a few days ago.
It was great to put faces to the names of the musicians that James praised to me earlier this year, and it added a personal level of appreciation on my end. Watching each member strike chords with a certain syncopation also reminded me of my favorite reason for seeing performances on the tail end of their tour; every move the band makes is second nature at this point, and it’s damn satisfying to witness.
White Denim at Brooklyn Bowl by Tommy Krause
At Night In dreams
I stood in a spot that one of the sound guys swore was the best in the room, a bit skewed to the right between the stage’s overhead subs. With a makeup of vocals, bass, drums, guitar, and keys, being able to hear each element was a must for me. The chemistry between each player led to jammy outros which were executed in a way that made it impossible not to make a stank face, and kept the crowd engaged throughout the 90-minute set.
The set spanned the band’s discography from 2009 deep cuts onward, including “Magazin,” “A Place to Start,” “Take It Easy,” and a reggae rendition of the newer “Keep Calling Me (Baby)” from 13. A group of guys standing in my vicinity could not stay still, even after I overheard one admit he didn't know most songs, which says plenty about the band's pull. “At Night in Dreams” went straight into “Back at the Farm” with as much energy as the show started with, followed by a necessary encore of “Say What You Want.”
White Denim at Brooklyn Bowl by Tommy Krause
While the stage began to tear down, the audience dispersed into smaller congregations to compare their experiences of the night. Tommy (our beloved photographer) and I made our way to the front of the merch line with the rest and caught up with a sweaty James about what’s next for himself and the band. Petralli is shipping out his collaborative record HYPNOTIST in early November, as a limited run of 500 pressings (with less than 300 available left for preorder) and spent some time earlier this year working on music with the original trio of White Denim as part of an unnamed project. “I’ve got a 30 hour drive back home from Chicago after our last gig of the tour. We’ll see what happens after that,” he shared with a confident shrug.
White Denim at Brooklyn Bowl by Tommy Krause
Check out the setlist and full photo Gallery below!
All photos of White Denim by Tommy Krause
FULL GALLERY
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