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Thursday, March 27, 2008

WHITE DENIM AND THE CULT OF TURBO

The hits just keep coming for our favorite band from Austin - WHITE DENIM. Now the Brits are onto it, even the NME knows what's up sometimes (see press hit above) when they said they were one of the "10 Best Bands at SXSW". I saw writers from every publication possible at their SXSW show at Hot Freaks, and I guarantee they'll keep coming, mostly because they aren't out chasing after it. White Denim are like THE RAMONES of Texas, they are perfection caught in action. They embody everything right about independent music, everything perfect about garage bands that work it out behind the scenes, back in the chicken shack, and then come out to the world and deliver. They reflect Austin, Texas and this time in music much like those beloved Ramones did of their time and place. This isn't some pansy band, looking for a J Linderberg endorsement, this is three dudes that own their sound and represent where they are from with no apologies. I've had a couple nights of getting pretty sauced with the boys, and each time their brazen 'we don't want a US label' approach at first puzzles me, but then my smile creeps in when I realize they're doing just fine as is. Leave a tender moment alone it is said - they have folks in Texas that take care of them, they have a fantastic manager, great booking, and have plenty of folks talking about them without doing anything more than just getting on stage and ripping through their sets with the same reckless abandon each and every time.

And while we're on this subject, let's discuss what is turning into the CULT OF TURBO.
If you haven't seen White Denim live yet, which is like trying to eat in a wind tunnel, then you have yet to experience one of Earth's greatest accomplishments: TURBO.

This is TURBO

I mean, you can't even manufacture something as perfect as 'Turbo' for a nickname, it's just pure syncopation. Everywhere I turned in Austin, someone was talking about Turbo. "Turbo this" and "Turbo that", I started to realize something much bigger was happening, an underground fanbase was assembling around one musician like I haven't seen in some time. Forget that Fall Out Boy jackass, today's superstar bass player is Turbo. His bass playing is deep, thumpin', TOWER OF POWER kinda bass playing.

I'm calling out to those out there that have subscribed to this cult, SEND ME YOUR BEST TURBO PHOTO so I can post them.

The absolute moment I knew things had changed from fringe fascination to full on idol was when I passed this graffiti just off of Red River during SXSW....


White Denim Tour Dates:

Apr 1 -The Buffalo Bar (Artrocker) - London
Apr 2- Scruffy Bird @ The Pleasure Unit - London
Apr 3 - Dirty Boots @ Bloomsbury Bowling - London
Apr 4 - The Barfly - London
Apr 7 -La Maroquineriem - Paris

With Tapes N Tapes:
4/10 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, Minnesota
4/11 - Metro - Chicago, Illinois
4/12 - The Magic Stick - Detroit, Michigan
4/14 - The Opera House - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
4/15 - Cabaret Music Hall - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
4/16 - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge - So.

Burlington, Vermont
4/17 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, Massachusetts
4/18 - Fillmore New York-Irving Plaza - New York, New York
4/19 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, New York
4/22 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4/23 - Nightclub 9:30 - Washington, D.C.

4/24 - Local 506 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
4/25 - The Earl - Atlanta, Georgia
4/26 - Cafe 11 - St.

Augustine, Florida
4/28 - The Social - Orlando, Florida
4/29 - Common Grounds - Gainesville, Florida
4/30 - Bottletree - Birmingham, Alabama
5/02 - Antone's - Austin, Texas
5/03 - Hailey's - Denton, Texas
5/06 - Club Congress - Tucson, Arizona
5/07 - The Casbah - San Diego, California
5/08 - Troubadour - West Hollywood, California
5/09 - Troubadour - West Hollywood, California
5/10 - Fillmore - San Francisco, California
5/12 - W.O.W.

Hall - Eugene, Oregon
5/13 - Richards on Richards - Vancouver, B.C.

, Canada
5/14 - The Showbox - Seattle, Washington
5/16 - In The Venue - Salt Lake City, Utah
5/17 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, Colorado

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11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who is this TURBO? And where can I git me some???

6:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Turbo rocks my world - He was the best thing about Noise Pop 2008

TurboLuvr

6:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To see TURBO play is like seeing Hendrix at his prime, smoke rising from his strings while ladies crowd around the stage. Without a doubt he is one of, if not hands down, my favorite bass player alive. I got a chance to hang with him after Noise Pop, and he is beyond cool and down to earth for someone destine to be one of the greats!

I still remember moments of the night with the crowd chanting T-U-R-B-O!!!!!

Jimmy

6:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

TURBO! TURBO! TURBO! If you haven't caught on already, do so NOW. I'm telling you this cat blew my f*cking mind at Little Radio in LA -- we're talking about EL FUTURO DE LOS SONIDOS DEL FUTURO, a LEGEND in waiting, the nastiest cat in the alley....never ever heard anybody rip a bass in two with such ease, and I'm no spring chicken.

6:18 PM  
Blogger Suckatash said...

TURBO! TURBO! TURBO!

with a look straight out of a classic 80's comedy, this fresh faced kid can rock the four string like no other. i saw him tear it up in nyc for cmj and then again at austin for sxsw, and i cannot wait to catch him and his boys again when they come through la in may...

6:22 PM  
Blogger Satisfied '75 said...

turbo rulz

7:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a friend who said she saw hum sucking on a popsicle only minutes before taking that stage at Hot Freaks. It was hot and he was cool.
He makes Mike Watt look like a clumbsy oaf does the Turbo.

8:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i ♥ turbo

8:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Turbo is the shit!!! I saw him dance once and it was like the devil parted a highway to hell

9:04 PM  
Blogger Chris said...

goddammit woozyfly way to ruin the Turbo love fest. asshole.

9:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Melissa Moosehole can take a dump on a wet rag. This is Turbo Country!

8:30 PM  

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