On a surprisingly brisk night, Brooklyn band, White Rabbits, grace their awaiting public at Phoenix Arizona's, Crescent Ballroom. Without hesitation, and without introduction, this six-piece took the stage opening with a new single, "Heavy Metal," off their March release, Milk Famous. When artists are performing new material, audiences often dont know how to respond this is one of those, key moments for a band. For a seasoned ensemble like the White Rabbits, they had no problem reminding the crowd that they know how to produce new captivating material, and better yet, they know how to draw you in with it. They kept the onslaught of new material going, while never losing the audience; each track brought more energy, and more response from the crowd.
As the Rabbits began to feel the feedback from the crowd they began to break into their earlier collection, showing the fans, that time has clearly perfected these live versions. Playing with what appeared as a liberated sense of freedom, the faces of the six guys on stage slowly morphed from a thankful smile, to a near smug grin, knowing full well the experience they were creating. White Rabbits front men Stephen Patterson, and Gregory Roberts perform with ease, and without any noticeable sign of hesitation, a very important quality when owning, a show, and that’s exactly what the band as a whole did.
From the moment they reached the stage to well after they were done, they owned, that night in a little music hall in Phoenix. Patterson's sly smiles that would leave the corner of his mouth would captivate women and men alike in the crowd, creating an infectious need to sing, dance, and all around enjoy the show.
When artists begin to be performing for their third album, set lists can become complicated, in trying to find the balance for all your fans while still fulfilling the business side of playing new material, sometimes you have to make hard choices and leave fan favorites out; however for the audience in attendance, original White Rabbits fans were satisfied with all their favorite throwbacks. From tracks off their second release It's Frightening, "The Salesman (Tramp Life,)" and "Percussion Gun," (which was actually their set closer,) to tracks off their acclaimed debut album like, "The Plot," and "Kids on My Shoulder," (which was turned into an extended mix for their encore,) White Rabbits delivered for new and old fan alike.
Setlist:
Heavy Metal (Milk Famous)
Are You Free (Milk Famous)
Im Not Me (Milk Famous)
The Salesman (Tramp Life) (Its Frightening)
Back For More (Milk Famous)
While We Go Dancing (Fort Nightly)
The Day You Won the War (Milk Famous)
They Done Wrong/ We Done Wrong (Its Frightening)
The Plot (Fort Nightly)
Temporary (Milk Famous)
Rudie Falls (Its Frightening)
Lionesse (Its Frightening)
I had It Coming (Milk Famous)
Percussion Gun (Its Frightening)
Encore:
1. Kid On My Shoulders (Fort Nightly)