Concert Review: White Reaper Are A Rock Hurricane At Bowery Ballroom

Opening up for The Struts, White Reaper became their contrast in the plethora of rock n’ roll images. The Struts are a spectacular reveling in the drama, rebellion, and even androgyny of rock n’ roll. Yet, White Reaper swam in rock’s more raucous, grounded pool at Bowery Ballroom.

If there is one thing about a White Reaper performance that will always remain consistent: it is their enthusiasm for performing. Performance is an elaborate term, of which some use dance, visuals, or even a persona change to ignite a frequency of entertainment. Though that is NEVER wrong, White Reaper use their grounded nature to smack audiences with the same presence a hurricane shows over a palm tree. The key is you are that palm tree, and songs like “Judy French,” “The Stack,” and “Make Me Wanna Die” whack and whisk your sonic stems as if to pull you away from the earth. They approach the stage like some casual guys looking to start the party, and they do so with melodies that automatically ignite moshes.

From “I Don’t Think She Cares” to “Pills,” White Reaper’s appearance plays to the clashing images of rock. These guys really do feel like your charming buddies from back at home, but their songs sing to a devoutness to loneliness, which is rock. Whether you glam it up like The Struts or choose to wear a plain T, rock n’ roll sings to the constant feeling or thought that we are alone, even if surrounded by lover and friends. It is for this reason that I LOVE Tony Esposito’s voice. He thrusts forward both his voice and his body as if lyrics are a punching bag, and he had to knock every emotion into it. This allows tracks like, “Half Bad” and “Sheila,” to reveal the combativeness of loneliness.

While loneliness can be a sorrowful sentiment, similar to misery, it feeds itself by making you think you deserve to be alone, and fends off anyone that says contrary. White Reaper are the most inclusive band to play to isolation, which is why their music pushes people beyond social boundaries to become “social about being anti-social.” For More Information On White Reaper Click Here.