The Whigs rock Bele Chere

All photos by Chris Wood.

Perhaps the first thing that stands out about The Whigs, from Athens, Ga., is that for three guys they create a huge sound. Screaming guitars, booming bass, crashing drums: check. The next thing that stands out: Between them, they have a lot of hair. A lot. And they use it, whipping it, tossing it, head banging their way through each driving, rock-fueled song. Which raises the question, like Samson, is hair the secret to the Whigs’ power?

Possibly. One thing’s for sure: This trio came to Bele Chere ready to kiss ass and take names. They launched their Friday set on the Coxe Avenue stage with the kind of raucous, frenetic energy that found instant popularity for The Strokes back in 2001. But three albums in (and a fourth on the way), the Whigs haven’t made any major missteps. Songs like “Black Lotus” and “Hundred/Million” from their most recent album, In The Dark showcase why they’re the opener of choice for the likes of Kings of Leon.

Front man Parker Gisper told Xpress that he suffers no delusions that the Whigs are playing stadium shows based on their own drawing power, but watching the band howl, muscle and finesse their way through their show, it’s not hard to imagine that headlining stadiums is in their future. They play like rock stars. They lose themselves in the music. Gispert leaps and bucks, gives air kicks. Bassist Timothy Deaux performs spooky slide parts, takes turns on the keys and sings backup. Drummer Julian Dorio is the human version of Animal, the Muppet drummer (though much better looking), all flying mane and attacking biceps.

Older songs — “Nothing Is Easy,” “Don’t Talk Anymore” and “Half the World Away” offered some insight to the bands’ early influences. Nods to the Beatles in their melody lines, a lighter touch that has since given way to rock prowess. While songs like “Written Invitation” and “So Lonely” show off Gispert’s abilities as a songwriter, that aspect of the band is tempered with some serious southern rock roots. “Right Hand on My Heart” — one highlight of the set — had the crowd singing along while the band ended up taking its instrumental break with backs to the audience, playing guitars directly into amps. The songs ended with Gispert laying on the stage.

Another highlight was “Dying,” featuring Dorio’s percussion. The thick, heavy song has only a few lyrics (“It used to be right in front of you but now its gone” and “Somebody better come speed up your heart cuz its dying”) but goes a long way to showing just how hard the Whigs can rock. Dorio pummeled his kit with a set of mallets and the intensity build between the guitars could second as the soundtrack to the battle between alien dinosaurs. And yet, for all the menace and snarl, the Whigs are adept at reeling the chaos back in for a tight finish.

On a hot July night, the Whigs brought just even more heat to the stage (Gispert, at once point, did dedicate a song to “my fan, blowing on me and keeping me cool”), testing out a few new tracks, impressing with a high energy back catalog and leaving the crowd looking forward to the next record.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.