Whitney

photos + review By Lilli Marvin

Omaha, NE // October 19th 2019

Attending a Whitney gig is a family affair. While the Chicago band’s material might be written by duo Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek (who constitute the act’s two core members), it is clear Whitney is something much bigger: something a little less tangible, yet entirely more rewarding. Touring with Ehrlich (drums, vocals) and Kakacek (guitar) on their current tour in support of their sophomore album Forever Turned Around is an impressive roster of musicians just as intimate with Whitney’s songs as the creators themselves: keyboardist Malcom Brown can’t seem to keep his feet in place as he textures the set with driving key runs, Print Chouteau stoically compliments the band’s nostalgic sound with an acoustic guitar, Will Miller sends the audience into a frenzy, guaranteed, with his impressive trumpet solos, Josiah Marshall anchors the set on bass—without him attendees might just slip into a shimmering nostalgic bender never to return—and finally rhythm guitarist Ziyad Asrar brings it all together, uniting the seven musicians under one warm, welcoming banner that is the band Whitney. 

And yet the family doesn’t end with the stage—it is clear from the opening song that Whitney is also the audience, too; after nearly every song Ehrlich not only addressed but spoke with the crowd, asking whether they were enjoying themselves, sharing which local ramen bar  the band went for dinner, even cracking jokes about the “stoner humor” of some of the attendees. The band couldn’t seem more thankful to be there. Towards the middle of the set, Brown (keys) asked if a certain mother and son were in attendance because he had a conversation with them last tour that he was so thankful for—intimate memories and relationships like these are at the core of Whitney’s live performance and their music. 

The intimacy of Whitney’s live show is only further compounded by the (at times, aching) nostalgia present throughout the set. But at no time was the emotion overbearing or strained, distinguishing the band from the clichéd subset of the ‘indie’ genre that relies too heavy-handedly on the shtick of heartbreak and acoustic guitar. Whitney is something else entirely, a refined group of musicians that recognize when to step into the spotlight and when to simmer onstage, always making room for one another in their shimmering compositions. Each member contributes an integral voice to the collective whole, it is impossible to imagine a Whitney set without Miller, without Asrar or Chouteau—an impressive accomplishment of a band roster boasting seven people. Individually, each member is talented—together, all are magnificent. 

A notable point of magnificence came in the second half of the set in the form of a cover of NRBQ’s song “Magnet”—the frenzied swing of this rhythmic, jam-band-adjacent song brought together all of Whitney’s strengths into perhaps five of the most exhilarating minutes of my month. It was clear the tempo, faster than much of the rest of the set, emboldened the band: no still limbs could be found on stage (nor in the crowd for that matter) from start to finish. There was something special here, the band recognized it, trading grins during particularly compelling solos and ending the cover with an unspoken exchange of tangible satisfaction. Whitney, if you’re reading this, please record this cover, the world needs it. 

After concluding with an encore, sweet and endearing much like a goodbye from long-distanced friends, departing the show became ever the more the difficult. Already I have grown nostalgic for the emotions conjured during the set, a sort of regressive-loop-of-the-heart-and-soul that can only be cured by another visit from the Whitney family, please come back soon. Whitney certainly has my heart, has all of our hearts—yet there is no band better suited for such a task. 

Listen to their latest record Forever Turned Around here.