Press Pass: Whitehall
- Caitlin Billard
- Mar 10, 2017
- 5 min read
W H I T E H A L L :
“Tasty”
Every day across America, a heavenly hand reaches down into a field of average looking white kids and plucks a bouquet band. You know, 4-5 guys who get together in the name of music to play at their friends’ places, start a bandcamp, and maybe audition for a talent show. But not every bouquet snatched up by that heavenly hand proves to be divine.
Every now and then, though, the invisible hand manages to arrange a truly winning combination of five individual musicians who are able to complement and complex-ify each other’s sounds.
The hand certainly does not often grab 5 flowers who are down to earth and manage to put egos aside in order to be the best bouquet that they can be… But sometimes it does.
Let us tell you about a bouquet - um, we mean band - called Whitehall.
Whitehall is made up of 5 guys. Normal lookin,’ seemingly average guys, to be honest.
First up, you’ve got Paddy McKiernan. (Brunette. Glasses. He’s the singer and he plays some guitar.) Next, Avery Greeson. (Lead guitarist and he’s got the hair for it.) Then you’ve got Patrick Magwood. (He plays sax. He facilitates Whitehall’s distinctive flavor, from reed to feet.) Then Brennan Clark. (Bassist. Blonde. Buoyant.) And, finally, Davis Rowe. (Whitehall’s heartbeat. And Foo Fighter aficionado.)
There are a few things you need to know about Whitehall.
One - if you met these guys, you’d think they’d known each other forever.
Maybe you’d think that in childhood they all lived next door to each other, that their moms all got together for lemon tarts and iced tea while the boys played in the garage, and that one day in eighth grade they realized their dream to form a band and make it big - to move out of the suburbs, live on the cold, mean, urban streets and make ends meet as a rock band.
But you’d be wrong.
The guys didn’t actually come to know one another until college. They all met by happy chance, through friends of friends and fortunate timing, and bonded over mutual musicianship - one of the purest, most spiritual forms of bonding. After one semester of awkward acoustic dorm room practices, they officially formed Whitehall.
Their effusive familiarity (whatever it is about them that makes you feel like you know them even if you don’t) comes across in their music. And, like walking past a motion sensor febreze at your mom’s house, hearing the boys perform a song is at once refreshing and nostalgic.
Two - there are 2 things you need to go to a Whitehall show armed with.
1) Shoes you can fucking move in, and 2) some fresh dance moves, or the personal allowance to make some up on the spot.
Something happens at Whitehall shows - the band’s energy forms an almost visible aura which radiates outward into the crowd. And then each crowd member (who’s jumpin’ and bobbin’ and groovin’) emits an aura of their own. And then these auras all interact, usually around the time the band plays A Little More. Be ready for that moment with a drink in your hand and sneaks on your feet.
The dudes of Whitehall are a fun, easy going group and their music is equally upbeat and inviting. At one point, we may have lovingly referred to Whitehall as an embodiment of “College Rock” - a potential on-campus sensation, appealing largely to a young adult fan-base who could relate to Whitehall’s honest, approachable lyrics and who was eager to see a familiar group of guys killin’ it at a house show. But Whitehall has been making major moves lately, transitioning from playing small shows around campus to playing venues like the Music Farm and bars like Tin Roof - from recording in a practice room in Cato Arts Center to being signed to D.J. Edwards’ record label, Real South Records.
Whitehall doesn’t let genre expectations influence their music, explaining that “genres come with a lot of walls and limitations... we just write our songs, and whatever [genre] people want to call them, that’s what they are.”
Instead, their music is a blend of the boys’ musical tastes and backgrounds. They each have their own set of influences, from Manchester Orchestra to John Mayer, and as a result, they produce an authentic sound that would never have come to be if these particular five hadn’t gotten their hands on it. The band trusts one another and appreciates that their hodge-podge of influences makes Whitehall what it is. They are, what we like to call, a rockin-and-rollin-and-saxophonin’ good time.
Whitehall’s songwriting process usually starts with Paddy bringing something to the table, whether a simple progression or a nearly fully-formed song. Then, they all dive into it together and develop each instrument's part to create a cohesive full-band piece. Each member is able to contribute something from an alternate perspective because of their differing influences. Brennan says, “Sometimes, I’ll give Avery an idea for a guitar part, or Paddy will write a bass line, that the other one would have never thought of in a million years.”
The boys are humble and collaborative when songwriting, valuing the song over their individual parts or personal glory. As Brennan says, “I don’t think, I’m going to come up with the coolest bass part that I can. [Instead,] I try to compliment everything else that’s going on.” He goes on to say that they’re all songwriters, and when you have five songwriters instead of five instrumentalists, you get better songs.
A defining characteristic of Whitehall’s sound is the presence of Patrick Magwood’s saxophone. The first time you see Whitehall perform live, and Pat whips out his sax -- game changer. It’s like ‘oh SHIT, a saxophone player!' On writing the sax parts, Pat says “I don’t try to go too complex, but I don’t just sit in the background. I try to find the perfect medium. We have a lot of songs now where we do a lot of interplay between the guitar and sax."
Recently, Whitehall showed off their brotherly dynamic at the Music Farm Den, at a show which about 150 people attended. The band is fond of the Den Series, calling it a “cool opportunity for smaller bands because there’s no real in-between, between house shows and venues [in Charleston]. It’s hitting a much needed market.” Last month, Whitehall played on the Farm's main stage, opening for See Water.
The boys like to mix it up when they perform live. Pat says he sticks to the written parts for most of the songs, but his solos always include an element of improvisation. Paddy jokes, “Shows are really fun for me because I forget a different lyric every show! Everything’s always new.” An endearing hallmark of Whitehall’s shows is their ability to keep ya on your feet - whether from dancing or spontaneously incorrect lyrics.
These guys are a genuine group of young men, a bouquet of honest, noble flowers, modest in individual luster but vibrant as a whole. (But like in a manly, dude-ish way.)
Peep these shots from the Whitehall practice we crashed:
The band just released new merch so hop.on.that.ish.quick. And check out their brand spankin’ new website. Then follow Whitehall on the social medias - there are rumors that Whitehall might be recording again soon and you won’t want to be out of the loop. Plus, you can catch Whitehall at Real South Rex Fest in early April.
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