Bella White at Fine Line (21 March 2025)
Tour Dates
- March 22 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
- March 23 – Evanston, IL – SPACE
- March 25 – Urbana, IL – Rose Bowl Tavern
- March 26 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Cafe
- March 28 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
- March 29 – Montreal, QC – Petit Campus
- March 30 – Ottawa, ON – Club Saw
- April 1 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
- April 3 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
- April 4 – Allston, ME – Brighton Music Hall
- April 5 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
- April 6 – Washington, DC – Pearl St Warehouse
- April 8 – Raleigh, NC – Kings
- April 9 – Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse
- April 11 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s Attic
- May 17 – London, UK – Highways Festival
Opening the show was a reluctant Mr. Sam (of Mr. Sam & the People People). Mr Sam (Sam Gelband) is Bella White’s drummer, but with the tour on the way and they didn’t have a support act, Sam agreed to open the tour.
As a result of last-minute decision, he confessed that he wasn’t prepared and didn’t have any merchandise. He did have seven albums he happened to have, so if anyone was interested, he did have those records.
With a 30-40 min set, he needed to fill out a lot of time, so he did give good explanations of some these new songs he was experimenting. He said they were good practice for him, because he needs to “learn these songs”.
Turns out, he used to be an improv comic (he mentioned one of his improv college friend was in the audience), so naturally he did have some hot commentaries and jokes. For example, he said that the New Orleans Pelicans vs Minnesota Timberwolves game was happening that Friday night. He doesn’t keep up with sports, but I would reckon the Timberwolves would dominate the game… but admitted that “wolves can’t fly”.
After a little story about how he was in a wedding cover band and they had to learn to play The B-52’s “Love Shack.” What a missed opportunity, he could have launched into that song, but instead played some songs that started with “Hard to Believe”.
He had songs about his father (sample lyrics “tearing down old buildings”) and his girlfriend (“Now That I Know You”).
After “You Are Kind”, he dedicated the song to Devin Champlin, of The Sons Of Rainier, a band that Sam is also in.
After a brief stage setup, Nashville, by the way of Calgary, Bella White and Sam came on stage to close out the show. White first came to our attention in 2020 when she released her debut album Just Like Leaving. Since then, she released Among Other Things, and her new EP Five For Silver (a cover lover EP).
As I have previously mentioned, usually the first and the last night of the tour are the most interesting. Rarely are the first night of the tour goes as planned. Usually there is something wrong. Like equipment not working (which are sometime caught during soundcheck), or bands forgetting how to play or messes up their own songs… but in Bella’s case – she was missing the bassist Gina Leslie.
Gina couldn’t make it out last night, but she said she will be available on a few dates (as support band) for Milwaukee (03/22) and Urbana (03/25), and a few other dates, so the rest of the tour will have Mr Sam and Maddy Kirgo to open on the East Coast.
As a result of no bass, Bella White decided it was going to be somewhat of “an indie mellow show.” The audience (what a good turnout) was very attentive and didn’t seem to mind a quiet set.
Songs on her set were from both her albums, but she was working on some brand-new and previously unreleased songs. Some had working titles, but it seems like she has enough songs to release a third album. Perhaps it’ll be released this or next year.
In the meantime, Bella White’s latest covers EP Five For Silver is out now.
