The band formed in Columbia, Missouri. The band's frontmen, Greg Roberts and Stephen Patterson, met at the college in 2004. Alex Even, Adam Russell and Greg had formerly played in the band
Texas Chainsaw Mass Choir. The original White Rabbits lineup consisted of five members, but after relocating to New York City the next year, the band expanded to six members. The sixth member, Jamie Levinson, had grown up on the same street as Roberts in
Webster Groves, Missouri. Roberts and Levinson both played in a ska band (called The Hubcaps) while in high school. The White Rabbits recorded its first studio album,
Fort Nightly, and released it in 2007 to the public through
Say Hey Records. The album was praised by critics. In addition to consistent touring, they have been featured on ''
NPR's World Cafe
, where the band members discussed how they met and formed in the college town of Columbia, Missouri. They also talked about their early sound and performed three songs. They have also performed on the Late Show with David Letterman''. On May 12, 2009, the band released their second album, titled ''
It's Frightening''. The album was produced by
Britt Daniel, lead singer and guitarist of
Spoon (whom they asked after meeting the band while on tour in Minneapolis). Retrieved on February 16, 2009 The album was released on
TBD Records, which also hosts the bands
Radiohead and
Underworld. Their third album, titled
Milk Famous, was released on March 6, 2012. The band entered a hiatus following the end of the tour in support of the album in December 2012. They reunited for a one-off show at Brooklyn's Cameo Gallery on June 15, 2014. Stephen Patterson and Greg Roberts played drums and bass guitar, respectively, in the touring band of former
The Walkmen frontman
Hamilton Leithauser in 2016 and 2017, with Patterson playing drums again for Leithauser in January 2020. Patterson released a self-recorded album
Out of Action on 20 January 2022. ==Live shows==