The setting could not have been more appropriate as Michigan post-hardcore unit, La Dispute came to town to showcase their unique art for the second time is as many years. Intimate, cold,and dark but with the added warmth of a genuinely appreciative crowd, the expectation was high from the start and the Amplifier Bar setting was just the venue to highlight the aura of La Dispute.
Flowermouth, a local Perth band with their feet firmly entrenched in the grunge rock genre provided the opening act. A Triple J unearthed artist , the youngsters had a decent crowd moshing away early and with some nice breakdowns to get the crowd involved combined with the drummers bludgeoning blows on his toms the scene had been set.
Entering the fray next were the headliners’ friends and handpicked touring buddies, Pianos Become The Teeth. Originating from Baltimore, the five-piece act serve up a heavy dish of post-hardcore doused with screamo. The band is intense both lyrically and with what they deliver on stage. Vocalist, Kyle Durfey sways his lengthy locks around the stage in unison with the band’s crushing beats; the pit was swaying not long into the set.
With an extended support set, the band showcased the best of both albums, Old Pride and The Lack Long After. While not a well-known commodity over in the west or Australia for that matter, the band will have earnt many more fans after the crushing set they delivered.
La Dispute isn’t your average hardcore band. With an almost cult following, the band has created a unique sound centred on storytelling via vocalist, Jordan Dreyer’s ability to combine spoken word with soft dulcet tones to all out screamo. The persona of Dreyer goes a long way to carrying this band to the crushing live act they have become. Raw energy and the ability to entrench the audience in every word is a rare quality in a front man. Small in stature, the man is confronting in his depth of range and subtle nuances across his vocals.
With half the bar still lining up for a beverage, La Dispute cranked the first bars of the lead off track, ‘A Letter’. To the point, crisp clean guitar work, manic drumming and of course Dreyer’s incomparable voice filled the room. It wasn’t long for the throng to be moving in unison as the band followed on with ‘St Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues’. A clear favourite amongst the audience and taken from the 2011 release Wildlife.
‘The Castle Builders’ provided a faster pace, almost Refused-punk vibe and with Dreyer thrashing about across the small stage and the rhythm section gently nodding back in forth in the background, La Dispute had quickly laid to the foundations to a great set.
When the gentle notes of ‘Safer In The Forest/Love Song For Poor Michigan’ were played it’s safe to say every set of ears and eyes were trained on the stage. The Michigan band is renowned for intelligent poetic lyrics and this song has just incredible depth and meaning. Building to its crescendo, the crowd cried out with Dreyer; “We will rise again from ashes one day/ Until then, just roll me away.” If the band did not have the crowd already in its grasp, they certainly did by this stage.
After the mandatory, “Great to be back in Perth, we truly love this place” with Dreyer again taking on the persona of shy front man, the band continued on with their relentless set, with ‘Sad Prayers For Guilty Bodies’. Another gradual swelling track that breaks out into Dreyer venting his angry lyrics. ‘A Poem’ was of a similar nature with a fair proportion of the mixed crowd knowing every word and joining him on his challenging sonant adventure.
‘Andria’ a song about a lost relationship finished the set. Battle wearied; Dreyer showed little sign of resistance as his voice screamed “I’ve been alone!”
He wouldn’t be alone though as the crowd once again passionately expelled every word in consonance.
Punters chanted for “One more song” and the band answered the call, delivering the epically crafted “A Broken Jar” and the anthemic “King Park”. All in attendance knew the words and Dreyer used the audience participation to the fullest, encapsulated in the words, “Will I Still Get Into Heaven If I Kill Myself?
While there was sadly no performance of ‘Said The King To The River’ the band had delivered another stellar performance. La Dispute has the hardcore poetic license that no other band can emulate at present. Diverse, intelligent and captivating, the appreciative Perth crowd could have nothing to complain about the stellar line up this night had assembled.
