La Dispute Clwb Ifor Bach Feb 2nd 2012

I liked this gig so much I bought a T shirt. To be fair, I€™d probably been looking forward to this gig since first hearing their sublime sophomore long player Wildlife last year. Now I can say €“ €œbeen there, done that, bought the T shirt.€ Upon entering Clwb Ifor Bach in a suitably lubricated manner, myself and company make our way to Clwb€™s downstairs. Somewhat unusual given the sell out capacity of the gig that it wasn€™t placed upstairs, no matter though, once inside the atmosphere tells all. Full to brim and filling, a hot and heavy evening ahead. First up are somewhat local heroes for the scene not herd brigade Goodtime Boys, also notable for featuring former yelper and synth player of The Automatic; Pennie. I first saw these a few years back in Barfly, when it was still going, headlining to a small crowd before a punk themed club night. Back then they were of the abrasive punk form of Hardcore. Showing influences from the likes of Gallows, Cancer Bats etc. They€™ve clearly undergone an evolution in sounds since I last saw them, moving away from the out and out vitriol, and instead embracing the passionate styling of hardcore€™s current wave of bands. Most notably in this case Touche Amore, and unfortunately it feels a little too influenced, whether following the current trend of just a little too keenly in admiration of their influences, they don€™t seem to be displaying their own sound fully. However, they go down well, with a loyal local fan base in the crowd and solid performance. http://youtu.be/oHsKWyTBG50 Next up are label-mates, all the way from Iowa, Former Thieves. Unfamiliar with Former Thieves prior to seeing they were supporting and giving a track or two a listen in the lead up to the gig. Having quite enjoyed those songs I was expecting to at least enjoy Former Thieves live. Though from the moment they picked up their instruments at eye level with the audience (the gig was set up on Clwb€™s ground floor dance floor) and erupted into their set, it became clear it was more than just a pleasant stop gap before the main event. Delivering an aggressive and dark blend of hardcore, the already humid room had its thermostat dialled up throughout their performance. The choice cuts selected from their debut The Language That We Speak were performed with a tight and abrasive vigour. Exploding out of brooding chugs into intricate and frenetic. So good WhatCulture Music Editor Rhys Milsom bought a T shirt. http://youtu.be/Pa9mi5Pd8aY As the opening notes of a Departure rang out, shortly followed by the rest of La Dispute joining in, I wormed my way to the front. Vocalist Jordan Dreyer begins his first emotionally powerful performance of the night, and it€™s hard to believe that voice is coming from that wiry frame. The band as a collective see about delivering and exceptionally tight and passionate performance, with every member clearly on top form and no one missing even a beat. It€™s impressive especially when you see how much energy they are throwing into this gig, and the crowd reciprocates. Even being one of the wordier bands you€™ll come across (each songs lyric a brilliant written poem or piece of prose even), they are still clearly garnering the kind of devotion in fans that sees one girl particularly right at the front, directly in front of the band, screaming every single word right back at Jordan Dreyer. The band run through a mostly Wildlife focussed set, but are sure to litter the set with a good selection of earlier tracks from Somewhere At The Bottom of The River Between Vega and Altair for the long standing fans. The crowd rise and fall with the band and the music, but truly erupt during I See Everything, when given the arrangement of the set up, band and crowd merge. The band sign off with Said the King to the River, leaving the sweaty horde wanting more. A kinetic, impassioned, brilliant performance. Been there, done that, bought the T shirt, will do all three again.