La Dispute @ The AnnandaleHotel, Sydney (14/1/2011)

Tue 18th Jan, 2011 in Gig Reviews

There is something invigorating about attending a show at The Annandale, the sticky floor, the overgrown outdoor area, mixed with the aroma of sweat, Thai food and beer… it makes you feel as though there are still live venues in Sydney that have a hope in hell of remaining the icons they have been for decades.

Hailing from a water-logged Brisbane, To the North played a raw and energetic set, sure to have forged a new lot of followers. Touring with La Dispute in 2009 and again this year, the bands’ comfort on stage and their energy was what drew the focus of the crowd, nodding along to tracks from their recently released full length album, Lustre. To the North seamlessly provided the perfect segway for the ambitious and excited headliners, La Dispute.

After seeing the band at a small warehouse in Marrickville 18 months ago, it seemed unlikely that La Dispute could top that intimate and mind-blowing gig. Fans eagerly awaited their return, hoping that the quality of the performance they had either heard about or experienced was not some kind of fluke.

Without an inch of pretention or insincerity, La Dispute owned The Annandale. Their opener for the evening New Storms for Older Lovers from their celebrated LP Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair, amply animated the crowd, while the smile on all of the band members faces was clearly visible throughout the duration of the set. Their excitement was tangible and permeated the audience. Half way through the set there was a notable switch to two faster and more punk influenced tracks How I Feel and Why it Scares Me from their recent 7inch split Searching For A Pulse/The Worth Of The World with Touché Amoré. Ending with the crowd-pleaser Damaged Goods, La Dispute left everyone wanting more of their sweaty, passionate and energetic presence.

Returning to the stage for a one-song encore, vocalist Jordan Dreyer announced that the bands thoughts went out to everyone affected by the flood, the damage of which they had seen firsthand in Brisbane. The band played 12 minute masterpiece The Last Lost Continent, a song that deals with the inner demons we have all faced at some point. The almost spoken-word intro silenced the crowd, who eventually chimed in and sang along with the band for the remainder of the song. It was not only inspiring and goose-bump worthy, it was the ultimate climax for an already brilliant show.

Playing only eight songs in their set, they managed to completely hypnotise the crowd, leaving everyone wishing their set was at least double the length. The set, although short, was all killer and not even remotely filler. La Dispute are easily the most passionate and explosive live act I have ever seen, their honest and candid shows are a testament to their talent and skill as a band. A mix of poetic lyrics that are thought provoking rather than cheesy and a unique post-hardcore sound that translates from record to live performance unequivocally made for a show that will leave an indelible mark on The Annandale.