Live Review: Better Lovers at Warsaw (2024/11/17)
w/ special guests Full of Hell and SPY
Event Details:
Venue: Warsaw (Brooklyn)
Ticket Price: $35.50
The Chat Pile show on Saturday set a high bar going into Sunday but if anyone could live up to the hype it would be Better Lovers. Consisting of three parts Every Time I Die, one part The Dillinger Escape Plan and one part Fit For An Autopsy, Better Lovers is more or less a metalcore supergroup. With the release of their EP in 2023 and full length just a month ago in October, to no one’s surprise, Better Lovers has taken the scene by storm. This band is full of personality and that leaves no exception to what they bring on the stage.
The package for this tour was interesting. No two bands were alike, ranging from shoegaze/post-hardcore to grindcore. Unfortunately I missed Cloakroom’s set again and only managed to catch a portion of the final song in their set. The bits I have overheard live sound great though and I hope to get another chance to see them next year
The next two bands were hardcore and grindcore bands, SPY and Full of Hell. I like bands from both genres but I think Full of Hell had one too many pig squeals for my personal preference. Their music was heavy and groovy but I didn't care for the vocals all that much. SPY on the other hand was a sick hardcore band from the Bay Area. Their jams had a really thrashy vibe but the only knock on their set would be the mix seemed a little off and the vocals were difficult to hear. Kudos to all the opening bands for getting the crowd hyped because there was no shortage of hardcore dancing and fists flying before Better Lovers took the stage.
Finally, it was time for Better Lovers. They started the set with a sample that mimicked flipping through radio stations while looking for a song you want to listen to, with short snippets of songs from all genres playing and the sound of static while transitioning between different radio frequencies. Eventually the band members took the stage and started playing the opening track of their new album, “Lie Between The Lines”, which has a slow, loopy guitar intro and then slams you in the face with brutal chugs about 30 seconds in. Lead singer, Greg Puciato, is one of the best metal frontmen in the business and he wasted no time establishing the mood for the evening. Known for his in-your-face performances, almost no one is safe from his antics. He might reach out and grab you by the collar while screaming into your face or perform one of his epic stage dives from a balcony; he has no fear and holds nothing back when he is on stage. I guess it depends who you ask but the guests are Warsaw were safe from anything to crazy since there are no balconies readily available to jump from and they had the front row barricade up.
First and foremost, the band sounded incredible and they delivered a high-powered performance that I won't soon forget. In addition to the basic house lighting, they had a few panels placed on the stage behind the band but the intensity of the light show really added to the overall intensity of the show. The crowd was as rambunctious as I anticipated and Greg did a couple of stage dives to get in the mix, but certainly amateur by his standards. Both Dillinger and Every Time I Die are known for going all out so it wasn’t surprising to see that carryover with members of the two combining forces here. Aside from the chaotic energy, it’s hard to believe they played 15 songs and seemed like they just powered through their set. It felt like one of the shorter headlining sets I’ve seen recently but no complaints since I got to see most all of the songs I wanted.
Highly recommend catching the Highly Irresponsible tour.
Cheers and keep rocking!