I don’t know if it’s just me, but there’s been a lingering, gray fog in the air for the past few weeks. As if time itself is moving with heavy limbs and a clouded mind. I honestly forgot I was going to see Loathe until the night before, when they came on shuffle as I was rotting away in my bed. The next day crawled by, my anticipation only swelling, time and its weary gaze dismissing me as I begged it to perk up, just a bit. The electricity that sparked in my veins as I walked into the box office was a relief of normalcy that I had been craving. Making my way down the stairs to the dance floor, I admired the stage set up. A platform stretched from one side to the other, drums perched atop, and a backdrop with an illusionary hexagonal pattern drifted behind.

As per mine and Tristan's usual impeccable timing, the lights dimmed as we settled ourselves in the usual left hand corner, and he shot behind the barricade to take some truly magnificent pictures. Static Dress have been in my peripheral vision for a few years now. I first discovered them through the Downbeat podcast, and really admired their outlook on their artistry and music, as well as the music itself. This was their first time touring in Australia, to my surprise, and the crowd did not disappoint. Slamming into their first track, “Nostalgia Kills,” it was impossible not to be immediately enamoured. The mixing was perfect, loud bass distortions trembling the floor beneath my feet, the leering guitars peaking atop our heads.

*Static Dress / Photo Credit:* *Tristan Skell*

Olli Appleyard is an incredible front man, seemingly never able to run out of energy, flinging his body along with the jagged riffs with a distinct style. He donned a cropped jacket, shirtless underneath, with twisting leather on his hands that mesmerised as he clutched onto the microphone. “human props” and “Courtney, Just Relax” were most hypnotic live, and the band themselves were so effortlessly in tune with one another that it was almost incomprehensible. The pit hummed as it’s own existence, the rest of the crowd around them swaying away and around their movements, Appleyard conducting the chaos with his own contortions. Closing out with “clean.”, the group left the stage with nothing short of a thunderous roar of cheering.

Inevitably, the floor space grew tighter, and I was grateful as I slowly inched closer and closer to the barricade, making sure to keep myself small so I’d slowly drift forward. The previous backdrop was taken down, and in its place a large, white curtain hung instead, and when the lights faded again, a warm white stayed lit above the curtain, and Loathe, one by one, entered the stage. “Gifted Every Strength” was the first track, and even over my ear plugs, I could hear everyone around me singing along. Kadeem France is a glorious being to be in the presence of, his snarling screams still performed in an effortless groove, and his delicate vocals swelled perfectly around the other layers of their songs.

*Loathe / Photo Credit:* *Tristan Skell*

I felt light headed with joy, as they slammed through so many excellent tracks, “Aggressive Evolution” making my neck snap in time and “Two-Way Mirror” glistening in my ears. Erik Bickerstaffe is also nothing short of a pleasure to watch and admire, his talent seeping into every note he emits. In spite of the heavier, angrier songs, he still holds himself and plays with a gentle nature, his vocals dripping with serenity. One of the best moments of the night was when he and El-Khazragi took to their synths and keyboards opposite one another to play a reprise of “A Sad Cartoon”. Light reflected and glistened on the backdrop behind them for this momentary reprieve, chords swelling beautifully in the melancholic haze.

Of course the encore was my two favourite songs of theirs, first being the eternally beloved “Is It Really You?”, making my bottom lip tremble as I and everyone else swayed in time. Even if I was exhausted, sleep deprived and a little bit delirious, I was so grateful to be in that moment, the familiar drum beat ticking and the words “Let’s search the sky, for a while, you and I,” swirling around the high ceilings of the venue. Closing out on “Gored” may have been one of the best decisions made by anyone of all time too, a final rush of adrenaline before the band took the time to say their goodbyes to the audience, and the house lights arose. Time cursed me, it moved too fast, and as I dragged my feet back to the parking garage, I wished silently that it was possible to drag time by the wrist for once, backwards, just an hour or so, instead of trudging forward some more.

Loathe | The Forum

Quadeca | 170 Russell | Melbourne | 5th May