STATIC DRESS: MANCHESTER, UK - 16.04.22
Static Dress with support from Jools and The Throwaway Scene
at Deaf Institute in Manchester, UK
words by Dan Tsourekas
Chaos by definition is complete disorder and confusion. Dating back to Greek Mythology, Chaos for some was conceived to be the origin of everything, the space at the beginning of time. For others a deity existing between Heaven and Earth. Regardless, Chaos is everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Static Dress have been pushing the envelope since 2019 in terms of what can be explored thematically and sonically in the modern hardcore scene, so it’s to no surprise that the first thing that comes to mind when experiencing their music in any form is chaos.
On Saturday, 16th of April they played the closing date of their UK debut headline tour titled “I Hope You Hate This” and contrasting to the name, they gave a hard-hitting, memorable performance that in retrospect can only be loved.
Coming in at 45 minutes total, with support from acts The Throwaway Scene and Jools, there wasn’t a second in which the crowd wasn’t twostepping and spin kicking in the mosh pit during the main act’s set.
Kicking off with ‘sweet.’ and ‘safeword’, it was clear that the band demanded high energy from its audience. Each member was providing a masterclass of their own, whether it be lead singer Olli Appleyard’s clean yet raw vocal power, drummer Sam Ogden’s mental movement, or bassist and guitarist Connor Reilly and Contrast’s heavy riffage. Collectively, Static Dress create an atmosphere in which it is impossible for any member of the audience to stay still.
Continuing with fan favourites such as ‘for the attention of…’, ‘Adaptive Taste’, ‘sober exit(s)’, and what was their single at the time from upcoming album Rouge Carpet Disaster, ‘such.a.shame’ – each second played was an exhilarating and fascinating moment. It created a sense of excitement and suspense as the crowd was left wondering how Olli would utilize his vocals at any given time, alongside a vocal soundboard for added atmospheric effect. That worked well alongside the stage setup, primarily filled with old televisions broadcasting the crowd itself with a very fitting static effect.
It wasn’t until the following track though, unreleased ‘Courtney, Just Relax’, in which the band showed the audience what it is truly capable of. Reaching a completely new bar in terms of experimentation, heaviness, and conciseness. Easily the highlight of the night, there wasn’t one brief moment in which this track didn’t raise the expectations for their debut album.
‘disposable care’ and ‘Di-sinTer’ came in between the two unreleased tracks, followed by the latter of the new material, titled “Push Rope”, which provided hints of nu-metal throughout a more traditional sound that can be correlated with the group.
The night ended with fan favourite ‘clean.’, which was met with chants and moshes, effectively closing a superb performance from modern hardcore’s rising stars.
Coming out of the Deaf Institute one thing is for sure: following this tour, and the multiple opportunities Static Dress have throughout this year, expect them to be the next big thing in the music industry.