La Dispute shakes up the White Oak Music Hall
Written by Stephanie Onyejekwe on December 9, 2019
La Dispute shook Houston to it’s core Thursday night at White Oak Music Hall!
The doors opened at 8 p.m., bumming some attendees out at the late entry since it insinuated a late start. Ultimately, they did not mind too much, seeing how its LA DISPUTE, set to put on a heart-pumping show regardless.
Around 8:50, EMPATH, the first opener, performed. Hailing from Philadelphia, their sound is a mixture of indie-dreamwave pop and jazz scat. Their performance was as quirky and as engaging as their sound. Before their performance, the band’s drummer took off his shoes and socks and tossed them to his side, signaling it was time to rock.
They way EMPATH presented themselves was reminiscent of shy children showing you their drawing and hoping you liked it. EMAPTH’s performance of hit songs such as “The Eye” and “Hanging out of Cars” made an argument for their being one of those bands that just sound better live. There is only one way to describe their live performances; “chaotically dreamy”.
9:35 pm – The second opener was Touche Amore, hailing from Los Angeles. Sometimes considered a grittier La Dispute, They are pretty well known and have an equally large fan base, seeing as how half the crowd knew most of their songs. The mosh pit that opened in the middle of the floor was awesome, and the energy the lead singer had was AMAZING. He was hyped beyond words. For the last part of Touche Amore’s set, the lead singer jumped into the crowd as well. They played fan favorites like “Pathfinder” and “Rapture”. Touche Amore has a VERY STRONG set bound to leave your neck sore from headbanging.
TOUCHE AMORE | Photo by Stephanie Onyejekwe
At 10:40, La Dispute took the stage, looking like your regular, everyday dudes. As usual, they started with a BANG. lead singer Jordan Dreyer is known for his unique voice. The way he presents the lyrics is often compared to spoken word. Imagine a more poetic Hobo Johnson, but better. La Dispute crooned out their more current hits such as “HUDSONVILLE MI 1956” and “The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit.” I cried at the end because of the connection between the fans and La Dispute. It felt like Josh was singing to the pain and hurt many of the concert-goers were experiencing. When the show ended at 11:30, a crowd chant of “ENCORE!” ensued, succeeding in getting the band to play two more songs. They ended the night with “King Park” and “The Last Lost Continent”. The concert was amazing, and everyone should see La Dispute in concert at least once in their lifetime.
La Dispute | Photo by Stephanie Onyejekwe
Continue reading
