A polyphony of distortion, chanting and yelling can be heard from Ann Street as fans gather in anticipation of Buffalo, New York, metalcore band Better Lovers, who are making their debut in Australia, enlightening Brisbane with the opening show.
Fortitude Valley's Crowbar (23 January) is dense – hundreds of eager punters, both young and old, stand hungry for Better Lovers' debut. Looking around, the picture is constant. Hundreds of middle-aged men sport black skinny jeans and loosely related graphic tees of metal bands.
These fans stand in solitude with their arms crossed (a typical dad stance, if you will). The entrance of Better Lovers sparks no change in their stature, with these arm-crossed punters letting out an effortless 'woo' as the band assembles onstage.
Greg Puciato (vocals) takes centre stage in all his glory – black skullet accompanied by an equally punk sleeveless tee. Guitarist Will Putney is pulling double duty down under with this run of BL shows coinciding with the Australian tour of his other band Fit For An Autopsy.
The band begin with pure eagerness and relentless angst as the set commences with 'A White Horse Covered In Blood' from their debut album, 2024's 'Highly Irresponsible'.
Image © Kelly Warren
Contrary to the rest of their discography, Puciato begins in a more talking tone – I hazard to think that 'maybe' I'll be able to fall asleep tonight with limited ringing in my ears. Unbeknownst to me, this was a misleading introduction to the world of metalcore, especially with the commencement of verse two.
I notice an overwhelming number of phones in the air recording, which is ironic coming from the generation who shame the youth for filming gigs, but I let it slide since it's Better Lovers' live debut in Australia.
The next few tunes to follow set the stage for the rest of the night: crowd surfing, diving and head-banging. 'Superman Died Paralyzed' begins as a local punter jumps onstage, shirtless, and sings the outro: "Will you choose to be awake?"
The next few songs blend into one – Pucianto screams the lyrics to surfing punters as Putney and Jordan Buckley (guitar) jump and wail onstage. As 'The Impossible End' is performed, I'm starstruck at the multitude of individual solos being played before me – the guitars are wailing their own riffs as drummer Clayton 'Goose' Holyoak destroys the sound barrier at Crowbar.
Image © Kelly Warren
To an outsider, it was an utter mess – and a health and safety case. The crowd bashes against each other, and fans jump onstage, all whilst Better Lovers are egging it on. However, it takes a fan to understand the subtextual camaraderie that it evokes in the crowd.
Puciato creates a seamless fusion of screamo and vibrato with 'The Impossible End' bridge. It's comforting and masterful at this stage of the set. With not a breath to spare, Better Lovers scream through their set list, nearing the 40-minute mark.
Puciato beams at the crowd, amazed at the sheer dedication of the Brisbane crowd: "Couldn't be better than this, could NOT be better than this!"
The air within Crowbar thickens as the tension of the final song builds; we all know it is coming, it is just a matter of whether we are ready for it. "Alright, I want you to bring your old arthritic asses and your boneless butts," taunts Puciato. "This one's '30 Under 13'."
Image © Kelly Warren
Everyone around me throws their fists in the air. In a matter of seconds, the number of fans onstage clearly outnumber the band members. Here, crowd surfing is a rite of passage, and those remaining still are unapologetically out of the loop.
The stage imitates a public pool; Better Lovers are mere lifeguards as fans take their turns throwing themselves into the sea of bodies below. After the song comes to its end, Puciato jumps up on an amp.
He holds his hands above his head, looking up to the sky as if to thank a higher power for the gig. I am wrong. Instead, he grabs a hold of the roof structure and climbs the rafters (upside down) like a monkey. All phones are in the air as the spectators below Puciato await his landing.
The opening show began and ended with an uproar – overall, it was 'Highly Irresponsible'.
