With a lore that began in West Michigan house shows over 20 years ago, La Dispute concluded its headlining tour at GLC Live at 20 Monroe on Saturday. For longtime fans, it was a chance to reconnect, share a cathartic cry and crowdsurf.
La Dispute at GLC Live at 20 Monroe on May 9. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
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At the edge of the stage inside GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids, La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer is enveloped by stage smoke and illuminated with columns of light that descend from above.
Keeping a deathgrip on the microphone, cord wrapped tightly around his fist, he implores a congregation of fans to examine the shadows of the human spirit alongside him.
The club becomes a sanctuary of sorts. But instead of a pulpit, there’s a mosh pit where all are welcome. No pews. Just sweaty, sacred, standing room.
Dreyer doesn’t preach. He sings (and sometimes speaks) in a language made of sharpened pros and poetry that unspools over the speakers. There’s fire in his lungs as he delivers each twisting lyric.
Behind him, and gloriously backlit, the band is smoldering. Electric guitars sear out of blaring amplifiers. Drums are heavy. Basslines sludgy.
The musicians backing Dreyer on stage tonight include drummer Brad Vander Lugt, guitarist Chad Morgan-Sterenberg, guitarist Corey Stroffolino and bass guitarist Adam Vass. Together they lay an unwavering foundation for Dreyer to freely riff over.
La Dispute at GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids on May 9th. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
The setlist for the evening features cuts from the band’s most recent studio album, including “I Shaved My Head,” a gritty, fuzz-filled number, as well as the title track, “No One Was Driving the Car,” which has acoustic bones and an allegory that aches.
The audience is a rambunctious one. They jump in unison, echo every lyric, mosh with care. Crowd surfing is commonplace.
Mid set, a seething rendition of “King Park,” is performed. It’s an alarming and visceral plea, featuring direct references to the city of Grand Rapids.
One of the band’s most beloved songs, “Woman (in mirror),” is met with thunderous applause and raised fists the moment it’s recognized. Known for its distinctive guitar riff and steady backbeat, the track surges with a sense of urgency.
For a band that built its career only a few miles away from here — battling it out in gritty punk houses and unfinished basements — tonight is a testament to the stubborn, beating heart of DIY.
It’s a triumph for the aging misfits and rabble-rousers who once packed those humble spaces…with their problems, with their feelings and with their angsty spirit.
PHOTO GALLERY: La Dispute at GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
