poppedmusic

Dust

Lafeyette, London – 28th April 2023

Words & Photos: Amy Butcher

A buzz of electricity floats around the room at Lafeyette, gig dwellers converge around the stage to see Dust open for Hockey Dad. The lights darken and a red hue fills the room, the five-piece enter to cheers as saxophonist/guitarist Adam Ridgeway opens their set with crooning sax melodies.

Based in Newcastle (Australia), Dust have had a jam packed 2023 so far. From releasing their debut EP Et Cetera, Etc to embarking on a month long tour with fellow Aussies Hockey Dad; they’re coming into the London & UK post punk music scene in a big way. Something distinct about the band’s sound is that it’s nothing like I’ve heard before. Now as cliché as that might be, it’s true – I don’t think there is any genre Dust fit in to, and that’s what I love about them. As silly as it sounds, it’s refreshing to see a band that are clearly creating music that is for them and how they want it to be – it’s a bonus it’s also just really f*cking great.

The support slot for most bands can be daunting, you’re playing to a vast majority of people who have never heard your music before and there’s usually a smaller crowd, so holding them can be tough. For Dust this was not the case, if anything the room wasn’t big enough for the sound they were producing in the 600 capacity venue. From the off, conviction and passion were present in every note and every lyric, and you could tell they have honed the live experience they want to bring.

It was amazing to see how Dust controlled the crowd and it’s energy with their set, taking them on a journey of calm and chaos all at once using their music. Intoxicating, ferocious guitar riffs, electric sax melodies, gut punching bass lines and fast paced, tight drum beats from The Gutter and Alternator fed a mini mosh pit in the centre of the room, as outliers nodded their heads aggressively. In between the high energy tracks, there were interludes of electronic synths, serene saxophone melodies from Adam giving us a chance to catch our breath though still never failed to entrance and capture the audience.

If Dust‘s cracking set wasn’t enough, they joined Hockey Dad for a whopper of an encore during Babes – the crowd was on top form, moshing and chanting every word back to the two bands. on stage. Justin Teale & Gabriel Stove (vocals/guitar) even launched themselves onto the crowd to surf, moshing, and jumping back on stage to sing with the band.

It’s safe to say I had a cracking time seeing Dust live, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the UK soon! They still have some shows left here over the next month or so if you fancy seeing them – I’d highly recommend it.

You can see Dust on tour this year:

29 April – Gold Sounds Festival, Leeds

4 May – The Lower Third, London (w/ Vacations)

5 May – The Parish, Wrexham (Focus Wales 2023)

11 May – Komedia, Brighton (The Great Escape)

12 May – The Hope, Brighton (The Great Escape)

14 May – Colours Hoxton, London (The Aussie BBQ)

16 May – Moth Club, London (w/ Vacations)