On a cold but dry February evening, fans welcomed the return of La Dispute to SWG3, with a long but patient queue arriving early doors. They eagerly filled the TV Studio, turning up in force for the two support acts, ‘PIJN’ and ‘Vs Self’.

Their new album, No One Was Driving the Car, focuses on relevant topics about the current state of the environment we are all living in and experiencing, exploring the looming apocalypse made worse by the advancement of technology. It was also partly inspired by the 2017 psychological thriller First Reformed.

La Dispute started the night as if you were listening to their new album from the beginning, with the first two songs being ‘I Shaved My Head’, followed by ‘Man with Hands and Ankles Bound’. This was received positively by the crowd, with cheers ringing out at the first beat.

The set contained some fan favourites from their ever-popular 2011 album Wildlife, including ‘The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit’, with a highlight being ‘King Park’. The grief-ridden lyrics were felt deeply by the crowd as they sang along: “Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself…”.

They couldn’t play a set without including ‘Andria’ from mine — and many others’ — favourite album, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair.

Frontman Jordan Dreyer gave it his all from the start, using all the space available on stage to jump back and forth, even climbing onto the bass drum at one point. This energy reverberated through the crowd, with many people crowd-surfing over the barrier. At one point between songs, he addressed the audience, speaking about the importance of inclusivity, being kinder to one another, and also “pushing back these fucking fascists”. This riled the crowd up, giving way to chants of “Free, free Palestine” and the Glasgow classic, “Here we, here we, here we fucking go!”.

They finished with the topical ‘No One Was Driving the Car’, the album’s title track. The song is about an article Dreyer read in which a driverless Tesla crashed, causing fatal damage — an odd event that highlights the lack of control we have in our own lives amidst advancing technology.

Overall, it was an affirming and enjoyable night, with the topical themes of La Dispute forever reminding us of the world around us.

Article: Reanne McArthur