TOUchÉ AMORÉ
GeNDeR ROLeS
THE DOME, LONDON
Post-hardcore heroes have a set of two halves
for their entertainment’s start due to a certain football match of supposed national interest, the sport-phobic are amply rewarded by Brighton-based openers GENDER ROLES [7]. Striking nostalgic chords that recall the heyday of 90s grunge and indie, the trio dish out a versatile selection of emotive indie-punk numbers from their most recent eP, Lazer Rush. Vocalist Tom Bennett flexes a youthful melodic vigour framed with agitated, punky screams, and despite a handful of fumbled moments owing to tuning issues and forgotten setlists, their amiable banter between songs – and overall performance – presents an entertaining start to the night.
The arrival of post-hardcore headliner TOUCHÉ AMORÉ [7] fills the sold-out venue with a unanimous swell of adoration. Hands extend and voices ring out the lyrics of Rapture, Uppers and most recent single Green as the Canadian quintet tear though milestone tracks from more than a decade of activity. Though crowd interaction is kept to a minimum, vocalist Jeremy Bolm leads with confidence as the boisterous array of angst-ridden aggression pours from the stage. It’s enjoyable for the most part, but limited dynamic and atmospheric exploration and tendency to maintain a breakneck pace causes a loss of impact towards the latter half. Touché Amoré’s strong UK fanbase may be deserving of a little more, and their blink-and-you’ll-miss-it encore feels like an underwhelming end to their capital city tour date.