Dry Cleaning Erupt with Exquisite Chaos

Dry Cleaning performing at the Belasco Theatre, LA by Jacob Alvarez

LA STOP ON WORLD TOUR CONFIRMS JUST HOW NECESSARY DC IS IN MUSIC

South London 4-piece Dry Cleaning appeared on the alternative scene back in 2019 with a pair of EPs, but my introduction to them came in the form of their 2021 debut album, New Long Leg. Like many, the record appeared on my top albums of the year list with its intense guitar riffs, uplifting bass lines, and of course, front woman Florence Shaw’s seemingly random yet meticulously curated lyrics. Reminiscent of an early Sonic Youth, the group blends post-punk sounds with shoegaze-like lyricism, making for a more than interesting listen. That same year, I caught them live for the first time; needless to say a bond if you will was formed.

Two years later, the band is playing a slightly larger theatre once again in downtown Los Angeles. I made it a clear fact that it was necessary to be in line early so that I was as close to the barrier as possible. The last show I attended, I had no choice but to groove in the back since the mosh pits were letting loose and the venue was quite small. Therefore, I watched fans trickle in while opener Nourished By Time got comfy onstage, constantly joking and thanking Dry Cleaning for the slot.

Dry Cleaning performing at the Belasco Theatre, LA by Jacob Alvarez

The Belasco Theatre made for a perfect venue to hold the show; fans can mosh while others can observe from either side of the stage or in the balcony, plus it seems as though it is one of the few older venues that hasn’t been subjected to being torn down and replaced by a parking garage. Around 9PM, I left my partner and headed into the photo pit where I stood with a two photographers before the lights went dim. I could already see the band taking a group photo to the right hand side before walking onstage to the glee of the crowd. Everyone took their positions while Shaw approached the mic, letting tiny laughs and smiles out as she stared over the audience. I’m sure the feeling of having so many people swarm a place to listen to what you have to say never gets old. Then, in a possession-like way, the band sang hard into the set list.

Dry Cleaning performing at the Belasco Theatre, LA by Jacob Alvarez

No fan can argue that the first three songs weren’t engaging. Drummer Nick Buxton kicked off the intro to “Kwenchy Kups,” a song that really caught my attention from their newest LP Stumpwork. “Things are shit, but they’re gonna be okay,” Shaw expressed, describing the optimism found as a child when experiencing things such as animals in their natural habitats and sipping the plastic “Kups” of sweetened substance like raspberry or cola flavor. The track was followed by second single off the latest record, “Gary Ashby” and fan favorite “Scratchcard Lanyard.” Guitarist Tom Dowse and bassist Lewis Maynard took turns getting up in my camera lens, making for an energetic photo pit, while Shaw’s expressions transformed from a giddy teen full of childlike wonder to that of someone possessed by a supernatural source. The words flow at a subtle rate as her eyes roll back and forth. She knows what she’s going to say next but it almost needs to be delivered exactly right or there’s no sense in sharing it. I adore this about her, and I believe it makes the show that much more captivating. Their music is deeply rooted in them, and you can witness and feel it in every arm vein and eyeball.

Dry Cleaning performing at the Belasco Theatre, LA by Jacob Alvarez

Ten of the eleven tracks that make up Stumpwork were played, with “Icebergs” being the odd man out. The remainder of the set featured over half of their debut too like “Her Hippo” and “Strong Feelings.” I moved around the room, starting toward the left of the stage before moving to the pit then ultimately ending the night up in the balcony. At one point, drummer Buxton whipped out a saxophone and Shaw played what I thought was a Stagg 32 Melodica. Dry Cleaning ended their 16 song set with EP cuts “Magic of Meghan” and “Tony Speaks!” Their absence was short lived; I watched a man about 50 years old wearing the band’s sharpie-looking tour tee clapping nonstop to see the band walk back out to perform “Liberty Log” and end with “Anna Calls From the Arctic.” Fans including myself waved from the balcony and I can proudly say that Dowse and Shaw saw our specific gestures and reciprocated. That’s the beauty of the band: there’s a sense of exquisite chaos captured between the loud riffing and beats juxtaposed with the somber lyricism. I felt as if my demons were exorcised, yet I also learned about finding appreciation in the mundane and boring aspects of the world.

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!