Adrenaline Straight To The Heart: Recapping Better Lovers Highly Irresponsible Tour in Toronto
Photo: Steve St. Jean
Holy hell—this was the show I'd been waiting for. When live music juggernauts Every Time I Die and The Dillinger Escape Plan disbanded, it felt like the scene was left to endure staged encores and lacklustre energy. Enter Better Lovers, a hardcore/metal/punk supergroup rising from the ashes, featuring guitarist Jordan Buckley (ex-Every Time I Die) and vocalist Greg Puciato (ex-The Dillinger Escape Plan), alongside Will Putney (Fit For An Autopsy, End), bassist Stephen Micciche (ex-Every Time I Die), and drummer Clayton Holyoak (Fear Before, ex-Norma Jean).
What's a show without death-defying jumps off make-shift balconies? Suppose anyone has witnessed Greg Puciatio perform before (like Dillingers last show at The Opera House). In that case, you know that anything is possible, and only time will tell how far he will push the limits with his show antics.
So what happened in Toronto at The Opera House on their Highly Irresponsible Tour on November 14th, 2024? It begins with the opening acts, a Closed Casket Activities showcase of bands featuring Indiana shoegazers Cloakroom, Bay Area hardcore punk rockers Spy, and American grindcore band Full of Hell hailing from Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The night spiralled into intensity, starting with Cloakroom, who dipped our toes into the chaos with thunderous riffs and atmospheric shoegaze. Next up was Spy, led by Peter Pawlak, whose air-punching fury and thrashing kicks brought orchestrated madness to the stage. Matching his energy, bassist Thomas brought unrelenting chaos. Then came Full of Hell, whose vocalist Dylan Walker unleashed blistering screams and frenzied movements. Drummer Dave Bland was their set's highlight, delivering a ferocious performance that felt like the drums might shatter.
And then there was Better Lovers.
The show began with a masterclass in branding—not only from the massive backdrop featuring Don Phüry's epic artwork off their debut studio album, Highly Irresponsible, or the branded Better Lovers carpets on the stage but also the hype tracks that played before the band came out, a medley of songs referencing Love in their lyrics (like Zepplin's "Whole Lotta Love"), all tying back into the name of the band. It was ON POINT.
Once the love songs ended, the band rushed out in a blaze of glory drenched in a fury of flashing strobe lights as they ripped into the opening track of their debut, "Lie Between the Lines." It was an epic intro that immediately sent a surge of energy into the audience, with bodies boosting up to crowdsurf instantaneously. Their set went on with controlled chaos and a focus on impeccable playing. They sounded so good, even with all the jumping, spinning, and stage dives from Buckley and Puciato. The energy was extremely high, yet we didn't get some epic jump off the balcony like some hoped (which would have been terrifying). Still, it was the perfect amount of anarchy and showcased how good these guys are at playing and being in a band. Each member proved why they are defined as a "supergroup," and I can comfortably say for all fans, we're hoping this is a long-term project for the guys.
This hair-raising spectacle cemented Better Lovers as a live force to be reckoned with, delivering one of the year's best metal shows—and albums—. Here's hoping this 'supergroup' is here to stay. Thank you, Better Lovers!
Relive the show with our concert photo galleries below featuring Better Lovers, Full of Hell, Spy, and Cloakroom.
CONCERT PHOTOS
BETTER LOVERS
FULL OF HELL
SPY
CLOAKROOM
BETTER LOVERS SETLIST
Lie Between the Lines
Sacrificial Participant
Your Misplaced Self
Become So Small
Superman Die Paralyzed
A White Horse Covered in Blood
Drowning in a Buring World
The Flowering
Two Alive Amongst the Dead
Future Myopia
At All Times
God Made Me an Animal
Love as an Act of Rebellion
30 Under 13
Words & Photography: Steve St. Jean
