Lip Critic melted my face off the first time I saw them — with only 7 people in the crowd. Now they’ve got Pittsburgh moshing like maniacs.
Last year I saw Lip Critic at Pittsburgh’s fav DIY venue, Mr. Roboto Project. This being the first time I had heard of the band, I didn’t know what to expect.
Fast forward a year and a half and I’ve been listening to their singles and their debut album Hex Dealer consistently (especially when I’m working out at the gym). Lip Critic announced they were returning to Pittsburgh supporting Mississippi hardcore band MSPAINT, and I knew I had to be there.
Live at Bottlerocket: The Crowd & Energy
The show was on a Tuesday night at The Bottlerocket Social Hall, but that did not keep a crowd of fans from gathering at the venue. Four bands were playing, starting off with Positive Thinking, then Pat and The Pissers, followed by Lip Critic then MSPAINT. It was a stacked lineup, setting them all up for success.
Lip Critic set up their two drumsets and synths, getting ready to start their set. Lead man Bret Kaser started the show off with humorous banter announced over crazy sampled sounds, instantly capturing the audience’s attention. Those who hadn’t heard of the band were intrigued by the bizarre-ness of the intro and made their way closer to the stage.
Bandmate and co-producer Connor Kleitz jumped in on the synth with Kaser as the first song began, with drummers Danny Eberle and Michael Sandvig digging in quickly after. I have never seen an entire venue of people almost instantly start headbanging, putting their whole bodies into it.
Unlike the last show I saw, there were clumps of fans in the crowd singing along to the frenzied, fast paced lyrics. It seems to me like Lip Critic’s genre-bending and bizarre music infiltrated the tastes of many in the Pittsburgh music scene. It makes sense, especially since I had it happen to me–their music is addicting, energizing, disorienting, and stunning. You may furrow your brow the first time you listen to their stuff-but it will be pretty hard to turn it off.
In the middle of the set, drummer Danny got up to scream during fan-favorite song “Milky Max,” switching places with Bret. Suddenly, the samples and synths stopped, leaving Danny screaming to the crashing of the drums behind him.
The sound cut out, but as the song came to an end, the crowd barely noticed—it felt like part of the show. The band played through without missing a beat, revealing the hours they’d clearly spent rehearsing.
Why You Should See Them Live
Moshing was a constant throughout Lip Critic’s set, since it was hard for anyone to stand still. By the end of their last song, I was dazed. I went alone and left soaked in sweat, buzzing with adrenaline.
In between sets, I went to the merch table to check out the Lip Critic shirts. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had upcycled screen-printed merch. Each piece was super cool and unique, setting them apart from a lot of merch I have seen. Of course I had to get one. I picked out a highlighter yellow contruction-style shirt (everyone will see me coming…hehehe). Spread across the front is a super sick Lip Critic/Da Vinci Vitruvian Man design. Who doesn’t love sustainable merch?
At the end of the night, I was honestly sad leaving the venue. Not because I had a bad time, but because I was sad it was over. If you enjoy the hardcore scene, weird samples, and a bit of electronica- go see Lip Critic live. Theirs is truly unlike any performance I have seen.