Just over a year ago, I opined in this publication that the indie pop star known as The Dare was “a one-trick pony.” I received his debut record, “What’s Wrong With New York?,” with a relative lack of enthusiasm, unimpressed by what I perceived as a pastiche of James Murphy’s early-2000s DFA Records sound.
I must now issue an apology to The Dare. I failed to consider that, whatever faults I may find with his songs on record, they are primarily intended to be floor-filling pop bangers — too short to be truly anthemic or particularly complex, but perfect for getting a crowd moving. Nowhere is this quality more evident than at one of his live shows.
Like the 2000s dance-punk acts that he’s inspired by, The Dare made a name for himself through high-energy live performances and DJ sets in and around New York City. Despite the hype and commercial success that his singles have brought him, The Dare hadn’t ventured to the Southeast before last Thursday, when he played Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse.
The venue was ideal for cultivating the vibe that The Dare aims for; there’s no barricade between the stage and the audience at the Variety Playhouse, so the general admission crowd was right in front of The Dare as he pranced around the stage over the course of his 50-minute set. I was right at the front, wedged between the crowd and the stage, which was somewhat claustrophobic, but still a great time.
He nearly kicked me in the head a few times, but I’ll forgive him because the performance and the atmosphere that it created were fantastic. The Dare’s skill as a DJ was evident throughout the set. His set list built, ebbed and flowed in the same manner as one of his “Freakquencies” DJ nights, alternating between hit singles like “Perfume” and fan-favorite album tracks like “I Destroyed Disco.”
The Dare seemed to understand the silliness and slightness of most of his songs, prefacing many with winking introductions that culminated in the tracks’ titles. He clearly understands how to work a crowd, and the audience responded excitedly to each and every song.
“Girls,” of course, hit the dancefloor like a bomb, but I was also impressed by “Sex,” “Cheeky” and “Good Time.” The latter, which was the second track on the set list, really kicked things off after the comparatively lower-key “Open Up.”
The venue’s sound was great, and The Dare’s performance was polished, although it felt a bit short. Though he only has one album out, he could have fit in a few more songs from “The Sex EP.” I also think that the brief DJ interlude in the middle, featuring “Bloodwork” and Charli XCX’s Dare-produced “Guess,” could have been longer and featured material from “Freakquencies,” like his amazing new single “Tambourine.”
Despite its brevity, The Dare’s set managed to revitalize a bygone notion of coolness. For the hour that he was on stage, I could have been convinced that indie sleaze was alive and well.
