There’s a hurricane in the sunken pit at Manning Bar, scored by one of the gnarliest breakdowns I’ve ever heard in my life. Jason Butler from Letlive is orchestrating its path of destruction, as debris revolves in an anti-clockwise direction. He takes his shoes off with a wily grin and perches himself on the crowd barrier with arms outstretched. Silhouetted by the deep purple stage lights, the grin turns to a cheeky, knowing smile as he eyes off the crowd and lines up his target. He dives in and is immediately swallowed by the tempest and for a moment we lose visual on the source of the masterfully executed screeching that has captivated this audience all night.
Back on stage, mic stands are falling like palm trees ripped from the soil while pulsating strobes crackle like the sparks of downed power lines. The breakdown somehow keeps getting heavier, slowing its progress, as the storm makes its way inland. Jason emerges from the depths of the crowd and the torrent of limbs casts him back to the stage. As the music grinds to its sludgy, broken finale, Jason salutes the crowd and walks off into the darkness.
“”You don’t need to know the songs to experience this through your own senses.”
Letlive are artisans of manipulating human emotion through performance. You don’t need to know the songs to experience this through your own senses. The live show transcends the songs and there’s no pre-requisite for having a good time (and I like to have a good time). While each individual on stage brings their own unique flare and talent to the table, there’s no question that Jason is the protagonist of tonight’s entertainment. His loose-fitting white singlet visually stands out from the simplistic black curtain backdrop and charcoal garments adorned by his bandmates. This chiaroscuro mirrors the mastery of light and shade that makes this live performance so memorable.
Take for example, the ending of ‘I’ve Learned to Love Myself’. At this point in the set, a slow and sparse ritardando, laden with heavy hits and a dramatic string arrangement gives way to a brief moment of breathing space that’s both cathartic and brimming with anticipation. The feedback builds and swells, and in an instant, the band leaps into the frenetic ‘Empty Elvis’. The energy of the room completely changes gear and the whiplash is palpable. The screaming banshee is back and everyone is there for it.
No one commits to a performance like Jason Butler. No one (literally) puts their body on the line to the extent that he does and tonight, it’s only a matter of time before these notorious stage antics come to light. Without an extensive festival stage to work with, the industrious frontman makes do with what he can in the Sydney University college bar and builds a precarious tower from the foldbacks on stage.
In one of the final moments of the show, Butler climbs the tower of his own creation and dances in the rippling, hazy lights with his eyes closed. He’s cool, grateful and savouring the moment. Ever the master of contrast, the serenity of the moment is shattered as he leaps off the tower and returns to the writhing exorcism that we’ve been lapping up all night.
Between songs, Butler displays moments of vulnerability and opens up about his journey to finding self-love. It’s an inspiring talk break that gives context to the return of Letlive, and the trials along the way that led to this moment. Their last stand in Sydney.
Butler delivers a powerful rallying cry to punctuate his message in saying “being happy is an act of resistance. Find your act of resistance”. In another moment of reflection, Butler gives a shoutout to Aus rock royalty Trenton Woodley (ex Hands Like Houses) and Jenna McDougall (Tonight Alive, Hevenshe) and acknowledges the Australian talent that is fostered in our great southern land.
Letlive are a spectacle; a masterclass in rock and roll that will not be forgotten by anyone in attendance.
It was a privilege to see such epic talent in the intimate confines of Sydney’s Manning Bar for this one final rampage, and a memory that will live on long after the amps have been switched off.
Further Reading
letlive. Announce Australian Dates For 2025 Farewell World Tour
Letlive. Announce They Are Breaking Up
INTERVIEW: letlive. Talk Fourth Album ‘If I’m The Devil…’, Black Lives Matter & Dealing With Social Media Backlash
