letlive

I had never been to a LetLive gig before; I'd only recently discovered them in the past year. But I had high expectations that the band put on a great show, particularly lead singer Jason.

The support band Youth Man gave a high-energy performance and will be someone I'll definitely be checking out in future - while some of the vocals were a little lost in the furore of guitar and drums, there was enough there to suggest the recorded tracks have merit beyond the hash-and-thrash of other bands.

And so we waited for the main act, and the sense of anticipation amongst the crowd was palatable. I heard the gig had sold out inside an hour (thankfully Songkick's notification email ensured I was able to get a ticket!) and the number of LetLive apparel worn by the crowd supported the reputation of hardcore followers the band had. I imagine the band could have filled somewhere like Brixton Academy, but I'm not sure the gig would have been as intense or involved for those in the stalls -- bands like LetLive are not conducive to being sat down!

The warning light from the stage crew to the sound desk triggered the crowd into an pre-emptive cheer which grew into a roar as the band entered the stage and LetLive were unleashed!

My favourite live bands, Alexisonfire, Protest the Hero and Maximo Park, take the time to interact with the crowd as well as put on a show, and Jason ensured LetLive were no different, and his choked up surprise when the crowd sang their latest song (only out for 2 weeks) back to them was endearing. The fact they allow people to stage dive, steal the mic, and have a hug, reinforced Jason's final sign off, that LetLive are more than just the band members, they wouldn't exist without the fans, which I think is sometimes forgotten about in this corporate age of internet marketing and sterile arena shows.

I don't every song word-for-word, I don't know much about them out side of Fake History and The Blackest Beautiful, but that gig sealed a place in my heart for LetLive, as much for their honesty and vulnerability displayed on stage as their kick-ass songs and visceral lyrics. By the time they came out for the encore I was an exhausted sweaty mess of a man, having been caught up in the euphoria and passion of the crowd incited by a band who seemed to touch so many of the hearts and minds of their fans. The buzz kept me going during my two-and-a-half journey home and as I collapsed into bed in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I couldn't have asked for more!

This is very simple... you can't watch letlive. online, you HAVE to see them live!... Have you ever heard of a team that leaves it all on the floor/field? Jason Aalon Butler (lead singer of letlive.) is that guy in music... he leaves it on the stage... well maybe a little around the stage too... and on the floor... and ceilings... and doorposts… etc… He doesn't sing... he lives.

If you want a band that plays note for note what is on their albums, this ain't your band. Their albums are awesome and capture the essence of who they are, but live is another level. I have seen letlive. twice now and have grown to expect the unexpected. Truly indescribable, the passion JAB pours into every song is amazing... someone who truly loves his craft.

I can neither confirm nor deny that who you see on stage is Jason as a person, but if you see him before or after his set, he is just chill, blending in with the crowd. There is a fine line between "an act" and turning on "beast mode." Even though he splits personas, there is no "act" in what you see... I like to imagine he is like a ticking time-bomb before sets, just building pressure inside until the next time he explodes. You can see the microphone is his outlet to pour out his emotions… rage, anger, pain, passion... essentially "waving his banner"... and in a way, it appears to be a healthy outlet.

You could, at first glance say "this guy is crazy." but you will realize he seems to be balanced and not really volatile (off stage at least :) ) As long as I’m able to make it to shows, when letlive. is playing in my vicinity, I’m there… no questions asked... and as a side bonus, I can hang around and watch Rise Against @TheNational this Go 'Round!

- Thx Mark d-_-b

Letlive, are an American post-hardcore band from Los Angeles, who bring quite a heavy sound to the table, laden with big technical riffs and distorted dissonance amongst the guitars. The drums are that of a machine gun kind of speed when it comes to the fills. I’m still trying to figure out what post-hardcore actually means. It could be a fancy name for screamo, as this is definitely the music that is being performed before me. I’ve always understood it as very melodic choruses complimented by heavy verses complete with screaming. One thing is for sure when this band perform live and that is that the lead vocalist Jason Aalon Alexander Butler, is giving the vocals 110%, each scream sounds more painful than the last as though he is lacerating his vocal folds. From this performance I can see the passion that these guys have alongside a fantastic work ethic, it is no wonder that they have toured with A Day to Remember, Achitects, Enter Shikari, Underoath and Every Time I Die.

Los Angeles post-hardcore quintet Letlive have amassed quite a reputation for themselves in a career that is little over a decade old. Although they have not been a commercial hit, their relentless devotion to the live circuit has proven over and over again that albums sales do not directly correlate to the size of gig venues or the intensity of a live performance.

Although lead singer Jason Butler is the only founding member left in the band's lineup, it does not seem to bother the long standing fans as Jason truly feels like the soul of the band. Although the other musicians all throw themselves into their instrumentals, it is Butler who is tearing around the stage and passionately recreating the music of the discography with his characteristic vocal. It is unsure whether he reveals his tattooed torso for the benefit of the crowd or because he is sweating so heavily beneath the stage lights yet this seems to only improve the reaction to final track '27 Club'.

I did not know what to expect from these guys when I attended a show for a different band. The energy from the lead singer is insane and got me hyped for the entire night. The entire band sounded incredibly good and definitely made it worth my time. Was not expecting a circle pit, but went in when it formed up.

I looked them up online and they sounded pretty good, but the live experience is so much better. I plan on seeing them again.

Best Show Ever! Was waiting to see letlive for a really long while. Finally got to see them last night and I was not disappointed. I loved the experience and the way they preformed. Also that he actually got into the crowd and he jumped into it too! Best thing ever! Love letlive! I did want to meet him and take a picture with him but didn't see him at the end. I am now waiting to see them again and I really hope to meet Jason next time!

Such an insane show, even though the crowd was small that didn't stop them from putting on the crazy live shows they're known for! I think at some point Jason actually broke his mic! The energy they put on stage to the crowd is very noticeable! If they ever come by near you go see them it's an unforgettable experience!

Phenomenal show by some great dudes. Charleston's Music farm was a great venue with a crowd full of letlive fans. Can't wait for letlive to headline back down here. And I am super stoked for the new album!

Letlive smashed it on Tuesday, they need to do their own gig in nottingham soon! Would deffinitly recommend them to everyone! Awesome band, great music and they get the crowd hyped!

Amazing! One of the best shows I've been to! My glasses broke so I was blind for a lot of it but it was still dope as fuck! Except for seahaven, sorry seahaven, you're just no fun!