Better Lovers — the all-star group featuring members of the Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die and Fit for an Autopsy — played their first show ever last night (July 13th) in ETID's hometown of Buffalo, New York. Along with cuts from their debut EP, Better Lovers also jammed a cover of Soundgarden's classic "Rusty Cage."
The set was opened by former Every Time I Die guitarist Andy Williams. The musician and pro wrestler spoke (as transcribed by Lambgoat) about both the end of ETID and the beginning of Better Lovers:
"How many people here have been in a room with me just like this?" Williams said. "A lot of people, a lot of feelings the last 23 years, with a lot of feelings together, right? We've mourned people, we've mourned deaths. We've been happy together, we've been sad together. We've felt so much together.
"You know, it's hard, I'll probably get a little emotional. Totally normal, but the last time we were all in a room together, we didn't know we were going to be mourning. And now, we have a band, that's coming to take that away. We don't need to think about that. That was something in the past. It was rad, we had a great time. We had a fucking great time, okay? One thing that doesn't happen in that world is a resurrection, where a band kicks fucking ass after a band kicked ass."
"Now, we have the ability to have a new favorite band. We have the ability to follow this band, and feel everything again. So please guys, please, be present today. And understand that we are watching something very special to a lot of us.
"Three of my best friends are about to come up here and destroy you guys.
"And I'm so happy I could be here for it. I love them to death, and I'm gonna let you know something. The three people from that last band that are on this stage right now are the ones that gave a fuck about you guys.
"So please, please, please, be present. Feel this. Have a fucking great fucking time. And here we are, we're about to witness our new favorite fucking band, Better Lovers!
"They're about to go, let's fucking go!"
Better Lovers opened with "Become So Small" and the title track from their God Made Me an Animal EP. After a few more tunes — including two unreleased originals! — vocalist Greg Puciato said, "You probably know this song," before Better Lovers launched into "Rusty Cage" (at 24:42 in the video). After the Soundgarden cover, the band wrapped things up with "30 Under 13," giving fans at Buffalo's Rec Room an historic, 30-minute performance.
Watch the full concert in the fan-filmed footage above.
