Crying In Orlando With Static Dress
May 9, 2025 - Orlando, FL
Starting off the chaos filled night was Orlando local bad Withpaperwings, arms swinging, stage diving and moshing unleashed a fury of hardcore that’s sure to have you two stepping all night! I’m not the biggest fan of being in the moshpit whatsoever, but I just had to get into crowd and sprint across the pit to get some of these shots, sort of risking my life in the process… might’ve gotten rocked getting in there but was a great time.
Now next up were a band that I had never heard of or had really checked out before this show honestly dubbed “Cashier” hailing from Lafayette, Alabama. A much more calm punk rock ensemble compared to onslaught before them. The crowd really seemed to enjoy them as they just stood and observed and vibed out the entire set.
Finally is the band I was super ecstatic to finally see as i’ve been checking them out and really vibing with their discography is none other than the band Soul Blind hailing from New York. Now this shoegaze dreamy quartet put on quite the show as they played some of my favorites such as “Seventh Hell” which honestly kind of gave “Puddle Of Mudd” vibes and “Cyaninde” The energy and presence that they brought to room was sure to bring about some crowd surfing and stage diving and it did just that, literally everything you’d expect from a set like this. The vibes were absolutely off the charts as this group commanded the stage.
The grand finale of the night was brought on none other than the hailing Leeds, United Kingdom band Static Dress who brought out old school TVs to really set the tone for their set and for what was about to begin. The Abbey known for being a more intimate space for shows really proved just that as there’s no barricade and fans are right there up against the stage in full awe of vocalist Ili Appleyard, who not only delivers a powerhouse of screams but beautiful cleans as well. Oli’s dynamic stage presence and ability to control the crowd like they’re wrapped around his finger is a sight to behold as one who was captivated the entire time. Their set consisted of songs from their album Rouge Carpet Disaster such as “Marisol”, “Sweet.”, & my personal favorite off the album “Di-sinTer”. The highlight of Static Dress’ set for me was watching vocalist Oli literally leap into the air and into the crowd and surf back to the stage over the eager fans. Getting to hear beloved live track "Death to the Overground” was another highlight, as it’s not currently on streaming services. It’s a very beloved fan favorite track, the breakdown literally smacking you in the face with super tuned-down guitars and punishing vocals. If you've never seen Static Dress before, I highly encourage you to do so as they put on a spectacular display of talent!