The Dare brought his set to Glasgow’s QMU
If the future of Indie sleaze is in his hands, it just may well be safe.
Photo: Isla Kerr
If there’s one name synonymous with online music culture at the moment, it’s The Dare (Harrison Patrick Smith). The New York-based producer, songwriter, DJ and singer exploded onto the scene last year after working with Charli xcx on the deluxe version of BRAT (Brat and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not). He didn’t come from nowhere, though, and his 2022 release Girls was soon radiating through eardrums across the world. A full suit and sunglasses has become a uniform of sorts to Harrison, and tonight his fans donned shirts with ties and sunglasses in his honour.
Despite a top that said ‘No hugs please’, Babymorocco didn’t shy away from the irony in doing just that. Telling many audience members he loved them and lifting his top up and down playfully. The crowd quickly decided they loved him back and their manic energy only encouraged his antics. A twerk on a speaker and a declaration of “I’m gonna marry The Dare”, later he wrapped his mic around his hand and jumped down to the barrier. Traversing across it to take selfies with the crowd without missing a note.
Really Hot drew what felt more like a queer club night than a support slot at a gig to a close. Babymorocco had the crowd practically begging for more.
Harrison’s stage setup is in itself enough to excite; a curved wall of Marshall speakers surround him as he launches into Open Up. With only one album under his belt as The Dare, it’s impressive to see just how many crowd pleasers this setlist is packed with.
His years as Turtlenecked serve him well, and Harrison not only knows how to write and record a great track but also how to perform it to its complete capacity and get all out of it.
Sex and Perfume are among the early sing-along all-stars and, while anything would have been devoured by this audience, these were two particularly great picks to get the room moving.
Pausing for a moment, he asks, “If I fell, would you catch me?” — perhaps alluding to the viral videos of his failed crowd surf in Bristol. No attempts were made at being passed from hand to hand tonight, but Harrison did get down to the barrier, much to the fans excitement.
Working Guess (the Charli xcx track he co-produced) into his own Bloodwork was a stroke of genius, and phones flurried into the air to record the mashup under fitting red lighting.
From the second he strutted off stage, cries of “one more tune” echoed around the room. Eager to please, Harrison didn’t wait long before running back out: “Yeah, come on… I’ll give you three”. Screams of delight took the place of the chant now as he joked, “I just needed a little drink”.
And what a final three they were: Movement, All Night and Girls. Each getting rowdier than the last until Girls invoked all-out chaos as Harrison paced up and down the barrier while the crowd jumped in unison.
The Dare delivered at The QMU. If the future of Indie sleaze is in his hands, it just may well be safe. All those in attendance will certainly feel satisfied that they managed to catch him in a relatively smaller venue while they still can.
All photos by Isla Kerr.