Los Angeles-born Harrison Patrick Smith, known to most as The Dare, is perhaps a name that needs little introduction. The black-suit-clad 29-year-old musician has made waves within the music scene over the last few years, being credited as one of the pioneers of the indie sleaze revival with his debut EP Sex released in 2023. Since then, Smith has gone on to gain significant traction as a result of the virality of EP track ‘Girls’ as well as being the producer of the worldwide hit ‘Guess’ by Charli xcx, for which he appeared both in the video and in the set of a Grammys performance. He released his debut album, What’s Wrong with New York?, to widespread acclaim last year, and has since embarked upon a supporting world tour. The tour first touched down in Manchester at YES’s Pink Room in May 2024 and, due to his spiralling popularity, the indie sleaze star returned for a sold-out show this week at New Century Hall.
Babymorocco propelled the audience into the night with a set of electrifyingly seductive electro-pop bangers, leaving not a sole on the ground as he elusively teased an upcoming single ‘Jean Paul’.
“Electro is in our heartbeat”
The crowd aided him through his set by chorusing the words to every track upon confession from the artist that he was sick. By the end of his set, the crowd had more than proved they were ready for The Dare, having tested the security of the venue’s infrastructure for every inch of its worth. After a short interval, Smith took to the stage with the swagger and self-confidence of a man who thinks he has little left to prove.
“What’s up Manchester! You know today’s actually my birthday?”
Smith opened the set with the fittingly named ‘Open Up’, throwing the crowd straight into the deep end of a pool of pure indie sleaze. The crowd erupted, rarely stopping for breath as Smith swiftly rode through The Dare classics such as ‘Good Time’, ‘Sex’ and ‘Perfume’.
Though his performance was impressive, it would by no means be defined as groundbreaking. During Smith’s December performance in Leeds, he seemed fully engaged and on top form. However, it became apparent on this night that a 34-date, non-stop tour is perhaps not the right structure to give to an artist whose career is in its infancy. Smith’s demeanour and lack of crowd interactions truly made the show feel more like a contractual obligation rather than a free form of artistic expression – which is difficult to not see as a letdown for an artist whose music is renowned for being so full of energy.
Mid-way through the set, Smith recharged the crowd by spinning a few instrumental tracks, notably ‘Bloodwork’ remixed with elements of ‘Guess’. New Century’s light-up roof and flawless sound system helped provide the perfect setting for a night of low-brow indulgence, illuminating the faces of the crowd with strobe lighting from every angle. For a while, Smith took us to a place of pure euphoria. It was exactly the level of escapism that you’d go into a The Dare show expecting.
What then followed, however, was a return to the microphone, during which Smith belted out one of the few slower-pace love songs in his discography – ‘Elevation’. The change of pace was refreshing, giving the crowd time to bask in the experience. Smith left the stage shortly thereafter, to desperate pleas for an encore. He returned to the stage, as did the pace to his set as he topped the night off with ‘All Night’ and ‘Girls’.
Where this show fell flat was the fact that though The Dare might have ‘revived’ indie sleaze, it fails to capture the same audience that it attracted in its heyday. The discrepancy between the majority-teenage crowd and the debauchery that builds the foundations of the genre is perhaps where Smith struggles to connect. That, combined with his notably repetitive style leads me to wonder where his career will go next creatively. Hopefully, it’s something a little more daring.
