The best shoegaze often completely engulfs the listener in waves of sound, but Slowdive takes a different route. The band from Reading, England, crafts dream-pop that leans into rich harmonies, chiming guitars, and catchy pop melodies rather than sheer volume.
On Saturday night at a packed Stubb’s, the recently reunited quintet (active 1989–1995, revived in 2014) kicked off their set with the vibrant, though misleadingly titled, “Slomo” from last year’s excellent self-titled fourth album. Then, defying expectations, they jumped back in time to their earliest EP with the track “Slowdive.” Guitarists Neil Halstead and Christian Savill dueled in creating spiraling, shimmering sounds that filled the night.
Few bands outside the ambient scene wield reverb and delay effects as masterfully as Slowdive.
Both Halstead and co-vocalist Rachel Goswell delivered vocals that hovered just out of reach, offering glimpses of emotion without spelling everything out. Rather than relying heavily on the typical soft-verse/loud-chorus dynamic, the band stayed focused on the heart of their songwriting. Classics like “Catch the Breeze” and “Alison” sat easily alongside newer gems “No Longer Making Time” and “Star Rover,” proving Slowdive’s sound could survive without effects-heavy theatrics.
Before Slowdive, Austin’s own Survive performed, a group often compared to Tangerine Dream. Riding a surge of popularity — especially after scoring Stranger Things — the band mesmerized the crowd with an hour of ARP Odyssey synths, pulsing beats, and lush electronics, though they notably skipped playing the Stranger Things theme.
Opening the evening was the first-ever performance of Mien, a new project featuring Alex Maas (The Black Angels), Rishi Dhir (Elephant Stone), Tom Furse (The Horrors), and John Mark Lapham (The Earlies/Old Fire), alongside local talents Thor Harris and Robb Kidd. Mien delivered hypnotic, droning tracks with motorik rhythms, psychedelic sitar riffs, and Maas’ haunting vocals. Kidd, with his energetic and precise drumming, stood out as the band’s MVP, driving the new material with force and finesse.
Only one show into their career, Mien already sounds like something special.
