Slowdive, the English shoegaze band primarily famous for their sophomore album, Souvlaki, is among the shoegaze greats at this point, maintaining a legendary status to people who live for music with a dreamy, wistful sound. When the band performed on the final night of Levitation, the audience was packed like sardines, having swarmed from all directions to capture the essence of their greatness.
The band opened with “shanty” from their most recent album, everything is alive. Though this wasn’t the most striking, powerful opener, it seemed to be chosen with intent, allowing the band to gradually settle into their hazy sound and convey their musical subtleties, like Christian Savill’s ethereal guitar playing and Simon Scott’s dynamic drumming. It gracefully set the tone for the dream-like atmosphere that would encompass the rest of the set.
Photo by Galilea Gutierrez (@antitheticaldump)
“Catch the Breeze” and “Crazy for You,” two beloved tracks from their catalog, were thrilling as Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead sang powerfully alongside soaring guitar riffs, the audience dancing along and boosting the energy in the venue. Then, the band started playing “Souvlaki Space Station,” and the audience erupted in cheer. The performance felt otherworldly and euphoric.
As the set continued, the band’s effortlessly captivating instrumental fusions echoed across the stage and through the audience like the space was a chamber rather than an outdoor venue, showing how deliberate and attentive the band is in creating a consistently inviting, interesting sound. For instance “Sugar for the Pill” has a quite consistent guitar riff, not varying much in arrangement, but that consistency resonates with a full, focused sound, amplifying the sadness of the heartbreak ballad.
“Alison” and “When the Sun Hits,” both on Souvlaki, were played near the end. These brought a poignant sense of nostalgia to the atmosphere, reminiscent of young love and hot summer nights, which perfectly accompanied the fitting, albeit unfortunately hot November night. Then, the band played “Golden Hair,” their iconic Syd Barrett cover, and encored with “Machine Gun” and “40 Days,” proving how impactful Souvlaki still is and always will be. Slowdive shines with magnificence and will keep shining as they revive their past works with care and continue to create new ones.