Over the weekend, legendary English shoegaze band Slowdive performed at The National, showcasing tracks from their latest album, Everything Is Alive. The band, known for its atmospheric sound and layered guitars, drew an enthusiastic crowd of longtime Gen X fans and newer Gen Z listeners who have helped bring Slowdive back to prominence.
Opening for Slowdive was Wisp, a rising artist in the shoegaze scene described by Consequence’s Jonah Kruger as “the next leader of the shoegaze revival.” Gaining a following through TikTok, Wisp recently released her debut EP, Pandora, which has quickly connected with fans of the genre.
Initially, Slowdive faced harsh criticism from the British indie press, despite early praise for their EPs. Their 1991 debut Just for a Day and follow-up Souvlaki received negative reviews, as Britpop took the spotlight. Band members felt dismissed and disenchanted, with critics labeling them too soft for the era. By the early 2000s, Slowdive was largely forgotten in indie circles.
However, critical opinion shifted in the 2010s, with Slowdive celebrated as a cornerstone of shoegaze. When the band reunited in 2014, they drew larger crowds than ever, embraced by a new Generation Z audience fueling shoegaze’s revival.
Photographer Vincent Candela was on hand to document.
