Even the most devoted Slowdive fans may be unaware of just how harshly the legacy press criticized the band during their brief four-year run in the early 1990s. It wasn't until a decade later, when millennial IDM musicians began citing them as influences, that the UK quintet solidified their status as shoegaze pioneers.
Making their first-ever appearance in the nation's capital at the 900-capacity Bronson Centre Music Theatre, Slowdive were celebrated for their importance, greeted by a sold-out crowd astonishingly made up of Gen-Z fans.
Opening the show with their three-piece band, quannnic welcomed the crowd with a satisfyingly shambolic set that blended Gen-X dream pop and alt-rock with a sense of youthful indifference — capped off by their 2021 single "life imitates life."
After playing nearly 100 shows last year in support of their fifth LP, everything is alive, Slowdive looked energized and cheerful as their classic lineup reached back to their 1990 self-titled EP for a blissful rendition of "Avalyn." Transitioning into their Slowdive 2.0 material, the band performed 2024's "shanty" alongside "Star Roving" and "No Longer Making Time" from their 2017 self-titled LP, with co-vocalist Rachel Goswell seamlessly moving between keyboards, modular synth and guitar.
Coming off incredibly tight, co-vocalist Neil Halstead (channeling a Mike Love/Mac DeMarco vibe with his short cap and bushy mustache) locked in with guitarist Christian Savill to deliver the sonically immaculate "Crazy for You" from 1995's Pygmalion. Bassist Nick Chaplin and drummer Simon Scott anchored the track's motorik rhythms while illuminated by a dazzling backdrop and light show, freeing Goswell to deliver some full-on dance moves in her gothic black gown.
Loosening up for renditions of "chained to a cloud" and singles "kisses" and "Sugar for the Pill" — with Halstead stepping in for Goswell's vocals due to a brief coughing fit — the band then transitioned into a pair of songs from their most acclaimed album, Souvlaki. Treating the crowd to album standouts "When the Sun Hits" and "Alison," Slowdive closed the 80-minute set with a blisteringly noisy rendition of their cover of Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair."
Returning to the stage for the evening's encore, Slowdive delivered even more tracks from their 1993 masterpiece as the cascading waves of "Machine Gun" perfectly led Halstead into his stark and whispery delivery during "Dagger." The band closed the night with the swirling guitars of "40 Days," the youthful crowd showing unwavering appreciation for Slowdive's music and celebrating their entire career. The kids know a good thing when they hear it.