Venue:
The Institute Birmingham
Date: 18/02/2024
Has there been a better reunion in recent times that Slowdive? A two-decade hiatus while members engaged in various other projects and got on with life. All five members back in. Two new albums that have received the best reviews and sales of their career. The final piece in the jigsaw – rapturously received live shows including a Hammersmith Apollo showcase. In Birmingham they’re at the airy Institute, whose faded Edwardian theatre vibe is perfect.
A family emergency has necessitated an able stand-in drummer, but otherwise Slowdive are all present and correct. Guitarist Christian and bassist Nick provide the key instrumental textures, on top of which Neil Halstead (looking like his own guitar tech) and Rachel Goswell (the funky slightly goth Headteacher at your kids primary school) are the main focal and vocal points onstage. Their vast sound fills the venue to hypnotic effect, backed up by visuals that are trippy (pills literally empty out for Sugar for the Pill) without being distracting.
The set list draws heavily from the two post-reformation albums, with Slomo, Kisses, Star Roving and Shanty alongside nineties cuts primarily from phase one peak album Souvlaki. After some initial muddiness to the vocals, the interplay between Neil and Rachel works beautifully. Songs proceed at a measured pace, rising and falling as keyboards, guitars and and bass all mesh together around their mighty pulse. Like many such bands it’s difficult to hear what they’re singing, vocals are really just another instrument.
I’m not sure I’ve heard a better judged encore. Sugar For the Pill, perhaps the poppiest and most immediate track they’ve ever written, is a complete banger. Then it’s down to a whisper for Dagger, just vocals and acoustic guitar. Finally Golden Hair, a Syd song transformed into a near ten-minute instrumental freakout to finish. Just under ninety minutes, and without saying much they have the crowd willing them on from the off to the finish.
The audience:
Very mixed, almost 50:50 and as Mrs Moles sagely remarked appeared to be teenagers and fifty somethings with very little in between.
It made me think..
They might be more contemplative and reflective than before, and their music gains additional depth and joy from the fact that we are all here, some for the first time, some after thirty years, enjoying these fabulous sounds.
If I never go to a gig again at the Academy I don’t think I’d cry, but another fabulous night out at the Institute.
So true: academy shite, institute sublime. Bar the rubbish beer at eye watering prices, but Digbeth finest all around mean you water aforehand.
And I didn’t know this was on, which is a swim, as I was literally thinking and wondering when they might be touring. Hey ho…..
They are at EotR this year (if you’re covering it).
Hmmmm. Just looked at the line up. All a bit Quietus for me, even with the scattered nuggets of familiarity here and there.
We’re giving it a miss this year. It’s a pricey weekend away and no mistake.
It’s a long way from the Granby Tavern, 1989-91. I’d never have guessed back then that their time would come decades later, but about 10 years ago I did the sound for a bunch of teenage shoegazers and, after their set, asked them who they listened to. “Slowdive, Ride, Lush…” they replied. So maybe their audience has been growing organically, too.
In other fuzzy news, Ride are back in action in September.
It’s funny reading this as Neil Halstead is one of my favourite singers and songwriters but I’ve never knowingly heard Slowdive, I discovered him some 20 odd years ago via his later incarnation Mojave 3 and then again as a solo acoustic artist. I guess I should probably try and remedy that oversight
Would love to see Slowdive live. I can see it translating to that medium very well.
I actually went to a gig last night here in Brisbane – Mogwai at the lovely Tivoli theatre. We had prime standing position on the balcony in the centre looking straight over the crowd down to the stage. Unfortunately Lady Podicle was somewhat overcome by the sonic onslaught about half way through and had to find refuge on a sofa at the back of the venue. It was an impressive if unrelenting noise, and I was very pleased to see that the venue was at or near capacity (1500-ish?).