Trailblazing British Shoegaze Outfit Slowdive to Play The Caverns May 8

Ahead of their time, or at least at odds with their era, English dream pop/shoegaze outfit Slowdive were never particularly hailed by critics or understood by their label during ’89-’95 initial run. Formed by lifelong friends Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead, Slowdive erupted onto the scene while still in their teens, crafting sweeping, ambient, pop soundscapes that borrowed from ’70s progressive rock and the indie and shoegaze scenes of the late ’80s. Released amidst a boom of grunge and alternative, their debut, Just for a Day, failed to resonate with the cultural zeitgeist, yet, in retrospect, serves as a brilliant, dreamy, timeless moment in indie rock. Perhaps the band’s biggest masterpiece, 1993 sophomore effort Souvlaki, recorded partially in collaboration with Brian Eno, kept their layered, hypnotic sound, but added elements of art rock and post-punk, producing a gorgeous, personal, and perfectly-rounded distillation of their sound. By their third and final original effort, Pygmalion, Slowdive, at odds with their label, still struggling to win over press, and only moderately successful with mainstream audiences, were faced with the departure of half of their members, prompting Goswell and Halstead (and final drummer Ian McCutcheon) to entirely switch musical gears and continue making music as subsequent project Mojave 3.

After, for nearly two decades, fading into a misunderstand relic of a bygone era, the classic Slowdive lineup (rounded out by guitarist Christian Savill, bassist Nick Chaplin, and drummer Simon Scott) suddenly reconvened in 2014, performing a well-received run of dates at festivals and clubs throughout the world, and connecting with a whole new audience who’d come to appreciate the band in their absence, as well as a crop of young artists influenced by them. Though the longevity of that reunion seemed uncertain at the time, the decade since has been something of a second-wind and critical reassessment for the group, now rightfully considered legends of their era, who’ve since released two new full-lengths- 2017’s eponymous comeback record and this year’s masterful Everything Is Alive– both, finally, to the widespread acclaim they deserve. As they’ve continued to tour and make music, the shoegaze scene itself has also seen a revival with Gen Z, with new artists embracing the style, and classic ones like Slowdive connecting with a new generation of fans, with Souvlaki being raised up as one of the genre’s (and of the 1990s in general’s) best and most important records, and the group’s recent work regularly topping year-end lists; a remarkable feat for a band whose comeback isn’t simply fueled by nostalgia, but is truly another rich, artistic chapter for a band who once seemed relegated to musical history.

In support of their latest, and on the heels of a lengthy world tour throughout the winter, Slowdive have announced a spring run of U.S. dates with LA darkwave and dream pop artist Drab Majesty, bringing them to the Nashville area- from what we can tell, for the first time ever– May 8 for an underground performance in The Caverns at Pelham, TN. We can’t think of a better setting to soak up Slowdive’s lush, etherial, and vibrant sound, and we urge you to snag tickets when they go on sale this Friday, Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. CST right here (or use code ‘CAVEDWELLER’ for pre-sale tickets right now).

April 25 – Ventura, CA @ The Majestic Ventura Theater
April 26 – Pomona, CA @ The Fox Theater Pomona
April 27 – Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World Festival
April 28 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
April 30 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Historic El Rey Theater
May 1 – Denver, CO @ Levitt Pavilion Denver
May 3 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
May 4 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
May 5 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
May 7 – Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
May 8 – Pelham, TN @ The Caverns
May 10 – Dallas, TX @ Longhorn Ballroom
May 11 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
May 12 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
May 14 – New Orleans, LA @ The Civic Theatre
May 16 – Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
May 17 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
May 18 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit