Ideal Setlist: Slowdive
On 5/13/25, I watched Slowdive play The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA.
I am fairly certain I found Slowdive via KEXP (which isn’t uncommon in my world). Deeply in love with bands like Beach House and Still Corners, my ears were searching for a similar sound to scratch a familiar itch. As KEXP does so often, it delivered to me the exact band I needed. In the same breath, they introduced me to a new genre. My love of dreampop and ethereal sounds were walked through an open door and introduced to Shoegaze.
Now, for the uninitiated (how pompous?) (which appears to be a lot of people based on the reactions I get when I mention this genre of music), this style of music is a subgenre of alternative or indie rock. Dense, atmospheric sound often defines it, featuring heavy distorted guitars and dreamy, often obscured vocals. According to our friends at Google, “Shoegaze is known for creating a “wall of sound” using extensive guitar effects, reverb, and layering. The name “Shoegaze” originated from the tendency of guitarists to look down at their effects pedals during live performances, as they constantly adjusted the sounds.”
While Slowdive didn’t give birth to the genre, they certainly contributed to its popularity with their formation in 1989. Thirty years later, I would haphazardly discover them with both a sense of disbelief and curiosity. Disbelief that something I love so dearly and connect to so deeply could go unknown to me for so long. Curiosity would have me shake off this disbelief and dive in with both (pun intended).
That’s exactly what led me to the Paramount Theatre in May 20205. Having experienced my first Slowdive show, I must say I appreciate them so much more, but I find their recorded material much more polished and engaging versus the experience of seeing them live. Don’t get me wrong, I am so thankful for the opportunity to see them play live, but nothing could have prepared me for the “wall of sound” and unintelligible lyrics.
When I attend concerts, I hope to hear lyrics and songs that I have connected with in person. So many Slowdive songs move me deeply, but in person they feel muddled to the point of noise. There were still many things to love about the show, but nothing that deeply moved me. I didn’t exit the theatre disappointed, just hoping for more.
As far as my ideal setlist is concerned, the playlist below is comprised of songs I have returned to most often. You will not find a song from every album, nor are all my favorite songs listed. Instead, this is a list of songs that keep me coming back for more. As always, I would love to hear from you. What is your ideal Slowdive setlist?
Be good to each other,
Nathan
As a member of the factory, you are taking a stand for human powered creation.
