Slowdive – in concert from Mannheim, Germany, June 18, 2017 – SWR –
Slowdive in concert tonight. One of the pivotal bands during the emerging Indie, Shoegaze, Ambient Dreampop movements of the late 1980s, Slowdive were a huge influence but weren’t the darlings of the press, or of record labels. Despite some negative reviews in the press who were derisive of the Shoegaze movement in general, the band overcame much of that and let the audience decide – the audience prevailed and Slowdive went on to be an important element in the early 90s, right up to the point that Britpop started making inroads via Suede and their debut album in 1993. After that, things began to unravel in 1994 after a mishandled U.S. tour and no record company support, as well as the U.S. label pushing back the release of their second album, Souvlaki. Their UK label Creation finally dropped the band and that, for a time, was that.
After a series of side-projects and other bands, as well as numerous hints via Twitter, Slowdive reunited in 2014 to play the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona. The performance was a standout at the festival and it prompted the band to embark on a 20-date world tour as well as an additional 20 date U.S. tour by the end of 2014. In March of this year (2017), they released their fourth studio album and have picked up where they left off – only this time, the response has been universal praise.
Tonight’s concert comes from their latest tour, a stop in Mannheim and a performance at the Maifeld Derby on June 18th of this year. Captured via Sudwest Rundfunk, broadcast and webcast.
Having enjoyed this band since the release of Just For A Day in 1991, it’s good to see them back and enjoyed by the audience, most of whom probably don’t remember them from the early 90s, but who have discovered them now. Nice when that happens.
Enjoy – almost 90 minutes worth – sit back and let it happen. The mix is a bit strange though, and takes some time before it balances out, but it’s worth the adjustment and the sudden surges in vocals and drums are par for the course when mixing on the fly – it’s part of what makes it exciting – and nerve-wracking at the same time. Been there – done that – got the grey hair to prove it.
