Ride | photo by John Vettese for WXPN
Free at Noon Flashback: Shoegaze legends take the crowd on a buzzing, high octane Ride
Fuzzed-out, atmospheric, gauzy greatness. Yep, you guessed it – I’m talking about shoegaze. The late 80’s genre brainchild has been seeing a major resurgence as of late — whether it be newcomers or pioneers making long awaited returns — and I’m most definitely not complaining about it. Neither was the Free at Noon crowd today, who piled in droves this muggy afternoon to WCL to give a warm (literally) welcome back to shoegaze legends, Ride.
R-I-D-E. These four letters stood big and bold behind the band as they made their way onto the stage. One letter for each member, the backdrop served as a concrete and symbolic visual cue of the band’s sturdy comeback even before they started to play.
But then play they did. Loud. Performing a mix of tracks from their new album, Weather Diaries (“Lannoy Point,” “Charm Assault,” “Cali,” “All I Want,”) along with beloved throwbacks (“Seagull,” “Leave Them All Behind,” “Taste,” “Vapour Trail”) the four-piece buzzed with a palpable electricity created by their searing guitars and insane light show; once more solidifying their deserved place in indie rock canon, and showing they’ve still got so much more to give.
If you missed today’s set, you can still catch Ride tomorrow night at TLA. Find info on tickets here; listen to an archive of their Free at Noon performance and check out photos from the set below.
Setlist:
Lannoy Point
Charm Assault
Seagull
Cali
Leave Them All Behind
All I Want
Taste
Vapour Trail