Just For A Day: Slowdive in Norway

Slowdive is (still) pretty much the dreamiest band ever. Souvlaki has become the go-to album in the last few months for me, and I'd say it's definitely time to share more live stuff. The only real complaint I have about this set - and you can hear audience members agreeing during the outro - is the exclusion of "Alison," which seems borderline criminal. But still, it's the band's right to choose the setlist, and the various non-(main) album content is pretty nice. On the flipside, it's particularly nice that Rachel Goswell gets a lot of singing time, and there's a cute exchange midway through the set with an enthusiastic fan.

After reading into the band's history, this set, recorded on December 18th, 1993 in Oslo, Norway, seems especially vital. Slowdive was given minimal support from their label throughout their history, eventually having to fund their later shows out of their own pockets. It's a shame, and probably one of the main reasons they haven't received the recognition, in the shoegazing scene or otherwise, that they so deserve. At least the story ends somewhat happily, as three members went on to form the still active Mojave 3, a band I need to hear more of. Even though live performances are by nature temporary, the beauty is that you can revisit one years later, and it'll retain its power.

Enjoy:

1. Machine Gun
2. Souvlaki Space Station
3. Slowdive
4. Avalyn
5. Catch the Breeze
6. Melon Yellow
7. Morningrise
8. She Calls

All Of Us: Here