Ride played Music Hall of Williamsburg

Ride returned to New York City to resuscitate their dreamy, billowing rock for the first time in twenty years.

For many, the shoegaze era of the late 80s and early 90s scene was mostly comprised of three leading players: My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Ride. While My Bloody Valentine's magnum opus Loveless is widely considered the album of the genre, the others certainly brought along their own blissful and mesmerizing traits. Slowdive enhanced the dreamy side of things and MBV had sheer volume, but Ride and their 1990 masterpiece Nowhere helped usher in more psychedelia and pre-Brit-Pop era tones that helped pave the way for the massive success of Oasis, Blur, and Pulp for years to come. It's always easy to say "well, if you listen to this band, then you would LOVE this band", but Ride truly deserve their own recognition. Their vocals were present in the mix, never androgynous, and their guitars still packed a heavy punch. Straight off the plane from Europe, the band touched down at the rather intimate Music Hall of Williamsburg for a greatest hit packed set. Their volume was cranked up and the high flying solos amped up the crowd for a night full of technicolor wash of vibrant guitars. Paisley hazed melodies evoked Madchester-era vibes that induced the audience into solid grooves. Mutating psych-rock palettes and bringing on layers of fuzz, their wall of sound was striking. While "Polar Bear" felt a tad lackluster, "Seagull" resurrected the colorful melodic energy of the evening  and swirling guitars reigned supreme for the rest of the night. "Dreams Burn Down" was especially monstrous, swells of texture rising and crashing, and "Twisterella" was euphoric, again maneuvering twirling guitars through elated vocals. After a triumphant "Vapour Trail", the band descended into an absolutely decimating noise holocaust during "Drive Blind" full of crashing cymbals and droning feedback. They may not be the leading name in their game, but Ride proved that their legacy was as unique and weighty as anyone else in the race.

Setlist:

01 "Leave Them All Behind"
02 "Like a Daydream"
03 "Polar Bear"
04 "Seagull"
05 "Sennen"
06 "Cool Your Boots"
07 "Black Nite Crash"
08 "Perfect Time"
09 "Twisterella"
10 "OX4"
11 "Dreams Burn Down"
12 "Time of Her Time"
13 "Chrome Waves"
14 "Paralyzed"
15 "Taste"
16 "Vapour Trail"
17 "Drive Blind"
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18 "Mouse Trap"
19 "Chelsea Girl"