I’ll be honest with you: I came for the opener.
she’s green caught my ear a few months back and I was immediately hooked. That particular combination of fragile indie-rock and self-assured dreampop doesn’t come along that often. When I saw they were supporting Chapterhouse at Fairmount, I figured it was the perfect excuse to finally get acquainted with a band I’d somehow managed to admire from a distance for thirty years without ever really sitting down with their records. Shoegaze royalty, critically respected, beloved by people whose taste I trust. It seemed like a gap worth closing.
she’s green
The Minneapolis five-piece are doing something genuinely exciting. Frontwoman Zofia Smith has an airy, emotionally precise vocal quality that floats over their guitar swells without straining for drama. It just lands. The set drew heavily from Swallowtail, their upcoming EP due July 10 on Photo Finish Records, and the material held up beautifully in a live setting. Fragile but never uncertain. Their version of shoegaze feels entirely current rather than nostalgic, which on a bill like this is no small thing.
My only complaint is that their set was over too soon. I’d genuinely like to see them headline their own show next time around. If you missed them here, keep an eye on what comes next. I spoke with the band ahead of the show, and you can read that conversation here.
Chapterhouse
This tour marks Chapterhouse’s return after a 16-year hiatus, built around the 35th anniversary of Whirlpool, their 1991 debut, and they treated the occasion with the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from bands who know exactly what they are. No theatrics, no between-song monologues, no nostalgia tourism. Just the music, played with real authority.
They ran through Whirlpool in full before moving into b-sides, standalone singles, and deep cuts, and the sequencing felt deliberate throughout. The three-guitar attack is the thing: a lush, swirling wall of sound that fills the room without becoming oppressive. Drummer Ash Bates was exceptional, holding the whole thing together with a performance that was, frankly, superhuman. “Breather,” “Autosleeper,” and “April” were standouts mid-set, and the encore of “Mesmerise” and “Need (Somebody)” sent the room out in good shape.
The crowd was a genuine cross-section of veteran shoegazers who clearly knew every word and a noticeable contingent of younger fans discovering the back catalogue for the first time. The band let the music do the work of bridging that gap, and it did.
I came in as a Chapterhouse outsider. I left with homework to do, which is probably the best outcome a live show can deliver.
Review & photos – Steve Gerrard
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