Shoegaze pioneers, Drop Nineteens, headlined the Iron Horse in Northampton on Sunday, Oct. 20, accompanied by solo act Olivia O. of the band Lowertown. The ethereal Boston-based band’s Fall 2024 Tour is their return to the music scene following a nearly 30-year hiatus.
Fans of all ages gathered inside the cozy music hall around 6:00 p.m.
As fans entered the charmingly compact venue, some dispersed to the general admission in front of the stage or to the tables around the stage. The ambient bar set the tender atmosphere for the performance through the warm orange lighting and the inviting aura of the music hall.
Olivia O., an indie artist from New York, started the night off. Her set was accompanied by an acoustic guitar, flute, handbells, guitar pedals and loopers. Before each song, Olivia O. would construct an intricate loop through experimentation with spiraling vocal deliveries and various instruments using her looper pedals to repeat throughout each song.
Olivia O. debuted her new song “Hurt Me,” which came out on Monday. Following her intricate process of assembling her looping backtrack, Olivia O. opened with a daunting slowcore introduction to the raw and powerful track with her raspy and emotional vocals adding depth to her performance. Her impressive multitasking allows her to experiment with pedal effects on her acoustic guitar, while simultaneously singing and playing guitar.
Following Olivia O.’s performance, the bright lights shifted from white to blue as Drop Nineteens took the stage. On the stage was a wide array of instruments including a drum kit, two pianos, a bass, handbells and countless guitars. The band shifted between a five-piece and six-piece lineup between songs.
Drop Nineteens was formed at Boston University in 1990 and released their prevalent debut album “Delaware” in 1992. The band split up in 1995 but announced their comeback in 2022, releasing their first album in nearly 30 years, 2023’s “Hard Light.”
The band opened with their booming song “Delaware.” The song begins with a gentle introduction as each instrument wove a repetitive yet captivating tapestry of sounds. One minute into the song, the crisp snare drums kicked in and distorted waves of the guitars surged through the audience at the breakdown, immediately shifting the venue’s atmosphere as fans were hypnotized by their dazzling layering of instrumentation.
Drop Nineteens performed “Mayfield” and “Shannon Waves” from their “archived” album, “1991,” featuring their earliest recorded songs, set for streaming early next year. It was exciting to hear their oldest material live, 30 years after its creation. The songs on the album showcase a more dream-pop sound, with whining guitars and wall-of-sound fuzz reminiscent of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.
Later in the setlist, Drop Nineteens played their upbeat cover of “White Dress” by Lana Del Rey. Greg Ackell introduced the track, explaining that when he first heard the original, he could not stop listening to the song for months. Ackell and Paula Kelley’s enchanting vocal blend leads the song through their distinct shoegaze twist to the cover.
The band appeared comfortable on stage in the close-knit venue, exchanging smiles with the admiring audience. Between songs, Ackell shared that he went to high school in western Massachusetts, calling the Pioneer Valley one of the most beautiful places in the world.
“Angel,” a Madonna cover from their debut album, immediately entranced the audience with its introductory electrifying riff. Layered with the symphony of instruments, the warm, fuzzy sound captivated the bobbing audience. Near the song’s end, Ackell delivered an intense guitar solo, joined by the other band members’ dynamic performances. Ackell and Kelley bent over with their guitars, jamming out and infatuating the audience with an exhilarating wall of sound.
Near the end of the performance, Olivia O. joined the audience. Ackell acknowledged her talents, expressing his desire to have a younger opener accompany their “older” act on tour.
The band ended the night with their nine-minute track, “Kick the Tragedy.” The rich reverb of distorted guitars at the song’s start sent a wave of nostalgia through the audience, seemingly transporting them back to the band’s youth in 1992.
Halfway through the track, the instruments faded out, leaving only the acoustic guitar and a recording of Kelley’s voice playing over the speakers. The resting band members exchanged smiles as the iconic spoken word played.
After the recording of Kelley’s vocal break, the acoustic guitar slowed, and drummer Peter Koeplin quietly resumed the mesmerizing beat until it abruptly stopped again before picking up louder than before. A beautiful breakdown featuring a blend of atmospheric guitar fuzz and slides followed. As the band played the enchanting outro, each member left the stage one by one until Koeplin was left alone, playing the song’s beat for a few extra measures before the performance officially ended.
“Kick the Tragedy” serves as a perfect closing track for the band’s set, marking 30 years since the release of “Delaware.” The song evokes nostalgia through a teenage Kelley’s bored yet poetic ramblings, paired with instrumentation that makes you feel as though you’re reliving your own angsty teenage years.
After the show, members of both performing acts met up with friends, family and fans off the stage as people surrounded the merch table. Both artists were selling merchandise, including Drop Nineteens’s shirts, records, hats and a book dedicated to the band’s history created by a super fan. On vinyl, the band was selling “Delaware,” “Hard Light” and “Mayfield 1991.”
Drop Nineteens are releasing their lost 1991 album, “Mayfield 1991” on streaming on Feb. 7, 2025, through Wharf Cat Records.
Crissy Saucier can be reached at [email protected].
