Ride Shoegaze Upon Portsmouth Guildhall

by | Oct 3, 2024

Shoegaze royalty Ride’s very thorough 2024 tour, promoting latest album Interplay, has finally brought them back to Portsmouth Guildhall, almost thirty years to the day since their last visit. On that day in 1994, they were supported by then Britpop-punk startups Supergrass, still a few months before they were “caught by the fuzz”. Three decades on, Ride have a broader back-catalogue and a richer reputation to live up to, especially as so-called shoegaze and dream pop has received a renewed interest. 

Tonight’s openers Junodream reflect upon this well – hypnotic space rock landing from Bristol.

Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall

Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)
Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)

Vocalist Ed Vyvyan certainly doesn’t shy away from the challenge, introducing themselves as “the second best band in the world”. It is a very head-on approach to showing how they have been inspired by Ride, who belonged to a scene that was in the 1990s derogatorily labelled by the music press as “the scene that celebrates itself”. It is the kind of egotistical statement that’s normally waiting to be scoffed at, but instead by the end he is giving a mid-song roll call of the band members, to rapturous applause. There is no truth in the title of their most popular song Nobody Wants You.

That said, I believe that any band who can successfully and unironically incorporate the word “anemone” into their lyrics should receive great applause, as they do during opener The Beach. Extended, icy cold synth realistically represent how it might feel to take a dip in Portsmouth’s waters, yet their otherworldly ambience makes “the shores of emerald green” sound somewhat desirable, even in the chilly autumn evening.

Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall

Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)
Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)

Ed introduces the as-yet unreleased (but judging from the audience reaction, now eagerly anticipated) White Whales as “like a Ride song… kind of shoegazey”. While the song might resemble Ride with whooshing layers of sliding guitars, it does not resemble it in performance, as Ed refuses to stay still, at least before falling to his knees to scream the song’s final bars.

In fact, this is pretty much the pinnacle of energy that is shown visually onstage all night, even though a lot of the audience haven’t yet arrived. By comparison, Ride will show their signature deadly stillness, against a black backdrop and simplistic lights. 

Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall

Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)
Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)

Ride put a substantial amount of faith in material released since their reunion, in particularly when choosing to perform clusters of newer songs without reliance on nostalgia. It’s perhaps the right choice, as by now, their brilliant second arc (having reunited in 2014) has lasted longer than their original 1988-1996 run.

Regardless, they seem to have chosen to open with the songs most custom-built to wake up the room, from the rapid urgency of Monaco to the gorgeous majesty of Portland Rocks. The joint vocals of Mark Gardener and Andy Bell contemplate everyone’s living crises, addressing everyone directly (“Over the edge we go / (Can you hear it?) /This pressure / (Can you feel it?)) before bathing the room in feedback and their trademark harmonised “aaah”s.

Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall

Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)
Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)

Afterwards, Ride dig out blast from the past Dreams Burn Down, with all emphasis on the word “blast”, as the deafening bursts of squeals and hisses are a furious grab and shake by the shoulders. There are whoops of instant recognition from the unmistakable isolated drums. Despite every card being played that one would have thought would have been the ultimate wake-up call, the Portsmouth audience weren’t especially animated, besides additional heads bobbing up and down with each few songs.

Mark visibly smirked and conceded defeat somewhat after performing latest lead single Peace Sign. It is a thunderous call to prevent arms, that has a chorus that probably makes more obvious than Cha Cha Slide what the crowd should be doing – “give me a peace sign / throw your hands in the air… let me know you’re there”. Mark chuckled, having held his hand aloft before every chorus “what an amazing amount of peace signs! I counted eight”. It might even have just been four people with both arms. 

Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall

Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)
Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall (Simon Reed)

What the band saw may have been somewhat reminiscent of the iconic, tranquil and subtle expanse of the ocean that appears on their debut album cover. It was only appropriate that henceforth, they took an extensive dive into their earliest material, ending the main set with Vapour Trail and an extremely forceful, accelerated performance of Seagull, and close their encore with their first ever song Chelsea Girl.

One cannot fault a single note of how they sound, as their dense, ethereal sound could sweep anyone off of their feet. Not all concerts need a jumping and whooping crowd. It is a testament to how striking Ride still sound – there is just a slightly unusual unease when the entire room, both the stage and the floor, are so frozen when such a sound washes over it. 

  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Junodream @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall
  • Ride @ Portsmouth Guildhall

The Ride website is hereJunodream can be found here.

Review of Junodream and Ride at Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth on 17th September 2024. Words by Nick Pollard. Photography by Simon Reed.

Hottest Gig And Ticket Of The Year At The Wardrobe’s 25th Anniversary Celebrations, Beth Ditto And Gossip Are Back!

Liang Lawrence (Ana Chen)

Liang Lawrence Unveils Reflective New Single ‘A Day Off In Margaritaville’ Ahead Of Autumn UK Tour

Rising alt-pop storyteller Liang Lawrence has shared her shimmering new single A Day Off In Margaritaville, a vibrant, emotionally layered track that marks the first offering from her upcoming EP It’s A Funny Thing, due later this year via The Other Songs.

Mae Stephens (Hannah Burton)

Mae Stephens Returns With Infectious New Single ‘Tiny Voice’

Breakout pop star Mae Stephens is back with a bang as she drops her irresistibly offbeat new single, Tiny Voice — a track as addictive as it is relatable. Following the runaway global success of her hit If We Ever Broke Up, which racked up over 500 million streams, landed her a Top 15 UK single, and earned Gold certifications in both the UK and US, Stephens continues to show why she’s one of the most exciting new voices in pop.

Maya Lane (Press)

Maya Lane Announces New Single ‘I Don’t Know You Yet’ And Debut London Headline Show Ahead Of New EP

Rising UK pop-country star Maya Lane continues her impressive 2025 trajectory with the release of a stunning new single, I Don’t Know You Yet, out now. The introspective, stripped-back track offers a poignant taste of her forthcoming EP, The Hurt And The Healing, due out on 4th September, and precedes her debut headline show at London’s The Grace on 3rd September.

Perera Elsewhere (Hugo Holger Schneider x Gene Glover)

Perera Elsewhere Returns With Electrifying Double Single Ft. Andy S & Announces New Album

Berlin-based, UK-raised experimental artist Perera Elsewhere (aka Sasha Perera) is back with a high-voltage double single, F*ck Le System / Time Will Tell, out now on Friends Of Friends – both featuring viral Ivorian rapper Andy S. The release serves as a bold statement on feminine strength, social rebellion, and sonic experimentation.

Don McLean @ The Long Road Festival (Press)

The Long Road Festival 2025 Assembles Its Biggest Line-Up Yet For August Bank Holiday Weekend

Now entering its sixth and most ambitious year to date, The Long Road Festival 2025 is set to deliver its boldest celebration of country, Americana, and roots music yet, taking over the scenic Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from 22nd–24th August. With more than 80 artists across six stages, the weekend promises an immersive blend of genre-spanning music, authentic Americana culture, and inclusive community spirit — and has already become the festival’s fastest-selling edition to date.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

A Night In Wonderland: Stevie Wonder And Guests Delight At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Awwwwight!” drawls Stevie Wonder, arms flung wide, grinning like a teenager trying on cockney charm for the first...
Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park (Trudi Knight)

Dance, Shadow And Harvest Under The Full Moon: Van Morrison, Yusuf Islam And Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts At BST Hyde Park 2025

Gone are the sparkled cowgirls and pop princesses of previous BST gigs. It’s the turn of the Baby Boomer generation to make up the core crowd of Hyde Park – a sea of grey hair, straw hats, and sensible shoes. They reapply sun cream religiously, have brought picnic blankets, and can be forgiven for taking their time getting up and down from the ground between acts. This is the generation that invented outdoor rock and folk festivals – and they’re here to show the rest of us how it’s done.

Poptones (Rune Gro-Nielsen)

Poptones Play Their Wild Card With New Single ‘Say Something Now’ Ahead of Forthcoming Album ‘Pure’

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones have unveiled their new single Say Something Now, offering a taste of the unpredictability and emotional depth that defines their upcoming sophomore album Pure, out 26th September via Happy Metal Records. Where lead single Skin Of Sea teased a shift toward expansive and instinctive composition, Say Something Now dives headlong into that experimental impulse—guided, intriguingly, by the rules of UNO. Yes, the beloved card game.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing