The Bodega may not sound like the best place to be on a sweltering hot June evening, but when there’s cold drinks, air con and a night ahead of you that’s full of shoegaze magic, there’s nowhere much better. There are three bands on the bill, but each band is alternating as headliner each night on the tour. This is both unusual and exciting; and maybe something more bands should take note of...
Opening the set was alternative rock and shoegaze band Midrift, who are based out of the San Francisco Bay Area and formed in 2022. Brothers Manoa (bass) and Kai Neukermans (drums) play alongside vocalist and guitarist Gus Mehrkam. With new album Silhouette released in early June, their sound has something more alt‑rock than shoegaze about it, still drenched in reverb but driven by heavy guitars. Reaching For You rose with a bright, aching urgency, its chorus cutting through the haze with real intent, with Over Anything hitting a little harder, leaning into thicker guitars, which the band played with the talent of seasoned trio.
Following up next was grungegaze band Glare, who hail from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Their recent line‑up change hasn’t dulled their edge and seems to have sharpened their focus on the true shoegaze territory they’ve always hinted at. The room echoed with reverb‑heavy guitars; highlight tracks were Void in Blue, which shimmered with melancholy, while Nü Burn hit harder, its low‑end rumble carrying a new sense of intent. Guts was the standout, a track that felt both intimate and overwhelming. Much of the set leaned into material from their 2025 album Sunset Funeral, and those darker, more deliberate songs made it clear that Glare are stepping into a heavier, more immersive chapter.
Closing the set was tonight's headliner, Glixen, from Phoenix, Arizona. Founder and lead vocalist Aislinn Ritchie, who began the project in 2020, was sick, but still managed to get her vocals spreading out across the room. Glixen made their Nottingham debut with a confident, reverb‑soaked set that showed exactly why they’ve been gaining traction on the shoegaze circuit. Accompanied by guitarist Esteban Santana, drummer Keire Johnson, bassist Sonia Garcia, Aislinn built a thick, hazy sound that filled the room without ever feeling overbearing.
Recent single Unwind landed well, its softer edges cutting through the haze, while Lust brought a darker, more driving energy to the back half of the set. An instrumental track unexpectedly became the turning point of the evening, loosening up the room and getting people moving after a slow warmup. From then on out, the crowd seemed to be enjoying the sound more and more, with the vocalist from Glare even making an appearance amongst them. For a first visit to Nottingham, Glixen left a strong impression - loud, tight, and clearly enjoying themselves despite the illness and the heat.
What could have been just another hot mid‑week gig became a reminder of why Nottingham’s live scene punches above its weight. Three bands, three approaches to shoegaze, and a crowd that only grew more invested as the night went on. After Nottingham, all three headed to Outbreak Festival, taking their sound up to Manchester.
Midrift, Glare and Glixen performed at The Bodega on 24 June 2026.
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