London-based shoegaze quartet Whitelands have just wrapped up their EU and UK tour, performing in front of hundreds of fans buzzing to hear the new material live. Their stop at Birmingham’s renowned Hare and Hounds transformed a rainy Thursday in February into a fabulous night of shoegaze magic.

Being the first night of the UK leg, you could feel the enthusiasm radiating from the band, as well as a strong sense of anticipation throughout the crowd. It was also nice to see such a variety of ages coming together, ranging from students like me, to your classic ‘6 Music Dads’, all packed into the venue above the charming pub.

As promised by Etienne during the pre-tour interview, the set list was comprised of a well-curated mixture of the band’s two albums, Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day and the recently released Sunlight Echoes. They opened with ‘Cheer’ and ‘Chosen Light’, playing dreamy chords that captivated you for the rest of the set, before going into ‘Heat Of The Summer’, ‘The Prophet & I’, and ‘Tell Me About It’.

Whitelands really made the space and the shoegaze genre their own. So much of the past discourse surrounding this type of music originated in the derogatory idea that artists were overly focused on their guitar pedals, simply ‘gazing’ at their shoes as opposed to creating an interactive audience experience. Yet from the start, the band members were chatting with fans at the front whilst setting up and even manned the merch table during support act Oliver Beardmore, which seemed far from this notion that the genre creates a less personable and unbreakable wall of sound. This ‘wall’ was instead an immersive experience, and the band are clearly steering a new reclaimed era of shoegaze.

Each musician on stage – Etienne, Karin, Jagun, and Vanessa – came across as down-to-earth and genuinely enjoying the chance to share their music; isn’t that what live music is ultimately about? It made the occasional technical hiccup – totally understandable at a gig of this scale – funny and relaxed as opposed to something that gets the audience grumbling. “First night’s always rough innit,” they joked to the audience, saying that if they were to hire a full tech team, they’d be paying them in Haribos. Perhaps the feedback during ‘Songbird (Forever)’ did impact some of the listening experience, however the sound ironically blended quite nicely within the intro of ‘Mirrors’. Whoever enthusiastically replied from the crowd “you’re awesome, man” really spoke for us all.

‘I Am No God, An Effigy’ was a standout moment for me in terms of witnessing Etienne’s vocal strength. The layering of sound in the outro created a spiritual energy on stage, nicely fitting for the song’s title and its exploration of perseverance and finding light. I had also been excited to hear ‘Heat Of The Summer’, which has – in true Whitelands style – such beautifully expressive lyrics behind its breezy beat. For me, this poetic charm created a poignant energy to the band’s live performances, a reminder of why their shoegaze stands out from its constituent genres – indie sleaze, dream pop, and rock to name a few. I would argue that their unique blend of these genres is what is going to be selling out many more venues to come.

The show closed with the bright ‘Golden Daze’ before ‘Now Here’s The Weather’, a more politically charged track about genocide. This choice was an effective transition between the immersive effect of the show and the reality of modern troubles, a reflective note to end on as everyone leaves and returns to their everyday life. Once the crowd dwindled, I bought my ‘Heat Of The Summer’ flexi disc from Etienne at the merch table before heading into the cold once again, shielding the band’s fresh signatures on the vinyl from the rain and indeed reflecting on the effect of Whitelands live. When it comes to moving, innovative shoegaze music, this band is looking promising as the next big thing.

Enjoyed reading this? You might also like:

Live Review: Kaiser Chiefs

Live Review: DMA’S

Single Review: Noah Kahan – The Great Divide