Ride, Auckland NZ, 2019

Ride

29th August 2019
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Chris Zwaagdyk.

Can redemption come in the form of a second coming? It would seem that for Ride, the four-piece band hailing from Oxford that yes, it just might.

For the dedicated fan, Ride never required exoneration even though both their third and fourth albums (Carnival of Light and Tarantula respectively) were never well received by their intended audience or the sharp toothed critics; the band themselves calling their third album by a far more derogatory name.

A break-up ensued, and band members went off their separate ways, Bell ending up in Oasis for just on a decade, Mark Gardener and Laurence Colbert experiencing a slightly shorter career with Animalhouse. Ride truly seemed to be dead and buried.

But with age comes clarity, the original quartet not only getting back together but creating and releasing new work; a refreshing change from many eighties bands whose only motivation to reform seems to be a pay cheque for yet another nostalgia tour.

Of course, for many of the audience standing within Auckland’s Powerstation, a full playthrough of both Nowhere – especially Nowhere – and Going Blank Again would have been the dream show. However, throughout the night they embraced Ride’s latest offerings, maybe not with as much vigour and sheer ecstasy as they did tracks such as ‘Seagull’ who third song in swooped down and carried the crowd away, but they embraced nevertheless.

Standing amid a permanent veil of smoke that was eerily lit with subdued greens, pinks and the occasional blue, Ride looked rather humble; the Englishmen uniform of jeans and t-shirts, punctuated by Bell’s spanking white one with the words ‘Choose Love’ emblazoned across it. Almost thirty years on from the release of their debut album and the band are looking well, age having brushed her hand across their cheeks but leaving them relatively unscathed.

Straight out of the gates with a double header of ‘Jump Jet’ and ‘Repetition’ off their sixth studio album released just this month, Ride mean business. Not only do they sound supremely good, but the resonance of their music is clear despite its almost eardrum shattering volume levels.

‘Unfamiliar’ is pure gold, while a reminder of that impressive period of shoegaze bands which saw acts such as Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver emerge from the ether, at no point did it sound dated, Gardeners vocals refusing to be hidden and instead riding the crashing waves of pure reverberation. ‘Lannoy Point’ following it up with a haunting synth intro which over the top galloped Laurence ‘Loz’ Colbert, sticks in hand; Bell arriving to the party with that distinctive riff that enveloped the room whole, the fans collectively giving themselves over as one, smiles in abundance as far as the eye could see.

Ride are tight, and it shows, conversations with the crowd kept to the bare minimum as they moved through the set list at just the right pace. Gratitude genuinely forthcoming.

‘Taste’ saw the punters at the back who were beginning to resemble the Cheshire cat, pogo on the spot, ‘Drive Blind’ with it’s whitewash of noise and sharp plucky guitar riff making the crowd dizzy with delirium, the volume unbelievably increasing once again.

Pausing in the middle, fervent knob twiddling ensued as Bell and bassist Steve Queralt hunched over their boards, Gardener raising his arm in the air several times encouraging the fans to keep applauding as Ride buried them under an avalanche of mouth-watering racket. The lights momentarily brightened, as if a new dawn had arrived and once again the audience were plunged back into that familiar ‘Drive Blind’ riff.

Finishing with ‘Kill Switch’ yet another track from This is Not a Safe Place and Ride again impressed with the quality of their new work, the dual vocals of Gardener and Bell working well, Colbert absolutely pounding the skins before him. Thank you’s, farewells, stomping feet demanding an encore; Ride returned for another three tracks which included ‘Dreams Burn Down’ which again showcased Gardeners clarity of vocals and ‘Leave Them All Behind’ which saw the volume level begin to edge past eleven.

Forget redemption, Ride have returned as conquering heroes.

Were you there at the Powerstation for this brilliant shoe gaze gig?  Or have you seen Ride perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Setlist:

1. Jump Jet
2. Repetition
3. Seagull
4. Like A Day Dreamer
5. Unfamiliar
6. Twisterella
7. Lannoy Point
8. Future Love
9. All I Want
10. OX4
11. Taste
12. Vapour Trail
13. Drive Blind
14. Kill Switch
15. Dreams Burn Down [encore]
16. Leave Them All Behind [encore]
17. Chelsea Girl [encore]

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