Words and photos by: Emily Howarth
American rock band DIIV delivered an enchanting live performance at SWX in Bristol on 5th December 2024. The show was heavily attended, and for me, it ranks as one of the best gigs I’ve experienced this year. Having been a fan of DIIV since my youth, I had built up so much anticipation and was not disappointed.
The night kicked off with Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse, an experimental hip-hop duo. Their set felt like an immersive art performance, culminating in an unexpected karaoke rendition of Queen’s Under Pressure.
After a short break between support, DIIV opened with “In Amber”, the first track from their latest album titled “Frog In Boiling Water”. The room instantly filled with their signature fuzzy, washed-out guitar tones — sounds that many fans, including myself, have been enamoured with since our teenage years.
Their setlist drew heavily from Frog in Boiling Water and its predecessor Deceiver, with fan favorites from earlier albums like Doused and Under the Sun seamlessly woven in.
This performance showcased DIIV at their absolute best. Since releasing their latest album, they’ve refined their own unique blend of shoegaze, evolving into a powerhouse live act. Zachary Cole Smith and Andrew Bailey’s harmonies were unfaltering, washing over the audience in waves of dream pop-esque bliss. The band performed with such unity and precision that they felt untouchable.
The audience radiated appreciation and anticipation for a band that, like me, some may have travelled quite far to see (a four-hour journey in my case!). This created a respectful atmosphere where everyone seemed united in their enjoyment of the music — a refreshing contrast to today’s post-pandemic concert landscape, where crowd dynamics can often feel less considerate.
Overall, DIIV’s SWX show was a near-perfect live experience, reaffirming why they remain a standout force in the shoegaze scene. View the full photo gallery below!
