Some venues are better than others. Sometimes this is because of the acts they get, sometimes it’s the venue itself, or even the crowd it attracts. But it takes a special place to act as all three. The Teragram Ballroom has proven itself to be the rare venue that excels in all areas. There isn’t a better punk venue out there in Los Angeles, and now shoegaze legends Swervedriver are taking the stage to make their mark on LA’s favorite punk venue.
When most people think of shoegaze they immediately picture bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, but Swervedriver is one of the bands that got lost in the shuffle and still left a mark on their brand new genre. Those who were around during the peak of shoegaze will remember Swervedriver as one of the more raucous shoegaze bands. They often utilized a stream of consciousness narrative, balancing it with forceful drumming that cut through the dreamy wall of guitars.
A large part of their influence has been their ability to remain relevant. While bands like Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive all took lengthy hiatuses or disbanded entirely, Swervedriver has managed to stay in the public eye – only taking a hiatus from 1998 to 2008, in which most of the band members continued to put out music.
In early 2019 Swervedriver released their latest album Future Ruins, to general critical acclaim. This year they’ve been furiously touring the new record and are eagerly awaiting their return to Los Angeles to play, what is clearly going to be the best show of their tour. The Teragram never offers anything less.
Location: The Teragram Ballroom
Address: 1234 W 7th St Los Angeles, CA, 90017