This weekend was a homecoming for Champaign legends Hum, as they return to Chicago for the first time in 11 years with Slide Away Fest 2026. Through a weekend featuring heavy hitters Chapterhouse and Nothing, Slide Away was a pinnacle of shoegaze and alternative music that cannot be replicated. A full night of some of the most creative and groundbreaking bands of the genre culminated with monumental set from Hum as they near the end of their break from hibernation.
Hum
There was no space left in the crowd. Every person had their faces pressed forward anticipating the return of Hum. As guitar techs made their way on stage and drum heads were hit for mic tests, there was a palpable energy in the air. In tees and jeans, the band made an unassuming entrance from stage right behind the projector screen. Hum was never a gaudy or loudly dressed band, they let the guitars do the speaking. Even hailing back to their performance on Conan in 1995, it was glasses and shorts for the band. Friday night began with “Little Dipper” as the audience began rocking like a boat miles out in the ocean. The visible waves of people shifting back and forth with the music was like watching a modern art piece become one with the wind. It was clear from the first chord that the crowd had been waiting a long time to see this band.
There was lots to get through with Hum, they had to balance the hits and the ‘new’ album with their 12-13 song setlist. Both nights included one song from their 1993 record Electra 2000. This 12 Inch Records album was on a tight 1000 cassette pressing on its initial release. Hum was partnered with 12 Inch Records for their first two records, Electra and their rather unknown debut Fillet Show. The ladder can’t be found on streaming and is lost media to many fans who had cleaned out their old cassette and cd collection. “Iron Clad Lou” from Electra made an appearance both nights as the earliest representation from the band with You’d Prefer an Astronaut coming up next in 1995. There were four representatives on Friday and five on Saturday from this record that reached #1 on Billboards US Heat chart after its release. Their biggest hit, “Stars“, was a consistent both nights along with I’d hate It Too.
Inlet had five songs each night as well, giving this 2020 release the fresh air it deserves. This was the last release with long time drummer Bryan St. Pere before his death in 2021. Jason Gerker would be taking over the drum throne for the band in St. Pere’s place for the second time as Gerker joined Hum on the road in 2015. This record was released after over two decades of playing the old tunes, so the heavy presence of their new tunes were more than welcomed. “Folding“, “Step Into You“, and “Waves” were all pulling double duty while “Desert Rambler” and “Shapeshifter” were present on Friday only and In the Den and The Summoning being Saturday exclusives. These setlists, while seemingly short, gave a full 90 minutes both nights of what the people wanted to hear. With these final Slide Away dates coming up in Los Angeles, it is a must see until Hum returns to shadows for the foreseeable future.
Speaking to a fan after the gig in as the sweat visibly dripped down his face, he recounted the first time he saw Hum. Jason from Edgewater was a younger man at his first viewing, and didn’t mind standing for a long period of time back then. It was Riot Fest 2015 on the closing Sunday. Exhaustion was hitting heavy as he’d been there on Friday and Saturday to see Alkaline Trio, Rancid, and the many other bands there. But Jason made a point to get there early on Sunday, as Hum was taking on the main stage from 2:15-3:00. In those all too brief 45 minutes, Hum put on a monumental set that would have to tide the crowd over for the next 11 years. Jason paid around $180 for all three days of that fest, and said “thats about how much I spend on drinks for a single day at a festival now”. When asked what it meant to see Hum again, a smile grew wide across his face. This show was a marker in and of itself, that time really did keep moving forward. He was hopeful in the following years of his first Hum gig that he’d see them again, claiming they would be a “priority ticket” for their next tour. In the time between the show and their next tour, Jason would graduate college, move out of Chicago to the west, move back home, get married, bought a condo, started playing pickleball, and picked up reading again. And once all of these milestones and accomplishments were checked off, only then would Hum announce their 6 date run of shows at Slide Away.
Nothing
Hailing from Philadelphia, Nothing are a deep sound that resonates in your body each chord strike. Playing their record Tired of Tomorrow in full for the first time since its release in 2016, it is a victory lap for a decade of an unshaken and sustained album in the world of shoegaze. Starting out with a single spotlight over a piano and the rest of the band in a blue shadow, the titled track was played. Once the ballad wrapped, Daniel Johnston’s “Devil Town” was played over the PA which added to the eerie atmosphere Nothing was creating for their set. The record was then hit fast and with intention. “Fever Queen“, “The Dead Are Dumb“, “Vertigo Flowers” and “A.C.D.” all back to back was such an obvious reminder of why people love this band. Electric and real, each strike of the guitar had a purpose. I blinked and the set was over as Nothing didn’t waste a second of their time on stage.
Nothing will across the world in Europe and Australia the rest of the year including a set at England’s Outbreak Festival. You can find updates for Nothing here.
Chapterhouse
For the first time in 16 years, Reading rockers Chapterhouse make their return to the stage. It has been a lot of silence of the past decade and a half but there were rumbling in 2023 as a handful of demos were released as a collection from recording sessions in 1994 and 1995 at the end of their initial run as a band. Their all to brief reunion in 2010 was just a tease as their 2026 reunion will lead them across 3 continents and 28 gigs. There was a heavy presence of their standout record Whirlpool which is celebrating its 35th birthday this year. This etherial sound was ricocheting through the Aragon and shrouding each audience member in its cloak of synths and array of guitar pedals.
Chapterhouse’s sets were identical both nights, hitting eight tracks off Whirpool each night. Celebrating its 35th birthday, it was an exciting and well deserved victory lap in front of one of the largest American crowds they have played to. 4,500+ people got to feel the magic of songs like “Pearl” and “Breather” live which is a privilege for us folks here in The States. Whripool is an absolute treat of album that you can tell bled into artists like The Postal Service and MGMT decades later. Their influence is heavy and for good reason, they are an incredible band.
During Nothing’s set, I made my way out of the photo pit to get some shots from the back of the venue when I saw a familiar face. Ashley Bates, drummer of Chapterhouse, was at the bar grabbing a drink. I took the moment to chat with the rocker, wearing the same shirt he wore on stage, about the magic of their return. Bates “couldn’t be happier that people, young and old, are enjoying our music live”.The age range was wide, as young shoegaze fans who’ve heard Deftones frontman Chino Moreno say “it’s where Deftones get a big part of our influence from, tone-wise” to The Quietus in 2023, came through the door with their parents who saw Chapterhouse at The Vic in 1994. This truly felt like a celebration uniting a whole array of fans under one roof.
Chapterhouse will continue the Whirpool 35 tour out west in May, in South America this fall and wrapping up with a few U.K. dates. The cherry on top of this birthday cake will be on November 21st in Dublin. You can find more information and tickets here.
FRIDAY
CRATE
Coming from New York, New York, is Crate who announced their first album the same day as their Slide Away dates. With “Julia“ and “Necklace” already making waves, i am excited to see where these rockers go. You can follow their Instagram for updates.
TOTAL WIFE
Total Wife has had a busy stretch releasing come back down last fall and just wrapping up a tour with. Starling. The time off won’t last long as they will support LSD & The Search For this July across the midwest. You can follow their Instagram for updates.
SHE’S GREEN
The Minnesota alternative rockers she’s green had the crowd in their hand as they ripped through their set. Longtime favorite songs like “mandy” and “smile again” were leveled with songs from their first full length LP swallowtail coming out July 10th. They will be touring the new record across the U.S. and Europe later this year. You can find tour dates and more information here.
SATURDAY
DIM
This dark and almost industrial sound people heard walking into the venue was Dim. From Chicago, there are very few things that sound like Dim does. Hearing influence from all the bands playing this weekend in one of the openers was such an inspiring thing for the future of the genre and the adjacent ones. You can follow Dim’s Instagram for updates as they prepare for a show at Thalia Hall in the fall.
SUNSHY
Chicago natives Sunshy were a personal favorite from over the weekend. Some great alternative rock from the young set of artists who took the opportunity of playing such a historic local venue and ran with it. The band has another Chicago show in September at Subterranean. You can find tickets here and keep your eye on their Instagram for popup shows like May 25th at Lowdown (AAP).
LOVESLIESCRUSHING
Described as ambient, post-rock, shoegaze, lovesliescrushing is a vibe I don’t think I have ever seen or felt before. From Michigan, Scott Cortez and Melissa Arpin-Duimstra played their individual sound with the help of Ruby Duimstra, Melissa’s daughter, sharing some vocalization duties. You can follow their Instagram for updates.
An incredible weekend of music as the titans of the genre welcome in a new generation of artists. Slide Away is such a special festival that I hope only continues to grow in the years to come. You can follow Slide Away on Instagram and stay tuned to their website for future updates.
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