Shoegaze legends Swervedriver are taking fans back to 1991 in a big way — the band just announced they’ll be performing their debut album *Raise* front-to-back across North America in 2026, marking 35 years since the record helped define a genre *. The tour splits into two legs: East Coast dates kick off in mid-to-late August, then the band heads west in December to wrap things up *. And if you’re worried about a straight album playthrough and nothing else, relax — Swervedriver promised they’ll dig into the rest of their catalogue too *.
*Raise* dropped in September 1991 and quickly became essential listening for anyone who cared about shoegaze, that swirling wall-of-sound movement that made distortion beautiful *. PopMatters didn’t hold back, calling both *Raise* and its 1993 follow-up *Mezcal Head* some of the best rock albums the entire decade produced *. Thirty-five years later, the record still hits hard, and getting to hear it live in full is the kind of anniversary celebration that actually matters.
Tickets go on sale Friday, May 15th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. local time, but if you want to jump the line, there’s a BrooklynVegan pre-sale happening now with the code BVraise35 *. Whether you were there in ’91 or discovered the album years later, this is your chance to experience one of shoegaze’s cornerstone records the way it was meant to be heard — loud, live, and in your face.