Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to drive to Phoenix and go see Slow Pulp at the Valley Bar in Phoenix. Slow Pulp, who are currently on their first ever headlining tour, have made a name for themselves with their lush blend of shoegaze, lo-fi rock, and twangy folk sounds. Popular songs like "High" and "Idaho" have gotten them opening spots for big indie artists like Alex G and Phoebe Bridgers, and have lead to a well-deserved headlining tour. Mamalarky, another exciting indie band, are joining Slow Pulp on this tour, but unfortunately could not make it to this Phoenix show due to their van breaking down.
I have been a Slow Pulp fan since the release of their 2019 EP Big Day, and loved their 2020 debut album Moveys, so I was super excited to get to see them live for the first time. This was also my first time at Phoenix's Valley Bar, which I thought was a really nice smaller venue! I wasn't too crazy about the giant barrier sectioning off people under 21 from the rest of the crowd, but I still really enjoyed the intimacy of the venue. Since Mamalarky could not make it, the event consisted only of Slow Pulp's set, which made the whole thing seem pretty quick, but still totally worth driving to Phoenix for.
Slow Pulp started their set strong with Idaho, one of my favorite tracks from Moveys, and the rest of the set was just as strong. In my opinion, standouts from their set were At It Again, Track, their new single Shadow, Montana, and their cover of Sum 41's In Too Deep, which I can only imagine was 10x more enjoyable than going to a Sum 41 show. There was a very fun and intimate energy between Slow Pulp and the audience, feeling like if I was at a really neat local show, but the local band also happens to be Slow Pulp!
I definitely don't have as much to say about this show as I did with other concert reviews (largely because this show, for once, was great and un-problematic!) so I'll attach a few photos and videos I took that night :)
