In their first incarnation, Drop Nineteens did not last long. The Boston shoegaze band started in 1990, released a couple of albums and a handful of extra tracks, and played their final show in Boston in December 1993. Over the years, the band’s cult grew. And after many years of denying they’d ever do it, Drop Nineteens finally reunited last year. The band broke the news of their return in a Stereogum interview and released Hard Light, their third album. They had plans to play shows last year, too, but they had to pump the brakes on those.

Drop Nineteens were supposed to make their grand return last October in Washington, DC. A month before their first show back, though, the band announced that they weren’t quite ready to play live yet, blaming “a constellation of personal and practical factors.” They rescheduled their reunion tour, pushing it back to this year, and the first show finally happened last night at DC’s Atlantis.

By all accounts, Drop Nineteens returned strong after more than 30 years away. In videos from last night’s show, you can hear a whole lot of texture in the roar of the many guitars. They also flooded the venue with fog, which looks cool. They ran through a bunch of songs from Hard Light, covered Lana Del Rey’s “White Dress” and Madonna’s “Angel,” and ended the show by playing their 1992 epic “Kick The Tragedy” live for the first time. Below, check out some videos and last night’s setlist, via Setlist.fm.

https://twitter.com/headytopper125/status/1780788205739987366

@araujiaofficial #dropnineteens #shoegaze #music ♬ original sound – ARAUJIA

SETLIST:
01 “Delaware”
02 “Gal” (Live debut)
03 “Mayfield”
04 “Winona”
05 “Shannon Waves” (Live debut)
06 “The Price Was High” (Live debut)
07 “Nausea”
08 “Ease It Halen” (Live debut)
09 “My Aquarium (Second Time Around)”
10 “A Hitch” (Live debut)
11 “White Dress” (Lana Del Rey cover)
12 “Tarantula” (Live debut)
13 “Scapa Flow” (Live debut)
14 “Angel” (Madonna cover)
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15 “Kick The Tragedy” (Live debut)

They’re not embeddable, but Instagram user jvan0_1 also got some good videos. Drop Nineteens play Philadelphia’s Union Transfer tonight.