Concert Recap: Microwave
Review by Maddisen V
On May 25th, The Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona, was the place to be as Microwave took the stage, delivering a killer performance that left the crowd buzzing. Hailing from Atlanta, GA, this award-winning, critically acclaimed band is riding high on the wave of their new album, Let's Start Degeneracy.
Not too long ago, Microwave was rocking out in tiny, sweaty venues like The Nile. Now, they’re packing out The Van Buren. It’s not a stadium (yet), but it’s a massive leap forward that shows just how far they’ve come—and they're only getting bigger.
Microwave has ditched their younger, angsty pop-punk vibe in favor of something heavier and more experimental. Their last album, Death is a Warm Blanket, flirted with post-hardcore sounds, but Let's Start Degeneracy cranks up the psychedelic rock, think grunge meets mellow, trippy vibes. It’s different, it’s bold, and it’s absolutely killer.. It’s a mature evolution that’s a far cry from their early days.
The show was a perfect mix of old and new. They showed off their newest hits like "Circling The Drain" and "Bored Of Being Sad," which still have that old-school Microwave feel, intertwining the show with their classics like "Vomit," "Lighterless," and "Stovall,” which had the crowd singing their hearts out.
Microwave kept the banter to a minimum, letting the music do the talking. And talk it did. The energy in the room was contagious, with the crowd feeding off the band’s energy. Some of the best moments were the instrumental breaks where the band just jammed out, lost in their own music. You can just tell that they genuinely enjoy what they do, and that made the show so much more of an experience.
In the end, this show was more than just a concert; it was a ride through Microwave’s evolving sound. They’ve grown up, but they haven’t lost that raw edge that makes them so fun to watch. The Van Buren gig was a testament to their growth and a promise of even bigger things to come. If you weren’t there, you missed out on something special.