I felt extremely lucky to catch LSD and the Search for God at Soda Bar in San Diego, California during their short “Southwest Spring Swing 2025” tour. Tucked away on a quiet street in North Park, the intimate venue hosted a tightly-packed crowd that was at ground level with the performers. Some patrons chose to relax in the booths located towards the bar’s entrance, while others hit the dance floor, swaying to the music underneath a giant disco ball. No matter what area attendees were tucked into, everyone was buzzing in anticipation for a night full of underground shoegaze.

For those unfamiliar with shoegaze, it is defined as a music subgenre of alternative rock characterized by hushed vocals, guitar distortions, and feedback. The genre gets its name from the way these musicians use effect pedals to achieve sound distortions during performances, which often makes it look like they are staring at their shoes. Although shoegaze originated in the 1980’s and 1990’s, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity within the past few years as individuals have been exposed to the genre through social media platforms such as TikTok, with Gen Z making up a large portion of the shoegaze fanbase.

Hailing from San Francisco, LSD and the Search for God has paved the way for the underground shoegaze scene for nearly 20 years. Their ethereal sound, hazy melodies, and dreamy vocals quickly earned them a cult following in the 2000’s, with their self-titled debut EP selling out before its release date in 2007. Their second album, Heaven Is a Place, was released in 2016 and has met equal critical acclaim as the band continued to expand upon their psychedelic sound. 

Zeruel

The touring opener for LSD was Zeruel, a musician from Baltimore, Maryland who combines classical music with elements of shoegaze. My personal highlight of his set was his use of live sampling. By layering and replaying samples of instruments on a loop over a simple piano melody, Zeruel built a complex soundscape before a live audience. I found this technique to be very reminiscent of Imogen Heap’s live sampling techniques, which are both entrancing and impressive to witness. This parallel between a Grammy Award winner and an up-and-coming shoegaze artist illustrates the technical prowess of Zeruel.  

LSD and the Search for God

One aspect of LSD’s live performance that I enjoyed was their ability to create ethereal soundscapes by distorting the sounds of their instruments as they transitioned from one song to the next. These periods of ambiance left the audience silent as we listened in anticipation for the next track to arrive, as if LSD was transporting us on a journey through their discography.

Some of my personal highlights from the setlist include “Backwards”, “(I Don’t Think That We Should) Take It Slow”, and “Elizabeth”. Just as the group left the stage and the performance appeared to be over, the crowd clamored for an encore, prompting LSD to return to the stage greeted by elated fans. They closed out their show with “Heaven” and one of their most popular tracks, “Starting Over”. As LSD exited the stage for the last time that night, the band high-fived ecstatic audience members, who eagerly showed their appreciation for the unforgettable performance. The show had been so electric that fans lingered in the venue long after LSD left, hoping the band would emerge to grab their instruments once more. 

LSD and the Search for God are a must-see group for all enthusiasts of psychedelic rock and shoegaze. I am highly anticipating their next release as they continue to be a trailblazer for the underground music scene.