Review: Glare at The Atlantis on Oct. 6

The venue was less than half full, yet people sprinted up the stairs to buy merchandise. Hyena-like screams preceded each song with no introductions. In true DIY-punk basement-show fashion, three bands played before Glare’s set. One guitarist wore a black baggy Whirr tee, referencing the Californian shoegaze band. Glare’s intimate performance at The Atlantis on Oct. 6 was a testament to the strength of community—and how it occupies gaps when bands evolve.

In January 2025, Glare parted ways with their lead vocalist after abuse allegations surfaced. The band pivoted impressively, alternating vocals on tour this year. The crowd didn’t seem to mind and were provocative as ever, yelling, “Take your shirt off!” During the band’s first song, “Blank,” shimmering guitars wove with submerged vocals: “Eternal sadness fills you / Keep it inside, you do / Exercise your mind ‘til you / Run out of things to do.”

A standout of the set was “Mourning Haze,” a fan favorite from Glare’s debut album Sunset Funeral (2025). Heads thrashed along with cymbal crashes in the chorus: “When my eyes shut, I see you smiling / Once in a while, I hear you call out for me.” During “Nü Burn,” a song ringing with hard rock influences, the guy standing in front of me pumped his fist as if he were punching someone repeatedly.

The D.C. shoegaze community may be niche, but not because of a lack of heart.