Microwave Celebrates 10 Years of Much Love
It’s been 10 years since Microwave’s breakthrough sophomore album, Much Love, and fans are still hooked. Out on the road to celebrate a decade, Microwave land in Nashville for their penultimate show of the tour. In the years since its release, everything has changed for the Atlanta rockers; bigger tours, bigger crowds, and bigger ambitions.
Kicking off the night with a play through of Much Love, the band tear straight into “Roaches,” a low tempo, looming start. It trudges to its feet, shuffling forward with no urgency. Tyler Hill’s bass line, a murky, distorted slog drives this, adding an eerie feeling for dread as the band slowly builds speed. This song feels so large, fleshing out the highs and lows of the PA mix, yet keeps the room firmly planted. It is the perfect opener, allowing the audience to breathe, settle in, and lock in for the show ahead.
Diving right into “Lighterness,” the band’s biggest hit to date, Microwave look like a band possessed. It’s rare you see a song like this so early in the setlist, you really only see it on these anniversary tours. It’s exciting, it leaves the audience off balance. This song is special to the band, not only because of the success surrounding it, but also the connection with the crowd. It was an instant ‘pop’ the moment the first note was struck. The crowd’s energy was matched in turn, it’s clear the band was having a blast on stage, especially during the instrumental interlude midway through. Tito Pittard’s percussion shines here, pounding like gun shows as the song just continues to delve into new tracks and avenues. It is a tear and Microwave let loose completely.
Rounding out the first three with “Dull,” the song is anything but. The band tones it down, light strumming beings the crowd down for a moment to breathe. The moment this breath is caught, however, the band kicks it right back into high gear. This one is more melodic that previous installments in the night, trading some of the heavier blows for moments to singalong to. Frontman Nathan Hardy’s pleading, soft vocals stay warm, showcasing some incredibly smooth vocals for a singer best know for his grit and yelling. It’s rare to see harmonies from both the band and the audience at heavier shows such as these, and truly refreshing. Microwave has always paved their own path, blending emo, alternative, and stoner rock with just about anything else they can find.
Setlist
Roaches
Lighterness
Dull
Neighbors
Busy
Drown
Vomit
Whimper
Homebody
Wrong
Keeping Up
Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles cover)
Let’s Start Degeneracy
Circling the Drain
Bored of Being Sad
Stovall
Grass Stains
Float to the Top
But Not Often,
Microwave went on to close out their anniversary tour in their hometown of Atlanta, so aside from a pair of international Warped Tour dates in Canada and Mexico, seeing Microwave in 2026 may be slim pickings.
You can find all of Microwave’s upcoming tour dates here.