An unusually rainy evening seemed the perfect time to step indoors at the Black Sheep and catch up with a 90s alternative favorite thriving in its second run.
Quicksand was one of the mid-90s also-rans, when major labels swooped to sign every punk, hardcore and post-hardcore band in hopes of finding the next Metallica, Nirvana, or Green Day. Critically lauded, Quicksand's sales did not follow. Quicksand put out two albums of engaging heavy rock (Slip and Manic Compression) before breaking up in 1995.
Twenty years later, they resume the band and have put out three records in the decade since, including 2026’s Bring on the Psychics, the reason for this tour. These days Quicksand plays as a trio, sacrificing none of its intensity.
The less said of the openers, the better. Two were relatively innocuous hardcore bands, while the third could only be described as “What if Michael Rappaport fronted a punk band?” That was not a question I wanted or needed answered. I'll leave the band names out of the blog.
After nearly three hours of openers, Quicksand could not emerge soon enough. When they did, not a note disappointed. In a little more than an hour, Quicksand belted out 17 songs, including all of Bring on the Psychics with songs from their two 1990s records peppered in.
Their energy and technique pulled the show back from its dampening start. They set out with a blistering pace and never eased up. They get labelled as post-hardcore, but to me they play the brand of grunge-influenced 90s rock that defined my teen years. They would fit comfortably on a bill with Helmet or Local H.
That they could still bring that noise convincingly after a 20-year hiatus and seamlessly blend in new material was a testament to Quicksand’s skillful playing.
There was no encore, but none was necessary after Quicksand’s scorched earth song choice.
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