Home  >  Nothing Live in NYC

Posted: 13th March, 2026 by The Alt Editing Staff

The Alternative is 100% supported by our readers. If you’d like to help us write about more great music and keep our site going, you can support us on Patreon, which also allows you to receive extra content, sweet perks, and The Alternative merch, with levels starting at only $2 per month. Everything helps, and if you can’t afford to donate, consider sharing this article and spreading the word about our site! And if you want The Alternative delivered straight to your inbox every month, sign up for our free newsletter. Either way, thanks for reading!

Shoegaze scene-makers, Nothing, are back with a new LP a short history of decay. Nothing have carved out a nice area of the shoegaze scene for themselves. Their signature sound is easy to identify, with their songwriting and craftsmanship showcased in each release. However, on this new LP, the band are taking bigger risks with their sound. The riffs still uniquely like Nothing, but the band have taken on a more melodic tone, focusing heavier on the rhythm and lyrics, which pays off. The first two tracks “never come morning” and “cannibal world” set the tone for the record right off the bat. Nothing’s whining guitar riffs at top of punchy drums and a bass-line that anchors the track truly showcase that the band’s comfort in their songwriting and musicianship. Other standouts like “a short history of decay” and “toothless coal” pepper the LP with catchy, yet, complex riffs, and lyrics that are gut wrenching.

Seeing Nothing in a small, closed off record store in the basement felt like it was harking back to the D.I.Y. basement days. Times where load in was at someone’s house with a handful of movers and shakers crowding the concrete floors. This kind of intimacy lends very well to Nothing’s stage presence and overall aesthetic. The band are nonchalant, very comfortable in who they are, and it shows in the banter, the small nods and eye contact made across the stage at each other. To have a band of this level in such a small place felt like a small treasure being found. It was a celebration of all that Nothing has done to get to this point in their career.

Sarah Knoll | @slick_filmphoto