Live Review: Quicksand @ 9:30 Club — 8/31/26

September 8, 2026

Quicksand released their debut album, Slip, in 1993. Mid-July 2026, the band released, in my opinion, one of their best albums to date, Bring On The Psychics. They are touring in support of the new album — and this time around, they’re playing as a trio.

Check out the official music video for Quicksand’s latest single, “Cool Guy,” on YouTube:

To keep the theme of threes going, there are three bands on the bill at 9:30 Club on August 31. All three were in great form. Let’s start by talking about the openers, as there were two of them. First up was a band from New York called Soul Blind. They’re a young band with a great sound. It’s a mix of grunge and shoegaze that is right up my alley! They set the tone for the evening with an energetic set of originals that definitely won the crowd over.

Soul Blind @ 9:30 Club (Photo by Marc Shea)

The second band on the bill was Bane. Bane is a hardcore punk band that formed in the mid 1990’s and still plays as hard and fast as ever. I knew of the band but had never seen a show. I was not prepared for what I experienced. The stage was utter chaos at all times. Singer Aaron Bedard spent several songs leaning over the barricade, into the audience, where vocals would be shared by whoever grabbed the mic. Guitarist Aaron Dalbec followed suit. The entire set was pure mayhem and everyone loved it.

A lot of other bands would find it difficult to follow a band like Bane. Fortunately, Quicksand is up to the task. When they hit the stage, they were just as pumped up the the 9:30 crowd. The band doesn’t always tour as a trio, but that’s what they’re doing for this tour. The group is still made up of three of the original members: Walter Schreifels on guitar and vocals, Sergio Vega on bass, and Alan Cage on drums.

Quicksand’s set began with Supercollider off the new album, Bring On The Psychics. In fact, the new album would be played in full over the course of the night. Walter, Sergio, and Alan were in peak form. The first quarter of the set was completely composed of new songs. The first foray into older material was “Fazer” from the band’s 1993 debut album, Slip.

Watch the official music video for “Fazer” by Quicksand on YouTube:

While the band’s sound has evolved over the course of five albums, their sound is easily recognizable. The sound has expanded rather than changed. To be able to play some of this material live, as a trio, is impressive. That’s where the band’s flexibility comes in. At times during the show, Sergio would switch to guitar to play the more layered songs.

The last quarter of the set proved to be my favorite part. Walter spoke to the audience throughout the show. Most of the banter was how much they enjoyed playing in DC. But at this point, he mentioned that this was their first time ever playing at the 9:30 Club! Apparently they HAD played at The Lansburgh back in the ’90s, but not the 9:30! He also said that the band had been trying to find the best song ever recorded in dropped D tuning. They decided it was “Unsung” by Helmet and proceeded to play a minute or two of the song to prove it.

That cover was followed by another. In the early days of the band, they recorded one of the best covers of The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?” and they have resurrected it for the tour. Walter thanked the opening bands and pointed out that he didn’t start the band for the music. He loved the community that bands like Bane created and wanted to be a part of that.

The night wrapped up with “Delusional” from Manic Compression. But the band wasn’t through surprising us yet. In the middle of Delusional, they transformed the song into a cover of “The End” by The Doors.

I have never been disappointed by Quicksand. They always play their hearts out. They always deliver. And they always seem happy on stage. I love that. Happy, aggressive music makes for my favorite shows. You don’t see that very much, so thank you guys! I’ll come see you every time you’re in town.

Setlist