The Jesus and Mary Chain, Drop Nineteens, julie & more delivered a glorious night of shoegaze at Knockdown Center
A haze of smoke machines, saturated lights, and towering walls of reverb filled Knockdown Center as Total Bummer Fest brought together generations of shoegaze, dream pop, and noise-pop under one roof. Legends like The Jesus and Mary Chain and Drop Nineteens shared the bill with a new wave of boundary-pushing acts including They Are Gutting A Body of Water, julie, Her New Knife, Starcleaner Reunion, Lathe of Heaven, and BLAIR, showcasing the genre’s continued evolution across decades.
Throughout the evening, shimmering guitars dissolved into clouds of feedback while hypnotic melodies cut through the distortion, creating an atmosphere that felt both intimate and overwhelming. Between the swirling lights, dense fog, and endless wash of sound, the festival transformed the Queens venue into a dreamlike sanctuary for noise lovers. Scroll through the gallery below for highlights from one of the year’s most immersive nights of music.
All photos by Georgia Hinaris
