RECAP: Whirr/Nothing at Mohawk Austin
AUSTIN, TX | MOHAWK | SEPTEMBER 6, 2025 | PHOTOS BY EMILY YANG | WRITTEN BY ERIC MARTINEZ
With a night illuminated by a waxing gibbous moon seeping through the clouds, Whirr, Nothing, and Mint Field gave strong performances at a sold-out show at Mohawk Austin that dug heavily into the shoegaze genre these bands are collectively known for. The show felt almost immersive, with the complementary weather, gauzy hues of show lights, and fuzzy guitars all creating a dreamlike listening experience that highlighted the wonders of hearing shoegaze live.
Mint Field, an indie trio from Mexico composed of vocalist and guitarist Estrella del Sol, bassist Sebastian Neyra, and drummer Callum Brown, set the precedent for the show’s tone as Sanchez’s airy vocals echoed throughout the venue, almost hypnotizing concertgoers. With her hushed singing, the bands’ Spanish lyrics also drew in listeners, myself included, to the nostalgic feeling that was created, close to a lullaby.
Nothing took the stage soon after, with what seemed like a complete 180, as the band’s strong vocals, led by vocalist and guitarist Domenic Palermo, created passionate chaos from the audience as they were surrounded in the band’s sound. Palermo revealed himself to be no stranger to engaging with an audience as he exuberated the crowd’s hype with every lyric sung as he dug into his guitar. The band held an impactful sound throughout their set, with accompanying drummer Zachary Jones, bassist Bobb Bruno, and guitarists Doyle Martin and Cam Smith, all coming together to give the crowd an everlasting impression, reminding concertgoers why they’re so prominently known in the shoegaze scene.
To end the night, Whirr entered the stage with audiences flooding at every corner of the venue. Everyone was eager to see the band perform, given that this was a monumental first for many since Whirr hadn’t toured in close to a decade. As I swam between rifts of people to catch a glimpse of the band, “Preface,” the intro to their album Distressor, began to play, and ambient blues encompassed the floor from the stage. “Leave” soon followed, causing audiences to be fascinated even more with the band’s presence as vocalist Loren Rivera, drummer Devin Nunes, bassist Eddie Salgado, and guitarists Joseph Bautista and Nick Bassett. From the murmurs in between sets, fans seemed to take into consideration how the band previously hinted online that this tour may be the last opportunity fans will get to see them live, with no future plans to tour. With this, it came to no surprise that people were more than excited to be experiencing this show live, as many from the crowd snuck on stage while the band performed to crowdsurf in an ocean of people. The ambience created from Whirr’s performance was more than insane, and proved why the group finds themselves as major influences for a number of shoegaze acts today. Their fanbase also showed out this night with chants of “FREE WHIRL” bouncing off the walls while the band prepared for every new song, the phrase being somewhat of an inside note within the band’s lore.
The night felt like a dream, which is quite cheeky given the elements of shoegaze being dreamlike. Overall, it was a show that would no doubt give the average shoegaze enjoyer major FOMO. It was euphoric getting to see Whirr, Nothing, and Mint Field perform, as it served to show that shoegaze is not only a genre that transcends languages, but continues to be prevalent for years to come.
