Microwave in Sacramento

About Microwave

Microwave is an emo band from Poughkeepsie that treats anxiety like it's a subject worth getting angry about. They came up in the mid-2010s streaming era without much traditional label push, just building a quiet cult following through songs that balance vulnerable lyrics with the kind of guitar work that makes your stomach hurt. Their earlier records, especially "Much Love" and "It's Not About the Guitar," established them as the kind of band that could make a song about feeling trapped sound genuinely devastating. They're not reinventing emo, but they're not trying to. They're just very good at the specific thing they do: introspective songs that still hit hard, delivered with enough restraint that the heavy moments land differently. If you've found yourself rewatching their older music videos or relating to songs about overthinking, you're exactly who this band is for.

Known for Senators, Stressful, Dog Leather, Death Wish, The Most Beautiful Thing

Microwave + Sacramento

Microwave's May 2024 set at Ace of Spades showed a band comfortable moving between their catalog's darker corners and lighter moments. They opened with "Concertito in G Major" before settling into the grinding anxiety of "Bored of Being Sad" and "Drown." The setlist leaned into their knack for titles that feel like admissions—"Trash Stains," "Roaches," "Circling the Drain"—songs that benefit from the intimate confessional vibe Sacramento crowds tend to bring. They closed with "But Not Often," a fitting ending that felt less like a statement and more like someone turning off the lights on their way out.

Microwave in Sacramento News

• Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Britannica · Jan 24, 2026
• Microwave Celebrates A Decade Of Much Love With Anniversary Shows idobi · Dec 9, 2025
• Microwave announce 'Much Love' anniversary tour w/ Anthony Green, Hunny, Into It. Over It., more BrooklynVegan · Dec 9, 2025
• Your Quick & Easy Guide To Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA Ticketmaster Blog · Sep 21, 2020
• Sacramento mom gets life term in daughter's microwave death ABC10 · Dec 18, 2015

Live Music in Sacramento

Sacramento's underground rock scene has quietly developed a taste for the heavier side of things. Venues like Ace of Spades have become reliable spots for bands that traffic in guitar noise, post-punk, and the kind of indie rock that doesn't fit neatly into streaming playlists. Microwave fits right into that mix—they're the kind of band that Sacramento's scene actually gravitates toward, where the focus is on raw sound and audience that actually listens.

Sacramento road trip to see Microwave?

Stay in Midtown Sacramento, where the neighborhood actually feels alive—walk to restaurants, bars, and galleries without planning logistics. Dinner at The Kitchen restaurant offers precise, ingredient-focused cooking that pairs well with the area's wine bar culture. Spend an afternoon at the Crocker Art Museum, one of the country's oldest art institutions, or wander the American River Bike Trail if you need to clear your head before the show. The neighborhood's tree-lined streets and vintage architecture beat anywhere else in town.