Dublin, Ireland’s My Bloody Valentine performs live at Showbox SoDo Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Camera Press.
Having defined the shoegaze genre with 1991’s landmark “Loveless,” My Bloody Valentine all but disappeared for two decades before finally breaking its silence this past February with “m b v.” While the existence of a new record from the Irish foursome is a surprise, the fact it’s excellent isn’t. The nine-song LP marries its predecessor’s astral guitarscapes and trance-inducing boy-girl harmonies to ultramodern electronic trappings, rewarding fans’ faith and patience — and then some. MBV plays Seattle’s Showbox SoDo Theater Wednesday, and though they may be older now, they remain one of the loudest bands on the planet — so don’t forget earplugs.
8 p.m. Wednesday at Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S. Seattle; $39-$53 (206-652-0444 or www.ticketmaster.com)