Swans

Swans' ritualistic expression of the soul is mesmerizing. As is Gira's commanding the venue's crew. See them every time you can.

this was the best show ive ever been to, be warned michael gira hates moshing

Great show!!! Super sonic!!! Amazing band...nothing to complain about it

The musicians of Swans put so much personal spirit into each performance that Swans transcends a band and becomes a musical entity unlike no other. You can see it on stage as Michael Gira commands his players, building crescendos and stopping onslaughts of noise on a dime with the swaying of his hands. It is impressive to see a band so in-tune with one another as each song builds to a commandeering groove that invites you to dance after being brutally assaulted with unmatchable punches of sound (seriously, this is one f the loudest shows you can hear, you feel the bass and drums and guitar riffs in meat and bones of your body and the tingling of the pianos and string section (steel lap guitar? Not sure what the instrument is titled) in the tips of your fingers and around the hairs standing on the back of your neck. This is the third time I've seen swans and although past performances could feel like a chore, this performance feel like a gift. They played through 4 new songs off of The Glowing Man, perhaps lending more progressive and meditative emotions as opposed to when I saw them play more abrasive cuts from To Be Kind. They did play screen shot off of TBK which was awesome! Overall this is the second best show I've seen this year (I would say it ties for best; but since I've seen them previously and had only seen Sleep this one time....Sleep gets the top honor). An amazing experience beat all of my expectations. Loud Abrasive Energetic Groove Tingling and enlightening this show was . If you even like swans a little bit best to check them out!!!

Seeing Swans live is a visceral experience that you must see live in your lifetime. At a pummeling volume, they took the audience on a grim journey into the human psyche. The only way to describe what really happened at that show is sorcery.

One of the most intense shows ever. Excellent performances by the band and the opening act. The club itself was really nice too.

the sound was literally awesome, intensely played. i was there in the early 80's, and heard the original no-wave bands, i lived in alphabet city for 27 years, but now i drive 6 hours round-trip (from vermont) to hear the sound of my youth, and the same attitude of having no interest in pleasing an audience prevails. and i am glad about that. but it seems like the band was set-up to make one sound, so if you were hoping to hear the range of sounds you'll hear on a swans album, then you were out of luck thursday in boston...i wish the band had represented itself better than the monchromatic rendering on display 7/07. i was hoping to convert my girlfriend to swans, but she's not drinking the kool-aid.

Before seeing Swans live, I had certain preconceived notions about how they were in person. Some say it would be vomit inducing noise, others would say that it would be a mind blowing event. I'm not going to lie, I was excited but afraid of what to expect seeing them live. Before I begin, yes, I did use earplugs. And yes, I do think they were necessary and helped me enjoy the experience. The started off the set with a new song, Frankie M. Swans is known for experimenting with new songs and writing them as they perform live, so don't expect to go to hear the hits or their older music. I could feel the immediate vibration of all the sound and instrumentation going through my body, a sort of all encompassing sensory experience. At times, frontman Michael Gira would become the grand conductor, carefully going up to each band member to bring out the intensity of the sounds they produce. Occasionally, it felt like a battle between sounds, as Michael would aggressively play his guitar next the bassist or lap steel player. He would alternate between his guitar playing and vocals, a primal howling that would send shivers down my spine pierce through my ear drums (I think his mic was louder than everything else actually, lol). It's interesting because despite the wall of sound, you can also choose to be an attentive listener and clearly listen to each and every individual instrument and nuance if you wanted to. So I would go in and out of focusing on certain band members, whether it be the intense cat strangling sounds of the lap steel guitar or the cascading tension of sound from the gong and percussionist player (Thor Harris). There were three songs that were about 30-40 minutes of continuous playing, including the epic Bring the Sun/Black Hole Man medley. That song was absolute madness live. It's inspiring and captivating to see the musicianship of these guys, as you can see the intensity and physical toll it takes to play entire pieces of music for such long periods of time. It's through this struggle and absolute pain that they seem to achieve some sort of out of body experience, a catharsis. The listener is then transported into this world of absolute noise for these extended periods of time that messes with your consciousness. I found myself often closing my eyes, trying to feel the music. After two and half hours of this experience, I found myself coming back to Earth, to the material world. This wasn't simply a concert. It has become a pivotal moment and memory of my life, something I can't even begin to explain. I woke up the following morning in a daze, as if I had just come back from the dead. But I didn't, I came back from Swans. I came back from a spiritual experience.

An amazing show. I've seen The Swans three times, and saw M. Gira (Swans frontman) another two times and I've never been disappointed by a show. This was no exception. It's amazing that at 60 years of age Gira can still perform such a physically demanding and powerful show. The venue was small, intimate and only added to the over all secret magical feeling to the show. Two hours of heavy, loud and physically moving drone, noise and experimental assault! Fantastic!

Just overwhelming with regards on music and noise.

Listen to the albums since their oth and you'll know this isn't a retread of the previous model. Live, Gira is in total control, at times conducting the band, and he's obviously getting what he wants. That was evident by the smiles (yes, smiles) that popped up periodically. This is incredibly powerful, built on repetition and layers, to create something that can be brutal and trance-inducing. At times it feels like ritual music. The pieces tend to be long and they take their time to "set the table". Patience is rewarded. This band runs on all cylinders, totally committed and holding nothing back for two hours. On the heels of 2-hour long albums, they still had new unrecorded songs to get out. My first time seeing them and I was not left wanting. Stunning. Gira then went to the merch table to talk and sign stuff. He was approachable and appreciative of the support.

Every time I see Swans I get goose ( read "swans" ) bumps.

Fantastic! I've wanted to see them for a long time and they delivered big time!

Swans' music is so inherently violent and overwhelming that it is easy to lose sight of Michael Gira's goal: ecstasy. On the floor of the Royale Boston, I was assaulted, body, mind, and soul, by Swans' music. Warning: It really is very, very loud, sometimes physically painful. Earplugs are an absolute necessity. Jenny Hval and her band are amazing. Her vocal range is ridiculous, and the tricks the band used to create sounds that would otherwise be impossible were surprising.

Swans has been garnering press lately for being loud. Loud and amazing. Cathartically loud, with songs that routinely cross the twenty-minute mark. Swans brings a power and intensity rarely seen in bands. Low, on the other hand, tends toward the quiet side. Well, quieter. Sure, they rock out at times, but mostly they bring a measured pace and incisive lyric to the stage. They have their moments of rage and tension, but tend to do it at a tolerable volume. So it was a good idea to have Low open--they wouldn't have worked well after the devastation Swans wreaked on the audience. They warmed up the crowd with slow-burn resentment peppered with moments of light, only for Swans to steamroll the room with sound. I say sound rather than noise because while the band does indulge in extended raging jams, it never becomes an indecipherable wave. This is still music. Both bands have their own intensity and magic, but they do it at different volumes. I didn't wear earplugs for Low; I needed them for Swans.

Incredible show from an incredible band. Swans studio output has always been daring, different, and the only predictable thing about them is to expect the unpredictable, and thats exactly what they delievered when I saw them. One of the most important things you should know before going to a swans show is that its not like traditional shows at all. If you dont have an appreciation for avant garde then odds are you wont enjoy it very much. I compare seeing swans to an art exhibit more so than a concert. Another thing to keep in mind is that they reinvent their songs almost entirely live so essentially you're with the band on a trip of exploring music. To some this can be annoying to not recognize all the songs but the experience of it all didnt make that a problem for me. Also their opening act, Devandra Banhart, was really good too, definitely someone to check out.

Have seen the Swans consistently on their passes through L.A. since a DT warehouse show with Sonic Youth opening back in the mid-ish 80's. They are as crushing as ever, if not more so. This band brings joy to my heart, the current lineup of three guitars, two drummers and a bass is tight and even better than the first pass through a year ago. Most extreme Metal bands would kill to be as heavy. It's an amazing sonic machine to behold. The El Rey is not my favorite venue, way overpriced drinks and an awkward viewing arrangement, but a packed house helps the sound and the house was packed. Really great show.

I VERY MUCH wanted to see this show. I have been a fan of the band for years. The concert begun after all the subways were closed in all of the NYC area due the Hurricane Sandy. I was not able to make it due to this. It is unbelievable to me that the Bowery Ballroom did reschedule or cancel the show. I love the band, but will probably think about this next time I consider buying a ticket to this venue. It is clear now how serious the storm was and I believe it was irresponsible and unfair to people who live in the city to not postpone the show.

So good, I felt violated by Gira and crew. Michael is a madman on stage and the new songs were played violently throughout the 2+ hour set.

Beautiful pumping ecstatic rhythmic love, great!!!

Swans melted my face and transported me to the astral plane in one fell swoop. It was like I wasn't even in a room full of sweaty goths. Plus Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu) was the ideal opener and played a heart-wrenchingly honest and passionate set including a great Smiths cover on electric dulcimer. GO SEE SWANS & XIU XIU

Incredible! Two hours of blistering, bone shaking noise. Gira is still the most uncompromising musician out there and he puts all of himself into his shows. They played songs from the new album, with "Coward" being the only song from their older era. If anyone doubts that this reunited Swans still has the power of the old band, their live show will remove all doubt. Gira describes this new album as the culmination of every Swans release up to this point and their current tour certainly supports that. I like to think of a Swans show as hypnosis or meditation through brutality. They created a wall of sound that far surpasses any band I've ever seen. Go see them, you won't forget it.

The Seer. I haven t weighed in this record yet. Two CDs (or three LPs) worth of impenetrable self-indulgence! Michael Gira lost the plot. No, not at all. I can understand the criticisms. I m not drinking press release kool aid, it really does encapsulate about everything he s done with this band over the course of thirty years. As for me, I have as much love for the disgusting industrial onslaught of Filth as the gothic folk gems on the mid period releases and everything after including Angels of Light, whose own body of work should NOT be overlooked. I love how with each release, going back through thirty years of storied albums there s one unified aesthetic; how the players might change and Gira s approach to songwriting has developed in every direction yet to my ears it all undeniably sounds- like Swans. The trance I fall into from listening to Swans music is unlike any other band that attempt bludgeoning repetition to similar affect. That being said, with no attachment to any period of the band s history I couldn t have been more thrilled to finally see them live last night. Crowd at the Fonda was all ages and brought about a very unlikely mix of old goths, young hipster types and some kids who looked like they had nothing better to do on a Tuesday night than enjoy two hours of Pitchfork approved noise. Opener Xiu Xiu wasn t for me. It was nothing but the singer pared down to a very interesting arsenal of instruments (a theremin, synth, autoharp and believe it, a slingshot) and it s hard to remember in recent memory a performance making an audience so uncomfortable. Success? Swans right on time at 10:00. They begin with an unrecorded song that sounded like it d fit fine on the Seer, followed up by the recognizable Avatar : a standout from the record with its triumphant build of galloping drums and orchestral bells. Gira s intonations of your life, is in my hands was one of the best moments of the night. While on the drum topic, percussionists Phil Puleo and Thor Harris were downright incredible, Harris being a real showman and bringing a large part of the band s sound with him. During the performance he jumped from drums to violin to some around-the-waist dulcimer thing to clarinet to those haunting bells I mentioned before. Coward was the lone relic of old Swans music. It sounded as stark as the 85 recording and obviously great with four guitarists and two drummers attacking it with that much force. Huge body of the set was the title song from The Seer and The Apostate , my personal favorite from the album. As pretentious as it sounds, I think there s something very cerebral in the miniscule changes that happen over the course of these fifteen to thirty minute compositions. His talent at crafting a huge monolithic song is in how natural the movements all sound together, whereas celebrated post-rock bands like Mono often take the same amount of time and evoke really saccharine feelings like you re watching some Hallmark channel movie. Swans shed anything calculated about the genre (of which they don t really fit, but have been a powerful influence) with these two pieces and use relentless martial drumming and monotonous chords to their full capacity. During one of them, Christoph Hahn, the lap steel guitarist shredded two of his picks into dust and wrung his hands out like he just punched a hole in the wall. During the last few minutes of The Seer Gira turned into a dancing shaman, which brought some light into how punishingly dark the rest of the piece is. In summary, everything I could ever hope a Swans live experience could be considering the age and experience of the players and how their music has evolved over the years.

I really liked all four of the songs they played during the several hours they were on stage. The rest of the time, that chord that they played was pretty cool. It's hard to tell if they even wanted the audience to like what they did. It looked like they hadn't played together since the last time they came out with an album and they decided to just make some noise and see if they could get that old feeling back, which they tried to talk themselves into believing they had, but had to admit in the end that they couldn't. It was an honest performance, but it was not entertaining. I'm not sure what I mean by that. They do seem like they could still put on a good show, they just didn't this time. I have a feeling it was below average for them. But christ, just play some songs. I don't want to stand in one spot for 2 hours and watch everyone play the same note over and over again as if each time it becomes more intense.

Swans is always one of the best experiences that touches upon a psychedelic experience

Michael Gira may be getting older, but he's proving - again - that he's no oldies act. With 'My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky' (released last year) and a live album with newer material coming up, Swans are not reliving the past. After disbanding in the 1990s as Gira worked on other projects, the group is back blazing new turf. Some older stuff is mixed in for these shows, but even that's re-invented. Yes, they can still be as aggressive and brutal as ever. The songs are expanded and stretched beyond their original boundaries, Earplugs are still advised for those who cannot handle loud music. In that respect, Swans haven't changed. Even if you don't like what they play, they still demand your attention.

This show was incredible: intimate, insane, and incredibly loud. My only complaint is directed at the Variety Playhouse...why was it so ungodly hot? Those of us near the stage nearly fainted!

Was on my wishlist for a long time and they did not disappoint.

Michael Gira's latest iteration of the Swans is very much a "wall of sound" endeavor. Situated close to the stage you as much felt the sound as you heard it. As a caveat, this band is far closer to the early eighties "no wave" Filth / Holy Money noise rock band than the melodic goth Burning World line up from the late eighties/early nineties. And it is loud. Bring ear plugs. That said, this was a fantastic show. Gira has said that his idea was to beat the audience down physically, and lift them spiritually, and he accomplished that. The show played like avant garde symphony, with the amps turned to 11. Be forewarned, I have heard rumors that Gira has the air conditioning turned off to create a "sweat lodge" atmosphere, and that seemed to be the case at the El Rey.

we missed wooden wand, but they are dope you should check them out. pretty much everyone on young god is awesome. devendra played like 2 and a half songs, and my friend was pissed cause she paid 70 bucks to see him hahah. but he is still awesome, check him out too. swans. blew. my. mind. I had been waiting ten years to see them live, and they totally delivered. it was 2 days ago now, and my neck is STILL sore from banging my head to their heavvvyyy sound coming out of the Orange amps. oh wow.

I drove 40 minutes and waited one hour to see Devendra on play for 20 minutes. While I knew the show had the Swans as headliners, I was hoping that Devendra would play as long, if not longer than the opening band, Wooden Wand. Devendra put on a good show, but it was cut way too short.

I love the Swans, and their sound did not disappoint, however their set was light on actual songs. It was full of droning and wankery, more than I would normally sit through, but I put up with it because they pulled it off with conviction. They played for a solid 2 hours, then came out for a short encore set. The song they played last, off their upcoming album, with lyrics something like "I am free from this choking hold that began in Eden -- prison" was very strong.

So I will say upfront that I am more of an Angels of Light fan than the Swans, but I was just not thrilled with the show. Actually we left about 40 minutes in; Too loud (even with earplugs, my ribs were vibrating ) and too monotonous. Maybe it is because I saw Godspeed You Black Emperor and Prince also this week, I may just be concerted out. So, if you are a huge Michael Gira fan and LOVE the Swans, go...otherwise go see Godspeed....