Has anyone seen Swans on this tour?

Has anyone seen Swans on this tour?
How do they sound other than loud do they replicate a lot of the albums sound?

I've made it to all 4 of their most recent concerts. I'll put it this way: if I had to decided whether I would have gone to their concerts based on their studio album sound alone, I wouldn't have gone to see them live.

it was all the people I'd heard who said
>go see them, they're amazing live
that got me to take a chance on seeing them. I wasn't disappointed. but their concerts are capable of a lot more power than their albums - so much so that they're basically two different modes for the band.

you heard how Gira does his albums? he just does things that aren't possible live: he labors over layering the sound, fiddling with it to get it just right, and only stops when the money runs out. (I still think their last 4 albums are some of their best)

obviously live they can't make that kind of effort at perfectionism, so they more aim to explore the sounds that are possible, and try to test out new material out on a sympathetic audience. on The Seer tour, the first song they played was an early version of "To Be Kind"

they're good, but take earplugs - it can get a little loud at times.

Awesome I liked hearing this explanation I can see that making sense
I'm actually glad there is a good distinction I just got into them because I'm a casual but I can't risk missing them and never seeing Swans ever in my life especially when they're on such a high
Don't worry got myself some earplugs ready they're foam but I'm sure that will be fine.

hey - it was people on this board that helped get me into them to start with, so I'm glad I could pass on the help

Yeah, it's just hard to say anything as you know without right away being judged but yes you're right
also
Do they sign after every show? I know part of the jokes is Gira is a spooky guy but do they all sign? I'd almost feel afraid to have him sign anything that isn't "swans" related.

Gira is very personable. I wouldn't worry about bringing other projects he's been involved with to sign - they had Angels of Light albums at the merch table too. I'd just worry about the crowds being much too large and not being able to talk to everyone. that said, the only time I waited 'til the venue was empty, he was still behind the merch table talking to the last 2/3 people.

I may go to the Dallas show in September, but I don't know how late it'll run, and I've got work the morning after. If the opening act starts at 8:30, what time will the whole show be over? How long did the others run?

thinking about going to this. but lol, swans inclusion at this festival is pretty random.

I didn't make it for the opener, but Swans started right on time - about 9pm, went on 'til just after 11

they play abridged versions of the songs for one thing because they only have ~2 hrs to work with

go see tim hecker too.

The things people say about Gira are based on stories from the 80s and the people who post them clearly haven't been. He's not going to be super friendly or talkative but he's not an asshole and he's genuinely grateful the support this iteration has received and if you wait in line you'll get a signature and a hello.

If you enjoy the albums at all, the shows are the medium that the music is meant to be heard. Even the drone stuff is amazing. They can go into 45 minutes of ambient shit and keep you on your toes. The new album's greatest flaw is that it is their closest replication of the live show and it really just can't have the same effect on speakers or headphones.

Not at the show I went to. I went to the one in Philly and they played all the way until midnight.

Both Gira and Shields, leading two of the loudest bands in the world, have talked about how obsessed they are with getting certain sounds and resonances that wouldn't happen without volume.

Don't give your money to a rapist op

i saw them last year. they played a lot of songs off the new one. even then they were extremely tight. it was an amazing show, but watch out! it can really trigger anxiety for some!!

I might cry if they dont come to Australia: Island DLC

(You)

>never seen Swans live
>no gigs inna Nordics
cut my life into pieces

>Expect for it to be loud. Bring earplugs, and if you wanna be a saint, bring more pairs so that you can give them to people for forgot them.
>Gira turns of the air conditioning, so expect it to get stuffy.
>Expect them to play and explore the main motifs of the songs, not playing them exactly like they are on the album.
>Expect the energy of the crowd to be a mix between a death metal show and a Pentecostal church service.
>Expect a lot of speaking in tongues from Gira.
>Expect to at least feel your clothes vibrate on your skin, more if you try to get close.

what kind of stuff does he say after the show when he meets with his fans, what kind of stuff do the fans say?

I don't really listen to Swans much but they're by far my favorite band to see live. It's just so mesmerizing and powerful every single time

cant you get your bitch nigga ass a fucking aeroplane flight to Texas and shit if you want the fucking live gig. Dont wait forever they can pull off a hotel suicide any year now or break up and then you never got the chance again