Reviews

Combichrist Tour: 

@ The Palladium - Upstairs [Worcester, MA (USA)]

Unsound Festival New York 2011: 

@ Abrons Arts Center [New York City, NY (USA)]

Millipede Show: 

@ Darkroom [Chicago, IL (USA)]

Combichrist Tour: 

@ Webster Theater [Hartford, CT (USA)]

The Swans Tour: 

@ The Middle Cafe - Downstairs [Cambridge, MA (USA)]

Thanks to the guy who showed me how to DJ, I discovered The Swans in 1994. When I went back to Chicago for summer break, The Swans were touring for my favorite album, The Great Annihilator. Getting into the 21+ show was one of the only times I used my fake ID. I was blown away by the layering of sounds and the hypnotic drone of Michael Gira's voice. I saw them again on their farewell tour in Boston. That performance blew away the one in Chicago three years prior. I expected that to be the last from this legendary band.

When a new album and tour were announced for 2010, I was astounded. I figured he was just going to continue with his Angels Of Light project. I was not able to get to the venue in time to see Baby Dee. The Swans hit the stage minutes after I arrived.

They began the set with the "No Words/No Thoughts", the first track of the new album "My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky". The pipes brought the audience to attention, bringing focus to the stage before Michael joined the party. About half the songs were from the new album. The rest were all really old songs from the 80s. They completely skipped a decade of their material. Since Jarboe is no longer with the project, many of my favorite songs from their later albums were not performed.

The songs they chose were mainly heavy, droning pieces that created a sonic assault to crush the audience with the weight of the lyrics and barrage of layer upon layer of noise. It made some of my favorite songs ("Love Of Life", "Celebrity Lifestyle") sound happy by comparison. I was hoping to hear them, but by the middle of the set, I understood the tenor of what would be played and reveled in how dark they set the mood. Jarboe's presence was missed, but the songs they selected were fitting for the mood they created.

Unlike most bands I have seen over the past several years, they performed a real set, lasting an hour and forty-five minutes before a short encore. They did not shy away from playing long songs. Going by the setlists I found online, they clocked in at ten minutes per song on average. Their farewell set in 1997 will always hold a special place in my heart. It was one of the most amazing shows I have ever experienced. To compare these shows would not be fair. Looking at the show without any comparative context, this was one of the best shows I have seen this year. The new material brings a new dimension to the band, plotting a course toward an even darker direction. This was evident in the show. Make no mistake, The Swans are back.

Setlist:
No Words/No Thoughts
Your Property
Sex, God, Sex
Jim
Untitled Instrumental
I Crawled
My Birth
Beautiful Child
Eden Prison

Encore:
Little Mouth

[Close Review]

Tragedy For Us Tour: 

@ Champions Cafe [Everett, MA (USA)]

Steel Hook Prostheses Tour: 

@ Club Choices [Somerville, MA (USA)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Werk II [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Werk II [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Werk II [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Schauspielhaus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Schauspielhaus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Schauspielhaus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Volkspalast: Kantine [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Kohlrabizirkus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 1 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 1: 

@ Agra Hall [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 1: 

@ Agra Hall [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 5: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 4: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 3: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 2: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]