Swans, 13 September 2011

I approached this show not fully sure what to expect. Swans were never one of those bands I'd have written down on some ancient scroll from my youth of bands I must see before I expire. Not until I found out they were coming to town - then it was instantaneously a deep rooted compulsion from my core. Anyone vaguely familiar with the no-wave scene out of New York, or the lineage that draws parallels from current alt-folk straight back to the early 80's neo-folk foundations have undoubtedly come across Swans and the swathe of their passion. The band's name evokes anything but what one would expect to hear - and that's part of the assault. As a result of this virtually transcendental evening, Maisy has been researching Swans members, and found that Michael Gira asks that the a/c be turned-off prior to their performance. Having been witness to the cacophony that initiated their set - it makes total sense. Layers of piercing, undulating soundscape coupled with heat and thick crowd created that delicate fringe where it's nearly riotous or an epihany. It's completely on purpose that this maintains for 20 minutes before the remaining members of the band take stage. And it's at this moment, the reality that the Swans are anything but pouty and brooding takes hold of your breath, your brain, and your heart. They quite literally beat you into believing that the frightening rollercoaster through Michael Gira's brain is quite real and quite in the moment. Gira captured the experience succinctly in labeling their show as a set of encounters. The idea of 'songs' was obliterated from the very opening to the passionate close. I was convinced that Gira was traveling the acid train - but he was completely lucid in the few pauses... I'm certain now that he was simply captured by the rhythms and noise and carried away into his core... he was in essence possessed by this procession that he was directing. There's really no words that could fully describe what I experienced, and it's rather pointless, because as I discovered on the ride home - Maisy was moved in even more meaningful ways. Swans created a personal journey for anyone that was willing to take part and allow themselves to be taken. How on earth this band, comprised of members in their 50s and 60s can find that passion and inspiration nightly and not just go through the emotions or have a massive embellism is completely beyond me. But I do thank them for the experience, and for not taking for granted that I was going to see the Swans and whatever they wanted to do was fine.