Swans

Swans’ latest wave of critical and popular appreciation is an exciting thing, with their last two albums highly focused remarkable artistic statements of staggering force and beauty. Live, they were just as impressive, with the two hour long set opening with about fifteen minutes of screeching feedback and gong work from their hairy percussionist Thor Harris. Keyboardist Cristoph Hahn held things together with blasts of noise and the movements were masterfully led by frontman and band leader Michael Gira. The set was loud, forceful, strong and engrossing, with songs never outstaying their welcome and the crowd left hypnotised, bewildered, befuddled but rapturously happy. Sensational.

Concorde 2, 2 June 2014

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