Swans’ final ‘big sound’ tour: A tour de force in tension and beauty

Electric Brixton, London, 9 November 2025

Few bands have such a mythical legacy as Swans, who – over the course of their more than 40-year career – have reinvented genres such as gothic, neofolk, avant-garde and industrial. Since their 2010 reunion, Swans have built upon the already strenuous scene of post-rock with louder, layered climaxes and luscious lows, utilising the band’s experience and extreme perfectionism to balance the dichotomy. This perfectionism was at no point more prevalent than when frontman, Michael Gira, peered directly into the souls of his band mates, as they develop his initial riff. His power was reminiscent of the demanding presence of the jazz teacher, Terence Fletcher, in the film Whiplash.

Christopher Pravdica appeared in agony as he adjusted his posture to sustain the pace at which he was demanded to strum

When each member was pushed to their limits, his stare conducted them to play harder, most notably when he would stand from his chair and walk over to each member, like a dictator inspecting his soldiers. Without saying a word, the music would reach sonic peaks beyond what any sane person would think possible. The band’s power was so transcendent that the crowd would often clap early, shocked when the blasting, seeming climax of the song was reduced to silence compared to the real high of a track’s conclusion.

Across the five tracks played throughout the two-hour long setlist, none were from Swans’ new album, Birthing. It’s not unusual for Swans to play new music live, releasing it long after, in projects separate to their usual studio canon. Despite the conventional structure of the Swans show, it could have been disappointing if you were expecting at least one track from their newest work. The new tracks played, however, are typical of the band’s transcendent lyricism and compositional theme, so I can’t see why any fans would be disappointed.

The harmonica solo from Gira was a highlight… its otherworldly sound leaving the crowd in awe

The opener, ‘The End of Forgetting’, was a 34 minute long track which featured the most explosive climax of the show, every member holding onto an impossibly fast melody for around 5 minutes, bassist, Christopher Pravdica, appearing in agony as he adjusted his posture to sustain the pace at which he was demanded to strum. On the other hand, the closing track, ‘Newly Sentient Being’, featured a ritualistic build up, the crowd’s arms moving in unison, reminiscent of a call to worship, before elegantly meditating on rebirth. The harmonica solo from Gira was a highlight, floating alongside Kristof Hahn’s graceful guitar and the bass played by Dana Schechter, its otherworldly sound leaving the crowd in awe. Ending the show, and this era of Swans, on such an ethereal note shows how Swans continue to master not only the mountainous highs, but also the lows that capture the crowd’s imagination.

The crowd was brilliant, the venue’s mix of a small bar area, a balcony, and a breathable pit providing many ways for everyone to enjoy the performance in a welcoming, inclusive setting. The audiences adoration was evident during the snappier, fan-favourite ‘A Little God in My Hands’, which had everyone moving in their own way. Gira’s only request was to refrain from using phones during the performance, helping the band in a performative sense, but also adding to the crowd’s immersion into the spiritual journey the music took them on.

The album had previously been dismissed by the band as not even part of their artistic canon

According to Gira, “Swans will continue… but in a significantly paired down form”. With the post-rock era of their music ending, many fans continue to speculate what their next sound will be. The consensus is that they’ll return to a more neofolk sound like their 1990s work and Gira’s solo material after the band’s initially split in 1997. This is especially more convincing given that the band recently put their 1989 country, neofolk blend, The Burning World, on streaming. The album had previously been dismissed by the band as not even part of their artistic canon, despite the album’s admiration from fans, so this is a big step. With their new iteration forthcoming, Swans are never a band to miss out on, even in their final years.

★★★★★