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Swans is Objectively the Best Band Ever (A Concert Review)
- Noah Lieberman
- Sep 14
- 3 min read
Show Lineup: Swans, Little Annie and Paul Wallfisch
Genre(s): Post-Rock
Venue: The Rialto Theatre
Date: 9/13/25
Description: I remember exactly where I was when I listened to my first Swans record, Soundtracks for the Blind. I was sitting outside my dorm working on calculus homework fully unaware of how much this band would take hold on me in the next year of my life. Over the summer after that semester, I ended up listening to To Be Kind, which would immediately become one of my favorite albums of all time. Later that year, I spent Thanksgiving break in the bay area and decided to borrow a bike and go for a ride while listening to this album. It was absolutely beautiful but on the way down, I took a turn way too fast and flipped over my handlebars and got injured to the point where I couldn't walk, requiring me to call someone to pick me up and bring me home. Despite this, I still look back on this bike ride fondly and it led me to have a deeper connection to Swans through this experience. When I got back to my bed after biking I was in pain and didn't want to move so I decided to watch the documentary Where Does a Body End? which examines the long and complex history of Swans. After watching this documentary, I was inspired to fully explore what they have to offer so as any sane person would do, I listened to all 16 of Swans' studio albums in chronological order and fully cemented myself as a Swans fan.
Earlier this year, Swans announced a new album and tour and immediately I knew I would need to see them live. It was also announced that this album would be the last of the “big-sound” era which is most of modern Swans as we know them. The album, Birthing, came out in late May as I was in Europe and I used each train ride between cities as an opportunity to listen to it. When I first heard the first track, I got so excited for the tour and since then, this show has been my most looked forward to.
This past week, I requested a press pass to this show and was surprised to have been granted access to the photo pit right in front of the performers. This scared me because I didn't have any experience with photography but I was excited to have the best view in the house. As soon as Swans came out, I rushed to the photo pit full of adrenaline and just started shooting. I was completely engrossed and was put into a trance of admiring the musicians right in front of my face and enjoying the music as I ran around the photo pit taking hundreds of photos. This new experience ended up being one of the most exciting and surreal moments of my life and as I was making my way back to my group after my 30 minutes of photography was over, I could barely stand up because my legs were literally shaking. The crowd of the show was instructed not to take out their phones during the set to record and I was surprised to see that everyone seemed to be following that rule (which also made my role as photographer feel so much more special).
Swans played for over two hours with no intermission or encore while playing a total of six songs. One of the songs they played was from my favorite album, which they haven't played anything from since 2017. The final song they played was my favorite of the night and it must’ve gone on for at least 30 minutes but I loved every second. During most shows I get in my head about the set ending but something about the music of Swans made it so I was fully immersed in the music and I never wanted the show to end. Throughout the show, Michael Gira, the lead member of Swans, conducts the band like a madman and you can tell he is very particular about every detail to the point of getting heated with other members like I saw with the drummer, Phil Puleo.
This was the best show I have ever been to and I am still riding the high from last night as I write this. I recommend everybody to see Swans live as it is just an incredible show from start to finish with some of the most talented musicians I have ever seen.
Reviewer Name: Noah Lieberman
Date of Review: 9/14/25
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