The Howard Theater was the recent site of a concert experience unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was the musical equivalent of a nuclear bomb.

There are not many bands that can claim that kind of description; however, Swans is one of them. They opened the American leg of their tour to support the latest album, The Beggar, in DC.

The first thing to know about seeing Swans live is: BRING HEARING PROTECTION! The show is (and I know the band would agree with this) an aural assault. It is vital that you prepare for this and bring some sort of ear plug. The second thing to know is: Even the opening act will lay siege to your ears. For this tour, the opener was also a member of Swans at the Howard Theatre on April 12. Kristof Hahn plays pedal steel for Swans. He also has several releases of solo material.

Kristof’s music is ambient. But that does not mean it’s quiet, soft, or boring. In fact, if it’s possible, Kristof Hahn’s solo work could be classified as aggressive ambient! After a short set, Kristof told the crowd “See you in 25 minutes” and disappeared stage right.

Just before Swans’ set began, Scott Walker’s “It’s Raining Today” began pumping through the house as a signal that the band was en route. As promised, 25 minutes after Kristof’s set, each member of the band took the stage without too much chatter. After a few hello’s and thank you’s, the band opened with a song that is currently called Intro.

And that’s when I knew I was in for something unique. I was aware that they play very few older songs. They focus on the latest release as well as new music. That makes the experience all the more unique. Most of the audience is now hearing much of the set for the very first time. So no one really knows what to expect when a song begins. 

To say a Swans show is loud would be like saying The Grand Canyon is a hole in the ground. But it’s not just the volume that makes an impact. It’s the driving, pounding beat of the music and the length of the songs.

It’s also the atmosphere. The band is soaked in bright, unchanging, unforgiving, red light for the entire show. Swans played for over two hours. In that time they played a total of seven songs. Nobody in the band is running around, doing rock and roll poses, jumping in the air like David Lee Roth, or even actually acknowledging the audience — with the sole exception of founder Michael Gira.

Michael Gira is a conductor possessed during the show. Between songs he speaks little. But he does speak. He doesn’t say much about the music, instead expressing his appreciation that everyone has shown up to this musical communion with the band. The only time things got extemporaneous was when he stood up from his seat and yelled “STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP!” at a small group of people trying to form a mosh pit in the middle of the theater. Gira has no qualms about singling people out when they disturb his show.

But that isn’t the only time he seemed like a man possessed. He spent much of the show seated, playing his acoustic guitar. But there were times when something in him was moved. He would jump off his chair, run over to bassist Chris Pravdica or drummer Phil Puleo, waving his arms, pointing, swaying, and communicating in a way that I’ve never seen on stage. It was spellbinding.

The band was rounded out by Dana Schecter on lap steel and bass, Larry Mullins on keyboards and electronics, and the aforementioned Kristof Hahn on pedal steel.

Stream “The Hanging Man” by Swans on YouTube:

Michael waited until just before starting the final song to introduce the band. Dana was The Greek God, Kristof was Kitten, Larry was Pipsqueak, Phil was Unruly Giant, and Chris was Unforgiving Policeman. It was a welcomed light-hearted moment in a show of relentless power and intensity.

I spoke with Dana Schecter for a bit after the show. I asked how the band was able to play with such intensity night after night. She said they rarely play more than two shows, back to back. So that helps.

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, Swans is a live act that can be transformative if you’re open to it. I’ve been thinking about it since the show ended. My oldest daughter was at the show with me. We have spoken about it over and over. We’ve seen a lot of shows together but this one really connected with both of us. And it’s something we’ll always have. We saw Swans.

Setlist

• Intro
• The Beggar
• The Hanging Man
• I Am A Tower
• Guardian Spirit
• Away
• Birthing

Here are some more photos of Swans performing at the Howard Theater on April 12, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Marc Shea.