As the dates continue to dwindle on Michael Gira and his pals’ final world-wide tour (in support of this year’s fourth and “final” Swans album The Glowing Man), the band is realizing that there’s literally no time like the present to start pulling out all the stops. To that end, they’ve just announced that they’ll be joined by former vocalist/keyboardist/arranger/writer-cum-successful-solo-singer-songwriter Jarboe for one gloriously doom-tactular night only. (I don’t know about you, but I’d be really, really excited about this… if Swans weren’t so inherently dour as to make “excitement” seem inappropriate and disrespectful!)
The tear-jerking reunion will take place at their concert in Atlanta tomorrow night (July 22). She’ll be performing “Blood On Your Hands” from the Children of God album. Oh, and in case you were wondering, apart from Jarboe’s cameo, the full touring lineup for this soon-to-be-extinct iteration of Swans consists of Michael Gira - guitar, voice; Norman Westberg - guitar; Christoph Hahn - guitar; Phil Puleo - drums, percussion, dulcimer etc.; Chris Pravdica - bass and gadgets; Paul Wallfisch - piano, organ, and Mellotron… not that this is ACTUALLY our final chance to see “some version” of Swans on a stage (“I’ll continue to make music under the name Swans [after the tour],” Gira says, “with a revolving cast of collaborators… touring will definitely be less extensive”), but still… definitely the end of an era. Get the hell out there and celebrate the end-times, if you know what’s good for you.
SWANSong 2016:
07.21.16 - Louisville, KY - Headliner’s Music Hall*
07.22.16 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West*
07.23.16 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel*
07.24.16 - Nashville, TN - Exit / In*
07.26.16 - Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle*
07.27.16 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry*
07.28.16 - Washington, DC - 9:30 CLUB*
07.29.16 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom*
07.30.16 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg*
09.01.16 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater#
09.02.16 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theater#
09.03.16 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Grand Ballroom#
09.04.16 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom#
09.06.16 - Vancouver, BC - Venue#
09.07.16 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox#
09.09.16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge#
09.10.16 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater#
09.12.16 - Dallas, TX - Trees#
09.13.16 - Austin, TX - Mohawk Austin#
09.14.16 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger#
09.15.16 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater#
09.16.16 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom#
* Okkyung Lee
# Baby Dee
