Concert Photography - Swans
Swans are an experimental rock band hailing from New York City. Initially associated with the No Wave scene in the 1980s, Swans have grown to become one of the most eclectic and innovative bands of the 20th century with genre-defining records like White Light From The Mouth of Infinity and Sountracks for the Blind. After the group’s dissolution in 1997, Swans reformed in the mid-2000s and solidified themselves as fixtures of the 2010’s experimental rock movement, earning acclaim with records such as To Be Kind, The Seer, and The Glowing Man.
I had the opportunity to photograph the band during their performance at The Magic Bag on 9.23.2023 in Ferndale, Michigan; my intention was to capture Swans’ distinct performance, sense of darkness, and pensive atmosphere. These photogaphs were taken using conventional and experimental methods of capture, illustrating how frontman Michael Gira uses gesture and movement to conduct the group and shape their walls of sound.