"How good are they LIVE?" in the last 12 months on 100 (as of 6/15/26)
80
%
Based on
6
critic concert reviews
Real Live Certified
Artists are "Real Live Certified" if their live shows have broad critical acclaim
Critics Consensus
Based on 156 concert reviews, the critics consensus is that Swans is rated as a remarkable live performer, with impressive shows that are worth watching. Swans concert reviews describe live shows and performances as minimalist, eclectic, improvised, transcendent, thrashing, and nostalgic. Swans is 'Real Live Certified' and is in the top 10% of all live performers.
How long are their concerts?
How long are Swans concerts? Swans concerts usually last from one and a half hours to up to over two and a half hours long.
How much to book?
How much does it cost to book Swans? To hire for a live performance or concert, the booking fees for Swans range from $15,000 - $25,000, with Swans's current estimated booking fee to be around $15,000.
Swans is a band from New York, United States, active from 1982 to 1997, reformed in 2010, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira.
Has Performed With
Xiu Xiu, Sir Richard Bishop, Okkyung Lee, Jenny Hval, Carla Bozulich, Baby Dee, Angel Olsen
Artist Website
Critic Concert Reviews
Glide Magazine (USA)
October 1, 2025
%
Swans’ “Ugly Temperaments” Create Profound Statements At Chicago’s Metro
There isn’t much room for lightness at a Swans show. Even at their most “upbeat” during a short run in the early 2010s, the music of Michael Gira and his rotating cast of collaborators felt punishing and often suffocating.
