SWIM DEEP // STEREO CAFE BAR, GLASGOW
Swim Deep are on top for and their Glasgow performance sent their fans to paradise.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Swim Deep are the freeform child of soft rock and experimental indie. They are the mash up of Happy Mondays and Bombay Bicycle Club that world did not know it needed. Their 2013 debut Where the Heaven Are We kicked the Birmingham band off to a high and now they are in the wake of their third release, Emerald Classics and it touring hard.
Recently, Swim Deep have faced their share of trials but have come out punching with a high quality release despite massive changes to their make-up. With founding members, drummer Zack Robinson and guitarist Higgy, departing from the band; the group’s future was likely uncertain. Just prior to this, the group had also separated from their major label. But as Emerald Classics shows, these defiers were not got to lie down to their trials.
For their Glasgow performance, they played their set in trendy, city-centre venue Stereo. This was the perfect venue for the night. It is grungy, intimate, and characterful and Swim Deep looked at home. Quirky, arty looking fans filed in with skips in their steps.
Swim deep graced the stage in the packed out venue and launched out with tracks from their debut to begin. ‘Honey’ certainly was a highlight the whole set. And then in a flash the fans were launched into a set of the new album and second album ‘Mothers.’
‘Sail Away, Say Goodbye’ is standout from the new album and it was played perfectly beside tracks ‘One Great Song and I Could Change the World’ and the classic ‘Namaste.’ The whole exchanged brotherly glances between on another. They looked like a brick wall, strong together, and line-up change seemed a distant land away.
‘To Feel Good’ is brilliant track played towards the end of the night and it was delivered with such gusto and prowess that it almost lifted the crowd off their feet; as did the wonderful ‘Fueiho Boogie’ and ‘She Changes the Weather.’ The bands softness has such an appeal. Their tenderness is clear and they are not afraid to express vulnerabilities through their music and performance.
It is tough ask for an evolving group to come out to pack venue and transfix the crowd but Swim Deep had every eye glued to them. Feelings of freedom gripped the crowd facilitated by the music blasting out. Seeing Swim Deep will take festival goers to Glastonbury, they will take hippies to the campfire and moshers to the pits. There are few who won’t enjoy a Swim Deep gig.