Swans add UK and Ireland dates

New York experimental outfit Swans have added dates to their upcoming European tour.

Last year they announced they’d play London’s Roundhouse on May 21 – now they’ve added a further four shows in the UK and Ireland.

It’s in support of 2014’s To Be Kind album and digital spin-off EP Oxygen, which launched in November. The EP featured four versions of the track, which mainman Michael Gira said he wrote after suffering a severe asthma attack.

He told Pitchfork: “Breathing and having a heartbeat are things that we’re completely not conscious of most of the time and take for granted. As someone who’s had severe bouts of asthma, I’m conscious of what it feels like to not be able to breathe – I was hospitalised for it. The song was written after a particularly severe asthma attack.

“I had this event once when I was alone at my old house after my divorce. I was sitting, and suddenly I coughed, and whatever was in there lodged in my throat. I just couldn’t breathe at all, and I was by myself. I panicked. I really started to pass out and realised I was fucking going to die if I didn’t do something.”

He added: “I just threw myself down on the ground repeatedly, and finally got a pinhole. I was slowly able to calm down and expand that pinhole and get oxygen. It took maybe 10 minutes. And then I lit a cigarette and had a beer.”

Swans UK and Ireland tour dates

May 20: Bristol Marble Factory

May 21: London Roundhouse

May 23: Glasgow Art School

May 24: Belfast Mandela Hall

May 25: Dublin Button Factory

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.