Swans - "The Seer" 

Funny how this documentary is shorter than the title track

The last time I went to a swans concert, an amplifier fell onto my head and I had to go to the hospital. Luckily it was towards the end of the concert. The best concert I've been to.

Much louder, much louder, much louder..... Yeah that's Swans

Only a band as epic as swans could have a percussionist named Thor.

I'm always amazed at how age seems to have had little to no affect on this man's spirit. 61-years-old and just as inspired and ready to push his own boundaries as he was in his twenties. That's artistry.

I want to hug him. But when he's performing, I wanna hide in the corner.

The hug between band members before the gig was very touching...cool stuff all around

8:44 that is the most nervous looking sound guy i've ever seen, and rightfully so, michael gira is terrifying.

Nobody's pointed out that he signed copies of The Seer with black sharpie on a black background

Michael Gira is one of the few people who gets cooler the older he gets. How does he do it?

Can we appreciate the fact that its so loud when theyre rehearsing that the documentary crew’s mics cant even pick it up...

63 yrs old and this is the most amazing thing to come out of the whole rock music genre in my time.

One of the heaviest bands of all time, yet before they go on stage they give each other hugs and wish each other a good show while joking about 'finger-banging'. Makes me chuckle.

Thor's clarinet playing is trippy.

Michael Gira seems like such a genuinely nice guy behind his stage persona. The art he makes is absolutely incredible.

The simplest incarnation Swans has ever had. and they've never sounded better.

Michael Gira is a master totally conscious of his greatness, the way he swings his hands in live performances, feeling the music in his veins like a maestro, The Seer and To Be Kind are a double kill for Swans, two masterpieces. I'm anscious to see a new album from them, expecting it to follow up this great consistency that they've achieved.

Saw them yesterday for the second time. My ears still ring... Michael Gira and his mercenaries were merciless again. Truly, Michael pours out his soul over the audience. And in return, he takes a small piece of yours. That's how the man continues to be so vital and energetic. A fair trade if you ask me.

I just discovered this band today. I have never heard or seen anything like them before. Suprisingly addicting.....

10:44 SORRY SORRY *starts slapping himself in the face* lmao

I thought it was going to be a live performance lol.

16:32 is exactly how I want to feel when I get to experience Swans live for the first time haha

"Nah, just put the volume at max and people will love it"

Oddly enough, James I took a young lady to see SWANS at the Town & Country in Kilburn in 1987, Children of God Tour. She left after the first few chords & never spoke to me again. Her loss.

The documentary is shorter than the song itself.

This band scratches every itch for me.

Pitchfork doing something worth viewing? How nice. Best show of the year. Saw them a month ago and still under the effects of having my bowels churned.

I've hugged Gira and i find that odd

One of the best musical documentary I’ve ever seen. Thanks you very much.

Three years ago, during their last tour, I drove 5 hours from my college in Wisconsin to Minneapolis to see Swans. Before the show, I met this incredibly cute blonde girl who loved all the same music I did. We talked about concerts we'd been to and how we both had wanted to see Swans for years. Once the music started, the friends we came with moved further back due to the loudness. It was just the two of us standing next to each other for the entire set - sometimes brushing arms or bumping shoulders - for two and a half hours. The last song they played was The Glowing Man. At the climax of the song, with Michael screaming, we grabbed each other's hands and squeezed tighter than I knew was possible. No words - just a shared moment of physical touch. When the music ended, she walked out of the venue and I never saw her again. If you ever read this, mystery girl, I just want you to know that you were cool as fuck.

It's almost like Stanley Kubrick started a band, made some songs and then went on the road?

10:06 they were making oxygen in that exact moment

I didn't know that Gira uses BB Kings signature model guitar, Lucille... Pretty cool!

16:32 - Dudes really feeling it.

Watching this video again after a long, long time. Probably 10 years since I first saw it. I remember how revealing this was to me as a long-time Swans fan. It never would have occurred to me, after many repeated listenings to the first five Swans albums and the Swans revival stuff that they are the kind of band that does the hug ritual before their shows. Pitchfork did a great job with this, showing a more introspective and empathetic side of the band. I also enjoyed the more recent instrumental elements, like the hammered dulcimers (I'm a big fan of that instrument) and the free jazz, Coltrane-like clarinet playing.

16:43 the 3 types of people you'll see at gigs

God damn I like this video. The supplemental stuff is great.

i saw them last week and a guy standing beside me fainted, he fking fainted !

If Godspeed you! Black emperor and Swans shared a bill I think time it self might cease to exist and we might enter a new phase human consciousness.

The hug. Excellent.

"100% louder than what it is" - MG in sound check

Michael Gira's hard work and perseverance is as respectable as the integrity of the musical output. And credit to the rest of SWANS for their dedication to the craft.

i think this remains one of the best videos on RU-vid

One of the best music docs I've ever seen

Further proof that you can play any style of music on a Fender Telecaster.

It's amazing that this documentary is actually shorter than the song

There's a reason you say that. They say as you get old it's harder for you to appreciate newer music. This is a new generation of music. If you go into it expecting it to be the same as an older one, you're going to be disappointed. It's its own, and it's beautiful

20:25 hahahahaha those two girls...so unimpressed. gotta love it.

Really one of the best bands of the past 40 years. Not always the best material, but always innovating.

Dude with a Megadeth tshirt in the front row. At least he picked their best album.

I'm not a huge fan of pitchforks reviews, but these videos make me love it so much.

they have a fucking werewolf as a drummer

Commenting here after seeing Swans for the first time on Monday. No joke the loudest and one of the best shows I’ve been to. Gira is masterful at his craft.

Phenomenal. The Seer is like the score to Satan's exorcism, if there was such a thing

shit, does he have to put the cap back on the sharpie every single time?

Legend

11:45 it’s weird to say it but Michael Gira is kind of adorable in a way here it makes me think of when I was younger doing sound effects while playing with my Lego

they're so sweet to each other..!

Seeing the length of the video I thought this was just gonna be the band performing the title track

since many seem to be asking about the soundtrack, this is the best i can come up with based on memory (Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Hamburg): 0:00 - 1:01 : soundcheck 1:01 - 2:01 : Coward 4:40 - 8:39 :The Seer 8:39 - 9:42 : soundcheck 12:53 - 14.15 : ???? 15:45 - 16:15 : To Be Kind 16:30-18:09 : ???? (maybe She Loves Us) 18:41 - 19:52 : The Seer 20:05 - 20:50 : ????? 22:05 - 26:20 : Apostate this footage does the best that i've seen at showing SWANS as SWANS.

CLASS IS OVER So damn cool.

I have been truly blessed to have experienced their live shows after this reunion in 2012... One of my favorite group of artists to walk this earth.. living legends. There won't be more of their ilk for some time I fear

velvet underground and the doors in our days

For someone who beat the shit out of fans at his shows, and even had some shut down by cops, Michael Gira seems like a fairly normal dude.

Amazing band. Amazing album. Quite surprised that Pitchfork didn't award it Album of the Year.

How did the world birth someone like Gira? He's outrageous and not of this Earth in so many ways.

It's cool to see how the material from To Be Kind appeared here, and obviously evolved leading up to the studio recording. Can't wait to see their new stuff next week!

"Turn that up 100% from you have now"

I was fortunate enough to have gotten the opportunity to see them live on their last tour through the U.S. in Nashville, TN. Truly one of the most unique experiences anyone could ask for. Very loud, by far the loudest show I've been to, but so well worth it.

it dosnt surprise me at all that Michael Gira Name checks Damo Suzuki as an influence there are similarities between what swans do and so called "Crautrock" from the lates 60's to mid 70's i can hear influences of Faust and Can in there amazing music

I believe they played that mid-way through their set when I saw them. It was unbelievable. I was feeling my clothing being moved by the beat of those drums. The most intense live band alive.

20:28 the chick who doesn't give a shit and has obviously been dragged along, hahaha.

Fantastic recap of a mindblowing tour. Eternally grateful I was able to catch them this time around.

This video is an awesome piece. I really appreciate you making this pitchfork, thank you.

S W A N S are such a powerful live act - seeing them live is a truly unique experience

Do another one of these for the glowing man please!!!

its crazy to me that pitchfork made a half-hour long documentary about swans in 2012, and in 2023 they aren't covering their new album in the slightest. it's pretty sad

swans are heavier than any metal band.

I could imagine Michael Gira tying up young musicians Clockwork Orange-style and forcing them to watch him sign vinyls

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of shopping at a Record store in NYC called Other Music. I was looking for something different to listen to. I come from the early Punk Generation and my favorite groups are The Ramones, Sex Pistols and Public Image Limited. I just saw PiL Live in Times Square, NYC a few weeks ago. At Other Music, I picked up the White Light from the mouth of Infinity/Love of Life 3 CD set. Ths was a perfect purchase because my favorite PiL albums are PiL First Issue, and PiL's Second Edition/Metal Box album. Went home to see what I can find on the Swan's on You Tube. I like what I'm seeing and hearing. I'm looking forward to future purchases of their music and hopefully the opportunity to see them .

ive met gira. hes no racist. im black. this conversation is tedious.

That clarinet is haunting wow

they way aaron chews his gum is exactly how my heart feels while listening to swans. oh how i love ...

The woman in the front row at 20:25 mins in looks bored to death! A Swans gig is a fucking long night if you're not into it, but a brilliant one if you are.

9:40 ha that's what their whole show sounded like on my cell phone recording.

Holy fuck, that hugging made it seem like they were going into war or something.

I saw them live yesterday in Melbourne at All Tomorrow's Parties and they completely blew me away. 100% hypnotic and better than anything else I saw all day and as good as anything I have seen in my life. You should see them live ASAP! The song at the start is called Coward and is a glorious hammer of sound live. SWANS rule!

Incredible video. I saw them for the first time this year in San Francisco, and I pray there will be a second time. I loved watching this.

Amazing band, what else can I say...Their life performances are extra ordinary. Along with early Sigur ros one the greatest life bands I've ever seen. In my opinion their soundtrack for the blind from 1996 ( completely other band members ) is one the greatest albums in music history bar none!!!

Gira leads his band like Fitzcarraldo pulling a ship over a mountain.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS WOW

i think this is my favourite video on youtube

Still my most favorite video on RU-vid.

So glad I got to see these guys do this live

The guy at 16:40 definitely knows what Swans is all about

Great video, saw Swans live 2 weeks ago. Fantastic show

MUCH LOUDER, MUCH LOUDER!

I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL I'VE SEEN IT ALL

This documentary is shorter than the song itself

this is definitely the best video on youtube.