Swim Deep came to Rescue Rooms to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of their debut album, Where The Heaven Are We…
Indie rock had a monumental year in 2013, and Swim Deep were at the forefront of it all. Where The Heaven Are We is still considered to this day to be one of the best debut albums of this era and it was no surprise to see people turn up in the masses to see it performed in full for the first time, to celebrate its ten-year anniversary.
Wych Elm dropped out of the gig due to tonsilitis, so moved to the opening slot of the show would be overpass who, just like Swim Deep, hail from Birmingham. Their new single Right Time went down a treat with the crowd, alongside previous release 3AM and set closer Otherside of Midnight.
They are yet to release an EP or album but with a strong batch of singles under their belt it’s only a matter of time and once they do, it is sure to propel them to great heights. I’m hoping they will return to Nottingham for a headline show soon, where it’s safe to say you’ll be able to catch me in the front row.
There were very few surprises in the first half of Swim Deep’s set for anyone who knows the track list of Where The Heaven Are We off by heart because they played the 48-minute album from start to finish, with vocalist Austin Williams singing into a microphone adorned with flowers.
Big singles like King City and Honey were obvious highlights, but it was the moments on the record that are softer and more atmospheric like The Sea and She Changes The Weather that surprised me the most, taking on a much more upbeat and euphoric sound in a live setting.
Abruptly leaving the stage as soon as the last track of the album finished, Swim Deep would return for the second half of the evening, a run through of their most popular songs from their other more recent albums.
Sipping from a glass of red wine on stage, Williams powered through highlights from their entire discography, ranging from To Feel Good (taken from 2019’s Emerald City) to Orange County (which was released as a B-side to Honey all the way back in 2012).
A cover of Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper was a surprise addition to the setlist, and one that definitely got everyone dancing, before To My Brother and Fueiho Boogie, two tracks from their 2015 album Mothers, were played back-to-back.
The set was closed with a reprise of King City, a song that is so well-loved by fans that they were delighted to hear it twice. It is clear that Where The Heaven Are We has stood the test of time and for many it serves as a reminder of simpler years which are remembered fondly.
Swim Deep played Rescue Rooms on 1 June 2023.
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