Orienteers - Kazimier, Liverpool, 18/9/2013

  by Harry Sherriff

published: 3 / 10 / 2013

intro

Harry Sherriff is impressed by rising Birmingham-based band Swim Deep's summery brand of rock at a chilled-out gig at the Kazimier in Liverpool

I saw Swim Deep at this year’s Liverpool Sound City, and if that was reminiscent of a sweaty Uni night out this was more of a chilled out graduation reunion. I caught a glimpse of Swim Deep supporting Spector late last year at the 02 Academy, but they weren’t as polished and the frontman’s swearing made me think of them as a joke band that might appear on a late night channel 4 sketch show - “Are you ready for Swim… Fucking… Deep?” was how frontman Austin Williams introduced the gig. After a fair bit of hype the self-professed “Birmingham boys making sun kissed noise” impressed at the Zanzibar at Liverpool Sound City back in May, but they were on another level at the Kazimier - A higher level that I put down to a combination of me playing their debut album ‘Where the Heaven Are We’ continuously, therefore becoming accustomed to melodic gems such as ‘Honey’ and ‘The Sea’, but mainly down to the fact Swim Deep have probably had very few days off since I saw them supporting Spector last October. The circular communal structure of the Kazimier seemed to make it the perfect venue for a Swim Deep party (let’s face it, there gigs always are), and although the fan base has clearly blossomed since the album release in September this event didn’t have the uncomfortable cramped sweaty vibe like the Zanzibar at Sound City. Austin Williams, although still with swagger, didn’t cross the line into arrogance, and the cover of 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was an all time gig highlight. There must be something in the draught beer in Birmingham because for me Swim Deep and fellow Brummie outfit Peace are the best new bands to come out of the UK in the last eighteen months. The photographs that accompany this article were taken by Marie Hazelwood for Pennyblackmusic.

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