Swim Deep, Institute Birmingham. 31/5/13

It's amazing how far Swim Deep have come in a few short months since I last saw them in February (a few days before I started this blog). When I last saw them they had filled up the Institute's Library and now here they were in a packed main room headline gig. Even before they had come on the signs were showing that Swim Deep have become bigger and more confident. The flowers that Austin throws into the audience are now lined around the stage by a roadie, rather than brought on by himself, he also now has a beautiful multicolored guitar and he dressed entirely in white. The band's twitter showed that they now have multicolored stage time sheets and there was a confetti shower primed to explode, these are all signs of a band growing in confidence, ready to hit the big time (or getting a bit up their own arses)
The truth is though its amazing seeing a bands getting this kind of reception before the albums even out is very special. In comparison I saw Plan B live in a room half the size 2 days before the release of his million selling 'Stricklands Banks' album, while 'Where the Heaven are we?' may not sell as many copies, Plan B still only got the response the B-towners got after selling those million records, while Swim Deep are already  hailed as heroes a month before their record is out
The new cuts from the album all sounded amazing, while last time round Swim Deep padded the set out with B-sides, this time it was prime cuts from the album for the whole gig, each song sounding fresh and new yet also oddly familiar. Highlights included Honey, and King City as you might expect while the performance of 'She changes the weather' made me realise just how good that song is. Each song was played flawlessly

and sounded as groovy as the last, (i'm using the word groovy to describe the sound, i wish i could think of a better word though, as i sound like Austin Powers)
Sadly I didn't enjoy the gig as much as I'd have liked to because i was disappointed that I'd ended up there on my own, in pain after my back slammed into a wooden shelf and annoyed at the fan girls yelling -Swim Deep member- I WANT YOUR BABIES!! down my ear after about the 5th time.
I must have enjoyed it though (none of that was the bands fault), because once again they are playing  Birmingham at the *Town Hall in September and i cannot wait to see them again.

*any gig at the Town hall is special, the place has a wonderful atmosphere and plenty of space, they even let you queue indoors, I saw Marina and the Diamonds there in 2010 and it was a great gig.