Courtesy of Liz Madsen, staff photographer

Deep in the Heart of Texas With Louden Swain

Courtesy of Liz Madsen, staff photographer

Louden Swain kicked off their year on January 18, 2020 in Austin, Texas and we had eleven staff members in attendance! Just like last year the guys treated us to two shows and absolutely killed it. Before we jump into the shows themselves, there’s three things Swain fans need to know that we learned from VIP. Number one, the upcoming Boston shows WILL have a VIP meet and greet! Number two, depending on how well the first show sells, Chicago could get a second show so buy those tickets. Finally, number three, we will be getting a new Swain album “soon-ish!”

Courtesy of Natasha, staff photographer

Now, onto the events of the night! The night began while waiting in line before the doors open; for a lot of us that meant talking to friends we hadn’t seen in a while or being drawn into conversations with random people who quickly became friends. Where we were huddled up, we were able to see the majority of the people in line and watch as new friendships quickly formed when someone was pulled into a group. When the guys took the stage for VIP, questions started flying in left and right about the Boston shows, which Rob expertly diverted over to Stephen. The guys had us all laughing over their troubles getting from the hotel to the venue after a mix-up with their Uber driver (the band nearly ended up at the airport), and we learned what shows they’ve been bingeing.

Courtesy of Emma Haile, staff photographer

The first show was sold out and the second nearly was as well. Both concerts were filled with people and the energy was insanely high whether you were right by the stage or on the second floor. Much like last year, the sense of camaraderie and comfort was unparalleled. Everyone was comfortable with the band and they were equally comfortable with us as we rocked out song after song. There were several moments typical of a Swain show where they let the audience take the vocals and we weren’t shy about screaming out those lyrics, and Swain seemed equal parts proud and amused by our love for these songs. When they treated us to a brand new song, “Comeback Kid,” it was obvious that the fans already loved the tune (we were even singing along the second time through, or trying to anyways).

Courtesy of Natasha, staff photographer

The beauty and magic of these stand-alone Louden Swain shows is how different they are compared to seeing them at the Supernatural conventions. The excitement of hearing a song live for the first time is palpable and not only does the crowd get excited, but the band does too. As odd as it may sound, the excitement becomes obvious through the small things, like Rob dancing around on stage at various points, or the way Billy rocks a guitar solo, or through a joke made that makes the band momentarily forget what song is next, or the fans grabbing the person next to them and belting out the lyrics along with the band. There were also some candid moments that were so special, like Stephen getting a little too excited about playing “Overachiever” before they were supposed to, or Mike smiling pretty much throughout the whole evening. We could go on and on, but the point is every Louden Swain show brings a little something different to the table, but one thing always remains the same; we are all like a family at these shows. Regardless of how many times we see this band perform, we’ll never get bored of it.

Courtesy of Nancy, staff photographer

The set list of the two shows was as follows (#NoRepeats, #ExceptOneSong):

First Show:
Reunion
Lucky
All I Need
Cast Off
Silverspoon
Night Light
Bandaged Hand
Big One
CA Nation
Crooked Wheel
Comeback Kid
Downtown Letdown
Pop Tart Heart
World’s Collide
Amazing
Trigger Finger
This Is How

Second Show:
Suit and Tie
Present Time
Like the Heart Goes
Juliet
Overachiever
Rock Song
Blind
Codependent
Wave
Help You
Taxi Driver
Ready Steady
January
Comeback Kid

Prom
Mamma’s Jam
Medicated

The venue, the band, and the atmosphere could not have been better, and hopefully they’ll return next year to the Lone Star State. Until then, you can catch them in Chicago on February 22nd and in Boston on March 21st and of course, across the United States with Creation Entertainment.

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