SWANS have shared a new track from their sixteenth studio album, The Beggar, (Mute / Young God Records) on June 23, 2023. The Beggar will be released on double vinyl in a brown chipboard sleeve (with a download card for accessing an additional 44 minutes of music, also included on the album’s CD version), as a double CD in a brown chipboard digipack, and digitally.

The band’s extensive touring for 2023 started last week and continues through spring and summer with UK dates in August, and North American dates in September. In addition, Swans have confirmed a string of new dates across Europe in October and November – full details below.

The Beggar was recorded and mixed at Candy Bomber Studio, Berlin, engineered by Ingo Krauss and mastered by Doug Henderson at Micro-Moose, Berlin. The album was written and produced by Michael Gira and features contributions from recent and former Swans, members of Angels of Light, as well as Guest Swan Ben Frost.

“After numerous pandemic-induced cancellations of tours for the previous Swans album leaving meaning, and an apparent bottomless pit of waiting, waiting, waiting, and the strange disorientation that came with this sudden but interminable forced isolation I decided it was time to write songs for a new Swans album and forget about everything else. They came relatively easily, always informed by the suspicion that these could be my last. When I finally was able to travel, songs in hand, to Berlin to work with my friends recording this record, the feeling was akin to the moment in The Wizard of Oz when the film changes from Black and White to Color. Now I’m feeling quite optimistic. My favourite color is pink. I hope you enjoy the album.” – Michael Gira

Primary contributors to The Beggar: Kristof Hahn, Larry Mullins, Dana Schechter, Christopher Pravdica, Phil Puleo, and Ben Frost with Jennifer Gira, Lucy Kruger and Laura Carbone on backing vocals.

SWANS LIVE DATES – 2023

25 May – Zilina SK, New Synagogue

26 May – Ljubljana SL, Kino Siska

27 May – Innsbruck, AT, Heart of Noise Festival, Treibhaus

29 May – Bologna IT, Teatro Duse

31 May – Lyon FR, Transbordeur

2 June – Barcelona ES, Primavera Sound Festival

4 June – Lisbon PT, Culturgest – SOLD OUT

5 June – Lisbon PT, Culturgest

6 June – Faro PT, Teatro Das Figuras

9 June – Madrid ES, Primavera Sound Festival

11 June – Athens GR, Vraxon Theatre

13 June – Thessaloniki GR, Moni Lazariston

15 June – Antwerp BE, Bourlaschouwburg – SOLD OUT

16 June – Utrecht NL, Hertz Theatre – SOLD OUT

11 Aug – Brighton UK, St George’s

12 Aug – Manchester UK, Albert Hall

15 Aug – Newcastle UK, Boiler Shop

16 Aug – Glasgow UK, St Luke’s

18 Aug – Bristol UK, Arc Tangent Festival

19 Aug – Leeds UK, Belgrave Music Hall – SOLD OUT

21 Aug – Dublin IE, The Academy

23 Aug – Norwich UK, Waterfront

24 Aug – London UK, Troxy

26 Aug – La Tour-De-Peilz CH, Nox Orae Festival

2 Sep – Dallas TX, Granada Theater

3 Sep – Austin TX, Paramount Theatre

7 Sep – Phoenix AZ, Crescent Ballroom

8 Sep – Los Angeles CA, Lodge Room

9 Sep – Los Angeles CA, Lodge Room

12 Sep – San Francisco CA, Great American Music Hall

13 Sep – San Francisco CA, Great American Music Hall

15 Sep – Portland OR, Revolution Hall

16 Sep – Seattle WA, The Crocodile Showroom

19 Sep – Omaha NE, Waiting Room Showroom

20 Sep – Minneapolis MN, Fine Line Music Cafe

21 Sep – Chicago IL, Cabaret Metro

23 Sep – Detroit MI, Magic Bag

24 Sep – Cleveland OH, Beachland Ballroom

26 Sep – Toronto ON, Phoenix Concert Theater

27 Sep – Montreal QC, Theatre National

29 Sep – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg

30 Sep – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg

16 Oct – Hamburg DE, Kampnagel – NEW DATE

17 Oct – Copenhagen DK, Vega Store – NEW DATE

19 Oct – Oslo NO, Blå Residency – NEW DATE

20 Oct – Oslo NO, Blå Residency – NEW DATE

22 Oct – Stockholm SE, Slaktkyrkan – NEW DATE

24 Oct – Helsinki FI, Tavastia – NEW DATE

25 Oct – Tallinn EE, HALL – NEW DATE

27 Oct – Riga LV, Mežaparks Great Bandstand – NEW DATE

28 Oct – Vilnius LI, St John’s Church – NEW DATE

31 Oct – Warsaw PL, Progresja – NEW DATE

1 Nov – Praha CZ, Divadlo Hybernia – NEW DATE

3 Nov – Wien AT, Arena Wien – NEW DATE

4 Nov – Budapest HU, Akvarium – NEW DATE

7 Nov – Belgrade RS, Dom Omladine – NEW DATE

8 Nov – Zagreb HR, Kino Sc – NEW DATE

10 Nov – Foligno IT, Auditorium San Domenico – NEW DATE

11 Nov – Milano IT, Conservatorio di Milano – NEW DATE

13 Nov – Paris FR, Élysée Montmartre – NEW DATE

14 Nov – Metz FR, Les Trinitaires – NEW DATE

16 Nov – Brussels BE, Botanique – NEW DATE

18 Nov – Bochum DE, Christuskirche – NEW DATE

19 Nov – Den Haag NL, Amare – NEW DATE

21 Nov – Berlin DE, Admiralspalast – NEW DATE