Swim School

Last night, Swim School headlined Sidney & Matilda in Sheffield, and from start to finish the band delivered a set that was nothing short of phenomenal.

Kicking off the night were one of Ireland’s most exciting upcoming rock bands, Basht, who warmed up the crowd with their gritty rock tunes.

Basht later described their Sheffield set, saying: “It sounded great – a very warm reception with positive feedback, and people even knew our songs, which was amazing to see.”

As the time moved closer to Swim School’s set, the main room filled up and the tension began to rise as everyone awaited the headliners to grace the stage. When the lights went down, the crowd erupted as the band launched into their first song, ‘Always on My Mind.’

Having just released their debut album, the band had plenty of material to choose from, including their new track ‘Green Eyes (Want It All).’ It was clear the crowd had done their homework, singing along to every word. Alice’s voice sounded even better live — sweet and innocent, juxtaposed with the band’s heavy rock edge.

A funny moment came when a fan shouted “F***ing great!” after one song, and Alice, despite her thick Edinburgh accent, tried to shout it back in a Sheffield accent — to the crowd’s delight.

The band’s interaction with the audience was confident and natural; you could tell they genuinely wanted to engage. Alice even took it one step further by diving into the mosh pit during one song, sending the crowd wild.

Throughout the show, Swim School played many of their classic tracks such as ‘Heaven’ and ‘Alone With You’ – songs that are in the band’s DNA. Their sound recalls Wolf Alice in their heyday, but perhaps even sharper and more focused.

Swim School closed their set with the powerful ‘See Red,’ rounding off an incredible show and putting the perfect cherry on top of an unforgettable night.

Hats off to Swim School – they absolutely smashed it.