swim school Tickets

Fronted by Alice Johnson, swim school are building a name for themselves for driving guitar riffs, grungy vocals and unforgettable live performances.

The Edinburgh-based three-piece have become one of the most electrifying acts in the indie rock genre since their inception in late 2018. Hailed by BBC Radio 1 as “the band that everyone in the scene has their eye on,” their anthemic sound and emphatic lyrics have struck a chord with fans and critics alike. 

After meeting on a music course in college, Alice Johnson (vocals and guitar) and Lewis Bunting (guitar) were the founding members of swim school, experimenting with various line-ups before settling as a core trio with the addition of Billy McMahon (drums) in 2020. Sharing an overlapping taste in music for dreamy indie-pop laced with darker rock influences, swim school quickly identified their musical inspiration in Wolf Alice, My Bloody Valentine and Smashing Pumpkins. Playing homage, swim school’s defining sound is a blend of nostalgic shoegaze textures with raw, grungy energy that translates fantastically to their emotionally-charged live shows.

In the past couple of years, swim school’s growing momentum has been evident in their quick succession of milestone moments. Starting off with a coveted spot as Radio 1’s Track of the Week with ‘Don’t Leave Me Behind’ in May 2023, the band went on to release their critically acclaimed sophomore EP, Duality, in June. An exploration of love and anger, the EP was met with widespread praise and featured standout tracks such as ‘Delirious’, written in response to the pervasive misogyny that Johnson had experienced from sound engineers during their festival tours. Their re-released single ‘BORED’ followed a couple of weeks later as a more uplifting take on resilience, and went on to earn a coveted spot on the EA Sports FC soundtrack.

Building on the foundation of 2023, the following year kicked off with swim school releasing their EP Seeing It Now in April, which preceded the band’s first UK headline tour that same month and saw all 11 dates sell out. The EP proved to be a masterclass in layering 80s-inspired sonic palettes with emotionally raw themes, and even included a haunting cover of Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind’. Elsewhere, Seeing It Now gave a new platform to their previously released single ‘Give Me A Reason Why’ and reimagined versions of earlier tracks like ‘See Red’. The titular (original) track ‘Seeing It Now’ speaks of Alice’s feelings of imposter syndrome, and comes decorated with Hayley Williams-esque vocals, shimmering melodies and dynamic production. 

With a growing fanbase that’s testament to their talent, determination, and ability to connect deeply with their audience, swim school are carving out a unique space in indie rock as ones to watch.