Swingamajig: A Retrospective

Following on from my Swingamajig review the other week, I’m going to be presenting here a bit of a history to the festival, and how it’s come to form such an important part of my yearly calendar. From the very first event back in 2013, the festival has only grown bigger and more innovative, and each year I’m always filled with anticipation looking forward to what’s going to be in store. In terms of large-scale electro swing events, no one does it better than Swingamajig, and it’s one of the few annual events that can always guarantee my attendance.

I first discovered electro swing at what was pretty much the perfect moment. I remember distinctly – it was late 2012, around the time when the genre was first really kicking off in the UK, and I stumbled upon this festival online when searching around for new music to listen to. I must confess that for this first festival, the Correspondents and Mr Switch (then called DJ Switch) were the only acts I’d even heard of, but a festival entirely dedicated to electro swing was enough to tempt me to attend. The event was much smaller then, compared to what it’s grown into, with only three performance spaces: one for live music, one for DJs, and one for all the additional displays – swing dance routines, circus performances, and even a keyboardist playing along to old Buster Keaton films. The standout performers at Swingamajig’s debut event were Lamuzguele, and the Electric Swing Circus themselves, who were both spectacular. I left having had an incredible time, and certain that I would return.

Next year, the festival was a step up. Using the same space in Digbeth, but with the introduction of a new and bigger main stage, the second Swingamajig was just as impressive as the first, and more so. Having had over a year to familiarise myself with the current electro swing scene, I was much more accustomed with the many acts across the festival, and the line-up – particularly on the main stage – was phenomenal. I’ve previously mentioned that the Electric Swing Circus’s performance this year constitutes one of my favourite gigs of all time, and other standout performances came from Temple Funk Collective, Little Violet, and the Destroyers. The headliner, Molotov Jukebox – despite being downgraded to the second stage – still put on a fantastic show, and the entire event was immensely enjoyable.

At the very end of this year, the organisers put on another smaller party, to enter into 2015. Held in Alfie Bird’s, a lovely little venue just round the corner from the previous festival’s location, the event was a brilliant way to welcome the new year. This was certainly one of my most eventful new year’s parties, having got the 6-hour Megabus from Newcastle down to Birmingham, only to party all night and then return on the same journey back the next morning. It was undoubtedly worth it however, as I had a great time at the event, and I’m very glad I didn’t miss this important chapter in the festival’s history. Highlights were Chicken Brothers’ set, and C@ in the H@, who brought in 2015 alongside Mr FX. If Swingamajig ever decided to do an event like this again, I’d be very keen to go.

Only a few months later then, the third official Swingamajig festival moved venues slightly, utilising Alfie Bird’s again, but also making use of the various other venues in the local vicinity. This also happened to be Becca’s first time coming to the festival, after my repeated recommendations, and what a first experience it was! This year, undoubtedly, had the strongest line-up yet – the festival was essentially a who’s who of the electro swing world. With a quadruple headline of Chinese Man, the ESC, the Correspondents, and Dutty Moonshine’s debut with the Big Band, one could not have wished for a finer line-up. The festival had six stages by the point, with some great cabaret acts, and the Ragtime Records warehouse – showcasing the genre’s best DJs – had some excellent performances from Hong Kong Ping Pong (my first time seeing them), and Tallulah Goodtimes, as well as headliner Ed Solo. This was a serious step up for Swingamajig, and I was very curious as to how they could possibly top this.

2016 then, came with high expectations. This year, the festival had moved to the Rainbow Venues, making use of some of the urban spaces of the first two years as well. This was ultimately the perfect location for this sort of festival, and the variety of spaces – up to seven stages now – as well as the giant circus tent for the main stage was flawless. One of my firmest memories of this year was the strength of the cabaret stage, which left audiences captivated for hours, and the Black Box stage was also a brilliant space for some of the more dynamic DJ acts. This year’s headliner was Balkan Beat Box, an interesting choice, as the band fall quite far beyond what one would normally think of when considering electro swing – but for a festival four years in, this is the type of choice that they were correct to make. Standout performances came from JFB – and also the Tootsie Rollers, who were an absolute joy. And as I say, this year’s venue was absolutely perfect, and it seemed like Swingamajig had finally found its home.

Thus, the festival returned here for 2017. Generally making use of the same spaces, with a few changes here and there (most notably the addition of the brilliant Vintage Terrace stage), the organisers didn’t need to mess too much with a winning formula. Notable for having no outright headliner this year, some of the most notable performances came from the Correspondents (effectively the headliner), Smokey Joe and the Kid (whose performance was absolutely magnificent – one of the best to ever grace Swingamajig), and Elle and the Pocket Belles – performing with Mr Switch. This festival also featured the notable addition of Scour Records, who programmed the Black Box stage, showcasing incredible performances from Featurecast, WBBL, Tuxedo Junction, and Extra Medium. Emma Clair also performed a great set this year, as well as Sam and the Womp. In terms of the sheer quantity of fantastic sets, this year probably stands out the most. This was also the first year that I attended the additional Stomp Stomp lindy hop festival as well, and it was clear that the organisers were doing as much as they could to cater to swing dancers too. By this point, the festival was absolutely at its best, and it seemed like nothing could stop its success.

And then, disaster struck. The line-up for 2018 was looking spectacular, with Slamboree due to headline – who I’d always thought would make an excellent addition – and some other great performers, including Duke Skellington and Vourteque, booked to come over from America for the show. But after several unfortunate circumstances, the Rainbow Venues – the perfect home for Swingamajig – had to permanently close its doors, forcing the festival to be cancelled. This was heartbreaking news for all of the prospective attendees, and especially so for those like myself who had been to every previous event and didn’t want to miss a year. Luckily, the organisers achieved the impossible and managed to arrange a smaller scale, last-minute replacement event. I have every respect for them managing to pull this off, and the event – held just around the corner, the last one in Digbeth – remained a great deal of fun. Duke Skellington still managed to make it over and performed a brilliant set, alongside headliners Oh My God! It’s the Church, Hong Kong Ping Pong, and Circe’s Diner – playing a pop-up acoustic show in a hidden-away corner of the festival. I can’t congratulate the organisers enough for pulling this off, and the show was a massive achievement.

2019 signalled the start of a new chapter for Swingamajig. The closure of the Rainbow Venues put a bit of stain on the Digbeth area, and so it was ultimately necessary to find a completely new home for the event. Perhaps slightly unexpectedly – but certainly very welcome – was the introduction of Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens. This gave the festival quite a new and different vibe: for the first time it was family-friendly, and there was a much less manic atmosphere to the whole thing. Depending on what one is into, either style of festival could be considered preferential, but I thought they both worked excellently in their own ways. Headlined by the Hackney Colliery Band – again, a bit of a departure from standard electro swing, not that that’s a negative thing – I’ve already published a review of this year’s festival in detail, but the highlights were undoubtedly Cut Capers, who’s afternoon set was 100% pure fun, and of course the Electric Swing Circus; as well as some of the DJs at the afterparty (which had more of a classic Swingamajig, chaotic vibe to it), such as Tuxedo Junction and C@ in the H@. Like, 2017’s festival, there was also a great deal for swing dancers this year, and whilst there was certainly a different vibe, the festival felt just as at home in this location as elsewhere.

So it was that I was actively looking forward to the return to this venue in 2020. Whilst the entire line-up hadn’t been announced in full, the addition of DJ Yoda as headliner was a stroke of genius, and I could not wait for what he had in store. And then, disaster number two: Covid-19. I won’t repeat everything I said on my previous blog post, but this was an even tougher barrier than the one the festival faced in 2018. Whilst the livestreamed quarantine party was still fantastic fun, there’s no doubt that we would have all preferred the actual live event. Still though, this proved that the organisers are capable of providing the highest level of entertainment, no matter what obstacles are thrown in their way.

I’d recommend Swingamajig to anyone into innovative music, festivals, dancing, or anyone who just likes having a good time. It’s genuinely one of my favourite dates of the year, and an excellent way to kick off the Summer. The past eight years have really solidified my love for this genre, and for music in general, and Swingamajig has played a big part in that. I can only hope that the festival will continue to grow in both scale and quality – although it’s difficult to imagine how it could get much better in this regard – and I have every intention of returning to each and every future event. One of the best things to happen to our contemporary music scene, Swingamajig is an experience that will not let down a single person.