Swingamajig 2023 write-up

 

Without doubt, it’s the most important event for electro swing across the globe: Swingamajig. I’ve spoken about the festival countless times on this blog before, with reports detailing the 2022, 2020, and 2019 events. And this year’s edition, held on the 30^th of April, was of course extra special, with it being the 10^th anniversary. I remember attending the very first Swingamajig back in 2013 (and have discussed the evolution of the festival since then here). I’d only recently discovered the genre of electro swing, and would have had no idea as to whether this music had the strength to still carry an entire festival a decade on. Undoubtedly however, it did. Each and every year, Swingamajig continues to prove just how powerful and entertaining this style is.

Held in Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens – now for the third time – Swingamajig was separated into a day party and night party, an arrangement which is proving increasingly practical for them. The layout of the grounds had changed somewhat this year, with the main stage now located slightly away from the bandstand that it had previously been positioned around. This stage showcased some of the best live acts throughout the day, including Little Violet, headliners Tankus the Henge, and of course the Electric Swing Circus themselves. My favourite stage, which I highlighted last year as well, was Phat Sam’s Disco, hidden around the back of the main stage. Featuring some of the genre’s lesser-known DJs, this stage programmed a constant soundtrack keeping revellers on their feet all day. Huge shoutout to DJ Towlie, who I hadn’t encountered before, but who’s set provided one of the highlights of the whole festival. Other stages included the Woodland Stage, with further live acts, and the Cabaret Ballroom, all of which featured excellent entertainment throughout.

After the day’s main entertainment had concluded, we travelled across town to the afterparty held at The Mill in Digbeth – a venue which previous attendees would have recognised from a prior life, when it played host to the Ragtime Records Warehouse and Vintage Terrace stages in 2016 and 2017. Jamie Berry’s set in particular was a serious highlight here, with him once again demonstrating why he remains at the top of the electro swing game. I also loved getting the chance to see Atom Smith for the first time, who was over performing from the USA. I’ve said it before, but the way in which the festival breaks into two halves, catering both to the family-friendly audience during the day, and the more hardcore ravers at night, is a brilliant tactic, ensuring that every partygoer is able to enjoy and appreciate the best of both worlds. And the afterparty really did prove to be as energetic and wild as any hardcore raver could wish for.

Swingamajig 2023 was again a wonderful event, and I would expect nothing less of the organisers at this point. It really is a hugely monumental achievement for electro swing music to have powered on over an entire decade, and it just shows the lasting quality of this genre. I am already anticipating 2024’s event, and would strongly encourage anyone to attend. There is something for everyone here, and I genuinely cannot imagine a single person not having a fantastic experience. Before we know it, we’ll be at 2033’s edition – and who knows what the festival will look like by then.