Live Review: Swapmeet @ Northcote Social Club 17/09/26

Adelaide band Swapmeet brought their high-energy live show to Melbourne, taking over Northcote Social for three sold-out shows as part of their Australian tour.

The night was opened by Adelaide artist Ebop, aka Ethan Brandwood, joined onstage by Charlie, Isaac and Frank. Their energetic set was full of personality and humour, warming up the room before Canberra four-piece DogWorld took the stage. Featuring Yasmine Hosseini on rhythm guitar, Ella Tinney on drums, Jesse Dowley on bass and Max Sturm on lead guitar and sampler, DogWorld delivered a tight and lively performance, with their 2025 single 'Inmypocket' standing out as a highlight.

By the time Swapmeet took the stage, the Northcote Social was packed. The band's set focused largely on material from their new album Mount Zero, showcasing the intricate arrangements, unpredictable shifts and energetic musicianship that have become central to their sound.

Starting out in Adelaide, the band previously explained that the main thing they focused on during their live sets when they were first gigging was prioritising having really high energy and making their sets as fun as possible. It's clear to see the band have carried that stage presence with them as they've grown. That same fun, enthusiastic and carefree attitude carried throughout the night.

While Mount Zero made up the majority of the setlist, the older material provided some of the night's biggest moments. Tracks from their previous album were met with immediate recognition, with the crowd responding particularly strongly to 'Collision'.

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After leaving the stage, Swapmeet returned for an encore following classic chants of "one more song". They closed with 'I Wish' from their EP Oxalis, a perfect encore, beginning with Venus' soft, evocative vocals before building into an intense rock finale. The room erupted into a mosh pit as the track reached its final section, with bassist Josh jumping down to play amongst the crowd, bringing the night to a suitably chaotic close.

After the show, I got to speak with the band. I asked them if they had any comments they might want to add, and Jack immediately started listing his Bahn Mi order - no chilli! 

The gig felt like there was no real separation between the band and the room. The band's energy spilled off the stage. For all the technicality in their music, Swapmeet never feels overly serious on stage. There's an obvious familiarity between the four members that comes from genuinely enjoying playing together. That sense of connection feels rooted in Swapmeet's history of playing shows alongside friends in Adelaide's tight-knit scene. They don't seem to be performing at the crowd so much as playing among it. The distinction is subtle, but it changes the atmosphere completely. Their sets feel in some way like something casual and communal where the crowd becomes part of the exchange, and the music feels less like something being delivered than something happening collectively.