Swapmeet: "It’s Easy To Feel Like A Secret In Adelaide"

After the nominations for the SA Music Awards were revealed last Wednesday on October 9th, one particular band stood out as leading the charge.

Already beloved in the Adelaide music scene despite their relative youth, wondrous indie-rock four-piece Swapmeet have been nominated for a standout number of SA Music Awards following the April release of their sonically dreamy, emotionally-cutting debut EP, Oxalis (a fitting name, as the band’s reputation and range only continues to flower).

Swapmeet saw nods for Best Song, Best New Artist, Best Group, Best Release, and Best Cover Art (which was in fact designed by the band’s front-person and guitarist, Venus O’brien).

This appears to be a pivotal point in Swapmeet’s career. The band are slowly becoming more self-assured as they start to garner wider industry recognition and continue to satiate the musical appetites of rabid Adelaide audiences. We asked Swapmeet to talk us through this particular moment in time for them as a band that is on the upward rise.

How do you feel about all the nominations you received at the SA Music Awards?

Excited! Just being eligible for the many nominations is a really nice reminder of all we managed to accomplish this year. Can’t help but feel a sense of relief mixed with pride.

Does it feel like it's been a long journey to reach this point of recognition in the local industry?

We’ve been playing for quite a while now, and I think it takes releasing music to realise that that’s half the battle. It’s easy to feel like a secret in Adelaide - there isn’t much of an industry presence at live shows, so having music accessible over the internet has helped us grow a lot.

What has helped you reach this point in your careers, and what has been crucial to your journey as musicians?

I think deciding that we were going to do as much as possible independently as a band was a pretty crucial decision that led us to this point. We all have different interests and strengths, and figuring out what we could all bring, or learn to bring to the group allowed us to have a shared sense of control over the band’s sound, aesthetic, and direction. Releasing music was also a major game changer. We ended up stumbling into a super sweet community of like-minded musicians through the internet that we now play with which is cool, considering how isolated the Adelaide scene is. 

You've all been playing together for a while. Do you feel that you have changed a lot as people and a lot as musicians?

I think so - I mean, we started playing together when we were all 18 so there’s been a bit of growing up, I guess. On the other hand, though, I feel like the experience of playing live shows still has the same exciting, silly feeling - like we’re doing it for the first time.

What do you feel is the next step for Swapmeet as a band? 

We’re working on the ‘ol debut album at the moment and planning some shows interstate in the next year. Really excited to play in some new venues with new bands.

2024 so far has been a year of growth and accomplishment for Swapmeet. Surely the last few months of the year - and 2025, when it comes rolling around - will be no different.

The SA Music Awards will be taking place on November 9th at the Dom Polski Centre, during which the winners will be revealed. Until then, voting for the People’s Choice is open until the end of the week - celebrate all of the colourful music that South Australia has to offer and cast your votes now!