Swancore Prevails: Dance Gavin Dance Concludes Their Tour In Las Vegas
Dance Gavin Dance first began their 2026 North American “The Pantheon” Tour back at the start of May, and after two months on the road, they had finally made their way to the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas for their final show. Bringing along with them a stacked line up of fellow post hardcore bands, Horse The Band, Wolf & Bear, as well as French metalcore band Novelists, this was the perfect culmination for all things Swancore.
NOVELISTS
Starting the night off were Novelists, and from the get go, they immediately grabbed the crowd's attention. Vocalist Camille Contreras took center stage as a spotlight illuminated only her, and her powerful voice filled the room. Playing songs such as “All For Nothing,” and “Coda,” Novelists showed why it’s important to arrive early for a show. I’m already eagerly awaiting their return back to the States to see them again.
WOLF & BEAR
Up next was the band Wolf & Bear, and their melodic vocals and groove filled guitar riffs had the crowd jumping and dancing. However, they still threw in a couple solid breakdowns and got a mosh pit going. They recently released a new album, A Hill To Die On, and played two songs off it, “Rick Ranch,” and “Whiplash.”
HORSE THE BAND
Afterwards came Horse The Band to the stage. Their sound was immediately distinct due their use of an electronic keyboard that sounded just like old 8-bit video game music, and which would eventually be known as “Nintendocore.” However, just because it might have sounded like a video game, that did not mean they didn’t know how to throw down a heavy set. They played a fast and ferocious setlist consisting of songs like, “A Million Exploding Suns,” and “Murder.”
Before their set, touring band member Ed Edge approached all the photographers waiting next to the photo pit area and he told us to be cautious as to not stand in the way of the cases being used as a stepping stool in the center since he would be running up and down these steps. We all really appreciated the heads up because once the band started playing, Ed and his magnificent triangle (yes, the metal percussion instrument) came barreling down those steps to hop on the rail and sing with the crowd. Absolutely iconic.
DANCE GAVIN DANCE
And finally it was time for the reason the Brooklyn Bowl on the Las Vegas Strip was absolutely packed out, the pioneers of Swancore, Dance Gavin Dance. This would be the first time I’ve seen them since former guitarist Andrew Wells took the helm as the new lead vocalist. Having released their latest album, Pantheon, in 2025, as well the live studio album,Tree City Sessions 3, in May, all with Andrew on vocals, Dance Gavin Dance had fully flourished into their new era as a band.
Even before they started playing, as soon as the lights dimmed, the energy in the room shifted and the crowd roared in anticipation as each member slowly came out and took their place onstage. From the first notes of “Animal Surgery” there wasn’t a single person in the crowd standing still. As the band played their many newer songs off Pantheon, the crowd was also loudly singing back the lyrics, clearly showing their devotion for the band, having already learned the words to new songs, not just the older classics.
Their set still included some older fan favorites such as, “Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise,” “Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most,” and “Carl Barker.” A notable moment during “Carl Barker,” guitarist and founding member Will Swan jokingly played the riff off AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” to everyone’s amusement. However this caused him to accidentally mess up the real guitar riff from the song and caused the band to all break out laughing. Will owned up to his mistake, laughing it off, and the band restarted the song, correctly this time.
As the night neared its end, Dance Gavin Dance came back out onstage and played a three song encore set, ending with “Inspire The Liars.” Vocalist Camille Contreras from Novelists came onstage to perform this song alongside Andrew, but beforehand quickly gave a heartfelt thank you to everyone in the band for bringing them on this tour and being so kind to them on the road. I feel as if there couldn’t have been a better place for Dance Gavin Dance to end their two month long run on the road than in a sold out venue on the Las Vegas Strip.
The vibes were immaculate the entire night, and all the bands were full of energy as they gave one last hurrah for this tour. Dance Gavin Dance had entered a new era for their band, and showed absolutely no signs of slowing down. They’re at the height of their game and I can’t wait for them to come back soon.
DANCE GAVIN DANCE SETLIST
Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, Nevada (7/1/2026)
Animal Surgery
Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise
Midnight at McGuffy's
It's Safe to Say You Dig the Backseat
Speed Demon
Synergy
Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most
Trap Door
Elder Goose
The Stickler
Surprise! I'm From Cuba. Everyone Has One Brain
Encore:
Carl Barker
All the Way Down
Inspire the Liars (with Camille Contréras)