Swindon Shuffle 2013 gets underway this weekend with a host of unsigned bands playing across the town in a mix of rock, pop, folk, acoustic music, poetry and even an art show.
The festival runs in various venues until Sunday, and one newcomer this year is The Queen’s Tap hosting an open mic slot tonight for anyone who fancies a taste of the limelight.
All the gigs are free. The original idea of the festival was to showcase local musicians and get fans to shuffle between the venues and experience all the best of Swindon talent.
This year the mud-free festival, now in its seventh year, has more than 50 acts on 11 stages over five days.
Tonight the Juice bar and Holistic Lounge, The Core, have joined up with The Shuffle to bring a mixture of music and poetry hosted by Rob Beckinsale and his band Aural Candy.
Tomorrow False Gods headline the rock night at The Castle, Prospect Hill, in Old Town with support from The Vooz and The Starkers. Piri Piri in Havelock Square will have Bobby The Persuader spinning the vinyl with a mix or rock ‘n’ roll, soundtracks, soul, acid jazz. Also on the bill are Swindon Samba, Gilmore ‘n’ Jaz, Jon Trowbridge and A Couple of Good Things.
Saturday night means its time for a Shuffle up and down Prospect Hill in Old Town as there are two top gigs on offer. The Beehive at the bottom of the hill has Cindy Stratton, Marius Frank, Plummy Racket, The AK Poets and The Automainiacs to entice you in, while at the top in The Castle there is Ben McDanielson, Billyjon and the mighty Bateleurs, led by Daryl Ball and Sean Amor playing a folk-rocky acoustic set.
The Artsite artists have got on board this year presenting an evening featuring experimental and cutting edge music from Edge Effect and Non Ferric Memories on Saturday at the Post Modern Gallery in Theatre Square.
Sunday’s Shuffle at Riffs Bar, Greatfield near Hook, has a barbecue and bouncy castle and the line-up includes Jughead Rockers, Party Pulse, Ali Finneran and Vibroscope. For more details visit www.swindonshuffle.org.uk - Flicky Harrison
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