Sounds Around Town with Dave Franklin (From This Is Wiltshire)

Sounds Around Town with Dave Franklin

9:52am Friday 22nd January 2010 in

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Hopefully, this column holds some appeal to those interested in the local music scene.

Admittedly, I don’t have the room to go into too much depth about each week’s offerings. It’s more sort of a melodious serving suggestion.

If, however, you wish to immerse yourself further in the Swindon music scene, there is a place were you can go, where everybody knows your name...hang on, that’s Cheers.

No, I’m talking about the www.swindonmusic.co.uk website, a nice little set of resources and a forum on which to air your thoughts, all in one smart, user-friendly package.

Why not pop along there and join in the discussions, buffoonery and occasional fisticuffs, and get the inside scoop straight from the horse’s mouth (pardon my clichés)?

All sorts of things going on this week, so hold on to your hats - we’re going in.

A bit of a win for the Victoria tonight as they have the very wonderful Nicole Fermie, pictured left, bringing her unique blend of funk and rock to town.

Having sung with Goldfrapp, recording the fantastic Babel in Three album at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studio and fast becoming a regular slot at Glastonbury, you should catch this band while they are still playing on your doorstep.

Support comes from other Gabriel connections in the form of David Rhodes and Black Swan Effect.

Down the hill and The Beehive is all about reggae and ska, with local legends The Erin Bardwell Collective, while The Rolleston plays host to the acoustic power pop of ex-Reaction front man Bruno Gallone, supported by the unbelievably-talented guitar and harp duo that is Mike Dawes and Amy Turk.

As if that doesn’t give you enough choice, you could do a lot worse than catch Elio Pace playing plying his jazz and R’n’B trade at the Arts Centre.

Friday brings glad tidings for fans of the Thin White Duke as five-piece band Absolute Bowie set up shop at the 12 Bar. Here they will be recreating songs such as Ashes to Ashes and Life on Mars, as well as some songs that haven’t been made into hit TV cop shows.

Loaded Promotions have a choice selection up at The Victoria with The City Riot, Optimus Crime, Mis-Led and Tommy Galati…that lad gets everywhere.

The place to be tonight, for my money, is The Rolleston to catch national treasures 2 Sick Monkeys play their sweary, humour-packed, musically-tight punk drum and bass. Support comes in the form of the newly-augmented heroes of countrycore, Diablo 13.

Meanwhile, downstairs at the Furnace, Angel Eyes Promotions have assembled an awesome line up of granite hard music, relentless rhythms, uncompromising attitudes and some quite impressive beards.

Godsized spearhead this onslaught with their big melodic metal while local lads Eye For An Eye put their kicking anthems on display and show why good things are starting to happen for them. In the Absence of Light and Senturia complete the package.

Saturday, as is usual under Gordon Brown’s ironically conservative leadership, seems to be the bastion of the tribute acts.

At the 12 Bar, Faith No More are given the treatment and AC/DC will be reliving their glory days at Riffs Bar.

The most interesting of the bunch is Elvis vs. Bowie at the Victoria. If the Vic band doing Rebel Rebel or Teabo doing Burning Love is to your taste then you know where to go.

Sunday seems to add a touch of finesse to the musical week. At the Wyvern Theatre, the Oxford Philomusica will be playing a selection of Baroque favourites from Vivaldi, Telemann, Bach and Pachelbel’s canon in D, scientifically proven to be the second best piece of music in the classical field.

Following a much talked about show at Lydiard House last month, Shaun Buswell is pushing even further into orchestral territory with a 10-piece line up at the Victoria. Cello, violin, viola, piano, glockenspiel, bass and drums will augment this new take on the Buswell repertoire.

The sounds of the deep south will be filling The Beehive for the lunchtime session, courtesy of the Sons Of The Delta. Rootsy, street corner blues and back room folk Americana will be the order of the day. You could even take the tour, as it were, and catch the similar vibes of The Pignose Band at Wroughton’s Fox and Hounds later the same day.

Well, you can’t say there isn’t much to do this week. See you by the bar.