A SERIES of logistical complications has left a bit of a hole where Thursday’s musical offerings should be, but Friday more than makes up for it, such as at The Castle, for instance, where Plummie Racket and The Dicemen spearhead a collection of local bands.

This line-up have been hinting at a slightly wider musical palette – sure, the punky, modish indie kick still lies at its core but latest EP Wait For Tomorrow shows that warped alt-dance vibes and more reflective acoustic numbers are not off limits either.

That collision of garage rock, punk and indie also runs through The Vooz musical veins whilst A Way With Words offer a darker, alt-rock vibe. Matt Bryant cool and classy acoustic creations open the night.

At The Beehive The Worry Dolls take folk and country, pop melodicism and roots vibes and blend them into wonderfully infectious and harmoniously glorious musical statements that lilt between southern bayous and English pastoral scenes. Support comes from the intriguingly named Canute’s Plastic Army, also a duo but one blending delicate acoustica with soaring, bluesy vocals.

Fans of Emo-leaning pop punk will want to head for The Victoria as Fell Out Boy pay tribute to their Chicago counterparts.

Depending on your viewpoint, Fall Out Boy of late are genre-fusing saviours or just a bit confused but dig into the back catalogue a bit and you’ll find a cracking CV.

As The Sun Sleeps will open the night with a smorgasbord of pop-punk covers.

Also paying tribute to the music they love, The Runaway Boys at The Rolleston recreate the neo-rockabilly and retro rock and roll glory days of Long Island’s heppest of felines, The Stray Cats.

For a wider spread of music and the ultimate party soundtrack delivered with skill and humour Interlight at The Groves Company Inn will tick all the right boxes.

Saturday sees the return of The Ramonas to The Victoria who, as the name suggests, are an all female Ramones clone.

If ever there was any doubt that girls can rock as hard as the boys then this band will cure you of such blinkered thoughts as a non-stop, full throttle, stream of short, sharp, shock-rock punk is delivered in suitable snarky and sweaty style.

Support comes from Oi and street punk wielding hooligans The Dirty Outlaws.

If you prefer your rock to follow more classic lines, Haxan, another bunch of loud, leather-clad female rockers, set out a neat biker rock stall at The Queens Tap, one that balances melody and grit in just the right amounts.

Andy Fairweather Low has been making sophisticated pop, rock and blues records since the mid sixties first with his own Amen Corner and later alongside all the greats from Eric Clapton to Roger Waters.

Accompanied by his Low Riders he comes to The Wyvern Theatre to run through a wide range of styles and genres that show case just what a wonderfully eclectic career he has had.

Similarly cool and dulcet sounds can be found at Level III as The Soultones, a seven-piece funk and soul outfit, cover everything from Stevie Wonder to Chic to Michael Jackson, whilst upstairs in The Rolleston, No Middle Ground offer a plethora of rock and indie covers.

And all-girl rock bands are a bit of the theme of the weekend as on Sunday at The Rolleston, IDestroy are back with a vengeance.

Since we last saw them in town, blowing a hole in last years Swindon Shuffle proceedings, they have certainly put the hours in gig wise so expect their rebranded line in late seventies New York garage rock to be even more potent, even more feisty, even more unmissable.

And finally as the karaoke chaos of Wacky Wednesday takes over the bar of The Victoria, in the venue below a piece of my own formative music history comes back to haunt me.

As a young music devourer of no fixed haircut and far reaching tastes, one of the bands I dedicated my gig going allowance to was a Scottish neo-prog outfit called Pallas.

Thirty odd years later and their ex-front man wanders into Swindon with hardly a mention. Alan Reed is currently touring his latest album, Honey On The Razors Edge, which combines the sweeping celtic grandeur of his debut album with the more intricate and harder lines of his work with Pallas and reminds at least one person that tempus does indeed fugit!