I am resolved this year to get out more locally, take a bit more interest in the Swindon music scene, hopefully with the help of a certain reformed 90’s indie-rock rabble…! Anyway, a pretty decent opportunity to make an early start on this resolution came in the shape of Swinterfest; the brainchild of Swindon Shuffle impresario Ed Dyer, this is effectively the Shuffle’s Winter younger brother, showcasing local musical talent and raising money for the Prospect Hospice in the process. And the debut appearance at this years ‘fest of the aforementioned reformed 90’s rabble ensured a debut appearance from me as well!
But I skip ahead; my first Swinterfesting came on Thursday evening, as I joined the early comers just after 7.45 in the upstairs room of The Hop, for some lower key acoustic shenanigans to ease myself in. As I arrived, Chippenham native MAC LLOYD was working through some 70’s inflected bluesy folk with some tape loop rhythmic backing. A vibe slightly at odds with his evident youth, he was nonetheless an engaging opener. I then ran into gig friend Jo for a catch up, before she took her floor seated spot and I squirmed forward for my reason for attendance tonight, namely FLO AND THE ESCAPE LANE, on at 8.30. Flo, daughter of course of “live” fave of mine, the excellent Nick Parker, weaved a gossamer-light set of her own compositions around the centrepiece of an excellent cover of Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work”, which positively glowed under Flo’s interpretation. Backed ably by her 2-piece band, including Nick’s partner in crime John Hare, this was a delicately delivered yet absorbing half-hour set from the odd-socked Flo, recalling the likes of Cowboy Junkies’ hushed incandescence or Madder Rose’s slower alt-country moments, and made me make a mental note to turn up early for her set supporting her dad here in March.
Old
posse mate Rog turned up so we caught up, before Ed introduced “local legends”
MR. LOVE AND JUSTICE to the stage. Mainman Steve Cox, a mate of Rog’s and a
veteran local musical presence, introduced, “the superannuated section of the
evening; bus pass rock!” but along with his 2 equally accomplished sidekicks, delivered
some highly melodic and well-constructed tuneage, variously recalling the
smooth mellow 70’s vibe of Stealer’s Wheel, or the more Beatles-influenced and
pastoral latter-day XTC. “Welcome To our Garden” was, oddly enough, a Rupert
Lowe diss track (!) with a subtle protest undercurrent recalling Ian Prowse’s
work, and closer “What If” was the most strident and rocking number of a very
entertaining set, delivered with verve and humour by the gregarious Cox. The
first time I’d seen this lot “live”, disgracefully, but hopefully not the last…
So this took me up to just after 10, and a chat with Dubs and Paul Carter while
the headliners set up. But I decided on an early night instead, so bade
farewell, bumping into Rog and neighbour Steve on the way out, to end my
Swinterfest Day 1!
I had company for Day 2, as Logan and boyfriend Kristian joined me for an early start to the more rock-orientated Friday programme. However we arrived at 7 to find a slight delay in proceedings, so chatted with Tim and Andy before openers SUNKATS. A group of veteran covers band musos, apparently, their stock-in-trade was more 70’s twiddly prog and 80’s proto hair metal, like ZZ Top without the beards as Andy put it! Well played, sure, but not my thing. But then my “thing” was next up…
Happily,
a decent crowd had gathered for MEZZANINE, on at 8, and Logan, Kristian and I
had pitched up at the front, house left. Opener “Turn It Up” was a rampaging
statement of intent, a sleazoid new wave anthem played with ferocious
conviction, volume… and pace! “The Clause” was a psych/ punk collision and both
“Staring At The Sun” and a later “Alien” had propulsive push’n’shove rhythmic
nods to the likes of Five Thirty and even The Jam. Prior to that, “Satellite”
was a swaggering Stones-like strut, and the Stone Roses backbeat of “Down By
The Ocean” was excellent, the most polished and hookiest number in their
current set, getting Logan and I rocking out and singing along.
“I can’t believe this is our last song already!” exclaimed an incredulous Andy before closer “Like Your Lycra”, recalling the reaction of another singer, after another superb and equally lightning-fast set, namely Stacy Jones at the end of American Hi-Fi’s Reading 2001 turn (gig 526). “Lycra” itself was a brilliant breathless power-chord propelled punk-pop punctuation point to another fine Mezzanine set, the band continuing to pick up virtually seamlessly after a 30-odd year pause from their 101 days!
Logan
and Kristian headed off then, but I was in for the long-haul tonight! Next up
was CAREFUL, SPIDER, a 4-piece who came recommended by the esteemed Mr. Geoffrey
Head. Their opener “The Line” was a lengthy and metronomic layered backbeat
Space/ Krautrock creature, with some interesting shoegaze/ post-punk guitar
overlays (I swore I heard a “She’s Lost Control” riff there briefly…!). The subsequent
2 numbers were equally spacious, meandering things, with slow-burn, almost bleak
and eerie openings building to noisier crescendos, and set closer “Anomie” gained
momentum and speed throughout, again building to a dramatic denouement. Intriguing
stuff from a band I’d certainly check out again.
Not sure about the next 2 though; a fiddly set up involving multiple amps and banks of keys delayed the arrival of DREAMWEAPON, who arrived onstage to a stark C&W backing track extolling the virtues of Satan (!). Their oeuvre could best be described as screamo Country, which was painful on the ears for me, so after 1 number Tim and I retreated to the bar. Back in for the subsequent BOSS CLOTH, as Tim grabbed his gear and headed off, but again they weren’t my cup of tea, their heavy pounding riffs and in-your-face half growled, half rapped vocal delivery giving me serious nu-Metal/ Rage Against The Machine flashbacks. Not for me, so again I sought refuge in the bar, chatting to Beef and his mate Jaz, and then catching up with occasional gig buddy Paul from Chiseldon!
This
actually brought us up to 11 p.m. (!) and tonight’s headliners, the
hotly-tipped I SEE ORANGE (Ed actually introducing them as his tip for the next
band to, “break out from Swindon”!). A 3-piece fronted by Giselle, a tiny yet
striking Mexican brunette who apologised for any huskiness in her voice, the
legacy of a cold, she led her charges into opener “Allow Me”, an acerbic heavy yet
hooky grunge-a-thon overlaid by her distinctive vocal, which veered from an
atonal Sioux-alike dismissive drone to a Courtney Love scalded howl. This set
the tone for a dynamic, hard-riffing set of robust 90’s post-grunge rockers,
variously recalling Love’s band Hole, the smoother insouciance of Veruca Salt,
and (inevitably, but as I always say, clip clops = horse) Nirvana. Giselle herself
was an engaging frontperson, politely introducing each song with, “we’re going
to play [this] for you now,” and explaining the premise behind most numbers. “Di
Melo”, sung half-Spanish, half English, was an early highlight; newie “Obsessed”
featured a hookier chorus; and whilst a couple of mid-set numbers seemingly
merged into each other under all the power chords, closer “Mental Rot” was the set
highlight, a sturdy Veruca Salt hooky banger with a more upbeat mood. A little musical
variation might be nice, but I’m being picky here; this was a fine set played
with power and purpose from a very promising band who I’d happily see again and
again, and who may well prove Ed right…
That concluded Saturday’s events, so I bade farewell to all and sundry then hit the road home. Family arrangements precluded my attendance for the remainder of the weekend, but I’d seen what I wanted to, and also added a couple of extra bands to my local viewing list. So, an entirely satisfying Swinterfest for me; resolution well and truly under way!
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