1,426 SWINTERFEST 2026, Swindon The Hop and The Victoria, Thursday 29th and Friday 30th January 2026

 

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!

1,420 MEZZANINE, Ursa Way, Swindon The Victoria, Thursday 11th December 2025

 

Before Abstraction Engine, before Raze* Rebuild, before Nudy Bronque, The Shudders, even You Are Here, there was 101… The first “local” band (i.e. from Swindon, unsigned and largely plying their trade around the pubs and occasionally clubs of the town) that I properly took notice of – indeed the first such band to merit a gig blog entry in their own right! – 101 were a post-grungy mix of strident guitar noise, quiet/ loud Pixies-ish dynamics and a clutch of fine hooks to boot, more than enough to attract me along to attend a half dozen of their mid-90’s sets. The fact that my close friend (and subsequent Best Man at mine and Rachel’s wedding) Tim strummed the low notes for the band was an added bonus! Their journey however came to an end in Autumn 1997 (gig 362), vocalist/ guitarist and songwriter Andy Ashley deciding to “give it a rest”, with the loose intention of reviving the band under a new guise in future. Didn’t think it would take 28 years and an apparent chance meeting between Andy and Tim in a field (!) for this to happen, but still…

A few rehearsals and one false start later, the band – now rebadged as Mezzanine – were finally ready for launch, booking their first gig “proper” (one run-through in Andy’s barn notwithstanding!) at the Vic on a dank and drizzly Thursday. So I drove up the hill and hit the venue about ¼ to 8, meeting Tim plus the boys from his “other” band The Shudders, who’d turned up for moral support. Renewed acquaintances with Andy and met drummer Simon, who’d apparently also drummed for The Dollyrots (although not at that landmark BFS support gig in 2016, gig 974 and Logan’s first gig!). This took us to 8.30 and openers Ursa Way; their first gig as well, apparently, this painfully young bunch were billed as Britpop-inspired, and their material reflected this, with a couple of dull Oasis plodders for starters before a better and more upbeat “Chasing The Sun”. Fair play to them for giving it a go as a band, as Shudders drummer Jim noted, but they lost several points for me due to their “Swindon Shit-town”, which seemed unnecessarily white-privilege whiney. Guys, if you don’t like your town, do something about it, create a scene, whatever, don’t just moan about it!

Anyway, they and many of their college mates laudably stuck around for Mezzanine, as did the Shudders guys plus Tim’s sister Michelle and her mates, arriving just on the witching hour of 9.30. So a hardy score or so welcomed opener “Turn It Up”, a startling sleazoid opener with an almost Cramps/ Iggy/ 70’s NYC growling primitive punk hook, setting the tone for this early set selection. “Staring At The Sun” was an early highlight for me, almost Doors-like albeit through a slight 80’s Goth filter, before a muffled weird radio transmission heralded 101 oldie “Freon 5”, the slow-burn intro build to a riff-heavy, grungy crescendo more how I’d remembered 101’s musical template, Andy’s comment of, “we used to play together back in the day a bit,” referencing those times. 

So, a slight departure/ development of the band’s sound to these ears at least, perhaps, but this was still a dynamic, hard-edged yet tuneful alt-rock set as expected, delivered with the hoped-for power and purpose of old, and also a surprising level of cohesion, if their claims of only having practised a couple of times this year (!) was anything to go by. A shout out from Andy to follow them on the usual socials (which clearly worked, given that their facebook following subsequently rocketed up from single figures to 32!) preceded the massive chorus of oldie “Alien”; “Down By The Ocean” was the poppiest number of the night, featuring an almost “I Am The Resurrection” drumbeat and a particularly strident vocal from Andy; and after an unplanned, herky jerky “Aspirin”, the heavily reworked best number “Lycra” (formerly “Like Your…”) was tremendous, a rampant four-to-the-floor powerpop anthem and a serious contender for my top track of 2025 (oh yes!), closing out a splendid, well rocking 40 minutes.

So, overall a triumphant return for these 90’s favourites in their new identity. Chats and compliments afterwards before I hit the road, promising to return for more Mezzanine shenanigans in the new year – their appearance at January’s SwinterFest at the Vic, for starters! After sadly waving goodbye to a “live” staple in October Drift last time out (gig 1,319), the return of this old favourite to my gig itinerary, albeit under a new guise and slightly different sonic template, is very much a development to be welcomed. Happy to have you back, chaps!