1,179 EXTC, Swindon The Victoria, Tuesday 10th March 2020

This one was thrown into my “Spring Dance Card” as a last-minute extra… and an enticing one too! Following the 2017 semi-“reunion” of former XTC stalwarts Colin Moulding and Terry Chambers in their TC&I project, which yielded a suitably Beatles-esque, smooth and lushly melodic EP, and, surprisingly, a slew of immediately sold-out Autumn 2018 gigs at Swindon’s tiny Arts Centre (one of which I got along to, in the process righting a couple of wrongs – see gig 1,113 for details!), it seemed that Moulding’s subsequent proclamation that he was done after the shows put paid to any further activity. However, Chambers, a couple of years removed from his return from Australia, still has the “live” bug, it seems, and with the recruitment of a couple of the TC&I wingmen and a couple of other local muso types – and, just as importantly, the blessing of his former bandmates Moulding, Gregory and even the famously reclusive Partridge – thus was birthed this new project “EXTC”, apparently the only suitable name for it, again according to Mr. Partridge!

So, when they announced a “warm-up” gig at Swindon’s own Victoria back room (“warm up” for what, I wonder… only one other date thus far…) I paused briefly on account of my already hectic March, before ultimately going for it. The only gigs to regret are the ones you miss, and all that… Rich May had already booked, happy that this gig fell on an “off day” on his new shift pattern, so I picked him up and we headed up the hill, parking behind the Roaring Donkey and wandering in, immediately noting the number of guitars racked up onstage, plus the size of Chambers’ kit, making the already-small Vic stage look really cramped!

The place was pretty rammed for the introduction of EXTC at just before 8.30, but we managed to find a spot house left, as TC&I stalwart Steve Tilling, all angular, tousled and wild-eyed and the de facto onstage leader and rabble-rouser, led the band into the off-kilter rhythm and clipped, staccato hook of (very) oldie “This Is Pop”, followed by the languid, meandering bass of a similarly vintage “Statue Of Liberty”. Great openers – they can stay in this XTC era for as long as they want, I remarked to Rich!

The mix was very clear despite Tilling’s concerns (an early sound-related comment of, “I’ve got organ in my ear!” prompting titters), the 5-piece band were clearly all accomplished in their particular art, and Tilling in particular was a fine frontman, constantly exhorting the packed crowd to sing along to these oh-so well-known numbers, whilst fairly authentically replicating Andy Partridge’s idiosyncratic, West Country round-vowel vocals. But it was, inevitably, Chambers who was the centre of attention, his hard-hitting drums the main feature, underpinning and propelling this splendid EXTC set. “Towers Of London” was marvellously louche and lazy, “Wonderland” more pastoral, hazy and Summery, “Big Day” featured some excellent psych-guitar from Tillings’ fellow guitarist/vocalist (and a man with more than a passing resemblance to Dave Gregory!) Matt Backer, but it was the excellent, acerbic backbeat of “No Thugs In Our House” that proved the first set’s standout (although, surprisingly, a lushly harmonic descending melody of an almost Gigolo Aunts-like “Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead”, which closed out the first 50 minutes, ran it close!).

A short pause, then the band were back on at 10 to 10, the second set drawing a little more from the latter, more crafted and Beatles-esque XTC albums, opening with a fine Tilling vocal for a stripped-back, guitar and keys only “Dear God” before a bouncy, singalong “Sgt. Rock” and, “a powerpop song about real estate!”, namely “Earn Enough”, which The Pills famously covered during their Swindon gig back in 2004 (gig 634!). “Mayor Of Simpleton” and “Respectable Street” were bouncy pop gems, although the subsequent “Generals And Majors” could have done with more of that pulsating bass sound to propel it along. No matter, I still loved the speeded-up finale…! An inevitable and slightly messy “Making Plans For Nigel” finished the set, before a 3-song encore fittingly concluded with the highlight of the night, “Life Begins At The Hop”, over 40 years old but still bright, brilliant and ridiculously fun, the band taking a bow at the end, bringing Chambers to the fore for a deserved ovation.

A lengthy wait for someone – anyone! – to come back onstage afterwards finally netted me a set-list… well, part, at least! Dropped Rich off and back at midnight, after a splendid EXTC celebration of XTC. So, well and truly warmed-up, we await what EXTC will do next with interest and anticipation!