1,286 B SYDES, Old Man Boom, Swindon The Tuppenny, Thursday 29th June 2023

 

A stellar gig June closes out with a local one! Up The Tupp’ for the first time in awhile (my first this year, in fact, the last being Si and Matt’s gig last July, gig 1,239!) to catch a solo acoustic set from “live” favourite Ben Sydes, this time being the 10^th such occasion! Potential for another, more significant landmark as well, but we’ll get on to that later… B Sydes’ set tonight was billed by the venue as “Contemporary and Authentic Folk Punk delivered with power, personality and purpose”; I certainly wouldn’t argue about the delivery, but for me there’s an edgier, angst-fuelled emo element to Ben’s music which differentiates him from his folky solo acoustic guy contemporaries, so I was happy to finally get the man into double figures in my “gigs seen” account tonight…

 Drove up the hill and hit the bar just after 8 for some entertaining rock chat with local gig entrepreneurs Ed Dyer and Dave Franklin, before taking a seat for support Old Man Boom just before 8.30. Opening with a “love letter” to 70’s cheesy crooner Demis Roussos, his set then centred more on darker subject matter such as witches and serial killers (to be fair, the man pre-warned us with, “if you don’t like dark things… this isn’t the set for you”) played with a stark, deadpan delivery and a battered banjo. Unfortunately, it appeared said instrument wasn’t the only battered thing in his set; a sea-shanty esque “Hail Satan” (his clergy grandma’s least favourite song, unsurprisingly) required a few stops for Mr. Boom to remember lyrics, and it appeared an all-day drinking sesh with Ben earlier was taking its' toll. It reminded me of a similar all-dayer in my beer-soaked 20’s, after which I attempted to play badminton in the evening! I held my own for a couple of sets but by the end was helplessly flailing around, and despite a more coherent closer and much goodwill from the audience, it sadly felt Old Man Boom was doing the same. Hopefully next time I catch him (no worries, there will be a next time), he’ll be a little more together…

 

I grabbed another drink then ran into my old footy buddy John, out on a college “do”, before also catching up with gig friend Joanna and re-taking my house left spot for B Sydes’ headlining set just before 9.30. If Ben was feeling the effects of any earlier imbibing with Old Man Boom, however, it certainly didn’t show at all, as from the off he was relaxed, urbane and at ease, interacting frequently and entertainingly with the full and lively crowd, particularly the front table which included his tour mate (and of course another “live” favourite of mine) Gaz Brookfield, his lady wife Angela and guests. This one was a rescheduled show from last November (“I got the big bad”, according to Ben), and he was in the mood to make up for lost time; openers “5 Minutes” and “Crutches” were both tense and taut, an angular “All At Sea” saw Gaz and mates circle moshing in their seats (!), and “This Was My City Once”, despite Ben being distracted by boy racers outside, was a melancholy and understated singalong, Ben ramping up the passion for a more strident middle 8.

 However, a new number completely stole the show for me; unnamed at present (“B.O.B” on the list – Ben did mention what the initials stood for, but discretion prevents me from telling you), it was a fast paced, sinister and dramatic exposition about the post-Covid reclamation of “live” events, bringing out Ben’s best and most impassioned vocal delivery of the night. Great stuff, a number I’d really love to hear with a full band (hint, hint…). Ben then bolted on the harmonica, snarkily quipping, “first time at a gig is it?” at Gaz, who knocked his mic-stand on his way outside for a smoke (!) before another singalong to “The Desperate Dance”. Then the dissonant and menacingly moody “Still In Saigon” ended the set proper, Ben subsequently returning to big up Mr. Brookfield’s merchandise (Ben having sported a “Land Pirate” cap for this gig instead of his standard woolly tea cosy) prior to an entirely apposite “Good Times”, another rousing singalong closing out a performance full of great tunes and good times.

 

As for the more “significant” landmark, that came afterwards as Ben handed me his set and signed it with a gold sharpie I’d brought along for the occasion – said occasion being my 1,000^th set-list! Ben seemed genuinely pleased that his list achieved this honour, but after his performance tonight it was well deserved. Brief chats with the man, plus Gaz, before I bade farewell to all and sundry before heading off down the hill and home. A damn fine evening up the ‘Tupp, courtesy of B Sydes, to round off a splendid gigging June!