1,339 THE SHUDDERS, Jol Rose, Swindon The Tuppenny, Thursday 25th July 2024

The second week in a row up The Tuppenny for their “Thursday Night Music Club”, and this time it’s for country/ folk Swindon scene veterans The Shudders, arguably the ‘don’s answer to Buffalo Springfield or Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and of course featuring my good friend Tim on bass guitar. I’d not seen the boys since the inaugural “My Dad’s” Festival in August 2021 (gig 1,187) and since then Tim had been rehearsing again with his old 101 bandmate Andy Ashley, so I thought the next time I’d see him play, it would actually be with a reformed (and possibly renamed?) 101… However, this opportunity to catch an acoustic iteration of The Shudders presented itself, timed with Logan also playing a few of their tracks on his phone playlists of late, so why not, eh?

I picked Logan up from his gym sesh and parked up behind the Hop, greeting Tim and the rest of the band, plus a whole horde of Swindon gig folks (Paj and Avril, Paul, Andy, Dubs – even Beef rocked up later!), before grabbing a front row pew for opener Jol Rose. Another veteran of the Swindon music scene, albeit a gent I’d not seen “live” before, his buoyant solo acoustic guy shenanigans veered between seriously old school galloping Elvis/ Sun Records honky tonk rock’n’roll (opener “Bangalore Boogie” and a later “Two Ton Trixie”), occasional Lou Reed-esque laconic yet wallowing balladry (“All Alone Again”) and some 60’s Dylan-esque political protest essays (“Liars And Thieves” and “Palestine Free” both striking a chord), all delivered with oodles of strident harmonica and effervescent and chatty enthusiasm. So chatty in fact, that he had to cut a couple of songs from his set, but still finished with a rousing singalong to “We’re Gonna Make Some Hay”, a song about getting old and seizing the day, which I’m all up for. Overall, a fun opening set, despite the occasional tech issues (which Jol initially put down to something loose rattling around in his guitar!) from an entertaining performer and possible distant cousin – in Swindon, who knows for sure?! 

The Shudders then set up in fairly short order, and I showed them a pic of the first time I took Logan to a Shudders gig – May 2008 (gig 746), when my then 10-month-old son was perched on my shoulders! Introducing the band, Danny made reference to said pic, suggesting we re-enact it tonight. Not much chance of that…! The boys, seated line abreast, with drummer Jim atop his beatbox slightly behind vocalist Danny, eased into the repetitive hook and easy, melodic refrain of Byrds/ late period Teenage Fanclub-esque opener “Get Out Of Here”, setting the tone for tonight’s performance and thereafter commenting, “we’re going to destroy all the happiness Jol brought [to his set]!”, before the melancholy yet singalong “No Man’s Land”.

This was again an understated yet eminently melodic set from the boys, touching on all aspects on their canon but sensibly concentrating on the slower, more pensive 3-part harmony-driven 70’s Laurel Canyon folk/country rock-tinged material, more suited to this acoustic setting. However, I particularly enjoyed the bouncier and powerpoppy “Sorry”, initially abandoned (“brain fart!” admitted Liam) yet revisited later in the set, the unplanned, pub-wide rousing clap- and singalong to the Irish jig of oldie “Lost And Broke”, and the equally unplanned and pacier set closer “Words Of A Fool” (featuring a positively Smiths-esque middle 8 guitar break from Liam, according to Logan!), although the entire set was delivered with understated charm and bonhomie from the band, relaxed and at ease in front of friends and family.

Ed persuaded them back for an encore; not “Standing In The Rain” as constantly requested by one vocal punter, but the sprawling and widescreen sea shanty of “Mary’s Grace” (“[this encore is] so depressing you’ll wish we hadn’t bothered!”, Liam had remarked beforehand). A fine way to re-connect with The Shudders after an absence of a few years from my “Dance Card”, and nice to catch up with Tim and the boys. Quick compliments and farewells before a quick drive home after another fun “Tuppenny Thursday Night Music Club” evening out for Logan and myself!