Sounds Around Town with Dave Franklin (From Swindon Advertiser)

Sounds Around Town with Dave Franklin

10:45am Thursday 25th February 2010 in

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Last week the musical spotlight fell on one of the most compact and bijou of local venues. This week we are at the other end of the scale with one of the few dedicated venues in the town centre.

The 12 Bar is a venue first and a bar second, opening only when there is a gig on, though this is most nights of the week anyway. The likes of Frank Turner and Newton Faulkner have trodden its boards, as well as old favourites such as The Beat, Hazel O’Connor and The Damned. It’s capacity of 350 means it can pull in young name bands also, established acts plying their trade on the retro circuit, top tribute acts as well as the pick of the local talent.

I’m not a big tribute act fan but there is one band that I always try to catch as they pass through - Limehouse Lizzy. Not only do they do an uncanny job of looking like Dublin’s finest, musically they nail it as well. In a post Phil Lynott world, this band have become essential in keeping great music alive, The 12 Bar is a good place to be tonight.

There is a bit of a coup up at The Vic as darlings of the indie scene, This Town Needs Guns, grace its stage weaving an intricate balance of indie rock, catchy pop and clever song writing. Support comes in the form of a welcome return for The Alfonz, and Sailors kick the night off.

The Beehive is offering something a bit different also as Akahum deliver what they call their dreamy dub brain massage or (in English) high energy dance vibes, for your delectation. The Rolleston has Sleepyhouse Corner, whose name belies their harder edge, likened to a blend of Crazy Horse, The Stooges and System of a Down…intriguing! Tonight is rounded off by a metal onslaught at the Furnace with The Argent Dawn, Traitor Born and Ruins of Earth.

Head out on Friday for the following range of stellar entertainment. Riffs Bar is all about the rock funk thing as Dressed to Kill hove into view with The Stanley Blacks in tow, an act that none other than Rick Buckler said was the “best band to come out of Woking since the Jam”. High praise indeed. Dinosaur Pursuit fire off the opening musical salvo.

A selection of the local bright young things play at The Furnace - The Screaming Gypsies, Diversion, The Costellos and Patchwork Prophets will be showcasing their musical moves, while upstairs at The Rolleston Funkinsteins blend funk grooves, rock drive and dance beats into a Faith No More meets Sylvester mutation.

More young rising stars at the Victoria come in the shape of the modish indie trailblazers Napoleon in Rags, the pacey high octane groove of The Vegas and the dance-fuelled rock of regular hosts The City Riot. If beards are more your thing, then the 12 Bar has a tribute to Texas trio ZZ Top.

If there seems to have been a deficiency of punk music recently, head down to The Furnace on Saturday for a night lead by Who Shot Who?, a band made up of ex-members of Goldblade and Strawberry Blondes. Local legends The Charred Hearts support, with Rebel City Radio and young upstarts Elwood warming the crowd up. More raucous guitar work is at The Queen’s Tap courtesy of Trickbabies.

Welsh quartet The Automatic are at the 12 Bar on Tuesday. Not only label mates of the likes of Primal Scream and Kaiser Chiefs but promising some hyperactive, indie post-punk they will be supported by Straight Lines and Authors.

My final recommendation of the week is not a gig but Commonweal School’s Haiti Appeal CD. Featuring four young vocal talents, the single is not only a brilliant piece of work it is for a very worthy cause. Available for a small donation from the school finance office.

Get one today.