Sounds around town with Dave Franklin (From Swindon Advertiser)

Sounds around town with Dave Franklin

5:10pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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Although a few weeks back I started spotlighting some of the finer music establishments in town, with more gigs going on this week than you could shake a stick like thing at, I’m going to dive straight in.

The Victoria will be rocking out tonight with two wholly original bands. Up from Bristol, Defacto promise soaring choruses and killer riffs, but it is their support, Syte and The Sound who sound really interesting. By mixing funk bass grooves, rock guitars, smart MCing, samples and sweeping electronic orchestration, they manage something totally genre fusing.

Also destined to raise the rafters, those awfully nice people at Monster Shark Promotions present a collection of local bands at Riffs Bar. Dark emotive rock courtesy of The Dacoits and Hotel 75’s post punk thrash out top the night with the quite brilliant Colorado and new kids on the block, Star Light City, kicking things off.

It’s all a bit Ska/Punk at the 12 Bar with New Riot, Kids Can’t Fly and Slagerij.

Elsewhere things are a bit more mellow with the wonderfully Waterboys-esque State of Undress dishing out Celtic flavoured roots rock at the Beehive and lap tapping guitarist Tony Haven at the Rolleston. Not bad for day one of our musical odyssey.

All the smart people will be at The Victoria on Friday as Old School Tie hit town to create what can best be described as a Rave being orchestrated by a full on live band. In tow are Lunarians, who will be mixing dreamy post rock soundscapes with infectious dance beats.

Riffs Bar is offering an alternative in the form guitar shedding, highly original, twelve bar blues from Marcus Malone, a man favourably compared to no less than Paul Rogers, whilst there is more blues and classic rock standards at The Rolleston with Corinthian Casuals.

Okay then….Saturday, tribute band, cover band, here we go. There was a bit of a buzz a year or so ago with the emergence of Twisted Wheel and their lad-rock sub-punk workouts. For me they are a bit of an Oasis by numbers, with just too many of the prime numbers missing, but some people like that and you can catch them at the 12 Bar. The Alfonz and Napoleon in Rags are the real sweeteners on this bill.

Sunday sees your chance to catch great music and help raise money for a good cause. The UndeRAGE gig features not only the cream of the younger bands in town - The Costellos and Diversion to name but two - but is also to raise money for the Goldenhars Family Support Group. It has been pointed out that the wanton use of capitalisation in the title has caused some confusion; it must be stressed that this event is no way related to the RAGE night at the Furnace, where bearded chaps play loud and shouty CDs to a gathering of black clad minions. This is a much more worthy cause and takes place at the 12 Bar.

It may seem that this week’s column is a bit 12 Bar-o-centric but I assure you no money has changed hands (hint!). It’s just that there are some great acts coming up. Like the brilliantly virtuosic Urban Folk Quartet on Monday - world music with a rock groove, technical playing and a unique musical concept. What’s not to like? And we continue with a folk theme as the week plays out with the legendary Jethro Tull at the Wyvern Theatre.

But for me the big catch of the week is The Men They Couldn’t Hang on Wednesday ….ok, yes, at the 12 Bar (I should be on commission by now).

If you can imagine a band playing lyrically historic, infectious, folk rock whilst being possessed by the spirit of The Clash you only start to get close to how good these guys are. What better way to spend St Patrick’s Night?

Final mention of the week goes the Hub, who play two gigs of upbeat, rocked out folk to help the Guinness flow. Catch them at The Castle in Old Town in the afternoon and Wroughton Fox and Hounds in the evening.