IT’S a bit of a quieter than normal week ahead, either that or more venues and promoters than usual have gone into stealth mode to try and slip under the punters radar, after all you don’t want just anybody turning up, paying entrance fees and buying drinks, I mean where would it end?

A blossoming musical community? Bands earning a decent wage? Promoters staying at their jobs for more than six months? No-one want’s to see that, do they?

That said, looking into the future it looks like the next few months are going to see an upsurge in live gigging opportunities with at least one new venue opening (as mentioned last week) plus I also picked up on some online scouting for bands to play a yet undisclosed live music night.

We have always been a town where the band to venue ratio was seriously off kilter so maybe the next few months will see this addressed. The question is do we have the right bands to maintain the levels of quality and indeed the punters to fully support this possible creative bloom. Time will tell.

Okay, lets start out at Riffs Bar for a change and a show tonight aiming to raise money for two very worthy causes, Younite Outreach Project and Teenage Cancer Trust. The bill includes bands - Westways, Misfires, The Primaveras, a more stripped back set from Abbie Sims and Chris Stone plus Kate Musty and a number of other performers from the Academy of Music and Sound.

At The Victoria, Dredded Vyrus Promotions continue their quest to bring you the best in rock and metal with a show featuring the down tuned brutality of Old Boy and the progressive metal intricacies of Ursus. If that isn’t your cup of tea then Claude Bourbon’s wonderful mix of blues, jazz, folk, classical and flamenco guitar, at The Beehive, offers a more chilled alternative.

Friday sees one of Swindon’s prodigal sons return for a hometown show. After starting his musical career in a number of dodgy (didn’t we all?) punk-pop outfits he eventually found his musical identity in the more aggressive end of the burgeoning nu-folk movement and now is just as likely to be found opening for the likes of The Levellers or New Model Army as he is playing the regional venue circuit. Gaz Brookfield returns with his brilliant, trusty fiddle player Ben, a bag of great tunes, the on-stage energy of a teenager and a new album up for grabs. Joining him is The August List, a duo trading in stripped down roots and raw Americana plus Jake Martin and his punked up country vibes.

The Castle opts for the poignant social observations and insightful tunesmithing of Steve Leigh ‘s Kitchen Sink Dramas, music very much in the mould of Squeeze, Crowded House and the Bard of Barking himself, Billy Bragg. Music with a message in an age of commercialism and banality, very rare indeed.

The music of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford and the like is on the menu at The Rolleston with The Mike Hoddinott Blues Allstars but if something more in a rock, ska and punk vein is to your tastes then the answer will be found at Riffs Bar with RSvP.

Saturday is surprisingly quiet, (unless my opening joke about stealth gigs is actually ironically correct) but two top tributes are presented for your delectation. At The Victoria Before The Dawn pay tribute to Kate Bush’s mercurial musical career, a totally theatrical affair, as you would expect, backed up with flawless musicianship and that WOW factor…gedit?

And if that wasn’t enough, The Rolleston also has something a bit special with The First Raitt Band. Pun aficionados will have worked out that this is a tribute to legendary, flame-haired, bottleneck blues wizard Bonnie Raitt. A tough choice to be made that night for music fans.

And finally, mentions must go to The Hippie Club playing The Castle on Sunday and at The Roaring Donkey on Wednesday it is the welcome return of David Marx and his animated and engaging performance of emotive and lyrically astute songs.