Sounds Around Town.... with Dave Franklin (From Swindon Advertiser)

Sounds Around Town.... with Dave Franklin

9:03am Thursday 4th February 2010

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Those in the know will already be aware of a very special forth birthday this week. Yes, that’s right, the world’s first major steel bridge, the Forth Railway Bridge is 120 years old next month. Construction began in . . . wait a minute, these are the wrong notes. Start again.

The fourth birthday in question is for that collection of music fixated bar flies known as Songs of Praise. For the uninitiated, although they merely describe themselves as “blokes who play records”, they have actually been quite a presence in promoting live music and hosting club nights for… well, four years now.

To celebrate they are bringing the pick of their past crop together tonight for a pretty special show at their base of operations, The Victoria.

The main draw is Matthew Kilford, known for his spellbinding performances, whaich are built as much on anticipation and atmospherics as they are on the actual music.

Back from maternity leave, it’s good to see Matilda gracing the stage once more. If ethereal folk vibes and delicate jazz-pop is your sort of thing, then this is for you.

To balance all of this gentle finesse, the opening band is The Dacoits. They are all about brooding, emotive rock that mixes mood, melody and maniacal guitar breaks, plus there is the chance to pick up a copy of their brilliant debut album.

Stiff competition is to be found at the Beehive in the form of Mr Love and Justice. It’s not often that politically aware, historically themed, pastoral pop rears its head, so I definitely recommend checking this band out and help them in their quest to become farmers for fifteen minutes, to use Andy Warhol’s often misquoted adage.

That would normally be enough to choose from on a Thursday night in any medium sized ex-railway town, but you really have some difficult decisions to make tonight. It’s all about pop with attitude down at the 12 Bar as Doll and the Kicks strut into town with local rising stars Napoleon In Rags in tow and the charismatic Studio Arcade opening the night.

The Rolleston also gets in on the act with the brilliant Muse-esque rock of Mortdelamer. One day, four venues, eight bands . . . not bad.

Friday still has some great music to offer, not least the Hamsters at the 12 Bar. Long established as one of the best original live blues-rock bands around, for this show, however, they have chosen to play a set comprising solely of Hendrix and ZZ Top numbers, but their panache is such that this will still be one of the best shows you’ll see this year.

Riff’s bar is offering more rock tributes, this time to Bryan Adams playing all his great songs, as well as Everything I Do. Sorry, but for me hearing that song is just below DIY drug free, wisdom-tooth extraction on the list.

Most of Saturday’s original music can be found at Riff’s Bar. The Riffstock Session is sort of a local equivalent to Later with Jools Holland. . . only without the budget and hosted by a long haired, dodgy glam rock guitarist. However, two stages will be offering wall to wall music from The Kulucchi March, The Alfonz, another outing for Napoleon in Rags, plus Luke DeSciscio and Nick Felix.

The best of the tribute bands comes in the form of Whole Lotta Led at the 12 Bar but you can catch great prog. rock covers from The Great Nothing at the Rolleston.

If something a bit more unpredictable is to your liking The Pepper Box club night at the Victoria features various DJs playing anything and everything.

Sunday is the day of rest, however if you want to enjoy a bit of infectious and poppy folk rock over a pint or two, Kola Koca at the Beehive afternoon slot might just be the ticket.

The week goes out with a bit of a bang too with Wednesday’s Acoustic Buzz at the Beehive, this time featuring dust-bowl Americana from The Ely Plains, the husky voiced and soulful vibes of Flo Rowlands and the folk and nu-country tones of Blind River Scare main man Tim Manning. Check shirts and Stetsons optional.

So there you have it, all I have to do now is re-write my essay on Scottish Railway Construction and Bob is indeed your mother’s brother.

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