Sounds Around Town with Dave Franklin (From Swindon Advertiser)

Sounds Around Town with Dave Franklin

8:55am Thursday 5th August 2010 in

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After a summer of wandering around the local festival circuit, I have become convinced that folk music is the new rock and roll. Recent encounters with the likes of the indie/roots newcomers The Off Chance, the strange country and eastern vibes of Lavington Bound, the American stylings of Jim Lockley and the Solemn Sun and the more traditional strains of The Roving Crows have brought me to one conclusion. Folk music, once the bastion of pipe smoking Arran sweater wearers, has reached a level of acceptability, dare I say cool. Thanks to the likes of Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling, Bon Iver and the like, brown cable knit is the new black. With that in mind it is nice to see Coach back on the circuit, sporting a new line up and headlining at the Victoria tonight. With an eclectic blend of world sounds, from folk to jazz and everything between, they neatly underline my opening point.

Calne indie-funksters, The Street Orphans, support and opening the night is the welcome return of Si Hall. Robert Brown is at the Beehive and if the thought of a solo artist who sounds like Led Zeppelin making a folk album interests you, then this a must. Riffs Bar keep my argument on course with their Acoustic Sessions.

Elsewhere it’s all a bit ska-orientated with Truebeat and the brilliant BritSka sextet Popes of Chillitown at the 12 Bar and home-grown Reggae stars The Erin Bardwell Collective at The Rolleston.

Friday kicks off with a healthy dose of rock at the Furnace. Dead By Friday? celebrate their album launch with an in-your-face line up in the form of Avolution, The Porn Issue and Typecast. It’s all about worthy causes and worthwhile music at The Victoria in the form of an Air Ambulance Fund Raising night. Sleeping With Giants and The City Riot are the main acts, but for me it’s all about opening trio The Everyday Symphony – great indie pop.

The Detachments bring their unique brand of disenchanted to the 12 Bar, aided and abetted by ska punks Slagerij and the aforementioned Off Chance.

It’s Saturday, so it must be tribute band night. Absolute Bowie showcases the Thin White Duke’s career at the 12 Bar and Hi On Maiden are at Riffs, but for my money the one to watch is The New York Dolls tribute at the Furnace, especially as they are supporting Martin Degville’s Sigue Sigue Sputnik - not a patch on the original but a great blast of post punk nostalgia nonetheless.

If something a bit more sedate is your preference then visit the Pewsey Music Festival, if for no other reason than to catch Mr Love and Justice and their retro-pop-folk-socio-political-historical creations. The Swindon Bowl plays host to Bucks Fizz.

Currently touring the UK in support of my opening argument, antipodean folk pop rockers The Wishing Well bring their brilliant show to the Beehive Sunday afternoon session. Also at the Beehive, on Wednesday, are The Badass Cowboys. Inspired by the open badlands of…well Cheltenham, good whiskey and bad cider, this is country and western with its tongue set firmly in its cheek.

And finally, also on Wednesday, Riffs Bar has a new bands showcase with The Fixed, Lennox Cort, The Debuts and Chuck Co-stars.