Sounds around town with Dave Franklin

Thousands of years later a small man in very tall hat decided to build a railway works outside a rural town in North Wiltshire.

Eleven years ago the final stage of this on-going covert project was realised and The Swindon Shuffle was born, a celebration of the original end of the (mainly) local music circuit; a showcase of a scene which, even in these difficult times for art and creativity, continues to punch above its weight.

I apologise in advance that this column will obviously be loaded in favour of Shuffle activities but as most weeks the balance leans towards the tribute and the pre-owned (see also “safe space,” “Spotted Richard” and “alternative fact,”) end of the music spectrum, just consider this an annual game of catch-up.

That said, even without the Shuffle activities, tonight has plenty to offer.

At its worst, the term pagan music usually means a bunch of black clad Buffy fans singing clichéd goth-metal, at its best it is a celebration of the history, myth and music of the pre-Christian tradition.

Thankfully Damh the Bard falls squarely into the latter, so for a damh good time (geddit?) head to The Victoria tonight.

At The Queen’s Tap you can catch The Rock Bottoms, classic from the 50s onwards with some occasional treats in the form of songs by the bands they have been part of in the past, namely Merrymouth and Ocean Colour Scene.

And for those about to Shuffle…

The Castle provides the noisier end of the spectrum with a gathering of the young indie scene, Shore, GETRZ, BGTO (the new space saving moniker of Break Glass To Open) with Misfires rounding off the night.

Something more acoustic driven can be found at The Tuppenny.

Emily Jane Sheppard and man of the moment Bradley Cowtan provide the solo acoustic vibe whilst True Strays headline with a set of raw and raucous roots, boisterous blues and frantic folk tunes.

Friday sees the event really move into a higher gear.

The Castle is the place for fans of the loud and shouty, as well as economy sized punk bands as drum and bass duos Downard, Gagreflex and 2 Sick Monkeys all feature with My Social Decline and Raze*Rebuild offering some muscular, alt-rock interludes.

At The Victoria, The Sulks kick off a night of wonderful eclecticism, a real collection of bands who are pushing boundaries and creating the sounds of tomorrow.

Saint Loe deal in harmony driven acoustic pop rock, Bradley Cowtan appears again, this time in full band mode, and Enrosadira match progressive rock intricacies with pop sensibilities.

Heading the night is Diagonal People, less a band, more an art movement and here weaving r’n’b grooves, overdriven Zappa-esque urges, squalling post-punk experimentations, classical subversions, broken synth pop and everything in between.

Non-Shufflers looking for music more familiar to their ears will find a lot to like at Groves Company Inn as that eight-legged groove machine Interlight go about their business of creating the perfect party soundtrack.

If something based on a rock vibe is called for then Darren Hunt’s solo show at The Swiss Chalet or Emergency banters full band debut at The Queen’s Tap will be the answer.

There are plenty of options available to the discerning rocker on Saturday as well.

Rorke’s Drift cover all the bases at The Swiss Chalet, from the intense Wagnerian-rock of Metallica to the rock-light anthems of Bon Jovi.

Meanwhile, One Chord Wonders deliver a sonic history of punk, from the earnest and political Clash to the gimmicky and fun Vapours with ventures into NYC’s street rock and post-punk spin offs at The Moonrakers.

That dysfunctional gang known as W.A.M. bring a raft of ska and punk tunes to Groves Company Inn and a whole range of guitar driven loveliness can be had at The Queens Tap courtesy of The Hyperbolics.

Before we get back into Shuffle mode, it should be noted that from 12pm The Old Town Festival has a day of music to wrap up their week of festivities at The Bowl.

All musical boxes are ticked, from covers with Lads, Lads, Lads and Fizz to tributes thanks to Shadows of Santana and The Pre-Fab Four, from rock with Darren Hunt to indie with The Sulks.

Folklaw, Shore and The Good Times also appear and it is all put to bed with The Britpop Boys tribute to the mid 90s predominant music scene.

The Shuffle can be found in three places on Saturday.

The Tuppenny goes for chilled and experimental, Nick Felix, Oli Norman and Dreuw providing the former and Grass Goblin and Moleville the latter.

The Beehive rocks things up with the dynamic soundscapes of Familiars, the raw indie punk of Cupcake Diaz and The Felt Tip Pens and the odd, sultry grooves and insect fixations of Sex Jazz.

Fans of alt-pop and dance driven music have their session as well, found at The Victoria and featuring chilled loop driven acoustica from Alex Taylor, Hail, the haunting beautiful and distilled essence of previous incarnation, Polar Front, and Catgod’s blend of dream-pop and R’n’B.

Rocksteady and ska stalwarts The Erin Bardwell Collective and those purveyors of groovesome, pop driven hip-hop The Tribe then take the party into top gear.

Sunday at The Shuffle is a time for swapping this years anecdotes, comparing musical notes and putting the weekend to bed with one last session before you all go home for tea and medals.

The afternoon starts at The Tuppenny, Steve Cox blends political folk with acid tinged pop, The Hall Brothers appear in a rare acoustic mode, Canute’s Plastic Army wander blues and pop roads with both musical deftness and vocal prowess and Ruby Confue is back in town to finish the session off with her wonderful mix of sunshine pop, R’n’B and soul.

As always The Beehive is your final destination with acoustic solo sets from Tamsin Quin, Jim Blair and Buswell, before Black Sheep Apprentice, The Shudders and Kid Calico and The Astral Ponies take things into more alt-country territory.

So there we are and please remember to use The Shuffle in the spirit it was intended, the clue is in the name, the idea is to wander between the venues, catch old musical friends but just as importantly make new musical acquaintances. It is about random encounters and new experiences and if you are the sort of person who asks, “what time is (insert band name here) on” then maybe train spotting might be a better career move.