12:00pm Monday 3rd October 2005
TWO Israelis have made a pilgrimage from Tel Aviv to Swindon to join XTC fans at The Meeting Place 2005.
Orit and Ofer Freeland, both 50, have been diehard fans of the Swindon band for over 15 years and decided to make a second visit to the town this year to meet other fans at the special three-day convention.
Mrs Freeland said: "XTC are not big in Israel. In fact, most of our friends think that we're crazy. We wanted to come to Swindon to share the experience."
The couple are part of an XTC fans' forum, and join other visitors travelling from as far away as Australia and Japan.
Last night there was a celebration of XTC's music in the Crossways Suite of the Moonrakers Pub, with XTC collaborator Martin Newell and up and coming XTC tribute band The Fuzzy Warblers entertaining the crowd. Tonight the tribute band XsTatiC will perform at the Furnace in Commercial Road.
Other events include a charity auction of rare XTC memorabilia and music, a bus trip to Uffington White Horse, an XTC pub trivia quiz and a special XTC karaoke.
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