The Sonic Hitch-Hikers Guide to The Shuffle by The Night Writer (he only writes at night)

I was looking at the dearth of information that stood where the next few month’s gig listings should have been, and I suggested to my erstwhile editor, Sir Roget Clinton-Cards, that I had just enough information to write a “here’s what you recently missed” column. He, in turn, suggested that I ask for my old job back at the Adver, so we agreed to disagree. But while scratching through the scant information advertising such joys as a solo performer called The ABBA Experience (so just the A then?)at The Murderers Arms and a classic rock band who perform “everything from Aerosmith to ZZ Top” (don’t they all?) I realized this year’s Swindon Shuffle falls into this issue’s calendrical remit. Hallelujah…something to write about!

For those out of the loop, the Swindon Shuffle is a long weekend of original music set in and around the venues and bars, cafes, and corners of, mainly, Old Town. At 18 years in, it is a brilliant showcase of the town’s original music scene and a brilliant example of the evolution and fluidity needed for such an event to move with the times. Over the years, the line-up has, obviously, changed every year, but so have the venues, the charities who benefit, the date, and even the organizers, which allows it to remain supple and adaptable. And if you are going to ask that boring question of why only original bands. Well, there are fifty-two weeks in a year. Look at the music listings, and you will find that fifty-one of them are dominated by covers and tributes, so why not?

And if the line-up (full line up HERE) seems daunting regarding the number of bands playing and perhaps your familiarity with many of them, here is a concise, subjective, controversial, and largely unbiased personal guide on which bands to put on your “must-see” list.

Thursday sees “Wiltshire’s Waterboys” Pagan Fringe back together after many years at the Tuppenny, but this will be far more than just a case of nostalgia as they unveil their refreshed incarnation, a whole new alt-rock-roots sound and an album’s worth of new songs. Earlier, at the same venue, Emma Doupé is definitely one to catch with her highly original soundscaping woven from autoharp, live-looping, and her exquisite voice.

The Hop, the other session on Thursday, has a brilliant menu, start to finish, taking in the synth-pop-punk of In-Flight Movie, perhaps the natural successors to New Order, and Atari Pilot’s anthemic pop. But if you only have time for one band there, make it the headliners, Subject A, the sound of ska and reggae being blended with ambient sonics and haunting vibes—the next chapter of roots music for sure.

Friday sees the arrival of the heavier-sounding bands as The Victoria joins the throng. Having witnessed I See Orange‘s fantastic set at the recent My Dad’s Bigger Than Your Dad festival, I heartily recommend them to anyone looking for a new take on grunge and post-punk sounds. Headliners Chasing Dolls never fail to entertain with their incendiary, consciously charged alt-rock music designed to make you both feel and think…and, if you have time, smash the system.

Also, in the “back by popular demand” column, is The Black Hats, who will you find at The Castle on Friday. Sharp, melodic, punk-infused indie-pop, great songs, and reminiscent, in no small amount, of The Jam. If you are going to catch this band, you should stick around for the headliners, Matt Owens and the Delusional Vanity Project, which sees the ex-Noah and the Whale man take his deft, folky Americana sound and turn it up to eleven.

Saturday is the big one. The best plan of attack is to catch some of the more laid-back music to be found at The Tuppenny, such as M3G’s deft acoustica or biscuit-loving Astral Ponies main man Dave Corrigan and his stripped-back, country-tinged laments and dusty folk tales, before heading out to the other venues.

The anthemic and punchy sound of NervEndings headlines a night of alt-rock at The Victoria; Reuben’s Daughters will be dishing out poised pop at The Beehive, and Talk in Code round off an eclectic night at The Castle with their trademark stadium-ready indie-pop. And if The Castle is your destination, head down there in time to catch The Real Cheesemakers, a band best described as The Wurzels on speed, The Clash on acid, or The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band on…top musical form. You’ll thank me.

If more electronic musical forms are your thing, spend Saturday evening at The Hop for all manner of digital delights, the best of which, in my humble opinion, is Sebastian Reynolds who pushes the frontiers of electronic music with blends of chiming beats, eerie electronica, and spoken word, and shot through with future-tribal drum patterns, slashes and slivers of doppler-effected sonics, exploring the realms of dance eclectism and digital elegance as he goes.

Sunday is going to be anything but the day of rest. Again, The Tuppenny is your place for a sonic aperitif, everything from raconteur and acoustic troubadour David Lynch to full-blown American roots grooves, courtesy of Copper Creek.

Then, it is all down to The Beehive for the final blast. From the foot-on-the-monitor incendiary rock of The Leon Daye Band to The Shudder’s rousing indie-roots tunes, and from Concrete Praire’s blend of twanging guitars, straining fiddle, and yearning prose to the blues-rock of super fun, supergroup, JB & The Mojo Makers.

Remember, this is just a personal selection. It really is only the tip of the iceberg, especially when you add in all the fringe events, which include such delights as poet and experimental popster Dan Cooper at The Eternal Optimist and Barry Andrews’ Stic Basin (in Dub) at Barristocats, plus quizzes and ceilidhs, talks and DJ sets. Also remember that many of the bands mentioned will clash and levels of enjoyment can go down as well as up.

So, grab a program and plan a route or perhaps just drift around as the muse takes you, but whatever you do, dive in and find out why, despite what some might say, Swindon’s original music scene is the healthiest it has been in a long time. Be there or be cuboid!