Swindon Music

I arrive at The Queens Tap at 5.10, 10 minutes late of the unusually early load in time!

Brainsaw have travelled from Bournemouth for tonight, organised a mini bus, and offered their mates a night out in Swindon, which at the very least is a break from the norm.

Brainsaw bought their PA with them, 2 full range active cabs, weighed a ton, but came in at 1500k each!! :shock: Their set up and sound check was thorough and painless. Very professional and capable band, clearly road experienced.

The other two sound checks were a touch slower, due to band members buying food, taking a piss or making a call - which usually drives me mad, as they will only complain if the mix is shite, but tonight didn't bother me. We have a lovely relaxed atmosphere, each and every band member was totally rad, and the organiser was lovely too.

So up next for check was the incredibly funky Desert Storm - who didn't share any back line with the head liner, who were sharing with the openers... Pain, but this is ultimately what you get paid for, so I got on with it, and organised it as best I could to be as quick as possible between bands.

Finally just as they were due to go on, Western Sand walked on stage for a check, and waltzed straight into a very classic vibe of stoner rock, the fact the kiddies wore Lynard Skynard tee's gave their style away. The drummer employing a lot of great floor tom use - he had two. He was probably one of the tightest drummers I've seen at such close quarters, really impressed me - the end of their set featured duel guitarists literally duelling away at a solo together - that too was a sight to behold! Their tender age also suggested that music must be in their blood, or they were born to do it. Wicked.

Desert Storm's front man had caught a expensive 3 hour train down from Sheffield for tonight, worthy to note when the turn out was so poor... DS we're heckled for various metal classics, and took it all on the chin, performing their crazy weird sound - a lot of funk and riff going on, a lot like Queens Of The Stone Age. A SICK guitar tone, a lot like Isis, and an awesome bass player, who had fingers everywhere on a 5 string bass. Very tight band which was brutally loud just on the backline (they turned their amps up from sound check, and didn't stop to breathe to ask to turn down!). Despite the adequate monitors the front man was straining himself to the point he turned all red. This might have been due to the shoulder to floor thick overcoat he was wearing, which turned up since the sound check.

Last up was Brainsaw, who too were heckled for old school classics. This time the band weren't as painfully loud, and enjoyed some banter between songs with the best crowd of the night - particularly what looked like a big hen party. Nice. They had a together and updated classic sound. Loads of solos scared kids raised on Nu Metal. Long rockers hair and a few leather jackets thrown in for good measure, finished their sound and image. The band we're big fans of Gibson, with Flying V's, SG's and Firebirds on offer tonight, all proper Gibson too, so sounded slick. Nothing rocks better than a flying V.

A great night, which ended by the 10 or so non rockers who were moshing and having a game of pool at the same time, leaving the building through the fire exit, with some old guy slapping thema ll on the back as they left!! Was poorly promoted by the looks of things by the venue, who paid up what they had promised, though I doubt they made it back over the bar...? So kudos to the Tap for trying, and paying for something different. Musically it was perfect and would of suited The 12 Bar's Bike Night, or a new (and well promoted!) music night at say, The Furnace or Riff's, which ultimatly didn't work in The Tap...