Swindon Music

Reply to Post 73977 by Sheermusic in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria My build up and promotion for this gig was second to none. I had written and posted out dozens of press releases and sent them to the record shops in town, the college, papers and what not. It included a poster designed by Swindon based designer Julie Morris, who makes some fantasticly simple but effective designs, a short concise press release and a CD featuring 2 songs by each band.

I also sent out a digital press release to all the blogs, websites and other area based musically involved people.

ONLY the Ocelot actually put up a gig specific post about the gig, Kudos - though Dave F did mention it in his what's on Column, but this would of been expected, since he was playing


Unfortunately the Monday before the gig, Black Sheep Apprentice had to cancel due to internal band shinanigans. So I desperately looked at alternatives (Costellos are apparently too young, Dacoits already had a gig etc etc)

With my hard work going unrewarded and the local support / puller cancelling on me, I didn't get a good vibe about the show. Dave Y at the Vic became my saviour, and we ran a free entry - to encourage people to actually come and see a night of NEW MUSIC - risk free!

We once had a 6 page conversation on this forum about Post Rock, about how some people on here wouldn't of minded seeing some... As far as West Country / Wiltshire based post rock goes, we had Juipters First who I'm not sue if they are even going now? The excellent Colorado, who have members at Uni, and Thought Forms, who are signed to Postisheads self run label, touring Europe and America, just had their LP press on heavy weight vinyl, members moonlighting in bands such as Cripped Black Phoenix, and touring with the likes of New Model Army (all in the press pack) and even with this massive incentive - and being wonderfully local, so we should really be proud of them and want to see them - they were largely ignored.

The waifs and strays from the bar came down, and we're suitably impressed. There is a Swindon based guy who absolutely loves them and this style of music, but as it turned out, doesn't spend much time in Swindon as it's pretty devoid of everything. He spends most his time in Bristol and lives here incidentally.

Anyway, Thought Forms tonight came by train tonight, and were in high spirits when I turned up with my chaps, we got them in a few beers and let the good times roll. They played a non-stop 45 minute set of post rock, sound scape noise, which built slowly over the 40 minutes and ended in manic crushing eaves of pummelling drums and delayed, layered guitars.

Post Rock bands like Vessels and Explosions in the Sky, do their things with in 7 or 8 minute songs, with quiet intros and loud ends etc etc. Thought Forms did this over 40 minutes. The result is a no rush experience which is ultimately rewarding.

Just simply epic epic stunning stuff.


So to Labasheeda, our Dutch friends. Very PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth influenced. Their front woman played a violin at times, with some distortion and delay, which add's to their element of uniqueness. Initally they were slow to get going, the language possibly causing a barrier, but as they grew in confidence they began to play with passion and agression, saving their best material to the end. Considering I only knew a handful of songs, they we're very good, even on a first listen.

I was watching 4 Music last night, (I had it recorded) and they were discussing Art Work on LP's since we all download etc now, it's becoming rarer. Labasheeda take their art work seriously, and all their LPs and CD's came with some beautiful and cool imagery, which complimented their sound. I should imagine in Holland they are the equivalent to the likes of Les Savy Fav and that sort of noisy music.

Alas, we had about 40 people tops at best last night, and it's another example of Swindon's apathy.

Reply to Post 73978 by MisterUrOnFireMister in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria
Are you getting stuff in the colleges? Promote to your target audience directly! Sorry if that seems blunt.

Reply to Post 73977 by Sheermusic in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria My build up and promotion for this gig was second to none. I had written and posted out dozens of press releases and sent them to the record shops in town, the college, papers and what not. It included a poster designed by Swindon based designer Julie Morris, who makes some fantasticly simple but effective designs, a short concise press release and a CD featuring 2 songs by each band.

Reply to Post 73982 by Sheermusic in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria one of the music colleges - as the other I couldn't find an address for etc.

Reply to Post 73984 by valjester in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria Which one? I work at the Academy of Music & Sound (along Stratton Road, in the Bentley Centre) and we've got 100 students in every week. Definitely worth your while dropping a few flyers in for gigs like this.

Reply to Post 73985 by Sheermusic in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria I will definitely be taking you up on that offer! Thanks, got Dive Dive and Chris TT coming soon, and this os the sort of person I need to target, thanks

Reply to Post 73982 by Sheermusic in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria EVERY music related shop in town, and even one in Wootten Basset, got the press. And Sound Knowledge. 3 Including Kempsters and that new one where they have Orange amps as the counter, one of the music colleges - as the other I couldn't find an address for etc.

Working on the basis you should never send a blog the information, and cutting out middle men etc - what's the point to a press release? You send them directly to those sorts of people. Papers, Fanzines, Magazines, Radio Sessions, Blogs, websites etc. That's what a press release is for! I didn't expect any specific person to actually promote my show for me, me sending them the information WAS ME PROMOTING IT - The Ocelot stuck an article up on their front page.

When I get sent stuff about gigs in Devizes, I write it on my blog... Sorry, I must be mistaken what music blogs about the local scene are about. Certainly not about successful local acts and exciting international bands that probably would interest a few heads.


When I first came to Swindon there was no Ocelot, and Frequency was just young and the Vic was still sideways, and everything was depressing, and then so much has happened and it's all rosey. Now it's just depressing again.

Put it another way, It wasn't lack of effort on my part. The only other thing I could have done is stand outside other peoples gigs and hand out flyers - which as much as I would like to be able to do, I simply can't commit to that too!

I'm just a little gutted!

And Dave, it wasn't a swipe at you! Your blog, as ever is thorough through and through - no complaints there!

Reply to Post 73982 by Sheermusic in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria When I first came to Swindon there was no Ocelot, and Frequency was just young and the Vic was still sideways, and everything was depressing, and then so much has happened and it's all rosey. Now it's just depressing again.

Reply to Post 73994 by MisterUrOnFireMister in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria Not really any need to be sarky mate. What the f**k do I know.

And in response to your comments about blogs, go along to a packed local gig and ask the punters there what blogs they read. I'll buy you a packet of scampi fries if more than 10% have read the ones you send your press packs out to. It's only going to pick up a small number of people, and given that the sort of music you usually promote is pretty unpopular with the average Swindon gig goer (not me, I love the stuff you do) then it's an even smaller percentage than if it was, say, MOR indie or punk. Of COURSE you should be sending stuff out to blogs but dont expect anything much to come of it.

Do you have a mailing list? Are you getting emails from linters that are at your shows so you can keep them informed? Have you approached BBC wilts about your shows? Why not do a one page fanzine with write ups of the bands playing your shows and photocopying a few hundred and stick them on pub tables and in colleges?

Reply to Post 74062 by adamthebrave in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria Shitballs. I would've come to this. But I didn't know about it. Hmm. Thing is, like Sam said, Swine doesn't have enough people that appreciate this sort of music anyway, so maybe we should just all give up. I however, would like to play on one of your nights. Contrary, yes.

I take it you are on facebook? Maybe that's the best way of finding out about things?

Reply to Post 74027 by Paj in Labasheeda w/ Thought Forms @ The Victoria

Other issues could include the new generation coming through drinking less - if they're less likely to drink, they're less likely to visit a pub. And I think Wacky Wednesday's at the Vic may have shifted some of the old Thursday drinking demographic a day earlier, impacting some Thursday gig attendances.