Thetownend.com

thats me, whats going on in swindon tnight anything?

 Just after NY is never the best weekend....me, out for a few beers, then hoping to nip over to see one of my lady friends for a bit of overtime...but it might be tomorrow.

I'm bored of everywhere in Swindon. Total crap are most places. I barely go out at all anymore. maybe i'm just getting old?

 Maybe you need to move...Swindon might not be the world's best place, but it's also not the worst.  Living in other places gives you a bit of perspective.

 I had a decent night last night, didn't quite work out as hoped, but not a complete waste of time on the bird hunting side, sort of thing that TCP would like.

Maybe you're boring? (joke)

Seriously, it's more about who you go out with and whether you want to have a good laugh or not.

Rich you never go out, how can you be bored of it?

That's what I said. And it's part of the reason I never go out. Plus no one ever has any fucking money apart from me.

Any chance of a sub Onion?

When I lived in Southampton there were loads more places to go, so much so that you could go out on any given night and have a decent time. Problem is, you soon try out all of these places a few times and then you get bored of them.

The grass is always greener but like Reg says, Swindon is not as bad as people like to make out. The best nights out are usually down to the people you are with and the things that happen, not really because of where you are (as what axs said). The nightlife in Swindon is as it is because it's not a massive place and it has no student population.

 Not having a student population is a massive advantage...the thought of the town being over-run by workshy, tax dodgers, living in third world squalor is horrendous. It's either that or the chinless pampered offspring of the middle classes who get everything laid on a plate for them by mummy and daddy.

You know the sort...buy a 'little' house for their darlings, while they're away for three years then sell it on....well they're fucked atm  :)

Youre taking the piss right reg? A student population would enliven swindon 1000%.

prefer a chicken ranch myself

there's fucking loads of pubs to choose from in swindon nowadays.choice was limited in old town-town until 10-15 years ago, but i still had good times on the lash.

 I can see from your perspective Mex that an endless supply of sex charged 18-21 year old hotties has it's advantages.

If your bored of Old Town, check out the Arkell's owned Black Horse near Liddington, Lovely views of the downs and Swindon!

Gazza mex just wants a slut to shag for the night after feeding her line after line until she agrees to wear little girls shoes

  Gazza...have you heard any more about what is happening with the Goddards?

its never where you are, its who youre with. because i had just a good time in cirencester, as i do now living in melbourne

I had great times in Melbourne when I lived there. Superb city.

absolutely. in which suburb did you live?

Lygon Street, just north of the CBD.

jesus wept i just been to furnace, how fucking bad is that place?

Ive never been,isnt it just a grungier Level 3?

Did you take your Jacket off?

no

ace.

i agree the furnace has gone down hill over the past 10 or so years, i went there first about 7 years ago and it was ace, but its changed a lot, and i only go now if i have to.

The Furnace plays good music but it costs a lot to get in and hardly anyone goes in there.

Im sorry but its costs £1.50 if you go for a drink in the rolly which most people do and if not it its £3... You have to pay that to get into normal pubs in the town center! You moan about everything it gets right on my tits!

As for the Furnace it is a big shame really... im with chubbs, i can remember back when 3 of us on bottom bar was still not enough staff. I have heard its pretty much a sinking ship.

Hahaha

12 Bar has some good bands now and probably affected The Furnace...i went to The Furnace and saw one of my heroes a few years back...he wasnt with his band and was clearly unwell and died a few months later.....this would be in my all time top ten.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1e2aRfqp1sY&feature=PlayList&p=770323068888708E&index=0&playnext=1

Hilarious.

Last time I went to "Furnace" it was called Level3 and it was shit then.

OT is a million times better than "downtown" but I suppose that depends on your experience.  If you want drugs, I hear the Regent is full of 'em...

i don't think the tribute acts and bands of that nature the 12 bar or vic put on would affect the furnace. sadly the music scene in swindon has become apathetic towards either putting on decent shows, making decent music or supporting anyone's attempt at the previous options.

i think the total lack of any other/more established venues in swindon has a massive effect. the vic was amazing for gigs, now it's desensatised and rubbish. 12bar is the newer "better" version and sadly the furnace is just awful from an accoustic/layout/overheads point of view.

and then we come to the fact that 12bar and the vic have such a monopoly on the live music market that they're offering up rubbish cover acts and somehow making money out of it. whilst they're doing what's right for them from a business point of view they're hindering progress of people who want to play something of their own or put on something different

i've lost my point somewhere along the line; in short- 12bar=bad, new vic=bad, furnace=never going to be good.

They do put on a load of tributes,I guess this dross must pay.

I always keep an eye on the 12 Bar though as they occasionaly put something worth going to on there.

the wedding present was a treat, as was scroobius pip. i won't deny that, but most of it is not worth the time of day

there isn't a decent music venue in swindon,which is a fucking disgrace.
all are either too small,or have shit accoustics and are not really designed for live bands.

To be fair Swindon has attracted some good bands at all venues in the last few years....its a fine line regarding talent..luck with marketing etc..your better off showboating on Youtube etc if you want to make it..not many people are discovered playing at venues these days.
Theres always been a sort of unwritten rule that if your not from Manc Liverpool or London your not that good...The Animals would have been absolute legends if they were from Liverpool and i know when XTC from Swindon made it big they often stated it was alot harder breaking into the big lge because they come from Swindon....i mean as example i travel to Ipswich,Norwich alot yet can you name a band from those Towns..big big Citys with thriving music scenes.

I take it "Dave the trucker" doesn't run the Vic these days? He always had high hopes for it when I new him but that was donkey's ago. Sound's like it's turned shite tbf...

Oasis is doing a reasonable job of at least attracting bands to the town. Just a shame the gym hall venue is not the best sounding place you'll hear a gig.

Thing about Swindon is everyone moans but nobody really wants to actually get off their arse and promote stuff,well thats how it used to be when I was a younger.Mex tried a bit as did a couple of others but the interest was never really there.

Anyway it need two super cool go getting men about town

Yeovil and Bennet Promotions present...

i think one of the points i was trying to make was this- realistically there's 3 venues but they're massively expensive (furnace) or packed with cover bands.

at one point me and some chums did put on a few shows at the vic (before it got refurbished)

I also can't believe how expensive it is to watch some of these cover bands at 12 Bar.

Riffs Bar near Purton is a good one but it's size and location lets it down. They've had some pretty good bands / cover bands down there though!

A couple of old trannies and a pissed up tramp?

One of the problems is a lack of students. Like other have pointed out, people generally don't care enough and there isn't much of a market for it.

hahah am I the Tramp?   :D  8)

Cos I could easily be the Trannie you know...

Possibly all three...but on different nights...