Speakeasy Vol 1 – Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe
A new venue and a new town, almost, for me. I haven’t been to High Wycombe for maybe 40 years, since my parents used to come here by train to visit friends who lived in Marlow (that was a hell of a long journey from Romford when you’re only 10).
But this was a fantastic day-and-a-half event put together by the team behind the Speakeasy fanzine. A mix of some 90s bands you might have heard of, some you might not, and some more contemporary artists who fit the bill well.
The venue itself was the SU bar and there were two rooms – the main room had fantastic sound, but the volume was sadly ear-splitting in the smaller room. The larger room had a cordoned off area close to the stage – which wasn’t a VIP area at all, but we still sat in it for each of the acts we saw there, which was a nice touch!
The highlight for me once again was Thousand Yard Stare, my 12th TYS gig (and my 10th in the 6 1/2 years since they decided to give it all another go). My Life Story went further up my top ten too – it was the 14th time I saw them.
But the 90s bands I hadn’t seen before were a pleasant surprise too. I caught the end of Triple Blind’s set which sounded great – and I caught The Kynd and The Real People for the first time too and they were both must-sees. The Institutes weren’t around in the 90s but their recent debut album is highly recommended.
Sadly no points for Space whose guitarist took to the stage with a very large “fuck woke” message on his shirt. I’m all for freedom of speech – but visibly showing you don’t care about people who want to fight social injustice is just a bit of a fash look that I don’t really care for. It’s all the more weird that you’d do that in a crowd which is more likely to be woke than fans of Nigel Farage – and in a band from Liverpool too. Some people just have no idea, do they?
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Thousand Yard Stare setlist:
- Version of Me
- It Sparks!
- Heimlich Maneuver
- Schism Algorithm
- Buttermouth
- Keepsake
- Comeuppance
- What’s Your Level?
- Tragedy No.6
- 0-0 A.E.T.
- A Thousand Yards (A Panglossian Momentum)
- Wideshire
- Wonderment
My Life Story setlist:
- The Rose The Sun
- Empire Line
- The King of Kissingdom
- Broken
- A Country With No Coastline
- If You Can’t Live Without Me Then Why Aren’t You Dead Yet?
- Taking on the World
- Strumpet
- You Don’t Sparkle (In My Eyes)
- Funny Ha Ha
Encore:
- It’s A Girl Thing
- 12 Reasons Why I Love Her
- #NoFilter
Sunday 12 December 2021, 1474 views
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Gigs
- Aggrasoppar – OY Brewery, Tórshavn
- International Pop Overthrow 2025
- Gigantic Indie All Dayer – Marble Factory, Bristol
- HMS Morris, Pictish Trail – Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham
- The Others – The 100 Club, Soho
- Stray Tracks: White Gates Band, Mystery Team, Basharan, SNM, Monumental – Pink Toothbrush, Rayleigh
- Franz Ferdinand, Master Peace, Great Leslie – Empire, Shepherd’s Bush
- Melys, Yr Anghysur – Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda
- Ynys, Sybs, Lafant – Y Cwps, Aberystwyth
- Sultans of Ping FC – Saint Luke’s & The Winged Ox, Glasgow
- Franz Ferdinand, Permanent (Joy) – Grand Central Hall, Liverpool
- Half Happy, em koko – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
- My Life Story – The Quarry, Liverpool
- Melys, Osgled – Y Cwps, Aberystwyth
- They Might Be Giants – The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm
- Darling Buds, Simon Love and the Loves – 229, Great Portland Street, London
- Fightmilk, Tugboat Captain – Paper Dress Vintage, Hackney
- Bugeye, Lucky Number You – The Victoria, Birmingham
- Art Brut – The Castle & Falcon, Birmingham
- Sultans of Ping FC, Meryl Streek – The Ritz, Manchester
- Chroma, Baby Brave, Lila Zing – Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham
- Melin Melyn, Ynys, Pys Melyn – Town Hall, Llangollen
- Antarctic Monkeys – The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
- Bloc Party – The Institute, Digbeth, Birmingham
- Urdd Gobaith Cymru: Achlysurol, HMS Morris, Llareggub Brass Band – Mathrafal Field, Meifod
- Echobelly, Camens – Live 45, Kidderminster
- Futureheads, Adult Play – Shrewsbury Castle, Shrewsbury
- Adwaith – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
- Melys, Pys Melyn, Sophie Kilburn – Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda
- Sea Power, Callum Easter – Town Hall, Birmingham
- Dydd Miwsig Cymru: Morgan Elwy, Tew Tew Tennau, Mynadd – Y Institwt, Llanfair Caereinion
- Bikini Beach Band – The White Hart, Stoke Newington
- Pacifica, House of Women – Academy 2, Islington
- Fonda 500, Bugeye, Hurtling, Colossus – Amersham Arms, New Cross
- Snow Coats, Toodles and the Hectic Pity – Signature Brew, Haggerston
- Snow Coats – Tunbridge Wells Forum
- Darling Buds, Keeley – The Thunderbolt, Bristol
- Fightmilk, Feeble Strength – Signature Brew, Haggerston
- Thousand Yard Stare – The Lexington, Islington
- Thousand Yard Stare – Prince Albert, Brighton
- Be Your Own Pet – Rough Trade East, Whitechapel
- Brian Butterfield – Bush Hall, Shepherd’s Bush
- Pulp – Apollo, Hammersmith
- Blur, Self Esteem – Wembley Stadium, Wembley
- Blur, Wu Lu – City Hall, Newcastle
- Salad, Repetitive John – Arts Club, West Hampstead, London
- Salad – The Hope and Ruin, Brighton
- The Others – The Garage, Highbury
- Fightmilk – Signature Brew, Haggerston
- Ynys, Gillie – The Victoria, Dalston
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