20/09/2026
Hey Shufflers. So, a week has passed since we wrapped the 20th Swindon Shuffle and we are all starting to feel a little more human… Phew! What a week of amazing music.
I am still not sure how we pulled it off to be honest, this year has been perhaps the hardest to make happen, purely due to some changes on the team and many of us experiencing a lot of external personal and professional pressure.
But, we got there, and are all really proud of this years event, as it took place against a back drop of tough economic times and dwindling audiences for live music. I will come on to more about this later in this, but in the meantime, we have the traditional thanks to get through, which, for a change, I will try and keep brief.
So, as always , the stars of the show are the biggest champions – all of the amazing musicians, singers and song writers , who showed once again what incredible music exists in this corner of the world. We do this for you, and can’t do it with out you.
As always we have to doff a cap to the talented ears of our sound engineers, again who we can’t do this without. So applause all round to Phil who stepped in at The Pulpit on Wednesday at the last minute, Jack who was this year’s Beehive wrangler, Antony and Jake at the Vic and of course the man, the myth, the legend that is Andy for covering The Hop, The Castle and working with us throughout the rest of the year as well.
Which brings us on to the venues who give us the spaces in which to make all that noise. The Beehive Swindon , The Castle Old Town Swindon, The Hop Inn, The Pulpit and The Victoria have all been supporters for some time, and it was wonderful to also welcome The Royal Oak Old Town, Sonny’s and Rudi's Bar to the party for the first time this year. It is a massive thank you to all the venue owners and staff for everything you give to us.
There are several other entities that lurk in the shadows but are the links to the artists, booking and organising that side of things. Swindon Folk Club have been working with us for a number of years, and we hope will continue for a lot longer. This year we had the legendary Jazz Knights also join the fray, sorting out an awesome Jazz Session at the Royal Oak. We also had The Ambient Music Lab pull together an amazing session on Sunday afternoon. My musical efforts are found at SoP Live the rest of the year.
We had kit loaned to us by Holmes Music and Earthworm Recording Studio, without which things become a logistic nightmare, so thank you folks! Thanks as well to the bands that shared backline.
We also are blessed with an angelic horde of helpers over the weekend who rattle buckets, sell merchandise and more. So lets hear it for Caroline, Amanda, Angie, Kieran, Hannah, Sarah, Jim and the Prospect Hospice volunteers for their effort, enthusiasm and organisation! We also need to say thanks to Neil for his fantastic photos and the teams at Old Town Swindon Events and Bands On In Swindon for helping to spread the word.
Of course we cannot do this without the support of our sponsors, so it is the biggest thanks to UK Research and Innovation for once again supporting us. Your commitment to music and the arts is admirable beyond measure. Helping grease wheels as well are Originzone, Swindon Link and Swindon Travel Hub.
Finally, the rest of the committee who keep this good ship on course. I may be the face / mouth of the event and have the glamorous job of booking much of the line-up, but Paj, Avril, Linda, Paul & Kelly do all the grunt work at the event and throughout the year. It is a real team effort, and it is a team I am very proud to be a a part of.
Finally, Finally it is thanks to YOU! All you Shufflers who came out and enjoyed music and put money in the pot for Prospect Hospice. Pats on the back all round for a job well done.
So, what’s next? Well, we will shortly be providing a fundraising update, so keep an eye out for that. There is also some other announcements to come – sign up to the mailing list to be the first to hear.
But, the biggest thing to talk about is the future of this event. We aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry. But, some things need to change. Firstly, we need more people to get involved in the planning and delivery of the event to ensure it can do another 20 years. We say this every year, but to little effect. We really mean it this year. We already have some new faces getting involved, but need more. So, get in touch if you want to get involved, especially if you want to put together a session, or have social media skills, but also even if you aren’t sure how you can help. We will work out a way and it can literally be help for the actual event and not a bigger commitment. We are going to be starting a volunteer register so we don’t forget who has said to us they are interested. Get it touch to get your name on it and become a Shuffle hero.
The other thing we need to remind you about is that the music you saw and enjoyed last week happens EVERY WEEK in Swindon. Please, please support the venues and musicians the rest of the year. If that doesn’t happen, there won’t be future Shuffles – the venues will close or stop doing music, and the bands won’t have the incentive to keep going. This is absolutely the best way you can invest in the event and support us. If you don’t know how to find out about what else is going on, let us know. We can point you in the direction of all the places you can find out what is happening.
Cheers, Ed
P.S. Get this in your diary... The Swindon Shuffle 2027 will be September 6th to 12th.
(and Swinterfest 2027 is January 28th to 31st. News coming soon)
