ABOUT US
What Is The Swindon Shuffle
The Shuffle is Swindon's biggest and best showcase of local musical talent, and was conceived by a group of independent music promoters back in 2007.
Like all great stories, in began in a pub, sketched out on the back of a cigarette packet - the idea was simple and was inspired by already established city centre music festivals like the Camden Crawl, The Great Escape and the Oxford Punt; the crowd was to "Shuffle" between a couple of music venues on one particular night to watch a variety of acts performing.
This quickly expanded before the first event had been run, to be a four-day event, where the audience "Shuffle" around venues giving the event its now familiar name. This inaugural festival was held 19th to 22nd July 2007 and made use of The Victoria, The Furnace, The Rolleston, 12 Bar, and The Beehive, with an opening night held at Swindon Town's Winners Lounge.
In the following years venues and organisers have come and gone, supported charities have changed and the music and musicians involved has been an ever-fluid story. What has remained constant however, is the overall ethos and aim of the event; to bring together the community to showcase a thriving local music scene. Sixteen years later we still strive to highlight the wonderful original musical talent on our doorstep, and help nurture the local scene and support local venues.
THE CURRENT SWINDON SHUFFLE COMMITTEE
Over the years many artists have gone on from playing the Shuffle to make their mark on the wider national scene, including major acts like Stornaway, as well as Swindon's own success stories like Gas Brookfield, Beatbullyz, and The Dead Lay Waiting. More recent years have seen this tradition continue with bands like Stay Lunar and All Ears Avow gaining wider recognition.
The festival remains strongly rooted in the Old Town community; this year you will find us at Shuffle stalwarts The Victoria, The Castle, and The Tuppenny, as well as The Hop Inn and ever-present venue The Beehive. We have also expanded last year's successful fringe even further by adding an event at Prospect Hospice's media shop on Commercial Road to events at the Eternal Optimist, Baristocats and Eastcott Community Centre to ensure there is something for everyone. Come on down and enjoy the music!