2025 XTC Fan Festival
A super (super) time in Swindon!
What: 2025 XTC Fan Festival
Where: Swindon, of course!
When: 20-22 June 2025
Apologies in advance for what is a long, rambling post. Although my Substack remains free, this took a lot of time to put together, so I'm adding a link to Wiltshire’s Prospect Hospice where the proceeds of the festivals were going to, so please do consider donating what you can to a very worthwhile cause.
Each day of my stay in Swindon, back at the hotel room I would record my thoughts on that day's happenings. I started with the old pen and paper method but found my brain was going much faster than I could write, so for the rest of my stay I used my phone's voice recorder app to record 20+ minute ramblings. I've transcribed and edited down the ramblings into one lengthy post, written in diary-form with added pictures. Any notes I’ve made since the festival, I’ve put in square brackets.
Thursday 19 June
Bloody hell, I'm roasting. Left home just after 7am, heading up to Edinburgh then down to that there London (where I went on the tube for the first time and had to suffer the armpit aroma of a police officer in the stifling carriage). Sat in Paddington station melting for a couple of hours, listening to a few episodes of Cabin Pressure as I waited for the train to Swindon. I've checked into the hotel and had a much appreciated cold shower. My appetite is through the floor but I've got some flavoured water and a packet of crisps which should do me until the morning.
There's a pre-festival karaoke happening in town [which I hugely regret not going to, now] but I've decided not to go. The heat's affected me a bit too much and I feel a bit nauseous, and I've got a bugger of a headache. Tomorrow's check-in for the festival isn't until 4:30 pm and the festival proper doesn't start until around 7 pm, so in the morning I'll get breakfast somewhere then maybe check out the Red House Record shop that are selling XTC vinyl – I really want to get my hands on the Oranges and Lemons LP – bloody love the cover. I've also seen XTC-related murals people have been posting online so I might see if I can find them and take a pic or two.
Friday 20 June - Day 1 of the Festival
[Written after returning to the hotel after visiting the mural]
Had a bit of a long lie-in (bed was very comfy!) then got ready to head out. I broke my boycott of Wetherspoons as it was handily just across the road from the hotel, and they do make a good Eggs Benedict.
Armed with Google Maps, I ventured off to find the Drums and Wires mural I knew wasn't too far from where the hotel. After a couple of wrong turns, I eventually found it. God, I really love the fact that more and more towns have these to brighten up the place! I know there's a couple more murals related to XTC, including one featuring each band member [apparently no longer there, I think the building it was on was knocked down?], but that may be quite a distance. Swindon is huge compared to my town! I think Mr P was fibbing a little when he sang "… smalltown..."
There's an informal meet-up at a pub at 12:30 pm which I might go along to so I can get to know people and not just spend the weekend alone and awkward.
[Wrote this next bit at 11 pm]
Well, I did go to The King's Arms pub. It was so bloody sweltering though, that I nearly turned back but my stubbornness won, and I rewarded myself with a refreshing Coke when I got there. I spotted a guy in a TC & I t-shirt on his own, so I went up to him and said "Are you here for the XTC festival?" he nodded. I was about to sit down at his table when a woman overheard me and joined us as she was here for the informal meet-up, too. The three of us found an area with comfy chairs and introduced ourselves. Dee, Gaz and I got chatting for a bit, and then another lady appeared and joined us - Sarah from Massachusetts. The four of us sat there nattering for a while, then Gaz went off to get something to eat and us ladies found our way to the Surround Sound Room above Rudi’s, a pub next to the festival venue where you could listen to XTC songs in great quality.
James and Yumi, a couple from Swindon, were already there when we arrived so we joined them. A few others subsequently turned up, including two guys called James (well, one was called Jamie, I think). Then another couple showed up – Mike (bucking the James/Jamie name trend) and Missy. I think they were from the US, but more importantly they'd actually been to the Scottish Borders, on a family history visit! I was over the moon that they'd visited the Borders (which usually gets ignored as people make a beeline for the highlands instead).
After agreeing to team up for the next day's festival treasure hunt, Dee went to check in to her hotel, and Sarah and I checked in to the festival. There was quite a delay in the doors being opened, though, which didn't help matters with the ridiculous heat. Once check-in was over, I passed Mark Fisher (host of the excellent XTC Limelight podcast who had also travelled down from Edinburgh) and gave a small wave as Sarah and I went back to Rudi's to get something to eat.
Something that bemused me was when we were sat at an outside table, two guys passed and one of them shouted "Hi, Gayle". I didn't have a clue as to who he was but said 'hi' back. He explained that "you're famous on Facebook". Er…. Okay! I didn't think I'd been posting that much online! Then Mark appeared and joined us for a meal, though once again my appetite was non-existent, so I just had a very refreshing Raspberry Lemonade while the others ate.
When the festival officially started, Sarah and I ended up sitting at a table with the members of a band from Sweden [subsequently found out the band's name – "The Cleptomaniax"] who are going to be playing tomorrow. We watched as a very well-dressed man and woman took to the stage and performed an acapella version of the sublime Rivers of Orchids, then some of the organisers said a few words, before we were treated to a short video titled Welcome To Swindon, which I think was narrated by The Actor Kevin Eldon. I also spotted Alison, a friend on Bluesky, sitting at a nearby table so I popped across for a quick hello. Hopefully I'll be able to have a proper chat with her at some point over the weekend.
An evening of music was kicked off by Dan Barrow who performed the entirety of The Big Express, exceptionally well. Admittedly, it's not an album I have listened to that often compared others in the XTC arsenal, so I didn't know much of the lyrics to be able to sing along, but it was a fantastic performance, nonetheless. Next up was the wonderful Psaucerful of Pswindon, who performed covers of songs from The Dukes of Stratosphear [for those who don't know, a side-project of the members of XTC]. I hadn't been up dancing by that point, but I thought to myself, 'if they play Vanishing Girl, then I'm getting up for a boogie', and they did… so I did! Hooray!
After that, was a '60s psychedelia inspired dance party but by that time I was absolutely shattered and roasting due to the temperature inside the venue. Sarah was ready to head back to the apartment where she was staying, so we exchanged details and agreed to meet up for the Treasure Hunt in the morning.
Saturday 21 June
Today was a busy day! Got to the venue for 9 am and saw Dee, amongst the group of people waiting outside. Sarah was running late due to unhelpful taxis, so in the meantime the organisers explained what to do for the treasure hunt and that we should get into groups of no more than 7 people. James and Yumi, from yesterday, joined Dee and I and we waited for Sarah to arrive before we started the hunt. James and Yumi were our guides, being locals and knowing the layout of the town better. It was a fun time which involved recording a dance to Meccanic Dancing [if anything has motivated me to lose weight, it's seeing that footage. Jesus, I'm a blob!] by the old Mechanic Institute building, visiting Kempster's music shop which was frequented by members of the band, and posing for a band selfie – I named the band/team Sir John John's Long Johns which got a giggle. Mercifully, it started raining before we finished and headed back – I could have stayed out in the rain all day.
Burning Shed, which sells official XTC merch and music, had a stall inside the venue so I had a nosey, and bought a couple of things, then Sarah and I gave one of the guys behind the stall some suggestions of more merch that they could sell. They are honestly missing a trick by not selling XTC bracelets, pendants, earrings, rings. I'd snap those buggers up in an instant if they were available. The poor guy dutifully wrote them down, possibly just to make us stop talking, lol.
After the winners of the treasure hunt were announced (Sir John John's Long Johns didn't win), Steve Warren, childhood friend of Andy Partridge, and roadie for the band, was interviewed by Complicated Game co-author, Todd Bernhardt, and we got to hear some demos and live recordings which I don't think have been heard in public before! There were also two delightful ladies from Japan who were waving paddles with the band members faces adorned on them, on a nearby table, though sadly I didn’t get a chance to speak to them.
There was a lunch break before the afternoon's events. Service at Rudi's was not so great this time round, sadly. Sarah and Dee had to wait absolutely ages to get their food, but we got chatting to two fellows from Minnesota called Jerry and Craig. I did tease the latter a little about the pronunciation of "Craig/Creg", which he took in good humour. Due to the issues with the food order, we were late in returning to the venue for Mark Fisher's interview with Partridge collaborator, Stu Rowe [thankfully the interview was recorded and will feature in an upcoming Limelight podcast]. But I enjoyed the rest of it and was reminded to check out the music of artist Jen Olive, who was discussed at one point.
Another musical interlude saw Tom Gwyther perform beautiful piano renditions of XTC songs. Before he began, he mentioned he was probably the newest fan there. I was thinking "Oh, really….?", but yeah he beat me to it as he's only been a fan for two weeks! A lovely thing that happened was that even though he said people didn't have to applaud after each piece, and that we could just chat away to each other, everyone was respectful, listening to the music and applauding. I think he seemed a bit taken aback the first time it happened.
Another interview was next, this time with Lovely Dave Gregory (that's his official name in my book), interviewed by Thomas Walsh, formerly of Pugwash. It was a really humorous interview, and I regret not checking out Thomas’s music beforehand. Listening to Lovely Dave always makes me wish he'd do some ASMR or voice narration – his voice is perfect for it!
It was the turn of Lovely Dave's brother, Ian (aka E.I.E.I Owen from The Dukes of Stratosphear) to be interviewed by Todd Bernhardt which was really good, then it was time for the This Is Pop Quiz. Each table represented a group so Sarah and I found ourselves joining Swindonian sister and brother, Juliet and Shaun, and a couple of other guys whose names I didn't catch. Our team was called Magic Roundabout, and I think the questions had been posed by band members themselves and being a newbie, I struggled with some, but I think the more seasoned fans found it quite difficult, too. It was very fast-paced, and in the end, we didn't win… but we were far from last!
Because the quiz had overrun, there wasn't a huge amount of time for dinner, so Sarah and I headed out the main venue but who should be in the foyer/bar bit talking to fans? Only Lovely Dave Gregory and Todd Bernhardt. I hovered nearby, thinking that I probably wouldn't get the opportunity again, so I waited until I had the chance and said hello to them both, telling them I'd only been a fan for three months, then I briefly chatted to Todd about Scotland, and I got a photo with them both and Sarah!
By the time we returned to the festival, the evening of live music had began. There were three bands in succession: Children of the Chalkhills, the aforementioned The Cleptomaniax, and Fuzzy Warblers. One of the guys we met the day before joined us as we sat at a table near the bar - I think he was trying to chat up Dee with pictures of his cat (not a euphemism, it was an actual cat)! I have no idea which bands did which songs, but I did dance a bit, though not as much as I would have liked due to the bloody heat (honestly, if I could have taken my skin off, I would have! Poor skeleton steps out, indeed!). I do remember that The Cleptomaniax did No Thugs In Our House which I definitely danced to… or rather made weird jumpy movements while whipping my hair about!
I also thought I saw actor Paul Putner knocking around and had to do a quadruple take, but nope it was one of the band members from…. one of the bands! I think Paul's on the Fan Festival Facebook page so that's why I thought it was maybe him. I think it's time to pay Specsavers a visit soon!
Because things had overrun, at half-eleven a curfew kicked in and things had to come to an end for the evening. Tomorrow at 9am is the showing of the 2017’s This Is Pop documentary which obviously I've never seen but hugely looking forward to. Apparently it's not on DVD which is a little frustrating. There's also the raffle – I bought twenty tickets (£1 per ticket)! Chances are I won't win anything but if I do, and win more than one thing, I'll probably give it to Dee, Sarah or anybody else who has been lovely this weekend. There's also an auction but I've spent a small fortune already just to be here, so I'll just quietly watch and see who the rich folk are, lol.
Sunday 22 June
Both Dee and Sarah were outside the venue when I arrived. There was a ten minute delay in the doors opening and the documentary starting. LOVED the documentary, and really really want a copy of it to rewatch. I was already aware that it was Andy-heavy but it was hugely enjoyable to watch, regardless. Lots of photos of the band I hadn't seen before, and I really enjoyed the bit where he creates the start of a song in real-time – he's definitely inspired me when it comes to my own song-creating process, and to not worry too much about not knowing every chord in existence.
Then it was time for the auction and things were going for silly sums, though all for a good cause. I think it was all men, bar one woman, who bid/won anything. Lovely Dave Gregory's sweatbands went for £100! The raffle was next, and it was a little chaotic in that the numbers were going to be read out quickly and if you won, you were to come up to the table or prizes and grab what you wanted. This did mean that if you were sat at the back and won, by the time you got to the table, another winner sitting closer but announced after you may have snaffled what you wanted. Dear reader, I didn't win a thing. I did have my eye on one of the books, but I can just keep an eye on eBay for a copy.
The sole interview of the day was producer Hugh Padgham by Mark Fisher. The only thing I knew about Hugh was his name and that he was involved in the Black Sea album, after watching XTC At The Manor on YouTube, so I found it a really interesting interview, and hadn't realised he'd produced some albums I actually own. I was also impressed with both Mark and Todd (and Thomas) as interviewers over the course of the weekend. Despite considering doing a podcast where I'd be interviewing/chatting with musicians, I'm not sure if I could do a live interview in front of a crowd, so hats off to the lads. After lunch, Hugh was doing a signing which I didn't go to, instead staying and enjoying the music that filled the rest of the day. Both Dee and Sarah went to the signing, though.
One of the bands, Faking Plans for Nigel, were playing quite a few of the hits (Senses, Generals and Majors) so I spent more time on the dance floor than not during their stint. They also performed Statue of Liberty which I was desperate to dance to (it was the first XTC music video I saw and sparked a little crush on one of the band members – although they are all aesthetically-pleasing individuals!) but no one else was up on the dance floor at that point, and I always feel too self-conscious when no one else is dancing. Maybe next time!
The day seemed to fly by way too quicky and suddenly Making Plans For Nigel was being heartily sung by everyone… and then it was over, sadly. I was on a lovely natural high by then (no booze imbibed – despite being Scottish, I don't drink). There was an afterparty at The Tuppenny pub at 8pm but Sarah and I headed straight there and got something to eat. We were joined by Gaz and his lovely wife, Karen, and then Dee, as more and more people started to turn up. At one point, everyone from the festival who was at the pub posed outside for a picture. The place was getting louder and louder, naturally, so it was a struggle to hear Gaz who was sitting right next to me, and the others at the table, but I still had a bloody great time!
Eventually it was time to return to the hotel as I have an early start in the morning and it's going to take about twelve hours before I reach home. Karen very sweetly gave Sarah and I a lift back to our accommodations, and I'm now sat on my hotel bed, listening to Drums and Wires as I write this. I wish the festival was every year. I'm not sure I can wait until 2028 to see everyone again and dance to some excellent music from my favourite band. I'll just have to have a one-woman XTC party in my flat, in the meantime!
Stunning recap!! Thank you for the details!
A great description of the event! I recommend trying the tube again. Totally loved your line “despite being Scottish, I don't drink”. I might put that on a t-shirt!