Hey, Hey, Hey | All night disco party | Brakes, Brakes, Brakes

But the music was far from monochromatic. Sometimes they almost verge on kitch prog rock. But they never cross the line into bad taste, being rescued by tight drumming and some of the sweetest discordant harmonics that deserve the Krautrock lable / acolade. On the way out I bought a copy of the limited edition 12″ single Dreaming of Dreaming. It has a silk screen hand printed cover and is pressed in subtle multi-colour vinyl - what a great evening, it’s just like punk never happened.

Dreams | The Secret Machines

I’ll get my seed potatoes this coming weekend and start chitting then right away. I’m only going to grow first earlies this year, just like last year. I found that if you select the right varieties they can be left in the ground well into summer. I’ll be growing Anya again this year, they were early, so resisted blight well, looked great and were good for making Tortillas des patatas.

Peas | Tortillas des patatas

Gary Klein | Another Klein

I’m not sure, but both were equally entertaining. Who knows what each thought of the other. We felt like outsiders looking in – but in a nice way. It’s a great venue - the old Fire Station in the centre of Windsor. A fun night out, good call Chris. And yes, Dengue Fever do play infectious pop!

Seeing Hands video | Angkor Wat

Half an hour was just too short for The Early Years, they only had time for 6 or 7 songs. They played both songs from their new double-A sided single, ‘Like a Suicide’ and ‘The computer voice’ and both worked really well live, particularly ‘Like a suicide’, but there weren’t any other new songs from their upcoming album, which was a shame. The sound quality was excellent and the atmosphere very positive, though I didn’t get the impression that too many people in the audience new many of their songs.

Compared with their recordings Maps have a much bigger, beefier sound live, and they came across really well despite the poor acoustics in the Barn. Maps ended with a classy cover of Ride’s ‘Leave them all behind’ from ‘Going blank again’. Why couldn’t Ride have closed the evening instead of Chapterhouse?

Leave them all behind | and agian, on The Word

7. Maps. Simple, melodic but pristine synth sounds. No idea how good they will sound live, but I’m sure they’ll be worth a listen. They’re headlining the Sonic Cathedral Sunday Service in the Barn.

To the sky | You don’t know her name

8. The Nextmen. If you want a dance, they are your best chance (apart from altern8). Not sure how they will go down with a mainly indie crowd, but I think Al will like them. Great booming base sound on ‘Something got you’, and I like the video too.

Something got you

9.Television Personalities. Here they come, la, la, la, la, la. Don’t miss ‘em.

Part time punks | All the young children on crack | The Good Anarchist | TVP

10. The Wishing Stones. I don’t know these lot at all but their 1980’s indie sound reminds me of my youth, think Orange Juice and Lloyd Cole. I’ll be watching.

The Wishing Stones | This was what the ’80’s were like

11. The Oxford Allstars. The Oxford Allstars are listed on the final line-up. Some combination of Ride and Supergrass would be nice …

They also did a storming version of Born Slippy Nuxx – one of the best versions I’ve heard in a while and it certainly got the crowd bouncing along while corny massive white balloons filled the tent. I enjoyed the Roundhouse gigs earlier in the year much more, and there has been plenty of chat on the Dark Train Forum on the size (small) of the tent Underworld were in, particularly given the predictably large crowd, but it was still a fun afternoon in the Park. It was just a shame that they couldn’t have played a longer set and thet they didn’t include Beautifil Burnout, their best live song at the moment. I gave Fat Boy a miss, he just sounded so bland after Underworld.

Dark Train Forum | Two Months Off

4. The Tamborines. They are part of the Sonic Cathedral Sunday Service at Truck. I missed the single Sally O’Gannon first time round, but really like their ‘fuzz guitar and synth heavy indie sound’. According to their last.fm bio, they’ve supported the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Warlocks, and Mark Gardner provides some of the backing vocals on Sally O’Gannon, so that should tell you what to expect from them live.

Tour diary from Oxford, 2006 | Mark Gardner

5. Spectrum (Sonic Boom). As it says on his Myspace page, ‘Spectrum is the most high-profile and straightforward of the projects undertaken by Pete “Sonic Boom” Kember after the demise of the trance-rock avatars Spacemen3’. Spectrum have been supporting My Bloody Valentine on their summer tour this year with mixed reviews, but I’ve never seen them live so I’ve no idea what to expect from the performance. I really like the track ‘Lonesome death of Johnny Ace’ from the album Spectrum meets Captain Memphis – Indian Giver (currently on their Myspace page, which keeps crashing my machine). Also part of the Sonic Cathedral Sunday Service at Truck.

Sonic Boom’s groovy website | Spectrum

6. The Nuns. Originally a punk band from San Francisco in the late 1970’s, who according to their Wikipedia entry have periodically reformed, have now reinvented themselves as ‘more gothic than punk, with strong themes of fetishism and domination running through their music, as well as Vampirism’. Doesn’t sound like a typical Truck band (if there is such a thing) to me. Top of the bizarre must see list I’d say. The Nuns links may not be ‘safe for work viewing’!

The Nuns official website

1. The Early Years. They are part of Sonic Cathedral’s Sunday Service at Truck, in the Barn on Sunday afternoon and evening. I think that the’re one of the most underrated indie bands of the last few years. Apparently The Early Years declared vision (last.fm) is to create washes of psychadelic guitar noises meshed in with feedback, drones, distortion and wah set against a strong metronomic beat. Can’t really argue with that. But the last single, ‘Say what you want to’, was just a perfect indie pop song, so what’s the new album due out this summer going to be like?

The Early Years | ‘Say what you want to’

2. Okkervil River. Texan folk tinged indie and tagged as alt-country on last.fm if that helps. I’ve not seen them live before, but they seem to be highly rated so I’ll be giving them a go.

Okkervil River | more Okkervil River

3. Frank Turner. Ex-Million Dead, now a new generation folkie? It’s hard avoiding comparing him with Billy Bragg. Again it’ll be a live first for me, but I’m looking forward to it. Life affirming in it’s own way – try this video.

Frank Turner | Million Dead