Review by Paul Towler

If tradition is anything to judge by, you could be forgiven for thinking that the loudest disturbance to come from your average village hall is the clatter of rose chintz crockery on jumble sale day. Well, the village of Farrington Gurney, just outside Bristol, has been actively challenging any such conservative expectations. Over the past two years, resident musician-turned-promoter Clinton Dando has been showcasing a healthy roster of aspiring young bands at a bi-monthly event called 'The Farrington Hootenanny' held at the village's Memorial Hall.

Since the first event in October 2006, Farrington Hootenanny has attracted some of the west country's best up-and-coming acts as well as providing a platform in rural settings for discerning talent from further afield. Now a firmly established bookmark in North Somerset's calendar of events, and quite often sold-out in advance, Farrington Hootenanny is a refreshing change from your average metropolitan gig.

July's Hootenanny showcased an exciting triple-bill of indie guitar bands. Kicking off the evening were the heavy yet melodic Wiltshire based 'Decora' who readily joined the proceedings at short notice after the advertised openers 'Patchway Theft' found themselves unable to play due to a hospitalized guitarist. (It appears that hedonistic rock 'n' roll excess still claims it's casualties folks!) 

Next up were 'The Heys'. Hailing from Leamington Spa and familiar faces around Bath, this band have built themselves a strong following earned by good old-fashioned hard work and professionalism. Tonight, The Heys were a stripped-down incarnation of their usual four-piece line-up, performing instead as an acoustic duo. It's always a challenge to see whether songs designed for a full-on band can really work acoustically, but reassuringly, The Heys' killer melodies remian infectious regardless of how they're being executed. 

Any stalwart live music reveller will tell you that hearing dub reggae being played through the PA whilst band's change over is a time-honoured sign of a great gig, and tonight was no exception. Mind you, it's not suprising that appreciation for King Tubby during the interval is also, at any gig, customarily overshadowed by a rush for the bar! 

Rounding off tonight's billing were 'Santa Dog', Bristol based purveyors of highly-polished guitar-pop. If you're tired of watching egotistical guitarists lifting clichés straight from the well-worn instruction book of heavy rock, then Santa Dog's guitarist Rob Williams is worthy of your attention. With a playing style truly his own, Santa Dog's pop tunes are punctuated with a cascade of shimmering guitar that boldly defines the band's sparkling sound.  

Already booked well into 2010, each bi-monthly event is themed around a particular genre of music, keeping every occasion quite different from the last. So, whatever genre might be lined up for the next event, Farrington Hootenanny is living proof that there are things happening in the provinces to rival anything the city has to offer. Anyway, I'm off to the food stand for a butty. After tonight's healthy attendance, I only hope there's some left!