Day Breakers Down The Cavy!

If variety is the spice of life, The Cavalier in Devizes cannot be faulted. While it may be a short walk from the town centre it hardly requires a sponsor form, and when you get there it’s a warm welcome from a proletariat pub divided from the Wadworthshire typecast. Yeah, define it as boozer for the locals, yet with their event schedule ambitiously aimed to recreate the working men’s clubs of Northern yore, there’s a diverse range of events with something to suit all.

As apposed to the Southgate, per say, where there’s dependable original live music every weekend, or the Long Street Blues club where it’s a singularly assured you’re going to get some damn fine blues, it’s advisable to check ahead on our event calendar or their Facebook page, for anything could be going down at the Cavy.

Next Saturday, for example, organiser Dean Czerwionka’s own preferred genre, Americana, is represented with a motivating country-rock originals band, the Stone Mountain Sinners, while the following weekend, 27th March, sees the return of a quality Thin Lizzy tribute, Twin Lizzy. Between these this community hub takes on the growingly popular concept of taking your kids raving, setting up their own “Little Ravers,” night of old skool club anthems suitable for children, and hugely discounted compared to the official organisations doing this at just £2 entry for all.

So, while awash with a variety of tribute acts from Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, or Garth Brooks, to the Motley Crue, Sex Pistols and UB40, they hold regular children’s discos and events, many proudly fundraising for our adorable Carmela and her ongoing Stand Up To Muscular Dystrophy aid. They even have a small pub festival in August, presenting this eclectic mix with local live acts too.

In fact, I’m down here tonight for a St Patrick’s Day celebration, and Swindon’s Day Breakers are setting up. A talented four-piece with boundless eyes for great covers, you know we love these guys, for as the Celtic-roots-inspired originals duo, Sound Affects or as the mod-branded, Absolute Beginners, they never fail to raise the roof. With a new line-up consisting of a young drummer, Katy, and a new violin for Cath York, The Day Breakers combine aforementioned influences with post-punk pop of yore and contemporary folk-rock hits. It’s all Doc Martins and gritty covers with edge.

Superbly as ever they knock out Dexys’ Jackie Wilson Said, as an intro, the Manic’s Design For Life follows, with the Pouges’ Dirty Old Town displaying the variability of their repertoire, without finesse. The Cavy is treated to Specials, Jam and Madness covers, to The Cure, ELO, other early eighties classics, up-to-date anthems from Elbow et all, and Irish folk-punk. They do them with bells on. Mightily impressed with Katy’s drumming, despite her casually expressing her training hasn’t been for long.

Here is a professional floor-filling band, genuine, convivial and enjoyable, yet, although I accept the recent situation with the virus leaves everyone cautious, and Devizes is chockful of gigs on Saturday, the crowd is slight. I have to be honest; this is a tad frustrating. There is nothing more the Cavalier needs, other than your attention.