Irregularly I share a music video to our Facebook page with the status “song of the day,” or week, or whenever, as if it’s a daily occurrence. When the reality is it’s a big, fat fib on my part, it’s only when I happen to find such a video and can be arsed to share it. What-cha gonna do, sue me?
So, just in case your lawyer says you have a case, I thought I’d streamline this sporadic idea for 2021, make it an actual feature on the site rather than a Facebook post, and show off that I know what long words like “sporadic” mean.
Little more gone into it than this, you should be used to it by now. I’m not going to review them, just embed them here for your own appraisal and entertainment purposes. Potentially, it’ll be a groundbreakingily breif post, a simple but effective phenomenon, and something I can do without missing the Simpsons.
The challenge is consistency; whether I actually stick to the idea or, like others, it’ll be a flash in the pan. Who knows, this could be the start of something beautiful, this could be the thing they’re talking about in decades to come. A holographic Ken Bruce could be asking “what was the very first Devizine Song of the Day” in a Pop Master 200 years from now.
And you can answer it with who I bestow this honour, Atari Pilot. They’ll be revelling in the triumph of the hour if it wasn’t lockdown, I bet.
History in the making then, the only issue I foresee is I over-waffle any old crap, which is, incidentally, not what’s happening now and rarely does here; I had to explain myself, didn’t I?
Okay, I get message; here it is then, enjoy the tune, enjoy the rest of your evening. Good job, carry on.
- Rooks; New Single From M3G
Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward “E”) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunes on hold for a moment, because this is a beautiful, epic journey….
M3G’s seventh release, Rooks, poignantly pulls on the heartstrings when presented by the rise and fall of a romance, rooks often being a slang for cheating someone. It runs into six minutes, and reflecting the heartbreak of the subject, the song rises and falls accordingly. It creates a spellbinding ambience of both hope and worry equally, and is of magical vocal and acoustic guitar composition, with a gentle cajon drum subtly placed.
Inspired by the likes of Florence Welch and AURORA, Meg was open about her autism in our interview from 2023, and claimed it as the backbone to her creativity. In this, what she creates is completely original, unique, and unequivocally personal. Meg doesn’t just sing, she projects her innermost thoughts and expresses them, angelically. In Rooks, you can literally feel the character’s heart breaking, causing yours to inevitably go with it.
The hyphen in the term singer-songwriter has never been so apt with another. Sure, I hear lots of brilliant expressive singers and lots of songwriters who can pen a marvel, but no one merges them so seamlessly and forgoes any fear they’re exposing too much of their innermost thoughts, dreams or desires. You only need to venture ten seconds into Rooks to observe what I mean, and if Meg constantly strives for improvement, causing me to say this is her best song yet each time, here we go again; this is awe-inspiring, her magnum opus to date.
Recorded and mixed by Phil Cooper, his genius registers on it, yet still, it’s Just M3G; layering her backing chants over her main vocals like choral had a singular tense, and who even designed the cover. She says working with Phil is “a massive step above my other releases. I am so proud of it.” It is on a next level, I’m uncertain what she could do to top it, but assured she will, and I’m certain Rooks will appease her fans and make her find new ones.
Rooks streams tomorrow, 19th December 2025.
- Wiltshire Music Centre Unveils Star-Studded New Season
Wiltshire Music Centre Unveils Star-Studded New Season with BBC Big Band, Ute Lemper, Sir Willard White and comedians Chris Addison and Alistair McGowan revealing their classical music talents…..
Wiltshire Music Centre announces new Spring season with some extraordinary listening experiences on offer in the new year. Wiltshire Music Centre is a unique and contemporary 300-seated concert hall in Bradford on Avon. In the heart of rural Wiltshire, the venue’s built an enviable reputation over the years as a professional concert hall of exceptional quality, rooted in community participation and involvement. The Centre also provides a permanent home for local orchestras, choirs and music groups, and works extensively with young people locally through a vibrant and varied Creative Learning Programme in Wiltshire and beyond.
Since first opening in 1997, Wiltshire Music Centre has been a musical hub, bringing the best in live performances to the area as well as providing a home for local orchestras, choirs and music groups. Recently appointed Executive Director, Sarah Robertson and Artistic Director, Daniel Clark have a renewed commitment to creating a space for people to gather and connect through a shared love of music – a space to celebrate the past, present and future of music-making and to nurture a spirit of musical curiosity.
Audiences can look forward to an exceptional lineup of artists, including first-ever WMC appearances by leading pianist Angela Hewitt (30 Jan 2026), opera virtuoso Sir Willard White performing with WMC favourites The Brodsky Quartet (20 Mar 2026), BBC Big Band (17 Apr 2026) showcasing the musical genius of George Gershwin, international cabaret star Ute Lemper (8 Mar 2026), blues legend Eric Bibb (27 Mar 2026) touring his new album, and a WMC debut by the Neil Cowley Trio (11 Apr 2026) who bring their inventive show inspired by Baroque genius, J.S Bach, to the Centre. Meanwhile, Jamie Woon (8 Apr 2026), British R & B and electronica singer/producer returns to the stage after a 10-year break.
Classical and jazz season highlights include “trumpeter extraordinaire” (BBC Music Magazine) Matilda Lloyd performing with the Goldmund Quartet (7 Feb 2026); Nikki Iles and Claire Martin’s new project IG4 (7 Mar 2026); evocative choral works from The Gesualdo Six (28 Mar 2026); stunning vocals from the Grammy-nominated British vocal ensemble VOCES8 (26 Apr 2026); and exciting new jazz sounds from Jazz FM Instrumentalist of the Year Mark Kavuma (28 Mar 2026) and London-based saxophonist Camilla George (22 May 2026), whose music blends Afrofuturism, hip-hop, and jazz.
For blues, folk, and roots fans, there’s a packed programme of must-see gigs featuring both established and emerging favourites, including the powerful father–daughter duo Martin and Eliza Carthy (3 Apr 2026), much-loved folk singer Cara Dillon (8 May 2026), Jon Boden’s project The Remnant Kings (15 May 2026), and Josienne Clarke’s homage to Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention (6 Mar 2026).
Families can look forward to a musical retelling of Benji Davies’s children’s book The Storm Whale with Music in the Round (14 Feb 2026), and the film classic Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers on the big screen with live music performed by WMC’s flagship West of England Youth Orchestra (10 Apr 2026).
The eclectic programming extends beyond the music alone. Former Royal Harpist Catrin Finch (15 Mar 2026) comes to the Centre with Notes to Self, an evening of music and conservation, while master impressionist Alistair McGowan (12 Apr 2026) and sharp-witted comedian Chris Addison (14 Feb 2026) bring comedy and music with their respective shows. There will also be a series of monthly screenings with the newly launched Adventurers Film Club, featuring Becoming Led Zeppelin (28 Jan 2026), Set the Piano Stool on Fire (25 Feb 2026) — the acclaimed documentary about legendary pianist Alfred Brendel and his protégé Kit Armstrong—and more.
Introducing the new season, Daniel Clark says “Here you’ll find a wide-ranging series of concerts from some of the most exciting voices of the past, present and future of music. From great legends of music-making to rising stars, we’re committed to bringing the best music we can to our special venue, and hope you’ll find something that will transport, inspire and delight you.”
Highlights:
Angela Hewitt: one of the world’s greatest living interpreters of Bach’s music and recipient of the City of Leipzig Bach Medal in 2020 will make her WMC debut. (30 Jan 2026)
Angela Hewitt London 2016 Chris Addison’s Incomplete Guide to Chamber Music: Chris Addison brings to life the rich, vibrant – and sometimes bizarre – history of classical chamber music. A musical journey from baroque courts and European revolutions to today’s contemporary composers with some of the UK’s finest musicians and Chris’ brilliant and original facts and insight. (14 Feb 2026)
Eric Bibb: Three-time Grammy nominee and blues legend with a career spanning over five decades tours brand new album, One Mississippi blending blues, folk, soul, and Americana. (27 Mar 2026)
Ute Lemper: International cabaret star brings her show telling the story of Hollywood legend Marlene Dietrich through songs and stories: from the Berlin Cabaret years to her Burt Bacharach collaborations. (8 Mar 2026)
Lau Noah: Beautiful, innovative and evocative vocal and guitar harmonies from self-taught Catalan composer and songwriter who has supported Chris Thile, Ben Folds and Jacob Collier on tour over the past two years. (3 May 2026)
Tickets are now on sale: wiltshiremusic.org.uk/
- Daphne Oram; Devizes’ Unsung Pioneer of Electronic Sound: Part 2
Daphne’s Family & Childhood Connection to Devizes
Celebrations of Daphne Oram have been building in London since the beginning of December, for those in the sphere of electronic music and music technology. On the first Thursday of the month The Barbican held a concert commemorating Daphne’s centenary, where sound and music fair access partner, Nonclassical, in partnership with The Oram Trust and Oram Awards played commissioned reimagined works from various contemporary electronic artists, inspired from tapes in Daphne’s archive. This has been released as the album, Vari/ations: An Ode To Oram.
London university Goldsmiths acquired Daphne’s archive in 2006, bringing her work into the wider public domain, after decades of relative obscurity. In the male dominated realm of electronic music, this has presented a better understanding of Daphne as a visionary in the early development of the genre, and in turn inspired female musicians and producers.
But our story begins rather differently, in the late nineteen-twenties, at Belle Vue House, Devizes, where a much younger Daphne is caught trying to climb inside the family piano! Daphne’s niece Carolyn Scales explained, “she was asked ‘why are you doing that?’ and Daphne replied, she wanted the piano to make a sound between the notes on the keyboard.”
Daphne with brother John I’m grateful to Carolyn for providing some fascinating background into Daphne’s family and childhood in Devizes, something overlooked by the insurmountable information available regarding her work.
“All the siblings enjoyed listening to classical music but only Daphne had the ability to create music,” she told me. “Ida’s sisters often joined her to play trios and quartets at Belle Vue House while James did learn to play the cello but was happy to stand aside for more competent players. In his defence James’s father’s diaries only mention one musical instrument at their home, a piano declared by a piano tuner as not worthy of tuning. Maybe we underestimate the strength of our Oram artistic genes.”
Daphne at five months, with mother, Ida, brothers Arthur and John Daphne Blake Oram was born on the 31st December 1925, to James Oram (1890-1964) and Ida nee Talbot (1887-1972.) “Ida ,” Carolyn explained, “who at heart seems to have been a natural party goer, was plagued by ill health. Daphne was born in Ivy House Nursing Home not because of a fear of losing Daphne but because of Ida’s problems with her legs. In the first photograph of Daphne she is being held by Ida who is sitting in a wicker bath chair with Arthur and John in front of their new home of Belle Vue House.”
“Ida was born in Braintree, Essex into a family of drapers,” Carolyn said, “who soon moved to a shop on Maryport Street, Devizes, opposite the top of The Brittox, which they ran from 1888 until 1914. Unfortunately Ida’s father Alfred died in 1896 leaving her mother Alice nee Blake to run the business.” She continued to describe Alice’s six children helping at the shop, and its failure, though Ida was in charge of the millinery department, and how later there was a room in Belle Vue House devoted to her hats. Carolyn told of Ida’s painting hobby, in watercolours, oils and other mediums.
Talbot family with parents. Ida on swing with her twin Daphne’s father, James, was known in Devizes as “Jim” or “Jimmy.” He was not Irish but proud of his upbringing off the coast of County Mayo, and “never lost his soft Irish brogue.” His father Arthur Oram was a farmer and land agent in one of the most deprived parts of rural Ireland, hit hard by the famines of the early 1800s, and as such it was a natural breeding ground for agrarian discontent, later producing some prominent members of the IRA. This caused James to be keenly aware of local injustices.
“In 1961, when James took us to see where he was born,” Carolyn expressed, “he told us he was upset that he was not allowed to go to school with his friends. They were Catholic and he was a Protestant and to highlight the differences James and his siblings had to travel to school in Newport by pony and trap, rather than walk to the local school.”
“I feel sure that our father John was correct in saying that if James had stayed in Ireland he would have become a renowned barrister. Unfortunately, just as James left school there was a change in the family’s fortunes as The Congested Districts Board on behalf of the British Government were, quite rightly buying estates and redistributing the land among farmers living on tenanted, uneconomic smallholdings.”
Therefore, instead of attending university at sixteen James travelled to Devizes, to help his uncle (by marriage,) Alfred Hinxman, the manager of the Devizes branch of a Salisbury coal merchant. James lived in Devizes for the rest his life, managing the coal merchant until his retirement. Overseeing the distribution of coal in the southwest during the Second World War, James was so horrified by the profiteering he didn’t take a penny for his efforts and received a MBE.
James Oram, Devizes Mayor “James soon became a trusted member of the community,” Carolyn said, “active in its civic life, as a magistrate and a school governor. This included being Mayor of Devizes during The Abdication and coronation of George VI.”
“James also successfully became involved in many businesses including The Devizes Brick and Tile Co. Somehow James also found time for his interest in local history and was a member of various local societies. He could have become wealthy but instead gave away his excess income after ensuring that his family lived in a comfortable style. Every Sunday dinner during the depression of the 1930s they would discuss the families that the brickworks supported, carefully working out if they would have the money to feed their children. The discussion would end by choosing someone who was struggling to hire to cut the Belle Vue House lawn during the following week.”
The Devizes Brick and Tile Co. Photograph by HR Edmonds James’ generous nature rubbed off on his children. Daphne actively supported composers’ rights to royalties while she was a Trustee of The Performing Rights Society in the 1970s. “In particular,” Carolyn noted, “Daphne helped to set up the PRS Members’ Fund that continues to support those registered with the PRS and their families when they are in need of financial help. During the 1980s Daphne arranged Christmas hampers for these families.”
Before Daphne was born the family lived in rooms above the coal merchant’s office at 7 High Street, Devizes. James wanted Belle Vue House, empty at the time but out of his price range, until the state of dilapidation dropped far enough, which was just as Daphne was being born. The house would have been at the end of Belle Vue Road, now replaced by Waiblingen Way housing estate.
Retired designer Paul Bryant, who still resides locally told me he grew up close to Belle Vue House, and recalled her returning to the family home and, “the excitement that was generated when she was awarded grants from the Gulbenkian Foundation.” Paul expressed “it is heartening to see the ancient horse chestnut tree, then at the end of the Oram’s garden, still surviving in Waiblingen Way.” Meanwhile, local musician Peter Easton has written in request for a blue plaque to be erected in Daphne’s honour.
Daphne, with the grass roller at Belle Vue House, Devizes Carolyn explained how the sibling’s engineering abilities can also be traced to the Oram side of the family. “Their great uncle John had designed machinery to make barrels for Rockefeller’s oil, and their uncle Arthur oversaw many civil engineering projects in the Indus Valley, now in Pakistan.”
“Arthur, aged 9 and John, aged 5 were to share a bedroom with an adjoining dressing room that James agreed they would turn into a workshop,” Carolyn said. “They had already started their own tool kits and Arthur was delighted when James added a foot controlled fret saw.”
In a letter to John dated April 2003, Arthur wrote it would be the 77th anniversary of their move from the High Street to Belle Vue House: “Every 20th April was the day of an annual fair on the Green, and Hitler’s birthday. That one in 1926 was a very special wet Tuesday for us. Our mother was taken the half-mile in a big closed Bath Chair drawn by a man holding the long handle in front, because of her illness with a bad knee. She was helped into their old oak bed in the drawing room, on the right of the door towards the fireplace. In that room there was placed, near the door, the old radio that our mother had bought some years before from proceeds of her Barbola work, with its two bright emitter valves and six volt battery, from which we had news through the general strike of 1926.”
“Later the workshop became home to John’s lathe and of great interest to Daphne. John told me that he was sometimes very mean to Daphne when she came to the workshop. At first she had to stay outside the open door and be silent, if she passed that test she was allowed to stand just inside the door for a while before coming closer to John and even helping when possible. John taught Daphne to use a lathe and she had one of his old lathes at Tower Folly, albeit by then worn and no longer a precision tool. John also admitted to teasing Daphne over his Meccano set that she wanted to play with. Daphne had to watch John make, say a crane ,then he would tighten all the nuts and bolts before walking away leaving Daphne to dismantle his work.”
Daphne visits her parents in Devizes Carolyn said, “there were three main early influences on Arthur, John and Daphne namely their father James, mother Ida and their home which gave them space to both work together and follow their own particular interests.”
I’m eternally grateful to Carolyn Scales, Daphne’s niece, for a fascinating insight into Daphne’s early years and family life, and for the photographs too. It seems her curious childhood nature was focused on what makes music, and her engineering skills were honed early, enhanced by her intrigue and not being allowed to assist by her elder brothers. This led her to create the Oramics Machine, her early synthesiser, built in the 1960s, but lost after her death. We should concentrate our efforts on Daphne’s work in the third part, and how it shaped modern music……
All images are taken with permission from the personal collection of Carolyn Scales with thanks. ©2025 Carolyn Scales. Please ask permission before use.
- Burning the Midday Oil at The Muck
Highest season of goodwill praises must go to Chrissy Chapman today, who raised over £500 (at the last count) for His Grace Children’s Centre in Uganda, with a little help from talented friends….
Years back as soloist singer-songwriter One Trick Pony, Chrissy organised annual fundraising gigs at the Southgate around Christmas time, but now tuned up a notch with her incredible Americana band Burn the Midnight Oil behind her it was a high noon lock up and load for a Sunday afternoon hoedown at the Muck and Dunder rum bar in Devizes. The better half, Mrs Devizine, has been asking me to take her somewhere tropical, so given such an opportunity, we bused it to The Brittox.
With Burn The Midnight Oil rightfully grasping the top slot with the same intensity as me holding my pineapple vase of piña colada, all kicked off at half-two with Gary Hewitt-Long performing a rare acoustic set. New to the game, and while I obviously cannot condone a satirical song aimed at a certain rogue local councillor, Gary was unnecessarily bashful, as he acoustically played out some great originals to warm the crowd!
Perhaps it was the crowd which, understandably nerved him; it sure was building, as Martin Rea sauntered through them, sporting a fashionable bum bag and dishing out raffle tickets.
A Wiltshire duo new to me, One Plus One may offer sums even I can handle in name, but their performance was delightful. A proficient and lovable pop cover duo to please any event, One Plus One is guitarist Dave, and Emily on vocals, confident to take on an Amy Winehouse cover or two and come up trumps. Chapel Roan’s Pink Pony Club also got a superb makeover, and they polished it off with the seasonal Fairytale of New York; why not?
Maybe only because our modest local folk legend Vince Bell, who followed, also planned to finalise his sublime set with the UK’s best loved Christmas song, with his wife Lisa as Kirsty MacColl. Though more musical theatre, no stranger to the limelight, Lisa nailed it, and the handsome, pretty, and the queens of New Devizes City crowd never minded the doubled up cover and sang the chorus.
Vince also offered Chrissy the accompanying chair for a spellbinding middle duet they supposed they should record, and they should. But beginning his set with his divine self-penned melancholic earworms, garnished in percussive rhythm guitar mastery akin to flamenco, and raising the spirit with the more spritely Spiderman Pajamas, Vince is a local treasure and never fails to charm.
Exactly a year after we first interviewed the original lineup, Burn The Midnight Oil came bursting on and delivered their awesome set with unified passion and precision, seemingly lapping up every minute. You’d be excused for assuming this band has been playing together for decades despite it being less than a year in the new format.
They appeased the audience with a taste of what they’ve been working on, looked fantabulous, and, most importantly, put 210% into their show. Yet it was arguably the sum of all these parts and the community festive spirit, which made it the wonderful afternoon it was.
- Daphne Oram; Devizes’ Unsung Pioneer of Electronic Sound
Part 1: An Introduction
March 1936: newlywed French telecommunications engineer Pierre Schaeffer relocates to Paris from Strasbourg and finds work in radio broadcasting. He embarks on early radiophonic experiments. Fifteen years of his research, his inventions of various electronic instruments, and collaborations with Pierre Henry would lead them to found Groupe de Recherche de Musique Concrète. Musique concrète would be the root of the utilisation of modified recorded sound through audio signal processing and tape techniques.
Across the channel, it’s the St. Clement’s Fair in Devizes. The town hall is decorated with a foliage of oranges and lemons, and the “Bells of St Clement’s” was recited with handbells to declare the fair open. Devizes Congregationsts arranged a small eisteddfod, which would be the origins of today’s Devizes Eisteddfod, founded ten years later to raise funds for the Congregational Church, opposite Wadworth’s Brewery.
The connection? Well, two cups were awarded by the minister Rev. W.S.H Hallett; one for Ruth Mead for a vocal solo, and the second to eleven-year-old Daphne Oram, for a pianoforte solo. The daughter of James and Ida Oram, Daphne was educated at Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset, where she was tutored in piano and musical composition.
Daphne Oram as a young girl dressed as Alice in Wonderland with family, for the Devizes Carnival: Source Wiltshire Museum At seventeen Daphne moved to London, turned down a place at the Royal College of Music, to become a junior sound engineer at the BBC, where she would “shadow” concerts with a pre-recorded version, allowing the broadcast to continue despite interference or blackouts due to air raids.
Throughout the 1940s Daphne devoted herself to the pioneering of electronic sound, labouring into the night composing various pieces, most far too avant-garde for the traditionalist BBC bosses to consider publishing. Promoted to music studio manager after a decade, she eventually convinced the BBC to the benefits of electronic music and musique concréte for use in programming; particularly for The BBC Third Programme, replaced by BBC Radio 3. By 1957 they caved, and Daphne was appointed the original co-director of The BBC Radiophonic Workshop with Senior Studio Manager Desmond Briscoe.
Their early efforts were for radio: radiophonic poems, effects for prevalent sci-fi serials like Quatermass and The Pit, and comedy sounds for The Goon Show. Yet Daphne’s motivation remained in electronic music production, and she resigned in 1959 to freelance, moving again to Kent.
Daphne Oram was way ahead of her time, a visionary frustrated with the direction The Radiophonic Workshop was heading, because electronic music was still in its infancy, especially the acceptance of it. The workshop continued without her and eventually branched into music, as television took over.
A trainee assistant studio manager called Delia Derbyshire joined the workshop, creating numerous scores and effects for television programmes. Most notably in 1963, when Derbyshire electronically modified Ron Grainer’s Doctor Who theme, hailed as the pinnacle moment in the advancement of electronic music in Britain. Though, BBC bureaucracy as it was, Delia was never credited on-screen for it until twelve years after her passing, in a 2013 fiftieth anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor. Her work has since been acknowledged and revered, whilst Daphne Oram remains a relatively unsung heroine in the development of electronic music.
Image: Daphne Oram Futurist Luigi Russolo argues in a 1913 letter to composer Francesco Pratella, a manifesto referred to as The Art of Noises, that the ear will become accustomed to noises of urbanisation and industrial soundscapes, and thus mankind will develop a new sonic palette as technology progresses. A fascinating and accurate theory into the evolution of sound, in which Russolo encouraged musicians to listen to city sounds, which will putatively be the cymatics of future music.
I find myself reasoning if this explains why electronic music today is most popular in urban environments rather than rural. Due to music famed promoter Mel Bush, Devizes retains an affection for the blues, using authentic analogue instruments. Producers of electronic music are rare here. If you want dance music, which greater acquires the usage of technology than rock, blues, or folk, you may need to head towards Bristol, Swindon, or Salisbury.
But coming from a more urban background and growing up in the eighties and nineties, personally I’ve never outcasted electronics in music. Even if a musician is using analogue methods to create music, they will at the least use the internet to promote them. With eclectic tastes, I also love electronica, hip hop, dub, and dance music, and I love to explore the origins of it. So, this research project has me fascinated, the life and work of Daphne Oram, and her growing up in Devizes. I wondered how she became involved.
A graphical sound technique where shapes etched into filmstrips are read by photo-electric cells and transformed into for various parameters of sound is called Oramics, after its creator Daphne Oram at her Oramics Studios in Kent. She expressed hope that her work on Oramics would “plant seeds that would mature in the 21st century.” Her legacy is commemorated in the annual Oram Awards, and the 2022 BBC Masterbrand Sonic, was internally known as “Daphne,” but still in her hometown she’s not widely known, neither are her early years spent in Devizes well documented.
This month, Daphne would have celebrated her one-hundredth birthday. So, join me in an exploration of her life and work in a series of articles. We will talk with Daphne’s niece, Carolyn Scales, about her early years in Devizes, explore her work further, and talk with a local producer of electronic music about her legacy and the impact her work has on them. Because one thing is certain, without Daphne Oram music today would sound vastly different, at least it would in the UK, and during the boom of pop, as you should be aware, Britain led the way. I believe that it is worth commemorating and honouring her here in her birthplace, Devizes.
- Wiltshire Council “Update” on Northgate Street Lane Closure
Yesterday Wiltshire Council published an “update” on the lane closure on Northgate Street in Devizes as the fire which caused it reaches its first anniversary. Only, it’s more a “reminder” than an “update!”
It begins, “the fire, in November 2024, caused significant damage to the Grade II-listed property and since then the council has had to install a single lane closure to keep people safe. The council recognises the inconvenience this is causing and is committed to reopening the road as soon as possible.” Yeah, knew that bit already.
It continued justifiable, stating “the council has no legal powers to compel the building owner to take further action.” Then the Deputy Leader of Wiltshire Council, Mel Jacob, said how frustrating it all was, and how they were “keen to get the road reopened as soon as we can.” Knew that bit as well.
Fair enough, red tape and all that baloney I get, but the remainder of the information simply says what an inconvenience it’s been, and its impact on the community; who knew that bit?!
It suggests they’re in talks, but pledges “more positive news on the road early in the new year.” If the word “update” needs replacing with “reminder,” the word “more” here should be swapped out for “some,” for as of yet it seems there isn’t any news about it at all, let alone “positive” news; just some chatting, possibly over tea and cake. You’ve got a new bus shelter, be happy!
But hey, even if I cannot confirm about the tea and cake, it’s 14 sleeps until Santa, so let’s keep our glasses half-full, and hope he miraculously brings a resolution in his sack. For there’s been a few advantages, such as free town centre parking for the most daring and cheeky!
And think of it this way, the serious risk of turning right into Station Road from the mini-roundabout has been lessened by its more consistent usage; it seems now the occasional driver coming from the town direction acknowledges it as a roundabout, actually observes and obeys that technical hitch in the highway code known to others as “the right of way!”
Before all this a right turn there was a white-knuckle ride only for the daredevil stuntman or those on the school run; there were more bumps there than on the road to Potterne.
But one roundabout up into town, immortalised as “The Brewery Roundabout,” has been a fascinating study into levels of human kindness in Devizes. As whilst drivers can exit the Market Place there, there’s no traffic crossing the roundabout in which to allow them their right of way. At peak times this can be challenging and a smidgen annoying. My last count of human kindness, as traffic flows at a snail’s pace from the congested New Park Street, was a fantastic new record of eighteen inconsiderate to one thoughtful driver!
Those in the know about levels of human kindness in Devizes will nip down the Station Road junction from the Market Place, if they wish to ever exit the town westward, and being this road is narrow with parking spaces, it’s become a two-way rat run, whereby the 20mph limit is considered only for “snowflakes.”
All of which could’ve been avoided if there was a thing called “planning,” whereby Station Road could’ve been reduced to one way coming out of the Market Place, and the single lane from the Brewery roundabout was used for coming into the Market Place. But no worries, because Wiltshire Council are talking about it. It’s not progress, is it? It’s more like poking a dead dog with a stick, hoping it might get up and run.
- 7 Hills Spring Festival Comes to Trowbridge
Is it time to start thinking about spring? I think so! Bath music promoters 7 Hills are moving their annual spring festival from the city to Trowbridge’s Old Town Hall. If you’re already buzzing for the 2026 festival season to arrive, check this March offering…..
7 Hills regularly organise music events at The Night Jar in Bath, a glorious bar upstairs at the Bath Pizza Company, part of the hip Green Park Brasserie close to the railway station. Many gigs there have a “pay if can” policy, and present the likes of Luke De-Sciscio, Elles Bailey and Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene. Their festivals are also usually held in Bath, but this coming year a spring one comes to Trowbridge.
Chris Hoar of Courting Ghosts explained he, “reached out to them initially to say I was planning a festival in the newly renovated Old Town Hall, just to check it didn’t clash with them, and Matt said let’s do it together in Trowbridge as a spring festival.”
Concrete Prairie It’s an all day folk-rock festival, happening on Saturday 21st March, tickets are on sale now at £39.50. There’s a number of acts new to me on the lineup, which is good; The Delines, Our Man In The Field, Joseph Arthur, Hannah White, Leander Morales Music, Chris Greenhalgh, Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours and Biff Country. Some to tick off my must see list, like AQABA, and others which I will never tire of witnessing, particularly Concrete Prairie, Thieves, Fly Yeti Fly and Matt Owens, with Chris’s band Courting Ghosts, of course!
Courting Ghosts Following an extensive and transformative refurbishment, the historic Old Town Hall will host this inaugural 7 Hills Spring Festival, a landmark cultural event marking a renewed era of artistic ambition for the region. Conceived as a celebration of world-class songwriting and contemporary creative excellence, the festival assembles an exceptional line-up of internationally esteemed performers and compelling new voices.
The Delines headline, widely regarded as one of the most evocative and accomplished bands of their generation. Praised for their cinematic soul, lush arrangements and profoundly humane storytelling, critics have called The Delines “one of the finest Americana acts working today” and hailed their work as “exquisite, elegant and utterly transportive.” Their appearance at 7 Hills Spring Festival promises a rare opportunity to witness a band consistently described as “among the very best songwriters and performers on either side of the Atlantic.”
They are joined by Our Man in the Field, whose transatlantic Americana and increasingly acclaimed live performances have captured audiences across Europe and beyond; the distinguished American singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur, celebrated for his poetic intensity; Matt Owens & The DVP, whose dynamic blend of modern folk, rock, and richly crafted lyricism promises one of the night’s most electrifying sets; and multiple AMA UK Award Winner, Hannah White, widely recognised as one of Britain’s most profound contemporary songwriters. Rounding out the bill are Courting Ghosts, an emerging band whose growing reputation reflects a bold and distinctive artistic voice.
Fly Yeti Fly Showcasing newly enhanced performance spaces, architectural restoration, and a revitalised artistic vision, the renewed Old Town Hall stands as a major cultural milestone. 7 Hills Spring Festival will not merely highlight the building’s transformation, but also usher in a bold new chapter for Trowbridge’s cultural landscape.
With the absence of Bradford Roots Festival this coming year, usually in Feb at The Wiltshire Music Centre, I think I can pad it out until then; maybe go into hibernation until March!
- St John’s Choir Christmas Concert in Devizes
Join the St John’s Choir and talented soloists for a heart-warming evening of festive favourites, carols, and candlelit Christmas atmosphere this Friday 12 th December at 7.30pm…..
The spectacular, and oldest church in Devizes, St John’s Church has a Christmas Concert on Friday with All proceeds go to Julia’s House and St John’s Church.
Tickets are £10 for adults, free for accompanied children. Tickets are available via Ticketsource, Devizes Books, or by scanning the QR code in the poster below.
- Devizes Assize Court Saved; A New Home for Wiltshire Museum
This afternoon I find myself contemplating what the future holds for historical discovery and learning for all ages, fun and educational exhibits and events in Wiltshire; and it looks positive! Devizes is blessed to have Wiltshire Museum already, but the future looks even better, the future is…. Assizes!
Wiltshire Museum announced today, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £8.5 million towards the £14.8 million Assizes for Devizes project to transform the derelict Assize Court building into a spectacular new home for the Museum. Derelict for decades, the once huge court house of architectural distinction, on the Heritage At Risk register, The Assize Court has been a sour issue for too long, and in its current condition is sadly an eyesore. The project will restore its historic features, and breathe new life into the building; Wiltshire Museum and in turn, Devizes will thrive.
Since 1874 The Wiltshire Museum has been delighting visitors at Long Street in Devizes, and is home to nationally important designated collections, including stunning treasures from the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site landscape. It also hosts many exhibits, educational events and lectures for all ages, children’s craft workshops and so much more.
Director of Wiltshire Museum David Dawson said, “we are delighted that the Heritage Fund has demonstrated its confidence in our plans to transform the former Devizes Assize Court into the new home for a reimagined Wiltshire Museum. At last we will be able to give the museum’s internationally significant collections a fitting home, while rescuing an important at-risk listed building and providing a focal point for town centre renewal. We are grateful to National Lottery players, our loyal members and our other funders, existing and future, for their commitment and support.”
Peter Troughton, CVO CBE, Chair of Devizes Assize Court Trust, which initially saved the building by purchasing it in 2018 with the support of generous donors, said, “the National Lottery Heritage Fund award to the Wiltshire Museum is fantastic news! It will transform the museum, save the historic Assize Court building and give the people of Devizes a community hub like no other. It will be an enormous help to the campaign to achieve the vision for the award-winning museum, already supported by the town, Wiltshire County Council and leading charitable foundations.”
- For Now, Anyway; Gus White’s Debut Album
Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova
My apologies, for Marlborough’s singer-songwriter Gus White’s debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and it’s more than worth a quick mention…..
Gus White is a respected folk musician, record producer, festival organiser, and community maker with a deep love for the rooted and the heartfelt. His production credits are the string that ties together an emerging scene that refers to itself as Third Wave Folk, involving a collective of artists which record with Gus at his Wiltshire studio. This includes microtonal and genre-fluid rising-star Maddie Ashman, folk singer Minna, and UK folk-charting artist Ann Liu Cannon. The latter is our connection, fondly reviewing Ann Liu’s album Clever Rabbits back in July.
Though, in the short wintery month this album has been simmering it’s made number twenty-six on the Official Folk Album Charts, making Gus rightfully charting too. An initial listen from yours truly and I can understand why. I do declare it as instant as Douwe Egberts’ Pure Gold, only in rapture rather than coffee! It’s chock full of cool vibes, that breezy feelgood Sunday morning acoustic which is too darn soothing it’s impossible to criticise. As for Gus’s barista skills, I’ve no confirmation, but going on his music, I could take a wild guess he’s a tea fellow.
Eleven songs strong, put the kettle on yourself, and allow Gus to get on doing his sublime thing! There’s no rise and fall, the melodies flow like the Iguazu Falls. If I pick out individual elements into Gus’s melting pot, like the doo-wop-ish structure of middle-track Terrible Things, the bluesy guitar picking in the following song, Head Held High, or jazz drum percolate in Please, Forgive Me, they’re all so subtly placed. If Gus defines it Third Wave Folk, that’s what it is; a composition borrowing from Americana and English folk, but neither whole; a gorgeous cherrypick from both. It has the universal folk-rock feel of Goerge Harrison and Cat Stevens, and is equally as uplifting.
Though some themes are negative, the overall ambience is pessimistic; if you’ve a bad day, so what? Watch the rain trickle down the window outside with that lukewarm brew in a slightly stained chipped mug, listen to this and contemplate, life goes on, you’re rising above it.
If the penultimate song on For Now, Anyway, After So Long is rinsed in a dejected romantic memory, Gus carries it as skilled as Tom Petty, and the final song Still Learning lifts the spirit one final time like a contemporary Dr Hook, with that beguiling cheerful chorus. It departs your ears leaving you aching for more; a beautifully and skilled production from someone who comes across as a modest genius tea-drinker. Gus produced, mixed and mastered For Now, Anyway, a defining statement as a songwriter and a prime example of his meticulous production work.
Image: Jeremey Prout Authentic too; recorded in 2021, with a live band of friends and local musicians, Gus White approached this stunning album like any other project, stating he was “trying to capture the magic, and the essence, of the song in a single live performance, in the way real instruments and human voices blend when left to their own devices.”
Gus, also a member of folk band Dead Pages, is co-organiser of Late Spring Folk Festival, which celebrated its third iteration this summer at Dummer Down Brewery near Micheldever, since forming at a Wiltshire pub venue. This year’s is Saturday 23rd May. If he showcases this album there it’s worth the reasonable ticket stub alone.
For Now, Anyway is out now on Man Made Tigers. Available to buy on CD & vinyl exclusively from Sound Knowledge in Marlborough and is available across streaming platforms. Don’t procrastinate like me, as I’m sorry I did now I’ve heard it.
- Website: guswhitemusic.com
- Instagram: @guswhiteproducer
- Facebook: IGusWhite
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