Month: Jun 2023

Just Meg; an Interview

by Jess Worrow

I confess a few nerves about my first interview, in a coffee shop in Chippenham, however after meeting folk singer-songwriter Meg, it became more like a chat between two friends. Meg is appearing on the line-ups of many local festivals and venues, from Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump, Chippenham Pride and Folk Festival, to MDBTYD festival in Swindon.….

I asked her which gig she was most looking forward to, โ€œthe Minety Festival is where most of my focus is, as it’s the closest,โ€ she explained. Meg is playing the Minety stage on Friday night alongside other upcoming artists such as Boston Green and The Sunnies, and amidst legends like Dodgy, Reef and Scouting For Girls.

But which are her favourite venues and most memorable gigs? โ€œIt’s a difficult question, I find gigs better when there are friendly people and a good environment. I did a gig with Boston Green at Newark Hall in Chippenham; they were amazing!โ€ Meg was passionate about the Pump in Trowbridge, which presents opportunities to upcoming and diverse musicians. โ€œKieran,โ€ she said, โ€œwho runs it is really involved in helping young musicians.โ€

I was keen to understand the difficulties for younger people getting local bookings, at sixteen it must be hard to get gigs being many venues are pub-based. โ€œAt times it can,โ€ Meg said, โ€œI’ve had a few venues whoโ€™ve said no because theyโ€™re 18 plus, so, like bars and clubs, as legally it would be very difficult. Then getting the fan base in because many of them are younger as well.โ€

Whatโ€™s Megโ€™s favourite thing about performing? โ€œThe fact I can do it and that there’s an audience who cares enough to actually listen, and who will come up and talk to me afterwards; itโ€™s really sweet. And of course, I love it! I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it.โ€

Glastonbury is a dream gig for any artist, Meg included. โ€œThough I don’t think I’d like to go there unless I was playing,โ€ she remarked. Meg cited Florence and the Machine and Aurora as influences, โ€œthey have been hugely influential on my personal style. When I was first going out, I didn’t have many originals, mainly doing Florence and Aurora covers.โ€ But now Meg is a prolific writer. โ€œAt this point,โ€ she expressed, โ€œI’m doing all originals, but this time last year I only had two and was doing mainly covers. I actually wrote a bunch of songs whilst doing my GCSEs! Itโ€™s a good way to relieve stress. So, I have a lot more material now.โ€

Enough for an album, and at such a young age? Meg was thrilled about an opportunity to record her songs, โ€œI mean thatโ€™s got to be exciting, right?โ€

โ€œI’m so excited for that!โ€ Meg expressed, โ€œI’ve got two days booked, so hopefully I’ll get all the songs I’ve got going at the moment recorded. Yess, there’s going to be an album! We are going to aim to start releasing around September, and then the album will probably come out between then and Christmas.โ€

โ€œI feel like the music industry isn’t always that accessible to become successful in, but at my age, I think I have the freedom to put a lot of time into it, and I’m obviously still supported by my parents, and I love them so much; they help me a lot with it!โ€

I wondered where Meg got her inspiration. โ€œInspired by the work of Aurora and Florence and the Machine,โ€ she began, โ€œI love nature so that can sometimes help. And rain, whenever it rains I seem to get ideas! A month ago it was really misty and I wrote a song which is called Mist, which is one of my favourites. When inspiration strikes you just have to write; I often find Iโ€™ll be writing songs in the back of my school books!โ€

Where did it all begin? โ€œThis probably sounds cliche,โ€ Meg replied, โ€œbut it’s always been there, as soon as I could talk I started singing! I was four when I wrote my first little song. I would always sing with my mum when I was younger which really helped get me into it and my dad played musical instruments so that helped too.โ€

Mist being her personal fav, Meg continued, โ€œThere is this one that’s a calm one; some people say it’s sad, but it’s very nostalgic for me. It’s called Hide in the Rain. There is also another one that’s really helped me through a lot of things, called Together, because Iโ€™m autistic the song has helped remind me I can unmask, I don’t have to pretend to be someone else and it’s fine to be me.โ€

Mentioning Together, about her autism, I asked Meg when she is writing her songs does she try to represent autism? โ€œI think Together is the only song I’ve written about it. But I do quite openly talk about it and I don’t think it should be something people are scared to talk about. For me personally it’s part of who I am and I really value that part of me. It’s made some parts of life difficult but it’s made parts of my life better. I honestly don’t think I would be doing this if I wasn’t autistic, in a weird way. All of my songs are about me in some respect and it’s a part of me I can’t escape.โ€

Does Meg get performance anxiety? โ€œSometimes, it often depends on the gigs. At new environments like a festival Iโ€™ve never been to, or when I’ve got a lot of new songs I haven’t performed, I found then that it can be very nerve-racking.โ€

It was lovely chatting to Meg, I asked her what her proudest musical accomplishment was, so far. โ€œI’m not sure. It’s hard to say, but coming second in Take the Stage in Chippenham, when I was fifteen has to be up there!โ€ And Iโ€™m sure there will be many more!

You can find Meg performing at Minety, Trowbridge Festival, MDBYTD and The Shuffle and regularly at The Pump. 

Follow MEG on Instagram Facebook

Trending……

Speed Reduction on Caen Hill to 50mph

Be honest now, who likes to bomb it up and down Caen Hill dual carriageway like they’re Lewis Hamilton on a promise? Who thinks onceโ€ฆ

Jamsters Festival at The Southgate

January last year, The Southgate Inn Devizes announced Jamsters, a monthly Friday night platform for loose groupings and associations created at their regular jam sessionsโ€ฆ

Time to be Thinking About CrownFest!

Itโ€™s time to be thinking about that nearby little village with a big punch and a spire. CrownFest at The Crown in Bishops Cannings is occurring next weekend, Saturday 8th July, and if last yearโ€™s inaugural festival is anything to go by youโ€™re in for a treatโ€ฆ..

Because the whole term โ€œfestivalโ€ has become somewhat ambiguous during these trending times, some pubs seem to take the wonky assumption that you can grab a man with a guitar off the street, put him in a marquee, flog undercooked hotdogs and call it a festival! Crownfest, you should note now, does it proper and gurt lush, and last year was hard to imagine it was their first time. It was professionally put together and catered for all; real stage, side stalls, childrenโ€™s entertainment and rides and plenty of food options. And most importantly of all, it was simply a stupendously friendly and buzzing event.

There was never a point where something was a hassle, like free car-parking, camping is reduced to ยฃ15 per (6m x 4m) pitch this year, pets are welcome, toilets and showers are available and it was exceptionally well presented with friendly but effective security; personally I couldnโ€™t fault it other than the fact I fell off the bus too late to catch Pete Lambโ€™s Heartbeats, as they were running ahead of schedule! What festival have you ever been to which runs on time, let alone ahead of schedule?! It must say something about the dedication gone into CrowFest numero uno, and it showed.

Being punctual isnโ€™t something Iโ€™d usually need to enforce at any festie, but perhaps here, as here is the lineup and (apparent) times! Headline amidst a further couple of tributes, from 9:30 till the close, Bob Marley & The Wailers tribute The Marley Experience is surely something youโ€™d be looking forward to? Only ever witnessing one Marley tribute before called Legends, I have to say that one will be a hard act to follow, but in checking out The Marley Experience online, take it from a reggae aficionado himself, these guys sound equally โ€œtop ranking.โ€

If May brought us the terrible news of the queen of rock ‘n’ rollโ€™s passing, Tina Turner was perhaps the most misunderstood icon of the eighties. The controversial Ike & Tina Turner Revue of the seventies which put her in the spotlight, equally was her trauma. Unlike Marley tributes, Tina Turner ones are plentiful, and this could go either way. Being honest, with tribute acts I find thereโ€™s no inbetween, theyโ€™re either astoundingly great, and pay a homage to the act theyโ€™re attributing, or are a shocking embarrassment! Thing you need to do when deciding on a tribute act is research, and I assume Eddie music coordinator has done his homework, as Kinisha Morgan-Williams, the Tina Turner tribute act booked, sounds โ€œsimply the bestโ€ on this here YouTube vid, and she is on at 7:45.

Prior to the private dancer, thereโ€™s an Abba tribute, Abba Allstars from 6pm. Again, I find myself contemplating my โ€œno in betweenโ€ theory of tribute acts, and the Chiquitita video shows, even for someone like me whoโ€™s not the biggest Abba fan, these Allstars are proficient and sound sublimeโ€ฆ.they might make an Abba fan out of me yet!

Though Iโ€™m a 100% fan of those Junkyard Dogs, on at 4:15pm; a local band of the fiery blues variety and never to be missed. Cap’n Rasty’s Skiffle City Rockers, on at 2:30, is a new one on me, but the name alone is enough to entice. Then, along with Fantasy DJ Marc Anthony, and Guinness Book of Records holder for freestyle football skills Dan Magness, who did keep-me-ups for twenty-four hours, and causing me to wonder how he went to the loo during it, (I will ask him and report back) we also have Gloucesterโ€™s fantastic and energetic alt-rock collective, the Leon Daye Band, who kick off proceedings at 1pm.

With all that in mind, I suggest you head on down to the Crown at Bishops Canning and grab a ticket, or online here, but if you go in person no chatting up the infamous gorilla statue, though; I saw her first!ย 

Trending……

Deadlight Dance New Single & Video

New single from our gothic duo Deadlight Dance, taken from Marchโ€™s album Vox Populiโ€ฆ. Second tune on the album, a ballad to the poisonous evergreenโ€ฆ

Brian on FullTone Festival

Our regular historian and Visiting Research Fellow of The Regional History Centre, UWE Bristol, Brian Edwards takes some time to sketch the FullTone Orchestra aheadโ€ฆ

The Grand Return of CrownFest

The first week into July, and two local festivals of five ticked off! CrownFest went down a hit with those who attended this fantastic reputationโ€ฆ

An Update on our Postcard Criticism

Earlier today I published an opinion piece on the postcard sent by someone at Devizes Town Council to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport,โ€ฆ

Major step towards revitalising Devizes Assize Court as the new home of Wiltshire Museum

Exciting news for Wiltshire Museum in Devizes, who has received initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for an ambitious and exciting project โ€˜Assizes for Devizes: Unlocking Wiltshireโ€™s Storiesโ€™.ย  Made possible by National Lottery players, the project aims to revitalise the derelict Devizes Assize Court into a vibrant community hub and iconic new home for Wiltshire Museum and its world class collection.….

Development funding of ยฃ300,748 has been awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help Wiltshire Museum, working closely with the Devizes Assize Court Trust, to progress plans for the project before applying for a full National Lottery grant in 2025.  If successful, work would start on the Assize Court building in three- or four-yearsโ€™ time, with a target opening date of 2030.

โ€˜Assizes for Devizesโ€™ aims to create a cultural and community destination at the heart of Wiltshire, supporting tourism and the regeneration of the local area.  Essential conservation works to the Assize Court will enable the revitalisation of the building to include a multi-use community and event space, a designated learning area and innovative new museum galleries.  The project will also include an exciting programme of local activities, events and volunteer opportunities.

During the two-year development phase we will be holding community days, including โ€˜pop-upโ€™ exhibitions to seek the views of local people on plans as they progress.  These ideas will be developed with Purcell, our appointed architects, along with adjoining owners, Wiltshire Council and Devizes Town Council.

Martin Nye, Chair of Wiltshire Museum, said โ€œWe are delighted that the Heritage Fund have supported our project to restore this wonderful building and give a home that is fit for purpose for the award-winning Wiltshire Museum. We are all excited by the opportunity to connect the Assize Court building to the rest of Devizes, and to create a vibrant destination for the very wide range of visitors who come from far and wide to see our marvellous collections.โ€

Peter Troughton, Chair of the Devizes Assize Court Trust, said โ€œThis fantastic news is a vital and hugely encouraging step on the long journey to giving a new life to this important building.  The financial help that the project has received to date has been invaluable, enabling us to get to where we are today.  Our thanks to Historic England, Devizes Town Council, a number of charitable trusts and individuals who have made this possible.โ€

Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: โ€œWe believe that investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to. It has the power to make our communities better places to live, bring a sense of pride and boost the local economy. Weโ€™re pleased to support Wilshire Museum with their Assizes for Devizes project. It will not only see a Grade II* listed building brought back to life, but also create a space for the community and a new home for the Wiltshire Museum. We look forward to working with the team to progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.โ€

A key part of the work over the next two years will be to raise the significant additional funding required to complete the project through applications to trusts and foundations and in securing philanthropic support.

The Wiltshire Museum has been engaging visitors since 1874 in its current buildings on Long Street, Devizes and is home to Designated collections, including stunning treasures from the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site landscape.

The Devizes Assize Court was built in 1835 and has been derelict since the 1980s. It has been on Historic England โ€˜Heritage At Risk registerโ€™ since the schemeโ€™s inception in 1988.

Ooh Ah, Shuffling to My Dadโ€™s Bigger Than Your Dad…

If you fancy having a whole heap of fun while helping raise some funds for Prospect Hospice, who have provided end of life care to the people of Swindon and north east Wiltshire for over 40 years, you have two exciting festival options.…..

Firstly lands in your lap on Saturday 22nd July, when Swindonโ€™s Old Town Gardens plays host to My Dadโ€™s Bigger Than Your Dad Festival. Bit long-winded name for a festival, but it’s certainly original and stands out, provided the idea of primary playground sayings for festivals doesn’t trend on the back of it and we have The My Dad’s a Blackbelt in Karate Festival, or even worse, The Ooh Ah Lost my Bra in my Boyfriendโ€™s Car Festival!

In its third year the festival is a tribute to Dave Young, the former landlord of The Victoria and 12 Bar who died in early June 2021 at Prospect Hospice after a hard-fought battle against cancer. The festival has raised over ยฃ24,000 for Prospect Hospice in its first two years.

Headline sponsor this year will be Future Planning, an independent financialย planners and mortgage advisers based in Swindon. Acts include countywide favourite rockers, The Ukey Dukes, Kova Me Badd, The Vooz, and Splat the Rat, ska and reggae cover giants Train to Skaville, sonic indie darlings Atari Pilot, upcoming indie post punk favourites Viduals, The Pop-Punk Revolution Tour, crazy rappers Imperial Leisure, and in a comedy rock subgenre of their very own, we can never forget the Real Cheesemakers. Plus thereโ€™s acoustic goodness from Hip Routeโ€™s Jim Blair, Drew Byrant, Joel Rose, Meg, Jules Hill, Shedric.

If this isnโ€™t enough for you, Swindon Paint Fest will be hosting an area of creativity with six fantastic local artists demonstrating their talents by live painting in the Sunken Garden. There will also be a guided spray paint and acrylic pen workshop led by Emma from Old Townโ€™s Mams gallery where  participants will be able to have a go with using the spray paint and acrylic pens onto a canvas board creating an artwork which they are able to take home. 

Caryn Koh from Swindon Paint Fest said, “We at Swindon Paint Fest are excited to collaborate with My Dad’s Bigger Than Your Dad event which is a great initiative raising money for Swindon’s Prospect Hospice.โ€

Food and drink vendors, including Gurt Wings, have been brought in to keep revellers fed and watered, as well as an independent business market and a funfair area for children.

Adult tickets are a purple one, ยฃ20 from their website mydadsbiggerthanyourdad.co.uk . Paper tickets are also available from Holmes Music, The Tuppenny and The Castle Inn.

Second option is in September when, from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th, Swindonโ€™s Old Town comes alive with locally-sourced live music in a pub stroller type fashion with Swindon Shuffle. The lineups at five music venue boozers, The Victoria, The Hop Inn, The Beehive, The Tuppenny, and the Castle basically reads like a whoโ€™s who of local music, and itโ€™s all free, provided you spare a little cash for Prospect Hospice buckets scattered around the venues. Fringe events are also to be found at Baristocats and the Prospect Hospice Books & Media shop.

โ€œThis yearโ€™s event is shaping up to be the biggest ever and includes something for pretty much everyone out there,โ€ The shufflers say, and theyโ€™re not telling fibs. Swindon Link, Sheer Music, Swindon Folk Club, and many others all muck in to help create the enormous homage to David Young and raise funds for Prospect. I made it down last year for just Saturday. I’m thinking I might need to find a B&B this year and a sudden attack of skivalitis from work this time around!

From alt-rock of All Ears Avow and Modern Evils, to the sludge doom of Phantom Droid. The likes of Stay Lunar, Moon UK, Viduals and Chasing Dolls keep the indie-kids dancing and there are first shuffle experiences for up and coming bands Trippy Kicks, I See Orange, and  Mirrored Faces UK.

If something rootsier is more your thing, you are also well-catered for with the widescreen americana of Matt Owens Music & The Delusional Vanity Project and Concrete Prairie headlining stages, along with folkier offerings from the likes of Fly Yeti Fly, Canute’s Plastic Army and Splat The Rat.

Subject A bring a touch of Ska and Reggae to proceedings and there is creative and impossible to pigeonhole music from Will Lawton and the Alchemists, Richard Wileman / Karda Estra & Amy Fry Music and new band The Wheel 2!, who feature many of the faces behind the amazing and much missed Diagonal People. Thud and Bone Chapel bring some blues to proceedings and Swindon Folk Club again curates a stage.

With over sixty acts on the main bill you need to put this in your diary, but for now, whether your Dad is bigger than my Dad, or not, all eyes are focussed on 22nd July, when the wonderful park venue of the Old Town Bowl comes aliveโ€ฆ.and to think, thereโ€™s some wonky folk who groan Swindon is a cultural void, same ones still probably trying to get their bra back from their boyfriendโ€™s car, ooh ah!

Trending….

Mantonfest Magic Multiplies

Mantonfest, the longstanding gem on Marlborough’s event calendar, finalised for another fantastic year last night, with metal-driven mayhem, as the sounds of AC/DC ripped acrossโ€ฆ

George Wilding Feeding His Head

Featured Image: Helen Polarpix As if itโ€™s not hot enough, Aveburyโ€™s finest musical export George Wilding is bounding back with another new single, Feed Yourโ€ฆ

Chloe Hepburnโ€™s Lullaby

New single from Swindon soul diva Chloe Hepburn, under the rebranding CHLร–VER out last week, is worthy of your attention in my honest opinion. Forโ€ฆ

McDonalds Coming to Devizes?!

Okay, it was the April Fools joke I broke the Internet with in 2021, but it’s not the 1st of April todayโ€ฆ.. Bishop’s Cannings Parishโ€ฆ

Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 28th June – 4th July 2023

Hey, busy week this week, hereโ€™s what’s happening across the county. Donโ€™t forget thereโ€™s more info on these, ticket links and irregular updates on our fantabulouso Event Calendar, so get ahead one step ahead of the game!

Ongoing, Hail the Curious, the inaugural exhibit at The Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham; check it out by the end of the month. Devizes Tennis Club starts week one of their Tennis Holiday Camp at Devizes Tennis Club; book here.

Wednesday 28th:

Ah, the regular acoustic jam at the Southgate, Devizes.

Jo Brand: Work In Progress at Swindon Arts Centre.

William KZ at The Bell, Bath, The Beat featuring Dave Wakeling at Bath Forum. 

Thursday 29th:

Open Mic at Stallards, Trowbridge.

B-Sydes & Old Man Boom at The Tuppenny in Swindon, while Something Underneath and Chasing Dolls are at the Vic, Drew Bryant is at Timmyโ€™s Bar, and Coldplay tribute Coldplace at The Wyvern Theatre.

Comedy at Komedia in Bath with Phil McIntyre presents Danny Bhoyโ€™s Now is not a Good Time, Danielle Ward and Tread Softly Productionsโ€™ hilarious, intelligent and seriously moving, no-holds-barred look at being a woman in comedy, The Half at the Rondo Theatre.

Friday 30th:

The acclaimed Welsh film, Translations gets a screening at Melksham Assembly Hall, Helen gave us a preview, HERE.

Drew Bryant is at The Pelican, Devizes, with Illingworth at The Three Crowns. And we look forward to Devizes first Pride on Saturday with Drag Queen Bingo at The Wyvern club and an LGBTQ+ Club Night at The Exchange.

Thereโ€™s an Open Mic at Marlborough Town FC, Swipe Right play the Bear, and Reading Dub Club with the Jah Lion Movement visits the Barge on Honey Street.

B-Sydes at the Pump, Trowbridge, with Old Man Boom in support.

Opening is the amazing Minety Music Festival, nr Malmesbury, and happening all weekend.

Chippenham Comedy Festival starts at the Old Road Tavern, and continues until Sunday 2nd July.

Modern Evils, Viduals and Trippy Kicks at The Vic, Swindon, while Moon and Truck are at The Castle, and Jon Amor Trio at the Beehive. Comedy at The Wyvern Theatre with Phil McIntyre presents Danny Bhoyโ€™s Now is not a Good Time.

Iona Lane with Malin Lewis at Pound Arts in Corsham.

Spectrum at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

The Ministry of Burlesque cabaret at Komedia, Bath, while the Rondo Theatre have Eleanor Higgins and Bush Productions queer cult sensation, In Pursuet, following two sell-out runs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And โ€˜Your Songโ€™ โ€“ a Celebration of the Songs of Elton John at Chapel Arts.

Keith Brymer-Jones is at The Memorial Theatre, Frome, with Led Zep tribute Coda at the Cheese & Grain.

Saturday 1st:

Marlborough Open Studios starts, and runs over the first four weekends in July between 11am and 5pm. This is a countywide open studios extravaganza where you can visit many different local artists in their studios. 

It is Mantonfest near Marlborough time again; yay! Nothing Rhymes With Orange are at The Barge on Honey Street.

Free to take clothes, swap and donate at Devizes Swap Shop at St James Church from 11am-2pm. It is Devizes first Pride at Hillworth Park, and of course, the 22nd Devizes Beer & Cider Festival. To finish, Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective will continue from the beer fest over to the Southgate.

Thereโ€™s the Heddington and Stockley Steam Rally and Country Fair. 

Becky Lawrence & The Reason play The Green Dragon in Market Lavington.

Saucy Jack at The Pilot, Melksham.

Barney Kenny & Chris Murphey at The Pump in Trowbridge.

Matt Woosey at Pound Arts in Corsham.

Trowbridge Symphony Orchestra at Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon, and highly recommended Adam and the Ants tribute Ant Trouble at The Three Horseshoes, with The Sylvertones at The BoatHouse.

Italia Conti at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. My Chemical Romance and Fallout Boy tributes at the Vic, The Black Charade and Fell Out Boy!

Figgle Fest 10th Anniversary, at Figheldean Village Hall Salisbury.

Tribute to Small Faces, the Small Fakers Band has sold out Chapel Arts, Bath.

Gordie Mackeeman & His Rhythm Boys at Frome Memorial Theatre, with An Evening with Simon & Oscar from Ocean Colour Scene at The Cheese & Grain, and Foo Fakers & Nirvanot at the Tree House.

Sunday 2nd:

Carmelaโ€™s Wiltshire Wonder Wheels 100km & 10km Charity Cycle Ride.

Jon Amor regular session at the Southgate in Devizes, increibley with the Gris Gris, Robin Davey and Greta Valetni; just wow!

Inspire 2023 free music festival at Warminster Pleasure Grounds.

Zone Clubโ€™s Summer Celebration Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Regular first Sunday of the month Blues Jam at the Vic in Swindon.

Monday 3rd I got nought, yet.

Tuesday 4th:

Running until 8th July, the Bradfordiansโ€™ Amadeus at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Jazz Knights at The Royal Oak in Swindon brings you the Alex Goodyear Quartet.

That’s your lot for this week, unless you know any different? It’s free to have your event added to our EVENT CALENDAR and feature on our weekly rodeo roundup, so don’t make me come chasing after you, do let us know about them. Have a sixties style fab and groovy weekend!

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Using Fulltone as a Proper Noun

To most, โ€œfullโ€ and โ€œtoneโ€ are two separate words, but around here it’s been a portmanteau and a proper noun since 2019, conveying a uniqueโ€ฆ

Looking Back At Devizes Arts Festival 2026

Featured Image: Gail Foster. Features extracts from reviews by Andy Fawthrop, Ian Diddams and Madelaine Blake. Does it ever stop?! The weekend is upon usโ€ฆ

A Sneak Peak at the Wharf Theatreโ€™s Upcoming Season

Delighted by winning the Best Theatre/Arts Venue category of the Wiltshireโ€ฏMuddyโ€ฏStilettos Award 2023, Devizes Wharf Theatre wanted to thank everyone who voted for them. โ€œWe are so proud of our little theatre and all our incredible volunteers,โ€ they told Devizine, โ€œthe theatre literally would not run without their time and effort. Thank you also to everyone who supports us whether that be by coming to shows, volunteering, or, indeed, nominating us for this award in the first place!โ€

Muddyโ€ฏStilettos is all about celebrating and supporting local businesses and this year saw over 800,000 people voting on various categories around the country, and we congratulate the Wharf, for it really is a wonderful little theatre on our doorstep; but we all knew that already, didnโ€™t we?!

There is only one more show left of the summer season at the Wharf, one Iโ€™m personally looking forward to. Girls Like That is a gritty reality-driven drama directed by Lou Cox, and performed by the Wharf Youth Theatre Group. It explores the pressures on young people today in the wake of advancing technology, and was named Best Play for Young Audiences at the Writersโ€™ Guild of Great Britain Awards 2015. It runs from 20th-22nd July.

Thereโ€™s an audition notice for 9th July, a currently untitled new play by the amazing Freddie Underwood.

And itโ€™s on with the new program. Saturday 19th of August sees The Jake Leg Jug Band at the Wharf. An authentic sound of 1920’s and 30’s America, from jazz, blues, gospel and ragtime, this trio put their own twist on songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption.

From Monday 11th September to Saturday 16th, find Amelia Bullmore’s comedy, Di and Viv and Rose, dealing with friendships among a group of three cohabiting female students in 1983, displaying how their solidarity precariously survives physical separation, career paths and even mortality.

On Thursday 28th September thereโ€™s a Devizes Film Club screening of Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom. A 2019 Bhutanese drama film directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji. The first film from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan to be nominated for an Oscar, it follows a young teacher with a dream of moving to Australia but finds himself teaching a classroom of eager children, and a yak!

October 23rd to 28th sees Lyn Taylorโ€™s Happy Jack, a 1989 play by John Godber, about a couple who live in a mining village in West Yorkshire.

Steaming into November, and the 4th has an uplifting story of heroism and love by Ali Smith, Cadbury’s Angels. Set in wartime when a group of women working on the production line at the Cadbury factory in Birmingham decided to secretly send letters and cards inside the tins of chocolates that were dispatched to the soldiers fighting on the front lines. To the men fighting miles from home, and away from their loved ones, these women became known as The Cadbury Angels.

Sunday the 5th November, remember, thereโ€™s Water Rats Charity Variety Spectacular, some top stars all raising money for the Water Rats Charity.ย 

Saturday 11th November thereโ€™s two showings of The Last Post, a poignant, moving and thought-provoking stage show for children and families. The story revolves around the correspondence between Joseph, who is at war, and his son William at home.ย The split stage, multi-rolling and use of projections allows for fast-paced transitions from England to Belgium so the audience remains immersed in this simple but moving story that entertains in an appropriate and engaging manner.ย 

With November behind us, oh no it isnโ€™t, December now, and where would be without panto time? This year will be Jack and the Beanstalk, and itโ€™s running from Friday 1st to Saturday 9th.ย 

Bounding into 2024, we can expect to find Oscar Wildeโ€™s farcical comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, from 29th January to 3rd February. Auditions for this will be on 18th September, see here.

All tickets for the above performances will be at the box office as of Saturday 1st July. Anything we publish hereafter is top secret speculation taken from leaked documents from the very top of the Wharf Theatre, and I will likely be shot for merely whispering them to you …..in some over dramatic theatrical way too!

Stagecoach Performing Arts School are visiting with a production of Frozen Jnr, followed by a Lonnie Donnigan tribute show on February 24th.

2nd March sees the Music of Simon & Garfunkel show come to Devizes and in April you can look forward to something very Agatha Christie. From 13th May until the 18th, Amanda Whittingtonโ€™s The Thrill of Love is the performance. Set in a smoggy 1953 gentlemanโ€™s club in Londonโ€™s West End, where young manager, Ruth Ellis, had it all, the money and lifestyle that she had always dreamed of. However, by 1955 she had lost it all and was the last woman to be hanged in Great Britain.

And on the 1st of June, expect Top Secretโ€™s explosive family show, The Magic of Science.ย  An opportunity to surround yourself with the mystery of magic, cleverly fused with wondrous and miraculous feats of science. It is promised the venue will be transformed into a real-life science laboratory and lots of unbelievable “how did they do that!” moments.ย 

Trending…..

Milton Jones; Deadpan in Devizes

Mock the Weekโ€™s recurring panellist and Radio 4 comedian Milton Jones stood on the stage of Devizes Corn Exchange on Friday, with the setter, โ€œitโ€™sโ€ฆ

Letโ€™s Go Swimming with Poppy Rose

Two years ago we fondly reviewed Iโ€™m Ready Now, a debut EP from Bathโ€™s Poppy Rose. I praised her unique take, her thoughtful prose andโ€ฆ

Song of The Week: Beskar

Quick one from me, a belated song of the week, The Prophecy by Beskar featuring Huntr/s. A debut single on RAM Records from Scottish music producer Beskar, named after the Mandalorian steel from the Star Wars universe; if this is the way I love it! Gorgeously dreamy, reach for the stars, rolling drum n bass style with flavours of classics from yore such as LTJ Bukem, Guy Called Gerald and Goldie.…..

It comes as a double A with a track called Path I Canโ€™t Follow, both of which features the vocals of Huntr/s, and therein is our local connection. This Huntress is Chrissy Chapman from Devizes, who you may have caught last weekend singing with Tom Harris at the Sustainable Fair in the Market Place, unless, like me the lazy sausage, you drifted up that bit too late!

Now Iโ€™ve heard both these euphoric tracks Iโ€™m even more gutted to have missed them; Chrissy, the vocals in drum n bass really maketh the ambience of the tune, otherwise it would be just a series of breaks and beats, and though said breaks and beats are sublimely aligned here, it is the icing on a deluxe cake!

Chrissy worked for a record label during 2021 run by the once frontman of Foreign Beggers,ย PAV4N. โ€œThis led to meeting artists and then doing a live stream charity event,โ€ she told us, โ€œsome of them watched and put me in touch with Beskar.โ€

Mandalorian armour wouldnโ€™t stop me from dancing to this! Well done, Huntress, keep shining the light, and Beskar too of course, tune!

Trending…..

Manning Lifeboats, In Devizes!

Manning the lifeboats with Devizes Arts Festival in landlocked Devizes last night, and I didnโ€™t even get a sticker. I did shake a tailfeatherโ€ฆ

Devizes; Full of Scummy Mummies!

Guys out on โ€œthe pullโ€ on Thursday in Devizes were cut short. The Scummy Mummies were back in town, and youโ€™ve never heard soโ€ฆ

Tonka Bean’s Taste of Trinidad in Devizes

Guess who limboed into Tonka Bean, to poke their nose in a day before the official opening? Though I’m a sucker for new ventures, especially with a Caribbean twist!

Nestled nicely on St John’s Street where sadly The Vaults micropub once stood, this is the new cafe-bar labour of love of mum and daughter team Abrilli and Mya. Abrilli was sweeping up, getting everything ready for opening day tomorrow (Friday 23rd June at 8:00am and closing at 21:30 pm,) but stopped to welcome me with her backstory. A school teacher who has lived in Devizes for sixteen years with her roots in Trinidad, these new pastures hope to bring both a little piece of Trinidad to Devizes, with a general Caribbean theme to boot.

The bar is situated in the same place it was with the Vaults, the rest is transformed with a bamboo wall and colourfully painted tables and chairs, yeah, I get the vibe, there’s definitely a tropical ambience already. Though you shouldn’t make the word association of bean with coffee, tonka beans are South American black seeds akin in flavour to vanilla, this is not a coffeeshop, though they will serve coffee!

If Abrilli is rather restricted without a kitchen, she’s determined to overcome; the motto of Trindad is “together we aspire, together we achieve,” after all.

Hot and cold foods will be bought in, she was keen to note ninety percent locally sourced. The Happy Food Company will supply sandwiches and salad boxes, Jamaican patties were a sure thing, and she smiled to announce her own recipe curried goat too, served in roti. This sparked a chat about Eastern influences in Caribbean culture and cuisine; she was impressed with my slim knowledge of chutney style, a soca subgenre using Indian instruments!

But turning it back to Trindad cuisine possibilities, Abrilli explained saltfish accra, and a sailfish breakfast dish she called buljol. Alongside wine and spirits, passionfruit, papaya, and mango smoothies, she wet my appetite with “those kinds of tropical flavours that give people that fresh Caribbean feel.” Here was the point where she gave her utmost respect to the success of the Muck and Dundar rumbar in town, but with no dilemma if Tonka Bean is Caribbean themed it had to sell rum punch too, “of course I’m going to have rum punch!”ย 

Neither would a Caribbean themed bar be complete without accompanying the standard issue sweet tooth, and Abrilli introduced me to her snow cone machine in which shaved ice with syrup is a popular snack in Trinidad.

The building has a spacious basement the renovation of which to extend Tonka Bean hinges on its initial success, while Abrilli intends to reapply for a live music licence, this won’t happen anytime soon, but expect background music of tropical twist! This bold venture I wish the very best of luck, but if the success hinges on creating a happy atmosphere, you only need to look at carnival to acknowledge you can not beat the Caribbean for happiness!

Small acorns, or tonka beans even, at this early stage, but I came away feeling overwhelmed with positivity about this place, and the cafe bar in Devizes with a different angle. Of course, it all depends on the support the town shows it, and enthusiasm is already building. Abrilli had to close the gates after I left, as people tended to poke their noses in to see if it was open yet; I was the lucky one, but here to report Tonka Bean is going to be irie with all the joy of a Caribbean getaway in our hometown!

Follow Tonka Bean on Instagram

Top Tips to Survive a Muddy Glastonbury Festival

Don’t hold your breath, I’m having an Uncle Albert momentโ€ฆback  in my day, which wasn’t as long ago as you whippersnappers, with your lime vapes and Taylor Shift Spottyfly playlists, might imagine, media coverage of Glastonbury was far less. TV was left up to Katie Puckrik in pigtails on Channel 4, until a couple of off years when it pissed it downโ€ฆ..

Bad weather has become synonymous with the worldโ€™s legendary festival, and the press rub their hands together when it happens; a golden opportunity to sensationalise a negative stereotype of counterculture and youthfulness; double-whammy.

Every media outlet known to man jumped on the bandwagon to show selective imagery of a handful of intoxicated nutjobs WWF mud wrestling in a negative light, and tarnished every reveller with the same anti-bac j-cloth. 90,000 attended Glastonbury in 1997, officially, the first year it rained for a decade, if you saw x-amount of them on the telebox and assumed everyone was at it you just marginalised thousands with a miniscule percentage, and fell hook, line and sinker for their intentional misconception.

The further rightwing their sway, the more negative they were, “look at those filthy hippies rolling in their own faeces like swine,” and misguided Daily Mail bullshit akin. The truth is, once you’re in there is no going back, and try as you might to stay clean and dry, there comes a breaking point whereby even the fussiest among us realise they’re beaten. Rarely is it up to choice, as the media might portray.

But it put the festival in the media spotlight and television upped their game to show the festival in a positive light. The festival itself prevented the travellers attending and commercialised the experience into what it is today. It was do or die. Similar to our hero desperately trying to keep dry, the Evis family had no choice.

From 89 onwards I did twelve Glastonburys and the sun had his hat on every year until 97. It had rained the week leading up to the fateful day. I put my hefty work boots by my front door while I packed the rest in my car, as I didn’t want to drive in them, and forgot them!

I was left with a pair of designer pumps with all the grip of a Spiny Softshell Turtle, and by the time I arrived at the gate I was Elvis Costello; couldn’t stand up for falling down. My first job was to aim myself, best I could, towards a stall selling wellies. The stallowner was busy and in his element; delighted to rip half my Glastonbury budget off me and a multitude of other disorganised wallies, for a pair, while the guy next door flogging sunscreen considered selling his children to medical science.

My first top tip for a muddy Glastonbury then is rather obvious and perhaps a bit mumsie, but based on a bad experience.

A stout pair of walking boots is essential, and maybe plastic carrier bags as liners. If you forget the rest make sure you don’t be like me, Torvil or Dean. The boots were gone by the time I returned home; in fairness though, they were quality Doc Martins and I did live in Swindon.

The other footwear tip is no matter how drunk you get, to take your boots off before you get inside your tent. I would imagine the once quite common nakedness at Glasto is less trendy these days as millennials tend to be prudish. So spare clothes are your friends, but don’t overpack because you have to carry that shit. But most of all, never tell your friends about your other friends, the dry clothes in your backpack, I shouldn’t have to explain why. If word gets out, one dry sock is equal to seven hundred blaggers befriending you.

Clothing in general is common sense really, a fluffy bra or propellerhead hat can be fun when the weather is on your side, but at a wet one the catwalk is swapped for survival of the fittest, practical is the new fashion. Glitter is out, pac-a-macs are in! Waterproof trozzers will make you the envy of all, even if at a sunnier Glasto you’d be laughed off the site for wearing.

If you’re the driver, take a pair of scissors and leave them in the glovebox. I did this in 98, your jeans will be caked with mud, get ’em off when you reach the car, cut them into shorts, it is easier to drive home. Otherwise you’re driving home in your undercrackers, and as a service station supply top up will be a deffo, psychologically scarring small children for life is never looked upon as a clever thing by their parents.ย A grade A soccer mum Karen whinging at you in the Leigh Delamere carpark while you stand in your four day old pants and a headful of post-festival blues is never welcomed.

Plastic bags have many uses, see photographic evidence of a much younger me; because at first I was afraid, I was petrified, Kept thinking I could never survive without a plastic bag by my side, but I survived and lived to tell the tale through Gloria Gaynor parodies.

Walking the site is tiring when dry, sludging through ankle-high mud is a million times worse and you need to take breaks. If no seating is available, you can’t just plonk down on the grass, you need your bag like Arthur Dent needs his towel.

Honestly, one muddy year I crowned a guy “the genius of Glastonbury,” as he duck-taped an inflatable chair, when inflatable chairs were a thing, to his torso, so wherever he went he could sit in comfort at will. I’m not advising you to do similar, merely pointing out forward thinking, for it was not without its drawbacks discovered over time, like reflating and navigation, though for altications from sharp bramble, he had a bicycle repair kit on his person, further confirming his genius.

But a genius you don’t need to be to survive a muddy Glastonbury, just common sense. Like consuming laxatives, Mexican food or baked beans prior, and ensuring you have a big clearout in the loo before you depart. Do not eat anything which might stimulate your bowels while there. Going to the loo is an experience best avoided at Glastonbury whatever the weather, at a muddy one you take your life in your own hands. You will see things you’d rather have not, things defying medical research, and you could be emotionally scarred for life. If you must go, and if possible, take a licensed therapist with you to the loo as well as a toilet roll and weapons suitable for a zombie apocalypse, and never, I repeat, never, use port-a-loos.

Timing is of the essence when deciding to poo. The later you leave it the worse it will get, a simple motto. Hedgerows and ditches can be your friends at a sunny Glasto, but avoid them like typhoid if wet, unless you happen to welcome typhoid. They are below hell itself as the last place you would want to slip into. Horrifically, I have seen it happen, observed folk laughing too, and felt sorry for the individual, but too afraid to approach them to offer a hand. You’ll be Billy-no-mates if you slip into a ditch thirty thousand drunken hooligans have taken a shit in, no one will aid your escape.

Sign up anyone with a campervan bathroom or VIP access onto your bestie list, shower them with gifts and follow them wherever they go. But, gift buying, especially breakable objects is the stupidest idea in the history of stupid ideas, you are not at B&M. I’ve seen record stalls selling vinyl, glass blowing workshops and various other such insane shopping options. As much as you believe your gran would like a commemorative china plate of Glastonbury, remember you could be several days before you find your tent again, and/or have to pass the main stage area while Slipknot are playing. 

The rule for a muddy Glastonbury is simple, take only what you need, buy only what you forgot to bring or realise you might meet your maker if you don’t. No one wants a three tier Victoria sponge caked in mud polluted by 210,000 nutjobs all desperate for a poo.

Now I’ve said all this, it seems like the weather is going to be alright-ish anyway, so you can forget it allโ€ฆ.for this year, and have enough fun there for me and you. Remember, final top tip for any weather; avoid TV cameras if you’re pulling a sicky from work; your boss will be watching. 

Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 20th -27th June 2023

Happy Summer Solstice, Wednesday, sunrise expected at 3:57am supposed to be a drier night than last night, possibly cloudy; have a wonderful solstice everyone; love and light.ย 

Hereโ€™s what else is happening across the county this midsummer week. Donโ€™t forget thereโ€™s more info on these, ticket links and irregular updates on our sparkly Event Calendar, so plan ahead.

Ongoing, Hail the Curious, the inaugural exhibit at The Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham; check it out by the end of the month.

Tuesday 20th:

Poetika 112 โ€“ The Sun And The Moon at The Winchester Gate, Salisbury.

Wednesday 21st:

Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.

Classic Car Evening Gathering at Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum in Calne

Running until 24th June, The Western Players present The Dinner Party at Swindon Arts Centre

MorningStar plays The Bell, Bath.

Oh, and of course, thereโ€™s that little shindig called Glastonbury Festival; have one for me if you are heading that way, and if youโ€™ve room in your backpack I have been known to fold up quite compact if duty calls!

Thursday 22nd: 

Music For Miniatures at The Neeld, Chippenham.

Sebastian & Me & Mirrored Faces at The Vic, Swindon

Lol Goodman Band at Pound Arts, Corsham.

The Damned, yes, I said the Damned, at Komedia, Bathโ€ฆ. well, Iโ€™ll be!

Friday 23rd:

Lucky Number 7 plays The Pump in Trowbridge, with JCC and Enter Red.

The Free Association presents St. Doctorโ€™s Hospital, an improvised medical drama, directed by Graham Dickson at the Neeld, Chippenham.

Emily Storm at The Kings Arms, Melksham.

Robinson Stone at Pound Arts, Corsham.

The Unthanks at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Xodus – a Tribute to Bob Marley & The Wailers at Chapel Arts, Bath.

TommyInnit at Bath Forum.

Phoxjaw at Moles, Bath.

Hamsters From Hell & The Lonely Road Band at The Vic, Swindon.

Moore’s Exotic Reserve at The Tuppenny, Swindon.

Ed Sheeran Tribute at The Ridge, Swindon.

ZambaLando at Fiesta de Cuba, Greenbridge, Swindon

Saturday 24th:

The Vintage Bazaar at The Corn Exchange, Devizes.

California Dreams at The Wharf Theatre, Devizes. Enjoy a trip through the music of California in the 60โ€™s and 70โ€™s. Recording just a stoneโ€™s throw from each other and guesting on each otherโ€™s records, a group of musical legends worked simultaneously to turn out some of the greatest songs of all time. Hits by The Mamas & The Papas, Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Linda Ronstatd, The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and many more. 

Poulshot Village Fete.

Devizes Chamber Choir presents Summer by the Sea at St Andrews Church, Devizes.

Earl Slick Band @ Long Street Blues Club, Devizes, big question mark over this one, it might well be cancelled, do check ahead.

SGO at The Southgate, Devizes.

Funked Up at The Three Crowns, Devizes.

Ben Borrill at The Moonrakers, Devizes.

Calne Carnival

Melksham Pride

The Strollers at Melksham Rock N Roll Club, now in Spencerโ€™s Sports & Social Club.

Back to the 80’s at Melksham Rugby Club.

Big Family Music Day at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Bus Station Loonies at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Atlas Rise at Moles, Bath.

Aoife Scott at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Mixed Bag at Prestbury Sports Bar, Warminster.

Stars of Time Film and Comic Con at Steam, Swindon.

Drag Me Down & Youth Illusion at The Vic, Swindon.

Mickelson: Jump off the Earth UK tour at The Hop Inn, Swindon.

Fleetwood Shack at Level III, Swindon.

Talk in Code at Brown Street, Salisbury.

Sunday 25th:

Devizes Tennis Club starts week one of their Tennis Holiday Camp at Devizes Tennis Club; book here.

Itโ€™s the Pro-Wrestling Showdown at The Corn Exchange, Devizes.

Junkyard Dogs at The Southgate, Devizes.

No Go Glasto charity gig for Diabetes UK at Stallards, Trowbridge.

Weekly bandstand concerts in John Coles Park, Chippenham.

Lazy Summer Sundays at Richard Jefferies with Canuteโ€™s Plastic Army.

Wifi Wars at Swindon Arts Centre.

Keith Brymer Jonesโ€™ Life, Clay and Everything at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Collapse The Sky & ChemiQueen at Level III, Swindon.

India Arkin live in session at the Electric Bar in Komedia, Bath.

Eddie Martin at The Bell, Bath.

Monday 26th:

Brendon at The Tap & Barrel, Swindon

Phil King Band at The Bell, Bath

Tuesday 27th:

Letโ€™s Swim Get Swimming & Tokyo Toy Company at The Vic, Swindon.

Wyvern Theatre Swap Shop at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Jazz Knights Presents Nigel Price and the Alban Claret Quartet at The Royal Oak Swindon.

Spiers & Boden at Komedia, Bath

The Hill Book Launch at the Rondo Theatre, Bath.

Thatโ€™s all I got, folks. Not as busy as last weekend, but still lots to keep us all out of trouble! Donโ€™t forget though, to check in on our event calendar for updates as they will come in from time to time!

Devizes New Chair to Area Board of Wiltshire Councilโ€ฆGuess Who?!

Last night Wiltshire Councillors voted in Councillor Iain Wallis as the Chair to the Area Board for Devizes. Meaning any grants to community groups, youth organisations, sports clubs and local charities, have to go through him.

Much as I would like to offer my congratulations to councillor Wallis, I feel it is imperative to question many aspects to this with regards to community led projects, other town councillors, youth project workers and the many various other residents who he seems to neglect the opinions of by silencing them and banning them from his Facebook group, the local legendarily biassed, Devizes Issues.

Part of his new job description reads thus: “to provide a local platform for local engagement and conversation.” Will the Devizes Issues be this platform, if he doesn’t allow any opinion differing from his own? Let’s make no mistake here, opposition councillor’s election campaigns have been slandered on this Facebook group, the independent PCC and all of his supporters were barred from posting, a Devizes-based Covid support group was banned from the group, all by this councillor’s hand.

Wiltshire Council’s website explains “area boards exist to work alongside other organisations to make things happen in the community. These groups can include town and parish councils, voluntary and community groups, youth organisations, sports clubs and local charities,” groups as such which he has attempted to silence, including a residents committee set out to solve issues regarding the Crammer.

The description of what the Area Boards do continues, “An important role of the Area Boards is to provide grants to community groups. There are three main funding streams, which include community capital grants, youth grants, and older and vulnerable adult grants.” Yet we know faithful local youth worker Steve Dewar, who works tirelessly school mentoring, liasoning with Devizes Police, Wiltshire FA, RW Football School and Wiltshire YFC and has independently setup a youth pop-up cafe providing free facilities for local youth, also received the honorary ban from Mr Wallis’s “local platform for local engagement and conversation.”

You are within your rights to complain about this decision, but being he is also on the standards committee, you will most likely be better off talking to a brick wall.

Let’s go through what the Wiltshire Council website says about the overall focus of the tasks of the Area Boards:

“Develop a strong, well established and highly functioning network of local partners, organisations, and residents. Generate an in-depth understanding of our local communities, including the demographics and the issues faced by the residents. Empower and facilitate community led action. Recognise the talents, expertise, and knowledge of our communities, trusting and supporting them to co-deliver local services. Ensure decisions are taken in consultation with and close to the residents that they affect.
Effectively share data and intelligence at a local level. Provide a local platform for local engagement and conversation.
Deliver an opportunity for residents to gain an understanding of the way the council works. Finally, help deliver the Wiltshire Council business plan at a local level with the involvement of communities.”

Now, I ask you, does any of these match with the manner in which he has conducted himself on his Facebook group? Suggesting that time, he would go ahead and continue publishing town council matters regardless of if the council voted individual councillors should refrain from posting such information or not; remember that ickle controversy?!

We will continue to question the suitability of Mr Wallis in this position, given the factors expressed in the opinion piece, and I see this as justified criticism, not, as he himself has stressed on more than one occasion, as “harassing and bullying” him, for that is both not our intention, and indeed, an outright lie. In order to undergo this task effectively, as clearly stated on the website, engaging with the community would, in my opinion, mean everyone within that community and not only the ones who agree with him personally, otherwise that is most certainly not impartial to political and social sway, as proved by the governing of his social media group.

We publish this as a concerning development which seriously risks the future of community led events, organisations and schemes within the Devizes area, as any councillor who seems only focused on pushing the agenda of one national political party will endeavour to allow only those who back them too, and agree with his opinion. This we have discovered by the manner in which he controls his social media group, which would be totally his prerogative to do so, of course, if he wasn’t in such a conflicting position of power.

It does seem such a shame, that this essentially hardworking and proactive councillor cannot seem to overcome this issue of allowing an entire community to communicate freely without the threat of being silenced for simply disagreeing on a particular issue. We too face this terrible predicament, any good work we do at Devizine, whether it be charity, promotion of events, schools and community groups, they will always remain blocked and heavily criticised in order to make way for some grand pipedream of creating an “official’ council run website which basically rests under his control but steals our ideas and input, and you, the council taxpayer will fork out for. God bless us all, for we are going to need it!!

Half a Humdinger Review Taking the Three Crowns, Devizes

For the love of Liam Gallagher, you cashless twenty and thirty somethings who cannot resist the intoxicated urge to mount benches and dance your cares away in a boozer should take note, when we, the previous generation climbed atop of things to boogie, we did so on disused warehouse roofs, haystacks, buses, railway embankments and perhaps the odd police riot van!

You think Iโ€™m kidding? Yet, for the most part you also seem to have shunned our musical progression through technology and our repetitive beats in favour of the guitar, bass and drums combo of rock n roll of yore. Britpop is like classic golden oldie hour to you, whereas Iโ€™m still processing it. And, in doing so, you take aboard any sing-a-long pop classic from commercialised seventies prog-rock to eighties soft metal, and sugar-coat it with retrospective enlightenment despite not being born when they were conceived. The result is an obstreperous drunken melee of anything goes, as long as it’s rock. Ergo, to step into The Three Crowns after an evening of Latino funk at the Corn Exchange, is a mass mayhem musical affray just trying to squeeze into a convenient gap; sigh, at least youโ€™re having fun!

This kind of reception is usually reserved for our homegrown cover troops, People Like Us, and those Roughcut Rebels, and indeed I note Pip nestled amidst the crowd, nodding at me because this Pewsey lot has basically taken their setlist! Yes, they are tried and tested rock classics guaranteed to pull in a crowd, but what is surprising is this bunch of crazies are Pewsey located, it is their inaugural gig in Devizes, as circuits seldom meld, the gloriously loud welcome Devizes showed them, Humdinger will undoubtedly return.

For said rock covers, even at the most cliche, (yes, Wonderwall) went down like a sack of spuds in a famine, in the hands of these capable Pewsey musicians/nutters! Thereโ€™s just something offbeat about the Vale, isnโ€™t there? Eccentric and well, bit weird in a nonchalant but no malice way! I was fully aware of how much attention Humdinger can attract over those backwaters, Iโ€™m glad to report the same level of recognition was rewarded to them here, as they thoroughly deserved it.

Excuse I canโ€™t give a full review, only able to catch the final hour, but it was enough to confirm, Humdinger is a force to be reckoned with on the rock cover pub circuit, as they blasted out the standard issues with confidence, proficiency and a truckload of fun, as if they had only left the Moonies Fun Pub for the Coppers in the Vale! Making themselves at home, they treated us to flaunty banter and laughs aplenty, as they wriggled through a setlist from Sweet Caroline, through every hackneyed classic known to Britpop, and landed with an encore of Bon Jovi, yeah, Living on a Prayer, how did you guess?!

For an original music buff youโ€™ll shed a tear, but again, this worked, and regularly does. As I sat among a mass of empty pint glasses as bar staff rushed off their feet like Kings Cross McDonalds workers at lunchtime, I go-figure, the formula is desired by the masses, they finish pints with the same speed the band finish a chorus, and if it is this you want, or maybe even need, to keep a pub going, a decent rock cover band is what you seek.

Iโ€™d say it again, I cannot exclude our Roughcuts or People Like Us, for they do this regularly at the Three Crowns, but Humdinger should also be firmly on your hitlist, as they certainly bought the party with them this time! Me? I can moan, at rock cover bands so plentiful on our circuit, but like bus drivers, theyโ€™re either really top quality or grumpy as fuck, and the Humdinger guys certainly are not the latter. It was a sardine sandwich squeezable shindig of millennials and others hopelessly pretending to be, it was though executed superbly without malice, just pure rocking fun, and if you didnโ€™t have a blinding night there you should seek medical advice, not mine, I thought it rocked!  

Trending….

Pride Where Pride is Needed

Pride month finds me wondering if Pride events are actually needed more in our smaller market towns where awareness and acceptance is perhaps lesser thanโ€ฆ

After Ruby, Barrelhouse and RowdeFest 26

Images by Jess Worrow A busy late spring weekend across the county, with major events from Bradford-on-Avon to Swindon, but I’m bringing quality acts Iโ€ฆ

Malavita! Maravillosa en Devizes Arts Festival; Ardiendo Afro-Funk Latina!

Images by Gail Foster

I was looking forward to the grand finale of The Devizes Arts Festival with cherries on. Starter for ten; I’m yet to discover a subgenre of Caribbean or South American music I don’t instantly fall in love with, and it’s as rare a-find locally as diamond mines. Ergo, Malavita! marched up to my front door and banged loudly on it. And they didn’t hang around to ask me if I was coming out to play. No problemo when opportunity knocks, I had my dancing shoes on ready!

Upbeat from the off they blessed the Devizes Corn Exchange with their irresistible funky Latino blend, which soothed like reggae, swung like son cubano, bounced like bomba, and perhaps added smidgens of Brazilian samba, even Balkan into this melting pot of wonderful afro-funk.

To assume these guys flew in from Cuba or Puerto Rico would be justified, but on reflection there is definitely something western about the salsa which allows the throwing in of all these ingredients and stirring the pot to come out with a unique take effectively satisfying our western expectations. As in our pop, the vocals were soulful and delightfully expressed, and the subject matter of Malavita’s gorgeous and original repertoire seemed to be a glorified reflection on life’s guidance, thoughts and observations, yet subtle as the demanding danceable rhythms take priority. Story checks out, they’re from Devon, and their sound, their whole persona, is as beautiful as cream teas along the Jurassic Coastlineโ€ฆwith added palm trees for an apt exotic effect!

Malavita at Devizes Arts Festival 2023

Funk at the forefront, I was also reminded somewhat on the livelier bands on the Acid Jazz circuit of the mid-nineties; if the Brand New Heavies added some Latino spice you’d imagine it coming off something like this, for this eight-piece with blazing barefoot brass section, congos, and conventional drums, bass and lead guitar presented itself equally as professional and proficiently.ย 

So proficient in fact, they can encore with their only recognisable cover, Britney Spears’ Toxic, under such an insatiable house-style, such a rework would push-pin me to the dancefloor! And therein is my summary, you see, for Malavita! ruined my original plan to scoot off to the Three Crowns for a momentary glimpse at Pewsey’s rock covers band Humdinger who after nineteen years on the local circuit finally made their Devizes debut, because the sound of Malavita! is the musical equivalent of that tractor beam which pulls the Millennium Falcon into the Death Star, I was stuck on the dancefloor for the duration.

Malavita at Devizes Arts Festival 2023

For want of a less fanboy analogy, Jedi powers could not have prevented me from shaking my tailfeather, resistance was futile, Malavita are irresistibly danceable. That’s not opinion, that’s fact!

Leading me onto the trickier part, for saying how much I loved this, wracking my brain unable to think of something equally as cool as Malavita, was simple, but to suggest reasoning why the Corn Exchange wasn’t at full capacity as it has been with previous Devizes Arts Festival events this year, are manyfold. Possibly due to exhausted funds by the end, as there was so much choice this year, possibly a reflection on the natives personal taste, particularly those Arts Festival stalwarts, but for whatever the reason, they missed a thrilling evening of the single most sublime funky afro-fusion to bless Devizes, and to The Arts Festival organisers I thank you.

For those who were there, seats were empty anyway after quarter of an hour of this gorgeous, soulful sound, and we danced the evening away far too quickly!

Malavita at Devizes Arts Festival 2023

As things stood, it reached its climax at ten, so I was able to sardine myself into the Crowns for a blast of rock covers after all, though with the taste of Lilly’s mango cider retained, I couldn’t shake off how totally awesome Malavita! were, and akin to Harry Belafonte’s Jump In the Line, I don’t imagine I ever will.

Being I don’t recall what I had for breakfast from one day to the next, I might need to correct myself if I searched our archives, but going out on a limb, I’d proclaim this to have been my gig of the year to-date; scorchio! 

For more information about Malavita!

A massive well done and thank you to Devizes Arts Festival, as this year’s comes to a close but has shown diversity and quality throughout; we hold tight for next year! I would also like to thank our writers, Andy, Helen, Ben, and Ian, for their outstanding coverage of this year’s Arts Festival here in good ol’ Devizes, and to Gail Foster for allowing us to pinch her superb photos too!

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Chatting with Ruby Darbyshire

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Shindig Festival Goes Ahead, with Bob Vylan

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Wife Cooks Husband in Devizes!

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New Devizes Mayor; Congratulations, Vanessa!

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Should Wiltshire Council Fly the Pride Flag?

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The Lavington Community Choir Brings the Pied Piper to Lavington

The Lavington Community Choir will stage a production of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a musical cantata by Tim Price, on Friday 7th July at 7.30 at the Market Lavington Community Hall….

Written and 1st performed 35 years ago at Dauntseyโ€™s School under the baton of David Price (no relation) when Tim was a 16 year old schoolboy, this wonderfully mature, jazz-inspired work remains as fresh and exciting today as it was then.

Conceived as a light-hearted adaptation of Robert Browningโ€™s poem, the work combines humour and pathos, vividly illustrating this apocryphal, sinister and timelessly topical tale. Jazz riffs and toe-tapping melodies weave their magic as the story unfolds of a town plagued with rats.


The Townspeople debate, the pompous Mayor pontificates, the Piper makes a startling entry with a solution until the Establishment โ€˜ratโ€™ on the deal that is struck. A lone lame child left behind tugs at our heart-strings with an ethereal tune, before the story concludes on a rare note of hope and peace.


The evenings music is accompanied by a jazz band, and the programme also includes Verdiโ€™s Anvil chorus, and jazz standards: Moon River, Dream a little Dream, Mack the Knife and others, featuring guest soloist Jessica Phillips and conducted by Paula Boyagis.


Tickets ยฃ10 from Devizes Books, St. Arbucks, members of the chorus and
edwardsjean39@gmail.com
Bar available.

Carrie Etter’s Poetry Workshop at Devizes Arts Festival

By Helen Edwards

American poet, Carrie Etter has been a resident in England since 2001, and a reader in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. She published four collections, most recently, The Weather in Normal, and numerous chapbooks. On Saturday Carrie gave a poetry workshop and reading at Devizes Town Hall, as a fringe event of Devizes Arts Festival…..

โ€˜Carrieโ€™s workshop was absolutely fantastic, a distilled overview of prose poetry with many examples to show the variation in style and our own time to create (with no pressure).ย  Carrie was inspiring, impassioned and quick as a whip.

Her students at Bristol University are very lucky to have her as a teacher (as were her many past students from at Bath Spa University). The open mic at the end was inclusive, supportive and fun. Carrieโ€™s final poem saw me wiping away tears; beautiful.

I wish I could write a longer review but I am doing this one-eyed with a poorly optic nerve. Iโ€™m effervescing with words which will have to wait or be dictaphoned, when they come I now have many tips as to how to form them better.ย  Thanks Carrie, your generosity is abundant – Iโ€™ve a feeling youโ€™ll get a roomfulโ€™s worth of follow up messages. Helen.

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M3G, De-Anchored

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Ready for RowdeFest?

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Time to Be Thinking About CrownFest 2026

Not just a pretty spiral church, there’s plenty for Bishop’s Cannings to be proud about. Evidence with the personal touch recently defeated a brazen landgrab,โ€ฆ

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Christian Garrick & The Budapest Cafรฉ Orchestra @ Corn Exchangeย  16th June 2023

Hot Gypsy Jazz

Andy Fawthrop

Devizes Arts Festival headed into its final weekend with a fine Friday night gig at The Corn Exchange.ย  As Clair Figes of the Arts Festival said in her introduction, this was all about the music.ย  Whilst there might have been some hesitation to give any Russian music any air-time at the present time, perhaps these days would have been different if more people had spent more time listening to music, rather than fighting.ย  Let the music flow, she said.ย  And how right she was.…..

So then the sharply-dressed quartet that is the Budapest Cafรฉ Orchestra came to the stage, and proceeded to blow everyone away with a really virtuoso performance of world music.  This was gypsy and folk-flavoured music from Spain, the Balkans, Russia, wherever, and it was played with verve and panache.

Established in 2009 by British composer and violinist, Christian Garrick, and with 13 albums to their name, the Budapest Cafรฉ Orchestra is a small but impeccably formed ensemble of just four players.  They combined violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, saz and balalaika to dazzling effect, creating a sound that you might expect of a far larger ensemble.

The BCO consisted of Christian Garrick (violin, darabuka), Eddie Hession (button accordion), Kelvin Cantlon (double bass), and Adrian Zolotuhin (saz, guitar, balalaika, domra).  Each one of them is a master in their field, and each one of them has played with some of the most famous artists in the world.  Their pedigree is impeccable.  And boy did it show last night, as they collectively breezed through their highly entertaining two sets.

It was high energy, and it was delivered with style, and a great deal of wit.  The versatile switching of instruments, the comedic commentary from Christian, the twirling shades of the on-stage standard lamps โ€“ it all added up to a visual and aural delight.  And, not surprisingly, the large audience absolutely loved it.

Yet another triumph for this yearโ€™s Arts Festival.

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Radium on Liddington Hill

Swindon-based adrenaline pumping five-piece Liddington Hill released their first EP for three years, and Radium is highly radioactiveโ€ฆ.. For most on the North Wessex Downs,โ€ฆ

No Need for Medicine Men – Elles Bailey Will Lift Your Spirit

Elles Bailey at The Corn Exchange, Devizes; part of Devizes Arts Festival.

By Ben Niamor. Images by Andy Fawthropย 

Elles Bailey made a welcomed return to Devizes this week, her sixth appearance in town by my count since local luthier and at that time promoter Mirko Pangrazzi booked this emerging talent some years ago now. Elles was great then, but has grown hugely as an artist, partly through being so fiercely independent and keeping things on her own termsโ€ฆ..ย 

This visit for the Arts Festival saw an appreciative crowd, many enjoying Elles live for the first time, packed into a blissfully air conditioned Corn Exchange on blisteringly hot summer school night. 

A multiple award winning artist, Elles always surrounds herself with the finest musicians in one of the hardest working live touring bands in the genre.Among them Joe Wilkins, on guitar, a long time friend and collaborator, co-writing with Elles on tracks like Riding Out the Storm in the set here. The wealth of touring translates into a cohesive, relaxed band supporting Ellesโ€™ trademark stage presence and flare. 

A great mix of songs in this set from across her albums and some heartfelt selections of covers from her inspirations. Mixing Muscle Shoals, Medicine Man, Whatโ€™s the Matter With You and more with her fantastic song writing, with covers of some of the incredible characters of her inspiration, such as Levon Helms – When I Go Away (particularly well suited to Ellesโ€™ distinctive vocal sound if you listen to the original). 

For me personally, a sensational cover of Creedence Clearwater Revivalโ€™s – Long as I Can See the Light. Ellesโ€™ explained she cannot remember a time in her life when she didnโ€™t know and love their music, fuelled just, as in my case, by an upbringing with a father whoโ€™s huge record collection was full of these kinds of incredible records. Truly made the hair on my neck stand up to hear her belt this out, sublime. 

In penning Cheats and Liars, a song about and fuelled by the rage at our so-called chancellor of the time, back in the COVID darkness of October 2020โ€ฆ when asked what struggling people in arts and music occupations should do? He quipped โ€˜they should retrain and find other jobsโ€™. Thank you for the excellent song that prompted Mr Sunak. 

Thankfully, lovers of arts and music like myself were worrying that might actually happen through necessity to some degree, at the time buying merch, etc. If we were in a better position and talking to artists etc, letting them know they were loved and supported and meant so much to us.. I had pushed much of this to the back of my mind as we got back to gigs etc. and thankfully lost very little of what I feared, the scenes coming back to life as they did in the end.

I am hard pushed to think of a better example of a journey followed, for many in the audience have been on the journey with Elles, and many others and look forward to a lifetime of continuing to do so.  A good artist can do that, remind us of bad times and lift us into good times.

You will have probably realised already I am something of a fan, a true lady of the blues and one so connected with her fans how could you not?!

Thank you Elles and band, and the wonderful arts festival for putting this superb gig on, in walking distance for us. 

We are lucky to call this place homeโ€ฆ..

Elles Bailey Website

Serenโ€™s New Single; Worm

Thereโ€™s a cold remote ambience of burrowing doubt in the opening of Westburyโ€™s singer-songwriter Serenโ€™s debut song, in which, as the title suggests, she usesโ€ฆ

Devizes, We Are Sustainable!

Bingo, someone came up to me in the Market Place while I was chatting with Devizes Greens chief, Margaret Green about all random matters of climate change, to offer us both a free vegan chocolate tiffin, and that’s plenty to swing this blogger to pen a decent review in itself!

Though I didn’t need a tiffin to twist my arm, Sustainable Devizes set up an outstanding fair in the Market Place today. I believe it’s the second annual Devizes Sustainable Fair, an amalgamation of all the separate activities various groups of Sustainable Devizes and others engage in; sorry I missed last year’s. For if imagining a handful of environmental campaigners gathering in crocs and tie dye tees to draw some pretty pictures of the planet was your preconception, you’d be sorely wrong.

Many, of all walks of life, gathered to address concerns and present alternatives to make Devizes sustainable and environmentally friendly, under a festive feel, and it was a splendid occasion.

Children were encouraged by Keith Brindle and family of St James to draw pictures of ideas to create a better environment, on transport and the future of plastic usage, a clothes swap whereby you could donate or take whatever you needed, both encompassed the general idea that this was a community based interactive experience, an event free of commercialisation and profiteering. This extended to the general feel of the day; everyone focussed on the same goal in a polite and friendly way.

There was food, soup and so on, free knife-sharpening, a bicycle repair shop, and organisations were welcomed from the Meadow in my Garden community interest company, to Kennet Furniture Refurb, and it was also lovely to meet the community free for all social club Camerados Public Living Room, who aside regular meetings in the Cheese Room on Fridays, seem to set up a living room complete with sofas, coffee tables and lamps wherever they care to, and I love that the most, they even gave me a cup of orange squash the lovely lot!

But what places this firmly on the map, and diverts this from being any old climate change meeting, converting it into a festival feel is the area of benches in which to gather, and the live music too. I’m sorry to have been too late to witness an acoustic jam session, followed by resident musicians Tom Harris and Chrissy Chapman, but I did make a beeline for those boaterโ€™s royalty of euphemisms, Devil’s Doorbell. We reviewed the ingenious outpourings of this bonkers skiffle duo upon the launch of a live album recorded at Trowbridge’s Pump in February, and they delighted as much as suspected they would, with Nipper playing his tenor banjo and kazzumpet, while the colourful Jellylegs Johnson strummed her washtub bass, both with a jolly dedication to jazzy tunes of yore.

Had to inquire being Caen Hill Locks were closed and the Doorbell duo had to resort to bus journey here, how everyday folk reacted to taking a washtub and kazzumpet amoung their other gear on the bus! But that’s in a nutshell how this event played off, quirky, hospitable and welcoming, a true reflection on a community spirited goal to better ourselves when it comes to progressing with a greener, environmentally friendly manner, and for this alone you cannot fault it.

Brilliant job, Devizes, for together we are sustainable, least heading this way with gusto. 

We’ve Found You, Danni W!

Right you lot, listen up; I’m fully aware this debut album, Lost to be Found, from Swindon’s Danni W has been out, what, a fortnight nearly now? Reason why I’ve not mentioned it prior, aside from being a busy boy, is I had to listen to it a few times because it’s undoubtedly feelgood pop and best defined as a “growerโ€ฆ..”

Meaning that, as all the best pop does, it becomes more appealing the more you listen. This is why commercial radio stations are passed dollar by record companies to keep the same current tunes on a loop until you’re forced to like them, otherwise you run the risk of spontaneous human combustion!

Though, while this album justifies why Danni should be on said loop, she really doesn’t need her songs to forcibly thrust down your throat; you should like this because there’s nothing to dislike about it.

Another valid reason why I’ve avoided its appraisal until now, and perhaps also why it’s uniquely beguiling is twofold. Firstly, unusually for pop it’s incomparable. Every wannabe pop star cites a major influence and strives to sound akin, but while I’m sure Danni has hers, I’m unable to pinpoint a definite phrase like Swindon’s answer to Whitney, or Kylie or Janet, or anyone really. It is, Danni and solely one of a kind. My only hope here is one day not too far away I’ll review someone else with the line, so-and-so’s answer to Danni W!

If I had to cite a clear influence it might well vocally be Maria Carey, though this could stem from how I came to discover Danni when she sent a Christmas song, All I Dream Of, for our christmassy podcast. My notion of the โ€œgrowerโ€ idea certainly weighed in with this one. I was hooked after a few listens; there was something strictly All I Want For Christmas about it …but away with this yule talk, itโ€™s summer and I donโ€™t wish to mention the C word again!  

Second reason is the sheer joy in her voice, confident in the spotlight but with a genuine enthusiasm you simply cannot fake. Her music sounds mainstream but is impossible also to slot into an era, timeless pop which will enthuse all ages, without the need, if feels, to go with the status quo and add trending riffs or retrospective gimmicks. It proficiently rides a generalised sound, and Danni laps up every second of it.

No spoilers here today, but at times Danni handles some tough subject matter too, topics not usually covered in pop, much less with the clarity and precision here. To start with, the opener, If I Tell You Truth, has a blues edge with an easy listening rolling piano riff akin to the crooners of the fifties, but as with all tunes on offer here, thereโ€™s freshness about this sound which delights.

With a guise of Paula Abdul eighties pop, the second tune bounces on a financially hard times theme, the third similarly but with a โ€œfinding yourselfโ€ concept. Yet by the fourth tune in, one which is reflected in an enchanting piano ballad of lesser tempo, Who Am I, you know you’re in good hands, and this one is sublimely executed leaving you dripping for more from these wonderful three minute heroes.

Back to the upbeat, Ignorance is Bliss is where we find the unusual content in contemporary pop, a political-social commentary wrapped in an almighty crashing and building pop tune, this works possibly the best tune for the balance between upbeat pop and these lounge jazz blues ballads. Tricky subject matter seems to build from here, social media and digital romance and fears of being the odd one out get Danniโ€™s makeover, melancholy apologetic notes over a piano lounge jazz ballad, followed by a confidence builder and I find myself contemplating Gabrielle as a new influence to possibly cite, but maybe I should have just asked Danni rather than clutching at straws, because her sound is stylised and distinctive.

It ends kind of like our Christmas number, bouncy and jolly, an overall take on the whole album, even if the subject sometimes isnโ€™t. Though this one is on impending love, and well, that could go either way! One thing is for sure, Danni W has put a lot of work into this, it shows, and sheโ€™s seemingly lapping up every minute of it. That joy is felt across this universally-appealing album, and damn, if it doesnโ€™t rub off on you equally to the beguiling nature of the sound too!

If you were ever lost, as your album title suggests, Danni W, I, for one, am glad I found you!

LinkTree to Danni W

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Don’t Click on Illegal Rave Rage-Bait!

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The Makers Exchange; DOCA Call to the Creative

Thimbles on standby, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts are calling all creative craftspeople and makers to their new project, The Makers Exchange. Itโ€™s a new craftโ€ฆ

Harmony Asia Can Do This

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REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Hawes & Catlow @ St Andrews, Chris Ingham Trio @ Town Hall 15th June 2023

Andy Fawthrop

The Hot & The Cool


Devizes Arts Festival headed towards the end of its second week with a double-dip into the chocolateโ€“box of goodies. At lunchtime we had some hot folk, and in the evening we had cool jazz……

St Andrews was the venue at lunchtime as Kit Hawes (guitar, vocals) and Aaron Catlow (violin, vocals) played an absolutely wonderful set of folk tunes and songs. This was no ordinary duo though โ€“ what we heard was absolutely spell-binding stuff. It was largely fiddle-led instrumentals, supported by a wonderful picked guitar, as the two musicians really leaned into their set. Between songs, the pair were chatty and engaging, charming the audience with their laid-back style. The only thing wrong with their set was that it was too short! However, we could forgive them as the guys had to get away because, following this performance, the duo were due to visit two care homes to meet and perform for the residents, courtesy of the performing music charity, Live Music Now. Absolutely sparkling stuff.

For the evening we moved just across the road to the Assembly Room of The Town Hall for The Chris Ingham Trio and an altogether cooler, more laid-back experience. The trio featured Chris himself on piano, vocals and commentary, with Joe Pettitt on upright bass, and George Double on percussion and (soprano) vocals.

Their programme was based around the jazz compositions of the beloved comic actor Dudley Moore (1935-2002). Whilst being more famous for his comic sketch acting on TV and in films, often with his co-comic Peter Cook, Dudley was also one of the UKโ€™s most dazzling, swinging jazz pianists and a composer of wit and depth. The decision to revisit Mooreโ€™s music in The Jazz Of Dudley Moore, with sounds from the fabulous 1960s Decca trio albums, the TV show โ€œNot Only But Alsoโ€ (1965-70) and the brilliant movie soundtracks for โ€œBedazzledโ€ (1967) and โ€œ30 Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthiaโ€ (1968) was a good one, and it made for an excellent evening of jazz, that was both instructive and thoroughly entertaining.

During the evening we (well definitely me!) learned a lot about Dudley Moore and his life. Moore was a vastly under-rated and prodigious jazz talent. He was a working-class Dagenham boy, which always left him feeling somewhat second-best next to the highly intelligent and Cambridge educated co-conspirators Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett. He felt he could not always communicate as well as his peers, and music was his outlet for his feelings, his desire to love, and his need to be loved (see โ€œLove Me!โ€). There is much melancholy there, and his psychological profile was of a man who was lonely, and whose emotions were fragile. He spent much of his life in therapy of one sort or another. His inner demons drove his manic comedy, his drinking and his womanising. Yet he was possessed of immense personal charm and playfulness.

All of this Chris and the boys attempted to convey in words, and illustrate through the music. Chris could never (in his own words) play piano in exact imitation of Dudley, so the idea was to give โ€œanother run-out to the spirit of the manโ€™s musical styleโ€ โ€“ playful, and committed to swing, often with a bossa nova groove.

Chrisโ€™s commentary between songs was erudite, yet chatty and witty. His playing was spirited, yet sympathetic, as he led the trio through โ€œBedazzledโ€, โ€œCornfieldโ€, โ€œSong For Suzieโ€, โ€œWaterlooโ€, โ€œSad One For Georgeโ€ and many others. A well-deserved encore of โ€œGood-byeeeโ€ simply put the cherry on the cake of a really wonderful evening.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues for only two more days until Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

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Chandra Likely To Go Boom!

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REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Clive Anderson 14th June 2023 @ The Corn Exchange, Devizes

Andy Fawthrop

The Scottish Play


Devizes Arts Festival headed towards the end of its second week last night. And here was another highlight…..

Clive Anderson is pretty well known household name, being seen on TV and heard on radio as a presenter, writer and interviewer over the past 30 years. Heโ€™s an award-winner, a versatile comic writer and, an often overlooked feature, a barrister by training. Heโ€™s fronted his own TV and radio shows, and has been a celebrity guest on countless others.

Last night, in a fairly packed Corn Exchange, he brought his own show โ€œMe, Macbeth and Iโ€ to the stage. Appearing for the first half in full โ€œScottishโ€ regalia, his opening assertion was that Macbeth (sharp intake of breath from the luvvies in the audience), sorry โ€œThe Scottish Playโ€ was the greatest play ever written, and certainly Shakespeareโ€™s best drama. Using this, and his frequently referred-to Scottish ancestry, as a thin framework on which to hang the rest of the show, he set off in pursuit ofโ€ฆ.Iโ€™m not quite sure what.

We had some wonderful, although sometimes rambling, anecdotes from his career in showbiz, name-dropping with gay abandon (Cher, Sting, Robin Williams, Peter Cook, Mikhail Gorbachev to name but a few), although this was rarely gratuitous. Anderson has interviewed them all, and had some great back-stories to relate. He covered his early start in comedy (Cambridge Footlights and Comedy Store), his learning path in presenting live TV, and the vicissitudes of coping with sometimes unpredictable guests. He also shared a number of theatrical anecdotes, milked from โ€œLoose Endsโ€ with Ned Sherrin, and concluded an overlong first half with the results of his researches into the truth (or otherwise) of the bad luck stigma associated with 400 years of productions of Macbeth. This allowed him to mention Gielgud, Beerbohm, Olivier and Orson Welles, as if in passing.

The second half picked up where heโ€™d left off, although the Scottish outfit had now been abandoned for a more conventional lounge suit. The style was still the same however โ€“ occasionally incoherent, repetitious, going off on tangents and losing his thread. However we always seemed to get back to the point, which left me wondering if this method of delivery was a reflection of his natural style, or a slightly nerves-driven affectation.

Whatever โ€“ it was mostly interesting and funny, with a few topical depth-charges casually dropped into the comedy waters (Gove, Rees-Mogg, Prince Andrew etc). There was a discourse on his own Scottish heritage and of Scottish national stereotypes. The final section allowed him to revisit great interview disasters of others (Parkinson and Rod Hull/ Emu, Russell Harty and Grace Jones) and of himself – the famous Bee Gees walk-off, Richard Branson and (for me the best) Bernard Manning and National Prune Week.

It was funny, but not hilarious. It was interesting and educational, but not gripping. The audience mostly seemed to love it, but I found it difficult to warm to the man somehow. His comedy is more intellectual than human/ emotional, so that might be it. Anyway โ€“ a good night out, and another success for Devizes Arts Festival.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues for three more days until Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

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Dulcet Tones Rock Back to Bassett!

You’re a teenage Tom Cruise, at least you wish you were, but stay with me on this! Your parents are away, you’re home alone withโ€ฆ

An evening with Will Kirk at Devizes Arts Festival

Ben Niamor

The format of this, my first foray into this kind of event, seeโ€™s BBC radio presenter Sue Davies chatting with Will, the furniture restorer and woodworking maestro from the Repair Shop on the gogglebox. Apparently his first event of this kind too.. Sue has a dry wit and gentle manner well suited to this, as one might expect given her careerโ€ฆ..

We are treated to many interesting answers and anecdotes, if this is his first time doing such a thing it does not really show, apart from when he chats himself away from his answer and has her remind him of the question! But thatโ€™s only reflective of his genuine joy, and passion for his work. 

He seemed mildly embarrassed to admit the first thing he remembers making were some nunchucks from some of his dadโ€™s chains and a stolen broom handle, so he could swing them like his heroes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! 

His grandfather used to restore furniture, something he had long forgotten until after he started a met-college furniture course having failed a graphic design first yearโ€ฆ twice! 

A successful business in proper antique furniture restoration followed before the TV people came knockingโ€ฆ 

The way he talks openly and positively of his Family in the shed, the Repair shop team is lovely if not perhaps surprising. 80,000 emails so far requests, 9th series in productionโ€ฆ and an incredible following.

The tale of the people thinking they can go down..! An old lady with a broken clock, having travelled some way and crestfallen she had misunderstood, but was on the doorstep, so Steve fixed it for her in his lunch break..! Sounds like the sort of warmth and humble humanity that you get from the incredible transformations in the programme.

That was during the airing of series one. Now itโ€™s secure, segregated in the museum most of the time such is the profile now reached. They Film nine months of the year, and he has recently reduced the days given over to the show to be able to be an active dad too. It would be easy to forget what a huge hit he is a part of, he truly comes across as every bit as genuine and lovely as what you see suggests.

In the second half our penned questions were answered , ranging from the obvious to the cheeky, a fun thing to do. Favourite woods, favourite jobs, future ambitions you name it we askedโ€ฆ

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, interesting and a chance to connect in some small way with something I personally love and appreciate. Positive, humble craftspeople making dreams come true, and Iโ€™ve met one of them and got my book signed.. brilliant. 

I was pleased to see no entourage with overpriced wares but in fact Devizes Books selling the books at the usual reasonable rrp.

I managed to speak to a couple of arts festival committee members before leaving and thank them for their work and the opportunity; another great event.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

Trending……

Whatever Happened to Pancake Races in Devizes?

It seems Shrove Tuesday celebrations in Devizes have fallen as flat as aโ€ฆ.well, you get the gagโ€ฆ Traditionally organised by Age Concern Wiltshire, and oftenโ€ฆ

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Lois Pryce 13th June 2023 @ The Bear Hotel, Devizes

Revolutionary Ride

Andy Fawthrop


Devizes Arts Festival played a blinder this afternoon by cranking up the outside temperatures to a level suitable for listening to Lois Pryce talking about riding her motorcycle around the heated countryside of Iran in 2013 and 2014. .

The talk/ slide show/ video was entitled โ€œRevolutionary Ride โ€“ One Womanโ€™s Solo Motorcycle Journey Around Iranโ€ and it did exactly what it said on the tin.

Lois Pryce, apart from picking banjo on Sunday as part of the bluegrass group The Brothers & The Sisters at The British Lion on Sunday, is a woman of many talents. Sheโ€™s also an author of three books about her solo adventures in far-flung lands (Alaska to Terra del Fuego, London to Cape Town, and now Iran). Sheโ€™s also a speaker and freelance writer and broadcaster.

Her latest book, Revolutionary Ride, is a memoir about her experiences in Iran, undertaken in two separate parts in 2013 and 2014. She covered over 3000 miles, did her own basic bike maintenance, camped out many nights, and (most importantly) funded the whole trip herself without the need for sponsors.

She freely admitted that before going, she was largely uneducated about the wider political situation then existing between Iran and the West, did not speak nor understand Farsi (including road signs), didnโ€™t have a visa, didnโ€™t understand the likely problems to be encountered by a lone female riding a motorbike (technically illegal), and that the only maps she had were pre-Revolution. Nothing daunted, she headed into all the technical, cultural, logistical and legal problems, and just kind of โ€œgot on with itโ€.

She drew many parallels and contrasts between the massive amount of hospitality and friendliness she received at a personal level from virtually everyone she met, and the official state-led political situation. She described it as a “chilling regimeโ€, almost entirely cut off from the rest of the worldโ€™s infrastructure (internet, banking/ credit systems, foreign imports), with an extreme set of Islamic-led laws, customs and social structures. For women especially, this meant โ€œa life behind the veilโ€. Nevertheless there was always a thriving โ€œunder the counterโ€ culture in everything from motorcycling to music to alcohol.

There were many anecdotes and examples of her โ€œhelmet to hijabโ€ existence on the road. And after the break (for book sales and signings), there were plenty of questions from the packed audience.

A highly entertaining session, and well-attended. Which just goes to prove that if you put on something interesting, even in the middle of the afternoon on the hottest day of the year, there are plenty of folk in D-Town with nothing better to do. Build it, they say, and they will come. Another Home Run by DAF!

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

Trending……

Rowdefest 26 Lineup Reveal!

Drizzly Sundayโ€ฆagain. Iโ€™ve just finished designing the poster, so allow me to reveal the lineup for Rowdefest this coming May, might cheer us up aโ€ฆ

Agricultural Appropriation with Monkey Bizzle

There’s no sophomore slump for Monkey Bizzle; prolific in their art, these rural chav-choppers return with a second album, Agricultural Appropriation, only five years andโ€ฆ

Swindon band Talk In Code in race to Glastonbury Pilton Party; show offs!

Those cheeky popsters who rocked up at my 50th with a beanie hat present from their own merch range and expected me to parade around wearing it like I was their personified billboard, yeah them, the fantabulous Talk in Code, well, right, havenโ€™t seen them since, say theyโ€™ve been busy on the festival scene, when all of a sudden without a drop of notice, tell me theyโ€™re travelling to Pilton this Saturday, 17th June, and we all know what happens there!

Turns out Swindonโ€™s toppermost indie-pop band are playing in the first heat of the Glastonbury Pilton Party competition to audition to win a coveted slot at the Glastonbury Pilton Party, held on the Worthy Farm site, home of the world-famous Glastonbury Festival; show offs!

This Glastonbury Pilton Party is held in early September, and previous headliners have included Liam Gallagher, Elbow, Fatboy Slim and Bastille. Talk In Code have been chosen from hundreds of hopefuls to audition, and I say, while itโ€™s a bit warm for a beanie, thank you so much for my hat, and, oh yeah, also for playing an absolute blinder at the Three Crowns, I feel honoured and it will be a day if I hadnโ€™t have overindulged in Thatcherโ€™s Hazes I will never forget.

But all this aside, as I cannot be bought by showering me with gifts, in my book, Talk in Code would remain the best band in Swindon even if they dunked me in a bath of hot & sour piranhas in just my mankini till I cried like a baby, so I wanted to wish them all the very best of luck, and I hope you will join me in wishing them all the very best of luck, bloody good luck to them!

Itโ€™s all going down at Pilton Club, a stones throw from the Glastonbury Festival Site on Saturday 17th June. Tickets to come and support Swindonโ€™s best indie pop band are available from HERE. 

Talk In Code are thrilled to be flying the flag for Swindon at this prestigious event, and I know theyโ€™ll knock ’em for six, and if not I want an inquiry as to why not. If you canโ€™t make this, I get that, bit short notice, you should have a listen to Talk in Code, who have amassed over 400,000 streams and been added to over 700 Spotify playlists, HERE.

Trending……

Doctor Faustus Sells His Soulโ€ฆ. in Devizes!

Featured Image:@jenimeadephotography Just another rainy Saturday afternoon in Devizes, whereby I watched a profound fellow dramatically sacrifice himself to the devil, then popped to Morrisonsโ€ฆ

Chandra Finds Heaven on Earth

Usually I just write what I think, but if I had a point-scoring system this new single from Bristol-based indie-pop outfit Chandra would tick everyโ€ฆ

Devizes Issues Wants You!

Dubiously biased and ruled with an iron fist, the mighty admin of the once popular Devizes Facebook group, Devizes Issues, is using the iconic Greatโ€ฆ

Who Broke into Joyrobberโ€™s Car?!

Poor Joyrobber, got his car broken into, on his birthday too, but avenged them in song! Requiem for my Car Window is this mysterious characterโ€™sโ€ฆ

The Sisters and The Brothers at the British Lion

by Ben Niamor with images by Andy Fawthrop

Continuing the tradition of great quality Devizes Arts Festival fringe events in the wonderful town centre beer garden of the British lion, Devizes this year we were treated to a cracking bluegrass band.…

Hats off to the arts festival for finding outstanding artists in any given field. It takes more than a check shirt to carry off the traditional sound of bluegrass, especially if you are from our side of the pond!

A six piece bluegrass outfit comprised of Steel guitar, double bass, banjo, fiddle, mandolin , and acoustic guitar and everyone lending vocals.. laid out here and played in delightful harmony. Bluegrass often celebrates the darker side of life, in such a way the brain can wonder how these stories can give us such fun? But fun it was, great fun.

Songs of life, loss and whiskey.. Gotta get drunkโ€ฆ sung by the wonderful gent on steel guitar, those ensembled agree the fact heโ€™s sat down and enjoying the great beer means heโ€™s best suited to sing this.. A bunch of self penned tunes were interspersed within some classic genre covers such as Jolene, some more unusual Bob Dylan, and some classic roots songs across three sets.

All in a fantastic gig, and way to enjoy several hours, even the weather played ball and held off with a sunny flourish for the last set! Thankyou to the excellent band, our wonderful host for the garden, beers and charity barbecue, and of course the arts festival.

Devizes Arts Festival continues until Saturday 17th June. Tickets HERE.

Trending….

Lady Nade; Sober!

Dry January, anyone? Well, Lady Nade just plunged into an outdoor 4ยฐC eucalyptus sauna for a social media reel. But whilst I’d require a stiffโ€ฆ

Ha! Let’s Laugh at Hunt Supporters!

Christmas has come early for foxes and normal humans with any slither of compassion remaining, as the government announced the righteous move to ban trailโ€ฆ

Rooks; New Single From M3G

Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward โ€œEโ€) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunesโ€ฆ

Devizes Beer & Cider Festival Release 2023 Music Lineup…..

If, like me, youโ€™re teetotal and never touch a drop, you can still enjoy the CAMRA Devizes Beer & Cider Festival on the 1st July, for thereโ€™s food and a great musical lineup awaiting you there. Now, back to honest reporting (hic!); the lineup of which Iโ€™m about to reveal now!

Thereโ€™s some stable regulars and some exciting new acts performing, but the first wouldnโ€™t be the same Devizes Beer Festival without them; Devizes Town Band, undoubtedly opening the proceedings.

First great, awesome, amazing surprise to me personally, one of my favourite things, Concrete Prairie will make their debut at the Beer Fest this year; get in! Concrete Prairie are an alt-folk Americaina five-piece ensemble, delivering a veritable soundtrack for the glamour and grit of modern living. Personal opinion incoming, this is enough to seal the deal for me!

But, we also have, hailing all the way from my motherland, the utterly fantastic Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective. Regulars at the Southgate, their unique brand of Americania and folk-rock has seen them settle into the current super-tight line-up after hundreds of shows the band are on fire, playing hundreds of shows and festivals, including a couple of rapturous nights at London’s legendary 100 Club, their ethos is always to have fun and make sure the crowd does too. This is not a band that stands onstage staring at their (red) shoes.

Theyโ€™ve shared line-ups with the likes of Wilko Johnson, The Blockheads, The Darkness, The Pretty Things, The Quireboys, Dr Feelgood, the Yardbirds, Eddi Reeder & the Animals to name a few.

Jamie is a prolific writer of accessible songs; songs good enough to hold their own in a solo acoustic setting, which really light up when the band add their own brand of energy & musicianship to the arrangements.

They are like the classic touring bands of the 70s: almost a travelling circus; a dysfunctional family of a band. They’re tight without being boringly slick, leaving just enough rough edges to become one of the most exciting and fun ‘originals’ live bands on the circuit today.

Back to the homegrown talent, Wiltshire four-piece rockers Plan of Action will be in attendance too. Derived from the old well known band ‘El Nino’ they have gathered pace to become one of Wiltshireโ€™s most popular covers bands, packing venues everywhere, circa 2017. Expect the classics from AC/DC to Thin Lizzy and Fleetwood Mac through to Oasis, Red Hot Chilli Pepper and Foo Fighters, something for everyone!

And, as per-last year, Knati P will be providing the sound system reggae chill. Handpicked reggae tunes from Knati P, with more years of playing records and running sounds systems than we dare mention … .you can be assured a wealth of popular reggae picks and some quality laid back material you may not have heard of!

And thatโ€™s your lot, I love it though, there’s not a single one I wouldn’t have picked myself; great minds think alike! Saturday 1st July at Devizes Wharfside 11:30 until about 10pm, tickets are ยฃ19.50 which includes your glass, programme and an initial ยฃ5 of beer tokens, which as you might be able to guess, is ample beer tokens for me, then Iโ€™m on the Tizer!

Trending……

Burning the Midday Oil at The Muck

Highest season of goodwill praises must go to Chrissy Chapman today, who raised over ยฃ500 (at the last count) for His Grace Childrenโ€™s Centre inโ€ฆ

St John’s Choir Christmas Concert in Devizes

Join the St Johnโ€™s Choir and talented soloists for a heart-warming evening of festive favourites, carols, and candlelit Christmas atmosphere this Friday 12 th Decemberโ€ฆ

For Now, Anyway; Gus White’s Debut Album

Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova My apologies, for Marlboroughโ€™s singer-songwriter Gus Whiteโ€™s debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and itโ€™s moreโ€ฆ

Butane Skies Not Releasing a Christmas Song!

No, I didnโ€™t imagine for a second they would, but upcoming Take the Stage winners, alt-rock emo four-piece, Butane Skies have released their second song,โ€ฆ

Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 13th -19th June 2023

Another summery week ticked off, and our event guide just keeps getting bigger. This week is huge, people, huge โ€ฆโ€ฆI mean the week is huge, not the people, Iโ€™m not one to body shame as, I believe, is the appropriate gen z term; pass my pronouns, thereโ€™s good fellow.ย 

Donโ€™t forget thereโ€™s more info on these, ticket links and irregular updates on our sparkly Event Calendar, so plan ahead. But this week we haveโ€ฆdrum rollโ€ฆ..

Ongoing, Hail the Curious, the inaugural exhibit at The Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham; check it out by the end of the month.

Tuesday 13th

Floral Display at Hillworth Park, Devizes, continues Wednesday too. Devizes Arts Festival still going strong, they have Lois Pryce: Revolutionary Ride โ€“ One Womanโ€™s Solo Motorcycle Journey around Iran at 3pm in the Bear Hotel, and the fantastic Elles Bailey Band, 8pm at the Corn Exchange.

Nick Beere has an inaugural Open Mic Night at The Bell, in Great Cheverall, which hopes to become a regular second Tuesday of the month thang.

McCartney โ€“ The Songbook at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Free-movement dance session 60โ€™s to 80โ€™s music at Salisbury Methodist Church.

Wednesday 14th

Poulshot Green Gathering.

Devizes Arts Festival has Clive Andersonโ€™s Me, Macbeth and I. 7:30pm at the Corn Exchange.

Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.

Memory Cinema at Swindon Arts Centre for those with dementia and their families, showing

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Menopause The Musical 2 at The Wyvern Theatre.

Charlotte Sauste-Bridoux at Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon.

Lunchtime Recital with cellist Idlir Shyti at Pound Arts in Corsham, and a double bill in the evening with Fly Yeti Fly & Pound Sound.

Thursday 15th

Devizes Arts Festival has folk duo Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow, 12pm at St Andrews Church, and the Chris Ingham Trioโ€™s The Jazz of Dudley Moore, 8pm at theTown Hall. 

Paul Henshaw plays The Tuppenny, Swindon. An Evening with Brian Bilston at Swindon Arts Centre, and Phil Wangโ€™s Wang In There Baby! at The Wyvern Theatre. Liddington Hill EP release party at the Vic, with Lucky Number Severn & Dark Prophecy, EP reviewed here.

Folk Open Mic Meets From the Book, at Brown Street, Salisbury, A Night of Folk Music and Poetry, and continues on Saturday.

AC/DC tribute, Hellโ€™s Bells at The Cheese & Grain, Frome. 

Friday 16th

Devizes Arts Festival has Gaelic folk anthems with Christian Garrick and the Budapest Cafรฉ Orchestra, 8pm at Corn Exchange.

John Langan & Maxine Ria at The Barge, Honey-Street.

Park Lane at The Civic, Trowbridge.

Radiation Sickness at The Old Road Tavern, Chippenham.

Longleat Summer Party.

John Bramwell & The Full Harmonic Convergence at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Swindon Folk Club Guest Night: Patakas at The Hop, Swindon, Pink Mac at The Vic, 

21st Century Abba at Meca, Oye Santana at Swindon Arts Centre, and In Conversation With Stacey Dooley at The Wyvern Theatre.

Second night of the Folk Open Mic Meets From the Book at Brown Street, Barbar Luck at The George & Dragon in Salisbury.

Band X atThe Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Isabelle Farahโ€™s Ellpsis at the Rondo Theatre, Bath, and The Alex Voysey Blues Band presents โ€˜Faux Bonamassaโ€™ at Chapel Arts.

Legends, Bob Marley & the Wailers kick off a ska and reggae weekender at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.

Saturday 17th

Maps for Devizes Open Gardens are ready and on sale now from Devizes Books, Hillworth Park Cafรฉ, Devizes Town Hall and The Giving Tree in the Little Brittox. ยฃ7 in cash per map, continues on Sunday.

Devizes Sustainability Fair in the Market Place from 10am-4pm. 

Devizes Arts Festival has a free fringe event, Carrie Etter Poetry Workshop and reading, atย 2pm in the Cheese Hall of Town Hall. Limited numbers so book your place. And 8-piece reggae Latin funk powerhouse Malavita! 8pm at the Corn Exchange, makes the grand finale of what has been a fantastic year for the festival.

Elsewhere in Devizes, find Will Edmunds Trio at The Southgate, and Humdinger debut at The Three Crowns. 

Keevil Summer Roots Festival, a first for the village, preview here.

Stonehenge Campaign Festival, free, at the Barge on Honey-Street.

The Plough at Shalbourne has a FREE Ale and Sausage Festival, with Two Complicated, Deadlight Dance, @59, Reuben Medlin Band and more.

Chippenham Pride has a great lineup, but you will need to register your interest online.

The Rider are at the Pilot in Melksham.

Shaw Summer Family Music Fair.

X-Factor winner Steve Brookstien at The Civic in Trowbridge.

Debut Dance Company: Bodies of Water at Pound Arts, Corsham, followed by Iona Johnson: Musical Storytime and Bella Hardy in the evening. But check out the poster for Corfest at Corsham Rugby Club, what a lineup, loads of my favourites from Train to Skaville, Nothing Rhymes With Orange, Plan of Action and Splat the Rat; nice one!

Barrelhouse play The New Inn, Swindon, Hannah Rose-Platt & Adam Giles Levy at The Tuppenny, Wizards of Oz and Judas Rising at The Vic. Patti Boulayeโ€™s Iโ€™m Coming Out at Swindon Arts Centre. Swindon Music Trust holds a Party in the Park at Town Gardens, tickets are ยฃ11.50, great lineup, see here.ย 

Bath Symphony  Orchestra are Across the Pond at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, find Stanchions at The Three Horseshoes.

Peter Gill โ€“ Piano Legends at Chapel Arts, Bath, with John William Richardโ€™s Almost Hollywood at the Rondo Theatre.

An evening with Logical Park at The Swan near Barton Stacey, Salisbury.

G4 Live at The Memorial Theatre, Frome, with the Cheese & Grainโ€™s second night of their ska and reggae weekender, featuring the Neville Staple Band. 

Sunday 18th

DOCAโ€™s Picnic in the Park at Hillworth Park in Devizes, a must!

Max & Ivan: Life Choices (Work In Progress) at Pound Arts, Corsham, with Gav Cross: Snack and Stories too.

GBH Big Bandโ€™s I Got Gershwin at Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon, while the amazing Dry White Bones play The Three Horseshoes.

As Fanning at Komedia, Bath

Paul Burlingโ€™s Big Daddy Variety Show at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Monday 19th

Declan Gaynor @ The Tap & Barrell, Swindon

And I got nuthin for Tuesday, yet But if I missed anything out let me know, feed me cake and I can update this and our calendar, but if you donโ€™t tell me donโ€™t come crying! Have a great week, remember, sunscreen, people, sunscreen.

Look out for our incoming next article, as we reveal the music lineup at Devizes Beer Festival on the 1st July!

Trending..

One Of Us; New Single From Lady Nade

Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Ladeโ€™s latest offering of soulful pop. Itโ€™s timelessly cool andโ€ฆ

Large Unlicensed Music Event Alert!

On the first day of advent, a time of peace and joy to the world et al, Devizes Police report on a โ€œlarge unlicenced musicโ€ฆ

Winter Festival/Christmas/Whatever!

This is why I love you, my readers, see?! At the beginning of the week I put out an article highlighting DOCAโ€™s Winter Festival, andโ€ฆ

Devizes Winter Festival This Friday and More!

Whoโ€™s ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival and Lanternโ€ฆ

Snow White Delight: Panto at The Wharf

Treated to a sneaky dress rehearsal of this year’s pantomime at Devizesโ€™ one and only Wharf Theatre last night, if forced to sum it upโ€ฆ

Drag Queen Story Time in Swindon Sparks Counter Protest

By T.B.D Rose

The LGBTQIA+ community bravely showed their support for Drag Queen Story Hour at the Wyvern Theatre yesterday, by staging a counter protest to the fascists who were blasting bigoted lies accusing drag performers of being groomers and of sexualising children, when in fact, pantomime dames and drag queens have been a staple of family entertainment for decades.….

Attacking drag queen events is clearly camouflage for a campaign of homophobia (according to Swindon Advertiser, one fascist could be heard saying that: “It’s against the natural order for a man to be with another manโ€) directed at all LGBTQ friendly venues and spaces, and fascist scapegoating of minority groups is always a Trojan horse to normalise violent political repression.

The discrimination LGBTQIA+ people experience in society and even from their own families is endemic and a truth those comfortable with heteronormative privilege such as myself can never fully understand, which is exactly why we all need to do what we can to allow people
to live their lives and be themselves unencumbered by prejudice or bullying of any kind.

Businesses and supermarkets putting up rainbow flags, nice as it is to see, is not enough when the government, media, and extremist groups are expressly targeting anything and everything LGBTQ.

Pride is a protest and a wonderful expression of community, let’s keep it that way until homophobia is history and love is the order of the day on a fair and free planet. This article is dedicated to my loved ones in the LGBTQIA community.

For more information on Swindon Pride click HERE.

Humble Pie Over Danny K’s Coate Road Development Comments Rant? Unlikely!

Oh Deirdre me, we can’t all be as perfect and flawless as Councillor Iain Wallis, and as the Dalek said climbing off the dustbin, we all make mistakes!

Cream crackered after my standard early shift, on Tuesday I rushed out a knee-jerk reaction to Danny Kruger’s comments against the permitted Coate Road development, because I knew other local media would also jump on the bandwagon; you have to be quick to beat the big guns.

It has since come to light, thanks to a civilised reply from councillor Judy Rose, some of the content is slightly misinformed, but while I’m willing to admit it, if you think I’m eating humble pie you can think again! There remains a more general crucial point, I figure, even if some facts about the development itself weren’t, precisely, on the ball.

I might just nibble the crust, if humble pie comes with a crust, or is it more like a shepherd’s pie? Either way it’s unlikely I’ll dive right in, least of all apologise, thatโ€™s sooo not me! Much of the content was taken from a BBC article, and what can I say? I pay my licence fee, local media source content from the Tory-bias Beeb, at least I tarnish mine with opinion rather than lift it wholesale. 

It was Dannyโ€™s u-turned angle which had me suspicious, it seemed now he was in support of the campaign against it, as before this storm in a teacup I too was dead against the location of this development and signed petitions against it. But the reasoning for Tuesdayโ€™s article was my dubiousness of anything which comes out of Dannyโ€™s silver-spooned cakehole; can you really blame me for that?!

Justified, I believe, after his several chauvinistic and homophobic comments. Comments which I called him out for, and via Councilor Iain Wallis’s wonky peepers, constituted me being “unpleasant,” I quote. Trying to twist my melon around this, ol’ Danny K can cast any archaic and deplorable views he feels fit to do so, and use his position as MP to preach his narrow-minded religious dogma, but if I question him for it, I’m the one being “unpleasant?” Okay, that sounds fair!

โ€œIโ€™m afraid youโ€™ve really got this wrong,โ€ Judy expressed, โ€œNot about Kruger, although I find his conversion to opposing the 5-year housing land supply a rather dramatic and convenient vote-solidifying change-of-heart, but about the very real concerns regarding the Coate Road development.โ€ Which is fair enough, and enlightening too. For it is far nicer to address such corrections to us directly, rather than Mr Wallis, who opted to post his hatred only on his own biassed Facebook group, Devizes Issues, of which anyone who disagrees is promptly banned, including us.  

This practice of slagging us off behind our backs is standard for this particular councillor, and far from the first time he has done so. Why he does this I can only speculate neither wish to dwell on, but being he recently posted a claim Wiltshire Council is about to produce an events guide, (obviously at taxpayerโ€™s expense) seems he is determined to attempt to wreck our good reputation, or ruin us all together. I’d imagine because he has no control over us. It is vindictive and spiteful, and given such circumstances it is evident, much less blatantly obvious, his intention wasn’t to correct us, rather deliberately discredit us.

Back on point, Judy explained, โ€œThe traffic from this housing estate would mostly use London Road, or rat-run via Coate to access the Swindon road. Adding potentially some 4-500 cars to that stream of traffic is a nightmare scenario by any account, which is why it was refused last time round, and nothing has changed in the interim. More affordable (and we can get into precisely what that is supposed to mean on another occasion, as in my view, it frequently is anything but!) housing is desperately needed, but there will be precious little of it on this or any other site if the developers do their usual cavalier approach and whittle down the numbers to as near zero as they can!โ€

โ€œI have been on the Neighbourhood Plan team for over 10 years, and the most frustrating thing is that we cannot get the numbers of affordable housing up because developers just will not build them, so please donโ€™t imagine that if this scheme went ahead, there would be a sudden upsurge in their numbers! The developer may well be bragging about 30% affordable housing, but weโ€™ve been here before with other developer promises, and Iโ€™ve yet to see any dramatic increase in numbers of so-called affordable housing! Traffic jams would certainly increase, but not affordable housing numbers!โ€

And herein was my point, if confused with the details of the development itself, that affordable, and by this I mean it by the actuality of the word, affordable, is needed. If I was trashed by Iain for stating 10% was the minimal requirement, I did clearly say that was a national requirement, not a county one, leading me to ponder if it was deliberate skewering of my words, or if he simply missed that point, either of which suggests I wasnโ€™t the only one who made a mistake! But whatever, it is obvious this percentage needs to be increased significantly by Wiltshire Council, otherwise theyโ€™re building homes only the few can afford, and not enough for those who cannot; Tory economics.

Ergo my suspicions this is deliberately done to uphold the conservative stranglehold on our constituency at a time they fear their national level corruption will come back to haunt them, even here, is, I believe, reasonable to assume. Fair to note, this is also the reason while Conservative MPs will fight between themselves over the boundary changes in the next General Election, as Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan knows full well her seat is safer if the Devizes parliamentary constituency is merged with hers.

But I want this change as I fear this recession will worsen tenfold if the current thieving parliament continues, and more will be on the streets. I want this change because I want diversity in the age demographic here; it is a nice place to live, this wouldnโ€™t change by allowing younger people to be able to start a home and family here too. But they are driven out by house prices, and this is unfair and morally corrupt. This was my general point, and I believe it is still valid; what is the best Wiltshire can do?

โ€œThe best Wiltshire seems to be able to do is to propose a site for social housing at the western end of town where it is not only outside the settlement framework boundary,โ€ Judy continued, โ€œbut its location also ignores the other criteria of the current Neighbourhood Plan which stipulates that the town centre, GP Surgeries, major shops and schools should all be within walking distance of any development! At well over a mile from any of these, this site fails, yet it is still likely to go ahead, with increased car usage, mainly because it is a Wilts Council proposal on Wilts Council land!โ€ Does this mean every small village and hamlet will have to be knocked down?! Of course not, if residents cannot walk a mile, they need to rely on an improved bus service; pie in the sky called infrastructure, it works in towns and cities far bigger than ours!

โ€œThere are sites that are more appropriate than Coate Road, but they are not coming forward, and it is not unreasonable to assume that this is because the developers wouldnโ€™t make as much profit on affordable builds as they would otherwise.โ€ Once again, the Tory economics, the majority mind-bogglingly voted for!

I thank Judy for filling us in, and explaining this twisted catch 22; I am clearer now, though remain unsatisfied; does this give others reason to hate me? We will always support the needs of the townsfolk and villagers, we would never go against this, and we are back to opposing the Coate Road development again, even if it means agreeing with Danny K!

But this was never, as falsely accused by Councillor Wallis, a personal attack on our homophobic and chauvinistic MP any more than deserved, only pondering why he had changed his view so fiercely on the issue.ย If, Mr Wallis, you can point out exactly where I have been in any way “unpleasant” as you so boldly put it, and do so in such a place it can be discussed civilly then please do, and I will, unlike you, apologise. But if you continue to unfairly discredit us on a social media site you have deliberately prevented us access to, you will face further criticism, but I love you Mr Wallis, like I love all mankind, and have never verbally attacked you personally, as you have to me; I forgive.

โ€œThe original refusal really was all about the traffic, and nothing to do with how any householders would vote,โ€ Judy concluded, โ€œGoodness knows, the majority of folk here who do bother to use the ballot box would vote for a donkey wearing a blue rosette without much further inducement!โ€ 

And thus we go around in circles; expect an unjustified โ€œtold you soโ€ grilling from the Devizes fรผhrer on his partisanship pile of piffle Facebook page, of which, because of our brute honesty, we cannot respond to, complete with the usual false allegations of victimisation, how we are bullying him and how, Trump-like, we are spreading โ€œfake news.โ€ At least I can admit when I got it wrong, or do we still need to slaughter every flying animal in the area because of an imaginary outbreak of bird flu on the Crammer?!  

Trending…..

Chatting With Burn The Midnight Oil

Itโ€™s nice to hear when our features attract attention. Salisburyโ€™s Radio Odstock ย picked up on our interview with Devizes band Burn the Midnight Oil andโ€ฆ

Noble Jacks at Devizes Arts Festivalย 

Gasp at the audacity of a press release which spoke of “an ingenious blend of rap and hip hop,” which it really did, is to ponder any art deemed a ‘hybrid genre’ was likely at one point in time adjoined and hardly “ingeniously blended,’ rather reunited!

The most ludicrous of these could well be folk-rock, though compared to my press release’s wordplay abomination this wonky amalgam has matured over time making it seem a more palatable reunification, but it is, in essence, just as nonsensical; especially when you consider every musical genre derives from folk, particularly rock.

Folk-rock was originally coined to pigeonhole The Byrds in the sixties; a hippy band’s escape clause from the sickly bubble-gum pop churned by the industry. Over time it has assisted in driving a separation between the kind of ill-conceived “frumpy” folk upholding traditional values and instrumentation against a wilder, edgier and electronic side; enter alternative folk.

But the story doesn’t end at the division widened by the frenzied, bottle-throwing punkish folk of The Pouges, as last night The Devizes Arts Festival welcomed Brighton-based Noble Jacks to grace the Corn Exchange, and they received an upstanding and faddish reception; hold your hat, though Andy has been on the Art Festival trail, covering its performances with gusto, other than his photographic skills, we gave him the night off, and unfortunately you have my insane waffling to deal with!

But my point is, my eclectic taste doesn’t condone silly pigeonholing, I only use it to best define a sound, and for Noble Jacks folk-rock is best. Though their sound harnesses freshness, the type of awakening of an acceptable form of the frenzied folk of yore, as indie-pop has recently done to convert the wilder post punk eras of goth and emo. If Mumford and Sons are kingpin and Crowded House opened that door, Noble Jacks are relatively younger guys, welcoming something indie-pop into their style too.

I’d liken Noble Jacks more to our local sound of Concrete Prairie, yet Jacks avoids their darker subject matter. This was feelgood, and refined with proficiency; a folk-rock universal adaptor, the kind matured and would be placed equally well at a steaming drunken cider festival, rowdy pub gig, or a more conventional wedding function or family fun day. It worked on all levels; a perfect balance wherever you were to place it, they have a natural ability to raise the roof, without it sounding commercialised too, which is nice, and it was nice too!

Acoustic and electric guitars, bassist and drummer, the setup of this astounding four-piece was standard issue, it was in their usage of them and their delivery which shone. The frontman affixed a harmonica occasionally, but most audience appreciation was shown upon his switch to fiddle for some mind-blowing hillbilly instrumentals; and I had to agree. Mostly the originals, I believe, were those embracing the contemporary indie feel, the toe-tapping instrumentals roused the crowd and showed off Noble Jack’s diversity. They also had covers, particularly notable Charlie Daniels Band’sย The Devil Went Down to Georgia. That was a pure knockout.

On their third album, this nod to bluegrass, melting pot of all Americana against a backdrop of British folk and garnished in contemporary indie values is a delightful working formula taking the nation by storm. For Noble Jacks it felt they relished every moment of this gig, professionally executed backstories and subtle stage banter, there was nothing to dislike here, that would have been impossible. A most enjoyable evening’s entertainment from the Arts Festival, clearly having a top year.

Devizes Arts Festival continues, for more information and tickets click HERE

Trending…..

The Lost Trades Float on New Single

Iโ€™ve got some gorgeous vocal harmonies currently floating into my ears, as The Lost Trades release their first single since the replacement of Tamsin Quinโ€ฆ

Barrelhouse are Open for Business with New Album

Rolling out a Barrelhouse of fun, you can have blues on the run, tomorrow (7th November) when Marlborough’s finest groovy vintage blues virtuosos Barrelhouse releaseโ€ฆ

Ruzz Guitar Swings With The Dirty Boogie

Bristolโ€™s regular Johnny B Goode, Ruzz Guitar Blues Revue goes full on swing with a new single, a take on The Brian Setzer Orchestraโ€™s 1998โ€ฆ

Joyrobber Didn’t Want Your Stupid Job Anyway

A second track from local anonymous songwriter Joyrobber has mysteriously appeared online, and heโ€™s bitter about not getting his dream jobโ€ฆ.. If this mysterious dudeโ€™sโ€ฆ

Devizes Chamber Choir Christmas Concert

Itโ€™s not Christmas until the choir sings, and Devizes Chamber Choir intend to do precisely this by announcing their Christmas Concert, as they have doneโ€ฆ

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Marcus Brigstocke 9th June 2023 @ The Corn Exchange

A Top-Class Comedian At Work

Andy Fawthrop

The Devizes Arts Festival hit the half-way stage last night with an absolute sell-out performance. Honestly, you couldnโ€™t move in the Corn Exchange last night, with every possible space used to get people in. Thank goodness the aircon was working!

Youโ€™d probably have to have been living on another planet not to know who Marcus Brigstocke is. In my book, heโ€™s a major comedy talent as writer, actor, presenter and performer. Since the mid-1990s, heโ€™s been on TV and on Radio 4 more frequently than youโ€™ve heard about a Tory political scandal, which is quite a lot.

Last night he did two sets โ€“ one short introductory session, before bringing on New Zealander Jarred Christmas, and then a much longer second session to fill the second half.

Christmasโ€™ appearance was something of a surprise to me, since no support act had been billed, and I suspect also to most of the people in the room. Also no stranger to TV and radio, his set was funny and engaging. Hitting on themes such as Zoom, the Haka, drinking pints of Baileys, body changes, incontinence and what he referred to as the British Armyโ€™s use of โ€œdecompressionโ€ camps in Malta for servicemen returning to the UK from Iraq and Afghanistan. There were a string of good running gags, a few of which could never be repeated here.

But, good as he was, he wasnโ€™t the reason people had bought tickets in their hundreds. Weโ€™d all come to see Mr. Brigstocke, and his main set was well worth waiting for. Starting off at a gentle canter, he poked light fun at the Coronation, the Queenโ€™s reputation as being โ€œfunnyโ€, and the reasons why heโ€™d quite enjoyed the lockdown period of Covid (โ€œthe best two Christmases Iโ€™ve ever hadโ€, the shared single-use face-mask, the saving vaccines, and the devastating impact on cottaging on Clapham Common).

Building up the pace, he began to lay into the โ€œwellnessโ€ movement, with particular scorn reserved for Gwyneth Paltrowโ€™s Goop products (especially scented candles, and vagina-steaming โ€“ Iโ€™ll never look at a dishwasher quite the same way again). Gradually his laser-like sarcasm alighted on subjects as varied as rolling TV news (we donโ€™t really need it), the need to stop asking โ€œthick peopleโ€ what they happen to think about complex subjects (they have no bloody idea), and some of the latest political news. Having got that off his chest, he drew the set to a gentler close by talking of his more recent personal life, his second marriage, his new child and being a parent again.

My take was that (as Iโ€™d fully expected him to be), Marcus was extremely funny. The audience clearly loved it too, and cheered to the rafters. But what makes him so good? My personal analysis is that his skill lies in his light touch. He skewers his subject with a sharp stiletto rather (as some lesser comics do) bludgeoning his subjects to death. He makes his point and moves on. Whilst he riffs on a theme, he doesnโ€™t labour the joke. He swears very rarely, so that when he does itโ€™s for real emphasis, not to โ€œshockโ€. He does pick on a few people in the audience, but in the best possible way. He belittles and shames no-one (he reserves his hatred and contempt for self-serving politicians), and uses the interactions to make friends or simply to emphasise a point heโ€™s making. He avoids all the lazy techniques beloved of lesser comics. Definitely a master craftsman.

An absolutely cracking night out โ€“ well done the folks at DAF for bringing such a great performer to our little old town.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until next Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

Steatopygous go Septic

If you believe AI, TikTok and the rest of it all suppress Gen Zโ€™s outlets to convey anger and rage, resulting in a generation ofโ€ฆ

The Wurzels To Play At FullTone 2026!

If Devizesโ€™ celebrated FullTone Festival is to relocate to Whistley Roadโ€™s Park Farm for next summerโ€™s extravaganza, what better way to give it the rusticโ€ฆ

DOCAโ€™s Young Urban Digitals

In association with PF Events, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts introduces a Young Urban Digitals course in video mapping and projection mapping for sixteen to twentyโ€ฆ

Jol Roseโ€™s Ragged Stories

Thereโ€™s albums Iโ€™ll go in blind and either be pleasantly surprised, or not. Then thereโ€™s ones which I know Iโ€™m going to love before theโ€ฆ

Vince Bell in the 21st Century!

Unlike Buck Rogers, who made it to the 25th century six hundred years early, Devizesโ€™ most modest acoustic virtuoso arrives at the 21st just shortโ€ฆ

Song of the Week: Ruzz Guitar Blues Revue

Showing off in the desert, we love Ruzz Guitar and his Blues Revue, and being we haven’t done our midweek feature song of the week this week, wowzers, here goes…..Ruzz, still in Palm Springs!

While I’m still at one thousand feet from the fact they came to my 50th birthday party at the Three Crowns, and I’ve barely made it to Lidl since, Ruzz Guitar, so good they named the guitar after him, and his Blues Revue have been touring the USA, and have drifted this absolute desert scorcher to us, 10-31.

Get in! Photobomb opportunity too good to miss. Ruzz Guitar Trio at the best birthday party EVER! And I hadn’t touched a drop, officer!

The track features the amazing Chris Smith on bass and Brian Fahey on drums, and is a sneak peak at a new album that’s currently being worked on, due early 2024; amazing, exciting and I hope the tour is going well, Ruzz, but all I keep thinking is “y’all come back now ya hear!”

Trending…..

Deadlight Dance New Single: Gloss

You go cover yourself in hormone messing phthalates, toxic formaldehyde, or even I Can’t Believe It’s Not Body Butter, if you wish, but it’s allโ€ฆ

Things to Do During Halloween Half Term

The spookiest of half terms is nearly upon us again; kids excited, parents not quite so much! But hey, as well as Halloween, here’s whatโ€ฆ

CrownFest is Back!

Yay! You read it right. After a two year break, CrownFest is back at the Crown in Bishop’s Cannings. So put a big tick ontoโ€ฆ

Summer Roots Festivalโ€ฆ.In Keevil?!

You may know the tiny village of Keevil, the name of which will never cease to remind me of Evel Knievel, for its airfield steeped in spitfire history, but there are some things in the village deeply rooted to the ground. One is a rather exclusive folk club regularly held in the village hall.…

It first came to my attention when the Lost Trades announced it as a date on their ambitious album tour, leading me to gulp, Keevil, you mean the Keevil, for like Christopher Lambert in Highlander, there can be only one? Yes, came their reply like a Facebook whisper, as if it was all as top secret as Area 51. A low key affair, I was told, hardly exploited on the social media sites Iโ€™m addicted to sourcing all known information from. And, if Iโ€™m honest, Iโ€™ve never had need to physically pass through there; for fear of treading on a Trowbridge patch, my milk-float turns around at Bulkington, which incidentally will never cease to remind me of the Lipps Inc disco classic, you know how it goes; โ€œwant to take you to, Bul-kin-town!โ€

However, away with such disco and American stuntman silliness, we did receive an email from Rachel Howe about next week’s Keevil Summer Roots Festival, which aside elucidating the folk nights were a, โ€œsmall affair; only 76 allowed in our village hall with tables and chairs,โ€ this event will be open to a larger audience, and itโ€™s free during the day, other than a fiver to park.

So, from 3pm next Saturday, 17th June, the village welcomes their inaugural Summer Roots Festival, on the Barnfield Recreation Ground. Find afternoon activities and entertainment on the Recreation Ground, completely free to enter, with happenings catering for all ages including children’s activities, tug-of-war, crafting corners, artisan gift stalls, food van, ice cream, Festival Bar, โ€œmuch more.โ€

That โ€œmuch moreโ€ includes the Wilshire Police Band, so behave yourselves, and Forest of Dean acoustic duo Jan & Ian.

Then from half-past five, thereโ€™s an evening of live music in the village hall, and tickets are ยฃ15 from HERE.ย 

Raymondoโ€™s food truck, the Festival Bar and doors open at the village hall, ready for the music to start at 6pm. The tried and tested at their regular folk club musical haul includes Wiltshire based foot-stomping five-piece Stoneโ€™s Throw, with a Keevil-own drummer they will be playing classic rock and pop anthems. Grassroots folk singer songwriter Alan Hinds. Westburyโ€™s easy-listening family duo MGB, Frome-based ukulele renditions of classical tunes marvels The Frukes, and Bathโ€™s lounge jazz duo, Body & Soul, local acoustic eyeopener Ian Rayney, ragtime and music hall aficionado, Hilary Pavey.

Keevil may be one of the smallest villages in Wiltshire but, thanks to the tireless efforts of a group of volunteers, it seems theyโ€™ve packed a punch. Wishing they could do more with theirย  Recreation Ground. They are excited to be bringing this festival-style celebration of local creative talent to the village, and we wish them all the best with it. So, put that in your pipe, Evel, who never did attempt the Grand Canyon jump!

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Six Reasons to Rock in Market Lavington

Alright yeah, itโ€™s a play on band names and thereโ€™s only really two reasons to rock on Friday 17th October at Market Lavington Community Hall;โ€ฆ

Oh Danny Boy!

Oh Danny Boy, oh, Danny Boy, they loved your boyish Eton looks so, but when ye was voted in, an all democracy wasnโ€™t quite dying,โ€ฆ

A Quick Shuffle to Swindon

Milkman hours with grandkids visiting it was inevitable a five hour day shift was all I was physically able to put into this year’s Swindonโ€ฆ

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Lucy Stevens as Gertrude Lawrence 8th June 2023 @ Town Hall

Andy Fawthrop

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

The Devizes Arts Festival continued last night with another one of those difficult-to-categorise items.…

โ€œGertrude Lawrence: A Lovely Way to Spend an Eveningโ€ is the latest collaboration between actor and singer, Lucy Stevens and pianist Elizabeth Marcus. Previously the pair had done similar shows around Ethel Smyth, Kathleen Ferrier and Virginia Woolf.

Gertrude Lawrence was one of Britainโ€™s brightest theatrical stars during the first half of the 20th century. She was widely known as a charismatic stage presence who excelled in sophisticated musical comedy, having built up her career through the poorer cousins of provincial rep theatre, variety and music hall turns from a very early age. Taking her โ€œbreaksโ€ as they presented themselves, building on the support of her various lovers and husbands, and thriving on her theatrical liaisons, she emerged as a true star.

This two-part monologue, with musical interludes and accompaniment, told her story from her earliest days of South London poverty. By and large it used Lawrenceโ€™s own words, but the linkages and the songs brought it all very much alive. Lucy Stevensโ€™ powerful, yet seemingly effortless, voice was the thing that gave this piece real life. Stepping back and forth between spoken word and snatches of song, the performance fizzed along with real energy. It was by turns funny, pathetic, surprising and largely good-natured. Whilst Lawrenceโ€™s character came across at times as vain, emotionally brittle and patronising, there was no doubting the womanโ€™s talent, versatility and sheer hard work (twice she had to work flat out to clear her debts in both Britain and the USA)..

Her interactions with famous actors, performers, composers, songwriters and the like (โ€œhe wrote this one especially for me, darlingโ€) were dropped into the monologue with gay abandon (Kurt Weil, Noel Coward, Rogers & Hammerstein, Ira Gershwin) and her transatlantic peregrinations mentioned almost casually. But equally, so were her tenuous relationships with her own mother and her daughter. The woman was obviously something of an enigma, but clearly dedicated full-time to her glossy career.

In sum, this was a spell-binding and consummate performance by Lucy Stevens. And, as accurately billed, โ€œA lovely way to spend an eveningโ€!

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at http://www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

Little Big Sax Appeal! Watson and Brown Little Big Band, at the Wharf Theatre, Devizes

By Ian Diddams. Images by Gail Foster

Devizonians (if that ainโ€™t a word it is now) will undoubtedly be aware of โ€œThe Fulltone Orchestraโ€ and its festival. They may also be aware of the โ€œFulltone Big Bandโ€, especially if they attended last years August bank holiday festival. They may even be aware very recently of โ€œThe Four Sopranosโ€. All of these entities are separate in their own right, but share much in common, and not just personnel. Thereโ€™s a general air of fun, excitement, and passion about them all. And so its no surprise at all to find that exactly the same magical recipe is rife in another associated gathering โ€“ the โ€œWatson and Brown Little Big Bandโ€.

The brainchild of Vicki Watson and Jemma Brown, hatched we are told over a coffee, the latest sound to hit the mean streets โ€“ or at least the arts spaces โ€“ of Devizes the โ€œLittle Big Bandโ€ broke its duck this evening at the Wharf Theatre.
Comprising of nine musicians and three singers the ensemble took us through a whirlwind two hours of jazz numbers ranging from twenties swing by Gerschwin, to seventiesโ€™ Van Morrison, to noughties modern jazz and even some Cole Porter musical theatre โ€“ and so much more. With arrangements by Vicki Watson and Simon Ridge, Jemma Brown and Sean Andrews, aided by an Moeen Ali like Ashes callup for Ed Kerr who replaced the sadly cold ridden Anthony Brown this evening, sung their way through โ€œRoute 66โ€, โ€œMoondanceโ€, โ€œSay a Little Prayerโ€, โ€œEvery Time We Say Goodbyeโ€ and a male duet with โ€œWell Did You Evahโ€ until half time and a coffee. All interspersed with instrumentals such as โ€œFascinating Rhythmโ€, that 2008 number mentioned above โ€œIโ€™m digโ€, โ€œShiny Stockingsโ€, โ€œSolarโ€ and โ€œDat Dereโ€.

Vicki Watson and the Watson & Brown – Little Big Band

The second half continued in the same frenzied vein with more well known swing numbers โ€“ โ€œAinโ€™t that a kick in the headโ€, โ€œMe and my Shadowโ€ (Ed in for his second spell!) , โ€œOne for my babyโ€, โ€œThingsโ€ and โ€œStraighten up and fly rightโ€. The instrumental pieces forged on also โ€“ and we learn that maybe Miles Davies didnโ€™t pen quite as many songs as we may think he did โ€ฆ and that he played piano at times under a pseudonym. โ€œChili Peppersโ€, โ€œUndecidedโ€ and a funked-up version of โ€œBillieโ€™s Bounceโ€, gave the singers some breaks as well โ€“ but the โ€œLittle Big Bandโ€ were by no means gap fillers. This second half in particular gave the musicians longer chances for solos for our appreciation. Two trumpets (Andy Urquhart and Gethin Liddington), a trombone (Simon Ridge), three saxophones (Vicki Watson, Joe Davies, Mike Wilkins) with Vicki doubling up on flute, bass guitar and electric double bass (Ollie Watson โ€“ itโ€™s that surname again!), with Archie Combe on keyboards (I played rugby with his dad you know!) formed this tight combo for our delectation and joy.

The overall effect was foot tappingly mesmeric. There were some hiccoughs, but its an opening night of a brand-new venture โ€“ but most and more importantly that air of fun, excitement, and passion I mentioned at the start of this review shone through above and beyond everything โ€ฆ and created an evening of BIG smiles, BIG sounds – and a Little BIG Band.

The โ€œWatson and Brown Little Big Band play at the Wharf Theatre, Devizes on Friday 9th June and Saturday 10th June still, 7.30pm start.

Tickets from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/wbbigband

Jemma Brown and Sean Andrews with Watson & Brown – Little Big Band

Trending……

Swindon Branch of Your Party is Growing

Following the excitement and success of the first meeting of โ€˜Your Partyโ€™ in Swindon, a second meeting has been arranged for 18th September 7.30 -โ€ฆ

No Rest For JP Oldfield, New Single Out Today

It’s been six months since Devizes-based young blues crooner JP Oldfield released his poignant kazoo-blowing debut EP Bouffon. He’s made numerous appearances across the circuitโ€ฆ

DOCA’s Early Lantern Workshops

Is it too early for the C word?! Of course not, Grinch! With DOCA’S Winter Festival confirmed for Friday 28th November this year, there willโ€ฆ

I See Orangeโ€ฆ.And Doll Guts!

There was a time not so long ago when I See Orange was the most exciting new band in Swindon. Their latest offering released atโ€ฆ

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Aglica Trio 7th June, 2023 @ Town Hall

Classical Comes Calling

Andy Fawthrop

The Devizes Arts Festival continued to deliver its wide-ranging programme yesterday. Following tango, folk, opera, talks and drama, Wednesday and Thursday saw the arrival of its two back-to-back classical concerts in The Assembly Room in The Town Hall. It seems like you wait ages for the classical bus to come along, then two arrive together!

Wednesday night saw The Leslie Taylor Memorial Concert, delivered by the young and very talented Aglica Trio, and Thursday lunchtime featured the Dieci Corde duo.

The Aglica Trio was created in 2016 in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama when Carys Gittins (flute), Agnieszka ลปyniewicz, (viol), and Lise Vandersmissen (harp) graduated with Distinction. All of them are now multi-award winners, and have pursued careers as both soloists, and as part of various other ensembles. Bringing together Welsh, Polish and Belgian influences, this promised to be something a little different.

Their programme on Wednesday began with Claude Debussyโ€™s Sonata in three movements, where all three instruments were well to the fore, engaging in a light conversation of themes. It was light and airy for the most part, but with a somewhat fiery finale. This was followed by The Song of Amergin by Hilary Tann, which was much more strident in character, and by Two Interludes by Jaques Ibert, wherein Lise managed to make her harp sound very much like a piano at times.

After the interval there were three more pieces. First was a lively flute-led Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, a couple of short exercises written by harpist Lise, and finally (my personal favourite of the evening) the Zodiac Trio Op. 70 by the Welsh composer William Mathias. This final piece really showcased the different voices of the three instruments โ€“ Pisces, the jolly, easy-going flute, then Aries, the โ€œmiserableโ€ viol, and at last Taurus, the fiery and passionate harp. Although at times slightly discordant, this was a wonderful piece with an exhilarating finish.

Fully deserved rapturous applause was the only possible outcome.

Next day, in exactly the same venue, it was the turn of Dieci Corde in the shape of Clare Deniz (cello) and Mihael Majetic (guitar). Both of them have thriving independent musical careers, but they regularly perform together as Dieci Corde (ten strings) as it lets them explore more interesting ways of performing with their respective instruments.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until Saturday 17th June.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

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Talk in Code Down The Gate!

What, again?! Another article about Talk in Code?! Haven’t they had enough Devizine-styled publicity?! Are their heads swelling?!ย  Didn’t that crazy toothless editor catch themโ€ฆ

Recommendations for when Swindon gets Shuffling

Swindon’s annual colossal fundraising event The Shuffle is a testament to local live music, which raises funds for Prospect Hospice. If you’re ever going toโ€ฆ

Preview: Shakespeare’s Henry VI at The Rondo Theatre, Bath

Henry VI by William Shakespeare, Rondo Theatre, July 5th-Sat 8th, 7.30pm. A Preview โ€“ by Ian Diddams…….

Shakespeare wrote three plays about Henry VI โ€“ imaginatively entitled part1, part 2, and part 3. But in true George Lucas style, part 2 was written first, then part 3, with the prequel โ€“ part 1, written last.

So what is better than watching one Henry VI play? Watching all three, together of course! And that is exactly what the Rondo Theatre Company, handily placed, with nominative determinism, at the Rondo Theatre, Larkhall, Bath is doing in early July this year, as its annual charity performance.

Now โ€“ Shakespeare has a bit of a reputation for lengthy plays. Hamlet takes about four hours to perform, and certainly several of his output would take over three hours easily. All three parts of Henry VI performed back-to-back would last longer than a dayโ€™s test cricket, with no likelihood of finishing early for bad light. But fear not โ€“ Director Nic Proud has taken Occamโ€™s razor (and Wilkinsonโ€™s sword, not to mention Macโ€™s knife) to it all and has whittled it down to just the length of a football match plus a half time for a cup of Bovril and a meat pie.

I can feel the Shakespeare aficionados quaking already. But all the real essence of Henry VI is there โ€“ Margaret, the scandalous queen and her naughty boy Suffolk, arrogant Warwick making at least one king anyway, Richard P fighting for his right to party โ€“ well rule at least – Edward who eventually comes fo(u)rth, and of course the arch villain of the whole piece eventually, towering over everybody, Richard (do you see what I did there?). Oh โ€“ and some bloke called Henry VI apparently, all limp wristed, cuckolded and basically a bit rubbish as a wannabe king.

Rest assured though, dear reader and Shakespearean buff. This amalgamation of Henry VI belts along at frenetic pace, with daggers, swords, and treachery at every turn. Dash out to the loo and you are likely to miss at least one murder and a heap of skulduggery. In true weeping angelsโ€™ fashion, donโ€™t blink!

We begin with Henry Vโ€™s death and the crowning of Henry VI โ€“ then a whirlwind marriage arraignment of Margaret (with Suffolk as her bit on the side of course), Richard Plantagenetโ€™s vocal claim to the crown, top soldier Warwickโ€™s clear-headed countenance, and the Wars of the Roses. The battles of Wakefield and Tewkesbury enacted on stage with swords and daggers a-flashing, with their deaths of Richard P and Prince Edward to boot. And of course the slaughter of the playโ€™s titular character by bad boy Richard, and the elevation as monarch to Edward IVโ€ฆ. and a final twist in the tale from tricky Dicky himself.

Nine actors, one director and an assistant, a tech crew and the Rondo theatre. Plus a few swords, a couple of daggers and some stunning costumes by Chrissy Fry. And for a particular Devizesโ€™ interest, two Devizes based actors (editor’s note: yes, it’s you and Lucy Upward, isn’t it? Cheeky!) appear as part of this too, you lucky people! The Rondo theatre is located just a 30 minute drive from Devizes, with lots of free evening street parking, with a pub and Indian restaurant handily located within 100m of each other โ€“ so make an evening out of it!

What more could really you ask for?

Henry VI is performed at the Rondo Theatre, Larkhall, Bath between July 5th and 8th, 7.30 pm each evening. Proceeds from the performance will be donated to the Royal Osteoporosis Society, as this is the Rondoโ€™s annual charity performance.

Tickets from
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre/henry-vi/e-zqyvmv

See you there โ€“ if youโ€™re Bard enough!

Trending……

A Busy Week For Lunch Box Buddy!

It was great to bump into Lunch Box Buddy in Devizes today. Last week was hectic for him; first BBC Wiltshire stopped by his standโ€ฆ

Wither; Debut Single From Butane Skies

Whilst dispersing highly flammable hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere is not advisory,  Butane Skies is a name increasingly exploding on local circuits. The young andโ€ฆ

Wiltshire Council Replicate Table Mountain in Devizes Potholeโ€ฆ

โ€ฆ..and other niggly countywide troubles doner meat and chips from Chick-o-Land will stop me ranting aboutโ€ฆ..

Speculation arises if the entire additional ยฃ3.6m awarded to Wiltshire Council from the Department for Transportโ€™s Pothole Fund, has been used to fix just the one pothole on Gains Lane, Devizes, opposite Sainsburys, because there’s bugger all sign of it being used elsewhereโ€ฆ.

Miraculously, the single pothole amidst a multitude of other serious road defects in the county with the fifth worst local authority for fixing potholes, has been filled inโ€ฆ over abundantly, leading residents pondering if the county council are trying to attract tourism by replicating Cape Town’s most renowned landmark,Table Mountain.

Spot the difference!

The road defect on Gains Lane, Devizes
Table Mountain, Cape Town

The hilarious irony is, Wiltshire Council are doing the precise opposite when it comes to tourism, and are hellbent on wiping our county off the tourist track all together, inadvertently risking the future of all leisure facilities too.

But, oopsy daisy, you weren’t supposed to know about the grave concerns expressed to town and parish councils by the Chief Executive of Visit Wiltshire on the Governmentโ€™s new national structure for tourism, which will see the introduction of countywide accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, and as result, Wiltshire Council announcing they will be withdrawing their funding from Visit Wiltshire from April 2024, because withdrawing funding leaves Wiltshire no longer able to meet eligibility criteria to have an accredited LVEP, and it will be effectively ripped off the tourism map of England. Ha, that barrel of laughs is for another place, another time, and I apologise to Wiltshire Council for any accidental leakage until such a time you can illegally trash Stonehenge’s world heritage status by tunnelling a road underneath it, my tongue just runs off with itself sometimes.

Don’t be outraged, there’s time yet to devise a plan as cunning as Baldrick’s to act as a smokescreen and make you believe it’s all for “the greater good.” Cue a certain local Facebook tintop dictator, my very own ineffective fact checker with a penchant for anything corrupt provided it’s suggested by a straight chap with a blue rosette; please try to recognise satire when it stares you in the face.

Not that I’d advise taking business advice from me, but if you own a small business in Wiltshire which relies on tourism, I would only buy stock to last until April if I were you, and consider a crash course in supermarket shelf-filing. Baby-face Danny K, get us a railway station six miles out of town, let’s escape together, we can exchange homophobic gags on the way, step on it!

Anyway, I digress, I shouldn’t worry my silly little head about the vanity of this ease of backhanding futile construction permits once we’re free of tourism, we were rapping about the tarmac on the singular entity on Gains Lane, Devizes, which is so vastly overpacked its convex is an equal malformation to the concave of the original pothole, which, face it, like many locally had the potential of a black hole to suck light, electromagnetic waves and randomly selected solar systems into it. The effect, rather than your wheel dropping into it and smashing suspension, coils, anti-roll bars, et al (which is, even funnier, impossible to prove over the “wear and tear” loophole) is now like navigating a tepuis, or table top mountain in a shopping trolley; hit it and you’re likely to bust open the headliner and bonnet of your vehicle, with your head.

If it happened to you, you may feel a tad dizzy, and confused enough to vote for these councillors again come council elections, which could well be the reasoning behind it. Perhaps it could lead to further famous table mountains being replicated in our county’s potholes, like Mount Roraima, the most famous tepui in Venezuela, or the Canyonlands of Utah; now, wouldn’t that be nice?

Of course, this is purely satirical speculation for amusement purposes only, and it is more conceivable that the council worker simply couldn’t be arsed to flatten it out, let alone use the surplus tarmac to fill the upteen other potholes nearby it, for that would be far too proactive and because it’s highly likely they’ve forgotten what a pay rise is.

Fact is, as Cabinet Member for Transport Caroline Thomas has, in the drone of a weatherman on dope, blamed the annual 400% increase in potholes on “a combination of a long dry summer followed by periods of very wet and then freezing conditions,” we should take her word for it, as it’s not like we’ve experienced seasonal weather changes since, I dunno, eternity, is it? And we should stop bothering them as there are far more pressing issues, such as forgetting to take one’s expenses form when frequenting that trendy wine bar. 

The Cape Town Tourism website says Table Top Mountain has attracted 24 million visitors since it opened in 1929. Not that I’m the kinda guy wondering how you open a mountain, let alone with the restricted technology back in 1929, but perhaps it’s something worth considering before all tourists are left wondering whatever happened to that place between Berkshire and Somerset, and they could all nip into Chick-o-Land and pick me up some doner meat and chips; might shut me up for a bit.

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Onarole Theatreโ€™s Jesus My Boy @ Merchant Suite, Devizes, 6th June 2023

Onarole On A Roll

Andy Fawthrop

The Devizes Arts Festival is now in full swing. ย On Day 5 it was time for the first theatre offering ofย this yearโ€™s programme. ย Onarole (geddit?) Theatre were in the Corny Bin in the shape of Jonathanย Darby to present a four-scene one-hander entitled โ€œJesus My Boyโ€. ย It was written by John Dowie,ย directed by Chris Jaeger, and was originally performed by Tom Conti.

Here we had a different take, a very different take, on the traditional bible stories probably familiar to all those there present.  It was very much a sideways look from the point-of-view of Jesusโ€™ father Joseph, played as a slightly inept carpenter, a good Jew, an ordinary man simply looking to keep his head down and himself out of trouble.  He recounted, with down-to-earth good humour and some laugh-out-loud assertions, the beginning of his slightly hen-pecked relationship with a very determined and single-minded Mary, progressing through a harrowing but amusing child-birth scene, right through to the crucifixion and its aftermath.

Much of the humour stemmed from Josephโ€™s insistence on debunking the many myths, orย apocryphal stories, taken for granted and repeated in the Bible. ย There was never going to be anyย room at the inn (it was the only one in town) and he simply forgot to book. ย The Torah is not, in fact,ย a long a complex document โ€“ it can be taught in one sentence whilst standing on one leg. ย Andย stoning adulterers and blasphemers is not as straightforward as you might have thought.

But away from the amusing anecdotes (Jesus is better at carpentry than his father, Mary packed way too much stuff before setting off for Bethlehem, and the almost Pythonesque squabbling between the different Judean sects), there was much that was harrowing to listen to, not least the detailed description of the prolonged, vindictive  and agonising death brought about by crucifixion.

Jonathan Darbyโ€™s performance, to my eyes and ears at least, was pitch-perfect.  His rapid movement between comedy and tragedy, humour and pathos, was a thing to behold.  The audience sat enraptured, and the hour-long performance seemed to simply whizz by.  It was moving, beautiful, religious, political and very human all at the same time.

Yet again, hats off to the Arts Festival for bringing this really excellent performance to the town.  

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until Saturday 17th June.  

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online atย www.devizesartsfestival.org.ukย ย 

Danny Kruger Throws Toys out of His Pram Over Affordable Housing Development in Devizes

The BBC News article on overthrowing the Council and his own objections for a new housing development in Devizes received a share from our MP Danny Kruger today, and his accompanying message didn’t take too kindly to it.

Up to two hundred new homes have been approved by a government inspector, despite fierce local opposition.

“Wiltshire needs (and is building) a lot of new homes – we don’t need ugly inappropriate imposed developments like this.” He explained. Reading between the lines here it’s all rather obvious that “ugly and inappropriate” are hidden synonyms for “affordable.”

The new estate by Robert Hitchins Ltd boasts 30% affordable housing, as well retail outlets and ยฃ500,000 towards funding works to the canal towpath to improve and provide accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. This is three times the national minimum requirement of 10% affordable housing, a generous percentage for what is really necessary here, and is rarely provided above the bare minimum, forcing young residents out to other places.

No one, I believe, wants further development in Devizes but we should face facts, there is a desperate requirement for affordable housing.

Danny waffles on, “This application was approved despite objections by me, CPRE [a countryside charity], the Town Council and all. Why? Because of the arbitrary Five-Year Housing Land Supply rule. I have raised this issue with Government and will continue to push for planning reform with more local power when it comes to decision making.”

Which connotes a positive response on the surface, yet other developments locally have been allowed, offering only the minimum amount of affordable housing. Why, he asks, why, I ask, are they so against this development, yet willingly approved the other applications? Because it would be housing younger and/or less affluent folk in the area who are far less likely to vote Conservative, there’s your bottom line right there; hook, line, and sinker.

To spin a positive from this, it shows local Conservatives are gravely concerned for their long considered “safe seat,” and fear the inevitable change might yet impact election results even here. We are in a financial crisis, only a few can even contemplate a mortgage, so why build unaffordable housing when there’s no requirement for it, but object to the real need of struggling families, Danny boy, eh, you homophobic chauvinistic evangelist nutjob who doesn’t even live here?! I got my eye on you!

Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 7th – 13th June 2023

Trouble, troublemaker, yeah, thatโ€™s your middle name, oh-oh, sings my homeboy Olly, but really, I ask you, what kind of a parent gives their kids a middle name like troublemaker? Ah, well, sign of times; hereโ€™s the lowdown on everything weโ€™ve found to be doing around these backwaters this coming weekโ€ฆ.

Donโ€™t forget thereโ€™s more info on these, ticket links and irregular updates on our sparkly Event Calendar, so plan ahead. But this week we haveโ€ฆdrum rollโ€ฆ..

Ongoing, Hail the Curious, the inaugural exhibit at The Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham; check it out by the end of the month.

 Wednesday 7th

Devizes Arts Festival still going strong, with Welsh, Polish and Belgian influences, the Aglica Trio explore exciting works by lesser-known composers as well as delving into the standard classical repertoire. 8pm at Devizes Town Hall.

Regular acoustic jam at the Southgate in Devizes.

Dragons And Mythical Beasts at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

San Reetam at Komedia, Bath.

Thursday 8th

Devizes Arts Festival has cello and guitar duo Dieci Corde at 12:30pm in the Town Hall, and Lucy Stevens is Gertrude Lawrence in A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening, 7:30pm also at the Town Hall.

Meanwhile over at The Wharf Theatre, it’s the opening night for Watson and Brownโ€™s Little Big Band, running until Saturday 10th.

Also running until the 10th, The Marlborough Players Presents Ian Hislop & Nick Newmanโ€™s A Bunch of Amateurs at Marlborough Town Hall.

The Overmorrow play The Tuppenny in Swindon, The Zoots are at Swindon Arts Centre with some Sound of The 60s, and Alan Fletcherโ€™s The Doctor Will See You Now is at The Wyvern Theatre.

Comedy Drag Bingo with Charlie Hides from Ru Paulโ€™s Drag Race at Komedia, Bath, Human Nature at the Rondo Theatre, Luke De-Sciscio is at Chapel Arts, with support from Ella Clayton.

Friday 9th

Major British comedy talent Marcus Brigstocke is at Devizes Arts Festival, 8pm at the Corn Exchange. Plan of Action plays The Southgate, Devizes, and Gaz Brookfield is at The Barge on Honey-Street.

Mobile Blackout at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon, Quartetto Di Cremonaโ€™s Italian Postcards at the Wiltshire Music Centre.

Living Spit presents One Man and His Cow at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Celebrate Me at the Rondo Theatre, Bath, Mississippi MacDonald at Chapel Arts, and Kalopsia, Intrusive, Sharpie & Dreamcaster all at Moles.

Grunge Tribute Shades of Seattle at The Vic in Swindon, a change from the Chaos Brothers as previously advertised, Oasish at Coleview Community Centre, and 

An Evening And A Little Bit Of Morning with Mark Steel at The Wyvern Theatre.

Saturday 10th

Marden Village Fete. Thereโ€™s an Antique Sale at Devizes Market Place from 9am-3pm, and the Devizes Arts Festival continues with a free fringe event at 2pm in the Condado Lounge, Jukebox James,  Tessa Dunlop, 3pm at the Town Hall, and folk-influenced Americana with Noble Jacks at 8pm in the Corn Exchange. Noble Jacks are a rip-roaring alt.folk band with roof-raising energy, whose warm electro-acoustic interactions fuse together a mixture of folky footstompinโ€™ rhythms and engaging lyricism.

Elsewhere in Devizes, the Eric Bell Band Band play Long Street Blues Club, Lewis Clark is at The Southgate, Ben Borrill at the Moonrakers, a One Chord Wonders and The Killertones for a Cavalier special, see poster.

Time for The Famous Hangover Sessions at the Lamb in Marlborough, with Splat the Rat, The Station, The Vooz and of course, Pants.

North Wiltshire Symphony Orchestra Presents a Summer Concert at the Neeld Hall in Chippenham. John Morrissey memorial gig at the Consti Club in aid of Dorothy House.

The Stones, tribute at the Civic in Trowbridge, oh, and this….

Nadine Khouri at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Itโ€™s the Bradford-on-Avon Food & Drink Festival, Vonj at the Three Horseshoes. 

Boorish Trumpson at the Rondo Theatre, Bath, Untamed Burlesque at Chapel Arts.

King Awesome at The Vic, Swindon, Kentwood Choir t Swindon Arts Centre, and 

Elizabeth & Philip โ€“ A Story of Young Love, Marriage, and Monarchy at The Wyvern Theatre. 

Nearly Dan โ€“ The Spirit & Sound of Steely Dan at the Cheese & Grain in Frome.

Sunday 11th

Lions on the Green, Devizes Lions Clubโ€™s annual car show and fun day at Devizes Green. Devizes Arts Festival, Festival Walk โ€“ Wansdyke Wanderings. Briefing at 10.20am. Thereโ€™s a free fringe event, 2pm at the British Lion, hard stompinโ€™, bluegrassy, old-timey playing of The Sisters & The Brothers.

Friggit at The Tuppenny in Swindon.

The Jon Amor Trio play The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Adam Giles Levy is at the Electric Bar in Komedia, Bath, Josh Berryโ€™s Sexual Politics at Rondo Theatre, Flamenco Express at Chapel Arts.

Monday 12th

Devizes Arts Festival have An Evening with furniture restorer, Will Kirk, primarily known for his work on BBCโ€™s phenomenally successful restoration programme The Repair Shop.

7:30pm at the Corn Exchange.

Rock The Tots: Whatever The Weather at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Wiltshire Schools Dance Festival at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Tuesday 13th

Devizes Arts Festivalโ€™s Lois Pryce: Revolutionary Ride โ€“ One Womanโ€™s Solo Motorcycle Journey around Iran at the Bear Hotel, the Elles Bailey Band play the Corn Exchange at 8pm.

McCartney โ€“ The Songbook at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Thatโ€™s all I got for you, trouble, troublemaker. I know youโ€™re no good, but youโ€™re stuck in my brain, or Brian, or whatever. So, just for you a reminder this list is not exhaustive, and more events will undoubtedly be added to our event calendar as and when we discover them. So keep an eye on it, just the one though, be safe and have a good week.

Trending….

FullTone Festival 2026: A New Home

It’s been a wonderful summer’s weekend, in which I endeavoured to at least poke my nose into the fabulous FullTone Festival, despite being invited toโ€ฆ

CSF Professional Wrestling returns to Devizes

CSF Professional Wrestling returns to Devizes, on Sunday 25th June for a very special edition of CSF SHOWDOWN!

Following multiple sellouts of the venue, The Corn Exchange will again host this spectacular event as twelve top stars arrive to do battle in five Pro Bouts of High Flying, BodySlamming, Action Packed Family Entertainment.

The Undisputed All Nations Champion: ‘Unique’ Jake McCluskey will put his Title and belt on the line as he faces the challenge of Odyssey, whilst the man mountain known as Bullit goes up against the Maori Warrior NIWA!

Other names appearing include: Axel Carter, Bane ‘n’ Bronson, Joshua James, JJย  Gilligan Gordon. Doors open at 4pm // First Bell 4:30pm // Event Finish 7pm As always, the wrestlers will be on hand to sign autographs and take photos with their fans. Event suitable for all ages, no ages restrictions.

Tickets are priced at ยฃ12 each, for all ages. Tickets available directly from CSF Wrestling by visiting: www.csfwrestling.co.uk or by visiting Devizes Books in the town centre. For the full line up and all CSF news, please visit Facebook: www.facebook.com/csfprofessionslwrestling

Local Artist Clifton Powell Commissioned by King Charles for Windrush Portrait

Last time we mentioned local Jamaican-born artist Clifton Powell, he was commissioned for the English Heritage exhibition, โ€œThe African Diaspora in England.โ€ This time he has been commissioned by King Charles and a Windrush Portraits Committee, marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush to Britain, to participate in a series of Windrush portraits of pioneering members of the Windrush Generation, which are completed and already at Buckingham Palace.….

A sub-committee of the Windrush Commemoration Committee, comprising of Baroness Floella Benjamin, the Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Mr Rudolph Walker, and Ms Paulette Simpson, have selected ten artists and sitters. The completed portraits will become part of the Royal Collection and stand as a lasting memorial to all the men, women and children who came to Britain from the Caribbean and gave so much of themselves to rebuild a nation devastated by war.

His Majesty said, โ€œit is, I believe, crucially important that we should truly see and hear these pioneers who stepped off the Empire Windrush at Tilbury in June 1948 – only a few months before I was born – and those who followed over the decades, to recognise and celebrate the immeasurable difference that they, their children and their grandchildren have made to this country,โ€ and BBC Arts Today announced a documentary to commemorate National Windrush Day, Windrush: Portraits Of A Generation, to be aired on 22nd June.

Combining fluid draughtsmanship with realism and a dynamic use of colour, Clifton studied at The Jamaica School of Art in Kingston Jamaica before moving to the UK in the eighties. In London, he worked for leading framers Tempole Art, among many exhibits he exhibited at Bathโ€™s Fairfield House, home of Emperor Haile Selassie, while he was exiled to England. Clifton is also a mentor and part of a team of artists at Arts Together, who deliver creative workshops for older people across 6 community groups in Wiltshire.

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Texas Tick Fever @ Three Crowns, Devizes, 4th June 2023

Andy Fawthrop

Free Fringe Frolics

Another day, another venue, and the Devizes Arts Festival is now getting into its stride. ย Thisย afternoon was the first of the five FREE events in this yearโ€™s programme, and what a cracker itย turned out to be.…

Texas Tick Fever hail from that there Stroud, up in the Wild North Country, and rolled into town full of energy on a beautiful sunny afternoon in the courtyard of The Three Crowns.  The Vize was about to be treated to some bluegrass, yโ€™all.  Although theyโ€™re a firm fixture on the roots music circuit, theyโ€™re a band Iโ€™d not personally run into before.  Took โ€˜em about two numbers and I was quickly hooked.

The boysโ€™ marketing BS had talked about their music being โ€œmoonshine-fuelledโ€, but this being Theย Vize, it was more Wadworth 6X and ice-cream-fuelled. ย Not that that mattered in the slightest, asย they were on absolutely top form.

Their blend of Americana/ roots/ hillbilly/ Appalachian/ backwoods/ hayseed and good old bluegrass quickly had the crowd applauding.  With plenty of wise-cracking and self-deprecating humour on the side, this was just perfect stuff for a lazy afternoon at the pub.  Featuring banjo and guitar, occasional harmonica, kick-drum and harmonising vocals, the guys made some great music.  There was new and original stuff, and plenty of covers, including Sittinโ€™ On Top Oโ€™ The World, It Takes A Worried Man, Down In Mississippi and (believe it or not, older readers look away now) that old theme to The Beverly Hillbillies.  Amazing.  And who could forget their fully-deserved encore of Duelling Banjos?  Terrific stuff.

Theyโ€™ve also won my โ€œBest Introduction To A Songโ€ Award for one of their intros.  Following a decent re-telling of the urban myth, where legend has it that Robert Johnson met the devil at a crossroads and gave him his soul in exchange for mastery of the guitar, Stretch leaned into the mic and grinned, saying โ€œwell, anyways, this next song has absolutely nothinโ€™ to do with thatโ€.  Comic timing at its best.

Absolutely terrific entertainment, and an early highlight of the Festival for me.

And thereโ€™s more FREE Fringe next Saturday 10th June in Condado Lounge with Jukebox James, next Sunday 11th June in the British Lion with Sisters & Brothers, and the following Saturday 17th June with Carrie Etter Poetry.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues at various venues around town until Saturday 17th June.  

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online atย www.devizesartsfestival.org.ukย ย 

Ajay Srivastav at Devizes Arts Festivalย 

“Do you know of anyone else doing something similar to what you’re doing?” I asked him as he crouched by the Cellar Bar’s vinyl banner, packing his resonator back into the guitar case.

He looked over his shoulder in contemplation and shook his head, “no.”

To think the only thing unusual this day and age about this is that I hinted there was live music Sunday evening at Devizes’ Cellar Bar, I’d say you’ve a point. The new owners of The Bear Hotel have yet to utilise the Cellar Bar to its former glory. Their prerogative, we can only encourage, being speculative articles published about the slight possibility the bar might reopen as a music venue tends to gain monumental attention, that the venue is clearly cherished by the natives, therefore it would surely be in their best interests.

It wouldn’t help my case much either if I told you the musician is a bluesman, as many a bluesman has graced our town. We could coin it, “The Mel Bush effect,” the influence of bringing big names to the Corn Exchange in the seventies gained Devizes a blues reputation and inspiring homegrown talent from The Hoax’s Robin Davey, Jon Amor, Doherty brothers, Innes Sibun, et al.

But there is something distinctively unique about this bluesman, Ajay Srivastav. With Indian heritage and Hindu faith he incorporates into his sound, writing and ethos, while still not definable as all-out bhangra akin to sitar virtuoso Ravi Shanker,  a dash of its spices are generously added to his melting pot; the main ingredient being delta blues. The result is something wonderful and uncomparable; the Devizes Arts Festival fringe event I’ve been holding out for.

The performance, in a word, was sublime. With a rich voice, Ajay sure knows how to handle that guitar, and was joined by proficient tabla player, Vinod Kerai, injecting the Eastern influence into these devine self-penned songs. Geniusly awash with thought-provoking prose and backed with verbal explanations, the delivery reflected the skill of Paul Simon, archetypal blues subject matter, of life lessons, contemplating intrapersonal and relationships, yet subtly incorporating Hindu ideology, even mythology, and still reflecting more generally so all could relate. For example, Ajay not only had teaching of Itihasa and Vedas, but even contrasted the fable of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads with the order from chaos of Maa Saraswati, Hindu goddess of education, creativity, and music. This said, a majority of thought applied here was of his own observations and musings, which was earnest when it needed to be, and amusing equally.

Far from this feeling rather preachy, it was presented in such a charismatic and western manner. It was casual yet informative, gracing the songs with context. The songs were constructed with love and attention to detail, so none stood out rather a gentle flow throughout which with squinted eyes took me on its desired journey. So some tunes summed his angle, Karmic Blues, others like Between the Cracks were personal reflections of fitting into society’s pigeonholes, and by the finale the pace picked up, replacing the contemplative for slightly more lighthearted content, like a romanticised devotion to Vasudhara called Six Arm Goddess.

If second generation Asians in dance music culture, like Asian Dub Foundation, Apache Indian and my personal favourite, Black Star Liner, have borrowed extensively from their roots, musically,  dance music is, in general, not the genre for placing your thoughts, and in this Ajay Srivastav is the whole deal, exceptionally unique and put simply, a delight to listen to. 

The Devizes Arts Festival continues. Our team are out there assessing its progress, but as lover of world music equally in key with our homegrown fashions, this topped both and now I fear I might struggle to find something to better it; time will tellโ€ฆ.

41 Fords Park Up at The Southgateย 

With the happenings at the Arts Festival taken care of, and twenty/thirty something’s pilgrimage to The Three Crowns for the delights of our most famed cover band, People Like Us, I’m in Devizes for the wildcard; Trowbridge trio of nutty rockabilly/skabilly 41 Fords are playing The Southgate; arm twisted for a cider or three.….

Currently camped at some festival or another as they accidentally double-booked, they hot-footed it from the site delighted to be here. Told me of their love for the Gate, not the only thing we have in common. Though they regularly play our hospitable and stalwart, offbeat live music pub, it was never intentional that I missed them, but going on the strength of their debut album, Not Dead Yet, which we fondly reviewed back in April, 41 Fords were understandably on my must-see list.

Job ticked off and far from disappointed, they shook the rafters with high-energy rockabilly adaptations of a wide selection of pop hits. A guitar, drums and double-bass trio, it’s a simple template to stamp their own style on everything and anything from Adam Ant’s Goody Two Shoes to Green Day, and The Primitives’ Crash to Hall & Oates, but dammit if it doesn’t work like a charm. Rousing the slight audience with lively upbeat versions, the fun simply doesn’t stop, other than for a twanged guitar string; they couldn’t even cover Ben E King’s Stax classic Stand By Me without a frenzied rise of tempo!

To be niggly, I looked forward to some originals from said album, but they felt it best to do covers, a trusted judgement paid off, and besides, Deborah had chalked them up as such on the board. If flat-caps worn with anything other than country-gent attire usually connotes the cheekiness of a cockney sparrow, and there were a lot of them floating about tonight, similarly does a double-bass without it being an orchestra. Given said instrument is adorned with second gen ska’s checkerboard black & white tiles and a slogan reading “get lucky” in friendly font, you get the general gist this is punk-fused rockabilly, yet without the grave characteristics associated with psychobilly. It is, simply, as much fun as you could possibly squeeze into a gig, the result was precisely that.

Unusual their trump card, as the drummer tended to vocal the cheesy eighties pop covers, aforementioned Adam Ant, but Tracey Ulman’s Breakaway being particularly amusing, whereas the guitarist vocalising on the earlier or more apt classics, from the Jam to Tears of a Clown bending on The Special’s version, and probably the golden nugget tonight, Dion’s Runaround Sue. The double-bass player simply displayed the cheeky grin of Jason Statham as Bacon in Lock Stock, but anyone spinning a double-bass wins, they don’t got to say anything!

By the time the second half of this frenzied show of confident and proficient uniqueness played out, it really didn’t matter what they covered, they could’ve done Save All Your Kisses for Me for all it mattered, though I don’t believe they did. Everything was fantastic, 41 Fords are undiluted footstompin’ goodness and bring the party with them as standard issue. What a lively fun-filled night at The Southgate, as ever!

Don’t forget, it’s the monthly Jon Amor at the Southgate today at 5pm, and you can find 41 Fords at Devizes Scooter Rally.

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Sir Willard White @ Corn Exchange, Devizes, 3rd June 2023

Bass Baritone Brilliance

Andy Fawthrop

It was time last night for The Devizes Arts Festival to roll out its first big-hitter of the 2023 programme, and what a smash it proved to be.  Although not quite sold out, the Corn Exchange was pretty full, and those who turned out were rewarded with a sparkling performance.…

Sir Willard White is one of the worldโ€™s best-loved and most versatile opera stars of the last 40 years.  He is a performer whose illustrious career has taken him to the most prestigious opera houses and concert halls throughout the world.  It was opera royalty come to pay us a state visit.

The evening opened with the Kymaera Duo, the twin guitars of Shane Hill and Simon James, who have been performing together for over twenty years.  Their beautiful and understated rendition of the classic โ€œSummertimeโ€ set a very high bar for the rest of the evening.  Soon they were joined by the tastefully yellow waist-coated Sir Willard.

Over the next couple of hours we were entertained with songs and reminiscences from his life onย stage and screen. ย The songs were selected because they had been particularly important to him, orย held some special meaning. ย Pausing to explain and to introduce each piece, he took us on a musicalย journey from his youth in Jamaica, through his early career, the first truly complete recording ofย Gershwinโ€™s Porgy and Bess in 1976 to the songs that made the bass-baritone singer Paul Robesonย famous in the 1920s and โ€˜30s. ย He explained that, amazingly, he had never wanted to be a singer inย the professional sense, he just wanted to do something that would define him as โ€œa real manโ€. ย But,ย having tried out the idea of working in an office with a briefcase and a rolled umbrella, Mr. White (asย he termed himself) discovered that would not be his life.

With occasional instrumental pieces from the guitar duo to spell the singer, the Great American Songbook was rolled out for us, together with a few other unexpected classics.  We had Gershwin, Nat King Cole, Aaron Copeland, and even Bob Marleyโ€™s Redemption Song.  โ€œIt Donโ€™t Mean A Thing If It Ainโ€™t Got That Swingโ€, โ€œSome Enchanted Eveningโ€, โ€œMy Wayโ€, โ€œOle Man Riverโ€ were delivered in what appeared an effortless style, all the while accompanied by some fabulous guitar work.

A totally splendid performance and a deserved encore.  But even then it wasnโ€™t over.  In an equally engaging coda to the evening, Sir Willard took questions from the floor.  In this section he revealed (even more that the main performance) what a really charming, urbane and thoughtful man he was.  His style was avuncular, gentle and understated, and his philosophy of life, of self-care (of voice and body) and of mutual self-respect was thought-provoking.  All in all, a great evening, and a worthy gem in the Arts Festival crown.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues, with events every day, until Saturday 17th June.  The full programme of events, times and prices is available online.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk  

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Sue Stockdale @ St. Johnโ€™s Assembly Room, Devizes 3rd June 2023

An Adventurous Mindset

Andy Fawthrop

On to Day 2 of the Arts Festival, and something a little different. Thatโ€™s the good thing about a two-week festival like this โ€“ thereโ€™s something in there for everyone. And this afternoonโ€™s offering featured a very adventurous soul, who was keen to relate what sheโ€™d learnt in the course of her travels.

Saturday afternoon in a church assembly room is not one of my usual haunts, but listening to Sue Stockdale was a very good reason to be here. Scot Sue comes with an enviable pedigree โ€“ not only is she a polar adventurer and motivational speaker, sheโ€™s also spent much of her life not only exploring the worldโ€™s most remote and hostile environments (including Greenland, Antarctica, and Chile), sheโ€™s also thought long and hard about what motivates her, and what the wider lessons are.

Her initial inspiration is excitement and adventure, but I guess anyone could say that. What makes Sue interesting is the way sheโ€™s translated that inspiration into solid and specific action, developing new skills along the way, together with both physical and mental resilience. The challenges have not always been obvious or straightforward โ€“ for example, how do you raise the money to fund your adventures? How do you deal with the ecological impact of what you do? How do you develop the necessary team-work skills to make an expedition work?

In 1996, Sue became the first British woman to reach the magnetic North Pole and, aside from sharing some of her photos and experiences, she was keen to relate how the team kept sane, conserved energy, developed working routines, and overcame the navigational challenges of such an undertaking.

It was at times an Old Skool slide presentation but, mixed in with video clips, and a light-hearted and engaging delivery style, she kept her audience enthralled right through until it was time for the Q&A at the end. Fascinating stuff โ€“ entertaining, interesting and, yes, motivating. For people like me, who struggle to get their act together to even get out of The Vize these days, it was a true lesson in how to really get oneโ€™s arse in gear.

Copies of Sueโ€™s latest book EXPLORE: A Life of Adventure are available for purchase at Devizes Books.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues, with events every day, until Saturday 17th June. The full programme of events, times and prices is available online.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

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Devizes Dilemma: FullTone or Scooter Rally?!

Contemplated headlining this โ€œClash of the Titans,โ€ but that evokes the idea of a dramatic power struggle with fierce consequences rather than proof Devizes canโ€ฆ

Goodbye to The Beanery but Hollychocs Lives On

Popular award-winning artisan chocolate business Hollychocs has announced that its Beanery Cafรฉ will close on Saturday 23rd August, marking exactly two years since its openingโ€ฆ

Park Farm; Mantonfest Came to Devizes!

The first Park Farm Festival happened Saturday, it was fabulouso, and in some way Mantonfest came to Devizes; conveniently for me as I had toโ€ฆ

REVIEW โ€“ Devizes Arts Festival โ€“ Tango Calor @ Town Hall, Devizes 2nd June 2023

Perhaps..Perhapsโ€ฆPerhapsโ€ฆ

Andy Fawthrop

Images by Gail Foster

The Devizes Arts Festival kicked off its 2023 programme with a real bang last night, and perhaps this will be the best one yet if the opening gig was anything to go by.…..

Tango Calor is, not surprisingly, a tango band trio. It was originally formed by the concertina, sorry โ€“ bandoneon, player Mirek Salmon in Bristol in 2016. Joining him was jazz pianist Daan Temmink, and the Cuban vocalist Indira Roman. And together the three of them produced a sparkling evening of music for a full room and an appreciative crowd.

Tango Calor at Devizes Arts FestivalImage: Gail Foster

The Assembly Room in the Town Hall is a beautiful venue (and I may have banged on about this before) provided itโ€™s used for the right performers. Tango Calor certainly fitted that bill. With the room laid out cabaret-style with tables and chairs, leaving a dance-floor at the front, and good sound and nicely-subdued lighting, the atmosphere was just right.

Tango Calor at Devizes Arts FestivalImage: Gail Foster

We were treated over two sets, to a wide range of South American and Caribbean rhythms, some instrumental, and some accompanied by Indiraโ€™s infectious Spanish vocals. The songs were romantic, sensuous, melting like warm chocolate. Iโ€™d be the first to admit that tango is not at the top of my list of favourite musical styles, but even I was won over. I stayed right to the end, and the evening seemed to be over all too quickly. We even had a few brave couples getting up to dance, which was wonderful to watch. Iโ€™m no expert, but they certainly seemed to be making all the right moves in the right order. The warm applause after each number was often as much for the dancers as it was for the musicians.

Tango Calor at Devizes Arts Festival. Image: Gail Foster

The band received a justified all-clapping, all-singing encore, and then it was all over. Back into the Devizes evening with a warm glow of appreciation for a top-notch performance. Roll on the rest of the Festival!

The Devizes Arts Festival continues, with events every day, until Saturday 17th June. The full programme of events, times and prices is available online.

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

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Film Review: Translations

by Helen Edwards

For those that are too busy to read this film review and to help our tech-conditioned โ€˜keep-it-quickโ€™ minds please see the one liner below: 

โ€œA raw portrayal of the depths that a mental illness can reach with a glimpse of the impact on others and the eventual hope that can lead to recoveryโ€

Or, if youโ€™ve a few more seconds, read the Tweet-length review here:

โ€œA reflective, unsettling film depicting mental ill health, grief and two people coming together to heal. Kate Morgan-Jonesโ€™ performance brings depth and skill with a brilliantly realistic scene showing a crisis episode. Walls are broken down and agoraphobia is given a platform for understandingโ€

I suspect Iโ€™ve lost a few of you. For those still reading, thank you. Here is the full lowdown of โ€˜Translationsโ€™, the black and white, romantic, mental health exposรฉ drama set in Wales:  

Most of my reviews are pretty long and I apologise each time I link one to a social media account. But I wonโ€™t change the length. Well, not for now at least.  To write only a short piece would be a disservice to the people who have put their soul into the work. They deserve a full debrief for the hours and cash that theyโ€™ve ploughed in, usually with no guarantee of success.  It takes a risk-taker and an entrepreneur, with often an activistโ€™s determination to see a creative project through to the finish. This is especially true of a feature film where the stakes are higher than most other forms. Add to that a focus on topics that are vital but are difficult to portray, and you have a true passion-project worthy of review words.  โ€˜Translationsโ€™ by director, Keith Kopp and writer, Laurence Guy is one such project. 

From the opening scene where Stef, the main character, performed her poignant poem โ€˜Wallsโ€™, my gut was stilled into a contemplative but not wholly comfortable quiet.  It was going to be one of those – a film that would take the viewer on a ride through dark, complex emotions. An internal rollercoaster where I knew I would be swirled through loop-the-loops of mental anguish.  I wasnโ€™t sure I was ready for this.  Whispering, โ€˜please let it have a happy endingโ€™ to myself, I sipped my tea and carried on.

Stef is in her twenties. She writes, talks to herself (who doesnโ€™t?), and hasnโ€™t left her house in a long time (years).  Her beloved brother, Liam died whilst travelling with his best friend Evan (Alan Emrys). The story of how this happened is pieced together throughout the film. Stefโ€™s mental health, which wasnโ€™t great before, suffered hugely after his death with agoraphobia now ruling her reality. A few segments into the movie, and after a long absence, Evan arrives at Stefโ€™s Welsh cottage.  His presence transformed her walled-in existence. Laughter and chemistry ensued with the pair reminiscing shared childhood and teen memories. But close behind came an open window into the mental torment that gripped both characters.  Morgan-Jonesโ€™ portrayal of an acute mental health crisis in Evanโ€™s company was sublime and harrowing.  The contradictory nature of desperately wanting help yet vehemently pushing it away and the deep shame that followed gave a true insight into an illnesses of the mind.

Evan, whilst trying to help Stef also gave many clues to his own health problems. These stemmed from his guilt at Liamโ€™s death and his wanting to be invisible; to โ€œsoak into the walls so no one can see meโ€ฆ like a ghostโ€. Grief washed over them both and at times the feeling of angst ping-pongs between them with a competitive hue. A game of โ€˜whoโ€™s the most miserable?โ€™ Stef and Evan share grief, mental health challenges and both feel trapped; one indoors and the other behind a camera. I was often left wondering, can the troubled really help the troubled?

I instantly questioned why the movie was in black and white. The answer revealed itself in an early scene which showed a framed picture hanging on Stefโ€™s wall of a barren, lonely tree (seen a number of times during the film). Devoid of colour with all life stripped away, the tree evoked a feeling of isolated fear. I think many of us felt a version of this during the most stringent lockdown weeks of 2020, our own surface-level insight into agoraphobia. Black and white also gives a greater intensity and emotional impact on screen; the viewer needs to look closer for meaning and work harder for understanding. I wasnโ€™t sure at first. I donโ€™t love having to work whilst being entertained and I really did want to see the colour of the delicious sounding curry, but I became convinced that it was 100% the best choice of medium for โ€˜Translationsโ€™. I would have loved to see colour creep in towards the end during Stefโ€™s transformation but perhaps this would have been too obvious, Iโ€™m no film director.

Other aspects of the movie that caught my attention included the filmโ€™s score. It created a strong ambience throughout and, along with the dialogue, dramatised the emotion and helped to share powerful messages. A slow, heavy beat often preceded a philosophical musing from one of the characters whilst the crescendoing thud-thud-thud staccato made me feel Stefโ€™s anxieties as if they were my own. A stand out visual moment from the film that made me smile was seeing Evan rolling and smoking a cigarette. It made me reflect that despite the number of people who smoke โ€˜rolliesโ€™ we hardly ever see the ritualised making of them on screen. Parts of the film that will stay with me are readings of the โ€˜Wallsโ€™ and the โ€˜Line in the Sandโ€™ poems. โ€˜Wallsโ€™ was performed twice in the movie and in a clever, circular finish, โ€˜Line in the Sandโ€™ bought the film to its close. I would love these poem clips to go viral to illustrate what agoraphobia can feel like and to help people feel less alone and more hopeful.

Please go and see this film. You wonโ€™t come away feeling lighter but you will have a glimpse into a mental health challenge that, in its most severe form, affects well over a million people in the UK. Kate Morgan-Jonesโ€™ performance is believable, haunting and impactful. She understands the torment, the struggle and the complexity that accompanies mental health conditions and she shows this in every scene. The film has lingered in my mind and has got me thinking about all those conditions we know about but build walls around. Watch this movie to start breaking down these walls, to transform our ignorance into understanding and to help our neighbours, friends and families feel less alone and โ€œlocked inside (themselves)โ€. Please support this film and perhaps then we will begin to see more pictures that educate and give true insight into mental illness. Thank you โ€˜Translationsโ€™ for opening my eyes a little wider.

Written on 24/05/23 by Helen L Edwards
@helenledwards4

Awards:
Riverside Film Festival 2023 (Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film, Best Actress, Best Screenplay)

โ€˜Translationsโ€™ tour:
Screenings start on the 2nd June in Wales. It reaches The Little Theatre in Bath on the 25th June and the Melksham Film Club on the 30th June

For Tickets:
https://www.kwkopp.com/

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IDLES’ at Block Party

With their only UK shows of the year quickly approaching, the 1st and 2nd August will see IDLESโ€™ and music festival Block Party take overโ€ฆ

Has Swindon’s Liddington Hill Created Celtic Grunge?!

Explosive new EP from Liddington Hill released tomorrow, Edge of Insanity, begging the question, have they created a whole new subgenre?

As an impressionable Essex teenager coming from a hip hop background, thrust unwillingly into an eerie Wiltshire village like Sam Emerson in the Lost Boys, I endeavoured to align myself with the musical tastes of the natives. Yet, while I pre-gained a penchant for soft metal, the pop charts latest exploitation, I never envisioned lying semi-subconsciously under a fallen Christmas tree with a gang of crusty kids, while the needle stuck on the last notes of the Pouges’ Transmetropolitan, and everyone too drunk on Cinzano to change the record.

Fair to assume The Pouges belted me hard in the bum-fluffed chops, it would be unthinkably embarrassing to show affection for folk music, surely? But this, this was fast and furious, like the punk of a bygone childhood, and turned my preconceptions on its head. Now it’s commonplace, the Celtic punk of Flogging Molly and The Dropkick Murphys are instant likes, but I’ve become immune to their ferociousness; the violent police response to break up parties, and mass of abandoned fires burning across a post-apocalyptic looking Glasto main stage after The Levellers spoke out about not letting the travellers in that year made sure of it.

Yet a want for angry music never extended to grunge by the time it arrived, though I now see it’s worth and power, I was a raver, and felt reggae was the only meaningful source left I’d consider; dance music was blithe and fantastical. So, as I’ve only ever been a window shopper of grunge, I confess dubiousness when Matthew of Liddington Hill emailed me, “it’s a bit grungier.” Not forgoing, it’s been two years since we featured them last, reviewing their debut EP Cow, and if I liked it, which I did, there was always a niggly its songs of traditional Irish shanty and tales of Swindon pub crawls lacked that archetypal anger commonly associated with Celtic punk; they’ve sure made up for that now.

New EP then, out tomorrow (2nd June) called Edge of Insanity, rips a new hole in the fabric of what’s acceptable and very possibly creates a subgenre, for Google searching โ€œCeltic Grungeโ€ doesn’t amass much more than separate Celtic punk and grunge offerings. The Swindon five-piece ask on their blog, “is Celtic grunge a thing yet?” It is now, well done you, because it works, take it from someone for whom grunge is not usually their cuppa.

With some band changes and maternity leave, Edge of Insanity goes much further up Liddington Hill. Peering down on themes of serial killers and the Aberfan disaster, it takes no prisoners itself, carelessly teetering on the edge, as it suggests on the tin. The Celtic riffs against grunge chords is a match made in heaven and a wonder no one thought of it before, bands like Ferocious Dog only meeting part of the way. It’s this blend staring us in the face which makes it for me, bending my grunge preconceptions of โ€˜yeah Nirvana was great, but I’m delving no deeper than the baby on the cover;โ€™ Iโ€™m a Celtic folk hussy, add a slice of it and I’m yours!

Another winner is, beneath the dark and angry dispositions on offer, thereโ€™s historical gospel in the narrative. The opening tune In Rosie’s Room concerns a real mid-19th Century prostitute in gold rush America who tried to steal from a gold mine with her lover. With a hypnotic riff it rings how this EP is going to play out; indignantly dynamic and in your face.

Hold onto your hat though, as itโ€™s about to get real screamy. Keep Hold of your Heart really is a furious thrashed punk expression from the perspective of an inmate in a Sanitorium. Illustrates my point though, usually my toes would curl at this intensity, but given this Celtic roots riff running through it, I can get aboard; it makes The Pouges sound like Brotherhood of Man!

The edge chills off, slightly, Capped in Black is the Aberfan themed song, possibly the ace of spades here, the balance of grunge and Celtic punk is refined and the anger within comes to a dramatic close leaving you aghast at the notion this disaster was allowed to have happened; the effect is achieved.

American serial killer Aileen Wuornos under Liddington Hillโ€™s radar next, the track Maid Of Mayhem is perhaps my personal favourite, retrospectively punk with their new bassist Alannah on first person vocals and making a wonderful job of it, itโ€™s akin to Siouxsie Sioux reworking Springsteenโ€™s Nebraska, on fire!

The 1940s Lipstick Killer, William Heirens is next on the bandโ€™s unglorified hall of serial killer fame with the finale, Lipstick. The band explained, โ€œLiam, for some reason became inspired after reading about a few serial killers and the reasons behind such terrible actions. So he wrote a few songs and we put some together with a couple of other heart-wrenching songs we’d written.โ€ The grunge element seems to wane in favour of upfront punk rock, as we progress past Keep Hold of your Heart, and Iโ€™m grateful for this. Lipstick polishes this explosive caliginous EP off, suitably akin to The Stooges or even early Ramones, while retaining this Celtic folk riff credited to The Pouges, and for this, plus itโ€™s astounding step up in expression and production, is a yes from me.

Free entry to the Vic in Swindon on Thursday 15th June for the EPโ€™s launch party with support from Lucky Number Seven and Dark Prophecy. Find out more info about tomorrowโ€™s release on Liddington Hillโ€™s website, HERE and Facebook HERE.

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