Renowned Devizes auctioneers and valuers, Henry Aldridge and Son announced today they are relocating their auction rooms to The Old Emporium, a Grade II listed property that backs onto the iconic 16th Century St Johnโs Alley, which, as a long-running gift shop, sadly closed last monthโฆ..
In 2024 the company sold the two highest-priced items at auction outside of London. Andrew Aldridge, Managing Director commented, โWe feel moving to the centre of Devizes shows our commitment to the community and hope that our international reputation will bring a number of new visitors to the town.โ
Henry Aldridge and Son has a global reputation for selling iconic historical memorabilia, from a watch from the Titanic for $2m to the Worldโs First Christmas Card, and in moving to the Old Emporium, they will be selling history within a unique setting which they believe will be one of if not the oldest Auction Room in the UK.
Looking for the right property for two years, Henry Aldridge and Son say that the old Emporium is โperfect.โ Its location dates from the early 16th Century, before Henry VIII came to the throne and over 150 years before the English Civil War. The opportunity to move to this unique location in the centre of Devizes, a town described by Poet Laureate John Betjeman as having the โPerfect Market Placeโ, was โone we had to grab with both hands. We will remain at our present Bath Road site until later this year, and the first auction in our new premises will be Titanic and Iconic Memorabilia in the autumn of 2025. Once our renovation is complete we will be running free jewellery and collectibles valuation days on Market Day at The Old Emporium, giving clients access to our specialist valuers.โ
Four months on from the tragic fire on Northgate Street in Devizes which took out the popular Kebab House, owner Mustafa Suna and his dedicated team have set up a mobile unit, The Devizes Kebab Van at The Garden Trading Estate opposite the Travelodge. Business is as busy as ever, and the kebabs are as tasty as ever, too!
It’s a bustling Sunday afternoon at the Devizes Kebab Van as the staff dance around each other, preparing food and serving customers, yet they never fail to greet you with a smile. Any misgivings you might have about mobile street food will be immediately forgotten; it’s spacious and spotless, with a vast selection of quality options from burgers and kebabs to chicken and vegetarian dishes too. It’s of the same exemplary standard as it was back in Northgate Street; ah, we remember it well!
Earlier this month, they upgraded their previous unit, and it’s state of the art now, and they’veย got an online ordering system too; proper job!
I’ve brought kebabs in other towns and been bitterly disappointed. Seems The Kebab House rewarded us with high expectations, and the new van continues that exceptional quality as a standard. Plentiful portions, perfectly cooked and served, that’s one tasty kebab!
Now only open from 4 to 11pm, there might be no chance of falling into the place directly from the Exchange any more, it’s a lengthy wander from town, but it seems the Kebab Van is doing plenty of business on Folly Road and likely at cheaper rates, the team is as busy as ever and happy. Asked if they’d consider moving back to the Market Place if the right property should come along, they seemed adamant they’ll be staying where they are.
Perhaps it’s closer for you where you live, may be it’s not. Perhaps you pass it on the way home from work, maybe it’s not as convenient as the town centre, I certainly miss it being on my wobbly wander home from the pubs, but hey, it’s well worth the trek; work up an appetite, won’t it?!
To suggest I’m knowledgeable about the music of the 1920s because I lived through the era is plain cheeky, though I wouldn’t put it past you! I like to think I know just enough to hold my own in a drunken waffle on the subject. Such is that Jellylegs Johnson suggested a resurgence of 1920s jazz was pending, to which I agreed, or at least I would appreciate it if it was soโฆ.
Cos I love digging to discover the roots of music, although I cannot be certain a gig of the era resembled what occurred down the Bear’s Cellar Bar last night, even if it was labelled thus, but it was an entertaining night for sure. This much is guaranteed whenever The Devil’s Doorbell has moored nearby.
Yeah, that’s right, I said The Cellar Bar, that central cobblestoned cosy dungeon which holds as many fond memories for Devizions than it does history. It feels great to be down there, as it’s been a while, and this sentiment is shared with the modest audience.
Backstory to why we’re here goes, after our interview with Devizesโ rising star of kazoo-blowing, suitcase drumming idiosyncratic delta blues, JP Oldfield, he landed a gig at Chippenham’s Old Road Tavern supporting the bonkers jazz skiffle duo and boaterโs royalty of double-entendres, Devil’s Doorbell.
Being he was unaware of them at the time, I assured Josh he was in apt company. For if JP’s style is quirky, Nipper, a freewheeling James Baskett/George Formby crossover, and Jellylegs Johnson in sequined hot pants, feathered flapper girl headband and marigolds, audaciously but not impudently salvage long-lost rags, nuggets of bebop and gypsy jazz with tenor ukuleles, a kazzumpet, and Jellylegs on a bass handmade from a washtub and broom handleโฆ and that’s beyond averagely quirky!
It’s also a hard act for anyone to follow, as the agenda was switched for Nipper and Jellylegs to open the show JP Oldfield had arranged. They rang the doorbell for surety, with their unique cheeky tunes and banter, which Jellylegs told me afterwards are often assumed to be of their own pen, rather than outrageous long-lost 78s of a golden jazz era. It’s always a pleasure to hear them play, and so playful with the circus-cabaret they are, it’s infectious.
JP contends with more sombre moods versus a need to be jocular, but his ability to find that perfect balance is his unique spin on delta blues, that and using a kazoo where a harmonica is usually positioned, and both are something blossoming with each gig. His masterwork to date, The Ghost of Spring-heeled Jack is the verification of this balance.
I don’t believe confidence was ever an issue for JP, but that’s grown too, and he proficiently pulled a stunning set of originals and rare covers, neatly chosen to compliment those of his own labour; Tainted Love perhaps not so rare, but with added kazoo, welcomed!
Though on this occasion JP proved he’s no one trick pony as he turned to harmonica for a song, and excused himself for any amateur delivery of it, which was unnecessary as it was sublimely done. As was his entire set.
If we fondly reviewed his debut EP last month, JP Oldfield astutely replicated the magic on stage and guided the crowd to his chosen mood. Likewise, we fondly reviewed Devil’s Doorbell live recording from Trowbridgeโs Pump a couple of years ago, and their excellent stage presence sticks like mud. Two acts, complimenting in a manner others might find it tricky to do, makes for an entertaining night, which it was, and back in the Tin Pan Alley days of yore, of course instruments were handmade or secondhand, salvaged from wherever they could be sourced.
Maybe a gig in the 1920s wouldn’t have been so different to this after all, as both JP and the Devil’s Doorbell are authentic enough and value the retrospection, and when sprinkled with this fun element, does it even matter?!
What can possibly be better than watching a performance of โBlood Brothersโ by Willy Russell? Watching TWO performances of โBlood Brothersโ by Willy Russell of course! Next Stage Youth performed their dress rehearsals at The Mission Theatre last night, and with two casts we were treated to both of them in action.
The story-line of โBlood Brothersโ is easily findable on the web if required, so I won’t bore you with it here, but Next Stage Youth deliver a stripped back โ but by no means lesser for it โ version of the musical. With most of the songs trimmed out to create a fast paced, bare boned, breathless ย ninety minute production, the audience is kept fully engaged as the tale of twins separated at birth (sound familar?) takes us from city to country, working to middle class, struggles.
The set matches this approach โ in the round, bare floor with clever use of eight hinged lidded boxes as prop containers, chairs, windows and walls and the actors do the rest. Clever tech from Kris Nuttal, Alex Tarasevych and Rowan Bendle, with choreography by Hayley Fitton-Cook and wardrobe by Vanessa Bishop paints all the pictures our minds need for this tale of friendship, jealousy, social extremes and madness. Voice coaches Kay Francksen and John Matthews deserve credit too for taking what are a group of West Country youth and getting them to deliver decently passable Scouse accents ๐
Principals are split between the two casts but the ensemble for both remains the same four core actors, a huge kudos to their abilities despite their young ages. Iโll wrap up with the cast lists at the end of this review, but it is more that fair to say all the casts show passion and no little assurance in delivering their characterisations as separated twins raised each side of the tracks (sound familiar?), their mothers, best friend and the wonderful narrators (more of them later!). It would be unfair to pick any of these principles out for any more praise that others but I will say I had the pleasure of seeing two generations of the Chivers family perform in two nights in two different shows and the dynasty forming is clear! Also Dilys Hughes deserves a mention as itโs the second time Iโve had the privilege of seeing her act after her appearance in โJerusalemโ recently.
The pairings of Mrs Johnston and Micky were spot on. Both the Eddieโs almost stole the show. The pair of Lindas broke all our hearts as the devoted girlfriends of both twins, while both Mrs Lyons craft the characterโs descent into madness superbly – sound familiar?. And the Narrators excel in both casts, including the siblings Gully and Edith Kuenzler playing opposite each other. And another mention to the pairs of twins which are devoted to each other until Micky rejects Eddie and his best friend becomes his enemy โ sound familiar?
This just leaves my appreciation of the director Ann Ellison. The stripped back show she has developed really works but itโs the little touches that really shine. The narrators appear as marionette puppeteers, controlling the characters as the story unfoldsโฆ. Sound familiar?
So those allusions of familiarity? Well, four hundred years is a LONG time in theatreโฆ but what stood out to me again and again were the parallels in the story and developed by Ann just shout Shakespeare to me. We have twins separated at birth ( Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night) but the clear parallels are with Macbethโฆ where Eddie is Banquo and Mickey is Macbeth in their friendship story arc, Mrs Lyons is Lady Macbeth in her descent into madness, and brilliance of brilliance the marionette puppeteers controlling the destiny of the characters are the Witches. Sublime. Goosebumps.
The play itself encompasses so much; itโs a story of superstitions โ shoes on tables, a single magpie, prophecies of separated twins. Foreshadowing of the twins eventual demise with the use of a particular implement throughout Mickeyโs personal timeline. And almost biblical allusions to two mothers โ one mother giveth, the other taketh away. And Russell โ and Next Stage Youth โ leave us with existential queriesโฆ is Eddie patronising? Is Mickey ungrateful? Had Mrs Lyons selected the other twin would the story have ended the same โ nature versus nurture? And overall it is a play that presents a very downbeat view of married life from both ends of the socio-economic spectrum, wonderfully portrayed by these young actors.
โBlood Brothersโ is showing this week Thursday 27th March to Sunday 30th March at 19:30 with matinees at 14:00 Saturday and Sunday
by Ian Diddams images by Josie Mae Ross and Richard Fletcher
John Hodge is well known for his screenwriting of โShallow Graveโ, โThe Beachโ, โA Life Less Ordinaryโ and โTrainspottingโ, as well as plays such as โCollaboratorsโ which played at the Rondo Theatre last June. This week sees his latest play โFlatpackโ appear at the same theatre with the same company, RTC, in a world premiere.
Director of โFlatpackโ, and โCollaboratorsโ last June, Matt Nation says โI directed Collaborators at the Rondo last year. It went very well, and John was kind enough to support the production. So when we jokingly asked him if he had any more scripts up his sleeves โ we werenโt really expecting him to say yes. But here we are โ a brand-new John Hodge playโ. And John himself says โWatching ‘Flatpack’ come alive for the first time has been a privilege and a great experienceโ.
But enough of the show’s program’s plagiarism as review padding! โFlatpackโ centres on a young married couple David (Richard Chivers) and Hannah (Naomi Miller) who buy a run down flat with excellent views of the railway, who have best friends Fiona (Sophie Kerr) and Tom (Rob Finlay). The flat is sold by an estate agent Philip (Jon Thrower), and this is all more than ably supported by an unnamed police detective (Andy Fletcher), equally unnamed doctor (Verity Neeves) and kitchen designer and wannabe artist Ryan (Toby Farrow). Davidโs life is thrown into disarray when he received not a death threat but a death announcement โ June 27th 2025 is his final day of life. His increasing fixation with his impending death somewhat glosses over his relationship with Hannah, who falls for the charms of another, and his volun-selected triathlon training. Not to mention him succumbing to a femme fatale herself finding the idea of his approaching alleged death erotic. The detective provides a narration/ Greek chorus role piecing the story arc together and used as a MacGuffin to tie up plot lines. David returns again and again to the Doctor, who themself flits between altruism, greed and compassion with his story-line. Ryan is an over confident kitchen designer feeding his own internal lack of self esteem aching for an alternative life to which he was never suited, and finally the estate agent is one of those annoying characters in life that you can never seem to get rid of and you are never really sure why they are there โ we all know the type.
The writing is unsurprisingly absolutely superb. The story arc moves smoothly with no fat, incorporating clever โ nay brilliant! โ time line and intra-scene flips to create a seamless transition from the โnowโ to the future and back again at all times explaining and developing David and Hannahโs relationships. I particularly liked John Hodgeโs little homage to his own play โCollaboratorsโ with a tiny reference to an unseen and barely mentioned work colleague of Davidโs with regard to the unforeseen effects of a rashly invented suggestion.. The set (Production team, Yvonne Paulley, Alex Oliviere and cast) is simple but highly effective โ itself used as the flatโs front room, cafes, restaurant, wine bar, friendโs dining room, street corner, doctorโs surgery, garret flat, police station and a bathroom all created impeccably with a sofa, armchair, dining table, a kitchen unit, street lamp and a hidden boudoir. Not to forget either the as ever excellent tech provision by Alex Latham all held together by stage management from Alana Wright and Maria Finlay. A mention must also go out to the costumes โ which at least for Fiona were simply stunning, and for Tom an intriguing stream on a set of shirtsโฆ the cast all provided their own wardrobe and it proved to be a superb directorial touch.
The casting was simply perfect. The characterisation just exquisite. Not a single weak part โ testimony to great writing, great acting, great direction. Richard Chivers excelled as the uncertain, distracted and overwrought David as his life begins to unravel around him as his fixation with flatpack kitchens increases. The connections are provided in the play itself but the analogies of his marriage and a uncompleted kitchen unit combined ย with the juxtaposition of his social entropy ย and kitchen improvements are clear and the perfect holistic encompassing of the overall story. Naomi Miller as Hannah was as sweet and loving as a wife can be but we see the cracks in their marriage early on and her falling for the louche charms of Toby Farrowโs Ryan is a natural result of Davidโs loss of focus on her; Ryan is wonderfully cringy and hilarious in turn.
Sophie Kerrโs Fiona and Rob Finlayโs Tom as their best friends are wonderfully awful. Self-centred to a tee, their portrayal of a couple blundering through life as social panzers is hilarious. Tom is obsessed with triathlon and promotion, bung full of toxic masculinity and without an empathetic bone in his body. Fiona as catty as can be, happy to see those around her fail – and never more excited (and jealous) of othersโ misfortunes. Verity Neeves as the doctor shows great skills in presenting youthful compassion, with personal greed but eventually shows her caring side at one time being the only person that actually sees David for what he is going through and has become.
The estate agent, Philip, played by Jon Thrower does a great job of being the spare part in the whole play โ the annoying character that keeps turning up for no real reason, not particularly impressive as an estate agentโฆ so why does he keep getting in the way of Davidโs life?
That just leaves the Detective played by Andy Fletcher. Andy does a phenomenal job โ as mentioned before Greek chorus and MacGuffin combined. And a harmonica player to boot as well as a handy publisher of useful kitchen safety tips…
Overall a wonderful world premiere to get to see. How lucky are we all to have such a chance to see this at a community theatre performed by such an adept company with such great writing.
So does David actually die on July 27th 2025?ย Far be it for me to spoil the ending – thereโs one way to find out though!
โFlatpackโ shows from March 26th to 29th at 1930 at the Rondo Theatre, Larkhall, Bath.
On impulse I speculated, just short of a quarter way through this book and at the conjunction the format of the narrative is sussed, that if the author, Devizesโ Dave McKenna, has a favourite Quentin Tarantino film it might be my favourite too, the lesser acclaimed Jackie Brown. Not for its plagiarism of blaxploitation nor usage of derogatory slangs, rather for the multiple point-of-view conclusion, because The Killer & The Catalyst follows this formula throughout, and this is what makes it engagingโฆ.
This and breakneck volatility, conspiracy inducing, disloyal and sadistic action from nearly every character and the intense velocity itโs all delivered with. Coincidently, Dave cites Tarantino as an influence at the back matter, alongside Harlan Coben and Stephen King. Some of the bookโs settings are drawn from actual features and places in Devizes. Most commonly the now closed and speculated as haunted Roundway psychiatric hospital, and an alley besides it in which Dave elucidates his inspiration for the storyโs events set there were developed from a real incident at the location. Itโs with these eerie settings, familiar if youโre local, I find understanding for citing King as an influence, especially to begin with; it feels like a horror, yet while the book has an unnerving ambience, a crime thriller might better pigeonhole it.
It’s causally written in a loose style with nothing academic about it, making it simple to digest, as if the narrator is on equal level to the characters, as if rambling the yarn to his mate in the pub. Breathes a sense of reality into it; the characters talk like you and I, therefore you identity, why not the narrator too? I like this relaxed and contemporary approach, particularly suits the plot and macho target audience; lads need to read more, and if thatโs the case, this might be the book for them. Hyper popcorn-munching movie violence fashion this is.
Apostrophes are used instead of speech marks. This, and the abbreviation of okay to โOKโ out of speech makes the grammar police inside me cringe, to be honest. Such usages and the out of speech line, โThat was a piece of piss,โ implies this is hardly Dickens quality! But Iโm willing to overlook and ignore these niggly criticisms for this book, because Dave McKenna can weave a story, dammit. He can evoke an appropriate mood within his readers, twist it, and he can suspend you on the edge of your seat. That makes him an author, not an ability to whisk long and misunderstood words (like wot I do to make me sound more intelligent than I is!)
Identifying the protagonist from the antagonist is questionable, when this periodic method of returning to the same opening scene with each point-of-view occurs, and thatโs genius and a narrative difficult to construct. It conveys everything is not as it might seem from the angle of each individual and engages you into understanding the bigger picture. That is what makes The Killer & The Catalystan absorbing and worthwhile read.
With the current state of the literature industry being itโs who you are rather than how good you can write, I wouldnโt imagine finding this on a supermarket shelf alongside ghost-written celebrity autobiographies. This is an example proving the asset of self-publishing, that which a mainstream publisher wouldnโt touch, doesnโt mean a person hasnโt got an exceptional story to tell and the ability in which to write it, it simply means itโs not commercially viable.
People merely need to be brave and take a lucky dip on a rising author, rather than accept what Waterstones throw at them. The Killer & The Catalyst is the good example of this, should you wish to be held in suspense and driven to question which characters were right and which were wrong, not forgoing indulging in some nasty scenes of violence to boot!
You can get The Killer & The Catalyst as paperback or Kindle on Amazon, or pop into Devizes Books for this page-turner, and youโll look forward to reading future yarns of Dave McKenna, of that Iโm certain.
Words by Ollie MacKenzie. Featured Image by Barbora Mrazkova.ย The creative process can be a winding, long, and often confusing journey. Seeing a projectโฆ
Whoโs ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival andโฆ
Raging expressions of angered feminist teenage anguish this month, perfectly delivered by Steatopygous via their mindblowing debut album Songs of Salome, I hail asโฆ
One of Swindon’s premier grunge pop-punkers, The Belladonna Treatment released their debut single, Bits of Elation, with London-based SODEH Records earlier this month. I spoke about the single, the band and local circuits with the bassist in the band, Ian James, as he was the most punctual at a recent gig at the Vic!
Bits of Elation is fifteen seconds under a three-minute-hero which doesnโt come up for air, compensates for those missing seconds with a dynamic and retrospective Ramones-fashioned riff and the feelgood vibe of pop-punk this side of the millennium.
It is far from the Belladonna Treatmentโs first outing to a recording studio, there was a single last year The Torture Garden, and a three-track EP called Pleasure from 2023, which cherry-picks the best elements of many punk subgenres and moulds them into an imitable and infectious house style. Though Ian expressed working with SODEH has opened doors for the band popular in Swindon, evidently blossoming elsewhere. โItโs being played on radio stations in Belgium, Brazil, USA and Canada,โ he told me with delight.
The Belladonna Treatment I witnessed live once, in awe at how they rammed the Castle with adoring fans at Swindon Shuffle. Tonight they play a double-header with I See Orange, who alongside Liddington Hill and a number of others usually on this burgeoning Swindon grunge scene, have turned my head toward the subgenre which passed me by at its inception, save Smells Like Teen Spirit. The Belladonna Treatment are ahead of this game, their appeal is universal and seemingly not confined to aficionados of the grunge subgenre. That was clearly evident at the Castle gig, but other than playing Minety last year, I rarely see their name pop up on local circuits other than Old Townโs lively route of The Vic, Castle and Beehive.
Understanding thereโs a number of local grassroots venues where The Belladonna Treatment would fit like a glove, I was surprised to note they hadnโt yet ventured to Trowbridgeโs Pump, Bradford-on-Avonโs Three Horseshoes or even Chippenhamโs Old Road Tavern. I pondered on bands which seem to get stuck in certain fanbase circuits, despite being fully deserved to be showcased across the county and beyond. โIt all depends on what everyone wants to do,โ Ian began, โthings like this pop up and itโs nice to do them, but we do want to expand and do other gigs.โ
โIt is very easy to get stuck into that circuit, of doing the Castle, and those,โ he expanded, โbut itโs nice to get out too. I mean, we played a gig in London at the end of January; a cracking venue, which James put together. There were other bands there, all different, but it was a brilliant show, packed out. We were two or three under the bill, so there were loads of other bandโs fans watching us and we can get more followers this way.โ
Guitarist James has recently moved to London, hence the opportunities for gigs there, but originally the band were all from Stratton, and knew of each other prior to forming The Belladonna Treatment just over two years ago. โLee and James accidentally got together about five years ago, wrote some songs and went around as an acoustic duo, but weโve all known each other our whole lives. Then they decided they wanted to get a band together. I hadnโt seen either of them for about twenty years, but I was getting back into playing. Stu, our drummer has been around in lots of other bands, played Glastonbury and stuff like that, and again, weโve known him, and for the last two and a half years we’ve been playing as a full band.โ
The Belladonna Treatment have been honing their sound since, and Ian felt Bits of Elation is a milestone. Pigeonholing their style he cited Nirvana and The Manic Street Preachers as influences they grew up on, and also mentioned Bowie, โbut if you listen to the songs theyโre melodic, itโs not just head down thrash punk, itโs more melody-orientated, grunge too. That’s why we like playing with I See Orange, thereโs a whole nineties feel about us, similar to them.โ
We rapped over the idea of levelling off the thrashed out element for a more melodic preference might once have been considered as โselling out,โ in punkโs heyday, rather now itโs more of a natural progression and causing the sound to become viable to a wider audience. โIt can do,โ Ian agreed, โitโs also a case of, you want to sell more records and if you want to be popular, you have to do this.โ Such progressionis kingpin to crowds turning up at the Vic tonight and ramming the Castle at The Shuffle, knowing thereโs a motivated band which rocks!
So I threw in the labour of love concept, and we talked cheerfully about while theyโre sharpening their style to suit wider appeal, theyโre also determined to strive for individuality, create their own methodology and not clone existing successful bands. Ian spoke of three new songs ready for release, the snowballing of radio plays and their determination to accomplish wider appeal, โthatโs what weโre going for.โ
It was great to meet Ian, and the rest of the band briefly, when they turned up! Dadโs taxi was on duty and I could only remain until the end of the Wildcats game, unfortunately missing the gig. A valid reason for highlighting bands seemingly confined locally to our larger towns and encouraging venues to book them around here, because you only need to stream some of their infectious tunes to see what I mean, and why The Belladonna Treatment should be popping up at grassroots venues across the UK, at the very least; fingers and toes crossed.
Itโs nice to hear when our features attract attention. Salisburyโs Radio Odstock ย picked up on our interview with Devizes band Burn the Midnight Oil andโฆ
In thanking everyone who supported this year’s Wiltshire Music Awards, Eddie Prestidge of Stone Circle Music Events revealed his intentions of continuing with the awardsโฆ
Featured Image: Lillie Eiger Frome Festival is launching itsย โ25 for 25โย fundraising campaign with a very special concert featuring three locally based acts:ย Tom Mothย โ best knownโฆ
Iโve got some gorgeous vocal harmonies currently floating into my ears, as The Lost Trades release their first single since the replacement of Tamsin Quinโฆ
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A second single from Swindon Diva Chloe Hepburn, Situationships was released this week. With a deep rolling bassline, finger-click rhythm and silky soulful vocals, this is the definite RnB sound of now, with nods to nineties RnB like Macy Gray and Mary J. Bligeโฆ.
Though this is fresh, I believe itโs fair to compare Chloe to such RnB queens, for the elements are composed accordingly; the poignant relationship prose of passionate writing, and the sensual tone expressed simply both rinse out those sombre amatory vibes commonly associated with the genre, especially with female vocalists.
Chloe Iโve just discovered, but itโs an immediate like from me. Soul is not the typical style we find much of here, therefore when it does youโve got to take it on the hip and make the most of it! Itโs been six months since her last single On The Run, which takes a slightly more ballard approach, and followed by a five track EP called 7 Months, tending towards a pop sound, and that RnB style reliant on and spliced with dancehall, and even house. But, when youโve finished listening to the moreish Situationships, youโre duty bound by your ears to delve deeper into Chloeโs back catalogue.
But more importantly, now we know of Chloe Hepburn we look forward to hearing what she will do next, as I believe this emerging soul artist has not yet reached her peak, and we need to be there when she does. Situationships filled me with the confidence Chloe is destined for greater things. Itโs a gorgeous single, oozing with potential and only trickling with the necessities to produce something groundbreaking.
I’m delighted to announce Devizine will be actively assisting to organise a new county-wide music awards administration, in conjunction with Wiltshire Music Events UK. The public will be asked to vote, and the award ceremony will take place in Devizes at the Corn Exchange, on Saturday 25th October 2025, with hope it will continue annually…..
Wiltshire Music Events UK in conjunction with Devizine, have decided it is overdue to acknowledge and celebrate the creativity, innovation and dedication of musicians, music promoters, and venues in Wiltshire. Therefore, we have created The Wiltshire Music Awards, an annual award ceremony reflecting and commemorating musical talent within the county.
Nominations are open for the ceremony from 1st May 2025, and will close on 10th June 2025. We are excited to unveil the categories, which reflect the diverse ways people bring music to life within their respective communities, county-wide.
These awards will recognise the individuals, groups and organisations whose efforts make a real difference. If you know someone you believe deserves recognition, or want to showcase your group, this is your chance to give them the spotlight they deserve.
Wiltshire Music Events calls for anyone promoting music locally to get involved and help create diversity and coverage for their own communities. A panel of professionals from across the county will be elected to assist in judging the nominations. With a finale date of Saturday 25th October, when an award ceremony will take place, central to the county, at the Corn Exchange, Devizes.
I have pushed for this event to take place in Devizes, for while it’s geographically central to the county, I’m sure you’ll agree, there is also a powerhouse of talent emerging in this area and it will be a positive attribute to Devizes and hallmark its rightful place in the arts scene of Wiltshire.
Why get involved?
Music has the power to unite communities, foster creativity, and change lives. The Wiltshire Music Awards will honour those who make this possible and provide a platform to showcase to local talents. Whether youโre a performer, organiser, or supporter, these awards are an opportunity to highlight the hard work that often goes unseen.
To receive an award will bring more than just a trophy. It will elevate profiles, help with funding applications, and energise the community.
There is plenty of time to recognise the people and projects that inspire you. Nominating will be easy and online, and we will release the website in which to do so nearer the time for voting. There will be categories. The public can nominate their choices in all of the categories. Once the nominations process is completed, the top three of each category will be presented to the judges, who will then decide the winner of each category. The judges decision will be final, and we shall then announce to the public the top 3 of each category with the result announced at the ceremony.
The 2025 Categories:
Best Solo Male Artist – Best Solo Female Artist
Best Covers Band – Best Original Band
Best Duo – Rising Star Newcomer
Tribute Artist /Band – Music Venue
Best Original Song – Best Vocalist
Best Guitarist – Best Bassist
Best Drummer – Best Instrumentalist
Best Original Song – Best DJ
Lifetime Achievement Award
Outstanding Contribution to the Wiltshire Music Scene
Outstanding Contribution to Music in the Community:
It’s a rarity that I should drag myself off the sofa on a Sunday these days, one usually reserved for the monthly Jon Amor Trio residency at The Southgate. But beyond doubt my favourite young singer-songwriter right now, Ruby Darbyshire, is down my favourite watering hole, and such an occasion would be unmissable even if she did it weekly; twist my arm, why don’t you?!
This raw and self-disciplined talent when I discovered Ruby a little under two years ago was so breathtaking it caused me to state, โRubyโs music will grow into a phenomenon, and you need to hear it blossoming.โ I’m honoured to note it’s quoted on her website, one which everyone took heed of, on our local scene and beyond, and one which we can safely convert to past tense; Ruby’s music has blossomed and is now phenomenal.
Everyone was held spellbound throughout, this is now standard protocol wherever Ruby plays. Though Ruby remains modest and โshowyโ simply doesn’t equate for her performances, alongside her refined multi-instrumentalism, her confidence to present herself and engage with an audience has accelerated to level up with the naturally sublime soulful voice she’s blessed with. A voice which may be kingpin to her excellence, but is really only the cherry on a cake with top marks all round.
A cake which covers virtuosos Nina Simone to Freddie Mercury, and makes them her own homages, then flips to bring Rag’n’Bone Man’s magnum opus to an older audience, and slides her own compositions in so effectively it’s divinelyย encapsulating. Then, there’s the additional nods to her Scottish roots; folk sing-a-longs and her distinctive introduction to the second half of her set, with bagpipes. Even if you know it’s coming, you’ll never tire of it or any of it because that’s simply the magic Ruby brings to any venue.ย Ruby Darbyshire is the whole deal now.
Tickets for the headline acts at Devizes Arts Festival are up for grabs now, and the rest will follow for general release on April 28th, unless you become a โfriendโ of the festival, in which case it will be the 7th Aprilโฆand why wouldnโt you?!
We all love Devizes Arts Festival here at Devizine, which opens on Friday 30st May and runs right up to Sunday 15th June. If you promise not to go breaking my heart, Iโll tell you whatโs happening thereโฆyeah, I know, you couldnโt if you tried!!
The festival opens with headliners, Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri at the Corn Exchange on the evening of Friday 30th, and an exhibition by local landscape artist David OโConnor, who draws inspiration from Paul Nash, and ceramicist Richard Phethean. The exhibit will run throughout the festival at White Chalk Gallery in the Old Swan Yard.
Saturday 31st May sees multi-award-winning teacher, composer and organist Chris Totney returning to Devizes to give this yearโs Festival Organ Recital; one of the very first times youโll get to experience the new pipe organ that has taken the best part of a year to install in St Johns Church. Followed by one of the UKโs finest Latin bands, KโChevere, at the Corn Exchange.ย
Sunday 1st June, thereโs a walk with Judy Hible of Wiltshire Geology Group, and furniture-maker Stewart Linford hosts a fascinating and informative talk on โLuxury in Woodโ at the Peppermill (free fringe event.) But all eyes will be on the skies, when space scientist and BAFTA-nominated presenter of โThe Sky at Nightโ Maggie Aderin-Pocock, pops in for an inspiring exploration of the universe.
Monday 2nd is time to get interactive, in a writing session with members of Devizes Writersโ Group, exploring writing fiction or nonfiction, one of the first workshops at the festival this year. Tuesday sees an enthralling and earth-moving evening of gardening talk with TVโs top gardener Frances Tophill. Wednesday is the turn of bestselling crime and thriller writer Felix Francis, for a fascinating talk on mysteries in the world of thoroughbred horse-racing. And Conan Doyle expert David Stuart Daviesโ โSherlock Holmes: The Last Act,โ directed by award-winning director Gareth Armstrong, plays at the Wharf Theatre, with a second performance on Thursday. Also find guitarist and singer-songwriterAnna Ling at St Andrews on Thursday.
Friday 6th, join Rowdeโs only botanical artist and author, Ann Swan, for a workshop in her studio, while ceramicist Keith Brymer Jones will talk about his life as a creative potter and his experiences as a judge of The Great Pottery Throwdown at The Corn Exchange.
Saturday 7th June, and youโll find the Sunday Times bestselling author of โMiss Austenโ, Gill Hornby talking with Mark Jones from Fantasy Radio, a demonstration by the Devizes Regency Dancers (free fringe event,) and an electrifying country show with all-female Country Chicks.
Another walk on Sunday, gosh, they do like their Sunday walks, this time with Wiltshire Wildlife Trustโs Nick Self, conservation lead for North Wiltshire. Then itโs over to The British Lion for some Welsh frontier roots music with Whiskey River, (free fringe event.)
Monday 9th June you can join print-maker Hannah Cantellow at her Printmaking Studio in Rowde, or learn some crossword secrets from Times Puzzle Master Tim Moorey, who has been solving Times crosswords for over 50 years, on Tuesday. Tuesday also sees virtuoso clarinettist Sarah Williamson and soloist and chamber musician Simon Callaghan.
Wednesday 11th sees singer-songwriter Miranda Pender presenting a darkly humorous talk which includes five original songs based around some of the more bizarre stories unearthed from her family history. And Two Queens, One Nation at the Wharf Theatre, Miriam Cooperโs one-woman show exploring the unavoidable collision of dynamic sovereigns and cousins, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.
Photographer and naturalist Stephen Davis is at the Cheese Hall on Thursday 12th, and jazz saxophonist Julian Costello brings his quartet to the Town Hall.
Friday is comedy night as Mark โTaskmasterโ Watson, celebrates twenty years in standup. Multi-award-winner, YouTube cult figure, Radio 4 favourite and recently โBaby Reindeerโ actor, Mark comes to Devizes after seasons at the Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Edinburgh comedy festivals.
Author of English Civil War historical fiction series โDivided Kingdomโ, Charles Cordell is with us on Saturday 14th June. His writing has received high praise in editorial and readersโ reviews alike, his latest novel, โThe Keys of Hell and Deathโ, is set between Wiltshire and Somerset in July 1643. Followed by the Bath Male Choir in St Johns, and Torbayโs five-piece 80s party band Riviera Dogs at the Corn Exchange.
For the final day of Devizes Arts Festival, Sunday 15th June, author Charles Cordell finishes his talk with a guided walk and discussion of the Siege of Devizes in July 1643. Journalist, writer, and experienced skydiver Sally Smith is at Devizes Books talking about her book โMagnificent Women and Flying Machines.โ And Bath-based instrumental jazz-infused blend of Levantine mystery, Balkan passion and Latin rhythms quintetย Radio Banska bring the Arts Festival to a dynamic close at the Cellar Bar. Both of these last two events are free fringe events.
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 releaseโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ben Swann and Ian Diddams Self-appointed โMoroseโ Mark Harrison was once again on totally top form at Komedia last Sunday entertainingโฆ
Wiltshire Council confirmed Blue Badge holders can park freely in council-operated car parks again, following a vote at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday 21โฆ
Featured Image Credit: Jamie Carter Special guests Lightning Seeds to Support Forest Live, Forestry Englandโs summer concert series presented with Cuffe & Taylor, has announcedโฆ
Wiltshire country singer-songwriter Kirsty Clinch released a Christmas song only yesterday, raising funds for the Caenhill Countryside Centre near Devizes, and itโs already racing upโฆ
It was never just the fervent ambience created which made me go tingly with excitement about Melkshamโs young indie band Between The Linesโ demo singleโฆ
A second track from local anonymous songwriter Joyrobber has mysteriously appeared online, and heโs bitter about not getting his dream jobโฆ.. If this mysterious dudeโsโฆ
Itโs not Christmas until the choir sings, and Devizes Chamber Choir intend to do precisely this by announcing their Christmas Concert, as they have doneโฆ
Can You Find The Wiltshire Potholes From The Moon Craters?!
Now, at Devizine Towers we are far too mature and sensible to mock Wiltshire Councilโs sterling efforts to repair our road defects by jumping on the bandwagons of chalking phallic symbolism around our countyโs potholes, playing pitch and putt in them, or creating memeโs with a drowning Leonardo DiCaprio. But we thought a fun game for all the family might be some harmless entertainment; at least, far more harmless than driving on our roads….
Can you distinguish the pictures of potholes on Wiltshireโs roads between those pictures of moon craters?! It’s not as easy as it looks, kids! Would you know which of these images to report on the MyWilts app, or NASA?!
Thereโs ten pictures below, carefully cropped and in grayscale to avoid clues, like vaguely painted road markings, or little green aliens. If you do need a clue, I can tell you, there’s more Wiltshire pot holes than there are moon craters; we like to keep things real on Devizine!
See how many you can correctly guess in our pothole or moon crater challenge!
Find the answers below, if I can remember myself which ones are which!!
NO PEEKING!!
Question 1: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 2: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 3: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 4: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 5: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 6: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 7: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 8: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 9: Pothole or Moon Crater?
Question 10: Pothole or Moon Crater? Tricky one to finish on!
Answers: 1- pothole, 2- pothole, 3- moon crater, 4- pot hole, 5-pot hole, 6-moon crater, 7-tricky one this, but it is a moon crater we found on the Poulshot road, 8- pot hole, 9- moon crater, 10- unless Neil Armstrong took a traffic cone with him, we strongly suspect it’s a pot hole, but who can be sure? I reckon you’ve taken a traffic cone to the moon in the past after a few too many shandies, or maybe just to the end of your cul-de-sac.
Mark your own papers, I trust you, but deduct a point for every traffic cone you’ve woken up with, cuddling in your bed, you silly drunken sausages.
Two upcoming events from Swindon Palestine Solidarity in March. The first is a charity Iftar this Friday 14th March, from 6pm – 8pm at the Broadgreen Community Centre, Salisbury Street, Swindon. The second is an evening of poetry and art at the Friends Meeting House, 79 Eastcott Hill, Swindon, on Friday 21st March, from 7.30-9pmโฆ..
Swindon Palestine Solidarity are raising funds for the HandsUp Project. This project is an amazing initiative that through a network of volunteers, connects children around the world with young people in Palestine. By means of online interaction, drama and storytelling activities, it enables the use of creativity and self-expression to promote mutual understanding, personal growth, and the development of English language skills.ย
The Hands Up Project trained teachers to set up and run drama clubs in schools all over Palestine. These spaces enable students to develop their creativity and discover their talents. They are now very well established as a tool for extra curricular English language development, and as a focal point for Hands Up Project remote sessions with volunteers around the world.
All funds raised will go to teachers in Gaza and the West Bank to help the children there.
This Fridayโs evening will start with a three course meal, where a mixture of different cultural cuisines will be available. Swindon Palestine Solidarity thanks the Lalbagh, Mummy’s Kitchen and Grand Bazaar along with community volunteers who are donating food, goods, money and time to make this event a success.
Swindon Palestine Solidarity are delighted to have a very special guest, Nick Bilbrough who founded the HandsUp Project, accompanied by teachers, to speak about the project and its positive impact for the children who have suffered loss, disruption and trauma. Here is an excerpt from the diary of a young girl from Gaza: โI opened my eyes at sunrise, weariness gnawing at my mind and soul. Yesterdayโs evacuation journey had been so terrifying that I wanted to bury it deep beneath the layers of grim memories. Leaving behind the people I had lived with for more than three months weighed heavily on my heart.โ (HandsUp Project – handsupproject.org)
Tickets are available on Eventbrite HERE, or email @swindonpalestinesolidarity.org, especially if you have special dietary needs, so that they can accommodate you.
The second event is Poetry and Art for Palestine.
Swindon Palestine Solidarity are pleased to announce an evening of poetry and art at the Friends Meeting House, 79 Eastcott Hill, Swindon, SN1 3JF, on Friday 21st March, from 7.30-9pm. This is a free event but booking is recommended on Eventbrite HERE.
Join Peter and Alice Oswald and local poets from the community for an evening of spoken word and poetry, to hear the stories and voices of children in Palestine. Peter will make a stop in Swindon on his Pilgrimage 4 Palestine to Westminster while fasting Ramadan in solidarity with Palestine and raising awareness of Islamophobia.
Come to this event to welcome Peter and his crew on their way and find out how you can help the children in Gaza. Take the opportunity to view an exhibition of art from children in Gaza and meet members of Swindon Palestine Solidarity.
Last week, I had the privilege of seeing the Fulltone Orchestra perform at the beautiful Tewkesbury Abbey beneath the Peace Doves art installation.…
The entire concert was breathtaking, divided into two halves. The first featured a mixture of orchestral pieces and solos, beginning with the theme from Blue Planet, which was my favourite piece of the evening. The acoustics of the church, combined with the sheer talent of the orchestra, completely captivated the audience. It felt as though, if you closed your eyes, you could almost believe you were watching the programme itself.
This half included a range of music, including a stunning violin solo that provided a striking contrast to the rest of the programme. It concluded with a wonderful rendition of Youโll Never Walk Alone, which was the perfect piece to lead into the second half.
The second half featured Karl Jenkinsโ The Peacemakers, performed by the Fulltone Chorus and Orchestra. There was a fascinating contrast between the different pieces – some were slow and melodic, while others were more rousing and intense. Many had African and Celtic influences, with a driving beat towards the end.
To me, it felt as though the music gradually built in intensity, symbolising the lengths to which people will go in their pursuit of peace. The concert ended with a powerful crescendo that left me feeling both hopeful and deeply moved. Performing this music beneath the Peace Doves installation felt so intentional and uplifting; hearing music about striving for peace in such a setting truly enhanced the experience.
The variety of music worked beautifully together, giving the impression that it represented the world itself – how it changes and how our approaches to peace evolve over time. The inclusion of words from great peace leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. made the performance feel deeply personal, yet simultaneously vast in its significance.
This was my first time attending a concert of this kind, and I found it profoundly moving. The passion and dedication of the performers were evident in every note, and I experienced a wide range of emotions throughout. If you ever have the opportunity to see the Fulltone Orchestra and Chorus in one of their upcoming projects, I would highly recommend it – it is a truly special experience.
Pip is sixteen and studying film at college, with the hope of becoming a journalist.We wish Pip all the best with her career and are grateful for allowing us to publish this insightful and brilliantly written review.
Clean Up Devizes invites you to help with a town littler pick for the GB Spring Clean on 22nd March. The Litter Pick is open to everyone to take part in, equipment can be borrowed on the day. CUDS have pledged to pick up 100 black bags of litter this year which is up from 75 bags last yearโฆ..ย
On the day people just need to turn up at The Green opposite Morrisons at 10am, they’ll be split up into small groups of 3 or 4 people, and have litter picking routes to go on. The litter pick ends at 12:30, but coordinators Shirley and George tell me, โthey can do as much as they feel able to do, and it’s open to everyone to take part in. We hope that families, neighbours, friends, etc, will all take part!โ.
Just pledging to fill one bag can make a big difference to the town we love!
Coupled with a Devizes Swap Shop at St James Church on the same Saturday, where you can donate clothes, toys, books, games, crafts, and house plants, swap or take some as you need, itโs going to be a very green day in Devizes! See the poster below for details.
If Devizesโ celebrated FullTone Festival is to relocate to Whistley Roadโs Park Farm for next summerโs extravaganza, what better way to give it the rusticโฆ
This afternoon sees the inaugural grand ceremony of Stone Circle Music Eventsโ Wiltshire Music Awards taking place at the Devizes Corn Exchange. Itโs a selloutโฆ
In association with PF Events, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts introduces a Young Urban Digitals course in video mapping and projection mapping for sixteen to twentyโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Penny Clegg and Shakespeare Live โAntony & Cleopatraโ is one of Shakespeareโs four โRoman Playsโ, and chronologically is set after โJuliusโฆ
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With our roads being the state theyโre in, is it any wonder on the 5th April Hells Bells, rated as the UKโs top AC/DC tribute, are taking the highway to hell, via Devizes Corn Exchange?! But they are! Better to be thunderstruck than burst a tyreโฆ..
Hells Bells are Europe’s longest established AC/DC Tribute Band who have performed all over the UK as well as Portugal, Austria, Russia, Belgium, Czech Republic and the Middle East since 1996.
And theyโre bringing Dead Zebras, who claim not to be your typical rock revivalists. They’ve mastered the art of blending eighties nostalgia with a fresh, modern sound, and creating a cocktail that sounds like a wild ride in a DeLorean with a Van Halen soundtrack, apparently!
Tickets are a snip at ยฃ15, which you can grab online here, and Let There Be Rock!!
Weโre delighted to hear Anya & Marc of the fantastically tasty Soupchick in the Devizes Shambles are to take over the cafe at Hillworth Park. โWe are excitedly expanding by taking on that little gem of Hillworth Cafe. We aim to source most of our produce as locally as possible to benefit the local economy and to be sustainable,โ said Anyaโฆ.
It is hoping to be going ahead in April, and the dynamic soup duo intend to have a grand opening; watch this space! I supposed to Marc that the cafe at the park cafe seemed to sell mainly cakes, chocolate, teas and soft drinks, many of which one could nip around the corner and buy cheaper from the Hillworth Store. Soupchick would be a game changer.
โThatโs what weโre hoping,โ Marc replied, โAnya has loads of ideas. We will start with a bit of caution, but of course will do hot food, and alcohol, but weโre really excited to see what we can do!โ
Soupchick made an appeal for information today, already using Heritage Fine Foods, Lower Field Farm Meats in Coate, coffee roasted in Warminster and fresh fruit and veg from the Thursday Market, they need suggestions for reasonably priced back ups to guarantee a smooth flow. They are looking for local fruit and veg wholesalers, particularly interested in juicing oranges, salad veg growers, and cheesemakers, particularly feta style, cheddar & halloumi style cheeses. Contact them via Facebook.
We wish them the very best of luck with the project, but I grew concerned; would I still be able to get my soup fix in the Shambles and sit in the lovely Valentina art gallery opposite to eat it?! โOh yes,โ Marc assured me, โwe are keeping the Shambles going, I like being in town.โ We like being in town too, Marc, we like that you like being in town, and I hope you like that we like that you like being in town, andโฆ oh, just lace me with some beef & mushroom stroganoff to stop my over excited waffling, hint, hint!!
If Devizes can have two Greggs, it can have two Soupchicks too!!!!
Unlike Buck Rogers, who made it to the 25th century six hundred years early, Devizesโ most modest acoustic virtuoso arrives at the 21st just shortโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Chris Watkins Media and Ian Diddams Whilst probably best known for his editorship of โPrivate Eyeโ magazine and thirty-five years asโฆ
I mean, Devizes own contemporary blues throwback, JP is getting bookings, and rightly so. He’s off to Trowbridgeโs Lamb next Saturday for a double-bill withโฆ
If many space-rock acts have more band member changes than most other musicians change their socks, Hawkwind are the exemplar of the tendency. There might be some scientific theory for this, equally there may not. What is more probable is that it is an occupational hazard for members to get as lost in space as Dr. Zachary Smith. Cracked Machine, here tonight to provide the entertainment at the Devizesโ Southgate, are also prone to getting through some keyboardists and drummers, though if the lead guitarist-frontman and bassist remain steadfast, this propensity is not the only element to them comparable with Hawkwind, and thatโs a good thing in my opinionโฆ..
If youโve any hazy recollection of a maintaining a horizontal posture in a bedroom for the duration of a scratched long player with a gatefold sleeve, staring at patterns either in the mould on the wall or blu-tacked Mandelbrot set posters covering them up, in a smoky haze proportionate to your memories and stenching of wood burner and red Leb, whether only with a bong for a friend or a few stragglers with no more conversation than the bong, save a few comments like โoh wow, man, can you see it?!โ then Cracked Machine is the band to seek such fond memories, and bring them to the forefront of your fragile cerebral cortex, through a preponderance of sublime bassy rock bliss.
For if space-rock is a natural progression from Led Zeppelin, Flyod or Hendrixโs overextended bridges of swirling sonic electric guitar skullduggery and wobbly sound effects, Cracked Machine nailed it some years ago and show no sign of altering their methodology. In fact, the tendency is to get harder. Though Hawkwind allowed vocals, Fromeโs Ozric Tentacles may be a better comparison for space-rock aficionados.
In this, itโs been some years since Iโve caught up with them live, despite reviewing albums one, two and three. It was left up to Ben Niamor and Andy Fawthrop to review their last two appearances at the Southgate, respectively in November 2022, and October 2018. For me, I will always have the 2019 Devizes Street Festival, when Pete of Vinyl Realm paid and hosted our local stage idea on the corner of St Johnโs and townsfolk slow-roasted on deckchairs while Cracked Machineโs definitive sound caressed their very souls. But while Cracked Machineโs lineup has changed since then, their devotion to the sound and ability to knock it out to the shimmering rafters, isnโt.
In that, I knew what I was letting myself in for. It was another one of those birthday things for me, which always seems to charge me with ever-increasing speed. There wasnโt actually much else happening in town Saturday night, much I wouldโve missed this for a wanton jig to Motown or some-other such-like, elsewhere. Suppose I had the option to go down the Bin afterwards, but as it was advised by Vince Bell who I met on the bus, such a recommendation had to be taken with a pinch of salt, and was best at 52 to get a taxi direct to my duvet! For a while there though, it was a party, as it is in The Southgate, with itโs no frills hospitable atmosphere, affordable range of drinks, and general โproper pubโ tenet. The affectionately dubbed โGateโ doesnโt change like band members of a space-rock band, and itโs a cracking party there more often than not.
Tom Harris kicked off the proceedings with his guitar, belting vocals and the expressions of a hyperalgesic at the dentist. Impossible to fault, Tom delivers the banter as well as his songs, divides covers equally from originals, so if heโs not charming an emotive blues ballad of his own pen, itโs perhaps a scatological one or heโs made amusing entertainment from a slyly chosen cover. Rob Thomasโ Santana summer smoothie reflects the unusually clement climate for March, and Tenacious Dโs hilarious Tribute was surely perfect for Tom, and he handled them with might, until drummer Gary Martin arrived from a support slot at the Pump with Clock Radio, and the main act was completed and ready to rock.
They didnโt come up for air throughout these lengthy compositions of prog rock formulated instrumentals, and as a result of not taking advantage of the customary break, their set ran off too early. Landlord Dave encouraged them to pull something else out of the bag, saving the necessity of the crowdโs cliche call for an encore, which you know wouldโve happened anyway. To which they considered how to continue, yet what elapsed was another drifting spacey masterpiece of fifteen minutes or more. We loved it.
If the template of Cracked Machineโs sound is arguably narrow, and narrative is vague due to only being expressions of instruments, their nature is stylised, and works wonders, creating a spellbinding ambience. Cracked Machine are always welcomed by the Southgate regulars, for even if the pub strives to diversify, itโs electric blues and prog rock which they favour, and this, with those wobbly keyboard noises and subtly placed samples, is simply a psychedelic progression from it which is decades old, yet Cracked Machine proves itโs worth in the modern world.
Space rock, or acid rock, a direct descendant of Pink Floyd and Zepโs tolkienesque The Battle of Evermore, also acts as the bridge from rock to electronica and ambient house, a bridge the guarding troll usually confounds most rock subgenres with a riddle and renders them unable to cross, thatโs why I love it, and thatโs while I will only have good things to say about Cracked Machine.
As the excitement continues to detonate to an exploding point for our very first Stone Circle Music Events Wiltshire Music Awards on 25th October, weโฆ
by Mick Brianimages from Lauren Arena-McCann The playwright Tom Stoppard is probably best known for his work โRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Deadโ, his absurdist comedyโฆ
You might think it’s a laryngologist’s dream come true, this Lewis Capaldi-led decade’s penchant for the blue-eyed soul singersโ melismatic strain to cause Mick Hucknallโฆ
Nothing cruel about our George Wilding; with his perfect match and another local legend of local music, Jolyon Dixon, they’re knocking out great singles likeโฆ
The second single from Georgeโs sessions with Jolyon Dixon is out today, Isnโt She Lonely. With the vaudeville ambience of Queenโs later material and sprinkles of doo-wop at the intro, this whisps around crooners with subtler psychedelic undertones than usual. One could ask if this is tongue-in-cheek or a mature direction for George, to delve into post rock n roll influences, yet, of course, it retains, through its incredibly inventive uniqueness, the definitive George Wildingโฆ..
For his fans itโll remind them somewhat of Terrible Little Secret from his decade past Being Ragdollian EP; how George is skillfully capable of frolicing vocally with the schlager of artists like Tony Christie, and remain cool throughout by splicing this music hall vibe ironically with a degree of melancholy in the narrative. It is, in short, impressive.
โThe lyrics were born out of the idea of changing one letter of โIsnโt She Lovelyโ so it takes on this whole desperate air,โ George explained. โIt goes from so celebratory to a real longing when you change it to โLonely;โ the instant flip side of love. When I wrote it I had it as a 60โs thing in my head; think Bobby Veeโs โTake Good Care of My Baby.โโ
George Wilding
My immediate reaction was Stevie Wonder was referring to his newborn daughter in the title, rather a romantic interlude, but this take only bears resemblance to it by title, and just like how George can make a cover his own, Isnโt She Lonely is not in any way a parody of Wonderโs 1978 hit. Though the commercially viable element rings home, and sticks.
Just as Madonna did with True Blue, yesteryear pop hooks will be recalled and reused so not to be archived in an impenetrable chest, and in that they become timeless, precisely summing up this song. If the last single back in October, Signs of Life, bore elements of gothic and most definitely indie, this is George being more playful, different, yet still being George!
Isn’t She Lonely is across streaming platforms today….
Thereโs a new single from Bristol-based Nothing Rhymes With Orange out tomorrow (Saturday 20th September) which takes the band to a whole new level, andโฆ
The Wiltshire Music Awards are delighted to confirm a new headline partnership with Stone Circle Music Events, who will sponsor the Awards for 2025 andโฆ
Following the excitement and success of the first meeting of โYour Partyโ in Swindon, a second meeting has been arranged for 18th September 7.30 -โฆ
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 circuitโฆ
July 1986, Madonna was asking her papa not to preach, Chris De Burgh was fantasising about a lady in red, and they were the only two things preventing a feelgood summer cover called My Favourite Waste of Time reaching the top of the charts. It was recorded by Owen Paul, who arrives in Devizes for a โtribute to the eightiesโ gig at the Corn Exchange on Friday 21st March. I caught up with him ahead of this, and we chatted merrily about the hit, his origins and influences, mullets and all things eighties, oh and what to expect from the showโฆ.
After clearing up uncertainty over his two forenames, Owen is his, Paul derived from a younger brotherโs name, we moved onto the way I envisioned this meeting. I imagined weโd be dancing on some tropical beach in white sleeveless t-shirts and sporting mullets, as was the video to his pop smash.
โYeah,โ he laughed, explaining about a gig last Saturday in Exeter with Radio 1 DJ Pat Sharp, โit was the battle of the guy that used to be the world champion of the mullet people!โ
A tropical theme was so eighties too, I said, from Wham to Blacklace, we all wanted to go on holiday, we all wanted to be on that beach in the My Favourite Waste of Time video. โYou’re absolutely right,โ Owen responded, pointing out the gig last weekend was in a theatre called Tropicana. โIt was one of the strangest shows I’ve ever done. Club Tropicana, just for the event, right? ย The show started at 2pm and run โtill 8pm. I said to my manager, โweโre gonna play in the afternoon?โ She was like, โyeah. You do the thing in the afternoon, people come dressed in eighties clothes and they forget their lives for five minutes.โ Apparently, itโs a thing; adults like to go to a show between 2 and 6pm, so they can get back to watch Casualty!โ
I assured Owen I must be the exception to that rule, but Owen was still giggling, โor Strictly!โ
But were the contents of the show like what we can expect to see in Devizes on the 21st, I had to ask. For the record, while tagged with the idiom โone-hit-wonder,โ Owen is a prolific recording artist who is still releasing new original material; will he be playing these? โEven though I still do songs, when it’s an eighties show like in Devizes, it’ll be full on eighties-tastic, girl singers, dancers, and weโll sing Bowie, U2, Deacon Blue, Crowded House and more.โ
Time to drop my million-dollar question which had been floating around my excuse for a brain since knowing I was to chat with Owen. That the term one-hit-wonder, which Owen was bequeathed at the time, must be quite disparaging for an artist with a wealth of other works. I asked him how he felt about it at the time, and how he feels about the label now.
Not to blow my own trumpet, he replied, โif I think of all the interviews I’ve done in recent times, that is the best question I’ve ever had! No one has ever asked that of me because they’re always scared. And youโve asked, so thatโs fine. Iโve got to tell you the truthful answer, right? And I mean this with all my heart. I know a million acts whoโve never had a hit. And I have. That ahead gave me the doorway to be here forty years later, playing festivals all over the world. So I don’t think it’s disparaging at all. I think it’s a complete opposite. I think I’ve had a hit, when I know people more talented than me,โ Owen exampled a mildly successful Scottish band called The Blue Nile, โthey had โTinseltown in the Rain,โ the closest thing to them having a hit, (reached No. 87 on the singles chart in 1984) Theyโre an incredible act, but I had a smash that went global. They never had. So I don’t think of it as disparaging at all.โ
In this I think Owen misunderstood my question, that it wasnโt the having a one-hit-wonder which I thought might be disparaging, rather being labelled a one-hit-wonder which could be, but hey, it was a calculated and flattering response anyway!
Being Iโm walking Owen down memory lane, I wanted to take him further back, being aside My Favourite Waste of Time being an acoustic guitar-led feelgood anthem delineating eighties pop, Wikipedia claims it was the Sex Pistols which first inspired him.
โThe basic story is this, and this is completely true,โ Owen elucidated, โwe had a basement, which makes us sound posh, but it was a council flat. My brother and his mates from school used to come back to our house, and they used to rehearse and make an absolute racket of a noise! And this is like 1975-76ish. I was too young; I wasn’t allowed to go downstairs. I used to sit upstairs and listen to what they were doing, and they would play singles of whatever was going on, and they played the Damned, The Clash, The Strangers, and then played the Sex Pistolโs Anarchy in the UK, and I’m upstairs going, what, the, hell, is, that?!โ
โAnd I’m going off the back of the seventies when it was prog rock and all the stuff where you had to be a virtuoso and play for ten hours. And it really changed me, and the guys who’s downstairs in our basement, turns out to be Simple Minds; you wanna write that down?!!โ
Noted in awe, Owen, thank you. His brother Brian was the Simple Minds drummer, and guitarist Charlie Burchill, he informed me, โwould come upstairs to my room, ’cause I was not allowed down there, and I had a guitar. My dad was publican, and when people couldnโt pay their bill, you make them get on and perform.โ Owen told how Charlie showed him an E chord, an A chord and a D chord, โand he said that’s all you need, and I said โthanks!โโ
We talked of the 3-chord simplicity of eighties pop, Owen extended this by getting technical on learning structures from the likes of The Velevt Underground. โAnd then,โ he explained, โoff the back of that, I started to make my own noise.โ
On his first band, Venigmas, Owen explained how at just sixteen they left Glasgow for London, and he told his mum, โI don’t think we’ll be back.โ Owen spoke of the changing scene, the new romantics, but was adamant he was a โrock guy.โ
โBecause everyone thinks you’re an overnight sensation. I was eight years or more in the industry before I got signed to Sony. They signed me as a rock act, and then I stupidly made a pop record! And that became my real problem. Because I saw myself as a Bowie guy, I thought you could do anything.I thought you could do funk, you could do rock, soul, and pop; that’s what I thought. How naive was I?!โ
Owen recorded two songs for Sony, the one we all know was nominated for a Brit award. He spoke fondly of recording it and how they immediately knew it was a hit, then suggested โbut at the same time, in my heart I went oh-no. I’m in trouble here.โ
I speculated aloud, asking him if it was because the music industry will typecast him as pop, and he replied, โyou’re absolutely right; that’s what happened. So the record comes out, it’s a worldwide smash. It got me on Smash Hit’s cover, on Saturday morning, telly; I’m shiny, bubble-gum pop guy. That’s where I am, right? Now, the record label wants ten more tracks which sounds like thatโฆ. but Iโm a rock guy!! You can see the problem?!โ
If all sounds weighty, I must point out Owen finished this sentence with a giggle, recalling his moment in the spotlight playfully. But we compared it to his freedom now to write, and his new song Fly With Me, which I observed reminded me of Cat Stevens or George Harrison. Again, he found my question about it, โinteresting. I don’t get it asked much. I think ultimately, I’m a Celt, Scottish and folk music is everything to us. I’ve always been like that, every song I hear in my head, when I’m doing new tracks sounds like a folk song. But when you’re in the eighties and you’ve got a record deal, they donโt want that, you turn that into a pop song.โ
Owen continued to explain how, with his guitarist Howard, decided to produce a folk album after an acoustic gig, but clarified, โfolk is the fifth of it all.โ This seemed like a convenient time to move away from the roots and back to idea he was coming to Devizes to do an eighties show, and people will lap that up. โI love that about eighties shows,โ he revealed, โI didn’t do them for a long time, nearly twenty years. I pretended that I wasn’t Owen Paul or sang that song. And then, I did a thing on telly called Watchdog, Rouge Traders. They were investigating this company with security cameras and asked me to walk in at the end and sing (and he did sing it for me!) youโre mineโฆ!โ
โI thought, hang on a minute. Is this because I didn’t pay my tax bill?! Are they actually chasing me?! I double checked, and it turned out that it was the BBC, and it was fantastic and really funny! The next day, my phone was exploding. My website was exploding with pictures going โoh my God, Owen Paul isn’t dead,โ can you do this show?!โ
Owen recalled with joy, how it felt to now do retro festivals where, โthe most amazing thing occurred to me. After me not wanting to be Owen Paul, that guy, that song. I get to the beginning of the song, and obviously it’s not like there’s an intro, it just goes bang, you know? And then suddenly, I’ve got 20,000 people singing that back at me.โ
Regardless of how you might feel about the commercialisation of it, I try to imagine that and offer to Owen that it is truly is the testament to his work. โYeah,โ he responded so positively, โI think I grew up as well. You know, I’ve been doing this for a while now and I’ve realised if you’re the wrong side of forty-five, so youโre an eighties kid and you’ve got two kids, a mortgage, bills and you’ve got all your rubbish; you want five minutes away from it all.โ
Which is, in turn, the best advert for the upcoming show! We continued for some considerable time, I was enthralled he spoke about Howard Jones on first name terms, being asked to do a number of celebrity shows, like Strictly. We talked about dance music, Britpop, and the changes these brought, and even from the effect of streaming services on the industry, to the youth of today identifying with the songs of the eighties. It was becoming clear one of us needed to break the chat through fear of day becoming night, and maybe back again.
It was a wonderful conversation which knew no natural end, because though I was honoured and slightly in awe of Owen Paul, we chatted like old school friends at a reunion. If the nineties saw me shun the commercialisation of the pop of my youth, Owen caused me to rethink it again, and it was a pleasure.
Owen Paul brings his eighties show to the Corn Exchange on Friday 21st March. Tickets are aptly ยฃ19.80, because itโs promised youโll be transported back to the 1980s! Have I got time to grow a mullet?
There’s something to be said for the function duo route with universal appeal, you could be working somewhere hot! Powerhouse vocal harmony duo Reflections areโฆ
Formerly known as Judas Goat and the Bellwether, the now renamed band have announced the release of their latest single, โDrill Baby Drillโ (coming outโฆ
Photograph byย Simon Folkard It’s been a rocky road for Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts (DOCA) these last few years, and I didn’t mean the crushed biscuitsโฆ
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 themโฆ
Valedictorian graduate of Bates College in Maine, and with a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard, neuroscientist Lisa Genova self-published her debut novel, Still Alice inโฆ
In 1998 a pair of pigs escaped while being unloaded off a lorry at an abattoir in Malmesbury and were on the run for a week. The brother and sister pigs were dubbed the โThe Tamworth Two,โ during the huge media sensation. I didnโt remember this bizarre scoop, I was told about it in 2022 by London-based artist Gecko, on stage when Kieran of Sheer Music used to do gigs at Trowbridge Town Hall, as an introduction to his new song; itโs a track on his latest album, The Big Picture, due for release this Friday, 7th Marchโฆโฆ
If the storyโs location, or the gigโs, is a feeble excuse for reviewing something not locally produced, as I vowed to uphold, neither matters; Iโm willing to make an exception for something so uniquely satisfying as Geckoโs humble and sentimental outpourings. For in these days where the pop song template is generally concerned with how compassionate someone is in the sack, or how ignorant someone was in the sack, thatโs why they dumped them and now both parties involved are agitated, Gecko breaks the mould so absolutely ingenious and inventively. His singing of a song about two pigs escaping their fate is surely proof!ย ย
Gecko
And if Iโm intending to pigeonhole such outpourings I must go broadly with hip hop, though nothing remains of the ostentatious machismo stereotype of the genre, quite the opposite here. Iโd only mention it with a flux capacitor in hand, ready with Doc Brown to form an alternative timeline where the mixture of sounds to suit a cosmopolitan society still resides in hip hop, and the bullshit doesnโt.
For Gecko is a inoffensive dreamer, like the rare influential teacher who inspired a class, his songs drizzled with the utmost sentiments, and innocuous observations, sprinkled with humour. In which case his intelligent writing better fits indie rather than hip hop, his DIY stylistic choice of lo fi electronica reflects the contemporary, and will suit the mood of the narrative.
Thereโs three songs as examples to what I mean, before the one about the pigs. Geology opens with a retrospective thump, elucidating the overall theme of The Big Picture rests on environmental concerns, though nothing about Geckoโs delivery is vexed, rather calm and reflective. Darn it, itโs a good start, I expected it would be. Though the second track threw me, in general the humour is subtler than 2020โs Climbing Frame, the sentimental wordplay remains, and this one, Itโs You (That I Find) parodies a conventional love song, using a jazzy beat and favouring singing over rap, as if Jamiroquai is a Gecko tribute!
Whereas the third tune, In This Tree, raps over a tropical or tribal bassline, Iko Iko fashion. Gecko always fits the soundโs style around the narrative, in this case a luxuriant rainforest, the next a racing acoustic guitar celebrating the Tamworth Twoโs break for freedom, orchestrated for the uplifting sentiment, kazoo applied for tongue-in-cheek underscore!
If heartfelt sincerity is key throughout The Big Picture it builds in layers of emotion. The Dawn Chorus is a piano based ballad to the morning reflecting an awakening, like the most memorable primary school assembly youโd ever be blessed to be present at! The lounge-jazzy Family to Me follows, extending the positive attributes of friendship. Itโs a lengthy journey of goodness, ten family-sized tunes. The Lost Boys beautifully tells a story of precisely what it says on the tin, and the sense of adventurousness is so overwhelming you assume itโs a memory, only using J. M. Barrie as an analogy.
Gecko at Trowbrisge Town Hall 2022
Being The Tamworth Two has a backstory, I assume Bowling in Madison has too, but how Gecko makes the motivation of a bowling team so concentrated and purposeful, one can interpret it more vaguely, as the importance of any achievement. But if the run up to the finale has become the best possible saccharine vibe, the penultimate Take a Look Around is a formulated Gecko at his best, with the observational and uplifting rap sprinkled with humour. And lastly, The Universe is another lounge jazz parody which is the most perfect ending to a live show ever. Itโs a goodbye message which incorporates every golden element to this most perfect album, the mindful study of deeper meaning to the everyday, pondering the stars above, and everything in between which nature gifts us with.
It is, in short, beautifully executed with the best ingredients, thoughtful prose and ingenious blending, the sum of which can only leave you spellbound. Do not delay, listen to it, tomorrow, your ears will thank you.
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 goingโฆ
There was a geographical population imbalance this bank holiday Monday in Devizes which risked the entire town conically sloping into the back of Morrisons;โฆ
Whilst dispersing highly flammable hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere is not advisory, Butane Skies is a name increasingly exploding on local circuits. The youngโฆ
The excitement and hope generated by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announcing a new political party has reached Swindonโฆ.. A broad range of peopleโฆ
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Iโm certain most of us have seen the disturbing video of Zelenskiy meeting Trump at the White House last week, and have formed our own judgments of it. While opinion pieces abound in national media, we donโt dabble in national politics here at Devizine nor jump on a bandwagon. However, as the affair has left me unusually speechless yet moved with concern and compassion for those directly affected by this terrible war, I figured the only way to address this with a local angle is to ask a Ukrainian currently residing in Wiltshire for their personal reflectionโฆ..
ะะปัะณะฐ ะกะธะปะฐะตะฒะฐ (Olga Silaeva) came to Royal Wootton Bassett with her son under the Homes for Ukraine programme. She agreed to express her feelings about the incident. All I ask is you leave any political opinion at the door if you wish to read on. For while Olga begins by outlining the politics of the incident, this isnโt about affairs of the state, rather what it flows into, which is heartfelt and personal.ย ย
For translational purposes Olga has used Chat GPT for the political parts, but here is what she had to say:
Of course, watching President Trump’s statements and actions (his pressure on Zelenskiy to influence the presidential election, public accusations of dictatorship, false debt figures, imposing a disadvantageous rare earths contract, voting against the Ukrainian resolution at the UN to whitewash Putin’s policies), we all expected the continuation of harsh pressure and attempts to force Zelenskiy to surrender Ukraine’s interests.
It is clear that Trump has no real plan to end the war, despite repeatedly promising this to his voters. Since he cannot agree on a ceasefire with Putin and does not want to confront him, he decided to force President Zelenskiy, who is in a weak position, to make significant concessions. In addition, Trump is keen to distance Russia from China in order to weaken China, and he seems willing to sacrifice Ukraine to achieve this goal.
I believe that Zelenskiy, when he went to Washington, hoped to convince Trump and improve relations. However, he could not ignore the insults from J.D. Vance, who said many offensive things, including that Zelenskiy organised โtourist tripsโ to Bucha. (Bucha is a city that was occupied by Russian troops, where many civilians, including children and adults, were subjected to violence, torture, looting and brutal killings. It was the first big shock for all Ukrainians and the world).
President Zelenskiy was certainly not a perfect diplomat and openly disagreed with the White House leadership. However, he has told the truth and called a spade a spade without humiliating anyone. That is why the vast majority of Ukrainians support him. He has demonstrated that he will not betray us or our national interests.
โAgreements with Putin on a ceasefire are meaningless without security guarantees from the West.โ
โPutin has repeatedly deceived European and American leaders.โ
โIf Ukraine loses, there is a high probability that Putin will send troops to other European countries. Then America, as a member of NATO, will be forced to send its soldiers to war with Russia.โ
This is the truth that offended President Trump. The nuclear weapons that Ukraine voluntarily gave up in exchange for the support of the Budapest Memorandum signatories give Ukraine the right to demand a legal document as a guarantee in response to America’s demands.
But today, the US president is not acting as an ally and partner of Ukraine, but as a party lobbying for the interests of the aggressor Russia.
Thus, it is deeply regrettable that the leader of the United States does not put justice and international law first and does not appear to be a reliable partner or ally for Europe either.
It seems that the US is no longer a leader in global security and compliance with international laws and agreements. Europe must therefore take on this vacant leadership role. Europe should form a new military alliance – this would be the best guarantee of peace and stability in the future. We very much hope that European leaders will act quickly and decisively in this direction. In the meantime, we, Ukrainians, will continue to fight the evil of our crazy neighbour and continue to tell the world the truth.
A little bit about me. I came to Royal Wootton Bassett with my son under the Homes for Ukraine programme. We have a strong community of active Ukrainians and an amazing support network. We organise festivals, celebrations and performances to introduce the British to our history and culture, explain the reasons for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, support each other and raise funds to help Ukrainians.
I fell in love with Britain. The British are very open, kind and always ready to help. I am extremely grateful to everyone I have met here – they are wonderful people. Despite our differences in culture, traditions and habits, I also see that we share a similar spirit.
But my heart remains at home. I follow every air raid alert in Kyiv and am regularly donating money to support our soldiers in various ways. My nephew was recently wounded in action. Some of my friends and their children were killed in the war. My parents’ house was completely destroyed. What our nation is going through now is terrible and tragic because we are losing our best people. Many of our fallen heroes were never able to start families and have children. Civilians are dying and becoming disabled. Thousands have lost their homes and jobs. Thousands more remain in the occupied territories, suffering from oppression and violence. Millions have fled to other countries with their children – will they ever return home?
We have difficult times ahead of us. But we must save our nation, our country and our independence.
I would like to thank Olga for her insightful and moving words. We stand with Ukraine.
Olga and many other Ukrainians living in the Swindon borough network, campaign, and get assistance from Swindon Welcomes Ukraine, a not-for-profit committee created to help the people of Ukraine. And there is a Facebook support group in Wiltshire for Ukrainian people both in Ukraine and those fleeing the fighting.
If I was bowled over backwards by Rubyโs teaser single last week, its title, Crowned Lightbringer, now also belongs to this five-track EP, released today,โฆ
Image: John Kisch Legendary songwriter and original Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell has announced a run of UK dates this November, accompanied by special guests Theโฆ
Atmospherically anthemic and reinforced with that infectious rhythmic groove weโve come to love Talk in Code for, More Than Friends is chockfull of it, andโฆ
by Mick Brian With Sandcastles Productions marking its debut production with Charlie McGuireโs original play Glass House, the cast and crew behind this production are clearlyโฆ
A new music festival is coming to Devizes this July. Organisers of the long-running Marlborough based festival MantonFest are shifting west across the downs and hooked up with Grist Environmental to bring a second day event, this time in Devizes…..
Park Farm Music Festival will take place on Saturday 12th July at Whistley Road near Potterne. Park Farm Music Festival will be held in the beautiful location of Potterne in Devizes, Wiltshire. It promises a big outdoor stage, brilliant sound and lighting, plenty of room to dance, lots of trade stalls and a range of food and drink outlets.ย
Barrelhouse at Mantonfest 2023: Image Gail Foster
The line-up includes headlining tributes AC/DC UK, and Nirvana UK. Sixties legends The Swinging Blue Jeans. MantonFest favourites and one of our favourites too, Barrelhouse will also play, with Chicago 9 Rhythm & Blues Band and Essex’s finest and stalwarts at the Southgate, Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective.
Jamie Williams
Adult tickets are ยฃ40.00, 13-17 are ยฃ20, and children under 13 are just ยฃ10. Camper vans are an additional ยฃ2,5 and tents are ยฃ15, if you wish to camp. If you would like to bring your own gazebo (3m x 3m max.), these will ยฃ10 and be payable on entry.
Wiltshire Music announces a new season for Autumn Winter: and the first under the new leadership of Daniel Clark, Artistic Director and Sarah Robertson, Executiveโฆ
If youโve seen Jess Self performing at the Wharf Theatre, singing at the FullTone Festival or elsewhere Iโm certain youโll agree with us; Jess hasโฆ
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 toโฆ
Devizes annual orchestral festival, FullTone got underway yesterday afternoon with a showcase of local talent from Devizes Music Academy,ย and finalised Friday night with theirโฆ
A feast of Salisbury musicians have recorded the single Edge of Reason, a powerful tribute to the irreplaceable ThomโฏBelk, a champion of Salisburyโs music sceneโฆ
Devizes Food & Drink Festival launched their 2025 programme of events today. Running from Saturday 20th to the 28th September, the Box Office opens onlineโฆ
With your standard festivals two-to-a-penny, some consisting of not much more than a bloke with a guitar in a pub selling undercooked and overpriced hotdogs,โฆ
An awards ceremony to celebrate the outstanding musical talent within the city, aptly titled The 2024 Salisbury Music Awards, was held on Saturday at The Winchester Gate, and the results are inโฆ.
Members of the Salisbury music community came together yesterday to celebrate the incredible musical talent the city has within its music scene.
The Thom Belk Community Fund, named after the founder of the Salisbury Music Awards who sadly passed away in 2023, wanted to ensure that the awards continued in his memory. They collaborated with Salisbury Live, Sounds of Salisbury, The Winchester Gate and Rock The Boat DJs to bring a spectacular night of celebration and music to Salisbury.
The musical talent on offer for the event was a showcase of the superbly diverse music scene within the City. With a DJ set from Radio Odstockโs Kev Lawrence kicking off the proceedings, the fantastic crowd were also treated to live music on two stages. Luke Hall, Lauren & Hardy, Sock Puppet Jukebox and Black Iris entertained on the acoustic stage, with sets from Solarbird, Charmtype, KINKi and headliners Pugwall lifting the room off of the band stage area.
And when the live music was finished, a silent disco provided the perfect end to a wonderful event via DJ sets from StreetLife, No Gimmicks and Bad Gxrls Do It Well.
The Awards, voted for by the public and collated by the team at Wade Digital, were announced over two breaks in the live music schedule, to allow acts and audience to show appreciation and support for winners and nominees. With voting up 16% on the previous year, there were an incredible number of nominees in each category.
There was a truly emotional moment during the second awards segment, as the Belk family accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Thom Belk, given in recognition for his many years of supporting and promoting Salisbury music and the community as a whole.ย
His sister Charleigh said, “Thom would be incredibly proud and humbled to see his legacy continuing with these awards and extremely happy to see so many acts continuing to prove Salisbury has such a superb music scene.”
The family also recognised the extremely positive influence of Colin Holton and Robb Blake on Thomโs musical and life journeys, gifting them special commemorative gifts as token of their appreciation.
Here at Devizine, we would like to congratulate all the winners. In particular, Rosie Jay for picking up the award for best breakthrough act. An incredible soloist we’ve keenly followed the career of. And to Lucas Hardy for best solo act.ย
Award results are as follows:
Lifetime Achievement Award: Thom Belk.
Outstanding Contribution to Music in the Community: Lilli Badcock (Evolution Choir.)
Outstanding Contribution to the Salisbury Music Scene: Sounds of Salisbury (Ellen & Alex Morgan-Wardrop.)
Best Band: Lump
Best Original Song: Love is Enough for their song โ1 in 4โ
Monsieur, with these Exchange Comedy night you are really spoiling us, for usually comedy in Devizes is just what we make ourselves; laughing at visitors trying to hairpin turn at Shane’s Castle, or trying to order a Just Eat delivery, and ode to the guy who climbed atop Roses’ faรงade to ride the lawnmower mounted on display there, for that guy is comedy gold!
Yet on Thursday 6th March we can relax from our banter and let the professionals do the work, thanks to Exchange Comedy. Steveย N. Allen, long-standing on theย Mashย Report headlines. He has joy, he has worries, he has hopes and he has a knack of relating what is personal grief to not seem maudlin in anyway. The writing is tight, the delivery spot on and the way of painting images with his words is almost tangible. Featuring on TV’sย Late Night Mash, Not the One Show, and talk RADIO, LBC, GWR and Mercury FMย to list but a few.
Samantha Day also on the bill, explores everything from sex and money,ย to pronouns and social media; come and find out if you were smart enough to be born at the right time.ย SCF New Comedian of the Year (2022)ย andย British Comedy Guideย Proย Award Finalist (2024).
Plusย Ben Bridgeman and Marina OโShea. Next Exchange Comedy Night is on the 1st May, with David Tsonos and Rajiv Karia.
While world leaders have a slagging match over world war three, letโs have a Sunday roast about the state of our roads, shall we?! Because, letโs face facts, if any roads get a plaster on their war wound itโs not for your safety, itโs for political point scoring. Not a council election coming up by any chance, is there; asking for a friend?!
Itโs the hot topic for the public, fed up to the back teeth of bouncing along a lunar landscape, wheel trims flying off in random directions, and deciding whether to shave a wind-mirror from oncoming traffic or delve into a bottomless pit of hell. As a result itโs also one which candidates with or without a seat have focussed on. The problem remains, sorting the reality of humble promises from prospective councillors, from the hyperbole spewing from the desperation of existing ones. But either way, their dedication to national political parties encourages them to fight this out with the same gusto and ethos as national politics, and thatโs usually dirty and dishonest.
Hopeful candidates like Taylor Wright, Liberal Democrat candidate for Devizes East was bang on the money when he said, โwe heard that potholes were just part of pothole season, as if dangerous roads are something we should simply expect. Now, the explanation has shifted to residents being confused about the works taking place. But the reality is clear, people arenโt confused, theyโre frustrated. Windsor Drive has been in an unacceptable state for far too long, with potholes making it a daily challenge for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. Calling this frustration โconfusionโ risks downplaying a very real and serious issue. Rather than shifting explanations, we should be asking why roads like this are allowed to deteriorate so badly in the first place. Devizes deserve safe, well maintained roads, not short-term fixes and new excuses.โ
Declan Boore, Liberal Democrat candidate for Devizes South added, โresidents have told us loud and clear; roads in disrepair, housing challenges, and the need for stronger local services. Weโre not just taking notes, weโre taking action. This campaign is about delivering real change for our communities.โ
Such posts on their individual Facebook pages were indirectly criticised by Devizes North Conservative Councillor Iain Wallis, who uses his more general Facebook group, Devizes Issues, strictly censored by himself to keep atop the discussion and delete any opposing views. He lambasted such pledges, stating, โWe know the roads arenโt perfect, they never will be. Any candidate in the upcoming election who says otherwise either doesn’t understand the issues, or is trying to mislead. While candidates can say what they like to pull at heartstrings and play on legitimate concerns we have, I will keep doing my best to get to the bottom of the real issues and bring you answers from Highways.โ ย He continued to compare the immense cost needed to repair the roads to the funds available as a justification, and praised the recent investment. He said โbottomโ too, tee-hee.
This Conservative claptrap is all a bit Theresa Mayโs โmagic money tree,โ isnโt it? The county can find ยฃ2.5 billion to propose building a completely unnecessary and permanently damaging tunnel underneath Stonehenge, but ask them to please cover up a few holes in Windsor Drive and theyโre suddenly brassic!
Lavington Conservative Councillor Dominic Munnsalsogot wet knickers about the new bobcats, declaring, โLasting repairs brought about by Wiltshire Council’s ยฃ22 million extra investment in our road network and the machinations of our bobcat machines are making a big and visible difference across the county. Bobcats are capable of repairing up to 200 square metres a day – that’s a lot of potholes!โ
Humm, that is, lots of potholes; Bobcat the Builder! Can he fix it? Yes, apparently he can, and not a minute too late (election is May.) But surely The Munnster cued that the time is overdue to address the elephant in the room; why are there so many potholes in the first sodding place?! Whoโs job is it to highlight the issues to Highways and push things forward?!
We sang the Munnsterโs praises upon announcing improvements to the dire and dangerous Black Dog crossroads, seven months ago, yet absolutely nothing has been physically done; just you know, an example to his dedication. If hardworking Munns concentrated on the issue rather than weaponizing the declaration to fire at his opposition we may be some way into carrying the work out by now. The campaign has been ongoing for decades; face it, he simply signed it off and claimed the credit, true Tory stylee. Stating it wouldnโt have been done if the councillor was of any opposition party is hearsay he portrayed as fact, and his downside; no one can say for sure unless the opposing councillor is given an opportunity to.
If Iโve used this analogy before it seems to get directed to a brick wall; if you leave the washing up in the sink, you eventually run out of plates, and you have a much bigger task to address, or eat off the floor like a dog! For the existing councillors can patronise their assurances, they can waffle on social media each time a pothole is shabbily pasted over, but the fact remains the same, Wiltshire Council have seriously neglected road repairs for so many years, the slight problem has amounted to a county-wide embarrassment, and we are the plateless, being treated like dogs.
Iโve been to other counties, some worse than others, but none seem as bad as here. How do they do it? Maybe they didnโt neglect them to begin with, just, you know, a thought. In a 2023 National FOI request into road maintenance repair times, out of the bottom ten, Wiltshire ranked five. 5,565 potholes were reported, the longest fix time was 453 days. The long term damage to vehicles is incalculable and unreportable. Report a pothole on my wilts app they hail their triumph, in the singular! Thereโs a multitude of โem every damn ten centimetres down every single road in the county, and you expect me to fill out a form for each one individually?! Ainโt nobody time fer โdat!!
Councillors gather around a repaired pothole to take credit, generally one they live nearby. The only way to live on a pothole-free road in Wiltshire is to move to a house neighbouring a Wiltshire Councillor! Itโs a photo-opportunity to post to social media, expecting praise for their drop in the ocean, like showing mummy a picture they drew. They donโt need a medal or flattery, and don’t be manipulated by their propaganda. That. Is. Their. Job! We pay them for this, and if theyโd been proactive it wouldnโt have amounted to such the momentous disaster theyโre expecting gold stars for patching up.
โThe blight of potholes and crumbling road surfaces in Devizes has become untenable, not only is it having an effect on road safety, it is hitting road-users in the pocket,โ head of Devizes Guardians, Jonathan Hunter expressed. โThe Devizes community expects a far better deal, as opposed to the haphazard and reactive approach to repairs, which is having a crippling impact on the town.โ
โResidents want to see Wiltshire Council demonstrate clear leadership with a targeted and sustainable roads programme, as opposed to blaming the state of the roads on the so-called pothole season and relying on road users to pull-up in their vehicles and report every pothole, as a primary solution,โ Jonathan continued; he goes on worse than I, but stick with it!
โDevizes expects and deserves a better deal for the town, with Wiltshire Council listening to the community, in harmony with a repair programme that uses quality and sustainable materials, alongside a rolling maintenance program. Instead, and unfortunately, we have local Wiltshire councillors taking to social media to suggest that the good folk of Devizes ‘believe in unicorns’ when it comes to road quality expectations, this approach completely trivialises the pothole epidemic that has sadly become a reality in Devizes.โ In which Jonathan is referring to an outrageous post (few of them arenโt) made by our omnipresent hero Councillor Iain Wallis, whereby he slammed the voting population of Devizes for their complaints, and for any who might take heed of the pledges of the opposition, in favour of praising Wiltshire Councillors for their efforts, and said, โbelieving in unicorns isnโt going to do it.โ
Neither is believing in Tory councillors, Boss Hogg. I reserve my freedom of speech, not to provoke, merely to add for satirical effect, you understand?! โRoscoe, arrest them there Duke boys, yeee hawlll!โ
If I take the issue out of context, and place it within my own labour, youโll see how ludicrous it is. Imagine I hadnโt delivered any milk for a whole year, and suddenly I drop two pints of out-of-date sludge off at old Mrs Perkinsโ house, take a selfie at said location, post it on social media declaring how Iโm delivering the milk, ban anyone who dares to point out my hypocrisy, and delete their comment so I get the final say; I delivered the milk, here I am doing it, if Keir Starmer was delivering the milk, youโd get nothing but rainbow oatmilk and think yourself lucky!!
You wouldnโt stand for it, would you? Youโd tell me, sorry, but youโve found another supplier. Yeah, he might not be as sexy and brash as me, thatโs understandable, but at least heโs doing what you paid him to do. Maybe thatโs what you must also do come election time.
For the latest in this verbal battle goes beyond debate and into the spread of misinformation, and surely acts as justification for my last paragraph, with perhaps the exception of declaring myself sexier than my successor. On Road repairs, Councillor Iain Wallis threw the teddies from his pram, calling out opposition candidates for โirresponsible posting trying to wind people up and get a few votes!โ
Ah, anotherscathing post in which Mr Wallis lambasted who he claimed are the ringleaders as โparties who donโt even stand for Wiltshire Council or do stand but donโt live in Devizes and are not part of the community!โ It was a shocking Facebook post implying if you do not stand for Wiltshire Council or you do not live here your view is void and invalid; way to go to win over popular opinion; right out of the Royston Vasey political rulebook.
Shame anyone who dares criticise it on his biassed platform akin to the Daily Express on steroids, will be axed and left complaining to uncaring gammons on the alternative Devizes Issues (but better) group, which exists only for spreading hateful prejudice anyway.
โThis type of electioneering does nothing for good community relations and unity, it completely trivialises the dire road situation in Devizes,โ Jonathan Hunter reacted, Devizes Guardian not standing therefore with a invalid opinion according to Mr Wallis! โCommunity campaigners are not โring leaders,โ they are local people who are prepared to stand up for residents. Itโs very disappointing that candidates are prepared to stoop to these levels and spread misinformation.โ
โI take full responsibility for standing up for residents, and will always own my efforts as we support and work alongside the many local people for a better roads deal for Devizes.This is not electioneering, itโs simply standing up for our community, by calling out years of under investment and lack of listening from those who are elected to represent the folk of Wiltshire.โ
โI have been campaigning for a better roads deal for many years, therefore to read a widely shared politically motivated statement, describing all those who are standing up for residents as โring leadersโ is completely unfair, patently wrong, and is an absolute disgrace. This type of behaviour completely trivialises local issues, seeks to drive division and puts the personal interests and ambitions of those seeking election above what really matters, which is community unity and respect for each other.โ And youโve got to admit if you follow the Devizes Issues Facebook group or youโve been kicked out, Jonathan has a point, and what they are being fed there really is one-sided, opinionated and quite frankly, Trump ethics within a local community, and do we really need this?
I urge all standing councillors to quit backstabbing and get on with the job we pay you to do. Else, urge voters to take heed and give a chance to, not those with broken promises being spiteful at those airing popular opinion, but rather those fresh-faced candidates willing to take them on. That, to me, makes more sense than flogging a dead horse which clearly hasnโt delivered, and of whom occupy most of their time playing the blame game, insulting and censoring anyone who feels it necessary to express their frustrations on the issue, because clearly it is frustrating and counterproductive; all the council has to do is fix a darn pothole, storm in a teacup!!
devizine.com 