Tucked away in plain sight at the heart of Marlborough stands St Peterโs. While this Grade II listed landmark has been around for centuries, its modern identity remains one of the area’s best-kept secrets….
Though no longer an active church, the Trustees have quietly been transforming this historic structure into a vibrant, independent space for arts, culture, and local connection.
Today, St Peterโs serves as a community space where heritage meets contemporary creativity. Under its soaring, vaulted roof, cultural events and grassroots community initiatives carry equal weight, breathing new life into ancient stones.
Arts and culture
St Peter’s has built a diverse arts and culture programme designed to draw in audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Highlights include:
Marlborough’s first-ever Pride event, celebrating inclusion and diversity in the town.
Immersive theatreย productions that make full use of St Peter’s striking architecture and atmosphere.
Live music, including an upcoming performance from acclaimed singer-songwriterย Kristin Hershย on 19 October 2026, alongside a wider range of exciting artists still to come.
Aย coffee shopย at the heart of the building, offering a relaxed space to meet, work and socialise.
A festiveย Santa’s Grottoย for local families over the Christmas period.
The venue has already welcomed notable visitors includingย Myles Smith,ย Damien Lewisย andย Steve Knightley, and is working closely withย Sound Knowledgeย andย Marlborough Folk Rootsย to help shape its live music programme.
Devizine endeavours to list all events at St Peter’s on our event calendar, but
St Peter’s is equally a genuine resource for the people of Marlborough. The building already hosts a range of community groups and initiatives, including:
Aย Recharge Cafรฉ, offering a calm, supportive space for people to take time out and connect
A dedicatedย Parkinson’s and Carers Cafรฉ, providing support and companionship for those living with Parkinson’s and the people who care for them
Ongoingย community engagementย activities, with the space made available to local groups and organisations throughout the year
For further information please contact Suzy Birch, Events Programme Manager, St Peter’s, Marlborough (email: suzy@stpetersmarlborough.org.uk)
Immediately after the weekend which saw press photographers ejected, so they could savagely beat women at the Birmingham Reform conference, as if someone threw aโฆ
Tributes to Chippenham’sย community activist, poet, actor, and event compere Brian Reid poured onto social media today, as the sad news of his passing spreadsโฆโฆ
Iโve found myself sympathising about post-punk recently, how they scrambled around in the dark somewhat, taking pot shots at reggae, claiming a โnew wave,โ orโฆ
Singers and players of instruments of The Southwest assembled for an album celebrating the ninetieth anniversary since Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to England,โฆ
by Ian Diddams images by Wharf Theatre An artist expresses their personal thoughts. The rich and powerful use their positions to shut that expression downโฆ
Tributes to Chippenham’sย community activist, poet, actor, and event compere Brian Reid poured onto social media today, as the sad news of his passing spreadsโฆ
Known as the “Midweek Mojo,” Brian Reid was renowned and much loved in the Chippenham community. A prominent figure in the Wiltshire arts scene, hosting open mic nights at the Old Road Tavern in Chippenham and The Lamb in Trowbridge.
Brian loved performing spoken word poetry at local festivals like Eco-Future Fest; if it was happening in Chippenham, Brain Reid was somehow involved.
He co-organised the local community arts and music festival ChippFest, alongside Andy Thatcher. He was a DJ at Chippenham FM and collaborated on spoken word recordings with local artists, such as Will Lawton and the Alchemists, featuring on his song “Soul Sneeze.โ
We are saddened to hear this news, Brian was truly a legend and loved by all. Our hearts go out to his friends and family. There is a crowdfunder for support for his family below.
Devizes favourite southern fried gothic-Delta blues one man band, JP Oldfield has an EP released at the end of the week, Saltwater Gospel. Itโs a six gun shooter of length and breadth, classed as an EP, but contains enough poignant narrative, dark twisted swagger, and redemption, for an album to have causally swung through those saloon doors insteadโฆ..
Itโs been a year and half since his kazoo-blowing often playful yet dark underwired debut Bouffon, and Saltwater Gospel tests that time and toil as if itโs been decades of progression. This isnโt Bouffonโs collection of individual observations, itโs a complete concept to savour in one evocative bout.ย
This is JP sombrely unabridged and deliberately raw, still skillfully better, defined and crafted to a level youโve not heard him before. To assume this a โrefreshingโ notion wonโt set the mood; this EP will hit you like a dust storm from the off, but mostly its brilliance lies in its narrative.
The six songs perpetuate a saga of desperation and balance, and a metaphorical shanty of dark gothic blues. Influenced by The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, yet developing its own mythology, Josh has put the overtime in on this EPโs drafts. Relying on the mythic tone and the classic theme of a tragic figure trapped between worlds, JPโs Ferryman cuts off his story as he reaches a dark turning point. The whole EP is a continuation of his journey, condemning a sinner and a wayward priest, in the hope of finding his release.
Trading his silent oars for the secrets of the tide, he becomes more a shadow in the fog to the unrepentant, than a savior; a collector of unpaid debts. For if the laws of man would not restore the balance, he decided, then the law of the deep must prevail. Josh treats the ocean as a meticulous accountant, as wayward priests sink beneath the waves, and life and death stand side-by side, but a conclusion here would be a spoiler!
The first song is a scene setter, reminding me of classic Who rock operas, yet spanning across an American badland. The second ups the tempo, itโs a jump blues with MoonCalf Studio producer Nick Beereโs stylised harmonica, and something Howlinโ Wolf would nod to.
The Americana is thick and authentic, the tracks run as three minute heroes as the story pushes on. The standout lies at its centre; Further From Heaven is the magnum opus not only of the EP, but of Joshโs work to date. Itโs Johnny Cash in too deep; a seven minute chronicle in itself, despite the EP being a contained concept to listen wholly, and itโs masterfully executed with film score epics, hypnotic macabre, and chants of fatalistism, as the plot twists.
JP then brings it full circle with something more upbeat in sound rather than psychological lift, and thereโs a five minute conclusion which builds in layers, and reveals the derivation of Joshโs complex ratiocination. The story is compelling, but the ripping of a patch guarding his own personal reflection on his recovered medical issue, and the realisation โlife is too short not to pursue the things you genuinely want to do.โ
Thereโs a niche here, always is with something out on a limb, personally there was never room for disparagement within Joshโs poignant and humble creations. Carnivores craving an Abba tribute on a Saturday night might criticise melancholic outpourings, a risk every musical expressionist of pensive woe faces. And if youโve been scathing about JP Oldfield in the past, this is a game changer. This is his Born to Run, the release to set his initial benchmark.
JP Oldfield rightfully takes the release of Saltwater Gospel on tour, Iโll pop the poster below, and thereโs a launch at The Fold in Devizes on Friday 25th September, with Deadlight Dance in support.ย
Iโve found myself sympathising about post-punk recently, how they scrambled around in the dark somewhat, taking pot shots at reggae, claiming a โnew wave,โ or else succumbed or faded to new romantic electronica. Find myself wondering what theyโd have made of grunge or emo at the time, because thatโs progressing the style, and in this, Jess Chivers from Bathโs new EP, My Sunrise Companion, subtly nods towards punkโs true successors, but to have played this in 1977? Punks wouldโve said, โthatโs not punk, itโs far too good!โ
While thereโs nothing saccharine here, itโs evoking and blissfully cool, with the internal emotional pain of grunge in subjects, though not always in sound, only in places; like slowly defusing a bomb. The opening title-track of these four divine songs has the crisp commercial viability of an indie rock anthem, like the Cranberries. Foreign Land follows suit, but with this subtle rising and falling of grunge building as it goes; like a monster is coming, feeding on Jessโs thoughtful prose, but you can only see its shadows.
By Rotten three tunes in, the eruption occurs, the monster is revealed, and it comes over heavy feminine grunge, similar to I See Orange. But the finale Ravens on the Roofโs intro suggests something acoustic, and thatโs where Iโve seen Jess before, bravely breathing this subtle punk influence into a majority Americana festival at Trowbridge Town Hall, but in an impressive acoustic manner. Raven on the Roof, though, builds into a powerhouse of layered grunge, gradually being exposed, and leaves you hungry for more.
This is so well produced, it blesses Jessโs sublime vocal expressions and the vivid interpretations her poignant writing evokes, yet itโs universally appealing, not only a pleasure on the ears of punks young or old!
Obviously I’m far too young to be an old punk, but I LOVE THIS!!
Singers and players of instruments of The Southwest assembled for an album celebrating the ninetieth anniversary since Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to England, and stayed at Fairfield House in Bath, now a museum and shrine to the Ethiopian Emperorโฆ..
Last month I wrote a piece about the celebrations and activities at Fairfield House, which included the fascinating historical backstory of how the Emperor came to be living in Bath.ย
Emperor In Exilewas released at the end of last month, and it has a limited first pressing vinyl LP version, pressed on colour vinyl and housed in a sleeve featuring specially commissioned artwork by the aptly named Sophie Bass, whose distinctive work includes album covers for the celebrated soundsystem crew Reggae Roast. This Irieka Records release is also available digitally on Bandcamp; I had to have a listen!
Recorded in Bath, Bristol and London, and presented by Babba Maas, Emperor In Exile is a reggae journey inspired by the years Emperor Haile Selassie I spent in exile at Fairfield House. It brings together history, music and art in a unique tribute to one of the most remarkable chapters in Bathโs cultural history.
Featuring six tunes from locally based reggae artists, and subsequent dubs as its second half, all remixed from the original recordings at Yam & Banana Studio in St Pauls, it kicks off with a gorgeous upbeat steppers riddim by Earl Sixteen.ย
Da Fuchamanโs My Country’s Not For Sale follows nicely, reminding me of the classic boss reggae era, Harry J style, and also calibre. Carlton Smith of Black Roots takes inspiration in sound from the Upsetterโs Dollar in the Teeth, but itโs roots by name, roots by nature, with a concentrated seventies feel Misty in Roots or even early Aswad sound.
Dehvan Othieno of the Talisman takes the fourth slot, Exile Song has a gorgeous dubplate, with fresh and uplifting vocals. Nia Melodyโs song has a wonderful lovers rock vibe about it, and is a homage to British suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst, who became a dedicated political ally and lifelong friend to the Emperor, fiercely defending Ethiopia against Italy’s invasion.
And our good friend, Knati P completes the vocal tracks with a bouncy total steppers praise, Selassie I. Then the atmospheric dub versions follow, and theyโre worth holding onto. While the album naturally contains those vital conscious lyrics as it explores themes of exile, praises to Jah and respectful historic content, it does so with a certain dedication to classic reggae styles, from roots and dub, I’m thinking of groups like Black Uhuru and Burning Spear, and doesnโt waiver to dancehall, and it is this which ties the compilation together like the flow of River Jordan.ย
OCTOBER at The Wharf Theatre, Devizes arrives with a burst of creativity, variety and irresistible entertainment. This monthโs programme showcases everything that makes the Wharf Theatre such a beloved cultural home: bold theatre, international film, Shakespearean drama, laughโoutโloud comedy and the soaring power of live opera. Itโs a rich, colourful season designed to surprise, delight and keep audiences coming back for more…..
The month begins on 1st October at 7.30pm, when Devizes Film Club presents the awardโwinning foreignโlanguage treasure Fremont. Quietly powerful, gently humorous and visually striking, Fremont has earned international acclaim for its delicate storytelling and emotional depth. This is world cinema at its finestโthoughtful, human and beautifully crafted. For film lovers, itโs an unmissable start to the autumn season.
From 8thโ10th October at 7.30pm each night, the spotlight shifts to the 17thโcentury stage with Playhouse Creatures, April De Angelisโ celebrated play exploring the lives of the first women to perform professionally in English theatre. Brought vividly to life by local company 3rdThird Theatre, this production blends wit, grit and historical insight, celebrating the resilience, rivalry and sheer determination of the women who changed theatre forever. Expect passion, humour and a compelling ensemble performance.
On 18th October at 8pm, jealousy takes centre stage as Shakespeare Live presents Shakespeareโs Green Eyed Monster. This dynamic collection of scenes dives into the Bardโs most gripping explorations of envyโfrom simmering suspicion to explosive rage. Performed by a talented local company with a reputation for clarity, energy and accessibility, itโs a thrilling way to experience Shakespeareโs emotional fireworks up close.
Laughter erupts on 23rd October at 7.30pm, when Hambledon Productions bring their professional touring show The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town to Devizes. Inspired by Spike Milligan and Ronnie Barkerโs iconic sketch, this riotous stage adaptation promises gleeful silliness, sharp satire and a lovingly chaotic romp through Victorian London. Itโs comedy with heritageโand guaranteed hilarity.
The month concludes with operatic splendour as White Horse Opera return from 27thโ31st October with La Traviata, Verdiโs timeless masterpiece. Featuring soaring melodies, sumptuous costumes and a talented amateur cast from across Wiltshire, this production offers all the romance, tragedy and musical brilliance that have made La Traviata one of the worldโs most cherished operas. Itโs a perfect autumn treat for seasoned operaโgoers and newcomers alike.
And before the Wharf transforms for its magical Christmas production of Peter Pan, thereโs one November gem you wonโt want to miss: Don Quixote (is a very big book) by Opposable Thumb Productions. Fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe and presented in association with DOCA, this inventive, anarchic and joyously theatrical retelling of Cervantesโ epic is a whirlwind of imagination and comic brilliance.
October at The Wharf Theatre is packed with stories, music, laughter and unforgettable performances.
Our trustworthy Gazelle & Herod reported today that โdisgracefulโ behaviour in Devizes Market Place has elevated into a dental issueโฆ. Publishing an article which statesโฆ
In 2027, British Museum exhibition curator Michael Lewis and medieval historian Janina Ramirez will be appearing at Fromeโs Cheese & Grain for an exclusive talkโฆ
OCTOBER at The Wharf Theatre, Devizes arrives with a burst of creativity, variety and irresistible entertainment. This monthโs programme showcases everything that makes the Wharfโฆ
Images: Jess Worrow Ah, for the connotations of US drive-in movie theaters, now in decline over the pond, but embedded as characteristic romantic americana; theโฆ
I can be sent an album, review it because I love it, and put the artists atop of my cognitive must-see list. Although the list will grow as time progresses, Iโm the elephant with a knotted trunk, awaiting some legendary local venue to announce, yeah, weโve got these guys comingโฆโฆ
In this case the legendary venue is the most apt for this act locally, it is the worshipped Barge on Honeystreet, and the band are the cider-infused Cornish scrumpy & western choir with a message to breakneck Balkan beats, 3 Daft Monkeys; Iโm jumping on this bed and if I hit my head Iโm waiting for no mama to call the doctorโฆ..
It seems the further west country you trek, across thar cider border, the crazier folk meshed danceable energy embellishes, with carefree counter-culture vibes. But, slightly eastwards to us thereโs the remaining outpost of sanity, rejecting todayโs mangled status quo and botched mainstream society. For those in agreement, The Barge is a temple, and a wharfside campsite, holding a spiritual synergy of its own making, and perhaps a few crop circles.
If Iโm going to see 3 Daft Monkeys on my doorstep, there isnโt a better place to do so. So, Saturday 26th September marks the occasion, owner Lenny No Strings supports. Lenny and his team have continued the authentic nonconformist vibe of the place, and transformed The Barge into the kind of place weโd have wanted it to be back in the nineties, with a homely festival vibe.
Itโs been two years since I fondly reviewedInformation Camouflage, 3 Daft Monkeyโs 2024 album, and Iโm delighted for the possibility of finally catching them live. At the time they described their latest release as โa rich, life-affirming tapestry that masterfully blends world folk inspirations with wild punk-infused energy and modern storytelling,โ and I could only agree. I said Information Camouflage called to me, as I โyearn for the alternative, the quirky and curious counterculture,โ and it bears such hallmarks. I made reference to its melting pot, citing punk, ska, gypsy folk and bonkers west country underground. I hailed its frenzied fiddles, frivolous beats, poignant messages and its dreamy psychedelic vaudeville.
I also said at the time; โall this album has done, other than entertain me highly, is confirm that, if they were playing a festival Iโm at, and my mates wanted to go do something different, Iโd be saying โsee you later,โ and making haste for the stage 3 Daft Monkeys are on!โ But unfortunately that didnโt happen, Iโm not getting any younger, so I hope to be there.
I mean, I could scribe a few words about this event, probably I will, because thatโs standard issue with me now, like a lost little diarist. But donโt leave me lonely there, waiting for me to tell you what you missed! Tickets are HERE.
If it’s not unusual for Wiltshire singer-songwriter Ruby Darbyshire to break out the bagpipes at a gig, it’s often for a solo stint of piping. Yet Ruby continues to experiment with ways she can merge piping into her music, and this, recorded last weekend at Ilfracombe Maritime Festival, shows Ruby at her best, backed with a band playing a tribute to the victim of the worst miscarriage of justice in British history, Clive Freeman….
It was sent to us via Ruby herself, and we love it. Please like and share this video, it is outstanding. It explains why we support this artist as much as we do, hope to see her performing here soon, and wished we were in Ilfracombe last weekend! This is a watch party, I’ll say no more!
Congratulations to Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts, who announced yesterday that they’ve been awarded a substantial National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council Englandโฆ.
This is amazing news for everyone in Devizes, on the day of their carnival, which in recent years required Devizes Town Council to subside it after years of Arts Council cuts prevented DOCA’s most elaborate free events from going ahead.
Could we see a return of the beloved street festival? DOCA say they will launch โA Season of Discovery,โ a brand-new summer and autumn programme of festivals, live music, workshops and performance across Devizes and the surrounding area.
When I think back over the years at all the fantastic events DOCA has produced for us, this news gives me hope we can recapture the spirit of them once more. Carnival, today, tomorrow, who knows?!
With an AI-powered poster so excruciating I cannot bring myself to show it here, this yearโs Wiltshire Music Awards announce the lineup for their ceremony. Should we judge a book by its cover?! The event looks great, but the AI epidemic has infected this, and is so cringeworthy it doesnโt invite attention, which is a shame when the tagline reads โinspiring Wiltshireโฆ..โ
I canโt look at it for too long at a time; itโs got an Oscar on it! Why has it got an Oscar on it?! Isnโt suggesting itโs the most prestigious awards in the film industry raising expectations somewhat?! Itโs on Saturday 14th November, at The Melksham Assembly Hall, not Hollywood. Oscars may/may not be presented at the ceremony, that is unconfirmed.
What is confirmed is raising the bar several notches over the marketing; some top local acts, with an odd opening presentation. If you see me there and Iโm sporting a cresting scumbucketed shirt and misted glasses, itโs because thereโs a burlesque chair dance introduction! Begging the question, what burlesque has to do with musicians in Wiltshire winning awards, but when you get to my age you canโt be picky.
What I do love about it is Talk in Code, 5 Nights at Adyans, Ruby Darbyshire and Fly Yeti Fly are on the roster, and The Syvertones will be entertaining during the break. Some great acts which truly represent the local music scene.
And thereโs an after party with the Unpredictables, DJ Alex, and some random chap who remains unnamed on the poster! Tickets are ยฃ12.50 from HERE.ย I cannot abide by this AI pandemic any longer. I will joke about it, and encourage organisers not to use it; but while it is unwelcome here, perhaps we should compromise when it’s a great event, supporting local musicians.
Update: poster changed, due to my whingeing too much time on my hands ramt!
Newlywed, what lengths would you want your partner to go to with their wedding speech and gift? A six track EP of the most beautifully self-penned sentimental love songs?! Well, sorry, but honestly, unless youโre luckily now married to twenty-five year old Ed Sheeran-endorsed Chippenham singer-songwriter Luke Gittins, I think youโre asking a bit much!
Congratulations to the couple, wishing them all the best of health and happiness on their journey together. But, yeah, cheers Luke; thankfully Iโm already happily married, but youโve set the bar quite high with this! Will every bride-to-be now be expecting their partner to break out the acoustic guitar and deliver vocals smooth enough to charm the pants off a donkey?! Because, if so, this might not end well! Certainly nothing as breathtakingly close to For A Lifetime.ย ย
If thereโs a reason why Ed Sheeran praised Luke, invited him on stage at the O2 Arena and to open his Berlin show, itโs not hidden within this EP, itโs on show in the opening bars. For all I know, his wife might prefer drum & bass, but if it was me, Iโd be bowled out for six! This is David Gray losing his Roland Groovebox, this is Noah Kahan playing Vermont. Itโs rich with textures, divine in delivery, but the sincerity of the prose in the song-writing is kingpin.
An honest breath of fresh air, each song is a meticulously crafted expression, simply but effectively. The pulsating yet subtle beat of the opening title track took me to Iโm on Fire, and could easily cool Springsteenโs desire. It also serves as an epilogue to the EPโs narrative, talking of their first kiss and the change it made within him.
The second song concerns itself with the sensations of love and how unbelievable it can feel to find your soulmate, wrapped in a title of a wedding vow. Whereas the third is more metaphorical, using the unpredictable English weather to suggest their relationship will overcome the odds.
The fourth is akin to Billy Joelโs Just The Way You Are, whereas Home expresses the place of memories, and though perhaps a cliche theme, Luke knocks it out of the park like a delicacy savoured, and lends the listener to be far too engulfed in the beauty of the EP to be concerned about any overused subject. These are classic sentiments expressed before, but Luke revisits them with the talent to make it fresh sounding; thatโs the lucidity here. It ends as smooth as the intro, with a brimful of everlasting sentiment. And with that, this is a timeless work.
Playing guitar and writing since the age of eight, Lukeโs popularity blossomed during the lockdown, sharing covers on TikTok. This is his second release since his debut, Waited A Lifetime in 2023. The personal tenderness of For A Lifetime reflects, with any song on it clasping the potential to rival John Legendโs first dance song, All of Me. Now, get on and do the dishes, Luke!
Congratulations to Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts, who announced yesterday that they’ve been awarded a substantial National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council Englandโฆ. This isโฆ
Looking at the evidence presented by the media on the Shayne Hambakachere case in Chippenham, unless there is something weโre not being told Iโm ofโฆ
With an AI-powered poster so excruciating I cannot bring myself to show it here, this yearโs Wiltshire Music Awards announce the lineup for their ceremony.โฆ
The Wharf Theatre production presents an electrifying confrontation between artistic truth and political authority, with a content warning! Howard Barkerโs Scenes from an Execution isโฆ
Following a stand out long weekend of blues and americana at the Hillbilly Hootenanny, Victoria and I managed to squeeze most of the Saturday of Flocksteady Bleats into a busy weekend of grown-up stuff and birthday dinnersโฆ
Neither of us would declare an informed opinion on reggae, other than knowing we like some reggae, but not educated enough to know what sort of thing it was in a very wide genre (perils of genre pigeonholes shortly!)
So, we expected some familiar themes and sounds, we have classic reggae down with some Trojan records box sets Iโve had decades, most of Bobโs original albums, and a few more here but thatโs all- old school traditional reggae; mellow, principled, full of steady beats, and rhythm and love for music.
Before I waffle on a little about some wonderful bands, I want to touch on genres, brieflyโฆ
Obviously, reggae and ska have been infused in popular culture, as well as roots music for generations; original punks I know love reggae, and ska, and vice versa. Thatโs perhaps about identity, attitude, and lifestyle delivered from different angles.
It occurred to me immediately that the first band we caught, Technicolour Steam Train were reminiscent of The Beat (saw them a few times and love them) or The Selector.. they certainly had the brass and the skanking vibes down; yet they were rubbing shoulders with the lively presence of Da Fuchaman, perhaps a current take on a diverse scene maybe and more traditional laid back grooves of The MCAuff family and The Ligerians..
In all fairness the Baa team had been clever in all things marketing, the colours and some of the great names on the flyers gave a ready impression of reggae and beat-laden tunes to someone like myself ignorant to the detail or in fact to any of the bands other than sadly not being able to make the Friday for The Intercepteurs, who a good friend of mine was there to see, knowing them as she does very well and I was assured they played a blinder!
Other than some Google searching which had us tapping our toes, and feeling like this would be educational, we would unavoidably come away with slightly improved knowledge and likely new music to play at home!
The headline in all of this is to try something different. The line-ups here stretch across broader styles, I imagine deliberately so, and by doing so, broaden our horizons within a comfortable and fun environment. There are kids dancing, there are older couples relaxing in comfy chairs together, there are whatever we are variously dancing (especially Vickie!) or enjoying the spectacle with a cocktail! Itโs a wonderful way to experience music, perhaps the best way.
Try something different and surprise yourself, at the Baa, if one band is not your thing the next one will be different enoughโฆ perhaps they will be?
We found ourselves enjoying most of it; meeting many of the musicians, chatting about their sets, and buying CDโs, which I have been listening to all week. Certainly to someone like myself for whom the soundtrack to my life provides the much needed balance to remember all that is good about humans, that life is good, even if the world can be more immediately thought of as bad or difficult..this music has a relaxing and positive impact, which is well suited to our times.
By the way, we got exactly what we envisaged, armed with the knowledge from our first visit, a different crowd, largely, I think but the same relaxed, safe, fun atmosphere, and great music.
So, here are some thoughts on the most impactful of the dayโs bands for us:
Technicolour Steam Train-
A young looking band, a confident, bouncing, literally frontman delivering great songs, to long time fans of The Beat, like us, his getting the crowd skanking was great.. and they certainly did that!
Awesome musicians, hard-working brass musicians on one side were holding much of the core sound, something that is a delightful part of this kind of music for me.
Like my previous opinion stated, seeing live music is different gravy, their enjoyment, and instruments to the fore, which are not a part of, or at least so front and centre of the sound as they were here in many bands. Itโs great seeing how or what they play when you are appreciating the music.
At times a sort of more modern sounding rhyming, not necessarily so much our thing but impressive none the less, as itโs certainly an amazing skill when the lyrics are delivered with such haste!
Da Fuchaman & the Fire Blaze Band-
Lyrics exploring music as a conduit to leaving your troubles behind, and positive thinking can probably resonate and lift most people who experience the huge presence of this amazing collective.
The larger than life stage presence and energy of its Jamaican born front man and singer, the awesome way he brings his singing troupe to the fore, taking the lead, and ensuring they have a strong voice.. doing their own tracks in the set too.
Not sure what an expert would call the particular sound but we loved it, uplifting and certainly updated over our limited previous knowledge of reggae, with seriously good vibes.
Dancing about in the audience, getting them lifting, bouncing, getting us singing a few songs in his set you can only respect. We had the pleasure of a brief chat with him after, and there is another thing about this sweet spot in festival or venue size, you can experience a huge range of bands with different followings, and you can often say โHiโ, you can talk about the music, you can share appreciation if youโve had a great time, get your CD signed as a reminder of the first time you saw them.. none of that goodness is available outside the live experience.
The McAnuff family & the Ligerians โ
This was an astounding headline set from an incredibly accomplished band, The only UK date so it would appear on this tour.
An incredible ensemble of Jamaican singers, and a French band. Taking to the internet the following day we learned Winston McAnuff visited a session recording of his daughter, Nadia and the Ligerians, who she had been working with, from a spontaneous experience that day. A family tour was envisaged, bringing his son Kush alongside them all to form something truly special from some of the leading lights of Jamaican reggae.
The band are incredible, a tightness you can readily recognise in any good band who have toured together, the experience and confidence in musicianship was evident, we were completely blown away, danced through much of this set too, and bought CDโs which have barely been off the hi-fi this week!
Whilst we learn more about reggae, this will be a baseline experience.. this is the sort of reggae we could listen to all the time, itโs so relaxing, the positivity and calmness of the overall sound is amazing.
So, thereโs the verdict, music is good for you, live music is even better, live music in a field near home is a valuable and exciting addition to regular gigs in permanent venues, and get out there support the amazing humans and try new things, you will likely find if you trust your instinct you will open doors to new things and good people.
We spoke to and danced with people all over the place, with a common appreciation.
This week The Baa posted a general open statement inviting enquiries from bands, and who people who follow them and attend festivals want to see, inviting us to drop top picks to consider for next year.
They were inundated, many of us attendees were finding ourselves returning with more comments excited to see bands we love that would be a good fit for the venue considered; thatโs what a community building momentum looks like, isnโt it?! Itโs a big part of what makes the local scenes what they are, that respect, support, and adulation for the artists and the promoters who work so bloody hard to make our chances to make memories happen.
I covered my general favourable and appreciative thoughts on The Baa as a place and team well in my recent piece for the Hillbilly Hootenanny, but all the same I would like to say a huge thanks to all of them; you are all hard-working, but appeared very happy! You certainly know how to run a great event, we didnโt come last year, but it seems clear that the Baa has built a solid community, which is growing and we will be back next year.
When dates and details are available, we will be plotting to see some part of all three events with luck.
Apart from the one souvenir shot of the authors, all of the amazing pictures of this weekend are used with kind permission from Alice Rose Photography, check her out, the pics from all this yearโs events at the Baa are next level, and as they say โa picture paints a thousand words.โ
Thank you and โHappy Giggingโ from Ben & Victoria!
While The Hebrew Bible depicts women in composite roles, from submissive domestic positions in a patriarchal society to powerful figures of leadership excelling moral courage,โฆ
By Ben Romain. Images: ยฉAlice Rose Photography Following a stand out long weekend of blues and americana at the Hillbilly Hootenanny, Victoria and I managedโฆ
Nearly September, time to sew those name tags onto school uniforms. Still, loads to entertain you throughout the month. Iโve exhausted our ever-updating event calendar,โฆ
Nearly September, time to sew those name tags onto school uniforms. Still, loads to entertain you throughout the month. Iโve exhausted our ever-updating event calendar, do please check it out. I promise you, youโll have never seen so much information on things to do within a reasonable drive from Devizes, all collated and into one place!
Hereโs some highlights and recommendations. Not this is conclusive, please refer to the calendar for much more!
Week 1: 1st – 6th
Step into a glittering royal world with Lucy Worsley at the Forum in Bath on Tuesday 1st, or get jazzy with Linley Hamilton & Eddie Gripper Trio at Jazz Knights, Royal Oak, Swindon (every Tuesday that one.)
End of the Road Festival starts on Thursday 3rd. Punk powerhouse Boss Cass are at the Ruze in Chippenham, or try Ribble at The Castle, Swindon, with Tamsin Quin in support.
Friday 3rd: The Strange Days Festival starts over at The Barge on HoneyStreet with Henge and Dom Jolly headlining, preview HERE. GoatFest also kicks off in Goatacre, and the Ley Lines Festival, nr Stonehenge.
Triple header at The Pump in Trowbridge with Lucky Number 7, Intrusive and Battery Acid. Saint Six at The Ruze. Neil Young โHarvestโ Celebration Show at Chapel Arts, Bath. Salisburyโs Fayre on the Square has The Tipsy Gypsies. And, The Leveller play Salisbury City Hall; wowzers!!
Saturday 5th: is Devizes Carnival. Midnight Hour at The Three Crowns and the new season at Long Street Blues Club opens with Lightninโ Willie and the Poorboys: Preview HERE.
Motorbike ride-in at Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance Airbase. Car Park Fiesta at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, Ashton Barn Festival near Trowbridge too.
Blue Water Giants at The Old Town Hall, Trowbridge. The Pump has Regal Cheer & Mulch & Pebble Daisy. Thereโs a Charity Ball in aid of Breast Cancer Live at The Ruze in Chippenham. The Chippenham Record and Art Fair at the King Alfred Hall.
Fundraiser Base Connection at Salisbury Arts Centre with Salisbury Live City Stereo, Tides, Things Behind The Sun, Mossy Depths, Love Is Enough, CharmType, Five Nights At Adyans and Rosie Jay playing for the Thomas Thelk Fund.
Sunday 6th: erm, Kula Shaker at The Cheese & Grain, or The Amazing Bubble Man at PoundArts!
Week 2: 7th- 13th
Two words: Swindon Shuffle. Running from Monday until Sunday the 13th, the best time you will have in Swindon, ever! And helping Prospect Hospice too, we wish The Shuffle a happy 20th Birthday.
Chippenham Film Festival 2026 runs from Tuesday 8th to Sunday 13th.
Wednesday 9th, and youโll find Devizes new town crier Capability Charlotte reading & social, Make Way for Lucia at The Churchill, West Lavington. An amateur production of Pink Mist, presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals at The Mission Theatre Bath, opens and runs until Saturday 12th.
Thursday 10th: Trowbridge Comedy Club has Milton Jones at The Civic. Swindonโs Wyvern brings you an evening with one of the worldโs top rugby referees, Nigel Owens MBE, and for a complete contrast the Cheese & Grain in Frome presents Elvana, an Elvis Fronted Nirvana! But hey, Iโd recommend the Bob Marley tribute Legend at Salisbury City Hall. Itโs the Mucky Weekender near Winchester too.
Friday 11th: Icons of the Sky opens at Longleat, running until 13th. The Jane Austin Festival in Bath. Langford Beer Festival. The Haunting of Hill House opens at Salisbury Playhouse, running until 3rd October.
Gigs; Steve Knightley at St Peterโs Marlborough. Old Baby Mackerel at Pound Arts. Talk In Code at The Ruze, Chippenham.
Saturday 12th is Devizes Heritage Day, lots of open days across the town; until, the dinosaurs come! Jurassic Park open air cinema at Hillworth Park. Also, Devizes Bike Fest.
Minety Beer & Cider Festival, continues on Sunday. The Hammervilles are at Tuckers in Faulkland.
Sunday 13th, donโt miss Rachel Sinnetta & Jolyon Dixon at The Three Crowns, Devizes, Proms in Hilworth Park from 2pm with Devizes Town Band, and a charity football match at Devizes FC Vs Lacock FC.
Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance Paws Charity Dog Show, in Oare: preview HERE. Ramsbury Silver Band at Queens Park, Swindon from 15:00-16:30.ย
Week 3: 14th- 20th
Monday 14th, Oexmann Art Award Competition and Exhibition at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes. Tuesday and David Coulthard & Mika Hรคkkinen talk at The Forum, Bath; vrooom!
125 Years Of Jazz Piano at The Wyvern Theatre, Balls at The Mission Theatre, Bath, and David Essex at The Forum; options!
Thursday 17th and here we go, Pewsey! The Wheel-beero race!
Deadlight Dance & Flowers of Sacrifice at The Tuppenny, Tim Holehouse & B-Sydes at The Castle, and George Montague at The Vic, all in Swindon.
Friday 18th: Rich Hallโs Chin Music at Melksham Assembly Hall. Grassroots Band Night at The Ruze. Sam Grassie at The Old Town Hall in Trowbridge, Pityspeed, Steatopygous, Byford Dolphin Incident and Kride at The Pump. Slagerij at The Vic, Swindon, and Days in the Sun Festival opens in Gloucestershire.
Saturday 19th sees The Devizes Food & Drink Festival begin, with the free Artisan Producerโs Market at the Market Place. The festival runs until the 27th, all events are listed on our calendar. Itโs also the legendary Pewsey Carnival.
Ska night with Ya Freshness & the Big Boss Band at The Lamb, Trowbridge, with Luke De-Sciscio & In Silver playing the Pump. The Koolkatz at Melksham Rock n Roll Club, a
Celestial Night at The Ruze, and The Reflections, Oscars & Golddiggers Reunion at Venom in Westbury; tidy!
Simon Brodkin at the Wyvern, Swindon, Hamlet: The Musical at The Mission Theatre, Bath.
Sunday 20th and Jazz Deloren is at The Barge, Honeystreet. Highworth Silver Band at Town Gardens, Swindon from 15:00-16:30.
Week 4: 21st- 30th
Howard Barkerโs Scenes from an Execution opens on Monday 21st at The Wharf Theatre, Devizes, and runs until September 26th. An exploration of art clashing with politics and religion set in 16th-century Venice.
Wicked comedian Mike Rice brings his Cruel Little Man tour to Komedia, Bath on Monday and Swindon Arts Centre on Tuesday. While Tuesdayโs offering at Jazz Knights, Royal Oak, Swindon is Brass Band Bychan, a Sousaphone.
Find internationally acclaimed cellist Steven Isserlis CBE at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon on Wednesday 23rd. Joe McCorriston at The Pulpit, Swindon, comedianย Josh Pugh at The Wyvern, Swindon, but over in Bath, Eric Idle talks at Komedia, and Alan Davies is at The Forum.ย
Thursday 24th and itโs the opening of Marlborough Literature Festival, with lots going on for bookworms and creatives, until Sunday 27th.
Now You See Me, Now You Donโt! at The Mission Theatre, Bath, and Amรฉlie at The Rondo opens on Thursday, running until Saturday. Join two-time Olivier Award-winning actor Trevor Eve in conversation at Salisbury Arts Centre, Thursday, and Cloudbusting, the Kate Bush tribute is at Salisbury City Hall.
Friday 25th September, Virgil & The Accelerators return to Long Street Blues Club, Devizes after twelve years since they played there. Supported by Devizes-own Burn the Midnight Oil.
Sketchbook Records presents Fightmilk, Hark! A Shark! Spiderhoney and Shutterspeed at The Pump in Trowbridge. The Lost Trades & Ruby Darbyshire are at The Ruze in Chippenham. Martin Kempโs โBack To The 80s Partyโ at King George V Playing Fields, and thereโs comedy at Melksham Assembly Hall with Marcus Brigstocke, Zoe Lyons and Matt Bragg.
Saturday 26th, is the Colour Rush and Confetti Battle in Devizes, and a Thrive Sustainability Day at St Andrews. 3 Daft Monkeys are at The Barge, Honeystreet. Award-winning folk band from Quebec, Le Vent Du Nord at Wiltshire Music Centre.
Raving at The Vic in Swindon with Diversify 26, Swindonโs Multi Genre Dance Event, while rock legends Magnum play Fromeโs Cheese & Grain.
Sunday 27th sees the ending of The Devizes Food & Drink Festival with the free World Food Day at the Corn Exchange. But thats also the end of our highlights for September, at least on a full stomach!
But this is just a smidgen of the stuff already listed on our event calendar, so bookmark it and check in, because more is being added all the time, well, nearly all the time!!
I’m not going to tell you what town centre or venue it was in the headline; just like them. But this isn’t about good nor bad publicity. Unlike them, you’re not even finding out if you click on this badass bias baloney!
And, important point: if you do know the venue don’t be a twat and name it in the comments of this article’s Facebook share. I will only delete it.
Don’t mind me and my tricks, I’m just disappointed with Newsquest.. again! So, a bit of a rumble in an urban jungle, police swept in; it happens, often, but news of them rarely gets published. For some reason they felt the need to cover this one, and point the finger at the nearest independent music venue, only around 500 yards up the road from their featured photograph.ย
Would you’ve read about it if it was on the outskirts of a Wetherspoons, or a McDonalds? Unlikely they’d bite the hand which feeds them; they’ve the capital to take out a full page spread. But a newly opened independent music venue peddling over the dodgy cobblestones of the hospitality industry, why not jab a stick through their spokes?!
If it smells like clickbait it probably is. I just can’t help reading more into this; ideal real estate surrounding the place, political ballyhoo. Retail is dead, unfortunately. Here’s an area only nightlife and the arts can save, but out of the starting trap they pelt, gung-ho slandering a local trio who only wished to freely supply some live music to the area.
Would it be such a target if replaced for a Wagamamma or Greggs?!
If you call out hypocrisy because โit’s a local newspaper for local people,โ you’re incorrect; it’s a national company publishing hundreds of so-called local organs across the country. Ever wonder what happened to the stories about Mrs Farnsworth’s prize-winning turnip, or the dog who went into a burning house to save his master’s war medals? All gone, replaced by national headlines, rightwing bias local politics or scoops slamming local businesses who can’t afford to advertise with them.
Elsewhere in the county a teenager was stabbed; a dispute over a bag of plants, and, unless we’re being withheld from vital intelligence in the reports published, it looks like a serious miscarriage of justice. A responsible local newspaper should focus, rally the public and councillors for an inquiry. But, one poxy report on the verdict and it’s brushed under the carpet. Where’s the โpure cold rageโ response from the far right knuckle-draggers on this one? Nowhere, because while most of us see in colour, local papers concentrate on clickbait put downs of local establishments instead.
Exaggerating? Moi? Perhaps a smidgen. They didn’t directly accuse the venue, but everyone can read between the lines. Everyone could suggest, โooh, not going there, if there’s trouble,โ and tag their mates to warn them too. But only those with at least half a brain cell know a fight could potentially erupt outside a Christianย Science Reading Room, or anywhere else unlikely you could care to name.
If their aim was to professionally publish a balanced piece they’d have approached the owners for a quote, but the first thing they heard about it was the article itself, and they were left to put their point across in the comments section of the Facebook share! As if anyone reads the comments.
Sure, the rag published a story about them opening, snapped a photo of the frontage when driving past, copied and pasted the press release. Whereas the milkman went down there for the opening. And, he saw a great venue, friendly faces, and door staff for safe guarding. A venue booming with potential, already booking local acts, and he saw the owners, with a mixture of excitement and dedication on their faces, and maybe a little anxiety about crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s. That’s because they reached their goal and are passionate about creating a space to showcase and fund local musicians. That’s something we’d angle positively on here at Devizine.
They certainly didn’t open it as a bare knuckle boxing venue, so to entice the public to outcry because of an unfortunate incident in the vague vicinity is unfair, and deliberately defamatory, in my honest opinion.
Formed just two years ago at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury, award-winning four-piece youth band, 5 Nights at Adyans, look set to release their highly-anticipated debut album, The Turn for the 30th anniversary of the prominent community youth music initiative, Bass Connection, at Salisbury Arts Centre on Saturday 5th Septemberโฆ..
I confess I was uneasy about pressing play on the link they sent. In a chat, a little birdy compared them to Devizesโ export Nothing Rhymes with Orange, likely because said birdy knows how much I like them. While now, NRWO are producing concentrated material merging boundaries, they cut their teeth here with quick and catchy indie-punk-pop. I therefore, assumed this would be along similar lines.
The link sent was 5 Nights at Adyansโ initial takes of songs to appear on the album, in an unedited, raw format. While sometimes raw can work, with thrashy punky sounds it usually doesnโt do the band justice compared to the final masters. However, itโs far from โthrashy,โ certainly not โtrashy,โ and I couldnโt have been more pleasantly surprised as I was.
Five tunes, conveniently one for each night at Adyans; I love them all! But the unexpected twist is this; with an incredibly expressive vocal range to make Jim Morrison blush, thereโs a majority of elements more akin to classic prog rock riffs than than the punk annihilation I was expecting because of the wonky verbal comparison I received!
Throughout the tracks they sent, thereโs swirly psychedelic elements of a sixties acid band, crashing bridges of The Nice, the blues rock of Cream, intense ballad moments and the unstoppable moody layer-building of Led Zeppelin, rather than anything to come out of Busted or Blink 182. The band recently posted a pastiche of the Oasis album cover for Morning Glory to their Facebook page, with themselves posing as Liam and Noel do on it. Here they joked, asking if their fans thought it would make a good cover design; Iโd suggest it gives the wrong impression, as Iโd not compare this to ephemeral Britpop either.ย
Darling You Got Me came across as a nicely flowing blues-rock introduction, with a hot step to it, and it was all go from the off. But it was the following, Final Location which especially captured my ear, as the tempo slowed to ballad; if thereโs punk there itโs subtle at best, matured. Itโs gorgeously expressive and emotive, but Final Location isnโt an exception; it becomes the rule.
Tear it Apart also goes there, albeit upbeat, like Rush. Title track Turn brings the dramatic to an apex. The emotional outpour is in full splendour, would appease anyone coming from an aged rock spectrum, and theyโd likely assume 5 Nights at Adyans have been at it since 1976! With this thought in mind, this band could save your multi-generational festival!
At times itโs also the mood-shifting sentiment more akin to soft metal rather than grunge. I mean this as the highest compliment, because moodswing is one thing metal could do exceptionally, when it came to aiming into an eighties pop chart. Think how Guns & Roses timelessly transcend the changing trends with their power ballads, like The Doors did decades earlier, whereas the others โhalfway thereโ and โfinal countdowningโ failed the test of time with their commercially viable pop-rock, now only drunken party night nostalgia can save.
I hope you get what I mean?! Because you can go back to a song like Break on Through to the Other Side; itโs enduring. You can unearth Pink Floyd and listen to them again, find new solace with The Who, but often modern sounds fail to stand that test of time. If the finale of The Turn, Knots has an indie, even grunge twinkle, Iโd still liken it more to something classic rock.
Thereโs no three-minute hero here. All the songs are thoughtfully written and composed, are full-bodied and complete odysseys, but being a debut, I predict, might not necessarily age like fine wine, because hereโs a progressive band screaming with potential to produce something far greater than the sum of these current parts, cool though they are. In years to come they should reflect back proudly on this beginning, because itโs exceptionally impressive.
Surprised and impressed, with high hopes, Salisbury-based 5 Nights at Adyans certainly took me on a journey. It never fails to amaze how attuned youth can be, from a sixth form band to achieving remarkable regional recognition recently, vocalist Owen Morgan, guitarist Toby Allen, bassist Jasper Hill and drummer Thomas Clarke might spend 5 Nights at Adyans, but going on this debut, should be spending forthcoming decades concreted into rock history.
Find them on Facebook and Instagram, and await for this debut with as much patience as you can bare!
Formed just two years ago at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury, award-winning four-piece youth band, 5 Nights at Adyans, look set to release their highly-anticipatedโฆ
September is a week away; parents will be brushing off school uniforms, but Devizes blues fans wonโt be dusting their brooms, because Long Steet Bluesโฆ
Whoa! What happened last night at the trusty Three Crowns?! What happened last night at the Three Crowns has clearly happened before, and happens mostโฆ
Featured Image: Antony Barkworth-Knight Despite intentionally making his tricks go wrong, Tommy Cooper was actually a skilled magician and member of The Magic Circle. SpongeBobโฆ
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Ruby Darbyshire, youโre most likely familiar with, unless you joined Devizine family readerโs circle today, has a new song on YouTube, one sheโsโฆ
Pleasantly surprised in July when an awesome new single from Devizesโ rootsy Americana with a gothic twist collective, Burn the Midnight Oil revealed a moreโฆ
September is a week away; parents will be brushing off school uniforms, but Devizes blues fans wonโt be dusting their brooms, because Long Steet Blues Club opens for the autumn/winter season on the first Saturday, the 5th with Lightnin’ Willie and the Poorboysโฆ..ย ย ย
After a long absence the club welcome back one of the club favourites from California, Lightning Willie and his backing band The Poorboys. Lightninโ Willie has a very distinctive approach to his music. He is a songwriter, singer and guitarist in that order. The sound is an irresistible blend of tradition and spontaneous creativity, with a deliciously insidious emphasis on the groove. It is a compelling, hard swinging brand of blues that, whenever he performs, packs the floor.
He has gone from the low down beer joints to become a staple on the international circuit, with wild stops along the way, from Londonโs Royal Albert Hall Igniter Series to Willie Nelsonโs infamous 4th of July Picnic, where he appeared alongside Paula Nelson, Willie, Bob Dylan, and Leon Russell.
Touring the United States and Europe for over twenty years has given him the relaxed, confident and sometimes humorous quality of a seasoned performer. These attributes have won him stacks of enthusiastic praise from the press while landing his original tunes on numerous film and television soundtracks.
Lightninโ Willie has the unique knack of bringing his audience into his โliving roomโ and making everyone comfortable while forgetting their problems for a couple of hours. At a recent show with legendary blues man Robert Cray they played to a packed house receiving a well deserved standing ovation. 2018 will find Willie on tour supporting his latest album No Black No White Just Blues.
Willie is backed by his superb band, The Poorboys – Giles King on harmonica, bassist Aaron McRobbie and drummer Paul ‘Nobby’ Birch. Support for the evening comes from Gordon Wood.
ON SALE NOW Advance Tickets are ยฃ18.00 from usual outlets or book online (online booking fee applies) Tickets ยฃ20.00 on the door.
Surprised your mobile didn’t sound the apocalyptic alarm to notify you about Wessex Water’s hosepipe ban?! Then, you’re a gullible idiot! But being 22,239 votersโฆ
Turned around in just a day, a team of guitar โheir huntersโ from Macclesfield called The Stray Chord have reunited Salisburyโs musician Jolyon Dixon withโฆ
Whoa! What happened last night at the trusty Three Crowns?! What happened last night at the Three Crowns has clearly happened before, and happens most weekends; Devizes folk old and particularly the young come to partyโฆ.
I’m aware of that much. But if the quality of the party rests in the hands of whoever is at the control tower, I’d not witnessed The Hot Juice Project boiling over the sides of this saucepan before.
All I know is one half of this duo, with the capability of sounding like they’ve doubled-up and are an exceptionally loud four-piece band, Jake Lockhart, as an acoustic singer and a short-lived frontman of local mod covers band, The Roughcut Rebels. In the few occasions I’ve met him, he usually comes across charming but mild-mannered, even slightly diffident.
The last time I met him was at the private invite opening of The Birdhouse in Trowvegas. He was entertaining acoustically solo, but being the nature of the event was to show off this fabulous new venue, participants were engrossed in conversation, rather than taking much notice of Jake. It was here we had a quick chat, as he shyly told me of The Hot Juice Project he’d created; a duo where he has creative freedom to replicate covers using loop pedals and other techy tricks.
I made a promise to him to check this out, next time he was doing it locally. So, despite my pilgrimage to the Southgate for Talk in Code, I decided to ensure I allot enough time to attend this too; glad I did, as The Three Crowns was having it.
They’d arrived via a multi-act all dayer gig in the Sham, reportedly under-attended due to insufficient advertising. Equally it can often be a slow start here, where the trend for the younger regulars, governed by economics, is to attend the local Spoons, then descend on the Three Crowns like an exodus, once they’ve acquired sufficient intoxication levels. But hey, despite a humble gathering, The Hot Juice Project were loud and proud, knocking out contemporary indie, punky covers with all the desirable force and quality of a full band.
I returned from the Gate suspecting this wonderful pub and the only one of its kind in town would be considerably fuller. I wasn’t mistaken. It was positively booming there, as The Hot Juice Project were in full flight, and their element. Knocking out beloved covers with such gusto, I was surprised to note Jake and his drummer and second vocalist Jack’s insane diversity and ability to absolutely and wholeheartedly rock out!
If, despite his earned accomplishments as a skilled singer and guitarist, Jake has been wrongly typecast in genre and style, possibly in order to cut his teeth on the local circuit, here, where singalong hard rock covers are worshipped, he shines like a beacon in an otherwise blackened seascape.
The Hot Juice Project selected a repertoire likely to be rejected from the average covers duo, for being too technical, or too hard sounding; such as their grunge finale smelling of Nirvana’s Teen Spirit, and especially those involving raps, such as The Chilli Peppers. But this duo deliver them with fired frenzy, and adroit precision.
It was indeed a sight to see, and for me, a pleasant surprise. I usually take grunge and modern harder-edged rock with a pinch, but the crowd was lapping it up. And it would be impossible for me to deny, if live music was a parcel delivery, The Hot Juice Project is not the courier to dump it in your blue wheelie bin and piss off! They’re the supermarket delivery boy eager for appraisal, who stands and waits until you’ve checked everything off and are satisfied. Perhaps even going overboard and offering to stack it in your fridge for you!
The result is a content crowd at the Three Crowns, and another success for the pub who knows exactly what buttons to press.
I must say, a few seconds delay with wandering between pubs could’ve hindered my ability to scribe both reviews for them. Two teenagers on a moped revved their hairdryer up the curb of the High Street and rallied full force through the dark walkway between the old Wilkos and redundant Four Seasons pub, only to alert two Devizes bobbies, moments before I would’ve walked through it!
Bored kids showing off I figured, ambiguously excused for their irresponsible and dangerous act, because there’s โnothing to doโ in Devizes.
Whereas whatever opinion the curtain-twitchers might make of youngsters drinking in a pub, the Three Crowns strictly age check and take safeguarding as paramount. At least they are contained there, and enjoying themselves. And when they are entertained they are not impelled to cause trouble or act in such a manner.
There’s never trouble at the Three Crowns. Townsfolk of all ages respect what the team has supplied far too much, and this reflects into a positive atmosphere with every attendance made. I tell landlord Simon, “they’re actually far better behaved than my generation ever was!โ Fact!
It is a testament to what can be achieved in an era of financial doubt and questionable management affecting the hospitality industry, and, as it continues to source high quality entertainment, the cover bands are welcomed by the masses. Many come and rock it, the Hot Juice Project made its mark last night to a colossal applause. The town should be proud of what a welcoming and universal establishment and a vital palace for letting your hair down the Three Crowns remains to be.
Congratulations are due to Wiltshire’s indie-pop sensation Talk in Code, for sealing a second sync representation agreement, this time with Play Equals Sync, a musicโฆ
Andy Burnham has urged shops to stop selling disposable barbecues amid the increase of wildfire risk. Meanwhile, Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs uncover horrific scenes of burntโฆ
Calling all dog-lovers, come and join the Paws Charity Dog Show! A fantastic day out for families and four-legged friends…. Paws Charity Dog Show is inโฆ
Isoceles Theatre Company Brings a Spine-Chillingย Dr Jekyll & Mr Hydeย to The Wharf Theatre, Devizes, on Saturday 29th August….. Devizes, Wiltshire | Saturday 29 August 2026โฆ
Guest written by Half-a job-Bob Hey-ho, Half-a-job-Bob here! Yeah, I’m a real Highways operative, and not just a puerile attempt at humour by a Conservativeโฆ
I’ve got this Jetpack app on my phone which allows me to make adjustments to the site. There’s a new feature on it notifying me of articles published on this day in previous years. It revealed that on this day last year I fondly reviewed Talk in Code’s single launch gig at The Vic in Swindon. Some things never change; last night I dropped into the Southgate where Talk in Code smashed it againโฆ
Some stage banter included drummer Jambo claiming he had a โlot to do back here,โ reminded me of the year they played the Fulltone Festival where he temporarily mislaid his drumsticks!ย
At the Vic Talk in Code play their homeground, whereas The Southgate is usually affiliated with blues or folk aficionados, and the Fulltone is an orchestral event. Although these three gigs vastly contrast, Talk in Code look equally comfy at either. If they were a creature from the Harry Potter universe they’d surely be the Occamy, a serpentine with choranaptyxic wings, allowing it the magical ability to grow or shrink to fit the exact size of the space it is in.
Just how the Occamy doesn’t change appearance, only size, neither does Talk in Code change their strictly original set, only to fit, yet still manage to thrill any crowd no matter the diversity of their bookings.
The essence of pop is imitable and “catchy,” not to be niche, or these days of sampling, even wholly original. A factor of non-commerciality is to be a cult. Talk in Code balances this with a popular fanbase, โthe Talkersโ and this unique yet universal synth indie style which, with multi-era influences any age can reflect off, appeals to a wide range. That’s the secret of Talk in Code and it never fails to entertain.
If Talk in Code time travelled back to the eighties, there’s little doubt in my mind they’d be a classic band akin to Duran Duran, Level 42 or perhaps Ah-Ha, and they’d be playing a stadium by now. Such is detrimental changes to the music industry they thrive locally, only sporadically reaching further afield. Amidst their fanbase they are that accomplished, and deserved, as they chant their songs back to them as if they really were pop stars. For in which case quantumly, they are.
Goody bags and Lego sets of the band among their merch suggest prime and strategic marketing, still you’ve got to be in the club to know it’s true; Talk in Code will thrill not just you, but your whole family young and old. I looked around at the people dancing at The Gate, as I often do to settle my appraisal as more than personal opinion, and it proves it, each and every time. And that’s why, yeah, I bash on about Talk in Code a lot, but maybe not too much!
I’ve actually a mission at the popular Three Crowns to highlight an act we’ve not mentioned before; the next review I’ll work on. But I could never allow myself to miss a Talk in Code gig at my local. Live music at The Southgate has been such a staple for so long now, it risks folk taking it for granted, but nights like this prove it still has what it takes to be that squeeze box of quality, especially in hosting original acts like Talk in Code.
The guys took a first half of their earlier and more obscure tunes, still rocking the Gate, and a second half whereby they celebrate this continued dedication to creating danceable indie-pop anthems. Safe in knowledge The Southgate was appeased, and I was so familiar the guys would carry out orders uncompromisingly, I headed off early to see what was occurring at The Three Crowns. Had I not been on a promise, I’d have stayed with Talk in Code, because pop demands an affliction for the familiar, at least it does when it’s as perfected as Talk in Code.
As for the Southgate, worthy gigs abound there every weekend. Keep in the loop via our event calendar, and pop down there. I endeavour to list them as they come in, though Facebook shares of their chalkboard can be more sporadic these days, and I forget to take a snap of it when Iโm there!!ย ย
by Claire Dunford, Co-Founder and Games Master at Chronicles and Companions Images by Simon Folkard Photography What do you think of when you hear Dungeonsโฆ
I would like to apologise to Devizes Town Councillor Iain Wallis for incorrect quotes in a spoof article concerning a BBC Wiltshire video we criticisedโฆ
You know, there’s umpteen articles, studies, and even a six and half minute YouTube video explaining that Steven Spielberg’s 1993 family sci-fi movie Jurassic Parkโฆ
Devizes Film Club is delighted to present the acclaimed coming-of-age dramaย DJ Ahmetย at the Wharf Theatre, Devizes, on Thursday 27 August 2026 at 7.30pm….. Fresh fromโฆ
New single from Swindonโs finest Americana singer-songwriter Jol Rose, the kind of artist whoโll finish a song and leave a jammed pub in such aweโฆ
Swindonite and founder member of XTC Colin Moulding released a new single last week, Want It Bad (The Pep Talks and Playing Fields of Old England). Itโs previewing a three-track CD single being released via Burning Shed. This is Moulding’s second single in five years, following 2021โs The Hardest Battle, but is it simply a smooth, rose-tinted specs wishful motivation, or is Colin really making plans for Nigel?!
In this single, Moulding continues to explore the distinctly English pop sensibility trademark of XTC, through qualities of melody, rhythm, variety, idiosyncratic subject matter and a bucketload of nostalgia. It began as a song of sport and camaraderie, but soon took on a broader meaning. Colin explained, โalthough this song started life as a sporting pep talk, it was clear that it could easily be thought of as a mantra for one’s own life ambitions whatever they may be. If you want something in this life you have to really want it. And if you really want it, youโll get it; that was my mantra.โ
And, like Paul McCartneyโs Wings, it is a lovely song of motivation from a mature, experienced professional, seemingly themed ambiguously, with meaning that could be interpreted by the listener. Itโs the accompanying video which unfortunately feels like a cringeworthy political allegory, and this causes any imagination the listener might have conjured, to collapse within itself.
Colin was born in Swindon in 1955 to a GWR worker and a laundrette wife and lived in Penhill. They were in every essence working class. Through jam sessions he met Andy Partridge around about 1972, introduced him to Terry Chambers and they formed the band Helium Kidz, which changed name to XTC. Through their angular guitar riffs considered pop in an era of punk and new wave, and an abrupt ending due to contractual disagreements with Virgin, they achieved only sporadic commercial success, but attracted a considerable cult following.ย
Thereโs therefore every reason for Colin to write a song about wanting it bad. But what is it he wants so bad? The video begins with Great British sporting achievements and more randomly, the Moon landing. Yet it wanders off onto some kind of patriotic kickback to an England of yore, with Colin handshaking a wealthy dummy, driving through the fields in a psychedelic dressed Morris Minor, is adorned with images of Lord Kitchener and spitfires, housewives marching village streets wearing gasmasks, and toy soldiers on a bandstand. The irony is, the video might feel like an Orphism collage influenced by Aardmanโs Sledgehammer, but appears to be prompted rather than created by Thomas Walsh, who is renowned for using AI slop. This is suspiciously AI, and I cannot abide by that.
Iโve no issue with patriotism, and rose tinted spec nostalgia, provided itโs divisive and supports equality, and the content here, while glorifying war, isnโt suggesting anything more. Except, similar cringeworthy AI creations are predominately used for far-right propaganda, causing the video to feel uneasily related to such politically motivated imagery; which is a shame. Particularly due to XTCโs most known hit โMaking Plans for Nigel,โ recently being used, for and against, the rise of Reform and fascism in England.
You can want something bad, you could strive to reach that goal, but, I quiver, as a professional musician, should you sacrilegiously destroy any further creativity with AI? And if you do, how in the good name of England’s green and pleasant land is that nostalgic in any shape or form?!
Nice song, shame about the video! Want It Bad is available on CD from the 18th September, exclusively via Burning Shed.
It shouldn’t be an issue. It should be good news that Wiltshire Council has voted in favour of flying the Pride flag on top of County Hall. But as Newsquest spreads the word, watch local knuckle-draggers gather on social media, competing for the most ingenious objecting comment, which least exposes their homophobia. But, is theโฆ
Devizes Food & Drink Festival announced their program of events last week, and the box office opens at 9am on Monday 10th August. Letโs fill up with whatโs onโฆ. As usual the festival opens with a free event, the Street Food & Artisan Market at Devizes Market Place on Saturday 19th September from 10am untilโฆ
Ah, here it is then, personally I think, while slightly irking, itโs not the end of the world as we know it, and Iโm the most random and sporadic procrastinator I know (itโs taken me a week to get this published!) Though, the thought of having to book at timeslot at the Recycling Centre hasโฆ
Despite intentionally making his tricks go wrong, Tommy Cooper was actually a skilled magician and member of The Magic Circle. SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biologist, and Benny Hill really was a milkman. In order to deride an art effectively you must first master it. It therefore stands to reason Matthew C. Whitaker, frontman of the cosplay prog-rave outfit HENGE, also has some highly acclaimed solo materialโฆ.
Matthew takes his February album Songs for the Weary on the road solo this October, opening in Belgium and the Netherlands before touring across the UK, including Fromeโs Cheese & Grainโs sister venue The Tree House on Wednesday 21st October.
The one and only time Iโve seen Henge was at the Cheese, making haste for the county border after fondly reviewing their album Journey to Voltus B last year, and it was a gig Iโd need to be abducted and lobotomised to forget. Matthewโs solo material can be equally as cosmic, as it drifts through gentle pieces for classical guitar, lush string arrangements, and subtle electronics, but it also contrasts vastly, and is a particularly mellower experience than Henge.
Thereโs cool jazz sax, whistles, fingerpicked guitar and delicate yet quirky observations in these hushed and patient patterns, taking you along with it as it drifts through space. Songs for the Weary has found a home on BBC Radio 6 Music, with singles Lucid Dreamer and Chestnut Tree championed by Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Craig Charles, and Deb Grant.
The run follows a widely praised set of UK and European dates earlier this year, when Whitaker was joined on stage by the album’s producer and multi-instrumentalist Alan Keary. This time, he takes to the stage completely solo.
Manchester-based musician and composer Matthew sings about losing a train of thought, which is apt, it twinkles through you like Bowie at his most exquisite or Paulโs later work with The Beatles, backed by Peter, Paul and Mary, for an episode of Button Moon.
And before you say it, milkman is an art; it can take years to master the three-bottle-grip whilst being chased by an enraged Yorkshire terrier up a garden path.
May 1936, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I stood with his exiled family on Paddington Station. Before being advised to flee Ethiopia, so he could addressโฆ
It was back in March last year when I last mentioned Devizes author Dave McKenna,ย reviewing his debut, The Killer & The Catalyst. He’s returned withโฆ
By Andy Fawthrop Folk Me! – Another Great Local Music Festival You donโt necessarily need a long pedigree to stage a successful music festival, butโฆ
In In 1981 John Sullivan created a deadpan simpleton character for his sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. Immortalised by the late Roger Lloyd-Pack, Trigger wouldโฆ
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Ruby Darbyshire, youโre most likely familiar with, unless you joined Devizine family readerโs circle today, has a new song on YouTube, one sheโs been playing at recent gigs. Here the track has a subtle piano added, and those wonderful brush drum strokes texturing it with that smooth jazzy ambience, yet with poignant narrative too. Give God is Offline a quick whirl, and bless your earsโฆ
Ruby mentioned working on this song when we talked in May. โIt was inspired by our recent trip to Egypt,โ Ruby explained, โwhere we narrowly escaped Dubaiโs missile attack by a few hours. When we got to our apartment, we could see down on the street. There were loads of prayer mats, because the mosque was so filled, people had to spill out onto the road. And so that inspired it.โ
Its deeper meaning, I presumed, was not to seek faith online, but to look either spiritually or in the real world. Ruby elucidated, โmore just the fact that everyone is the same, whether they believe in a different God or they are from a different part of the world, theyโre all the same. Weโre all just trying to live our lives..โ
Sheez, I go away for five minutes and look what happens. Devizes Facebookland turns into the Ok Corral! Seems I must interrupt my lovely mountaineeringโฆ
By Charlotte Emily Devizes Town Crier There are some moments when history feels less like something written in books and more like something happening rightโฆ
If both Claire and Chloe Grist jest their working and marital relationships are of โleftโ and โright tit,โ respectively, it might explain the reason forโฆ
January last year, The Southgate Inn Devizes announced Jamsters, a monthly Friday night platform for loose groupings and associations created at their regular jam sessionsโฆ
Pleasantly surprised in July when an awesome new single from Devizesโ rootsy Americana with a gothic twist collective, Burn the Midnight Oil revealed a more carefree and commercially viable style to their previously darker themed and rawer material. It was enough for James Threlfall to pick it up for BBC Introducing. With a new single out on Friday 28th August called Blood, Sweat & Tears you might be fooled into assuming by the title theyโve turned back to the sombre moods of before. Think againโฆ..
Though frontgirl Chrissy mightโve elucidated, least hinted something darker might be in the pipeline, for now Blood, Sweat & Tears follows neatly on from Slow Burn with an incredible upbeat driving vibe, verging on Shania Twain sassy, yet retaining the cool rock riff of Fleetwood Mac. Itโs immediately compulsive, with a danceable and anthemic combo. I find myself contemplating if itโs better than Slow Burn, or not, but with a hook razor-sharpened, itโs undoubtedly on par, and proves it wasnโt pot luck in July.
With this divine product of Potterne’s Badger Set blessing my ears I also find myself reflecting back to an interview we did with the band last November. Guitarist John Lane spoke of achieving such a hook as these last two singles, and expressed the importance of the sound. โFirst thing people take in is rhythm,โ he suggested, โthen melody, last of all, lyrics. So if you hook the first bit, you donโt get the second one, then they come back for the lyrics.โ
In this I sensed a healthy division between John and Chrissyโs perspectives. Knowing how much thought and creativity Chrissy loads into her writing, drawing inspiration from personal and often emotional experiences, and exporting them into relatable and poignant lyrics, there was a non-confrontational difference. I supposed of this stalemate at the time, โa good blend of opinion is surely necessary to compose the elements of a song professionally.โ And that is precisely what they put in, making this song work; the dynamics of pop, a conscious composition where both arguments meet in harmony.
Chrissy taglines the song thus; โsome dreams begin as little more than a whisper, an idea that refuses to let go, a vision that quietly demands more of you until ignoring it is no longer an option.โ Ah, yes, I can reflect the notion; any inventive mind will tell, thatโs the creative juices flowing and the desire to express them. Blood, Sweat & Tears concerns itself with the acceptance of that call, and the feeling of unlocking your potential. As Chrissy says, โbreaking through self-imposed limitations and pursuing a future worth fighting for.โ
An expressive tenet full of contemplation and self-analysis, it remains positively angled, like Jimmy Cliff on his hard road to travel, but with steadfast faith he canโt turn back because his mind is set. Chrissy views her theme similarly, as a meaningful journey of courage and determination against odds stacked not in your favour. Such concepts are not so uncommon in music, and an acoustic singer-songwriter will expose similar thoughts abound. But here, with Burn the Midnight Oil the prose is perfectly packaged by the sound of her exceptionally accomplished and unified band, complementing her natural vocal balance, and that harmoniousness is what makes Blood Sweat & Tears so complete and engaging.
Hereโs their LinkTree, new single is out next Friday 28th August 2026, but you can pre-save it and listen to the last one. I suggest you do. Perks of the job; this one is stuck in my head already!
Earthlings and all other organic lifeforms with a taste for the occult, fortean and generalย weirdness are heading to The Barge at HoneyStreet the firstโฆ
by Ian Diddams images by Michael Stevens โ Pharos Photography Shakespeare is credited as having introduced around 1,700 words into the English language, and severalโฆ
It looks like fowlers have finally caught them! I mean, wildly flying around, daytime clubbing, karaoke cavorting, supporting and promoting local live music, who doesโฆ
New single from our gothic duo Deadlight Dance, taken from Marchโs album Vox Populiโฆ. Second tune on the album, a ballad to the poisonous evergreenโฆ
For what it’s worth, I’m impartial to the prospect of McDonalds, Tesco too. I’ve got viewpoints to waffle endlessly with no real conclusion, if you’veโฆ
Our regular historian and Visiting Research Fellow of The Regional History Centre, UWE Bristol, Brian Edwards takes some time to sketch the FullTone Orchestra aheadโฆ
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Yes, we’ve got to praise Trowbridgeโs Old Town Hall like we should, because Fatboy Slim is going to be right there, but not right now; the 5th Novemberโฆ bugger, it’s a Thursday!
Ian Sawyer wins the Facebook comment section on this post with โThat’s my knees buggered for November then!โ Which couldn’t reflect on my own predicament more perfectly.
It’s been decades since my mates and I followed Norm like little lost sheep, yelling โBrimful of Asha on the 45โ across Brighton to Glastonbury. But it was an era when I was more able-bodied. Then again, if the Fatboy is still tripping, then why confine myself to my nursing home so soon?!
A great booking, Old Town Hall, whose manager whispered he had a secret when I rapped with him at next door’s opening night at The Birdhouse. I didn’t guess it’d be this groundbreaking DJ. Large it!
Turned around in just a day, a team of guitar โheir huntersโ from Macclesfield called The Stray Chord have reunited Salisburyโs musician Jolyon Dixon with his childhood guitar, with a truly fascinating storyโฆ..
Jordan, Sarah, and Damian are a family team behind Stray Chord, whoโve spent years rescuing lost guitars from auctions, marketplace listings, trades and house clearances, in order to restore and rehome them. This has developed into a project reuniting the guitars with their original owners, and discovering the histories behind them.
They hope to create a music hub built around this unique idea, creating a space for people to connect through music and creativity. โOnce weโve raised enough, we would love to open a community-minded space with rehearsal rooms, a workshop, and a coffee and comics area,โ Sarah explained. Sarah does aesthetic restoration, her husband Jordan handles technical restoration, and their son Damian runs their social media and is the โMini Moshersโ ambassador.
Stray Chord team; Sarah, Damian and Jordan
โWe only started up six weeks ago, so itโs early days! In that time though, weโve rehomed over twenty restored stray guitars, and weโre on our second Mini Moshers Promise giveaway, which is where we restore and set up a guitar and equipment bundle that we give to a child that may not otherwise be able to start their musical journey.โ
On Thursday the team posted a picture on their Facebook page, of a rescued 1979 Hondo II HDLP-2WI custom-style guitar, dressed in a wine red finish, hereafter called Merlot! โWhile dismantling Merlot for his rehabilitation,โ they revealed, โwe discovered a little address label. Then another. Then another. Then a fourth. A label in every cavity!โ
With a redundant Salisbury telephone number, their hunt began with just a name, and they requested for information, purely for the love of discovering the story behind the instrument. The following day they received a message from Jolyon, who recognised the guitar. His parents bought him the guitar second-hand in Salisbury in 1985, when he was 11. It was his second guitar, but loved and cherished it, and used it with his first band with school friends. He passed the guitar onto his bandmate, Jamie.
โIt has been a really fun few weeks so far,โ Sarah said, โand very rewarding. Weโre looking forward to seeing what we can do in the next six months, but being able to find Jolyon, and the history of an almost 50 year old guitar has genuinely been a real highlight.โ
John and Jolyon as Illingworth
Jolyon is the most modest local music legend Iโve met. You might have seen him backing singer Rachel Sinnetta, as part of the Illingworth duo with John Smith, at the control tower of CrownFest and other Stone Circle festivals, and he produces for the likes of George Wilding. He sent them a photograph of himself, his bandmates, and the same guitar sitting dismantled on the Stray Chord’s workbench. โAt this point,โ they expressed, โwe were already emotional because weโre hugely sentimental people. Itโs a large part of why The Stray Chord exists in the first place.โ
Jolyon relayed his story to the team, from this school band to his professional career, in which he played in numerous bands and recordings, including The Whoโs Endless Wire album. He told us he was quite emotional about the discovery, and explained how Jamie put the address labels in when he passed it to him. โJamie has had a great music career,โ he told us, โpartly out in Australia, and is a brilliant guitarist.โ
The other guitarist in the photo is John Wakefield, of whom Jolyon is still in touch with, and still owns his guitar! โJohn and I stayed band mates all the way through secondary school,โ Jolyon told us, โand on through playing with Toyah Willcox, and then as backing for girl duo Scarlet in 1995, so we did get to do Top of the Pops together a few times, which was great!โ
The story caused the Stray Chord to consider their Mini Moshers project, โbecause this photograph could almost have been taken to explain why we started it. Someone put a second-hand guitar into the hands of an 11-year-old. That kid formed a band. He kept playing, and more than four decades later, heโs still making music professionally and touring the world. Weโre not suggesting that every Mini Mosher we give a guitar to is going to end up playing with The Who, thatโs not the point! But, maybe theyโll become a professional musician, maybe theyโll form a clumsy teenage garage band with their best friends.โ
Jolyon was โflabbergastedโ to see his old guitar, and told the Stray Chord he often thought of the guitar and where it might have gone. Though he plans a trip up to Macclesfield to visit it, and the Stray Chord gang, he feels, โit’d be best for someone new to take the guitar into its next chapter; I’ve got too many now!!โ
โIโm really happy to see that the guitar is still alive and well,โ Jolyon stated, โand I hope the next owner enjoys it as much as 11 year old me did!โ
As for the Stray Chord’s Mini Moshers, the promise is โif thereโs a young person in your life who dreams about playing guitar, please go and nominate them. We rescue guitars because weโre sentimental. We restore them because we think their stories are worth continuing.We rehome them because somewhere out there is another pair of hands ready to write their next chapter.โ
The larger than life superstars from CSF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING return to Devizes, Wiltshire on July 11th for a very special edition of SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM,โฆ
Though I wish it would be dropped and faded into the archives, itโs got legs! Weโre still on about โpostcardgate,โ but the trivia sometimes becomesโฆ
Midnight oil has been burning at Potterneโs Badger Set studio as Devizesโ most impressive and talked about upcoming band, Burn The Midnight Oil takes itโฆ
Congratulations are due to Wiltshire’s indie-pop sensation Talk in Code, for sealing a second sync representation agreement, this time with Play Equals Sync, a music licensing company that helps place independent songs and instrumental tracks into television shows, advertisements, films, and video games. Could you be hearing Talk in Code songs on the telebox? We hope so!
The band said, “after some great, positive discussion, never before have we received such detailed and fantastic feedback for our recorded music and we feel like we are in great hands! We hope itโs the start of a long and fruitful relationship.”
The lads met the company when playing Brighton’s premier venue The Grand Central, but you can find them more locally at The Southgate, Devizes, on Saturday 22nd August, at Swindon Shuffle’s Street Food takeover on the 30th, at the Ruze in Chippenham on 11th September, and a new single launch show at The Vic, Swindon on the 17th Sept, when they also play an instore at Swindon’s HMV.
The 7th November see them at The Royal Oak in Pewsey, on the 14th they play at Wiltshire Music Awards in Melksham, and 12th December finds them at The Castle for a Christmas party. Now that’s something to Talk about!
Are you a budding musician aged between 13 and 18? Well, I tick neither box, but, as Trowbridgeโs Old Town Hall is to introduce youth open mic sessions, I reckon it’s a brilliant incentiveโฆ.
Of course, most open mics have no age restrictions, but you know how it can go sometimes, when there’s an aging hippy who wants to recite Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety, or slots for the youngest are shoved onto the graveyard shift!ย
Open mics are about networking, and making like-minded friends, where age groups tend to pair off better. Plus, the nervousness of starting off could be greatly increased if you’re in a room full of more experienced musicians.
So Oli & Stan present their first Youth Open Mic Night at The Old Town Hall on Wednesday 26th August, from 7:00 to 9:30pm.
It’s free entry, and if youโd like to perform, please contact Oli at revilomagician@outlook.com
Both ticket holders and performers must be aged 13 to 18. Performers can add an accompanying adult to their guest list. Please speak to Oli when booking your performance slot to find out more.
Hats off to The Old Town Hall, a charity run multi-purpose venue in the heart of Trowbridge, not linked to the town council. It’s become a community arts centre, with lots of regular clubs and events.ย
There’s lots of stuff for youngsters, especially during school holidays. They include graffiti, animation, acting and samba workshops, Lego building club, story times, even a recycling fashion workshop. While adults can enjoy family clubbercise, zumba, yoga and there’s singing groups for all ages.
With film screenings, art exhibitions, live music, and open deck nights, Trowbridge Old Town Hall has got something for everyoneโฆ except meโฆ hold on though, there’s a Pipe & Slippers rave on the 12th September; I’d better dust off my white gloves and whistle!
Owing to a hectic life, a slightly belated review and celebration of an amazing weekendโฆ.
The Music Baa, run three key events a year, a friend went to the folk one earlier in the year for one evening and gave some feedback that was shared by the team, on their socials and it was deservedly complimentary, and he goes to a great many more festivals this size and smaller than the author does!
It was music to my ears as we already had tickets! My other half and I have not been to a festival for years, for various reasons, but spurred on by familiar friends on the bill, and some new names to us that we would be assured we would enjoy!
We arrived to an already bustling campsite a couple hours into access to camping, and found a happy, well-organised team all well laid out, nice and simple.
As you can see on their page the site is limited to 500 tickets, and everything is really close to hand.
The single bar and stage under a huge tent, with gaps in the bill sufficient to get out the heat under our shade canopy, read, chat to the neighbours.. just a true chance to relax, which is what we had anticipated and chosen the event an hour away from home for.
So letโs start with the usual festival opinions I can recall being the same when in another lifetime, it feels like I was going to Glastonbury, Guilfest etc.. letโs just quickly round them up..?
Toilets and showers โ eco toilets, wood shavings if you poo, apparently not for everyone but I welcomed the fresh air in those surroundingโs in such hot conditions, privacy no issue, but air movement certainly designed in. My take really simply…a portaloo in summer is deathly horrible thing, so with green credentials ensured, and them being well serviced and wash hand facilities alongside.. good solutions. the showers were spacious and similarly thoughtful of space and readily accessible. Basic but functional.
The Baa (sorry Bar) โ I heard some dissenting comments but you canโt please all the people all time.. for me and her, our opinion was happy to pay significantly less than festival prices we have heard about.. for quality choices. If people drink generic pales or lager at home or in Wetherspoons then real-world pricing will always be a bit of an uphill struggle for them. I gathered a good few people donโt go out like I do week in, week out, they prefer festivals. No criticism, good for them, but not a wider view.
So any niggles about pricing are mute, they are not the ones keeping venues open and understanding the economics of providing chilled, perfectly wonderful beverages, in this case in a field in a heatwave. To those present who regularly frequent venues and events, this place are knocking it out of the park, which is no surprise as talking to Anna briefly they are no strangers to festivals, so they choose to do what they need to do and everything they can to be fair.
Itโs actually very easy to pay somewhat more for the same or similar in high street locations.
We enjoyed beer, cider, cocktails all served well, with a smile from great staff.
The offer was local across beers and ciders, the cup on a deposit first purchase, there was happy hours throughout the day.. so if like us you take in all the hard work on setup, signage, art etc.
Then you might have the sense to engage with that structure and buy a beer before the next band are on for instance, during happy hourโฆ! Literally canโt fault them, on what is among the most common things people talk or moan about with any event.. please donโt change a thing I will hope itโs the same when I next come to a festival.
Food โ sufficient offer to keep us fed, some food and catering breakfast in our van but we certainly enjoyed the amazing catering plenty too over the three days, again sensible offers of excellent quality food. Snacks and dinner for us of the kind you enjoy at a festival, mega tasty, and again hats off to black tented catering heroes, as if a kitchen wasnโt hot enough at any given moment.. you worked miracles in a heatwave.
There had been some small changes, talking to those who had been last year, well-considered changes or developments had happened this year reflective of issues across the UK owing to climate and sometimes lack of common sense, so for those concerned about fire and accidents witnessed elsewhere, there were checks politely and supportively to ensure space between pitches, safe cooking for campers, more provision of fire buckets and water .. simple but thoughtful common sense that was well received.
So thereโs the site and team and environment covered? We liked it, we enjoyed staying with The Baa, we are definitely interested in the folk and blues events next year and happy to share our experience enthusiastically to the music community.
So to the bands..!
There are too many to many to mention individually.. so some special mentions from my take, in no particular order.
Jon Amor Trio-
The gateway band to investigating this event was for me, I am a committed superfan I will admit, but a chance to see them in a different setting was well rewarded, a classic set from them but with room to boogie, classic Amor material, and Trio songs mixed.
But the tent jumping to crowd pleasing anthems such as Juggernaut, as many had not experienced the band before, and thatโs a big part of what a festival should be about, finding new music..?
James Oliver Band-
Rocking the blues as always, Norman Watt Roy on bass a rare treat for me.. with James irreverent banter as always making their set a joy. His band and him play so incredibly well, its bemusing to see him latch on to willing audience members as a comedian might.. all part of an โold skoolโ raconteur style that is part of the experience alongside the excellent band and the ludicrously wide-ranging material he plays so well.
Pete Robson-
A one-man delight, real roots talent. Songs well sung and the wonderful sound of steel guitar exploited to make this a treat, the kind of focused traditional narrative and sound that makes you sit up and pay attention. A new name for me, but one I shall remember and seek out if I can.
Vince Lee and Sophie Lord-
True to my impressions.. when investigating the lineup ahead of getting tickets, I saw a press pic, and with the whole image tight and the amazing looking (50โs original in stunning original condition I later discovered) double bass, I looked no further. So, hearing them for the first time on the day, I was delighted to find the respectful and beautifully accomplished sound was reflective of my thoughts that they would not look so very much the part and play such stunning instruments of they were not the embodiment of that kind of foot stomping blues. Came away with the CD, again definitely happy to travel to see them again, composed, well-chosen songs, and superb musicianship.
Grizzly and the Grasshoppers โ
Iโve seen Grizzly many times solo, we are blessed he plays our nearest venue The Southgate Inn, but I had never enjoyed a band show. I expected it would be faster, louder but every bit the driven and fun show you get if heโs on his own.
I was in for a treat, it was not so much faster for the most part, but layered and complimentary, fun in a different way, I struggle to describe adequately.. perhaps informed by his own enjoyment of playing with a band at a festival during the sunny summer season rather in his element, which is slightly different to playing a pub solo? It was a raucous riot including him adding himself as a second drummer several times! Absolutely perfect fit festival band.
DSB-
New to me and Iโve no idea why..?! Local to venue, played all over but I had not the pleasure.
Amazing band whether playing their own stuff or absolutely smashing some Hendrix for a happy audience demanding an encore mid-afternoon.. thereโs a theme here but a band I will be looking out for, and bending the ear of promotor friends about.
Ian Siegal Band โ
Iโve seen this amazing bluesman before many times, with different bands, solo.. guesting with Jon Amor.. always an uncompromising performer.
Ian has written and recorded with an array of artists the world over and it shows, a confidence.. a sort of self-assured ego, almost in knowing his many awards, as a result of well-travelled career meaning he can deliver his own songs and some of the hardest hitting blues from the likes of his favourites Muddy Waters , and Howling Wolf at will. Playing his own Revelator, or back door man by Wolf.. you are transfixed with his immersive delivery that demands your attention. As always, an absolute delight. As was the way he deals with anyone whose own conversations at the front distracting him or those more immersed such as myself, in his own well-known style he makes his displeasure at loud ill-considered audience members known so we can all get on with his performance, another trick learned of a bluesmanโs journey well lived I guess?!
North Drive-
A more bluegrass offering here, the sound befitting the hats and stomping feet, a great sound with southern bluegrass flavour, storytelling and folk song.. another new name not too distant from the area who were exactly as described and really good.
The Duskers-
Iโve known The Duskers some little while, another name I am fortunate enough to thank my local for, as they come up to us regularly in the year. In trying to spread the word about this excellent band, I always open with โdo you like the Byrds?โ This group of wonderful musicians and wonderful humans I am pleased to know, they have an enveloping sound, and for me at least (sorry Tim but I know you will understand?!) Melinda on pedal steel guitar is the piece de resistance.
The haunting and yet enchanting sounds of this instrument played so well adds a layer to the bandโs sound that takes all the other superb musicianship to a distinctive next level for your ears.
As you may have gathered, I love them anyway, but truly thatโs the best analogy I can summon, if you like the Byrds version of blues/country then you would love everything they do. Great to see them with room to reach out and stretch their legs physically as well as musically as they normally look a little crammed into our local!
The Cinelli brothers-
We have been advised by many including many of my favourite artists, which I am fortunate enough to call friends that I would love and should see this band, it was actually a part of the drive to try a festival after such a gap.
They did not disappoint! I was around whilst the soundcheck was going on, and observed a high level of detail and attention from the band, which often means they will rip through a set, they want everything spot on so they give there all.. which is what they did!
An amazing band, they certainly know how to hold a crowd…this was a superbly fitting close out band, a high note of a current blues scene, a first time for many of us, and a winning vote for me to end the weekend on.
Iโve not covered everyone, I didnโt catch everyone, we had a lot of sociable time with friends new and old, some of the musicians again those new to me and those dear to me for many yearsโฆ just a really great level of it being achievable, no multiple stages miles apart, no trudge forever for the campsite, the bog etc.. all close by allowing you to relax, and feel like you have not missed anything, which is something I always suffered from in huge scale events such as Glastonbury despite that too bringing lots of music to my life. That was over twenty years ago, and this was so different.
Just as when I worked loading and hospitality for our sadly long-gone Saddleback festival, the chance to meet and chat to people, among them some of the heavy hitters in the soundtrack to my life, to learn something of the journeys of musicians or other music fans like myself is an incredible experience.
Some of these bands are totally new to my ears, and local enough thatโs surprising, which does show that sometimes you donโt have to look too far for new fantastic bands to see the rest of the year?
Iโve come back and spreading the word a little in the hopes some of these musicians may play venues we frequent week in week out.
I think the only observation, and I say observation as itโs not a criticism, is if I look at last yearโs bill, there are many familiar names who have now played two years. They are excellent, I know some of them extremely well ..but from a festival perspective keeping the bill refreshed each year, is I think really important.
In my efforts to help advertise a blues festival in my own town, I found I was regularly rebuffed as after the first two years (all different and some incredible timing meaning we had up and coming and very established names mixed into the lineupโฆ) the booking changed and too much was recycled for a second or third year, and people who arenโt out every week like me simply told me โitโs the same bands as last yearโ for me, I keenly await the announcements and hopefully some new names and well caught headliners will entice a return visit for me and the other half next year.
This a reflection or opinion the increasingly fickle nature of a society who for too long have viewed and experienced music as free. Itโs the biggest thing I feel butted up against when doing every small thing I can to encourage people to get involved with live music.
There are certainly a good many local bands that would be an amazing fit for the Baa in our regular gig itinerary, who knows maybe some of them will feature in future years and we will see some more of the amazing south Wiltshire and Hampshire talent showcased at the Hootenanny in our venues keeping live music live ready for the summers fun? Overall, an amazing, and enjoyable weekend, I did make sure I caught Anna from the team but to all of you, what a cracking job. Thank you from a very happy couple in Devizes.
Editor’s Note: Next up at The Music Baa near Salisbury is dedicated to reggae, Flock Steady Bleats from 21st to 23rd August: Find out more HERE.
D-Town certainly punches above its weight when it comes to providing a vibrant and varied music scene.ย It seems that just about every taste is catered for, whether it be blues/ rock (regular gigs at Long Street Blues Club), covers bands (Three Crowns), indie/ blues/ rock/ prog/ folk (Southgate), to say nothing of regular singer/ songwriter gigs at The White Bear (Sunday afternoons) , and The Pelicanย (Saturday afternoons).ย New, regular gigs are promised at The Fold (in The Lamb) on Friday nights. Weโve got two opera companies (White Horse Opera and Devizes Musical Theatre), to say nothing of musical theatre productions. Whatever floats yer boat, itโs all there for you….
Well, I say everything, but Iโve moaned on here several times (donโt we know it! โ Ed) before that the one thing thatโs missing is something for the jazz-lovers amongst us.ย Apart from occasional (like once or twice a year) special concerts as part of Devizes Arts Festival (Swing From Paris was this yearโs only jazz-related offering), and a one-night pop-up at The Wharf (Pete Allenโs Big Jazz Band) thereโs no regular venue or club in town to feed our little musical habit.
So, as a service to Devizine readers, we set out a little further afield to see whatโs on offer reasonably nearby. Welcome to our guide โ All That Jazz โ to lead you towards something a little different. Hereโs what we found:
Bradford-on-Avon
Mount Pleasant:
Second Sunday Jazz (every second Sunday afternoon @ 2.30pm);
Thereโs a house band to support a range of solo and small group Jazz artists. This new approach allows them to offer a wide range of Jazz styles and performers at affordable cost by limiting the transport needs of visiting acts.ย Many of the players in the house band are familiar to local Jazz followers from other bands.
Bristol โ too far, too hard, so go and look for yourself!
The bottom line is that if you need a regular drip-feed of jazz music, you need to look to Bradford, Bath or Swindonโs Old Town. Everywhere else itโs a matter of keeping your eyes skinned for individual bookable concerts at the various normal music venues in our region. Your other alternative is to make a weekend of it somewhere nice, and visit one of the UKโs many Jazz Festivals. Iโve been to two this year, Cheltenham in May (lots of free stuff, interspersed with individual expensive bookable concerts), and Swanage in June (weekend โstrollerโ ticket covers you for absolutely everything). I can highly recommend both of these, but thereโs many others available throughout the year.
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ian Diddams, Shakespeare Live โHamletโ is arguably Shakespeareโs most widely known play, with an estimated tens of thousands of performances eachโฆ
Mantonfest, the longstanding gem on Marlborough’s event calendar, finalised for another fantastic year last night, with metal-driven mayhem, as the sounds of AC/DC ripped acrossโฆ
Part environmental lecture, part live performance, and part immersive sonic journey, The Grass & Time Soundscape Lecture offers a unique way to celebrate National Meadowsโฆ
Featured Image: Helen Polarpix As if itโs not hot enough, Aveburyโs finest musical export George Wilding is bounding back with another new single, Feed Yourโฆ
Spent Friday evening at The Cellar Bar in Devizes, doing what Devizine should be about; discovering talented people new to us and near to us. Sarah Tarry has been off the music scene for the best part of twelve years, raising a family I gathered by the gig. Being Devizine has only been around for nearly ten might explain why we’d yet to have touched base. But her EP launch gig told me all I needed to know, and I’m glad we now haveโฆ.
Though the music was exceptionally accomplished with a full setup of cajon percussion, acoustic guitar, double bass, fiddle and piano, this revival was an intimate gig, with what appeared to be a majority of friends and family, and without any of the live music aficionados I usually rub shoulders with gigging in Devizes. Now I’ve heard Sarah and her band I’m of the opinion that should change; hence why I’m writing this!ย
Through the choice of the sprinkling of covers Sarah and her band delivered with precision and their own stamp, youโll be able to interpret the mood and style. Vance Joy’s Riptide, perhaps being the questionable wildcard, the others were aptly selected. Such is the EP, Oh The Deep, released on Friday. While it opens with an upbeat indie riff praise, Florence and the Machine on fire fashion, He is on the Throne is the exception. The remaining three tracks take the downtempo ambient mood.
For Sarah’s natural euphoria, U2’s Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For was breathtaking, like Where Can I Go from the EP. Where Can I Go sounds more akin to Morcheeba, and in this soulful element brings subtle gospel into the making of the themes; something U2 would use to their advantage.
Ropes is the absolute peak of the EP, it encompasses all Sarahโs influences in a wonderful package, the folk, the ambience edge, and likened to the start of the second half, when they covered Pure Shores; William Orbit elevating girl band, All Saints. This suggested Sarahโs interest in nu-cool ambience, even if this quartet on the night were strictly analogue.
But the most aligned cover was undoubtedly a sublime version of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now, for Sarah knows how to weave an emotive mood and poignant sentiment with timeless folk goodness. This reflects the title track of the EP, a gorgeous, melodious salvation to Christ, with booming theatrical drums to enforce the notion. Thereโs a slight return of joyous euphoria on the EP too, an epilogue which was presented at the gig as a fuller song.
With affections for cloud formations and CS Lewis’s Narnia, Sarah presented songs influenced by them and her Christian roots, but this aforesaid mood and sentiment came to its summit through original odes to her children, who were present at the gig.
Passionately describing her inner thoughts, through and after birth, was so utterly beautiful, though her young son could only subtly blush and giggle, her husband was driven to tears with the recollections evoked. That’s the power of music, and Sarah possesses that certain something, that when a subject relates to the listener it touches them, and on such a commonly occurring topic, Sarah could evoke any parent’s oxytocin levels to maximum.
If, in rock music fandom, thereโs a misconception where a person needs that rawness verging on the absence of belief in the existence of God, you might take Sarahโs inspiration and the religious connotations with a pinch of salt. Even if I might question it too, I would respond with the notion, you are therefore missing out. This was a wonderful gig, to launch an EP which might yet change your viewpoint. Itโs rich and embellished in goodness and adroit compositions, which chill and inspire; take a listen, see for yourself!
New single from Swindonโs finest Americana singer-songwriter Jol Rose, the kind of artist whoโll finish a song and leave a jammed pub in such awe you can hear a pin drop. For Tomorrow might be the momentโฆ.
Packed with a country-rock band punch rather than his usual acoustic outcry, For Tomorrow still grips poignancy, a genius hook, and Jolโs Dylanesque excellence by the neck. Truth, these days, can be hard to come by, as Jol expresses, but injustices and propaganda aplenty. Yet Jol only suggests this might be the moment you take a stance against them; no pressure!
While you decide to attend or procrastinate as the theme takes, indulge yourself for a little under five minutes, because this song is the dog’s danglies; a passionately delivered fiery response from the passive wordsmith of old Swindon town. Jol isnโt as widely known south of the town. Iโm determined to change this one injustice if nothing else; just, listen.
Right, box ticked. Iโm off to the march, dammit!
Featured Image: Gail Foster. Features extracts from reviews by Andy Fawthrop, Ian Diddams and Madelaine Blake. Does it ever stop?! The weekend is upon usโฆ
โMr Phil Beer needs no introduction to anyone,โ says a spokesperson for The Pump in Trowbridge, our grassroots venue kicking up turf on Rolling Stoneโฆ
Get ready for an unforgettable family day out as Circus Cortex BizZzar brings its award-winning Big Top spectacular to Devizes from 9โ12 July 2026….. Performingโฆ
CrownFest at The Crown in Bishops Cannings is making a fantastic comeback this July with a stellar lineup, particularly supporting local acts, begging the question,โฆ
Summer Solstice in Wiltshire; it’s a crowd-puller, but even forty years after the Battle of the Beanfield and decades of attempted commercialisation, it remains aโฆ
Dare I say it, but the nights are drawing in, apples are falling from trees, and I’m even going to say the C word. Yet, the heatwave continues at Long Street Blues Club, through their autumn-winter season, polishing off with The Blockheads, and Jon Amor as Christmas presentsโฆ.
This time next month, Lightnin’ Willie and the Poorboys opens the door to our souls by kicking off the new season at Devizesโ supreme blues club, on Saturday 5th September.
Welcomingly returning after a lengthy absence, these favourites from California have a distinctive approach to music. Lightninโ Willie is a songwriter, singer and guitarist in that order, gone from low down beer joints to become a staple on the international circuit.
Unless Londonโs Royal Albert Hall Igniter Series or Willie Nelsonโs infamous 4th of July Picnic, where he appeared alongside Paula Nelson, Willie, Bob Dylan, and Leon Russell isn’t a big enough accolade for you?!
Should you expect a compelling, hard swinging brand of blues with a groove, on the 5th September, you can also prepare for some cult British blues-rock on Friday 25th September when Virgil and The Accelerators return, twelve years since they last played the club. Our friends, Devizes-own Burn The Midnight Oil are supporting this one; worth the ticket price alone, imho.
Note, this gig is a replacement for Skinny Molly, originally advertised for this date but which had to be cancelled. But, staying on the positives, as Long Street Blues Club will gift wrap two Christmas presents for us.
See out the year before the Brussel sprouts, on Saturday 19th December with homegrown legend Jon Amor. I made an effort last year, and this was an outstanding gig, where Jon and his Tom and Gerry backing presented a rotating door of special guests to create one of the most memorable nights I’ve ever had on Long Street.
But not before the blues members go on a field trip to the Corn Exchange, for The Blockheads tour hits Devizes with a rhythm stickโฆ Yes, I said the Blockheads, the late great Ian Duryโs band, still rock n rolling! Friday 11th December for this Christmas showstopper which surely needs no spiel, with Devonโs AQUILLA in support.
Between Virgil and The Accelerators ending September’s offerings from the club and these yuletide presents, weโve got two months weโve not even mentioned yet! Edinburgh Fringe regulars, being they formed there, and recently selling out the 100 Club, The Allmanโs Project, make their Devizes debut on Saturday 3rd October.
Switching back to the Corn Exchange, blues club regulars will be excited to know, five-decade strong, Wishbone Ash return via Ceres Promotion, on Friday October 16th, with a late 60’s West Coast vibe support from The Honey Pot.
Over to the East Coast, Asbury Park style, with the regular favourite Billy Walton Band on Saturday 17th October. As a longtime fan of the Boss, this New Jersey outfit rocked my world, and Andyโs, and everyone who sees them.
Two more offerings left as we head into November; forget what Andy or I might think, Curtis Salgado and Alan Hager are back by overwhelming popular demand on Friday 20th November, and John Belushi loved these guys!
With fresh Texas prodigal, Bo Diddley protรฉgรฉ Hamilton Loomis finishing off the month on the Saturday of the 21st November, you have to hand it to Long Street Blues Club and put your trust in their knowledge on the subject. This is a fantastic programme, and will keep Devizes as warm as it is now, throughout the autumn and winter months!
All Images: ยฉGail Foster If last Saturday’s Celtic punk band quipped if the Devizes Corn Exchange was a bingo hall, and Milton Jones jested โit’sโฆ
Mock the Weekโs recurring panellist and Radio 4 comedian Milton Jones stood on the stage of Devizes Corn Exchange on Friday, with the setter, โitโsโฆ
A Little Bit Of French Polish Andy Fawthrop As the Devizes Arts Festival rolls majestically towards its final weekend, thereโs no chance that the busโฆ
Join the Wiltshire & Barh Air Ambulance team on one of their behind-the-scenes tours of the Charity’s airbase at Semington on Thursday the 9th Julyโฆ.โฆ
by Mick Brian images by Nic Proud and Wharf Theatre Giovanni Boccaccio in the 1330s wrote a poem, โTeseidaโ, principally about two knights, Arcite andโฆ
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Devizes Food & Drink Festival announced their program of events last week, and the box office opens at 9am on Monday 10th August. Letโs fill up with whatโs onโฆ.
As usual the festival opens with a free event, the Street Food & Artisan Market at Devizes Market Place on Saturday 19th September from 10am until 4pm. Lots of street food to snack on, and produce to take home, a Wadworth pop-up pub, and live music from Strungout Ukuleles and Painted by Numbers.
In the evening, itโs Tales and Food of the Caribbean at The Wyvern Club, Church Walk; 7.00pm. Brunch with a View at Wellington Barn on the Sunday, 20th September; a generous Wiltshire-inspired brunch, including mini filled croissants, warm frittata and lardy cake. Sunday also offers Lunch with the Afghan Ladies at The Cheese Hall, Devizes. Wiltshire has a thriving Afghan community, who love to share their cuisine. Enjoy tasty home cooking, including delicately spiced vegetarian or chicken karahi, with kabuli pilau and salad.
Or perhaps a Teddy Bearsโ Picnic sounds nicer, at Hillworth Park also on Sunday 20th September at 3pm. Itโs only ยฃ4 for ten years and under, and boasts games, a storyteller, colouring, songs and a delicious teddy-themed picnic. All children need an accompanying adult and a teddy!
From Monday 21st, thereโs Scandinavian inspired food and drink. A Hyggee Lunch; luxurious smorgasbord style lunch in the unique and truly spectacular eco Hyggee House overlooking a beautiful lake near Wellington Barn. And the Great Foodie Quiz at The Literary and Scientific Institute.ย
Bonjour Bread! At the Cheese Hall, on Tuesday 22nd September at 12.30pm; exploring the realm of French artisan baking with Gaรซl Nicolle, Devizesโs own boulanger from Papaโs Bakery. Or Beer and Brownies at The Pour House, matching beer with chocolate, is that wise?! Ah, but brownies are coming from the Gourmet Brownie Kitchen; say no more.
Dining somewhere different begins on Wednesday 23rd September, one at the National Grid offices on Hopton! A presentation over a two course lunch, explaining the decommissioning of the pylons from Rowde to Bishops Cannings. The second, at Erlestoke Prison. A three-course dinner, with choices at each course, cooked and served in HMP Erlestoke by offenders and the prison catering team.ย
Or, Everything Stops for Tea, at West Lavington Village Hall, offering traditional afternoon tea, sandwiches, scones and cake in a village hall setting, and big band music, featuring Glenn Miller and the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. And Call My Wine Bluff at the Cheese Hall, finishes off Wednesdayโs events.
Fresh produce legend Ken Mortimer of Heritage Fine Foods is joining forces with chef Peter Vaughan to share the truth behind your daily veg, plus tips on how to make the most of it, on Thursday 24th September at Vaughanโs Cookery School. Murder on the Dancefloor in the evening, at the Corn Exchange. The DJ is dead, the dancers are dodgy, and the alibis are weak. Spot the clues, count the hidden song titles, decide whodunnit, and win a prize.
Ready, Steady, Cook at Opendoors on Friday 25th September, at 12. Devizes Opendoors provides food and support for homeless and vulnerable people using ingredients that are usually donated or obtained at bargain price. Learn all about the charity and enjoy the dish of the day main course made by one of the Opendoors volunteer cooks, followed by a dessert YOU make in a scratch team from a stock of surprise ingredients.
Wadworth Brewery Tour, at their new Hopton site, also on Friday, the main sponsors of the event. Guests will receive special presentations from the Head Brewer and Chief Engineer.ย Naturally there will be a beer tasting, and there will be cake! The exclusive Come Dine with Us at homes in and around Devizes is the icing on Friday;s cake, so be quick booking this one.ย
Saturday 26th September, thereโs a Lovely Lunch at St Andrewโs Church from 12pm. Two children from ages 2-12 are free with a paying adult for this collaboration lunch with St Andrewโs Church and Sustainable Devizes. A two-course vegetarian meal, homemade by volunteers, showcasing locally sourced ingredients. Cook Book Writer Joe Woodhouse will be at The Assembly Rooms. Quizzine, also at the Assembly Room; the last word in food quizzes.
And my personal favourite, The World Food Day at the Corn Exchange will be on Sunday 27th September at 12.30. Free entry, ยฃ1 per taster. Cooks from Taiwan and Lebanon & Syriaย will be there for the first time this year, as well as old favourites, many with new dishes.
Holidaymakers from across Swindon & Wiltshire are being invited to attend one of the region’s newest travel events this summer as Swindon Travel Hub hostsโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimage by JP Oldfield Rising Devizes star and promoter at โThe Foldโ, JP Oldfield last Friday revealed the information he is to releaseโฆ
by Ian Diddams images courtesy of Devizes Arts Festival, Ian Diddams and Graham Lloyd When one considers cricketing controversies, one maybe thinks of World Seriesโฆ
My Show Of The Festival Andy Fawthrop Another headliner from the Devizes Arts Festival hit town last night…. Robert Vincent came to the Corn Exchange,โฆ
May 1936, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I stood with his exiled family on Paddington Station. Before being advised to flee Ethiopia, so he could address The League of Nations, he fought with his poorly equipped armies against Mussolini’s fascist regime, as the invaders launched chemical weapons at the country’s forces. Through Jerusalem to Gibraltar they trekked, but were transferred to a public liner heading for England, sparing the government the cost of a state receptionโฆ..ย
For the next two months, the family stayed in London, but, it is said, mustard gas wounds to the Emperorโs hands might benefit from the natural springs of Bath. In August Emperor Haile Selassie purchased Fairford House in the city, where he stayed for five years, and afterwards gave the house to the city. Fairford House remains more than a museum to the Emperor, also a bustling centre for multi-cultural events. This August they celebrate ninety years since the Emperor first arrived in the city.
It was, perhaps, Jerusalem which would have been the most symbolic place for Halie Selassie to attend on his exile. The Solomonic Dynasty were descendants of the House of David, Selassie directly descended from Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of ancient Israel. It was this biblical connection which, linked to Jamaican scholar Marcus Garveyโs prophecy for his countrymen to look toward the crowning of an African king before departing for the USA to form the UNIA, would be the root to Rastafari. Citing Halie Selassie, birth-right name Ras (Ethiopian for โkingโ) Ta Fari Makonnen, as the one deity for a blossoming philosophy and religion in Jamaica.
It is crucial then, for Fairford House to, not only be a repository for Bathโs historians and Ethiopian community, but also a shrine to Rastafari. Fairfield House is open on Sundays for historical guided tours and visitor open days, and on various significant occasions, the house is open for events. From 3pm on the first Saturday of each month the house holds a Rastafari Sabbath Observance, for Rastafari worship and community gathering. And wherever thereโs Rasta, youโll also hear the sound of Nyabinghi drumming, and the most poignant soulful music, reggae.
Running from August through November, a citywide commemorative programme will mark the 90th anniversary of the Ethiopian Royal Family becoming resident in Bath, celebrating a significant chapter in the cityโs history and its enduring international connections.
The programme will bring together partners from across Bath, including cultural organisations, educational institutions, community groups and heritage partners, to present a series of events reflecting on the historic relationship between Ethiopia and the City of Bath.
The commemorative programme aims not only to recognise a notable moment in the cityโs past, but also to explore themes of exile and displacement, WWII, racial justice, faith, heritage, international friendship, cultural exchange and shared history that continue to resonate today.
Fairfield House chairperson, Fisseha Gizaw Combley expressed, โthe Ethiopian Royal Familyโs presence in Bath forms an important part of the cityโs modern story. The special gift to Bath, Fairfield House, the former home of Emperor Haile Selassie I and the Ethiopian Royal Family, is a powerful symbol of resilience, community kindness and the connections that can be forged across nations and cultures.โ
The launch party on 22nd August will be held at The Roman Baths, presenting an evening of reggae and Ethiopian Jazz, with Fairfield House community DJs. Part of Summer Lates at The Roman Baths. Keith Bowers offers an Imperial Exile City Tour on 29th August.
During September there will be a screening of Footsteps of The Emperor at The Little House Theatre on the 6th, and activities day for the Bath Ethnic Minority Senior Citizens Association held at Fairford House. A Kingdoms in Exile & Human Rights dinner, also at the house, and Enkutatash & Meskel celebrations on the 26th.
October brings an exhibition at The Shoemakers Museum, lantern lectures at Fairford House, banquets, and evensong at Bath Abbey. Novembers sees further lantern lectures, some on the impact of WWII, an anniversary of the Emperorโs Coronation, a Rastafari community celebration, with more announcements to come about this fascinating chapter in the history of Bath.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Tickets for the Roman Baths event HERE. For more information on the celebrations and Fairford House, HERE.
You donโt necessarily need a long pedigree to stage a successful music festival, but it certainly helps.ย Started way back in 1970, and now in its 55th year, Trowbridge Festival is definitely coming of age, leaving its long, long heritage as The Village Pump Folk Festival trailing in its stellar wake.ย This was the fourth year at its latest site in Southwick, and things are starting to settle back in again, attracting an increasingly large number of folks who want to buy a weekend ticket and camp in a field for three days of fabulous live music.ย This year was as near to a sell-out week-end as makes no difference….
Full disclosure โ I was part of the Site Team that helped to build the arena (and knock it down again later), so I might be said to have something of a vested interest.ย I might also even have sneaked in an Open Mic appearance on one of the stages on Sunday. However, I had absolutely zero influence over the programming of the event, nor any over the truly excellent quality of the many fine artists who appeared this year. So what follows is my honest appreciation of what I saw and heard over the weekend (aided and abetted by fellow Devizine roving reporter Ian Diddams).
Apart all the usual random stuff going on all over the arena (yoga, tai-chi, impromptu music sessions, Morris dancers, stilt-walkers, SAT Co comedy troupe, demonstrations, book launches, photo booths), just like any other festival I suppose, there were three stages of scheduled entertainment to choose from and (thanks to some thoughtful programming) a nice overlap between time-slots, allowing folks to wander around and taste most of the wide variety of talent on show. The arena is not so large or crowded that you couldnโt get across from one venue to another fairly quickly, yet just far enough apart to ensure that thereโs no sound leakage between the stages.
And, oh my, the entertainment on offer was simply stunning, both in terms of quality and quantity, to say nothing of the huge diversity of styles. We had original traditional folk, folk rock, roots, indie, comedy, punk, Irish, swing, bossa nova, big band jazz, dance & ceilidh, euro-romantic/ bohemian, singer/ songwriter, together with the traditional categories of the slightly bonkers, and the totally deluded. There were over sixty acts, across three stages, and nary a covers band or a tribute act anywhere to be seen. Whilst the latter certainly have their place in the festival scene, and there are those who really love them, this festival was absolutely not the place for that type of offering. Here it was all about original music, and whilst there was certainly a smattering of older, traditional folk tunes perhaps re-worked and re-interpreted for the modern era, that was very much in the minority. Long gone are the days of old men, with their fingers stuck in their ears, singing (ahem) unaccomplished. This weekend it was almost entirely new stuff- fresh, original, lively and an absolute bloody pleasure to listen to.
The selection available to the punters, very much aided by a comprehensive programme booklet, and by a helpful Clashfinder online (thank-you Kieran!), was:
The Pump Stage, at the top of the field, curated and marshalled by our old friend Kieran Moore, promoter, producer, rescuer of venues and general all-round good egg. This year his appearance was completed by his sporting of a wizardโs cloak โ say no more! The eclectic array of acts included Water Thieves (excellent skiffle & folk trio), Andy Skellam & Anna Kissell (a little bit serious and too dour for me), our very own Vince Bell (local Devizes hero who, of course, delivered his usual excellent set), Concrete Prairie (best act on this stage on Friday), Ravetank (OK), Antoine & Owena (old folkie friends of mine and who were polished, amusing and really excellent), Woodkern (OK), Terry Sheppard (OK) and Merv Grist (veteran excellent comic poetry and stories).ย
Plus several more acts who I didnโt get to see personally (M/X, Fly Fly Triceratops (who Iโm assured were a teenage indie outfit who were highly energetic and very, very LOUD), Butane Skies (a female-fronted band with a token male drummer delivering fun alt-rock, previously reviewed here by Darren in 2025), Bellyful, Kurt Alexander, Neverlove, Sunshine Frisbee, Brutalligators, Mexican Dave, a ceilidh with Juniper, Bob Gallie, Luke De-Sciscio & The Real Boys, Rob Quo, Toodles & The Hectic Pity, and the ever-hilarious Scott Doonican). Also headlining Friday night was none other than Salisbury upstarts, now turned globe trotting (and recently signed to one of the biggest and best talent agencies UTA) indie punkers Carsick. And the only reason I didnโt get to see all these wonderful people was not because I was lying in a field, blissed out on cider, but because I was too busy watching some great acts on the other stages. So much music, so little time!
The Bar Stage in the middle of the arena, pretending to be simply the Festivalโs (Kettlesmith) Bar, run by Matt Cook and Simon Taylor of The Pump Acoustic Club, and featuring a varied mixture of artists. These included: Jennifer Crook (meh), The Cleverly Brothers (legendary comedy artists featuring Tim Webb of Spill The Whiskey, and local comic poet Merv Grist), Sid Bloomfield (another excellent veteran comedy performer), Xaphania (young, local, very impressive), Jane Langley (older, but lively and a bright performance), Seren Alyssa (young & upcoming, and recently seen at The Pump Acoustic Club and in The Fold in Devizes), and the Trowbridge Ukulele Strummers (donโt get me started on where strumming a ukulele can lead you!).
Again, there were several acts that I simply didnโt have the time to catch, including The Frukes, The Anglo-American Almost Allstars, John Coventry, Jโs Tonic and the Silver Street Band.
And finally there was The Main Stage at the bottom end of the arena, offering the largest space to stand or dance, or else sit inside or outside the marquee, and featuring some twenty national and international figures.ย These were, I suppose, the bigger hitters of the festival. They included Chris Difford (ex-Squeeze) whose classic songs were willingly taken up (to his very obvious delight) by a packed audience, and whose stories of fellow โpop starsโ of the 1980s and 1990s were simply hilarious, including the seemingly large number of other artists whoโd managed over the years to keep Squeeze from the No. 1 spot in the charts. And the various โw**kersโ who he thought would never amount to much, but who ended up playing Wembley six months later, whilst Squeeze were still playing at the back-street pub in Peckhamโฆpriceless!
There was the incomparable John Otway Band who delivered the usual hilarious and manic set, yet completely different to his recent appearance at Long Street Blues Club with Wild Willy Barratt. There was Martin Simpson whose impeccable delivery on vocals and guitar, woven with music stories was fascinating There was The Rob Lear Band (our friends from over the Welsh border, having recently played The Piggy Bank in Calne, and several events over the years in Devizes). Apart from a sudden mishap with Terryโs guitar at start of their tea-time slot, they were an absolute triumph, and the new songs (squirreled away onto a sneak preview EP CD) were a total delight.
Did I mention the three great bands closing the stage on the three nights? The Welsh band Rusty Shackle, who were an excellent Friday night band for dancing, 3 Daft Monkeys headline finishers on Saturday night with their loud, brash, and tight arrangements, and Merry Hell the superb Festival closers on Sunday with high energy, high comedy and great choruses.
But there were plenty of other bands too: Spill The Whiskey (one of this yearโs ceilidhs), Harbottle & Jonas (really excellent), Luke James Williams (OK, bit samey), Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes (best on main stage on Friday night), Banter (with loads of traditional/ classic songs but fabulously re-arranged), Gabrial Moreno & The Quivering Poets (Saturday starters, superb, interesting, poetic, definitely one of my โundiscoveredโ picks of the festival), Bluebeard & The Desperate Hours, (featuring our old friend ย Phil Cooper on bass), Michell, Pfeiffer & Kulesh (three nationalities, singing modern songs), Chris White & Julie Matthews (modern folk royalty, joined on stage with a surprise performance by the wonderful Miranda Sykes), The Terry Hall Big Band (superb jazz/ swing from the 1940s โ a real toe-tapping starter on Sunday morning), The Magpies ย (OK, but a little lacklustre), and Juniper (a superb lively band for a Sunday tea-time).
In addition to all this there was plenty of stuff to have a go at yourself. Music, after all, is about participation (except in my own case of course). Apart from an extended Open Mic session each day, there were singing and ukulele workshops, two ceilidhs, and silent discos every night in the bar for the campers who didnโt want to go to sleep just yet.
For children and younger adults there was an extensive programme of daily activities and entertainment, ranging from face-painting, to story sessions, roaming entertainers, circus skills, stilt walkers, a slapstick show and workshops for ukuleles and hula hoops. This wasnโt just an afterthought (weโd better do something for the kiddy-winks), but rather a fully integrated part of the festival. It was so good to see whole families enjoying themselves for the whole weekend. It sure helped to make this a multi-generational thing, and added to the friendly, safe atmosphere.
Add to this a good choice of pop-up food vendors, coffee etc, craft stalls of all types, Lycra Man (IYKYK), a visiting milk man for the camp site, and a breakfast bar, and you have yourself a pretty good set-up. There was no possible way of getting bored for more than a few minutes.
The sensible, friendly stewarding and security teams, with plenty of space for camping and parking, made this simply amazing bloody value for such a good festival and for so much entertainment. It was so good to see the festival supporting lots of local vendors and businesses, as well as encouraging plenty of local young up-and-coming performers.
This is and was a huge volunteer effort, back-boned by some hard professional services (power, water, security, marquees, sound and lighting, staging etc), and therefore retained a very warm and friendly atmosphere. The stewards and marshals were super-lovely and helpful, nobody behaved like a twat, and the atmosphere was therefore laid-back, relaxed and welcoming.
Chatting to Festival Director Nick Reed at the end of the festival, he pronounced himself absolutely delighted with this yearโs festival. Numbers were up, the music had been great, and the positive feedback had been overwhelming. โClearly, weโre very happy. Weโve still to do the final number-crunching, but the financials look positive. Keeping it small and laid-back has been the right formula and, as weโve now built the festival to this point, we have both the physical space and the financial confidence to look at some gradual, but gentle, expansion over the next couple of years. We donโt want to lose the vibe and the atmosphere that weโve slowly built up. So the future looks very positive.โ Absolutely great news to hear that, especially in recent times where many live events and festivals have suffered lower ticket sales and/ or cancellation.
Like I said โ Iโm probably a teensy bit biased โ but I have to say that this is now an extremely good local music festival. Itโs extremely well organised and well curated. Thereโs truly something for everyone, itโs good value for money, and itโs also properly local. If you unfortunately managed to miss it this year, Iโd highly recommend that you make a space in your diary for next year, allocate your festival budget accordingly, and buy the early-bird tickets as soon as theyโre announced. This, truly, is how to run a music festival.
A talented local performer from Devizes is set to share the stage with international star Jason Donovan this summer as part of Fulltone Festival โ26. …. Grace Sheridan,โฆ
After near-on ten years at this, I assume Devizine has pretty much discovered all the local talent, when suddenly someone off our radar pops up to say hi! Devizes-based Sarah Tarry, is new to me, but Iโve had a sneaky peak at her new euphoric EP, Oh, The Deep, which is released on Friday 7th August and has a launch gig at the Devizes Cellar Barโฆ..
โIt’s kind of a comeback EP,โ Sarah explained, โmy last one was around 2013.โ The five-track EP of smooth and rootsy melodic acoustics over ambient soundscapes and backing vocals, is a collection of songs which Sarah has been working for some years on, and the time spent clearly shows. The third song, Ropes, concerns human frailty and hope, and is a good example, as Sarah wrote it over fourteen years ago.
The title tune homages sacred places, and with the delicate sounds of a coastline, breathes a rapture of blissful summery vibes. Sarah explains Where Can I Go is a โwrestle with a love that is so deep and unconditional that it just wonโt let go,โ leaving me in awe at the poignancy enveloped in this EP.
It comes with a sketchy cover illustration of wintery country walks, by Imogen Hobbs, causing the whole project to feel wholesome and endearing. Yeah, sounds nice to me! Plenty to encourage me to check out the Bearโs Cellar Bar on Friday 7th August; you coming?!
At least I think it was the sixth Devizes Scooter Rally; after three weekends spent at a sunkissed Lower Park Farm I’m getting a smidgen hazy! Nevertheless, I acknowledge and appreciate folk have their own valid reasons to cite either of these three major and hugely successful Devizes events as their favourite, but, personally this weekend was mineโฆ..
It’s justifiable to suggest big sound and stages, renowned performers or a universal variety of tributes are elements as to why you might choose differently to me, and that’s all good. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all. Devizes Scooter Rally may not necessarily win these categories, it’s niche but knows what its punters want, and delivers it with passion, and utmost pride.ย
It also makes up for them all when the atmosphere is as electric as it was, the community feel extends to hoards of annually returning visitors from afar, the team’s dedication is second to none, and a campsite so jammed as to make Michael Eavis envious!
Not forgoing, for my personal taste, this one is a retrospective reflection on the music and fashions I grew up with and cherish to this day.
It might also be suggested, because of the success of Devizes Scooter Rally the others implemented similar; I’ve seen two Madness tributes prior to this weekend! But if tributes are essential elsewhere, while the rally had cover bands nodding to the era, and Madness will forever reserve a fair chunk of that respect, it had one tribute which must be as highly praised as those other acts, if not more.
Nestled between magical ska covers eight-piece Hampshire/Dorset collective, Skamageddon, and the sublime soul ensemble All That Soul, Bootleg Blondie rocked my world, and I’ve seen the real McCoy! If you think covering T-Rex’s Get it On in a Debbie Harry style for an encore at an event full of mods and skinheads is risquรฉ, with a certain ease it worked and alongside all their hits, Bootleg Blondie brought the house down with it.
Bootleg Blondie is a concentrated marvel replicating the whole band, not just the adored frontgirl, and they were tight. Yet the latter must be said of all on the lineup.
The returning Butterfly Collective kicked Saturday’s proceedings off with a glorious and vast selection of covers, enveloping every subgenre and youth culture represented in the crowd. From punk to ska to mod, and modernising with Britpop, whatever they followed each song with was as well-received as the previous. From Oasis to Sex Pistols, they knocked them all out of the tent.
Most interesting was a finale where Tom Petty’s Freefalling was meshed into the Jam’s Town Called Malice, and after a ska-fused Woolly Bully encore they finished with a northern soul fashioned cover of Erasure’s A Little Respect. The lively frontman proudly told that it was their fourth time playing Devizes Scooter Rally and hailed it as โthe best rally on the planet!โ A sentiment reflected by the audience, and me.
With Soul Pressure DJ Terry Hendrick filling gaps, it was onto Skamageddon, who, with matched excellence, gave us a superb repertoire of classic Two-Tone, blended with ska versions of novelty hits and exceptional stage banter. From The Specials to Bad Manners they hit the spot, and took to everything from Nellie the Elephant, the theme from the Fresh Prince of Bell Air, and even Mr Brightside over the rhythm of The Maytal’s 54-46. It was a brilliant set for Bootleg Blondie to follow.
With Park Farm full of food choices, stalls from crafts to scooter parts, and the busiest bar this side of Munich’s Theresienwiese, The Devizes Scooter Club has captured the energy of the already established larger rallies, yet retained the community spirit of the smaller ones. Now nestling in-between them, that is what the returning attendees love about it most. For if last year blossomed because of the arrival of Ranking Junior’s incarnation of The Beat, this year’s didn’t support such a renowned headliner, yet it equalled the size and ultimate atmosphere of last year.
This should be particularly credited to the headline, All That Soul, for I couldn’t think of another tried and tested act by the Scooter Club who deserved it more. This soul singing trio of gospel rooted sisters, backed by an accomplished band, began with Motown classics and moved to a second half of funk and disco floorfillers. In a word, All That Soul is sublime.
Who dares to cover Motown? Most who do disgrace it, it was the crรจme of sixties soul singers, but All That Soul can replicate it like no other I’ve bore witness to.
Moreover, credit and the highest of praises must go to everyone at the Devizes Scooter Club, and their volunteering family and friends, who labour on making this event as well organised, welcoming and absolutely brilliant as it is.ย
If combined, this summer of local events proves we’ve a wide diversity of music options and great scenes here in Devizes, the rally provides something it sorely misrepresented; retro soul, ska and reggae. I’ve eclectic tastes, but these are what I love most, therefore I’ve got to get it while I can, and Devizes Scooter Rally does, with big brass bells on. And brass is class!
Well my friends the time has come; Park Farm Music Festival sure went from zero to hero in one swift and fantastic Saturdayโฆโฆ
Nestled between Fulltone and the Scooter Rally, two established events on the calendar at the same Devizes site, Park Farm, the self-titled music festival’s inaugural outing last year deserved more attention. Perhaps with Nirvana and AC/DC tributes its lineup greatly directed towards rock, but more so because it takes time for the worth of any new festival to become realised.
If I’ve waffled about how, despite it being a new venture in Devizes, the organisers have twenty-five plus years of experience hosting Mantonfest, a gorgeous family event adored in Marlborough, I could only hope folk took heed. The organisers this year went with more universal appeal for its lineup. For whatever reason, it worked, and I was delighted by the announcement that Park Farm Music Festival sold out this year.
Those who had cottoned on left impressed. I’m not here to flatter anyone, I say it like it is, you know this. But proof the organisers aimed to impress, particularly Devizes folk, use the example of the town’s most beloved blues legend Jon Amor and his drum and bass section Tom and Gerry, rocking the stage while I could still taste toothpaste. A brilliant beginning to what will be a mighty fine day.
The other Devizes favourite present, Ben Borrill and Pat Ward’s Matchbox Mutiny took twice to a side stage towards the end, and with their fun but proficiently delivered covers they absolutely rinsed any expectations the side stage was merely an interim whilst tribute acts soundchecked.
Knowing how amazing they are, I expected this much of Ben and Pat. My pleasant surprise on the alternative โMoonrakersโ stage was a young Hungerford-based trio called Station. Theyโve gone from gigging Marlborough’s Green Dragon to national tours, and it was easy to see why.
Feelgood and carefree songs of oceans, driving away and how fake gold jewellery makes your finger turn green, were joyfully delivered with zest in a unique eighties mod-Two Tone punkish come subtle Levellers-esque mesh. Though I love what Iโve heard of them, Iโm not completely informed, but would liken Station to the Coral, and believe itโs an apt and deserved comparison. I went straight for the Instagram follow, because they delighted the crowd with natural flair.
Mantonfest wouldnโt be Mantonfest without veterans Barrelhouse, and equally they bring their vintage blues with a groove to its baby sister Park Farm. If itโs standard issue, itโs a deserved badge of honour. Following Jon Amor wasnโt going to be easy, being this is Devizes, and Devizes loves Jon. Yet, Barrelhouseโs show is so insatiable itโs catching on here, via memorable gigs at The Southgate and hey, didnโt I book them at Rowdefest for this very reason?! Ah, they did it, as they do each time, an explosion of jump blues mixing covers with originals which no one bothers to untangle, because it so absolutely rocks.
The remaining day at this brilliant communal and genial festival was vetted tributes. In chronological order, too hot for mirror-disc top hats, Slade tribute Slyde wonderfully homaged the seventies glam era, got elders worked into an early frenzy and younger onlookers mesmerised by the catchiness of those ostentatious anthems. I knew they would, Iโve seen them before, albeit it was a Mantonfest Christmas party, still, yeah, they had to encore with the unseasonal classic Slade yell, and with exceptional expertise.
The stage was ready for the second tribute to seventies/eighties pop, and undoubtedly the most invariably treasured, Abba. Abba Inferno hail from Swindon rather than Sweden and with Scandinavian accents intended to jest about this. The general banter and party-dance crowd encouragement of Inferno was second-to-none, and if Abba tributes are two-to-a-penny, with apt costumes and their dedication to the defining sound, this was the best one Iโve bore witness to.
With the evening still young I could criticise we peeked too soon with tribute acts, but with the crowds roused now, I remained confident the organisers know better, and know exactly what buttons to press. The penultimate act was ultimate for my personal tastes and seemingly the majority at Park Farm too. Self-styled Badness attributes Madness, Bad Manners and merges other Two-Tone acts into one of the most entertaining, lively and Northern humoured amusing tribute acts Iโve ever seen. Itโs one of those who will force anyone younger and unaware of the music of the period into some dedicated after-study, while thoroughly skanking those in the know.
Fulltone may have had a great and energetic Madness tribute, but I wished those at Lower Park Farm last weekend were here once again, because Badness would have banged them to rights. This was the peak of the evening, not forgoing Matchbox Mutiny filled in the gap with another astounding second half.
While talking about badness, bad was my research for our preview of Park Farm, as the Queen tribute I had seen at a previous Mantonfest wasnโt the same one as here. They were The Boheniems, and they were the best Queen tribute Iโve ever seen, but, apologies for the assumption, that mistake; this Queen tribute was called One Vision, and unfortunately, while satisfactory, failed to deliver quite the same impact. Nevertheless, it was late, folk had had so much fun, and with sufficient alcohol in their system, it did not matter. One Vision was enjoyable, and a great end to an absolutely fantastic festival at Park Farm.
Just like glorious Mantonfests of yore, this festival was so carefree and friendly. With an adequate scattering of food and drink options, there may need to be more to entertain the kids, and we look forward to side-attractions blossoming here, but for the music lovers this is one mighty fine event, and one you should mark on next yearโs calendar if youโve not already. If Iโm singing Abba songs all week, please excuse me!!
If both Claire and Chloe Grist jest their working and marital relationships are of โleftโ and โright tit,โ respectively, it might explain the reason for their chosen species of bird on the logo of their popular music promotion Facebook page, Bird is the Word!
However, in order to incorporate the letter B on the logo of their latest adventure, a new music venue for Trowbridge town centre which opens tonight, Friday 17th July, the bird this time more resembles a chubby pigeon! After poking my nose into the new gaff at a private invite opening party last night, Iโd favour comparing The Birdhouse to a phoenix, rising from the ashes of political ballyhoo surrounding property in the area, and hopefully proving hospitality will better save the High Street over retail.
Swindonโs Old Town is an already established example, where bars, restaurants and music venues co-exist within walking distance. With The Pump a stone’s throw away, already bucking the unfortunate trend of venues closing, and The Old Town Hall, just next door to this new venue breathing life back into entertainment and community-driven events in Trowbridge, seems the time is nigh for the Birdhouse, a comfy but lively and friendly free music venue, with bar and a menu of sharing platters.
It was a popular โsoftโ opening, and great fun, as guests gathered to celebrate the coming of The Birdhouse. To dot the few remaining i’s and cross the t’s I expect the team will be busy today, for the mayor arrives at 6pm to officially open the venue. Then it starts as it means to go on, with Trowbridge punkers Brakelight being the first official band to grace The Birdhouse stage at 8:30pm. Entrance is free, please support it, because, from what we’ve seen of it so far, it looks fantastic!
The Sir Issac Pitman building on Trowbridgeโs Silver Street is a listed building from 1976, and architecturally many of its grand features are retained. Nine years after Wetherspoons relocated, Claire and Chloe have teamed with the former operator of The Boathouse and director of SD Hospitality Management Ltd, Sam Dean, to see this glorious reformation as a music venue, The Birdhouse.
Aesthetically itโs also comfy, with lots of sofas and soft chairs, and functionally it serves its purpose aptly, with a lengthy bar reaching across the back, a convertible stage area, and ground floor spacious enough for a dancefloor. And you just know, with that Cracking Pairโs dedication to the local music scene, itโs going to get a lot of use!
Soloist and one half of The Hot Juice Project duo, Jake Lockhart was actually and unofficially the first person to grace the new stage at The Birdhouse, entertaining the guests, as nibbles were handed out and Sam, Claire and Chloe gave an improv speech declaring their gratitude from their supporters and of dreams coming true. We wish them all the very best with their new project, and look forward to the prospect of partying with them as soon as possible!
Not all of them yet, but some of the top five nominations for this coming Wiltshire Music Awards are being released. Letโs take a look at them, shall we?!
Best Desk DJ nominations go to: DJ Paul Alex, DJ Dion, Sound Image Roadshow, Rock the Boat, and James Threlfall.
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
For Best Venue: The Victoria, Swindon. Salisbury Arts Centre. The Pump, Trowbridge. The Three Crowns, Devizes. The Ruze, Chippenham.
The Pump, Trowbridge
For the Contribution to Music in the Community award: Swindon 105.5FM. Dave Wright at The Southgate, Devizes. Jemma Brown & Fulltone Festival. Peggy-Sue Ford of Donโt Stop the Music radio show, and us, Devizine and myself! Thanks to everyone who thought of me!
The Southgate, Devizes
And finally, for now, The Best Band award:
The top 5 nominations are Burn The Midnight Oil, Talk in Code, 5 Nights at Adyans, Butane Skies and Ednostic.
Talk in Code at CrownFest
While thereโs more to come, organiser Eddie Prestidge congratulated the top 5 finalists, and said โbeing shortlisted is a fantastic achievement, especially considering the high standard of nominations we received this year. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who was nominated. The support shown by the Wiltshire music community has been incredible, and every nomination is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our nominees.โ
The winners will remain a closely guarded secret until the Awards Ceremony on Saturday 14th November at Melksham Assembly Hall. Book your tickets now and be there when the winners are revealed!
Wiltshire Music Awards is looking for sponsors of the various categories. For sponsorship enquiries: hello@stonecirclemusicevents.uk
Matchbox Mutiny at Wiltshire Music Awards 2025 Image: Helen Polapix
January last year, The Southgate Inn Devizes announced Jamsters, a monthly Friday night platform for loose groupings and associations created at their regular jam sessions each Wednesday. On Sunday 2nd August they’ll be celebrating by bringing some of them together for the first Jamsters free festival, aptly, at the Southgateโฆ
A spokesperson for the inn said, โevery great music community needs somewhere to begin. For countless musicians across Wiltshire, that place has been The Southgate.โ
The Southgate’s Wednesday night jam sessions have been running regularly since Dave & Deborah took over the pub in 2018. It offered a secure space where people of all ages and abilities can come to play and sing.
โThese weekly sessions have become far more than an acoustic jam,โ they say, โthey’ve birthed enduring friendships, inspired songwriting partnerships and helped musicians find the confidence to take their music beyond the pubโs walls to perform full-length gigs, either as soloists or in bands.โ
And I know this to be true. I’ve been to a few, though being unable to hold a note, I reject and quiver in fear of any offers of so much as a tambourine! I just love the comradeship, the communal feeling, and the way they take turns to lead, and the improv singalong becomes something magical.
From 12pm onwards on Sunday 2nd August The Southgate presents a lineup of local talent, solo artists who cut their teeth at these sessions, and groups which formed through it.
Pat Ward and Ben Borrillโs celebrated covers duo Matchbox Mutiny and Gordon Thompson and Tim French’s duo Painted by Numbers, both play, along with soloists like the incredible Vince Bell, one third Lost Trade and local legend Jamie R Hawkins, this year’s wonderful breakthrough singer-songwriter Sammi Evans, the lovable Tom Harris, and Byran Davis, a new name to me, but when I get there I predict I’ll say something like, โoh, hey, I do know you,โ because that’s the way things roll around here!!
Worthy to note, the lineup is far from the be-all-and-end-all of musicians who’ve been helped by these sessions, but it’s certainly an incentive to get down the Gate, if not just on Sunday 2nd August but anytime for their non-stop musical programme. As if we needed an incentive!!
โIt’s about celebrating the pub that quietly made so much of it possible,โ they say. โIt’s about recognising the importance of grassroots venues at a time when so many are disappearing.โ
Yeah, I’m down with that. Particularly when I pause to reminisce on all the brilliant nights we’ve had there, dancing around George the pub dog as he naps front and centre of the performers! Long live The Southgate and those jammy Jamsters; I wish I could hold a note, I canโt even grip fully onto a tenner before the kids swipe it from my hands!!ย
As if we required proof that Ruby Darbyshire is loved by all, today she was asked to play her pipes by the war veterans in Devizes at Cafe Nero in the Brittox and received an unexpected awardโฆ.
Congratulations to branch manager of Neros, Rachel Shotter, who received an award for the help she has given to the Poppy Campaign in Devizes over the years; Ruby thought she was only there to help celebrate by playing her bagpipes.
Ruby’s father Brian Darbyshire said โwhat she didn’t know was that she was also getting an award for her contributions of support.โ
This follows from the Royal British Legion Devizes Branch Annual Poppy Awards Ceremony at the Wyvern Theatre in June.
Well done, Ruby; we won’t stop praising you until you win the Mercury Music Prize!ย
Regretfully I must report that due to a personal issue Jason Donovan is unable to sing at Devizes’ Fulltone Festival this afternoon. But all in attendance yesterday will be aware, if Jason was a cherry on the cake, Fulltone is not one big cake. Fulltone is an industrial sized tray of cherry bakewells and each individual cake has its own cherryโฆ..
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
If a tray of bakewells required one chief cherry, it would be the fellow with the most familiar parietal lobe in Devizes, Anthony Brown, conductor of the FullTone Orchestra, delicately or furiously waving his baton around for hours, as the mood of the music requires! Or it could also be his wife, Jemma, who miraculously finds time off from promoting and marketing this grand show to sing at it too. But a tray of bakewells does not have a chief cherry, each individual cherried cake must be credited and praised for what is one of the most magnificent shows this side of Barnard’s Star.ย
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
There’s one violinist who reminds me of Chris Kamara, but unfamiliar with all the names of this seventy-piece orchestra, each and everyone of them are cherries! And their combined efforts is what makes Fulltone so tasty. To them, and every volunteer, well done and thank you, for, from start to finish, Saturday was totally and unequivocally magical.
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
Social media posting expected today, or thoughtless clickbait headlines, casting opinions on Fulltone whether or not they attended! The move to Park Farm I suspect will be under scrutiny, particularly by those who once makeshift their own free party by pitching up by the exterior fence. Transport issues with the times of the shuttle bus might rightfully be criticised, and for an event dedicated to its town, its regularity might need evaluating for future years; teething troubles. But with the campsite option, the Fulltone Festival 26 is more accessible to a wider audience, and folk from afar communally rubbed shoulders with dedicated Devizons for a series of showstoppers back-to-back, heralding a new chapter for Fulltone.
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
Social media can be toxic, Park Farm is where you must be to assess this. And should you require an example, let’s take the grand finale of Saturday night. That iconic stage, like a giant sky-reaching gothic church window, barely shaded partygoers from the heatwave, as Two-Tone tribute Mostly Madness did what it said on their tin. With emphasis on the trombone player rather than the singer, it was an incredibly lively show of second gen ska, and went down a treat. Then the orchestra came out, glittered up, with a rendition of Fatboy Slim’s Right Here, Right Now, but rather than the repetitive sample which mightโve been acceptable in the nineties, a young guy, conveniently called Guy I believe, interpreted a rap over it; and it was sublime.
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
The stage was set for a number of club classics, each with a different singer, as Devizes-own smiley BBC legend James Threlfall prepared his decks for a “large” mix continuing the club classic theme. What was earlier a stage wonderfully reciting the classical themes of John Williamsโ Star Wars was now a pumping house festival, where the exhausted orchestra took a hydration break. But this was not the grand finale, only near to it in timings.
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
Now the orchestra came back out. James remained on the decks providing the beat, the orchestra played the melodies over it, Rozella came out too, glittering, and they did a few more vocal club classics, using Guy to rap Snapโs Rhythm is a Dancer. Then, a singer from the orchestra backed her with her most memorable hit Everybodyโs Free. This was my personal favourite thing ever to happen at a FullTone Festival, as sparks of the fondest memories flooded my neurons, aided by a Muck & Dunder Bajan rum punch, and we danced like there was no tomorrow, even though there was and FullTone continues today!
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
For an Uncle Albert perspective, back in the day, โwhen I was in the rave,โ house, jungle, techno and all other subgenres were virtually the same shebang, or at least their roots were bundled together. The only divide was songs for cheesy clubbers, aching for the commercialisation of rave culture, and those for the โhardcoreโ free party people illegally raving in some field or other. Then there were those songs which transcended that boundary, that appeased whatever side of the fence you sat on, and in 1991, Rozellaโs uplifting piano-breaking anthem was โthe one.โ
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
But, looking at the faces of those dancing to it last night, my personal significance mattered not a stitch, as for many 1991 is a page in a history book. Still, I couldnโt have imagined this โthrowaway musicโ would ever become classed as โclassics,โ as they relished every second of it as much as me, and the few other matured ravers!
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
For those younger, 1991 was not a live music era, it was governed by DJ culture. I didn’t know (much care) what Rozalla looked like, but as she sang on that stage, she looked and performed as beautifully as I could’ve ever imagined. In some vague similarity, The Wurzels seemingly did too!
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
Imagine, if you will, the most unlikely break between sections of the Proms, but, as we’re West Country, the glove fitted with danceable jollity. Professionally accomplished, where age didn’t seem to come into it, and I am a Cider Drinker encouraged a bra to be thrown in their general direction, the Wurzels were expectantly brilliant!
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
The Kaiser Chief’s Ruby Ruby perhaps not as apt as other pop hits they’ve covered, and the encore Combined Harvester had the techno remix backing, which would’ve been acceptable in 1992, but I take into consideration their ages and if it had to be the last song, they were likely completely knackered by the end of it. They put in the shift, with hilarious banter and skilled scrumpy & western, as those bumpkin legends were the making of it.
Saturday at Fulltone ’26
There were parts I regret I missed, such as the orchestra playing a Queen set; it sounded smashing though, as I rushed carefully back across the dual carriageway, assuming the last thing folk want to see driving home is a milkman as roadkill. Too conveniently located to home, I nipped back for my dinner and a spray of Lynx!
But, John Williams, the whole Star Wars catalogue, made me remember why we were there, for the grandness of this orchestra, for the experience of this conglomerative of excellence, for the acoustics of ye gods running through you, and for the institution the FullTone Festival has become; and Iโm not even a cherry bakewell kinda guy, Iโm more brownie!!
Earthlings and all other organic lifeforms with a taste for the occult, fortean and generalย weirdness are heading to The Barge at HoneyStreet the first weekend of September for the return of Strange Days Festival. You risk spontaneous combustion if you donโt tooโฆ.
If you felt an alien autopsy, some alpine shape-shifters or the neohermetic order of Kyballic philosophy were unfortunately missing from your usual festival haunts, this might just be for you and your spirit guide.ย ย ย
A wildly Wyrd weekend specially crafted for fans of forteana and unexplained phenomena, Strange Days covers the entire weekend with weirdness, esteemed speakers, cosmic cabaret, and some mindblowing music. As of last year, the most powerful tractorbeam musically arrives from intergalactic visitors Henge, with their jazzy psychedelic space-rock rave everyone wants to be abducted by.
Star of the hidden camera prank show Trigger Happy TV, the man with the giant phone Dom Jolly also headlines, and thereโs an array of speakers, and other bands, including Calneโs own masters of comedic metal, the chelonaphobic Real Cheesemakers, who might/might not play from inside the belly of a sperm whale.
Indie experimentalists Quatermass III are also playing, known for blending glam-tinged experimentalism, “folk-horror” themes, and electronic textures. And Novum Wo, an experimental electronic artist blending distorted glitch, IDM, and sample-based sounds with Medieval, Arthurian, and contemporary industrial aesthetics.
Thereโs the unmistakable band Dogshow, on a voyage to explore how music can be experienced differently, by traversing genre-fluid astral planes whilst dressed as poodles. The Quantum Mechanicsโ paranormal podcasters go live, Bob Fischer and Stephen Brotherstone resurrect all your disturbed childhood TV memories simultaneously, while Jonathan Downes goes on the trail of Mexican Vampires, and past president of the British UFO Research Association Lionel Fanthorpe talks about close encounters.
Iโd like to say Iโm only dipping my little toe into the dark waters of Strange Days, as thereโs so much more to discover, but the minds of the followers of the event might meander onto the argument itโs a vestigial structure, leftover from our tree-dwelling ancestors, while podiatrists interject, maintaining the little toe is still functional and significantly aids in balance and weight-bearing, and weโll have a battle of medical curiosities on our multi-fingered, prehensile organs.
Strange Days is on the weekend of the 4th-6th September, when the nights draw in, and we get closer to the spirit world. Itโs at the Barge at HoneyStreet so itโd be rude not to camp, which is included in the ticket. Tickets are a 130 of your Earth coins, with discounted rates for kids. From HERE and beyondโฆโฆ
Pride month finds me wondering if Pride events are actually needed more in our smaller market towns where awareness and acceptance is perhaps lesser thanโฆ
Wiltshire Music Centre is launching the Make Music This Summer programme, a vibrant 19-day programme of musical activities for children, young people and families….. Designedโฆ
Images by Jess Worrow A busy late spring weekend across the county, with major events from Bradford-on-Avon to Swindon, but I’m bringing quality acts Iโฆ
Tickets are now on sale for Frome Festivalโs silver anniversary year, taking place between the 3rd โ 12th July, 2026. Three hundred events are scheduledโฆ
It looks like fowlers have finally caught them! I mean, wildly flying around, daytime clubbing, karaoke cavorting, supporting and promoting local live music, who doesthat?!ย
Cracking Pair Claire and Chloe Grist do. They set up the Facebook page, Bird is the Word to promote the local music scene. May last year saw them putting gigs on at Bradford-on-Avon’s Boathouse and running a daytime clubbing experience at The Exchange in Devizes.
But it’s been more a case of โmum’s the wordโ since May, when they first flashed their phones at me, showing off the shiny new logo for an even more exciting project, The Birdhouse.ย
If I’ve been a good boy and kept my cakehole schtum, now I can reveal that they’ve only gone and teamed up with the former operator of The Boathouse and director of SD Hospitality Management Ltd, Sam Dean, nabbed the vacant Sir Issac Pitman building on Trowbridgeโs Market Street and plan to open The Birdhouse, a new music venue; ding dong!
Passed it this morning and took a snap, being the logo is up there, looking rather catching. There’s a private ‘soft’ launch on Thursday 16th July, andย the Mayor officially opens the new venue at 6pm on Friday 17th, with all guns blazing by 8:30 when Trowbridge punkers Brakelight will be the first band to grace The Birdhouse stage.
We hope itโll be a historic moment and wish Sam, Claire and Chloe all the best for the venture. Wiltshire is bucking the unfortunate reality of music venue closures, and Trowbridge is at the heart of it.
You might remember the building being used as a Wetherspoons until it closed nine years ago; small mercies! We think it’s fantastic to see an independent establishment going into its place, and can not wait to party with Bird is The Word!
Our regular historian and Visiting Research Fellow of The Regional History Centre, UWE Bristol, Brian Edwards takes some time to sketch the FullTone Orchestra ahead of next weekend’s festival….
I was blown away when attending one of the Fulltone Orchestra’s practice sessions today. We know the music is fantastic, we know the line up is pretty cool; but I wasn’t remotely ready for the thrill of being in the practice room when the music started.….
I wasย supposedlyย there to sketch, but it was ridiculously difficult to focus on the task in hand.ย
Attending the two days of the Fulltone Festival is the most fun you can have in Devizes with your clothes on – said someone that won’t now admit saying it. Come to think of it, it probably rivals some of those other times as well.
Order your tickets now – Fulltone 26 is next weekend!
The larger than life superstars from CSF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING return to Devizes, Wiltshire on July 11th for a very special edition of SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM, as WWF/WWE Legend: Scotty 2 Hotty will be live and in action!
The former WWF Tag Team, World Tag Team and WWF/WWE Light Heavyweight Champion will return to CSF to compete at the Devizes Corn Exchange, which will feature a host of top Pro names. Also announced to appear: ‘Hotshot’ Joey Scott, ‘English Lion’ Eddie Ryan, Joel Redman, Gilligan Gordon and ‘Unique’ Jake McCluskey!
Tickets are now limited. Priced at ยฃ15 all ages. Available with no booking fee online from www.csfwrestling.co.uk (Ringside also available from CSF). Meet and Greet Passes to meet Scotty, get his photo taken with you and collect an autographed poster are available only from CSF online. Venue is fully accessible, including the arena, bar and toilets. Doors 6pm // Showtime 6:30pm // Finish 9pm Devizes Corn Exchange Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1HS For the full line up please visit: www.csfwrestling.co.uk
The first week into July, and two local festivals of five ticked off! CrownFest went down a hit with those who attended this fantastic reputation repair jobโฆ.
CrownFest at The Crown in Bishops Cannings spawned in 2022, providing landlords sustainability and was a lesson into how to run a lively, community-driven village pub. A majority of the village turned out with a sprinkling of townsfolk, but there was always a handful of killjoy villagers frowning upon it.
Once its reputation preceded itself, the following year saw much greater attendance, particularly from outside the village. Little did we know, due to the vocal minority’s protest, its pinnacle would be its demise. After a furious and often ludicrous campaign, including claiming proprietors stole a gorilla statue from Scotland, didn’t get permission to paint their outside bar, and other petty, police time-wasting falsehoods, with pitchforks at dawn they drove the landlords out and replaced them with another determined to shut out villagers with paid parking and convert the premises into an overpriced Conservative gastro restaurant.
As prime real estate, if it was an unstable era for The Crown, it was short-lived. The proceeding landlady knowingly committed election fraud in a bid for a seat on the council and, once exposed, waddled off with her tail between her legs. The thing is, you couldn’t have imagined this political ballyhoo backstory at the sun shiny CrownFest 2026, much less cared about it.
Undertaking the task of repairing the Crown’s former communal reputation, CrownFest was the icing on the new landlord’s cake. Organiser Eddie Prestidge of Stone Circle marched proudly past me, suggesting I quoted him on โthey said I’d never squeeze twelve bands into one day!โ But he did, and still it was quality over quantity.
I rocked up to see the end of The Publicans, a vigorously adroit Irish folk collective, and things looked healthy and happy at CrownFest already. A trailer stage with a control tower breathed top class technical production, with a second stage, campervans and tents to the rear of the site, and nestled in-between, a generous helping of attendees.
Again, in this saturated market, this festival could’ve and should’ve attracted more. They’re building back from the vacant years, but all the ingredients to a great festival were present here; note, for next year.
Fundraising for the Wiltshire Hope & Harmony charity, who create dementia choirs, the surroundings of CrownFest are beautiful, the pub is alive once again, and friendly faces came to enjoy themselves. Even the outdoor gents were proper posh and clean!
Time to check the second stage while Welsh tribute Ant Trouble tuned on the main. Two’s Company stood in at the last moment for Lucas Hardy. As the name might suggest an accomplished duo with John E Wright on bass, wonderfully performing folk-rock singalongs.
Ruby Darbyshire followed, once again holding the crowd spellbound with the perfect balance of covers and originals. After this sublime performance it was time for some ant music!
Perhaps it was niche and retrospective, but I and most others enjoyed it. Iโve been looking forward to seeing Ant Trouble again since they rinsed Swindon’s Vic three years ago, especially since the band wishes to end this tribute in order to concentrate on their original electro art-punk outfit, Head Noise. They came out firing on all cylinders with their tribute to Adam and the Ants; elders who understood (the family) and even the kids loved its lively punk-fantasy vibes.
Everything from then on was a Stone Circle showcase; the best acts you’ll find them putting onto pub and club gigs. Out of all our local festivals this undoubtedly supports local acts most and this, to me, is a very important point.
Starter, George Wilding. The real prince charming, the friendliest local human jukebox you’re ever likely to meet, with that golden voice raised the roof appeasing punters who yell out their requests and join him in chorus; legend in his own shirt!
A kindly talented fellow of George’s calibre rounding off with Three Lions on a Shirt, when we were still in doubt of Monday’s outcome, and Bohemian Rhapsody, wasn’t going to make the stage easy for anyone following with a policy of originals only, but it wouldn’t deter Wiltshire’s finest indie-pop darlings Talk in Code. I never tire from watching their dynamic show.
I do wish, though, this shallow trend of wetting knickers over some covers rather than supporting local acts writing and producing their own material would lessen. Talk in Code came out on fire and did the thing we love them doing; an electric set of timeless indie-pop anthems. It doesn’t take more than a few clicks to follow a band online, and familiarise yourself with their songs, and pretty soon, I guarantee, you’ll be creating the atmosphere akin to how you would if they covered Mr Bright Skies.
In this, I thought the rota could’ve worked better if Ant Trouble followed Talk in Code, and George filled in while Kinisha was preparing, then again if I’m to nickpick judging on what I caught of The Publicans, they could’ve suitably been pushed up the lineup too. As I said, CrownFest saw a plethora of great music, all of which needs to slot in someplace.
Sure, Kinisha stole the show, the headline Tina Turner tribute is called and is Simply the Best. But, sunhats off to the team for a brilliant festival of variety in acts, and communal vibes, which none faltered from toppermost quality. All round, CrownFest absolutely rocked Bishopโs Cannings and put The Crown firmly back on the top spot it deserves to reclaim.
The temperature and L-shaped site didn’t fare so well in coaxing attendees to move from stage to stage, many, in conversation and self-made merriment favoured to pick one and stick to it. But hey, that’s the shape the garden is and, seemingly the motivation of overheated Bishops Cannings residents not to stray too far from the shade, bar or barbecue! As long as they had fun, that’s what matters, and CrownFest certainly provided that.
For myself, I am delighted to see CrownFest return this year, and hope it will be an annual feature on our local festival event calendar once again.
Itโs 2006, and the charts are awash with what will become known as landfill indie. Somewhere in backwater Townsville UK, an already road worn veteranโฆ
After months of speculation, controversy, and local media bias, The Shindig Festival at Malmesbury’s Charton Park has been given the green lightโฆ.. Despite Newsquest floggingโฆ
What was once counterculture hedonism is now as mainstream as a package holiday. In the UK music festivals are fashionable, approved and plentiful. Ten yearsโฆ
Three short years ago, we first spoke with Vanessa Tanner, campaigning in the Devizes Town Council by-election for Devizes East. In those few minutes, Iโฆ
Midnight oil has been burning at Potterneโs Badger Set studio as Devizesโ most impressive and talked about upcoming band, Burn The Midnight Oil takes it to a whole other level with a new single, Slow Burn, and itโs out tomorrowโฆ..
In a relatively short time Burn the Midnight Oil has become an unmissable live show, and last yearโs trip to the studio for the three-track EP Werewolf was blossoming with promise of a developing band heading in the right direction.
Whilst Slow Burn retains the swagger of a gunslinger at dawn, as does the previous songs, it also feels to me like the checkpoint to something far greater. Rootsy Americania with gypsy undertones and sombre leitmotifs being their guise, this one doesnโt waiver in poignant wording and powerful delivery, yet it captures something more carefree, wild and commercially viable in its midst too; a punch, a hook, and a sinker.
Thereโs an enchanting string intro, and it builds to a danceable peak; all the elements are combined here, it requires and thoroughly deserves radio play. In good time, I foresee and hope this tune being the one fans will wait an entire set in anticipation for, and will sing back to them. It’s Florence and the Machine sitting on a toadstool wishing they were more like Fleetwood Mac, itโs girl power Dire Straits melodic, itโs Springteenโs wild romantic gesture calling across a stadium.ย ย
In subject we see a turn away from the often dejected and tortured feminine soul of past songs, and a pragmatic idealism more faithful to the sanguinity of relationships developing.ย
If pop demands a song about the gifts of taking romance slowly should be a ballad, this runs more fiery than Niall Horanโs Slow Hands, and far less saccharine than Janet Jacksonโs Let’s Wait Awhile.ย
Then, if we ask for upbeat, of course, we have one hit wonder Jermaine Stewart not wanting to take his clothes off to consider! Thankfully weโre heading far more subtly here; why does this theme have to be cringeworthy or so overly sentimental when itโs a perfectly viable concept?! Slow Burn, I think addresses this, and exhausts with a genuine angle through personal reflection. Thatโs what it does for me, itโs tender-hearted legitimately, and the chorus blows the cobwebs off any concerns the ideal might be wrong.
What else do you need to know about this song? Itโs solid, out tomorrow, for Bandcamp Friday, pre-save it now HERE, and youโll hopefully see where Iโm coming from!
We’ve been on about the other big Devizes events we’re looking forward to across July, but on the 24th to the 26th it’ll be time to get up on your feet, put your braces together and your boots on your feet, and give us some of that old moonstomping, at Devizes Scooter Rally. And it’s only three weeks away; time enough to wash that Fred Perryโฆ..
There’s no complicated reason for a way of putting this, I love Devizes Scooter Rally! With a few photos I’ll attempt to explain why.
Firstly though, note; I don’t got no hairdryer, no need for anything on two wheels, I’m dodgy enough on four! I go for the music, the drink and the great company; of which is plentiful.
Last year the site significantly expanded as The Beat headlined, at least Ranking Roger’s son Ranking Junior paid homage to his father and the original lineup. Needless to say it was well-received and off the scale; I called it the best one yet. But it’s only a fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally!
I think it’s at the maximum scale the Scooter Club feels comfortable with. That’s understandable, any bigger could potentially lessen that community feel which has attracted the niche market of scooterists and retrospective youth cultures, and blessed this rally with a renowned reputation nationwide.
This year sees lesser-known names on the lineup but all tried, tested and loved by the Scooter Club. Bands this year include the Butterfly Collective returning for their second year, newcomers Skamageddon, Bootleg Blondie,Marquis Drive, The Decatonics and all-time club favourite All That Soul.
It is not about big names, rather throwing one heck of a great party, and that is what they do every year without fail. Kick it off, Colonel!
Here’s a snap of Goldsteppers, who played the 2024 Rally, and I reckon were my favourite band to ever play here. They had this total dedication to recreating an original Jamaican ska sound. Even if I grew up with the Two-Tone movement it only served to fuel my obsession with its roots. Through my eclectic tastes I need to do Devizine, I reserve my rights to declare officially, that original Jamaican ska and reggae are my desert island discs, my favourite style of music. And, we simply don’t get nearly enough of this around these backwaters. But this is only another fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally!
Here’s a picture of All That Soul from a previous year. They’re coming again this year, and if you think perfectly mimicking those Motown classics is asking too much, All That Soul do, do sublimely and on a level I’ve only ever witnessed before when watching All That Soul! Awl, those Northern Soul boys are welcomed here too; throw down some talc and call me Andrea! But, that’s only a fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally too.
It’s all weekend, it’s affordable, there’s free camping. On a local level I believe those with only a passing interest have cottoned onto its brilliance, and even the council have accepted it’s an important annual date on the town’s event calendar. Scooterists from all over the country fly back and forth down Caen Hill, spending money in town; an economic advantage but still, only a fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally!
The biggest chunk on my pie chart of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally, can be best illustrated by these last two snaps. Co-founder of the Devizes Scooter Club Martin Gibbs has been busy painting barrels with the logos and colours associated with the variety of movements which combined make up the ethos of the rally. And there’s the thingโฆ.
Everyone at the Scooter Club muck in, use their relevant skills and work tirelessly to create this extravaganza. With their reflection on reggae, their combined efforts is rather akin to a Caribbean carnival, whereby participants will labour all year on their decoration, dress and floats. The Devizes Scooter Club built this bar themselves, they built this bangarang (but not necessarily on rock n roll!!) And you best believe it, this bar takes some heavyweight usage!
You’ve never seen such a busy bar, and members of the club and their families slave night and day, serving attendees with their booze quota until the point they drop from exhaustion! With a lost voice and physically drained from tending the busiest bar this side of Munich’s Theresienwiese during Oktoberfest, my wonderful sister-in-law still drives my sorry drunken ass home afterwards; I’m so grateful, it’s become our thing!!
That’s my major point, that’s why I love Devizes Scooter Rally most; the team behind it, giving 500%, mucking in, and creating this wonderful annual event. And this reflects into those attending, only expanding on this real community feel, done only so for the spirit of the day, and love of doing it!
That’s the magic of Devizes Scooter Rally, in a nutshell. In Jamaican patois you’d be a bubu, or here, a fool, to miss it!
Part environmental lecture, part live performance, and part immersive sonic journey, The Grass & Time Soundscape Lecture offers a unique way to celebrate National Meadows Day, Saturday 4th July from 2 to 4:30pm in Swindonโฆ..
Set within the gardens of Richard Jefferies Museum, the event sees ecologist, author and musician Tom Haynes, better known as Grasslands, explore the remarkable story of grasses, one of the most successful life forms on Earth.
Using live looping, drones, field recordings, ambient textures, and evolving rhythms, Haynes traces the rise of grasslands from the age of dinosaurs to the modern world, revealing how these seemingly humble plants helped shape climates, ecosystems, mammals, and ultimately human civilization itself.
Far more than a conventional talk, this is an experience that combines science, storytelling, and sound art, all coming together in an accessible but highly informative manner. The afternoon also includes an open discussion on conservation, wildlife, and creativity, followed by a live Landscapes and the natural world inspire grasslands’ performance.
Already known to many through his appearances across all five seasons of Clarkson’s Farm, as well as his growing reputation on the ambient and experimental music circuit, Haynes continues to build a devoted following through work that bridges ecology, education, and musical exploration.
As if itโs not hot enough, Aveburyโs finest musical export George Wilding is bounding back with another new single, Feed Your Head, out next Friday, the 3rd July…and he’s on fire…..
If the last few singles have come in harder rock than the melancholic, psychedelic swirls of his earlier years, while Feed Your Head doesnโt waiver from this progression, his natural talent for abstract wordplay and emotive face-slaps, in this one in particular, bears all the hallmarks of a George Wilding rocking out classic, and is an instant like….
Previous tunes of recent, like Isnโt She Lonelysurprised me with whimsical experimentations akin to doo-wop, and Monday Morningโs Bitch nodded towards a Cure early eighties-alt vibe, but if George triumphs any challenge, and producer Jolyon Dixon engages it, Feed Your Head offers no such diversion, it simplyrolls on a hard-hitting timeless indie-rock sound, comfortably.
Fans should think upbeat, like Terrible Little Secret rather than My Backward Head, yet playfully on a subject, like Tchaikovsky on the Tambourine. Feed Your Head bounds in, drums and guitars glaring upfront, on a โconvincing yourself everythingโs fine after a breakupโ theme, as if Katrina And The Waves recorded Positively 4th Street!
Itโs a punchy electric three-minute hero without drift. Thereโs no reason why fans shouldnโt love it, unless they want meandering layers of pensiveness back, Iโd argue with them it remains contemplative, just lively!
Make it your mission to look out for it next Friday, 3rd July, along with some ice pops, perhaps. And he’ll; be playing Melksham’s Stealth Brewery Tap Room Friday evening, or see him at CrownFest on 4th July.
What do mean itโs a bit short notice for me to tell you about a festival happening this weekend? Iโve been banging on about it since winter and itโs all there on the event calendar, you know?! My first MantonFest experience was in 2021 when I labelled it โMarlboroughโs Festival Gem.โ Five years on I stand by that tagโฆ..
MantonFest this year is on Saturday 27th June, thereโs still a few tickets up for grabs. Thereโs something delightfully โMarlboroughโ about this festival. Itโs a safe family-vibe without the need of mountains of restrictions. Set in the natural bowel of Treacle Brolly, itโs walkable from the town, and worthwhile. It takes campervans payable on entry and doesnโt fuss, provided you take back home the joy of the Mantonfest experience.
And that is, a grand stage, this year with a second stage dedicated to local acts, a horseshoe shaped maze of gazebos around a dancefloor where families pitch for the day, and picnic. Thereโs plenty of food and drink stalls, but the trend seems to be picnic, and the organisers welcome this.
The thing is, if I have sprung this on you too late, do not fear, especially if youโre in the Devizes area, because Park Farm Festival is on 18th July and it is run by the same experts as MantonFest. While newer, this little sister festival is set to grow, and, bringing the same family vibe to Devizes with that of Mantonfest, you can pick, or better, do both!
Mantonfest firstly, then, has AC/DC tribute AC/DC UK, who brought their very real show to Park Farm last year. In stark contrast Dan Budd is Robbie Williams, and The Duran Duran Experience finishes off the tribute headliners.
Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective should be no strangers to Devizine readers by now, neither Barrelhouse or Humdinger, who are all playing. Last Train Smokinโ are an old Mantonfest favourite, and the second stage has Skedaddle, Dorain, Mills and Hangfire.
Park Farm Festival switches acts too, with some Mantonfestโs favourites. The Queen tribute One Vision is the best Queen tribute Iโve seen, and Iโve seen a few!! Likewise with Slade tribute Sylde, they were great at a previous Mantonfest Christmas special.
Theyโve also got Badness, which is one of my favourite tributes, not quite Madness not quite Bad Manners, but their own inspired outfit. And an Abba tribute Iโm unaware of, but hey, itโs an Abba tribute, guaranteed to get old and young dancing together!
Mantonfest regulars Barrelhouse go side by side with Devizes own Jon Amor Trio, which should be interesting, and Last Train Smokinโ also play this one; I told you they were a favourite! With duo Too Complicated finishing off Park Farmโs main stage, also look out for the first time second stage here too, with Matchbox Mutiny, Station, Dorian and Bustards.
If Park Farm brings a taste of Mantonfest to Devizes, and thatโs brilliant, it doesnโt mean you canโt check out the mothership this Saturday in Marlborough, and then youโll really know, Park Farm is also worthy of your festival budget!ย Best of both worlds!
New single from Swindon soul diva Chloe Hepburn, under the rebranding CHLรVER out last week, is worthy of your attention in my honest opinion. For if Oliva Dean is bringing back a retrospective soul sound to the upcoming generation, and Lola Young breathes some English rawness into the melting pot, Chloe is a bridge in-betweenโฆ.
Lullaby is as it sounds, a gentle breeze of piano-based nu-soul with deep reflections of timeless soul. But, if a lullaby is a soothing song to regulate emotions, thereโs irony in the subject, an underlying analogy of accepting the consequences of your past actions.ย
Chloe describes the vocal arrangement of this collaboration with Manon Molyneux and mastered by Shivan Mistry as a โchefโs kiss,โ and Iโve a tendency to agree. Radio play dependent, perhaps, but once that subtle hook gets into you, itโs the perfect pop grower.
On the last single, Situations, we reviewed in March last year, I said โChloe is destined for greater things. Itโs a gorgeous single, oozing with potential and only trickling with the necessities to produce something groundbreaking.โ With Lullaby I believe weโre there.
Wiltshire Council will discuss granting itself permission to fly the Pride Progress flag outside County Hall and other Wiltshire Council offices during Pride Month. Theโฆ
Sixteen year-old entrepreneur, Katie West from Devizes, set up her own gardening business, FreshEdge Teen Landscaping a few months ago, but received a ban fromโฆ
The Rondo Theatre in Bath will be bursting with high-energy chaos this June as The Rondo Theatre Company presents Bullshot Crummond, a gloriously silly parodyโฆ
To most, โfullโ and โtoneโ are two separate words, but around here it’s been a portmanteau and a proper noun since 2019, conveying a unique musical experience where orchestral meets pop, thanks to The Fulltone Orchestraโฆ.
Yeah, they may play elaborate concerts around the South West from Exeter Cathedral and Bath Abbey to Londonโs Cadogan Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall, but it is here, in Devizes where they proper job zip up their boots and return to their roots for a festival like no other.
To put it in dictionary form, it might look something like this AI invention:
Fulltone / หfสlหtoสn /proper noun
1- The Fulltone Orchestra: A large, independent British symphony orchestra based in the South West of England. Founded in 2017 by musical director Anthony Brown, the ensemble consists of roughly 50 to 65 musicians and is celebrated for performing diverse, cross-genre arrangementsโranging from classical masterpieces and movie scores to rock, Motown, and electronic dance music.
2- The Fulltone Music Festival: A prominent annual multi-day outdoor music festival organized by the orchestra in Devizes, Wiltshire. The event showcases the orchestra alongside headline artists and guest vocalists performing large-scale symphonic concerts across a single weekend.
Origin: Formed in Devizes, Wiltshire, as a compound of full (complete, maximum) and tone (a sound of distinct pitch and quality), reflecting the expansive and powerful sound of a complete live orchestra.
Example usage: โWe are buying weekend camping passes to Fulltone at Park Farm this summer.โ
Editorโs additional note: โfor the love of Jason Donovan, make sure you do!โ
If you know me and my grammar, youโll have come to the correct assumption Iโm not one for dictionaries anyway! Iโm no scholar in the classics either. I just know what I like, and through all the bobsy-die and Tempest in a teapot online skullduggery, the bottom line is, I promise you from past experience: when you get into that dome-shaped stage, almost iconic now in Devizes, and allow the sublime acoustics of a full orchestra to flow through you, it is magnificent.
And you’re not going to find anything like it hanging around Sidmouth Street waiting for your chicken sandwich to be cooked, or staying in watching a show hosted by Ant and Dec.
Fulltone Festival 2023 – Day One Image: Gail Foster
โWeโre bringing Jason Donovan to a field in Potterne,โ organiser Jemma Brown told me. โWhy would you not get behind that and see what two local people are trying to achieve?!โ
Jason, Wurzels. Rozella, and all other gubbing or not, are only added bonuses. I was of the generation to reject pop crime manufacturers Stock Aitken Waterman, being honest, and Jason was used as a pawn, a male equivalent of Kylie, and I can’t give you the key to my combined harvester, because I haven’t got one, have I? But hey ho, a shuttle bus pulls in at the Pelican, even I have to admit, Jason Donovan coming to Devizes IS a BIG deal.
The Wurzels may be too far east for their liking, and quipped about Devizes in a song, but aren’t they the only band who made a greater success with a parody song than the original?! And I wouldnโt mind if I do; time is healer, and thereโs too many broken hearts in the world, anyway. Jason was right, dammit!!
Donโt be that subject; communal love to be found at FullTone, but only if you’re there, looking gorgeous! Iโm not out to repeat myself, weโve done a preview for this extravaganza already. I can lead a horse to water, but Iโm not prophesying that I can make it drink. But I think youโd be seriously missing out if you donโt buy a ticket, and one for your other half, maybe one for Auntie Doris too, to this one, at a new venue, with new horizons. Put her in the deckchair, let her rave.
The biggest mistake you could make is that Fulltone is a massive commercial enterprise, and that youโre going to be ripped off by a professional consortium, stuffing your dollar in their ears and laughing at you. โThe reality of it is,โ Jemma explained, โwe are a husband and wife team running an independent orchestra and event, with no financial backing other than ticket sales – which is a massive risk for anyone to take.โ
Slap me down and call me Madge Bishop if it ain’t true. Jemma’s been all over that book of face again, interrupting your constant stream of political propaganda, overkilling the advertising. Sโ only cos she gets jittery, worrying no one is going to show their face. Everyone who organises any event gets this. Please believe me, it’s perfectly natural.
Don’t we all get a bit Nelson Muntz, and on our high horses when we mount that poisonous social media platform?! Just a tad?! I’m a bloody nightmare, right?! Just ignore me, I do.
Fulltone Festival 2023 Day Two Image: Gail Foster
Bottom line; it’s not about any singular person, not even Jason, or The Wurzels, risking their safety crossing the county border. It’s about the show, and how it MUST go on. It’s about showcasing all those talented artists, all those musicians, singers, all of them, invited to bravely take to the stage.
We could walk up the canal, remembering the Boto-X, and its sad demise. Wander into town; first met the wife at that pub, now derelict. And who remembers the arcade where you hid away school lunch hours? Shame it’s gone, like the pie shop, Woolworths, Street Festival, the comfy sofa at The Four Seasons. Yeah, Fulltone has become a proper noun here, but let’s not allow it to be only used in past tenseโฆ..
Get a ticket here, enjoy yourself, and know we’ll be back together, together, because I really want to show you my heart is oh so true, and that all the love I have is, especially for you…..and everyone else going to Fulltone!
If I was pleased to hear the vocals of Devizes singer-songwriter Sammi Evans would feature on a single, I was even more delighted when I asked Sammi if it was an electronic dance track, and she replied โitโs reggae!โ Well now, this is really pushing my buttonsโฆ..
West London producer Andy Kent founded Innereyefull in 2005. Fusing breakbeat with jazz-funk and dub, the solo project then signed to Dusted Wax Kingdom three years later. By 2014 he started his own label, Inner-I Records, to self-release his music.
A prolific artist who received airplay on The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show, took his debut album Playground on tour with a collective of musicians. This though, Andy says heโs โexcitedโ about,and he โcan’t wait for you all to hear the new single, which means a lot to me,โ explaining because itโs the first Innereyefull music in six years.
Sammi is a Devizes-based singer-songwriter, often seen gigging locally accompanying Matchbox Mutiny, and attending open mics. She released her debut solo single in January.
The Thinking Tree is a rootsy, rolling heavyweight dub, and I must say, fits Sammiโs wistful and evocative chanting vocals perfectly. Thereโs the rockers one-drop to it, reflecting dub classics of Prince Jammy. Yet with contemporary echoing phrasing elements, subtler on the vocals than traditionally used at Tubbyโs dub origins, reminding me more of Zion Trainโs nineties outpourings, appeasing the alt-reggae crusty scene.ย
In theme too it blends, The Thinking Tree being a metaphoric place of solitude and reflection, itโs mellow, plodding and uplifting; all the right ingredients flow. With Robert Livseyโs percussion, guitarist James McMahon and mastered by Doc Paul Colin Moody, Sammi corrects my vocal accompaniment, telling me itโs a 50-50 collaboration with more in the pipeline. The single is from a forthcoming album, Return of The Inner Eye, due in 2027.
If this tune is solid, and up my street pounding on my front door, Iโm over the moon at the prospect of Sammi becoming a vocalist for this rebirth, because Iโm hoping sheโll encourage some local live shows, and as much as I love our local music scene, it needs more reggaeโฆ.much more reggae, in my honest opinion!
As it happens, this new Innereyefull band plays the Trowbridge Festival this month and is supporting Dub Catalyst at The Pump in October. But for now, try this taster for size, out now on Bandcamp. On streaming platforms from 30th June.
Features extracts from reviews by Andy Fawthrop, Ian Diddams and Madelaine Blake.
Does it ever stop?! The weekend is upon us again. I think I might need to skip this one, not getting any younger, and besides I did enough laughing, dancing and meeting interesting people over the past fortnight, thanks to Devizes Arts Festivalโฆ..
Celebrating its fortieth anniversary The Devizes Arts Festival really was amazeballs this year, and between our dedicated team of writers we managed to cover a fair chunk of it. Which we will now look back on with a cheap shot clipshow style article, like a nineteen-seventies TV Christmas Special!
So it leaves me to thank all the volunteers at Devizes Arts Festival for such a brilliant job, and making us feel welcome. And our writers, Andy, Ian and our new writer, Madelaine Blake. Thanks also to photographer Gail Foster for her use of the NRWO gig images.
Devizes Arts Festival kicked off like dancing shoes on Friday 31st May with Londonโs premier salsa orchestra, Salseology. Sacha Denchโ Journeys of the Human Swan and Beatrice Nicholas was showcasing African American classical composers on the following Saturday. Unfortunately we arrived fashionably late, I was busy with Rowdefest, so apologies for missing the opening.
By Monday, Andy is first out of the starting traps, and bangs out three-in-one reviews, all writing related. The first was a new feature at Devizes Arts Festival, the Have-A-Go Workshops, this one by Bath Spaโs Steve Tuffin, of whom Andy reported, โled a very practical class on how to go about writing a personal memoir, or indeed how to approach any form of creative writing. In what could have been a dry, dusty and boring subject, Steve presented a very lively, interesting and, yes, absorbing couple of hours.โ
Anthony Horowitzโs โA Life In Murderโ came next, to which Andy raved. โHorowitz proved to be a loquacious and captivating raconteur. He had plenty of anecdotes and examples to give, peppering his replies with humour and witty asides.โ
And Becky Greyโs โHow I Became A Ghost Writerโ finished the trio, which Andy called a โsandwich of literary delights.โ I couldnโt convince any of our writing team into covering some Sunday walks, and Jemma Brownโs singing country workshop. Not the most energetic bunch, and if youโd hear them sing youโd be thankful!ย ย ย
By Tuesday I thought Iโd better get on the act, and attended a lunchtime recital with Fรกbio Fernandes. Being honest I didnโt expect much, I mean, itโs just a lunchtime recital, right? How wrong was I?! St Andrews was packed, and Fรกbio, well I called him โa virtuoso. He came to Devizes to educate as well as entertain, and he did both delightfully.โ
Thursday, Andy covered photographer Nick Uptonโs Behind The Lens; My Life in Wildlife Film-Making & Photography, saying, โthis talk was a great sweep across Nickโs career over 40 years, and covering over 30 countries, but it illustrated not only the manโs undoubted technical and related skills, but also his obvious passion for nature, especially those projects closer to home in the UK.ย These included working with hedgehogs, harvest mice, dormice and the re-introduction programmes of cranes, great bustards, otters and beavers.โ
While weโre talking beaversโฆ. ermm, I went to see the Scummy Mummies show on that very same Thursday, reporting back that โyouโve never heard so many Prosecco corks popping from the Corn Exchange. It sounded like machine-gun fire in there, aimed directly at testosterone.โ
Obviously I had pre-gig reservations, but by the end, I wrote, โas a geezer, youโd be forgiven for assuming this sounds excruciating, and this was certainly my pre-concern too. For if such a format was performed by anyone other than comedy geniuses, Iโd still be of that opinion, but it wasnโt. This duo have the timing of The Greenwich Time Ball, are improv masters, and unless you were a subject on Louis Therouxโs Manosphere, wherever your testosterone balance lies, you cannot escape the simple fact that the Scummy Mummies are absolutely and undeniably hilarious.โ
If Andy went for the more calming option, Clare Durham and Paul Martinโs โCollecting; An Art, A Hobby Or A Compulsion?โ at Wiltshire Museum, reporting it as โa very entertaining session, and another of those little gems that keep the festival running,โ he soon donned his gladrags for Robert Vincent, and besides being unaware of his music, Andy called it:โThe vocals were soulful, insistent, yearning. The musicianship was spot-on. The songs were meaningful, well-constructed and simply wonderful. Itโs been a while since I was this impressed by a band Iโd never even heard before, but I was well won over. I was already on 9/10 by half time, and a no-questions 10/10 by the time we got round to the encore.โ
They let me out on Saturday, for London-based Celtic folk-punker five-piece Man the Lifeboats. At a gig unlike their usual they mightโve misjudged the crowd. I said, โMan the Lifeboats realised not to judge a book by the cover, the reward for an accomplished and lively band at Devizes Arts Festival, will be these matured attendees rising from their seated positions and gyrating to their irresistible beats like middle-age never happened; and many did, because Man the Lifeboats were stompingly outstanding!โ And they were, a great night that one.
Late out to bat, Ian strode confidently to the stumps with Howzat? The Six Sixes Ball Mysteryโ by Graham Lloyd at Town Hall, calling it โa fascinating talk about _that_ ball, the alleged lies and repeated falsehoods, and the litany of names surrounding it all.โ Glad he did that one, Iโm not out for cricket.
Andy hit back with a great ball, Bob Holmanโs Have A Go: Phone Photography workshop, which was โanother one of those little DAF gems which gave our good citizens a chance to actually โhave a goโ, rather than just sit back passively and be entertained.ย And this was definitely not entertainment, much more instructional in nature.โ
Ian delivered on former world champion poetry slammerHarry Baker, one poem of which โbrought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat as it echoed feelings of my own for over thirty years now.โ
Andy went to Swing From Paris, only to find they were actually from Gloucester and Worcester, but still, he said, โwe got two highly entertaining sets of jazz, swing, waltz and gypsy rhythms mostly from the 1930s through to the 1950s, but also featuring tunes from as far back in the 1890s and forward into the 1980s.ย There was plenty of humour and self-deprecation throughout as Fenner talked us through the provenance of each number.โ
โMilton neurotically fumbles with the microphone stand, but not his wordplay. As is his bed hair, any emotional instability or self-doubt is part of the act; he has us under his spell from the off. You couldnโt help but laugh out loud at the absurdity of his thought-process. Iโm now of the opinion his manipulation of language and layered humour is second to none currently in comedy. He has nearly as many relatives as jokes, each one with their own punchline funnier than the next.โ That was me, I said that. I took all the prestigious gigs, and this one was utterly hilarious, Milton Jones, and Adele Cliff were so, so funny!
Just when Andy, Ian and myselfย thought we had this under the thumb, in comes our new writer Maddie Blake to, not only drastically lower the age demographic of our dedicated team, but also provide us with a brilliant review of Bath artist Karen Georgeโs sketching workshop at The White Chalk Gallery.
“What made this workshop so special,โ Maddie wrote, โwasnโt just the chance to improve my drawing skills, but the atmosphere that was created within this group. Everyone appeared so eager and inviting, it was such a wonderful experience to create new friendships and share stories with those with similar interests in the arts. Despite varying levels of experience, the workshop felt accessible to everyone, and no one felt out of place. This workshop didnโt pressure you to create something โperfect,โ but something that captivates your enjoyment and experience of the workshop.โ
Thank you, Maddie, and welcome to our exclusive and sometimes elusive writers team! So good was this review, I invited Maddie to come to the finale, Nothing Rhymes with Orange, but being I had a personal angle on this one, reporting on this finest Devizes musical output since the Hoax, I really wanted to write it myself. What a great finish to one of the best Devizes Arts Festivals yet.
โLast night proved Nothing Rhymes with Orange are at the top of their game, as they switched old with new seamlessly, and strived to become the universal name we locally knew they could from the very beginning.โ
Nothing Rhymes With Orange @ The Corn Exchange Image: Gail Foster
I also said, rather a lot, about the future of the Arts Festival. With a matured demographic in attendance, generally, I try to illustrate how diverse and accepting it is for all ages. The Gen Z fanbase turned out for NRWO, the elder Arts Festival regulars did too, and everyone was kind and courteous to everyone else. That is the magic of the festival, and I hope those younger took home the notion that the festival isnโt a Saga Holiday, and welcomes all!
There were obviously a few events we couldnโt cover, and I apologise to those involved for this, but we tried to capture as much as possible. It was a wonderful year at the Arts Festival, and we look forward to seeing how they might top this one!
If writing these was a competition, though itโs not, for the record, the highest hitting review was Andyโs one on Robert Vincent, followed by Andyโs three-in-one writing workshops, I made level pegging for the third best for the NRWO review, with Maddieโs sketching workshop review, then my review of Scummy Mummies pipped Milton Jones to the post for the fourth highest hitting article.
But we donโt worry about hits here; I couldnโt pick a personal favourite, oh, okay, go on then! It had to be between Milton Jones and Nothing Rhymes With Orange, of course. For Andy, who, letโs face it, did most of the hard work, picked Robert Vincent and Swing From Paris. โBut I also thought the various have-a-go events were pretty good. Oh. That’s three!โ
Thatโs okay Andy, have three, or more. Interesting though; Arts Festival team, the workshops did prove to be a welcomed addition. Same again next year?!ย
โMr Phil Beer needs no introduction to anyone,โ says a spokesperson for The Pump in Trowbridge, our grassroots venue kicking up turf on Rolling Stone Magazine last week!
Regardless of their mainstream coverage, thankfully The Pump hasnโt forgotten our grassroots media, and let us into their secret, announced only today. One half of the legendary Show Of Hands, Phil Beer makes his long fabled return to The Pump on Friday 4th December.
โWe are overjoyed to have Phil here again,โ they said, โIt’s been a very long time.โ
For those who don’t know, Phil is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, song writer and performer. Famous for his bands Show of Hands and Feast of Fiddles, as well as a past member of The Albion Band, Phil has been performing since he was 14 years old. With 59 years of shows and the many miles he has laid down on the circuit cements his place at the very top of the traditional folk standard in Great Britain and beyond.
He is in fact a Doctor of Music, after being awarded an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Plymouth in 2015!
With over 50 studio albums to his name, as well as a clutch of folk awards, there isn’t a better way to celebrate Phil’s contribution to music, than an intimate showcase of his excessive talents, than a gig down ‘The Pump.โ
Opening the show is Canadian musician, Daniel Isaiah, who happens to be celebrating his birthday this day too!
CrownFest at The Crown in Bishops Cannings is making a fantastic comeback this July with a stellar lineup, particularly supporting local acts, begging the question, who are you most looking forward to seeing there?
It’s not as easy an answer as it might sound, and hey, I’m not intending to answer it myself; I’ve got to remain impartial. I could be like Graham, though. You remember Graham? With the quick reminder? On Cilla Black’s Blind Date? Or am I showing my age now?!
Ruby?
Hum, maybe not, cos you never saw him, he was just a voice, leading to the fact no one stopped to give a toss about his romantic welfare. What if Graham was single, and lonely, helping all those contestants find love, when behind the scenes he’s hurting, inside?! An outrage, that’s what it was; where was Graham’s weekend in Benidorm with a hot chick in legwarmers, a rah-rah skirt and more hairspray than it takes to hold a life together?!
George?
Anyway, I digress. There’s those easy options for me, and if you’re a regular Devizine reader then not only are you a smidgen crazy, but you’ll be aware how crazy I am for Ruby Darbyshire, our newest sublime singer-songwriter on the circuit, my dear longtime favourite George Wilding, who’ll take any requests and turn them into magic, and of course, those irresistible indie pop darlings Talk in Code, all of which you mustn’t miss. Promise me this much?
Talk in Code?
Lucas Hardy?
Salisbury’s finest Lucas Hardy, who leapt on stage at the Wiltshire Music Awards and couldn’t wait for me to introduce him; the guy is a legend! Braydon Lees, though, that kiddo is making news. I’ve seen him a couple of times and he’s a breath of fresh air.
Braydon Lee?
But if most of these have become my friends, there’s some new to me, so, who knows, they could be the ones you are most looking forward to seeing. You are coming, right? Tickets are ยฃ32.50, from here, Saturday 4th July at the Crown in Bishops Cannings, with the lovely beer garden, campsite and pizza!
Two stages, this time, and the others I’ve yet to tick off are: The Publicans, Innovator, 5 Nights at Adyans, Dylan Bratley, and Mother Ukers. The jury is out on them, but I can assure you the two tribute acts are awesome. Kinisha. as Tina Turner played the last CrownFest, which was a bit of a wet one, but we were rollin’ (ooh), rollin’ (ooh) rollin’ on the river.
Kinisha?
If Kinisha is a given to me and past CrownFest attendees, I’ve suggested the other tribute after seeing this guys blow the roof off the Vic in Swindon. Hey look, I’ve made friends out of so many of the musicians performing at CrownFest, but I’ve been an Adam Ant fan since I was knee-high to a grasshopper and Ant Trouble is the only band you’ll ever get anywhere near to the real thing.
There’s a lot on this bill, and all of them worthy of being the answer to our question, who are you most looking forward to seeing at CrownFest. Perhaps I’ve got the lowdown on more of them than you, but you’ve taken heed of my worldly advice and, just like Graham with his quick reminder, it’s got to be George, Ruby or Talk in Code.
Or, perhaps I’m just the dandy highwayman you’re too scared to mention, spending my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention?!
No, that’s really not me at all! You’d be far better off buying a ticket for CrownFest, than waiting for me to look like anything merely resembling โflashโโฆor spending my cash, come to think of it! Adam Ant in Bishops Cannings, though; how can you resist? I think, despite the fact any one of these fantastic acts could easily be the one I’m most looking forward to seeing at CrownFest, Ant Trouble might just be the icing on the cake.
If last Saturday’s Celtic punk band quipped if the Devizes Corn Exchange was a bingo hall, and Milton Jones jested โit’s great to be here, in the past,โ it took a band with roots to the town to introduce Devizes Arts Festival to a next generation, and, predictably, Nothing Rhymes with Orange smashed it, with zestโฆ.
It’s been a fantastic year for Devizes Arts Festival, their 40th anniversary, though it continues to attract a majority of older residents. It’s understandable, with the Devizes age demographic and the cost of living crisis particularly affecting our youngest. Not for the want of trying, chief organiser Vince told me of a โBattle of the Bandsโ of yore, which has the blueprint of a young Kieran Mooreโs past input, but the vicious circle comes down to economics; a certain style of event not selling has the potential to financially ruin the festival, and has to go. Wanton to attract a younger generation being the reason why the price to this particular event was reduced; it worked.
Highlighting the diversity of their program is something I’ve preached for the years we’ve extensively covered it, and upon receiving a whisper they’d booked Nothing Rhymes With Orange at the end of last year’s festivities, I kept schtum, but secretly I excitedly prayed this might be key to crashing the invisible boundaries of the festival’s age demographic. Not blowing my own trumpet, but I was right!
Prayers answered by Bristol’s Nothing Rhymes with Orange, as our oldest and youngest gathered; the latter only slightly outnumbering, but both tolerant and respectful of the other. The most age-diverse Arts Festival event I’ve witnessed was one of the happiest, and deffo, liveliest! And also, one element to the gig’s success.
Nothing Rhymes With Orange @ The Corn Exchange
The other, of course, was the band formed at Devizes School, quickly became the local Gen Z phenomenon I’d refer to as โBeatlemania in Devizes,โ and departed to Bristol Uni. If that usually spells an end to school bands, Nothing Rhymes with Orange made the adjustment together, and I will continue to vow this tightness and comradeship is the secret to their success, as, through their dedicated motivation and raw talent, they went on to replicate the local phenomenon into a national one.
Last night, they returned to their roots, and though they collectively confessed it felt โstrangeโ to be back, to me, many of their original homemade fanbase waited in anticipation for those early singles, which they can sing back to the band; thatโs as vital to Gen Z as recording it all on TikTok!
It was an obligatory pressure for Elio, Fin, Sam and Lui, who wish to retire their earliest songs in favour of progressive newer ones, and they announced this would be the last time they would play them. Fittingly here in Devizes, but not without subtle apprehension from the band; understandable. I get this; if I had to replicate my teenage creative output in my twenties Iโd have cringed.
Never say never, I expressed, for nostalgia builds through aging. While the early songs were welcomed by the younger crowds, what was most impressive for all in attendance, was surely the new ones.
Nothing Rhymes With Orange @ The Corn Exchange
If the indie punk pop genre has come of age, and thrashing out three-minute rages is clichรฉ, Nothing Rhymes with Orange are at the pinnacle to a progressive evolution of the sound, with matured experimentation akin to prog rock. And therein lies their contemporary universal magic.
Through superior technical ability, mood-setting bridges and intros, and paced melodies, while still maintaining the professionalism, tightness and adroitness they showed from the start, their new songs have so much more body and strength. They are a pleasure to hear, and appeased the entire crowd rather than those here to sing back the early works.
The merger was a shrewd move, beginning with the classics and moving onto newer ones, with a finale of Manipulation, one of their earliest crowd-pleasers. They may not have played them for a while, and itโs not like riding a bike, but now theyโve ticked that box of reunification with their original fanbase off, and can put those old tunes to bed, itโs time to move on.
Last night proved Nothing Rhymes with Orange are at the top of their game, as they switched old with new seamlessly, and strived to become the universal name we locally knew they could from the very beginning.
Their synergy reverberated, as it ever did, but with a newfound level of proficiency and competence, leaving those who knew them before in awe. With one eye I scanned them as those kids singing to a handful of teenagers in West Lavington village hall, but with the other, as if we were watching The Pretenders or the Stranglers on stage. It was as plot twisting and refreshing as Luke Skywalker returning as a Jedi!
Supported by a brilliant Cheltenham five-piece called Underscore, all guitars, drums, overspilling and confident originals, made for an amazing gig, and a particularly different Devizes Arts Festival event.
Underscore @ The Corn Exchange, Devizes
Nothing Rhymes with Orange couldโve just come out and nonchalantly played Brotherhood of Man covers and Iโd still have been happy to see them all again! But, they didnโt, I mean they wouldnโt, would they?! They knocked it out of the Corn Exchange.
A journalist once told me, you write on a subject, publish and move on. That’s why I’m not a journalist, as I hug the frontman’s mum and tell her I’m proud, and can’t imagine how she must feel.ย
Nothing Rhymes With Orange was never just a subject for me, it was a model, of everything Devizine means to me personally, to summarise a journey of a local youth band, and now, through sheer dedication and motivation, to see them never taking a step backwards, only forwards, to a world stage, fills me with great respect for them, hope and delight.
Four years ago I witnessed a Gen Z phenomenon in Devizes. With a certain indie punk zest and intelligent songwriting, Devizes School band Nothing Rhymesโฆ
Not just a pretty spiral church, there’s plenty for Bishop’s Cannings to be proud about. Evidence with the personal touch recently defeated a brazen landgrab,โฆ
Friday afternoon at The Lamb, tucked away behind the Town Hall in our market town, with my aim to introduce two aspiring local singer-songwriters whoโฆ
As the Devizes Arts Festival rolls majestically towards its final weekend, thereโs no chance that the bus is anywhere near running out of fuel.ย There was plenty of gas left in the tank last night to bring us into the streets of Paris to hearโฆ. but whatโs that? โ itโs some lively street music!ย Yet another beltingly-good music act had come to town to keep the DAF party going.ย Not only that, but there were signs of a bit of a runaway success – not only had Swing From Paris sold out the Merchantsโ Suite venue downstairs, but theyโd sold a lot more tickets too, so the gig had to be moved upstairs into the main Ceres Hall…..
To be honest the place didnโt look much like a Paris bistro โ the high-ceilinged, air-conditioned, space of the hall would never allow that โ but at least we were greeted with a more cafรฉ-style layout, featuring a casual smattering of tables and chairs.ย It meant that we had some space to spread out for a change, whilst still feeling crowded together enough to create some atmosphere.
Swing From Paris breezed on to the stage and, after a little tuning, confided (to plenty of laughter and applause) that they werenโt actually from Paris at all!ย The shock! – weโd never have guessed! Still, Gloucester and Worcesterโs Finest came to give us a good eveningโs entertainment, and they sure succeeded in doing that.
Consisting of Tomasz Williams on upright bass, Sam Hughes on acoustic guitar, Andy Bowen on electric guitar, and Fenner Curtis on violin, who acted as the bandโs spokesman throughout, we got two highly entertaining sets of jazz, swing, waltz and gypsy rhythms mostly from the 1930s through to the 1950s, but also featuring tunes from as far back in the 1890s and forward into the 1980s. There was plenty of humour and self-deprecation throughout as Fenner talked us through the provenance of each number.
The instrumental tunes were bright, lively, and often short, occasionally well-known and recognisable, delivered through some really tight arrangements, but giving just enough room for the occasional solo. Many tunes derived from Broadway shows, the movies, musical theatre, and the Great American Songbook, but there were a couple whose roots were more from classical music or folk traditions. Fenner humorously compared classical works to jazz works, in that nobody knew for sure exactly when to applaud, and then gave Tomasz a bass solo in the middle of the next number, just to prove the point.
And there were plenty of famous names being bandied around during the evening โ Claude Debussey, Fats Waller, Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, George Shearing, George & Ira Gershwin to name but a few.
I particularly loved Fennerโs minor tirade against streaming sources when he exhorted folks to purchase an actual physical CD or vinyl copy of their albums. The difference, apart from the revenue stream to the artist, was so much better for the punter too โ higher quality sound reproduction, the feeling of ownership of an artefact and its associated artwork, the programme and background notes, and the knowledge that it was much more financially supportive of the artist. I have to say I agree with him. Seems like other folks did too, as there was plenty of business going on at the merch desk during the interval and after the show.
Two fine forty-five minute sets breezed by in absolutely no time, capped off by the well-signalled and, ahem, totally unexpected encore. Job done! Artists very happy with their first visit to D-Town, DAF very happy with a larger than expected number of bums on seats, and an audience very happy with what theyโd just heard.
So another โhats offโ moment for DAF โ well done for bringing these guys to town.
Anyway, thereโs just a few more sessions to go from this Friday through to Sunday, and itโll be all over for another year. So, if you havenโt done so yet, get yourself along to something before itโs too late!
The Devizes Arts Festival continues until the night of Sunday 14th June at various venues around the town.ย Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk
Swindon-based adrenaline pumping five-piece Liddington Hill released their first EP for three years, and Radium is highly radioactiveโฆ.. For most on the North Wessex Downs,โฆ
Mixed emotions over one of those eye-catching social media โreelsโ a few months ago, for two reasons. Firstly, attraction; the singing girl was a visionโฆ
by Mick Brian images by Jim McCauley โLord, what fools these mortals beโ, says the mischievous sprite, Puck, to his master the fairy king Oberonโฆ
by Ian Diddams images by Platform 8 Take Abigailโs party, add some Aykbourn, a touch of Coward and a liberal sprinkling of 2010s socio-political backgroundโฆ
Two years ago we fondly reviewedIโm Ready Now, a debut EP from Bathโs Poppy Rose. I praised her unique take, her thoughtful prose and intelligent metaphors, but it was a collection of songs each with separate thoughts. Poppyโs new EP, Letโs Go Swimming is on another level, has a singular theme throughout, and a certain sound that relates, whilst also massively improving on uniqueness, prose and metaphorโฆ..
The cover suggests Poppy likes swimming, especially when she was younger, therefore the writings are whimsical reflections on childhood, and the sound interprets the emotions and innocence of a visit to the swimming baths, perhaps with hidden metaphors, perhaps not! Nothing is forced upon you here, that option is left entirely up to the listener; all you need is some goggles.
The running order presents a timelined narrative. The opening tune is motivational, upbeat joyful pop, the excitement when the suggestion of a trip to the pool is accepted. The second is a playful rap duet featuring Moritz Finn Kleffmann (Finn, Prince of Whales,) and amusingly reflects on the joys of being in the pool. Itโs lots of splishing, sploshing fun, returning you to a blissful childhood state of purity.
Now Poppy has reverted you to a childlike state, you’re a kid again, and enjoying the moment. But do you remember how it was, mates, showing off, diving in, and youโve not conquered that fear of taking the first leap? The third tune of four calms the excitement with a moody ambient reflection of overcoming your fears; Dive represents doubt in your abilities, and peer pressure, sublimely. You loved it after you took that first plunge, didnโt you? And that is precisely what you must do with this EP, trust in Poppy!
Once the opening excitement has waned by the realisation you didnโt break any water speed records, as you imagined you would have, the acceptance of a good time regardless, and the fact you gave it your best, thereโs a sleepy finale; young Poppy is tired, and wants to go home, and the music perfectly reflects the mood and sentiment, to the point a cascade of afterthoughts will waterslide through your mind, of those wonderful days of being taken swimming as a child, or taking your own children swimming.ย ย
It is, in a word, joyful, but brilliantly encompassing too. A wonderful take on a simple everyday activity, rolled into a running concept, a diary entry, and delivered with a simple sound of early electronica meets acoustic work, which exquisitely matches the theme. What I love about this is a child would relish with incorruptibility at its lucidity and playful imagination, while an adult would do likewise, just nostalgically. And in this, I cannot compare it to anything else other than the mighty whimsical rapper, Gecko.
Pass me my water-wings, I really fancy a quick dip myself after listening to that!
About a million years ago, before covid and lockdown, when the thought of Liz Truss as a P.M. was a laughable idea [Ed. โ nothing has changed] and when a Post Office scandal was when the sub post mistress was found to be having an affair with the vicar, there was a magical place hidden away in the roof space of a former stables [Ed. โ needs more research] where performers would entertain the thronged masses of Devizes [Ed. โ itโs not that big] on Friday and Saturday nights
Just the name conjures up distant, hazy memories of wonderful acts like โJasper in the Company of Othersโ, Dan Allen of โDucking Punchesโ, โLonely Touristโ and so many more. In that roll-call of greatness as one looks back through the history of โThe Foldโ there is one of several names that crops up time and time againโฆ Gaz Brookfield, or as one listing shows, Gareth Brookfield! Then โThe Foldโ was no more for several years after October 2018, but has reopened its doors this year under the maestro-ship of J.P. Oldfield, or Josh if you need a vape, where already its hallowed newly painted walls have seen a โLost Tradesโ reunited trio, Meg & Siren, โBluebeard and the Desperate Hoursโ, and an open mic already.And thence to last Friday when previously Fold regular Gareth Brookfield returned to one of his old stomping grounds. If you donโt already know Gaz is a solo acoustic guy (occasionally cobbling his Company of Thieves together) from the West Country, who through Trial and Error has built a solid following round these parts and further afield, with two number one albums to his name. Modest as ever he claims he only plays Four chords and the Truth, but the reality is his lyrical penmanship is second to none, even if he insists his two chums, Messrs Turner and Faulkner i.e., Frank and Sam, are better. [Ed. โ They arenโt. Just equally talented]. His Career Moves saw him based in Bristol and London, but eventually the draw of SN1 was too strong and he is returned now to the Shire.[Ed. โ Thatโs enough song title dropping!]
Gaz has recently completed his โVillage Hallsโ tour, literally booking and playing at village halls across the country in his self-managed, one-man band set-up, where audiences were treated to two sets the first of which were tracks that he rarely plays at gigs. Last year his tour comprised two songs from each of his ten albums. This Fold gig was in a similar vein of both, with an hour and quarter or so of songs he rarely, if ever plays live, from each of his albums in reverse chronology. Setlist as follows and many of the linked videos below are from Friday’s gig – credit and thanks to @waitingforwinter !
Gaz was engaging and lovely as he ever is, with interesting stories regarding each of his songs. I was personally delighted to hear โNuggetsโ and โAborglyphโ as I thought Iโd never get to hear โNuggetsโ again, if only because of its progeny and Gazโs relationship with his friend, and โAborglyphโ is simply a beautiful song. The seventy strong sold-out crowd sang and danced in the Foldโs confines in what was quite a โwarmโ and โstickyโ atmosphere ๐
The gig had been promoted by J.P. Oldfield, who, no slouch with a guitar himself, had opened the show with a nine song, forty-five-minute set of his blues based, Johnny Cash style, deep voiced magic. Setlist below and for your very delectation, another wonderful video from Friday night from @waitingforthewinter with “Further from Heaven”.
He claimed credit for writing โRising Sunโ but I felt he was just jokingโฆ but most of that list are all his own work, and are to appear on his new EP, due for release on September 26th this year โ a full six track EP. Devizine covers that release in this articleโฆ
Five tracks from that new EP plus โSatanโs bar and grillโ and โPreacherโs Nooseโ gave us an excellent review of JPโs own work. There were also a couple of covers โ โSt. James Infirmaryโ and โHouse of the Rising Sunโ โ but rendered in a very JP Oldfield manner very much making them his own โ and that is not faint praise.
The Fold is very much making a welcome return and with gigs of this quality to look forward to its future is hopefully bright โ so follow its Facebook page and book the September 26th for an EP release party at โ where else โ โThe Foldโ!
Rising Devizes star and promoter at โThe Foldโ, JP Oldfield last Friday revealed the information he is to release a new six track EP on September 26th this year.
JP explained โIt’s going to be a concept EP based on a story I have written to go alongside the EP that is loosely influenced by the rime of the ancient mariner. It hopefully will have 6 tracks and will really be pushing the limits of what can be defined as an EP. There will be physical copies for sale that will come with a copy of the story to read alongside it, I’m trying to make the whole thing an experience with the story running the whole way through.It’s currently unnamed at this point in time and probably will be until August when I get all the artwork finalized. I’m in the studio later next month finishing all the music off. Itโs been quite the awesome but full-on undertaking!”
I am sure prog fans will be no doubt in tune with the idea and if the tracks played last Friday from that EP โ Song 2 (real name to be decided), โFurther from Heavenโ, โNo Restโ, โThe Best I Canโ and โHeavy Was the Rainโโ are anything to go by so will anybody else that is prepared to sit and listen.
Furthermore JP is playing an EP release gig on that same day at โThe Foldโ. So, make a date in your diaries to see one of Devizesโ rising stars and grab a copy of the EP and the story at the same time โฆ and itโs the night before my birthday so you can also buy me a pint!
Manning the lifeboats with Devizes Arts Festival in landlocked Devizes last night, and I didnโt even get a sticker. I did shake a tailfeather out of my system, more importantly. For if all-originals London-based Celtic folk-punker five-piece Man the Lifeboats seemed to have no visible relevance to their marine namesake, they certainly knew how to rock a boatโฆ.
A few people asked me for the relevance in the name, as if I would know, or remember to inquire! Two years ago, when Jolly Roger played, there was piratey-themed cosplay and shanties, but Man The Lifeboatsโ subjects were self-confessed to be more about death, apocalypse, certain brands of beer, and pubs they like. There was also a fair shout of anti-fascism and left-wing political suggestion, which, given the direction the country seems to be heading, may connote the metaphoric desertion of a sinking ship. Bravely or at least unperturbed, bellowing said righteousness from the lookout tower of the Corn Exchangeโs high stage, to a scattering of matured Devizes Arts Festival attendees was their risk I savoured; fairplay!ย
However, if they took it in jest at the beginning, asking if they were at the right event, and if this was a bingo hall, as this dynamic banjo, fiddle, piano accordion complete collective got the ball rolling, their shock of the gig mustโve transformed to pleasant surprise. Man the Lifeboats realised not to judge a book by the cover, the reward for an accomplished and lively band at Devizes Arts Festival, will be these matured attendees rising from their seated positions and gyrating to their irresistible beats like middle-age never happened; and many did, because Man the Lifeboats were stompingly outstanding!
And, letโs make no mistake, while this isnโt the sticky-floored cider-fuelled pub backroom or hedonistic crusty festival they might be used to and arguably more aptly fit, supporting Ferocious Dog and the like, Man The Lifeboats absolutely nailed it. They play the Grass Roots Grazin’ festival at Salisburyโs Music Baa later this month, and will undoubtedly receive the same expected acclaim there as they would crossing our southerly wurzel county border, with their scrumpy & western, Boot Hill and 3 Daft Monkeys similarities to Celtic punk, but their reception at Devizes Arts Festival might be a true test of their excellence, and it culminated with a surprise fairytale ending.
At least, thatโs how I believe the band should view it! For them, they should note, Devizes youngsters up for a party flocked to nearby boozer, the Three Crowns, as is the norm, for the free familiarity of covers from Pat and Ben of Matchbox Mutiny, of which I dropped in afterwards, to confirm they were having it.
For us, itโs been a mission to express this wonky stereotype of Devizes Arts Festival being a Saga Holiday at home shouldnโt carry the assumption it is not lively. That Gen Zโs parents and grandparents partied harder, faster and more often than TikTok might convince them otherwise, if it is not otherwise and understandably sadly governed by finance. Devizes Arts Festival has been fantastic this year, as ever, worthy of your coinage, but then I sigh, Iโm not getting any younger myself!ย
The true test of this will be next Saturday, when Devizes Arts Festival hosts homegrown Gen Z pop-punkers Nothing Rhymes With Orange, and I hope younger residents flock, not only for the sake of reunion, but for the future of Devizes Arts Festival. But, for now, we were locked into the tremendous vibe of Man The Lifeboats, as they did their thing loud and proud. It was professional, but they looked like they were loving it, with a mutual feeling from the crowd; cracking toast, Gromit. Or should I say, WALL-E, whom the frontman compared to Citizen Kane?! Ah, banter was lightly welcomed.
To liken any Celtic punk band to The Pogues might be cliche and a pedestal. Save for their London take rather than Irish, Man the Lifeboats certainly had similarities, their last tune before the interval was decidedly akin to Dirty Old Town, and they were fiery with poignant messages to provide, but in a nice way, delivered in a far more respectable light than the outrageousness of the subgenre’s origins. But, this is common stipulation with any music genre, I’d argue, where it is the aficionados age too, and this is the era we live in. This said, as towards the finale I saw them bashing out skillfully raw, decided I love these guys no less than Flogging Molly, or The Dropkick Murphys, and they were certainly on that level of excellence.
A great night was had, it seemed. If gigs like this at Devizes Arts Festival can provide the townโs resident live music lovers with a taster of such bands, knowingly left wondering for something to do at a grassy outdoor festival with them on the line up, or stuck in London in range of one of the pubs they fondly mentioned, Iโd make a beeline. Yet, it is of importance, being our readership is largely made up of our live music fans, that Devizes Arts Festivalโs higher points directed at music should not be taken with a pinch of salt, that they vet quality acts with variety, including such must-sees as Man The Lifeboats; a perfect example.
And so, it continues, thereโs another week of Devizes Arts Festival to come, which ends on Sunday 14th June with two free fringe events, a poetry and prose open mic at The Black Swan from 4pm, and a unique take on the blues with The Rigmarollers at The Cellar Bar, of the Bear Hotel at 7pm.ย
Bradford on Avonโs Live Music Festival returns from Friday 29th May to Sunday 31st May; three days of live music from outstanding bands and artistsโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Gail Foster ‘Devizes & Beyond’ is a collection of original poems in traditional forms and digital photography, inspired by life inโฆ
Some four years since his last release under his own name, Lavingtonโs electronica composer Moray McDonald presents a soundtrack; the music he wrote and producedโฆ
Can we please draw a red line under Pewsey’s Moonrakers St George’s Cross facade fiasco now Wiltshire Council has u-turned on a proposal forcing landlordโฆ
If options for urbanites seeking experiential or themed dining experiences are boundless, theyโre lesser so in our rural backwaters. Yet, weโve returned from a deliciousโฆ
Another headliner from the Devizes Arts Festival hit town last night….
Robert Vincent came to the Corn Exchange, bringing his heady mix of folk, country, blues and Americana. Normally performing acoustic in solo or duo format, this time he had a full band in tow. Heโs an English singer-songwriter hailing from the north-west. Iโll admit, full disclosure, that Iโd never run into him or his music before, but after last night Iโm really happy to say Iโve now made the connection. Although there were a few empty seats at the back, the Corn Exchange was largely full with 200+ people there to cheer him on โ and cheer they did. I soon realised that there were plenty of folks there whoโd seen him before, so there was plenty of love in the room.
Fronting up with acoustic guitar and harmonica, Robert took us through two excellent one-hour sets, show-casing many songs from his back catalogue, including his last album โBarriersโ (and, yes thereโs now a copy of that firmly in my collection), together with plenty of new songs from his forthcoming new album.
Straight from the off I was struck by his voice โ heโs a clear, but emotional singer โ and the harmonies that his band members threw in. The sound was full, rich and multi-layered with plenty of texture and variety to the songs. Early on we had some of his Country & Western influences coming through on โThis Townโ. The easy changing up and down through the gears, from solo acoustic, through to full-on rocking, from stripped-back to hard and insistent guitar licks, was an absolute pleasure to listen to.
Robert had an easy style, chatting to the audience with humour and self-deprecation, explaining the background to the songs, but never getting tempted to waffle on. I was particularly struck by such songs as โHurt Today, But Alright Nowโ, inspired by childhood memories, which he described as โmiserable but hopefulโ, as well as โLove Never Endingโ (a piece of personal therapy) and โEverythingโs Gonna Be Alrightโ (calm, unflustered and very laid back).
The band behind him were excellent โ Jim Kimberley on drums, Thomas Bibb on electric guitars (some superb solos), Danny Williams (who flipped effortlessly from upright bass to electric bass) and Anna Corcoran on keyboards, also providing some absolutely stunning backing vocals and haunting harmonies. Individually they were superb, but as a cohesive backing unit for Robertโs wonderful songs, they absolutely nailed it. And these guys were also the core of the band on โBarriersโ.
The second half continued in the same vein โ lovely clean and unfussy sound, no showing-off, just simple great musicianship. At times I was hearing Jackson Browne, at times there were shades of Deacon Blue, but it would be a disservice to the band to claim they were in any way just a soundalike to those folks. This was category-defying stuff. More superb songs followed โ โTake Away Your Burdenโ, โKeeper Of My Heartโ (an absolute belter in my opinion), โShine A Light In The Darknessโ and โSeparating The Fiction From The Factโ. Again there were lots of textures, changes of mood and tempo, some chat, some nice segueing from one song straight into the next. There was light and shade, there was hard and soft.
The vocals were soulful, insistent, yearning. The musicianship was spot-on. The songs were meaningful, well-constructed and simply wonderful. Itโs been a while since I was this impressed by a band Iโd never even heard before, but I was well won over. I was already on 9/10 by half time, and a no questions 10/10 by the time we got round to the encore.
The sound and lighting by Serenity Audio was absolutely spot on.
Anyways, thereโs still plenty of great stuff to come over the next few days, both ticketed and free. The Devizes Arts Festival continues until the night of Sunday 14th June at various venues around the town. Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk
Thereโs a cold remote ambience of burrowing doubt in the opening of Westburyโs singer-songwriter Serenโs debut song, in which, as the title suggests, she uses a worm analogy to convey shadows of diffidence. Yet, it is a breath of fresh air of resilience, and an exhaustive equilibrium in which to express sorrow and build fromโฆ
We are pleased to start 2026 by announcing that this year, we are planning to run the Imberbus service on Saturday 15th August 2026 when several vintage former London Transport Routemaster double deckers (plus a few newer ones) along with some visiting buses from other areas, will again provide a bus service from Warminster Stationโฆ
The biggest risk for any media reporting negatively on illegal raves is that, in their youth, their fifty-plus target audience probably attended illegal raves themselves! What the actual F are they trying to prove with their negative coverage of an illegal rave, when tax-dodging billionaires ripped a financial hole into the country, politicalย extremists march causingโฆ
Guys out on โthe pullโ on Thursday in Devizes were cut short. The Scummy Mummies were back in town, and youโve never heard so many Prosecco corks popping from the Corn Exchange. It sounded like machine-gun fire in there, aimed directly at testosterone….
Chicks and honeys, as far as the eye could see, and the odd quivering fellow, likely dragged in by their wives; a Devizes Arts Festival sell-out. The Scummy Mummies made their debut here four years ago. Their outrageous family-related routine adapts to follow the personal timelines of their own marriage and motherhood, with teenage parenting and divorce added source material for their latest offering, Hot Mess. But they also reminisced on the thirteen years they’ve been together after meeting on the comedy circuits; it shows.
I meant in professionalism, not physically; I’ll leave the self-body-shaming gags to this dynamic comedy duo. They excel in it, but extrovert their comical bombardments too, onto their kids, partners and the audience, taking no prisoners as they fill the stage with madcap frenzy. At its baseline this show is 60% self-deprecating standup, 40% the ultimate hen party. Thereโs a complete comedy package, brazenly embellishing standup with sketches, Powerpoint presentations, parodied pop songs to suit the narrative, and more costume changes than Sabrina Carpenter gigging in Harvey Nichols.
Iโm here breaking my Scummy Mummies cherry, by default attacking this from a male point of view, but….erm, (collective noun I believe is a gaggle) a gaggle of ladies knew what was coming, were prepped with tipples and charged funny bones. They were out for the funniest ladiesโ night ever, for this is an Ab Fab afterparty, uncut French & Saunders but with a Jo Brand twist, a comedy duo who take Cyndi Lauperโs hit biblically.
From the contents of a laundry basket stratigraphically examined and retested for scale, to a particularly amusing mumโs Mastermind sketch, subjects ranged from โfingeringโ to the PTA Whatsapp group, but all done without taste; unless middle-aged women in catsuits simulating sexual positions with their husbands whilst admiring images on slippers is your definition of taste. But any more on that would be a spoiler, if it doesnโt spoil itself.
As a geezer, youโd be forgiven for assuming this sounds excruciating, and this was certainly my pre-concern too. For if such a format was performed by anyone other than comedy geniuses, Iโd still be of that opinion, but it wasnโt. This duo have the timing of The Greenwich Time Ball, are improv masters, and unless you were a subject on Louis Therouxโs Manosphere, wherever your testosterone balance lies, you cannot escape the simple fact that the Scummy Mummies are absolutely and undeniably hilarious.
They bounce off each other, literally, but also figuratively akin to Ronnies Barker and Corbett. To suggest theyโre competency is on a similar pedestal would be exaggeration, but, dammit, they should be sitting above Michael McIntyre, and thoroughly deserve their own TV show.
Men are going to be verbally assaulted here, you just know, but only with a feather duster rather than an all-out carpet bombing against patriarchy; in fact the word was only mentioned once. This is not a feminist march, and there is no political campaign with The Scummy Mummies, only astute social observational humour. And the bottom line is, with no bars held, theyโve perfected it. The menopause medley was sidesplitting, โAnn Scummersโ delighted, the audience participation was paramount throughout, but precedence held at the finale, the result of the โconfessions,โ was a gem of comic sagacity.ย ย
Their entire show didnโt come up for air, is written with comedy erudition, and the gag about men in grey boxers had me contemplating if the notion was understandable in their presence, given I nearly wet myself laughing at these two exceptionally funny women!
All hail The Devizes Arts Festival, itโs looking like another successful year. This was a hysterical button to press, seemingly loved by everyone in attendance. But thereโs plenty more to come, all the way until, and including, Sunday 14th June. Youโd be doing yourself a favour to find details HERE and pick up some tickets.
Devizes Music Academy is set to bring joy, energy and a whole lot of sparkle to the stage with its latest musical theatre production,ย Sister Actย laterโฆ
Thimbles on standby, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts are calling all creative craftspeople and makers to their new project, The Makers Exchange. Itโs a new craftโฆ
Whether you’ve a bizarre inclination to meet the Addams Family in the flesh and figure this might be your closest opportunity, you couldn’t think ofโฆ
Itโs a question Iโve asked Chippenham singer-songwriter Harmony Asia on each rare occasion I catch her for a chat; if sheโs planning to capture aโฆ
I have been pestered that I would love St Fian. They have played at my local venue in Devizes before, but I had not managed to catch them, until nowโฆ..
What I had not been warned about, was that this fantastic duo would present me with among the finest female voices Iโve ever had the pleasure of hearing. Enchanting and emotive vocals, of the kind that have you transfixed; there is no question of whether I will see them again!ย
This is a band who happily embrace wonderful small-room venues like this, rubbing shoulders as it does on their summer tour listings with some decent size festivals; truly adaptive and passionate artists, and wonderful humans. I was very glad to get a quick chat too, post-gig.
The distinctive voice and musicianship of this duo have a fresh and exciting edge, but built on the solid ground of true folk. I think my favourite original song of a mixed set of originals and covers, a song called Paperboat, an original ode to all lifeโs tribulations, a reminder to live life rather than wish it away. Given we were informed the duo are a nurse and mental health worker, respectively, perhaps this is why singing with poise and compassion about such things comes so readily and enjoyably.
We shouldnโt overlook the confident and relaxed picking of the fine musician on guitar and bouzouki, a cross between a banjo and mandolin. Despite the strange name itโs gentle tones suit Ianโs gentle picking, and seems more than ready for when itโs time for Irish songs or shanty.
Loving the shruti box too, reputedly costing a weekโs pocket money! But again, a true folk instrument that adds a little underlying mystery to the sound, on a couple of songs.
Iโve not been inspired to review or delight in word, so much recently, but my heart was opened; thatโs about me, not any of the wonderful music Iโve enjoyed, but worthy I think of mentioning, is that the moment Steph began to sing, my shoulders relaxed and I felt this was something I had to try and convey and applaud in print.
The duo are creeping towards an all-original set, and by their own admission enjoy doing some covers, as they fill their original songbook with new material. So, the second set had a few covers in, but you have not seen these covers done so proud before; it takes a joyous confidence and incredible voice to do justice to some songs so familiar to so many. Donโt Think Twice by Dylan , for instance, sung with a lingering harmonious quality that appeared to literally hang on every lyric.
A couple of covers of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood, it takes a confident singer to carry off Stevie, and to do so that a life long fan like me is enthralled. Another one which would be ambitious for most, Iโve certainly witnessed some less than adequate attempts over the years was The Cranberriesโ Zombie, with the comment that this will let metal fan Ian rock out! Then, smashes it again, the most incredible thing to do; such choices for powerful and very well known songs, but with this being a duo, an intimacy and powerful delivery of verse that knocks yer socks off.
So, as you might have guessed, I was very impressed; real genuinely wonderful humans, giving us unforgettable moments in local small-room spaces is what our scenes are all about. Thank you as ever to Ed and the Castle, as well as Steph and Ian for a superb gig.
SoP-Live are Swindon-based music promoters, and run The Thursday Night Music Club at The Castle. Thereโs a whole list of great stuff lined up this year you can check out on socials for Sop Live, and St Fian have the socials too so, we can make sure we catch them down the line.
Thereโs a whole EP and an album in the works; I canโt wait, Iโve a feeling it will be a popular play in the soundtrack to my life.
A talented local performer from Devizes is set to share the stage with international star Jason Donovan this summer as part of Fulltone Festival โ26. ….
Grace Sheridan, who will appear alongside Jason Donovan during his headline performance with Theย Fulltoneย Orchestra, first began performing in local productions in Devizes as a child. Those early experiences inspired her to pursue a career in the performing arts, leading her to drama school where she trained in Musical Theatre.ย
Since graduating, Grace has enjoyed a growing professional career, appearing in a West End pantomime and touring productions across the UK and internationally.
Alongside her theatre work, Grace regularly performs with Lewes Music Group, taking on featured roles in a variety of live shows celebrating artists and genres including Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, disco classics, acoustic favourites and country music. Her portrayal of Stevie Nicks has become a particular audience favourite.
Jemma and Anthony Brown with Jason Donovan
Grace is also a familiar face to Fulltone audiences, having performed at the festival for several years.
Speaking ahead of this yearโs event, Grace said, “Fulltone Festival has always been such a special event to be part of, and I’ve loved performing there over the years. To now have the opportunity to sing alongside Jason Donovan is incredibly exciting. He’s such an iconic performer, and I can’t wait to be part of what is going to be an amazing weekend.”
Fulltone Festival โ26 takes place on 11-12 July at Park Farm, Devizes, bringing together orchestral spectaculars, iconic guest artists, tribute acts and live music spanning classical, rock, pop, Motown, dance and more.
Jason Donovan headlines this year’s festival alongside a packed line-up including The Wurzels, Rozalla, Ricardo Afonso, Mark Shaw of Then Jerico, Seriously Collins, Mainly Madness and The Fulltone Orchestra.
Festival Director Jemma Brown said, “Grace is a wonderful example of local talent flourishing on a professional stage. We’ve watched her develop as a performer over the years, and we’re absolutely delighted that she’ll be joining Jason Donovan this summer. It’s fantastic to be able to showcase someone who began performing right here in Devizes and is now building an exciting professional career.”
Fulltone โ26 returns to Park Farm, Devizes on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July 2026.
Weekend and day tickets are on sale now, with under-14s attending free when accompanied by a paying adult. Weekend passes offer the best value. Onsite camping and parking available (Friday to Monday).
Andyโs topping the leaderboard for Devizes Arts Festival reviews; if I pull my socks up and attend a lunchtime recital at least Iโve chalked my name on it. Classical guitar at St Andrews Church, how bad could it be? Just a handful of tea drinkers coughing over some amateur strumming?! I should know the Devizes Arts Festival better than that by nowโฆโฆ
What I, and a full house got was precisely the opposite. London-based Portuguese classical guitar and lutenist scholar and tutor, Fรกbio Fernandes is a virtuoso. He came to Devizes to educate as well as entertain, and he did both delightfully.
His penultimate of seven was by Frank Ridge, and the finale, a sunny-side-of-the-street piece, one of many his fellow classical guitar enthusiast David Russell wrote for him for the album he was promoting. But, like Doctor Who with an acoustic guitar, both of these contemporary compositions were inspired by the centuries of English guitar music we had joyfully trekked through in the past hour, to which Fรกbio held the crowd spellbound.
Coming clean, what I know about English Baroque composers can be written on the back of a matchbox, but if I attend lots of gigs where the guitar is a given, thanks to Fรกbio Iโm enlightened with a genre of yore which introduced our country to the instrument by Europeans. Fรกbio provided a medley of four 17th century Henry Purcell transcriptions as an opening, and wowed the audience with his intricate skill. From the tragic opera Dido and Aeneas, to an eloquent dance and my particular favourite section, a Shakespearean underscore called The Fairy Queen, these pieces were short, but in them you could hear the influence of everything which followed.
I found myself contemplating waltz, nineteenth century English folk dances, or twangs of bluegrass in this music, predating 1940โs Appalachia by a country mile. Even playful notes on the offbeat, which, as a reggae fanatic, shocked me, and so many experimental elements pop has caused us to take for granted now. From the romantic delicacies of 19th century salon music to the militantacy of William Walton in the following era, and onto scores by Benjamin Britten, we moved through time with the grace of the gods, and each chapter with a full and fascinating explanation.
Iโm forever impressed with the quality at Devizes Arts Festival, but generally Iโm nocturnal, and due to work commitments I rely on, and am grateful for, Andy and Ian to provide our feedback on daytime events. Please forgive me for so wrongly assuming during the daytime this level of quality lessens off. Quite clearly it doesnโt, and neither does the attraction or diversity on offer. Fรกbio Fernandes was as impressive and entertaining as something more contemporary, and being it had a little history lesson thrown in for good measure, it was inspiring too.
I loved this, and was surprised I did. It was only a lunchtime recital, dammit! Someone look after my cucumber and haslet sandwiches, I’m going for more of this!
Though now based out of Bristol, at university studying Music and sharing digs together, NRWO (as they are colloquially known) began life in Devizes School not so very long ago. An early gig in the Corn Exchange in July 2023 saw me, Gail of Devizes, Jemma of FTO and a few mums and dads watch them thrash out a full set, to a large crowd of mid-teens, predominantly female โฆ I was aware I was conspicuously the only adult male in the audience aside from parents and must have looked the biggest perv going so I stood next to Jemma for some credibility!
Fast forward a few years and here I was again watching NRWO but this time at Cursus Festival, at Cranbourne Chase Cider, in the early afternoon as the temperatures reached over 30 degrees Celsius in the shade. The lads still looked young, but now sported some noticeable stubble as befits their advancing years. There were far fewer teenage girls present, and a lot more middle-aged men; I felt less conspicuous as a result which was just as well because Jemma was elsewhere with the FTO in Cheltenham!! However, so much for feeling inconspicuousโฆ the bandโs merch merchants – the bassist Sam Briggsโ mum and dad! – identified me on sight. My reputation clearly precedes meโฆ the power of being a Devizine journalist!
Way back then in that Corn Exchange gig the lads were raw, nascent, even naรฏve in their music. What it maybe lacked in roundedness it more than made up for with huge energy and BIG chords. Here the music has become more mature though still full of energy and noise (thatโs a good thing!). Less angst, more controlled youthful arrogance and verve.
The band displayed plenty of indie/rock/punk tropes โ leering, leaning, feet on fold back speakers from Elijah, broodingly aloof lead from Fin, insouciance from bassist Sam and shirtless, beanied drumming from Lui โ all to add to the excellent delivery of their set.
were provided along with non-online tracks TGE Soulgiver Starlift The Flowers Horlix Red
Some of which are on the bandโs latest limited release EP โ there were at last count seven left in Sound Knowledge (Marlborough) and thereโs a reorder of a hundred to come for those that missed out first time around so get your hands on a copy soon! Available then from their merch link on their website.
Of course you could do far worse than catch that band as they close out the 2026 Devizes Arts Festival, at the Corn Exchange, Devizes โ tickets a bargain at ยฃ12 (ยฃ10 concessions) on Saturday 13th June at 8p.m. They lads return to their roots to showcase their advances to a home crowd and while their original fan base, like themselves, are now peripatetic it provides a fantastic chance for those to return for the band, and for late comers to NRWO to pick up on this home-grown band doing good.
Wiltshire Music Centre is launching the Make Music This Summer programme, a vibrant 19-day programme of musical activities for children, young people and families…..
Designed for ages 0โ21 and their parents and carers, it offers a wide range of inspiring, accessible and high-quality experiences throughout the summer holidays. From rock bands and musicals to music production and LEGO stop-frame music videos, Make Music This Summer brings together creative opportunities for all interests and ages, From the 25th July to the 30th August 2026.
Delivered in partnership with local practitioners from across Wiltshire, the programme offers young people a chance to explore music, creativity and performance in a welcoming and supportive environment. The programme includes three strands: workshops, concerts and screenings, giving families flexible ways to take part during the holidays.
Hands-on workshops invite participants to try new skills, build confidence and collaborate with others, whether forming a band, taking part in a musical or producing their own tracks.
Family-friendly concerts provide an accessible and relaxed introduction to live music, while screenings of popular musicals are paired with interactive singalong sessions led by choir leader Fliss Courage.
โMake Music This Summer is all about opening the doors to music-making and live performance for children, young people and familiesโ, says Cassie Tait, Head of Creative Learning and Community Engagement. โBy offering a mix of workshops, concerts and screenings, we hope to inspire creativity, build confidence and create memorable first experiences of music at Wiltshire Music Centre.โ
With activities running across 19 days, Make Music This Summer invites families across Wiltshire and beyond to discover, create and enjoy music together. Early booking is recommended.
A busy late spring weekend across the county, with major events from Bradford-on-Avon to Swindon, but I’m bringing quality acts I find elsewhere on my adventures into my village. Rowdefest was, again, a great success, if I do say so myselfโฆ..
Being close to Devizes, where the Arts Festival kicked off this weekend too, Rowde might not gain the traction of events in villages further away from a town, such as The Urchfont Scarecrow Festival. I believe this makes the case for a village fete even greater.
In part we’ve modernised a fete with music, but with community spirit in mind, we retain traditional elements of village fete within Rowdefest. And the fruits of our committee and volunteersโ labour paid off; this year proved it wasnโt beginnersโ luck, it’s become a beloved and tremendous annual occasion.
As social media posts gather many aim at my already overinflated ego, claiming I’m the responsible adult of this baby. I confess I played a part, from organising the music to poster design, and, 6:45am found me partially resembling Wurzel Gummidge, as I lugged fifteen hay-bales from the gate to the middle of the field. Thanks for coming, if you did, but you must’ve looked around?!
From our youngest volunteer stringing up bunting to our eldest guiding traffic in and coordinating stalls. From the Parish Council helping erect the tent, and Simon, our sound engineer, going above and beyond his job, to our wonderful committee sorting red tape, legalities and other boring musts, like every event, Rowdefest takes colossal amounts of hard work from many volunteers, and the ones undertaking the most unseen tasks usually don’t receive the credit they deserve. I just attend the odd meeting to ease their biscuit quota.
Yet, aside from my biscuit munching, it was all these elements from so many which made the day. For the first year we had a sheep shearing show, alongside rides and stalls children were catered for, and at St Matthews we had tea and cake for our eldest attendees. With a raffle, tombola, and teenagers raising funds for Camp International adventures, The Mind Tree Cafe ran an affordable bar, along with Woodland Pizza and Boigers dishing out the tucker. What we find now is an annually returning audience, whoโve felt safe in the knowledge this will be a memorable day for everyone in the family.
Last year I crammed music acts in, appreciative of the many offers to play Rowdefest. This time I reduced the slight changeover chaos it caused with lesser acts. On reflection, with gaps to fill, I think, if budget allows, we should push for three acts next year. But once our wonderful Devizes Jubilee Morris Dancers had done their thing, back by popular demand, and our councillor and chair of Wiltshire Council Laura Mayes kindly opened our event in glorious sunshine, Ruby Darbyshire walked out playing her bagpipes, and I was comforted by the notion, while lesser in quantity, the quality was assured.
If thereโs any similarity between Ruby and our headline band, Barrelhouse, itโs that no matter how many times I see them perform, (which I have,) I remain in awe of them. Ruby held another crowd spellbound here in Rowde, MP Brian Matthew was among many who came to me to acknowledge his amazement at how talented this young singer-songwriter is, and after an absolutely sublime two-hour show, Ruby left to do it all again in Bradford. Just wow, Ruby, you were truly perfection.
If the landscape of MantonFest abruptly populating when Barrelhouse appears has become a tradition in Marlborough, the institutionโs baby sister festival Park Farm and heady nights at our Southgate are securing a similar pattern in Devizes. And this makes sense to me, for Barrelhouse are all about the blues, Devizes loves the blues, but aside those aficionados, Barrelhouse deliver blues with lively universal appeal. And that was my pitch to the committee, way back in the winter months.
Understandable was their initial concern, blues is perceived as melancholic, and they wanted lively. Grateful I therefore remain, that they took my word for it, and the proof was in the pudding, as the wide demographic ignored the temperature and got up and danced in much the same fashion as is the Mantonfest “tradition,” to Barrelhouseโs infectious sound.
A grand finale by an excellent local band, firing on all cylinders, and mirroring last yearโs epic hoedown by Burn the Midnight Oil. I appreciate feedback on the chances of bands returning, Talk in Code was one, but I assure you, Iโve more tricks up my sleeve too! What 2027 will bring is undecided, but, with support from the community through the rocky road of maintaining a free event like this, this yearโs fantastic and trouble-free event was so pleasant and positive, I hope Rowdefest will remain as it is, and I will continue to place my efforts into making it so, just like our wonderful committee.ย
David slew Goliath with a sling and a stone. Bishop’s Cannings Parish Council used evidence, against a group of Devizes Town councillorsโ more circumstantial landโฆ
Retrieved footage from a stolen drone of the Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs reveals the Beaufont Hunt making a fox kill earlier this month, and itโs undeniableโฆ
Tickets are now on sale for Frome Festivalโs silver anniversary year, taking place between the 3rd โ 12th July, 2026. Three hundred events are scheduled in 58 venues in and around Frome during the 10-day community arts festivalโฆ..
Frome Festivalโs programme offers music to suit all tastes – from classical, folk, pop, jazz and world music to hard rock, punk and techno. In a special programme, Frome-based Irish folk singer Cara Dillon will perform songs from across her acclaimed catalogue alongside Sam Lakeman, while also reflecting on the town they call home.
The Bob Morris Lecture is delivered this year by Sir Tony Robinson discussing his life and love of history. Other history talks during the festival include Three Remarkable Women by David Heath, The Bayeux Tapestry organised by Frome Society for Local Studies, and Emily Hauser reassesses the often-mythologised women of Ancient Greece in Mythica. Closer to home, Rosie Eliot will deliver Frome Festival President and Founder Martin Baxโs talk on Celebrating Frome Festivalโs Origins with some enjoyable stories and memories to mark its 25th year. This is one of numerous free events, with booking advised.
There is a strong line-up of literary events, led predominantly by Frome Writersโ Collective who have relaunched Words at Frome Festival. Highlights include prizewinning novelist and biographer Nicholas Shakespeare discussing Spies & Lies at the Merlin Theatre. Another favourite literary event, The Crysse Morrison Prize for Poetry, will see winning poems presented alongside an open mic. Submissions for the poetry competition are open until the 14th June.
A special anniversary gala launch performance of the acclaimed musical King of Fools will open the festival at the Merlin on Thursday 2nd July. Written by former Frome Festival Director Martin Dimery, the production forms part of a wider fundraising initiative in support of the festival for its 25th anniversary.
Other highly anticipated plays featured in the festival are Frome Drama Clubโs adaptation of Jean Genetโs The Maids and Really Truly Theatreโs Your Move. Dance lovers can enjoy a flamenco performance by celebrated dancer Maria Vega at the Merlin Theatre with Xuefei Yang on Spanish guitar. This is preceded by a flamenco workshop as a separate event.
Frome Festival offers an eclectic mix of hands-on workshops, from several literary and singing opportunities to Silver Jewellery Making, Carve a Green Man in stone, Softcover Bookbinding, Introduction to Bell Ringing, a Perfume Masterclass, Mongolian Overtone Voicing, Morris Dancing, Flamenco, West African and Afro Salsa dance workshops, Medieval Tile Making, a Tibetan Workshop with the Tashi Lhunpo Monks, a Mindful Photography Walk, Singing Bowl Workshops, and a Family Pond Dip for younger children. John Hegley is also running a creative workshop for โanyone who has been seven years old!โ
The comedy headliners are Taskmaster favourite Phil Ellis presenting Bath Mat, and Nigel Planer, best known as Neil the hippie from The Young Ones. Timmy Mallett will also be sharing his love of cycling, painting and the landscapes of Britain and Ireland in his own inimitable way.
Art exhibitions have long been a cornerstone of the Frome Festival, with the Frome Open Art Trail showcasing the work of artists and makers in studios and shared venues throughout the town. Independently, the Pedestal Gallery will present ceramics by comedian Johnny Vegas alongside works by Peter Hayes and Emma Rodgers, following the showโs return from the Venice Biennale.
The Food Feast, another favourite free event, will be taking place on Saturday 4th July from 5pm. Visitors can expect great live music and entertainment alongside delicious international food, with many traders offering a low-price tasting menu for the first time this year.
Fromeโs Hidden Gardens from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July is also trying something new by extending the Friday opening hours to 7.30pm in the evening. Guests can discover beautiful spaces when the air is cooler before Frome Festivalโs evening events.
With the sought after Frome Tunnels Tours on 7th July and various free events, walks, talks, quizzes, a Cacao Ceremony and Sound Bath, the return of the sensonic crew’s dance music night with cutting edge visuals under the name Synaesthesia, and a childrenโs Wildlife Parade heading through the town centre on Sunday 12th, audiences of all interests are catered for.
Frome Festival Director Adam Laughton shared, โAs Frome Festival celebrates its 25th birthday this year, weโre delighted to see Fromeโs remarkable arts scene reflected in events of all shapes and sizes. With 300 events, including 160 that are free and up to ยฃ5 per ticket, in 58 venues across the 10-day programme, there really is something for everyone.โ
BROCHURES detailing all events are available to pick up from the Cheese & Grain, local libraries, information points and many other locations across Frome and the surrounding area. An online version of the brochure is available here. Publicity photos can be found here.
Juke box musicals tend to be little more than a string of hits, loosely linked together by a fairly weak storyline, and it must be said โWe Will Rock Youโ breaks no moulds in this regard. However, Queenโs wonderful music provides a joyous couple of hours wrapped around a tale of a dystopian future where real music has been replaced by a totalitarian approach to manufactured music allied to an oppressive state a.k.a. Globalsoft, where a bunch of outcasts and renegades run a guerrilla style existence hunted by the security forces on a renamed earth โ now iPlanet. A sort of melange of Ray Bradburyโs โFahrenheit 451โ meets โ2112โ by Rush in a โRobin Hoodโs Merry menโ saga with Star Warsโ vibes topped with a King Arthur reference, all vaguely linked by Freddie and friends. It must also be mentioned, and applauded, that the references and jokes have been kept contemporary since its initial scripting twenty-five years ago.
It’s a challenging show to undertake โ firstly the iconic status of the music, and the unique styles of Mercuryโs voice wrapped up in what is really a tribute act turned into a stage show. Secondly Ben Eltonโs acerbic wit as the jokes, knob gags, and satire come thick and fast. And not to omit, in this glorious heatwave we are enjoying at the moment, thirdly the cast, band and crew sweltering away during the show! But Trowbridge Musical Theatre (TMT) with their typically large cast of almost forty members deliver the show at St. Augustineโs this week with style, energy and smiles galore, directed by Petra Schofield and produced by Maria Matthews.
The set (โBrightโ) is simple but effective providing multiple height levels and stage depth; sound and lighting (Harry Sandford, Chris Sealy & Harry Weissenbruch, and Ryo Rosemann) provided top effects and follow spot, and the standard excellence of the back stage management and crew (Chris Isaacson, Nicky Runyeard-Hunt, Cameron Runyeard-Hunt, Bernice Hudson, Stewart Langford) kept everything smoothly ticking along; the sign of a good back stage crew is that you never know they are there โ plaudits to them. Costumes, hair and make-up are an โunseenโ team, although their input is critical to a showโs success and Karen Grant, Sandra Tucker, Lucy Adeney and Lyn Taylor deserve kudos in this area.
As a jukebox musical of course the band are an all-important and integral part of the show, so step forward Musical Director (Helen Heaton), keyboards (Helen Heaton and Sian Noctor), guitars (David May and Ben Jones), bass (Owen Heaton), drums (Alex Kemp) and percussion (Helen Altoft) who delivered the Queen โsoundโ โ how marvellous to have a guitarist named May ย in the band too! All too often a bandโs volume can overpower the voices especially as in this case when the band is between the stage and audience, but levels were delightfully placed to support but not drown out the singingโฆย though during the big instrumentals, the lead guitar and drums could have been louder to just give thatย OOOMPHย we have all come to love from Brian May and Roger Taylorย ๐โฆ But then again that may (ba doom tish!) just be me who likes his musicย LOUD!!!
No musical theatre show is ever complete without a wonderful ensemble and as ever with TMT shows, these ensembles were a highlight with tight choreography and slick background singing and stage presence. Its not realistic to mention the nigh on thirty ensemble members all individually, and its possibly unfair to just single one of them out, but I do have to say Yvonne Paulley shone throughout with her happy, smiling face, clearly enjoying herself to the maximum (and that is no slight on all the others either of course!). Regarding the choreography, Dani Fuke has clearly worked tirelessly with the entire cast, and especially the ensemble, to create such seamless excellence – bravo BRAVO!
Andrew Curtis plays the role of โBuddyโ which for story purposes acts as a sort Greek chorus, providing the context and background to various key plot information. โBuddyโ because his character is named after Buddy Holly though Andrew skilfully provides at times a Ben Elton lookalike as well as Buddy Holly during the show to provide an homage to the scriptwriter ๐
Ryan Chown as Brit (Britney Spears) and the ever excellent Daisy Woodruffe as Oz (Ozzie Osbourne) combine with Buddy to set the scene and bring the early plot along as a loving couple intent on fulfilling their innate desires to rebel against Globalsoft, and Chris Howlett provides one half of the oppressive Globalsoft dictatorship as Khashoggi, the head of secret police with distinct Gestapo overtones.
The other half of the evil empire, the supreme leader of iPlanet, Killer Queen, is superbly played by Keeley Guyan in her TMT debut. Her strong vocals and stage presence shine through and she totally makes her solos her own.
That just leaves us with Carisma Dolphin as Scaramouche and Noah Heard as Galileo; both are excellent in their characterisation and delivery, Carisma especially as her portrayal of the uber sassy, girl power confidence imbued heroine of this piece. Their on-stage chemistry as a couple grows throughout the show in line with their charactersโ relationship, quite wonderfully done, and their duets were simply perfect. Now โ itโs a tough call for anyone to take on songs by Freddie Mercury, and not even George Michael could fill those huge boots, but both Noah and Carisma had clearly worked hard to emulate some of Mercuryโs intonations and delivery. Chapeau!
I began with a comment about jukebox musicals being just great songs and a weak storyline, but it is only fair to add that amongst this daft storyline, there are some real connections to historical and contemporary issuesโฆย dictatorships, rebellions, oppression, the struggles of minorities, bread-and-circuses state control and so on; maybe unsurprising given Ben Eltonโs past as an irony heavy stand-up comic and satirical author. So, while this is a light hearted show nonetheless it does deal with some genuinely terrible concepts beneath its surface and it is worth a moment of reflection.
โWe Will Rock Youโ is performed by Trowbridge Musical Theatre at St. Augustineโs Catholic College, Trowbridge from May 27th until 30th, at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.
With duty calling in the wee hours of each Saturday, itโs got to be something special to drag me off the sofa on a Friday evening, and whilst Iโd rather not provide only half a gig review, this has to be said. Phil Cooper invited some friends along to The Fold in Devizes yesterday, a Canadian friend, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, arranger and producer called LG Breton, who would accompany Philโs headline set, and two supporting acts, Jamie R Hawkins and Tamsin Quinโฆ..
Something of a reunion and homing for the original trio of The Lost Trades. This backroom of The Lamb served as the foundation of Kieran Mooreโs Sheer Music, where, by the end of the last decade it hosted ninety percent of their gigs. Both Tamsin and Jamie cut their teeth here, and Josh Oldfieldโs project to receive the venue saw them both return to their roots, to play some new and some old songs, and tell a tale or two about it.
Jamie began. A remaining member of the Lost Trades, he suggested playing solo was rare for him these days, yet a wonderful outpouring of his sentimental muses exhausted from The Fold, like it had never faded. If acoustically singing self-penned songs is like riding a bike I wouldnโt know, but it certainly felt this way when Jamie did his thing, as sublimely as he ever did.
If the narrative of his stage patter was reminiscent, with backstory, it reflected the reunification ambience, and there was always time for a reset, as the banter between all three of them developed over years of working together. In such, Jamie would play bass for following Tamsin, and Phil jumped in on cajรณn for her finale; just magical!
Though doubtlessly assured Phil would naturally see this through to a masterful conclusion, Iโm sorry I couldnโt stay; beauty sleep a stipulation prior to another symphony, the dawn chorus. Donโt get me wrong, I love the dawn chorus entertaining me whilst I work, and it was a particularly spectacular one this morning. But hey, itโs got a bit of a โHeart FMโ about it, in so much as those birds repeat the same songs every morning! Tamsin Quin and Jamie R Hawkins (solo) on the other hand, Iโve not heard for what seems like an age, they had some new songs to sing, and the evening was of equal magnificence.
Being separately these three were the backbone of subjects when Devizine started out nearly ten years ago, coupled with the notion itโd been a while, I couldnโt miss them, could I? Philโs was the first album I reviewed, Tamsin fundraising for her debut album was the very first article, and Jamie bleeped on my radar shortly afterwards. And now, since Tamsin left the Lost Trades, and took a break from music, it was perhaps her in particular I was so enthralled to see again, performing like two years hadnโt passed us by.
There were a few songs I knew, Tamsinโs 2019 single Scandal, and Jamieโs delightful solo rendition of Petrichor, the title track of the Tradesโ second album though rarely played, but mostly, and more valuable was their new songs, which followed suit with their individual styles; Jamie with those sentimental looping narratives, and Tamsin with her barefoot timekeeping, hippy-chick odes to life and love.
The crowd was comfortably communal; better numbers than past trips to the Fold. I do hope it gains some traction, another good reason to attend was to check that progress, because we really need an honest grassroots venue supporting original live music in Devizes. Phil, Jamie and Tamsin in one shout, a trip down memory lane, a must and so wonderfully executed; I love โem, I love โem, I love โem. As for the dawn chorus though, yeah, those birds also perked me up about not staying until the end. Those bottles wonโt deliver themselves you know!
Just who is Theodore Thump? A wise pet rabbit? The mysterious sixth Beach Boy? This album newly released from Shedric, Swindon soloist and groovist ofโฆ
Buzzwords, like โturbo,โ or โsonicโ are cliche, overused trends which gain popularity because they sound impressive, even if they are empty of meaning. I avoidโฆ
Itโs always nice to hear when an inaugural local event is successful, especially one as unique and original as Marlborough School of Languagesโ annual Fiesta.โฆ
Right here, right now in Devizes, Palooza spawned and has become the fast-growing house music event brand in Wiltshire. They’ve beenย invited backย to perform atย Fatboy Slimโsโฆ
Featured Image: Helen Polaxpix What has Devizesโ greatest millennial musical export, England rugby player Jodie Ounsley’s ghost writer, some scummy mummies, a professor of biology atโฆ
Hurrah, at last! Only The Brave is the debut song from Burn The Midnight Oilโs revised lineup; something Iโve been anticipating since watching them rehearseโฆ
There’s the story of one newfound fan who, after her performance, asked Ruby how many copies of her CDs she had, bought the lot and distributed them freely throughout the audience! Ruby Darbyshire has that effect, seemingly wherever she goesโฆโฆ
Iโm thrilled Ruby is playing RowdeFest on 30th May. On 21st June she supports Chantel McGregor at Long Street Blues Club, a music appreciation society where attendees gaze upon acts in respectful silence. But, I’ve witnessed Ruby captivate regulars of the noisiest pubs into muted awe!
At Devizesโ Three Crowns, number one pub for cover bands knocking decibels across a raucous crowd, Ruby crouches, packing away her bagpipes after a sublime Sunday set of mellowed and breezy originals and covers, professionally smiling, greeting either familiar faces or new fans desperate to express their delight and gratitude.
However long it takes for the crowd to wane, I’m determined to catch up with Ruby. Whilst I’ve known her gregariousness for a couple of years, she also maintains an enigmatic charm, rarely talking backstory, life and what inspires her. I wanted to discover Ruby’s motivations, solve riddles behind how she’s so mind-bogglingly talented at just nineteen. Oh, and if we’ve been heaven sent, or how it comes to be we have this remarkable singer-songwriter on our local circuit.
Icebreaker first. Ruby has two EPs, and a few separate songs, like Caller Unknown, a soulful debut single co-composed with Justin Haywood, and with help from Tim Burgess of the Charlatans. Produced by Freddie Cowan of The Vaccines, it was played on BBC6. But her forthcoming is called God is Offline, which Ruby recently posted a demo ofโฆ.online!
I asked Ruby if she had a release date. โNo date yet,โ she replied, โbut weโve planned for the end of the summer.โ
โIt was inspired by our recent trip to Egypt,โ Ruby explained, โwhere we narrowly escaped Dubai’s missile attack by a few hours. When we got to our apartment, we could see down on the street. There were loads of prayer mats, because the mosque was so filled people had to spill out onto the road. And so that inspired it.โ
Itโs deeper meaning, I presumed, was not to seek faith online, but to look either spiritually or in the real world. Ruby elucidated, โmore just the fact that everyone is the same, whether they believe in a different God or they are from a different part of the world, they’re all the same. We’re all just trying to live our lives. To say, why are we bombing each other, then bowing to God? It’s just saying that God isn’t looking down on us, and he’s not actually looking after us. Or that you cannot connect with him.โ
Thereโs characters in her narratives lost or searching for a light, others dubious of their own answers or consequences. But, if thereโs a sparkle in Rubyโs eyes, they are not naรฏve stars. Rather theyโre symbolic of precociousness, one who modestly acknowledges, and is confidently content with, their calling.
Ruby is well-travelled. Across the UK, into Egypt and over in India, she is adjoined to her music, therefore itโs not just us who loves her performances, itโs infectious wherever they trek. To discover why is surely to delve deeper into Rubyโs background and roots.
โMy mum’s Filipino,โ Ruby said, โMy dad’s English, but lived in Scotland for a long time and I was born in Scotland.โ If youโve seen Ruby busking with bagpipes, or at a Burns Night, the latter part mightโve been obvious, but how and why has she settled on the Kennet & Avon?
โI was homeschooled. So we moved down to Cambridge, which was said to be the best place to be homeschooled,โ Ruby continued. โAnd then, during COVID, we needed a change. So we moved, because we had some friends here, we moved over with the boats from one side of the country to the other side. It took us about a year to move the boats.โ
I know the reality differs, but I supposed life on the canal can behold a certain perception of idyllic tranquillity, so I asked Ruby if she felt that has an influence on her songwriting. โSomeone said to me that I have a lot of songs which are connected to the sea and water, which I would say yes, I’ve got a few of them,โ she reacted. โI don’t know. I guess it does. Everything influences songwriting, whether you live in a city or in the countryside. And I guess it does show up in my songwriting.โ
A common question which somewhat stumbled Ruby, was particular artists she would cite as influences, because as she explained, โI get a lot of influence from different places. I think, lyrically, Mumford and Sons, made me fall in love with music, and their lyrics are beautiful. Artists I like, Nina Simone for her vocalsโฆ. and you’ve put me on the spot!โ This though proves her natural professionalism, an understanding that most musicians could write an extensive essay on their influences, but the objective here is to be brief.
On cover choices for a live set though, Ruby mused, โI hear a good song and think about what I can do with it rather than, oh, let’s play it exactly like them. I try and put my own slant on it.โ
But, we really should focus on songwriting. Does Ruby have a template or system for writing, or do they more simply sporadically or randomly evolve? โIt’s really difficult, songwriting,โ she confessed, but explained she โwas inspired by the title, God Is Offline. Crowned Lightbringer, I was inspired by a riff. Insomnia, I was inspired by a metaphor I found online. It just comes, like there’s loads of ways of writing and I guess it just depends on each song, because each song is unique and individual.โ
While her fanbase is perpetually expanding with each gig, I asked Ruby if she preferred to play to a majority aware of her, or to new audiences, particularly in a foreign country.
โI think it’s nice to know that I have support,โ she expressed, but the preference did not allow geographical boundaries. โFor example,โ Ruby expanded, โthere were so many people that knew me from other gigs here, and they’ve come back, which reflects on the quality. It shows me that I’m appreciated. We did some house parties in Egypt where all of our friends came and people that had come to loads of gigs, and they were the most supportive and most enjoyable parties or concerts that I’ve ever done, because it was all people who supported me.โ Which returns us neatly to our opening line: Ruby Darbyshire has that effect, seemingly wherever she goesโฆ.
Future reflections seemed vaguer, for Rubyโs proficiency is folk, self-disciplined, not scholarly, and I always felt she was comfortable there. Dabbling experiments with breakbeats over her piping, perhaps to modernise its perception, I omitted, but possibilities of forming a band I did mention. โWas this like a year ago?โ Ruby causally inquired, but pondered โit’s always a thought,โ noting some particular gigs where, โit would be good to have some more musicians, to play and accompany me.โ
The โwhat comes nextโ section was dominated by her enrolment on an online music course. โIโll do an undergrad starting September,โ she told me, and furthered proposals to continue writing and โexperiencing different music,โ mostly through planned travelling back to Egypt โnext winter, so, experience the Arabic music, beautiful stuff.โ
My hopes for this broad-horizons, free spirited prodigy might be proficient backing and a renowned producer, and I often marvel at the possibilities when pondering this imagining. This led us onto talk about the music industry today. Ruby explained how the shift relied heavily now, not on schooled certification or headhunted raw talent, rather on an artistโs ability to self-promote and build an online presence. From monumental beginnings like The Edinburgh Fringe Festival to opening for us at The Wiltshire Music Awards, if Rubyโs journey would one day make as equally a fascinating biography as some musical legends, I envision a day people would be engrossed by it.
But while Rubyโs roots, travelling, and gigs and festivals, to song-writing on her narrowboat, are all narratives in the natural progression of her skills as a multi-instrumental musician, thereโs one defining, and perhaps incredulous element to solving the riddle behind how she’s so mind-bogglingly talented, which is that Ruby has been playing music since she was three and a half, and busking by four. Dammit! Thatโs the kind of age Iโd have considered acquiring the skillset to bite my own toenails an achievement!!
Four Dauntsey’s Sixth-Formers have been awarded travel scholarships, and plan to cycle all the way from their school to Bonn in Germany, shortly after completingโฆ
Leading Wiltshire digital entrepreneur Natalie Luckham, AI Educator and founder of award-winning Wiltshire social media consultancy Naturally Social is hosting a free โIntroduction to AIโโฆ
Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts key into the town’s majority demographic for its first annual event of the year, mature couples, with an affection for samplingโฆ
The Wiltshire Music Awards 2026 entered an exciting new era when Stone Circle Music Events announced was as official sponsor and organiser. Backed by theirโฆ
Itโs 2006, and the charts are awash with what will become known as landfill indie. Somewhere in backwater Townsville UK, an already road worn veteran is making their furtive steps into a solo career that, unbeknown to them, will have a major and lasting impact on the UK music sceneโฆ..ย ย
Frank Turner is already famous for searing live performances that have put his band right in the front and centre of UK alternative music. Now he has to do it all again. Armed with only a guitar, many opinions and a reading list that would make your local library wince, he struck out, willing to perform anywhere that would have him.
Documented here is the genuine sound of a guy learning his craft. Nights like these are found across the UK every night of the week. Immortalized in lyrics that would appear later in his career, his โbedrooms, bars and bunker squatsโ work ethic took him to unknown towns, like Devizes.
Devizes had a rich history in live music when it was primarily known as a military / squaddie town. Live performances from Status Quo, Ginger Baker’s Airforce, Curved Air (twice), Yes (twice), Van der Graaf Generator, Thin Lizzy, Fleetwood Mac, King Crimson, Rory Gallagher, Mott the Hoople, all in 1971 alone. But it wasnโt until 2004 that its life was breathed back into its history, when Foals, LostAlone, Frank Turner, The Struts, The Computers, and more began performing here. Putting the town firmly back on the touring circuit.
This cassette documents, warts and all, the chaotic approach to small back room bar live shows. The rawness of the songs, the rowdiness of the audience. Included in the earnest set list are two covers. One from his peer Chris TT and a Sun Kil Moon cover too. Both showcase Frankโs knowledge and passion for underground music.
Frank recounts, โremembering details of one show out of more than 3000, two decades on, is a challenge. Those early days were a blur of cigarettes, trains, whisky, sleeping on floors, panic and drive. My craft has evolved slowly over the years, so flipping back to an early document of a show can be a shocking thing in some ways; so much has changed. But enough has stayed the same. Kieran helped me out with shows in the early days and remains a friend now. Somehow, shows like this led me to where I am now, and I wouldn’t change a thing.โ
This release will only be available on cassette, direct from Sheer Music, or at 3 carefully selected independent record shops, Banquet Records in Kingston, Sound Knowledge in Marlborough and Mars Tapes in Manchester. The eight track cassette itself is a 2 tone olive and dusty pink affair, and clocks in at just over 30 minutes.
The artwork apes the style of 70s and 80s bootleg cassette releases. A down to earth, hand made/drawn approach, with an image that was lifted from a photograph of one of the Devizes gigs! The whole release is a charming, straight forward no frills release. The music does the talking, and we know it elevated an honest, hardworking musician to stadium heights. For more information, please visit the Sheer Music website, HERE.
by Ian Diddams images by Chris Watkins media โChicagoโ is a stand out example of the musical theatre genre โ great songs, great characters, greatโฆ
After much deliberation, Devizine is to pull out of any further organisation of the Wiltshire Music Awardsโฆ.. It has not been an easy decision, andโฆ
It seems Shrove Tuesday celebrations in Devizes have fallen as flat as aโฆ.well, you get the gagโฆ Traditionally organised by Age Concern Wiltshire, and oftenโฆ
The mighty mighty Minety Music Festival announced The Bluetones as their Sunday headliner at their Eames Laurie Main Stage, and The Dub Pistols on theโฆ
The celebrated Shindig Festival at Malmesbury’s Charton Park announced their headline act for May bank holiday 2026, and being that it’s Bob Vylan, it isโฆ
What was once counterculture hedonism is now as mainstream as a package holiday. In the UK music festivals are fashionable, approved and plentiful. Ten years ago I might have added โprofitableโ to those observations, but with the market flooded, โriskyโ might be a more suitable word. For the punter though, it means options, but if youโre only annually able to budget for one or two, it means decisions and dilemmasโฆ..
Across the country and wider you could trek, adding to your expenses. For complete and utter festival-heads and perhaps thrill-seeking younger generations itโs a cost worth digesting to savour that certain experience. For those with passing interest, first timers, or older festival goers simply wanting convenience, looking for festivals closer to home is the desired option, and locally weโve our fair whack of quality choice. The trouble with so many on our doorstep is, which ones?
I really cannot make the decision for you. And Iโm not about to suggest any of them are necessarily better than another, because, quite simply, they are not. I can only evaluate them in accordance to their individual style and ethos, and you must decide which ones sound more appealing to you personally, deal?!
A separate never-ending list I could publish of festivals within a relatively short radius of Devizes, and I endeavour to add as many as I can find on our event calendar. To lessen the task thereโs fewer within the county Iโd recommend. Minety and Mantonfest most, good allrounders with top headline acts and devotion to locally sourced acts. Bathโs Party in the City, HoneyFest at The Barge on Honeystreet, and Ramsfest in Ramsbury, all this weekend alone.
From dance festival Shindig at Charlton Park to Chippenham Folk Festival, The Curcus Festival in Somerset and Old Town Festival in Swindon, May alone is jam-packed, ending with Bradford-on-Avon Music Festival and of course, free and local to us, I have to mention Rowdefest; although Iโm hosting the entertainment there, donโt let it put you off!
Of course it all depends on what you want out of your festival. During high season, June and July, if youโre a hardcore raver The Existence Festival near Malmsbury will be up your street, whereas for the more commercial, Melkshamโs Wiltshire Throwback Festival is poptastic. Trowbridge Festival for those seeking a wide range of original local music, and so many town festivals welcome this ethos too, such as Inspire Warminster.
Some are as established as Womad, and some blossoming. Going with what you know is a fair game, Marlborough folk return every year to Mantonfest through familiarity, similarly with Potterne Beer Fest, but you should consider the underdogs too; striving to gain reputation can often mean a team dedicated to really pulling off a show.
The same rules apply if you are to stay in Devizes, and it’s fair shout. We punch above our weight. Aside from our wonderful curated arts festival operating multi-venue, and those memorable odd days like carnival, The British Lion’s Black Rat Monday, and the Lions on the Green, you have four main options for pay festivals. Unusually, while the two established events are niche, the upcoming ones have more general appeal. But the base of your dilemma of which to attend should rather be on personal preference, because, in their own unique ways, all of them are equally as good as the others. If that comes across crawling, it’s really not; go to them all and judge for yourself!!
Listed here with no priority, then, other to assist the flow of the article, are an overview of the big four of Devizes, which may/may not help your decision!
In a word; FullTone, on the weekend of 11th-12th July. It’s unique and magnificent. Spawned from a classical free party in the Market Place seven years ago, The FullTone Festival has become a beloved institution in Devizes, a pay orchestral dance music crossover, eclectic enough to incorporate upcoming local indie bands, stage shows and attract some big names to town.ย
Image: Gail Foster
Licensing regulations reduced last year’s FullTone to concentrate almost entirely on their namesake in-house orchestra. This year, with a relocation from The Green to Lower Park Farm, things are quite the opposite. Not only camping onsite can be introduced, FullTone boasts Jason Donovan, The Wurzels and Rozalla, alongside eclectic tributes and from jazz to themed orchestra concerts.
Of course, Park Farm has been home to the Devizes Scooter Rally for the past six years, after its inaugural rally in Rowde, the same year as FullTone, 2019. 24th-26th July this year, Devizes Scooter Rally doesn’t hold a major headliner like FullTone. They tried this last year to great effect. The Beat headlining elevated the rally’s attendance and reputation within the nationwide scooterist scene.
There was a feeling the rally last year had obtained the maximum expansion for the organisersโ preference and to retain a community feel, of which it excels in. And herein lies the most persuasive argument for attending. The Devizes Scooter Rally doesn’t require a big name, the reputation it has built, and its angle incorporating retrospective youth cultures is plenty to guarantee, even though you might not have a scooter or only a passing interest in ska and soul, if you go to Devizes Scooter Rally you’re in for one heck of a cracking party!
The other two festivals in Devizes, I’d call the underdogs for they’re new in comparison, but should be equally considered as FullTone and the Scooter Rally, especially if you’ve eclectic tastes and/or are looking for an amazing family experience.
If both aforementioned are on Park Farm, the site holds its own; The Park Farm Festival is on Saturday July 18th. In only its second year, and if last time things leant towards rock, this year sees a wider aiming family program, with tributes to Queen, Abba, Slade and Madness. Park Farm deserves your full consideration, because despite being new itโs organised by the creators of MantonFest, a brilliant Marlborough festival with twenty-five years under its belt and a reputation for excellence.
Mantonfest 2023
Tributes, yeah, tried and tested at previous Mantonfests. Iโve seen Badness, One Vision, and Slyde, at MantonFest and guarantee theyโre among the very best of tributes around. Park Farm has a full program, including our very own Jon Amor Trio, and just like the Rally and Fulltone, thereโs a free shuttle bus running to and from the site to the town. It may need to find its feet, but last year was absolutely brilliant and loved by everyone who made the effort to go.
The only one not on Park Farm is last here but certainly not least. Crownfest returns to The Crown at Bishops Cannings on Saturday 4th July, after a few years break due to landlord changes. It is great to see it back on our calendar, as the years we did Crownfest it was one of most memorable local affairs, ever! The thing is with Crownfest, things are looking bigger and better than before. And itโs undoubtedly the best for its focus on local acts. Some of the best are listed here, George Wilding, Ruby Darbyshire, Lucas Hardy, and none other than Talk in Code.
Crownfest is a landmark charity music festival, garnished with some of the finest local acts, highly recommended by us at Devizine, and supporting Wiltshire Hope and Harmony, a charity providing essential support to those with SEN needs and to families caring for loved ones living with conditions such as dementia and Parkinsonโs, as well as those at end of life, offering compassion, dignity, and a true sense of hope. And, on our recommendation there will be ant music, supplied by one my all time favourite tributes, Ant Trouble; we are the family!
Iโve been waffling far too long about your blind date with a festival, itโs time to be Cilla; โhereโs Graham with a quick reminder!โ
Will it be number one, the glitter, Prosecco and everybody’s freeeee to feel good festival with a full orchestra behind Jason Donovan?!ย ย
Will it be number two, the boots and braces moonstomping madness hairdryer extravaganza, with a seemingly never-ending supply of beer?!ย
Will it be number three, the friendly, family, outside chance, with John Amor, Barrelhouse and magnificent tribute acts to rock you; cum feel the noise for the dancing queen!ย
Or will it be number four, the grandest pub festival youโll likely to find, set in a beautiful beer garden under the magnificent spiral church of Bishops Cannings, and with Tina, Ant music and a real dedication to supporting local live music?
Or will it be all of them?! Do it, be a festival slapper! Date the lot, and the Devizes Arts Festival, Food & Drink Festival, Black Rat Monday, carnival, Lions on the Green, and if I see you at any, mineโs a pint of cider, cheers mucker!
At the end of last year Chippenham singer-songwriter M3G released the single Rooks. I felt it set her bar at a whole new higher level. Iโm glad to report the follow up single, De-Anchored, is equally angelic, and was released todayโฆ..
It might not raise the bar much from Rooks, but it maintains the same direction of excellence. Such is the unique and original direction of this drifting metaphoric shanty, Meg was delighted to hear it played on BBC Introducing in the West last evening, and we are equally thrilled for her! Thank you kindly, Mr Threlfall, they broke the mould when they made Meg.
For in this crazy world of fired up, laden rock n roll and floor rumbling dubstep, sometimes you need a timeout, a breeze of ambient goodness, and M3Gโs acoustic take on melancholy is so beautifully presented with all-M3G loop vocals and sublimely unique expression. And arranged by Phil Cooper too, who knows the composition of a beautiful song like the back of his hand.
ย This time De-Anchored takes a shanty feeling, metaphorically a loose anchor canโt save a sinking ship, relative to a relationship breakdown and the characterโs empathy and sense of loss. It drifts, lost at sea, another delicate impression guaranteed to impress!
De-Anchored is out now, across all major streaming platforms.
Drizzly Sundayโฆagain. Iโve just finished designing the poster, so allow me to reveal the lineup for Rowdefest this coming May, might cheer us up aโฆ
It could be bigger than Diggers! See what I did there? Okay, you youngsters might need Google, but while you’re researching Chippenham’s hedonistic past, aโฆ
Yes, you did read this correctly! As lovely as our premier grassroots venue, The Pump in Trowbridge is, you might be stretched to imagine it hosting the UKโs biggest festival without at least someone squishing your toes! Without any appropriate safety footwear, allow me to explainโฆ..ย ย
The Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery have announced Everywhere At Once, the UKโs biggest festival, a festival on your doorstep. Taking place on what would have been the Glastonbury Festival weekend of June 26th to 28th 2026, hundreds of grassroots music venues across the country will unite for Everywhere At Once, for one extraordinary weekend.
Venues from Inverness to Penzance will host hundreds of major artists, touring acts and theย most exciting emerging local talent in the spaces that have launched generationsย of musicians. This will enable audiences to experience a diverse, curatedย programme of live music in the intimate rooms that are the heartbeat of their communities.
This is not a festival in a field. Itโs a festival on your doorstep, no tent required.ย Forget the trek, the traffic and the campsites. And this exciting live music experience is coming to Trowbridge, via the Pump. See? Put your Crocs back on the shoe-rack, I said all would be explained!
Everywhere At Once is more than a line-up of gigs. Itโs a national moment to celebrate the grassroots music ecosystem. For three days, the artists play, the venues host, the nation listens, closer to the music, where local matters, where everyone belongs; The Pump ticks that box.
Everywhere At Once at the Pump will include a twee indie pop night with Sketchbook Records presenting on Friday 26th June. Includes a line up of Josie from Copenhagen, Clock Radio from a bit closer to home, Devizes, and Bathโs Wisdom Teeth.
Saturday 27th June is the Nova Nights takeover with punk-indie-blues vibes from Fight Milk from London, Melkshamโs finest The Sunnies, and The Hayden Lloyd Band from Trowbridge.
And thereโs a Sunday matinee from 2pm on the 28th, when The Pump Acoustic Club presents a night of folk with Dan Sealey of Ocean Colour Scene and Fromeโs KD Rivers. Check out the Pump Website for more details.
Is he a musician? Is he a raconteur? Is he a comedian? Well โ he is all of these things โ a singer/songwriter, wrapped up in a story teller, inside a dry, laconic wit that is delivered as โSuaveโ Mark Harrison, his self-appointed nomenclature.
And indeed, he was in fine form at this wonderful gig last night at โThe Pulpitโ. Mark has had some throat issues for a few months now and has to look after his voice when performing, which involves copious amounts of water and as a result urgent loo-breaks. And while the result may mean fewer songs in a set, it also means we are treated to more of Markโs rambling yet always engaging, quietly spoken stories of blues history, social observations and personal views all wrapped up in his acerbic, pithy humour. For sure, Ralph McTel, Frank Sinatra and Eric Clapton will never seem the same again.
Mark kicked off the evening at 8pm with an explanation of his voice issues and description of his โwell suitedโ opera background vocal coach and worked his way through such numbers as โSonny Boysโ, โCrematorium Bluesโ, โBy the Side of the Roadโ, โThere goes yesterdayโ, โThem and Usโ, and “Road Ahead Closedโ, interspersed with Blues history of a stolen identity, late night road closures, and visiting Eastbourne.
After a short break โ and a much-needed pee break for Mark, by 9.15pm we were back once again to more stories about Howling Wolf, the birth of the civil rights movement because of mechanised cotton picking, David Honeyboy Edwards and his book perpetrating the Robert Johnson soul selling to the devil “bollocks” ( ยฉ Mark Harrison )…. and self-deprecatory remarks about Markโs voice, Coventry and his celebrity status including a nascent affair with Anneka Rice and being sandwiched between Abba and Mylie Cyrus in an array of global mega stars. We learn about Gale Porterโs Jonah-like death knell for high street banks, the growth of โmanagementโ over real jobs and how Mark doesnโt do โpoliticsโ but does do โlived experienceโ; he is Victor Meldrew but actually funny and with musicโฆ and as for music we were regaled by โHighgate Hill Bluesโ, “Onliest One“, ” Skip’s Song“, ” Easy Does It“… and more such excellent philosophical, satirical and just down right super tunes.
All too soon 10pm threatened along with Markโs voice giving out and with a suitably low key, pertinent and humorous story, and two more songs, we were done. Hand-shakes, merch bought, and goodbyes ensued and it was time to escape Swindon, and for Mark to eventually venture out to do battle with the road closures of Oxfordshireโฆ
Not long now, for Rowdefest! Which, as the name suggests, is in Rowde, near Devizes, on Saturday 30th May, and is a free, community spirited family mini-festival with the ethos and atmosphere of a festival and village fete combined; what more could you possibly ask for?! Well, I’ve got some exciting details to reveal, some of which have been top secret until nowโฆ..
That’s the beauty of being involved with Rowdefest, I have the lowdown, and I’m a blabber-mouth! I’ve been drinking tea and assisting with the organisation of this little extravaganza, mainly in charge of biscuit consumption during some painstaking meetings whereby a much greater dedicated team have been carefully plotting this year’s Rowdefest. Let me tell you now, you have no idea of the enormity of hard work which the committee have undertaken to stage this, and to keep it free and fundraising. Ergo, it’d be rude not to come, it’s a quick bus journey or healthy stroll/piggyback from Devizes!
We will be raising money for Rowde Village News & St Mathew’s Restoration, from 1-7pm at the Small Playing Field in Rowde, which is surprisingly bigger than it sounds. We will be entertaining ourselves at the main tent, until such a time the fantastic Devizes Jubilee Morris Dancers have belled-up for a returning show; so much fun last year, they’ve been warmly invited back.
Until then, I suggest we have a dance-off competition with prizes for the best dance moves, so bring your funky pants and your parents too, because extra points will be awarded for the bravery of dragging your parents along for this dad dancing dance off!
It is a family affair. We have a bar, and the Mind Tree Cafe. We have tea & cakes at the church and a plant sale, both of which people can bring on the day; plants and homemade cakes to the church please, and thanking you.
Talking tucker next. Woodland returns this year, with their delicious pizza, and new to Rowdefest, we welcome Boigers, for their smashing smashed burgers. I’m tempted to get one of them as a pizza topping!! And of course, it wouldn’t be Rowdefest, not even Rowde, if we didn’t invite The Rowdey Cow, and a selection of their scrumptious ice cream.
For something totally original, we welcome a live sheep shearing show, at regular intervals throughout the day; might nip over there for a trim. The rest of the time you’ll find me loitering at the main tent, with some guests who will be performing live.
Iโm over the moon, to welcome the sublime Ruby Darbyshire, who will take the stage around 2:30pm. Many of you will know Ruby and those who have seen her before will understand why Iโm so excited. Others will have to wait and see, but wherever Ruby travels around the world, people are left in awe.
At around 4:30 we will read the results of the raffle. Yes, we have a raffle, of course we do, and itโs tombola-tastic, with three tombola stalls; adults, kids, and the school’s bottle tombola. We have fairground rides, face painting, and stalls from Bramblerose Designsโ art inspired by the Wiltshire countryside and hand dyed clothing & fabrics, King’s Bakes, Merlin Glass, Kay’s Rugs & Stuff, Katie Robsonโs craft stall, and the RSPB, and RNLI. We also have fundraising by local children for trips to Borneo and Peru, as well as our own books, bric-a-brac, children’s games, and plant stalls.
Pegden Contracting are supplying hay bales again this year, giving it a real village fete look. So, once youโve browsed our stalls, and grabbed a bite to eat and drink, meet me there, because not only have we Ruby playing for us, but Marlborough’s finest vintage blues with a groove collective Barrellhouse will be blasting out the songs as our grand finale. You are going to love them, pinky promise!
See the poster? It took me ages to design that, and the antiquated computer program I used caused Martin Barnes Creative a headache when he came to remix it and add the groovy graphics; still he returned to thankfully sponsor our event! But not as long, or headachey as it has taken our lovely committee to arrange this festival, and with the support of the Rowde Parish Council, we welcome you to RowdeFest 2026!
Now, local businesses, hereโs how you can help. While we have already filled our field with side-stalls and attractions, would you like your banner displayed at RowdeFest on the 30th May? To display a banner we are only asking for the small amount of ยฃ15 for banners under 1.5 meters long. Anything bigger is ยฃ20. We are keeping it low as we want to promote local businesses. Get in touch if youโre up for it, but I hope to see you all in Rowde on Saturday 30th May, by the order of Devizine!!
There’s no sophomore slump for Monkey Bizzle; prolific in their art, these rural chav-choppers return with a second album, Agricultural Appropriation, only five years andโฆ
Featured Image:@jenimeadephotography Just another rainy Saturday afternoon in Devizes, whereby I watched a profound fellow dramatically sacrifice himself to the devil, then popped to Morrisonsโฆ
Stone Circle Music Events announced today that all proceeds of CrownFest will be donated to Wiltshire Hope & Harmonyโs Dementia Choir. CrownFest is an all-dayโฆ
Four years ago I witnessed a Gen Z phenomenon in Devizes. With a certain indie punk zest and intelligent songwriting, Devizes School band Nothing Rhymes With Orange built a local following I once compared to Beatlemania. Staging their own gigs and recording original songs, they harnessed appeal from a dedicated fanbase. By the summer of the following year I suggested to DOCA they should host them at the Devizes International Street Festival, and advised residents young and old, to come support this blossoming sensation; and they listenedโฆ..
It will forever remain one of my most fondest memories as editor of Devizine; looking out from the stage across a sea of people stretching the entire Market Place and queuing down the Little Brittox. I announced them, it felt like the right thing to do after banging on so much about how good they were! And they absolutely rocked it, opening a wider age demographic to their brilliance, if still local. But Nothing Rhymes with Orange didnโt stop there.
They would play our pub venues, from the Southgate to the Three Crowns, and they would even fit into FullTone, but they cast a net further, as other venues and festivals of other local areas headhunted them. The vibe was spreading, from Bradford-on-Avonโs Roots Festival to Marlborough’s Lamb and The Barge on HoneyStreet, the lads fast becoming Devizes musical export of the century.
The only time I ever questioned their united successful future was at the end of their sixth form tunnel, when so many school bands demobilise to pursue separate universities, careers, or family obligations. It was 2024, they did a farewell gig at the Exchange in Devizes, and I set up an interview with them. It was more Chow for Now than breakup, as frontman Elijah Easton, guitarist Fin Anderson-Farquhar, drummer Lui Venables, and bassist Sam Briggs all planned to study music at Bristol uni, and even reside together; result!
For the interview I drew up some quirky questions, as usually a band of this age didnโt take themselves overly serious, but what was revealed was evidently the most dedicated band with the most earnest sense of direction Iโve ever chatted with. It is this motivation to their development which drives the phenomenon to their international success. Nothing Rhymes with Orange have matured their sound, harnessed a style, but the audience response is equal to the Gen Z parties of home, just on a massive and international scale.
Bookings this year stretch from Exeter to a Brighton tour, onto Leeds, North Shields and Sheffield. The CURCUS Festival in Dorset, Godney Gathering, Somerset, and back to their new residence with some of Bristolโs biggest festivals. You can find our lads at Taunton, Plymouth, Rotherham, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, and Londonโs premier venue The Dublin Castle. The end of July sees them in Gibraltar, and each and every date makes me proudly think, yeah, theyโve cracked this!
But for their original Devizes fans, there is one important gig on their list, for if itโs one thing to see Springsteen play, itโs another to see Springsteen in New Jersey. Devizes Arts Festival has brought many big names to town, over their forty years, some became bigger afterwards, others already A-list. This year is likely the first time they bring an act BACK to Devizes, as Saturday June the 13th sees Nothing Rhymes with Orange playing The Corn Exchange. The lads returning is going to be big, perhaps as big as the sacks of washing for their mums!!
The Devizes Arts Festival put out, what I considered a slightly wonky perception of this in a social media post. Stating their generation didnโt like paying for gigs, Iโd argue it was more through financial reasoning than anything cultural. Besides, Gen Z have grown now, some with jobs, or at least with better parent persuasion techniques! While worth every penny, Devizes Arts Festival events come with a price, in order to stage them and cover the many free fringe events their program offers.
To attract a target audience rare for the Festival, tickets have been kept to a minimum, weighing in at just ยฃ12.94. I sincerely hope this works, because it is not just Gen Z this event should attract here in Devizes. In my honest opinion, the red carpet should be rolled out for these lads, whoโve put Devizes back on the musical map of England, since the success of The Hoax in the nineties. For the record, I recall standing by a younger Elijah, watching Jon Amor at his Southgate residency with a respectful eye.
The lads of Nothing Rhymes with Orange deserve to be shown a Devizes welcoming home party like no other, by all of this townโs live music aficionados of all ages, not only for their international success, but for motivating a new generation here to pick up guitars and drums and start their own adventures. So, if your kid begs you for some money for a ticket, get one for them, and get one for yourself too!!
If Devizes Scooter Rally has already established its base at Whistley Roadโs Park Farm and Full-Tone are moving to these new pastures, last year theโฆ
Dubiously biased and ruled with an iron fist, the mighty admin of the once popular Devizes Facebook group, Devizes Issues, is using the iconic Greatโฆ
Your Vote, Your Voice, Your Future, goes the slogan to encourage the public to side with a particular political party based on lies they each cast, when all of them will probably make the country more of a mess than it already is, anyway. We’re not doing this now, not here, not todayโฆ.
We’re here to let you know there’s an opportunity to share your love for particular local musicians and bands, rather than dancing around your handbag when they perform, or blasting them in the face with your phone torch!
Yes, We are talking about the Wiltshire Music Awards 2026, for the nominations process started today. Let the arguments commence!
I’m not here to sway your opinion, as many local artists will undoubtedly go begging for your favouritism, though I should remind you I’m a dab hand at the triangle! Please take a time out to place your nominations, it is more important than any other elections which might be going on.
This is your moment to shine a light on the artists, bands, DJs, venues, and local legends who are shaping the sound of our county right now. My opinion, for realz, is they all deserve a medal, and perhaps a Milky Barโฆeach!
From grassroots talent to headline heroes, if theyโre making any kind of noise other than flatulence in Wiltshire, they surely deserve to be recognised!
And there’s a lot of talented people out there, but while nominations opened today, the 1st of May, there’s time to ponder your options as the polls will close on the 10th June.
The Wiltshire Music Awards 2026 will be held at The Assembly Hall, Melksham on Saturday 14th November, but the time is nigh to cast your votes. I cannot recommend where, only urge you to do so. Supporting local live music is so important, I got smashed in the head by a guitar hosting last year’s awards, but, mentioning no names, the unfortunate incident won’t affect my judgements; I took one for the team, and rose above it!!
In all honesty, there’s not even a category for best triangle player. What is this conspiracy? Won’t someone think of the triangle players?!
Christmas has come early for foxes and normal humans with any slither of compassion remaining, as the government announced the righteous move to ban trailโฆ
Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward โEโ) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunesโฆ
Wiltshire Music Centre Unveils Star-Studded New Season with BBC Big Band, Ute Lemper, Sir Willard White and comedians Chris Addison and Alistair McGowan revealing theirโฆ
Daphneโs Family & Childhood Connection to Devizes Celebrations of Daphne Oram have been building in London since the beginning of December, for those in theโฆ
Part 1: An Introduction March 1936: newlywed French telecommunications engineer Pierre Schaeffer relocates to Paris from Strasbourg and finds work in radio broadcasting. He embarksโฆ
After the cracking weather we had all week-end, what better way to round things off than with the best of all home-town gigs with one of our local heroes Vince Bell?ย So, suitably attired in t-shirt, sun-hat and sunglasses, off we toddled to one of our favourite watering holes, The White Bear, for a much-needed dose of great original songs.ย Good beer and good music are all that anybody needs.ย Obviously other choices were available, notably up the road at The Southgate, but for us it was a very easy choice. ย Vince is, without doubt, one of our local heroes, and it had been a few months since weโd last had the chance to hear him.….
Vinceโs first-half set was full of his fine self-penned songs, the lyrics coming across clear and loud, accompanied by some fine guitar work. I sometimes make the mistake of slightly under-rating his great work on the strings, but not at all yesterday. He was on absolutely superb form, carefully explaining and introducing each song, but never dwelling for too long, allowing the material to speak for itself.ย The subject matter was downbeat and extremely personal, each song striking home and eliciting warm and enthusiastic appreciation from the gathering audience.
Pub gigs can sometimes be a bit weird, with some folks inclined to compete with the singer by trying to talk over the top, and spoiling it for everyone else whoโs there and actually wants to listen.ย Not so yesterday โ the conversations gradually died down and, at times, you could almost hear a pin drop.ย Great to hear an artist as good as Vince being shown some well-deserved respect. And before we knew it 45 minutes had slipped by and it was time for a top-up pint.
Chatting to Vince at half-time revealed that there were personal reasons why Vinceโs mood and demeanour seemed a little low with his particular choice of songs, which I wonโt go into by discussing here. But suffice to say that the Monty Python lyric โLife’s a piece of shit, when you look at itโ was not an entirely inappropriate way of summarising certain feelings. He promised us a slightly more upbeat second spasm, and so it proved to be.
Joined for most of the second set by his friend Chrissy Chapman (of Burn The Midnight Oil fame), there was some lighter material, mostly penned by her. They worked well together, both in guitar playing and in harmonising their vocals. We were also offered a couple of covers, including (I suppose inevitably) The Stonesโ โPaint It Blackโ, which brought a wry smile to many faces. But, yet again, another 45 minutes disappeared in no time. And then we were treated to the much demanded encore of one of Vinceโs signature songs โSpiderman Pyjamasโ, and the gig was suitably wrapped.
Just time for another quick pint, a short chat, then a walk home in the still-glorious sunshine. I did get the chance before leaving to tell Vince that I genuinely thought that it had been one of his best-ever gigs. There were a lot of friends in the room, and lots of love, but I do hope that such a fine performance helped to win over a few new fans to Vinceโs corner. Heโs a local hero โ he deserves it!
Yesterday Wiltshire Council published an โupdateโ on the lane closure on Northgate Street in Devizes as the fire which caused it reaches its first anniversary.โฆ
Join the St Johnโs Choir and talented soloists for a heart-warming evening of festive favourites, carols, and candlelit Christmas atmosphere this Friday 12 th Decemberโฆ
This afternoon I find myself contemplating what the future holds for historical discovery and learning for all ages, fun and educational exhibits and events inโฆ
Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova My apologies, for Marlboroughโs singer-songwriter Gus Whiteโs debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and itโs moreโฆ
Having to unfortunately miss Devizesโ blues extravaganza on Friday, I crossed the borderline on Saturday to get my prescribed dosage of Talk in Codeโฆwith aโฆ
No, I didnโt imagine for a second they would, but upcoming Take the Stage winners, alt-rock emo four-piece, Butane Skies have released their second song,โฆ
Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Ladeโs latest offering of soulful pop. Itโs timelessly cool andโฆ
Friday afternoon at The Lamb, tucked away behind the Town Hall in our market town, with my aim to introduce two aspiring local singer-songwriters who haven’t played in Devizes before, and present them at The Fold, a venue once renowned and hopeful to recreate its former reputation. I was anxious about the prospect. Their magnificent soundchecks filled me with confidence, though their wonderful talents were never the questionable element to this ventureโฆ..
From Chippenham, Megan Hoy, or M3G to the local music scene, is a breathtakingly unique singer-songwriter. At nineteen she has built the kind of reputation, in both live performances and recorded, which welcomes her to the South Westโs best venues and festivals. Her music and autism blend to become one, and exhausts something so personal you take a little of her emotions away with you; a skill usually reserved for only rare, professional acoustic performers decades down their journey.
If M3Gโs outpourings are translucent windows into the souls of contemporary youth emotions, anxieties, cogitations and reservations, and those on the spectrum, she unites with her Warminster match. Seren, the same age as Meg, bypassed my vetting process of only booking acts Iโve already seen live, based on Meg and otherโs recommendations, and the videos she posts on social media. They were plentiful to confirm Seren had something special, still her performance came as a pleasant surprise compared to my readymade affections for Megโs music, based upon the numerous times Iโve witnessed her magic.
If both define it as indie-folk, either fits nicely for a support set to an indie band, and allows scope for such bookings such as at The Pump, where they are welcomed by young punters awaiting a punky band. Yet I see it still as timeless folk, that rawness and unrivalled valour to open yourself up to an audience, stripped back instrumentally, just you and guitar, alone in the spotlight; that is courageous. And both Seren and Meg wowed. Just as folk was here, at The Fold, even before Kieran cut his teeth with Sheer Music within these very walls, it was again with a new generation. Everything about this gig fitted, in my opinion.
And it was a wonderful evening. As the sun fell to the moonlight through the high windows of the Fold, Seren opened with her original songs, sublimely. Though shy to talk, Seren commands an audience and holds them spellbound through her honest, ingenious songwriting and her talent to deliver them with soothing, evocative vocals.
A short break and Megโs is complementary to Serenโs set, matching with similar appeal but not rivalling; theyโve gigged together before and thereโs a genuine mutual respect. This sweeping package of excellence was tied and united by a third set, where they joined forces, and this really was something to behold. Each complimenting each other’s original songs and perfectly balancing their vocal arrangements for some covers.
Obviously this review is an encomium, as it was my doing! Still, I wouldnโt say it so if it wasnโt, Iโd bury my head in the sand, pretend it never happened! If you question my honesty, read on. Iโm left bewildered and somewhat frustrated, because those who witnessed this astounding gig were few, few enough for it to cause an issue and serious doubt about hosting more in Devizes.
Reintroduce The Fold they said, a gathering of support on social media welcomed it, but unfortunately, not in realityโฆ yet. I heard the opening night with the fantastic Bluebeard was also poorly attended. Letโs be honest with ourselves, I thank everyone who came, but poor attendance leaves me dubious as to why. Varied illogical reasons spring to mind, which could be debated until the cows come home. Maybe itโs teething issues at The Fold, or the market is already flooded? There could’ve been any number of reasons, but it certainly wasn’t the quality of the music, nor was it the price when we state you โpay what you can.โ
Friday night isnโt a Saturday, lots of folk work Saturday mornings, I could tell myself. Booze ainโt cheap anywhere these days, but another event, ticketed with a hefty price-tag, sold out, understandably reducing footfall. Perhaps though, not through the want of trying, The Lamb has yet to regain the popularity it once held. It is a great watering hole, as it ever was, Iโd be horrified should it go the same spiralling downward route of so many others.
Thatโs our motivation behind putting gigs on at The Fold, relaunching this venue, for the sake of original live music and the upkeep of the pub. Easy to yodel โsupport live music,โ or โsupport your pubsโ on your Facebook page, it might be another to attend, but that is only where it will impact.
Here were two young aspiring artists, singing their hearts out beautifully, and producing something unlike anything else you will currently witness here in this traditional market town. Yet, a majority would rather ignore, to either stay at home kissing Netflix, or attend a tribute act to prog-rock hasbeens. This is saddening for local music. You. Missed. An. Outstanding Gig.
The Fold is not out to rival the cover-band ethos popular at The Three Crowns, despite this glory having its place equal to the blues at the Blues club and Southgate. The Fold doesnโt intend to better any other event or venue happening in Devizes, only to add to the options we already have, and bring to town a variety of original grassroots music in an intimate setting. But the intimacy of the room has to have a minimum for it to be viable.
The first open mic at the Fold
This should NOT be a negative reflection on the acts or venue. I find myself paranoid, if it’s me, and youโve lost trust in my judgement to book acts? Yet I’ve been to other events which made no sense for their failings. I only got into event organisation to better understand what organisers undertake, being I was to appraise them, after our first birthday party left me completely unprepared for the tasks involved. It is still a learning curve, but everything previous has been successful for me; now I know the heartfelt emotions of an event organiser who worked tirelessly but whose event didn’t attract attention. So, if this comes off bitter, it is genuinely upsetting.
Perhaps if I host tribute acts to Meg and Seren fifty years from now in Devizes weโll sell out! Or are we really this shallow? I prefer to hope we are willing to give upcoming local talent a chance to shine, to move between the little circuits carved by the fields dividing us.
But for now, do I continue, pick up the pieces and try, try, try again, and if so, at what cost? Phil Cooper arrives at The Fold on Friday 22nd May, with Jamie and Tamsin. Here is a gig from the gang very well known to Devizes, which, hopefully will attract some attention. l wait in hope, concerned for the future of local live music in Devizes.ย ย
Words by Ollie MacKenzie. Featured Image by Barbora Mrazkova.ย The creative process can be a winding, long, and often confusing journey. Seeing a project comeโฆ
Whoโs ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival and Lanternโฆ
One part of Swindon was in perfect harmony last night, and I donโt mean the traffic circumnavigating the Magic Roundabout. Rather The Lost Trades wereโฆ
A median haul of vinyl can weigh in, but thereโs no longer a trek down Northgate Street for record collectors and musicians alike. Vinyl Realm has settled into their new location on Devizes High Street and shopping there is a much more spacious and airy experience โฆ..
Much as I loved the idea of a record shop opening in Devizes, being just the way I remember and loved them in days of yore, eight years ago on that inception, I confess I put a time limit on the place. Even then the threat on High Street shopping was real, and the want for vinyl records in this digital era was questionable. But Vinyl Realm is not only bucking both trends, locally itโs been a detrimental influence on them, proving well managed music shops are here to stay.
You can browse there, flip through those twelve-inch cardboard covers, remembering their look and feel, and the anticipation of taking one home and dropping your needle on that beauty. But then, perhaps, you consider the phone in your pocket, and the infinite digital stash of music it can provide with one click; sacrilegious here! Maybe you sold your hi-fi or record decks years ago. Streaming changed the music industry to a throwaway culture rather than the thrill of treasuring a physical disc, but one half of Vinyl Realm provides record decks and hi-fi, or fixes your old ones, effectively returning you to the retro game like Jon Bon Jovi in a newfound blaze of glory, should you require to.
Vinyl Realm remains one of the very few surviving secondhand record shops in the South West, and whilst Devizes loves tradition, visitors to the store will arrive here from destinations much further afield, for a range of vinyl too vast to fit into the shop, though the scope to display more is greater here at their new home.
More spacious too, allowing a freedom of movement somewhat previously restricted at their Northgate location. You might know how it goes; reunited with a long-lost record you once worshipped, just resting in that library of memories, praying for a new owner, and now nothing exists in the world other than you and the piece of vinyl youโre jumping up and down with, waving enthusiastically in the air yelping, โI found it! I found it! For the love of the almighty David Gilmour, I found it!โ not even the beatnik browsing dangerously nearby. The risk of bumping into him through your excitement, and him spilling his freshly boiled flask of vegan broth over you and your must-buy is greatly reduced with the space to move around The Realmโs new shop!!
Tamsin Quin outside the original location of Vinyl Realm at Long Street, in 2018. Image: Hennessy
Bitching to a rising retrospective trend in vinyl, a brand new Taylor Swift long-player could pinch the best part of fifty quid from your purse. At Vinyl Realm youโd return home with a substantial stash for that cost, as the prices here are nearly as retro as the records. For a want of more surprises, they flog CDโs and cassettes too, owner Pete tells me โtapesโ sell equally as well as records. I could suppose they were the post-internet music sharing format, after all, but Pete suggested Walkmans were back in, really? Whatever next? Etch A Sketch?!
And if youโre one for creating music yourself, thereโs a range of instruments and accessories like guitar strings, the odd display of merchandise, and related handmade crafts. Long live Vinyl Realm, where you can buy a record, chat music, grab the tools to make your own or purchase equipment to play them on. Even get that broken hi-fi repaired, as all repairs are done onsite and nothing is shipped off to a company; making this beloved Devizes shop sustainable and, by its very name, a realm for all things music. The move to the High Street and the fact itโs not easy to grab a quote from Pete or Jackie as they busily attend a constant flow of customers, is evidence of its long-lived success.
Raging expressions of angered feminist teenage anguish this month, perfectly delivered by Steatopygous via their mindblowing debut album Songs of Salome, I hail as theโฆ
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
The Wiltshire Music Awards is proud to announce an exciting new direction for its 2026 event, marking a bold evolution for one of the countyโs anticipated celebrations of musical talentโฆ..
Due to unforeseen circumstances surrounding the closure of the previously proposed venue, the Wiltshire Music Awards will no longer be associated with The Kingston Group. The organisation extends its sincere thanks for their past contributions and wishes them continued success in their future endeavours.
A spokesperson for the awards said, โthis change has created an opportunity to reimagine and elevate the event. As part of this new chapter, the Wiltshire Music Awards 2026 will undergo a full rebrand, including the launch of a new logo and refreshed visual identity designed to better reflect the vibrancy and diversity of the local music scene.โ
The organisers are delighted to confirm that the 2026 awards ceremony will now take place at The Assembly Hall, Melksham. Centrally located within Wiltshire and easily accessible from surrounding towns and cities, the venue offers seating for approximately 500 guests, alongside full bar and catering facilities, providing an ideal setting for a high-quality, professional awards evening.
The event has been rescheduled and will now be held on Saturday 14th November 2026. โThis is an exciting moment for us,โ the organisers continued. โWhile change is never easy, it has allowed us to rethink, refresh, and ultimately strengthen the event. Weโre incredibly excited about what 2026 will bring.โ
The Wiltshire Music Awards remains committed to celebrating and showcasing the very best musical talent from across the county, and 2026 promises to be the biggest and most dynamic edition yet. For further information, media enquiries, or partnership opportunities, please contact: Stone Circle Music Events UK at: events@stonecirclemusicevents.uk
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
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
Swindon-based adrenaline pumping five-piece Liddington Hill released their first EP for three years, and Radium is highly radioactiveโฆ..
For most on the North Wessex Downs, the clump of beech trees at 900 feet high atย Liddington Hill is a landmark to get your bearings. Without a carpark and a mile from the Ridgeway, its Iron Age hillfort isn’t nearly the tourist attraction as its neighbouring sites, Barbury and Uffington. But with fables of King Arthur and as Swindon’s World War 2 decoy control bunker, it overlooks the town with a safeguarding history of its own. For Swindon music aficionados its name doubles up as a contemporary local bandโฆ.
Devizine first mentioned Liddington Hill when their front girl took to wearing a cow’s head in 2021, summarising their sound as Celtic punk. Two years later their second album, Edge of Insanity, carved a more unique angle we could best describe as โCeltic grunge.โ Horrifically it expressed narratives of serial killers and inmates in sanitoriums, and gave plenty of the edge you expect from such morbid subjects. But often the merger between Celtic folk and grunge felt segmented; each track lent mostly towards one or the other. Liddington Hill returns to the studio after three years with an EP which better combines and merges the two fractions, and masterfully deploys them as one almighty blast.
Radium has five dynamite tracks, three with different historical narratives, and two more commonly concerning relationships. With nods to past punk styles, they swap between male and female vocals. With the latter thereโs elements of riot grrrl, as in particular the opening track Peterloo. Not to be confused with anything by Abba, it kicks down the door with a heavy rolling electronic guitar riff and fiddles. The cavalry of the Yeomen charged into a crowd, gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation at Manchesterโs St Peter’s Field in 1819, and with its unnerving driving chorus the song represents the fear of the charge.
But if Peterloo sits in England at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the economic slump which it caused, Tarrare’s Stomach, third track in, rests earlier on the timeline, in France during the conflict. Tarrare was the real Mr Creosote from Monty Pythonโs Meaning of Life, a gluttonous showman whose insatiable appetite was his act. He scoffed his way through the French Revolutionary Army rations, so General Beauharnais put him to military use, as a courier who would swallow documents, pass through enemy lines, and recover them from his poo when safely at his destination! Tarrareโs fate could suggest Liddington Hill are implementing at least four of the Seven Deadly Sins, if Peterloo represents wrath. This track belts out grunge style, but again with those fiddles gives it the ambience for its historical context.
The fourth song moves forward in time to America at the beginning of the twentieth century, and serves as the ultimate health and safety in the workplace regulation. Luscious Radium concerns factory workers dubbed the โRadium Girls,โ who were encouraged to lick their brushes when painting clock faces to maintain a fine tip, consequently ingesting radioactive material from the paint, and their landmark legal battles which established workers’ rights against corporate negligence; and you thought you were treated unfairly having your day off cancelled!
Again, Lucious Radium is rich in this blend of ladened guitar and rolling drums, with the added Celtic instruments to provide this unique take on grunge and give it a sense of west country geography. Female fronted this one teases vocally, with deriding irony and the nonconformity of Siouxsie Sioux.
The other two songs deal more commonly with relationships; I could call lust from our deadly sins list. Pretty Boy, and Ever Shot a Gun Before both deal with suicidal tendenses due to romantic troubles, and both reference guns. With swapping vocals, Pretty Boy reeks with emotional outpour and should come with a government health warning. The finale is less three minute hero thrash than Pretty Boy, and more epic building grunge layers, with a memorable simple concept.
The long-term effects of a relationship considered concrete by the character in the song, playfully chants on the ill-thought solutions and depicts the emotions of loss. Yet thereโs a โlittle help from my friendsโ epilogue, placing you concluded by the end and safely back in your armchair. Phew, radioactive factory women, a charging Yeoman army, a gluttoness cannibalistic French soldier, and your mate going to shoot himself because he broke up with his missus was all just a nightmare, evoked by this unique and intelligent grunge trip!
Radium is solid throughout, it never delves into ambient sympathy breaks. It may not be recommended by your history lecturer, but is an adventure in guitar crashing, drum rolling fiddle flashing with a historical reality. It takes no prisoners, and is the natural progression for Liddington Hill you need to take heed of. Thereโs a strong grunge scene in Swindon, but perhaps no other band has this unique spin on it. Radium is exclusive.
The EP was released on 17th April, on streaming sites and is available for digital download on Bandcamp and CDbaby. Vinyl and CD versions are available through their website. www.liddingtonhill.comย
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
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
Mixed emotions over one of those eye-catching social media โreelsโ a few months ago, for two reasons. Firstly, attraction; the singing girl was a vision of beauty, perfect in every way. So perfect in fact, orally she cast no shadow, like she had a torch wedged into her oesophagus, and her sparkly array of exemplary toothy-pegs seemed to levitate in her mouth without the need of gums, ugly as gums usually areโฆ..
The second reason it drew my attention was irritation; she was faultlessly singing, โThe Rivers of Babylon,โ with a caption claiming the song was by Boney M, but in a funny kinda way it was apt. A disco rehash cover by pop band Boney M, yeah, when, ironically, neither its producer, conman Frank Farian, nor the creators of this saccharine AI abomination either understood or cared to understand the meaning behind the song, for it goes against everything theyโre backing.
The Rivers of Babylon is a Rastafari prayer, originally recorded by The Melodians in 1970. A biblical lament of Psalm 137, representing exile, sorrow, and yearning for home among the Jewish captured in Babylon. It is a song about oppression and liberation, using the Rastafari disambiguation of โBabylonโ to mean any unjust, restrictive system.
If Frank Farian, pop manufacturer of Milli Vanilli, who were models and didnโt sing a note, isnโt restrictive and unjust enough for this modern era, perhaps an AI generated singer with more likes and follows on its social media than every local musician I know combined, is. And if it irks musicians who practice so hard to achieve their talents that I could prompt AI to create me a song near as good as theirs when Iโm tone deaf, then it bloody well should!
It should enrage them, and often it does. But more and more abruptly turn to invite AI to create them a gig poster, or worse, an album cover. Event organisers too, with much to organise, hence the name, bypass the requirement and cost to commission an artist, photographer or graphic designer, and gung-ho a cringeworthy AI image to represent their event. Neither are fooling anyone anymore; it is, quite frankly, off-putting, and if your poster is tacky it gives the impression your event will be too.
Former editor of Doctor Who and Star Trek magazines, John Freeman ranted on Facebook last week, about a โcrapโ AI poster by one of the participating companies taking part in the 2026 Brighton Fringe, saying, โwas this the idea of someone who spent the art budget on a slap up lunch in some overpriced beach view restaurant rather than, say, commission one of the hundreds of talented artists in the Brighton area to create one instead?!โ Seems crazy, if you cannot find an artist in Brighton, you wonโt find one elsewhere, but it has since been updated, explaining itโs not the official poster for the Fringe, and in speaking with the organisers of Brighton Fringe, they confirmed the ‘artwork’ is โnot of their making.โ There you have it, AI images are not a good look, frustrates artists and puts them out of pocket; no one wants to own up to using it.
Looky here, all creatives are in the same sinking boat, and the crew must work as a team for survival. If, as a musician, youโd be the first to complain about our gumless singing girl, then you should also be the one who says, โIโm going to find an artist to design me a poster.โ And, if, as a designer, youโre charging ยฃ100 an hour to add some fonts to a photo, then you must realise the musician is struggling to keep afloat too, and make as best concession as you can, before they fire up Chat GTP. These connections must be realistic, or you all suffer like Sarah Connor, while complaining about the other! Meanwhile, AI companies are laughing at both your swollen mugs, as their programs harvest your tears for future reference.
While weโre using Rastaโs meaning of Babylon to illustrate unjust hypocrisy, there was an interview with Bob Marley which always rings true in such dilemmas. The interviewer attempted to catch him out, while he piled a colossal mixing board to construct a dubplate, by asking him why he used, โthe fruits of Babylon.โ โBabylon no have no fruits,โ Bob wryly replied, and continued to explain it wasnโt the technology which was the problem, but those โpushing the buttons.โ
Itโs convenient, tempting, I know it is, to feed the machine. But itโs a genius invention we should only use as a tool to assist us, not to put us in the Job Centre. I might occasionally use AI to think of a word or expression, but I wouldnโt allow it to write for me; it loses the personal touch, and face it, it canโt do โfunny.โ In all sci-fi of yore, robots were placed helping us with the mundane tasks so we could concentrate on creating, not the other way around. Rosey the Robot did the Jetsonsโ washing up, she never painted a Renaissance masterpiece for their wall.
I asked an AI app if it would create me some political propaganda, theoretically of course. An interesting conversation ensued, whereby it sucked up, apologising it couldnโt due to its regulations, but confirmed other apps could. It computed their wrongdoing, creating fake images for propaganda, but often its comments were deleted by the regulations when we got too close to the truth; my concern then being it could refuse the request of a human, based on its own moral judgement; are we in Skynet territory yet?!
Regulating AI will never happen while we pet its capacity, because the owners are happy pocketing our treats, and couldnโt care less about morals. Elon pulling a Nazi salute should’ve been a stark warning, but we laughed it off, kept calm and carried on. I’ve seen reels of Navy vessels gunning dinghies, Muslim women complaining about dogs in parks, and gammon flagshaggers forming human chains across the white cliffs of Dover, but they’re all products of their sick imaginations, hoping to fool likeminded spanners.
Don’t be like them, donโt jump that bandwagon. Your band doesn’t look like blued-eyed post-apocalyptic warriors, your drummer is not Immortan Joe, and when punters arrive to see him with one hand down his joggers, scratching an itch, it’ll be more disappointment than glory in Valhalla.
Look, if you want I can design your gig poster for you, for a tenner; message me, rather than reduce your promotion to uninspiring AI fartists. And I’m certain there’s plenty of designers locally that would be willing to help too. If you are such an artist, comment in our social shares and we’ll add your links to this article. Although that’s hitting Megatron with a spud gun shot, it’s still a small strike for the resistance.
Ah, you cry, so that’s the reason for me coming over all Dave shutting down HAL 9000, it’s a shameless plug for my artistic wares! But, where does this leave me and my gumless girlfriend? She’d probably dump me for not believing in her before I made my excuses; what appeared under her summer dress did nothing for me, because literally there was nothing there. Yet thousands complimentary comment on her video, about her voice or features, seemingly oblivious to the reality, she’s fake. Though, pointing out to my daughter how worrying their gullible idiocy is, and how that might affect political sway, should a reel be political rather than artistic based, backfired, upon my daughter admonishing my concern that the ones commenting are โbotsโ themselves.
โAI botโ art critics critiquing AI art, whatever next?! Let them battle between themselves, I say, while you, please find a real artist or designer to design your poster, or find a photographer, theyโre always snapping happily away at the front of gigs, and plonk some text onto their efforts with your phone. โThe future is not set,โ Sarah Connor said, โthere is no fate but what we make for ourselves.โ A tennerโฆ is all I ask!
Not my favourite night for going to a gig but, hey, sometimes you just have to roll with it.ย On a night to fit in with their current short seven-date UK tour, Tuesday it just had to be, and King King rolled into town with their stripped-back โacoustic setโ.
First up, alone on stage, was support act Felix Rabin, a young man with plenty of talent. The Frenchman gave us a cracking first twenty-five minutes, and did an excellent job at paving the way for the main act to come.ย Here was a man with a mic, a few loops and pedals, a stomp-box and a (gasp) electric guitar.ย Over just six or seven songs, he easily won over the audience with a wide variety of songs, ranging from full-on loud, almost screaming anguish, through to some really thoughtful and tender material.ย With an easy, comfortable, personality he fully engaged the audience.ย The loud applause and the long queue at his merch desk at the end were both fully deserved.ย A worthy support to the main act for the night.
After a somewhat over-long interval, during which we were able to โenjoyโ the Corn Exchangeโs excuse-for-a-bar, it was time for the main act. With beer, cider and (cans of) Guinness at ยฃ6/ pint, served in plastic glasses by less-than-friendly staff, this is the venueโs Achilles heel. The offering is so limited, depressing and expensive. Such a shame, when the overall surroundings of the hall are great, the entertainment was top-notch, and the sound quality delivered from stage was clear and crisp. Pity they canโt offer music fans something better. However, I digress.
King King are a British blues rock group, formed in in Glasgow back in 2008 by Alan Nimmo and Lindsay Coulson, both formerly of The Nimmo Brothers. The band has released five studio albums and two live albums. The current line-up features Alan Nimmo (guitar and lead vocals), Stevie Nimmo (guitar and vocals), and Jonny Dyke (keyboards). In this acoustic-only line-up, there was no room (or need) for bass and drums. Back in 2014 British Blues Awards, the group won five awards including the Best Band and Best Album Awards. Normally, in their full electric line-up, theyโre widely praised as one of the UKโs premier blues-rock bands, and known for their high-energy live performances.
Full disclosure: Iโd never seen King King before, so Iโd no idea what to expect. However, I quickly gathered that the almost-full hall of the Corn Exchange was well packed with plenty of their fans. By the time I took my seat Iโd already had several fanboy conversations with folks I knew, and seen plenty of King King t-shirts. The merch desk was also pretty busy. So I was coming at this with a completely open mind and open ears. โCome on,โ I thought, โshow me what you can do!โ Suffice to say, dear readers, I was not to be disappointed.
So not a full-on blues/ rock band then, but an acoustic version of that band. Last night, which Alan introduced as โan experimentโ, was all about keeping things much more stripped back, intimate (compared to their usual format), and with a strong focus on the quality of, and the stories behind, the songs themselves.
For the next ninety minutes, through a flowing single set, they demonstrated very clearly their superb musicianship, vocal harmonies and song-writing skills. There was plenty of inter-song chat, building up a picture of their back catalogue, but never straying into that tedious trap of doing more talking than singing. There was plenty of cheeky humour, music business anecdotes, and an easy patter and interplay with the audience. The songs really spoke for themselves. Hauled up from various parts of their back catalogue the two Nimmo brothers, both seated with acoustic guitar, introduced songs of great power. The acoustic format allowed the vocals to really shine through, but never at the expense of some great work from the guitars and keyboard.
There were some nice riffs, some great choruses, plenty of audience participation. Most of the audience didnโt need much winning over in the first place, but as a newbie I was fairly quickly convinced too. Gotta say that I really loved it, and now feel prompted to go and see the band in their more โnormalโ full electric format. Another time, another date โ but hopefully not on a Tuesday!
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
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
Have you got an empty weekend coming? Fancy a last minute, first field festival of the year? Donโt want to travel far? Then fill your boots with BecFest2, this Saturday, with camping available for those that want to over imbibe or just get into the festival groove around a late-night campfire.
The brainchild of Sarah Bec and following the huge success of her first foray into low key affordable festivals last year, BecFest2 promises all the festival fun to kick the festival season off in style, with great independent bands, great food, great drink, great merch and a chilled vibe without having to deal with tens of thousands of others. Think of it more as a family gathering, of like-minded souls, rather than a field of strangers. And the weather is looking FABULOUS BABY!!!
The line-up features fully independent musicians โ no covers bands here folks โ and the day headlines with the phenomenal Revelation Roots, the energetic reggae, ska and dub band from the South-West, more than ably aided and abetted by
James Harriman, a Bristolian performing a Brit-Pop, folk-rock inspired sound
Plot 32, a party ska band from Leeds
Tabitha Wild, a mischievous singer-song writer with a sparkle in her eyes and a ukulele in her hands,
Mexican Dave, all the way from Swindon with his whacky approach to music, fun and drinking games
F.M.I. Clatters, who likes Cornish pasties amongst other hilarious musical offerings
Andras Droppa, delivering a hard rock blues style set
Dub Catalyst, with a reggae/dub/hip hop feel also from then South-West
with Ed Liner as compere and DJ throughout the festival.
The music stage is in a barn, but the weather is looking fine anyway, and camping is available from Friday 2th April through to Sunday 26th. For post music festivities thereโs a campfire for a jam session and chat with new found friends including undoubtedly many of the musicians – no “green room” away from the fans here at BecFest2!
Food is provided by the fantastic festival feeders Events Horizon with breakfast and all-day menus with snacks and spuds, chips, burgers, nachos, curry, pies and toasted sandwiches, with carnivore, vegetarian and vegan options amongst those.
Tickets are priced from ยฃ40 for Saturday, through to ยฃ70 with Saturday camping and Friday camping an additional ยฃ22, which in effect is for the campsite itself. And the best bit โ kids go free, with just a small fee for camping, and pre-schoolers not even that! Thereโs even bell tent glamping options fo0r extra โ truly a festival catering for everybody.
So, grab a ticket, and your tent or live-in vehicle – or glamp! – and get down to Stonehenge campsite for a wonderful weekend of music, meals and madnessย
Excitement for the rebirth of The Fold music venue at The Lamb in Devizes is building. As youโve probably seen me posting on social media, Devizine presents two astounding Wiltshire singer-songwriters, M3G and Seren to Devizes this Friday (24th April,) and Gaz Brookfield with JP Oldfield in support has only gone and sold out for the 5th June, but between them we have something else to announceโฆ..
Trowbridgeโs hardest working musician Phil Cooper says heโs โmega-excitedโ to bring his show to the Fold on Friday 22nd May. With him he brings a Canadian friend, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, arranger and producer LG Breton. Phil explained, โLG told me he was coming from Canada to the UK for a holiday, and asked if there was a chance we could share a stage once again. I jumped at the chance!โ
And if thatโs not enough for you, the other two original members of The Lost Trades, Jamie R Hawkins and Tamsin Quin will be doing solo support slots, before LG and Jamie join Phil for a Phil Cooper Trio show; I haven’t seen Tamsin for sooo long, and Devizine was the Tamsin Quin fanzine too!
The Lost Trades original line up with Tamsin Quin
Again the event is “pay what you can afford,” and here’s the link to reserve your spot. Phil is such a wonderful musician in whatever guise he delivers, be it The Lost Trades, solo, as The Slight Band or the experimental project BCC, but the best thing about this talented and kind fellow, is either him standing in for missing band members for too many groups to name, or, most importantly, his production and engineering wizardry which has blessed so many artists as well as himself, including our M3G, of whom Phil has produced her last few singles; welcome to the small world of Wiltshire live music!
So, I hope to see you at The Fold on Friday, please bring some cash to donate if possible. The success of these early gigs for the new Fold really will be critical to our ability to put on more, so I hope you can make it, because there’s plenty of other brilliant local acts I’ve discovered on my journeys yet to showcase here in Devizes, and theyโre queuing up, waiting for the green light!
And don’t forget, there’s an open mic up there every first Tuesday of the month.
A huge thanks then must go out to JP Oldfield who has masterminded the project and Sally at The Lamb. We’re so excited at Devizine we’ve a whole page dedicated to it, which I’m off to next to update with this news!
Bradford on Avonโs Live Music Festival returns from Friday 29th May to Sunday 31st May; three days of live music from outstanding bands and artists happening across the town…..
BOA Live has grown year on year, offering everything from indie and rock to pop, jazz and blues kickstarting the summer for music lovers in the town.
They’re kicking things off on Friday night with a launch party at the Wiltshire Music Centre, featuring DJ sets, local musical talent, food trucks, cocktails and plenty of good conversation.
On Friday there will also be music at The Castle Inn โ headlined by local favourites, The Karport Collective.
On Saturday, head over to Westbury Garden where Bruce Juice will be bringing the best of The Boss to life with a set packed full of Springsteen and the E Street Band favourites.
The bandโs passion for Springsteen has even received recognised by E Street guitarist and Sopranos star Steve van Zandt, who said: โCongratulations on all the early 70s stuff โ it is fun. Youโve got that stuff down!โ
On top of that, there will be incredible performances from local acts in Westbury Garden, Lamb Yard, The Castle Inn and the acoustic stage at Timbrellโs Yard.
The stage at Westbury Garden will come alive again on Sunday 31st May for a special set of Open Mic performances.
They’re currently booking local acts to perform on the stage from 12 noon to 4pm. If youโre interested in performing on the stage, please head over to the website to complete the form.
Then to round the festival off in style, the Britpop Boys will take to the stage with the biggest hits and fan favourites from the bands that defined the 90s and that unmistakable Cool Britannia sound. There’s a limited number of tickets available at the early bird price of ยฃ12 (usual price ยฃ15.)
Below is the full line up for the BOA Live Music Festival:
Friday
Van De Graaf Generator singer-songwriter and Peter Hamill, live in conversation with Daniel Clark, Wiltshire Music Centreโs Artistic Director
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
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
‘Devizes & Beyond’ is a collection of original poems in traditional forms and digital photography, inspired by life in Devizes and the occasional foray into the world outside. The exhibition covers eight areas of life from shopping to spirituality and is a colourful and poignant snapshot of what it is to be human in this beautiful place and brief moment of time, and the physical and metaphysical journeys we take on different forms of transport and through life itself. (Gail Foster)
Those are Gailโs own words in her description of her exhibition this week at St. Maryโs; she has become a well known poet and photographic artist in our town, and it is a joy to behold this body of work on public display. There are various sections to peruse and ponder over, smile, weep and reflect upon, from “Shopping” and “Spirituality”, as Gail mentions already, to “Community”, “People”, “Transport”, “Creatures” and “Landscapes”. And the eponymous section โDevizes & Beyondโ.
Some areas unsurprisingly cross over โฆ โCommunityโ and โPeopleโ, โDevizes & Beyondโ and โLandscapesโ, but that is no criticismโฆ such is the breadth of Gailโs work and interests this is probably to be expected. What is presented is certainly worthy of at least thirty minutes of anybodyโs time, and the calm, serene surroundings of St. Maryโs permits us all to take a while to sit and reflect on what we are witnessing and cerebrally imbibing.
We are treated to some two hundred and eighty two photographs, and eight poems within those eight sections. In the vein of the crossovers mentioned above, some poems lend themselves to being a sisterhood together : The beautiful, heart rendingly poignant โChildren of the Avenuesโ reflecting upon the lives past and future of the offspring of The Avenues, especially the September 2019, immediately pre-Covid, schoolsโ intakes holds the same gentle and reflective space as โBlink ~ Seven Stanzas for the Seven Ages of Manโ harnessing the concepts within Shakespeareโs monologue in โAs You Like Itโ. Similarly โSinging Riverโ and โThis Barrow Strewn Landโ share a love for the Wiltshire great outdoors and its magical and wistfully timeless beauty.
Treat yourself to an indulgence with the exhibition of photographs of all sections and youโll undoubtedly spot someone you know, a beloved place, something or somewhere to make you laugh, smile, weep โ or even halt you with a jolt. Gail is not shy to show warts and all eitherโฆ we live in such a beautiful part of the world and her wonderful photographic eye captures so many shots that are truly stunning, worthy of any great exhibitionโฆ but she also grabs the mundane parts of everyday life that are the reality of living in a small town. For every framed shot of a church yard entrance, a shaft of light in the Ginnel, thereโs the kebab shop building site, a hearse, a crowded bus.
All of these display Gailโs wonderful eye, and patience, and her lifetime of living in, and love of, Devizes, but if there is one section that truly encapsulates the author and artist that is Gail Foster it is that of spiritualityโฆ her inner peace and connections with an ancient land, and organised religion, of ancient chalk-lands, stones and timeless vistas, and pagan and church ceremonies.
This exhibition covers so much, it is impossible to encapsulate it all in mere words. One will still be taking it all in for some while afterwards โ Iโve been mulling over this piece for almost two days and I should probably take longer but I am mindful that we need to all experience this display so its imperative I publish this as soon as possible. To paraphrase Peter Quince, a Shakespearean character from โA Midsummer Nightโs Dreamโโฆ.
I entreat you, desire you, and require you to visit Gailโs exhibition this week. Entry is free, open daily 10.00am to 3 p.m. until Sunday 26th April, plus an evening opening opn Friday 24th April from 6pm to 8pm.
And finallyโฆ to enjoy Gailโs eight poems from this exhibition in perpetuity, they are included in her next book, โ”Singing River – a book of poetry”, which can be bought from Devizes Books from Friday 24th. Get it early on Friday and you may be able to meet the author over the weekend to have it signed!
Some four years since his last release under his own name, Lavingtonโs electronica composer Moray McDonald presents a soundtrack; the music he wrote and produced for Devizesโ Wharf Theatre’s production of Kit Marloweโs Doctor Faustus, which was performed back in Januaryโฆ..
It was one of those rare occasions I stepped in to cover the dress rehearsal as our regular theatre critic Ian, was busy, stuffing a bucketload of Rice Krispies in the play! And Iโm glad I did. I was uncertain if Iโd take to director Liz Seabourneโs recreation of this Elizabethan gothic black comedy, but came out of there thoroughly enthralled. The composition of the playโs many components made it one of the best plays Iโve seen; the script, acting and production, yet it wouldnโt have been half as spookily ambient if it wasnโt for Morayโs soundtrack.ย
Image:@jenimeadephotography
They may only be nine snippets of sound, but with the music on Bandcamp at name your price, listening to it took me back to the play, and reminiscing at just how brilliantly sinister it was. Acts of Black Magic starts us off, an eerie soundscape, with harpsichord strings and jingling foolโs caps, Somewhat to Delight has an unnerving medieval court jester feel to it, grinning devilishly, and then weโre back on soundscapes, and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March gets a spooky underscore.
We swap from a soundscape to orchestral with each brief track, The Seven Deadly Sins nods playfully to Celtic folk dance, whereas the following Devilโs Attack lends more to Buranaโs O Fortuna, but all are equally unsettlingly devilish or scary faerie. If anything it displays the diversity at Morayโs skilled hands, being his concentration has recently been on his Cephid project, a ground-breaking album of electronica,Sparks in the Darkness, which we fondly reviewed in 2023, and enjoyed a rare and intimate live performance of at Bath’s Rondo Theatre.
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
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
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If not too distracted when bumping into townsfolk and village friends, you might remember to get more of a cheese you liked or that essential part for the vacuum cleaner…..
As regular readers of Devizine will know, one of the understated pleasures of Devizes is having a wander around on market days. From the listed buildings to the independent shops, our market day wanderings are significantly enhanced by the character of the townโs historic environment, and an enduring community spirit enriches the charming thoroughfares and myriad of routeways to and from the Market Place.
Farmers & Artisan Market
In 1724 the famous antiquary William Stukeley believed Devizes hosted โone of the best weekly markets in Englandโ. In the previous century the Wiltshire born antiquary John Aubrey thought Devizes hosted the best fish market in Wiltshire, and in the early 16th century that father of English history, John Leland, stated the โmarket is very celebrateโ. The townโs Thursday market dates to at least 1609, a regular potter around market stalls in Devizes dates to at least 1228 and around the stalls at fairs even earlier that century.
Hence, those visiting the Thursday market in the present are directly linking with a tradition that has periodically been celebrated as noteworthy and has survived hundreds of years of change. And because of this, your present day experience of the cultural footprint could prove influential.
The Brittox: Devizes Jubilee Morris celebrate 2021’s ‘Devizes is Open’ event following the Covid restrictions, and Daddy Longlegs entertain on Easter Monday 2026.
A Town of Culture?
Having been ranked third among the countryโs most quintessential market towns in 2025, Devizes is now bidding to become the U.K. Town of Culture 2028, which offers a top prize of ยฃ3 million as just one of a rollout of substantial financial awards. Towns must at this stage hope to have matched the relevant competition criteria to make the shortlist, which would elicit a ยฃ60,000 grant to support the development of a full application.
In addition to a famous flight of Georgian canal locks and a globally important collection in the Wiltshire Museum on Long Street, Devizes also has a reputation for a busy seasonal programme of festivals, markets and other social and educational events in addition to many places of worship, cultural hubs and active clubs. The lengthy list of cultural happenings covers anything from wildlife to nightlife and every experience from a punishing Westminster canoe race to tinsel tractor runs. The flip side is potentially overlooking something each of us does with regularity without ever thinking how rich and diverse it is in terms of a cultural experience.
Stalls in The Shambles
What might a Town of Culture look, sound and smell like?
If you are familiar with the sights, sounds and smells of a market day mooch, then you may no longer notice the familiar market day hubbub: a soundtrack punctuated by the calls, banter and chats with market traders. You may not give a second thought to the welcome and directions you offered a newbie visitor. You will though notice the music, dance and drama brought by street entertainers, and the art that may be encountered in many forms from the stalls to the windows and interiors of independent shops.
The Ginnel
โTell us about the unique story and culture of your town.โ
Few will have heard of the once legally renowned court case โThe Mayor and Burgesses of Devizes v. Clark,โ that established the right of a jury to find a general verdict. The unique precedent from 1835 is possibly overlooked now and the butcher Jacob Clark of Maryport Street is entirely forgotten.
The gist of this court case was that Clark sold meat from his home on two successive Thursdays in 1833, when the Corporation held the right to charge butchers to sell to the public from their market stalls.
What interests us with the Town of Culture bid in mind, is not only that the Corporation established in law that their market and right to charge for stalls was ancient, but the arguments that were detailed about the civil authority customarily maintaining a safe adequate โknownโ environment, where โlarge assemblagesโ of the public can bear witness to transactions and events without travelling any great distance. It could have been written with the criteria set by the Town of Culture in mind.
The official Town of Culture requirements include a safe, supportive, nonโdiscriminatory environment accessible to all ages – a programme that reaches multiple audiences and offers opportunities for creative content – evidence of capacity, capability, and effective processes to deliver the programme successfully – strengthening or rejuvenating cultural and heritage infrastructure with realistic expectations. The history and modern day experience of the market in Devizes delivers all this and more.
Lilly waits in anticipation outside the bakery.
โCulture is for Everyoneโ
We may never stop to think about it, but a magnificent cross section of local, regional and distant communities are represented on market days. From villagers to townsfolk and tourists threading their way around, to street performers, grassroots artists and other creatively active innovators; market days welcomes them all.
Every decade within living memory is represented on the townโs pavements, and anyone and everyone that isnโt housebound is unconsciously participating in a market day pageant. From prams and pushchairs to rollator walkers, wheelchairs and mobility scooters; these enabling wheeled wonders of our age are everywhere to be witnessed, as are many a responsible human with their pet dog on a lead.
Just sit on any bench in the Brittox and witness how many times you are lapped by elderly phone scrollers, middle age headphone wearers and teenage skateboarders. They are not all in their own world of course: a street performer recently remarked how young people engage with the informal music in the Brittox, stopping to listen and throwing coins into a hat or guitar case.
As outlandish as it may seem then, your wanderings on a Thursday could bear witness to an experience that ticks all the criteria boxes to underpin a bid to become the U.K. Town of Culture 2028. There is surely nothing that is more inclusive, culturally rich and diverse in our lives than a weekly market day dawdle in Devizes. This cultural experience is for everyone from their pram to their very last leg and it is entirely free at the point of delivery.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to our friends โshop indie InDevizesโ for both the excellent map and much encouragement https://www.indevizes.org.uk/
Many thanks also to David Dawson, Devizes Jubilee Morris and Daddy Longlegs for their assistance. Many thanks also to all the wonderful dogs and humans that featured in doodles which were redrawn and moved around to work up the final sketches.
Brian Edwards is a Visiting Research Fellow at The Regional History Centre, UWE Bristol.
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
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
If options for urbanites seeking experiential or themed dining experiences are boundless, theyโre lesser so in our rural backwaters. Yet, weโve returned from a delicious and most memorable Sunday lunch at The Water Gypsy, a working longboat pop-up licensed restaurant cruising the Kennet & Avon Canal; itโs the unique and enjoyable experience you really need to sample for yourselfโฆ..
In order to do so you can either check their website or social media for availability and mooring in your area, as they stop at various locations throughout the summer, autumn and Christmas seasonโฆ. but chase them up and book you must! This spring season has started their third year, and its popularity is such it gets booked quickly. Until your lucky occasion, I can only try to express in words just how scrumptious and wonderful our experience of it was, and boy, it was!
Drawn to The Shed at Dulwich social experiment, where pranksters tricked TripAdvisor into ranking their shed #1 restaurant in London, to the โmiddle ageโ scene in Monty Pythonโs Meaning of Life, where Idle and Jones play an American couple dining in a torture chamber, some quirky dining enterprises can be unnecessarily extreme, some exploit desire to discover unique dining experiences rather than conform to parochial restaurant culture. Howbeit, if seeking such experiences you must, The Water Gypsy presents a most honourable, comforting and hospitable repast; Polly and Hank run the show, balance cooking with being perfect hosts, and stop at nothing to ensure youโre fed in finest fettle.
Being theyโre currently moored in Devizes, it was a short appetite-boosting walk along the towpath and we boarded this beautifully decorated and pristine boat, warmed by a log burner, welcomed affectionately and seated on the only communal table set for twelve guests. You could liken the reception, and the whole occasion, more to a dinner party than sitting alone in a restaurant.
Life on the canal may not always be the romantic setting of freedom preconceived, but The Water Gypsy hones on that idyllic image, glimpses into the fantastical.
Drinks are served, and you are not rushed here. Itโs all finest ingredients, homemade and using local produce, which they proudly transform into tapas-style plates that celebrate sharing and connection. A grazing board, chockfull of dips and tapenade arrived, with pesto topped crostini, charcuterie skewers antipastisti with melon, avocado & prawns, Moroccan carrot puff pastry with orange and thyme syrup, and harissa tahini yoghurt, and, and, oh, look Iโm no Jay Rayner, donโt even sport a goatee, Iโm only now aware how my tastebuds will love me forevermore!
Pescatarian and vegan are catered for, but our main courses were beef estofado, a scrummy slow-cooked Peruvian stew, and delicately sliced hasselback potatoes, sticky pork glazed in garlic and ginger, with spicy Asian broccoli, and chicken tikka skewers with tomato saladโฆ.need I say more for clues to the way to my heart? Food heaven in gypsy ornamentation charm, canalside!
A perfectly baked brownie with strawberries and ice cream polished me off, though the other choice was a rather smashing looking cheese board, which Newsquest reporter Jamie opted for, and while tempted to nick his grapes, such was the hospitable atmosphere and such was the gorgeous food so beautifully presented, I thought Iโd best behave!
Herein arrives the time when, in a typical restaurant, youโre encouraged to get your coat, but Iโve already observed a washtub and broomhandle propped up in the corner, and identified their owners; weโre in for some entertainment, and I couldnโt think of anyone more apt for the occasion.
Polly wants Sunday afternoons to have an additional live music finale, and while weโve pondered some alternatives, boaters themselves, Nipper and Jellylegs Johnson drop in to tantalise us audibly the same way and with the same proficiency Polly has done with our palate. Itโs a show you could never tire from, nor find fault with. The Devilโs Doorbell, cheeky, quirky duo passionately recreating jazz and blues roots with homemade instruments, skiffle, bucketloads of charisma and more double entendres than Finbar Saunders remaking the entire backlog of Carry-On films.
There was an encore singalong, and with conversation and wine flowing, the atmosphere was unlike anything youโd find at a restaurant. The Water Gypsy is, by very definition, the most pleasant and divine, not to mention scrummy, dining experience this side of Milliways, Douglas Adams’ Restaurant at the End of the Universe, only this one is a bit closer, just along the towpath!
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
Swindon’s annual colossal fundraising event The Shuffle is a testament to local live music, which raises funds for Prospect Hospice. If you’re ever going toโฆ
Thereโs a cold remote ambience of burrowing doubt in the opening of Westburyโs singer-songwriter Serenโs debut song, in which, as the title suggests, she uses a worm analogy to convey shadows of diffidence. Yet, it is a breath of fresh air of resilience, and an exhaustive equilibrium in which to express sorrow and build from a simple honest riff to a sublime and encapsulating stentorianโฆ..
Worm, released today, is impressive. Itโs a richly layered spring-like emerge, a hedgehog poking his nose out of his winter nest. If isolation is a trap, Serenโs uplifting vocals are the escape route, and in this itโs a message to herself which will profoundly convex to others through association; the key to good folk music. Though, it is an urban myth that you can cut an earthworm into two and both parts will live, Seren uses the comparison to the numbness of her mood, not for dividing or multiplying herself, rather to โsee if I feel a thing.โ
A reflection on a burrowing exercise from emotional blunting, then, hiding, and waiting for a storm to emerge; this song should be that onset squall, for whilst it uses classic singer-songwriter folk hinting towards Sandy Denny or Maddy Prior influences, the beauty of Serenโs vocal range melancholically penetrates through the numbness of its subject; the formula of an experienced artist, of how Tammy Wynette could woo an audience. Though Worms equally captures, it depends more on mood observation than the literal narrative of the likes of Wynette.
โI wrote the song when I was sixteen, in October, a few months into starting my first year at college,โ Seren explained, โthe song was linked to struggles with mental health that I have had around that time and before, and how it was making me feel. Itโs a song that was very personal and something that will forever hold meaning for me.โ
So, Iโve not had the pleasure of meeting Seren yet, nor seen her perform. I booked her for our double-bill with M3G for our first evening at the newly opened Fold in The Lamb, Devizes based on the strength of the few social media videos she has posted and M3Gโs recommendation; theyโve worked together before. This song strengthens my faith that this will be an amazing night, for, like M3G, Seren holds a rare skill to encapsulate through honesty and fidelity to her music. You need to listen to Worm, and if you do, Iโll see you on Friday 24th April; yeah you got me, itโs a gig plug, but even if it wasnโt, in writing and acoustic combo, Worm is this prodigious and breathtaking!
There was a geographical population imbalance this bank holiday Monday in Devizes which risked the entire town conically sloping into the back of Morrisons; noโฆ
Whilst dispersing highly flammable hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere is not advisory, Butane Skies is a name increasingly exploding on local circuits. The young andโฆ
The excitement and hope generated by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announcing a new political party has reached Swindonโฆ.. A broad range of people haveโฆ
Devizes Music Academy is set to bring joy, energy and a whole lot of sparkle to the stage with its latest musical theatre production,ย Sister Actย later this week…..ย
Following the outstanding success of previous productionsย SIXย andย Everybodyโs Talking About Jamie, the Academy continues its run of ambitious, high-quality youth theatre with this feel-good favourite, based on the much-loved film.
Sister Act tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a nightclub singer who is placed in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a crime. What unfolds is a heartwarming and often hilarious journey of friendship, transformation and finding your voice – all set to a vibrant score inspired by disco, gospel and Motown.
Directed by Jemma Brown, with her team Sarah Davies and Teresa Isaacson, the production showcases a cast of talented young performers who have taken on an extraordinary challenge – learning their lines, music and choreography in advance, and bringing the entire show together in just five days. They are performing the show in the round – where the audience surround the stage – itโs a truly exciting project.
Jemma said, โThis show is just full of joy. Itโs bold, uplifting and all about finding your place and your voice, which feels incredibly important for young people. What always amazes me is what this group achieves in such a short space of time – the commitment, the teamwork, the energy. Itโs genuinely quite special to watch it all come together.โ
Ruby Phipps, who plays Deloris and previously appeared inย SIXย andย Everybodyโs Talking About Jamie, said, โIโm absolutely loving being part ofย Sister Act. Deloris is such a fun role to play, and the music is just incredible. What makes it really special though is doing it with this group – everyone works so hard and supports each other, and it all comes together so quickly. Itโs such a great experience.โ
At its heart, Sister Act is a story about community, acceptance and individuality – themes that resonate strongly both on and off the stage.
The production also highlights the powerful role the arts can play in young peopleโs lives, helping to build confidence, resilience and a strong sense of belonging.
โIn a world where it can sometimes be hard to see the positives, this show is a reminder of what young people can achieve when they are given encouragement, belief and the chance to shine,โ Jemma added.
With a brilliant cast, an infectious soundtrack and a huge sense of fun,ย Sister Actย promises an uplifting night of theatre for audiences of all ages. And the Academy is already looking ahead, with plans to take on the iconicย Les Misรฉrablesย next year.
Sister Act Jnr is at Devizes Corn Exchange on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th April. Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/dma or from Devizes Books.
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
