Category: music

Just How Big Is That Fringe? Or Two Go Myth-Busting

Andy Fawthrop

We’ve always held that D-Town is a great place to live, and one of the many reasons is that it punches well above its weight in terms of the arts and cultural events.  Just speaking to musicians and artists who visit the town for gigs and festivals, the feedback is always the same: they’re in awe of just how much we’ve got going on here.….

Do we need to recite the list?  Oh go on then – two/ three Beer Festivals (DOCA Winter Ales, Seend, CAMRA DBF), an arts festival (DAF), a food and drink festival, Fulltone on The Green, our own theatre, two opera companies (WHO, DMT), Devizes to Westminster canoe race, Long Street Blues Club, the DOCA events (Street Festival, Colour Rush, Lantern Parade, Carnival, Picnic In The Park)….I could (and usually do), go on.  There’s pubs with regular live music (White Bear, Three Crowns, The Southgate), fairs and circuses on The Green, book clubs, sports clubs…(you’re really going on a bit now…Ed).

But somehow that old refrain of “Nothing Ever Happens In Devizes” has been making a come-back of late on social media, yet it just ain’t true.  But like all myths, it refuses to lie down and die.  Despite this revered organ (ooh, matron) laying out the many, many choices you might have every week, and bringing you previews and reviews of everything and anything arts-based that we can get our sticky little fingers on, some folks seem to persist in apparently finding “nothing” to do. So it’s time to, yet again, challenge that myth and have another go at laying it to rest for once and for all.

Anyway…..at the moment of writing we’re right in the middle of the Devizes Arts Festival fortnight, with plenty of variety to please all tastes.  But, admittedly, some of these events can command ticket prices that are unaffordable for some.  So, inspired somewhat by last weekend’s wonderful free Rowdefest (thank you Darren!) and, admittedly, a bit of a “robust discussion” in the pub, I decided to see just how much fun and entertainment you could enjoy over this weekend at next to no cost. It’s a challenge I decided to take on by getting off my luxury sofa, and propel myself out “into the field” (as it were).

Armed with only a stout pair of walking boots, an inquisitive and open mind, and a supportive girlfriend, I headed out into the local area to see what I could actually come up with on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.  The results are below:

• 1. Devizes Farmers’ Market in The Market Place Bar (Saturday 9 am)
• · What it was: monthly gathering of local suppliers
• · What was it like?  Plenty of choice – venison, bread, honey, olives, cheese, bread & fruit, flowers and plants, fresh coffee, cider, cakes.  Plenty of good fresh stuff from suppliers within a 30 mile radius of D-Town.  Added to stalls in the Shambles, this is worth a half hour of anyone’s time, either for shopping or simply browsing.
• · Cost: £FREE
• · Children’s rating: 1/5, Adults’ rating: 4/5

• 2. K&A Canal Walk towpath, any old time
• · What it was: a c. 4 mile walk down the towpath from D-Town to Poulshot
• · What was it like?  Lots of people out strolling or cycling, boats passing up and down the flight (an opportunity for some gomgoozling).  We also saw many species of birds, including four, yes four, different grey herons – such elegant birds.
• · Cost: £FREE
• · Children’s rating: 1/5, Adults’ rating: 5/5

• 3. Poulshot Medicine in Nature Herbal Walk at Poulshot Village Hall (Saturday 10.30am – 12)

• · What it was: a short walk led by Katherine Baldock & Simon Parkes (ecologist) around the village to explore the wild and naturalised medicinal plants growing thereabouts, and an opportunity to make some herbal vinegar after foraging the local hedgerows.
• · What was it like?  Way too slow for me, it was part talk, part very gentle amble around the village green and woodland, part discovery of a number of wild plants.  We discussed culinary and medicinal uses. At least I found bits of Poulshot I didn’t know about, including the pond, the specially-created woodland, and some country paths (useful for getting over to Whistley Road later on).
• · Cost: £5/ person
• · Children’s rating: 0/5, Adults’ rating: 2/5

• 4. Wiltshire Steam & Vintage Rally Lower Park Farm, Whistley Road (Saturday & Sunday 10 – 5)
• · What it was:.  An event organised by WAPG (Wiltshire Agricultural Preservation Group), featuring static displays of steam traction engines, tractors, miniature steam engines, heavy horses, trade stalls, fairground, military vehicles, classic cars.
• · What was it like? As it was chucking it down with rain as we arrived, the most welcome thing for the first half hour was the (well-stocked) beer tent.  I could have done without the loud piped music but, hey, it was dry and there was beer!  When the rain slowed down a bit we did the full circuit and there was plenty to see, the most impressive of which were the full-size old traction engines in steam (some also seen later driving through D-Town).  There were pop-up food outlets, fresh coffee, craft stalls and tents, a 1940s-themed tea and cakes tent, bouncy castle for the children etc.  The site was large with plenty of parking but, because of the rain, getting increasingly muddy.
• · Cost: £10/ person + drinks
• · Children’s rating: 4/5, Adults’ rating: 4/5

• 5. Pete Robson & J P Oldfield in The Bear, Cellar Bar (Saturday 8pm)
• · What it was: foot-stomping blues from two solo performers
• · What was it like?  Each performer used steel guitar and stomp box to deliver some hard-cutting blues.  CDs for sale. Not very well attended, which was a shame.  Perhaps it needed to be better advertised. For me Pete Robson was the better performer of the two, taking a slightly less hard-edge approach to his vocals, and mixing up the tempo, giving more light and shade to his set.  The cellar bar is an OK venue at best, being a rather odd shape, with very low ceiling and an only partially-stocked bar.  I suspect it needs to be used much more often if it’s going flourish as a venue.
• · Cost: £FREE + drinks
• · Adults’ rating: 3/5
• · Note –we could have also gone to see either Matchbox Mutiny/ Tom Harris in The Three Crowns or The Duskers in The Southgate (both FREE entry), but there’s only so many hours in the day!

• 6. Crammer Watch Day on the Small Green Devizes (Sunday 11am onwards)
• · What it was: a chance to meet those involved in celebrating and preserving the Crammer. RSPCA, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Water, Friends of The Crammer, Lawrence Society of Artists, Sustainable Devizes + The Moonrakers Legend (performed at 12 noon and 1pm), photography competition, charity tombola
• · What was it like?  We missed the Moonrakers performance, so as an experience I found it a bit thin on the ground.  There was little to see and do, unless you wanted to stand and chat to someone about the issues which the Crammer faces. Several stands were just offering information leaflets. Although a worthy attempt, for me personally it was just not very engaging.
• · Cost: £FREE
• · Children’s rating: 1/5, Adults’ rating: 1/5

• 7. Lions on The Green on The Green (Sunday 10am -4pm)

• · What it was: organised by Devizes Lions Club, a vehicle display (cars, bikes, scooters, military etc) and family fun day (lots of stalls, bar, food outlets)
• · What was it like?  Covering the whole of the large Green, this was really excellently-well organised.  The central area was given over to the displays of antique, rare and sports cars.  Stalls had cakes, plants (from Plot 35), metal signs, honey etc.  There was a bouncy castle and fairground rides for children.  A licensed bar, coffee shop etc.  Lots to look at and plenty of photo opportunities. Fantasy Radio were broadcasting live from the site.
• · Cost: £FREE (donations to the Lions collecting buckets) + drinks
• · Children’s rating: 4/5, Adults’ rating: 5/5

• 8. Devizes Arts Festival Free Fringe: Whiskey River (@ British Lion garden  Sunday 2 – 5pm)
• · What it was: Roots Music From the Welsh frontier
• · What was it like?  The trio Whiskey River played Americana, Cajun, Zydeco, Folk, Country, Blues and a smattering of Celtic music. Using guitar, fiddle, flute, harmonica, mandolin and concertina, these guys provided an excellent and enjoyable afternoon of music in the (occasional) sunshine.  The bar was open, and there was a BBQ going on throughout. People sitting out enjoying a drink, dogs, children, good music – perfect!
• · Cost: £FREE + (a large, undisclosed) drinks bill
• · Children’s rating: 3/5, Adults’ rating: 5/5

• 9. Wood & Steel (@ The Southgate Inn Sunday 5-7pm)
• · What it was: an acoustic duo playing blues, jazz and ragtime
• · What was it like?  This duo were new to me, but I was very impressed by what I heard.  Two very good musicians, clearly comfortable in their own skin, played two excellent 50-minute sets and got a very well-deserved encore.  Lots of covers from many ages and genres, using dobro, guitar, upright bass and vocals.  Excellent musical accompaniment to a late, lazy Sunday afternoon. Great atmosphere too.
• · Cost: £FREE (donations to “the hat”) + more (undisclosed) drinks
• · Adults’ rating: 5/5
• · Note – we could also have gone to see Bodge It & Scarper  at The White Bear (Sunday 5-7pm) playing acoustic music, but didn’t hear about this until quite late.  Also can’t be in two places at once.  This event was also FREE.  

In summary:

• · Miles walked – about 10
• · Bird species spotted – about 20, including swans, herons, jackdaws, mallard, moorhen, starlings, robins, great tits etc;
• · Friends met – loads – far too many to mention!
• · Total cost (for two) – £27.80 (of which £20 was for the steam fair) + the drinks (but let’s not mention that bit!);
• · Fun and entertainment had – loads and loads and loads;
• · Well-being – absolutely knackered, but very happy.  Looking forward to next weekend!

Yes it all took a little bit of planning, but it wasn’t that difficult really.  We walked to/ from most venues, so we got lots of other good D-Town stuff (Caen Hill locks, the towpath etc) and took only one short (cheap) bus ride when the heavens opened.  So there was plenty of exercise and fresh air to mitigate the various bits of eating and drinking.  Did I mention that the odd libation was partaken of?  And I’m not saying that EVERY weekend is quite this packed, but it certainly can be if you put your mind to it.  Bear in mind that there’s LOADS of other stuff going on – these were simply the things we happened to pick out.  There were choices – and we made them!

Nothing Ever Happens In Devizes???  Don’t make me laugh.