It has somehow been a few years since I last saw Jinder – or Phil Jinder Dewhurst – play so Sunday evening was a serendipitous outing to the Queen’s Head, Box to catch him play the second half of a gig alongside Mark Harrison.
I’ve talked about the venue in Mark Harrison’s review but its only fair to repeat that the Queens Head, Box as a free house actually espouses that position serving St. Austell ales alongside Bath Gem (top marks!) and is a more than decent music venue with a dedicated space, working with promotor “Schtumm” to put on last evening’s entertainment.
Jinder is an imposing figure – he admits to being six foot six inches or in new money a full two metres give or take the width of a gnat’s doo-dahs. He is resplendent in a C&W shirt, but he quickly pointed out he wouldn’t be playing either musical style last night, even though it appears his daughter has views on what such apparel may mean as to his persona potentially as a cowboy cosplayer!
Jinder is another easy watching (no faint praise here intended either!) performer, totally at ease with his music, his instrument, himself and being on stage. He is accompanied by a tantalising array of pedals all of which get used to great effect during the gig – but more of that later. He also has an easy chatting style with amusing anecdotes and stories, moving seamlessly between songs. He isn’t afraid to share the harder parts of his life, along with the many highs, and with a British self-deprecatory manner describes his conversion from Jack Kerouac to Twat in three days as he was forced to live in his car. And includes a brief etymological discourse over the differences between mash-up and medley and their fruit based versions (I kid you not!).
It’s his music that of course speaks loudest for him. And we were not disappointed. He has released two albums since I last heard him, as part of a loose trilogy, produced by chum Pete Millson. The songs Jinder treated us to appear on his albums Codetta, The Silver Age and Crumbs of Comfort amongst other sources of his work, and each and every one of them delivered with passion and heart and not a little bit of skill. Another plucking style player utilising those pedals to promote a bass line, overlay an electric guitar sound, and loops to create a mesmerising array of rhythms and melodies to underpin sublime “lead” lines.
And the stories continue – the difficulties of using names in a song title so as not to be suspected of being a closet pervert, or harbouring secret desires towards those off-limits, or confusing ex and current wives! And that even when a safe name is found… it transpires that inevitably that is also doomed to failure…
It’s a curtailed set sadly as the march of time moved relentlessly to last orders, but we are regaled for his last song with his greatest triumph of all. How as a Hagrid lookalike he bestrode the red carpet for the world premiere of the film “Fisherman’s Friends” where his hastily recorded song in a shed ousted Ronan Keating in the final production.
Fair goes Jinder. We’ll keep you in our hearts buddy.
Last summer I was lucky enough to see Mark Harrison play at the “Tangled Roots” festival over Radstock way (highly recommended that is too, for a laid back weekend of camping, workshops, and americana/roots music!). So when I saw him appearing on a Sunday night card at the Queens Head, Box it was too good an opportunity to miss.
It was my first visit to the venue which clearly sets itself up as a genuine music venue with its dedicated performance room, aided and abetted by “Schtumm” the promoter of music events here; a good space reminiscent of “The Tree House” at Frome, “The Pump” at Trowbridge and nostalgically “The Fold” in Devizes.. A quick word here too for the pub – a free house offering last night St. Austell ales. Most acceptable.
Mark – a.k.a by his blues monicker “Morose” Mark Harrison – has a relaxed, laconic persona with a lightly cynical view of life. Right up my street. His music is loosely “blues” – though he himself says “but it’s not stuck in the past. I’m tapping into the timeless quality of the early blues to produce music totally relevant to the present day.” Mark plays a 1934 National Trojan resonator guitar, previously owned by Eric Bibb, and he uses a finger plucking style rather than strummed chords.
It was a bijou, intimate crowd at the Queens Head – which as the other act of the night, Jinder, jokingly opined just means “small room, small crowd”. Well, how lucky were WE at such a bijou, intimate gig? Mark played a 75 minute set which might have been 80+ minutes had he not forgotten how one of his own songs started 😊; I’ll cut him some slack… he has another 98 he can remember to choose from after all… Mark’s lyrics are not so much about his own life – “I don’t want to hear about my life, I have to bloody live it” (or words to that effect!) – but about his view on society and the changes he has seen in it in his lifetime. He grew up in Coventry surrounded by car manufacturing, went away for a weekend and on his return the car factories had been replaced by garden centres. People that did real jobs replaced by Marketing Consultants. People with … irritating haircuts… Real activities replaced by twitter – oh sorry Mr. Musk… “X”. In this vein his numbers “The Wild West”, “The Great Stink” and “Toolmaker’s Blues” encapsulate this exasperation and incredulity.
This is not a political standpoint though, to be clear. Just a reflection of one man’s interpretation of a few decades through the medium of blues influenced music. Songs are interspersed with humorous and/or pointed stories and anecdotes. Often with a pithy, short epithet at those responsible for society’s ills…
Mark’s songs are in many ways stories in themselves, drawing you in with clever lyrics and the haunting finger plucking – simple stuff but (lest this sound damning with faint praise) so skillful yet easy on the ear. Its not until you start watching his fingers dance over the strings you see how there are two patterns going on simultaneously by his thumb and index finger, using the strings as two separate areas while his left hand works the frets on the higher strings.
All too soon the show was over. Eleven songs, eleven chats. A view of life and death in Bognor, the tribulations of late night driving and route diversions, social history… covid and lockdown as a metaphor for 21st century life.
He also has a phenomenal memory; whilst chatting to him after the gig and buying his latest album he asked me if I’d met him also at “Tangled Roots” last June! I can’t remember what I had to eat this morning!
Everything to do in Wiltshire this coming week, right in one handy listing, you know the drill, jump to it, preferably before putting your Christmas tree up, it is, after all, only mid-November; take a chill pill!
Okay, please be aware this is not comprehensive and new events can and might yet still be added to our blossoming, occasionally updating EVENT CALENDAR; they might not be added here, so do check in regularly. You can also find links to everything mentioned there, and plan ahead.
One other really important thing before we get going, the thing everyone seems to brazenly browse past pretending it didn’t apply to them, we need donations to fund this, so, if you can, please donate a little something to keep us going; awl, thank you. If you love it, don’t lose it, like Bez on a nineties dance floor. For info on how, see HERE. Please and thank you…
Ongoing: Dark, the latest exhibit at the Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham runs until 26th November.
Two exhibits at Wiltshire Museum in Devizes: Lest We Forget: the Black Contribution to the World Wars and Eric Walrond: A Caribbean Writer living in Wiltshire. Reviewed Here.
Wednesday 22nd
Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.
Memory Cinema at Swindon Arts Centre showing Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Running until Friday 24th Voices for Life Extraordinary at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.
Kroke at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Clusterfunk at The Bell, Bath. Former ELO 2 Frontman Phil Bates Up Close And Personal Solo UK Tour at Chapel Arts.
Thursday 23rd
Kim Emery at La Bobina, Marlborough.
Dead Man’s Whiskey with Wicked in support at Underground, Swindon. A Christmas Carol at Swindon Arts Centre, Jake Leg Jug Band at the Beehive. Luna Barge at the Tuppenny.
Entertaining Angels at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.
Hear my Voice, the LGBTQ+ poetry night at The Rondo Theatre, Bath.
Passenger Club at The Winchester Gate, Salisbury.
Friday 24th
Continuing into Saturday but the main show is Friday, folks, the DOCA Winter Festival in Devizes is always a wonderful evening. With the lantern parade, light switch on, Devizes Town Band and market, it’s my obvious choice for editor’s pick of the week!
Staying in Devizes, Chicago Blues Trio at Long Street Blues Club, Stones Throw at The Three Crowns, and a lantern parade Karaoke Party at The Pelican.
But it’s Marlborough’s light switch on and market too, and Mean as Custard plays the Bear.
Writing and Researching a novel with Keith Stuart at Chippenham library, music café at the Cause, and Kate Lomas, with Laissez Faire and others play a fundraiser in support of the new Chippenham Arts Centre, No.7.
Sad Dad Club at Stallards, Trowbridge. Parker plays the Pump, with A Bottle of Dog and Happy Dogs in support. And there’s jazz with the Stilts at the Civic.
Carmen Co at St Michael’s Church, Mere.
Red Light at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon, The Remnants at The Boathouse, Bradford-on-Avon.
Running to Saturday, The Bean Spillers’ Improvised Musical at The Rondo Theatre, Bath. Sheer Music is at Moles with Pet Needs, the Glitchers and Nothing Rhymes With Orange in support.
Oasish Vs Stereotonics at The Vic in Swindon, Phantom Lymb at the Beehive.
Frome Lantern Parade and Christmas Light Switch on too, with The Members’ “Sound of the Suburbs tour” coming to the Tree House.
Saturday 25th
There’s a lecture at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes called The Hunt for Stourton Castle. Adam Woodhouse is at The Three Crowns, The Worried Men at The Southgate.
Alex Roberts is at The Barge on HoneyStreet. Trash Panda at The Lamb, Marlborough,
Static Moves at the Burbage Legion Hall, The Crofton Stokers at the Woodborough Club,
Billy & Louie at The Crown in Aldbourne, and the Ramsbury Christmas Food and Artisan Market .
The Heart Beats at Melksham Rock n Roll Club.
Freepeace at The Red Admiral, Trowbridge, Ed Byrne’s Tragedy Plus Time tour at the Civic.
Chippenham parkrun at Monkton, Wiltshire College & University Centre Chippenham Campus Open Day also in Chippenham. Chippenham Christmas Market at the Old Road Tavern. Spotlight 3: Modern & Contemporary Art from the Collection of Chippenham Museum, and a Pre-loved Clothes Event at Hardenhuish school.
The Fairytale Ceilidh: A Fantastical Dance Party at Pound Arts, Corsham, and Carmen Co at Grittleton Village Hall.
Bradford-on-Avon Floating Winter Fair today, with Bath Symphony Orchestra at Wiltshire Music Centre, and Borrowed Time & The Sinictones plays The Three Horseshoes.
Justin Adams & Mauro Durante at The Bell, Bath.
Moon at The Vic in Swindon, the World Music Club at the Beehive. Stephen K Amos at Swindon Arts Centre, Swindon Old Town Comedy Club has a Winter Showcase, Gaz Brookfield is at The Hop, Post 12 at the New Inn, and The Flashback Band hold an 80’s night at The Woodlands Edge.
Craig Charles Funk & Soul House Party has sold out at the Cheese & Grain, so has Depeche Mode tribute The Devout at the Tree House, Frome.
Sunday 26th
James Oliver Band at The Southgate, Devizes.
The Stu Henderson Trio: Jazz at the Horseshoe, Mildenhall, Marlborough.
Melksham Record Fair at Melksham Assembly Hall.
Mark Simmons’ Quip Off The Mark at Swindon Arts Centre.
Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra Concert with Steve Banks at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Ruzz Guitar Trio makes an appearance at The Three Horseshoes.
Schtumm…. presents Sarah McQuaid at The Queen’s Head, Box. The Schmoozenbergs are at The Bell, Bath.
Frome Vegan Fair at The Cheese & Grain.
Monday 27th
David Celia at The Bell, Bath.
Tuesday 28th
Sarah McQuaid at Swindon Arts Centre, and there’s a bebop blowout for Jazz Knights at the Royal Oak, with special guests Ian Bateman & Alex Clarke, to remember the great Jazz promoter David Knight on what would have been his birthday.
And that’s all we’ve got so far, but more stuff is added all the time, so keep a beady eye on
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Not a typo, even if my irritating grammar check says it’s so, and not ruling out some might like to spend bank holiday Monday “in a box;” each to their own. But Box Rocks, at the Queen’s Head, in Box is an institution, and this year is looking decidedly tempting…..
Forever a bank holiday Monday thing, Box Rocks actually started on Whitsun in 1994. The idea, concocted over a few drinks between like-minded musicians, was to perform a charity gig on the roof overlooking the gardens and car park at The Queens Head in Box; their very own Apple HQ, Savile Row!
The First Box Rocks, 1994!
“After the first few years,” they tell, “we were advised that putting musicians and alcohol eight feet in the air was not the best idea, so we moved the stage into the garden at ground level!”
In 2002, due to the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, it was shifted to the August Bank Holiday, and due to its blossoming attraction, moved to the carpark, where it remains to this day, with the slogan “8 bands over 8 hours.”
Over the years Box Rocks has raised thousands of pounds for the RUH Forever Friends appeal and other local charities, the past couple raising over £7,000 for Dorothy House.
Danni W
But enough of the history, Box Rocks goes ahead come rain or shine, on Monday 28th August this year, it’s a fiver or more donation to the Dorothy House on the gate, no animals except guide dogs, only food and drink purchased on the grounds and under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
Nothing Rhymes With Orange
And the lineup is looking a little something like this: from 2pm the Phoenix River Band kick off, 3pm is Danni W, whose album we recently fondly reviewed but yet to catch live, Tom Petty homage, Petty Minded from 4pm, a fine choice, sirs, Nothing Rhymes With Orange take the 5pm slot, followed by The Sunnies, indie-punkers similarly taking the Sham by storm, and From Jovi at 7pm, which may/may not be a tribute act!
The Sunnies
After dinner, those fantastic Bristolian new wavers The Radio Makers at 8pm, still got their forthcoming album to review, I’m getting to it, honest! And a finale of Fleetwood Mac, with Fleetwood’s Back. So, yeah, might catch you there, if they let me out of my box.
A Lunchtime Amuse-Bouche by Andy Fawthrop Devizes Arts Festival’s programme continued on Thursday afternoon with a lunchtime classical concert in the beautiful surroundings of the…
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devizine.com 