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 with another breakneck thriller novelette, Death Wishโฆ
As a writer myself I can be particularly critical of books when reviewing; apologies in advance, though Iโve nothing bad to say about this particular outing! That I’m aware of the struggles of self-publishing levels out the criteria somewhat; itโs a labour of love which deserves praise for being this alone.ย ย
The Killer & The Catalyst is a gripping read, using a technical and difficult multiple point-of-view narrative, which, doubled with flashbacks can muddle the reader’s continuity. While Death Wish builds the suspense using similar flashbacks it rolls along a more convenient single timeline, making it easier to digest. Dave describes it to me as โmore linear,โ and itโs a major factor to why I was much more deeply engrossed in this one than the first.
No Charles Bronson in this, but the characters in Death Wish are equally better defined and rounded than The Killer & The Catalyst, you identify with them, especially in their differences, and their conversations flow well with biting reality. These coupled meant it had me hooked, and I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Death Wish concerns a group of ex-school friends at a reunion, but as well as the natural passing of time, a terrible accident towards the end of their school years and the pact they made to keep schtum about it has caused division in their relationships.
An ex-officer on a case which resulted from said incident, returns half-heartedly under request of the police chief. But as the friends are individually picked off by an unknown serial killer in the most gruesome manner, it’s a whodunnit which will make you question each and every character.
I found myself suspecting various ones, and swapping my conclusions throughout, though I didn’t see the truth coming, as the plot thickened and the twist revealed reasoning; the very fashion of what a good mystery should do. Dave knows precisely what buttons to press to keep you wondering, and for this much if not more, can craft an exceptionally gripping read.
Itโs fast-paced pulp fiction, written loosely with contemporary plain English, which again invites casual readers into its forum. Yet in the safe hands of Dave McKenna, it thrills and engages you, and if I dislike the cliche term โpage-turnerโ it best describes the action!
Here it is on Amazon, and I believe you can pick up a copy in Devizes Books in a week or two, the faithful towards local authors bookstore. I suggest you do, then hold onto your seat, itโs a rollercoaster read.ย
I love reading, dammit, but not enough local authors approach us for a review. This isn’t the Amazon marketplace, mate, I don’t bite! Well, not hard. Send use your efforts, for I know it can be a harsh and often lonely world out there for authors; group hug!
Another day at the office for Newsquest reporter Jamie Singleton. He reports on a new convenience store at the corner of St Johnโs Street in Devizes, shares it to Facebook and moves onto the next taskโฆ.
โDelight as new shop opens in Wiltshire market town,โhe headlined it as, encouraging clicking by curiosity; the way of social media. The secret town this time is Devizes, but the mystery surrounding it is the first line of attack for Facebook users; why can’t they name the town in the headline they wail, defeating Jamie’s objective. Yet, it’s far from the end as the anger bubbling, as it cascades into a biblical apocalypse akin to the Book of Revelation.
It often feels to me like Facebook’s comments sections have become the contemporary Armageddon, cycles of cataclysmic verbal plagues, a final gathering for a great cosmic battle, for and against forces of evil; perhaps this is proof. Seriously, this story distracted me from reading a post by a Welsh Restore councillor furious at a rainbow coloured table.
โRemarking on the businessโ first week of trading,โ the article continued, the owner Mr Raja said โwe have had positive feedback from all of the customers. The customers have really liked it and always give nice feedback.โ
This is great, and we wish the owners success with the venture, but shamefully, the customer’s feedback doesn’t match the comments section of the Facebook share of the article. Beginning lightly, some there question if we need another shop like this, causing me to wonder if they’re the same people moaning about the absence of shops in town?!
Then, they spiral out of control, with disgraceful and unfounded accusations of money laundering, selling vapes to children, and others barely legible. Here’s me assuming we still lived in a country where we’re innocent until proven guilty, but hey, not according to Facebook amateur magistrates.
Here’s a collection of some of the worst comments made on the story, in all their individual and unique variants of the English language. Warning; they may shock you, but I saved the worst till last:
Dodgy vapes fack navy.windscreen wash alcohol…sounds like another money laundering business to me ๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค
This first one defies all logic, and causes me to wonder if I should pop into the new shop, enquire if they really stock โfackโ alcoholic navy-coloured screenwash flavoured vapes.
More fake booze, vapes and selling whip to kids
I may be ill-informed about this, but what is โwhip,โ in this context, and does it contain walnuts? Again though, this is a Police matter not for Facebook speculation. If there was any truth in it, which is doubtful, it is up to them to investigate. What if a child has a nut allergy?
Seems Devizes about to get overrun with ‘corner shops’ now. Does Devizes really need 2 in the same area?
I confess, it’s been a while since I checked the definition of โoverrun,โ but I believe it means going past a planned limit, filling a space with unwanted large numbers. Does two really qualify as a large number? I find myself wondering if this person likes bookshops. They should visit Hay-on-Wye, buy themselves a dictionary.
ran by dinky people
Is? What? Whoa! โDinky?โ Has the meaning of this word changed too since I last looked, or does this person feel small people cannot run a shop? I mean, if itโs a real issue they could lower the height of the counter, or invest in a footstool. Again, Iโm encouraged to pop into the shop with a tape measure, all in the name of research.
Market TOWN – Devizes JESUS CHRIST must pray for a fire there and burn the lot itโs a dump and full of OAPโs
This one makes me feel ashamed to be a creature of the same species as this person, and not because of their grammatical error of using a speech mark rather than an apostrophe when neither were even necessary. Rather because, they felt the opening of a convenience store in town was their golden opportunity to summon Jesus and demand he prays for a fire to burn down the whole of Devizes; if indeed we are of the same species.
Iโm not making this up, Iโve saved a screenshot because itโs so preposterously sinister even if poorly intended to be satire, I suspect you think I might have. Iโm just trying to imagine the scenario: I brushed my teeth and got into my nightgown. I crouched by my bedside and held my hands together in prayer.ย
โNow I lay me down to sleep,โ I chanted, โI pray the Lordโฆ. will burn down the entire town of Devizes!!!โ
Then, Jesus appeared before me and asked, โwhy do you ask me of such a thing?โ
โBecasue itโs a dump, and full of pensioners!โ I demanded.
โAnd how did you come to such a conclusion?โ Jesus asked me.
โBecasue someone opened a shop!โ
As if Jesus would agree. โVery well! Like Sodom and Gomorrah, for their sins of aging and opening convenience stores, I will call upon God to rain brimstone and fire down on Devizes, a river of lava from out of the sky, and destroy this market town, the entire plain, everyone who lived in there, and everything that grew from the ground!โ
โOh, could you wait a moment,โ I asked, โIโve run out of bread, and have to nip to the shops.โย
These people walk among us, or at least appear before us on Facebook; cue a tear dropping down my cheek as I await what may come of the comment section for this article!
It’s Saturday morning on the 13th July 1985, and there’s a dilemma brewing in my household I’m indifferent with. I’m twelve, aware I should do what my mum tells me, but I’m easily persuaded by my older brother, who is adamant he doesn’t want to go to our town carnival, because Live Aid is being televisedโฆ.
My mum insists, we are not staying in to watch television, no matter if it’s the greatest show we’d ever see, and fundraising for a vital cause, we are going to carnival, we โhaveโ to go to carnival, everyone โhasโ to go to carnival!ย
With the sad news breaking that, due to a lack of funding, Trowbridge Carnival has had to be cancelled, I find myself dwelling on the memory; that, despite being a relatively average family far from raging revellers, my parents thought carnival was virtually a religious tradition we could not miss, whereas I found myself agreeing with my brother’s entreaty based on his plea that โcarnival is for children,โ and often, I still do.
For the record, thanks to our recent video recorder rental, the dilemma was resolved, as, using the newspaper’s schedule for Live Aid, my brother hastily and half-heartedly programmed its timer to catch the unmissable performances, while mum yelled at him to put his shoes on!
It didn’t go to plan. The consequence of my brother and I being disgruntled and publicly displaying our rebellion, meant no one in my family enjoyed the carnival as much as we might have done when we were younger. Plus, Live Aid suffered lengthy delays in its program, which didn’t align with my brother’s attempts to time the video recorder and we ended up missing several key moments!
Given a seemingly teenage consensus that carnival is too immature for them, I found this memory furthered by recalling my time spent in Marlborough where the view was similar among younger people, and even my move to Devizes as an adult, where the sentiment was also reflected.
Banter that our carnival was rather โsadโ leaves me wondering if our generation caused the demise of town carnivals. That, perhaps, carnival committees need to address how they can create a diverse carnival to appeal to all ages, and if, and how, that’s even possible. Satisfying teenagers is no easy feat; should carnival be on TikTok it might yet be saved!
Yet, what is โsadโ to me now is that, with the availability and rising trend of music festivals and other similar events, traditional carnivals cannot maintain the attraction they once did, are in decline, and Trowbridge’s isn’t the only one suffering; all readily made free events are.
We could point a finger at the government for underfunding The Arts Council, but historically, carnivals have always been self-funded, through local fundraising events, public subscriptions, and charity collections. Who recalls the joy of recklessly throwing coins onto floats?! Who got hit by one of those heavyweight two pence coins, kept calm and carried on?!
I could take the rose-tinted specs route, or get all patriotic on you, but, Iโd rather not! Certainly, price rises for health and safety regulations, first aid, policing costs, and event management is a definite factor, but could the blame game really stop at the public, and their enthusiasm to contribute, financially and motivationally?
If so, it is with bittersweet sympathy I should look upon this with the โyou don’t know what you’ve got till it’s goneโ notion, and wonder if perhaps losing carnivals might in the future make us look upon what we missed, and reinvent carnival again. For which, losing a carnival is a shame now, but for them to make a Rocky style comeback, would be no bad thing.
Or maybe I’m totally wrong, losing town carnivals is bad, might be forever, and is a sad reflection on our era. We all should not be so patronising, that we should recall a time when we loved carnival, be more like our parentโs generation, insistent carnival is a must, andย attempt to make them enjoyable for all by making an effort to fund and attend them as best we can in these trying times. For the sum of a carnivalโs parts is nothing without the spirit of the folk attending, supporting.ย ย
In particular areas where carnival remains strong, from Bridgwater to Notting Hill via Pewsey, they miraculously find a way through the hard times, likely because of the full support of the community. Iโm grateful to Devizes Town Council for stepping in and helping DOCA with our carnival, but maybe we should all address any timeworn ideas we might have that carnivals are โa bit naff,โ or โfor children,โ because if we carry these notions they will be, because the folk make it what it is. And right now, itโs not progressing to much more than a tin of beans.
Live Aid, though, I remember seeing Queen via a dodgy VHS recording, and Sue Pollard from Hi-De-Hi too, and thatโs as far as my memory stretches!
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!
Sheez, I go away for five minutes and look what happens. Devizes Facebookland turns into the Ok Corral! Seems I must interrupt my lovely mountaineering holiday to broadcast an alternative viewpoint from what’s being said on a local Facebook groupโฆagain!
This, providing the post remains, proves what we’ve been saying about the political bias of Devizes Issues. Ooh, handbags at dawn; forever bad loser, the Munster of Lavington got his knickers in a twist with the head of Wiltshire Council Ian Thorn, took to poisoning Facebook with another rant, which, against every self-made rule of an apparent unbiased local information group, was successfully shared onto it.
As if Facebook isn’t toxic enough already with national politics, it seems local Tories are inclined to slander their opposition parties like they’re Andy Burnham before he’s even put his toothbrush in the holder at number ten.
I get that Thorn isn’t flavour of the month, and even MP Brian Matthew wrote to him to express concerns over the booking system trial at our recycling centres. For my tuppence on this, I agree with concerns about the flytipping it could encourage. Though Ben Reed for Devizes North points out โthis pilot phase will be used to better understand the habits and needs of residents and ensure the service is tailored to their needs. It’s important to say up front that this is not a permanent change at this stage; if the trial doesn’t bring benefits, then the booking system will be amended or scrapped.โ
That’s not a โu-turnโ as suggested by Devizes Conservatives on that same Devizes Issues Facebook group, a group clearly so governed by the Devizes Conservatives it may as well change its name to The Devizes Daily Mail. It’s a trial. You don’t u-turn a trial, you try it, and if it doesn’t work, you scrap it, just as Ben said.
But we’re not waffling about recycling centres, it’ll cost nought to book a slot, ergo it’s a post-lockdown niggling storm in a teacup; flytippers are pricks, and will do their dirty business booking slots or not.
No, we’re more concerned with airing dirty laundry in public and the Councilโs time it wastes; W (Worrow) entered the chat. I might occasionally slobber it, but I don’t retype drivel. So, through the powers of screenshot, here’s the glorious package of allegations in full technicolor, as shared on the ominous Facebook group:
How did he get away with that utter baloney, on a group clearly stating no political misinformation, plus lifetime banning others who do similar?!
Could it possibly be, and this is purely speculation based on an assessment of frequently recurring incidents, that this vicious attack of hearsays, in which it must be noted the Munster himself uses the word โperceivedโ to loophole the fact what he’s saying hasn’t yet been proved, has been allowed by admin of the group to stay, because it has been immaturely presented by a fellow Conservative still grumpy the Lib Dems democratically won control of Wiltshire Council?!
I don’t know. Sounds like the whimpering of a spoiled toddler to me, but you be the judge. Conservatives had their own way for generations here, their silver spoons plopped from their mouths, and it’s understandable they’re tetchy about change; bless their cotton socks. But we should be concerned about the fairness of using a popular local Facebook group to level allegations that, as of yet, are unfounded. The group’s own rules should have meant that this post was not suitable for publication.
Ben Reed criticised the admin of the group, Conservative Devizes Town Councillor Iain Wallis, for his usage of the group as a biassed political platform. In a submitted post to the group, Mr Reed stated this would โprobablyโ be his โlast post on this group, since in my view it has become a Conservative mouthpiece.โ
Yeah, it’s not your choice to make there, Ben! You have to ask yourself, given all the evidence, if Ben’s post will ever make the final cut and if he’ll be a group member for much longer. So, for your perusal, shock factor, or amusement, here it is:
As for Munster’s allegation, despite how he might perpetually cry about it, assume that for now, it is only an allegation because it’s only an allegation.
I will not side with any political party, I will form my opinion based on wider sources. But should it be proved correct, and Thorn is doing a dirty deal, I would gladly stand side by side with Dominic Muns at the Black Dog Crossroads or any other location of his choice, declare he was right, maybe eat a hat, and agree something needs to be done about it.
For now, I’ve probably got more important things I should do. There’s better than treating local council level like it’s the Imperial Council of the Galactic Empire on Coruscant. But, I guess this was always going to be a repercussion by some Conservatives when their majority befell to a democratic election.
โIโve spent the last few weeks reflecting on the tone of our politics, and frankly Iโm deeply troubled,โ Cllr Taylor Wright mused on the subject.
โIt has become far too common for politicians to casually throw around allegations of corruption, back-room deals, โbrown envelopesโ or other forms of dishonesty without producing a shred of evidence. Sometimes, those accusations are made directly. Sometimes theyโre encouraged through innuendo. Sometimes theyโre allowed to spread because too few people are willing to stand up and say, โNo. Thatโs not true.โโ
Taylor rightly added that it โshould concern every one of us.โ
In a heartfelt opinion, he stated that threats have been made against Cllr Ian Thornโs home. โAs someone in public office myself, there are times I genuinely wonder whether itโs sensible to take my three-year-old son into town because of the hostility that now seems to surround politics. That should horrify us all.โ
โI have defended Cllr Ian Thorn because there has never been any evidence presented that he has acted corruptly or improperly. I will continue to do so. But my defence doesnโt stop there.โ
โI extend exactly the same principle to every councillor serving Wiltshire Council, regardless of party. Unless there is credible evidence of wrongdoing, I will not stand by while colleagues have their reputations dragged through the mud by rumour, insinuation, or politically convenient fiction.โ
Head of Devizes Guardians, Jonathan Hunter, has also spoken to us about the fiasco. “Local politics should bring communities together, not drive them apart,โ he said.
โResidents rightly expect their elected representatives to debate issues, but always with courtesy, integrity, and respect. Healthy debate is an essential part of democracy. However, personal attacks, division, provocation, and inflammatory language help no one. Also, the promotion of personal attacks in any setting causes great harm.โ
โBehind every social media post and every public role is a person, with family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues. The way we speak to each other, and also about one another, has a real impact, not only on those directly involved but also on the tone of the communities we serve. This reported behaviour is not what Devizes is about.โ
It’s a shame, councillors stepping on thin ice formed by other vengeful councillors. But we, as the general public, need to not be convinced by this verbal sparring, because if we back it, it will only normalise petty squabbling, and just like national politics our council will get a revolving door system where nothing practical gets done.
There are some moments when history feels less like something written in books and more like something happening right in front of you….
Standing in Devizes Market Place, raising my voice with the traditional cry of โOyez! Oyez! Oyez!โ, I had the incredible honour of being nominated the first female Town Crier of Devizes.
I have done some scary things in my time, but I cannot remember the last time I felt quite so nervous. Yet there was something wonderful about standing there, surrounded by smiling faces and the history of this remarkable market town, knowing I was becoming part of its HERstory. Devizes, the home of Daphne Oram, a pioneer of electronic music and a founder of the radiophonic workshop.
Perhaps it was fitting that I should find myself drawn to a role built around making voices heard. I have always believed that when something matters, someone needs to be willing to stand up and say so. A Town Crierโs role has always been just that: to bring news, celebrate achievements and make sure the voice of the community is heard.
Before becoming Town Crier, I briefly held another unusual distinction as the worldโs first fully licensed female boxing MC. Announcing fighters in a boxing ring certainly taught me how to project my voice, but proclaiming the story of Devizes felt like a very different kind of honour.
The tradition of Town Crying stretches back centuries. It is thought that early versions of the role appeared in Ancient Greece, where heralds announced important news and events. By medieval times, Town Criers had become an essential part of community life, bringing proclamations and announcements to those who gathered in marketplaces.
In 1066, King Harold is said to have granted Certificates of Protection to Town Criers, as they were often responsible for delivering unpopular news and could become the target of public anger. King John later decreed that anyone who harmed a Town Crier would face severe punishment for treason. And if my proclamations ever prove too loud, too enthusiastic, or occasionally too honest, I ask only that you remember your history and โdonโt shoot the messengerโ!
The familiar cry of โOyez! Oyez! Oyez!โ comes from the Old French meaning โlistenโ or โhear yeโ!
Town Criers were not simply loud voices. They were the original news service: announcing royal proclamations, posting notices and sharing information before newspapers, radio, social media or even Devizine existed. Their tricorn feathers were not just decoration either; they were traditionally used as quills for writing those important notices.
Women, too, have played their part in this history. One of the earliest recorded female Town Criers was Beetty (Betty) Dick of Dalkeith, Scotland, in the 18th century. Rather than using the traditional bell, she is said to have used a saucepan to attract attention before making her announcements. Women, havenโt we all felt we needed to do that occasionally?
Now, centuries later, another woman, me, has added her voice to that tradition, this time here in Devizes.
The role of Town Crier is not just about volume. It is about celebrating a place, its people and its stories. And what a privilege it was to proclaim a town like Devizes: a place of Moonrakers and music, canal and community; where the Market Cross, the Corn Exchange and the mighty Caen Hill Locks tell stories of trade, ingenuity and resilience.
The occasion felt even more special because I was able to represent Devizes while wearing Devizes.
My dress came from The Wardrobe, my underwear (ahem) from Amelie and the magnificent robes I wore were kindly loaned by Dig It Vintage on 10 John Street. I was deeply honoured to discover that they once belonged to Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons and a fellow past showgirl like me.
To wear robes connected to such an important woman in British history, while becoming the first female Town Crier of Devizes, feels like a remarkable meeting of past and present and I am deeply moved and honoured.
From Betty Dick with her saucepan, to Betty Boothroyd in the House of Commons, to a woman (not called Betty!) standing in Devizes Market Place with a bell, a voice and a whole lot of sass.
I was proud to stand there representing every woman who has ever felt overlooked, underestimated or told to โtone it downโ. Like many menopausal women, I have reached a point where I donโt care what people think of me and I know my voice matters, and there is very little anyone can do about it, because I have a big bellโฆ and the historic protection of the King!
I look forward to using my voice to celebrate this town: its independent businesses, its events, its charities, its volunteers and all the people who make Devizes such a special place. Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! God Save The King!
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!!
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
Be honest now, who likes to bomb it up and down Caen Hill dual carriageway like they’re Lewis Hamilton on a promise? Who thinks once they’ve made it through town’s traffic that they’re auditioning for The Fast and the Furious episode 15? Well, your days of thunder might be numberedโฆ.
Cabinet Mebers meet next week to consider a formal Traffic Regulation Order, proposing the introduction of a 50mph speed limit on the A361 at Caen Hill, near Devizes. Decision details state โThe Councilโs proposals have a good level of support and combined with road safety improvements will positively contribute to collision reduction at this location.โ
During the formal consultation period a total of eleven items of correspondence were received. Of those eleven correspondents, 6 indicated that they supported the Councilโs proposals, 3 raised comments surrounding the extent of the project and 2 spanners were in objection! Who objects to road safety measures, when one day it could be someone they care about in a collision?
Led by Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, a decision will be made on 22nd July, and could be carried out as early as next year.
I know it’s going to raise some objections, probably from the Hamilton wannabes, but I support this. There’s no barriers, poor signage, and the pedestrian path is overgrown. Halfway up a fallen tree completely obstructs the path, and you have to step into the road to avoid it. With more events happening at Park Farm, there’s more pedestrians.
There’s dodgy crossings at Poulshot, Potterne and Rowde, plus a few farm tracks. There’s even a few residential properties and one conveniently placed breakers yard, if you do write your motor off. There’ve been numerous accidents there, some fatal, and using it daily, personally I find it miraculous there’s not many more.
I’m no killjoy, but what’s the point in racing along it when you abruptly go from national speed limit to 30mph with little forewarning, or equally anchor brakes on for a tractor when it merges into a single lane the other direction, before you’ve even got the time for the wind to blow-dry your gorgeous blonde locks?!
When you look at dual carriageways elsewhere, coming in or out of urban areas, they are 50mph. Look at the Botley interchange on the notorious A34; that’s wider, walled, with central and side crash barriers, and only has two junctions with full slip roads, and that’s 50mph.
But the sad reality is often, such restrictions only serve to remind the moralistic drivers who edge just over the limits, but those who think they’re Han Solo trying to make the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs, will continue to believe they’re force protected.
The bottom line is that it has to be a conscious decision by the drivers to slow down, and if the reduction helps, then it’s worth the cost of a few signs, surely? Please, don’t be a numpty, cabinet members, back this.
Traffic lights at the Poulshot- Rowde junction are also on the cards. We should return to this subject after the decision is made on the 22nd, when I look forward to chatting with Cllr Tamara Reay about it.
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
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!!
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’ve nothing more important to be getting on with, but I’m certainly not all-out โlovinโ itโ….
The initial article announcing the McDonald’s proposal in Bishop’s Cannings was a rush job, to beat the stream of social media. Now I can reflect, provide an opinion piece, you might be surprised. Especially as I hinted I was in favour because it would bring employment, particularly for our younger residents; mud sticks!
Someone submitted their objection, spoke of it on Facebook with an accompanying comment they tagged me in: โdon’t shoot me Darren Worrow!” Perhaps they mistook the term โdrive-thruโ for โdrive-byโ for which my little knowledge from American movies suggests two entirely different things! I’m certainly not going to shoot anyone, and pray no one returns fire!
Here we go, dispelling myths and hearsays about the golden arches, their global ethical ethos and the redevelopment proposals here, in my own special manner, and purely for your amusement only. Repeat after me, I’m not a councillor!! Imagine thoughโฆ.
The food is rubbish!
That’s subjective or at least debatable, surely? As the advert suggests, some people love that frightfully processed, calorie-dense, diabetes welcoming shit, and will queue all day in their cars for it. If they want to eat foam burgers, battery farmed chicken offcuts and offal, that’s their prerogative, and they will if you object or not. Itโs the pickles they tend not to like and launch them from their car windows in some kind of pickle protest; but they are pigeon-friendly and biodegradable.
The company has made strides in responsible sourcing, apparently, but the nutritional value remains equal to eating a mattress. The โOโ in a โFillet O Fishโ stands for โoh, did it really come out of the sea?โ when allegedly it did, but so do old wellington boots from time to time. Can you point out where the McNuggets are located on a chicken?!
Expect a rise in obesity in Devizes!
Hello to the terminally bewildered! Our kebab shops sell โdonor meat and chips,โ because โsalad is for lightweights.โ For the gentlemen with a larger appetite I’ve watched them squeeze an XXL kebab into a 12โ pizza box, for crying out loud into a bag of statins.
McDonalds might not be much better, but no worse, and definitely less on portion size. Though both these first two points worryingly open Pandora’s box; how ethical McDonalds is.
McDonalds is unethical!
Unfortunately, you are right, any “restaurantโ chain which over-packages its products even if you eat inside has a dinosaur-sized environmental footprint; bring back Wimpy, they served you with a plate, what is so wrong with a plate these days?!
The company pledges to reduce carbon emissions and achieve deforestation-free beef sourcing, but can something on the sheer scale of McDonaldsโ global supply chain ever really avoid widespread pollution and deforestation, and how hard does it really try to in Trump’s America? Awl, the dribble from that bastard’s gobshite damped his cardboard straw.
Yet, these are global issues which the McDonald’s Corporation must improve, while weโre on about having one in our town, in a country where thereโs already over 1,500 locations, and being thereโs not one east of Devizes for some considerable distance, you know their application will be granted somewhere, if not here. Unlike their plastics, which is a โdump,โ rejecting this is a โdropโ in the ocean, and the only thing youโll achieve will be Devizes folk shit out of their McFlurry, and having to drive to the Sham.
Sadly, deflecting a global corporation by rejecting one store is putting a plaster on a severed limb.
They exploit their staff!
Again, globally yeah. Long-standing labour disputes and lawsuits regarding low wages and poor working conditions are plentiful. Iโd argue thatโs the world the low-skilled worker lives in, unfortunately. The economy relies on companies taking the piss, and I donโt recall a company Iโve ever worked for, large or local, who havenโt taken the piss and been generally ignorant to their staffโs concerns, to be frank.
They will, and Tesco too, however, create new and stable jobs here, and in doing so, employ younger people, which, aside from unethical practices, isnโt necessarily a bad thing. Let’s not forget those franchise delivery companies might develop, also creating jobs and delivering for our local takeaways too; nobody says Just Eat in Devizesโฆ. yet!!
Hey kids, welcome to the world of work, expect to be exploited, but let it be a lesson, as youโll delightfully discover the chances of the same crap happening wherever you work is more likely than it is not! It’s the British way! Keep calm, tip your cap when the boss passes and carry on.
It’s unsightly and lowers the tone of the town!
No, it really doesn’t, at least no more than the aesthetics of the industrial estate. We have beautiful rolling downs stretching for miles to Beckhampton, it is a breathtaking drive but when you get to Devizes itโs over and the practicality of civilisation has to begin somewhere.
Seeing a Maccy Dโs is standard issue now. No posh couple intending to spend a small fortune in our antiques shops are going to yell, โoh my! They’ve got a McDonalds, George! Turn the car around quickly!!!โ Because nearly every other town has one, there is no escape.
The area will be littered!
It always amazes me that McDonalds has brought about this bizarre etiquette in other fast food chains too, that customers actually clear away the piles of litter they produce, as no other “restaurant” customers do this. That is why we need this branch to be โeat-in,โ and avoid the โdrive-thruโ concept as much as possible, because that is when litter unfortunately becomes an issue.
Sadly, to see McDonalds packaging jettisoned from a car window abandoned on our roads is more commonplace than seeing a fox or badger at night; but that might be more to do with posh country pricks not hunting Big Mac boxes to extinction.
Iโm of the theory, this is done by younger people, borrowing mumโs car, and they donโt want her to know theyโve wasted fuel driving all the way to the Sham purely for a Maccy Ds, so they uncaringly dump that crap out of the window. I cannot see any other logical reason for doing it, then again logic might not play a part in their justifications.
Therefore, the lesser the drive, the more convenient it is to eat in, stay in the carpark where there are bins provided, or to find a bin, by my thinking. So, a McDonalds closer might not increase littering, it might actually help.
That’s the town centre doomed!
This is where I imagine being at a party and the conversation thus: โoh, how terribly rude of me. You guys haven’t met before? Well, let me introduce you. Devizes, this is the 21st century. 21st century, this is Devizes!โ
Get off your high horses. Unless you came into town to buy a sponge burger wrapped in more pointless packaging than an entire new kitchen, itโs not going to impact the few coffee houses and charity shops we have still standing in the town centre. Devizes is still conservative top-heavy in ethos, I thought we’d welcome unethical, monopolising commercial corporations?!ย
Even freewheelling funky Frome has an out of town commercial service area, with golden arches, and Devizes is never going to be as libtard alternative thinking as Frome! It’s happening everywhere, get used to it.
The old Sommerfield site in the town centre, since Wilko bunked, is one of many redundant shops here. Face reality, no chainstore is going to buy it; the trend is out of town shopping.
Town centres are now for coffee culture, restaurants, pubs, boutiques, hairdressers and charity shops, and I quite like it like that. I don’t want to see Tesco in town, because that drives people into them more than if they had to hop on a bus. I want indie shops in town, and want to see them supported.
Tesco didn’t see the offensive repercussions when they said they’re up for joining the abomination, and bid they’d build a superstore roughly two-thirds the size of the one in Trowbridge. Like we’re only two-thirds as important to them as Trowvegas, what an insult!
It’s kinda like when they build an extra lane on the motorway knowing in a decade they’ll need another. We’ve survived this long without a mega supermarket, on just manky Morrisons and a lonely Lidl. Sainsburys will do, wonโt it? I only ever go into Marks & Sparks for confirmation Iโm a peasant.
Devizes is expanding without infrastructure improvements; we’ll need bloody motorway services on London Road soon enough, and they come with golden arches as standard!
Tesco, you fail to remember like a Tory slamming Starmer for Brexit, we HAD a museum piece Tesco back in the year OBP (before Poundland) in which all the nice products you could find in other Tescos, all the good stuff, wasn’t available in the Devizes tiny Tesco, only the shitty nineteen-seventies stuff, to suit the decor.
We didn’t have a sushi bar, we had a tub of prawn cocktail, we didn’t have luxury jambon, we had tins of Spam, we didn’t have an iPhone section, we had a lift which occasionally worked, and we certainly didn’t have the one thing we really, really need, a petrol station!
But no, the proposal doesn’t extend to a petrol station; knobjockeys. If you’re gonna do it, Tesco, you could at least go the whole hog. We deserve as much; the kind of supermarket you can get lost in or not at all. Is a little competition to keep fuel price checks healthy too much to ask?! If you want in, Tesco, give us a petrol station in the deal, or bugger โarf with your fiver meal deals; a cajan chicken wrap, Boost duo and can of Pepsi isn’t a bloody meal anymore than a Big flippinโ Mac!!
You haven’t even got a conclusion, have you?!
Looky here, Iโve calmed! Before moving to Devizes, I lived in both Swindon and Marlborough, for roughly the same length of time. I guesstimate I actually made more visits to McDonalds living in Marlborough, which doesn’t have a McDonalds, than I ever did during my time living in Swindon, which has too many McDonalds to count without taking my socks off. This is because when things like this are on your doorstep it doesn’t mean you use them any more than when theyโre not.
You take them for granted that they’re within reaching distance, but it doesn’t spur you to reach for them more than when they’re not. In fact, the appeal for something you haven’t got is greater than for something you have. I predict novelty appeal in having a McDonalds in Devizes, but within time it’ll be normalised and the novelty will wear off.
You know, so many people say to me, โyou’re a sexy beast, Worrow, you know what’s best,โ and usually I’d agree, but this one is out of our hands whether we like it or not. So sit back, keep your cobwebbed Clubcard to hand, and face the fate of Devizes head-on, with confidence, and make yours a McHappy meal! Be thankful we might get a McDonalds, but we’re still Reform free!
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.
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
Well, that’s that then. In a bid to win a Town of Culture award, yesterday Devizes Town Councillors sent a digital postcard to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and, just like Mick Jagger and David Bowie duetting Dancing in the Street, no one dared to stop them!
Agreed, it’s illustrated with a brilliant and most apt photograph of the Winter Festival by Simon Folkard Photography, one which Simon kindly permitted us to use too when we reviewed the event. And, debatably, the idea to personify Devizes isn’t all bad, but the wording, oh, oh my, the wording is the car crash.
There was me thinking it was a Town of Culture Award, not a Town of Cringe one! It begins informally โDear Phil,โ and describes the town’s โshapeโ by โmarkets, makers and people who roll up their sleeves to bring ideas to life,โ causing me to fear the postcard might be symbolic of all my sceptical views on this pledge.
Do I want Devizes to win this award? Of course I do. Do I believe Devizes has what it takes to win this award? Yes, that too. We have excellent cultural events and engagement in Devizes, and many of us “roll up our sleeve,” Yet in my experience we do not combine our skills adequately, and squabble between ourselves for the case of our own events we’re staging.
So, we have a vast array of different events, the Food Festival, the Arts Festival, DOCA, and so on. But, let’s take a look at the Frome model for a moment. Their town festival incorporates everything under one banner. There’s food elements, music, art elements too, all combined. If we tried this, it would be pistols at dawn! We can not even agree on one town Facebook group!
We have a writers group in Devizes, another at the Wharf. We have talented writers here at Devizine Towers, and then we have poets in Devizes, one in particular is exceptional (I think she knows who I’m talking about!) We even have writers sitting on the council, for crying out loud!!
Could the council not have commissioned some local wordsmith to come up with something more creative? For this postcard looks either AI generated or scribed by a councillor who fell asleep halfway through a day’s creative writing workshop.
I don’t know who wrote this, I would rather not know. But, the bottom line is that the wording on the postcard is cringeworthy, without any artistic flare. It continues to describe this personified town’s canal. Now, if it is supposed to be a person, I’d rather not imagine what part of the human body the author of it would class as its โcanal,” but here’s suspecting they talk out of it.
To make matters worse, it goes on to tell the postcard’s recipient โPhilโ about what they smell like! โI smell like malt, warm bread, and Thursday’s stallsโฆโ I have no words left in me. Who writes about how they smell, in a postcard?!
Save for the expectation, in return, they could’ve asked Phil what he smelt like; โhow about you?!โ And the response could possibly have been, โthank you for asking, Devizes. I’m currently on holiday in Spain, and I smell like shrimp paella.โ
Since publishing this, there has been an important update HERE
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!
If you ever stopped to wonder how many artists live locally, drop into St Maryโs in Devizes, because youโll be impressed by the annual exhibit of the Lawrence Art Society, currently running until next Thursday, the 9th July, and itโs a mixed bag of works from some of the finest local artistsโฆโฆ
Named after Devizesโ most famous artist, Sir Thomas Lawrence, a child prodigy whose early career began here when his parents owned the Bear Hotel, in association, the Lawrence Art Society has been running since his time, but was formally established in Devizes in 1953. The Lawrence Art Society is a community of artists of all skill levels and media from Devizes and the surrounding areas. Membership of the group connects you to like-minded individuals, where you can share experiences and continue to grow in your chosen medium.
Much of the art on display at St Maryโs is up for sale, at reasonable prices, and thereโs prints and greeting cards too. Browse through the pews, for while in previous years this showstopper was held at the Town Hall, now it is at St Maryโs Arts Centre on New Park Street. I must suppose thereโs perhaps advantages and disadvantages to the new location. Starting with the positives, itโs a much more airy space where you can wander, and with the pews separating the artworks, encourages the viewer to focus from afar and, should they be tempted, cruise the canal between the pews for a closer look.
Obviously, you can also take a seat too, which you couldnโt do before! Yet herein lies one negative, St Maryโs needs some facilities, a tea & coffee hub would be ideal, then people would really be encouraged to sit and browse for longer. The one other issue I find is location, whereas The Town Hall mayโve given footfall from random passers-by, youโd have to know thereโs a show on at St Maryโs; hence this article!
And, if you usually go to an art exhibition they generally run on a theme if not solely presenting one artist. The magic of this Lawrence Art Society, aside from the professionalism of all the works, is the variety on display. Mostly painting but of all movements and styles, thereโs a few, and incredible I must say, wire sculptures of nature.
Some abstract, impressionism and expressionism, a few cubist, of varying and sporadic subjects. Lots of still life, imaginings and even satire, but mostly thereโs some spectacular fine art in oils or watercolours, of landscapes youโll recognise on local travels. The depictions of Wiltshire’s rolling downs and stupendous skies, alongside interpretations of The Market Place and other Devizes locations. Itโs all magnificent and with such a wide variety, it maintains your attention.
While Simon Bishop and Alan Watters are two exhibiting who I know their works well, others by Stephen Benison, Brenda Loveland, Paul Oakley, Jean Perrett and over 16 artists make for an impressive show, but when asked to pencil down my favourite I stumbled at the choice on offer, and with such a wide variety of styles, itโs tricky! In the end I went with this fiendish yet evocative oil of Harlequin; it was probably the legs which did it for me, but Iโll say it was the mood of the brushstrokes!
Iโve taken snaps of only a fewest of the hundreds on display, and they do them no justice. So, take an hour off of townโs bustle, and browse this wonderful exhibit before it closes on the 9th July.
And if youโre an artist you might wish to sign up. The Society hosts monthly demonstrations, organises regular en plein air outings, weekly and monthly social painting get-togethers, an annual art exhibition, and provides links to local exhibitions and other art groups. But most of all, it provides a friendly environment where you can share your experiences and continue to grow in your abilities. This annual exhibition showcases precisely this ethos, and is worthy of your time.ย
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!
Please donโt get me wrong, I love that Bradley Walsh Cockney sparrow, and could imagine myself having a right laugh with him down any boozer he cared to drop into! But here we wouldnโt suggest you should wait for Brad to pop into your local before guaranteeing your good self a cracking night out! Weโre into Julyโs midsummer madness, and Devizine will focus on all the best things to do this month, in Wiltshire, with or without Bradley or another celebrityโฆ..
For Newsquest, unfortunately, the Chase is over! Sure, I pipped them to the post on the McDonalds application fluff last week, but that couldโve been anyoneโs. Iโll hold my hands up; I did it because, from time to time, the clickbait headline is a must. But day-to-day Iโm not fussed over hits.
Our focus is on the pub without a celebrity appearance. The venue where there might be a person, or group of, you donโt know, or at least the television-addicted, cheesy puffs munching sofa-surfers majority donโt know, but youโve heard of, or are taking a chance on, because you read Devizine. Because you trust us when we tell you that this person, or persons, have spent years perfecting their art, rehearsing together, writing songs, painting, learning their lines, or finding the right chords to match, and in culmination they do so for purely for the love of it, perhaps in hope to put food on the table, and to provide something together…..to entertain you.
Here at Devizine we will report on the amateur, the upcoming local talent, with equal gusto to an event whoโs booked a top name. We donโt do this for hits, we do this because we believe thereโs a truckload of skilled actors, musicians and artists around these rural backwaters who are going unnoticed by the mainstream media, and what is more, they deserve so much more than this. But there you have it, try as we must! If I did this for payment Iโd have quit years ago!!
So, check out July on our event calendar now, and recheck again as we go through the month, because it is constantly updating. Donโt rely on that event popping up on your Facebook feed any more than local newspapers telling you about it; all social media platforms have lots of political propaganda to throw at you, paid mush adverts, wonky opinions, and cringeworthy pictures of someone you donโt even knows’ supper. Thereโs no room left on there to show you the gig your mate is putting on down your local, and you cannot expect them to find the space, because, to them, spreading hatred and causing division among the masses is far more important. Stop the clock, Bradley, that is wrong.
Thereโs no polite way to explain it, but I think you should face facts; mainstream media is a big bag of swollen bollocks, and locally, itโs competing with social media for cringe clickbait, whilst failing to showcase and highlight the real people out there, striving to be creative. Send me your thoughts on that in emoji or as an AI poster, if you care to, Iโll be too busy to answer them, as Iโll be covering as much of whatโs really going on locally as I possibly can!
Summer festivals and so much more; see you down the front, mine is a cider, ta muchly! Xx
Oh, and if weโve missed listing your event, it isnโt because we donโt like you! Tell us about it like youโre Billy Joel on a promise!!
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!
Okay, it was the April Fools joke I broke the Internet with in 2021, but it’s not the 1st of April todayโฆ..
Bishop’s Cannings Parish Council announced that they are โawareโ of a proposal for a new McDonaldโs drive-thru restaurant on the site of the Murco garage at Cannings Hill.
They explained a dedicated website has been set up by the applicant which states that a planning application has been submitted to Wiltshire Council.
which states that a planning application has been submitted to Wiltshire Council.
The Parish Council said it will โreview the application once it appears on the Wiltshire Council planning portal and will update residents in due course.โ
McDonaldโs says it โhas long wanted to expand its offer of amazing value and high-quality British food into Devizes to address an identified demand for a new McDonaldโs in the area.โ
โThe proposed site is located at the former Murco Garage on Horton Road, just off the A361/Horton Road Roundabout in Devizes.โ
โOur submitted proposals seek to transform this underutilised site into a modern employment generating facility, that serves local residents, whilst contributing to the wider economy of the Wiltshire area.โ
Whether you’re lovinโ it or not, McDonalds will bring jobs for young people, and I believe that’s something to consider.
Me? I’m mentioning it for clickbait, but let’s not get over excited yet; no Big Mac orders will be taken today; it’s early days!!
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
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…..
Performing at The Green, Southbroom Road, Devizes, SN10 1LL, this thrilling production promises four days of world-class live entertainment for all ages. Featuring an exceptional cast of international performers, Circus Cortex BizZzar combines breathtaking aerial displays, high-flying acrobatics, side-splitting comedy, and edge-of-your-seat thrills in a fast-paced show packed with excitement.
From the moment the lights go down, audiences will be transported into a world of wonder, laughter, and circus magic.
Performance Times: Thursday 9 July โ 5:00pm & 7:30pm Friday 10 July โ 5:00pm & 7:30pm Saturday 11 July โ 2:00pm & 5:00pm Sunday 12 July โ 1:00pm & 4:00pm Advance Booking Offer Book early and save on selected seats: Red Seats โ ยฃ10.00 (usually ยฃ15.00) Silver Seats โ ยฃ12.50 (usually ยฃ25.00) Gold Ringside Seats โ ยฃ15.00 (usually ยฃ30.00)
Advance Booking Offer Book early and save on selected seats:
Red Seats โ ยฃ10.00 (usually ยฃ15.00)
Silver Seats โ ยฃ12.50 (usually ยฃ25.00)
Gold Ringside Seats โ ยฃ15.00 (usually ยฃ30.00)
Advance booking is strongly recommended to secure the best seats at the best prices. Whether you’re a lifelong circus fan or experiencing the magic of the Big Top for the very first time, Circus Cortex BizZzar delivers a spectacular live experience filled with skill, laughter, and unforgettable moments. For tickets and more information, visit www.circuscortex.com
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.
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 a tourism the authorities clearly don’t appreciateโฆ..
Wiltshire Police and English Heritage have ganged up on social media to warn revellers not to drive to Stonehenge or Avebury for this year’s summer solstice. Cue frustration, possible conflict, pedestrians on narrow roads, and chaos in neighbouring towns. All of which, I hasten to add, helps to maintain the tradition of division and bad blood between attendees and residents.
โWe are pleased to welcome visitors from all over the world to these special sites,โ Wiltshire Police expressed in a Facebook post. โHowever, we urge everyone to plan ahead to ensure they can mark the occasion safely and responsibly.โ
It matters not how nicely they dress it up. Do as we say, not as we do; forty years isn’t so long ago for something described by ITN journalist Kim Sabido as โthe worst police treatment of people that Iโve witnessed in my entire career as a journalist,โ thereโs never been a formal inquest, and police were cleared of wrongful arrest at a 1991 civil trial.
Even patronising overuse of emojis isn’t disguising that what followed was a stark warning; โwe’re going to make this as awkward as we possibly can for you.โ
โEnglish Heritage strongly advises people not to travel to Stonehenge by car,โ they continued. โParking is limited and must be pre-booked via their website, and long queues are expected for those who do drive.โ
Begging the questions, why is parking so limited? Because Stonehenge is so walled-in with surrounding urbanisation it’s impossible to supply adequate parking there?! Because folk have only been pilgrimaging to Stonehenge for the last 5,000 years, therefore a โsudden interestโ in the event took English Heritage by surprise?! If only there was a field nearby folk could park inโฆ.
179.2 million quid could be found to spend on surveys, legal fees, and archaeological mitigation for a failed ยฃ2 billion Tory project to carve up the sacred landscape with a concrete monstrosity, the lights of which would’ve deliberately been angled to block the sunrise, but there’s no magic money tree to pay a local farmer for use of a nearby field for folk to park in.
Nope, the onus is on the attendees; pay Salisbury city centre’s extortionate parking fees, and cram onto the โregularโ bus service, they suggested, if reading between the lines. Come on you Reds! Extra late evening Salisbury Reds buses will be put on, apparently, but note, cash is typically not accepted for Solstice journeys, so you must pay via contactless. No bank account, travelling folk, no going on bus.
And here’s the โdon’t outstay your welcomeโ punchline: โVehicles that are abandoned or parked on the A303 or nearby roads are likely to be towed away.โ
Sunrise is at 4:52am on Sunday the 21st June; unless you fancy feeling the full force of the Road Traffic Act, those wishing to celebrate at Stonehenge should note the average human travels at the approximate speed of 3mph, so I’d start walking now!
Just think, our Neolithic ancestors dragged the bluestones 140 miles from Wales, and the Altar Stone came from Scotland. English Heritage’s selling point is to, โwalk in the footsteps of your Neolithic ancestors at Stonehengeโ yet fails to mention you might have to walk just as far as them to get there for solstice!
Yeah! That’s how we treat tourists on heathen pilgrimages around here, mate!
โOne of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe,โ they call it, which kinda makes you feel somewhat patriotic. Where’s the support from flagshaggers when you need them most?! You might have to wait for Wetherspoons to build a branch on the byway.
Yet, for the residents of the county who know the kerfuffle at Stonehenge is such, a nicer time can be had at Avebury, and Police have installed some similar rules there too.
โIf you’re heading to Avebury,โ they warn, โthe National Trust also advises that the car park cannot accommodate everyone and where possible, to use public transport, walk, or arrange to be dropped off.โ
And I get this, because Avebury is a village with residents, whereas Stonehenge isn’t, and no one is to blame for this except Saxons. Bloody Germanic tribes, coming over here building villages on are English Neolithic monuments, nicking all are blacksmith jobs, and raping all are neanderthals. Get the 49 bus, neanderthals do!
But I did chat with Arch Druid of Avebury, Jim Saunders, who blessingly explained this year’s Avebury Summer Solstice celebrations in a more positive light. They include the God and Goddess Walk and Awen Ceremony at midday, the Ladies Circle at 1pm, and the Free and Open Gorsedd of Caer Abiri at 1:30pm.
โWe’d also appreciate people helping us care for the site by using the bins provided, taking litter home where possible, and avoiding leaving offerings or tying objects to trees and stones,โ he furthered, which is a much more hospitable attitude and therefore likely to be received welcomingly.
Grianstad Sona, Happy Solstice, because the bottom line is, if you go to either at solstice you’ll realise the troublesome narrative is mostly codswallop, and if even there was a little, it’d likely be caused by tensions the authorities created themselves, by not compromising for one day of the year, at least until it’s a commercial enterprise.
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.
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
On Wednesday 10th of June at Devizes Arts Festival, we had the pleasure of a โSketch and Exploreโ workshop lead by Karen George, a contemporary artist. Karen is based near Bath, in the UK, and specialises in semi-abstract and contemporary painting of landscape and seascapes in acrylic and mixed media. This informal sketching workshop was held in the White Chalk Gallery, as-well as exploring Devizes Canal to reconnect with our creativity and sketch!!
Karens work was displayed in White Chalk Gallery on the day of the โSketch and Exploreโ workshop, and it blew me away at how beautiful her paintings were. Iโd definitely take a look on her page.
Iโll admit, walking into the sketching workshop, I wasnโt entirely sure what to expect. The majority of art workshops can come across as daunting and intimidating, especially when youโre surrounded by professional artists who know exactly what theyโre doing. However, any worries or pre-judged expectations of pompous artists quickly disappeared when Karen greeted me with warmth and lighthearted humour, and most importantly, the truth about art.
With a room full of about 20 eager artists of all skill levels, Karen confidently presented her finalised work and sketchbooks. Rather than immaculate sketchbooks filled with detailed, polished artwork, Karenโs sketchbooks were filled to the brim with quick, experimental, and wonderfully unfinished sketches. She spoke of how sketchbooks should be treated as a blank canvas, where you can make mistakes, experiment and play on your artistic ideas; they are not meant to be perfect. This was such a refreshing approach that immediately reassured beginners, even those who had rushed out to buy a sketchbook just before the workshop.
One memorable moment was when Karen challenged the notion that great art requires expensive materials. She spoke truthfully about how art can be over complicated, and how it has become marketised into making artists feel they need โpremium pencils and equipmentโ to create something good, which I totally agree with. Karen told us that all you need is โthe back of an envelope and a biroโ and you can do anything. This really highlighted how art is fundamentally conceptual, and how artists hold their merit through their ideas and philosophy for their artwork, rather than its physical form.
From that moment, I knew this wasnโt going to be a flashy demonstration to impress, but a genuine workshop to remind people of their creativity, showing how art is so accessible to explore and open to everyone.
After discussing the philosophy of sketching, it was time to put pencil to paper. We headed out to Devizes Canal, where Karen had planned three snapshot sketching sessions in three separate locations along the canal. Before letting us loose to begin, she gave us a demonstration of her sketching process. Karen taught us to focus on blocking shapes in first to help with composition and not to worry about detail. She expressed to us how important it is to capture the feeling of our surroundings and encouraged us to โsit, immerse and absorb.โ
One of the most interesting techniques Karen introduced was mark-making. She explained how different textures can be portrayed through different drawing styles: rough textures, like the grass closer to the stone brick, could be emphasised through harsher and more energetic marks, while lighter textures could be represented through looser and flowing lines, such as the breeze pushing through the branches of the trees. She also encouraged us to record singular words about the environment, sounds and our impressions of the canal. This is what creates individuality within our artwork because everyone sees from a unique perspective. I found it fascinating how different marks could communicate the atmosphere of a place just as effectively as a detailed drawing. This technique helped beginners understand that creating an eye-catching landscape is not always about perfect detail, but about capturing the emotion, movement, and character of the environment around you.
At each stop along the canal, we were given around 15 minutes to sketch and take in the environment. As we settled by the locks and long stretches of glossy water, Karen moved between participants, offering kind encouragement and advice. She also generously shared some of her own art materials, such as Faber-Castell graphite pencils (preferably the 8B due to its rich tonal range!!). Her warmth and enthusiasm never wavered, and she seemed genuinely invested in helping everyone develop their sketching skills, echoing her passion for art. One participant commented that Karenโs exercise had encouraged them to look more closely at unseen details, noticing how the stone and buildings curved perfectly alongside the canal. By the time we reached the final sketching location, the group had become noticeably quieter, not from boredom, but from concentration. Surrounded by reflections upon the water, everyone seemed completely immersed in their surroundings, their heads moving up to observe the canal in front of them and back down to add to their beautifully crafted sketches.
What made this workshop so special wasnโt 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.
By the end of the workshop and scrambling back to White Chalk Gallery, the room was filled with hearty conversation and smiles. It became clear that Karenโs workshop had resonated with everyone: that art isnโt just about perfection and the most extortionately priced pencils, but about curiosity, passion, and creativity. This Sketch and Explore workshop has taught me not to just focus on finer detail, but to actually โsit and absorb.โ Whilst usually spending hours refining paintings and sketches, I have taken away the ability to loosen my sketches and really focus on how to capture the atmosphere of the environment in front of me.
I would wholeheartedly recommend any future workshop of Karenโs to anybody whoโs looking to explore their creativity, no matter their level of artistic ability: from a beginner to someone who knows pretty much all!! This was such a memorable part of Devizes Arts Festival, and I shall be taking so much away from this.
Mock the Weekโs recurring panellist and Radio 4 comedian Milton Jones stood on the stage of Devizes Corn Exchange on Friday, with the setter, โitโs great to be here, in the past!โ And thereafter, everything which came from his mouth was utterly hilarious. Thank you Devizes Arts Festival, a fine chortling choice; Iโm still chuckling nowโฆ..
Our antiquated town, the maturity of the audience and the country bumpkin stereotype had already been fired at us from the support comics, all in the name of banter. Slight heckling with calculated precision mightโve offset these London comedians, who seemingly learnt no lesson from the backfiring of Francis Groseโs quips which spawned the moonraker fable. Yet, with the timing perfection of Spike Milligan, God of Funny, Milton couldโve said anything youโd consider corny from the mouth of another comedian, and still come up trumps.
I could debate all day that if Milton thinks our town is old-fashioned, so too is his humour, and neither are bad things. While surreal conceptually, Milton delivers deadpan puns based on wordplay, and while genius, the lengthy observational storytelling of Dave Allen, Billy Connolly or Richard Pyror, and the madcap and shock factors of eighties alternative comedians like Mayall and Edmondson, for Milton, appears omitted in favour of the previous generationโs one-liner joke telling. Even the hair suggests Ken Dodd.
Milton 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.
Some gags he divided into repeat opening lines, โisnโt it awkward whenโฆโ or in evaluating the audienceโs reactions with pretend test jokes, and he occasionally returned to a thought, but each gag was separated by subject so vastly, and fired as fast as bullets, the mind boggled to keep up, and ordered minimal laughter relapse in fear of missing the next punchline. I could recite some gags, but Iโd just ruin them; Milton is proof delivery is the crucial element.
The first support, Dave Vaughn, however either failed to assess the audience or didnโt have the arsenal prepped to adapt. What mightโve appealed to his peers, a younger city audience didnโt wash here unfortunately. Maths, a subject he came out with, was mildly amusing, but this matured audience isnโt going to identify with nostalgic observations of growing up in the nineties; that was yesterday to them!
Finishing on Trump jokes I hoped, for his sake, would elevate reaction, but they werenโt refined, nor as risque as they could have been, as if Dave was holding out on provocation in fear of being overly offensive, which he might have gotten away with in his comfort zone. He repeatedly said โyeah,โ to compensate for โplease giggle,โ but Trump is his own joke, and just because the audience might look Conservative, doesn’t mean they needed modesty in this matter.
In many ways the compere was better than Dave, but he too felt like he had landed on an alien planet and was expected to entertain the natives. Milton called it later, โisnโt it awkward whenโฆโ
Thankfully this pattern was erased by the quirky dressed alternative girl in the middle. Undisputed UK Pun Champion Adele Cliff may not have fitted with the Arts Festival attendees, but would in the wider Wiltshire demographic, hippychick!
And she certainly delighted them. A self-confessed nerd, whatever Adele sourced she turned into magic, even corny quips, or geeky subjects like Doctor Who and Toy Story were delivered so perfectly, it produced the desired effect. I loved her, the audience found her hilarious as she lifted the spirit in preparation for Milton with stars, cherries and everything on top. Combined with Milton, they made my drizzly week, because laughter is the best medicine.
Another great night in Devizes, thanks to The Devizes Arts Festival. Today, Nothing Rhymes With Orange make their hometown reunion, and Iโve been hopeful it will attract a younger audience to the delights of our arts festival; we wait in anticipation, just wishing Milton could see it, for these lads originate from Devizes, and are the future.
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
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
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
Harry Baker is a former world champion poetry slammer and German speaker with a mathematics degree. Whether the three are related is open to conjecture but all three feature in one way or another in his work. At the age of twenty he won the world poetry slammer competition in France with what he describes โ fair enough โ as the worldโs best poem โPaper Peopleโ. From studying maths rather than medicine at university, to provide him with the time to keep on writing poetry, he is now a full time professional poet with a full diary of tours and performances and four books to his name.
His latest book, โTenderโ chronicles the first hundred days of his sonโs life and it was this that provided the material for the second half of his performance at the Corn Exchange, Devizes on Wednesday night. The poems ranged from the incredibly short inspired by exhaustion and exasperation, to good sized outpourings of love for his son and his wife, with many other lengths and subjects in between. We leaned how long it takes to look at a horseโs face when you are just weeks old, how Harry becomes accepted as milk provider โ eventually, and of the inevitable ejections and projections babies manage from both ends. It is a set of beautiful, amusing and passionate poems the last of which โ Day 1 โ brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat as it echoed feelings of my own for over thirty years now.
Harry’s first half comprised pieces from his earlier books with titles encompassing his German speaking ability about a spoon with which to eat falafel (โfalafellรถffelโ), finding your own way in the world (22 โ which I realised immediately is the product of two prime numbers โฆ that maths degree is never far away), a passion for swimming (โWildโ), enduring love (โDustโ) and a philosophical view of inevitable death (“Instructions for a funeralโ).
The evening sped by, the audience of almost two hundred from far and near sitting spellbound throughout. Harry is a consummate performer, engaging, witty, self-deprecatory with a typically British sense of humour but with a gentle lilting delivery.His works can be bought at the ever excellent โDevizes Booksโ of course, and for a taste of what we all enjoyed YouTube has many clips of him in action.Huge thanks to DAF for bringing yet another wonderful act to our town, and the festival is not yet over ๐
Giovanni Boccaccio in the 1330s wrote a poem, โTeseidaโ, principally about two knights, Arcite and Palamon, who were rivals in love for the hand of Emilia, during the rule of Theseus. Fast forward to Geoffrey Chaucer about fifty years later who basically stole the story for the โKnightโs Taleโ in โThe Canterbury Talesโ. Shakespeare was no stranger either at literary appropriation, if you will, or plagiarism if you prefer, and used the same story as the basis for โTwo Noble Kinsmenโ. It was to be his final play, written in partnership with John Fletcher another Elizabethan/Jacobean playwright, completed in around 1614 (Shakespeare died in 1616). As a tale incorporating two best friends both falling in love with the same woman and falling out with each other as a result, it of course bears no relationship to โTwo Gentlemen of Veronaโ which is about two best friends both falling in love with the same woman and falling out with each other as a result. Will would surely never re-use the same plot devices?
[ Checks notes โ โTwelfth Nightโ with a shipwreck and separated twins, โComedy of Errorsโ and a shipwreck and separated twins, โThe Tempestโ, with a shipwreck and separated siblings; โA Midsummer Nightโs Dreamโ with a Duke Theseus and wife Hippolyta, โTwo Noble Kinsmenโ with a Duke Theseus and wife Hippolyta. Nope โ nothing unusual hereโฆ]
“Two Noble Kinsmenโ is to be performed by the Wharf Theatre at the eponymous venue on July 13th to 18th 2026. Nic Proud, who directed โPericlesโ in 2024 returns to direct this latest in a fine recent tradition of the Wharf producing Elizabethan authors’ works โ โAs You Like Itโ (2019), โMeasure for Measureโ (2023), the aforementioned Pericles and โDr. Faustusโ (2026). As per the opening paragraph, the story revolves around the rivalry between two noble kinsmen Arcite and Palamon, for the hand of the beautiful Emilia, sister to the pompous yet wise Duke Theseus, with his kind and sympathetic wife Hippolyta. To add romantic confusion [Ed. โ a Shakespeare play with confusions over love? Really?] there is also a jailorโs daughter and her wooer, while a court toady Pirithous obsequiously undertakes his masterโs bidding. A drunken jailor, and his equally drunken tailor brother, provide suitably comedic scenes, along with two simple countrymen and a schoolmistress who with sundry others make up the characters in what is a far funnier play than may appear on the surface.
The cast certainly embrace the more comedic portrayal of this piece, and it rattles along in about two hours plus an interval. Thereโs plenty of quick changes between and intra-scenes and multi-rolling in the cast of nine portraying fourteen characters, and a dashing sword fight on stage to boot! Come and see if you can spot who is who and be amazed at the speed of the costume changes!
Tickets for this wonderful production of a little performed Shakespearian play can be found here at ticketsource, and the production runs July 14th to 18th at 7.30pm each evening.
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!
Monday morning seems an odd time to be going to an โArtsโ event, and early heavy showers didnโt do the day any favours either.ย It almost felt like getting up to go to school when double maths is scheduled, but that was a very (very) long time ago for me, so I sharpened my pencils and set out in determined fashion for the Cheese Hall……
A doughty class of about twenty folks had turned up to hear professional photographer Bob Holman run a workshop session on โhow to elevate your phone photography and WOW your friendsโ.ย Not only had this master-class been the first item on DAFโs Events Calendar to sell out, but had proved so popular that another session had been arranged for the afternoon โ and that had sold out too! So I guessed there were a lot of people around the town who were having issues with their competence at phone photography!
This was another 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. And this was definitely not entertainment, much more instructional in nature. It fell into two basic halves: the first being almost traditional chalk-and-talk from the front, and the second was a much more hands-on practical session.
Bob ran through a lot of basic settings, and how to set the phoneโs camera up to suit the types of things you might want to do. Cue lots of โa-haโ moments as people began to discover some basic things about their phone that theyโd not realised before. Previously unexplored menus, sub-menus and options came blinking into the light. This then morphed into a tips-and-techniques section (including โfilling the frameโ, never using the flash, using the timer, macro shooting, video including slow-motion etc). We got plenty of advice on what NOT to do, and features NOT to use, which was equally useful. We talked about focus, contrast, using the light, burst mode, black-and-whiteโฆ.well you get the picture (see what I did there?.
After the break and a chance to let our spinning heads settle a little, we donned coats and headed into the great outdoors for some much more practical shooting tips, causing alarm and amusement in equal measures to ordinary citizens of the town going about their daily business. Before you knew it, twenty-odd folks were swarming around the Town Hall, down St Johns and into the churchyard, taking pictures of all sorts, from a variety of strange new angles. We were taught about โleading linesโ, โframingโ, composition, perspective and some lovely trickery using a range of reflecting surfaces (windows, mirrors, puddles of water). Again you could hear the โoohsโ and โaahsโ as various pennies dropped. Finally, after this enjoyable bit of play-time, we were trooped back into the classroom for a final round-up before the lunch-time buzzer went.
Iโd say that by now we were all starting to feel quite pleased with ourselves, not only because weโd all blossomed into a new regiment of crack photographers, but also because the lesson was almost at an end. It was at this point that Bob told us that taking better pictures was โthe easy bitโ. All those great shots would now require editing before they were truly perfect. And that, we learned, was a whole other set of dark arts, and a different discipline altogether! Something for another time methinks.
Overall this was an informative and helpful session. My only quibble was that, despite being clearly advertised as suitable for both iPhone and Android devices, the latter (of which there were several in the room) were not really catered for. Bob admitted upfront that he was largely unfamiliar with Android settings, so a few of us had to play quite a lot of catch-up and translation during the session. For the iPhone majority, however, this session got a definite thumbs up.
Anyway, weโre into the final week of the Devizes Arts Festival now. However, thereโs still plenty of great stuff still to come over the next few days, both ticketed and free.ย There are more โhave-a-goโ sessions, too, so why not get your sleeves rolled up and get stuck in?
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
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
A lot has happened since last week’s article on the decline of local Pride events. Not all of it has been positive, but I’m pleased to say in Devizes, it isโฆ.
If Essex has seen Prides banned by Reform-run councils, Chippenham Pride released their full program of events, but have you noticed?! What happened in Devizes, the Pride flag is not even flying at our town hall?
A spokesperson for Devizes LGBTQ+ group messaged me wondering why. I am glad to say we solved the riddle, thanks to Devizes Mayor, Vanessa Tanner.
Vanessa told Devizine today it was an โoversightโ and it โwill be up by the end of today.โ
However, Vanessa notified us, โthe flag will need to come down for the Twinning weekend of 19th to 22nd June, as the Union Flag must always been flown on the building if another flag is flown and we will need to fly the French and German flags.“
It will then go back up until the end of the month.โ
Thank you Vanessa and Devizes Town Council, for showing your solidarity in the matter, for those who might disagree this kind gesture makes no impact on you whatsoever, but for those it does affect it means a lot in showing our acceptance of equality.
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
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
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
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 a tourism the authorities clearly don’t appreciateโฆ.. Wiltshire Police and English Heritage have ganged up on social media to warn revellers not to drive to Stonehenge or Avebury for this year’sโฆ
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’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 withโฆ
by Maddie Blake On Wednesday 10th of June at Devizes Arts Festival, we had the pleasure of a โSketch and Exploreโ workshop lead by Karen George, a contemporary artist. Karen is based near Bath, in the UK, and specialises in semi-abstract and contemporary painting of landscape and seascapes in acrylic and mixed media. This informalโฆ
Would you like a new hobby? To meet new friends? Or, maybe you are looking for a gentle way to slow down and quieten a busy mind. The Mindful Stitching Workshop is a creative textile journey happening at St Andrewโs Church, Devizes, organised by Tracy at Dollies Dimples, who handcrafts those cute dolls in tins, vintage-inspired ballerinas, dinosaurs, marbles and beautiful bunting. The best thing about this workshop? Absolutely no experience is needed and everyone is welcomeโฆโฆ
You may be a life long experienced seamstress/tailor like me or maybe you have never threaded a needle or sewn a button on, either way this is the workshop for you. A place to learn, share skills, have a chat and a laugh and meet new friends.
Join Dollies Dimples for a peaceful morning of no pressure, creative hand sewing. This workshop is not about following a rigid pattern or making a perfect item. Instead it is a sensory journey focused entirely on the relaxing rhythm of stitching and creating.
You will be guided through creating your own unique textile collage on a beautiful fabric backdrop. Explore a beautiful tactile “buffet” of antique vintage lace, soft ribbons, scraps of beautiful fabric, mismatched buttons, embellishments and beads. Layer, arrange and attach them completely at your own pace.
This morning retreat includes a warm welcome with a selection of herbal teas, coffee and delicious sweet treats.
All high-quality tools (there will even be sewing machines and an overlocker to practice on) scissors, threads and fabulous collage materials are all provided. A gentle introduction to simple, easy hand-stitches (with easy to thread and some ready threaded needles)
A mid-morning drink, pause and stretch to rest your hands and eyes. Leave your phone in your bag or pocket, enjoy gentle conversation and laughter with like-minded people, and take home a completely unique piece of textile art made entirely by your own hands.
This all inclusive workshop lasts two hours from 10a.m. to 12.00 noon and will be held in the very natural floodlit foyer of St Andrews church, Long Street, Devizes. SN10 1NJ. Just along from old Wilko.
The workshop dates are the 23rd and 30th of June and 7th and 14th of July. Spaces are strictly limited to ensure a calm, spacious environment. Spaces are already filling fast.
How to book: Please send a direct message to @dolliesdimples or email dolliesdimples@hotmail.com to make payment and secure your seat at the table. ยฃ25 per workshop, book one to four workshops, you choose.
As I keep going on about, Devizes Arts Festival continues to bring up these little treats from its chocolate box of delights. And, there, hidden away in a corner, minding its own business, was a luscious little morsel of entertainment.….
Whilst DAF have a (largely informal) policy of not using and promoting local talent within Devizes, but rather of using the opportunity of the arts fortnight to bring in a wide range of items and performers from rather further afield, folks you might not normally get to see, in this case they made a rather pleasing decision to โsupport localโ.ย Clare Durham, from Henry Aldridge and Son (who were sponsoring this event), and well-known Seend-based TV personality Paul Martin, teamed up to present an interesting and informative session.ย I suppose you could say it was a vote of confidence, or rather a way of saying thank-you to Titanic specialist auctioneers Aldridges for bringing their business back into the centre of Devizes.
Anyway, over the course of an hour we (well certainly me anyway) learned quite a lot about the world of collectors and collecting.ย Paul rather lamented that the younger generation do not seem to be as interested in collecting things anymore.ย Where once upon a time nearly everyone ran at least a modest collection of something or other, be it something simple like cigarette cards or stamps, this habit seems to be less common in the 21st century.ย People like de-cluttering, donโt have the old furniture, cabinets and space to hold collections of very much, and there seems to be less interest in social history.ย
Where Britain was once, certainly during the 18th and 19th centuries, a mighty colonial Empire, with vast wealth, both amongst a richer elite, as well as at a national level, the fad for collecting things of all types was at its zenith.ย The Great Exhibition of 1851 was probably the pinnacle of this type of thinking. Valued artefacts were either ancient treasures (possibly looted or โre-locatedโ to Britain), or were the best examples of hand-made items from across the globe. As handicrafts have declined, superseded by large-scale factory production, there are far less individual and/ or unique items being produced, from paintings, to ceramics, to furniture and so on.
Collecting, we learned, was about focus. Find your niche, your passion, your interest and then home in on that. Work within a budget, buy at the top end of what you can afford, and never buy just for โthe investment valueโ. Donโt collect what everyone else is collecting!
The value of any item is based on three things: rarity/ scarcity, provenance, and condition. Possibly all self-evident, but provenance is usually the key difference between something that is merely of interest, and something that is worth an absolute fortune. Any provable connection to Royalty, famous people or great events will always increase the value โ and Aldridgeโs should know, given the large number of valuable items connected with the Titanic which theyโve handled over the years.
We had lots of anecdotes about lucky finds proving to be very valuable, misplaced buyer expectations, and the pitfalls of TV work when it comes to handling antiques and dealing with the rich and famous.
Overall a very entertaining session, and another of those little gems that keep the festival running.
Meanwhile the rest of 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
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
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
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.
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
The Devizes Arts Festival continued on a very wet Market Day this Thursday, and continues to throw up some real little gems.ย Here was another piece of interesting and imaginative programming from the committee…..
If youโve ever watched a David Attenborough wildlife programme, or read about some of the campaigns of the RSPB, or the National Trust, or marvelled at the wildlife photography in the National Geographic, or even Wiltshire Life, thereโs a reasonable chance that at some point Nick Upton was working behind the scenes on one of those projects.ย His work, which he showed us many examples of during his talk, and the well-stocked merch desk in the foyer, were great examples of the skill of this man.
Nick let us in on many of the difficulties and challenges in his line of work, and many of them were not related to mere simple technical stuff, such as which lens he might need to use, or about the quality of the light, but more about working in some extremely difficult physical and climactic conditions, extreme weather changes, being attacked by insects such as bees, wasps and hornets (and some bigger stuff too!), having to work with local indigenous people (and I donโt mean folks from TrowVegas or The Sham), but also having to cope with potential diseases, bites, droppings and things that could be considered seriously injurious to health.
We also got an insight into the many tools and techniques required โ not just the amazing whizz-bang range of camera goodies, but all the associated non-camera items: drones, hides, tubes, camouflage, hard hats, periscopes, GPS tracking, motion and heat sensors, infra-red equipment and helicopters. And even that lot was never enough to secure great pictures โ you still needed a lot of prior research (migration paths, animal behaviour patterns), a massive amount of patience and ability to soak up personal discomfort, and sometimes just a bit of luck.
On top of all that, some creatures apparently have the temerity to be vanishingly rare, or are very camera-shy, live nocturnally, move extremely fast, or are incredibly tiny. How very dare they? Clearly, this is not a job for the faint-hearted.
This 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. These included working with hedgehogs, harvest mice, dormice and the re-introduction programmes of cranes, great bustards, otters and beavers.
Itโs no wonder heโs won so many photography awards, and had so many pictures published and syndicated in many countries. Packing all that little lot (including hundreds of great photos) into just 55 minutes was no mean feat, so it was quite a fast canter. But Nick really came alive once he was off-script and responding to questions at the end of the session from the packed audience.
A really wonderful, and truly fascinating, topic for a Thursday lunchtime. Great stuff. Well done Nick, and well done DAF for booking him!
Meanwhile the rest of 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
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!
Pride month finds me wondering if Pride events are actually needed more in our smaller market towns where awareness and acceptance is perhaps lesser than in larger towns where diversity is tolerated more, but Prides are already established. Then I ponder deeper, if that’s even an accurate statement, and if it is, why many small town Prides seem to barely bathe a little toe in the water, or fizzle out after they doโฆ..
From Bronski Beat’s poignant Small-Town Boy video to Little Britain’s โonly gay in the villageโ running joke, culturally there’s always been a consensus that anyone LGBTQ+ could fair a better life, even safer, in an urban environment. Ergo, while Prides may thrive in cities, in the sticks it’s harder to organise them effectively.
Add to this the economic downturn causing an increasing risk for any free event, the terrible notion with a rise of far-right philosophy infiltrating our councils, with negative tendencies towards Pride, pushing through permissions and gaining support for Prides might sadly lessen, particularly in sparsely populated areas with a minority of LGBTQ+.
While Pride in Bath is relatively new, and like Swindon Pride, happens in August, Salisburyโ Pride has events every weekend in June with a family gathering at Sloan Park on the 6th and Juneteenth on the 20th at The Bell Tower Green. However, Swindon Pride began promoting their events in June, this year seeing an inclusive virtual walking challenge. Pride is changing everywhere and offering alternatives to a carnival-style event.
Influenced perhaps by former mayor Declan Baseley, Chippenham holds very elaborate Prides, this year over the 13th-14th June weekend. But Nathan of Trowbridge Pride explained they were forced to reduce theirs to bingo evenings and pop up stalls. โWe are in need of new volunteers to help bring our planned full sized festival to our town park,โ he said.
My concerns for rural Prides stemmed from a Facebook post on a Marlborough group, gauging interest for a Pride there. Well, Pewsey held a Pride for a few years, but a spokesperson for it told me it’s now reduced from a โfull dayโ to a drag cabaret night, which is on 12th September.
While Calne have maintained theirs, and it’s this weekend, I cannot find anything on one in Melksham, and though Devizes held a few in previous years, due to the operation now running with one solo person, Oberan told me large-scale events are on hold. Itโs great to note, though, this saddening trend is bucking on the canal, as boater community Floaty Boaty offers a Pride Parade & Picnic at The Bradford-on-Avon Wharf on June 20th.
Motivation might also be a factor for Prideโs decline. It must be disheartening to arduously labour over an event where the attraction for it is in the minority and organisers worry it cannot escape its niche. Whilst heterosexuals with an open mind might feel welcome at a Pride, I consider they’re lesser living rurally, compared to those who really need to reconsider their views on the matter. The numerous social media reactions to our article on if Wiltshire Council should fly the Pride flag suggested there’s many locally who do.
Comments flooded in on it, either airing views that they shouldn’t, generally using reasoning that whilst they’ve nothing against homosexuality, it’s not for councils to condone it, and counter arguments accusing them of homophobia. In fairness, aside from the irrelevant but expected patriotic flagwaving comments, in some suggestions where they didn’t want โtheir face rubbed in it,โ conveys they’re either unaware of their ingrained homophobia, or they have the necks of giraffes, for how else could you rub someoneโs face into a flag atop of County Hall?!
But our Pewsey Pride spokesperson provided a surprising alternative, saying โI have actually found that some of the gay community in our village are the ones who oppose it the most. They say they donโt need a “day” or “event” to celebrate who they are, and they just want to integrate into the community.โย
If Pride is subjective, even for the LGBTQ+ community, and, I feel, in many circumstances itโs doubtful some leopards can change their spots, it is also clear many wish to celebrate the progress made, and being itโs taken the best part of 500 years to move from hanging gays, through imprisonment and from post illegality riddicle and hate, to an era where no one bats an eyelid to see same sex parnters on a TV game show, but social media holds a smoking gun for a gradual regression, I think itโs worthy of celebration. But, we know progress can often be slower in rural areas.
Does this make Prides in rural areas even more essential than urban areas? Or would it be better for those in rural areas to put their efforts and resources into assisting in larger townsโ established Prides, or forming collectives to host Prides each year in a different town within their group?
โI think combining prides is a great idea,โ our spokesperson for Pewsey Pride agreed, โas itโs really hard to maintain our biggest issue; we are only a small village and finding the funding/sponsorship is really hard. We can’t put on events without it.โ Although they praised a partnership with Pewsey Carnival, โthey help with liability insurance, etc, which can get frowned upon, that we aren’t solely a Pride event, but we couldnโt do it without their help.โย
For encouraging other organisations to assist, especially those with a majority of straight members, a starting point could be to confirm Pride is inclusive, express the reasons for having Pride, and if any take precedence over the others. The conflicting two intentions must surely be: is Pride’s celebratory element paramount above raising awareness and attempts to cause heterosexuals to think differently? The former might cause criticism that itโs not inclusive for all, even though it is, and this, shamefully, answers the latter.
For heterosexuals, if attending a Pride allows them to walk in anotherโs shoes, itโs surely valid. Being straight, pondering all this found me reflecting personally, recalling a time that I did experience something akin to what it might feel like to be gay in a tight community complete with homophobes; the impact of isolation when I moved from suburban Essex to a Wiltshire village at thirteen. I was not made to feel welcome by many, because I was different. Culturally I was an outsider, and often treated with mistrust or ridicule, even threatened.
It may have been only a taster, not nearly as serious as issues gays have to deal with daily. Being Iโve integrated, I could shrug it off as tribal immaturity, call it water under the bridge, but in consideration, if it continued till this day, I must suppose it would affect me psychologically.
As (mostly) adults, urbanites might bellow out homophobic abuses unperturbed, as itโs a built up area youโre less likely to be known, whereas country folk in smaller communities might be more selective in mannerisms, to their face, but hold deeper and darker negative values bottled up and only exhausted privately between those likeminded.
Then I wonder if talking behind your back is possibly more upsetting, humiliating and damaging than someone throwing abuse directly at you? Either way, it’s why we need Pride, and we need Pride, in some format, be that wellbeing seminars and community building workshops rather than an all out carnival, in our rural areas equally, if not more.
The Devizes Arts Festival is now in its 40th year and, as ever, seems to be in robust health.ย Marking the anniversary with 30 wide-ranging events across two weeks in several venues in and around the town, hereโs yet another example of D-Town continuing to punch well above its weight in the area of the Arts…..
Whilst there are lots of big, headlining events (see link below to DAFโs website), thereโs lots of other more intimate, and interactive, things going on too. Because itโs not just big bricks you need to build a wall, itโs the quality of the mortar to bond those bricks into something really solid. The theme, if there is one, of many of these smaller events is about getting involved or โhave a goโ. Well Devizine, as you lovely people well know, is always up for a bit of a challenge, so I thought Iโd pitch in to three literary-type events this week. Being no stranger to the publishing world myself, I decided that, apart from listening to one of the UKโs most prolific fiction and screen writers, Iโd cast an eye over two things Iโve previously had a go at myself โ memoir-writing, and ghost-writing. What could possibly go wrong? You never know โ I might actually learn something.
First up on Monday was Bath Spaโs Steve Tuffin, who led a very practical class on how to go about writing a personal memoir, or indeed how to approach any form of creative writing.ย Surrounded by some wonderful sepia-tinted historical photos on the walls of the Cheese Hall (plenty of subject-matter there), Steve led an engaging session. In what could have been a dry, dusty and boring subject (rather like my good self), Steve presented a very lively, interesting and, yes, absorbing couple of hours.ย Apart from some great tips, techniques and tools, there was plenty of good discussion and three different short practical writing exercises.
One of the interesting debates, especially in the light of modern politics and celebrity โvoicesโ, concerned the cross-shading between factual/ absolute โtruthโ and the personal/ relative viewpoint of โmy truthโ. The stories weaved by Trump and his cohorts, Raynor Winnโs โThe Salt Pathโ and the Harry/ Meghan psycho-drama, are all evidence enough that โmemoirโ and โmemoryโ can often be poles apart, thus melding the different worlds of fact and fiction.
Steve cantered through a number of techniques (starting small, finding your voice, controlling the speed, being brave, reading out loud, finding a way in etc), but the key lesson that came out time and time again was the need to โpostpone perfectionโ: get what you want to say down on the page as quickly as possible, then re-draft (many times), edit, and polish. Clearly a technique that we at Devizine have already (ahem) been practising for many years!
Later on Monday evening, the venue switched to much larger Corn Exchange, where a lively audience of about three hundred turned out on a rainy night to hear Becky Grey interview the prolific and versatile author and screen-writer Anthony Horowitz.ย Responsible for writing scripts for Midsomer Murders, Foyleโs War, as well as the Alex Rider teen spy series, two modern Sherlock Holmes novels and three James Bond continuation novels, Horowitz is no stranger to hard work and all the tricks and tools of fiction writing.ย
Becky didnโt have to work too hard to get the man talking: Horowitz 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. Having known he wanted to be an author since the age of ten, discovering that he had both the right skills and a vivid imagination, he was soon set upon the career which has now made him famous. Declaring himself a great fan of Agatha Christie and her skill at plotting, by planting the clues to the โsolutionโ but without giving away the answer before the very last twist, and deliberately laying false trails, Horowitz showed himself to be entirely engaged in, and engrossed by, the techniques of the popular fiction-writer.
His line on the use of AI was that it was a useful, but a clearly limited tool, to be employed with care and discretion, and to understand its limits. He said that he used AI simply as a research assistant, a search engine to fill in the gaps, simply to save time on researching factual background information, but never to do any actual โwritingโ that could end up in any of his books or scripts.
And that knotty subject that had emerged during the earlier session in the afternoon, the frequent non-alignment between โmy truthโ and factual reality, came up again for some more analysis. The Trumpian world-view, together with a brief commentary of the recent Sturgeon/ Murrell embezzlement fandango were subjected to some light-hearted, but laser-sharp, critique.
Horowitz revealed that he had no set daily โroutineโ for his writing, that he was useless at reading his own work (for audiobooks), that โcosy crimeโ was a misnomer (because murder is too horrible to ever be cosy), that he canโt write poetry or romance (his wife had told him that he could never write about a subject that he had no experience of), and that over his career he had systematically killed off every single character who had ever been nasty to him (well, their fictional personas at least!).
After the 45-minute session, Becky opened the floor to audience Q&A for twenty minutes, after which there was plenty of action out front at the book-signing session. Overall, a very entertaining and engaging evening from an author at the top of his game.
Finally (on Tuesday afternoon), to complete the final layer of this sandwich of literary delights, I turned to BBC Sportโs Becky Grey herself.ย In an event sponsored by Wadworth, and held in the wonderfully historic surroundings of Devizes Museum, she spoke about how she had started her career in ghost-writing books and newspaper columns for celebrity sports stars. And the answer was โ almost by accident. She zig-zagged her way towards it until, like Anthony Horowitz the previous evening, she suddenly discovered that she had a flair for writing, and that her subject-matter (sports and sports-people) was totally engaging. She seems to have never looked back.
Becky talked of the various sports personalities sheโd worked with, and took us through the steps and techniques for tackling that kind of work. Interestingly she hit many of the same themes and techniques that Steve Tuffin had mentioned the previous day (including just getting the first draft down on paper, refining and editing, picking out the real story etc). In answer to questions, she also talked about handling the tricky โfactual truthโ versus โmy truthโ debate (by challenging, and with a lot of tact!), payment models, red lines, and copyright.
And finally โ yes youโve guessed it โ there was a short exercise, another chance to โhave a goโ. And, of course, a book-signing. Another engaging and interesting session.
So there you have it – three events over two days, vastly different in some ways, but nicely inter-connected in others. And did I learn anything? Ah โ that would be telling!
Anyways, onwards and upwards, with still plenty of great stuff to come over the next ten 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
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
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
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.
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
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
May seemed so far away back in Feb when we ran a preview of two plays which will see a Devizes acting company debut at the Edinburgh Fringe. Beforehand, they’re staged at their base, the Wharf Theatre. I’ve had a sneaky peak already, you can tooโฆ.
Acting coach Lou Cox, director of The Wharf Acting Company, wrote and devised both shows. Whose Play is it Anyway is showing at the Wharf Theatre on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th May, before heading north, but the second, Having a Baby and the Sh!t They Donโt Tell You in Books is only on Saturday.
Firstly, and undoubtedly the easier to summarise is the interactive comedy Whose Play is it Anyway? Name-spin upon improv show Who’s Line is it Anyway, but more a general parody of low-budget TV quiz shows of the seventies, thirteen actors of the group perform eighteen scenes from various plays and it’s up to audience to call out which decade, genre or play it is, according to the question set by the grandstanding host, Barry Ruffles.
With no fourth wall Ruffles, played with diligence by Gavin Rand, tempts the audience to be the quiz show crowd with offers of carrot-on-a-stick prizes. But the utmost comic element is his impertinent relationship with his superficially glitzy assistant, Jenny Flannel, played with such absolute perfection and improv timing by Danielle Cosh, youโd think you regretfully picked her up in a Wetherspoons in Romford.
A unique angle, yet the greatness of this show is in the contradiction between the sombreness of the scenes against the comical game show concept, and in turn, the scenes make for an interesting display of the diversity of theatre throughout the ages. For the theatrophile it might act as a boastful test to their knowledge, but for someone less culturally aware it has the potential to be a fun clipshow sampler. Being the latter, there were several encapsulating scenes which made me think, you know what, Iโd like to see that play in full?
Itโs originally quirky, bottom line, ideal for the Edinburgh Fringe but also with a degree of universal appeal. What was most fascinating, and also a testament to the skills of the actors, similarly to its namesake Whose Line, thereโs a genuine improv component in the order the scenes are played out. Governed by a deliberately tawdry bingo ball machine, the order is genuinely random, even if youโd be forgiven for assuming it was fabricated. โIt keeps us on our toes,โ one actor, Matt Dauncey jested, โand makes the show different each time.โ
The others, as follows, Laura Deacon, Dion Smith, Karen Payne, Brigid Maude, Laura Bartle, Rhiannon Fitzgerald, Isla North, Jamie Whatley, Jenni Prescott and Lisa Smith all need to be highly commended too, for the immense amount of preparation undertaken to develop this, and their readiness to randomly jump into any of the various characters and styles of play. The team also fondly remembered member Andy Bendell, who recently passed away. This was fun and intriguingly original in equal measure, and (in joke) more a waste of Haribo than a waste of your time!
Only similar for contrasting comedy against tragedy, Having a Baby and the Sh!t They Donโt Tell You in BooksI was treated to next. Lou has performed this one-woman show before at The Wharf and elsewhere; Helen Robertson reviewed it for us, causing me to want to see it myself.
Committed to taking a โmanlyโ perspective to one with their knickers at their ankles chatting about their vagina, which is usually blushing and smirking like Finbar Saunders, I found equal heartfelt emotion and gulp in this unbridled masterwork.
Iโm reminded of a podcast interview with Adrian Edmondson, hardly recognising his voice, a voice I should know only too well. He was crying over thoughts of the passing of his comedy partner Rik Mayall, and I reasoned, because Iโd never heard Adrian cry, only ever laugh. What happens to the funny person when the funny runs out?
I marvel at writers like John Sullivan, with his knack of creating loveable character relationships, like Del-boy and Rodney, who can switch the comedy narrative to the most sombre and touching moments. But if this takes genius, itโs a whole other ballgame to take a monologue twisting comedy from tragedy to the stage, when it comes from the heart of personal experience. What begins as part stand up routine, part PowerPoint presentation, ends with the most unfeigned emotional piece of theatre youโre likely to witness.
Lou runs off a frank and quite brilliant stand-up routine akin to a most alternative, brutally honest and graphic guide to pregnancy, and while keen to state each case is different from any other and many women like to talk about their experiences, she describes the stark revelations of mental and physical changes due to her own maternity, with comical precision. This self-observational comedy would be plentiful for a trip to Live at the Apollo, and whilst this is impossible to summarise without spoilers, the conclusion to her story is not bathed in the glory of childbirth, nor amusing anecdotes of post-natal activities.
Until this point, you ride it with Lou, especially parents with a story to tell themselves. But, due to lack of oxygen during a traumatic birth, Louโs daughter Hattie was left severely brain damaged, and only managed five days. Lou reflects on her tragedy honourably but with understandable criticisms to faults made and how they were dealt with, abruptly halting the jokes, and twisting the direction to finalise with a tearful poignant message so powerful youโre at loss for a suitable expression to account for such grief.
I asked Lou if this was her way of dealing with it. โFor my show itโs certainly cathartic,โ she replied, โbut more importantly Iโve been able to raise so much money previously under Hattieโs name. Also having had to be silent during the legal case I feel I can finally tell my story in the hope that I can raise awareness and promote change in maternity services.โ
You can donate to Hattieโs Fund here, but sympathy, try as you might, the show is a glimmering reality horror not calling for it. Only commanding you to walk in those shoes for a moment, causing it to be breathtakingly brilliant, but hard to review, words will fail you, dammit. Easier to present to it a deserved award; itโs something you have to see for yourself.ย
Which you can do, HERE, before they see it in Edinburgh. Of which we wish them all the best for, and being clips of multiple plays, suggest they break more than one leg!
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
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
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!
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
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
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!!
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
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
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.
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
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
A wife cooked her husband on Thursday evening in Devizes. I watched the whole thing unfold, but would have politely passed off any offering of a plate, in favour of my funky KitKat Chunky (three for a quid at Derek’s Deals!) What do you know? Iโm way too much like Kenneth for my own liking, for after all, the way to a manโs stomach isโฆโฆ
You can get ice cream at Devizesโ wonderful Wharf Theatre, but not at a dress rehearsal, which is what this was; my apologies if the headline deliberately deceived you! You are here now, and might as well read about me sneaking in my own snack, to watch this wicked black comedy from the writer of The Nativity film series, Debbie Isitt. Opening night is Monday 18th May and the final night is Saturday, 23rd.ย
Directed by Alison Warren, The Wife Who Cooked Her Husband may have the conclusion given away in the title, but the lead up to it is an unnerving watch with poignantly satirical dialogue. Set in either the late seventies or early eighties, a time when the practices of patriarchy were being questioned via feminism for a younger generation, their elders upheld the traditions of married life. Ergo, for a middle-aged chauvinist to โpart exchangeโ his older model wife, might find himself undone and exposed by his newer modelโs more modern perceptions of marriage.
There’s only three characters in this play, sitting around a dinner table. Flashbacks builds a devilish narrative of a cheating husband, how it emotionally affects his ex-wife, and the new wife too. Jessica Bone plays the ex-wife, Hilary, vividly. The focal point of the play is her building concerns for her marriage, and realisation her suspicions were right. Defining her plight is the emotional rollercoaster which justifies her revenge.
Louisa Davidson is Laura, the scandalous, younger, hedonistic mistress, and she plays it with a realistic front. But as the play delves deeper into Lauraโs psyche, and her expectations from her marriage, whilst more radically feministic, are of equal burden to Kenneth, the happy-go-lucky fellow, caught in this love triangle of his own making.
It becomes clear the antagonist was never Laura. Kenneth is the lovable charmer, a gluttoness Elvis fan. Hardly a master of deception, he fulfills his desires uncaringly; the basic caricature of an eighties lad with Peter Pan syndrome; me starting this review with what I ate during the show might well be proof! If Jessicaโs abject and sentimental monologues are the backbone of the play, theyโre contrasted by Kennethโs playful ignorance, and therein lies the comedy, dark as it may be.
Andy Bennett plays Kenneth with comic splendour. One who gets his dinner at home but his love elsewhere, and at this successful beginning thereโs a scene of visual comedy gold, as the moment of him ingeniously switching from Hilary to Laura delights him. Once reality takes hold, holes in his lies are exposed, and whilst his thoughts on the matter are exposed too, theyโre not nearly as nuanced as either Hilrayโs or Lauraโs. One could argue a writer creates more realistic characters of their own gender, and in this Kennethโs characteristics are flatter. Another argument is, of course, thatโs the fundamental difference between the genders!
Here is a play which either gender can enjoy, and it is very enjoyable, but after-thoughts might some cause healthy debate! Thatโs what makes this a great show. The production may not be the best Iโve seen at The Wharf, though thatโs a high pedestal, but three days later Iโm still pondering its details and the questions it raises; itโs a grower.
While it might appeal more to women, the tensions and stress on relationships caused by an affair should alarm the man more, and they should see it if only to find sympathy for the mess they would create, following their desires without consideration. Young men preaching hyper-masculinity and this manosphere concept, should note this play proves these ideas were standard not so long ago, and didnโt work back then. Because, and hereโs the real hitter, Hilary ponders at the conclusion, Kenneth has decidedly average levels of chauvinism, passive with it, and is atypical rather than extreme, but still heโs a manipulator and cheat who deserved his comeuppance.
The macabre ending suggested by the title is therefore expected, but the wait for Kennethโs fate and Hillaryโs justifications are more intensely meaningful than the concussion. While this play is of a simple setup, with a simple and common premise, the more its deeper meanings roll over in my mind, the more I accept that The Wife Who Cooked her Husband is a must-see.
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
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 usesโฆ
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!
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 from the popular local Facebook group Devizes Issues, trying to promote it. In the scheme of things if it sounds petty to you, itโll probably be what it isโฆ..
The cost of advertising is spiralling, and can cripple a business before it gets its feet on the first run of the ladder. Marketing on local Facebook groups is an essential method to getting your initial message out there, informing people of your services. Katie mistook one administration rule of the group Devizes Issues, which allows other businesses to advertise, by mentioning where her gardening business operates rather than where they are based, and in pleading her case to the admin of the group, was ignored and promptly banned from it. Strewth; two sugars for my storm in a teacup! Would he have done the same to olโ Alan Titchmarsh, I wonder?!ย
Iโm not going to put Katie up against the wall here. I believe anyone starting up a small business in this current financial climate needs a leg up, and Iโm particularly impressed when such comes from someone so young. Originally I thought Iโd freely offer to write this, omitting the unjust circumstance which spurred it, but, sleeping on it I thought, in fear of it simply coming off as an advertorial, the harshness of the decision to ban her from the Facebook group needs to be said.
This is not an advertorial, I would not ask Katie for money for publishing this. I wouldnโt even expect a hedge trim; I actually like tending my garden, it keeps me away from doom scrolling precisely this kind of petty nonsense on social media! The admin of the group in question really needs to grow up, or if we are to use gardening analogies, position a grow bag in line with their pelvis, lie down in it, and grow a pair!
I’m sorry, but I’m sick and tired of hearing about locals being unfairly banned from this same Facebook group for inconsequential reasons. It leaves people frustrated, and if they react, the admin plays their victim card like drama is addictive, every time. Ban those being offensive, abusive, or prejudgemental, I dare say, but Katie finds herself in an ever growing collective of covid support groups, other councillors or candidates of opposing parties, or residents who dared to speak against the opinion of the admin, and found themselves kicked out unjustly of a group which claims to be an impartial community page. Orwell couldn’t make it up!
As it is, and something you should take heed of despite not seeing it on a certain Facebook group, looking at photos of their past work, FreshEdge Teen Landscaping appears to make a top class job of it. โIโm a 16-year-old gardener offering affordable garden tidy-ups and outdoor work,โ Katie explained. Her current offers are a full day gardening service for ยฃ160, and two days for ยฃ220 within the Devizes area, โno matter how overgrown the garden is!โ
Her services include lawn mowing, weeding, patio and driveway cleaning, planting flowers, hedge trimming and general gardening tidy-ups. Katie, who tells me she often brings her boyfriend to help too, is friendly, hardworking and โhappy to help get your garden looking great again!โ And, in return, I firmly believe we should be helping our local young people with such initiatives, not casting them aside for accidentally breaking a hidden rule of a Facebook group!ย
One satisfied customer said, “I asked Katie if she could weed my gravel as I find it difficult to bend as I have osteoporosis .. Katie along with the help of her boyfriend did an amazing job that has saved me hours of back breaking work โฆ good to see young people prepared to work hard.”
As for the Devizes Issues, silly sausages say โit’s a popular group,โ to excuse themselves for staying in it. Hit me with a snooker ball in a sock if it ain’t true, I say bullying is a spectator sport; leave and the powertripping is greatly reduced.
Why stay in a group disciplined like the admin is the daddy of a borstal, when there’s others with admins who understand the meaning of words such as compromise and compassion, waiting for residents to join them? Oh, and get your garden smartened by Katie while you decide!
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!โฆ
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
They might appear like sticks of broccoli on their featured image, with no logical explanation as to why, but they actually are two former students of Lavington School, who are reuniting to enter Cancer Research’s Race for Life in Salisbury on 21st Juneโฆ..
Lauren Mesquita and Jess Worrow pledge to complete the 5k run raising vital funds for Breast Cancer Research, but need your help. Stay calm, you need not dust off your joggers and Dunlop Green Flash; they’re only asking for your donations!
The two girls met at Lavington School, Jess is now studying for English and media A-Levels in Swindon, and Lauren is currently studying nursing at college, with plans to be working as a Pharmacy Support Worker within the NHS.
Lauren said, โIhave a big passion for helping other people;ย that’s why I want to work in healthcare, to make a difference.I worked in oncology and haematology wards, and a chemotherapy outpatients suite during a nursing placement at a hospital, meaning I’ve had the opportunity to learn about cancer and talk to lots of patients living with it.โ
Jess added, โCancer is happening right now, which is why I’m taking part in a Race for Life 5k to raise money and help to save lives.โ
The two friends have both had family members affected by cancer. โWe want to raise money to help combat this awful disease that affects so many people across the globe,โ they said. โSo any donation is deeply appreciated.โ They’re calling their partnership, Not Fast, Too Funny.
This will be Lauren’s second year of running the Race for Life, but it’s the first time for Jess. Though Jess has been keen on many sports, including playing for England Hockey performance centre and Reading FC Academy in the past. I don’t even know how far 5k is, but it’s got a K in it which usually makes it sound like it’s much further than my own personal best of occasionally running for the bus.
We wish Lauren and Jess the very best of luck, and call upon our lovely, lovely readers to please support them with a donation if they can, because they’re lovely, really.
โIโve seen so many stories of people fighting through it and recovering,โ Lauren added, โincluding some in my own family, and itโs really motivated me to do this.โ
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
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!!
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
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!!
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
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Spiritual doctor, El Souessi, a prominent speaker for the Bruno Groening Circle of Friends, is coming to Devizesโ Wyvern Club on the 10th May to lecture on the teachings of controversial faith healer Bruno Groening. Make of it what you will, but from my angle it sounds suspiciousโฆ.
While we’re happy to promote local events here at Devizine, we’re wary of those unfitting basic morals, ones affiliating with extreme politics, for example. This one is borderline and I would advise caution. Faith healing is a pseudoscience many within the medical community and public consider unconventional.
Bruno Groening was an oddball, a German mystic who claimed to transmit a healing force he called Heilstrom, to cure incurable diseases. Using the desperation of common folk, often injured in war, in the economic downturn of post war Germany to practice his faith healing and encourage an almost cult following, Groening had a dark history of association with the Nazis, allegations of rape, and negligent homicide of a seventeen year old girl with lung disease.
Groening was anti-science, with a sparse education and a tragic backstory of family loss and being taken as a prisoner of war. Suddenly rising as spiritual healer of mystical abilities in the late 1940s, but moving around Germany because states banned him from practising, media attention sparked a devoted following. Such was its popularity, Groening took to casting magic into two tinfoil balls to project outward to those he was unable to โreachโ physically, only in collecting donations.
Leaders of his own โinner circleโ were reported to take measures to control his access to women to prevent scandal. His quote โthere is no incurableโ is now used to promote his teachings as a โpath to health for body and soulโ by Dr Karim El Souessi and his Bruno Groening Circle of Friends. But, reported as a heavy drinker and chain smoker, Grรถning died in Paris, aged just 52, of stomach cancer; so much for โincurable,โ it seems he couldn’t save himself.
While the social media comments on his Facebook event page hold miraculous curing claims, note none of those comments are from local people, and suspiciously look like bots. I’m one to hold faith there is a possibility in โmind of matterโ for wellbeing, but claiming all diseases are curable by religious indoctrination is stepping way over the mark for me!
While a venue must consider its financial sustainability it should also have a responsibility to its attendees not to host suspiciously immoral events. The Wyvern Club should research event organisers before allowing itself to be hired.
Avoid this, and if you have a medical condition you should consult your GP. We live in an era of science, and, as Grรถning’s death revealed, faith is an island in the setting sun, proof is the bottom line. Go on, do your worst, shrink my head, I double-dare you!!
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?!
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
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!
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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!
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
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
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!
‘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.
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
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.
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
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
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!
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
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
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!
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
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
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.
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
Easter 2026: I could speculate The Three Crowns was still the place to be in Devizes, but thought it best to check! I’m not the gathering-shit-from-Facebook type journalist, pal, I’m the milkman who needs an unwinding cider or six on a Saturday. I took matters into my own hands; things I must endure for the cause of investigative journalism!
Three-piece Trowbridge punkers Marty’s Fake Family were second on the new south-facing stage, The Reason rocked it first, on Friday. Landlord Simon explained the sound now projects into the carpark causing it to be less of a neighbourly nuance, but, while the space might be more confined, it gives lift and stance to the performers, and marks a boundary so equipment isn’t at risk. Waddies are spending money on this establishment, there is no reason to wonder why when you attend.
Marty’s Fake Family know which buttons to press; they’ve played here before, and what they do fits like a glove. They kick off as they mean to go on, fiery rock with embers of their metal and punk roots, and giving it 200%. Though, they mellow early for Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars, jesting it’s the only ballad they do. If we’re being eased in gently it remains loud and proud, though the crowd is slighter, and older; the age demographic dips at 10pm and the pub fills to bursting point. Millennials and Gen Z are economically conditioned, I guesstimate taking advantage of Spoons’ prices and moving on to where the action is when sufficiently wobbly.
And The Three Crowns know exactly how to play it. A young friend of my family perfectly summarised; “there’s nowhere else to go in Devizes.” Technically there is, yet the Crowns appease them with an efficient cashless bar, and comfort food, appetising burgers and wings. But the central attraction is a lively covers band to which they can sing along to timeless pop classics, loudly, and party surprisingly civilly compared to youths of previous generations. Some take Scissor Sisters’ advice and take their mammas out all night, but age is meaningless for Three Crowns regulars, the vibe fits all.
Marty’s Fake Family absolutely rocked the crowd with bells on. They’ve been doing similarly proficient shows locally for eight years. If you want your venue/event to be a library-esque original music appreciation society, avoid them as theyโre living and loving it in the cover band moment, and Martyโs Fake Family needs 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to operate their flux capacitor; great Scotts, what a night; The Three Crowns can produce the power requirement!
Like Busted and McFly, bassist Dan confirmed their namesake relates to Back to the Future, and explained they started with metal intentions but, tongue in cheek, wanted to do Abba songs. โThe rest of the band thought it was a shit idea, but it stuck,โ he told me… before running off to the loo at breaktime.
Their repertoire spans like the Tardis, anything from any era crowd-pleasingly loud, and they do it with zest and punk passion. So, tunes like American Idiot and Teenage Dirtbag need no adaptation, Blur’s Song Two, All Sit Down by James, and The Cranberries’ Zombie guaranteed to excite, alongside eighties rock, ZZ Top, Sumner of โ69, et al. But they’ve rabbits in their hats as the evening progresses; punky versions of Abba, Eurythmics meld into Noah Kahan’s Stick Season, and return to Sweet Caroline proclaiming to walk 500 miles and every other crowd-pleaser youโve no need to request; there’s even a rock n roll medley finale. They tick every cover band box, stamp their authority, and certainly seal my approval.
Seems the Three Crowns retains their everyday staple entertainment status quo in Devizes, has been top of their game for some time, and show no sign of letting up. Perhaps we need to award at least one more crown to its name for sustaining this dominion; four, five or even six Crowns maybe?!!
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
Thimbles on standby, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts are calling all creative craftspeople and makers to their new project, The Makers Exchange. Itโs a new craft market celebrating the South Westโs most skilled makers, and it will take place at the historic Devizes Corn Exchange on the 23rd and 24th Mayโฆ..
The event offers visitors the chance to explore a vibrant marketplace of contemporary craft, meet the makers behind the work, and experience live demonstrations and workshops.
Across the weekend, the Corn Exchange will be filled with beautifully presented stalls featuring ceramics, textiles, woodwork, jewellery, clothing, and homewares, all designed and made by the makers themselves.
Highlights include live demonstrations by Marion Wright, renowned for traditional signwriting and decorative painting, and Amy Whittingham, whose bold, chunky glass chains feature separate, moving links, cast individually through a fascinating process.
The weekend begins on Friday 22nd May with The Ideas Exchange, an informative evening gathering for creative people featuring a talk and demonstration by knitwear designer and farmer Katie Allen of Cotmarsh Farm, followed by drinks and conversation.
Visitors will also have the chance to engage in hands-on experiences, including a drop-in cyanotype printing area by Bloemen & Blue, with proceeds supporting the marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage.
On a crafty mission to bring high-quality, community-focused arts to Devizes and the surrounding area, DOCA presents professional indoor and outdoor arts experiences, creating participatory opportunities working with local, national and international artists.ย
The Makers Exchange is a celebration of contemporary craft in the South West, bringing together the regionโs finest designer-makers. The event is designed to connect makers and the public, offering an immersive experience where visitors can see skills in action, try their hand at creative techniques, and take home beautifully made, unique pieces.
Rowde’s printmaker Hannah Cantellow
The makers include, Marlborough knitwear designer Katie Allen, Plymouth glass artist Amy Whittingham, signwriter Marion Wright, Bath Sashiko tutor Jessica Way, Bristol woodworker Geoff Hannis, Bromhamโs cyanotype artist Libby Mornement of Bloemen & Blue, Wiltshire Spinners, Weavers and Dyers Guild, and members of the Guild of Traditional Upholsterers.
But, whoโd thought it, Rowde is the creative cradle, with three makers featured in the event?! Rowde’s printmaker Hannah Cantellow, lampshade maker Aimรฉe Alice Payton, and cabinet maker Thorn Smith. Seriously, I better polish up on my Fuzzy Felts!
The Ideas Exchange on Friday 22nd May runs from 6:30-9pm at The Peppermill Hotel, and is ยฃ10. The Makers Exchange is at Devizes Corn Exchange from the 23rd and the 24th May from 10:30 to 4:30pm, and costs just two pounds, with children going free.
For full details, workshop bookings, and tickets, visit:
Fromeโs Cheese & Grain will host a celebration of the life of local music promoter Phil Moakes, who sadly passed away last July, aged just 66โฆ
Party at the End of the World will be on Sunday 10th May and will be a special event in celebration of Philโs life, alongside his family and friends. The evening features a fantastic line-up, including The Utopia Strong, Arch Garrison, Richard, Chantelle & Amy, Kavus Torabi, Thee Jolly Rotter, Hodmadoddery, and Sara Vian, and will be hosted by Martin Dimery.
Kavus Torabi fronted Gong, one of Philโs favourite bands, The Utopia Strong are from Glastonbury with professional snooker player Steve Davis, and Sara Vian was one of many presenters at Philโs Visual Radio Arts project.
Phil Moakes was a keen musician, and played keys in local bands throughout the seventies and eighties, including The Replacements and Wasted Space. For Frome he would become not only a legendary music promoter and media broadcaster, but a prominent community leader advocating the arts. He served as a Somerset County Councillor, founded Frome FM, and was a former Chair of the Cheese and Grain Board of Trustees.
โPhil played a pivotal role in the development of the Cheese and Grain,โ a spokesperson for the Cheese & Grain said, โand was instrumental in securing the venueโs long-term future during some of its most challenging years. His dedication, leadership, and belief in the venue and its staff helped shape it into the vibrant cultural hub it is today.โ
Phil Moakesโ last vision was a project called Visual Radio Arts, which started as a Frome FM project in 2016, and independently branched out to create promotional gig videos for artists from Fromeโs Old Fire Station. It was in 2021 when I first met Phil, having relocated with his family to Royal Wotton Bassett, he had moved the studio to Bath Road in Devizes.
In the lockdown era musicians took to streaming gigs from their homes, often amateurly and with varying results. Visual Radio Arts offered a professional option, to capture bands live, akin to The Old Grey Whistle Test, and many artists took up the offer to perform.ย
Being new to the area, I think Phil wanted me to suggest local acts who might like to be hosted on Visual Radio Arts. Anyone I namedropped were already on Philโs radar, but it didnโt stop us having a passionate and lengthy chat about the local music scene. Questioning Phil on the financial structure of Visual Radio Arts was all quite vague; it seemed his only motivation was the promotion of the musicians.
โWe remain profoundly grateful for Philโs vision, support,โ The Cheese & Grain continued, โand the lasting legacy he leaves behind, not only within the Cheese and Grain, but across the wider Frome community. In celebration of his life and in honour of this legacy, all funds raised from the event will be donated to support the vital work of Fair Frome.โ
Fair Frome is a foodbank charity offering sustainable services and support, raising awareness of the issues of poverty across Frome.ย
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 of anything worse, or you’ve absolutely no opinion on the matter whatsoever, Devizes Musical Theatre’s Addams Family Musical is a must-see!
Invited to the dress rehearsal yesterday, The Addams Family Musical opens tonight, Wednesday 1st, and runs to Saturday 4th April, at Dauntseyโs School, and I can confirm it’s creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky and absolutely brilliant. I left delighted and more charmed than spooked.ย
The Addams Family began as a panel in the New Yorker by Charles Addams, a cartoonist alleged to be nearly as weird as the characters he created, but it was the gothic sitcom of the sixties which most will fondly recall, and Barry Sonnenfeldโs nineties movie adaptations brought them into contemporary culture.
The popularity of a recent television spinoff about the family’s daughter Wednesday fares well with the timeliness of this production, especially being the story of this musical centres around Wednesday coming of age too. Within the beloved setting of the Addams Family franchise, it follows a classic musical plot of forbidden love with a happy ending.
It tells of losing inhibitions and that love is calmly discussing your differences. But, no more spoilers from me! Rest assured you’re in capable hands, because the casting on this is impeccable, and its appearance is the best weโve seen so far from Devizes Musical Theatre; itโs a ghoulish visual feast.
I couldnโt pick a favourite part, they were all exceptional. Gary Robson makes a convincing Gomez, the father, but Dolly May was born for the part of his wife Morticia, it would seem, and the chemistry between them was magnetic. Likewise for Wednesday, played so utterly wonderfully by Grace Sheridan, and the object of her desires, Lucas, in which Oscar Thorley played with superb ease; if Oscar is his name, well, he should win one!
In contrast to the family traits, Lucasโ parents Lucy Burgess and Simon Hoy presented them with professional quality, particularly when their influences are altered by the course of the narrative. Then you have the steadfast extra family members, pouring the comedy into it, such as the Grandma, Debby Wilkinson, whose haunting cackle alone would be plentiful for comic effect, without the need for her grinning smirks and ambling around the stage.
Cameron Williams plays Frankensteinโs Prometheus butler Lurch, who is still amazing, despite having nothing but a growl, because thereโs a twist, at the end, and Iโll say no more. The troubled son Pugsley, played with magic by Georgia Saunders is key to a plot twist, and is so convincing in the relationship with his sister, she may as well be a sibling to Grace.ย
Attending a dress rehearsal has slight differences to the actual show, one thing you wouldnโt see at the show was when, at the interval, Ben Griffiths-Mills, who plays the disturbingly innocent Uncle Fester, came to address the director Lyn Taylor, who happened to be sitting beside me. The Addams Family is more music and fun than spooky, the most shocking part of my evening was not in the show, rather when Ben spoke in his normal voice to Lyn, as I was so utterly convinced by his sublime performance as Fester, I expected him to speak with the quirky high-pitched accent of Fester! And this sums the experience up, so credible it is, I had to remind myself these were actors in character; in that, Thing wasn’t wandering around the school at night, and if forced to pick a favourite, Uncle Ben Fester would probably be it!
Such is the attention to detail, I reveal thereโs not just a random collective of excellent dancers too, but theyโre separate characters of the ghostly ancestors the Addams have venerated, and each dances around their crypts according to their back stories and fate; the program identifies them, and the cast highlight the show.
Iโve mentioned the dubious double-meaning of the word โamateurโ used in the term โamateur dramaticsโ before, being a noun for โunprofessionalโ doesnโt necessarily mean the subject it refers to is โrubbish,โ as second definitions suggest. I did so in a review of a Devizes Musical Theatre production, because, while everyone volunteers, the standard, attention to detail, and production values are so high you could assume youโre at the West End. This notion has never been more relevant than with their latest production, The Addams Family Musical; if youโre going, youโre in for a treatโฆand definitely not a trick.
When people come to see ’em, They really are a scream, The Addams Family may not have the same box office clout as Devizes Musical Theatre producing a Disney fairy-tale; thereโs a few tickets left for a performance which usually sells out. Do not be distracted by the quirky choice of production, as this was DMT at their very best.
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
Picturedrone, the new owners of the old Palace Cinema in Devizes announced today that the cinema will have a grand reopening as early as May, and media personality turned controversial comedian Katie Hopkins has accepted an invitation to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated establishmentโฆ.
May is set to be an exciting time in Devizes, when the cinema will finally be reopened. We are told the work is near complete and the company plans to reopen in May, though an exact date remains unconfirmed. The townโs only cinema closed in July 2021, with broken promises to reopen under new management. But the new owners, Picturedrone Cinemas, met spiralling costs with the extensive refurbishment. The good news is, The Wiltshire Reform Party has stepped in to help fund the project.
Aiming for a traditional, multi-use, Roman Colosseum styled venue, the cinema will also house the Wiltshire Reform headquarters and provide them with a space to hold popular conferences and rallies. Flagpoles will align the Market Place outside, restoring pride in our country and providing dogs and drunks with somewhere to relieve themselves. They really have thought of everything, even the reintroduction of white dog shit.
Harmless and loved by all, Katie Hopkins is expected to deliver one of her hilarious hate speech comedy routines before she cuts the ribbon and Devizes cinema will be open once again, to patriots and Brexiteers only. Then there will be a screening of โMein Kampf: The Movie,โ an animated cartoon adaptation of Reform’s beloved bible, aimed at children.
โWe’re eternally grateful to the Wiltshire Reform party for their donation,โ a spokesperson for Picturedrone said, โI mean, who needs equality, basic morals, Trowbridge’s Oden, or a health service, when you can stuff hotdogs while watching โ1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Storyโ on the big screen, in the comfort of your own town, yell abusive gibberish and puke Wetherspoons lager into your popcorn?โ
A spokesperson for Wiltshire Reform said, โwe’re making cinema great again. It will be like the good old days of British cinema, Zulu, Dad’s Army and The Black and White Minstrel Show. There will be snogging and fingering in the back row, and chewing gum will be squashed into every chair. Their springs will jut out of the material piercing every bottom; just as uncomfortable as our make-it-up-as-we-go manifesto. And of course, you will be allowed to smoke cigarettes inside, in fact, that’s compulsory.โ
โIf you visit the cinema in Devizes you can rest assured your family will not be exposed to dangerous leftie woke films. They will not be shown. No films of forced diversity, gendered power shifts, anything by Mark Ruffalo, or any containing boats, save perhaps โTitanicโ; just films with good old traditional family values, like โShowgirlsโ and โLolita.โ
The Ivana Trump biopic The Apprentice will be the first film screened at the reopened cinema, and is expected to attract huge interest.
A spokesperson for Devizes Town Council told Devizine they think this is, โa great initiative and an asset to our town.โ They continued to express their delight and said, โI’m looking forward to the cinema reopening and inviting Danny Kruger back to Devizes so I can kiss the hem of his petticoat in the dark. We’re grateful for Reform’s contribution. I think all Devizes Town Councillors should show their gratitude by switching their chosen party affiliation to Reform, and if they don’t, I’ll ban them from my popular Facebook page, or call Donald to carpet bomb the town, thus liberating our people from the oppressive regime of The Devizes Gardens, or Guardians, or whatever stupid name they call themselves.โ
Devizes wet wipe residents active on the Devizes Tissues (but bitter) Facebook group are said to have โshot their loadโ upon hearing the news about โsexyโ Katie Hopkinsโ appearance, as excitement builds for the town’s many gammon flagshaggers. Bert, a local fake profile, deliberately provoking poll maker and anchor with a capital W is said to be โbesides himself,โ likely because no one else would.ย
Hopefully, by next April Fools Day a visit to the cinema in Devizes will be a usual occurrence, and we will all be marching there in Nigel Faragรผhrer football kit uniform. Thank you, Reform, and the Russian oligarchs who are gaslighting your fascist propaganda. I’m so happy about the cinema and its โfree fagsโ policy, and, being as thick as a Hungry Horse’s Big Plate Special slice of gammon with the political awareness of a small pickled egg, I’m voting for you now.
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
Itโs a Friday, just polishing off a big boy breakfast at New Society. Got the window seat; I ponder how beautiful Devizes Market Place looks from up here, and how we often take it for granted. Thereโs Ben Reed, Wiltshire Councillor for Devizes North, waving at me from below; heโs coming up for carrot cake, and to chew the fat over the first year with the Liberal Democrats at the helm of Wiltshire Councilโฆ. priorities; not till Iโve finished my sausages!
There was minimal bumps driving here, in comparison to how it has been. The Council are slowly playing catch up with our dilapidated roads, but potholes remains firm on my agenda, because while the main roads are getting TLC, it feels like Devizes is being left out. Despite a lesser public issue visibly, isnโt the spiralling costs of social care more important than potholes, or are the two holistically connected, if these potholes drive us to insanity?! Ben? He starts talking pubs; Iโve made a friend!
Far from being something Ben has researched, โbut,โ he started, โI think thirteen pubs might be the most of any council division in Wiltshire. It’s nice to have places to stop when you’re out and about delivering and canvassing.โ For the record, it was relevant. I was praising the cafรฉ.
It also served as an introduction to Benโs enthusiastic bearing on the area he manages, explaining its diversity he continued, โthere’s quite a lot of social housing, retirement complexes, and all the businesses. So, quite a lot going on.โ
It is through this enthusiasm Iโll acknowledge while the public are keen to pick easy targets, like potholes, thereโs so many other duties to being a Councillor we rarely contemplate. Ben told me he was due to meet an elderly lady straight after this who lives in Long Street and finds it difficult getting around town. โI’m going to try and work out what her routes are,โ he said, โand maybe look at whether there are things I can report on the My Wilts app.โ Pausing to consider pedestrians navigating our wobbly pavements might better take their chances on the dodgy roads, Iโm determined to turn him to the subject of potholes! Is Devizes being left out?!
โIt does feel a bit like that,โ Ben agreed. โfrankly, it’s going to be a problem for a while because the backlog is huge.โ I will, later in our chat, praise Ben for his Councillor Facebook page, where, unlike others, thereโs no negativity bashing the opposition, just feelgood posts, but sometimes fact is fact, the previous Conservative Wiltshire Council seriously neglected road repairs, leaving us in this state and passing the buck.
โI’ll try to steer away from being too tribal,โ Ben affirmed, โbecause I don’t think it’s very helpful, but as I understand it, there was quite a bow wave of funding in the last couple of years as the election approached. I don’t know whether there was a realisation that this was a problem, but if you go back further than that, and this isn’t this isn’t particularly a Wiltshire problem, going back to 2010, when the Conservative government first came in, local authority funding across the board was really slashed. And highways were one of the things that councils chose to take the money away from. So there was a period where we fell behind with those preventative jobs. And now we’re chasing our tails. It’s a never-ending problem, and when you get a winter like we’ve just had with so much rain and then that freezesโฆ.โ
As it being a national issue, Iโve seen better roads in other counties. Yet, we may believe Wiltshire hits the hotlist for the worst roads, probably because we use them regularly. But research suggests Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and others, long before Wiltshire gets a mention.
I could scrutinise the previous Conservative-led Wiltshire Council until suppertime, and Iโm pleased someone else now has a stab at it. But, councillors on the opposition and ex-councillors who lost their seats, are quick to raise issues visible to the public, like the pothole debacle, whereas they wouldโve avoided the subject when The Conservatives were in charge.
In considering the often unmentioned tasks, such as social care costs, exampling the Trowbridge car park fiasco, which I talked to Taylor Wright about, I worry thereโs too much time taken up with political point scoring, and the council is far more disputative and argumentative now that the Tories are on the back foot and Reform makes their impact, against all common sense. To summarise, Iโm gonna ask Ben how a council is supposed to find solutions to important and pressing countywide problems, when they spend months bickering about a carpark!
โYeah,โ Ben nods, Iโm onto something! โI found probably the least enjoyable element so far has been those council meetings. It’s difficult to see some of the tactics as anything other than obstructive, unfortunately. The way funding is and the way policies get brought forward is the council officers look at our manifesto and make suggestions and then the administration says yes, or, can we tweak this, and quite often the things we end up doing are probably the things, to be completely honest, that the Conservatives would have done if they’d if they’d still been in power, and yet they end up opposing what often are, as far as I can see, the most the most sensible measures, and the carpark is a good example, I think.โ
โIt’s a strange situation,โ Ben justifies the carpark fiasco thus, โhaving to provide free parking, and this covenant. But you’ll see this week, NCP, the big carpark developer, have gone into administration. So, if they’re not making money on carparks that they can actually charge people to park in, then you can see what a liability a carpark that we’re not allowed to charge for is. And it’s got to be rebuilt. And it’s going to cost us far more now than it would have been to incentivise the developer to knock it down and, you know, build something nice for Trowbridge.โ
I can play โrealโ journalist, try to gauge Ben for marketable controversy by name-dropping troublesome local political busybodies, but he’s not taking the bait! I’m unconcerned, for that’s never my objective. New to politics, Ben was keen to express he’d never been the opposition, so doesnโt know what it feels like. Though, he comes across as genuine, an earnest and honest guy, tucking into his carrot cake.
There’s a phrase, โa week is a long time in politics,โ maybe it’s the opposite for local politics; it’s early days for this new Wiltshire Council and perhaps, optimistically, we need to be patient to see any fruition at base level.
The carpark was only an example, I was more after dirt on the bickering. Issues regarding waste, reducing the bin collections, and Reformโs pathetic failed bid to end net zero were all hitting points for the opposition, that we discussed later in our chat. I suggested we need some education on how to reduce waste, not just waste being collected, to which he agreed.
Disappointed by the reaction from the opposition and that โthe petition that’s running doesn’t really go into detail,โ Ben was keen to talk bins, and to defend the motion. โYour black bin collections are being reduced from two weekly to three weekly,โ Ben said, but expressed, โalongside that, a weekly food waste collection is being introduced. So if you look at a six week period, people will actually be getting more for their money. There will be more collections over the year, just different collections, and hopefully there should be a lot less in the residual waste when the food waste comes out.โ Besides, he pointed out, it’s a government requirement, โwe have to we have to do it.โ
For the opposition itโs a soundbite, easy to highlight your waste collection wonโt be as regular under the Lib Dems, ย but Ben explained, โit’s just not true. One type of bin collection has been reduced, but you’ve got a new one which is a lot more frequent.Sadly, there is a bit of game playing.โ
On the general bickering, โI do find that very energy-sapping,โ Ben replied. โI try and stay away from it as much as I can. I think for the Conservative group, it’s a real change for them. It’s a period of adjustment. They’ve been in charge of Wiltshire Council pretty much from the outset. And I think, well, I hope they’ll find a bit of a friendlier way of conducting themselves. Because opposition is about fair criticism, it’s about scrutiny. They’re perfectly entitled to raise complaints. The roads, you know, it’s difficult to see how we can be criticised too much on those at the moment. Up until last month, we were working on the old Conservative budget. We’ve allocated some additional capital spend for the next few years. Hopefully we can get away from kind of reactive maintenance.โ
โJanuary, there were 2,700 pothole repairs, which is a record month ever. It’s an unwanted record, but, I think up to mid-March, they did about 5,000. And there’s normally, I think about 15,000 done a year. That’s quite a lot ahead of schedule. They’ll be concentrating on repairs until June and then hopefully they’ll get to a place where they can look at preventative maintenance. Station Road is a case in point. It’s been due for a proper resurfacing, but you can’t do that while Northgate Street is still closed. So as soon as that’s open, I’ll be pushing for Station Road to have its resurfacing, and they’ll come to Northgate Street later.โ
It makes me wonder, that they created a road repair taskforce, if the workers are allowed to think for themselves and bypass the red tape, because thatโs what appears to delay the process. You download the app, report one pothole at a time in a road of thousands, which goes through evaluation processes, paperwork, venturing out to spray-paint a square around it, or pop a cone in there. Whereas a taskforce could deal with it immediately. Because I see a repaired stretch of road, and often thereโs potholes centimetres after it! Are they restricted to deal with what it says on a piece of paperwork, and not permitted to think, โhey, we’ve got a bit of spare tarmac, we could just carry on a wee bit, and cover that trench too?!โ
โI’m told that there is a bit of leeway for that,โ Ben stressed. โPotholes get prioritised, a defect or a pothole gets categorised. So, if it’s in a particularly dangerous area, or of a particular size or depth, then it gets a P1, and it’s supposed to be repaired within 24 hours. If there’s a crew going around doing those, they probably will ignore some smaller ones and just get the ones on their list ticked off. So that’s probably why that arises. But I think in practice, if there’s a massive priority one pothole and then some quite big ones obviously visible nearby, they probably would repair those before they move on, I’d like to think. But it depends how busy they are and what they’ve got on their list for that day.โ
I canโt really argue with that, state of our roads, they must be busy bees! Ben also suggested technical issues with the MyWilts app needs reviewing, that issues raised by the public can be marked as closed even if the issue hasnโt been resolved. โI don’t think they should be closed until they’re repaired,โ he said, โwe’ll see what the review of the app comes up with, in terms of improvements.โ
Itโs not the roads though taking up the budget, annoying as it is to hit a pothole, the bigger picture is knowing vulnerable people are safely cared for. โPeople often don’t realise that the bulk of our funding, whether that’s from government or from council tax payments, is pretty much spent before we even decide what to do with it. And social care takes up a really big chunk of that. So, children’s and adults, vulnerable people’s services is, I forget the exact percentage, but it’s certainly over 60% of all Wiltshire Council’s expenditure.โ
โThat’s an ever-increasing chunk,โ Benjustified, โwhich makes it really difficult to find money for other statutory services, like library services are statutory, highways too, obviously. Once you get beyond that, you’re really having to find pennies to do things. Leisure, for instance, is not a statutory service, but Wiltshire’s managed to keep a reasonable number of leisure centres. I think, compared to some local authorities, we’ve done quite well there, building a new leisure centre in Trowbridge, which is coming on very well.โ
โBut yeah, social care is the headline thing, I think, for councils. And it’s very important to look after people who need help. I’m recently been added to the Children’s Select Committee, which is the main scrutiny committee for all the children’s services. They look at how schools are performing, school attendance, and the leisure and youth services we offer. I’m really enjoying that actually. I don’t have children, so I thought, well, maybe this isn’t the right committee for me. But no, of all the committees I’m on, I think I get most out of that. So yeah, it’s been good.โ
We talked for some time on MPs, praising Brian Matthew, and we agreed switching parties, as Danny Kruger recently did in Marlborough should meet with a by-election. But the focus needed shifting back to council level, so I asked Ben what he thought the biggest changes at Wiltshire Council has been, and how transparent they are.
โWe certainly want it to feel people are closer to their council,โ Ben responded. โThey can ask questions and get answers, and then we will be, transparent with people. Yeah, there’s criticism been levelled about, some meetings go into part two, which is confidential business. And, like the carpark, we were accused of doing things behind closed doors. But this is completely standard stuff that happened under the last administration. If there’s commercial sensitive information, then it doesn’t, or personal; if individuals are being spoken about, that isn’t going to be in the public domain. And that’s the same everywhere.โ
The opposition play on this, and it reflects badly?
โWell, it does,โ Ben agreed. โThere’s no reason why people shouldn’t take what they’re reading from them at face value. But to be honest, I wish more people would tune in to the council meetings on YouTube. Because to me, If you watch a bit of that, then it’s pretty clear, to me at least, who’s trying to get things done, and who’s trying to stop things moving forward.โ
With public engagement, prior to the meeting, Ben stressed surgeries arenโt popular. I said he shouldnโt take it personally, as they often happen during the working day, and supposed many of us, myself guilty too, prefer to have a whinge on Facebook rather than address the councillors in person!
โProbably, yeah,โ he figured.โ I want to make sure if someone does want to get in touch with me, they can. So the more channels and opportunities there are for that, the better. And that’s partly on me to go out to events and knock on people’s doors and sort my focused newsletters out three or four times a year. But, it does need someone to make the effort to drop me a line. It can be a phone call, an e-mail, a Facebook message. They can come and see me at a surgery. I am trying to do the surgeries evenings or weekends, so hopefully a bit friendlier times for people.โ
โI’ll answer comments on Facebook if I think I sensibly can. Sometimes people make comments, and you can understand why, people let off steam, but maybe they donโt know the full facts of what the issue is. And sometimes it’s complex to explain that. So it’s difficult on a Facebook message.โ
And people can take it the wrong way. It’s just words. Herein I raised the Kebab Shop fire as an example, an issue Ben confirmed had been his most pressing, and being such a complex one, has learned not to โover promise.โ He originally said the site will be demolished in February, weโre moving into April. Devizes is a lovely place, but it’s easy to think the town’s in a state, and everything that’s promised is just pie in the sky.
โWhat would be a worry for a town is if there wasn’t these developments happening,โ Ben replied, โif it wasn’t a place where developers wanted to invest and create new facilities and new homes.โ
โDevizes, seems to be moving in the right direction, and I know it’s frustrating with the delays, but I think there’s so much light at the end of the tunnel. Northgate Street, the kebab house, there’s been a perfect storm, but itโs really unfortunate in terms of the location, the type of building and the damage that was done, ended up being propped up like it was.โ
โQuite apart from the human aspect of it and the loss of business and livelihoods, and the neighbouring properties are both quite badly damaged as well. Hopefully they can get on and get it repaired. And it has dragged. If I’d been able to hire a wrecking ball and pitch up there myself, I would have done it!โ
โIt was not the easiest thing to inherit. It was six months after the fire that I won the election, and at that stage, I don’t think the owner had worked through all the insurance issues. But eventually the demolition application went in. They were supposed to do it in February, as you say. They hadn’t finalised the partition wall agreement, because they need to make sure when they knock it down that they don’t do more damage to number one and number three. And then the contractor wasn’t available until April. So we are where we are.โ
Our chat continued onto Station Roadโs resurface and its traffic flow. Ben agreed lessons needed learning between the Highway’s team and Building control team, and he raised other issues, such as the condemned old Royal Oak building.
โThey’re converting it into apartments,โ he said. โIt was a terrible state, but it’s a listed building, so it’s really good to see it getting back into use. Unfortunately, they’re going to need to close half of New Park Street to sort out the water and electricity connections. So, I’ve been talking with the traffic team at Wiltshire Council, about when is a good time; there’s no good time! I think the offer they’ve made to the developer is do it overnight, so there won’t be any closures in the day. So, we’re waiting for that to be scheduled.โ
โItโs only a short closure, but what we don’t want is any overlap with Northgate Street still being closed. So, the highways team are always balancing these things against each other.โ
It was great to meet and chat with Ben, for thereโs many issues which need clarification. Short newspaper articles on a relative single subject cannot provide as much information, and being surgeries arenโt popular and the public tend to need matchsticks to keep their eyes open watching a video of council meetings, it is all too easy to be misinformed about Wiltshire Council! I believe social media posts from the opposition parties should be taken with a pinch of salt, and while criticism is fair game, things are looking positive a year into the newly elected Lib Dem council.
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
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 land grab pitch, at Wiltshire Councilโs Community Governance Review, and just like David, triumphantlyโฆ..
More war of words than any military action, though the latter would’ve made a better scoop for me, the underdogs came up trumps in a surprising result!
Rather than admit it’s for financial reasons, the Devizes Town councillors fluttered around premises such as they were rattled by messages from residentsโ misunderstandings as to what council they came under, plus staking a claim to the Lidl store, in their pitch to the council to transfer areas of the town currently run by Bishops Cannings Parish Council to Devizes Town Council instead.
But the parish council had strong evidence in their arsenal, that theyโre successful in community commitments, and used villagersโ statements to present a more heartfelt plea. They even mentioned football, for what the commendable Bishop’s Cannings FC has done for all ages and abilities with their local grassroots football team supersedes any other local club, and serves the whole community of Devizes and its many other villages.
The Committee voted by 5 votes to 3 to recommend that the semi-urban area and the rural area south of Nurtsteed School should both be retained within the Parish of Bishops Cannings.ย
Though the battle was won, it’s dubious if the war is over, for while this will not be subject to further consultation, it will go to a free vote amongst Wiltshire Councillors, likely in July.
Chair of Bishops Cannings Parish Council, Cllr Darren Bone sent a message to the residents. He said, โCllr Iain Wallis of Devizes Town Council and Simon Williams, the Town Clerk, made a joint presentation in which they tried to persuade the Committee that the only correct result would be the wholesale transfer of the semi-urban area of Bishops Cannings Parish to Devizes. They also sought the transfer of rural land south of Nursteed School. Some of the arguments were new. All were subjective and offered without evidence. They tried to convince the Committee that 1200 homes and the families of over 2000 electors would all be better off under the control of Devizes.โ
โIn response, I introduced Mr Chris Nicholls, whose letter in support of the Parish Council and the retention of the semi-urban area was included in our detailed submission to the Committee. I am indebted to Chris for his honest, passionate statement. It was well-received and carried weight.โ
โI then addressed the Committee in turn, countering the vague notions which had been put forward by representatives of Devizes Town Council. The wealth of verified, tangible evidence presented previously by Bishops Cannings Parish Council in its submission and in person was reiterated. We sought a clear and unambiguous recommendation that the Parishโs boundaries should remain as they currently were. Further agreement was sought for a change of name for the Parish.โ
But the good news for Bishops Cannings Parish Council wasn’t over yet. Unexpectedly, once the committee debated the issue, they voted to consult with both Devizes and Bishops Cannings Councils, and the public on whether two potential transfers should occur, albeit this time from Devizes Town Council to Bishops Cannings Parish. Whoa there, it’s all gone a bit Treaty of Versailles here, if Devizes has to surrender significant territory, guaranteed someone’s knickers are going to get in a twist!
Despite it being a more common occurrence, where land is urbanly adjoined to a town, community governance reviews tend to side with the town, in this case it seems it was not only a loss for the Devizes Town councillors, but a complete backfire!
Cllr Darren Bone continued his message to the people of Bishops Cannings, โToday was a good day for the Parish of Bishops Cannings, for the Council and for its 2,628 electors and their families. The Councilโs transformation, achievements and intent were universally praised by the Committee. Special thanks go to Mr Nicholls and to Cllr Philip Whitehead, our Unitary Councillor, who both spoke powerfully and eloquently.โ
Congratulations to Bishops Cannings Parish Council; treat yourself to a cupcake, while the Devizes Town councillors can have some humble pie!
The first time I heard the name Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours, I presumed their sound might be folk or blues inspired. Judging a book by its cover, because while this Wiltshire collective’s debut single How it Feels might pertain such elements, I was pleasantly surprised to find it also jumping with feelgood soul….
Taken from an upcoming album of the same name, How it Feels is brass-blowing, high energy, sunny side of the street music, and I’d wager we all need a bit of that these days.
Piano-driven rock, gripping onto early Springsteen, or Elton John even, uptempo yet melodic, with an instant and irresistible hook. Yet when I listened, I was filled with imaginations of later new wave mod, when it became the staple pop of the eighties; this wouldn’t look out of place on a Style Council album. I’ll tell you how How itFeels feels; it feels alive and kicking!
Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours are quite the expert collective. Dave Turner is the bluebearded frontman pianist, Helen Robertson plays cello and adds those soulful backing vocals with Phil Cooper, who is also on bass.
All backed by guitarist Rich Godfrey and drummer Coby Franklin-Turner. The brass section knocking the energy into this song is provided by trumpeter and flugel horn player John Hare.
Shame I missed them at 7 Hills last weekend now I’ve heard this cracking single, but made up they’ll be at our newly opened The Fold this Friday, 27th March, at The Lamb in Devizes, with JP Oldfield in support. It’s free, hope to see you there?!
It was back in October when we revealed CrownFest at The Crown in Bishopโs Cannings was returning this summer, and January when we last mentioned it, because the organisers Stone Circle announced that its proceeds will be donated to Wiltshire Hope & Harmonyโs Dementia Choir. I like to tease you during those cold winter months, and get us looking forward to warmer days coming…..
Now the time is nearly upon us; frosty starts but some glorious sunshine brings a sigh of relief, as spring has sprung. Time to remind ourselves of some of the local festivals on our horizon, but this isnโt about simply regurgitating what weโve already said about CrownFest, because thereโs been a few updates since, worthy of your attentionโฆ..
What is new, is that the music will be presented over two stages rather than the single stage. Acoustic acts will be in the marquee, while bigger bands will be soundchecking and warming up on the main stage. This is great news, for continuous entertainment, and youโd have to wonder otherwise, just how theyโd squeeze so many acts into just one day.
And, before I waffle too far, that one day is the 4th July 2026; closer than you might think!
Tickets available HERE. A standard adult is only ยฃ32, children are ยฃ10, and thereโs a ยฃ75 family bundle option too.
So, what Iโve already told you: Kinishaโs renowned Simply the Best Tina Turner Tribute and Adam & The Ants tribute Ant Trouble headline, closely followed by Wiltshireโs premier indie-pop favourites and winners of six Wiltshire Music Awards, Talk in Code. Purveyors of Irish & Celtic folk The Publicans will also be playing, along with Salisburyโs rock cover band Innovator, rock covers band Tipsy Gypsies, the one and only George Wilding, Mother Ukes, and the blooming marvelous Lucas Hardy.
And if all that isnโt already enough, what you might not have noticed, is some fantastic additional acts recently added. Firstly, the sublime Ruby Darbyshire is now on the lineup, who is worth the ticket price alone! Young Calne singer-songwriter, Braydon Lee, is a name on everyoneโs lips right now, we fondly reviewed his latest single, and heโs coming too. Eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist Dylan Bratley also made the team; a new name to us but Iโve just checked out his rather cool Noah Kahan cover on TikTok, looking forward to hearing him live.
Lastly, is an upcoming Salisbury sixth form band, organiser Eddie Prestidge likened to Nothing Rhymes With Orange, called Five Nights at Adyans. The Salisbury Journal recently mentioned them playing Wiltshire Creativeโs โGlow with the Flowโ event for young musicians at Salisbury Art Centre. They revealed โthe band is composed of four boys, Jasper Hill, Owen Morgan, Thomas Clark, and Toby Allen, who are all currently in Lower Sixth at Bishop Wordsworthโs school, and have been friends since they were in Year Seven. The influence behind their name is a play on the famous video game โFive Nights at Freddyโsโ, combined with the influence from their classmate called Adyan, whom they often bring up on stage.โย
This kind of leaves me wondering what Adyan does, if heโs like a young Bez from the Happy Mondays, and if he will show up at CrownFest! Adyan or no Adyan, CrownFest is getting better and better, the latest poster unusually puts the lesser-known acts above the headliners, showing a real dedication to upcoming performers, and thatโs a great look! All roads lead to Bishops Cannings this coming 4th July…. get on one of them!
The difference between punk and goth is that as a punk you reject society, as a goth society rejects you. Being society lives mostly online today, that’s probably why my spam filter assumes proposals from exiled middle eastern princes to deposit bitcoin into my bank, and machines to extend oneโs manhood are of interest to a regional entertainment blog, but a local goth duo’s new album should be hidden in a spam folder.
Algorithms now pressure me into having to rush this out, despite noting on social media, Deadlight Dance are releasing their third album, Vox Populi tomorrow (Friday 20th March), which they launched at The White Bear in Devizes last Sunday. Have Nick and Tim got in the humph with me?!
They are Eurythmics-covering retro goths after all, who seem to be dealing with the apocalypse with new songs and a spot of gardening. I’ve always been nice about what they do and thought the feeling was mutual! Not at all; seems after a quick Facebook message, the glitch is real, and the email was discovered; and just like the issues Nick and Tim describe, โthe populist rhetoric, the age of the oligarch where the rapid development of A.I. and deepfakery is upending reality, and โstraight-talkingโ chancers who claim to represent the majority are stoking the smouldering embers of fascism,โ these are the depressing first world problems which need addressing, and with them in mind, isnโt it overdue to rekindle the era of the goth spirit?
Recorded as usual at Mooncalf Studio with legendary purple-bearded producer Nick Beere, it feels at times as if Deadlight Dance are canvassing for compassion as humanity gears up to vote for the collapse of civilised society. โItโs dark,โ agrees Nick Fletcher, โbut there is hope there. You donโt talk about these things unless you want to do something about it.โ
โLight and shade,โ says his partner in sound, Tim Emery. โHopefully thereโs something forย everyone. For some people, everything will be for them.โ
With all edgy synths blazing, Gloss opens Vox Populi, dramatically and attacking the beauty industry, its harmful lies and unrealistic standards in an era most pop stars are encouraging them. We reviewed this as a single last October, where I vowed to shave my eyebrows off and draw them back on with a Sharpie. The exploitative nature of the cosmetics industry, the first deep and eerie original song of eight, which speak of algorithmic existences; gaslighting by the elite, the paradox of โhumaneโ food production, identities and the preconceptions that can shape them, the corporatisation of the militaryโฆ and gardening.
โThere are some important horticultural and botanical references,โ says Nick, reassuringly. The poisonous evergreen shrub Daphne odora, being an example, as the second tune, a poignant plodding shoegazer and followed by a surprisingly jocund ballad which gracefully reminds of the playful moments of The Cure.
Red Flags warns of danger, but takes no prisoners, Lachrymal is as dismayed as Fields of the Nephilim, Glass Walls is uptempo, furious and robust by design, an enclosed space frameless and seamless, but perhaps not maximising natural light, for thatโs simply not goth!
The Theatre of Absurd thuds us back into the dark, with anticipatory anxiety and New Order beats. Followed by the first of two cover songs, Eurythmicsโ Sweet Dreams. Deadlight Dance comforts you here with familiarity and reminiscence, but stamp their own authoritative pounce on this, and the second, Princeโs When You Were Mine, both of which feature guest vocalist Sian and drummer Mike Dymond, the latter of whom first played with Nick and Tim when they were sixth formers.
Thereโs an underlying retro sensation with all that Deadlight Dance produces, that not all electronica was lost to Stock Aitken Waterman, and neither will it be with smug grinned Simon Cowell. And something wholly satisfying that post punk artists of yore inspired Nick and Tim to form a band, and, acne replaced by wrinkles, thirty years later, amidst a global pandemic and a growing whirlwind of social and political chaos, they felt that the time was right to continue the journey. But what is more, is that younger punk bands, like those gravitating towards DIY labels like Sketchbook, are continuing the theme, and, I reckon, would take Deadlight Dance with similar respect to the aforementioned post-punk artists who inspired Nick and Tim. At least they should if or when they hear this album.
While there is always a coherent thought process behind them all, their previous releases, 2024โs acoustic covers album The Wiltshire Gothic, and the literature-themed EP Chapter & Verse of the same year, held a running theme more rigidly. The dystopian or unnerving observations of the modern era subjects behind Vox Populi is subtler, and this feels like the fashion of their debut Beyond Reverence, only with the natural progression, experience and diligence of those three years. And it shows, this is a most excellent album, once again.
Vox Populi is released worldwide to stream, and own as a CD, vinyl LP and download,ย through Ray Records on Friday 20th March. Check out details on their website HERE.
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
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 Slimโs All Back To Minehead 2026, following a standout appearance at last yearโs event. The highly anticipated festival takes placeย 6โ9 November 2026ย and brings together some of the biggest names in dance music for a full weekend of music, energy and unforgettable moments…..
Joining an exceptional lineup that includesย DJ EZ, Erol Alkan, Horse Meat Disco, Simon Pegg, Sarah Story, Darren Emerson, Eats Everything, Kirollus, Olive F, Woody Cook, Elliot Schooling, Liam Palmer, Krafty Kuts, Dr Banana, Arielle Freeย and many more, Palooza will once again bring its signature blend ofย house, classics, anthems and underground soundsย to the iconic Minehead weekender.
Known for itsย high-energy dancefloors and community-driven atmosphere, Palooza has built a strong reputation on the UKโs underground scene, making its return to All Back To Minehead a significant milestone for the brand. The invitation back to the lineup reflects the impact of last yearโs performance and the growing recognition of Paloozaโs unique sound and vibe.
โWeโre buzzing to be invited back,โ said Greg Spencer from Palooza. โLast year was incredible, and to return alongside such a huge lineup is a real honour. Weโre bringing even more energy this time.โ
All Back To Minehead continues to be one of the UKโs most celebrated dance music weekends, combining world-class DJs with a unique holiday atmosphere and a packed schedule of activities across the resort.
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
Spring is on its way, and we’re looking forward to a season of great live music across the county. You’ve only got to keep your best eye on our ever-updating event calendar to realise the vast and varying options open to you. But here, in Devizes, there’s one particular place I’m personally excited about, the return of The Foldโฆ.
Organised principally by JP Oldfield, the legendary Fold returns with open mic nights on the first Tuesday of each month, Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours headline a freebie with JP in support on Friday 27th March, and the one and only Gaz Brookfield returns to The Fold in a blaze of glory on the 5th June.
But with JPโs reputation spreading like wildfire, he cannot always be at The Fold; I mean, we were just chatting about him supporting Imarhan at Bristolโs The Fleece on Monday, and the many other gigs heโs getting in the area. So, between Bluebeard and Gaz, and not for my ego, well, not entirely, I’m delighted Devizine can be involved with this project.
A Devizine takeover at The Fold, on Friday 24th April, that’s what I’m here to tell you about; bung it your diary now! It’s been too long since we’ve put a gig on. This is happening, the only requirement needed from you is to please support it. In order to encourage your excitement to match my own, we’ve done two things.
Firstly, while we need to fund it somehow, we’re keeping ticket prices as low as possible. Just like it was 1979, this is a pay what you can gig, but I plead that you consider this at the door, that the more you can pay the more we can give you in return, rebuild the Fold, and provide Devizes with some great acts in a comfy, intimate venue and at affordable prices. Please, flash a little cash, not for me, but for our musicians.
My second objective, and I know JP and I are singing off the same songsheet on this even if his singing is ten thousand miles above my own breathtaking shower concertos, is to bring to Devizes the amazing acts we see elsewhere, who haven’t yet made a Devizes debut, or who have rarely played here before. Musicians and bands which I think, โthe good folk in Devizes would love this, they deserve to see this!โ And that’s precisely what we’ve done for our first Fold takeover.
We’re hosting two local upcoming singer-songwriters, firstly Meg, or M3G as she prefers, who I’ve been waffling on about for ages, with deserved praise, and my daughter scribbled a great interview with her some years ago.
M3G is an indie folk singer-songwriter from Chippenham. Her music mixes authentic lyrics with soaring vocals. Recently supporting the likes of Frank Turner, Jools Holland, Gaz Brookfield and The Lottery Winners. A regular at Trowbridgeโs Pump, the venue now run by Kieran J Moore, who created Sheer Music at this very venue, The Fold; small world.
Her bio also says she’s โdescribed as, โBeautiful and Captivatingโ by a local music magazine,โ which I’m suspicious was me! And โshe brings a unique perspective and humour to the stage,โ which sums it perfectly, if I do say so myself! Her recent singles, like โRooksโ , were produced by Phil Cooper, who you should know from The Lost Trades, and also will be at the Fold with Bluebeard on the 27th March; again, small world!
M3G’s style is uniquely wonderful and personal, something I advise you really need to see for yourself; hereโs your chance. I also introduce you to Take the Stage finalist Seren, a Warminster based young folk singer-songwriter with a voice you wonโt forget.ย
Seren performs a mixture of original songs and covers. โMy favourite covers to perform are Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, and Black Star by Radiohead,โ she tells me. โI first started performing in May 2024, and since then I have performed at CorFest 2025, Swinterfest, and have supported Irish folk musicians in Salisbury including The Henry Girls, Daoirรญ Farrell, and Tim Eady and Mike McGoldrick. I am inspired by a mix of artists/musicians and genres such as folk, indie, pop, indie rock, and jazz.โ
Both of a similar age, M3G and Seren have worked together before, supporting each other, and after performing solo, promise to duet in a rare finale session. I canโt wait, I advised MantonFest to book Meg a couple of years ago, but I believe this will be both their Devizes debuts. I hope you can join me in bringing these two sublime performers to town and really give them the warmest of Devizes welcomes, on the 24th April; put it in your diaries now!!
Facebook event thingy, here, let us know you’re coming. If you are coming, I promise not to sing myself. Oh, and give the Facebook page a follow too, for updates there.
Hurrah, at last! Only The Brave is the debut song from Burn The Midnight Oilโs revised lineup; something Iโve been anticipating since watching them rehearse at Devizesโ HK Studios, just before last yearโs Awards. But if my expectations of a recording from this new Devizes based phenomenon was perched on the summit of the highest mountain, gaining a sneaky preview before its release on Friday (13th March) far from disappointed, in fact Iโm now soaring above cloudsโฆ.
I know pressing a CD is a financial risk for any upcoming band against bunging it on streaming platforms, but Iโd urge them to go for it. In the relatively short time Burn The Midnight Oil have been gigging under this current format, theyโve become the kind of band youโd see live and make haste for their merch stand in hope to return home grasping a piece of what you just experienced. Based on this first of a few singles coming out of Martin Spencerโs Badger Set Studio in Potterne, a compilation album would be a real keepsake.
Itโs hasty and gearing, a rich and refreshing design on a timeless formula; the folk-rock-blues combo conveying enduring, moreish and matured pop, with that driving beat, with that irresistible rolling guitar riff, and with the smooth-as-velvet female vocals soothing a biting narrative. Causal listening itโs feelgood, but in depth itโs fighting against the odds and rising above adversities.
Itโs the song for the comeback scene of an epic movie. Youโre on the edge of your seat, identifying with the character, either relating your own experiences, or more simply distinguishing their plight is their drive, but you cannot sympathise, because like Tina Turner, Gloria Gaynor, or Natasha Bedingfield, sheโs weaponised it, risen above it regardless, and taken control of her own destiny; Alanis Morissette of Devizes.
Yet the most marvellous thing about Only the Brave is, Chrissy โSteenโ Chapman can equally hold the vocal power of any of the aforementioned female big hitters, kick the meaning behind the song into touch, and her backing band accompanies her with such tight precision, itโs something to behold. In essence, it has the perfect combination for the memorable and relevant tune you wonโt mind having stuck in your head!
I cannot wait to hear the others, but for now, pre-save this beauty HERE. Find them rootin and tootin their thing live by following them on Facebook, HERE.ย Attend CapFest as seen below, for their next Devizes show.
Wiltshire Music announces a new season for Autumn Winter: and the first under the new leadership of Daniel Clark, Artistic Director and Sarah Robertson, Executiveโฆ
If youโve seen Jess Self performing at the Wharf Theatre, singing at the FullTone Festival or elsewhere Iโm certain youโll agree with us; Jess hasโฆ
It’s been a wonderful summer’s weekend, in which I endeavoured to at least poke my nose into the fabulous FullTone Festival, despite being invited toโฆ
Devizes annual orchestral festival, FullTone got underway yesterday afternoon with a showcase of local talent from Devizes Music Academy,ย and finalised Friday night with theirโฆ
If your average Tuesday night in Devizes might feel like The Day The Earth Stood Still, it certainly felt this way for me yesterday; I was at an open mic, down The Foldโฆ..
Yeah, you read that right, the back room of The Lamb which launched Kieranโs Sheer Music a decade or so ago, a Devizes to Trow-Vegas success story many hold fond memories of. Since then it seems itโs been rather dormant up there, so Iโm sure it will come as a delight to many to hear this once popular, intimate space is reopening, because this open mic night is only the beginning.
The open mic will continue, each first Tuesday of the month, and the weekends hopes to see regular affordable ticketed gigs. Iโve got to stop saying โTuesdayโ now, because in my mind Iโm voicing it as Miranda, probably because Iโm a smidgen over-excited to bring you this fantastic news!
The project has been masterminded by Sally at the Lamb, who has renovated the Fold, and Josh Oldfield, who will be running nights there. Furthermore, on occasions when Josh is gigging elsewhere, Devizine is allowed to use it, and in a joint venture, we hope to bring some great gigs to town.
The legend that is Gaz Brookfield returns to The Fold in a blaze of glory on the 5th June, with our faithful JP in support. But the Fold opens earlier; officially on Friday 27th March, when piano-driven pop-rock trio, Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours headline with JP again in support. This one is free, save a tip jar for the acts.
Devizineโs first night hosting there will be Friday 24th April.
Iโm sorting it out now, do not fear! My concept is to bring in some exciting new and original acts to Devizes, or at the very least ones who have rarely played here, despite me bashing on about them within the pages of Devizine! Starting with an acoustic folk night; save the date, for we have two of Chippenhamโs finest young singer-songwriters, Meg and Seren promising to play for us on the 24th April.
Meg, Image by Kiesha
Details on this and other gigs at the Fold will follow. For now letโs just say last night was a great start to reinventing the venue. A humble and hospitable evening, as most open mics are; shame I rarely get to attend any because they usually occur on weekday evenings.
With performers at opposite sides of the timeline, a promising acoustic guitar sporting Billy went first, followed by Ronnie unplugged with an electric. Eyebrows were raised further when young bassist, Meadow, backed Ed Dowdeswell, stepson of Jamie R Hawkins, who, though containing elements of brilliant songwriting and riffs clearly rubbed off from Jamie, is carving a name for himself independently, and quite rightly so.
A smidgen more mature musicians, Jim and Ray, blessed us with some folk-blues covers. And between them and our wonderful Sammi Evans, Sammiโs son Kristian also sang quite wonderfully for the very first time; the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Sammi is always a delight to see live, but her set ended abruptly due to guitar string snap, and golden axeman Brian took his place and pumped some gorgeous blues covers our way; Big Mamma Thornton, though, nicely placed sir!
Young Amelia may have been penultimate on the roster, but was the ultimate voice, and known throughout the free world of Devizes, Gordy and Tim polished this fantastic inaugural reopening of The Fold off expertly. I left feeling this will be something very special added to our busy live music circuit here in Devizes, and I hope to see you there soon!
Grand opening with Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours and JP Oldfield will be free on 27th March. The next open mic is due April 2nd. We take over with Meg and Seren on 24th April, Gaz arrives on 5th June, and thereโs more to follow; exciting news!ย Open mics are just nice, aren’t they?!
A feast of Salisbury musicians have recorded the single Edge of Reason, a powerful tribute to the irreplaceable ThomโฏBelk, a champion of Salisburyโs music sceneโฆ
Devizes Food & Drink Festival launched their 2025 programme of events today. Running from Saturday 20th to the 28th September, the Box Office opens onlineโฆ
With your standard festivals two-to-a-penny, some consisting of not much more than a bloke with a guitar in a pub selling undercooked and overpriced hotdogs,โฆ
Contemplated headlining this โClash of the Titans,โ but that evokes the idea of a dramatic power struggle with fierce consequences rather than proof Devizes canโฆ
Popular award-winning artisan chocolate business Hollychocs has announced that its Beanery Cafรฉ will close on Saturday 23rd August, marking exactly two years since its openingโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Sandcastle Productions A very new addition to Bath based theatre companies, Sandcastles Productions brings their self penned piece of theatre toโฆ
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 sampling the widest varieties of beers and ales. In this The Winter of Festive Ales may function parochially, but is not only extremely popular and is revitalising from the torpor of winter, it also raises vital funds for DOCA to stage more family-driven events freely throughout the coming yearโฆ..
Cabaret and music acts usually perform, yet are secondary in importance to the sampling of the booze for the average amateur connoisseur attending; no issue there, because that’s the ethos of the event. In reviewing an event my top priority is awarded if it โdoes what it says on the tin.โ The Winter of Festive Ales at the Corn Exchange received top marks in that department, we tried maple syrup and blueberry stouts, mango cider and plenty of other interesting and delicious fusions selected by Stealth Brewery, The Southgate and The Pour House, and Padfield Porkies pies are undeniably knockout.
With cabaret it can therefore be quirky and perhaps out on a limb, which I’d consider a deliberately lethargic roller-skater, a ragamuffin Basil Brush styled wolf, and a chequered suit bloke putting four ping-pong balls in his mouth is; the drink influences greater belly laughs. But for the music, one might opt for the demographic’s preferred genres, of blues or roots driven prog rock.
Being honest the fact Talk in Code headlined this year surprised but delighted me, with their original eighties-nineties indie-pop fusion, but I didn’t need ponder if this was the best choice, because, yet again, Talk in Code proved they fit into any box, without even having to change their set to suit. They more simply, do what they do, and it’s infectious to all.
Said this before, where Talk in Code can charm a food festival, fete, or anywhere from a Pride festival to a bike meet. They come up trumps at FullTone, supporting an eighties tribute like The Pet Shop Boys Actually, and equally thrill at grassroots venues such as Bradford-on-Avon’s Three Horseshoes. Though I might advise it is best to see Talk in Code in Swindon where their fanbase is largest and the vibes alight most, for every random event across the nation they display their sublime sound, and forthcoming personas at, the positivity in their style rubs off, building to a phenomenon, known only too well by their adoring fanbase, the Talkers.
You can find the Talkers at any Talk in Code gig, they reside at the front attired in merch, encouraging other punters to dance. Else, afterwards they’ll chat with band members like family. Unlike a pop band who might hide in a green room, they mingle. Aside from the hive mind of their fans, though, there’s a dedicated corporate identity, a brand with clever marketing which supports the music. This completes the Talk in Code effect, displayed triumphantly, even here, at the Winter of Festive Ales in Devizes last night.
The event splits into two ticketed sessions, one quieter in the afternoon for the real ale connoisseurs to rap about body, fruitiness and alcohol content, the later evening session more lively and entertaining. Yep, Talk in Code will deliver this with bells on.
For the average punter whose kids have likely fled the nest, the early start time of the evening session might suit as more ale can, and will be consumed. For us with teenagers in need of picking up from Saturday jobs, feeding and watering, it unfortunately meant we missed The Wholesome Soul Duo and some cabaret. And I was looking forward to this soul duo, who often take the early Sunday gig at The Southgate, having yet to cross them off my must-see list. I know a raffle must come towards the end, but if I remain slightlyย dubious about the arrangement of acts, thinking Talk in Code could’ve finalised the evening, rather than winding it down too early, and The Wholesome Soul Duo be pushed to a later slot than 6pm, that’s only due to personal commitments. Itโs a quality, well-organised and enjoyable event with plenty of time for quantities of alcohol consumption, which confirms Devizes is a town of culture; drinking culture at least! Whatever the outcome of an award, residents here know it is.
And this is the just opening, the beginning of a year of seasonal events across the town, either blossoming or established, many of which, with a sprinkling of dedicated volunteers, DOCA will stage, host and gift to, not only the population, but attracting visitors from afar. For this alone, we love and thank everyone who comes together to make DOCA a thing. The Winter of Festive Ales is vital to the funding of it, and remains to be a fantastic, Devizes fashioned occasion worthy of your hard-earned cash.
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ian Diddams, Next Stage Theatre Company and Mike Stevens Florian Zeller is a contemporary French playwright and screenwriter, who received criticalโฆ
Rude to walk into an event sporting another event wristband but the welcome was friendly as ever at the Three Crowns in Devizes. It’s mid-afternoon,โฆ
If youโve popped into Wiltshire Music Centre recently; for a concert, workshop, screening orย even a meeting, you might have noticedโฏchanges in the foyer: recorded music,โฆ
Photo credit: David Leigh Dodd Pioneers of the indie-rock sound which would lead us into the nineties, Transvision Vamp lead singer Wendy James has announcedโฆ
By Ian DiddamsImages by Luke Ashley Tame of Acadia Creative Around 2 million women are victims of violence perpetrated by men every year, thatโs 3,000โฆ
The Wiltshire Music Awards 2026 entered an exciting new era when Stone Circle Music Events announced was as official sponsor and organiser. Backed by their Galway, Ireland office, the company continues to grow as a major force in event production in the South West of England.…
Joining them are theย Kingston Group, bringing extensive industry experience within Wiltshire. Together the partnership will build on the success of 2025, and deliver an enhanced awards experience.
This yearโs Wiltshire Music Award ceremony will feature upgraded audio-visual production, large screens, professional camera coverage, an experienced compรจre, and a headline star appearance. A new county-wide marketing campaign will ensure the entire region is engaged.
Committed to rotating locations, The Wiltshire Music Awards 2026 ceremony will be held at White Horse View Events Centre, beneath the iconic Westbury White Horse, hosting up to 400 guests seated at tables.
Nominations open on the 1st May, and close 1st June 2026, with the Awards Ceremony due to take place on Saturday 26th September 2026.
Seeking Volunteers
The Wiltshire Music Awards are seeking volunteers, and invite anyone who cares about local artists, live venues, grassroots music, and giving people a platform to shine, to contact them. Together we wish to deliver the countyโs biggest celebration of live music and grassroots talent.
We would truly love to hear from you, whether you have experience in event planning or simply a passion and some time to give, your contribution could help make 2026 our most inclusive and inspiring year yet.
Please get in touch at: hello@wiltshiremusicevents.uk
Perform at the Wiltshire Music Awards Evening
We are now inviting talented artists from across Wiltshire to take the stage at our upcoming Awards Evening. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your music, celebrate the local scene, and perform in front of an engaged live audience.
If you perform anywhere in the county of Wiltshire and would like to be part of this special night, weโd love to hear from you.
To express your interest, please email: patrick@stonecirclemusicevents.uk
Yes! Wakemansโ Journey To The Centre of Devizes!
by Andy Fawthrop
Rumours are swirling round that D-Town is about to launch a bid to be named the UK Town of Culture, and you have to think that we have to be in with a chance. Letโs face it – any competition that doesnโt use the state of the local roads as one of its yardsticks has to be worth entering….
And, as if by magic, up pops an event that, once again, proves that weโre punching above our weight.ย Weโve already highlighted here in Devizine some of the amazing stuff thatโs coming up over the coming months that will put us in with a shout, but last night at the Corn Exchange just went to prove what we can do here in our little town if we put our mind to it.
Despite relatively little advertising of the event, over 400 people snapped up tickets to see the return of rock legend Rick Wakeman to the stage last night, in a one-off โwarm-upโ gig for his forthcoming US tour, this time accompanied by son Oliver.ย I guess it was a case of โIf You Knew, You Knewโ, and the event was a complete sell-out from weeks ago.ย The room was so packed that the sound guys had to set up shop in the hallโs kitchen area and to work their magic through the hatch.ย It was a bit tight in there, but we were all friends, so that didnโt matter one little bit.
The Wakemans are no strangers to this particular stage.ย Rick appeared here a couple of years back with his outfit KGB (another cracking night that was), and his other son Adam has twice appeared with his band Jazz Sabbath (also highly recommended).ย Looks like Longcroft Productions have got the inside track with the Wakeman family.
Rickman senior breezed onto the stage, belying his 76 years, and proceeded to wow the room with his first piece on the grand piano. He was shortly followed by elder son Oliver, and the two keyboard wizards then proceeded to deliver a two-hour plus show of absolutely stunning musicianship. Moving easily between the five different keyboards on stage, the two men played a wide range of pieces including both relatively recent compositions, as well a goodly smattering of block-busters from the huge back catalogue. And Rick told us that as a โwarm-upโ it was chance for them to experiment a little. โYouโre getting more here than the Americans are going to get. You deserve it more than they do!โ Cue rapturous applause.
Image: Oliver Wakeman
It wasnโt just the music though. Father and son are both born raconteurs, and interspersed the items on the set list with some wonderful anecdotes. We had stories of rescue dogs, marriages and weddings, of the Wakeman parents, of encounters with unwilling pub landlords, and even of previous encounters with our local Moonrakers. Some of which might help explain why โHow Much Is That Doggy In The Window?โ and โSweet Georgia Brownโ made short, yet unsurprising appearances in the set-list. There was a lovely running gag about the exact date of Oliverโs birth, and how old he was at various times in the stories. And it was great to see the obvious warmth and respect between the two men.
And of course there was plenty of time across the two hours (interrupted only by what Rick referred to as โthe Bladder Breakโ) to explore themes from their musical pasts. Both men have featured at various times in the different line-ups of Prog superstars Yes, from the 1970s onwards. So there was a mash-up arrangement named โThe Yes Suiteโ, followed by several of Rickโs solo ventures – โThe Six Wives of Henry VIIIโ, โMyths & Legends of King Arthurโ, and the stunning โJourney To The Centre Of The Earthโ. We also journeyed round some older stuff from The Strawbs and David Bowieโs โLife On Marsโ.
Musically it was an absolute master-class. To say that these guys know their way around a keyboard is to massively understate just how good they were. As a nightโs entertainment it was engrossing. Of course there was plenty of whooping and cheering, and a standing ovation. And of course there was a two-hander encore. Can I give it more than ten out of ten? I would if I could.
And before the Wakemans finally disappear into the night, swirling cloaks and hair about their persons, just a word about the back-room boys. You donโt get fabulous nights out like this without an enormous amount of background work and logistics. So hats off to Paul Chandler of Longcroft Productions for even daring to bring this one off show to D-Town. And hereโs also to the piano suppliers, to the piano-tuner, to the sound and light guys, to Wadworth for sponsoring, to the Corn Exchange staff and to the small army of volunteers. A true team effort to bring together a really amazingly good night. Bravo to all concerned.
Family run premier auctioneers of antiques and collector’s items, Henry Aldridge and Son announced a move into The Old Town Hall on Wine Street, Devizes;โฆ
By Ian DiddamsImages by Ian Diddams and Shakespeare Live Is it post watershed? Then I shall beginโฆ The etymology of the word โNothingโ is quiteโฆ โฆ
Amidst another packed summer weekend’s schedule laid that lovable large village Pewseyโs turn to shine; always a law unto itself, things went off; if itโsโฆ
Britpop icons Supergrass will headline Frome Festival as a fundraising event for grassroots community action group โPeople for Packsaddleโ who are fighting to save aโฆ
โChicagoโ is a stand out example of the musical theatre genre โ great songs, great characters, great murdersโฆ It’s the story of Roxie Hart, slayer of her lover, her perennial doormat husband Amos Hart, her fellow murderess prison sidekick/enemy Velma Kelly, and those in authority Mama Morton the prison governess and defence attorney Billy Flynn.
Stage Coachโs โFurther Stagesโ group of teens present this teen edition of this blockbuster musical at the Wharf Theatre this week, under the direction of Rhea Burke and production of Freddie and Chris Underwood.
Itโs a fast-paced show incorporating the full triple threat of acting, singing and dance and the cast do not disappoint โ to the extent that itโs difficult to split any of those three as โbestโ. Whether complex harmonies and split timings from ensemble singing, excellent characterisation from the principals or the outstanding ensemble choreography the troupe should be proud of what they have createdโฆ for many of them it is their first foray onto a full theatre stage with tech.
Isla Brett plays Roxie Hart to a tee โฆ demure, frustrated but ultimately ambitious, and Darcey Scully contrasts wonderfully as Velma Kelly, sassy, forward and driven. Freya Osborne sleazes her way as Mama Morton, and Leon Marshall smooths slickly as the slickly smooth Billy Flynn. Olivier Baran contrasts believably as the underdog and love-struck Amos Hart.
Isla and Leon work sublimely together as ventriloquist and dummy in the press conference scene โ itโs a standard scene of course but the two pull it off perfectly, Isla especially superb as the frozen, shiny faced doll at Billy Flynnโs control in โWe both reached for the gunโ.
The rest of the cast โ Antonia Harvey, Evelyn Brewer, Keri-Ann Bridgeman, Antonia Harvey, Evelyn Morris, Mollie Wright, Aimee Self and Safiya Reda โ move from multiple characters while singing and dancing โฆ the press, death row murderesses, public and minor principals Mary Sunshine, Fred Casely, Fogarty and clerk.
The set is a simple and delightful black box, dressed with silvery drapes to rear, stage blocks and two chairs. The side walls display mock Chicago newspaper front pages declaring the various inmates’ alleged murdersโฆ Full credit must be given to the costume team of Wacky Wardrobe and the Wharf in-house teamโฆ flapper dresses to the fore, sharp suit for Flynn and suitably dweeby looks for Amos to mention a few.
โChicagoโ is a BIG show to put on with its physical demands especially, and iconic numbers, and Stage Coach delivers with aplomb here. Itโs a show that gives its audience everything โฆ passion, pathos, and prisonโฆ and โAll That Jazzโ.
No one knows why, apparently, but fish are dying in our canal; everyone says wait for the EA report, except for the fish. A town full of road works, burnt out buildings and roads which look like weโve suffered a doodlebug air raid, but thereโs glitch in the Matrix; itโs temporarily stopped chucking it down with a perpetual drizzle of ice rain, and I saw a cold early-rising hedgehog this morning. When I see my first hedgehog I assume spring might yet be on its way; chin up.
The Government (should you wish to call it that) has launched the first ever UK Town of Culture competition, and Devizes Town Council thinks weโre in for a chance here; best of luck with that! Town Councillors are looking to collaborate with local groups, organisations and individuals in putting together an Expression of Interest that showcases our amazing community spirit and the rich story we have to tell as a Town; thereโs work to be done!
Councillors are holding an initial meeting on Thursday 26th February at 6pm in the Assembly Room at the Town Hall and it is open to everyone who is interested in collaborating on this project. A big yes to this, whatever we can do to help …..without having to attend a town council meeting, just ask!
Meanwhile, rather than fix their problems, other town councils, like Melksham’s, are making national news sellotaping pictures of the journalists they donโt like very much onto punchballs for embarrassingly pathetic potshots, namely Joe McCann of Melksham News.
We have a good relationship with Joe at Melksham News here at Devizine; the butt of a seriously pathetic joke at Melksham Town Council simply for doing his job has seriously backfired. Donโt mess with the press, we stand united. Could this become a trend? I wonder who’s face might get onto a punchball at Devizes Town Council?!
Moi? I’d be honoured, mโlord!!
No, look, honest guv, or .gov.uk, Iโm here to help. I don’t want a medal, but think we can PROVE Devizes is actually a great place to live, and deserves to be a Town of Culture. There’s lots going on culturally. Iโm only here to tell you what, donโt give me the third degree simply for doing it in a satirical way, because it only serves a purpose; making this an entertaining read rather than a list of events, which you can find anyway, on our event calendar. Iโm nice, no, really!
So, last week of February: DOCAโs Festival of Winter Ales is at The Corn Exchange on Saturday 28th. Weโve previewed it, read further here and hope to see you there for a beer!
March
March is a bit dry, to be honest. Wiltshire Museum, though, begins the exhibit John Piper in the South Country which opens on Saturday 7th March and runs until the 7th June. I hope to be at the opening ceremony and will report my findings.
Sir Alan Ayckbournโs How the Other Half Loves opens at The Wharf Theatre on Monday 16th March, running until the 21st. Thereโs a comedy night at the Corn Exchange on Friday 20th, and Jimmy Royal & the Regals play Long Street Blues Club on the 21st, so things are starting to look up.
The first โBig Oneโ in Devizes is at the end of March, when Kingston Media host The Bands By The Green, on the Saturday 28th. In support of Julianโs House, they promise a family afternoon of live music from 1:30pm, featuring Charlie Greenwood, Kelly Dale, This Way Up, Simplicity, Crackerjack, and Foo Lizzy. Tickets HERE.
Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race starts at the wharf on Friday 3rd, and someone was recently complaining this doesnโt attract much attention, so weโre mentioning it here, donโt blame me!!
By the 5th itโs Easter, find lots going on from our updating events calendar, but behold, an Easter Egg Hunt at Hillworth Park.
Friday 10th sees Devizes Music Academy present Sister Act at The Corn Exchange, which runs until the 12th.
Tuesday night out, anyone? Long Street Blues Club were instrumental in helping establish King King in their early days and this superb band is now firmly established as one of the premier Blues Rock acts in the country. They return to the Devizes Corn Exchange on Tuesday 21st.
May
The annual Cancer Research Car Boot Sale at Stert Country House starts off May, on Saturday 16th, unless thereโs anything Iโve missed? The event calendar updates, this will not, so please, bookmark it into your favourites and check in regularly, because the further we get into the year, the less events we currently know about. This is a teaser of whatโs to come, do not, I repeat, do not, get your summer dresses and sun hats on just yet!
Saturday 23rd sees two new DOCA events, Out & About, where they look at acts in the Community, and the DOCA Festival of Discovery. More to follow on these, but save the date.
Friday 29th sees The Wharf Acting Coโs Whoโs Play is it Anyway, the show theyโre taking to the Edinburgh Fringe; this is an exclusive sneaky peak. More on this HERE, plus Lou Coxโs Having a Baby and the Sh!t They Donโt Tell You in Books, also appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe, of which you can also catch at the Wharf Theatre on Saturday 30th.
The Devizes Arts Festival kicks off the same weekend, and it is Rowdefest on Saturday 30th; we had a great time with this last year, and this year looks to be just as great if not more. Barrelhouse headline, with the sublime Ruby Darbyshire; handpicked by me personally!
June
Devizes Arts Festival, runs until June 14th; hereโs everything we know so far, well nearly everything; thereโs a surprise Iโve been told to button my lip about. They trust me too much! Monday 1st June Anthony Horowitz: A Life in Murder, Tuesday 2nd, Patrick Grant in Conversation, Thursday 4th, Hot Mess, and Friday 5th sees the Robert Vincent Band, and Milton Jones on Friday 12th June; thatโs all we have for now, watch this space.
Saturday June 13th sees the Wiltshire Steam & Vintage Rally returning to Park Farm near Devizes. Sunday 14th is the Devizes Lions family funday and car show, Lions on The Green.
July
Ooh, got a big one here for you! July kicks off Saturday 4th with the awaited return of CrownFest at The Crown in Bishopโs Cannings, and this one looks unmissable, with more artists being added all the time. The current poster weโve got needs updating, I believe Ruby is coming and a host of others. Iโm looking forward to Ant Trouble, because I picked this one, Stand and Deliver, your ticket money or your life!!
But the month is jam-packed; Town of Culture, box ticked! Saturday 11th and it is the most unique festival around these parts; FullTone. If a sixty piece orchestra playing out of their new location on Park Farm doesnโt quite tempt you enough, The Wurzels and Jason Donovan might! Preview HERE; gorgeous, darling!
Friday 17th sees the Classic Ibiza thang at Bowood House. Saturday 18th and youโll find Devizes Vegan Market, aptly in the Market Place. Sunday 19th and abracadabra; DOCA will transform Hillworth Park into a Magic Garden.
But, hey, this one is going to be big and needs your attention! Park Farm Festival returns for it’s second year on Saturday 18th. Lovely as this was last time, it needs you. More universal and family appeal than last year, Jon Amor Trio is playing, with well, look at the poster, look, and read our preview!
Friday 24th, and itโs the legendary Devizes Scooter Rally– all weekend! A fantastic event, you donโt need a scooter, but some dancing shoes are essential footwear. You will love All That Soulโs sublime Motown makeovers, and thereโs a Blondie tribute, a separate venue for those talc dusters and lots of good time reggae and ska.
August
As I said earlier, weโve lots more to add and lots more to find out about, so keep this frequency clear, and love Devizine. You can go to a meeting to etch out a plan to make Devizes a town of culture, but itโs me here, on me tod, typing this out for your attention; donโt you forget about us!
So, letโs rush through what little we know about the later months; Saturday 29th August is Confetti Battle & Colour Rush. Monday 31st will, of course, be Black Rat Monday at The British Lion in which you are duty-bound to attend!
September
Saturday 5th is Devizes Carnival.
Devizes Food and Drink Festival is on from Saturday September 19th to Sunday Sept 27th. The festival is run and managed locally, entirely by volunteers and will offer 20+ original food and drink experiences, kicking off with an Artisan Producer Market in the Market Place on the 19th and finishing with the World Food Tasting Experience on Sunday 27th in the Corn Exchange.
The rest of our event calendar is looking blank. Help me fill them in as we go, and hereโs looking to a fantastic 2026, town of culture award, or not, we strive on, we know Devizes is great!
After much deliberation, Devizine is to pull out of any further organisation of the Wiltshire Music Awardsโฆ..
It has not been an easy decision, and I remain super-proud of what Ed and I achieved last year, getting this special occasion off the ground. The Wiltshire Music Awards takes complex organisation. Therefore, I feel I cannot commit to the workload involved this year effectively enough for what the event deserves whilst continuing to run Devizine too.
Obviously, I’m still dedicated to supporting and promoting the Wiltshire Music Awards through Devizine for this and subsequent years. I also still believe it’s a very worthy cause, highlighting what a fantastic live music scene we have in Wiltshire and rewarding those who continue to contribute to it.
Eddie Prestidge of Stone Circle Music Events said, โwe want to publicly thank Darren for the time, effort, and genuine passion he has poured into the awards and into the wider Wiltshire music scene. The spirit of collaboration and encouragement heโs brought has helped shape what this event stands for; celebrating local talent, lifting one another up, and strengthening our creative community.โ
Nominations for this yearโs Wiltshire Music Awards will open on 1st May. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Eddie, who has been a pleasure and an inspiration to work with, as I am certain we will maintain the same good working relationship for the future awards and many other events. And to wish all the best for the future of the Wiltshire Music Awards.
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 often supported by local partners like the Black Swan Hotel, which provided the pancakes, and the Devizes Rotary Club, pancake races in Devizes were an annual occasion, aptly on Pancake Day.
Originally held in the Market Place and shifted over to Hillworth Park in later years, you may have fond memories of trying to win a running race, giggling whilst tossing pancakes in frying pans, but these days it all seems to be lost; correct me if I’m wrong, you usually do!
What happened to pancake races in Devizes? Was it stopped during the lockdown? Seems not, the last one I can find evidence of was in 2015, and appeared on a now archived blog called Devizes Days.
Was it stopped because of health and safety reasons? Sounds possible, but other towns, such as Bradford-on-Avon, continue the tradition. Why not Devizes?
I mean, hey, if you want to get technical, the indulgence of Pancake Day is that final day of feasting before fasting for Lent, and being everyone stuffs pancakes but no one actually fasts, maybe the powers that be got a bit over zealous with punishment for our sins?!
Or, perhaps, and most likely, it’s just because everyone has too much to do in their daily rat race to organise a pancake race, which is a sad sign of the times. You know, kids don’t know how to play conkers anymore? Could pancake races be just as obsolete? Or could we revive it? I’d be happy to help, provided there’s sugar and lemon juice.
I feel sorry for the kids today; “No, you can’t have social media!”
“Can we run around tossing pancakes then?”
“Absolutely no chance!!”
I mean, we’d probably have to have frying pans made from foam and a soft landing surface. Pancakes would probably need to be dairy free, and disclaimers would need parent signatures, and failing to find a location to do this might result in the whole thing being played out in Minecraft, but still, it’s a thought. Do let me know yoursโฆ..who stopped pancake races, and why?!
Now, you know when you see a fundraising advert and think, I’d like to raise some wonga for this or that cause, but further reading reveals you’re expected to take on an extreme mission like trekking the Great Wall on a unicycle made from coat hangers, or scaling Everest in just clogs and your wife’s undercrackers? Well, this one is a smidgen easier, and it’s something Devizions take great pride in accomplishingโฆ..
Yes, the end of February is nigh, when Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts asks the good folk of Devizes to raise some needed funds, which they inevitably pump back into a system supplying said good folk with a year of free events such as carnival and the Winter Festival, so it’s for their own benefit. And all they need to do to help is drink fine ale and enjoy some quality entertainment. Throw down the gauntlet, why don’t you DOCA, and roll out the barrel, for this is a challenge I’m confident both you and I can really get behind!
This happens annually at The Corn Exchange, and this year’s is on Saturday 28th February. I’m told a fair amount of tickets are still up for grabs, so after reading this don’t vegetate playing Royal Match on your phone, put it to good use and buy yourself a pass to The Festival of Winter Ales. And here’s seven darn good (or at least reasonable) reasons why I think you should:
As usual the event is divided into two sessions, one of quieter reflection for the true ale connoisseur in the afternoon, and the evening more lively session, for the party people; how amicable and considerate.
Equifinal, though, is pies, and the extensive range of booze, from the dark ales experts of The Southgate and Stealth Brew Co, to IPAs, American pale ales, ciders, perry, and, if you donโt mind handing your hard-earned cash to TVโs tax-avoiding billionaire gammon, Clarkson, the Pour House brings Hawkstone Lager!
Also predetermined whatever session you rock up to, is a raffle, and Social Club Cabaret starring puppeteer and self-acclaimed all-round nutter Dik Downey, some aerialโfusion salsa with Amy G, and The Amazing Malcolm, who may or may not be the same amazing Malcolm who runs Stealth Brewery, but if it is, I want at least half of my money back; bless him!
Everyone’s favourites, and who certainly gets my seal of approval, Talk in Code are headlining the evening session, with their unique take on indie-pop originals, although I’m informed they recently took vow of beverage abstinence and said I could drink all their beer.
Those immortalised in Lego lads, Talk in Code are supported by The Wholesome Soul Trio, regulars at The Southgate, and though Iโve yet to tick them off my must-see list, Iโve heard nothing but good things about their classic playlist of soul and funk with improvised solos.
Even the afternoon session looks intriguing, as Iโve not heard of either act, but singer Amy Irvine is accompanied by local legend John E. Wright, so must be doing something Wright! And A Call from Tomorrow are a young indie covers duo from Wiltshire we wish the very best of luck.
And the last good reason is that physical tickets are available to purchase at Devizes Books; so you could treat yourself to a copy of my outrageous murder-mystery whodunnit-whocares novel while youโre there!!
A gameshow unlike any other is set to take local actors to the world stage. The Wharf Theatre is proud to present the debut of a brand-new show, “Whose Play is it Anyway?”
Set to enjoy a week-long run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2026 from August 17th to the 22nd, this innovative original production offers a fresh perspective on contemporary storytelling, using a gameshow format to explore a range of devised, scripted and improvised pieces, many created by the talented cast themselves. As part of the game, each performance order will be left to chance, creating a unique experience every time.
Join your host, Barry Ruffles and his glamorous assistant, Jenny Flannel as they present 18 pieces of theatre in 50 minutes; all you have to do is guess the genre, playwright or year to win a speedboat, cuddly toy or a holiday for two on the Isle of Fernando!
Prior to the Fringe, the show will preview at the Wharf Theatre, Devizes, running from 29th to the 30th May, Bristolโs Alma Tavern and the Shaftesbury Art Centre; giving West Country audiences an opportunity to experience the production ahead of its official festival run.
Whether youโre a seasoned Fringe attendee or a first-time visitor, Whose Play Is It Anyway promises to entertain. The show will be performed at the SpaceUK, located at the heart of Edinburghโs bustling festival district. Tickets are available from [Ticket Provider] and can be purchased online or at the venue box office.
Lou Cox, director of The Wharf Acting Company, who perform & devised this show, is also taking her solo show, Having a Baby and The Sh!t They Donโt Tell You in Books, for a week at the Edinburgh Fringe. Inspired by the loss of her baby girl, Lou described the play as a โcomedic and brutally honest one-woman show which gifts audiences an emotional, and at times highly entertaining, whirlwind of witty anecdotes and graphic storytelling, with an ending no mother could ever imagine.โ And this one too will be performed at The Wharf Theatre, also running from 29th to the 30th May, of which the previous run was reviewed by Helen, HERE.
Are you sitting down, as this may come as a shock? Residents of the Springfield Road estate in Rowde should be feeling rather privileged at the moment, as bucking the countywide trend of having roads which look like Mars has suffered a doodlebug air-raid, it’s actually been resurfaced!
Not all of them seem satisfied they’ve the only road in the county which is, comparatively, as smooth as a baby’s botty though, and have taken to their local Facebook group, Rowde all About it, to whinge about the inconvenience of waiting an extra day before work could commence due to poor weather, as they probably would’ve whinged about the state of the road beforehand! Awl, that’s Facebook for you; an adult’s playground for venting Karen’s petty fury.
The operation has run just as smooth, with jolly-faced roadworkers jumping at the opportunity to move some cones and allow residents access; it breaks up the monotonous teabreaks. One resident lightened the mood on the Facebook group by suggesting offering them tea and chocolate digestives was key to their friendly attitude, though we’ve no proof of this because I’m keeping all my biscuits for myself.
It is, though, quite a delight to drive on a road in Wiltshire without worrying for your wheel alignment and suspension, if a smidgen eerie. And, of course, once you’ve got to the main road it’s back to the usual sensation of cycling a penny-farthing over a lunar landscape, but hey, for a moment there it’s driving heaven.
Okay, so a few motorist residents didn’t read the social media posts nor see the cones and massive signs stating no parking for the duration of the repair, leaving sweeping gaps untreated, but they finally caught on, moved them, and the roadworkers are rubbing their hands together for a Sunday bonus; all is well.
Residents are advised to drive slowly across the new tarmac, to delay in its inevitable dilapidation. It’s a flipping housing estate, for crying out loud! An estate with the rare blessing in modern times, whereby children can still play relatively safely outside, so it’s in everyone’s best interests to drive through it with caution in the first bloody place!
Bearing in mind this is a busy estate, where some residents are in the habit of parking wherever the hell they fancy, despite the inconvenience it may cause for other residents, and those headless chicken non-residents swerving through, using it as a short cut to avoid Marsh Lane.
Thereโs an ever- increasing population using Springfield Road, accumulating by the questionable requirements of gradually extending the estate with further Lego houses, when it would’ve been far better to accept the expansion was inevitable years ago, and build it a new access road from the other side of the school; but planning is for other counties.
Not forgoing the colossal construction traffic used to bring these part-built monstrosities past the school gates and playpark without pavements, and through the already busy estate, leaving people wondering how the area obtained such dilapidated roads in the first place!
But not only is the road smooth, for a moment in time, there’s the additional Facebook group story of a rogue โcarerโ who apparently โdrives like a maniac,โ revealing their misdoings by apparently telling the road workers to โf-off,โ which kind of makes it all worthwhile being in the group, and should remain as a stern message to all roadworkers not to piss off carers, because theyโve got caring to do, god dammit, and if anyone gets in their way of caring, wellโฆ.
devizine.com 