Tag: entertainment

Henge Frontman Matthew C. Whitaker Solo Tour Comes to Frome

Featured Image: Antony Barkworth-Knight

Despite intentionally making his tricks go wrong, Tommy Cooper was actually a skilled magician and member of The Magic Circle. SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biologist, and Benny Hill really was a milkman. In order to deride an art effectively you must first master it. It therefore stands to reason Matthew C. Whitaker, frontman of the cosplay prog-rave outfit HENGE, also has some highly acclaimed solo material….

Matthew takes his February album Songs for the Weary on the road solo this October, opening in Belgium and the Netherlands before touring across the UK, including Frome’s Cheese & Grain’s sister venue The Tree House on Wednesday 21st October.

The one and only time I’ve seen Henge was at the Cheese, making haste for the county border after fondly reviewing their album Journey to Voltus B last year, and it was a gig I’d need to be abducted and lobotomised to forget. Matthew’s solo material can be equally as cosmic, as it drifts through gentle pieces for classical guitar, lush string arrangements, and subtle electronics, but it also contrasts vastly, and is a particularly mellower experience than Henge.

There’s cool jazz sax, whistles, fingerpicked guitar and delicate yet quirky observations in these hushed and patient patterns, taking you along with it as it drifts through space. Songs for the Weary has found a home on BBC Radio 6 Music, with singles Lucid Dreamer and Chestnut Tree championed by Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Craig Charles, and Deb Grant.

The run follows a widely praised set of UK and European dates earlier this year, when Whitaker was joined on stage by the album’s producer and multi-instrumentalist Alan Keary. This time, he takes to the stage completely solo.

Manchester-based musician and composer Matthew sings about losing a train of thought, which is apt, it twinkles through you like Bowie at his most exquisite or Paul’s later work with The Beatles, backed by Peter, Paul and Mary, for an episode of Button Moon.

And before you say it, milkman is an art; it can take years to master the three-bottle-grip whilst being chased by an enraged Yorkshire terrier up a garden path.

More info on Matthew C. Whitaker

The UK tour dates look like this:

11/10/26 – Lancaster Music Festival, Lancaster

13/10/26 – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow

14/10/26 – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh

18/10/26 – Storyhouse, Chester

19/10/26 – The Bullingdon, Oxford

20/10/26 – Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester

21/10/26 – The Tree House, Frome

24/10/26 – The Grand, Clitheroe

26/10/26 – The Hare And Hounds, Birmingham

27/10/26 – Signature Brew, London

29/10/26 – Amped, Huddersfield

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Ruby Darbyshire: God is Offline

Wiltshire singer-songwriter Ruby Darbyshire, you’re most likely familiar with, unless you joined Devizine family reader’s circle today, has a new song on YouTube, one she’s…

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Milton Jones; Deadpan in Devizes

Mock the Week’s recurring panellist and Radio 4 comedian Milton Jones stood on the stage of Devizes Corn Exchange on Friday, with the setter, “it’s great to be here, in the past!” And thereafter, everything which came from his mouth was utterly hilarious. Thank you Devizes Arts Festival, a fine chortling choice; I’m still chuckling now…..

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 might’ve offset these London comedians, who seemingly learnt no lesson from the backfiring of Francis Grose’s quips which spawned the moonraker fable. Yet, with the timing perfection of Spike Milligan, God of Funny, Milton could’ve said anything you’d 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 generation’s 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 couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the absurdity of his thought-process. I’m 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, “isn’t it awkward when…” or in evaluating the audience’s 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 I’d just ruin them; Milton is proof delivery is the crucial element.

The first support, Dave Vaughn, however either failed to assess the audience or didn’t have the arsenal prepped to adapt. What might’ve appealed to his peers, a younger city audience didn’t wash here unfortunately. Maths, a subject he came out with, was mildly amusing, but this matured audience isn’t 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 weren’t 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 “yeah,” to compensate for “please giggle,” 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, “isn’t it awkward when…”

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 I’ve 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.

Stone Circle Music Events Wiltshire Music Awards 2025: Programme

Less than a week to go until the first ever Stone Circle Music Events’ Wiltshire Music Awards at the Corn Exchange, Devizes. We’re not printing a programme of events, so here’s everything you need to know about the ceremony this coming weekend….exciting, isn’t it?!

Firstly, all tickets have now sold out, sorry! But if you’re coming or not, there will be a free warm up party on Friday 24th October at the Three Crowns Devizes, where we will be entertained by the incredible George Wilding. Everyone is welcome!

And now onto Awards Ceremony on Saturday 25th October 2025.

The doors open at 17:30pm. The bar will be open, and we have scrumptious tucker available from Soupchick. Chilli beef or vegan alternative with rice, with nachos, cheese, sour cream and guacamole toppings; £7:50 for a bowl, I’m in!

Please arrive as soon as possible so we can get everyone seated. There will be music in the hall. I’ve come over all Jive Bunny, and created a mega-mix of local music! I’ve tried to display the diversity and quality of the Wiltshire Music Scene and cram as many songs as I can into one hour; it’s been no easy task.

Being I accept you’ll all be chatting rather than listening, I’m kinda proud of my virtual DJ skills, so for prosperity I’ve leave the mix here so you can listen at your own risk!

Tracks are listed here; apologies if your song isn’t there, I tried to include as many as possible.

Jamie R Hawkins – Not Going Anywhere, Gaz Brookfield – Tale of Gunner Haines, Tamsin Quin – Home, Griffiths & Hollingsworth – Ocean, Andrew Hurst – Tower of Fallen Heroes, Timid Deer – Shallows, Kirsty Clinch – Stay With Us, Deadlight Dance – Samurai Sunset, Will Lawton & Ludwig Mack – Atlantic ‘O, M3G – Waiting, Phil Cooper – Bijou, Concrete Prairie – I Wish You Well, JP Oldfield – Magpie, Jol Rose – Make Some Hay, Thieves – I’m Coming Back, S’Go – King of The Fairies, Sarah C Ryan Band – Woman in White The Worried Men – Manacle Alley, Junkyard Dogs – Suzie Q, Deadlight Dance – Love Will Tear Us Apart, The First Book of English Magic – Richard Wileman, Barrelhouse – Mainline Voodoo, Aural Candy & Sienna Wileman – Mirrorball, Jon Amor – Peppercorn, Daisy Chapman – Waterloo Sunset, Canute’s Plastic Army – Hollow Children of Men, George Wilding – Dirty Dream Balloon, Ruby Darbyshire – Don’t Give Up Now, 41 Fords – Emily, Liddington Hill – Maid of Mayhem, Ursa Way – Chasing the Sun, Boot Hill All Stars – Night Bus, I See Orange – Doll Guts, The Belladonna Treatment – Bits of Elation, NervEndings – Democracy Manifest, Nothing Rhymes with Orange – Monday,  Talk in Code – All In, Cephid – Terminus, Subject A – Paradise.

Now, the Awards Ceremony begins at 18:30…. on the dot!

Please make sure you are seated by 18:20. If this sounds all a bit like orders barked at you from your cub scout leader, there’s good reason: We’ve got a lot to squeeze in, and secondly, you don’t want to miss the opening of the show, believe me!!

We’re not revealing our very special guest opening the show, so don’t even try bribing me with booze! Then you’ll meet the hosts, DJ Mark Anthony and myself.

Stone Circle Wiltshire Music Awards Event Schedule

18:30: Opening Act (Nope Still not Telling!)

1. Best Music Venue

2. Best DJ

3. Best Covers Band

Live Performance: Britpop Boys

There’s a champagne supernova trip back to the nineties with The Britpop Boys, renowned for blasting those sing-a-long anthems across the county and beyond. 

1. Best Drummer

2. Best Bassist

3. Best Guitarist

4. Best Duo

Live Performance – Match Box Mutiny

Ben Borrill and Pat Ward, aka Matchbox Mutiny, will be there, the lively Devizes-based duo who never fail to charm.

1. Best Original Band

2. Best Tribute Artist

Live Performance – Burn the Midnight Oil

Devizes own Burn The Midnight Oil will be playing. They’ve come so far in such a short space of time with their own brand of breezy blues-rock, and they’ve a new song to play us; we’re excited to see them perform.

1. Best Solo Female Artist

2. Best Solo Male Artist

Live Performance – George Wilding

Our lovable legend George Wilding is a name most of you should know, and he’s coming to play a few songs, of course he is!

1. Best Original Song

2. Rising Star Newcomer

3. Best Instrumental

4. Best Vocalist

Live Performance – Jolyon Dixon and Rachel Sinnetta

Then there’s Salisbury-based Joylon Dixon and Rachel Sinnetta – a duo who raised the roof off the Three Crowns recently, but I knew it was coming as Rachel’s supreme vocal range and Joylon’s professional accompanying will enthral all.

1. Outstanding Contribution to the Wiltshire Music Scene

2. Outstanding Contribution to Music in the Community

3. Special Awards (1)

Live Performance – Lucas Hardy

Award winning Lucas Hardy is coming too. Loved on the Salisbury circuit, Lucas will delight you, for what will be, I believe, his first time playing in Devizes; I could be wrong!

1. Special awards (2)

2. Lifetime Achievement Award

Live Performance: Nothing Rhymes with Orange

Devizes homegrown indie-rock phenomenon Nothing Rhymes With Orange will polish off the evening. They created a storm locally a few years ago as a teen sensation, the likes of which I claimed to be the “Beatlemania of Devizes!” Now studying together at Bristol Uni, their popularity has spread nationwide. Back home they have inspired a new generation to form bands, and we welcome them back delighted.

Image: Gail Foster

Evening closes around 11:30pm, when you have my permission to drag me down to the Exchange nightclub below and buy me a Bacardi Breezer!

I look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday, and I hope you all enjoy the evening.

I would like to thank our sponsors: Stone Circle Music Events. Trowbridge Motor Supplies. DJ Mark Anthony. VB Art Studios. The Three Crowns Devizes. Don’t Stop The Music Radio Show. Our guest announcers, Ian and the staff at the Corn Exchange, Devizes Books, and Fantasy Radio.

RowdeFest 2025!

Okay, I can’t keep the secret any longer or I’ll pop! While all the hard work is being organised by a lovely committee, because they showered me with biscuits I’ve been doing the easy bits of arranging some live music and designing a poster for Rowde Fest 2025…..

It’s happening on Saturday 31st May from 1-7pm, it’s free, you can roly-poly down Dunkirk Hill, and join our village family fete-like festival at the Rowde Small Playing Field (next to the church); no pressure, but I think you’ll like it!

Burn The Midnight Oil

Already confirmed we have music from Thieves, Adam Woodhouse’s marvellous Americana quartet. With a village connection, the most wonderful new band on everyone’s lips, Burn The Midnight Oil are playing too. The incredible Sarah C Ryan Band are up for it, and local legend Andrew Hurst is also on the blossoming line-up.

Sarah C Ryan Band

And I believe we may have some super-duper, and I mean super, surprises, like, “possibly” the best indie pop band in Wiltshire, and acoustic god, and oh, did I say it’s super-duper?!

Hold the front page!! More great acts to be confirmed!

Update: Wiltshire’s finest indie-pop band Talk In Code have just confirmed; you’ll love these guys!

Thieves

There’s Devizes Jubilee Morris dancers, children’s activities, face painting, food and drink and side stalls, and more. You all should know by now Rowde has the best ice cream this side of Italy, so yes, Rowdey Cow are sure to be there.

Talk in Code

It is all free, but, you lovely people, we really need some kind donations on the gate, if you can, so we can ensure we can make it an annual occasion.

If you’ve an idea for a side stall, please let us know and I’ll pitch it to the committee, they don’t bite, or at least I’ve seen no evidence of it yet.

Andrew Hurst

I’m even over-excited to share the poster with you! Subject to alterations, as if I could possibly find any more room on it for other acts yet to confirm, the poster has been collated by me, but is also the fine artistic work of three pupils from Rowde Academy. So a huge thank you to Luca Dowling, Theo Doherty, and Lila Ransome for their inspirational pictures, which were incorporated into our poster.

I look forward to seeing you there; you are coming, right? Here’s the Facebook event page thingy. It wouldn’t be the same without you.

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JAZZ – Our Local Guide

Andy Fawthrop All That Jazz – Nice! D-Town certainly punches above its weight when it comes to providing a vibrant and varied music scene.  It…

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