Tag: festivals

Big Ones: The Major Events in Devizes This Year

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 we’ve suffered a doodlebug air raid, but there’s glitch in the Matrix; it’s 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 we’re 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; there’s 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 don’t 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. Don’t 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, m’lord!!

No, look, honest guv, or .gov.uk, I’m 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. I’m only here to tell you what, don’t 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. I’m nice, no, really!

So, last week of February: DOCA’s Festival of Winter Ales is at The Corn Exchange on Saturday 28th. We’ve 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 Ayckbourn’s How the Other Half Loves opens at The Wharf Theatre on Monday 16th March, running until the 21st. There’s 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 “Big One” in Devizes is at the end of March, when Kingston Media host The Bands By The Green, on the Saturday 28th. In support of Julian’s 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.

April

April kicks off creepy and kooky, mysterious, spooky, and all together ooky when Devizes Musical Theatre’s Addams Family Musical comes to Dauntsey’s.

Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race starts at the wharf on Friday 3rd, and someone was recently complaining this doesn’t attract much attention, so we’re mentioning it here, don’t blame me!!

By the 5th it’s 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 there’s anything I’ve 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 what’s 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 Co’s Who’s Play is it Anyway, the show they’re taking to the Edinburgh Fringe; this is an exclusive sneaky peak. More on this HERE, plus Lou Cox’s Having a Baby and the Sh!t They Don’t 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; here’s everything we know so far, well nearly everything; there’s a surprise I’ve 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; that’s all we have for now, watch this space.

John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett at Long Street Blues Club on Monday 8th. 

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 Bishop’s Cannings, and this one looks unmissable, with more artists being added all the time. The current poster we’ve got needs updating, I believe Ruby is coming and a host of others. I’m 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 doesn’t 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 you’ll 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 it’s the legendary Devizes Scooter Rally – all weekend! A fantastic event, you don’t need a scooter, but some dancing shoes are essential footwear. You will love All That Soul’s sublime Motown makeovers, and there’s a Blondie tribute, a separate venue for those talc dusters and lots of good time reggae and ska.

August

As I said earlier, we’ve 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 it’s me here, on me tod, typing this out for your attention; don’t you forget about us!

So, let’s 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 here’s looking to a fantastic 2026, town of culture award, or not, we strive on, we know Devizes is great!

Minety Music Festival Announce Headliners; The Bluetones and Dub Pistols

The mighty mighty Minety Music Festival announced The Bluetones as their Sunday headliner at their Eames Laurie Main Stage, and The Dub Pistols on the Saturday…..

It’s not unspoken, we LOVE Minety Music Festival here at Devizine and don’t care who knows! It never fails to attract with some superb renowned names, and then throws in a plethora of local acts either established or upcoming, and in doing so creates a marvellous atmosphere where local music is supported via the followings of international headliners.

Formed in London in 1996 by Barry Ashworth, the Dub Pistols are a renowned British collective fusing dub, reggae, ska, hip-hop, and electronic music, and the party rockers will be headlining the Saturday.

“We’re super excited and have wanted to bring The Dub Pistols to Minety for around three years,” chief organiser Rich Swatton tells us, “and this time, the stars have finally aligned. If you know, you know, and if you don’t know… speak to someone who knows. You’re going to love this!”

The Bluetones first came to prominence in 1995, when their debut release ‘Are You Blue Or Are You Blind?’ broke into the top 40. The single proved to be the launching pad for a run that saw 14 hit singles and 6 albums follow on from it. They headline Sunday.

The Bluetones, formed in Hounslow, are made up of brothers Mark & Scott Morriss, alongside Adam Devlin and Eds Chesters, enjoyed considerable UK and Ireland successes, extending out across into Europe and Japan, before taking a hiatus in 2011 that lasted for 4 years. Since then they have re-established themselves as one of the UK’s most consistently entertaining live acts, regularly touring their extensive catalogue to their army of devoted fans.

2024 saw the release of the first new Bluetones material in 14 years; a renaissance that saw the four original band members take in the summer festivals, before a full UK tour in the autumn/winter of 2024.

The release of ‘London Weekend Television’ in 2025 saw them reaffirm themselves as indie-pop royalty, and 2026 sees the band celebrate the 30th anniversary of Platinum selling album ‘Expecting To Fly’, famed for hit singles, such as ‘Bluetonic’, ‘Slight Return’ and Cut Some Rug’.

“We can’t wait to welcome them to Minety Music Festival, for the very first time,” Rich said, “you’re in for a real treat!”

Minety is near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, and is happening from 2nd-5th July 2026. Tickets only available from: www.minetyfestival.co.uk/buy-tickets

Bradford-on-Avon Green Man Festival Returns In May

Experience the Bradford on Avon Green Man Festival, a vibrant, family-friendly community gathering featuring traditional dance, music, song, and folklore throughout the town centre on Saturday 10th May 2025 (9.30am to 6pm). And the best part is, it’s free!

Witness over 50 dance groups, including 500 dancers and 120 musicians, featuring Morris dancing and diverse European styles.

Join the whimsical journey of our 10ft tall Jack in the Green and Jill in the Green, visiting 12 town centre venues with bands and fantasy beasts.

You’ll also discover the kid’s zone, artisan market, community hub, pagan arts and crafts.

Groove to a samba band, mummers’ play, Folk Club stage, Wiltshire Music Centre stage at Holy Trinity Church, a great venue with fantastic acoustics, Blues @ The Shoes stage, live pub music with English folk music in The Canal Tavern organised by the regular BoA session players, The Dandy Lion hosting an Appalachian session, French music outside in the sun at Timbrell’s Yard, buskers and more!

A Friday night launch party at the Wiltshire Music Centre is always a great start to the festival. This year it is on Friday 9th May, and they’ve booked the fantastic John Martyn Project.

The full programme is available on the BoA Green Man Festival website: boagreenmanfest.org

The BoA Green Man Festival has something for everyone – so dress up for the day and really get into the swing of things.

Date: Saturday 10 May 2025

Time: 9.30am to 6pm

Location: Across Bradford on Avon

Website: boagreenmanfest.org/welcome/

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The Rise of Winter Festivals

Once upon a time it seemed to me, that folk would grin and bear the winter weather for the sake of a Christmas lights switching on type of event, then batten down the hatches and hibernate like hedgehogs until spring. Nowadays you need not wait till summer for music festivals; winterfests are a thing…..

For those who cannot wait for the blossoming, and need a big fix of music and arts right now, here’s some local winter festivals to unravel their scarves and remove their bobble hats:

Bradford Roots Festival

Firstly, a well established winter occasion, Bradford Roots Festival at the wonderful Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon. This is happening as a Saturday only event this year, on the 18th January. Our Andy reported on this one some years ago, and I snatched coverage of it off him, realising the “Roots” in its title refers more to hosting local acts of a variety of genres, not just a folk festival as it might be wrongly conceived as. It has become something of an unmissable winter local music convention, especially feeling like this being housed under the one roof of this purpose-built venue.

Wiltshire Music Centre are leaking names for the lineup individually on their Facebook page, the incredible Becky Lawrence being the first reveal. You can rest assured, though, based on past experience, this will be a who’s-who of local acts, over five stages. WIth an open mic stage, late-night transatlantic folk sessions, a family-friendly daytime with Wassail and children’s arts and crafts, food & drink, a mini maker’s market, and more, this is a delightfully warming occasion. You can choose from an All Day ticket (11am – 10.00pm) or an Evening Session ticket (7pm – 10.00pm) £25 / £13.50 All Day, £12 / £7 Evening. U12 free with an adult. 

Devizes International Blues Festival

Same date, different town, if Devizes has a penchant for the blues, luckily supports the Long Street Blues Club which hosts international blues artists, and the current Mayor Ian Hopkins is the organiser of the club, you can trust when it comes to the compulsory organisation of Mayor’s Appeal events it’s going to be a blast.    

Saturday 18th January sees the first Devizes Blues Festival inside the Corn Exchange. It promises “to create an intimate blues club in the Ceres Hall around tables and seating is just limited to 250 guests.” One of the greatest contemporary blues guitarists hailing from the south side of Chicago, Toronto Cannon, Nora Jean Wallace, a Chicago blues singer with deep Delta roots, John Primer, one of the kings of Chicago blues and original guitarist in Muddy Waters’ band, singer Oscar Wilson and harmonica genius Giles Robson, you can guarantee have been cherry-picked by the expertise of Long Street. Tickets on sale now. £50.00 in advance.

DOCA Festival of Winter Ales

If the Blues Festival is new to Devizes, of course the town has had a winter festival for a number of years, and surprise, surprise, it’s all about booze! The DOCA fundraising WInter of Festive Ales is on Saturday 15th February, early bird tickets are up for grabs and it’s vital to the future of DOCA to support this, if you can. There will be a massive selection of beers and ciders to try with some quality music and cabaret to entertain you, we just don’t know what they are yet!

Figgle Winter Festival

While I confess, there’s still a lot of updating to our event calendar to be done to bring 2025 to full fruition, and no doubt details of more winter festivals will come to light. Events like Figgle Winter Fest on the 1st Feb at Figheldean Village Hall, with a great and varied lineup of All Floyd, Strange Folk, Break Cover, The P45s, Lump, The Zucchinis, and one of our favourite upcoming stars, Rosie Jay. 

Swinterfest

But it’s over to Swindon where we really need to concentrate, for the Swindon Shuffle is saving one big Christmas cracker for the end of January! The Shuffle offers us a scaled down in quantity but not quality version of their annual fundraiser for Prospect Hospice, on the weekend starting Thursday 30th January. Swinterfest is now a thing, and it looks set to warm live music in Swindon. The Shuffle really is a blessing late summer, when you can wander Old Town and beyond and discover so much live music it’s impossible to take it all in… and it’s free too, save for collection buckets for the hospice. It is therefore a safe bet Swinterfest will be off the scale awesome too!

Swinterfest is scaled down to one pub per day, saves wandering the nippy night air. Thursday at the Tuppenny with Courting Ghosts, Canutes Plastic Army, Will Lawton and George Wilding starts it off in style; we love all this with cherries on. Friday, the 31st Jan and it’s all down The Vic for a punkier gig with All Ears Avow, Modern Evils, Not Warriors, Adder and our personal pick of this bunch, I See Orange.

Saturday night at Swinterfest is down the Castle, with our picks Meg and Nothing Rhymes WIth Orange, and also new ones on us, Stay Lunar, Wild Isles, Oojah, The Vivas and more are promised too. Sunday is the Beehive’s turn to play host, with our recommendations being Subject A, SN Dubstation, Concrete Prairie, and Fly Yeti Fly, and newcomers to us, Joe Kelly, Carnival Saloon and Sebastian and Me. Swinterfest may be a new venture, but, well, look at the fantastic lineup, the choicest one of all; it beats a brown snowball in the chops, in my humble opinion! 

As I said, I’m sure more winter festivals will come to our attention as time moves on, so keep an eye on our event calendar, but for now I think that’s plenty to warm your cockles, and massively reduce those post Christmas winter blues.

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Fun Lovin’ Criminals to Headline Minety Music Festival

A Scooby snack-sized pinch punch, first day of the month came from Minety Music Festival this morning upon announcing their headliner for 2025, The Fun Lovin’ Criminals….

Set for the weekend of 3rd-6th July, the Saturday will see those infectious Fun Lovin’ Criminals headline the mainstage with their blend of cinematic hip-hop, rock ‘n’ roll, blues-jazz and latin-soul, stalwarts of the New York music scene since 1996.

Famed for the worldwide multi-platinum debut album Come Find Yourself, from which we all remember their famed Tarantino movie sampled single Scooby Snacks, the fun Lovin’ Criminals settled in the UK, performed an infamously raucous set at Glastonbury and have amassed six studio albums, two cover albums, and a triple live album. Their comical tales of music, drugs, crime and existential ennui as parts of life in the neon metropolis rewarded them Europe’s best-loved “cousins from New York.

Exciting news for this Wiltshire festival, but far from the only fun lovin’ thing about it. Yes, they grab some major headliners, but this community-driven, wonderful yet affordable festival supports a plethora of established and blossoming local acts, loads of side activities for all ages, and has this generally superb vibe, as I discovered when I dropped in for the Sunday this year, and felt from the one day alone, I’d found my spiritual nirvana; most well-organised, carefree festival around these parts by a country mile or two!

Addition: You could also be dancing in the moonlight with Top Loader, headlining the Sunday night at Minety!

Tickets are up for grabs HERE.

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Tickets for Calne Music & Arts Festival on Sale Now

Running from the 4th to 13th October, The Calne Music & Arts Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary, and tickets for the varied events are on sale now….

Arts Festival President Carole Browne said, “in the year that we celebrate our 50th anniversary, our Patron, Dame Judith Weir, who was composer in residence at the 1975 festival, will be handing the baton to another prestigious composer, Brett Dean, who will take up the position in 2025.”

“We are indeed fortunate to have so many musicians and artists who have made their home in Calne. This is a year of many anniversaries. 40 years ago the iconic Harris factory, established in 1770, which dominated the centre of Calne and became its biggest employer,was demolished. Joseph Priestley ‘discovered’ oxygen in Calne 250 years ago. We will mark these anniversaries with special concerts and a community art project featuring over 500 pigs, painted and decorated and on view all over the town.”

“An exhibition in the Heritage Centre throughout October will catalogue, with brochures and press cuttings, the past 50 years as well as featuring a selection of chosen piglets.”

As usual there will also be the art exhibition at Marden House, presenting hundreds of pieces from beginners to internationally exhibiting artists from in and around Calne. The exhibit is open at various times throughout the festival.

Festival week starts with a free family day at Marden House, on Saturday 5th, with a 360-degree immersive Theatre Dome experience, Calne Samba Band, Clare’s Circus, a variety of activities by Calne Wordfest, Music and Art workshops throughout the day, an art treasure hunt, stilt walker and more.

Irish Soprano Michelle Sheridan Grant and Scottish Bass-Baritone Peter Grant bring you an eclectic musical evening, also on the 5th. A Gala concert which will be followed by tea, The Ridgeway Ensemble – ‘Walk in Beauty’ on Sunday. There’s also a free life drawing session, and Evensong at St Marys. 

Accomplished soloist, passionate chamber musician and repetiteur for Opera Ddraig, George Fradley will perform Beethoven’s Sonata Op.109, Chopin’s Ballade No 4 and the Bach-Busoni Chaconne in D Minor, on Monday 7th October. Also The ‘Major Minors’ is a community choir bringing together children from primary schools in Calne and surrounding villages under the direction of Bethan Fryer. They will be joined by Cherhill Youth Theatre and the school choir of Heddington school on Monday. There’s “drink & draw” sessions, and Calne Wordfest Writers’ group joins the celebration of Priestley 250.

Tuesday 8th sees Music Scholars of St. Mary’s School, Calne, then some banjo with the Leon Hunt Trio. Wednesday an Art Talk by Gail Brown and Isla String Quartet. Thursday,  Music Scholars of Marlborough College and world music with Eastern Strings and Nabra Trio. Friday 11th sees a clarinet recital with local clarinettist Simon Parker, Opera Anywhere’s Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience.

Saturday 12th sees Australian now Calne artists Brett Dean and Heather Betts in conversation with Genevieve Sioka, an evening of traditional Andalusian Guitar and Flamenco dance with Flamenco Loco, Calne Choral’s Cloud Messenger from Gustav Holst Gloria-Vivaldi, and a grand finale party!

The Calne Music & Arts Festival box office is open now, you can see the full program and book tickets from HERE.

What else is occurring, dudes?!

Devizes Issues Wants You!

Dubiously biased and ruled with an iron fist, the mighty admin of the once popular Devizes Facebook group, Devizes Issues, is using the iconic Great…

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Lady Nade; Sober!

Dry January, anyone? Well, Lady Nade just plunged into an outdoor 4°C eucalyptus sauna for a social media reel. But whilst I’d require a stiff…

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Homestead; New Festival Coming to the South West from Husband and Wife team

A brand new festival will be coming to the South West countryside in 2025, from a husband and wife team with years of experience across some of the UK’s best-loved festivals…..

Homestead is the culmination of a decade of dreaming for Will and Jess Lardner, a Bristol based couple who have been running and working across many of the country’s most revered and groundbreaking festivals. Having honed their crafts creating incredible experiences for others, they are now launching their own creation and taking everything they have learned to create the perfect balance of hedonism, escapism and relaxation.

Combining music, food, comedy and luxury camping, Homestead will be an intimate weekend, exclusively for those over 25, allowing attendees a rare opportunity to get away from it all and take time for themselves down in the beautiful West Country. For those that want to let their hair down, there will be an impressive lineup of artists to dance the weekend away, whilst those wanting to reconnect with themselves can attend mind-broadening talks and wholesome workshops. Food will play a central role in Homestead, with a roster of respected chefs offering up delicious creations that will make you feel truly looked after with every bite. Comedy will be a late night, rowdy affair with some of the UK’s best comedians coming along for the ride. 

Speaking about Homestead, founder Will said, “We are creating something for those of us who are growing tired of the suffocating crowds and the homogenised festival landscape. Homestead will deliver a highly curated programme of music, food and comedy with the added bonus of something not usually associated with a festival… great service and an intimate crowd. We don’t want to say too much for now, but we can promise Homestead will be full of personal touches and amazing experiences!”

John Rostron the CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) had this to say, “It’s wonderful to see the green shoots of a new festival emerging, offering some hope for new energy and new audiences after one of the toughest periods for independent festivals that we’ve ever known. There’s an enormous appetite for festivals in the UK and what drives that demand is the refreshing of ideas, new innovations, and the constant joy in creativity that festivals like Homestead offer to everyone.” 

Pre-registration for Homestead is now open, with more information being revealed over the coming months. To be the first in the know, sign up www.homesteadfestival.co.uk

What Else is Occurring?

Rooks; New Single From M3G

Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward “E”) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunes…

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FullTone Festival and Scooter Rally; Big Weekend in Devizes

Next weekend (26th-28th July) is a biggie in our humble town, there’s the FullTone Festival on the Green, and Devizes Scooter Club revs up for their fourth Scooter Rally too. Which one is for you? Are they so obviously such vastly different events, your mind is made up already, or is it a dilemma of which to attend?

We cannot ignore the elephant in the room; do I think it’s a shame there’s a date clash on two of our best events in Devizes this summer? Yes, of course I do, but that’s the way the cookie crumbled, and here I intend in the order of fairness, to reason on both the differences and similarities between them, such that they attract different crowds.

Though both events differ, both also attract people into town therefore are financial assets, and most importantly whichever you attend you’re guaranteed a great time.

Me? I’m covering both, the idea is, at best, to hover between them, it could fail. I’m not ruling that out, but I’m too spontaneous for silly things like planning! Besides, I continually toil with what makes large events such as these good, you know? What are the perimeters on my scorecard when they differ so? It’s not as easy as you may think! 

A recent subsidiary of this thought process came via the Minety Music Festival a few weekends ago. I liked that, liked it a lot. It was a level above the “average” festival we hold here. Though neither the Rally nor FullTone can be described as average by any stretch of the imagination. Both punching above their weight and both are possibly the best time you’re likely to get in Devizes, until such a time Disney builds a theme park at Hopton! 

Fulltone Festival 2023 Image Gail Foster

The premise was that Minety provided three stages and so many other things going on between them. I raced from stage to stage hoping to take in as much as possible, but to see it all was impossible.

I once argued that while FullTone is a monumentally awesome event, it didn’t meet my criteria of being a festival as such, on account it is a single stage hosted by the orchestra though allowing a few other acts in between. It was surely defined better as a conglomerate of concerts. I come from the Glasto school of thought, whereby a festival is multiple elements coming together in one big mesh. But, that’s a pedestal.

I’ve changed my mind on this, as FullTone have extended the ethos of different acts over the years, plus the orchestra and all its elements is a country mile above a set group like a rock band gig. Plus again, it seems these days putting a man with a guitar under a gazebo and flogging undercooked hotdogs constitutes a “festival,” and thus I must go along with that even if unwillingly!

You only need to look at the development of FullTone’s program over the past years to know this isn’t a true reflection. Look at the surprise Friday night add-on where Six will be re-enacted and popular youth acts like NRWO and Ruby Darbyshire play. And besides, the upside of the single stage format means you don’t miss any of what you’ve laid down your dollar for, and believe me, you’ll love Ruby, or Talk in Code equally as much as Kerry and Ricardo pulling out a Queen set, or dancing the night away to eighties reconstructions by a full orchestra; that diversity is something you’ll not find elsewhere, in Devizes if not internationally.

Fulltone Festival 2023 Image Gail Foster

Similarly the Scooter Rally is a single stage, but the class acts booked will see something of a rarity in town. You don’t find live reggae or ska acts on the pub circuit here, it’s costly. And being all the acts are tried and tested; All That Soul, for one example, will provide the ultimate tribute to the Motown sound on a level high above others locally, as they did at a Scooter Club night of yore. Overall The Rally is a godsend on our event calendar. Making it a given that both these events, while different, share success because they book the very best entertainers within their separate niches.

It can be the little touches which maketh the occasion. The Scooter Rally providing free transportation to and from the site to Devizes is something other event organisers should take heed of.

Both examples of the assurance quality acts is not something which has been skipped on, serves as mahoosive pros to the single stage format, because you’ll not want to miss any of it trudging from stage to stage. It’s an opinion, rather like a GCSE RE question; there’s no wrong answer.

Last weekend I was in the green room tent at Picnic in the Park, and it’s there which changed my mind on this opinion-based query. I met festival maker Sam, who looked exhausted, dropping off fire extinguishers at various locations, and I pointed out the fact that rarely do organisers get the opportunity to enjoy the event like a punter as there’s always something to be lugged around, moved, and catered for. 

I had a taste of this when volunteering for a Street Festival of yore, constantly running wheelie bins to and fro like a videogame character, while being asked the bleeding obvious by attendees!

Fulltone Festival 2023 Image: Gail Foster

At Picnic in the Park I also spoke to Simon the sound engineer, chatting about the last Scooter Rally he expressed the work involved in accommodating a ska band compared to the average four-piece rock band. There were so many more lines to collate, what with the usual brass section. This made me ponder the technical requirements of a full orchestra at FullTone, and singers and, crickey, I can’t imagine what else!

The reason I involve myself in events is partially because I’m in communication with the organisers and if they need a hand I’m willing to muck in. The second reason is to understand exactly what, and how much goes into organising such events we promote on Devizine, so I can sympathise with the hard work they do to provide us with such grand entertainment.

So I find myself evaluating between all parts; the punter, the organisers and the acts, trying to find middle ground. Sometimes bands get frustrated with organisers, and visa versa, sometimes punters get annoyed if not everything is perfect, but the reasons for any frustration at events is because bringing all the elements together, ensuring every loop has been tied, and every regulation is accounted for, is a mammoth process taking incalculable hours, intricate planning, and manpower, which punters simply don’t take into consideration at the box office.

True, cost is paramount to the punter, now more than ever. You look at the price and think, what am I getting for my money? I agree, I do this too, it’s only natural. But more and more, as I witness the inner workings of such large events, what efforts are put into them, mostly behind the scenes, or often taken for granted, it never ceases to amaze me, especially being for all their efforts organisers rarely get to sit back and enjoy the day as a punter would.

For example, take FullTone‘s stage. Its shape has become iconic in Devizes. The acoustics are absolutely incredible and unlike any other outdoor event locally. The cost of this, the construction and the managing of it, to bring you an experience you’ll remember forever, is worthy of the ticket price alone, and we’ve not accounted for the numerous site jobs, from the erection of the fence, securing the event to insuring food and bar stalls are rightfully placed, and so much more.

Take the campsite at the Scooter Rally as another example, you’ve got revellers drinking, vehicles moving to and fro, punters enjoying themselves, and everything they’ll not consider has to be considered by organisers, fire safety, first aid, and again, so much more. It’s a headache for the most hardened skinhead!

Conclusion, there’s more than meets the eye in arranging any event or working them, none more than these big ones, and that’s why they cost. You either meet such a cost or lose the opportunity, and then what? Are we reduced to living on Facebook?!

I also accept the idea, as you are a paying customer that it is your right to override such considerations, but hey, as a customer you’ll be the first to complain if things don’t go precisely to plan! I know I will; jump to it, organisers, do my bidding!!

The bottom line is, though for slightly different reasons, both the Scooter Rally and FullTone Festival will be amazing events, among the very best Devizes has to offer, and whichever you choose, the weekend looks set to be a cracker. 

Know that FullTone will be the last for a while, and if it does return it pledges to be something quite different. Know also, that, The Rally is highly enjoyable, a hospitable and solely unique event around these backwaters. It doesn’t even adopt the tagline festival, but compares to one in considering it’s way above your average scooter rally. You’ve got seven quality live acts over the two days, most other rallies struggle to provide one cheapest ska or Britpop cover band on their circuit.

But I’m not asking you to stand and stare, or shed a tear for the plight of the organisers, for they do it for the love of it, and if they didn’t they wouldn’t. All I’m saying is, the colossal labour, the attention to detail which goes into staging these occasions should be considered when deciding if you’re going, to either, or if you’re going to stay in with a bag of Lidl cheesy puffs, watching reruns of Come Dine with Me on the telebox, or another annoying show where other people, somewhere else, are enjoying themselves!

You don’t need to concern yourself in what’s in someone you don’t know, or never likely to know’s knicker draw, when you could be skanking up the Whistley Road like you’re Suggs on a day out in Camden, or lounging in your deckchair on the Green, immersed in the unmatchable acoustics of the FullTone Orchestra, like you’re King Charles in the royal box at The Albert Hall! 

Fulltone Festival 2023 Image: Gail Foster

Furthermore, while this particular article concentrates on events within the castle on the dividing line, further options are available to you outside that boundary. Trowbridge Festival, Potterne Festival and even a little occasion called Womad are also set on the same weekend. May this also suit to assure you we report such impartially, and as a labour of love rather than for financial gain. Therefore there is no just reason for us to be dishonest or biassed. Organisers and artists we may oblige, but the priority in retaining said honesty is aimed foremost towards the sake of the customers. Ergo, whilst we’re respectful of all the hard work which goes into event management, we might not condone our analysis of it to be deliberately or unfairly critical, we more simply won’t report on it, we will tell you, the customer, fairly, however, if it rocks our world and would also rock yours.

And now you know where we stand, I hope you can take heed when I repeat myself, which while I accept is a symptom of middle-age, it stands affirmed whatever event we’ve mentioned you should choose to attend, based on previous year’s experience, it comes guaranteed you’ll have a fantastic time!

Phew, I’m glad I’ve got that off my chest. Now, pass me my tie-dye t-shirt and festival jester’s hat, and let’s party!

For Tickets for the Devizes Scooter Rally, find Devizes Scooter Club on Facebook.

For Tickets for the FullTone Festival, find here.

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Last Remaining Tickets for Trowbridge Festival

The 50th Anniversary of the now legendary Village Pump Festival, which was brought back to the UK festival circuit in 2018 by director Nicholas Reed, are down to their last 100 tickets; be as quick as a quick thing being quick….

Driven by the uk festival exclusive for the debut duo performance from long time British folk legends Maddy “Steeleye Span” Prior, who graced Trowbridge’s Village Pump venue in the early 70s, prior to any fame and fortune and jon “bellowhead” boden. This incredible partnership gets its first live performance at a venue that kick-started their early careers in what is such a significant moment in the festival’s history.

Also on the line up are the fast becoming deeply respected The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, in what is surely a festival headline debut! The Barnsley trio offer up their usual wit and humour, but with recent new addition Jamie Roberts, brother of the wonderful Katheryn Robert’s who will also be performing with her duo with her partner Sean Lakeman. 

It’s a true folkers line up, which includes ‘Gilmore-Roberts’, ‘Sykes-martin’, ’Stonegallows’ and festival stalwart ‘Keith Christmas’. Ceilidh from ‘Spill the Whiskey’, and some world music from the Bath-based klezmer band ‘Ninotchka’ and ‘RSVP Bhangra’.

Unmissable highlights recommended by us at Devizine, and to interfere with an otherwise fine press release with our own opinion, (as we care to do!) would include Gaz Brookfield, Mr Tea & The Minions, Concrete Prairie, Be Like Will, Billy in the Lowground, Fly Yeti Fly, Devil’s Doorbell, The Lost Trades, Thieves, and of course, Ruby Darbyshire and Nothing Rhymes With Orange; this is stellar line-up of tried and tested local talent alongside the headliners.  

Unlike other festivals, Trowbridge offers free camping with their weekend tickets. This offers unrivalled value for money and set in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, basking in the shadow of Westbury White Horse.

Trowbridge Festival runs from 26th-28th July.

Those last few tickets are HERE, folks!

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Winter Festival/Christmas/Whatever!

This is why I love you, my readers, see?! At the beginning of the week I put out an article highlighting DOCA’s Winter Festival, and…

Devizes Winter Festival This Friday and More!

Who’s ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival and Lantern…

Snow White Delight: Panto at The Wharf

Treated to a sneaky dress rehearsal of this year’s pantomime at Devizes’ one and only Wharf Theatre last night, if forced to sum it up…

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Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 10th – 16th July 2024

Jam-packed July! If there’s always lots to do throughout the year, July especially so!  

Here’s what we’ve found in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week….

Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info, as it takes too much time to link them all in. It may also be updated as more events come to our attention, so check in later in the week too!

Ongoing: A Wiltshire Thatcher: A Photographic Journey Through Victorian Wessex runs at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes, until the end of August; review here.

The Frome Festival is underway, and ends on 14th July. Cheltenham Music Festival also, ending on 13th July. 

Marlborough Open Studios is running until 28th July. 

Wednesday 10th

Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.

Three Choir Showcase Concert at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, featuring BCG Choir, PSG Choir and the Horizons Choir. Jam at the Boathouse.

A Lunchtime Recital with flautist Klio Blonz at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Cheritang at the Bell, Bath. The Dreamer Live at The Rondo Theatre.

Scott Mickelson at The Beehive, Swindon. Chocolate Theatre presents The Full Monty at Swindon Arts Centre. Infant Voice Festival at the Wyvern Theatre.

Paul Mason’s The Bob Morris Lecture at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.

2000Trees festival opens near Cheltenham.

Thursday 11th

James B Partridge Presents: School Assembly Bangers at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Fly Yeti Fly at The Tuppenny, Swindon. Erin Bardwell & Friends at The Castle.

Richard Herring’s Can I Have My Ball Back at the Cheese & Grain, Frome.

Friday 12th

‘Steve Davis’ and ‘Kavos Torabi’ at the Barge Inn Honeystreet.

Marlborough Festival opens and runs all weekend. Comedy Night at the Town Hall. El Toro at The Bear, Marlborough. Luke Gittins with Ash Smith at The Green Dragon. 

Double Bill at Pound Arts, Corsham with Ben de la Cour & Holysseus Fly.

Black Charade & Fell Out Boy at The Vic, Swindon. Funkinsteins at The Beehive. Viggo Venn at the Wyvern Theatre.

One Chord Wonders at The Boathouse, Bradford-on-Avon. Future Plan and Lindup Brothers at the Three Horseshoes.

Faith at The Rondo Theatre, Bath.

Peatbog Faeries at the Cheese & Grain, Frome. An Dannsa Dub at the Tree House.

Saturday 13th

Devizes Beer & Cider Festival. Humdinger at The Three Crowns, Devizes. Thomas Atlas at The Southgate, Devizes.

Josh Kumra and Mica at the Bear, Marlborough. On Remand at the Crown. 

Reading Dub Club at The Barge, HoneyStreet.

Everything Changes at Melksham Assembly Hall.

Adrenaline Stompers Festival at Club Venom in Westbury.

Characters Stage School’s Annie at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Innes Sibun Trio at The Boathouse. 

John Hegley: An American in Luton at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Bar Tape at The Rondo Theatre, Bath. The Spirit & Sound of Steely Dan – Nearly Dan in concert at Chapel Arts. Salt Beef Reuben & Friends at the Bell, Bath.

Hooch at Royal Oak, Bishopstone. Phantom Droid, Thrakian and Hora at The Vic, Swindon.

Miss Kel’s Academy Of Dance: Stars And Stripes at the Wyvern Theatre.

Flash Harry at the Corner House, Frome. Gary Davies Sound of the 80s at the Cheese & Grain.

And Somerset Kaya Reggae Festival at Caryford.

Sunday 14th

Editor’s Pick of the Week is Picnic in the Park at Hillworth Park, Devizes from 12-5pm; hope to see you there! Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective at The Southgate, Devizes straight afterwards.

Wiltshire Young Musicians Summer Festival from 1.30pm at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Tom Cornnell at The Boathouse. Luna Barge at the Three Horseshoes.

Jon Amor Trio at the Bell, Bath.

Richard Wileman & Amy Fry at Richard Jefferies Museum, Swindon from 1pm. Kitty Langan Studio – School’s Out at the Wyvern Theatre.

Frome Symphony at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.

The Godney Gathering in Somerset opens.

Monday 15th

B D Lenz at the Bell, Bath.

Tuesday 16th

Alex Vietch Quartet at Jazz Knights in the Royal Oak, Swindon.

Ben de la Cour at the Bell, Bath.

And that’s your lot, for now!

Important note: events which come to our attention from now on, will be updated on the Event Calendar and NOT HERE. So, be sure to check in from time to time, use the Event Calendar to find more info on everything listed on here, and for ticket links, etc. Use the Event Calendar to check for updates and planning ahead.

Did we miss you out? Did you tell us about your event? It’s not that we don’t like you, it’s because Devizine uses many sources to collate these listings, and sometimes we miss a few things. Listing your event here is free, but please make it easier for me by messaging or emailing the info, and then, and this is the really important part, make sure I’ve added it and let me know if not!

Have a good week!

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The Pleasure was all Minety!

Broke my Minety Music Festival cherry, and it was gurt lush! When it comes to live music and festivals, I initially set a high bar. My first concert was Springsteen in ‘87, and aside from traveller’s free parties, my first festival was Glastonbury. These days hedonism is reduced to finding smaller local festivals to savour, enjoy a pint or four; I’m done with tired feet trudging acres of tents, and what’s more, paying a king’s ransom for a multitude of elements I’m unlikely to witness because it’s all going off simultaneously; my eyes were kaleidoscopic anyway.

Though I miss those heady days, finding middle ground is tricky. The disambiguation of “festival” today is such a pub putting a man with a guitar under a gazebo and flogging undercooked hotdogs off a barbecue constitutes a festival, apparently. No, I need at least a taste of the heyday; monumental fun yet diverse, hassle-free adequate attractions without the notion I’m being taken for a mug. If my want was an ice cream, sure I’ve found some single scoop cones of vanilla, some even plop a flake into it, but this weekend I found the ultimate brownie, millionaire rocky road sundae; everything I want and expect from a festival, topped in caramel and sprinkled with Space Dust, close by, and easy to access in a tall glass. It’s called Minety Music Festival, near Malmesbury, and they’re so amicable they even supply those long-handled spoons to dip right into the chocolate sauce at the bottom; meaning, it was good to the end.

The intention was only a taster, pop down on the Sunday, check it out, report my findings, but I got a scrumptious bellyful from this alone. Minety is undoubtedly the best all-rounder local festival I’ve seen, period. It’s unfortunate the previous years I’ve advertised this on our event calendar and thought, now there’s a thing, but I hadn’t plunged in. It all now seems so foolish to have passed it off. Nearly all the bands we love and promote on Devizine have graced a stage here. Of them those lovely indie popsters Talk In Code bunged me on their guestlist, and it’s hardly Timbuktu, rather a twenty-five minute drive away; arm twisted, it’s now for me to justify my reasons for telling you how bloody fantastic Minety is, but it is.

Starter for ten, everything is bound around the edges of one gigantic field, you cannot get lost in a maze of tents. Between three stages everything you could possibly want from a festival is there. Kids are spoiled, something often overlooked at others; climbing wall, circus workshop, arts/crafts tents, storytelling, inflatables, face painting, arty kidz, and a cosy tent called the Tree House with an abundance of instruments to try; I swear bands were formed in there. Youths tended to dance or chill at a wonderfully decorated DJ venue, hosted by an eclectic online radio station, the Incapable Staircase, me too; Peter Pan, me, y’know!

I chose to dine there, takeaway Thai curry from a stall with a restaurant in Purton, on cushions thrown outside, next to a bathtub once filled with free waffles, now just furry pillows. Which brings me to my next reasoning; value for money. Food options were incalculable, any street food you fancy, but Minety also supplied a café flogging beans on toast for a pound fifty, or burgers for three quid, and pints at the bar were £4.50, cheaper than some pubs. There was never the archetypal downer you were open to being ripped off, leaving enough in your pocket to consider browsing the great festival stalls of gifts, cakes, or clothes.

Everything has its place at Minety, it’s their seventh year, subtracting those we don’t mention. They know what they’re doing, and the attention to detail was immaculate, equating to a tremendous vibe of positivity. The mammoth task of organising something on this scale was putty in their hands, and I salute them for this and the given concept of booking a handful of averagely known names for headliners and leaving the rest to supporting local acts; this is my third and final reasoning to why Minety is fantastic, and that should be plentiful to tempt you.

Ergo, our loveable poptastic indie darlings Talk in Code, who absolutely and definitely knocked it out of the farm, by the way, preceded a gorgeous set from reunited nineties giants Sleeper, who I favoured over the grand finale of Irish rock band Ash, but others might argue this and quite rightly so, as both rocked. And this was just Sunday, other nights The Feeling headlined, with Elles Bailey and The Chase.

But Minety is also smooth around the edges, as you wander tent to tent. There were a few must-sees for me, Swindon’s grunge newcomers I See Orange were awesome as predicted, in a tent hosted by Chippenham’s Kandu Arts, and The Sarah C Ryan Band were equal, euphorically cool at the Minety stage. Then there’s the discovery element, whereby a number of bands have now come to my attention, none more so than Arkansaw Jukebox, who play singalong pop classics from Spice Girls to Queen, albeit in a bluegrass fashion, and when it’s time to cover a country classic, Country Roads takes on a ska offbeat to make Toots blush! This tenet of jollification brought the tent down.

Others noteworthy were Hooch, blasting some danceable covers, reimagining the Faithless classic, a youthful semi-gothic four-piece called Pavilion, and nineties Seattle grunge-inspired The Rain City Project, with astute Pearl Jam and Nirvana covers. With the range on offer as vast as acts booked, and hurtling between them as fast as my ageing legs will take me, it’d need an essay length review to cover all, and you’ll be bored shitless before I reach my epic conclusion; festivals are a “you had to be there” thing, apologies to those I may’ve missed mentioning.

But if that popular shirtless tattooed entertainer Jimmy Moore covering the theme to Spongebob, Spice Girls on banjos, stripy stilt walk jugglers with bowler hats, or more upcoming young bands than you’d catch at a college talent show won’t satisfy you, or just this idea of wandering few steps to get from drum n bass at the aforementioned Staircase, to some middle-agers, Chippenham’s Free Spirits, in the Kadu Arts tent enjoy an enjoyable recital of Dire Straits doing the walk of life, and a conglomerate of kindly North Wilts and South Gloucestershire freakshow punters out to revel isn’t enough to rock your boat, you need to downsize your vessel, skipper, because Minety’s boot fits me; a blindingly stupendous do. I’m tempted, if not feel it compulsory to dust off my dome tent and do the whole shebang next year, even if it finishes me off for good!

Busy on the festival circuit Talk in Code are regulars here. Though they expressed a history of unpreventable technical mishaps, this year they were third from top billing, full of zest and gave the sublime show we love them for. The crowd were pumping along with their engaging and original poptastic stage show, “Talkers” or not, a presence improving with every appearance, and proving them far more than musical fluffers for the following headliners. But as the story goes, I didn’t witness a single band at Minety which would make me look the other way.

In conclusion, if before Minety I held a dilemma of what’s best between coughing up dollar for multiple elements you’re unlikely to catch because they’re spread over multiple arenas miles apart, or a cheaper single stage plan whereby you get to see everything, if you wanted to or not, Minety is the middle ground. Centred in a single field, and averagely sized, it’s no trouble to saunter stage to stage, and being scheduled at different quarter of an hour timings, convenient should you have a change of heart. This, tripled with a buzzing aura, plentiful attractions, and a program delivered with clear intention of entertaining, and motivated by a desire to include local or upcoming acts, is cherries on the sundae, and for it Minety Music Festival is well worthy of your attention. If you only do one festival annually, Minety would make the perfect choice.

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Misinformation Alert: Wiltshire Council’s Lift on Paid Disabled Parking Will Not Affect Your Council Tax

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 21 October; you might think the majority would support the notion, but misinformation against it is being spread by an ex-Wiltshire Councillor and current Devizes Town Councillor on their popular Facebook…

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Deacon Blue Announced as Latest Forest Live Headliner for show at Forestry England Westonbirt Arboretum 

Featured Image Credit: Jamie Carter Special guests Lightning Seeds to Support Forest Live, Forestry England’s summer concert series presented with Cuffe & Taylor, has announced much loved and revered Scottish hitmakers Deacon Blue as the latest headliner for its 2026 shows. Deacon Blue will be joined by Lightning Seeds at the stunning Forestry England Westonbirt Arboretum on Thursday June 25rd June…….…

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Ruzz Guitar Swings With The Dirty Boogie

Bristol’s regular Johnny B Goode, Ruzz Guitar Blues Revue goes full on swing with a new single, a take on The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 1998 album title track The Dirty Boogie….. Another high-energy bout of rockabilly guitar divinity we love from Ruzz, but this time we’re transported back to 1920s New Orleans dancehalls for that…

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Kirsty Clinch’s Fundraising Christmas Song Racing Up iTunes Charts

Wiltshire country singer-songwriter Kirsty Clinch released a Christmas song only yesterday, raising funds for the Caenhill Countryside Centre near Devizes, and it’s already racing up the iTunes country music charts…. It’s one thing to get your song out locally, but Kirsty was excited to announce that she, “woke up this morning, and we are still…

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Duality; Debut EP From Melksham’s Between The Lines

It was never just the fervent ambience created which made me go tingly with excitement about Melksham’s young indie band Between The Lines’ demo single Fading Time, it was the profusion of potential. A latent driving me to Swindon Shuffle this year, where they’d be playing at The Hop, but now a manifest for all…

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Joyrobber Didn’t Want Your Stupid Job Anyway

A second track from local anonymous songwriter Joyrobber has mysteriously appeared online, and he’s bitter about not getting his dream job….. If this mysterious dude’s August invective track at racist talk show host Jeremy Kyle, and his patronising attitude, it feels like him telling me he’s “not one for holding a grudge,” might have a…

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Devizes Chamber Choir Christmas Concert

It’s not Christmas until the choir sings, and Devizes Chamber Choir intend to do precisely this by announcing their Christmas Concert, as they have done since they were founded in 1978….. Devizes Chamber Choir is a group of around thirty singers, with a broad repertoire from acapella, through chamber works to major choral masterpieces including…

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A Positive Week After Wiltshire Music Awards

All Images By Helen Polarpix Best part of a week since Stone Circle Music Events’ Wiltshire Music Awards and I’m still at one thousand feet about what we achieved, and dealing with a cascade of feedback. While some of it has been appreciated constructive criticism, that crazy playground called social media is such that some…

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Steatopygous go Septic

If you believe AI, TikTok and the rest of it all suppress Gen Z’s outlets to convey anger and rage, resulting in a generation of anxiety and mental health concerns, I might take your point as marginally valid, but I’d add politely as I possibly could, “have you, perchance, had the pleasure of listening to…

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The Wurzels To Play At FullTone 2026!

If Devizes’ celebrated FullTone Festival is to relocate to Whistley Road’s Park Farm for next summer’s extravaganza, what better way to give it the rustic feel than The Wurzels, who have just been announced on the line-up?! If Somerset’s Scrumpy and Western genre has fermented longer than a cider press from folk roots, it’s surely…

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MantonFest Magic, Again

With the danceable penultimate act attracting a packed crowd, I observed a young teenager, who, on spotting a disregarded beer bottle, picked it up and disposed of it properly. I’m at Mantonfest, the gem on Marlborough’s annual event calendar. I’m not surprised, having been a few times now, it has always been this pleasant and respectable; this year I reasoned why….

Kids these days, huh? Reacting appropriately, averting a potential trip hazard, I ask you?! Elsewhere, a younger girl is on her dad’s shoulders, pumping her arms in the air while the Queen tribute reenacts classics way beyond her years, and her dad bounces underneath; it’ll be one of countless priceless family memories to savour here today, just like Heidi of Barrelhouse giving out inflatable guitars, mics and more randomly, crocodiles!

For at Mantonfest’s very opening, parents are driven to joyful tears, as thirteen year-old Megan Mills from St John’s School swaps guitar for keys and confidently delivers an outstanding if short set, filled equally with talent and expression.

If, in past years I’ve pondered the wide age demographic at Mantonfest, Mills, the aspiring health and safety officer, the girl piggybacking her dad, the toddler clutching his inflatable croc, are examples as to why. It’s the festival’s fifteenth birthday, families have grown up with this, ergo, Mantonfest is an institution, they return habitually and hold it in such high esteem, even at teenage they respect this congenial ethos. It creates a matchless experience to justify me hailing Mantonfest as the friendliest festival you’re ever likely to attend.

It’s tradition which warrants the return of favoured acts, such as Madness-Bad Manners and overall Two-Tone act, Badness, back by popular demand. They blew the roof off last year, although they mimicked their show, they came up shining, and skanking again.

Similarly, the model set from Barrelhouse will never go grey. They are to Mantonfest what R2D2 is to Star Wars, appearing time over and never failing to delight with their perfectly pumped hoedown of vintage blues. To see Barrelhouse live is cake, to see them at MantonFest is the icing on that cake. Yep, there’s many repeating features at Mantonfests, but if it’s not broken ….

I’m standing with Chippenham’s wonderful folk singer-songwriter Meg, complimenting Mills for a likeness to her own expressive vocal range. Meg’s on next, which shouldn’t really be as the section is supposed to showcase talent from the town’s comprehensive, but as one band cancelled I was called for a suggestion and couldn’t imagine anyone more apt and deserved. At 17 now Meg has developed a name for herself, hard working her idiosyncratic style to play Chippenham’s Pride, Folk Festival and expanding to Minety and Trowbridge’s Pump. On her first of three gigs this weekend, she excitedly tells me how it went supporting Jools Holland. Such are local circuit barriers though, Meg’s not so widely known here, so even a short set is good to help her to venture eastwards, and they sure made her welcome.

Sublimely delivering three tunes of her own wares, Meg set the bar high for Rory & Tom, who followed by providing popular covers in a friendly and lively fashion. Elton-like pianist Sammy Till-Vattier polished off the youth section. Saw him last year, he’s the upcoming name to watch on the Marlborough circuit. His poignant crafted originals are emotionally poured out, he literally sweats solo talent, as his final piece verged on Serge Gainsbourg level, and in his language too; je l’ai aimé!

This opening section to Mantonfest debuted last year shouldn’t be viewed as a filler or talent contest, rather a taster of what’s to come for the family event.

Just like other neighbouring towns, Marlborough youths show dedication and talent. It fills one with confidence that music is safe in Gen Z hands, but more importantly is Mantonfest’s drive to showcase them. There’s no bolt-on gazebo miles away from the event’s main brace, they’re on the same stage which Toyah once graced.

There’s a part of me, though, which wishes the hordes who came for the finale crowd-pleasing tribute acts could’ve supported the local talent at the start, but I know, cookie crumbles this way.

Tributes were the order of the evening, but nestled between the St John’s section and them, the tradition of family continues. Josie Mackenzie is no stranger here, she pulled a blinder last year guest singing with The James Oliver Band. Taking front and centre this time with swing-style rockabilly-blues her new band the Radiotones wonderfully reintroduced fifties-early sixties classics in an Etta James fashion. Particularly stand-out was Ray Charles’, Hallelujah, I Love Her So. 

Then, Ol’ Man Witcomb And The Bergamots; wow! In different guises, especially one called Skedaddle, Witcomb family members have regularly played the festival as they live in the village, albeit a slot so early I missed them before. Took this with a pinch of salt, then, assuming this being a village custom, I wasn’t expecting  greatness; my biggest surprise this year. 

The old man referenced in the name is Chris Witcomb, bassist, wife Jane sings, boy, does Jane sing, and three sons back them on lead acoustic and electric guitars, and drums, like a Manton Carter Family!

If this ensemble was “formed for a bit of fun” as stated I’m truly in awe; they were as uniformed as any professional classic rock band, and handled some unusual and technically challenging covers, particularly poignant was Genesis’ Land of Confusion. 

Aside from their model set they even carried onstage banter with ease, apologising for performing Making Plans for Nigel for its possible election connotations! It was a gorgeous performance they really should take on the road, sitting somewhere between The Pretenders and Fleetwood Mac.

Between acts Fruci Fit Personal Training of Marlborough and Devizes gave a loud and proud exercise class, then, The Fab Four took the stage. Working through the Beatles discography with lighthearted panache, they’re another back by popular demand, and are a thoroughly entertaining tribute. Barrelhouse followed as evening set in, enough said. Coupled with the perfect weather, it was looking to be a most memorable Mantonfest.

A further three tributes to take us to the cumulation. Firstly, Forever Elton was enjoyable if technically mediocre. Badness did it again, stealing the show with upbeat Two-Tone re-enactments in newspaper suits but idiosyncratically making tributes stand-alone. The northern working-class banter is at invaluable comical proportions, but their musical proficiency too makes it a class homage. It’s a wonder how Queen tribute The Bohemians will top it, but surprisingly, according to my love of ska, and the fact Queen tributes are two to a penny, I think they did.

Tricky to perfect but a common choice to attribute, Queen is a national pride. To do this badly would be an epic fail. I’ve always thought this, ending up surprised with the results of previous Queen tributes I’ve bore witness to, but The Bohemians were undoubtedly the best. It was a show stopping finale, a sublime imitation of probably the finest rock band ever, if not, certainly the most popular. Throughout their performance I was equally held in awe at the precision and attention to detail, and simply enjoying the moment, as those rock classics were delivered with such skill and gusto.

Yet it is not only the excellence of all the acts which makes Mantonfest Mantonfest, rather the lesser ingredients, the beautiful setting, the simplicity of the arrangement and its dedication to hold dear its self-made traditions. But most importantly, and likely the sum of all other parts, it’s this trouble-free tenant akin to a Caribbean holiday (with rum punch,) which has seen a generation grow and be proud and respectable of this wonderful annual occasion. 

For me, it’s equally about Mills, Sammy et al, as it is for a tribute act knocking it out of Treacle Brolly, but I feel it is too for the many here who enjoy this gem year after year. Another Mantonfest ticked off, another astounding and memorable year, it never fails to impress me. 

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Devizes Arts Festival Rules, OK?!

Alas, it’s been a long week since the Devizes Arts Festival called time. It feels a little like when my Dad would take the Christmas decorations down; sure, the lava lamp and toilet roll dolly remained but somehow the rest of the house looked bare and sparse!

Another great year for the annual festival which again saw Devizes sprinkled with a variety of events and the coming, and going of talented outsiders. There’s a feedback form the committee would care for you to helpfully fill, HERE, meanwhile I will reflect on the festival as a whole, after some great reports from myself and our esteemed writers, of which you can click on the titles of to read the full review; awesome what we can do nowadays, isn’t it?!

Far more organised than previous years, at least, we drew a rota we rarely referred back to! I led our team out to battle by covering the opening Friday night’s pirate shenanigans, and topped it off with Saturday’s arrival of Lady Nade, undoubtedly my favourite. Thereafter our roving reporter of insurmountable knowledge and something apparently called basic grammar, Andy Fawthrop would pip me to the post with a non-stop barrage of reviews. He was steadfast at the venues, I was wavering, and Ian, well, Ian was a Slambovian Circus of Dreams. After a gate technical blunder it was great to also have the one and only John Winterton of the Wharf Theatre contribute his professional thoughts on one wharfside gig.

Thanks to everyone for the teamwork. If Andy won on quantity, I excuse myself by reminding people I’ve work commitments while most are tucked up in bed snoring the theme tune to CHIPS. I could argue if there was one negative piece of feedback, it would be that more events at the festival could be organised over weekends, extending the festival perhaps, but rewarding the organisers a well-earned midweek break. Yet, Devizes Arts Festival is not to blame for the extremist early hours of my real labour, so I guess this is a self-inflicted matter; if only I was a popstar instead!

The only other niggly I suspect will come up through feedback is price, it is a sign of the times I’m afraid. A mountain of work and money goes into this and any other event, something I think people take a smidgen for granted. We’ve seen the demise of events and venues alike over the last few years, and it comes down to undercutting themselves at their box office. It’s such a shame, and all we can really do is convince people what is worthy of your hard-earned cash, and what is not. Despite a massively erroneous preconception Devizes Arts Festival is akin to a Saga holiday in some form or fashion, I can assure you it is most definitely not, it is a very worthy event, and needs you younglings to support it. Ticket sales this year varied between events, some sold out unexpectedly, others which the committee assumed would be winners suffered slightly; it is not an exact science, this is why your feedback is crucial.

Don’t forget the festival also hosts many free fringe events across town during the period. These are always well attended, hence surmising a fair ticket price is always a benefit to any event. At all fringe events I pause for thought like a vicar on Radio 2, to acknowledge these free gigs is to only partially immerse yourself in Devizes Arts Festival, and you should consider if you enjoyed them, how much more amazing the paid events are, and treat yourself accordingly.

Friday 31st May the shebang pounded off the starting block in a lively punk-pirate fashion. Of Jolly Roger I said it was, “loud and sprightly unpretentious punkish tomfoolery with a pirate theme, yet, at times there was concentrated and thought-provoking narratives in their original material too. Euphoric tunes such as the most poignant Silent Mountain temporarily broke the frenzy, whereas characters like a bloke who props up the bar, conveyed this is a three sheets to the wind partying band to be taken tongue-in-cheek, but, dressed as pirates kinda gave that game away!” among other things. It was a fiery marine-themed start to the landlocked festival.

Yet I was holding out all expectations for Saturday with Lady Nade, and it did not disappoint. It was my personal favourite and what a way to begin June. I deemed it mesmerising, hailing it, “a breath-taking performance, only Nina Simone between Simon & Garfunkel could’ve equalised.”  

The first Sunday there was a festival walk; none of our writers seemed to take the walks up; maybe I should buy them some stout boots, Thermos, and pack them a cheese & pickle sandwich?! Neither Adam Alexander’s Seed Detective that day, nor Eddy Allen’s Solo Loop Show get coverage from us, for which I apologise. But Andy clocked in on Monday, reviewing Dr. Phil Hammond’s ‘How to Fix the NHS.’ which he called “a cracking night’s entertainment – informative, interesting, and absolutely hilarious.” Personally, and without getting too political, I had my own interpretation for a start to fixing the NHS, and that’s to stop voting in self-serving thieving clowns.

But, I digress, because once Andy gets in gear there’s no stopping him. Tuesday he covered its first classical offering The Edward Cross Quintet, a Wiltshire based multi‐instrumentalist with a background in composition and production, “overall,” Andy stated, it was “technically enjoyable, but emotionally not very engaging.” Well, I do ask our reviewers to provide an honest opinion, even if I’m a suck-up! 

Liz Grand’s Mrs Churchill we missed on Tuesday, Mike Dilger’s One Thousand Shades of Green as well. Unfortunately we can’t be everywhere, but we try.

Likely the most interesting reviews was from the Wednesday of the first week when baffling geneticist, author and broadcaster Adam Rutherford came to town. Here’s where Andy shines, as it would have been too intellectual for me to cast such a detailed review on. “Informative and absolutely fascinating,” Andy called it. “Adam is no comedian, but he does have a light touch, and just like on the radio, he was able to bring science very much to life, to engage his audience, and to leave everyone a little richer in understanding.”

Hollie McNish’s Lobster Tour sold out, but we didn’t manage to catch this one either. Andy covered probably the widest known name, comedian Lucy Porter on Thursday. I really wanted to do this one, but hey I think Andy deserved a treat. “It was for the most part, very clean and straight-forward stuff. There was nothing that could be considered “edgy”, there was nothing political, and there was (amazingly) no swearing,” said Andy of it; boring!! “As such, it probably kept most of the audience in their comfort zone for most of the time, but it was no less hilarious for all of that.”

Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls was missed on the Friday, I did put my gumboots back on for The Cable Street Collective on the Saturday. This was awesome. “From the off I’m reminded of the marabi sound of Hugh Masekela,” I suggested, “with the upfront brass of trumpet and saxophone. Yet you couldn’t pigeonhole this with a thousand words, it’s wholly unique. Female fronted by an energetic yogi, she somersaults the high stage projecting a mid-tone vocal range with unrivalled passion, encouraging her audience to follow the leader,” and they did. Cable Street had the Exchange up dancing.

The end of the first week saw another Festival Walk and a free fringe event in the trusty Three Crowns, Rumour, the latter I did manage! “Americana trio Rumour from the Black Country, pitched up in the yard with a breezy underlying familiarity to their sound. As the name suggests, covers were Fleetwood Mac top-heavy but delivered beautifully amidst a few other classics and some blended original material. Couldn’t fault them if I tried.” Annie Parker Trio was also a fringe event, but I went home for tea and bed.

Midweek marvel, Andy was back on the scene Monday 10th June, with classical pianist Ida Pellicciolo. “The whole performance was both intense and mesmerising, played and presented by a world-class pianist who was clearly absolutely dedicated to her work, and completely on top of her game.  Entirely justifiably there was sustained applause at the end from a very appreciative audience, provoking not one, but two, short encores, the latter of which was an “impromptu” by the more modern Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957).”

Again on Tuesday, Andy was on it. Belinda Kirk’s The Life-Changing Power of Adventure this time, which although “much against my will,” Andy said “I was actually on the edge of my seat listening to this stuff.  And I wasn’t alone either – the rest of the packed audience seemed pretty enraptured too.  She’s an enthusiastic, energetic and very articulate speaker.” So, wellbeing tips, ask Andy, I’d only recommend a sausage sandwich.

Due to a misunderstanding, when Ian Diddams arrived on the scene to cover Discovering Antarctica : Heroic tales of Shackleton, Crean and Scott at the Wharf Theatre it wasn’t to be, and so John Winterton stepped in his shoes. “An evening well spent and testament to the hard work obviously put into the research put into the script and the characterisation of Tom, by Aidan.”  Kate Webb and Jon Stock’s The Darker Side of Wiltshire we missed.

“Martin Simpson is, in the contemporary folk world at least, the equivalent of Royalty, or a National Treasure,” Andy said, when he came to Devizes on Wednesday, and our man on the scene summed it, in a word, as a “masterclass.”

Andy gave us his opinion on A Lunchtime Amuse-Bouche, with Duo Tutti on Thursday, and The Sound of Blue Note too, which he hailed “a bunch of guys who were clearly very comfortable with their material, with their arrangements, and with playing in each other’s company.  They sounded absolutely great, tight when they needed to be, but with that wonderful ability to fall back and give space to the many solos and improvisations,” and requested more jazz for Devizes.

Finally they thought better of it and let Ian in! The Slambovian Circus of Dreams on Friday was something I really should have attended judging by the look of it alone. “Hillbilly Pink Floyd” Ian called it, but expanded “touches on some aspects of their music, but it’s a far wider demographic than simply that. Certainly, their show at the Corn Exchange last night included elements that certainly sounded very Pink Floyd, but psychedelia, prog, Dylan, Seeger, Tull, Led Zep all played their part weaving into and out of their songs.”

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams @ Devizes Arts Festival 2024

No one was tempted by Huw Williams’ Organ Recital at St John’s Church, or the The Poetry Slam at the Wharf which polished off the festivities. Saturday night’s hypnotist Matt Hale was unfortunately cancelled, to which remained a marvellous afternoon in the British Lion with skiffle band The Junco Shakers. I was content, it was one of those fringe events which simply worked.

Overall, it’s been a great year for Devizes Arts Festival, with some world class acts and much enjoyment was had by all. Though as far as I know, Devizes has never had a hypnotist, and for all its uniqueness I’d have thought this gig would be a sell-out. It is unfortunate, due to low ticket sales it was pulled. It proves perhaps an error in judgement, or could imply more advertising would have helped, I really don’t know; I was looking forward to it. Again, all I can say is we need to support arts in town, and Devizes Arts Festival is the king of this. We look forward to another year of which I urge to get onboard for; the thought of losing this gem on our calendar as we’ve lost others would be too much to bear. 

Thanks to our wonderful team for their valid input, especially our part of the furniture, Andy Fawthrop, who summed it up thus, “Another excellent festival in my opinion – well organised and publicised. The range and variety of events, and the many different venues, together with the Free Fringe, made this another good year. Thanks all those involved for all the hard work you put in to achieve this. Hats off!”

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Cable Street Collective at Devizes Arts Festival

Seven-piece sui generis ensemble The Cable Street Collective were everything I expected them to be last night at The Corn Exchange; another impressive booking for the middle weekend of Devizes Arts Festival…..

Hailing from the Shadwell area of East London as the name suggests, if Cable Street is remembered for violent clashes between fascist Blackshirts and the multicultural populous, now reduced to lobbing milkshakes, multiculturalism also plays a major part of the band’s influences despite them being largely Caucasian.

From the off I’m reminded of the marabi sound of Hugh Masekela, with the upfront brass of trumpet and saxophone. Yet you couldn’t pigeonhole this with a thousand words, it’s wholly unique. Female fronted by an energetic yogi, she somersaults the high stage projecting a mid-tone vocal range with unrivalled passion, encouraging her audience to follow the leader.

In delivery and posture I likened her to Bristol’s Mr Tea and the Minions, a band the guitarist said they knew when I harassed him afterwards, and you may recall from a Street Festival of yore. Although Mr Tea borrows extensively from Balkan ska to create carny-folk, the Cable Street Collective favour African rhythms to dress their overall pop festival soulful sound; such is the interesting melting pot of the contemporary UK festival circuit.

With subtle nods to North African fusion, from Congolese rhumba to soukous, to the more prominent dance music of South Africa ascended from township jive, you cannot go wrong if you desire to get your audience on their feet. And that’s just what happened in the Exchange, they broke a, likely, tougher audience than those at a festival like Boomtown, younger and aching to dance to an alarm clock! An hour before the finale the majority caved into the irresistible urge to dance perpetrated on a Kevin Bacon cuttin’ Footloose level.

This appeased the band no end, as the atmosphere switched, the collective raised the bar, breaking occasionally to lower the tempo for poignancy, it maintained its influences of West African artists like Zeke Manyika and Thomas Mapfumo. By doing as they did, it mellowed into something decidedly transatlantic steppers reggae; up my street and knocking loudly on my door. It was a notification there was a concentrated if light narrative in their original dance rhythms.

They never waived from their ethos of delivering an all original set, by slipping in a cheesy cover or ten. Surprisingly then, they made no attempt to wave merch in our faces. For their resilience in what’s a band’s bread and butter these days, I’ll drop their BandCamp link below, because if you were there or should you otherwise take heed of my words, The Cable Street Collective are uniquely sublime and beguiling, and this was a fantastic night full of energy and passion.

Think, if The Brand New Heavies were inspired by a safari, then asked to compose a theme tune for a Shambala Festival promotional film, you get an impression of how quirky and distinctively original they are. This said, their grand finale felt like their magnum opus, an engaging tune called the Wolf, and it was riddled with the familiar brass riff of Paul Simon’s Call Me Al. The guitarist I managed to catch for a quick word expressed a group devotion to their parents’ copies of Graceland, hence the influence, which in turn made me feel old; parents? I brought that album!

For the record I digress, fact is unlike much of the album, the Call Me Al brass riff is entirely synthesised. In comparison to the Cable Street Collective, where nothing is synthetic save perhaps a spacey moment or two backing track to create ambience, this Collective are cool as cucumbers, bongo bonkers poptastic, and engagingly original. I loved it!

Today Devizes Arts Festival has two free events. Rumour will be at the Three Crowns, from 2pm – 4pm. And the Annie Parker Trio at St John’s Church, from 7pm – 8:30pm. It continues through the week, check out the programme HERE, and treat yourself, it’s been a fantastic year so far.

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Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 5th -11th June 2024

Here’s what we’ve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week. Don’t forget your sunscreen and a nice party umbrella!

Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info. It may be updated, so check in later in the week.

Ongoing: A Wiltshire Thatcher: A Photographic Journey Through Victorian Wessex runs at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes, until the end of August; review here.

Devizes Arts Festival got off to a great start, it continues through the week, individual events are listed as normal below.

Wednesday 5th

Acoustic Jam at The Southgate, Devizes. Mike Dilger – One Thousand Shades of Green and An Evening with Adam Rutherford, both at Devizes Arts Festival.

Ignas Maknickas at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Big Monthly Jam at The Vic, Swindon.

Dot, the Faun and the Elfin Child at Rondo Theatre, Bath. SKANKt at the Bell. 

Thursday 6th

80th anniversary of D-Day, there will be lighting of beacons across the county. One on Marlborough Common, another one Roundway Hill Devizes.

Rum & Records at the Muck & Dundar, Devizes. Hollie McNish – The Lobster Tour and Lucy Porter at Devizes Arts Festival. Fantasy Radio will be at the Pelican for a live lounge, featuring Andrew Hurst.

Death is a Girl, Ritual Divide & The Belladonna Treatment at the Vic, Swindon. Splat The Rat at The Tuppenny.

Friday 7th

RNLI Lifeboats Event, Polperro Fishermen’s Choir at The Assembly Rooms, Devizes Town Hall. Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls at Devizes Arts Festival. 

Open Mic at The Barge on HoneyStreet.

Textiles and Stitch around Marlborough are in Lockeridge, see poster below.

CarmenCo: A Pocket Opera at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Ant Trouble at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Rotten Aces at the Queen’s Tap, Swindon. Bring me the Horizon Party at the Vic.

Meltdown by Tom Hardman (Bath Fringe Festival 2024) at The Mission, Bath. The Collected Grimms Tales by Tim Supple and Carol Ann Duffy (Bath Fringe Festival 2024) at The Mission, Bath. Let’s Unpack That at the Rondo Theatre.

Tangled Roots Folk Festival, Radford Farm, Somerset.

Skinny Lister at The Tree House, Frome. The Buzzcocks at the Cheese & Grain. Not Fragile at The Sun.

Saturday 8th

Cable Street Collective at Devizes Arts Festival, Corn Exchange 8pm. The Unpredictables at The Three Crowns, Devizes. Tom Davies & The Bluebirds at The Southgate. Braeside Summer Extravaganza – Devizes, free entry, for fun activities, delicious food, live music, artisan market and more. 

The Monkey Dolls at The Lamb, Marlborough. RNLI Concert at St Peter’s Church.

Parker, Youngest of 3 and Butane Skies at the Pump in Trowbridge. Don’t forget, Youngest of 3 drummer Flo is also a regular contributor to Devizine, reporting on the youth scene, so please show them some support if you can! Sounds of Seattle at the Civic.

Bradford-on-Avon Food & Drink Festival. Fist Full of Rage at The Three Horseshoes.

Magic & Marvels at Swindon Arts Centre. Rockabilly Rumble at The Queen’s Tap, Swindon.

Masa at The Tuppenny. The Chaos Brothers at The Vic.

Catherine Bohart’s Again, With Feelings, at Rondo Theatre, Bath.

Little Pickles Market followed by Paul Jones & Dave Kelly at the Cheese & Grain, Frome.

Sunday 9th

Lions on the Green at Devizes Green. Tamsin Quinn & Vince Bell at The Southgate, from 5pm. Devizes Arts Festival Walk : Sarsens, Soldiers and Sawpits, and two free fringe events, Rumour at the Three Crowns at 2pm, and Annie Parker Trio at St John’s Church at 7pm.

Open Mic at the Red Lion, Lacock.

Matt Bragg & Seb Cooper at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Destination: Old Hag by Bridget Hardy, Penny Rossano and Samantha Houston (Bath Fringe Festival 2024) at The Mission, Bath. The Saint Melonians at the Bell, Bath.

Monday 10th

Ida Pelliccioli at Devizes Arts Festival.

Rock The Tots: Jungle at Pound Arts, Corsham.

The University of Bath Minerva Lecture Series at The Mission, Bath. Scott Lavene at the Bell, Bath (we love Scott here at Devizine, go see this, and if you do, please write back to tell us about it.)

Tuesday 11th

Devizes Arts Festival: Belinda Kirk and The Life-Changing Power of Adventure. And Discovering Antarctica : Heroic tales of Shackleton, Crean and Scott ~ Play on Words Theatre.

Peter Jones & Tom Berge Trio for Jazz Knights at the Royal Oak, Swindon.

And that’s all we’ve got for now; fill your boots! Events listed here are subject to change, we are not responsible for cancellations, errors or postponements in anything listed.

Do check ahead with our every-changing events diary. Isn’t it high time you snapped up some tickets for the Devizes Arts Festival?

Important note: events which come to our attention from now on, will be updated on the Event Calendar and NOT HERE. So, be sure to check in from time to time, use the Event Calendar to find more info on everything listed on here, and for ticket links, etc. Use the Event Calendar to check for updates and planning ahead.

Did we miss you out? Did you tell us about your event? It’s not that we don’t like you, it’s because Devizine uses many sources to collate these listings, and sometimes we miss a few things. Listing your event here is free, but please make it easier for me by messaging or emailing the info, and then, and this is the really important part, make sure I’ve added it and let me know if not!

Have a good week!

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The Magic Teapot Gathering

Okay, so there must be a truckload of local social and political ranting to cover, but it’s new year’s day, I’m going to waffle about magic teapots…..

When you put out a piece highlighting local festivals happening over the next year it’s inevitable you’ll miss a few, and good folk will email, hoping their shindig can be listed. Naturally, we’re always happy to hear from them, and will endeavour to add them to the list. But being this is such a fantastic concept, and besides, it’s called The Magic Teapot, how could I refuse a little extra attention?!

In the economic plight stationary music venues face troubled times, here’s a mobile venue, which goes from festival to festival, hosting its own little festival inside it; magic indeedy! The Magic Teapot, though, hosts its own annual festival too, happening in the Mendip Hills from the 3rd to 6th May. I put to its creator, the aptly named Joseph Peace, he could put a model of a festival inside the festive teapot, making it like those Russian dolls!

He replied he liked the idea and would ponder it, but more importantly, after I had calmed down from the excitement of hearing from a magic teapot, Joseph told me The Magic Teapot has been running since 2017. “We currently take The Magic Teapot to around 18 festivals each year,” he said, “The Gathering is the only event of our own we currently run, hiring a campsite to do it. It’s quite an undertaking so once a year is enough at the moment. When we get our own land we will be doing regular small events ourselves, hopefully that can happen sooner rather than later, fingers crossed.”

This is the third year of The Magic Teapot Gathering, why am I last to hear about these things?! A totally acoustic, amplifier-free festival in four Magic Teapot structures which can easily accommodate everyone in the case of poor weather. Headliners for 2024 are 3 Daft Monkeys, Noble Jacks and Mobius Loop; lovely. Lots of opportunities to join in with playing and singing and each venue features a real piano and a warming central fire.

You can help with building the wicker man, which burns Saturday night, or join the Maypole dancing on Sunday morning. Ticket price includes camping, car parking, showers, sauna and hot tub. Adult ticket, £100, teen ticket £25, kids free, campervan £15.

Make no mistake just ‘cos it’s new year’s day, I’m partially frazzled and 2024 hasn’t got off to a great start what with my daughter assaulting me with a teacake to the face last night, I absolutely love this festival with charms on, this whole Magic Teapot idea, and I’m all tingly with just how communal and beautiful it all looks; somebody put some dandelions in my hair, pronto!

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Hoping for a Summer of Local Music Festivals

Presented a punter-based cautionary piece on the hopeful move forward for live music this year, and how chancy it all is at this stage. If the playground remains uneven, I never intended the article to be pessimistic, though it may’ve been perceived that way. I just advised applying caution may be necessary prior to a compulsory detonation of over-excitement.

The other side of the coin of this vicious circle is that, without ticket sales there will be no show. While many organisers have cancelled their regular events, some keep their fingers and toes crossed, others are trying to work through it, and are dowsing a silver lining to this cloud with a summer of festivals planned.

Let’s hope and pray it pays off. Festival websites report that it is, and tickets are selling fast, which agreed, could be a sales pitch. So, you’re left to risk the call, and snap up tickets, especially for the most popular ones. I have faith most festivals will refund you if it either goes Pete Tong, or Pete Tong is booked to DJ, or else ask to retain your ticket for another year, because they organise festivals, and festivals are all about openness and sharing. Booking agents on the other hand, might be another story.

Personally, I’ve done gone got the festival t-shirt many moons ago, and the jester’s hat too, come to think about it; I can bide my time from power-napping in a spinning canvas pyramid, paying over the odds for a baggie of basil, and sliding headlong into a ditch of piss. For many though, particularly younger generations, festivals are essential, and vital, for their wonderful feeling of togetherness. For the music industry it’s crucial to maintain this notion; ignore my aged rant, there is no ditch of piss, not really, not in this clean-cut era!

Let’s run through the locally based choicest ones, which sound too good to miss… but remember to check the individual planned conditions of entry, some will ask you to provide evidence of licensed vaccination or negative PCR test within the previous 48 hour period.

June

11th – 13th: Kite Festival

Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire

Born from a Kickstarter campaign in January 2020, but cancelled for the obvious reasons, it’s this festival’s maiden voyage this year. KITE aims to combine incredible music and breakthrough ideas in a unique programme of live performances and interactive discussions. “We wanted to bring together contemporary and legendary performers, thinkers, writers and public figures from the world of music, politics, business, technology and the arts and give you the opportunity to engage with the people who are influencing the way we live.”

Cultural icon Grace Jones, multi-Grammy-Award winning jazz singer Gregory Porter and gospel legend Mavis Staples were set to lead the music programme for the original date last year, we wait in anticipation to hear the line-up now, as Kite announce they’re working on their 2021 programme. Sign up for their newsletter for updates.

18th-20th: Bigfoot Festival

Ragely Hall, Warwickshire

Another first outing cancelled last year sees its debut this June. Just the map is enticing enough, with a boating lake and woodland and all that stuff. Local breweries and bands, who share the stages with a great line up, including Primal Scream, Fat White Family, Hot Chip Megamix, Maribou State (DJ) Baxter Dury and Dinosaur Pile-Up. There’s also an intersting wellbeing programme with hip hop yoga, boxercise, Let’s Talk About Sex Meditation & Mindfulness, and biscuits & burpees; I’ll just have the biscuits, thank you! Find Bigfoot here.

July

2nd – 4th: Minety Music Festival

Hornbury Hill, Malmesbury

Fourth outing for this popular do. A community non-profit triple day extravaganza, run entirely by volunteers which raised funds for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, and local schools and charities last year. Guaranteed excellent music, a great, wide range of food and a well-stocked house Bar, Gin & Prosecco Bar and Cocktail Tiki Bar! There will also be a range of FREE activities in the Kidzone, including rock climbing wall, rock climbing digi-wall, an inflatable slide and assault course, bouncy castles, circus skills workshops and kids craft workshops, plus many more activities.

Line-up includes, Dr & The Medics, Space, Jesus Jones, Dreadzone, Crikey Minogue & Six Packs, a Ministry of Samba workshop, and a great local roster of Devizine favourites The Tribe, Talk In Code, The Dirty Smooth, A’La-Ska, Navajo Dogs, Sloe Train and Plucking Different. This is going to be a brilliant one, make sure there’s room in your backpack to sneak me in! Info Here.

Should get you in the mood…..

8th-10th: 2000trees Festival

Withington, Cheltenham

A largely rock and indie festival, 2000trees has a good reputation and won awards. This year sees Jimmy Eat World headline, with Thrice, Creeper, The Amazons, Dinosaur Pile-Up, The Menzingers, The Get Up Kids and many more to make me feel old!  Tickets & info Here.

9th-11th: – Cornbury Festival

Great Tew, Oxfordshire

Still in the planning stages, this ever-growing festival in the most beautiful Oxfordshire Cotswold location think it’s enough just to announce on headline act, yeah, but it is Bryan Adams; show offs! Should be good though. Info here.

22nd-25th Womad (?)

Charlton Park, Malmesbury

Still hopeful, Womad are holding off announcing acts, but you know, I know, we all know it’ll be the crème de la crème of world music on our doorstep, if all goes well, they’ve secured the date and tickets are here.

31st Mfor 2021

Lydiard Park, Swindon

A family orientated, affordable, one day pop-tastic festival I’ve only heard good things about, could be just the thing to introduce kids to festivals. And with Craig David, Rudimental, Ella Henderson, Phats & Small, Mark Hill (Original Artful Dodger), Lindy Layton on the line-up, it’s easy to see how this party is going to go down. I believe local acts will also be on agenda, certain our friends Talk in Code feature. There’s even an over 18 Friday night special additional event, with Five, S Club, Liberty X, Baby and Rozalla; everybody is freeeee, to feeeel gooood, apparently. Info & Tickets.

August

5th-8th: Wickham Festival

Fareham, Hampshire

New one on me this, but The Wickham Festival is an annual four-dayer of music and arts. Boasting three stages, and rated as one of the safest, most relaxed and family-friendly festivals in the UK, Wickham was voted ‘Best UK Festival, cap. under 15000’ at the Live UK Music Business Awards in October 2015; so, they know their stuff; I mean, they’ve got Van the man, and The Waterboys. Note also, Devizine favs, Beans on Toast, Gaz Brookfield, Tankus the Henge along with Nick Parker on the agenda; sweet! Tickets & Info Here.

6th: Love Summer Festival Devon: SOLD OUT.

7th- 8th: The Bath Festival Finale Weekend

And what a finale it is, Saturday; McFly, Scouting For Girls, Orla Gartland, Lauren Hibberd, George Pelham, Josh Gray, Novacub, Dessie Magee and Luna Lake. Sunday; UB40 featuring Ali Campbell & Astro, Billy Ocean, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Seth Lakeman, Bloco B, Hannah Grace, Casey Lowry, Port Erin Life, and Life In Mono, with more to be announced… Tickets HERE.

21st: Mantonfest

Manton, Marlborough

Any closer than this and it’ll be in your back garden! But that’s not the sole reason to grab a ticket for MantonFest! Just thirty notes for adults, a tenner for teenagers, and a fiver for kids, but that’s not the only other reason. Reports on this family, broad ranging charity fundraising annual do has never been negative, and we’re glad to hear it’s back for 2021. Number one Blondie tribute Dirty Harry headline, along with Dr. Feelgood, Ex-Men (five members of original 60’s bands), Barrelhouse, Jo Martin with his band, Devizine favs Richard Davies and The Dissidents, Josie and the Outlaw and homegrown Skeddadle. We previewed it last year before shit hit the fan; tickets bought in 2020 are valid for 2021. Mantonfest say, “we may have to introduce some anti-covid restrictions. These will be announced nearer the time and will be in line with the latest developments and best practice;” let’s hope this goes off this time. Tickets & Info here.

21st: Live at Lydiard

Lydiard Park, Swindon

Anne‐Marie, Sean Kingston, Roman Kemp [DJ set] Artful Dodger, Chaney, Fabian Darcy on the line-up over four stages for this day festival at Lydiard, with a dance tent, boutique cocktail bar and food court. Info & Tickets here.

21st: Bath Reggae Festival

Now pushed back to August bank holiday, this is the maiden voyage for the Bath Reggae Festival, and we bless them with the best of luck. With a line-up this supreme though, I’d imagine it’ll sell itself. Legends Maxi Priest, Aswad, Big Mountain, Dawn Penn, and The Slits solo extraordinaire Hollie Cook, Laid Back and lovers rocker Wayne Wonder, this is a must for reggae fans. Tickets & info here.

September

4th-5th: Concert at the Kings

All Cannings, Devizes

For locals little more can be said about how awesome this ground-breaking festival raising staggering funds for cancer research is. Since 2012 it has bought international headline acts to the sleepy village outside Devizes; legendary fables and the fondest memories have been had there. No difference this time around, save for some social distancing. Billy Ocean, 10CC, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Sweet, Strawbs, Lindisfarne and Devizine favs Talk in Code, with more to be announced; twist your arm anymore, sir? No; no need to! Tickets & Info here.

9th-12th: Swindon Shuffle

Venues across Swindon

A later date for this annual extravaganza of local live music, spread across Swindon’s premiere venues and hugely supportive of original homegrown talent, this is weekend to head for the railway town. Since 2007 the Shuffle raises funds for MIND, and is largely free to attend. Ah, there’s plenty time to arrange a line-up, which is underway, but you can guarantee a truckload of our local favourites will be there, somewhere! Info.

10th-12th: Vintage Nostalgia Festival

Stockton Park, Near Warminster

The mature place to glamp this summer if you want to get retro; classic cars is the concentrate, but there’s no shortage of great bands from rockabilly, doo-wop, blues to mod skiffle, boogie woogie jazz and beyond. Sarah Mai Rhythm & Blues Band, “Great Scott,” Shana Mai and the Mayhems, The Bandits, Junco Shakers,The Flaming Feathers, The Harlem Rhythm Cats, Little Dave & The Sunshine Sessions, The Rough Cut Rebels, Riley K, The Ukey D’ukes and loads more. Info & Tickets Here.

You know, this one could be for me, rather than trying to look youthful clutching onto a marquee pole for dear life while a hoard of sugared-up teeny-boppers check Instagram amidst a soundtrack of dubstep! But look, I reckon there’s something for everyone here, but if I did miss yours, let me know, for a squashy cup of cider at the festie bar, I must just add your do here too!

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