Rude girls grito! Far from home perhaps, but so, so worth mentioning for tropical vibes of rock steady and ska in a fashion proportionately youโll find hard to come by around these parts, itโs my beloved all-girl-bar-one Mexican ska band, Girls Go Ska with a bran-new album Frente al Mar. Girls and ska, whatโs not to like?!
From the off, the title track simply melts, mellowly, and builds in tempo, but is never overdramatic; โcoolโ is the operative word; fresco! If Iโve put them on a pedestal before, theyโve now put another couple of pedestals atop it. Often steady paced for the genre, it proves ska, while upbeat doesnโt have to be full of macho-bravura skinheads, or a frenzied rancour attack against dogmatic tyranny itโs often misperceived here through the eightiesโ second-generation Two-Tone scene, and within the dominate contemporary ska-punk internationally. Iโve made this point in the past when penning a more general piece about ska and reggae in South America, in which Girls Go Ska were featured.
Girls go Ska
Frente al Mar is breezy, bright and fun, light-hearted and beguiling. It roots the genre to its original Jamaican ethos, as a carefree dance music. Though, thereโs a large chunk of assumption with those observations, as my Spanish isnโt up to scratch, so my presumption rests on the design, the album name, which translates to the seaside, basically, and mood of the vocals; if theyโre singing about anything other than romantic themes and enjoying oneself dancing on a tropical beach, like making political statement, it certainly doesnโt sound that way! You just have to enjoy the professionality and untroubled vibe this album breezes in your direction, itโs gorgeous, and it absolutely skanks!
Packaged femininely in loud pink and decorated with cute shลjo manga, rather than our typecast black and white chequered trade identity with Walt Jabsco splashed all over, Frente al Mar provides an alternative to norm, but is no way attributes the โfairer sex,โ rather riot grrrl kick-ass in tenet, gender-neutral in sound. Not that punk comes into play; throughout itโs steadfast traditional ska sound, one should credit Studio One rather than Two-Tone, or even Reel Big Fish for, thereโs also sprinklings of Latino sound traditional to Mexico, of ranchera, norteรฑo and their contemporary offshoots, but are subtle and likely naturally occurring.
Imagine, if your English mind will adapt, Gloria Estefan performing ska, and youโre nearer to the mark than The Specials. But no, eight sublimely flowing tunes is what you get, a sun-kissed blessing on the ear, in the style of brass-based rock steady and good olโ ska. While pukka boys, Death of Guitar Pop are currently returning the welcomed Nutty-Boys-esque frivolous and fairground ska home for lads, further afield, here comes the girls.
Meanwhile here in my hometown of Devizes, the newly opened rum bar, The Muck & Dundar has been a roaring success, proving a taste of the tropical is welcomed, ergo, taken out of its context and origins, Frente al Mar would make the perfect soundtrack to it. Me? I’m smitten, with a little crush!
Itโs going to be all hip hop hooray at Trowbridgeโs Birdhouse when Bristolโs award-winning boom bap rappers The Scribes arrive on Saturday 21st Novemberโฆ. Theโฆ
Sad news for Marlborough, especially for the tourist industry, as the Polly Tea Room announced its closure today, after 114 yearsโฆ. The iconic tea roomsโฆ
Wiltshire Music Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Ken Scott as Chair of its Board of Trustees…. The appointment comes at an excitingโฆ
Today is the first anniversary of the Devizes Area Youth Lounge on Sidmouth Street. With free afternoon sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and one for SENDโฆ
There’s no fooling you; this headline is Mc-deliberately misleading! There’s not even a burger, just a clickbait sesame seeded pun. I had to grab yourโฆ
Real life Little Red Riding Hood, Lille Rรธde comes to The Queenโs Head in Box on Saturday November 28th; beware wolves! Sounding something like Stโฆ
Featured image: Devizes Guardiansโ Cllr Sarah Bridewell and former Devizes East Ward councillor, the late Jane Burton, committed campaigners on dog fouling. It was alwaysโฆ
Hi, yeah s’me, keeping up the Song of the Day feature like dedication was as word I know the definition of!
No excuses not to, I mean I am of the generation when Roy Castle clasped his trumpet weekly, ready for the signing off of “Record Breakers.” No, it’s not a euthanasim, Google it whippersnappers.
Might also explain my fondness for brass. Brass is class, and a vital element of ska. Yep, four tunes in and I couldn’t resist sharing some ska with you.
It’s a commonly misguided notion that ska is a retrospective cult here in England. It tends to convey a bygone era of Two-Tone records, boots and braces.
Yet today, while said stereotype has a grounding, ska is an international phenomenon, particularly in South America. I did write a piece about this region’s love for ska, and how it’s roots out of Jamaica bare a different tale from our own.
To show you how fresh it can be elsewhere in the world, and it’s not a reminiscence for a load of overweight balding pensioners as perceived in the UK, here’s all-female bar one Mexican band, Girls Go Ska, who I’m secretly in love with, (so secret they don’t even know themselves….until they use Google translate!) doing an instrumental jam.
Girls and ska; what’s not to like? Have a lovely rest of your day. Very good. Carry on….
Itโs going to be all hip hop hooray at Trowbridgeโs Birdhouse when Bristolโs award-winning boom bap rappers The Scribes arrive on Saturday 21st Novemberโฆ.
The Birdhouse has fast become a staple venue in our county town, providing free music every weekend and a town centre platform for a plethora of local acts. Yet, even if youโve only a passing interest in hip hop, itโs an ideal opportunity to visit The Birdhouse, because, from tongue-twisting conscious rhymes to amusing improv freestyling, dope beats to unbelievable live beatboxing, The Scribes waxing lyrical will astound you……
If my heroes of hip hop rest in the old school, an era and ocean away, if I can say at least Iโve seen Run DMC live, but boom bap masters who can really spit complex, rapid-fire lyrics, like A Tribe Called Quest and the Fu-Schnickens, Iโm unlikely to ever witness, and if I did theyโd probably be too full of bravado to give me the time of day, The Scribes are top of the UK scene right now, and theyโre nice enough to come over to say hi; theyโve even placed our logo on the poster, a nice touch to get a preview, even if I intended to anyway!
Because they rocked out the Muck & Dunder in Devizes four years ago, as they do wherever they go, but Devizes is hardly hip hop central, hence my point; you donโt have to be Eminem to appreciate the Scribes show. Itโs an amazing and unique booking, Claire and Chloe of the Birdhouse, one which Iโm making a beeline for, looking forward to, will report my findings, but highly recommend you pay The Birdhouse a visit on Saturday 21st November rather than read about what you sorely missed!
Better start my crazy legs retraining. St John’s Ambulance on standby; see you there!
Sad news for Marlborough, especially for the tourist industry, as the Polly Tea Room announced its closure today, after 114 yearsโฆ.
The iconic tea rooms popular with tourists and residents announced it was closed due to rising costs. Blaming the cost of living crisis, a note on its door said โit is impossible to run a High Street business in the UK in these circumstances.โ
It is unfortunate, I see it slightly differently. Of course, we live in challenging times, but I paid a visit to the Polly Tea Rooms last month. It was disappointing and not the same exclusive experience it once was.
The building was once the Half Moon Inn, which closed in 1812. The Polly was established in 1912 by Miss Jean Leath Hay and Miss Janet McCloud, one of whom had been a suffragette.
When my family first moved to Wiltshire in the late eighties, we acted like tourists and did the tourist attractions; including the essential trip to the delightful and iconic Polly Tea Rooms. Pensioners poured off of buses, stopped there on the way to Stonehenge, and spilled into the Polly. It put Marlborough on the tourist map.
As an urban teenager, I felt like Dr Who and had gone back a hundred years in time; the green carpeted creaky floorboards, the Victorian decor, teas in vintage teapots and selection of โposhโcakes, and impeccably well-mannered waiting staff in period dress. It was worth the extra coinage in comparison to other tea rooms in the town.
After decades of living back in Essex, last month, I brought my mum back to Wiltshire for a visit, wanting her to re-experience the delights of our county. Marlborough was hot on her list and included the essential trip to The Polly Tea Rooms. I was shocked to see it stripped of the antique decor, with a contemporary run of the mill coffee stand, American diner styled seating added to grouped tables, a lack of interesting cakes, and the staff, dressed in modern coffee shop attire, had the customer service skills of late night petrol station cashiers. It immediately felt uninviting, like any typical and commercial coffee cafe chain; one step away from scanning that QR code to order!
They had a reasonable breakfast deal, which ended at midday. We were on time by ten minutes to take advantage of it, as I had not had breakfast, while my mum, being in a hotel, already had and was content with a cake. But by the time we were served, midday was two minutes past, and although they honoured the deal, the waiting staff scorned me for mentioning it.
I did not want eggs, so they kindly asked if I wanted to swap them out, and I said yes. The swap out really tips my judgement on a cooked breakfast, so I was glad they offered! But when the substandard plate came out, low and behold, the egg was staring up at me. Without apology, they whipped that plate away and took a further twenty-five minutes in which to remove the offending item and return it to me, with no sign of the swap-out item. By which time the teapot was empty and mum’s cake was as much history as the ethics of the once proud Polly Tea Rooms.
See, if it’s the policy of an establishment not to honour breakfast item swaps, then though it won’t bode well with me, it is what it is. But to enquire if a customer wants to swap, and to then not bother adjusting the order, is the worst; the worst cooked breakfast crime imaginable!
We left rather disappointed, but being it was a historic establishment, I didn’t want to kick it while it was down, so, though tempted, it wouldn’t be fair to mention it here. But now it has sadly ended, I feel I must, because it serves as an example that anyone in the hospitality industry should not forgo quality simply because it believes it is safe due to tradition and/or historic interest or location. You can not rely on decades of historic tradition because people talk, assess, and spread word faster and more effectively than ever before in this online world.
Tradition is key in Wiltshire. It is highly important; if you have it, don’t rely on it. You must maintain it to survive. You must make the experience of visiting your establishment something unique, something either different, or strengthened by the traditions it once upheld, if it had one.
Polly gone, but some weeks later, I paid a visit to Tea Inc, snuggled in the Ginnell, a tiny back lane in Devizes. I wish I could have come to terms with the fact that just because an eatery is concreted into tradition, times change. Tea Inc is new, particularly if compared to the 114 years of the Polly!
I wish I would’ve taken my mum here instead, I will next time, because she would love it! The owners have no idea I’m writing this, I don’t do advertorials, nor do I flatter anyone, but this quirky little tea room is the ultimate tea experience.
It does precisely what The Polly should have done if it had any intention of staying around to round up its reign off to 120 years. Tea Inc is cosy, welcoming, and quirky. It has the single most unbelievable menu of teas, and by comparison with grabbing a bulk standard cuppa in a cardboard cup from your average coffee chain, it’s actually cheaper, too.
I was taken aback at how many different teas there are, and there’s detailed information on them all. There’s no teabags here, all freshly served with a glass, an appropriate filtered dispenser for the tea type, be it an insulated pump or a mini modern urn, and even an egg timer to tell you when to pour, for the most perfect cup of tea you will ever experience. They truly are tea scientists!
In 1966, the Polly Tea Rooms survived a fire, destroying its upper floors and giving it its bungalow look, but it seems it could not survive these challenging times. It is likely that a hefty fine for its owners in 2023, for racially discriminating against former employee Natalia Zeh at a tribunal in Bristol, didn’t do much for their reputation or finances, but they’ll go on, blaming the cost of living crisis, while we must question it’s seemingly down to poor management.
As social media opinion on the news spreads, it seems not all was well at the Polly, with a plethora of negative comments concerned with its mismanagement. Despite those mentioning such concerns, there’s also those blaming a Labour government, although Marlborough defaulted to a Reform constituency, by bad boy Danny K’s treachery, and one keyboard warrior even goes on a limb to randomly connect migration to the issue. We’ve had the wrath of Danny K in Devizes; thankfully, we retain a tea room in the aftermath!
Tea Inc. is everything the Polly Tea Rooms should have been to sustain its rightful place on the High Street, rather than confined to Wiltshire history as a memory. So, if anyone plans to buy and renovate the relic of the Polly, take a tealeaf out of Tea Incโ book!
Wiltshire Music Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Ken Scott as Chair of its Board of Trustees…. The appointment comes at an exciting moment for Wiltshire Music Centre as it continues to expand both its artistic and learning programmes. Alongside a programme of ambitious live music that celebrates curiosity across genres, the Centre supports musicians and music-lovers at every stage of their journey through education, participation, and community projects. From introducing children and young people to music for the first time, to creating progression pathways for emerging musicians and opportunities for lifelong learning, Wiltshire Music Centre is committed to ensuring that exceptional musical experiences are accessible to everyone.
An experienced chair, Non-Executive director, and strategic leader, Ken brings a wealth of expertise spanning commercial business, financial services, governance, and the charitable sector.
Ken has held a number of senior leadership and governance roles across both the private and charitable sectors. Until January 2026, he served as Chair of the Lending Standards Board, the independent body overseeing voluntary standards across the UK banking sector. He currently chairs JLC Distribution Ltd, supporting the company’s international growth and expansion.
His extensive charitable governance experience includes nine years as Senior Independent Trustee at St John’s Foundation in Bath, where he chaired both the Investment Committee and trading subsidiary, overseeing investment strategy and long-term financial sustainability. He has also chaired Westway Trust in London, leading significant governance and organisational development.
Ken’s executive career includes serving as Group Chief Executive of ILX Group plc, where he led a major business turnaround and established the organisation as a global leader in project management training and digital learning. Earlier leadership roles included Group Chief Executive of Hamptons International and Executive Director of Avco Financial Services. He began his career with HSBC, ultimately becoming Regional Director for the bank’s largest UK region.
Tessa Armstong, Interim Chair of the Board, said, “Ken brings an exceptional combination of strategic insight, governance expertise, and leadership experience. As Wiltshire Music Centre continues to grow its impact across the county and beyond, his experience of leading complex organisations and supporting sustainable growth will be invaluable. Most importantly, as a musician, Ken brings a love and a passion for music – vital in a venue that celebrates musical curiosity in all its forms. We are delighted to welcome him as Chair.”
Ken Scott, new Chair of the Board, said, “Wiltshire Music Centre is a remarkable organisation with a clear sense of purpose and an ambitious vision for the future. I am excited to be joining at a time when the Centre is building on its strong foundations and expanding its contribution to the cultural life of Wiltshire. I look forward to working with fellow trustees, staff, artists, supporters, and partners to help realise that ambition.”
Sarah Robertson, Executive Director at Wiltshire Music Centre, says “As we look ahead to the next phase of Wiltshire Music Centre’s development, we wanted a Chair who could bring strategic clarity, commercial insight and a genuine commitment to public benefit. Ken offers all of that and more. We’re investing in ambitious artistic programming, creating clearer learning pathways for people of all ages and abilities, and building on our role as a venue where audiences, learners, and musicians come together. Whether through inspiring concerts, youth programmes, community participation, or partnerships across the county, we’re determined to make Wiltshire Music Centre the musical heartbeat of Wiltshire.”
Wiltshire Music Centre‘s new strategy sets out ambitions to present distinctive and adventurous live music, create learning opportunities with clear progression routes, strengthen its position as the musical heartbeat of the county and build a resilient organisation capable of sustaining its impact for future generations.
Today is the first anniversary of the Devizes Area Youth Lounge on Sidmouth Street. With free afternoon sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and one for SEND youngsters on Tuesdays, it has become a safe social space for year 7 and up to gather, and shows no sign of flailing in popularityโฆ.
I dropped in to meet some of the kids, and Steve Dewar, who, as deputy director & youth work chaplain for the Wiltshire Youth for Christ, is the mastermind of this project, as well as many others in our locale, including the mobile youth cafe and Roots and Shoots, a football club set up with Wiltshire FA.
I admit, I thought I was turning up for an adult gathering, with councillors and supporters of the project, and kids would โrock upโ later, after returning home from school to change and grab a snack. Instead this was just the usual afternoon open to the kids, and as such a great opportunity to see this brilliant place in action. I could hear the merry sounds of young people enjoying a natter down the street; it was jammed in there, and I realised these kids are coming here straight from school, to be greeted by Steve and his team of volunteers, and supplied with hot chocolate and cake.
Upstairs there’s a tech space, a kitchen, and meeting rooms, but downstairs is where it all happens. Steve explained there’s limited people who can gather upstairs, and thoughts returned to me of my chat with councillors Rosemary and Jonathan last week, where Jonathan suggested the project was outgrowing the available space. It certainly appeared this way this afternoon.
Steve stressed some outside garden space would be great as well as space to run extra activities, events and workshops, pointing out they often have a number of bikes parked up on the street. For now, though, they were proud of the space they had created, and looked after it.
It’s not good to give residents a reason to complain, like bicycles obstructing the pavement, but from what I witnessed, there’s a lot worse our young people could be getting up to. Here there’s their choices of music, video games, a whole racing sim, air hockey and table football, but most of them favoured chatting over a drink and snack. There was a marvellous atmosphere of social engagement, a united demographic across schools, from Devizes, Lavington and Pewsey Vale. And in this, there was a respectful feeling where they were free to discuss matters between themselves away from the restricted confines of school, home, or dare I say it, online. Although, I suspected most of them were here to more simply enjoy themselves and socially engage.
One observation I made; no one had their phone out! A couple of girls took a trip to Light & Sound, and showed me the David Bowie vinyl they brought; I was impressed and surprised by their choice! Others freely came and went, but the most important observation was their interactions with Steve, who chatted to them on their level, with natural ease, and they treated him with the utmost respect. When he asked them to tidy the empty cake wrappers, for example, they did so, and it wasnโt akin to a bossy parent or teacher scenario, it was out of mutual respect for this wonderful space he and the team had provided, and they had contributed to with their ideas.
The general ethos might be on fun and social engagement, but I felt if the kids needed someone to talk to, they could rely on him. I asked Steve if youth came to him with any issues they might have, and he replied sometimes they do, and advice was on hand for them. But for the most part of it, itโs a safe space to socialise, and thatโs what they really need most. I mentioned the stereotypical and out of touch youth clubs of my era, of how vicarโs broken pool tables and watered down orange squash felt patronising to us, but the DAY Lounge is something of their own creation, modern and chic. They democratically decided on the name, and designed the layout; it was, effectively, their space, and Steve was on hand to advise, encourage and engage whenever they required him to.
Steve spoke of the need for more volunteers as well as the idea around expansion, and of funding, where it seemed youth projects in more urban environments took their fair share of grants, yet rural areas, like here, being perceived as more affluent, therefore private investment was incorrectly assumed by the powers that be as sufficient to operate this and other similar projects. The Day Lounge operates for year seven and over, and while primary school ages have facilities supplied, usually this is the age bracket which gets forgotten about, and shoulder the blame for antisocial behaviour; but thatโs a direct consequence of a lack of projects like this, or one which no one is available to help and no one wants to be involved with.
I argue antisocial behaviour is a spectator sport; modern proof of this is when perpetrators film themselves doing it, whereas in our day it was chanting kids standing in rings surrounding the misbehaviour. While you may not be able to socially engage those few ringleaders, you can take away their potential audience, by providing them with some things to do, and a place to gather and do them. The answer really is that simple, and places like the Day Lounge really are proof that they are crucial to this ongoing development.
Happy 1st birthday to the Day Lounge, a brilliant project that serves the young community well, but only served me with the dream that I wish I was younger; that orange squash the vicar would provide in my era was so diluted, and the felt of the pool table was torn! I hope that weโll see future anniversaries of the Day Lounge, and the expansion of this amazing project.
The mysterious paperbag-wearing local character Joyrobber has only gone and put a whole album down. It’s called You Need to Stop Doing This, and afterโฆ
After five years, a new album drops tomorrow (Friday 23rd October) from southwest Welsh reggae outfit, Captain Accident & the Disasters, and itโs worth theโฆ
Well, what else is there to oyez about? Congratulations must go to our Devizes Town Crier, Charlotte Howard-Macdonald, again today, as Brian Mathew MP tabledโฆ
On the Festival of Discovery, other political discoveries, and is the Crammer full yet?! No to the latter, but local Facebook groups are full โฆ.ofโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Gill Morrell and Penny Clegg How all the other passions fleet to air,As doubtful thoughts and rash embraceddespair, And shuddโring fear, and green-eyed jealousy- Merchant of Venice, Act 3 Scene 2, William Shakespeare O, beware, my lord, ofโฆ
Christmas at the Rowdey Cow; because nothing says Christmas like an ice cream! Or at least, it works for me; Iโd eat ice cream through a heatwave, Iโd eat ice cream on an Arctic expedition! But thereโs more to our lovely ice cream parlour farm cafe than just ice cream; although the ice cream is… erm, the cream of the crop, if youโll pardon the pun?!
Jingly bells! Christmas this year starts at The Rowdey Cow towards the end of November, when they announce their Christmas menu. Itโs confirmed! They will have some seasonal flavoured beauties stocked up in their ice cream freezer this Christmas, for your careful selection, but theyโre not telling us what they are yet!
On the 20th November, thereโs a special Countdown to Christmas event taking place from 5:30pm until 8:00pm. You could be toasting marshmallows, getting cosy watching Christmas films, and there will be craft activities, festive food, drinks, and, of course, ice cream!
There will be a Christmas tree stall and a mini market, thereโs a complimentary mince pie, and mulled wine or hot chocolate on arrival, and of course, provided youโve been good all year, thereโs a visit from a very special guest; heโs coming at 5:30, so be there on time. Itโs ยฃ2 parking per car, which you can book on their website, HERE.
Santa Claus though will also be dropping into the Rowdey Cow on various mornings throughout December, and you, yes you, could be having breakfast with him! Breakfast with Santa happens on the 6th, 20th, 21st, or 22nd, where you can kick off the yule with a magical morning at Rowdey Cow. be quick though, because the 13th December has already sold out.
Enjoy a relaxed continental breakfast in the cafรฉ, with the option to upgrade to a cooked breakfast on the day, then head over for a chat, story time, and a photo with Father Christmas and his cheeky Elf. Every child receives a special gift, making it a perfect December treat for families looking to sprinkle a little extra Christmassy joy!
I’m getting so excited just typing this, I might hang up my stocking now…and put a flake in it too!
There’s no fooling you; this headline is Mc-deliberately misleading! There’s not even a burger, just a clickbait sesame seeded pun. I had to grab your attention one way or the other because Devizes East has a town council by-election on 12th November. Such things rarely get a good turnout, but I met the clear favourite of this two horse race, whose surname happens to be MacDonald; that’s my excuse for the foolery, and I’m sticking with itโฆ.
It certainly didn’t feel like I was meeting a prospective councillor, in the Black Swan so close to Halloween, and nothing about it was in any way spooky! In my usual rush I hadn’t prepared any Robin Day fashioned questions, yet artless Devizes Guardian candidate Rosemary MacDonald had minimal sales pitch, and no matter how I phished for sensationalism, she certainly had no intention of returning potshots from the opposition.
I return to report my findings in all honesty (other than the slightly misleading headline!) that, as I suspected, Rosemary is the warm and friendly listener ideal for the position. Professionally, I refrained from inappropriately asking her for a cuddle, but even as a hugger, I wasn’t let down by both her welcoming personality, motivation and her experience! In reflection, I suspect Rosemary figured immediately this isn’t your typical political interview, and professionalism isn’t my forte!
Although neither of us wished to dwell on recent misinformation being spread on social media by the Devizes Conservatives regarding this by-election, it felt important to example it for the purpose of highlighting my ethos; I donโt require, welcome or find it at all necessary to involve national politics in local affairs.
Seemingly in desperation to retain the seat, it does appear unfounded claims and even baseless official complaints have been made by the Conservatives group, intentionally to discredit Rosemary personally, and the Guardiansโ majority over Devizes Town Council, where it is that the realities of the issues highlighted are misinformed, or actually the responsibilities of Wiltshire Council rather than the town council. This highlights the often unscrupulous gameplay, generously funded by the national party, of councillors backed by this national party, praying on voterโs misunderstandings of which local tasks are assigned to which council; donโt be fooled, know your onions!
On the importance of keeping the dirty tactics of national politics out of town councils, Rosemary reflected, โpersonally I think it should, because the town council should be here to serve the people of Devizes, and the powers that the town council have are fixed. A lot of the party political issues are either at county level or national level. And so for Devizes, it’s a case of who’s going to do the best job for the town. There are great people across all parties who would do that, but I think when you’ve got a party political thing coming in from over the top, you’ve got expectations that you’re going to do things in a certain way. And I think the joy of the Guardians is they’re independent. We’re a loose coalition of people who all just want to put Devizes first, and that really appealed to me because I’ve had to spend my whole career being apolitical.โ
Rosemary worked in Devizes for twelve years running the Wiltshire Community Foundation, where they set up different programmes to support people across the whole county. Later in our chat she exampled one known as One Degree More, a programme for young people to get bursaries. โI’ve had to work with whoever’s in power with the roles that I’ve had at the community foundation,โ she explained, โand so I’ve had to work with Conservatives, Liberals, and Labour. So to me, the colour didn’t matter. It was a case of who was fighting for the community itself and who was going to make the best use of the opportunities that the town has.โ
โThe thing about the local political scene is it’s the end that matters. It’s what are we trying to achieve? And all the arguments seem to happen around the means of how we get there. And that’s fine. You should have a healthy debate and you need people with opinions different to yours, because otherwise you’d just all do the same thing and it might not work. You need people to question and challenge, and that’s absolutely right. But we all should be working from the same ends. There’s no point in having a combative approach. It’s more about, what are you bringing to the table, how does that work, and are you adding to the solution that we need to define?โ
I should state that leader of the Guardians, Johnathan Hunter was also present. I assumed he was only here to get the teas in, but when he said, โjust to chime in,โ he wanted to express how Rosemary’s agenda is all about community. โWe’re not saying that we want to keep national politics out of Devizes,โ he said. โWhat we’re saying is, let’s make sure Devizes has a local flavour and purpose. Where that clash comes with national parties is that there’ll be a percolation coming through from the party, a party purpose, which ultimately feeds into local issues and local people, which then discounts local people and local purposes. We always say, the Guardians first and foremost are your neighbours, your friends, local volunteers, working in the town, serving in the town.โ
The idea, it seemed, is that local issues are not so overcomplicated it requires the time wasting bickering associated with national politics. I sighed at my own example, of Boris Johnson and Jeremey Corbyn unable to compromise, where proactive solutions went out of the window. โThat’s a really good example,โ Rosemary praised, โin their case, they were arguing about the ends because they both wanted a different destination. And I think we don’t have space for that in Devizes. We need to agree on what we want to see. Because it’s not that difficult. Everybody wants a cleaner town, a thriving marketplace. They want loads of opportunities for their young people. They want to have an active, vibrant heritage and arts scene.โ
Rosemary was keen to add her main reason for moving to Devizes was the arts and โall the things going on.โ She spoke about driving here from Westbury to work on New Park Street, โand all I could think was Devizes is an amazing place. There’s so much going on here. And since I’ve been here, I haven’t been disappointed. I still haven’t been to all the things that I want to go to. So I’ve been dipping my toe into various things like the Food Festival, the Arts Festival, and carnival and Lantern Parade. I have yet to see the Confetti Battle because it’s never fallen when I’m actually in town. That’s something I would really love to see!โ
We spent some time praising the town, whereby Jonathan did some history of the Guardians, expressed his dedication to the Guardians was due to their association with the community, and how Rosemaryโs angle was centred around community matters. โClearly we don’t have the resources of a national political party,โ he said and explained theyโve not produced multiple leaflets due to waste; just one, summarising all they mean. โBut what we do have is amazing people, friends and neighbours around us who do great things.โ
This is where we continued onto Rosemaryโs experience running the Wiltshire Community Foundation, and the support programs and bursaries it provided. I figured this funnelled into her pledge to youth projects and how her experience would be beneficial. โThe thing is that knowing who to go to for funding is really important when you’re a small charity,โ she said. โI know loads about that because I’ve worked in that world for the best part of sixteen years.โ
Being isolated and unaware of entitlements and benefits was one of many issues the foundation set to solve. Rosemary spoke about the Surviving Winter scheme, how leftover funds the elderly didnโt personally require were used in their partnership with Age UK and the Fire Brigade Warm and Well Team, who would do checks on older people. She talked fondly about a six million pound fund she set up for care leaders, โbecause when children leave care, they go from being fully looked after to ยฃ60 and living on their own. We asked the network of community foundations to come up with ways that they could support care leavers.โ
Clearly, Rosemary has the relevant skills to secure varied projects, like the youth scheme. I wrongly called it a fund. โItโs not a fund,โ she explained, โit’s about looking at youth and what’s available for them in the town; that partnership approach, and seeing where we can secure funding from. It’s very hard to raise funds from a town council, there are other ways of attracting investment into these things. And I see lots of things and I’m thinking, I know somebody who might want to help with that, and that’s my thinking.โ
I proposed an importance of involving youth in the process, to which they agreed, and it so happened they were off to the Day Lounge immediately after our chat, to meet with a group of young people feeding ideas for a youth festival next summer. Jonathan suggested they could outgrow the space of the current Day Lounge, suggesting the centre was โonly the start of it,โ and praised the coming together of local businesses and the community to make the Day Lounge possible, when unfortunately there had been huge cuts to youth provisions.
I never wish to make the association with youth and antisocial behaviour, buy others do, and the Conservative candidateโs affluenza suggestion to throw more police officers at it when theyโre short of budget as it is, has become central to the Conservative campaign. How do they feel about this?
โAntisocial behaviour I think is very complex and it’s a multi-age issue,โ Jonathan remarked, โI’ve been personally talking to various people, different agencies, but young people get branded, you know. I’ve said this as a chair of a charity of homeless people, those people get branded as well. But it’s multi-dimensional. One of the reasons I’m so passionate about backing Rosemary’s candidacy, is because we need skilled practitioners in our midst who know what key to turn at the right time.โ
โYoung people need to be included and need to be the architects. So Rosemary’s pitch It’s all about listening and engaging, not just about young people, about a multitude of things. I think we’ve got to really tune into who those voices are that can enable this stuff. And from a political point of view in the council, there’s lots of myths and legends out there that other parties put out in terms of what the council can and can’t do. But isn’t it refreshing to have some engagement that’s local?โ
โI’ll give you a good example. Rosemary’s campaigning at the moment with Fraser, her husband, because Rosemary wants to engage residents. Rosemary doesn’t want to go around putting leaflets through letterboxes and walking down the path to the gate again. Rosemary’s talking to people. And I think by doing that, we’re hearing lots of stuff from residents. What about this? What about that? How good is it that we’ve got an opportunity, somebody who’s prepared to listen and roll up their sleeves?โ
Rosemary replied, โI had some great conversations this morning,โ around the Eastleigh Road and Longcroft areas. โI was talking to all sorts of people as they were walking their dogs, and people who answered their doors and some were saying โI haven’t got time;โ that’s actually fine. I was just introducing myself, and others were like, โoh we’ve had your leaflet, and โI just want to say hi, you know, and ask if you’ve read the leaflet.โโ
Rosemary spent some time expressing concerns for a lack of career opportunities, skills-based learning, local universities, and housing for the younger generation. โIt makes it very difficult for young people to find their opening, to find their chance to go and see what the world of work is like and to learn how to be face to face with people. Because a lot of that’s a skill that young people are having to learn later on in life now. And that face to face experience is so invaluable. It’ll set them up for the rest of their lives. So we need to be doing something where we can provide more opportunities for young people.โ
โWe need housing that they can afford, which isn’t going to be sunk into rent,โ Rosemary said, โwhich is non-recoverable. We need more shared ownership. I was delighted to walk through a housing estate off Roundway Park, and there are some shared ownership houses there which are out for sale and thatโs good. And they’re lovely; but let’s have ten times that amount. We don’t just want retired people moving to Devizes. We need to have the whole fabric and the demographic in this town. Otherwise, who’s going to look after the old people?!โ
โWe need to invest more in our social housing agencies, you know, our social housing landlords, because they’re the ones who provide affordable homes and then, to use them, to have land that they can use to build places that are not stuck in the middle of nowhere. You don’t want them stuck in the middle of nowhere. You want the housing in the town where people can get around.โ
Rosemary told me feedback from her conversations with residents included support for the town centre shops, anti-social parking and pedestrian crossings in the ward, and the possibility of a train station. โA Guardian perspective is we’re not sat on the edges commentating and throwing grenades in. We’re doing something about it. So speaking to enforcement, speaking to Wilshire Council, working together.โ
Even if flexible at times, I came away thinking this was the most honest and open political interview Iโve ever done. While their manifesto existed purely from which derived from residentโs feedback, the balance of it was based upon Rosemaryโs relevant experience to collate the responses and find the best solutions. At times so much it felt like the tables were turned and I was the one being quizzed for my thoughts on matters!
It differs vastly from the oppositionโs less abstract agenda of things they felt the town required, such as pulling weeds from pavements. This brings into question if the Conservatives have engaged with public opinion on the same level, intend to get their gloves on and pull the weeds out themselves, or if itโs pie in the sky. Perhaps theyโve been too busy criticising and lambasting The Guardians to concentrate on public opinion? I could ask, would honour it, but being the candidate Laura has banned me from her Facebook page, I get the impression they do not welcome my correspondence. Alienating the public in this way is in stark contrast to a candidate willing to listen.
Jonathan spoke of The Guardianโs โholistic and collaborative approach, rather than cheap shots coming in,โ in which he exampled their claim the Guardians โtook the benches away. Actually,โ he corrected, โthe benches were taken away to be cleaned and then replaced immediately. So, you know, we’re not in that space. We are standing back and looking at the bigger picture, and that’s why we are so supportive of Rosemary’s campaign, because it’s bigger picture thinking, and it’s looking at that kind of engagement with the community.โ
Jonathan could not stress enough the point that they didnโt want adversarial combat, โwe see all councillors as colleagues, core collaborators, and friends, working together. That’s what we would always want. We don’t want to use language like opposition, because one has to then think, opposition to what? Opposing? What are you exactly opposing? Because all of our work is community-led, community-driven. Opposition is language from Westminster.โ
That’s the whole point of having a party of independent councillors, isn’t it? Not for the want of trying to coax Rosemaryโs personal political sway out of her, she didnโt give. She simply replied, โI can tell you, I am an issue voter. I look at the issues that I’m concerned about, and then I look at what the responses are from each party, and my vote on the national stage will be for the party that is going the way I want to see issues tackled. I don’t have a particular leaning, which is partly because during my whole career I’ve had to be apolitical. I haven’t had the luxury of being able to pin my colours to a particular mask and be absolutely certain that they are right on all things forever. I’ve had to work in the grey, I’ve had to work with people from many different parties, and I’ve never found it a problem because I truly believe that people don’t go into politics to ruin people’s lives. Everybody who goes into politics at whatever level, at least initially, they want to make people’s lives better.โ
Thanks to Rosemary and Jonathan for their time, and to everyone else, I apologise if I brought you here thinking you were going to get a Big Mac and McFlurry in Devizes, but at least that was the only thing I was being deceptive about, unlike the Devizes Conservatives!
People power in Devizes! Due to pressure from Devizes retailers and councillors, Wiltshire Council today revised their plans for essential cable works in Devizes, originallyโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Jim McCauley The power of three. Three men. Three apartments. Three items of furniture. Three snacks bowls. Three types of drinkโฆ
If you came to this monster mash last night you’d be excused for finding it hard to believe it was only a couple of years ago when I published about the formation of Devizes-based band Burn the Midnight Oil, as the high hopes I predicted for them were truly displayed for a Halloween party at The Southgate last night. As they’ve taken to using the explosive quote โutter dynamiteโ I once hailed about them, their progress verges on the cataclysm of the fireworks display at the end of time and spaceโฆ..
The bus prematurely got me to this most comfy and hospitable tavern, historically renowned (I guess we can call it now) for its dedication to showcasing local live musical acts; needless to say I treated myself to a Rosie’s Pig; proper scrumpy priced well below the average fiver-plus pint. If I topped this up with a few extras as the evening progressed I’ll leave to your imagination, but you can usually judge by the quality of my photography skills!
A few mingled in the usual humble pub fashion, as, gradually, fancy dress clad revellers amassed in anticipation. Usually at this early stage you’ll witness band members tweaking and tuning last minute, but, professional to their core, every T was crossed and I dotted prior, and they had sneaked off for a bite to eat and likely planned their attack. This method builds excitement in the crowd, and, akin to a concert of international celebrities, Burn The Midnight Oil colourfully burst into the locally legendary alcove attired horrifically Halloween, and brewing with the confidence they’d create an electric atmosphere. Said confidence sure wasn’t cocky; they pulled everything out of the bag, and delivered a perfectly felicitous show.
Something of a homecoming, Burn The Midnight Oil are spreading their infectious vibe further afield, but as they do, they’ve established a loyal fanbase here, so the ambience was one of celebration, not just because of the spooky occasion meshing with their often dark themes, but more so because here’s a Devizes export going places, and we stand united in praising such an accomplishment.
Yay to the stipulation of ghostly themed covers, such as the obligatory Monster Mash, most apt for the band’s electric blues origins, Santana’s Black Magic Woman, plus perhaps most divinely suitable for Chrissy’s sublime sultry vocals, Dusty’s evocative Spooky, but really, Burn The Midnight Oil have reached the point where their originals are equally and knowingly appreciated locally.
Being a family affair of Devizes live music aficionados, banter and song dedications can be handsomely distributed through the crowd, and this rewards such gigs at The Southgate that communal experience you won’t get forking out for Taylor Swift at the 02 arena! For this occasion Chrissy handed out pumpkin pie and shot apรฉritifs during the interval, and judged fancy dressed participants.
Returning to their original outpourings, we were treated to a new song, a work in progress live debut, and presented with their recent tracks undoubtedly more positive in subject and commercially viable than their earlier, darker and often melancholic themes. With this, the most recent song Blood Sweat & Tearswas presented early in the set, whereas one of their first tunes, Werewolf, despite it being appropriate for Halloween, was saved for the encore, of which, such was the applause, they honoured about three of them and still had to make excuses that time was called!
This implies progress made causes them to compare objectively the worth of their earlier output against the newer songs; assessment and self-analysis is a positive attribute for the creative process. The proof was in the pudding, this was an insanely brilliant performance with more depth than ever before, and an added guest guitarist they picked up on their journeys. It was presented with passion and the perfect balance of an upcoming band forming a professional backbone, while retaining the communal ambience of a local watering hole and audience they’re familiar and fond of. The sum of these parts is the kind of memorable night you’ll take home with you, with the added promise to yourself to make a beeline for another Burn The Midnight Oil gig in your vicinity.
If you’ve any suspicion you’ve been shortchanged recently with Devizesโ live music scene, The Southgate sticks to the same guns it always fired, levelling up any deficit; if the roof is still intact after last night, Jon Amor Trio arrive this afternoon for their monthly residency, and you best believe the party continues in our very own jukejoint.
Thereโs a number of ways you can support Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance and raise funds for this vital charity, with many entertaining upcoming events;โฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Simon Hoy Cast your minds back around about a month and you may recall a Devizine preview of โPlayhouse Creaturesโ, performedโฆ
Yeah I know, right, itโs come up on us rather unexpectedly, this Festival of Discovery thing, hasnโt it?! Whatโs itโs all about then, I hearโฆ
Tomorrow, Friday 2nd October, sees a new single from Chippenham indie folk singer-songwriter Meg Hoy, or M3G, and it’s called My Riverโฆ.. If you deemโฆ
Chedworth, Gloucestershire; proud village soloist, songwriter and model Flora Fiora is kicking the tyres and smashing windows in with a new single, and itโs aboutโฆ
The Wharf Theatre in Devizes is thrilled to announce a major new chapter in its artistic programme: the theatre has officially become a registered screeningโฆ
Real life Little Red Riding Hood, Lille Rรธde comes to The Queenโs Head in Box on Saturday November 28th; beware wolves!
Sounding something like St Vincent meets Chappell Roan and playing on fairy tale origins, Lille Rรธde, Danish for โLittle Red,โ is a dynamic, four-piece indie-rock act, delivering sharp, theatrical relief in a world of mismanaged politics, misguided social interactions, and systemic misogyny.
The band is the ultimate creative vehicle for singer-songwriter Anna Mountford. After an established UK career beginning with starring roles in Londonโs West End shows, such as Lloyd Webberโs Starlight Express, Mountford went on to become a regular fixture on British TV, in shows like Holby City, Silent Witness, The Giblet Boys and Jack of Hearts.
In her teens, Anna packed up her life to pursue a childhood dream in Los Angeles. Instead of a Hollywood fairytale, she encountered a massive culture shock; a modern wilderness filled with “wolves” lurking in politics, religion, health care, law enforcement, education and relationships.
Realising she had completely misread the hopeful futures promised by the pop culture of her youth, she created Lille Rรธde. Named as a nod to her love of Nordic noir, the songs flirt with the radical notion of slaying metaphorical wolves. The music serves as an unflinching post-mortem of career-spanning trauma, dissecting heavy personal and societal themes with a razor-sharp edge. Her 2015 track Meteorite was included in a Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition playlist. Most recently her song Run Away was featured on BBC Introducing in the West.
Writing for a generation caught between the nostalgia of Doris Day and Back to the Future, and the harsh realities of contemporary culture, Lille Rรธde delivers a visually compelling live experience. Anna is a consummate storyteller and her lyrics are engaging and unique. Her growing catalogue explores identity, heartbreak, and social issues with honesty, dark humour and a strong sense of personality.
Backed by radio exposure, a proven track record at festivals and established venues across the South West, Lille Rรธde brings a natural, polished stage confidence that goes far beyond just playing the music. Ambitious, experienced, and fiercely original, they are fully equipped to bring an unforgettable, high-energy show to any audience.
From Facebook requests, Lille Rรธde has selected two support acts for the gig at The Queenโs Head in Box on Saturday 28th November, and we fully approve! The wonderful Jess Chivers and Devizes-own gunslingers of Americana groove, Burn The Midnight Oil.
Grandma, what big teeth you have, but what cheap tickets you have too! Tickets are a nip for such a show at only a fiver; all the better to eat you with!
A ladies-only club, four gloriously eccentric rooms and a barista in a bowler hat: The Dressing House is anything but ordinary. Devizine contributor Charlotte Howardโฆ
Witnessed amazing fireworks for Confetti Battle in Devizes, and I hopped eastwards to that sacred hippy haven in the Pewsey Vale, The Barge at HoneyStreet;โฆ
As youโre probably aware, because thereโs been lots of people kicking up a scene, Wiltshire Councilโs recycling centre booking system being trialled at Devizes, Lowerโฆ
Immediately after the weekend which saw press photographers ejected, so they could savagely beat women at the Birmingham Reform conference, as if someone threw aโฆ
Featured image: Devizes Guardiansโ Cllr Sarah Bridewell and former Devizes East Ward councillor, the late Jane Burton, committed campaigners on dog fouling.
It was always going to happen. When national politics steps into local issues, it all turns to poopโฆ.
Without a shred of science or research, just desperation to retain their depleting seats at Devizes Town Council, the Conservative by-election campaign leaflets apparently claim the Devizes Guardians โignore the issue of dog fouling.โ At least that’s what the Devizes Guardians say, and they set out to prove them wrong. Now, this is a scoop (see what I did there?!)
โDid the Conservative spinners pay attention to the factual recorded proposals that were agreed in Council?โ the Guardians asked… and answered themselves, โunfortunately, they didnโt. The opportunity of political spin and misleading comments was more important.โ
What we do know is shit has hit the fan now Conservative councillor Iain Wallis posted a poll on his biased Facebook group, where you get banned for disagreeing with him, asking if the public think dog fouling has gone up or down, without any time frame, and voted on it himself! Now, that’s how you deal with public opinion.
One genius Facebook commenter summarised the audacity; โImagine being that sad and reflective that a certain former Wiltshire councillor has to run a poll to pump back up his ego and even votes on it himself to make his post look like it’s the most popular opinion!โ You, sir, win the internet today!
Honestly, despite knowing which way I’d vote in the by-election if I was Eastward in the Vizes, I didn’t know which way to vote in his far more important poll, which isn’t in any way political pointscoring. I mean, if the time frame runs from 1973, I’d argue it’s better, but if it’s inclusive of the poop spewing from the mouths of the Devizes Conservatives, it’s increased dramatically and is a bigger problem then we might give credit for; a danger to shipping, one could add.
Devizes Guardians say โit’s time to separate the doggie doo-doo from the political hoo-ha.โ I say, I’m the scatologist here, I do the shit jokes; thank you all the same. But as councillors, as they tend to do, they continuedโฆto prove it….
โIn 2022, Cllr Iain Wallisโs Conservative proposal was to set up yet another working group to discuss the poop, blah blah blah. However, Devizes Guardian, Cllr Chris Gay was all about practical action. Plenty of bins, regular emptying, and targeted awareness campaigns. One plan was more talk about the doo-doo. The other plan was to actually tackle theโฆโ and herewith that they inserted appropriate poo-poo emojis; naughty!
The Guardians point out that the Town Council maintains over 150 bins, so there is no shortage of disposal points, resulting in an increase in council collections, which has decreased dog fouling. Though they rightfully say it’s progress, they continue to suggest the problem isn’t fully solved, but what difference can either party make when it’s a social problem caused by the irresponsible minority of dog owners who refuse to pick up after their dogs?
Ask yourself, are Devizes Conservatives going to arm themselves with poop scoops and patrol throughout the night, or do you smell the whiff of another conservative political stink? I’d fairly wager those fouling dogs might fair better competition for the Guardians in this forthcoming by-election!
Devizes Guardians didnโt ignore dog fouling. They delivered a practical plan.
I did suggest, elsewhere, that things are going to get dirty. In what is only a town council by-election, the Conservatives are eager to treat it like a battleground, weaponising petty bickering and stooping to misinformation; that’s shameful and should be remembered come the by-election.
Let’s look at how the Conservative candidate Laura Ayling pulled Conservative PCC Wilko into the Market Place for a photo opportunity, and to waffle about antisocial behaviour, a case for which was already put in motion by Devizes Guardians. The role of the PCC is completely sinecure anyway, and when they use their position for stunts to political pointscore, as Wilko clearly does, as he is seen here doing it, the role is performative politics rather than proactive policing.
Take his salary (Wilko’s salary: ยฃ73,300. Average police officer’s salary: ยฃ32,225) out of the equation, and you’ve got two and a half more bobbies on the beat. We don’t need muck spreading or misinformation from suits. We need community engagement.
The Guardians say their candidate, Rosemary McDonald โtalks about what sheโs about, her priorities, with facts and positivity.โ I’m due to meet Rosemary for a cuppa and a chat on Friday, of which I’ll gladly report my findings, because I firmly believe we must keep national political parties out of local governance, and this mucky doo-dah proves why….jeez, whatever next? Watch this space!!
Nottingham trio Girlband! are throwing open the doors to their debut self-titled album, out 13th November, and taking the party on the road with a run of UK in-store shows. Think less standing around a record shop and more turning up at your mateโs house and accidentally staying until 3amโฆ.
The band will kick things off ย at Sound Knowledge in Marlborough on 12th November before heading to London, Kingston, Oxford, Nottingham and Leeds. And because no house party is complete without a drink in hand, fans who pre-order the album will be able to join the band for a couple of pints at a pub near the venue. More info on this to follow.
Things are already heating up, with BBC 6music getting behind the band: their first single, โNeighbourโs Houseโ, received its premiere on Chris Hawkinsโ show, while โ5AMโ picked up love from Craig Charlesโ 6music show on release day. Add previous tips from NME, Rolling Stone UK, Clash, The Line of Best Fit and Dork, and GIRLBAND! are making a pretty strong case for being the band you want to know about before everyone else does.
But โGIRLBAND!โ isnโt just an album about a party. Itโs about everything that happens around one. The friends who pile into the kitchen, the person you definitely shouldnโt text, the break-up that turns into a group therapy session on the sofa, the nights you never want to end and the mornings when youโre wondering what the hell happened. Written in real time while touring, making friends, falling in and out of love and generally trying to figure out life, the record is a gloriously messy snapshot of being a young woman today.
Love, sex, friendship, heartbreak, money, queerness and womanhood all get a seat at the table. One minute you’re having the best night of your life; the next you’re questioning every decision you’ve ever made. That’s life, isn’t it? GIRLBAND! get it. They find the funny in the ridiculous, the joy in the chaos and the vulnerable bits that tend to come out when everyone else has gone home.
The album’s roots are quite literally in a house party. โNeighbourโs Houseโ was written in the small terraced house where the band first came together, a place where rehearsals regularly descended into parties, the police were called more than once and seemingly everyone passed through the front door at some point. It was a house full of noise, friendship, music and the feeling that anything could happen. That spirit became the starting point for the whole record: a celebration of the people who make a place feel like home, even when everything else is a bit of a mess.
Musically, expect fuzzy guitars, huge choruses, garage-rock attitude and the gloriously scruffy spirit of ’90s alternative. Think The Breeders, Hole and The Cranberries, with a little Bruce Springsteen-sized heart and flashes of Cyndi Lauper and The Bangles thrown in for good measure. โ5AMโ turns queer desire into a full-throttle rock โnโ roll love song, while โShe Saidโ captures the hazy, grungy rush of meeting someone who makes a night unforgettable. Elsewhere, โRight On Timeโ is about letting go of old guilt and learning to embrace yourself, while โAll My Friendsโ gets into the harder stuff: loneliness, struggling behind closed doors and trying to keep it together when you’re really not okay.
It’s this constant push and pull that makes โGIRLBAND!โ feel so real. The songs can be funny, euphoric, heartbreaking and completely chaotic, sometimes all at once. There are no neat answers or attempts to make everything sound pretty. Just three women trying to survive, work themselves out and, in amongst all of that, have a fucking good time.
Having already played more than 200 shows across the UK and Europe, GIRLBAND! know a thing or two about bringing people together. They’ve taken their sound to Glastonbury, Isle of Wight Festival, Reeperbahn and The Great Escape, and shared stages with Sex Pistols, Jake Bugg, James, Palaye Royale, Destroy Boys and Nxdia. With almost one million YouTube views behind them, European dates supporting Sting and more UK festival appearances on the horizon, they’re heading into this next chapter with plenty of momentumโฆ and a debut album that feels like an open invitation to join them!
The upcoming in-store shows are an extension of that world. Forget the usual routine: GIRLBAND! want to bring the house party into the venues, getting fans together to celebrate the album up close and making the whole thing feel less like an appearance and more like being welcomed into the gang.
Tributes to Chippenham’sย community activist, poet, actor, and event compere Brian Reid poured onto social media today, as the sad news of his passing spreadsโฆโฆ
Iโve found myself sympathising about post-punk recently, how they scrambled around in the dark somewhat, taking pot shots at reggae, claiming a โnew wave,โ orโฆ
Singers and players of instruments of The Southwest assembled for an album celebrating the ninetieth anniversary since Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to England,โฆ
by Ian Diddams images by Wharf Theatre An artist expresses their personal thoughts. The rich and powerful use their positions to shut that expression downโฆ
Our trustworthy Gazelle & Herod reported today that โdisgracefulโ behaviour in Devizes Market Place has elevated into a dental issueโฆ. Publishing an article which statesโฆ
