CrownFest at The Crown in Bishops Cannings is making a fantastic comeback this July with a stellar lineup, particularly supporting local acts, begging the question, who are you most looking forward to seeing there?
It’s not as easy an answer as it might sound, and hey, I’m not intending to answer it myself; I’ve got to remain impartial. I could be like Graham, though. You remember Graham? With the quick reminder? On Cilla Black’s Blind Date? Or am I showing my age now?!
Ruby?
Hum, maybe not, cos you never saw him, he was just a voice, leading to the fact no one stopped to give a toss about his romantic welfare. What if Graham was single, and lonely, helping all those contestants find love, when behind the scenes he’s hurting, inside?! An outrage, that’s what it was; where was Graham’s weekend in Benidorm with a hot chick in legwarmers, a rah-rah skirt and more hairspray than it takes to hold a life together?!
George?
Anyway, I digress. There’s those easy options for me, and if you’re a regular Devizine reader then not only are you a smidgen crazy, but you’ll be aware how crazy I am for Ruby Darbyshire, our newest sublime singer-songwriter on the circuit, my dear longtime favourite George Wilding, who’ll take any requests and turn them into magic, and of course, those irresistible indie pop darlings Talk in Code, all of which you mustn’t miss. Promise me this much?
Talk in Code?
Lucas Hardy?
Salisbury’s finest Lucas Hardy, who leapt on stage at the Wiltshire Music Awards and couldn’t wait for me to introduce him; the guy is a legend! Braydon Lees, though, that kiddo is making news. I’ve seen him a couple of times and he’s a breath of fresh air.
Braydon Lee?
But if most of these have become my friends, there’s some new to me, so, who knows, they could be the ones you are most looking forward to seeing. You are coming, right? Tickets are £32.50, from here, Saturday 4th July at the Crown in Bishops Cannings, with the lovely beer garden, campsite and pizza!
Two stages, this time, and the others I’ve yet to tick off are: The Publicans, Innovator, 5 Nights at Adyans, Dylan Bratley, and Mother Ukers. The jury is out on them, but I can assure you the two tribute acts are awesome. Kinisha. as Tina Turner played the last CrownFest, which was a bit of a wet one, but we were rollin’ (ooh), rollin’ (ooh) rollin’ on the river.
Kinisha?
If Kinisha is a given to me and past CrownFest attendees, I’ve suggested the other tribute after seeing this guys blow the roof off the Vic in Swindon. Hey look, I’ve made friends out of so many of the musicians performing at CrownFest, but I’ve been an Adam Ant fan since I was knee-high to a grasshopper and Ant Trouble is the only band you’ll ever get anywhere near to the real thing.
There’s a lot on this bill, and all of them worthy of being the answer to our question, who are you most looking forward to seeing at CrownFest. Perhaps I’ve got the lowdown on more of them than you, but you’ve taken heed of my worldly advice and, just like Graham with his quick reminder, it’s got to be George, Ruby or Talk in Code.
Or, perhaps I’m just the dandy highwayman you’re too scared to mention, spending my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention?!
No, that’s really not me at all! You’d be far better off buying a ticket for CrownFest, than waiting for me to look like anything merely resembling “flash”…or spending my cash, come to think of it! Adam Ant in Bishops Cannings, though; how can you resist? I think, despite the fact any one of these fantastic acts could easily be the one I’m most looking forward to seeing at CrownFest, Ant Trouble might just be the icing on the cake.
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 comments have become unfair, misinformed or even blatantly untrue. I prefer to remain positive, thanks all the same! And here we are, beginning to see positive after effects of the whole grand shebang……
I’ve loved seeing winning and runner-up acts, if not just posting pictures and videos of themselves proudly grasping their trophies, but using their win as an accolade on gig posters and bios. If that’s not a positive outcome in a time when the whole hospitality industry is at its knees, I frankly don’t know what is. Try proving me wrong on this, I double-dare you and might even throw in a Twix for first prize!
There was also the whole “convention” side to the event too, which saw networking between musicians and venues, radio stations and promoters, and the general get-together of folk usually individually dispatched to their respective gigs on a weekend. I have already seen gig posters with added support acts who didn’t know each other before last Saturday, and radio plays for bands featured.
From my good friend Charlotte reuniting with Lifetime Achievement winner Peter Lamb, the producer who took her hopeful nineties girl band under his professional direction, to Fantasy Radio DJ, Mark Lister, who mentioned the awards on Scott Mills Radio 2 morning show, the attention the awards are seeing is phenomenal and the after effects are beginning to flourish.
If Sunday’s piece was a reflection on the night as a whole and a statement of the issues we unfortunately faced. Let today be about our fantastic acts who performed, for that’s where sparks flew and obviously the nature of what we were celebrating.
In order of appearance. Go on, admit it, you didn’t know the sublime Miss Ruby Darbyshire would be present, did you? I managed to not let the cat out of the bag about our opening special guest, despite my excitement!
At eighteen, Ruby is as her name suggests, a gemstone on our circuit. A multi-instrumentalist with bagpipes under her championship belt, a singer-songwriter with an exceptionally soulful voice which puts expression into her diligently crafted writing. Originally the plan was for Ruby to blow a tune of her own choice from her bagpipes and scoot off to another gig in Bradford-on-Avon, returning later in the evening. But we couldn’t let her go without at least another song, her magnum opus to date, Crowded Lightbringer, and then she played a second. It was the best opening ever, even if I was blindly operating the curtains like a bell ringer!
Hey, honestly, I was a raver in the nineties and viewed Britpop as regressive, but I now see its worth and respect the succeeding generation who see them as classics. Being such, we see a lot of cover bands performing Britpop anthems, with varying degrees of skill. The Britpop Boys have been on my must-see list for donkeys but our paths hadn’t crossed before. I’m glad that’s sorted and sound, for they were off the scale brilliant and totally ‘avin’ it are kid.
I was sitting on the stage’s sideline in awe of The Britpop Boys, it could’ve been Madchester in 1996. The sound and appearance held me spellbound, and I felt I should write to The Oxford Dictionary to redefine the word “cool” as “see Britpop Boys!” Yeah, they did Wonderwall, of course they did, but if it’s a cliche cover choice for most, it’s because it’s a beautiful crowdpleaser, and had to be done given only three songs. The ultimate thing about this was, they knocked it out of the Corn Exchange and into the stratosphere; I’ve never heard it done with such attention to detail and precision to honour the original.
If I’ve seen one new band begin wobbly and develop over time I’ve seen a hundred. But Burn the Midnight Oil is one of my most favourite newcomers to the Wiltshire music scene, for the simple reason that it feels like they’ve been here forever, as their ability to deliver crisp blues-rock originals and stamp covers with their own divinity is something to behold. Like mobile phones, you think, how did we ever survive without Burn the Midnight Oil?!
It’s as if they honed their skills over decades and perfected the harmony of a classic rock band in their eighties which toured since their twenties, even if they might have, they did so individually, but that seam never shows. Their perfect performance proved this, it was nothing short of brilliant, fresh and invigorating, showing us what they’ve been working on, a beguiling harder rock sound; they look the part, they sound it too, I have high hopes for them.
Ben was great as a soloist, Pat was too, together it’s a magical connection to charm the pants off a donkey. This cover act could easily work anywhere, from crusty cider festival to wedding reception, it’s got universal appeal. Their set was amazing, Ben might have accidentally hit me on the head with his guitar but they were awesome, and I’ve had worse on my rock n roll journey!!
It might’ve knocked some sense into me, but I know what I liked anyway, and Matchbox Mutiny are high on that list.
George went next, and yeah, this is where we had technical sound issues. Professional till the end, George worked through it, and as a stalwart spirit on our circuit, George is modestly legendary, for his back catalogue of sublime originals and new songs flourishing to his entertaining interactive solo covers show. See our mention of the warm up gig from Friday at the Three Crowns, if you don’t already understand why we love Mr Wilding!
With various issues arising the evening was in need of a reset. I apologise, I announced an interval, thinking Lucas could prepare and we could hold a team talk. Just like George Wilding, Lucas is professional and motivated to the core. He came out like a boxer for a championship belt fight, psyched up for it and couldn’t wait for the bell! Therefore I attempted to recall the interval idea as quickly as possible, because Lucas Hardy was like a greyhound out of the trap! And what an outstanding performance, rinsed with sheer brilliance, Lucas is no stranger to award winning, it’s easy to see why.
As it was it was impossible to estimate how much time the award giving and other acts would take, I apologise if we wrongly assumed time was against us and lengthy speeches were deemed something unpredictable enough to encourage people to keep them short if at all. The original plan therefore was that our Devizes homegrown heroes, the teenage band which shook the rafters of this market town and deployed their exceptional talent to Bristol to further the phenomenon of Nothing Rhymes With Orange, were to play out until the end.
We finished earlier than expected, the barriers broke down, and there to help create a needed frenzy of excitement, ready and eager, was this successful Devizes export, for a hometown return like no other. Nothing Rhymes With Orange were mindblowingly fantastic before they left for Uni, now it’s a monster.
I was ecstatic to see the guys again, and they threw everything into their solid performance, as they always do. They return to Devizes for the Arts Festival, something we would’ve been singing from the highest tree about anyway, but after last Saturday, it’s surely unmissable.
I’ve given my thanks already, I’d like to do it again, to all our performing acts, for you made the ceremony, you furnished it with your brilliance, and that was what the night was always supposed to be about; cheers!
As a result of probably the most productive meeting yet, yesterday, about The Wiltshire Music Awards, we can now reveal the most amazing line-up of local music acts who will be performing between the announcements at our grand ceremony on Saturday 25th October at Devizes Corn Exchange, and a few other points we should mention too…..
Easy bit first for our glitzy and glamorous night, there will be professional sound and lighting provided by Brian Mundy and his team at BSM Stage Tech, and a bar, in which you won’t have to buy me a drink because I’m hosting and I don’t want to slur my words, word my slurs or anything along those silly lines!
It makes us all very proud to announce this wonderful lineup. Devizes own Burn The Midnight Oil will open the evening’s entertainment. They’ve come so far in such a short space of time with their own brand of breezy blues-rock, we’re excited to see them perform.
Our lovable legend George Wilding is a name most of you should know, and he’s coming to play a few songs, of course he is! Award winning Lucas Hardy is coming too. Loved on the Salisbury circuit, Lucas will delight you, for what will be, I believe, his first time playing in Devizes; I could be wrong!
Ben Borrill and Pat Ward, aka Matchbox Mutiny, will be there, the lively Devizes-based duo who never fail to charm. Then there’s Salisbury-based Joylon Dixon and Rachel Sinnetta – a duo who raised the roof off the Three Crowns recently, but I knew it was coming as Rachel’s supreme vocal range and Joylon’s professional accompanying will enthral all.
There’s a champagne supernova trip back to the nineties with The Britpop Boys,renowned for blasting those sing-a-long anthems across the county and beyond.
And here’s our last big secret exposed, Devizes homegrown indie-rock phenomenon Nothing Rhymes With Orange will polish off the evening. They created a storm locally a few years ago as a teen sensation, the likes of which I claimed to be the “Beatlemania of Devizes!” Now studying together at Bristol Uni, their popularity has spread nationwide. Back home they have inspired a new generation to form bands, and we welcome them back delighted.
Image: Gail Foster
Make no mistake, all these acts have had a tremendous year, and deserve to be nominated for awards, as are the many other names hiding in our golden envelopes too. Myself, DJ Mark Anthony and possibly a few guest names will be announcing the winners and runners-up, and these wonderful acts will perform just two or three songs each between the announcements; it’s going to be a show!
A show which, we hope, showcases, highlights and celebrates the wealth of musical talent we have here in Wiltshire, in a manner more celebratory than competitive. While many others and not just those performing have high chances of bagging a trophy, by no means is it exhaustive. There are so many others, producing music, promoting, hosting and creating amazing initiatives to fundraise and to teach, we know this, and I intend to highlight as many as I can at the ceremony, because the list is lengthy enough already to cram into one evening, making it comprehensive is a minefield!
The results of the awards was set by public votes and a panel of expert judges, which we genuinely believe to have been a fair system, causing it to be agonising for us to see the entire county trimmed to this much, but if everyone supports this we hope there will be subsequent years of Wiltshire Music Awards to follow. Years in which we will continuously review in order to improve on.
One point, whilst feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive, one niggly raised was tickets. We have to fund this one way or another. We are asking for sponsorships, many have helped and we thank them. In order to make this work, yes, we are asking everyone who wishes to attend, including those nominated, to buy a ticket, of which we have made as reasonably priced as possible. If you have been nominated for an award within our top ten, you are cordially invited to attend, but along with everyone else we do ask you to please purchase a ticket; there is no other expense asked of you other than this.
As much as we would love to see all the winners and runners-up in person, or a representative on your behalf, on the night to be presented with an award, if you cannot make it due to other commitments we understand, and your award will be given to you at a suitable date thereafter. Important point then: You DO NOT need to attend the ceremony to receive the award if you do not wish to, but please consider that we have to fund this, that we have worked hard on getting this off the ground, and would appreciate your support with it. Wiltshire Music Awards has been created by a genuine team dedicated to the local music scene. Allow me to get all Charles & Eddie on your ass at this conjunction, “would I lie to you, baby?!!”
Whoa, back on the positives; thankfully I won’t be singing but the experts will, this is going to be cracking night, one for the history books, and I hope to see you there! Saturday 25th October at Devizes Corn Exchange, tickets HERE.
Amidst another packed summer weekend’s schedule laid that lovable large village Pewsey’s turn to shine; always a law unto itself, things went off; if it’s good enough for King Alfred…..
The Royal Oak has filled a gap, hosting quality regular music nights under the production of Wiltshire Music Events, but this Saturday was the true test, transforming it into an inaugural carpark-festival, an icing on an already delicious lardy cake, though equally a learning curve.
Programming by Eddie Prestidge, so passionate about spreading word of musicians south of the county, inevitably overbooks, as is his desire to showcase as many as feasible. He called me Friday, delightedly informing me George Wilding was added to the already jammed schedule; but how will he fit him in?!
Thinking big; quality stage production, security, generous VIP hospitality, two food outlets, and hopeful punters would flood the site. The latter being the only dubious thing about the event. All the right ingredients there, comparable, the price reasonable, certainly got your money’s worth, but to debate only a sprinkling were attracted is opening a Pandora’s box to a general plight of austerity, flooding the festival market, or a combination of the two; every man and his dog are putting them on and there’s only so many individuals can reasonably attend.
Therefore, established festivals may well appeal over the risk of testing a new one, but I was assured here, as I suggested you should be too; Wiltshire Music Events has hosted many great ones in various locations; your money goes on production and ensuring musicians are paid their fair share, something sadly overlooked by other organisers. CrownFest and Salisbury Market Place were the most memorable, plus, whenever The Marley Experience is in the area that’s where I’m gonna be, sir!
A win-win for me, who was due to attend the fantastic Minety but work and family commitments shadowed this; possibly an argument supporting pub mini-festivals over larger established festivals. Convenience for the middle-aged wrought with unpredictable employment culture or family commitments, above the intense arrangements necessary for a three-day camping extravaganza, such as the beautiful Minety. The mini-festival goer can be spontaneous; it’s Saturday, my only day off, sleeping in a tent is for younger nutters. I’ve been otherwise occupied on recent weekends, so, like Peter Pan in spirit but not in body, I’m determined to make up for it this weekend!
There I be, Pewsey, dammit, in an apt Bob Marley tee, watching the grand finale ignoring the timetable; Bird is The Word captured the moment on camera! The Marley Experience professionally captivated and caused the slight crowd to appear larger, with their infectious and irresistible homage to Bob Marley & The Wailers; a matchless show, the band tight, expressive and clearly adoring the limelight of what a decade of dedication has perfected into a sublime tribute act.
But there was magic in the air prior, which opened with Pewsey-own The Little Big Band, and was followed by Rosie Jay and Leon Daye, all of which, due to aforementioned commitments, I missed; and I love Rosie Jay. Though her last single we reviewed was a duet with Salisbury’s award-winning newcomer Lucas Hardy, and on that ground alone I was delighted to catch the end of his superb set. With George Wilding penultimately added, I saw a similarity in Lucas to George’s early years, a natural and unpretentious talent who can engage an audience with a guitar and smile.
Returning from cruising tours, George Wilding doesn’t plan, doesn’t need to, he just charms as usual; if he’s an interactive human jukebox, he’s one of those polished decorative American ones from the fifties. Shout your requests, George knows it, or will give it a try, make it his own, and you’ll love him for it, you won’t be able to help yourself!
Between those two, then, a basic four-piece setup from Andover with a repertoire of rock classic covers sprinkled with a folk tinge, called The Tipsy Gypsies. Their music commanded I’d come to the right place. The premise sounds simple, the effect was far from it. They owned the stage with accomplished showmanship, stylised renditions, and a barrelful of fun.
Gypsies tipsy perfect for what would follow, a Somerset Pogues tribute known as The Phogues. Now things were going to really liven up, as, warts, a spilled round of whiskey shots, and all, were divinely caricatured. The Pogues uniquely blended Irish folk with punk, others mimicked it, overshadowing the blueprint. When Phogues return to the originators, you recall why it was copied aplenty; a stern yet fun reminder to the heyday of Shane and band’s drunken skullduggery, and the music which somehow spawned from it!
Despite being off-season, they told me they had to do “that song,” and I supposed they did. So, between Streams of Whiskey, Fiesta, Sickbed of Cuchulainn and just about every favourite Pouges song of mine, they drafted in the assistance of unsuspecting Claire Grist, singer and self-proclaimed “right tit” of Bird is the Word music promotion, to be Kirsty MacColl, and who made a good job of it. Was their female vocalist absent? No, it’s a gimmick to invite anyone from the audience to take the position, they explained to me, but hey, they didn’t need gimmicks, they did a fine job of bellowing out the beloved Pogues songs far sober than the originals ever did.
Time for a change of direction, as local indie-pop favourites Talk in Code rocked up for a lengthy set of eighties-inspired synth-rock bombs, ate complimentary curry, and lit up the stage with their electric presence. If you’ve come to an event expecting cover bands, Talk in Code don’t go there, but their infectious originals cause you to wonder if you’ve heard them before, on some Now, That’s What I Call Music compilation album from 1986. Here’s the lads in perfect sync, jumping, flaunting their perfection, as ever, doing what they love and engaging any audience from roughneck boater to FullTone Festival punter; they never fail to obtain admiration.
Time pushing on, George Wilding entertained while The Marley Experience prepared, and did their amazing thing, exploding the finale with irresistible reggae vibes. Oak Festival, Pewsey Live, or whatchamacallit, could’ve been more affordable, by skipping on some of the magic, but they chose to showcase the lot, that paid off to those there, but I suspect, as videos and images emerge, folk not there will be wondering how and why they missed it. They could have overplayed their social media promotion, and a striking poster might’ve been advantageous, yet I believe there’s a delicate balance which sees one event sellout and another left threadbare, and it’s debatable what causes this. For what it’s worth, I’ve seen lesser attended first time festivals, much less, and the slight crowd’s merriments made for a population tenfold from the reality!
There was a kebab van, but the delicious waft of curry from a stand, by Tale of Spice on Pewsey’s North Street, twisted my arm. There was little in alternative entertainment, insufficient pub loos, but with concentration on the lineup, this was a welcoming, fun and lively occasion, a showcase of Wiltshire Music Events’ quality and varied artists, and petty issues one can shrug off uncaringly when the vibe is this alive.
Pewsey rocked into the cooling night, possibly later than planned, but no one whined on social media, because this is Pewsey, not Devizes; a carnival village where rather than rant you cannot hear your pin drop, you get your slippers on and join in!
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