Heavenโs holding a half moon tonight, a secret I’ve gotta spill, shining for all going to the Minety Music Festival in July….
Seeming not content with just awesome headliners The Fun Lovinโ Criminals on the Saturday evening, Toploader and The Stereo MCs on Sunday, organisers of this, which I hailed the best local festival last year, have confirmed the UKโs finest nineties soul ensemble, The Brand New Heavies will bless their stage on Sundayโฆ.
Debuting in 1990, The Brand New Heavies may not be so new any longer, but theyโre still the heavy, funky acid jazz pioneers who toured last year to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of their ground-breaking 1994 album Brother Sister. Propelled by the classic singles Dream On Dreamer, and Maria Muldaurโs Midnight At The Oasis, the record achieved huge success (a #4 chart position, over a million sales and a BRIT nomination) as they cemented their position as the pioneers of Acid Jazz.
Featuring original members Andrew Levy and Simon Bartholomew, with the phenomenal vocalist Angela Ricci, the The Brand New Heavies continue today, and make for a brilliant end to what looks to be the festival worthy of your hard-earned cash.
Fun Lovin’!
Heavies, brand new or not, is not the reason I loft Minety on such a high pedestal. Yeah, they book universal big names to headline, but the whole community feel, affordable markets, food and drinks, so much for the younger attendees, and so much more so, their devotion to upcoming local live music is something to behold.
Set over four stages, thereโs a plethora of great acts, from tributes to The Foo Fighters, Pink Floyd, Sex Pistols and The Police, to many of the original local artists weโve praised right here on Devizine; I See Orange, M3G, The Vooz, Jimmy Moore, SN Dubstation, Bottle of Dog, and those The Real Cheesemakers, naturally! Plus of course, many other bands new to us, which Iโll endeavour to catch as many as I can between chilling at the Incapable Staircase tent.
Midnight though, I hope thereโs an international time zone between Minety and the Oasis, because the cider there is affordable, and Iโm not sure if Iโll hold out for that long!ย
Minety Music Festival runs over the weekend of 3rd – 6th July 2025. Itโs a scorcher, tickets and more info HERE.
Christmas has come early for foxes and normal humans with any slither of compassion remaining, as the government announced the righteous move to ban trailโฆ
Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward โEโ) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunesโฆ
Wiltshire Music Centre Unveils Star-Studded New Season with BBC Big Band, Ute Lemper, Sir Willard White and comedians Chris Addison and Alistair McGowan revealing theirโฆ
Daphneโs Family & Childhood Connection to Devizes Celebrations of Daphne Oram have been building in London since the beginning of December, for those in theโฆ
Part 1: An Introduction March 1936: newlywed French telecommunications engineer Pierre Schaeffer relocates to Paris from Strasbourg and finds work in radio broadcasting. He embarksโฆ
Yesterday Wiltshire Council published an โupdateโ on the lane closure on Northgate Street in Devizes as the fire which caused it reaches its first anniversary.โฆ
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There’s a trick and a treat for Halloween from Swindon’s finest alt-rock trio I See Orange; new single, La Bruja, or The Witch translated from Spanish, and it’s certainly cast a spell on meโฆ.
If you’re still unaware of I See Orange, it should be considered folklore cunning craft to overlook them after this; you’ll find yourself sinking in a river! Reviewing them at the Pump at the beginning of the year, I made a beeline to catch them again at Minety during warmer climates. In retrospect I should’ve reviewed their debut four-track EP Lonesome Joyreleased around the same time as the Pump gig, but missing that window I figured I’d await something new. And here it is, creeping up on us!
Lonesome Joy and a separate song from the same session are generally formulated like all good hefty grunge; rising and falling mood layers, and the single Simply, tended to take a commercial blues angle, as if a metal Cranberries. While these are all positives, with promising roots and truckloads of potential, La Bruja is a constant, progressive, and it doesn’t wait for you to attach yourself to the ambience; it’s a beautiful monster, stomping through a dark forest, chasing you, from beginning to end.
Yards ahead of their previous outpourings, I’d say, its theme perfectly captures the unique identity of the band; a grunge-riot grrrl-garage punk fusion. Charlie Hart and Cameron Hill proficiently drive a hard rock drum and lead guitar arrangement, respectively, behind bassist Giselle Medina, who plays out an ironic kawaii character, a kind of post-goth shลjo kogal, akin to Mieruko-Chan, or Ling Xiaoyu for the Tekken players!
It’s a spookily seductive look, therefore so is this song. It’s as if it’s a direct response to Kip Tyler’s She’s My Witch, with a contemporary edge; lots of haunting, rocking edge. Giselle’s divine, evocative vocals are like a non-stigma emo Greek siren, crying out either an enticement or warning, depending on your fixation for paraphilic disorders; scratch beneath her innocent superficie to discover how deep her โweird shit,โ delves, only at your own risk!
And it rocks sublimely, is risquรฉ and unearthly; nothing Monster Mash about it! Here’s their Linktree, and Bandcamp page, Spotify too. If you pop it on your pumpkin playlist, you’ll be grateful I told you and hopefullyfill my bucket with Haribo!
Join the St Johnโs Choir and talented soloists for a heart-warming evening of festive favourites, carols, and candlelit Christmas atmosphere this Friday 12 th Decemberโฆ
This afternoon I find myself contemplating what the future holds for historical discovery and learning for all ages, fun and educational exhibits and events inโฆ
Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova My apologies, for Marlboroughโs singer-songwriter Gus Whiteโs debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and itโs moreโฆ
Having to unfortunately miss Devizesโ blues extravaganza on Friday, I crossed the borderline on Saturday to get my prescribed dosage of Talk in Codeโฆwith aโฆ
No, I didnโt imagine for a second they would, but upcoming Take the Stage winners, alt-rock emo four-piece, Butane Skies have released their second song,โฆ
Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Ladeโs latest offering of soulful pop. Itโs timelessly cool andโฆ
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 โ87, 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 โfestivalโ 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 cafรฉ flogging beans on toast for a pound fifty, or burgers for three quid, and pints at the bar were ยฃ4.50, 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 โyou had to be thereโ 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, โTalkersโ 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 didnโt 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.
Words by Ollie MacKenzie. Featured Image by Barbora Mrazkova.ย The creative process can be a winding, long, and often confusing journey. Seeing a project come to fruition from scrappy origin to a packaged, marketable, and well-rounded piece of work can feel daunting – or even impossible. It took Gus White six years of honing hisโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ian Diddams, Mike Stephens and Next Stage Ask people what they know about Philip Larkin, and the general best response may well be โa poetโ. They may even know he was a librarian at the University of Hull. Some may even know he coined a phrase concerning the effect of oneโsโฆ
Whoโs ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival and Lantern Parade opens in the Market Place; excited?! Well, I say magically, it actually takes a lot of hard work to put on; thank you to DOCA and all the volunteers.โฆ
One part of Swindon was in perfect harmony last night, and I donโt mean the traffic circumnavigating the Magic Roundabout. Rather The Lost Trades were at the Hop in Old Town, honouring a postponed gig from Septemberโฆ.. SoP Live, who run a regular Thursday night music club at The Castle, plenty of other gigs, andโฆ
Treated to a sneaky dress rehearsal of this year’s pantomime at Devizesโ one and only Wharf Theatre last night, if forced to sum it up in a word, the word would be โdelightfulโฆ..โ With Ian dedicated to all things theatrical here on Devizine, panto is reserved for my tuppence; that has become as much aโฆ
Itโs beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Rowdey Cow cafe and ice cream parlour; their Christmas Tree Light Switch On is this Friday, the 21st Novemberโฆ.. If you thought an ice cream parlour was restricted to summertime, think again! Itโs the first time the Rowdey Cow near Devizes has held a Christmasโฆ
Raging expressions of angered feminist teenage anguish this month, perfectly delivered by Steatopygous via their mindblowing debut album Songs of Salome, I hail as the pinnacle of Sketchbook Records to date. But it’s only been a year since Simon formed the label. It’s DIY, a contemporary local counterculture ethos; welcome to the Wiltshire underground ofโฆ
Local reporter of the month award, if I had a local reporter of the month award, which I don’t, but based on this, perhaps I should have a local reporter of the month award, goes to Newsquest senior reporter Sarah Dalton, whether she wants the award or not, not that there even is one!! Creditโฆ
The only good to have come from Wiltshire having a Police Crime Commissioner was proof The Conservatives used their power to reward their elite bum chums and family with overpaid, high power and often completely unnecessary penpushing jobsโฆ. A Devizes Conservative town councillor once told me if I โget the chance to interview Philip (Wilkinson)โฆ
And so it begins, the build-up, the tension; come all ye faithful round yon virgins and three kings of orient are, spreading joy to the world while shepherds wash their socks and Batman smells. In which, in order to spread warm emotions of peace and unity for the one day, itโs obligatory to rush aroundโฆ
Jam-packed July! If thereโs always lots to do throughout the year, July especially so! Hereโs what weโve found in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming weekโฆ.
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.
Shakespeare Liveโs Macbeth at Seend Cleeve House until 6th July; review here.
Wednesday 3rd
Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.
Christ Church Primary School Summer Show at their neighbouring Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon.
Encore Screening of National Theatre Liveโs Nye at Pound Arts, Corsham.
The Big Jam Session at the Vic, Swindon. Mal Webb & Kylie at The Beehive. Wilkes Academy at the Wyvern Theatre until the 5th July.
Gusto Gusto at the Bell, Bath.
Thursday 4th
Rum & Records at the Muck & Dunder in Devizes.
3 Daft Monkeys at The Barge, HoneyStreet.
Minety Music Festival Warm-up Gig.
Chris Murphey & Barney Kenny at The Tuppenny, Swindon. John Hegley: An American In Luton at Swindon Arts Centre. Broadtown Brewery Quiz Night.
The Weeping Willows at Chapel Arts, Bath with support from Tomorrow Bird.
Friday 5th
Save Our Ships at the Pump, Trowbridge, with Start The Sirens and Everyone Lies.
Chippenham
Minety Music Festival opens, running throughout the weekend. Iโve not been before, so Iโm planning to pop along on Sunday with Talk in Code and will report my findings back to you! But its continued support of local music makes this Editorโs Pick of the Week!
Katey Brooks at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Not Warriors & Soak at The Vic, Swindon. Texas Tick Fever at The Beehive.
The Electric Shakes, Mikey Ball & the Company at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
All roads lead to Frome, they say, as if thereโs not enough happening there, Frome Festival begins today, and runs till 14th July. Therefore, find The Back Wood Redeemers and Dry White Bones at The Corner-House. The Raggedy Men at The Sun. Alberta Cross at The Tree House.
The Music Baa near Salisbury; pub-campsite combo Iโve yet to try, have ‘In D’Field’ mini festival, withDr. Beatroot, Noah’s House, Band High, Shelf Remedy, Gambling Hearts, Love is Enough, Acrustic Badgers, Felix Darlow, The Passenger Club, The Courgettes, The New Group, and Alex Morgan Wardrop.
Saturday 6th
Cocktails and Canapรฉs at Silverwood School, Rowde. All proceeds to the Silverwood School Charity Trust to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
West Lavington Village Fete and Dog Show. Blondie & Ska at The Green Dragon in Market Lavington.
Devizes Swap Shop at Pamela House. The Bratton Silver Band at the Wharf Theatre. Devizes Chamber Choir presents Showtime at the Musicals at St Andrewโs on Long Street. Illingworth at The Three Crowns. Strange Folk at The Southgate. Back To The 90s Night at The Bear Hotel.
Across the county, Marlborough Open Studios begins today, and runs throughout July, until the 28th.
Rush Hour at the Bear, Marlborough. The famous hangover sessions at the Lamb.
People Like Us at Melksham Cons Club.
Uncle Jack at Chippenham Consti Club.
Robinson Stone at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Cheese & Chilli Festival in Swindon. Street Lights at the Wyvern Theatre. Hair Supply at The Vic.
Cheltenham Music Festival opens too, running until 13th July.
The Authentics at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
The Desafinados at the Bell, Bath.
Cara Dillonโs โComing Homeโ book talk at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.
Sunday 7th
Will Edmunds stands in for Jon Amor at The Southgate, Devizes at 5pm, but Tom and Jerry of the Trio will be there too, with guest John Baggott.
Open Mic at Red Lion, Lacock.
Open Mic at The Lamb, Trowbridge.
Courting Ghosts at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
Inspire Warminster.
Mr Love & Justice at Richard Jefferies Museum in Swindon from 1pm. Ooh Beehive! Poetry slam at The Beehive, and Gideon Liddiard Photographyโs Music- An Intimate View exhibit opens at The Beehive too. Lisa Doscher at The Tuppenny.
Leonie Evans at the Bell, Bath.
Raghu Dixit at the Cheese & Grain, Frome.
Monday 8th
Rock The Tots Seaside session at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Jim Gallagher & Friends at the Bell, Bath. Carsick are at Komedia with Nothing Rhymes With Orange.
Swinging at the Cotton Club at the Cheese & Grain.
Tuesday 9th
Exhibition on Screen โ John Singer Sargent: Fashion & Swagger at Pound Arts, Corsham.
BD Lenz Trio for Jazz Knights at the Royal Oak, Swindon.
Old Time Sailors at the Cheese & Grain, Frome.
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? Itโs not that we donโt like you, itโs 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 Iโve added it and let me know if not!
Itโs nice to hear when our features attract attention. Salisburyโs Radio Odstock ย picked up on our interview with Devizes band Burn the Midnight Oil andโฆ
In thanking everyone who supported this year’s Wiltshire Music Awards, Eddie Prestidge of Stone Circle Music Events revealed his intentions of continuing with the awardsโฆ
Featured Image: Lillie Eiger Frome Festival is launching itsย โ25 for 25โย fundraising campaign with a very special concert featuring three locally based acts:ย Tom Mothย โ best knownโฆ
Iโve got some gorgeous vocal harmonies currently floating into my ears, as The Lost Trades release their first single since the replacement of Tamsin Quinโฆ
Rolling out a Barrelhouse of fun, you can have blues on the run, tomorrow (7th November) when Marlborough’s finest groovy vintage blues virtuosos Barrelhouse releaseโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ben Swann and Ian Diddams Self-appointed โMoroseโ Mark Harrison was once again on totally top form at Komedia last Sunday entertainingโฆ
Wiltshire Council confirmed Blue Badge holders can park freely in council-operated car parks again, following a vote at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday 21โฆ
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Hey, busy week this week, hereโs what’s happening across the county. Donโt forget thereโs more info on these, ticket links and irregular updates on our fantabulouso Event Calendar, so get ahead one step ahead of the game!
Ongoing, Hail the Curious, the inaugural exhibit at The Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham; check it out by the end of the month. Devizes Tennis Club starts week one of their Tennis Holiday Camp at Devizes Tennis Club; book here.
Wednesday 28th:
Ah, the regular acoustic jam at the Southgate, Devizes.
Jo Brand: Work In Progress at Swindon Arts Centre.
William KZ at The Bell, Bath, The Beat featuring Dave Wakeling at Bath Forum.
Thursday 29th:
Open Mic at Stallards, Trowbridge.
B-Sydes & Old Man Boom at The Tuppenny in Swindon, while Something Underneath and Chasing Dolls are at the Vic, Drew Bryant is at Timmyโs Bar, and Coldplay tribute Coldplace at The Wyvern Theatre.
Comedy at Komedia in Bath with Phil McIntyre presents Danny Bhoyโs Now is not a Good Time, Danielle Ward and Tread Softly Productionsโ hilarious, intelligent and seriously moving, no-holds-barred look at being a woman in comedy, The Half at the Rondo Theatre.
Friday 30th:
The acclaimed Welsh film, Translations gets a screening at Melksham Assembly Hall, Helen gave us a preview, HERE.
Drew Bryant is at The Pelican, Devizes, with Illingworth at The Three Crowns. And we look forward to Devizes first Pride on Saturday with Drag Queen Bingo at The Wyvern club and an LGBTQ+ Club Night at The Exchange.
Thereโs an Open Mic at Marlborough Town FC, Swipe Right play the Bear, and Reading Dub Club with the Jah Lion Movement visits the Barge on Honey Street.
B-Sydes at the Pump, Trowbridge, with Old Man Boom in support.
Opening is the amazing Minety Music Festival, nr Malmesbury, and happening all weekend.
Chippenham Comedy Festival starts at the Old Road Tavern, and continues until Sunday 2nd July.
Modern Evils, Viduals and Trippy Kicks at The Vic, Swindon, while Moon and Truck are at The Castle, and Jon Amor Trio at the Beehive. Comedy at The Wyvern Theatre with Phil McIntyre presents Danny Bhoyโs Now is not a Good Time.
Iona Lane with Malin Lewis at Pound Arts in Corsham.
Spectrum at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
The Ministry of Burlesque cabaret at Komedia, Bath, while the Rondo Theatre have Eleanor Higgins and Bush Productions queer cult sensation, In Pursuet, following two sell-out runs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And โYour Songโ โ a Celebration of the Songs of Elton John at Chapel Arts.
Keith Brymer-Jones is at The Memorial Theatre, Frome, with Led Zep tribute Coda at the Cheese & Grain.
Saturday 1st:
Marlborough Open Studios starts, and runs over the first four weekends in July between 11am and 5pm. This is a countywide open studios extravaganza where you can visit many different local artists in their studios.
It is Mantonfest near Marlborough time again; yay! Nothing Rhymes With Orange are at The Barge on Honey Street.
Free to take clothes, swap and donate at Devizes Swap Shop at St James Church from 11am-2pm. It is Devizes first Pride at Hillworth Park, and of course, the 22nd Devizes Beer & Cider Festival. To finish, Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective will continue from the beer fest over to the Southgate.
Thereโs the Heddington and Stockley Steam Rally and Country Fair.
Becky Lawrence & The Reason play The Green Dragon in Market Lavington.
Saucy Jack at The Pilot, Melksham.
Barney Kenny & Chris Murphey at The Pump in Trowbridge.
Matt Woosey at Pound Arts in Corsham.
Trowbridge Symphony Orchestra at Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon, and highly recommended Adam and the Ants tribute Ant Trouble at The Three Horseshoes, with The Sylvertones at The BoatHouse.
Italia Conti at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. My Chemical Romance and Fallout Boy tributes at the Vic, The Black Charade and Fell Out Boy!
Figgle Fest 10th Anniversary, at Figheldean Village Hall Salisbury.
Tribute to Small Faces, the Small Fakers Band has sold out Chapel Arts, Bath.
Gordie Mackeeman & His Rhythm Boys at Frome Memorial Theatre, with An Evening with Simon & Oscar from Ocean Colour Scene at The Cheese & Grain, and Foo Fakers & Nirvanot at the Tree House.
Jon Amor regular session at the Southgate in Devizes, increibley with the Gris Gris, Robin Davey and Greta Valetni; just wow!
Inspire 2023 free music festival at Warminster Pleasure Grounds.
Zone Clubโs Summer Celebration Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.
Regular first Sunday of the month Blues Jam at the Vic in Swindon.
Monday 3rd I got nought, yet.
Tuesday 4th:
Running until 8th July, the Bradfordiansโ Amadeus at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.
Jazz Knights at The Royal Oak in Swindon brings you the Alex Goodyear Quartet.
That’s your lot for this week, unless you know any different? It’s free to have your event added to our EVENT CALENDAR and feature on our weekly rodeo roundup, so don’t make me come chasing after you, do let us know about them. Have a sixties style fab and groovy weekend!
Featured Image Credit: Jamie Carter Special guests Lightning Seeds to Support Forest Live, Forestry Englandโs summer concert series presented with Cuffe & Taylor, has announcedโฆ
Wiltshire country singer-songwriter Kirsty Clinch released a Christmas song only yesterday, raising funds for the Caenhill Countryside Centre near Devizes, and itโs already racing upโฆ
It was never just the fervent ambience created which made me go tingly with excitement about Melkshamโs young indie band Between The Linesโ demo singleโฆ
A second track from local anonymous songwriter Joyrobber has mysteriously appeared online, and heโs bitter about not getting his dream jobโฆ.. If this mysterious dudeโsโฆ
Itโs not Christmas until the choir sings, and Devizes Chamber Choir intend to do precisely this by announcing their Christmas Concert, as they have doneโฆ
If Devizesโ celebrated FullTone Festival is to relocate to Whistley Roadโs Park Farm for next summerโs extravaganza, what better way to give it the rusticโฆ
A new rocking power-punch from Malmesbury, Minety and Cirencester based The Dirty Smoothโฆ
As an Eastender who spent most of his adult life in Essex, my dad had exceptional directional sense, once recalling roads in Germany he travelled on a school trip decades later, but put him in Kent and, for some reason, he was lost. Since Iโm an Essex boy living in Wiltshire all my adult life, seems Iโve replaced Kent for Gloucestershire. You only need to get me near the border, north of Chippenham, west of Wotton Bassett, and Iโve completely lost my bearings; Iโm fuzzy on the Fossway, air-brained by the Air Balloon Roundabout.
I wonder if itโs this, or simply our countyโs market town live music circuits appear insular at times, that, other than agricultural hip hopper Corky, and Minety Music Festival, a venerable annual event honouring local music, about exhausts my knowledge on the subject; but one thing I do know about music in that area is, The Dirty Smooth rock, absolutely.
This slick, groove-pop-rock four-piece blew my mind with the single Seed to the Spark, a few years ago. A power-pop punch with rhythmic grooves and robust vocal hooks, the type, with its subtle balance of male to female vocals, makes one think someone slapped Deacon Blue in the chops and threatened, “now give us something that really rocks!”
Tomorrow, March 11th, sees them release a new single, Black Jack City, of which I was expecting something along similar lines, which would be no bad thing. But it has a rockier edge, retrospective of soft metal moments, aching of Guns & Roses, yet sounding as fresh and exciting as the previous tune.
A three-minute explosion of drums and guitar driving blues-rock, with added harmonica, apt for impending spring, windows wound down and hitting the road. If this pounder is Paradise City reborn, it comes up for air just once, for a โWhoa!โ break, and then just keeps giving.
Itโs Road House in tune, air-kickingly optimistic and titillating. Immediately anthemic, this teaser track from an upcoming album, Running From the Radar, is a tune which drip-dries you to crave more, one reason why The Dirty Smooth are no strangers to the festival circuit, helping set up aforementioned Minety festival, which was shortlisted at the UK Festival Awards for Best New Festival category.
Their debut EP Rise awarded them with sell-out local shows and radio interviews, this truly expands their horizons, and coupled with upcoming North Wiltshire acts, such as Swindon-based Talk in Code, and SexJazz, thereโs a real feel-good factored revitalisation for punchy pop-rock, something we must invite further south of the county, judging on the merit of Black Jack City alone.
This afternoon sees the inaugural grand ceremony of Stone Circle Music Eventsโ Wiltshire Music Awards taking place at the Devizes Corn Exchange. Itโs a selloutโฆ
In association with PF Events, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts introduces a Young Urban Digitals course in video mapping and projection mapping for sixteen to twentyโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Penny Clegg and Shakespeare Live โAntony & Cleopatraโ is one of Shakespeareโs four โRoman Playsโ, and chronologically is set after โJuliusโฆ
Unlike Buck Rogers, who made it to the 25th century six hundred years early, Devizesโ most modest acoustic virtuoso arrives at the 21st just shortโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Chris Watkins Media and Ian Diddams Whilst probably best known for his editorship of โPrivate Eyeโ magazine and thirty-five years asโฆ
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 mayโve 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.
Letโs 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!
Letโs 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 โ 13th: Kite Festival
Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire
Born from a Kickstarter campaign in January 2020, but cancelled for the obvious reasons, itโs this festivalโs maiden voyage this year. KITE aims to combine incredible music and breakthrough ideas in a unique programme of live performances and interactive discussions. โWe 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.โ
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 theyโre 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. Thereโs also an intersting wellbeing programme with hip hop yoga, boxercise, Let’s Talk About Sex Meditation & Mindfulness, and biscuits & burpees; Iโll just have the biscuits, thank you! Find Bigfoot here.
July
2nd โ 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 thereโs 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: โ Cornbury Festival
Great Tew, Oxfordshire
Still in the planning stages, this ever-growing festival in the most beautiful Oxfordshire Cotswold location think itโs 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 itโll be the crรจme de la crรจme of world music on our doorstep, if all goes well, theyโve 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, itโs 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. Thereโs 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, theyโve 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 itโll be in your back garden! But thatโs 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 thatโs not the only other reason. Reports on this family, broad ranging charity fundraising annual do has never been negative, and weโre glad to hear itโs 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, โwe 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;โ letโs hope this goes off this time. Tickets & Info here.
21st: Live at Lydiard
Lydiard Park, Swindon
AnneโMarie, 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, Iโd imagine itโll 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 Swindonโs 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, thereโs 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 thereโs 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 thereโs 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!
I mean, Devizes own contemporary blues throwback, JP is getting bookings, and rightly so. He’s off to Trowbridgeโs Lamb next Saturday for a double-bill withโฆ
As the excitement continues to detonate to an exploding point for our very first Stone Circle Music Events Wiltshire Music Awards on 25th October, weโฆ
by Mick Brianimages from Lauren Arena-McCann The playwright Tom Stoppard is probably best known for his work โRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Deadโ, his absurdist comedyโฆ
You might think it’s a laryngologist’s dream come true, this Lewis Capaldi-led decade’s penchant for the blue-eyed soul singersโ melismatic strain to cause Mick Hucknallโฆ
That moment after a message from a local band, when you click on their Facebook page to find eleven friends already โlikeโ them, and not one of them told you! Yeah, Iโm talking, but I ainโt saying anything new; does everyone know Malmsburyโs The Dirty Smooth, except me?!
If not, you should. Since their debut single five years ago, The Dirty Smooth are no strangers to the festival circuit, gaining a reputation for playing original, anthemic pop songs. On top of numerous live appearances, they helped organise the Minety Music Festival in 2017. Shortlisted at the UK Festival Awards it has become a well-established festival, hosting acts like Toploader, Republica and Chesney Hawkes. Over the past two years, but setback by lockdown, theyโve been working towards a forthcoming album, Running From The Radar, due to be released in February. Theyโve a very worthy teaser from it, a single you should check out, Seed To The Spark; itโs certainly convinced me.
With a sonic booming bass intro, itโs as it suggests on the tin; dirty. Yet itโs got that perfect pop blend in melody, which draws in many influences. Central vocal hooks of eighties rock, punky attitude, but beguiling backing female vocals and funky rhythmic grooves of soul-related pop, ah, the smooth part. Iโm left thinking if Simple Minds met Deacon Blue, or Roxette. Though Iโm contemplating they met today, for nothing is left completely to retrospection with The Dirty Smooth, thereโs vibrant freshness to the sound too. Thing is, itโs aching with confidence and undoubtedly brewing with potential. The ingredients are all there and being unified by some musical Michelin star chefs, who clearly love their cuisine.
Few local bands aim for the stadium sound, knowing a pub circuit is more workable. Here, as with Swindonโs Talk in Code, is something which needs some big stage festival airing, it has that range, it has that wide appeal. As with the apt band name, Dirty and Smooth righty word their single, you get the sensation this is far from their opus-magnum, for if it is just a seed to a spark youโll want to be there when that bomb drops.
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