Tag: potterne

Park Farm; Mantonfest Came to Devizes!

The first Park Farm Festival happened Saturday, it was fabulouso, and in some way Mantonfest came to Devizes; conveniently for me as I had to unfortunately miss Marlborough’s gem a fortnight ago…..

Weather and festival organisers aren’t besties. Organisers quiveringly check forecasts months prior, usual concern being moisture. Daytime at the inaugural Park Farm Festival just outside Devizes, where they positioned a professional looking stage some distance between where punters took shelter in beer tents and sun-shaded tables, Southwest’s premier Chicago blues replicators, aptly named Chicago 9 blasted a wonderful set to distant onlookers whilst the zone between better resembled an African savanna where no man dare tread from fear of being frazzled!

I suspected many events this weekend subtly suffered from the heatwave despite the prospect favoured over torrential downpours, and one look during the day might suggest placing the stage so far away was an error. But by sunset that area will be filled with a selection of locals particularly from surrounding villages, heavy rock or grunge fans, regular Mantonfest attendees knowledgeable these guys have 25+ years of experience at hosting the most hospitable and welcoming local festival we could namedrop, or perhaps those who ticked more than one of those multiple choices. It was at this point you realised, despite July’s event clashes, a flooding of the festival market, and Park Farm being a first timer, numbers in attendance was averagely high and everyone was up for a good time.

I met with Mantonfest’s organisers some months ago where I was concerned replicating Mantonfest this side of Devizes might have a dubious impact, yet it seemed all was alright on the night, tribute acts are welcomed once the beer flows and Park Farm Festival set a high bar, recreating the friendly atmosphere expected at Mantonfests of yore, where everyone had an amazing day. It now takes me to blow the secret, this intends to return annually and I would seriously consider jotting it onto your calendar.

If Lower Park Farm will be a camping site for freewheeling soul and ska mods and skins in a fortnight, when the Devizes Scooter Club’s celebrated annual rally takes hold, this weekend is dedicated to a range of rock aficionados. Sadly I missed Essex’s finest Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective, welcomed regulars to The Southgate, though, I’m safe in the knowledge these guys know what strings to pull.

Barrelhouse followed Chicago 9, keeping the blues flow with the unique yet highly entertaining hoedown of  groovy vintage blues, standard issue at Mantonfest now adored throughout the county.

Double-booked as usual, at this point I took advantage of the free shuttle bus, headed into town to poke my nose into The Three Crowns’ fundraiser, details set to follow. Meanwhile here, Josie & The Radiotones played and I returned for sixties heroes The Swinging Blue Jeans.

Seen these before, legendary rock n rollers who make universally entertaining a crowd look like childsplay, blasting their timeless hits and others which influenced them, as even the younger dared to dance under the beating sun.

Legends ticked it was time for the evening’s tributes, and judging the amount of Nirvana t-shirts against those of AC-DC ones was tight. A sudden quantum leap forward three decades and Nirvana UK did the most accomplished task of recreating those pioneers of grunge, loudly and proudly. Yet if you came here for authenticity in a tribute, AC/DC.UK might’ve thrown contemporary sound engineers with their usage of original eighties amps, but they sublimely recreated the heavy metal sound of the period and knocked it out of Park Farm!

Personally, heavy metal was never my bag, and through Swindon’s modern grunge scene, bands like I See Orange, The Belladonna Treatment and Liddington Hill have turned my head onto something I also sorely missed in the ravey nineties. Therefore my preference lay in Nirvana UK rather than the headliner, but judging on doing what it says on the tin, AC/DC.UK absolutely rocked that finale.

Yet the whole shebang must be hailed as putting this inguinal festival on the map for following years. For anyone who winces at the price tag, it’s standard in this era of hyperinflation, blame a government not organisers, and know, just like big sister Mantonfest, you’ll see where your money was spent if you attend; quality tried and tested acts, the highest quality production and nice touches like clean toilets and the shuttle bus.

For Grist and his team, financial risk is a thing in any competitive market and it can be surprising how narrow festivals can be; it’s a five-year plan minimal where research is crucial, and the reward is  you’ve created enjoyment. Hats off to them, for this was an amazing beginning.

Various venues in/around D-Town – Saturday & Sunday 7/8th June 2025

Just How Big Is That Fringe? Or Two Go Myth-Busting

Andy Fawthrop

We’ve always held that D-Town is a great place to live, and one of the many reasons is that it punches well above its weight in terms of the arts and cultural events.  Just speaking to musicians and artists who visit the town for gigs and festivals, the feedback is always the same: they’re in awe of just how much we’ve got going on here.….

Do we need to recite the list?  Oh go on then – two/ three Beer Festivals (DOCA Winter Ales, Seend, CAMRA DBF), an arts festival (DAF), a food and drink festival, Fulltone on The Green, our own theatre, two opera companies (WHO, DMT), Devizes to Westminster canoe race, Long Street Blues Club, the DOCA events (Street Festival, Colour Rush, Lantern Parade, Carnival, Picnic In The Park)….I could (and usually do), go on.  There’s pubs with regular live music (White Bear, Three Crowns, The Southgate), fairs and circuses on The Green, book clubs, sports clubs…(you’re really going on a bit now…Ed).

But somehow that old refrain of “Nothing Ever Happens In Devizes” has been making a come-back of late on social media, yet it just ain’t true.  But like all myths, it refuses to lie down and die.  Despite this revered organ (ooh, matron) laying out the many, many choices you might have every week, and bringing you previews and reviews of everything and anything arts-based that we can get our sticky little fingers on, some folks seem to persist in apparently finding “nothing” to do. So it’s time to, yet again, challenge that myth and have another go at laying it to rest for once and for all.

Anyway…..at the moment of writing we’re right in the middle of the Devizes Arts Festival fortnight, with plenty of variety to please all tastes.  But, admittedly, some of these events can command ticket prices that are unaffordable for some.  So, inspired somewhat by last weekend’s wonderful free Rowdefest (thank you Darren!) and, admittedly, a bit of a “robust discussion” in the pub, I decided to see just how much fun and entertainment you could enjoy over this weekend at next to no cost. It’s a challenge I decided to take on by getting off my luxury sofa, and propel myself out “into the field” (as it were).

Armed with only a stout pair of walking boots, an inquisitive and open mind, and a supportive girlfriend, I headed out into the local area to see what I could actually come up with on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.  The results are below:

  • 1. Devizes Farmers’ Market in The Market Place Bar (Saturday 9 am)
  • · What it was: monthly gathering of local suppliers
  • · What was it like?  Plenty of choice – venison, bread, honey, olives, cheese, bread & fruit, flowers and plants, fresh coffee, cider, cakes.  Plenty of good fresh stuff from suppliers within a 30 mile radius of D-Town.  Added to stalls in the Shambles, this is worth a half hour of anyone’s time, either for shopping or simply browsing.
  • · Cost: £FREE
  • · Children’s rating: 1/5, Adults’ rating: 4/5
  • 2. K&A Canal Walk towpath, any old time
  • · What it was: a c. 4 mile walk down the towpath from D-Town to Poulshot
  • · What was it like?  Lots of people out strolling or cycling, boats passing up and down the flight (an opportunity for some gomgoozling).  We also saw many species of birds, including four, yes four, different grey herons – such elegant birds.
  • · Cost: £FREE
  • · Children’s rating: 1/5, Adults’ rating: 5/5
  • 3. Poulshot Medicine in Nature Herbal Walk at Poulshot Village Hall (Saturday 10.30am – 12)
  • · What it was: a short walk led by Katherine Baldock & Simon Parkes (ecologist) around the village to explore the wild and naturalised medicinal plants growing thereabouts, and an opportunity to make some herbal vinegar after foraging the local hedgerows.
  • · What was it like?  Way too slow for me, it was part talk, part very gentle amble around the village green and woodland, part discovery of a number of wild plants.  We discussed culinary and medicinal uses. At least I found bits of Poulshot I didn’t know about, including the pond, the specially-created woodland, and some country paths (useful for getting over to Whistley Road later on).
  • · Cost: £5/ person
  • · Children’s rating: 0/5, Adults’ rating: 2/5
  • 4. Wiltshire Steam & Vintage Rally Lower Park Farm, Whistley Road (Saturday & Sunday 10 – 5)
  • · What it was:.  An event organised by WAPG (Wiltshire Agricultural Preservation Group), featuring static displays of steam traction engines, tractors, miniature steam engines, heavy horses, trade stalls, fairground, military vehicles, classic cars.
  • · What was it like? As it was chucking it down with rain as we arrived, the most welcome thing for the first half hour was the (well-stocked) beer tent.  I could have done without the loud piped music but, hey, it was dry and there was beer!  When the rain slowed down a bit we did the full circuit and there was plenty to see, the most impressive of which were the full-size old traction engines in steam (some also seen later driving through D-Town).  There were pop-up food outlets, fresh coffee, craft stalls and tents, a 1940s-themed tea and cakes tent, bouncy castle for the children etc.  The site was large with plenty of parking but, because of the rain, getting increasingly muddy.
  • · Cost: £10/ person + drinks
  • · Children’s rating: 4/5, Adults’ rating: 4/5
  • 5. Pete Robson & J P Oldfield in The Bear, Cellar Bar (Saturday 8pm)
  • · What it was: foot-stomping blues from two solo performers
  • · What was it like?  Each performer used steel guitar and stomp box to deliver some hard-cutting blues.  CDs for sale. Not very well attended, which was a shame.  Perhaps it needed to be better advertised. For me Pete Robson was the better performer of the two, taking a slightly less hard-edge approach to his vocals, and mixing up the tempo, giving more light and shade to his set.  The cellar bar is an OK venue at best, being a rather odd shape, with very low ceiling and an only partially-stocked bar.  I suspect it needs to be used much more often if it’s going flourish as a venue.
  • · Cost: £FREE + drinks
  • · Adults’ rating: 3/5
  • · Note –we could have also gone to see either Matchbox Mutiny/ Tom Harris in The Three Crowns or The Duskers in The Southgate (both FREE entry), but there’s only so many hours in the day!
  • 6. Crammer Watch Day on the Small Green Devizes (Sunday 11am onwards)
  • · What it was: a chance to meet those involved in celebrating and preserving the Crammer. RSPCA, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Water, Friends of The Crammer, Lawrence Society of Artists, Sustainable Devizes + The Moonrakers Legend (performed at 12 noon and 1pm), photography competition, charity tombola
  • · What was it like?  We missed the Moonrakers performance, so as an experience I found it a bit thin on the ground.  There was little to see and do, unless you wanted to stand and chat to someone about the issues which the Crammer faces. Several stands were just offering information leaflets. Although a worthy attempt, for me personally it was just not very engaging.
  • · Cost: £FREE
  • · Children’s rating: 1/5, Adults’ rating: 1/5
  • 7. Lions on The Green on The Green (Sunday 10am -4pm)
  • · What it was: organised by Devizes Lions Club, a vehicle display (cars, bikes, scooters, military etc) and family fun day (lots of stalls, bar, food outlets)
  • · What was it like?  Covering the whole of the large Green, this was really excellently-well organised.  The central area was given over to the displays of antique, rare and sports cars.  Stalls had cakes, plants (from Plot 35), metal signs, honey etc.  There was a bouncy castle and fairground rides for children.  A licensed bar, coffee shop etc.  Lots to look at and plenty of photo opportunities. Fantasy Radio were broadcasting live from the site.
  • · Cost: £FREE (donations to the Lions collecting buckets) + drinks
  • · Children’s rating: 4/5, Adults’ rating: 5/5
  • 8. Devizes Arts Festival Free Fringe: Whiskey River (@ British Lion garden  Sunday 2 – 5pm)
  • · What it was: Roots Music From the Welsh frontier
  • · What was it like?  The trio Whiskey River played Americana, Cajun, Zydeco, Folk, Country, Blues and a smattering of Celtic music. Using guitar, fiddle, flute, harmonica, mandolin and concertina, these guys provided an excellent and enjoyable afternoon of music in the (occasional) sunshine.  The bar was open, and there was a BBQ going on throughout. People sitting out enjoying a drink, dogs, children, good music – perfect!
  • · Cost: £FREE + (a large, undisclosed) drinks bill
  • · Children’s rating: 3/5, Adults’ rating: 5/5
  • 9. Wood & Steel (@ The Southgate Inn Sunday 5-7pm)
  • · What it was: an acoustic duo playing blues, jazz and ragtime
  • · What was it like?  This duo were new to me, but I was very impressed by what I heard.  Two very good musicians, clearly comfortable in their own skin, played two excellent 50-minute sets and got a very well-deserved encore.  Lots of covers from many ages and genres, using dobro, guitar, upright bass and vocals.  Excellent musical accompaniment to a late, lazy Sunday afternoon. Great atmosphere too.
  • · Cost: £FREE (donations to “the hat”) + more (undisclosed) drinks
  • · Adults’ rating: 5/5
  • · Note – we could also have gone to see Bodge It & Scarper  at The White Bear (Sunday 5-7pm) playing acoustic music, but didn’t hear about this until quite late.  Also can’t be in two places at once.  This event was also FREE.  

In summary:

  • · Miles walked – about 10
  • · Bird species spotted – about 20, including swans, herons, jackdaws, mallard, moorhen, starlings, robins, great tits etc;
  • · Friends met – loads – far too many to mention!
  • · Total cost (for two) – £27.80 (of which £20 was for the steam fair) + the drinks (but let’s not mention that bit!);
  • · Fun and entertainment had – loads and loads and loads;
  • · Well-being – absolutely knackered, but very happy.  Looking forward to next weekend!

Yes it all took a little bit of planning, but it wasn’t that difficult really.  We walked to/ from most venues, so we got lots of other good D-Town stuff (Caen Hill locks, the towpath etc) and took only one short (cheap) bus ride when the heavens opened.  So there was plenty of exercise and fresh air to mitigate the various bits of eating and drinking.  Did I mention that the odd libation was partaken of?  And I’m not saying that EVERY weekend is quite this packed, but it certainly can be if you put your mind to it.  Bear in mind that there’s LOADS of other stuff going on – these were simply the things we happened to pick out.  There were choices – and we made them!

Nothing Ever Happens In Devizes???  Don’t make me laugh.

Potterne Vicar Faces Soaking “Baptism!”

by Geoff Baker

It’s going to be a wet weekend whatever the weather for Wiltshire rector Gerry Lynch – as he’s volunteered for a soaking at the Potterne village fete on Saturday June 1st…..

It will be the first church fete for Gerry since he was inducted in January as the new Rector of the Wellsprings Benefice, which covers the parishes of Potterne, Poulshot, Seend, Worton and Bulkington, and he is hoping to make a splash as the star of the Soak The Vicar sideshow.

Gerry is aiming to raise funds for the community and the village’s St. Mary’s Church by inviting fete-goers to throw wet sponges at him at the afternoon event and he’s putting a brave face on his “baptism”.

“I’m game for a bit of ritual humiliation as it’s all in aid of a good cause,” said Gerry, for whom the weathermen are forecasting a warm day with sunny intervals.

Potterne fete’s wet sponge sideshow will be child’s play. Image: Jill Newton.

Organisers have made the wet sponge stall double-sided so that children can have fun soaking their dads while Gerry takes a break to be towelled down.

“You can soak the vicar, soak your dad or soak your husband and we think that last option may be popular with a lot of wives,” said a fete spokesman.

The fete, at Little Mill Field, Mill Road, Potterne [SN10 5ND], will run from 1pm to 4pm and will also feature the popular plastic duck races in the adjoining stream, a dog show, barbecue, licensed bar, tea and cakes, a bottle tombola, a luxury food hamper draw and a variety of other stalls, games and sideshows.

Potterne Rector the Rev. Gerry Lynch prepares to get drenched at the village fete. Image: Jill Newton.

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Rooks; New Single From M3G

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

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Potterne, and its Festival

It’s one Devizine overlooked somewhat last year, arranged rather last minute, clashed with Full-Tone, but was still a 1,250-strong sell-out nonetheless. Potterne is not all about Ruth Pearce and Mummer plays, it has an annual festival, and so I caught up with organiser Richard Fred Kerley, to question him about this year’s.

Two hundred tickets have gone already, for the sunny date of Sunday 27th August. He told me, “We have increased tickets to 1,500 this year.” Ticket prices capped the same last year, and are tremendously reasonable; adults at £15, under 18s for a fiver and under 5s go free.

Once known as Potterne Beer Festival, I asked Richard if the beer-tag had been dropped to make it more universal. “Yes,” he confirmed, “we used to concentrate on beer when we first started. Now it is more about music and families.” Still got a handsome beer glass on the poster with a large selection of beers and ciders promised, so never fear!

“Good line up, we think,” Richard continued. With two tributes, Forever Elton and Bootleg Bee Gees, and the Fortunate Sons, I agreed, plus some our fav locals here at Devizine, astounding brit-poppers Billy Green 3, those faithful Truzzy Boys, and the amazingly talented Illingworth.

Noting children’s entertainment on the poster, I expressed, though I’m personally not one for bouncy castles these days, I think this is an often-overlooked important feature at our smaller local festivals as the last thing you need is bored kids! “We have two bouncy castles and face painting,” Richard informed me, “which is extra this year.” Then he boasted three food stalls; pizza, hog roast and a burger van, he sure knows how to push my buttons!

But here’s another great thing about Potterne Festival; there’s nothing Royston Vasey about it, it provides a free bus service from Devizes. “The bus runs from outside Devizes School,” Richard explained, “to the Grove, starting at 11.45, roughly every twenty minutes.” One might fairly conclude it’s bonkers to provide Devizes folk with a means to escape and flood their village, but hey, sometimes you need to let them off their leash, and this all sounds good to me!

For updates, here’s their Facebook page.

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One Of Us; New Single From Lady Nade

Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Lade’s latest offering of soulful pop. It’s timelessly cool and…

Large Unlicensed Music Event Alert!

On the first day of advent, a time of peace and joy to the world et al, Devizes Police report on a “large unlicenced music…

Winter Festival/Christmas/Whatever!

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

Devizes Winter Festival This Friday and More!

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

Lou Trigg, and Some Flowers

Uplifting and sentimental, Flowers is the new song by Chippenham singer-songwriter Lou Trigg very worthy of your attention and playlist. A chorale delicacy, it trickles along sublimely, like staring thoughtfully through a rain-drenched window, nice and cosy, perhaps with a hand painted chipped-mug of lukewarm but earthy tea.……

Lou is a new one on us here at Devizine, and a welcomed blessing, explaining the idea for Flowers is “about loving someone in a long-distance relationship. Like my other songs, it’s very honest and close to my heart.” Which is precisely the way it comes across, if only one good reason to give it a listen.

Long distance relationships, though, do they ever work out, I mean, really? Any parallels from my own life I reminisce as infatuations only! But it’s the thought is, here, more than anything; the fervency of passion is expressed exquisitely through Lou’s hauntingly acute vocals. There’s a touch of folk, reminding me of Daisy Chapman, somewhat, but this euphoric orchestral ambience is the kingpin.

There’s a further five angelic and orchestrally ambient ballads up on Spotify ranging from 2019, unsure if they’ve all been bought to life by Martin Spencer of Potterne’s Badger Set, but Flowers has, and it’s a little piece of gorgeous.

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Snow White Delight: Panto at The Wharf

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

Chatting With Burn The Midnight Oil

It’s nice to hear when our features attract attention. Salisbury’s Radio Odstock  picked up on our interview with Devizes band Burn the Midnight Oil and…

Indecision To Split Up, With One Final Gig

Popular covers band on the local circuit and beyond, Indecision, has indeed made a mutual decision to split up, but not without going out with a bang; they’re hosting a “Last Hoorah” gig at Devizes Corn Exchange on Saturday 21st May……

From Seend Beer Festival to Potterne Cricket Club’s, Indecision has been a firm favourite for many-a-year now, playing across the south west from Bromham’s long lost Owl community centre to as far away as Portsmouth, the six-piece Potterne-based band have demanded many to the dancefloor, but the time is nigh to say farewells.

Drummer Richard Monk joked he couldn’t stand the smell anymore, but explained, more seriously, a number of reasons, “Lee has a young family which as we know takes up time, Martin is busy and loving the studio, Tracy is looking at travelling, and I’ve started playing in blues bands in the Leicester area. I’d love to play blues again ….. it’s been a blast!”

Martin Spencer of the Badger Set recording studio fed me this sad secret a while back, and we ran a poll to find out our favourite charities, as they want the Last Hoorah to fundraise. I was mightily impressed with the response to the poll, in which Wiltshire Search and Rescue and the Fatboys Charity, won, so all proceeds will be going to them.

Fatboys is a small local charity which aims to help children who are suffering from cancer, or some other life-threatening illness. They also make charitable donations to other charities working in similar fields. The main thrust of the charity is geared towards the purchase of Christmas gifts for children who are suffering with cancer and other potentially life-threatening illnesses. However, donations have also been made to Oncology Units at NHS Hospitals in Bath and Cheltenham, to a Swindon School for the purchase of gymnastic equipment for children with Special Needs, as well as donations made directly to cancer-related charities such as C.A.L.M, C.L.I.C and Macmillan Nurses.

Indecision promises some guests at the Corn Exchange farewell gig, but are keeping hushed about who, tickets will be out soon, watch this space. We wish the Indecision members all the best with their future prospects and look forward to their final gig, so much so I designed them this poster as a farewell gift!   

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The Lost Trades Float on New Single

I’ve got some gorgeous vocal harmonies currently floating into my ears, as The Lost Trades release their first single since the replacement of Tamsin Quin…

Chris Tweedie’s Reflections

With over three decades experience writing music and composing songs, Melksham-based Chris Tweedie acknowledges on his website he can sing, but disparages his ability to limitations, inquiring of other singers for possible collaborations. While timorousness is common when self-assessing the worth of your own output, especially for musicians, there’s an argument that no one can express your own words better than you. While the many who’ve taken on songs of Dylan, who let’s face it, isn’t the most accomplished vocalist, may well have manufactured a better sound, but lack the sincerity and emotion of the written word coming from its author.      

First impressions last, I’m only a few songs into Reflections, his debut album released yesterday, (6th Nov) and I’m drifting into its gorgeous portrayals, meditative and knowing his notion is modesty. The vocals are apt for this wandering, sublimely ambient twelve uniformed tunes. And anyway, Tracy Whatley’s beautifully grafted vocals with a country twinge feature on the one tune, Virtuous Circle, and the title tune is an instrumental finale to make Mike Oldfield blush. The rest are self-penned and executed with vocals, mellowly with acoustic goodness, reminding me of the posthumous Nick Drake.

With poetic thoughtful prose, these are exceptionally well-written songs, performed with passion and produced under the ever-proficient Martin Spencer at the Badger Set Studio. His website and the CD inlay has text of said lyrics, to pick one entirely at random; “You are the thousand winds that blow, You are the diamond glints on snow, You are sunlight on ripened grain, You are the gentle autumn rain,” taken from You are the Stars, are not the exception, they’re all this serenely stunning.

It’s Sunday sunrise music, sitting by a stretch of water, and we all need this once in a while. The album cover of such a scene sums it up in one image.

The relaxed attitude hardly drifts to anything of a negative narrative, perhaps with the exception of Slow Down, which suggests one’s life is moving too fast. The majority on offer is uplifting, perhaps reaching the apex at the seventh song, aforementioned You are the Stars, which is enriching, period.

“There are various musical influences that come through in my music,” Chris says, citing rock, pop, country and folk. “The direction this mix has taken my songs is still fairly mainstream with a leaning towards the West Coast path and an element of Americana in places.” I certainly agree, there’s hints of the Byrds, of Crosby, Stills and Nash, but majorly its definingly English, think George Harrison, not to hype but to compare the style of. There’s experimentation at work here, but the experience shines through, Chris Tweedie could chill out Donald Duck!

Buy Chris Tweedie’s Reflections here

Drive-In Harvest Festival!

If the words “Drive In” conjours romantic images of fifties’ American youth, waking up little Suzie before her reputation is shot, we live in a changing era where inventive ideas to celebrate will overcome the restrictions. But here, I’d wager, is one you’ve not heard of before: a drive-in harvest festival!

This Sunday, October 4th the Wellsprings Benefice, a community that worships together across the five churches of Bulkington, Potterne, Poulshot, Seend and Worton & Marston, have a drive-in harvest festival at Five Lanes Farm. Starting at 11am.

The event will also be available on Zoom, if you are unable to attend. What an ingenious idea, and we wish them all the best.

More information here: https://www.wellspringsbenefice.co.uk

Jon Veale Flicks the Switch

How long does it take to take to put together a single, and how much longer during the lockdown?

I dunno; don’t ask me, I just write about this stuff, and don’t make a great job of that! I suppose you’ve got pull in all the elements, y’ know, paste together drums and vocals and stuff like that, and y’ know; okay, I’ve no idea what I’m talking about. But they do down at Potterne’s Badger Set.

Marlborough guitar tutor, singer-songwriter and bassist of local covers band Humdinger, Jon Veale’s single, “Flick the Switch,” is flicked on tonight. As the name suggests it immediately hits you square in the chops, despite the drums were recorded prior to lockdown, by legend Woody from Bastille, and Jon waited tolerantly for lockdown to end before getting Paul Stagg into Martin Spencer’s studio to record the vocals.

Jon Veale

Patience paid off, with a speedy vocal harmony intro, this song packs a steady rock punch, yet none too metal. It appeals wide, as a driving, rolling-stone-themed belter, and Paul’s vocals are stimulating, reminding me of a grinding Jamie R Hawkins. Yet, for what it’s worth, it’s the composition which makes this a winner; a couple of listens is all it takes to be singing the chorus, allowing the drums and guitar combo to wash over you like a warm wave crashing on a tropical beach, or, something like that, (apologies, I need a holiday.)

As well as this supportive team, the distribution through Emu Records, Jon also thanks Christine Hurkett who has produced “an insane” lyric video and cover for the song. “In case you’re wondering what did I do on this song,” he jokes, “I wrote the music, the lyrics and played all the guitars!”

I’m intrigued to hear more now, for if this was a track on an album it’d be a title track, unless Jon has something else up his sleeve, there’s already a previous tune featuring the vocals of our Sam Bishop on the iTunes link, so yeah, I dunno, don’t ask me, I just write this stuff!

Spotify Link

iTunes Link

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A Touching Conclusion to Clifton’s First Marlborough Open Studio

If you need a feelgood story this week, as the Marlborough Open Studios closes for another year, newcomer to the event and our friend here at Devizine, artist Clifton Powell made a big impact with a heart-warming conclusion.

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Founder member of the Marlborough Open Studios, Elizabeth Scott exhibited every year from 1985 at her studio at Minal, until she moved to Savernake Forest in 2006. There she continued to show in Newbury Open Studios.

Elizabeth starting as a photographer in Rome in the 1960s, where she chronicled Italy through the many people she met there. She settled into family life in Wiltshire in the 1980s and the inheritance of dark room equipment from her brother-in-law led her to study photography at Swindon College.

elizebethscott

Commissioned to produce a series of local portraits, she gained an interest in painting. This second half of her artistic career took her from Marlborough College Summer School to study at the Slade Summer School at St Ives, the Verocchio Arts Centre in Italy and more recently for the Rabley Drawing Centre. Her painting, drawing and etching from these travels, along with inspiration from the Wiltshire downs were all shown in her open studios and exhibited further afield.

All this came to an abrupt halt in 2017 when Elizabeth had a pulmonary embolism, following a number of mini strokes. Determined to keep up her art she joined a local watercolour class and then was offered a place in an Arts Together group in Pewsey. This is where she met Clifton Powell, one of a number of volunteer artists who lead the groups.

Marlborough Open Studios chose an annual charity to support, and this year it was Arts Together. If you recall, I spent a special day visiting Clifton at a group in Melksham, here is how it went, it also goes some way to explain the importance of the work Arts Together does.

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This final weekend of the Open Studios came to an emotional pinnacle for Clifton, who was displaying some of Elizabeth’s work within his own open studio exhibit in Potterne. Elizabeth made a surprise visit at the studio. She took great pleasure in seeing her work on show again. Good friend, Bev said, “The whole family came, eight of them, all the way from London, and they had a family picnic in our lounge! It was very touching.”

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Her family commented, “Arts Together has been without doubt the most human and empathetic support offered to her during difficult times.” Showing some of Elizabeth’s work at this year’s Open Studios was an opportunity to both honour her work as an artist, her founding contribution to Open Studios and the ongoing work of Arts Together.

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