Peter Gabriel – โLive At WOMAD 1982โ will be released on 8th May 2026.It was a simple idea; to create a festival out of all the brilliant music and art made all over the world, stuff made outside of the mainstream โ music that wasnโt getting on the radio and was even harder to find in record storesโฆ
The very first WOMAD Festival took place at the 240-acre Bath and West Showground, Somerset over the weekend of 16โ18 July, 1982. With the dream โnot to sprinkle world music around a rock festival, but to prove that these great artists could be headliners in their own rightโ,ย the three days and five stages played host to 60 bands from over 20 countries; a line-up that included The Drummers of Burundi, Pigbag, Salsa de Hoy, Simple Minds, Musicians of the Nile, Echo and the Bunnymen, Prince Nico Mbarga, Rip, Rig and Panic, The Beat and many more.
โI remember this gig well,โ says Peter Gabriel. โWe played a mix of old and brand-new material. I would normally be very nervous about playing some of this stuff for the first time, however my mind was very preoccupied with the running of our very first WOMAD festival and the potential financial disaster that it was heading towards.
Because WOMAD was unique in its focus on music and art from around the world, and mixing it up with rock and jazz, no-one knew how many people might turn up and we had seriously overestimated our appeal. But those that had decided to check out WOMAD and its weird and wonderful lineup were open-minded, bold and curious – a great audience.
It was a landmark and edgy gig for me both personally and musically and brings back lots of memories.โ
Across the three days โan evening concert seriesโ took place in the Showering Pavilion on the festival site. On the Friday night that concert featured Tian Jin (a song and dance troupe from China), Simple Minds and, with a โspecial festival set of non-album materialโ, Peter Gabriel.
Live at WOMAD 1982 is a recording of that Friday night concert. The non-album material in question are seven of the eight songs that would make up the album Peter Gabriel 4. An album that wouldnโt be released for a further two months.
On-stage, Peter is joined by David Rhodes (guitar), John Giblin (bass), Larry Fast (synthesisers). Jerry Marotta (drums), Peter Hammill (vocals) and โthe wonderful Bristol-based drum and dance group,โ Ekomรฉ (drums, percussion).
โWe wanted to show that wherever you were born, whatever colour or language, whatever religious or sexual persuasion, powerful passionate and joyful work would have a warm welcome in WOMAD.
At the beginning, most music industry professionals told us that we had no chance of making this dream work, we had all the wonderful naรฏve misguided optimism of the young, and were convinced that we would prove all the cynics wrong.However, at the end of the first festival, it was clear we had an artistic success, but not a financial oneโฆ but thatโs for another story.โ
Peter Gabrielโsย Live a WOMAD 1982ย takes us back to not only the birth of a festival โ one that has now hosted more than 160 editions in 27 countries – but also to the premiere of an album with songs, like The Rhythm of the Heat, San Jacinto and Shock the Monkey, that have become central to the Gabriel canon. More than just a live album,ย Live at WOMAD 1982ย is a pivotal moment, available now for the very first time as a double LP 180g black vinyl, in gatefold jacket with Side D etching and high-res download code, or a single CD in mini-vinyl style gatefold packaging.
Out of my comfort zone on this one; being aging punk-ish, emo is a subgenre post my better days. Though the ever-reliable Wikipedia suggests, as a term, it was coined in the late eighties. It either travelled leisurely by airship across the pond, or Iโve had my head up my arseโฆ.
If Iโm probably best left in a dark corner, crying about my lack of knowledge on the subject, that creates many reasons for me not to like Sketchbook Records latest cassette or digital download release, which is an EP by Chasing Dolls. It begs me to don my flatcap and yell red-faced at youngsters about the volume of this noise, and many other age-defining protestations, but they can all be cancelled out by the more straightforward observation, it absolutely rocks!
My adventures with hardcore punk, blowing eardrums to bands like The Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Bad Brains and Butthole Surfers was adolescent and relatively short-lived. Yet if emo is a shortening for โemotive,โ Iโd squabble that all music should evoke emotion, otherwise itโs elevator muzak.
The thrash of hardcore debatably constitutes the least emotional genre of pop, only championed perhaps, by techno. Perhaps emo adds the element back into the rock melting pot. In which case, how does it differ from goth or grunge, for theyโre both filled with emotion? These Chasing Dolls songs are massively better composed, with the rising and falling of emotion, than the aforementioned hardcore bands of yore, by a country mile, yet equal to the goth and grunge subgenres Iโve acquired to appreciate through the local bands producing it, like I See Orange and The Belladonna Treatment.
But this EP is growing on me as fast as bacteria multiplies; Iโd be more complimentary if I reviewed this in a week, but I wanted to get it out there. From first impressions, its raw energy, a sublime cry of woe, and it fits.
What also fascinates me about Chasing Dolls, is that thereโs no uniform, each tune holds its own, and differs in style and ambience. Cobweb and Blood Moon are the standout tunes, and with a slash make the title of the album. Cobweb comes in first with heavy guitar after a delicately placed riff, as Iโd expect, and itโs certainly rinsed with emotion, as described by its pigeonhole.
Blood Moon is more me, of greater ambience and mood, it drifts in layers like oil finding its way down a congregated surface. The howls of emotion, the sublimely placed breaks. Iโm none too fussed by pigeonholing, if only to describe something to you, if they say itโs emo, then Iโm converted, feels like a natural punk progression through gothic and grunge. I may not be an expert on this, but I know what I like.
Step on My Shadow has a sprinkle of more universal indie-pop with an irresistible drum roll, and in part Iโd imagine our favourite lads Nothing Rhymes With Orange might feel comfortable putting something out like this. Then thereโs this live track, yet if Closest Thing to Heaven sounds like theyโre going to get slushy, Hell is in brackets to ensure thereโs controversy in the romantic topic, and it comes over a smidgen shoegaze. Love, it hurts most punk genres, emo takes no exceptions, in fact, going on this, exemplifies the anguish and pain of it, rolls it into a dramatic outpouring without boundaries, and for this, I now love Chasing Dolls.
Chasing Dolls are Hayden, Munch, Theo, Will and Jasmin, and long may they continue. As with many upcoming bands, thereโs a notion in the ether theyโve yet to make that magnum opus, but this EP suggests theyโre aching for it and will accomplish something progressively superior. For now though, Cobweb/Blood Moon throws everything you wanted to hate in your face, and turns it into something thorough, bold and challenging; top marks for that.
Thank you Sketchbook Records, you are opening an old manโs eyes to emerging local artists with an alternative edge, and now Iโm hooked! Oh, and you can find Chasing Dolls at Swinterfest, headlining the Saturday (31st Jan) at The Castle.
If past years seem to be racing by me on roller-skates, now theyโre in Formula 1 cars! 2025, in a word, was โaverage,โ though the Devizine annual stats fell for a second year, at 6% lower than 2024; you lot still here?!
Iโm not concerned about that, you filthy traitors; youโve been digesting the clickbait of that Gazelle & Herod again, havenโt you?!! Ah, truth is I have been staying home, hibernating a lot like a lightweight couch potato; probably an age thing, most likely a financial thing too; weโve got hyperinflation to make Robert Mugabe envious. But we keep a stiff upper lip as the world plummets into chaos, our little corner of it remains a pretty nice place to live (if a bit Tory,) where you can block pavements with hoarding or nick a cardboard sheep from a church and get away with it. None of which we are here to highlight, we focus on the best bits, and slag off the worst with a sprinkling of satire; if you donโt like it, you know where to go!
Hits took a hit because I bit my tongue on many local political or social issues this year, to concentrate more on arts and entertainment, but folk love a good shit stir rather than being told about some talented locals doing good. Plus, Iโm sick to the back teeth with any dependence on Facebook shares, itโs become a toxic playground for so-called adults and AI bots pretending to be human to boost propaganda. I think Iโm going to be one of those smiling insanely old men, content to feed the ducks in the park, rather than ranting at anyone younger than me within range, but Iโve the right to change my mind on this!
They also took a hit because Iโve been actively engaged in two fantastic major events, RowdeFest and The Wiltshire Music Awards. The latter in particular used up much of my time, but hey, I think they were worth it. The Awards really brought together a wealth of people involved in the Wiltshire music scene, caused me to wear a suit, and we hope to build on this with future years.
The other contributing factor to the downfall of hits to the website might have been me writing a new book, something I rarely get the time for, but was certain I wanted it published by Christmas. I made that deadline and Murder at the Scribbling Horse is officially out; you read it yet? No, didn’t think so!
But lots more happened in 2025, and those we featured are briefed below; we couldโve done more but I think we put out a lot of content; you have to give me some time to play pointless block puzzle games on my phone. Thank you to all our contributors, Ian, Andy, Lois and the few guest writers who have submitted this year. We always need more writers to make this as comprehensive as possible; it is about as flexible as it can possibly be, you can be a fruitcake, we donโt mind, so do get in touch if you can help.
Please continue to support us, we thank you all for your dedication to Devizine; hereโs to 2026; try best to avoid the fascist division, millionaires triggered by being disallowed to rip wild animals to death, the US or Russian bombs heading our way, the complete disregard for funding environmental projects while they spend billions fighting for the last scraps of oil, any world leader kidnapping, painting roundabouts, and the usage of anti-terror laws to arrest pensioners peacefully campaigning against genocide.
Just follow us instead, enjoying a pint in a pub and listening to live music, played by real people, focus on youth projects rather than fables of hooliganism, focus on talented individuals doing good rather than bitter clickbait and national headlines, and be here, in the warm and truth, with Devizine; we tell it like it is, and donโt purvey bullshit!
January
Just as this year starts with a review of the last, so did 2025, but not before I took a visit to the Swindon Story Shed. Forestry England invited dog walkers to Nightingale Wood, apparently to celebrate Walk Your Dog Month; surely every month is walk your dog month?! The second feature film for director Keith Wilhelm Kopp and writer Laurence Guy, First Christmas entered development. We covered how My Dadโs Bigger Than Your Dad Festival raised ยฃ11,500 for Prospect Hospice, and thereโs moreโฆ.
Jamsters began at Devizes Southgate, an initiative to provide a Friday night platform for loose groupings and associations created at their regular jam sessions each Wednesday. We announced The Beat were to headline Devizes Scooter Rally, that Nick Hodgson formerly of the Kaiser Chiefsโ new band, Everyone Says Hi had an instore at Marlboroughโs Sound Knowledge, and we unfortunately said goodbye to the now disbanded People Like Us; sorely missed.
The original line up of People Like Us
We had new singles from Nothing Rhymes With Orange, a new album from Illingworth, and fuller sessions from Kaya Street. Andy reviewed the first Devizes International Blues Festival, Ian covered Jerusalem at the Mission Theatre, and Veronicaโs Room at The Wharf Theatre.
We previewed OakFest at the Royal Oak in Pewsey, La Belle Hรฉlรจne, White Horse Operaโs Debut at The Wharf Theatre, Devizes Musical Theatreโs Beauty & The Beast, Henge at The Cheese & Grain, and Bradford-on-Avon Green Man Festival which unfortunately this year is in jeopardy, and we welcomed Caffe Vialottie to Devizes, our most popular article of the year.
Februaryย
It may be topical now, but weโve always been supporting the hunting ban, and in February reported how Beaufort Hunters attacked Wiltshire Hunt Sabsโ drone. We sadly confirmed Devizes Street Festival was cancelled for the second year in a row, and The Emporium in Devizes was to close, but Devizes would get a new youth centre.
Previews included, Marlborough School of Languagesโ Summer Fiesta, Jazz Sabbath at the Corn Exchange. We announced The Brand New Heavies were to headline Minety, tickets for DOCAโs Winter Ales were running out, and that I was to organise the music for Rowdefest in May, probably my favourite memory of 2025.
We featured Melkshamโs teen band Between the Lines, reviewed JP Oldfieldโs debut EP Bouffon, Jamie Hawkinsโ short film Teeth, and new singles from I See Orange and Sam Bishop. Swinterfest broke me out of my hibernation, and I also got out to see the fantastic Static Moves at the Three Crowns, plus Cephidโs Sparks in the Darkness at The Rondo, which was mindblowing!
March
We announced that Devizes auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son were relocating to the Old Emporium, Soupchick was to take over The Hillworth Park Cafe, that after the fire in Northgate Street Devizes Kebab Van successfully relocated to Folly Road, that Devizes was to have a new festival, Park Farm Festival, and of course the very first Wiltshire Music Awards.
We featured the Belladonna Treatment, had a wonderful local reflection on the Trump & Zelenskiy meeting from a Ukrainian living in Wiltshire, and it was one of my all-time favourite interviews with eighties legend Owen Paul ahead of a Devizes gig.
We reviewed The Killer & The Catalyst, Devizes author Dave McKennaโs novelette, Geckoโs new album, and singles by Chloe Hepburn and George Wilding.
Previewed Devizes Arts Festival, Exchange Comedy in Devizes, Swindon Palestine Solidarityโs Charity Iftar, CUDSโ Devizes Town Litter Pick for GB Spring Clean, and Hells Bells AC/DC tribute coming to Devizes! We listed the results of Salisbury Music Awards.
I managed to make it out to see The Devilโs Doorbell and JP Oldfield at the Cellar Bar, Ruby Darbyshire at the Southgate, and Cracked Machine with Tom Harris in support, too. Ian gave us Blood Brothers at The Mission Theatre and Flatpack at The Rondo, and Pip Aldridge reviewed our Fulltone Orchestra at Tewkesbury Abbey.
I ranted on the state of the roads, and for fun ran a Take Our Wiltshire Pothole or Moon Crater Quiz Challenge!!
April
Ah, All Fools Day, a golden opportunity for us, in which last year we told the fib that funk godfather George Clinton was exiled to the Wiltshire village of Urchfont, created funk music there and it was covered up by their parish council! You might assume it was hardly viable, but some fell for it, and messaged in their outraged reports of โfake news!โ
We looked into DOCAโs new youth initiative Yea Devizes, and while we published our usual extensive list of Easter holiday activities, we also previewed DOCAโs Junk Street drumming workshop.
I visited The Hillworth Park Cafe, where Soupchick took over, hailed Devizes DJ Greg Spencer, the creator of Palooza house nights, who made the prestigious bill of Fatboy Slimโs All Back to Minehead festival, and reviewed the now sadly defunct No Alarms No Devizes playing at the Three Crowns. Discovered Fran Daisy at Swindonโs Plough, and Henge at the Cheese & Grain was a high contender for my gig of the year; out of this world!
We had a guest review from Melissa Loveday on Devizes Music Academyโs Something About Jamie, which though Iโm sorry to have missed, I did catch them playing it out at FullTone Festival in the summer. I did attend Devizes Musical Theatreโs Beauty & the Beast at Dauntseyโs School and the opening of Un/Common People, Folk Culture in Wessex, a fascinating exhibition at Wiltshire Museum.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Reviewed Hannah Rose Plattโs album Fragile Creatures, probably the best album we covered last year. The website for Wiltshire Music Awards went live and people held on to cast their votes in May.
We exposed Reform candidate Calne Violette Simpson for her Facebook profile picture showing her hunting antelope in South Africa, and Devizes South Conservative candidate Sarah Batchelor, who committed election fraud, up and left with her tail between her legs and almost running Bishops Canningโs Crown into the ground. Thankfully it seems the new owners are turning it around and recreating the village hub it once was.
May
I was honoured and delighted to organise the music for our village fete, which has in the last few years been run by a lovely independent committee, safe from a questionable parish council. It was a wonderful sunny day and the highlight of my year. I called in some favours and presented an amazing lineup for a free fete, featuring, in order of appearance, The Jubilee Morris Dancers, Andrew Hurst who brought bassist Lucianne Worthy with him, Talk in Code, The Sarah C Ryan Band, Thieves, and Burn The Midnight Oil. Being it was the last day of the month, I didnโt write about it until June.
I paid a Sunday afternoon visit to Devizes amazing record shop Vinyl Realm, when Deadlight Dance were attacked by wasps and still managed an amazing unplugged acoustic set. Ben Niamor reviewed Jake Martin at Swindonโs Castle with SOP, and Ian gave us his views on Sweeney Todd at St. Augustineโs Catholic College in Trowbridge, and the Diary of Anne Frank at The Wharf Theatre in Devizes, which was so good I had to go myself. Lois covered newcomers Kingston Mediaโs Bands at the Bridge in Horton.
I previewed the Bradford-on-Avon Live Music Festival, despite it clashing with our Rowdefest! Also, Ruby Darbyshire who performed at Silverwood Schoolโs open evening. Andy provided a preview of Chippenham Folk Festival, and Lois provided us with previews of Australian Folk singer Ernest Aines at Swindonโs Deanery Theatre and David Olusoga at the Cheese & Grain.
Announced the opening of voting for Wiltshire Music Awards, that Devizes-based The Big Sound Choir was to perform with Aled Jones at St Georgeโs in Bristol, and that Bird is The Word were taking over music organisation at Bradford-on-Avonโs Boathouse.
We featured how Lucas Hardy was collaborating with Rosie Jay, and Fromeโs James Hollingsworth, who was bringing his solo recreation of Pink Floydโs Wish You Were Here album to the Devizes Southgate and elsewhere, and reviewed his album with Griffiths, Lost in the Winds of Time.
I reviewed Clock Radioโs album Turfing out the Maniacs, Ruzz Guitarโs Between Two Worlds album, Playing Solitaire; Phil Cooperโs first solo album for five years, Thievesโ debut EP, a new single from George Wilding, and one from Auralcandy featuring vocals from Sienna Wileman. A feature of a Melksham marketing expert launching AI training courses was met with controversy, yeah, I get that!
June
If we were all busy with the Devizes Arts Festival, we were previwing summer events like a new festival for Devizes, Park Farm, clashing with an amazing day at the Three Crowns for an air ambulance fundraiser, and I finalyy got over my hangover and ego, and gave coverage of Rowdefest; highlight of my year!ย
Andy reviewed White Horse Operaโs Cosi Fan Tutte and The Lost Trades at the Piggybank, Ian did The Mikado at the Mission, The Taming of the Shrew at the Rondo, and of course we all did our bit for the Devizes Arts Festival. Andy also covered an extensive weekend when The Lions were on the Green in Devizes, we had Crammer Watch Day too, and Devizes Arts Festival did a fringe gig at the British Lion; summer lovinโ. The highlight of this had to be Whereโs the Cat, the Wharf Theatreโs writing groupโs hilarious reenactment of the Moonrakers fable at the Crammer, which I felt obliged to cover too.
Eddie and I were guests on Peggy-Sueโs Donโt Stop the Music show on Swindon 105.5, chatting about the awards. We met Henry the chocolate duck raising funds for cystic fibrosis at HollyChocs, previewed Supergrass headlining Frome Festival, a genderqueered Shakespearean performance at Bathโs Rondo, and Swindon Palestine Solidarity events. Lois did Idles at Bristolโs Block Party.
I reviewed The Hotcakes of Wildfireโs album Shoes & Acid, ranted on vocal minorities triggered by events of cultural diversity, and did a No Surprises column promising to return the feature, but promises are made to be broken! Thereโs simply too much to whinge about, and for my health, I need to see the glass half-full.
Bands at The Bridge
Thatโs all for now, folks. Do not fear, itโs still summer in our minds, and weโll kick off in July for the second part. I know, our goldfish attention spans cannot take in a whole year in one article, what with so much brilliant stuff which happened over the year, so come back when Iโve officially emptied the Quality Street tin and completed the last half of this review of 2025; but I must say, I think the first half was better!!
Highest season of goodwill praises must go to Chrissy Chapman today, who raised over ยฃ500 (at the last count) for His Grace Childrenโs Centre in Uganda, with a little help from talented friendsโฆ.
Years back as soloist singer-songwriter One Trick Pony, Chrissy organised annual fundraising gigs at the Southgate around Christmas time, but now tuned up a notch with her incredible Americana band Burn the Midnight Oil behind her it was a high noon lock up and load for a Sunday afternoon hoedown at the Muck and Dunder rum bar in Devizes. The better half, Mrs Devizine, has been asking me to take her somewhere tropical, so given such an opportunity, we bused it to The Brittox.
With Burn The Midnight Oil rightfully grasping the top slot with the same intensity as me holding my pineapple vase of piรฑa colada, all kicked off at half-two with Gary Hewitt-Long performing a rare acoustic set. New to the game, and while I obviously cannot condone a satirical song aimed at a certain rogue local councillor, Gary was unnecessarily bashful, as he acoustically played out some great originals to warm the crowd!
Perhaps it was the crowd which, understandably nerved him; it sure was building, as Martin Rea sauntered through them, sporting a fashionable bum bag and dishing out raffle tickets.
A Wiltshire duo new to me, One Plus One may offer sums even I can handle in name, but their performance was delightful. A proficient and lovable pop cover duo to please any event, One Plus One is guitarist Dave, and Emily on vocals, confident to take on an Amy Winehouse cover or two and come up trumps. Chapel Roan’s Pink Pony Club also got a superb makeover, and they polished it off with the seasonal Fairytale of New York; why not?
Maybe only because our modest local folk legend Vince Bell, who followed, also planned to finalise his sublime set with the UK’s best loved Christmas song, with his wife Lisa as Kirsty MacColl. Though more musical theatre, no stranger to the limelight, Lisa nailed it, and the handsome, pretty, and the queens of New Devizes City crowd never minded the doubled up cover and sang the chorus.
Vince also offered Chrissy the accompanying chair for a spellbinding middle duet they supposed they should record, and they should. But beginning his set with his divine self-penned melancholic earworms, garnished in percussive rhythm guitar mastery akin to flamenco, and raising the spirit with the more spritely Spiderman Pajamas, Vince is a local treasure and never fails to charm.
Exactly a year after we first interviewed the original lineup, Burn The Midnight Oil came bursting on and delivered their awesome set with unified passion and precision, seemingly lapping up every minute. You’d be excused for assuming this band has been playing together for decades despite it being less than a year in the new format.
They appeased the audience with a taste of what they’ve been working on, looked fantabulous, and, most importantly, put 210% into their show. Yet it was arguably the sum of all these parts and the community festive spirit, which made it the wonderful afternoon it was.
Is it time to start thinking about spring? I think so! Bath music promoters 7 Hills are moving their annual spring festival from the city to Trowbridgeโs Old Town Hall. If youโre already buzzing for the 2026 festival season to arrive, check this March offeringโฆ..
7 Hills regularly organise music events at The Night Jar in Bath, a glorious bar upstairs at the Bath Pizza Company, part of the hip Green Park Brasserie close to the railway station. Many gigs there have a โpay if canโ policy, and present the likes of Luke De-Sciscio, Elles Bailey and Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene. Their festivals are also usually held in Bath, but this coming year a spring one comes to Trowbridge.
Chris Hoar of Courting Ghosts explained he, โreached out to them initially to say I was planning a festival in the newly renovated Old Town Hall, just to check it didn’t clash with them, and Matt said let’s do it together in Trowbridge as a spring festival.โ
Concrete Prairie
Itโs an all day folk-rock festival, happening on Saturday 21st March, tickets are on sale now at ยฃ39.50. Thereโs a number of acts new to me on the lineup, which is good; The Delines, Our Man In The Field, Joseph Arthur, Hannah White, Leander Morales Music, Chris Greenhalgh, Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours and Biff Country. Some to tick off my must see list, like AQABA, and others which I will never tire of witnessing, particularly Concrete Prairie, Thieves, Fly Yeti Fly and Matt Owens, with Chrisโs band Courting Ghosts, of course!
Courting Ghosts
Following an extensive and transformative refurbishment, the historic Old Town Hall will host this inaugural 7 Hills Spring Festival, a landmark cultural event marking a renewed era of artistic ambition for the region. Conceived as a celebration of world-class songwriting and contemporary creative excellence, the festival assembles an exceptional line-up of internationally esteemed performers and compelling new voices.
The Delines headline, widely regarded as one of the most evocative and accomplished bands of their generation. Praised for their cinematic soul, lush arrangements and profoundly humane storytelling, critics have called The Delines โone of the finest Americana acts working todayโ and hailed their work as โexquisite, elegant and utterly transportive.โ Their appearance at 7 Hills Spring Festival promises a rare opportunity to witness a band consistently described as โamong the very best songwriters and performers on either side of the Atlantic.โ
They are joined by Our Man in the Field, whose transatlantic Americana and increasingly acclaimed live performances have captured audiences across Europe and beyond; the distinguished American singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur, celebrated for his poetic intensity; Matt Owens & The DVP, whose dynamic blend of modern folk, rock, and richly crafted lyricism promises one of the nightโs most electrifying sets; and multiple AMA UK Award Winner, Hannah White, widely recognised as one of Britainโs most profound contemporary songwriters. Rounding out the bill are Courting Ghosts, an emerging band whose growing reputation reflects a bold and distinctive artistic voice.
Fly Yeti Fly
Showcasing newly enhanced performance spaces, architectural restoration, and a revitalised artistic vision, the renewed Old Town Hall stands as a major cultural milestone. 7 Hills Spring Festival will not merely highlight the buildingโs transformation, but also usher in a bold new chapter for Trowbridgeโs cultural landscape.
With the absence of Bradford Roots Festival this coming year, usually in Feb at The Wiltshire Music Centre, I think I can pad it out until then; maybe go into hibernation until March!
Stone Circle Music Events announced today that all proceeds of CrownFest will be donated to Wiltshire Hope & Harmonyโs Dementia Choir. CrownFest is an all-dayโฆ
If Devizes Scooter Rally has already established its base at Whistley Roadโs Park Farm and Full-Tone are moving to these new pastures, last year theโฆ
Dubiously biased and ruled with an iron fist, the mighty admin of the once popular Devizes Facebook group, Devizes Issues, is using the iconic Greatโฆ
My apologies, for Marlboroughโs singer-songwriter Gus Whiteโs debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and itโs more than worth a quick mentionโฆ..
Gus White is a respected folk musician, record producer, festival organiser, and community maker with a deep love for the rooted and the heartfelt. His production credits are the string that ties together an emerging scene that refers to itself as Third Wave Folk, involving a collective of artists which record with Gus at his Wiltshire studio. This includes microtonal and genre-fluid rising-star Maddie Ashman, folk singer Minna, and UK folk-charting artist Ann Liu Cannon. The latter is our connection, fondly reviewing Ann Liuโs album Clever Rabbits back in July.ย
Though, in the short wintery month this album has been simmering itโs made number twenty-six on the Official Folk Album Charts, making Gus rightfully charting too. An initial listen from yours truly and I can understand why. I do declare it as instant as Douwe Egbertsโ Pure Gold, only in rapture rather than coffee! Itโs chock full of cool vibes, that breezy feelgood Sunday morning acoustic which is too darn soothing itโs impossible to criticise. As for Gusโs barista skills, Iโve no confirmation, but going on his music, I could take a wild guess heโs a tea fellow.
Eleven songs strong, put the kettle on yourself, and allow Gus to get on doing his sublime thing! Thereโs no rise and fall, the melodies flow like the Iguazu Falls. If I pick out individual elements into Gusโs melting pot, like the doo-wop-ish structure of middle-track Terrible Things, the bluesy guitar picking in the following song, Head Held High, or jazz drum percolate in Please, Forgive Me, theyโre all so subtly placed. If Gus defines it Third Wave Folk, thatโs what it is; a composition borrowing from Americana and English folk, but neither whole; a gorgeous cherrypick from both. It has the universal folk-rock feel of Goerge Harrison and Cat Stevens, and is equally as uplifting.
Though some themes are negative, the overall ambience is pessimistic; if youโve a bad day, so what? Watch the rain trickle down the window outside with that lukewarm brew in a slightly stained chipped mug, listen to this and contemplate, life goes on, youโre rising above it.
If the penultimate song on For Now, Anyway, After So Long is rinsed in a dejected romantic memory, Gus carries it as skilled as Tom Petty, and the final song Still Learning lifts the spirit one final time like a contemporary Dr Hook, with that beguiling cheerful chorus. It departs your ears leaving you aching for more; a beautifully and skilled production from someone who comes across as a modest genius tea-drinker. Gus produced, mixed and mastered For Now, Anyway, a defining statement as a songwriter and a prime example of his meticulous production work.
Image: Jeremey Prout
Authentic too; recorded in 2021, with a live band of friends and local musicians, Gus White approached this stunning album like any other project, stating he was โtrying to capture the magic, and the essence, of the song in a single live performance, in the way real instruments and human voices blend when left to their own devices.โ
Gus, also a member of folk band Dead Pages, is co-organiser of Late Spring Folk Festival, which celebrated its third iteration this summer at Dummer Down Brewery near Micheldever, since forming at a Wiltshire pub venue. This yearโs is Saturday 23rd May. If he showcases this album there itโs worth the reasonable ticket stub alone.
For Now, Anyway is out now on Man Made Tigers. Available to buy on CD & vinyl exclusively from Sound Knowledge in Marlborough and is available across streaming platforms. Donโt procrastinate like me, as Iโm sorry I did now Iโve heard it.
Christmas has come early for foxes and normal humans with any slither of compassion remaining, as the government announced the righteous move to banโฆ
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, but itโs not a Christmas song, noโฆ.
If youโve had enough debating if Die Hard is a Christmas film with the family, when obviously nothing says Christmas like Hanz Gruber falling from the Nakatomi Plaza, maybe try this stocking filler for size; Not a Christmas Song isnโt a Christmas song, not a jingle bell or a Noddy Holder to hear here. I didnโt ask Santa for a Christmas song anyway.
It is, though, marvellously negative about the commercialisation and the absence of snow, wrapped wonderfully in a theme of seasonal romantic disruption. Oh, but it has the subtlest hints of Yule in reference; folky and in the odd twinkling piano riff, so not entirely a thrashed punk anti-Christmas feel neither. As ironically as Alanis Morissette, and as proficient as her too.
If The Pouges & Kirstyโs seasonal offering was subtle but pimped somewhere along the lines by commercial radio, Butane Skies takes the disguised holly and mistletoe to another level. You could listen to this in June without being told off; clever concept, but then, the composition of the song is equally a stroke of genius and it rolls out all rather wonderfully. Take a listen, thereโs no partridges in pear trees yet.
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
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 his production skills, amassing an arsenal of musical machinery, and developing a community of talented musicians to bring his album โFor Now, Anywayโ into existence….
At its core, itโs a breakup album, which could feel strange to complete and release so far after the original โbreakโ, but speaking to Gus it appears the space has allowed him to finish the album at a much more present and content time in his life. Heโs settled into a different existence โ heโs in a new relationship, heโs a dog owner, and has played a large role in building a thriving music scene across the venues, pubs, and houses of Wiltshire.
This brings us to the Smithy Art Forgery in Burbage, a kooky yet loveable cultural venue operating out of a 375-year-old house that currently operates as a jeweller. Located on the side of a quiet village road, itโs adorned with nondescript street parking, burgers served off a BBQ, and vegetable curry to order made in the ownerโs kitchen.ย
Itโs these types of places that are few and far between according to Gus โ a true grassroots venue for musicians, a haven from playing dusty forgotten corners of pubs where the landlord and patrons donโt even really want you there anyway. It was why it was there on the 14th of September that Gus hosted his album release party.
Taking place in the back garden of the venue, attendees were seated under a marquee packed with various sofas, stools, and garden furniture that faced onto an embankment where the stage was set. Copious instruments lay there waiting, tucked underneath an array of tarpaulin and teepees to shield them and the musicians from the bipolar weather conditions of the changing season.
The atmosphere was intimate โ maybe fewer than 100 in attendance โ but one that felt lively and far from empty. Friends of friends of friends made happy introductions and chats to one another, waiting for the music to start. Two support acts opened the day. First, a solo and entrancing guitar performance from Grace Elizabeth Harvey, followed by a sort of double act from Ann Liu Cannon and Esmรฉ White, the two swapping between lead vocal spots all the while backed by a mandolin player โ the first of many off-kilter instruments to litter the performances.ย
Then it was Gusโs turn to play. The performance brought about the live, interactive feel of the album, with a high range of instruments on display โ trombones, sublime guitar passages, the double bass, a kazoo solo, and even a set of pots and pans, just to name a few. The music felt sonically based in the past, a careful homage to folk and rock formats from americana, country and indie, exhibiting a range of influence from the 50s all the way to the 70s. Despite its seemingly traditional backdrop, the performance was unmistakably modern, with the lyrics carrying the music firmly into the present. Packed with new-age irony and technological references, Gusโs dry, irreverent humour was centre stage throughout the performance, both in the songs and in his preambles โ though this didnโt disguise the sincerity of the music or the performer. Balanced amongst the tongue-in-cheek lyrics were very straight to the point personal accounts of his former relationship, that through their intense and biographical nature revealed a relatability that would be shrouded behind overt poeticism. Though typically robust and amusing, Gusโs songwriting shows a capability of reaching into the elegiac also. The solo encore of โJosephineโ makes the case for Gusโs well-roundedness as a song smith; a poetry laden tribute to his partner that drew much of its effect from its earnestness and folk-style imagery.
Gus closed the concert with a rendition of โPlease Forgive Meโ, a rousing finish that allowed each band member their moment to show off, before the crowd sung the concert to a finish. It felt an appropriate end, where Gus, the producer, allowed others to have their moment through his handiwork, sitting back and revelling in the fun of it all. For a set of songs about breaking up, Gus seemed married to the moment, an artist revealing himself at a perfect time to a welcoming group of friends and strangers alike.
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
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
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, and coordinate the Swindon Shuffle and Swinterfest, arranged this eveningโs entertainment at The Hop, the largest of pubs on the Devizes Road area of Old Town with the perfect upstairs function room to turn into a temporary folk club.
A slight music appreciation collective gathered, seated and respectfully keen to value live music of this calibre. On previous occasions when the Lost Trades played here, organiser Ed Dyer explained, โwere packed out,โ and factors of the lesser crowd were discussed; it couldโve been because it was rescheduled. While free pub gigs thrive equally to overpriced pop star concerts, add even the smallest price to less mainstream acts, as this gig did, sadly seems can reduce its attraction. What we all need to be mindful of is the safety net; dedicated and erudite promoters like SoP guarantee tried and tested acts, ergo paying a small ticket stub is worthwhile for a better class of live music than a pub throwing any old band in for peanuts. Ah, you get what you pay for, but to disregard this notion is to lose venues and promoters. The saddest thing is, that is happeningโฆ.now. Support them, or become a skint Swifty, your choice.
Whilst Jamie R Hawkins and Phil Cooper of The Lost Trades are no strangers to playing a pub gig solo, the key to the Lost Trades works best at folk festivals and clubs, and arts centres. It is fantastic to think this local export is nationwide now, and judging on their performance last night, something Iโve not caught for what seems like an age, itโs thoroughly deserved. Thereโs a sense of elevation in their delivery of these soothing vocal harmonies, a consistent strive of improvement, which if it isnโt at its peak now, the summit would be on an angelic level.
Such a while it has been, Tamsin Quin left the trio and has been replaced by Jess Vincent, and I was yet to see that working live, despite fondly mentioning their latest single, Float Me On Your River. As well as performing some other new songs, they opened with this, and notwithstanding Tamsin has a distinguishable voice, Jess makes the quintessential substitution, an exemplar to the ethos of The Lost Trades. Her wonderful vocal range and proficient percussion complement Phil and Jamieโs expressions on equal terms as Tamsinโs, and so The Lost Trades are once again at the top of their game.
And a sublime performance it was, but not before a support act new to me played a divine set of fiddle, guitar and occasional loop pedal folk covers. Half of One is a Swindon duo, fiddler Geoff Roberts and guitarist Neil Mercer, and theyโve played together in folk band SGO who recently disbanded, and who Iโm well aware of, and dance band Cowshed Ceilidh Collective. We were treated to some gorgeous English folk pieces, others from the likes of Sam Sweeny, Show of Handsโ Steve Knightly, and a wonderfully delivered Great War song for Remembrance I missed the name of and cannot find online! It was a spellbinding support, which couldโve been the headline for any folk club.
As folk, The Lost Trades have always stated itโs โmodern folk,โ and with electric guitars and some subject matter I see this, but thereโs something uniquely captivating about them which makes it timeless and conjures images of The Carter Family. I may not have been lucky enough to have seen The Everley Brothers or Simon & Garfunkel, but The Lost Trades are vocal harmony perfection to me!
Available at Devizes Books, or message Devizine for a copy!
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 secondโฆ
Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Ladeโs latest offering of soulful pop. Itโs timelessly coolโฆ
Words by Ollie MacKenzie. Featured Image by Barbora Mrazkova.ย The creative process can be a winding, long, and often confusing journey. Seeing a projectโฆ
Whoโs ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival andโฆ
If you need a reason to understand why I was so excited about The Sarah C Ryan Band coming to RowdeFest back in May, you wasn’t there!! And if you wasn’t, well, I’m not going to pick on you, just leave said example below and let you decide…..
My Radio Silence, recorded for a session at Crescent Records Studio in Swindon, back in July 2024, has recently been published on YouTube for prosperity, and shows precisely why I so absolutely, totally 100% love this band! It’s so breezy and cool…. I’m going to shut my cake hole and let you enjoy the video…..
One part of Swindon was in perfect harmony last night, and I donโt mean the traffic circumnavigating the Magic Roundabout. Rather The Lost Trades wereโฆ
Raging expressions of angered feminist teenage anguish this month, perfectly delivered by Steatopygous via their mindblowing debut album Songs of Salome, I hail as theโฆ
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 and they gained air time, but the interview was published short of year ago now, and the band have had significant changes to the lineup and their style. So, I the time is nigh to poke my bulbous nose in and interrupt their rehearsal againโฆ..
Formerly a trio, bassist Chris Lane remains with Chrissy Chapman up front,ย but guitarist Andy Jacobs sadly passed away this year. โAndy was an amazing musician and really helped carve out our initial sonic signature,โ Chrissy told me. โWeโve always wanted to acknowledge his creative contributions, given that music ran through him like the letters in a stick of rock. However, for reasons I canโt discuss out of respect for everyone involved, the band collectively decided that it was no longer suitable for Andy to remain involved. Weโve made every attempt to show him grace since that decision but there was a negative backlash. Regardless, we were all very sad to hear he passed away shortly after, and our sympathies remain with his family and loved ones. Weโre committed to remembering him in the best light.โ
โThere was definitely concern about doing the songs justice after we parted ways with Andy,โ Chrissy continued. โEventually, though, we made a conscious effort to develop a new sound that honoured the music while allowing John the creative freedom. The core of our sound now focuses on doing the songs justice rather than trying to replicate what Andy originally brought to the table and embracing the natural evolution of our sound that draws from all of our influences.โ
The Original Trio of Chrissy, Chris and Andy
John Lane joined as guitarist, but was making me a cuppa while I was chatting with Ron Riordan, the new drummer. Theyโve both been instrumental in forging a new direction for the band, literally! John said of Andyโs passing, โas part of getting through that phase the band has grown,โ and Ron added it had โevolved.โ
Turning to Chrissy I jested that when we did the original interview, she had suggested they didn’t need a drummer! โWell,โ she explained, โwe always needed a drummer, but we were able to perform at the time without a drummer because we were percussive enough. And it went down really well. A couple of venues, we did three gigs before we got Ron, a brilliant drummer!โ
Ron stepped in immediately at a crossover period between Andy and John, a proficient drummer who told me he had played in a few ska bands in Swindon, โI started playing drums when I was about nine, in orchestras and learnt to read music, that type of thing.โ I smiled; he looks like he can blast a Two-Tone riff. โThat’s the thing though,โ Chrissy said, โbecause straight away we had DOCAโs Winter of Festive Ales booked. So it was like, everybody had to jump on really, really quickly. And we wanted to use that as an opportunity to do the originals.โ
It was on the strength of the demo I asked them to play RowdeFest, I hadnโt seen them performing before. But the committee was encouraging me to find a covers band. โWe followed your advice about doing the covers,โ Chrissy said, though it wasnโt really advise, rather a way to get them booked! Iโm so glad they did, they were dynamite and feedback was overwhelming. The kind of band youโd think had been on the circuit for years. โI felt that we were at the party at the end of the day!โ John remarked, and they certainly was.
โWhat was nice about that is it the focus was about โlet’s give people a showโ rather than it just being about โlet’s get our songs outโ,โ Chrissy explained. โYour influence was about getting a show to give to people, keeping people up on their feet, so and not allowing those breathers.โ I did encourage them to ensure they blasted some originals out too, though, which they did!
โWe tried to dress it on different levels of the visual,โ John stressed, โwearing the outfits, the recognition of known songs, and the come on, party time!โ
โYeah, it worked, didn’t it?โ I replied, a template to liven up a pub gig, and Burn the Midnight Oil are certainly getting them. The Queenโs Tap in Swindon and Kings Arms in Amesbury their recent outings, but how do they feel about how far theyโve come?
โGiven that the new face of us being coming up a four piece with Andy’s departure in January, to get that in the space of a year, well, less than a year,โ Chrissy said, โas a new lineup, I think it’s quite incredible.โ
Itโs the added drums which changes it, I supposed, surely essential for a harder rock feel.
โIt changes the scale of the presentation,โ John added. โIt’s now got drive and rhythm rather than being listening for the lyric. It’s actually motivated, it hooks into people’s natural sense of rhythm, and you can’t help it. First thing people take in is rhythm, then melody, last of all, lyrics. So if you hook the first bit, you don’t get the second one, then they come back for the lyrics. So we’re attacking it from the best angle.โ
Here was were I felt a healthy division between John and Chrissyโs perspective, as she began to speak on where she drew inspiration from in the writing and a change in direction from intrapersonal to interpersonal. She drew from personal relationships and her faith, implying her writing was key, but the difference was never confrontational and a good blend of opinion is surely necessary to compose the elements of a song professionally.
โI had a tsunami of a creative spell, and wrote twenty songs in as many days. So we’re now, everybody’s having to play catch up, trying to get them polished!โ Chrissy explained. She labelled her past songs as an โangsty teenage phase,โ and felt her songwriting about โgood guy/scumbagsโ had evolved and matured into โsomething more universal. It’s not so much like a diary, it’s definitely becoming more cryptic. It’s pulling in a different kind of imagery and symbolism. And then, because I’m faith-based as well, I’ve given a lot of inspiration taking verses from the Bible that have really helped me through difficult times. I’m weaving them, not to be preachy, but just to be like, this is my story.โ
โWeโd like the two songs we did at the award ceremony, to polish it up more, get a scratch track done, and then we’re going to go back to Matt Millerโs Dusty Shed, who did the original three.โ
โWe can’t really use the original EP anymore. And also, it’s fair to say with John’s influences, and the way that we’re allowing space for his creative flow to come into it, it just sounds different.โ
John pointed out his mixer was adequate when I pondered if they needed a producer. Chrissy replied while it would be โfantastic,โ she crunched numbers and said they, โreally want to get onto the festival circuit, and that means having tracks done ASAP.โ
Captivating to listen to Chrissy delving deeper into the inspiration behind her songwriting and the maturity she felt it levelling to, in which she exclaimed with much delight, โit’s definitely been refreshing having John’s influence, him sharing how he sees it as a viewer. Because you write what you know, and unfortunately, I’ve been exposed to quite a lot of things that I don’t think many people would ever want to be exposed to. And being able to find hope and joy in some of the songs and being able to write happier songs. For the first time ever, I’ve written two love songs! I’ve never written love songs before! So, there definitely seems to be more universal themes.โ
Yet as fascinating as it is, hearing Chrissyโs writing motivations, John revealing the technical side to their development, Ron adding splices of drummer-fashioned wit, and together them trying to summarise their change in direction whether it be a more rock-blues or dark-country, only to finally decide it unnecessary to pigeonhole it anyway, it makes for a laborious read, so I thought I’d inject a light-hearted, more physical observation with Chris, who otherwise, I suspect, wouldโve remained silent, save occasionally strumming his bass!
It was that I heard Jimi Hendrix had extremely long fingers, I noted so too did Chris, and wondered if he considered it an asset to playing guitar! John jested, โit’s like watching a spider running up and down a hot plate!โ Ron pointed out his stumpy fingers, โI’m a drummer; I’ve just tried to learn the bass guitar and I can’t get my hands anywhere round the neck of the guitar like Chris can!โ
Chris exampled pianistsโ tendency to have stumpy fingers. โYou look at Elton Joh or Les Dawson, theyโve all short fingers, but they can play like crazy! I can get away with some stuff, but some of it’s more, arguably, bad habit than good! But I can get away with having long fingers rather than good habits!โ
A fellow of far fewer words than the front girl, evidently, but when he does its witty self-mocking is worth itโs weight in gold and sparked a humorous angle to the interview in which, while Chrissy justified his dexterity and nimbleness, Ron favoured to joke about Chrisโs dancing on stage, โwhich is brilliant. I love it!โ
John praised the firmness of Chrisโ bass, โyou’re methodical, you’re listening. I’m done wondering if he’s bored to death as I explain something to him, as heโs sitting there taking it in. It’s not till you go and think he’s got it.โ
They all seemed content with each other, and John effectively โkeeping them in line,โ and this brought up the subject that they abstained from drinking while performing. โOne rule I was pretty adamant about,โ John explained while Chrissy and Ron laughed about being โhyper,โ โis drink and music don’t mix. If you’re going to load it up, don’t expect to be any good at the music.Because we’re there to make the party for everybody else.โ
โYeah,โ Chrissy joshed, โso I’m not allowed to have a pre-shot of tequila, which is really good because I definitely noticed a habit where I needed the Dutch courage in order to get up and I started realising, this is a bad habit that I don’t want to become dependent on. So itโs two-wayed. You were definitely enforcing it. And I tried to be more mindful of it and just get up despite feeling nervous. And I get nervous every single time still.โ
Aside the notion everyone gets butterflies, we moved between passionate subjects like the local circuits and venues and getting further afield, and we ventured back into songwriting inspirations, but I wanted them to nail it into a summary. โIn a nutshell,โ Chrissy said, โweโre focusing on rhythm and melody so that the lyrics can shine through. And we’re drawing inspiration from real life. Trying to make them more universal and a punchy sound. Rocky, bluesy, layers musically and lyrically; say that, Darren!โ
Okay, I will! And if you want to hear this band progressing, follow their socials for gig updates. Theyโll be in Devizes on Sunday 14th December, at that tropical holiday resort in the Brittox, The Muck & Dunder, with a fundraiser for Ugandan orphanage His Grace Children Centre Bugiri, which theyโve organised themselves.
In true Christian spirit Chrissy annually organises a fundraiser around the yuletide, which she did as a soloist ironically titled One Trick Pony. Ironic because, she lent her vocals to drum n bass tracks, returned to town to learn guitar and perform acoustically, ย and now thereโs Burn the Midnight Oil; a proficient four-piece who, merging experiences in varied genres, refuse to ย pigeonhole their developing style, and has an angelic vocalist with a penchant undaunted to delve deep into her psyche and faith for inspiration, and oh yeah, a bassist with long fingers!
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
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 release Open for Business, their third studio album indicative of their astounding live showโฆ..
Tim and Stuart’s dramatic guitar riff from the off,Dave Growcott’s drums kick in and Open for Business doesn’t wait around for you to hang your barn jacket on the juke joint’s hall tree. Nick’s growling harmonica strides into the room next, all guns blazing, and we’re like a greyhound out of the traps when Martin grits his teeth and presents his deep encapsulating howl.
If the black cat bone mentioned as the title of the opening tune is a hoodoo lucky charm for protection and luck, it’s unnecessary, expeditiously it magically assures you’re in for a rocky ride to the dusty crossroad, with minimal pitstops and without the need of any such luck.
It doesn’t calm the zest frenzy until the third track either, an absolutely sublimely haunting cover of The Beatlesโ Come Together, where Hedi’s backing vocals compliment Martin’s with such unbelievable harmony it smooths out the pace welcomingly.
Things go country for a ballad to Lydia, which I snooped through the interweb searching for an original version only to be informed by Nick Beere, more than just a mouth organ, rather the producer and engineer behind the album via his studio Mooncalf, that guitarist Tim wrote the song. Reason for my research being, itโs magnificence is instant, it simply sounds like a singalong country classic akin to The Band’s The Weight, which is also superbly covered penultimately on the album, btw. Then it’s back to full steam blues workout when they repropel Muddy’s mojo, a second Muddy classic into the melting pot, and belt the living daylights into Canned Heat’s On The Road Again.
Classic Americana come edgy blues rock cover choices, the ambience of Barrelhouse I’m illustrating you might wrongly convey in generalisation as โthey’re a serious bunch of hard rock dudes,โ but there’s a subtle frivolousness in their delivery which charms a crowd. Their labour of love is reflected joyfully outward to an audience without a pretentious mood, and fondly thrown back at them with an enthralled response, making their shows atmospherically interactive and thrilling. The experience in comparison to your atypical morose blues band is one rather of danceable merriment; a tick from me.
Mantonfest 2023 Image Gail Foster
If a song is original it’s hard to distinguish them from classic covers, Barrelhouse combines them into a seamless show, and makes an irresistible party album. A party appealing to Mantonfest’s youthful fanbase, who’ll invade the dance area when Barrelhouse mount the stage, and impress the matured Devizes blues aficionados with equal measure.
A Bo Diddley beat polishes this album as a grand finale, but if polished ramped serious blues cuts melds with an effervescent delivery is their working formula, its true beauty rests in the simplicity of its production. There’s no technical studio skullduggery here, no manufactured overdubs; what you hear is what happened in real time. Each song is recorded in a single take, making it not just authentic but the perfect representation of their energetic and entertaining live show. Something the band pride themselves in. If you’ve ever seen an amazing band live, only to be disappointed by the CD you brought because it didn’t match the splendour rawness of their performance, this is not the case here. Open for Business is taking the Barrelhouse show home with you. That’s why it’s a keeper.
But donโt take my word for it, next Saturday (15th Nov) sees the album launched at St Peterโs Marlborough, with support from 7pm. Itโs free and copies of the album will be available on CD and vinyl. And if you canโt wait for that, this coming Saturday (8th Nov) Barrelhouse will turn the Devizes Southgate into their own juke joint, a legendary occasion blossoming in modern folklore, as Devizes loves the blues and word got out via a toothless milkman.
Failing these options, theyโll be donning Santa hats and bringing out the tinsel at the Bear in Marlborough on 20th December, when you can almost taste the pigs in blankets in the ether.
You go cover yourself in hormone messing phthalates, toxic formaldehyde, or even I Can’t Believe It’s Not Body Butter, if you wish, but it’s all the same soap but in a different bottle to me. Lab mice with slap and economical slaves in sweatshops, so unethical multinational bastards can prey on your vanity, when unless you can photoshop yourself for real you’re never going to look like the girl in the magazine; the actual girl in the magazine doesn’t even look like the girl in the bloody magazine! Ah, our dynamic gothic duo Deadlight Dance are onto them, with a brand new single out todayโฆ.
Edgy and with synths heavy enough to make New Order blush, Gloss attacks the beauty industry, its harmful lies and unrealistic standards, in an era most pop stars are encouraging it; good on them…. Deadlight Dance that is, not the pop star!
Punk enough to meet the Stooges, yet the dark electronica of Joy Division mostly, it comes in laden for its three and a half minutes entirety. Nick and Tim state it’s not strictly typical of the forthcoming album that the band is releasing in 2026, yet they always apply a unique and innovative narrative, so we look forward to whatever direction it takes.
For now, though, Gloss is a storming dark sound, with Nick’s howling vocals somewhere in the distance, sighing the same thought-provoking lyrical content we’ve come to love Deadlight Dance’s for. It’s a monster in Dior.
The duo have held our attention only last week with a great gig at Devizesโ Cellar Bar with JP Oldfield. But if the live show is blossoming, Gloss does likewise for recordings. Ah, top production again from that purple-bearded legend Nick Beere at Mooncalf Studio.
Out on Ray Records and streaming worldwide across all platforms from Friday 17th October 2024. Gloss is accompanied by a video on the bandโs YouTube page, another collaboration with Haunting the Atom.
Deadlight Dance suggests it’s a new chapter for the self-styled Wiltshire Gothic; I welcome it, and as I’ve said before, whilst I was a mere window-shopper to gothic rock in its heyday, Deadlight Dance caused me to realise what I missed.
Right, review done, I’ve got to go shave my eyebrows off, and draw them back on with a Sharpieโฆ..
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 with Joe Burke. Likewise our favourite Goth duo Deadlight Dance too, Tim showing me some fetching snaps from Friday night’s gig at Frome’s Tree House. But sometimes it’s nice to play an intimate home gig you DIY, so we’re down The Bear Hotel’s Cellar Bar, reviving a once beloved venue with alternative options to Devizesโ status quoโฆ..
And it was; Nick Fletcher and Tim Emery were on the cobblestones first, attired marvellously macabre with whitewash faces; All Hallows’ Eve comes early for goths, and they don’t require Haribo! Equally terror-fically tenebrous was their set, sublimely shadowy synths, then their gloomy guitar rhythm fragments darkened by Nick’s howling vocals. When they came for air you could hear a pin drop.
Deadlight Dance found my inner-goth and devoured it some years ago, still their show improves like a fine Dracula’s blood-wine ….with age and nightly kills! They worked precisely through several tunes from their three albums, concentrating particularly on Chapter & Verse, last year’s gothic literary inspired outpouring. They sprinkled the set with covers, a synth-driven Cureโs Just Like Heaven, for example, quite different from the acoustic version on their breathtaking homage album, The Wiltshire Gothic.
They finished on their ghostly reverberating post-punk makeover of Heartbreak Hotel, because if you’re a goth duo planning to cover an Elvis Presley song, one about a lonely man jumping from a hotel window is apt. Then they stripped it back for an acoustic wandering through the crowd encore.
Herein lies the connection which made a double-bill of post-punk goth and rootsy blues work; JP Oldfield duties the plaintive projection of original southern blues, often termed gothic. Therein the expression of rural, economically disadvantaged African-American communities, and through his gorgeous bass vocal range, the metallicity of his resonator and pounding suitcase drum, it’s about as authentic as you’re going to get on our local circuit.
Yet if JPโs writing is foreboding and disquietude, in line with its influences, some of the darkest corners of his debut Bouffon wasnโt inclusive at this live show, and replaced by some outstanding, intricate and rightfully resonate guitar-work; plus thereโs always the kazoo and his natural banter to brighten things up.
His latest single polished off an amazing set, No Rest, indeed. It embodies everything progressive about this rising starโs skill and bittersweet panache; a fellow who can hold an audience spellbound despite being, perhaps, an acquired taste. But I challenge anyone critical to stay whilst JP thrusts out House of the Rising Sun, making it his own, as itโs so befitting to his encapsulating style. Yet the broadest evaluation of JP Oldfield is simply that, through his dedication and blossoming experience he continuously improves. It is this then which encourages me to call this gig in, slight in attendees which it unfortunately was as the chills of autumn blast through, the best and most passionate Iโve seen JP play.
Mind you, I groaned about the weather shift to Nick of Deadlight Dance, who replied with positivity. Apparently, he likes Autumn, I joked, โthatโs because youโre a goth and Iโm a milkman!โ
I do hope we can find more gigs down the Cellar Bar, and bring it back to its former glory, a sentiment I believe will be reflected by the live music hunters of Devizes.
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
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
All Pop Master T-shirt wearers would like to think it does, but will the music of an era stand the test of time? Make a record, seal the deal, surely? True, your songs will be immortalised, but will they be remembered, or will they sadly be sadly archived, to slowly fade through generation gaps…. unless Ed Sheeran covers one?!?
Growing up in the eighties we ransacked our parent’s records. Ergo, I know my fair share about the music of the sixties, despite only being an itch in that decade. Similarly, my daughter can name a whole list of groups, singers and songs from my era, the eighties, but can she go further back? Can the younger generation even begin to imagine their grans and grandads frolicking at a love-in with eyes the size of saucers and wearing nothing but flowers in their hair, racing helmet-free on motorbikes into the night, drinking whiskey from a bottle until they dropped, then waking up in Mick Jaggerโs bed with four others?!
With three teenagers loitering on my sofa I thought I’d get all Tony Blackburn on them, and distract them from TikTok to find out. Thatโs the knivesโ edge I live on in order to provide you with such engaging content! Being there’s a triple headline sixties tribute act bonanza forthcoming at the Devizes Corn Exchange on the 31st October, with tributes to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and the Who, I thought I’d ask if the Gen Z of my family were remotely aware of any of them, or if they were more Gen Zzzz!
The result, though far from surprising, was a smidgen disheartening. My daughter knew of The Beatles, and named one averagely obscure song which happened to appear in a Marvel movie soundtrack. The boys didn’t have the foggiest, so I wasnโt holding any chances for the others. My daughter’s fella had heard of the term โrolling stone,โ but didn’t realise it was a band name. My son shrugged at the lot, and all asked โwho?โ when I name-dropped The Who; unsure if that was clarification or coincidental!
Incidentally, they all knew the 2010 Maroon 5 song, โMove Like Jagger,โ but only my daughter guesstimated Jagger mightโve been the frontman of one of the bands I was referring to!
Without getting any satisfaction, unless I resolve to forcibly thrusting pop history down their throats like it was on the GCSE curriculum, yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away, as it seems all of them will get fooled again, know not of the pinball wizardโs supple wrist, Ruby Tuesday or Lucy in the sky with diamonds, and I wouldnโt even attempt to explain why I’d like to be under the sea in an octopus’s garden in the shade. Whereโs Jack Black and his school of rock when you need them?!
Streaming music might affect future generations from becoming aware of music before their time. Without physical copies who knows where this will end, music will be throwaway, and maybe the nineties welcomed that concept in. But everything is online, even if Sgt Pepper might have adverts for Marks & Sparks Food Hall, it has to be worth trying to educate our youth that pop music would sound a whole lot different if it wasnโt for the sixties and bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who!
So, hereโs food for thought; though you might presume this Ceres Promotions triple headed sixties tribute show might be something for the Saga holidaymakers, perhaps you should reconsider, and see it more family outing, a vital history field trip?! Musicians of the sixties fired all their guns at once and exploded into space like a true natureโs child, whereas ours are content browsing Instagram with a bag of Haribo. We cannot stand idly by and allow this to happen!
Tickets are HERE fill your boots made for walking, that’s just what they need to do, and march them to the Corn Exchange on Friday 31st October rather than trick or treating, or one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you!
When I put together the 4 Juliaโs House compilation albums a few years ago I decided I shouldnโt pick favourites out of the eighty-one songs donated, but if I had to, it wouldโve indisputably been Atlantic O by Will Lawton and Ludwig Mack. With the ambience of the gods, this track is such a soothing sentimental earworm it makes you go all tingly as it drifts like a lost ship on the sea. Now the duo have released a debut album, matching the sublimity of Atlantic O. The story behind it is of an absorbing coincidence, and its unique marketing is equally as genius as the musicโฆ..ย
At the time I was aware of the virtuosity and diversity of Malmsbury musical magician, Will Lawton, from solo performances and fronting The Alchemists. At the time he sent the tune for the project he briefly explained Ludwig was an Argentinian musician he had been working with, but their connection is far more complex and is explained in the book to the album, which is in turn, currently the only way to hear it.ย
A story of serendipity expressed earnestly through a 36-page hardback, which continues to detail the thought processes of the album, each individual song, and the musicians which accompany them along the titled journey Five Years in the Cotswolds. Then, on the back cover thereโs a QR code to scan, leading you to streaming options; I suggest you do, your ears will love you forevermore.
Enticed by the lure of English music, and his European travelling plans cut short by the pandemic, Argentinian musician Ludwig Mack arrived in the UK from Spain a day prior to lockdown. He had already connected with Will via Instagram, not realising when he settled in Hullavington he was coincidently only a few miles away from Willโs home. They jammed together, the song Atlantic O, and within a year produced the EP Heroes.
Ludwig explored the UK, and found work whether he could, whilst Will continued with family life, his band the Alchemists and his employment as a music psychotherapist. But Ludwig often dropped in to see Will, and it was inevitable this project would blossom like the opening tune, aptly Blossom, a tender springtime daydream contrasting aging with memories. Itโs as majestic as the morning chorus, and includes a naturally sourced one too.
The fabric of this album continues on this theme, indeed Songbird follows suit into the most gentle flow of concentrated bliss. Itโs the first single released this Friday (10/10) of the goodness of nature rather than societyโs machine, unhinged and timeless piano-based folk, and celebratory of the glory wildlife in all its splendour, wrapped in the warmest serenity. By its very composure it defines the sum of all this goodness and shapes a heart in your mind; if an album was a wander through a springtime meadow, this is a stroll to remember.
It comes as no surprise Will is a music psychotherapist, if the vocation is to improve wellbeing, increase happiness and overcome issues. One listen to Five Years in the Cotswolds is the best remedy. Ten solid tunes, all the like to make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention. Thereโs few artists able to accomplish this, I could cite many, from Bill Withers to John Denver and you will contemplate your favourites when this caresses your senses.
The album lifts with euphoric pace at Godโs Plan, and Iโm left thinking of Marvin Gayeโs What’s Going On as its aperture opens the album to a similar width of beauty. From the guitar chimes of November to the quirkiness of the bluegrass-esque Walk Each Other Home, and from the amorous ambience of Clouds to Freya Everestโs haunting vocal range on I Noticed, this album continues flowing on the theme as a paragon, never meandering off course.
Its production is as crisp as autumn leaves, the arrangements are like sunlight. The composition is a Vivaldi, its versification is W. H. Daviesโ Leisure, the musical expression of a Monet, a pilgrimage to a Constable masterpiece, or all of these wonders capturing the beauty of nature equally combined and consumed, it really is this breathtaking. Devizine
Its production is as crisp as autumn leaves, the arrangements are like sunlight. The composition is a Vivaldi, its versification is W. H. Daviesโ Leisure, the musical expression of a Monet, a pilgrimage to a Constable masterpiece, or all of these wonders capturing the beauty of nature equally combined and consumed, it really is this breathtaking.ย
Bathโs producer and musician, Rob McLeod, aka Mac Lloyd, Spanish multi-instrumentalist Guillem Mitchel, London based jazz singer-songwriter and producer Freya Everest and drummer Tony Partridge who met Will at Schtumm in Box, are the other collaborators behind this enchanting project, alongside composer and arranger Benjamin Lawton, Willโs son.
Streaming platforms are held off until next year on this, the book to Five Years in the Cotswolds is the albumโs only current access point, and is available on their website, and at upcoming gigs, The Castle, Swindon on 16th October, and Pound Arts in Corsham on 6th November, details of which are also on their website.
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
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
Alright yeah, itโs a play on band names and thereโs only really two reasons to rock on Friday 17th October at Market Lavington Community Hall; Six O’clock Circus and The Reason. See what they did there? Genius! But, theyโre two of the heaviest heavyweight headline acts you should discover on our local cover circuit, so, as for the sum of the entertainment youโll receive by attending, you could deservedly multiply them by at least three, and make six! (I do maths too!)
Big time Calne mod-Britpop loving lads Six O’Clock Circus will raise the roof, and Westburyโs The Reason, with a penchant for timeless rock classics only intend to double it. Fronted by Nicky Davis, formerly a member of People Like Us and co-founder of the Female of the Species fundraising supergroup, find The Reason gigging locally and strap yourself in for a party! Not usually a function band, likely because theyโd upstage the reason for the actual function, (ambiguously the story behind their name?!), they recently performed at Melkshamโs proudest country-rock singer-songwriter Becky Lawrenceโs wedding, where the bride simply had to join in!ย
Likewise with Six O’clock Circus, find them gigging locally everywhere. A longstanding band of friends knocking guitar frenzied indie-mod-pop-rock favourites out of any park they care to stop by, and a few others along the way! I appreciate thereโs already been a lot of maths for a Sunday article, but this is simple; tickets are ยฃ12 a pop. The show starts at 7:30pm (NOT 6′ o’clock like the circus) at Market Lavington Community Hall, next Friday 17th October for a highly recommended party!
Oh yeah, invite me to a place with a bar, throw some of the best blues this side of New Orleans at me and then hope Iโll articulate some words about it next morning, why don’t you?! It’s okay readers, it’s become standard protocol for me, I’ve got thisโฆwith help from Ben and Vicky!
…Here goes my bit; it was the opening of the new season at Long Street Blues Club in Devizes last night. Homegrown blues legend Jon Amor paid it a visit, bringing along his proficient drum and bass section, Tom Gilkes and Jerry Soffe, respectively, a handful of special guests wise in the ways of instrumenting sublime blues, and an intention and motivation to pull an extravaganza from the anticipation in the ether. Irresistible prospect, had to witness, savour, and shake my tail feather to, like it was going out of fashion. Olโ Frankie Valli couldn’t describe it better, oh what a night.ย
Four to the floor electric blues was the order they marched out to, each one a showstopper yet the show didn’t hang around for the audience to contemplate. Musicians aplenty popping out of the stage door, grabbing instruments and jamming on a rotation akin to an ice hockey game. Johnny Henderson seated at the Hammond organ, Tom Jones guitarist Scott McKeon strumming with Will Edmunds, Craig Crofton blowing that sax, and precision sound engineering all enhanced the usual trioโs show, elevating it to a phenomenal stance.
There were times Jon smoothed it with rarely played ballads, such a superbly protracted Happiest All-Time Low, from his 2018 album Colour in the Sky, but for the most part the Juggernaut and his overload appeased the crowd with expeditious renditions of his belovedย sprightly favourites, and newer The Turnaround album tunes he recorded last year with Jerry & Tom, easiest to pick out being the swinging Rideau Street and the hard stomping riffs of the explicit Miss James. I donโt know who Miss James is, but the passion Jon puts into this, and every song, leaves you wondering what her phone number is!
If this Indian summer is subtle outside it was a furnace inside. Ex-Hoax guitarist Jon, a testament to Devizesโ Mel Bush effect, an immutable adoration of blues, is a stalwart on stage, delivering blues in a style only he could. The aforementioned gubbings only added to the trioโs splendour, and a truly fantastic opening evening for The Long Street Blues Clubโs new season.
But donโt take my word for it, hereโs what Ben Romain and Vicky thought about it, as we got our wires crossed and both wrote about it, but it was such a gig it deserves two reviews anyway!
Stand up and shout! Blues is what it is all about, laid back and loving Blues in D-town!
In my many years as a fan of Jonโs music Iโve seen him play many venues in Devizes and nearby. We are blessed of course with a monthly residence at The Southgate Inn, where the majority of this ensemble has at some point graced the stage. This evening was a change of a little more space to get some friends together, at our very own Blues Club.
A fine opening set from Leonardo Guilliani, a rapidly rising star, hailing from Southampton. No stranger to the club, having opened for Watermelon Slim previously.
Some great original songs from his album, and new songs from an upcoming release recorded at Abbey Road Studios! I particularly liked the new song โAngelโ, a soulful reflective song, with a gentle tone, blues of a sort but melodic and soothing in a contemporary Blues vein. A few well-chosen covers too, with some resounding classic electric blues. Overall, a perfect opener for this gig! I look forward to seeing him again along the road.
As Jon introduces the extended band to the stage, I am reminded of countless gigs in Devizes and beyond, where I have enjoyed all these musicians. This ensemble has between them played an unbelievable range of genre defining big names, and it showsโฆโฆwith the confident ease they poured into this session.
There are the Jon Amor Trio set regulars like โMiss Jamesโ, โJuggernautโ and โBirds Nest on the Groundโ, some less regular but great additions such as Jonโs โRed Telephoneโ and โHappiest All time Lowโ. This entire two hour plus set revelled in and resounding with the connectivity of the scene.
When Will Edmunds and Jon share โLovinโ Cupโ a rousing dance friendly classic we get to enjoy the best of this sense, a classic in the sets of Jon and Will in their regular haunts, sharing as they do, many gigs the might of Gilkes and Soffe.
Weโve enjoyed Jonny Henderson guest slots here in Devizes and with another Devizes and authorโs favourite Elles Bailey amongst others, weโve seen the wonderful Scott McKeon guest with Jon, and for a bonus Devizes point with Jonโs former bandmate Robin and Beaux Gris Gris and The Apocalypse and most commonly known for playing with Tom Jones.
I could ramble enthusiastically all day about the good vibes of this gig but thereโs a wider point to acknowledge before I run out of type spaceโฆ.that of the community and connectivity both with musicians and audiences.
We have an unusually high level of gigs, especially blues leaning gigs in our town. We have some pretty heavy hitters in the UK blues past and present around here which doubtless helps, but we are also blessed with venues born of passion, people who support those opportunities as much as they can, so we are known in Devizes for putting up a good audience.
Our little world faces challenges like all venues and scenes across the UK, yet on the whole we are bucking the trend and attracting fine music from the brave upstart to the big established names and something to be rightly proud of.
Thereโs weekly amazing music at the Southgate and these incredible seasons of blues at Long Street, pub gigs, even occasionally music in bars and coffee lounges!
Key to the future of all of it, is people getting involved. I could name around a third of the crowd last night, and know most of the band from past gigs, with all of the craziness of the world, when many conscious or not are affected by loss of community, unity and shared positive experienceโฆ.we have all that right here at home, every week.
I am now twelve years or so into my passionate support of local live music, it offers so much more than huge mega money gigs, and it supports through shared venues other aspects of our towns offer.
So, if you missed this incredible gig look at listings here, Facebook or wherever, message venues, talk to friends, thereโs always a solid welcome, and you may find your new favourite band or next best friend in the crowd!
Thanks Ben, that is exactly what itโs all about! And now a “further reading” related rant to finish on!
When I published a preview of Long Street’s new season I highlighted this gig in particular, because Jon is loved by the residents of Devizes as this native hero. It was inevitable, and something I had discussed with both Ian, organiser of Long Street, and Dave at the Southgate, that someone would comment on the social media shares of it, questioning why they would pay to see Jon at Long Street when his monthly residences at the Southgate are free. Being I suspect thereโs others that share this understandable view, and that money is a benefactor to deciding what to and what not to attend in these trying times, I thought Iโd answer it with my opinion, for better or worse.
Starter for ten, we love the Southgate, we love the fact they host these regular sessions with the Jon Amor Trio and usually a special guest, and weโve covered them many times. In fact, The Southgate has probably had more reviews from us than anywhere else. Dave and Ian are friends, they attend each other’s gigs and liaison to avoid clashes of similar gigs. The Southgate will pay what they can for an artist from money they make at the bar, most pubs operate this way, it is up to the artist to accept this or decline to play. The Southgate, like others, will hand around a tip hat, to top up the performersโ earnings. That is the way we get free gigs, but it is not how it works with event organisers who must pay for acts from the revenue of ticket sales. No matter how great this residency is at the Southgate, they are on Sunday afternoon when gravy is tipped onto your roast! Personally, due to work commitments Iโm unable to let my hair down over more than a pint, like I can do on a Saturday night; thatโs the time they let me out! Iโm sure others find themselves in a similar situation.
Aside this, with the capacity of the club greater than the pub allowing folk room to move, the enhancement of the show via additional guests forming an eight piece band at times, the perfection of the sound engineering, and the uninterrupted presentation, are all benefits you are unlikely to get in any pub environment. Saturday night proved this, for it was a cut above what any performer would be capable of in any pub. It was a fantastic night, if you were there you would know it was and accept it was total and utter class. If you weren’t, well, you only have my and Ben’s words it was so.
And with that notion we can put the final slither of their comment to bed, that Long Street has โzeroโ atmosphere. Yes, I understand there are a few longstanding devotees who favour to remain seated and silent, the root to my little regular jest labelling them โthe Devizes blues appreciation society!โ But the atmosphere is what YOU make it! We danced the night away, I loved it, Ben and Vicky clearly loved it, people around us loved it. No one bothered us in doing so and no dancer bothered those who opted not to. When compromise is necessary, no less punters at Long Street adhere than might in a pub.
Thereโs no hard feelings, the comment remains as we donโt delete fair opinions. Iโm no Nostradamus, but I suspected someone might suggest this, just a little irked to understand the reasoning for posting it. If it was to encourage others to side with them I genuinely think thatโs a shame, as it risks the continuation of this wonderful club. No one is forcing anyone to go anymore than anyone is forcing anyone else to write such a comment.
Hey, I might see them at the Gate sometime, but they should note some regulars there attended this one, and others who might not frequent the Southgate, they did too; why deny their chances to see an act they claimed to love themselves, like most of us in Devizes? Because, and hereโs the killer line, when Jon and his extended team blasted out the customary Juggernaut finale, feet were stomping, sweat rinsed shirts, and expressions of sheer joy blessed the faces of those in attendance. It was blissfully brilliant, the best night in Devizes Iโve had for a long time; long live Long Street Blues Club, but yeah, other options, such as The Southgate are available and come highly recommended too. What a petty fiasco!ย ย
Nothing cruel about our George Wilding; with his perfect match and another local legend of local music, Jolyon Dixon, they’re knocking out great singles like it’s child’s play…..
You’re So Cruel is out today and is a prime example. It’s an upbeat two minute blast of feelgood indie-pop, seemingly unfazed by the cruelty of the subject in the song, just you know, pointing it out, getting it off his chest!In subject it’s more akin to George’s earlier songs than the previous recent ones. Yet George seems to have captured the rule of not overthinking and keeping it to a simple hook.Yeah, rocks!
Add it to your playlist, even if you’re the cruel person in the song!!
Thereโs a new single from Bristol-based Nothing Rhymes With Orange out tomorrow (Saturday 20th September) which takes the band to a whole new level, and it has got me thinking back to their Devizes rootsโฆ..ย
You know, I really cannot remember how this thing started, if they contacted me or if I found them. It was three years ago, at a time when local media seemed rampant with scare stories sensationalising teenage hooliganism. Folk jumped the bandwagon, naming and shaming wayward youth on Facebook like it was modern gallows, and making fearmongering sweeping generalisations, classing every child as a psychotic delinquent.
I figured this wasn’t the same picture I was seeing. That thereโs always been a handful off the rails, but in comparison to previous generations, most Gen Z were passive, thoughtful, and creative. So I set out to prove this wonky narrative wrong, and in doing so found many aspiring teenage bands to use as examples, but none so accomplished and motivated as Nothing Rhymes with Orange.
There was always something staunchly between the members of this Devizes School band, frontman Elijah Easton, Sam Briggs, Fin Anderson-Farquhar, and drummer Lui Venables, an unequalled camaraderie which combined their honing skills harmoniously. Their calculated sagacity writing painted a blithe picture of Gen Z, equal to how punk bands like The Newtown Neurotics summarised life for generation X, and it spawned a zeitgeist.
Image: Gail Foster
Moments after reviewing their debut single, Chow for Now, they launched an equivalently impressive EP called Midsummer. I figured it was overdue to check them out live, as they organised their own gig at West Lavington Village Hall. Divided between parents and youth I witnessed the birth of a local phenomenon. I dubbed it โBeatlemania in Devizes.โ Teenage fans chanted the chorus of Manipulation back at them, as Elijah jumped from the stage relishing in the moment.
I encouraged teenage budding writers and photographers to record this blossoming movement for us, as alongside bands like Melkshamโs The Sunnies, they were inspiring a new generation of musicians too. And for the adults, I wanted them to quit whinging about youth, by showcasing NRWO in an environment free from age division, where they could see for themselves this emergent youth fandom and the local band which created it. I urged our carnival committee that their annual โInternationalโ Street Festival in Devizes should showcase such a local act, and pride overcame me as I introduced them to the masses gathered in the Market Place, because alongside their excellent self-promotion, Devizine expressed with honesty that townsfolk should support this spectacular homemade band, and they did.
The lads released several new songs, all of which were tiny progressive steps to a maturity in their sound. At a gig at The Three Crowns in May 2024 Devizes-own BBC DJ and presenter, James Threlfall gave me constructive criticism regarding their production levels, suggesting it wasnโt quite to the level necessary and in comparison to upcoming bands across the southwest. I also worried at this time, moving along that adolescent rocky road generally was the make or break of a young band, usually the latter.
Delighted that they planned to study together in Bristol Uni, I finished off our local angled reporting of them with a parting interview, safe in the knowledge both the uni and bustling life in Bristol would open new doors for them and hopeful it would perfect their skills to the level James so honestly pointed out. A huge festival touring summer at Dot 2 Dot, Golden Touch, 110 Above and Camper Calling, returning to Studio 91 for the session which produced their new ear-invasive single, Shearwater, out at 6pm on 20th September across all streaming platforms, surely proves they have.
Image: Gail Foster
Shearwater signifies a hotly-anticipated next chapter, one of huge guitar sounds, jacked up drums and Elijahโs desperate vocals, evoking stories of fiery lust and explosive aftermaths. This is the single which will do for an international audience what Nothing Rhymes With Orange did locally three years ago. The spritely frenzy is replaced by the concentrated rhythmic flow and evocative ambience of the kind of timeless indie-pop anthem a multitude of audiences will shine their phone torches too. The layers are divine, the composition professionally crafted.
Iโve never needed to exaggerate my appraisal nor flatter NRWO for encouragement. I saw this potential, as did their local fanbase. And tomorrow you can hear the fruits of their labour in full bloom, a categorical advancement of Devizes export to the world, and it makes me feel proud to have backed them to this point, what the future holds is answered in this track, and it looks orange!
But donโt just take my word for it; chatting to James Threlfall just yesterday, I pointed out this single felt like the entry level we were talking about last May, and he agreed, telling me they’ve landed a featured artist spot on BBC Introducing South and West, which is live at 8pm tonight (Thursday 8pm.) The single will be debuting live at their upcoming headline show, 26th September, at The Old England, Bristol. Thereโs also an exciting word on the grapevine: an album is the pipeline. Oh, and donโt forget they’re playing our Wiltshire Music Awards on 23rd October here in Devizes, and will be at Devizes Arts Festival next summer like Bruce Springsteen returning to New Jersey!
For me, Iโll always have those early moments, like blagging a Sharpie from the sound engineer at street festival, so teenage girls could have their T-shirts signed (not by me, you understand?!!)
It’s been six months since Devizes-based young blues crooner JP Oldfield released his poignant kazoo-blowing debut EP Bouffon. He’s made numerous appearances across the circuit since and created an impressive following. Today sees him on the next leg of his musical journey, a brand new single aptly titled No Restโฆ..
If the kazoo created a unique identity for Josh, quirking up otherwise darker themes than the novelty songs you’d except the instrument to be found in, this idiosyncratic move may have caused some criticism from traditionalists who simply didn’t get it. Not me, inherent in the belief rules are made to be broken, I’m of the reckoning JP Oldfield is a contemporary rarity, a misunderstood genius finding his feet. A dedicated axemen with an axe to grind, and a singer-songwriter unafraid to explore and expose every detail of the melancholic mind maze in the encapsulating way blues legends did before him.
With this in tow, I’d argue the jukejoint authentic sound created with his haunting grizzly vocal tones, that steel guitar and beaten up suitcase pedal-drum is Marmite. Love it or hate it, JP forged an imitable style, ranging from Cash to Tom Waits and Nick Cave in comparison. I’d draw any critic’s attention to a track like Last Orders, a heart-wrenchingly honest tune which takes on the drunkard’s misery of a relationship break-up in true mellowed delta blues fashion, without kazoo. But hey, now we’ve got No Rest, a level up certainly in production and indicative of all the greatness he’s already achieved; it rocks.
There’s the sombre spiritual blues theme we’ve come to expect, but it’s a foot-stomping pace with a killer rolling riff, kazoo-less yet a perfect balance of everything else JP throws at his music. It’s deliberately raw, perfectly hard-hitting and undoubtedly JP on the best form we’ve ever seen.
In our interview a month short of a year ago, Josh gave me the impression he was something of a perfectionist. A lot of work has gone into this full bodied five minute marvel, and it shows, in its crisp sound, this composition of elements making said perfect balance, and also a enlightening video accompanying it, by Jamie R Hawkinsโ Side Owl Productions. This cones out around 6pm tonight, I’ll add the link to it here, so return after your potato waffles.
The video has a different narrative from the song, rather โthe story of the song;โ a fascinating showcase of JP’s session at Mooncalf Studios, where Nick Beere engineers the kind of tune which we might suggest JP’s feet have been found. We look forward to hearing the other songs from this session in good time, but for now this is plenty to indicate this Devizes bluesman is heading in the right direction. But Nick brought out the best in musicians while I was still doodling boobs on my school rough book!
He’s JP Oldfield, I’m just old, but I know what I like. I could dance barefoot in a barn grasping a bottle of bourbon to this, and when it gets to that irresistible bridge I’ll procrastinate my repent, letting my sins roam free for a day; though I havenโt drawn a boob on a school book for quite some considerable time!
When I first heard about Joyrobber, a one man, faceless and nameless musical project itโs fair to say my interested was piqued, and itโs fair to say that the press release Iโve seen is only creating more questions…
The project got underway in the summer of this year when the artist (whoever they might be) rediscovered some long-lost demos of a few previous unreleased tracks, and although Joyrobber doesnโt have a name for himself, he does have some big names behind the single, with vocals being engineered by the Wiltshire legend Jolyon Dixon and the song itself having been produced by Sugarpill Productions.
The song is called Jeremy Kyle, itโs a comedic, catchy take on the career of (you guessed it) Jeremy Kyle. At this point it probably is sounding like some sort of naff joke song thatโs not really worth a listen, but surprisingly itโs sort of the opposite.
โJeremy Kyleโ has a light indie rock sort of feel โ which I think we can all agree weโve seen work very well locally, with bands like Nothing Rhymes with Orange and Burn the Midnight Oil taking the world by storm. Itโs full of melodic guitar riffs, smooth vocals and punchy drum fills, and you can hear the value of both Sugarpill Productions and Jolyon Dixon throughout the track.
Iโve heard on the grapevine that luckily thereโs more to come in the not-so-distant future as a few other lost demos have been found alongside this one. It really is worth a listen, I have to say when I first heard about the project I thought it would probably just be a sort of joke single, that Iโd listen to once or twice to write this piece and then just forget, but it feels like it has a bigger potential and I would genuinely recommend it.
Formerly known as Judas Goat and the Bellwether, the now renamed band have announced the release of their latest single, โDrill Baby Drillโ (coming out on the 27th November). I was given the pleasure of listening to it and you really couldnโt ask for anything betterโฆ
The band themselves have gained a loyal fanbase with their psychedelic blues-rock style, drawing inspiration from The Doors, Cream and Jefferson Airplane amongst others. After having most of this year packed with gigs all over Frome and the surrounding areas this new single is taking things up a notch for the band.
โDrill Baby Drillโ starts with a heavy acoustic guitar riff, before leading into the smooth vocals of Sara Vian, the lead singer. By the chorus youโve got pitch perfect harmonies layered with a mellow electric guitar line creating pure harmony. This continues throughout the song after being met with a steady drumbeat flowing with the song. All in all, itโs a delight.
And itโs nice to see that a clear message still shines through, over the song as a whole. It was originally inspired by the so-called โdiablos musicaโ (devilโs tritone). In simple terms a tritone in music is an interval, two notes that are a certain distance apart being played simultaneously and back in the day this was seen as unsettling and spooky โ due to its dissonant sound. This was pretty much forgotten about until Black Sabbath came along and released โBlack Sabbathโ.
Sara Vian herself described it as โlong branded as forbidden and dissonant, yet I discovered an article which claimed that medieval high clergymen imagined it to be the sound of the Holy Trinity; a paradox which became the perfect foundation to explore whatโs going on in America right now!โ
โDrill Baby Drillโ really is worth a listen โ it only takes one to have you hooked and playing it on repeat (I know I have). ย Luckily for you readers, its being soft launched today (5th September) on Bandcamp
There’s also an official launch soiree on the 19th September at the Meet at Eight bar in Yeovil, where local heroes Long Sun will also be appearing (here)
And don’t forget to check out the Bellwethers themselves on whatever social medias you use: @bellwetherbanduk
If the eonian motivation of youths picking up guitars and forming bands has hit Gen Z enough that they’re two to a penny, I’m in the right place to discover one new to us, The Tuppennyโฆ.ย
An adept drummer pinched from Bristol, with the remaining homegrown members formed aย youthful and hopeful Swindon indie-rock four-piece called Ursa Way, and they’ve ploughed two years into their debut album Yesterdayโs Tomorrow, launched on the night in question. Now was the time to show it off, and they did in an exceptionally accomplished and entertaining way.
If an early start to a Friday evening one weekend before the celebrated Swindon Shuffle was risky, especially being Thursdays are usually the favoured live music nights for The Tuppenny, seems the band are risk-takers, as diving straight in with a twelve track album is ambitious.
Generous to a loyal fanbase when the archetypal EP usually appears first, for the same fiver pricetag, but equally generous are the young punks and an assortment of others who’ve gathered to see them, as they applauded their efforts as if a new wave of hysteria was imminent, which it could well be. Though, this is Old Town, the epicentre of Swindon’s nightlife, where they’ve ingeniously adopted road closure blockades to create Swindon-fashioned alfresco dining areas!
Ursa Way played out their album, but unlike the shameless enterprise of a legend, I predict it was the bulk of their repertoire, and that’s acceptable for an upcoming band. More importantly they did it with bells on; the composition tight, the delivery confident. They seemed most comfortable with a melodic pace rather than thrashing it out, but at perkier tunes they still held it harmoniously.
In a roundabout way they confessed many of their songs were sporadic and spontaneous muses rather than poignantly planned thought processes, which was both amusing and honest, perhaps ironic too I figured after listening to the album. But not as amusing as complimenting Swindon, only to then ironically knock it in a song called Shit Town of Swindon!
While not the poetry of Keats, many of their co-written songs rise above the mocking of their hometown, which if only a standout track for its satirical title, others convey more concentrated narratives. Thereโs a sense of irony throughout though, if Yesterdayโs Tomorrow is surely today, the title track is the penultimate one, and depicts a hungover hope of new horizons of a romantic interlude, in a Britpop style.
The album kicks off with Southbound, an evenly-paced contemporary punk-pop attitude sourced from millennial indie bands like Busted and McFly. Though this album flows brilliantly, itโs onto something decidedly more traditional punk two tracks in, then the aforementioned Shit Town of Swindon continues the style, Britpop influences gradually building. This one has to be anthemic in good time, particularly for their Swindonite fanbase.
Chasing the Sun four tunes in really picks up the pace, again with a comment on their hometown, but with optimism riding the narrative; thereโs a clever and simple hook equal to the previous one here, proving these boys know how to construct a pop song with energy and enthusiasm.
A ballad, Just a Game follows, balancing the pace, and again proving something, that Ursa Way are no one trick pony. Noahโs Nosey Neighbour takes an almost prog-rock style to Britpop, creativity abound here too, this rocks with surprising substance, and weโre only halfway through this twelve-tracks-strong brilliant debut album.
With adroit contrasts in riffs, mainstream rock influences, perfectly placed hooks and intelligent lyrics, thereโs promise in this album that Ursa Way are destined to create something much more memorable, but right now the potential signs are all encompassed in Yesterdayโs Tomorrow. It ends with Another, a monstrously clever drifting Britpop tune seemingly about jealousy, dripping with edge and emotion.
They played this album out at The Tuppenny on Friday, reflecting the feeling weโll be hearing more of this young band in the future, and the gig felt like a groundbreaking moment for them, in respect of that notion.ย
I love the Tuppenny, a hospitable tavern with universal appeal. Thursdays are the live music nights usually, but as I said, itโs Swindon Shuffle next weekend, see my recommendations here, Iโm certain some were at the Tuppenny!
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
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
There was a time not so long ago when I See Orange was the most exciting new band in Swindon. Their latest offering released at the end of August, a single entitled Doll Guts, truly positions them way above that pedestal and I predict and hope, onto the international marketโฆ.
Though thereโs a nod to the bandโs roots in the accompanying picturesque video, in the way of stage show clips from Swindonโs premier venue The Victoria, itโs consolidated with professional storyboard shots of their playfully cute mien, contrasting their macabre component, commonly associated with grunge. Itโs an original design identity theyโve manufactured to great success, but never has it been so symbolically recognisable as in this song, and video. The title alone reflects the winsome-dark contrast and their penchant for dolls, and horror, yet thatโs only one element which causes me to hail it their greatest song to date, and the next level up.
Doll Guts is perhaps more melodiously memorable than anything I See Orange has put out in the past, the moreish affiliation of pop, without watering down those gorgeous roaring guitar riffs and thumping drums; greater than the chord simplicity of The Cardigansโ Losing My Favourite Game, but equally punchy. Imagine Hole writing the theme of Twin Peaks; this is evocatively fantasised themed, with a singalong chorus, rising and falling like the paragon of classic grunge, yet their own divine spin.
I loved the drive of Mental Rot, the spookiness of Witch, but Doll Guts is the delineation, incorporating all the elements and symbolism of I See Orangeโs design and launching them back out there in true colours. You have to love this, everyone in the human race, surely?! You donโt have to be the number one Nirvana fanboy. In fact, while mawkish soft metal turned me away from rock in the late eighties, causing me to miss out on grunge, it has been through local bands like I See Orange, Life in Mono, The Belladonna Treatment and Liddington Hill, which has opened my eyes to its power and worth, so, thanks for that!
I See Orange match with a chemistry every band must envy. Formed in 2022 when frontgirl Giselle, originally a folk-pop singer-songwriter moved here from Mexico, and an impromptu rehearsal session with Cameron and Charlie established potential magic. Inspired by nineties and millennial alt-rock, they add their own unique post-grunge flavour. I have believed it works for sometime now, an accolade burgeoning with pace, seeing them gig in London and beyond, and this song confirms the praise theyโre gaining is fully deserved.ย
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
Swindon’s annual colossal fundraising event The Shuffle is a testament to local live music, which raises funds for Prospect Hospice. If you’re ever going to spend a weekend in Swindon, believe me, the 11th-14th September is the oneโฆ..
An entirely free stroller festival centred in Old Town; saunter the eight venues at your leisure and discover a wealth of talent, mostly ฤบocally sourced. Pop some cash in the buckets and help raise some funds as Old Town comes alive with the sound of music!
As usual I’m going to be the judge and jury for this piece, and recommend those who I personally know who will deliver great sets to amaze you. But in no way is it an exhaustive list, for there will be many others and sometimes you have to put your little toe into the waters and find acts unbeknown to you, for the surprise element; an event of exploration! Whatever you do discover you can rest assured, every act is cherrypicked by the Shuffle Team, of Ed Dyer, a promoter who knows his stuff, Jamie Hill of Swindon Link, Kelly Adams, Paul โPajโ Jellings, Avril Jellings, Linda Gulliford, and Paul Gemmill, all equally as aware of what makes Wiltshire rock.
Thereโs a printed program, online too; I’m working off that. Given the fantasy scenario of having the whole weekend to attend and choose between the huge lineup, hereโs how I would tackle the mammoth task of maximising my experience…….
Without further ado, then, Thursday 11th of September belongs to The Tuppenny on Devizes Road, and the Hop, literally a hop across the road. A clash already, 7:15 at the Hop, Bathโs spacey indie outfit Aqaba kick off proceedings, while Swindon soul singer Chloe Hepburn is at the Tuppenny at half past; tricky disco to begin, but Chloe has been on my must-see list for a while!
8pm at the Hop, Sebastain and Me is a deffo, but youโve only a quarter of an hour to drink up and catch the amazing Joli Soul at the Tuppenny. Again, I would be wearing out the traffic lights or flipping a coin. Iโm unaware of all the headliners from there at both fantastic venues, yet the Tuppeny seems more funky soul and jazz while the Hop is indie, so it would be whether I packed my jazz hat or not!
Friday 12th September again is at The Hop, The Vic aptly on Victoria Road, and the Castle on Prospect Hill. Easy picking to begin with, itโs our favourite Marlboroughโs goth duo Deadlight Dance, on at 7:15 at the Castle.
In fact, Iโd feel inclined to stay at the Castle unless Iโm feeling like Dora the Explorer (which is surprisingly common for me!) as after a new one on me, Loophole, the amazing mod/new wave/britop cover band, whoโve just begun recording originals, Static Moves is on at 8:45, followed by Black Hats, new to me but promising something skanking, and SN Dubstation, who as the name suggest is Swindonโs premier contemporary reggae export. The Hop is mostly folk on Friday, the Vic is indie-punk-rock and the Castle is alternative and reggae. If I was to fancy venturing off to The Vic, it would be at 10pm for Viduals, an emerging indie rock band who play it hard!
Saturday 13th then, when reality checks in, for this is the only day Iโm likely to be able to make it up to Swindon for realz! You can get a bus from Devizes, you know, they run late now!
All guns blazing, The Tuppenny and the Pulpit rule the daytime, from 2pm until dinnertime, and The Hop, The Castle and the Beehive on Prospect Hill take the evening shift.
The great Jim Blair starts at the Pulpit, a new venue to me, but hey, Chippenham singer-songwriter Harmony Asia plays at 3:15 and thatโs simply unmissable in my honest opinion. Oh but oh, Iโve heard so much good stuff about Swindonโs pop star Kate X, who is on at The Tuppenny at 3:30, and seriously recommend her too!
Shedric and David Corringan at the Pulpit are two Iโd love to see, and Swindonโs answer to Dylan, the incredible Jol Rose is a must-see at 5:30, but dammit, at the Tuppenny has Emma Doupe at 5pm, followed by the freshest indie-pop fellow I simply must touch base with, Weather at 5:45pm. Ed Dyer, what are you putting me through here, or has Swindon got free cloning booths on every street corner now? Weโre a little behind the times in Devizes!!
Saturday evening, and right, and Iโve made my mind up about how to attack this, though itโs always subject to change. Bit of cheese, sir? At the Castle from 7:15 with Calneโs comedy rock band The Real Cheesemakers is tempting, Gromit, but thereโs a young Melksham band called Between the Lines on at 7pm at The Hop. I cannot lie, these winners of Take the Stage I wanted to play the Music Awards, for while they weren’t nominated, they should have been and I wanted folk to know why. Iโm heading that way and will report on my findings, hopefully bring them to Devizes by hook or by crook!
The Hop continues with lots worth exploring, Iโve heard particularly good electronica things about The Crystal Wolf Project, there at 9:15, and Iโve seen headliners Trunk who will ram the place with devoted fans. But look, The Beehive might be my final Saturday resting place. Dulcet Tones at 8pm, then Bristolโs Hannah-Rose Platt; look, just read my album review HERE and youโll understand this is without doubt a must. And, double-whammy, she is preceded by one of my all time favourite Swindon bands ever, the dark twisted country of Concrete Prairie. Always a must, especially at the Beehive at 9:30pm; save me a quarter of an inch to squeeze into, somewhere near the Tardis.
After that Iโm anyoneโs cheap date! Maybe Iโd check out the Castle, as itโs downhill and looking like hard rock underfoot with Lucky Number Seven coming the most personally recommended, at 9:30pm and followed by Modern Evils.
Then thereโs Sunday 14th September, doesnโt Swindon Shuffle know when to stop?! Wowzers it gets better; The Pulpit, Tuppenny and Beehive are up for your attention. Daytime, 1pm at the Tuppeny for Plummie Racket, stay there for Sienna Wileman and youโll be glad you did. But pop across to the Pulpit for 2:15 where Devizes is represented by our most excellent blues crooner and kazoo blasting JP Oldfield. I love this guy; Devizes man-hug!
Itโs a Chippenham takeover from then at The Pulpit, Mexican Dave Iโd recommend at 3pm, but M3G is a must and one of my personal favourite singer-songwriters on the local scene right now. Just prior to M3G though, be very tempted to nip back to the Tuppenny at 3:15 when Richard Wileman and Amy Fry do their thing, and thatโs worth its weight in gold.
Across to the Beehive for the finale to what looks like another unforgettable Shuffle, 6pm, Canuteโs Plastic Army is unmissable, and so too is Joe Kelly & the Royal Pharmacy at 7:30pm.
No forgoing the fringe events, a Shuffle quiz night at the Beehive on Wednesday 10th, the Shuffle Community Ceilidh with The Cowshed Ceilidh Collective Saturday night at Eastcott Community Centre from 7pm, and open vinyl DJ sessions at The Prospect Hospice Book & Music Shop on Victoria Road, each day midday till 4pm.
Then, youโve only got to wait until the end of January for the Shuffleโs winter version Swinterfest! Swindon Shuffle is a whoโs who of local music, a convention and an institution, a fundraiser like no other, and you wonโt even have to navigate the Magic Roundabout, pinky promise!
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
Nothing cruel about our George Wilding; with his perfect match and another local legend of local music, Jolyon Dixon, they’re knocking out great singles likeโฆ
Thereโs a new single from Bristol-based Nothing Rhymes With Orange out tomorrow (Saturday 20th September) which takes the band to a whole new level, andโฆ
There was a geographical population imbalance this bank holiday Monday in Devizes which risked the entire town conically sloping into the back of Morrisons; no one seemed the slightest concerned! It’s Black Rat Monday at The British Lion, the stuff of Dorothy House fundraising burgers, potent beverages and contemporary folkloreโฆ.
Recorded here for prosperity, as itโs dubious that other accounts of the event would be recited with much precision when passed through the generations, that once upon a time in ye olde Devizes, natives satirically dubbed their annual street festival โBlack Rat Monday.โ
The name derived from a scrumpy brand popular at a bar run by CAMRA award-winning and stalwart Devizes freehouse, The British Lion. Contractual matters one year caused a breakup between the carnival committee and the pub. Being โBlack Rat Mondayโ was a folk eponym, ergo in the public domain, and the committee likely never appreciated it anyway, The British Lion adopted the name for an occasion of their own making, and the rest is history.
It’s a fable of self-reliance, apolitical empowerment, and mass consumption of scrumpy, though other drink options are available! Leading to a meek event of anti-consumerism, save the Black Rat Monday t-shirt and drink, community-driven subversion, and a crowded beer garden full of merriment, whilst it would seem the elaborate original festival has fallen by the wayside due to arts funding cuts.
This particular year saw the event blossom to bursting point, attracting townsfolk en masse, under the simple premise, it’s now as much of a โDevizes thingโ as raking barrels of contraband brandy out of the Crammer or annually lobbing confetti at each other in a peculiar frenzy.
Reasoning why roots to the pub itself, because while other taverns change according to trends, else end up as antique shops or housing estates, the simplest of systematics of The British Lion stand firm, equable and imperishable. And Devizions love โgurtโ tradition. If it’s not brokenโฆ..
But what helps, and always does, is acquiring the most suitable entertainment; usually locally sourced, not this time, but equally as welcomed. Long-standing and living legend landlord Mike Dearing revealed his heuristic thinking was to provide an act weโve likely not seen before on our circuit.
For the universal audience the conventional is best, therefore, primarily a function party band, Bristol’s The 789s made a perfect choice. They were lively, proficient, exceptionally accomplished and seemingly pleased to be there. With a vast repertoire spanning every corner of classic singalong pop, they joyfully delivered them all, for sweaty hours, and until Sweet Caroline finalised the cumulation, by which time the crowds were chanting it back to them and dancing on whatever small patch of sun-bleached grass they could suitably fit into.
A punk cover band planned to follow, which duty-bound as Dad’s taxi, I had to miss unfortunately. But The 789โs had roused the audience to a conclusion that there was little doubt anyone could now falter this year’s Black Rat Monday; I’d go out on a limb to suggest it was the best one to date.
There was Parklife, there was Red, Red, Wine, The Proclaimersโ marching song, I’m Gonna Be, and every crowd-pleaser sublimely covered by both male and female vocalists, but only one of them sporting butterfly sunglasses. I don’t want to get all decimal on you after such a strenuous scrumpy surfeit, but The 789’s truly turned it up to ten, at least. For which they were rewarded a gallant cheer of Devizes-fashioned appreciation as they sauntered through the crowds back to the pub, akin to newlywed couple they had undoubtedly performed for many times before!
This respectful display of gratitude, and the whole shebang in general genuinely makes me honoured to document what happens in our lovely, lovely town. For you can bicker on Facebook pages all you want, you can thrash out the rights or wrongdoings of graffiting flags on mini-roundabouts, or pin the blame on someone for a road closure, but Steve Dewar’s brilliant popup youth cafe had kids enjoying a climbing wall on the Green, the sun was shining, and humble folk in the British Lion were laughing and singing, for we all live under that same sun, and that captures the true Devizes spirit, right here in The British, surely?!
The Wiltshire Music Awards are delighted to confirm a new headline partnership with Stone Circle Music Events, who will sponsor the Awards for 2025 andโฆ
Following the excitement and success of the first meeting of โYour Partyโ in Swindon, a second meeting has been arranged for 18th September 7.30 -โฆ
It’s been six months since Devizes-based young blues crooner JP Oldfield released his poignant kazoo-blowing debut EP Bouffon. He’s made numerous appearances across the circuitโฆ
There’s something to be said for the function duo route with universal appeal, you could be working somewhere hot! Powerhouse vocal harmony duo Reflections areโฆ
Formerly known as Judas Goat and the Bellwether, the now renamed band have announced the release of their latest single, โDrill Baby Drillโ (coming outโฆ
It was only ever supposed to be a single launch gig but it could’ve been for a gold-crested gatefold triple LP, because Talk in Code were larging it last night at their hometown premier venue, Swindon’s Victoria. The crowd was ecstatic and the atmosphere was highly flammableโฆ..strike a light!
If witnessing a great band on their own turf adds a communal elevation to the thrill of seeing them at all, Talk in Code certainly pulled out all the stops, even if the je-ne-sais quoi of these masters of indie-pop perform with sublime quality anywhere they happen to appear.
If this crossing the friend barrier themed quintessential grower, More Than Friendssits perfectly into their eighties vibe discography, we were leaked forthcoming singles might venture somewhere slightly different, but right here, now, at The Vic, Talk in Code was rewarded equal rapturous praise in throwing it out there as they were marching triumphantly through their beloved anthems.
Tunes which, like the best memorable pop, have universal and timeless appeal. At a Talk in Code gig you could mute the sound and still comprehend that the individual takes what they want from their style by observing the diversity of the demographic present. Here, this tight group of musicians evoke memories of everything gorgeous about eighties pop from Ah-Ha to Simple Minds, for me. One generation younger, especially when they backtracked to Oxygen, might wallow in nineties indie, and likewise youth will recognise their own contemporary influences.
If homeliness provides confidence to experiment, we were treated to something I’ve never seen Talk in Code do before; as the band Twix breaked, dynamic Adidas- sponsored frontman Chris Stevens proved he was no one trick pony, and blessed the Vic with an immaculate acoustic number, an original he called We Remain.
If appreciation was a pair of knickers, Talk in Code would have a visible panty line, as devotee โTalkersโ in blue sunglasses and merch amassed between Vic regulars, equally relishing their vibrant, danceable and electric hoedown! And all took home a CD embossed goodie bag akin to a toddler’s birthday party, save a slice of squashed sponge cake!
Yet if there’s an honourable family-fashioned ambience surrounding this band, where Talkers would follow them to the four corners of the globe, else create Lego fan-videos or shower them with deserved fondness, the mood for a quality evening was pre-set by two awesome support acts TiC cherrypicked.
Gloucestershire soloist, songwriter and modelFlora Flora opened the gig with acoustic splendour. New to me, I’m now keenly following her socials. Not because she took control of my phone from my intoxicated sausage fingers to ensure I did, though she did, but because I’ve since come to realise there’s subsequent levels to her talent than the perfection of her rocking performance last night!
An inspiring Gen Z Swifty wordsmith, crafting evocative songs praised and played by our hero James Threlfall on BBC Introducing. A new one drops on streaming platforms on 29th August but is available now on Bandcamp, Need to Say; it’s far more ethereal than Flora Flora’s edgier performance, and you’ll be foolish not to bookmark it as a favourite; fill your ankle-length boots.
Penultimate act, Bristol-Swindon longstanding five-piece rockers Riviera Arcade, I must confess, I preconceived to be a fair, hard rock band; they certainly came out like one. It only took near to the completion of the first song for me to come to complex reasoning why they’re punching well above that weight. Multi-layered precision with captivating guitar riffs set me contemplating subtle nods to eighties mod or punk, sometimes skanking, but still, it heralded heavier rock. They’ve a 2022 album Gone By Ten on stream, so you can hear what I’m waffling about.
An interesting and certainly unique style which, while I was thinking The Police or Costello, they finalised their set of beguiling originals with an apt and superbly delivered cover of The Stonesโ Paint it Black, a perfect summary to their ethos. I returned home as a newfound fan, a bit wobbly on my feet and Notra-Dame bells ringing in my ears fan, but deffo a fan!
Talk in Code was officially on the best form I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness, but it was the combination of acts, venue and atmosphere which famed this fantastic night too; The Vic is renowned for doing so, historically. Owner Darren Simons assured me, though the venue is up for grabs, it’s only going to someone prepared to continue in his shoes, so this flagship to Wiltshire live music should thankfully continue to reign; dodge magic roundabouts and onwards to The Shuffle!
Photograph byย Simon Folkard It’s been a rocky road for Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts (DOCA) these last few years, and I didn’t mean the crushed biscuitsโฆ
What, again?! Another article about Talk in Code?! Haven’t they had enough Devizine-styled publicity?! Are their heads swelling?!ย Didn’t that crazy toothless editor catch themโฆ
Valedictorian graduate of Bates College in Maine, and with a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard, neuroscientist Lisa Genova self-published her debut novel, Still Alice inโฆ
Swindon’s annual colossal fundraising event The Shuffle is a testament to local live music, which raises funds for Prospect Hospice. If you’re ever going toโฆ
Whilst dispersing highly flammable hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere is not advisory, Butane Skies is a name increasingly exploding on local circuits. The young and aspiring Frome โa little bit emo, a little bit notโ four-piece released a debut single Wither last month (while I was on my jollies.) So, even though this mention of it might be belated, itโs worthy of your attention, as I predict Butane Skies is a name youโll be hearing a lot more ofโฆ..
If the name suggests an all-out fireball of frenzied rock you should note itโs taken from a line in the My Chemical Romance song Skylines & Turnstiles, and akin to their emo influence thereโs delicate rising and falling sections of emotive outpouring in Wither. With a dystopian themed desperation, perhaps metaphoric, this is intense yet melodic, as exquisitely composed as Evanescence, and as genius as Frank Turner.
Thereโs an intricate piano, blessing it with a sense of optimism above the emo melancholy of the subtly placed fuzzbox riff and the powerful vox harmonies of a double-Alanis Morissette. Iโm thinking Iโve not heard local emo quite as good as this since Life in Mono, but not to typecast within the emo pigeonhole, thereโs something more universally indie about them too, Muse-fashion.
Such high accolades deserved, Wither firmly places them on the first runner of the local recording artist ladder, and while an impressive kick start, itโs moreish and patent theyโve more tricks up their sleeves. Butane Skies established themselves in 2022 after school duo Amaya and Ash collaborated at just 14 years old, and bassist Mia and drummer Alex joined. Theyโve notched numerous gigs and festivals since Future Sound of Trowbridge at the Pump, and winning Riverbankโs Take The Stage in 2024 with the prize to perform at Minety Music Festival.ย
Other appearances at Festival on the Farm, Figglefest, Bradford Roots, Corrfest, Chippenham Pride and Sounds at the Ground, and at venues such as The Boathouse, The Neeld, Fromeโs Tree House and a number of local stages at Glastonbury sees them Bristol-bound for The Louisiana and Komedia Bathโs Electric Bar soon. They are nominated for our Wiltshire Music Awards, and now top of never-ending must-see list!
Hereโs a band with a track you must listen to, but the ambience feels something wonderful is blossoming; Butane Skies are yet to hit their magnum-opus, be there when they do.
โMore deadlier than the maleโ is my usual corny pun for this, but if supergroup Female of the Species returns to Melksham this September, it looks like the last time Iโll be able to use itโฆ.
September 2017, when Devizine had merely eight articles published, I previewed a charity fundraising event in Melksham, The Female of the Species, and Iโve loved it and supported it since. A supergroup composed of the frontwomen of various local bands, they were already in their second year, but after ten years they announced this one will be their lastโฆ.
Julie Moreton from Trowbridgeโs ska and reggae covers band Train to Skaville, formed the supergroup Female of the Species with Nicky Davis from Warminster-based The Reason, Glastonburyโs Julia Greenland from Soulville Express, Fromeโs Claire Perry from Big Mammaโs Banned, and solo artist Charmaigne Andrews, for an annual fundraiser at the Melksham Assembly Rooms; it became a much-loved institution and has raised over an estimated ยฃ25-30K for various local charities chosen annually.
Itโs an incredible amount, but Julie revealed she wasnโt sure of the grand total over the combined years. โWe’ve never really kept a total of what we’ve raised,โ she modestly told me, โwe sang a few songs, and someone’s life got a little better is how we think about it.โ
Their tenth and final time performing the fundraiser as The Female of the Species will be at The Melksham Assembly Hall on Saturday 13th September 2025, and will be raising for Voices, a Bath-based charity supporting survivors and overcomers of domestic abuse and violence to recover and thrive. Tickets usually sell out quickly, you can grab yours HERE.
And youโll be glad you did, the accumulation of five talented singers from different bands, coming together for a sizzling melting pot of all popโs subgenres, from rock, soul and reggae, blended with some filthy banter is something to behold, a whole lot of fun and dancing. Thereโs always a quality support act too, the likes of Plan of Action, Becky Lawrence and Dylan Smith have all warmed up the audience in previous years, but the girls have called inย Laura Jayne, their first ever support act, who has carved out her own career as a vocalist.
With only months to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds or face potential closure due to the building it leased being beyond economical repair, in 2024 Female of the Species raised funds for Trowbridge preschool Rainbow Early Years. 2013 was for Alzheimerโs Support, and previous years theyโve supported Mind, Young Melksham, Wiltshire Air Ambulance, and one very close to our hearts here at Devizine, Carmelaโs Stand Up to Muscular Dystrophy.
They received a Civic Award in 2019, a letter from the Queen Consort, and thanks from the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. For a couple of years, with a misinformed council, they made the move to Seend Community Hall, but in 2024 they headlined Melkshamโs Christmas light switch on and are now back at the Assembly Hall. Although, where and why did it all begin?
โI started The Female of the Species because I didn’t like the way women were perceived on the local music scene,โ Julie Moreton told us. โOut with Train to Skaville, at a couple of local festivals I noticed I was the only female on the stage, so I went into the green room and asked โanyone got any girls in the band?โ The reply was, โwe don’t have girls in our band because theyโre unreliable, always gotta find a babysitter!โ At another festival I asked the same question, this time the reply was, ‘we get a few girlie’s in when we want some backing lyrics done!โ It bugged me for about a year, then I decided to do something about it, spoke to my co-founder Julia Greenland, we booked the Civic Hall, without really knowing what we were doing!โ
They only ever planned the gig as a one-off in 2014, but went on for ten years. Julie concluded, โthe rest is history,โ until hilarious force of nature Claire โBig Mammaโ Perry had to butt in with her welcomed thoughts too!
โI joined this crazy bunch after their first year of performing,โ Claire informed me, โwith, I have to admit, some apprehension!!โ and continued to explain her reasoning; being โbadly burntโ by another woman in a band; I didnโt dare delve deeper!
โBut after Jules and Julia convinced me,โ she continued, โI thought Iโd be mad not to, โcos it’ll be fun! I have to say….I’ve never looked back, well, maybe once or twice, to tell the drummer he’s too frigginโ loud, or asleep, or pissed!โ
โIt’s been hard work every year, to get the time needed to rehearse, as all the band have their own commitments be it musically, or with their own families and lives, but what a privilege itโs been every year to raise not only awareness of our chosen charities, but of course the money that has helped them all, in whatever way they chose to put it to use.โ
โI think, if I may speak on behalf of all of us, what being in the Female of the Species has done for us, is to firmly secure the respect, admiration, and amazing friendships we have made amongst us all. Every year, we come out, smiling, (teeth & tits!!) to our trusty, and loyal audiences, professional to a fault, to put on, what we hope- will be a great show…but often hiding, or certainly masking, our own sometimes sad or heartbreaking dilemmas!โ
Claire described how every year one of the members had issues in their personal lives, โwhether that be, broken hearts, broken limbs!โ and here I recollected the year Nicky Davis hobbled out with a broken leg, and stunned the audience standing for her solo, but Claire reflected back three years past, when she lost her mum the night before the show.
โTen years at the top of our game, we hope we can raise the rafters on this, our big celebration of music, friendship, and helping decent people, working to help others in chronically under funded charities, and get the place bouncing!! For me, itโs been a blast, boosted my confidence and morale, and it’s made me proud of what a bunch of musos from the West can do, when we put our collective skills in the pot. Over the last ten years we have been The Female of the Species band, we have raised somewhere in the region of 30K for some very deserving people. It’s been a slog, it’s been a grin, but most of all…it’s been a pleasure!โ
The pleasure has been ours, as we turn the final page, The Female of the Species will become an historical landmark on Wiltshireโs music scene, and I still didnโt get any of their phone numbers. For one last time youโre invited to help them raise the roof of the Melksham Assembly Hall on Saturday 13th September 2025, but you need a ticket from HERE.
There was a geographical population imbalance this bank holiday Monday in Devizes which risked the entire town conically sloping into the back of Morrisons; noโฆ
Whilst dispersing highly flammable hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere is not advisory, Butane Skies is a name increasingly exploding on local circuits. The young andโฆ
The excitement and hope generated by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announcing a new political party has reached Swindonโฆ.. A broad range of people haveโฆ
In a way itโs more intriguing when a cover band sends an original song than one already producing originals. For if original bands can sometimes be critical of the desire of pub venues to value cover bands over them, yeah, your average cover band is heeding the call for their bread and butter, but are often equally passionate about music, and turn to recording some of their own wares. And when they do itโs natural to pay homage to the particular style they play in, as guaranteed, thatโs their calling and influenceโฆ..
Certainly true of Marlborough-based Static Moves, who released a debut single today, full of the retrospective energy theyโre celebrated for at live shows. They turned a cold February night at the Three Crowns in Devizes into a volcano, as they regularly warm crowds at a plethora of local venues with a repertoire of welcomed new wave to Britpop covers.
The concern is that the raw energy doesnโt transfer to the recording, but you have no worries here; it’s the dog’s bollocks. Crawl Back, as theyโve called it, belts out an accomplished potential anthem of precisely what theyโre loved for on the circuit. A matured and modern indie-rock spliced โTurning Japaneseโ by the Vapors, with a carefree attitude of the Merton Parkas. Itโs got the new wave mod-punk crossover of the early eighties splashed across it like two-tone trousers and Fred Perry T-shirts never went out of fashion. And it didnโt, because you can hear its influence crying out for attention in contemporary indie-rock bands, ergo, the appeal of Crawl Back reaches beyond nostalgic middle-aged to youths today.
With a theme of the tail between your legs sympathy vote, forgiveness is key when you still fancy the wrongdoer, forget the three minute hero, this weighs in at four and a half, and it waits for no man to catch up with it. In a way the length of this whopper is more indicative of modern punk bands, but you cannot help but imagine youโre at a musky gig in 1981, it costs two quid to get in, youโve only got one and half a packet of fruit Polos to trade with the glue-sniffers hanging outside drinking tins of Tennents!
Static Moves promises more of their, indeed, moreish raw energy captured, and if thereโs more in the pipeline, an EP would be welcomed, an album worth would be knockout, because they could, and should, slip this into their covers set and no one would be any the wiser it wasnโt an album track from Modern English or a nineties influenced crew like The Coral or Supergrass; itโs on that level of excellence too, and that’s why they’re all over our local circuit like Dr Martens were in 1981.
Rude to walk into an event sporting another event wristband but the welcome was friendly as ever at the Three Crowns in Devizes. It’s mid-afternoon, Park Farm Festival‘s shuttle bus took me into town, cheekily I used it to poke my nose into the Air Ambulance fundraiser here, their first real multi-act day, I believe, save perhaps my 50th birthday, which if you remember any details of, you could always fill me in!
It was a necessity, if only to see Ruby Darbyshire, as it’s been a while, not a long while, but long enough for me. First time playing the venue and she went down a storm, unsurprisingly. Such a rich, natural talent, vocals made from silk, expressive and forever a joy to listen to; be they either covers, a Portishead one being a particularly breathtaking one, or her intelligently constructed originals, of which she dropped a couple of new ones I’m eager to review here in good time.
There were hugs all round upon my entrance; Ben Borrill and Pat Ward finished a set as Matchbox Mutiny, a shame to miss, because those gorgeously talented guys pull a crowd and hold them. At the moment I did arrive I was delighted to catch Rachel Sinnetta & Jolyon Dixon doing their thing with Andy Fellows accompanying on guitar, as itโs always impressive and highly entertaining. It was a stellar lineup with cupcakes, lollipops, childrenโs face-painting, and tried and tested acts at the Three Crowns, save Ruby, who Iโm assured would be welcomed back.
Rumour was Devizes Male Choir was intending to do a flash mob bit between Ruby and the grand finale, the ever lively Funked-Up. Unsure if this happened, as unfortunately, I was duty bound to return to Park Festival, but you can rest assured Funked-Up got the crowds dancing the night away. I wish I could’ve stayed.
The spirit of The Three Crowns remains toppermost in town; the go-to pub in Devizes for a good night, an unpretentious, friendly atmosphere with the widest age demographic which never clashes. Itโs trouble-free fun, itโs live music program set to enthral, and not forgetting gourmet burgers; itโs an all-round winner on any night, but more of this all-day stuff, please kind sir!
Ann Liu Cannon is the Marlborough success story I hadn’t heard of until yesterday; thanks to local promoter and frontman of the Vooz, Lee Mathews for the tip off! Her debut album Clever Rabbits was released today, and itโs a mustโฆโฆ.
Brit Award winning Paul McCartney and Tom Jones producer Ethan Jones spotted Ann Liu performing at Camden’s Spiritual Bar, leading her to a publishing deal with BMG. Ann, who now lives in London, represented Whispering Bob Harris at The Great Escape and Black Deer Festivals, featured on Beans on Toast’s stage at Bearded Theory and on his UK tour. She opened for Lewis Ofman in Mexico, played prestigious venues like The Clapham Grand and The Hotel Cafe Hollywood in LA, but delighted to tell me she schooled in Marlborough and grew up in a nearby village; and I thought St Johnโs girls just sat around the Priory Gardens smoking menthols!
Okay, calm yourself. That was just an eighties joke, and you know this! But remain calm for Clever Rabbits because itโs a breathtaking ride, a tapestry of Anglo-Celtic folklore, sacred texts, sonic binaries of modern digital synthesis and Ann Liuโs classic singer-songwriter roots. โI am the rabbit that knows how to kill the hill, and I have only just begun,โ she expressed.ย
Experimentally playful, with two piano-based ballads opening Clever Rabbits, there’s an ambience of musical theatre about them, then with an irresistibly simple drum and bass the title track runs akin to a Mardi Gras iko-iko chant. Lost Ways has the shuffle of South America rhythms, and weโre halfway through these ten uplifting masterpieces with a bittersweet psychedelic swirl called Tangle.
No You Donโt is acoustic blues with a hint of lounge jazz, as gorgeous as the ultimate Norah Jones song. Another tune in, and rather Iโm now pitching this alongside Joni Mitchell; itโs that strong, naturally raw, and yeah, folk, fundamentally.
The album continues in a similar fashion, uplifting jazzy folk under sublime soundscapes and broken wonderfully with snippets of humorous band banter, which usually are outtakes. It lifts in tempo with False Hope, and chills for the penultimate Movement of Standing Stones, which builds in layers of atmospheric spiritual ambience, and finally a minute and half of bizarre with Gobbleknoll, breaks the concept this isnโt really a book by Richard Adams and Ann Liu is not a rabbit after all!
Exploring limits of prescribed identity in a timeless, brave and sensitive challenge of the zeitgeist, the album is inspired by a Chinese idiom โclever rabbits need three burrows,โ and the imagery of three rabbits found in Devon’s churches and China’s caves. Clearly, with profound narrative, you would need to dive deeper into this warren to explore. After one listen, though, you will feel it criminal not to. Everything in this melting pot of influences is subtle, the overall feel is a mellowed thoughtful prose sitting somewhere between the exploratory of Kate Bush and punch of Alanis Morissette, both jamming under the aura of Steeleye Span.ย
This isnโt an album for streaming. This is a take my money album. The attention to detail is divine. The unedited recordingsโ background goings-on authentically puts you in the room. In promoting it, Ann Lui revealed the backstory. โWhen I was ten,โ she explained, โmy father gave me records by Ethan. When I turned 21, I got a call from Ethan after Raf sent my music to him. We began capturing these songs, and my father began dying. Today I turn 26, my father is dead, and the record is born.โ
โIn the first 25 years I found powerlessness in slow, bad, unwanted death. In limbos and dependency. I found power in wilful endings. In choice. Love ran underneath in a welcome riptide, contextualising the hurt and loss. I nursed wounds, read my stories, read other peopleโs stories, broke away, reflected, mourned, rejoiced, set free. The first quarter century has been about endings, leavings, dying, and dying well. This album is a good death. The bin men are smiling. I am smiling, too.โ
A launch for Clever Rabbits is at Londonโs Lexington tonight. Ann Lui returns to her roots, as she regularly does, with an Instore at Sound Knowledge, Marlborough on Thursday 17th July at St. Peter’s. Entry is FREE but please do let them know to expect you if you’d like to attend, or pre-order a copy of ‘Clever Rabbits’ from them to guarantee your place.
Pioneers of the indie-rock sound which would lead us into the nineties, Transvision Vamp lead singer Wendy James has announced a UK tour in October in support of her recently released tenth solo album The Shape of History, which includes Fromeโs Cheese & Grainโฆ..
Wendy will be accompanied on tour by a full band, featuring Transvision Vamp’s bass player Dave Parsons, Jim Sclavunos from Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds on drums and Alex Ward (Thurston Moore Group) on guitar. They will be playing songs from across all of her albums, from TVV Pop, to New Wave Punk to Lo-Fi Racine No.1, through to the big productions of Queen High Straight and The Shape Of History, picking off favourite songs from each.ย
For full tour dates see here, but closest to us is Tuesday 14th October at the Cheese and Grain, and The Fleece, Bristol on Tuesday 28th October.
While The Shape of History doesnโt begin with a sound akin to Transvision Vamp, thereโs underlying echoes of it as the album builds. Layers of electronica envelope the familiar vocals, so while itโs not what you were expecting, the effect is as The Independent described, โlike a patchwork of memories โ victories, heartaches, the feeling of racing down a California highway, no destination in mind.โ And Classic Rock expressed that
โThe Wendy James of 2024 is an older, wiser and far more intriguing prospect. The Shape of History, never dull, and certainly never predictable.โ
โMy songwriting has always been a wide mix of sounds, which naturally reflect the different music and references I have and love,โ Wendy explained, โThe Shape Of History was recorded on Scrubs Lane, West London with Alex Ward, Harry Bohay and James Sclavunos. I then went off to NYC and Brooklyn to record the pianos and organs with Dave โThe Mooseโ Sherman. Overdubbing continued with Al Lawson at the engineering helm in his Shepherdโs Bush studio and then I went back to Berkeley, CA to mix with Jesse Nichols before mastering with Fred Kevorkian in Brooklyn NY. I have spent so much time with this music, I know it note-for-note and love it and am so happy for you to make it your own now”.
โThe Shape Of History has a lot about love in it, a lot about appreciation of oneself, oneโs life and importantly, of others. It is lifeโs arc of starting out, blooming into something and in some ways maturing. I donโt think my music has got older, I know Iโve not gone mellow! My attitude can be more ferocious and fearless than ever, but there is an acquired wisdom, which naturally comes after having been alive for a few decades! โThe Shape Of Historyโ is a love letter and a Thank you note to life so far. The culmination of my tenth album is the result of co-musicians and engineers who Iโve worked with previously and with whom I share a language. We know each other, we choose to work together. We enjoy each otherโs talents and personalities. There is a happiness, a belonging, when we meet up, and an open and determined desire to achieve what we know we have to.โ
โFrom meeting Nick Christian Sayer and forming Transvision Vamp, the two of us walking into EMI Records, and demanding to see the head of Artists and Repertoire, Dave Ambrose. Getting signed and making our hits of the late 80โs and 90โs. From collaborating with Elvis Costello and mixing that album at Sunset Sound in Hollywood where The Stones mixed โExile On Main Stโ, then moving to NYC to start writing and recording as a solo artist, all the gigs Iโve played and the friends Iโve made around the world, the astounding, incredible, wonderful people whose lives Iโve crossed paths withโฆ I am so grateful for it all.โ
If I was bowled over backwards by Rubyโs teaser single last week, its title, Crowned Lightbringer, now also belongs to this five-track EP, released today,โฆ
Image: John Kisch Legendary songwriter and original Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell has announced a run of UK dates this November, accompanied by special guests Theโฆ
Atmospherically anthemic and reinforced with that infectious rhythmic groove weโve come to love Talk in Code for, More Than Friends is chockfull of it, andโฆ
by Mick Brian With Sandcastles Productions marking its debut production with Charlie McGuireโs original play Glass House, the cast and crew behind this production are clearlyโฆ
Despite being a tad under the weather last week, I was delighted to join Eddie Prestidge of Wiltshire Music Events on Swindon 105.5 radio to discuss the next stages of our Wiltshire Music Awardsโฆ..
For those not in the know, though I suspect many are, presenter Peggy-Sue Ford produces a weekly show on the long-established station called Donโt Stop the Music, dedicated to showcasing signed and unsigned acts, particularly locally-sourced. What better place to explain our plans for the awards? I cannot think of any, because thereโs few radio shows locally as thoroughly dedicated as Peggyโs, who brings acts into the studio to perform live and has become such a popular catalyst for upcoming local musicians.
This week Peggy-Sue was talking to Rich Swatton of a gem on our event calendar, Minety Music Festival, so it was the second week absent of live music; I did offer to sing for our turn on the show, which was swifty and understandably avoided and the topic diverted! Other than this, I think it went rather well and Ed and I made a bit of a duo, in the vein of Laurel & Hardy!!
Peggy-Sue uploads the shows on Spotify, so you can catch up with the shows if you miss them; hereโs ours, should you wish to listen. Despite no live music, thereโs local tunes from many already on our radar, Talk in Code, Deadlight Dance and JP Oldfield, and others new to us, Swindon crossover rapper Brandon Clarke, who goes under the pseudonym Weather, and Kate X, an upcoming RnB singer; both worth looking up.
With the voting process now closed, Ed and I explained what happens next. The votes will be counted and the top three of each category will be put before a panel of judges, all with professional experience and loyalty to promoting the local music scene. The reason for this, so we can find a balance across the entire county and represent countywide fairly, ensuring the results are not centralised in one area. Whereby some results appear to be close to call, judges will decide the winner, but in all cases, especially those results where one has walked the category, this accomplishment must be considered by the judges as priority.
The judges were announced as being, subject to their own availability: Claire Grist of the Facebook page Bird is the Word, Ed Dyer of Swindon Shuffle, Roger of Sound Knowledge in Marlborough, Ronnie Laurie of Marland Music, Salisbury music producer Joylon Dixon, Nick Beere of Mooncalf Studios, and Peggy-Sue Ford herself. We have advised, now the judges are announced, bribing them with sweeties, kisses, or anything of the kind will be frowned upon!
This is the first Wiltshire Music Awards, and weโre learning and planning as we go, but we are dedicated to presenting the results in October with a grand ceremony at Devizes Corn Exchange. In order to do this effectively we require sponsorship for each category, for which is affordable and details of which can be found HERE. Tickets for the ceremony can also be found there, starting at just ten pounds, and thereโs some FAQs.
We strive towards that date crossing the Ts and dotting the Is, and look forward to presenting the awards with lots of live music acts on the night, perhaps a celebrity presenter alongside me in a tux, the latter of which is worth the ticket price alone!
Iโd like to thank Peggy-Sue and Swindon 105.5 on behalf of myself and Eddie, for allowing us to visit the studio last week, to chat about the awards, and test the swing chairs for squeakiness, which I report was minimal. What a great show!
You canโt always get that live music experience you crave by simply staying within the walls of D-Town.ย Sometimes, and especially when thereโs aย band playing that you simply have to see, you just need to get the gang together and pile into a motor to visit the wilder Wiltshire provinces.ย And so it was last night that we ventured over the hill to Calne.ย We found the border post un-guarded, and so we slipped into the town and found our way to The Piggy Bank micro-pub to see The Lost Trades……
The Piggy Bank has been a surprisingly good little venue over the past year or two, featuring some great nights with, among others, The Rob Lear Band, The Black Feathers, Jess Vincent, and Jinder, as well as pop-up dining nights, quiz nights and (a big favourite of mine) Crazy Bird comedy club nights.
Just in case you donโt know them, The Lost Trades are a trio who play folk/ Americana with a cool Laurel Canyon vibe. With a sound that is reminiscent of the California folk scene of the late 60s/early 70s, (weโre thinking here of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), their three part harmonies have been previously described as “flawless”, “spine tingling” and “magical”.
Formed in late 2019, the global Covid hoo-hah cut short their first tour after just a single sold out gig.ย The band shrugged their shoulders, and retreated to their respective song-writing rooms to work on what was to become their debut album, “The Bird, The Book & The Barrel”, released in June 2021. The follow up album, “Petrichor” was released in March 2023. Both are highly recommended โ trust me!
Then, just last year, one of their founding members, Tamsin Quinn, decided to leave the trio to pursue other interests. Bit of a shock. Was this the end for The Lost Trades, we all wondered? Not a bit of it! Tamsin has now been replaced (if replaced is really the right word) by the very talented Jess Vincent, who had recently returned to the UK after a few years away in Bulgaria.
The result of all that is that The Lost Trades now consist of:
ยท Phil Cooper (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric bass), a performer not unknown in the local area for many years, both as a solo performer, as well in various bands, and a guy who knows his way around a recording studio and the producerโs job;
ยท Jamie R Hawkins (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric bass, ukulele), also massively well-known locally, especially in venues around D-Town, for his wonderful solo performances and some great songs. Indeed a bunch of us had slipped over to The Pulpit (ex The Little Hop) in Old Town, Swindon only last week to witness a really excellent solo performance at that new musical venue;
ยท Jess Vincent (vocals, guitar, percussion, shruti box). Jess first came to notice singing with Penny Red, before branching out into a solo career that produced several albums (Time Frame, Seesaw Dreams, Shine, and last yearโs Lions Den)
Between us five weโd seen The Lost Trades in their old formation many times before, but this was to be the first time with new band-member Jess. How would this all work out? Would the sound and the dynamic have changed? And if so, for better or worse? Well, in sum, we need not have worried. Despite a massive learning curve for Jess to pick up the bandโs performing repertoire in just a few short months, to say nothing of having to re-blend all of their trade-mark close harmonies, the end result was spectacularly good. It was neither better, nor worse, just slightly different and more developed and mature. Right from the first number we knew that the magic had remained intact.
All the old stuff was still there โ the constant and easy interchanging of instruments (including guitar, ukulele, bass and percussion), the close three-part harmonies, the well-worked song material, and the light-hearted intimacy, with the group engaging in comfortable repartee with each other and the audience like a group of old friends. And there were a lot of old friends in the audience to help them along. And, of course, the many familiar songs.
But there was some great new stuff too โ new songs, a different female vocal line, new instruments, and (obviously) a new personal dynamic between the three performers. All of them had played The Piggy Bank before, and all to packed houses, so there were no nerves about any of that. And last night, in front of yet another packed house, they managed to produce a truly spell-binding performance once again.
My only (very slight) reservations about the evening were that I needed slightly less chat (some of the introductions were as long as the songs!) and I would have liked slightly more of Jess (the two boys tended to dominate proceedings at times). But, hey, these are very simple things to be fixed and developed, and didnโt in any way detract from all the superb quality of the music they delivered in their three sets (or โspasmsโ as Phil nicely put it).
There were no lashings of ginger beer, but the music flowed, the craft beer certainly flowed, and a jolly good time was had by all. Then, under cover of darkness, we fled through the night back to the safety of D-Town, our out-of-town mission successfully accomplished.
Hopefully thereโll be more music dates to come at The Piggy Bank in the autumn. But, meanwhile, if you want to see The Lost Trades live in concert (and I strongly recommend that you do!), theyโll be appearing locally as below:
Together in Electric Dreamsโฆ. at The Corn Exchange
Fashionably late for Devizes Arts Festival, I’d like to thank Andy and Ian for informative coverage of some complex events to review, whilst I took the easier route; rocked up for the last Saturday evening party like I was Prince, stole a fluorescent trilby and dad-danced around my bum-bag until they switched the final disco ball offโฆ..
Iโll be honest, with my diddy-boppers cover band radar on high alert and leg warmers in the wash, I wasnโt expecting to stay until the final curtain, for what seemed from the outside to be a refined generation X school disco. I could also get as pedantic as Mary Whitehouse; the band promised eighties, but the name Riviera Dogs is obviously a play on a 1992 Tarantino movie title; quibble when compared to the fantastic night they delivered.
As bang on cue as waiting for Top of the Pops each Friday, Riviera Dogs fired their flux capacitor and dropped Devizes Corn Exchange into the middle of the decade theyโd pay homage to, with an exemplary cover of Go Westโs We Close Our Eyes. From the off it was obvious this five-piece were some way above your average function band. Attendees wasted no bashful time finding a spot on the floor and dancing like it was 1985 again, even those few not old enough to recall it the first time around, (like me, a-hem!)
From there, everybody wanted to rule the world with Tears for Fears and I just died in Cutting Crewโs arms as Riviera Dogs played their trump cards early. Mid-eighties power ballads were their calling, they were proficiently and professionally good at them. Seems they tour the nationwide retro circuit rather than play functions, for if they were to play a wedding itโd overshadow the attention the happy couple would receive!
This said, many function bands use both male and female vocalists for songs, respectively according to the gender of the front person, and I wondered, if eighties pop hits were truly to be covered comprehensively some Madge, Cyndi Lauper and Kylie, to mention but a few, wouldnโt have gone a miss with a female singer as proficient and entertaining as the existing male counterpart.
But as it was, it was a highly entertaining show, full of lively play, relevant and amusing nods to eighties trends which roused the crowds and caused them to reflect on their heyday; thatโs nostalgia on top form. They rolled out smash hit after smash hit like you were listening to a Now album, Chesney Hawkes to Don Henly and beyond. Perhaps the more rock tunes, like Springsteenโs Dancing in the Dark, which though I welcomed, wasnโt as precisely executed as the electronica power pop ballads, but with those so sublimely fulfilled, and the evening in full swing, the crowds simply lapped it up, and twas so subtle no one cared to notice.
At one point though, we went from one end of the decade to the other too suddenly, for me. One minute we were dancing to Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star next it was Bros. The scant warning being a gag about wearing Grolsch bottle tops on shoes wasnโt enough for me to prepare for the paradox! This stark contrast midway mayโve corrupted my timeline but didn’t seem to bother most of the audience either, exposing quinquagenarian Brosettes in the crowd!
As a homage to eighties music several elements were missing; feminine and queer insurgence, and rebellious tenets either side of that mid-eighties march for unadulterated pop mush; punk and Two-Tone at one end, hip hop in the middle, and acid house at the latter. The eighties was about more than the pop they played so well, it was also about advances in music technology and the vast variety of sound experiments it developed. They got as close as covering The Police brilliantly, but jโmon, they never even dared to account for Wacko Jacko, dammit!
It may have reflected only pop commercialisation rather than covering the entirety of a generational divide of consciousness, but this wasnโt supposed to be a history lesson nor comprehensive representation, it was about having a party to celebrate the close of another glorious Devizes Arts Festival, and for that it shone. The vibe was electric, the crowd letting their hair down (or perhaps up with hairspray) for a final night to what’s been a successful and varied programme of events for Devizes Arts Festival. Well done to all involved, you are the one and only, nobody I’d rather you be, you are the one and only, I can’t take that away from you!
Long may Riviera Dogs image the eighties in Mateyโs bubble bath, for it was a Bigtrak loaded with fun, and to assume from my minor critique they didn’t stray from their trump card of electronic power ballads, would be unfair, they did. The finale was a Queen medley and in their own way, they made a fine job of such a difficult trick. For what we must judge this night on is not my personal feelings of commercialisation, rather the expressions of pure delight in the crowd, and if you saw me on the night shaking my tail feather like I was thirteen again, you’d be right to suggest I lived among the creatures of the night, like Laura Branigan, and loved every moment of it too!
Wiltshire Music announces a new season for Autumn Winter: and the first under the new leadership of Daniel Clark, Artistic Director and Sarah Robertson, Executiveโฆ
If youโve seen Jess Self performing at the Wharf Theatre, singing at the FullTone Festival or elsewhere Iโm certain youโll agree with us; Jess hasโฆ
It’s been a wonderful summer’s weekend, in which I endeavoured to at least poke my nose into the fabulous FullTone Festival, despite being invited toโฆ
Devizes annual orchestral festival, FullTone got underway yesterday afternoon with a showcase of local talent from Devizes Music Academy,ย and finalised Friday night with theirโฆ
In the dead of night sounds in a rural environment are resonating singularities, a car in the distance or the farmer calling his herd. In an urban environment itโs a cacophony, a mesh of motorways, trains and factories. Living in either you become accustomed, but to change can take adjusting. To accommodate the increase of clamour, when I first moved from a village to be neighbours with a cheesy nightclub in Swindon, we drained the noise outside with the 1990 KLF album โChill Out.โ Prior to being bound for Mu Mu Land with Tammy Wynette, they created an ambient soundscape which rarely provided a beat. I am reminded of this, and other vague but fond memories while listening to The Hotcakes of Wildfireโs four track EP, Shoes and Acidโฆ.
Released last week, Shoes and Acid is the brainchild of Mick Stanger, guitaristfor Bradford-on-Avon scrumpy & western outfit The Boot Hill All Stars and presenter of Sounds of the Wilderness on West Wilts Radio, a show where Mick uncovers a variety of experimental locally-sourced tracks. Alongside him are engineers Alex Pilkington and Leo Hossent, Boot Hill and Monkey Bizzle drummer Cerys Brocklehurst, with synths, guitars and vocals by Rat Himself, additional vocals by Holly Taylor and a fiddle from Ruth Behan. A different line-up from the 2022 debut single War of Words, whereby Mick thrashes out a tongue-in-cheek Scrabble war over grinding metal guitars, and a very different sound too; virtually horizontal dancing in places!
If Iโm reminded of Chill Out, and stealthily manoeuvring through a jungle of guy-ropes and tent pegs across Glastonbury Festival like a missionary expedition, while The Orb rang out subtle harmonies like the call of the natives in the ether, itโs because Iโm of that era. Factually, thereโs been meditative and relaxing moods in all genres from classical and jazz to new age whale song or electronic kosmische. The beauty in Shoes and Acid seems to be that these Hotcakes nod to them all, or if not all, at least since the prog-rock of Zeppelin and Floyd, and exhausts them nonchalantly unique and punkish.
Itโs a lo-fi soundscape opening with birdsong, but Stubentiger kicks in agreeably backwards like the intro to Electric Ladyland, and rolls out a pungent bass guitar riff akin to Fromeโs Ozric Tentaclesโ finest hour; itโs at this early moment I figure Iโm in for an enjoyable if hypnotic ride; pass my meds. Four extended tracks is all it takes to knock up about forty minutes of expressive outpourings, largely instrumental and influenced by many soothing musical styles. Iโm not sure if shoes are a requirement, but acid wouldnโt go a miss, itโs a trip.
Second tune Knocking at the Tree has whimsical female vocals conflicting with devilish male vocals, a drifting prog-folk-rock track wisping and earthy; a Westcountry Clannad with a sprinkle of Hawkwind. But if the prog-rock element continues into the eleven minute beauty, Fever Dream, it becomes very Ozric Tentacles, and like my favourite tune of theirs The Domes of G’Bal, it takes on dub reggae. Being that Iโm fascinated by the studio adventures of King Tubby yet irked somewhat with dubstep, Iโm most at home here, a contemporary Orbโs Towers of Dub which could convert Lee Anderson into a crusty traveller!
Fever Dream is the summit, an outstanding and epic moment in the album. A final track awaits us, now embedded in a horizontal dream like state imagining fractals forming in the sky. Tardigrades is another eleven-minute sonic exploration, beginning ambient house, Eat Static is expected but it doesnโt venture into trance-techno, rather it builds in layers like Leftfield but takes a space-rock angle with Hollyโs vocals in the driving seat after five minutes of swirling spacey soundscape.
A gorgeous finale to a great third eye opening listen, which doesnโt appear to care if you’re coming at it from a Hawkwind or Orb direction. Iโm just pleased to know thereโs still folk out there producing soothing yet psychedelic ambient music on an astral plane, and this rolls a joint up for you and tucks you into a blissful slumber!
Well the Devizes Arts Festival is in full swing now, with several events already under its belt.ย Thereโs stuff cropping up every day, so I took the chance to pop in to a much-underused venue in the town St Andrewโs Church on Long Street.….
After several big-ticket shows in the programme, it was a pleasure to settle down to something a little more modest, a more bread-and-butter item if you like.ย Mid-week lunchtime isnโt going to be a time to attract a particularly large audience, even on market day, but a good few hardy souls turned up to at least create a good audience atmosphere.
Anna Ling, a performer Iโd not personally come across before, is a guitarist and singer/songwriter. Her creative work and sense of purpose are deeply rooted in her love of bringing people together through song. This passion shapes her life, guiding her from leading community choirs to performing at venues, care homes, and world-class festivals.
In a concert co-promoted with the charity, Live Music Now, Anna delivered a professional and engaging 50-minute set which featured both her own material along with a few covers. She worked hard to engage the audience right from the kick-off, inviting us into her world. The performance was light and humorous, heartfelt and intimate. And she was determined that we were not just going to sit back and listen to her, but to join in as well. She had a lovely clear, strong voice, and used it to particular effect when she came down from the stage and abandoned her guitar in favour of an unaccompanied song right from the middle of the audience.
Her lyrics were simple, her guitar chords straight-forward. This was not a set filled with new arrangements or presenting anything particularly challenging, but an opportunity to listen to a set of songs simply delivered and largely unadorned. She filled the gaps between the songs with little stories and anecdotes, never lifting her voice very much, and thus drawing you in.
Plain, simple, and thoroughly enjoyable. Just another little sweetie in the jar from Devizes Arts Festival. And thereโs plenty more to see and hear yet, so do make sure that you get along to experience something soon. Itโll all be over before you know it!
Devizes Arts Festival continues until Sunday 15th June at various venues around the town.ย Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online HERE
A feast of Salisbury musicians have recorded the single Edge of Reason, a powerful tribute to the irreplaceable ThomโฏBelk, a champion of Salisburyโs music sceneโฆ
Devizes Food & Drink Festival launched their 2025 programme of events today. Running from Saturday 20th to the 28th September, the Box Office opens onlineโฆ
With your standard festivals two-to-a-penny, some consisting of not much more than a bloke with a guitar in a pub selling undercooked and overpriced hotdogs,โฆ
Contemplated headlining this โClash of the Titans,โ but that evokes the idea of a dramatic power struggle with fierce consequences rather than proof Devizes canโฆ
Popular award-winning artisan chocolate business Hollychocs has announced that its Beanery Cafรฉ will close on Saturday 23rd August, marking exactly two years since its openingโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Sandcastle Productions A very new addition to Bath based theatre companies, Sandcastles Productions brings their self penned piece of theatre toโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ian Diddams, Next Stage Theatre Company and Mike Stevens Florian Zeller is a contemporary French playwright and screenwriter, who received criticalโฆ
Itโs been a while coming a-round but at long last Devizesโ very own Arts Festival finally kicked off last night for its two-week run.ย And we started off, as is usual now, with a real belter of a concert in the Corn Exchange, this time featuring veteran performers Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri…..
If you were after star quality, Kiki Dee has it in spades.ย Recently celebrating her 60th year in the music industry, she has now released a whopping 40 singles, three EPs and 22 albums. She is one of the UKโs finest and most revered vocalists, and sheโs sung with and for just about anybody who is anybody in this industry.
Pauline Matthews (as was) was born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1947. At the age of 10 she won a local talent contest, and at 16 she had her first paid job as Kiki Dee in show business. She worked briefly as an apprentice hairdresser (she did my motherโs hair once โ my feeble claim to fame!) and at Boots in Bradford during the day, while in the evenings she sang songs with a dance band in Leeds. Initially with Fontana Records, known for her blue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign with Motown’s Tamla Records. Sheโs best known for the hit singles “Amoureuse” (1973), “I’ve Got the Music in Me” (1974) and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, her 1976 duet with old Reg Dwight (Elton John), which reached Number One on the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her 1981 single “Star” became the theme song for the talent show Opportunity Knocks when it was revived by the BBC in 1987.
During her career sheโs sung backing vocals for Dusty Springfield, was one of the backing vocalists on Love Affair’s 1968 UK number one single Everlasting Love, sang backing vocals on various Elton John recordings, such as “All the Girls Love Alice” from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and various tracks on Rock of the Westies, played as support act to Queen at their Hyde Park concert in front of a crowd of 150,000 people, and performed at Live Aid in 1985, reprising “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with John, and performing backing vocals on the other songs in his set. On top of that sheโs won awards for her Musical Theatre roles in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, in which she took on the role originally played by Barbara Dickson for the 1988 production and recording, and received an Olivier Award nomination in 1989 in the Best Actress in a Musical category.
But all of that is history! Nowadays, or at least for the last twenty years or so, sheโs continued to move forward with the music that she creates with Carmelo Luggeri. Kiki says Carmelo is her favourite guitarist and he co-writes and produces all their songs.
Dee released the live album Almost Naked, a joint effort with Carmelo in 1995, followed by the studio albums Where Rivers Meet (1998) and The Walk Of Faith (2005). In September 2013, Dee and Luggeri released their third studio album, A Place Where I Can Go, on Spellbound Records. They have been touring together ever since and have played alongside such musical luminaries as Roger Taylor, Jack Bruce, Fish, Paul Young, Tom Robinson, Graham Gouldman and Madeline Bell.
Carmelo Luggeriโs abilities as a guitarist, composer and producer have taken him on a rich and interesting musical path over his career. Born in England of Italian parents, Carmelo was mainly self-taught with some classical training. Working with comedian and television personality Billy Connolly he created the โWatzinโ Matildaโ re-work used for the hugely successful 1995 โWorld Tour Of Australiaโ TV series. In 1998 Carmelo produced the track โStealinโ for the film โStill Crazyโ starring Jimmy Nail. Carmelo has also worked with US singer Andy Williams, Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company), Ray Cooper (Elton John band), Gus Dudgeon, Stuart Epps, Romy Haag and singer songwriter Ralph McTell.
Carmelo and Kikiโs paths first crossed when he produced a collection of bonus tracks for โThe Very Best of Kiki Deeโ album, and, under the guidance of their manager Steve Brown they took on a new musical direction together, playing acoustic concerts, starting with an appearance at The Royal
Albert Hall for World AIDS Day in 1994. It was quite a departure for Carmelo at this point as he was essentially an electric player but this marked the beginning of their now 25 year collaboration where acoustic guitar is at the foundation of their sound.
Sorry for the long introductory pre-amble, but just wanted to reprise the careers of these two wonderful musicians. And I guess youโd have to say that represents as good a musical pedigree as youโre ever going to get, so the expectations for the large crowd were, to say the least, pretty high.
And we werenโt to be disappointed one bit. Kicking off with โGet What You Wish Forโ and the first of several musical career anecdotes, we were suddenly there at โDonโt Go Breaking My Heartโ! Like most people I thought this would be the wrap-up song or the encore, but Kiki clearly wanted to get the song on the table early. Using, not unexpectedly, a completely different acoustic arrangement, with a rather slower tempo, her rendition allowed the lyrics to really shine through, and to deliver some really pathos.
Cracking on with anecdotes about meeting David Hockney in Malibu, and working with Dusty Springfield, we had the self-penned โSmall Merciesโ. She then mined a rich vein of beautifully-arranged covers โ Kate Bushโs โRunning Up That Hillโ, Robert Palmerโs โEvery Kinda Peopleโ, and Neil Youngโs โHarvest Moonโ.
Following โa nice glass of redโ and a costume change, the second half continued in much the same vein, with Kiki interspersing the songs with more anecdotes. Early up we had her big hit โAmoureuseโ, partly sung in the original French, a jazzy cover of Leonard Cohenโs โDance Me To The End Of Loveโ (featuring a touching cameo when she danced with a member of the audience whilst Carmelo commanded the stage with some fabulous guitar work). We then had a run of the pairโs own compositions โ โAmen and Goodbyeโ, โSheโs Smiling Nowโ, โYou Canโt Fix The Maybeโ and โUntil We Meet Againโ โ before finishing with an upbeat and rousing version of โIโve Got The Music In Meโ. Getting an encore was a mere formality by this stage, but their choice was a strange one โ a very quiet number entitled โIf You Ever Need Someoneโ, and a harmonised version of The Beatlesโ โBlackbirdโ. Cue lots of cheering and a great ovation.
Kiki showed us that, at 78, sheโs definitely still got it. Her voice is, expectedly, not as strong and pure as in her youth, but itโs still bloody good, hitting all the notes perfectly, and still delivering plenty of soulfulness and meaning. Carmelo demonstrated throughout to be no mere prop or accompaniment to the big star on his left, but a real guitar craftsman in his own right. His subtle and effective use of loops and pedals to add depth and colour to every number, coupled with several changes of guitars and tunings, proved a real revelation. His introductions and solos were beautifully crafted, drawing much applause, and plenty of genuine praise from Kiki.
As a duo they harmonised well, and were very clearly extremely comfortable in each otherโs company on stage. Their rapport with each other, and with the audience, added considerably to the quality and the professionalism of the show.
This was the third or fourth time Iโd seen these guys, and Iโd have to say that they only get better and better. A really solid two and a half hour show, filled with great songs, hilarious anecdotes and superb guitar work โ what more could you possibly want? I absolutely loved and, it seemed, so did the packed audience.
A cracker of a concert to kick off this yearโs Devizes Arts Festival!
The Devizes Arts Festival continues until Sunday 15th June at various venues around the town.ย Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online atย www.devizesartsfestival.org.ukย ย
Rude to walk into an event sporting another event wristband but the welcome was friendly as ever at the Three Crowns in Devizes. It’s mid-afternoon,โฆ
If youโve popped into Wiltshire Music Centre recently; for a concert, workshop, screening orย even a meeting, you might have noticedโฏchanges in the foyer: recorded music,โฆ
Photo credit: David Leigh Dodd Pioneers of the indie-rock sound which would lead us into the nineties, Transvision Vamp lead singer Wendy James has announcedโฆ
By Ian DiddamsImages by Luke Ashley Tame of Acadia Creative Around 2 million women are victims of violence perpetrated by men every year, thatโs 3,000โฆ
Family run premier auctioneers of antiques and collector’s items, Henry Aldridge and Son announced a move into The Old Town Hall on Wine Street, Devizes;โฆ
The first full album by Wiltshireโs finest purveyors of psychedelic indie shenanigans, Clock Radio, was knocked out to an unsuspecting world last week. Itโs called Turfinโ Out The Maniacs, which perhaps should be fact-checked as it sounds to me like theyโre letting them all in, as they arrive on yellow submarines and check into Frank Zappaโs 200 five-rhombus rated motelsโฆ..
Self-described as โeasily triggered, dishonest, cryptic yet flirty deluded jangle rockers,โ Clock Radio have produced a string of catchy slacker pop wonders here, as they continuously reach inside the box, like theyโre four elfish Rowan Atkinsons all cast as Paul Atreides. But one thing is for certain, Chris Genner, Oliver Daltrey, Gary Martin and Fraser Wilson will entertain you.
Turfinโ Out The Maniacs sound like the results of the Coral offering The Divine Comedy a hashpipe in a moulded teenage boyโs bedroom; thatโs a compliment by the way.
The opening tune Blood on Chrome certainly reeks of that breezy retrospection of Merseyside garage bands or sixties surf-rock, with an added preliminary Quo guitar riffs. Stoned at the Dojo, which follows emphasises the mock lounge style of The Divine Comedy. Itโs vaudeville throughout, all Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Bandโs twirling circus, and an accordion welcomes in the next song, yet the tempo is upbeat indie rock. Handsome Weeping Man might leave you questioning if itโs necessary to connote the narrative, but it will leave you amused.
Clock Radio knows precisely what buttons to press to evoke a mood, and press them with free will. To say itโs a tad bonkers, itโs only a tad, and Mountains Beyond the Sun kindles a gentle side, drifting surf-rock, sunny side of the street vibe.
Thereโs ten three minute heroes on this impressive debut album, recorded, mixed and mastered by Dominic Bailey-Clay at Nine Volt Leap Studios, with Fender Rhodes piano, percussion by Dominic and a triangle by Shoshi B. If weโre content with getting halfway through and assuming theyโve calmed slightly, No Death takes us back onto the weird and wonderfully expressed if questionable muses of the opening.
Turfinโ Out The Maniacs is a comfy yet nippy prank, like being stung in the bottom but launching away from it to splash into a chocolate lake. Not so unlike Noรซl Coward playing a Bond villain, with Bowie as Bond; something you couldnโt imagine happening, but being Marie-Georges Mรฉliรจs directed it and itโs on FilmFour at 3am, you might as well grab a bag of cheesy puffs and thirty grams of Amber Leaf, stay up watch it in your pants. โCactus is cooler, Iโm no Ferris Bueller, I do as Iโm told,โ is just one line Iโm cherry picking to illustrate my point, youโll be amused and rocked in plentiful equal measure.
It has an acoustic ending called Complex 5 which will leave you incarcerated in the meandering yet meticulous peculiarly pulp portrayals of Clock Radio, as if you melted into a bubble sofa. It is available now on the streaming platforms, or buy the digital album from Bandcamp.
I loved it, but if the jury was out in March over Isn’t She Lovely, the last single from George Wilding under the production of Jolyon Dixon for its experimental vaudeville ambience of Queenโs later material and sprinkles of doo-wop at the intro, the third single comes out punchingโฆ..
Shoot Me is released today across all platforms, and if we’re used to George’s wispy moments of psychedelic Velvet Underground, this rather takes on Lou Reed’s more edgy rock n roll. In line with the blossoming tendency of many local bands, from Nothing Rhymes With Orange to Talk in Code, this adopts the timeless indie-rock angle of The Killers and Arctic Monkeys. It’s lively, fire in the belly driving music, I can imagine a crowd hailing it back at him within a relatively short time.
A slight move sidewards for George and a wise decision; millennials to gen z, and even Britpop nineties kids are going to lap this up. It’s a timeless belter. My immediate thought laid with the La’s when the song opened, the notion quickly shifted to something more contemporary, of Franz Ferdinand, and the others I’ve already mentioned.
Yet George is a force in his own right and needs no comparison. Shoot Me contains those recognisable vocal delicacies we’ve come to love him for, that understanding he could shift into any pigeonhole and come up trumps.
Adam Woodhouse, Rory Coleman-Smith, Jo Deacon and Matt Hughes, aka Thieves, the wonderful local folk vocal harmony quartet of uplifting bluegrass into country-blues has a four track debut EP; who knew?!
I only found out through talking with Adam about a merch table at our forthcoming RowdeFest, where you can, incidentally, find Thieves playing, but at any gig youโre lucky enough to catch them at, I suggest you pick up a copy of this little showcase disc; theyโre our very own resident Carter Familyโฆ.
Opening with Calneโs Jo Deacon on lead vocals, who also sings solo and with soul function band the Midnight Hour, Coming Back For Me is beguiling and uptempo, refreshing bluegrass fashion. Yet Working Man, which follows, slides the divine ambience into mellowed country-rock. With Adam on lead vocals, Iโm thinking Neil Young, the Byrds, and all those irresistible Americana classics, which imagines youโre heading west through Oklahoma on a Harley with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda.
Probably the highlight of this EP is the penultimate, Now You’re Around. Five minutes of total bliss, with Jo back on vocals and some seriously intricate melodies, combining the talents of Roryโs resonator, Adamโs mandolin, and Mattโs upright bass, you can sense Joโs soul experience, as it rings out as authentically Americana as Janis Joplin playing Woodstock with Crosby, Stills & Nash. And still I hear something decidedly UK folk here too, of Fairport Convention, perhaps. Iโm no connoisseur, just know what my ears like; itโs all a melting pot,ย and Thieves stir it with delicate precision.
And in that, Iโm unsure about the name Thieves. Certainly the genuine sound of America is pinched if not more agreeably heavily influenced by, but it might suggest thereโs something edgy going on, when this is dinkum, universally appealing sunny side of the street melodies; the kind of folk the eldest in the crowd will tap their toes to while children will merrily twirl barefoot on the grass.
It was a series of coincidences when I first saw them at Bradford Roots Festival a few years ago. From a distance I thought โthat guy looks just like Adam Woodhouse,โ (and maybe a smidgen like MacGyver too!) but upon hearing them perform I thought of The Lost Trades, turned to tell the person standing next to me, who just happened to be Phil Cooper of the Lost Trades, who nodded his trilby in approval; a fine accolade indeed. โIt is Adam,โ Phil replied! Oh, yeah, so it is; I didnโt need to go to Specsavers, because their wonderful sound pulled me closer.
We finish the EP with a ballad called Lately, which Adam and Jo duet, and itโs so beautiful and moreish, leaving you suspended on whatโs to come from Thieves, but rest assured, hereโs a wonderful quartet which can hold a crowd spellbound.
Find where Thieves are playing on our local circuits by following socials FacebookInsta for gigs, and hopefully catch them at Rowdefest on Saturday 31st May? Itโs free, bring me a haslett and cucumber sandwich, Iโve arranged the acts, I wonโt let you down.
By Ian DiddamsImages by Ian Diddams and Shakespeare Live Is it post watershed? Then I shall beginโฆ The etymology of the word โNothingโ is quiteโฆ โฆ
Amidst another packed summer weekend’s schedule laid that lovable large village Pewseyโs turn to shine; always a law unto itself, things went off; if itโsโฆ
Britpop icons Supergrass will headline Frome Festival as a fundraising event for grassroots community action group โPeople for Packsaddleโ who are fighting to save aโฆ
Another Triumph for WHO Andy Fawthrop Following the excellent recent production of La Belle Helene at Devizesโ Wharf Theatre back in March (see here), Whiteโฆ
Looking for something to do next weekend? One of Wiltshireโs biggest festivals is happening just up the road in Chippenham all over the late May Bank Holiday weekend.ย Itโs also one of the largest folk festivals in the UK, and one of the longest running โ this year theyโre clocking up their 52nd festival……
The festival happens over four days at venues all over the town, and provides several streams of entertainment to suit most tastes.ย With over 650 performers already confirmed covering music concerts, workshops, dance/ ceilidhs, Morris dancing, storytelling and spoken word, and a wide range of childrenโs and other entertainment, thereโll be something going on in every town-centre street and pub, to say nothing of the thirteen dedicated stages and dance venues.ย ย
And the good news is that, aside from all the ticketed camping and music/ dance events, thereโs plenty of FREE stuff too.ย Down at Island Park thereโll be community stages, a session beer tent (run by Moongazing Hare this was highly popular last year, and Iโd thoroughly recommend it!), lots of pop-up food vendors (crepes, churros, Sri Lankan, vegan, Mexican, Japanese, ice cream etc), and craft stalls โ allย located alongside the beautiful River Avon. Itโs got a great vibe and is a good family-friendly place to relax, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy a session and entertainment with children, family and friends.ย
But with so much going on โ you should see the bulging programme with its literally hundreds of events – we thought weโd take the chance before all the fun starts to preview and pick out some of the best stuff, and to highlight some of our favourite picks.
Overall, thereโs a brilliant line up of music concerts featuring over 75 different acts, including:
The East Pointers – hailing from Prince Edward Island in Canada. Their dancefloor-shaking, electro-trad glorious combination of folk/ pop sounds has already seen them acknowledged as musical trailblazers internationally. Their debut album Secret Victory won the 2017 JUNO Award for Traditional Roots Recording of the Year. Their 2023 EP House Of Dreams was nominated for a JUNO Award, and won Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year, Group Recording of the Year and Pop Recording of the Year at the 2023 East Coast Music Awards. Their headline show is on the Sunday night;ย
Phil Beer & Paul Downes โ two of the stalwarts of British folk music, and truly great musicians both.ย Their shows are not only musically entertaining but always delivered with great bantering humour.ย Their headlining set is on the Saturday night;ย
Miranda Sykes โ another of the folk worldโs all-time great performers, Miranda has played bass with countless bands and line-ups, and has worked for over 20 years with folk royalty Show Of Hands. In 2024 she toured with Hannah Martin, paired a new Baring-Gould Centenary project with Jim Causley, and has toured a wide range of summer festivals. Catch her on the Monday night;ย
Seth Lakeman โ will be playing material from his new album The Granite Way.ย Catapulted into the spotlight after his album Kitty Jay received a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize in 2005, since then heโs produced multiple albums, toured worldwide and participated in several high-profile collaborations, most recently with Robert Plantโs band The Sensational Shape-shifters.ย His fiddle playing is simply stunning, and a joy to behold in live performance.ย Heโll be doing his thing on the Monday afternoon.
And then thereโs a nearly forty different bands, including a great calling team for the dances and ceilidhs, with bands including Banter with Fee Lock, Sawney White Bird, Doug Eunson & Sarah Matthews, Portmanteau, Hinny & Joe Wass with callers Andrew Swaine, Bernie Culkin, Geoff Cubitt, John Stewart, Susanna Diamon, and more to meet every style.
Add to this nearly seventy different Morris sides from all over the UK, and over twenty-five childrenโs entertainers (including the simply hilarious and highly-talented Keith Donnelly), featuring music, dance, puppets, dressing up, play, workshops, meet-the-entertainer sessions, and youโve got plenty to choose from, with different things for all members of the family.
Apart from the main venues and stages, thereโll be stuff going on in just about every pub, in the main streets, and anywhere else the performers can find a space. Thereโll be some open mic sessions too.
Having been to many Chippenham Folk Festivals over the years (and indeed performed at a few!), I can highly recommend a trip out to one of Wiltshireโs best events โ itโs colourful, itโs noisy, itโs busy, but most of all, itโs entertaining!
Thereโs still a limited number of day and event tickets, as well as full weekend season tickets (with or without camping) available. Or thereโs also still time to volunteer to help with stewarding and venues (which qualifies you for a FREE ticket). All the information is on the festivalโs website, together with ticketing information at www.chippfolk.co.uk/Tickets
Itโs been way too long since I saw the irrepressible Jake Martin, and he did not disappoint, classic songs as ever, open, maybe even anarchic delivery.. he found himself in front of mostly familiar ears….
On tour with some friends on a multi head bill, having fun whilst often singing and talking of lifeโs serious side, all of them; relationships, drinking games and mental health, all up for dissection and deliberation through song.ย
Mexican Dave opened, a wisecracking confident man with a definite penchant for singing fast, and getting us to sing whilst other key figures in this scene, Gaz Brookfield and Ben B-Sydes become improvised captains for each side of the room in a chorus battle.. as you do! My friend and I sat either side of a table at the front wearing our respective captains tee shirts by coincidence amused us and Dave..!ย
Blake Cateris, was the middle man in the line up, a little more settled and profound.. an Aussie in our midst. Perhaps more reflective, though, are some great songs, and having a look at his poetry book this morning, he is a great writer. About to set off for a 22 date tour in Germany before returning to Sydney, wish him well and hope to see him againโฆย
The headline, the main man, Jake Martin. Heโs famously self deprecating and among the most appropriately described musicians in the folk punk remit. Your mother may not appreciate every turn of phrase, but his crowds always will!
I consider him an anthemic hero, all on the bill actively involving us, but none with such fervour, perhaps through widespread familiarity of his rousing songs. I am one to try for instance, of loving, failing and trying in equal measure.
Songs about relationships, poor decisions, mental health, and all with an openness that rarely is found in larger yet less enveloping venues and in many artists. Foot stomping common ground, for many present will have had these problems, for my part my antidote to the modern condition is music, so thatโs how perhaps I should wrap up my ramblings, Jake and all the wonderful musicians that grace our venues are the antidote. All you need to do is go find some that work for you.
I am pretty sure Ed (Dyer) will forgive me for likening last night as it nostalgically did for me, to the venue which opened this world for me, the fold in Devizes. It literally changed my life. Sadly gone yet seeing old friends and musicians alike roll eyes, and wax lyrical of shared nights such as this many years past, aware how important it is to seize the moment.
There are great venues around and tirelessly passionate people, many among my friends, itโs as simple as doing a little research, and getting out to support them.
Thankfully I wonโt wait too long as aside from town gigs this weekend , I shall be back to Old Town for the incredible Wilswood Buoys at next week’s Thursday night club at the Castle.
One of Salisburyโs most celebrated acoustic folk-rock singer-songwriters Lucas Hardy teams up with the Wiltshire cityโs upcoming talent who’s name is on everyoneโs lips, Rosie Jay, for a charming Sunday morning ballad called Youโฆ..
Ah, newfound love, I remember it well! That ray of peerless positivity, like a sunbeam which cannot be clouded; nothing can spoil your mood now youโve found that certain someone. Many artists have tried to capture it, many overthink it, but You is simply saccharine, and captures the concept beautifully.
This is staring out of a window of a moving car on a sunny Sunday morning music, contemplating when your longing will be over and youโll be in the arms of your soulmate again. Thereโs nothing negative here, no hidden concern like many such songs, itโs blissful and an the ideal harmonious coupling weโd love to hear from. Check it out!ย
Five Have An Out-of-town Experience You canโt always get that live music experience you crave by simply staying within the walls of D-Town.ย Sometimes, andโฆ
By Ian DiddamsImages by Josie Mae-Ross and Charlotte Emily Shakespeare wrote several plays that were termed in the late nineteenth century โProblem Playsโ. These wereโฆ
Together in Electric Dreamsโฆ. at The Corn Exchange Fashionably late for Devizes Arts Festival, I’d like to thank Andy and Ian for informative coverage ofโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ian Diddams, Play on Words Theatre, and Devizes Arts Festival Who was paying attention in history at school when they coveredโฆ
Poulshot’s Award-winning chocolate studio Hollychocs is proud to launch a heartfelt charity campaign in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust UK, with a charming chocolateโฆ
Events with diversity, be they ethnic, cultural, or life choices, must be welcomed, encouraged and viewed positively as assets offering variety in our local calendarโฆ
A week into the voting process for the Wiltshire Music Awards and things have been moving forward fast. Weโve had the best part of 500 voting forms already submitted and weโre busy spreading the news about these new awardsโฆ
The voting process for the Wiltshire Music Awards went live on the 1st May, and if it was overshadowed by some other voting thing going on that day too, this far more important election is gradually gathering pace. And unlike the other elections, no one is jumping on anyoneโs back, making up stories to derail other candidates!
Eddie Prestidge of Wiltshire Music Events UK and I have been busy promoting the concept, and weโre delighted and extremely grateful to everyone who has helped us with this. From visiting Castledown FM to meet Kev Lawrence and waffle on his drive-time show, and future such gigs like Peggy-Sueโs Donโt Stop the Music Show on Swindon 105.5, to features in Swindon Link and Salisbury Radioโs blog, and everyone who has shared our news on social media, word is getting around thanks to you all.
Of course individual musicians, bands and studios have taken to their social media platforms begging for their fans to vote for them, and, donโt worry, this is encouraged! Itโs also our most treasured venues such as The Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon who are sharing our news. I believe this is all vital, to ensure weโre making it comprehensive and spanning across the entire county. If you can help us with this, please do get in touch.
Nominations will close on 10th June 2025, so we need your picks by then! Itโs not easy, I know; Eddie messaged me a few hours into the voting process to say he hadnโt seen my submission yet, and I had to tell him I was still making my mind up!
Thereโs so many talented musicians around here, it is difficult to decide whoโs name to put in those boxes. But, in this I feel is a point worth making about the Wiltshire Music Awards; we are doing this to promote, encourage and celebrate everyone creating music locally, from DJ and cover band to original artists and sound engineers. This isnโt intended to make our circuits competitive in any way, as we all enjoy the communal and friendly ethos of our local circuits, and vow to maintain this. The hard work they all do to entertain us is recognised and appreciated; while some of our many friends on the music scenes in Wiltshire might not pick up an award, it doesnโt mean weโve forgotten them!
Eddie says, โthese awards recognise the individuals and groups whose efforts make a real difference. If you know someone who deserves recognition, or want to showcase your group, now is your chance to give them the spotlight they deserve.โ
Weโve just opened a Facebook group for the Awards you can join HERE. People have joined and are making connections there already, which is great and exactly what we want to achieve with this venture; itโs not the Oscars!
Thereโs loads of questions which have been fired at us over the week about how the awards work, despite many of them being answered on the FAQs pageof the website! Some others have come up, and we thank you for raising some valid points. One good one I had by Rich of Minety Music Festival, who asked if we could have a category for festivals. We pondered how we could do this as the categories have already been set, thereโs 17 of them already, and feeding it into the venues category might not be fair on the smaller grassroots venues. So, we decided to add festivals as a category for next year, and make a list of festivals in Wiltshire for the judgesโ perusal. I mention this to say, hey, weโre open to ideas and things we might have overlooked.
The most frequent question Iโve been asked is โcan I vote for myself?!โ To which the simple answer is a big fat YES! Why not? Show off your ego, youโve earned it, go for it! The less frequent but similar question Iโve had is, surprisingly, โcan I vote for you?!โ The answer is, yeah (blush,) if you must!
Weโve been browsing trophies and medals from a catalogue by Avon Trophies like weโre kids drooling over the lingerie section! And over the next couple of weeks we will be sending invites for people to be judges. Choosing experienced people with dedication to promoting music in the county and trying to set one in each area, we have a list of possibles, but if youโre interested in this let me know this coming week. It is also vital that this event receives sponsorship in order for it to work as well as whatโs in our minds. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor an individual award or the whole shebang!
The award ceremony will take place in Devizes at the Corn Exchange, on Saturday 25th October 2025, tickets are here. We hope it will continue annually, this all depends upon your input and support, which has so far been so encouraging I might even be moved wear a dickie-bow at the event, and that’s worth the ticket price alone! Please vote and share our news, thank you!
Organised by Kingston Media – to raise money for Dorothy House and Wiltshire Air Ambulance – the 3rd of May saw Bands At The Bridge come to the Bridge Inn, Horton …
With the sun peeking out and the rain clouds temporarily parting I had the opportunity to head on down to Bands on The Bridge, a mini festival-style event at the Bridge Inn on the outskirts of Devizes. Organised by Kingston Media โ in a step away from their usual publicity/catering work โ the event saw eight bands and solo performers stretched across the afternoon and evening of the Bank Holiday Saturday, all in aid of Dorothy House and Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
From the moment of entering, you could feel a strong sense of excitement, and although the crowd wasnโt big, they definitely had the enthusiasm side nailed as each of the performers was met with cheers and dancing.
The first band I had the opportunity to see that evening was Burn the Midnight Oil. They started with a cover of Dreams and soon had everyone singing along, before launching into a set of original songs, which saw dancing, cowboy hats and even people howling like wolves for a short time (there was more context to it than that, I promise!).
Although all songs they played โ other than one โ were originals, they played them which such skill that without knowing their setlist beforehand you wouldnโt have known that they werenโt just covers of songs that you just didnโt know, which can take a lot of skill to do right. All their songs were great, but Iโd like to give a mention specifically to Scapegoat and Werewolf, which were my two favourites of the evening. It was clear their focus was on well played and polished originals, which they were fantastic at and which the audience clearly appreciated.
Dreamcatcher came quickly next, a band that originally started as a Fleetwood Mac tribute, but their tastes broadened to encompass a load more songs of the same sort of style – although rest assured, they still had a healthy dose of Fleetwood throughout. Their 45 minutes setlist saw a variety of different songs, broken strings and even the sun (for a short appearance, which had everyone cheering) with a main focus on stuff from the 60s and 70s, the sort of songs that everyone would know and have a little dance to.
The Dreamcatchers played well, and despite the small crowds, it was clear the audience enjoyed their material and it fit in well for that kind of event.
By far the most appreciated band of the evening were The 789s, a Bristol based events band. Itโs fair to say they were some of the most skilled players of the evening, with their four-person line up seeing drums, bass, guitar and vocals. Once again, their setlist focused on well-known and easily danceable songs, seeing performances of Come On Eileen, Donโt Look Back In Anger and many more that had everyone excited.
I had a quick chat with their lead singer Ally who said a lot of the songs she enjoys performing are 70s funk and disco style numbers and that that was what she grew up with around the house. Their high energy songs soon had everyone up dancing and singing along and it seemed that 45 minutes wasnโt enough for the audience, after two back-to-back encores at the end of their set leading to a few extra songs, which were just as impressive as โ if not better โ than the rest of their set.
With their skilled instrumentalists, incredible talented singers and a well-polished setlist I thought it was perfect for this kind of event and clearly the rest of the audience agreed. Ally went on to say that the energy people gave her made it a really fun gig to be playing at.
The last performance of the evening saw headliner Almost Elton take to the stage. By this point the audience were invested in whatever performance would come next, so he was met with a great reception after setting up a keyboard and mic followed by a quick outfit change into a feathered coat and a not entirely convincing wig.
He had a longer set than others, and being an Elton John tribute act ran through all the favourite songs of Mr John โ even bringing some random audience members on stage to โhelpโ with the vocals on Donโt Go Breaking My Heart. It was a good way to round off an event like this, everyone knew the songs, everyone sang along and everyone danced.
All in all, Kingston Media pulled off an enjoyable event with some fantastic performers throughout the evening. As well as the four Iโve babbled about above Iโve heard great things of both Jane Bennetโs and The Sitting Ducksโ sets (and actually all of the rest of the performers) and was sad to miss them.
Although the crowds were a little small, that is completely normal and to be expected for the first year of this sort of event (and in fact, their first ever event of this type). They had the traditional festival atmosphere nailed and a great venue to go along with it. So, hereโs hoping for it to be done again next year, maybe with a bit more sun though?!
Trowbridge singer-songwriter and one third of The Lost Trades, Phil Cooper has actually been doing more than playing solitaire, heโs released a new solo album called Playing Solitaireโฆ..
Released yesterday (2nd May) Playing Solitaire is Philโs first solo album in five years. The last being These Revelation Games in 2020, which was a varied bunch where Phil experimented extensively. Perhaps lockdown inspired artists to scrutinise and pilot new ideas, though through his part in the Americana harmony trio The Lost Trades, fronting the harder rocking The Slight Band, and BCC project, where Phil dives into synth-pop, heโs never been one to shy away from testing new waters. But the principle beauty of Philโs work lies in the simplicity of his idiosyncratic and solitary acoustic outpourings, a clear and clean line of self-reflection, drenched in honesty and poignancy, and thatโs precisely what youโre getting with Playing Solitaire.
Apologise for the delay in announcing this; I had to take one more listen this morning, before deciding if I should call this his best work to date, as heโs a prolific artist with an outstanding discography already. But I think I can safely say, because of the wonderful way this flows, coalescing in mood and style, I think I can safely suggest that it is.
If an all-out anarchistic thrash of rock n roll is what you require, this isnโt for you. For everyone else Playing Solitaire is beautifully crafted and passive, gorgeously taut and accomplished. Thereโs no whimsical introduction. โLook out world, Iโm here to stay,โ Phil confidently announces without warning; good! Because Phil knows precisely how to construct a song, and itโs this dedication to composition where he shines best. The opening song, Still Holding My Breath is quintessential Phil Cooper. Itโs the acme of his observational writing, a homage to the notion hard work pays off, a characteristic we know Phil well for.
Moving to the next tune, romantic dejection is his soft play centre topic, and oh, how you wrote that note, disregarding how it might be interpreted by the receiver; perhaps weโve all been there. If itโs a personal reflection, you identify, and the magic lies at the feet of this contemplation, the very magic of Philโs words, song and ability to combine them, hard at work. And this is an observation we could make to summarise the whole album.
That Easy Road, is remarkable heart on a sleeve content again, it drifts with a stormy sea metaphor to convince himself heโs loved. Another peace of mind ballad follows, then Bijou comments on struggling grassroots music venues, and even if Iโm not a musician, itโs exceptionally touching and poignant. The passion Phil delivers this with and the construction of the riff, itโs my personal favourite on the album, maybe replacing Road Songs, my past fav Phil Cooper tune.
Halfway mark of this ten strong album, and weโre in another foreboding place with Beauty in the Cracks, a frustration at progression, perhaps. Uptempo, and weโre on a lighter note next, followed by a live favourite, They Will Call Us Angels. Eric Bogle fashioned or Guthrie, even, if we suggest an Americana route, but weโve definitely arrived folk inspired by his work with The Lost Trades. Phil glows through a moving account of a frontline medic, and itโs something kinda wonderful.
Maybe Phil lessened on the deeper narrative in the middle of this album and left three moreish golden nuggets to finish on. Directionless is as it says on the tin, it drifts, and rises halfway through. And we finalise akin to where we began, a little self-help guide type lyrics, but hey, Phil is always on-point. It is an almost one-man choral twinkle, defining Phil as a perfectionist.
If you worked with Phil in an office, he might be the friendly confidant you relay youโve prepped nothing for this meeting, and heโll assure you heโs done equally poorly, and then, at the meeting heโd turn up with a full presentation! Not a show-off by any means, just a dedicated precisian, motivated to the hilt, but seemingly oblivious of the haphazardness of the more spontaneous type, and thatโs a rare trait in a musician, making for something individual, solitary, like the one who plays solitaire when they could engage in a two-player game, usually with our Jamie!
This album gets top marks as it reflects his personality sublimely, even by title, and you take a little bit of Phil Cooper away with you. In other news, The Lost Trades are back in the picture since the departure of Tamsin Quin. Jess Vincent takes her place as the third Lost Trader,their touring dates are announced, and we look forward to seeing them with the new addition. For now, Playing Solitaire is out, and you can find it HERE.
Swindon Palestine Solidarity continues to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for aid to be allowed to enter Gazaโฆ.. Their three recent roadside signโฆ
I want Devizine to be primarily about arts and entertainment, but Iโm often pathetically persuaded by bickering political factions to pass opinion on local politicsโฆ
Photo credit: ยฉ Rondo Theatre Company / Jazz Hazelwood A gender-queered production of William Shakespeareโs classic play, โThe Taming of the Shrewโ, will be performedโฆ
The first full album by Wiltshireโs finest purveyors of psychedelic indie shenanigans, Clock Radio, was knocked out to an unsuspecting world last week. Itโs calledโฆ
Bradford-on-Avon Town Councilโs annual festival, aptly titled The Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival is back this weekend, championing local talent with an eclectic line-upโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Chris Watkins Performing Sondheim isnโt the simplest of tasks. Or, rather, singing Sondheim isnโt the simplest of tasks. With his dissonantโฆ
The phenomenally talented Ruby Darbyshire is performing at Silverwood School in Rowde on 27th June. Ruby has kindly offered to support Silverwood Schoolโs open evening…..โฆ
If I’ve been galavanting recently, gorging on other local townโs live music scenes, what better way to return to Devizes than a visit to the liveliest watering hole, The Three Crowns, to see a band with our town’s name all over it, No Alarms And No Devizes? How apt!
Iโll confess, while I know most of the members of this five-piece as individual musicians in their own rights or as members of various other groups, I was yet to see them in this setup, despite them forming the best part of a year ago. Naughty of me, I accept, but Iโm overly glad to finally tick them off my must-see list, and on the strength of last nightโs performance, it wonโt be the last.
Aware of their talents as individuals my only pre-gig apprehension being it can sometimes be a case whereby groups formed of members whoโve met at open mics sadly donโt equate to the sum of their counterparts. This minor angst I quashed before arriving; I could hear them from the carpark as they rang out Steve Harley & the Cockney Rebelโs Make Me Smile with gusto. โCome up and see me,โ the song suggests, yeah, Iโm nearly there, and already glad I did. Again, how apt!
But itโs not just in the word-playing a Radiohead songโs band name to give it a local spin, nor the coincidental meaning of the song they were covering when I arrived which makes me happy to report that they know exactly what buttons to press, rather on the tightness of the band and their comradeship too. Frontman Tom Harris, known for also fronting extreme-metal band Kinasis and a stalwart locally as a blues solo artist, is a force to be reckoned with. His lively vocal range knows no bounds, and thereโs joyful connotations within his energy and often amusing facial expressions which rub off on the audience.
If, as it suggests, โextreme-metalโ is too extreme for me, itโs in his lighter fashions which makes me smile, and during lockdown the few funky tunes he created really brought Tomโs natural talent to entertain to my attention. With No Alarms No Devizesโ varied range of cover choices in their arsenal, Tom is free to explore his funky side or whatever fancies his tickle, and I loved this about the No Alarms And No Devizes show the most.
Tom is backed by proficient guitarist Pat Ward, once modest about his abilities, today moving through the audience whilst strumming, like a pro! Bassist Jonny Jam, whoโll you see blessing his skills in many local bands. A new drummer, Nick Wood, who sure found his feet and sticks last night. And with the additional Matt Pryor on keys, the lineup gives them the scope to nail a vast range of pop songs into their repertoire, and they do them all with impressive confidence and showmanship.
Keyed in to precisely what the varied crowd at the Three Crowns want, they ventured through anything and everything from Nina Simone and the Beatles to the obligatory Radiohead, the Proclaimersโ crowd-pleaser, and eighties pop such as my personally most welcomed Men at Workโs Down Under, with a gradual fade from melodic to a frenzy. They slipped in a few great originals too, but whatever direction they took themselves into they did so with flow, precision and enthusiasm, making for a universally highly entertaining night I cannot fault. Even their break was no longer than a wee-stop!
I do ponder if the bandโs name implies itโs just a bunch of guys from Devizes when they arrive at other townโs venues. They played Swindonโs Rolleston recently, they played HoneyFest at the Barge and Salisburyโs Coach & Horses, among others, but Matt assured me theyโre welcomed wherever they play, leaving me only to assure venues outside Devizes, they may be announcing theyโre guys from Devizes within their very name, and banter between towns might be a thing, but once No Alarms And No Devizes are in full swing, youโd be glad you booked them!
Another wonderful night at the Three Crowns, then. It never fails to please. With the Brewery Shop opening next door, seeing visitors stopping into the pub, the live music and gourmet burgers, The Three Crowns is surely a testament to what a pub can achieve if they put their heads into what punters want, particularly in these uncertain times. It was as busy as ever in there, hospitable and lively, with a varied age demographic out to party and nothing baleful.
We clashed events with the wonderful Facebook page dedicated to promoting local live music, Bird is the Word, which had to happen at some point! Go give them a like if you do Facebook, theyโre doing good things over there, with higher quality photos and video streams than my tiddly tries of getting into focus while dancing and balancing a cider!
Adam Woodhouse, Rory Coleman-Smith, Jo Deacon and Matt Hughes, aka Thieves, the wonderful local folk vocal harmony quartet of uplifting bluegrass into country-blues has aโฆ
This summer David is returning with a brand-new show “Historyโs Missing Chapters”, a show made to uncover why, throughout history, some people and events haveโฆ
Under the new management, live music will be making a triumphant return to The Boathouse in Bradford-on-Avon and that Cracking Pair, Claire and Chloe ofโฆ
Always a happy place, our traditional record shop Vinyl Realm in Northgate Street Devizes is back in the game of hosting some live music afternoons.โฆ
One of Swindon’s premier grunge pop-punkers, The Belladonna Treatment released their debut single, Bits of Elation, with London-based SODEH Records earlier this month. I spoke about the single, the band and local circuits with the bassist in the band, Ian James, as he was the most punctual at a recent gig at the Vic!
Bits of Elation is fifteen seconds under a three-minute-hero which doesnโt come up for air, compensates for those missing seconds with a dynamic and retrospective Ramones-fashioned riff and the feelgood vibe of pop-punk this side of the millennium.
It is far from the Belladonna Treatmentโs first outing to a recording studio, there was a single last year The Torture Garden, and a three-track EP called Pleasure from 2023, which cherry-picks the best elements of many punk subgenres and moulds them into an imitable and infectious house style. Though Ian expressed working with SODEH has opened doors for the band popular in Swindon, evidently blossoming elsewhere. โItโs being played on radio stations in Belgium, Brazil, USA and Canada,โ he told me with delight.
The Belladonna Treatment I witnessed live once, in awe at how they rammed the Castle with adoring fans at Swindon Shuffle. Tonight they play a double-header with I See Orange, who alongside Liddington Hill and a number of others usually on this burgeoning Swindon grunge scene, have turned my head toward the subgenre which passed me by at its inception, save Smells Like Teen Spirit. The Belladonna Treatment are ahead of this game, their appeal is universal and seemingly not confined to aficionados of the grunge subgenre. That was clearly evident at the Castle gig, but other than playing Minety last year, I rarely see their name pop up on local circuits other than Old Townโs lively route of The Vic, Castle and Beehive.
Understanding thereโs a number of local grassroots venues where The Belladonna Treatment would fit like a glove, I was surprised to note they hadnโt yet ventured to Trowbridgeโs Pump, Bradford-on-Avonโs Three Horseshoes or even Chippenhamโs Old Road Tavern. I pondered on bands which seem to get stuck in certain fanbase circuits, despite being fully deserved to be showcased across the county and beyond. โIt all depends on what everyone wants to do,โ Ian began, โthings like this pop up and itโs nice to do them, but we do want to expand and do other gigs.โ
โIt is very easy to get stuck into that circuit, of doing the Castle, and those,โ he expanded, โbut itโs nice to get out too. I mean, we played a gig in London at the end of January; a cracking venue, which James put together. There were other bands there, all different, but it was a brilliant show, packed out. We were two or three under the bill, so there were loads of other bandโs fans watching us and we can get more followers this way.โ
Guitarist James has recently moved to London, hence the opportunities for gigs there, but originally the band were all from Stratton, and knew of each other prior to forming The Belladonna Treatment just over two years ago. โLee and James accidentally got together about five years ago, wrote some songs and went around as an acoustic duo, but weโve all known each other our whole lives. Then they decided they wanted to get a band together. I hadnโt seen either of them for about twenty years, but I was getting back into playing. Stu, our drummer has been around in lots of other bands, played Glastonbury and stuff like that, and again, weโve known him, and for the last two and a half years we’ve been playing as a full band.โ
The Belladonna Treatment have been honing their sound since, and Ian felt Bits of Elation is a milestone. Pigeonholing their style he cited Nirvana and The Manic Street Preachers as influences they grew up on, and also mentioned Bowie, โbut if you listen to the songs theyโre melodic, itโs not just head down thrash punk, itโs more melody-orientated, grunge too. That’s why we like playing with I See Orange, thereโs a whole nineties feel about us, similar to them.โ
We rapped over the idea of levelling off the thrashed out element for a more melodic preference might once have been considered as โselling out,โ in punkโs heyday, rather now itโs more of a natural progression and causing the sound to become viable to a wider audience. โIt can do,โ Ian agreed, โitโs also a case of, you want to sell more records and if you want to be popular, you have to do this.โ Such progressionis kingpin to crowds turning up at the Vic tonight and ramming the Castle at The Shuffle, knowing thereโs a motivated band which rocks!
So I threw in the labour of love concept, and we talked cheerfully about while theyโre sharpening their style to suit wider appeal, theyโre also determined to strive for individuality, create their own methodology and not clone existing successful bands. Ian spoke of three new songs ready for release, the snowballing of radio plays and their determination to accomplish wider appeal, โthatโs what weโre going for.โ
It was great to meet Ian, and the rest of the band briefly, when they turned up! Dadโs taxi was on duty and I could only remain until the end of the Wildcats game, unfortunately missing the gig. A valid reason for highlighting bands seemingly confined locally to our larger towns and encouraging venues to book them around here, because you only need to stream some of their infectious tunes to see what I mean, and why The Belladonna Treatment should be popping up at grassroots venues across the UK, at the very least; fingers and toes crossed.
One of Wiltshireโs Best by Andy Fawthrop Looking for something to do next weekend? One of Wiltshireโs biggest festivals is happening just up the roadโฆ
If weโve had a keen eye on Swindonโs Sienna Wilemanโs natural progression as an upcoming singer-songwriter since being introduced to her self-penned songs via herโฆ
One of Salisburyโs most celebrated acoustic folk-rock singer-songwriters Lucas Hardy teams up with the Wiltshire cityโs upcoming talent who’s name is on everyoneโs lips, Rosieโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages byย Chris Watkins Media One could argue that Anne Frank is possibly the most well-known civilian of the WW2 years, and certainly ofโฆ
Trowbridge singer-songwriter and one third of The Lost Trades, Phil Cooper has actually been doing more than playing solitaire, heโs released a new solo albumโฆ
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
With our roads being the state theyโre in, is it any wonder on the 5th April Hells Bells, rated as the UKโs top AC/DC tribute, are taking the highway to hell, via Devizes Corn Exchange?! But they are! Better to be thunderstruck than burst a tyreโฆ..
Hells Bells are Europe’s longest established AC/DC Tribute Band who have performed all over the UK as well as Portugal, Austria, Russia, Belgium, Czech Republic and the Middle East since 1996.
And theyโre bringing Dead Zebras, who claim not to be your typical rock revivalists. They’ve mastered the art of blending eighties nostalgia with a fresh, modern sound, and creating a cocktail that sounds like a wild ride in a DeLorean with a Van Halen soundtrack, apparently!
Tickets are a snip at ยฃ15, which you can grab online here, and Let There Be Rock!!
If many space-rock acts have more band member changes than most other musicians change their socks, Hawkwind are the exemplar of the tendency. There might be some scientific theory for this, equally there may not. What is more probable is that it is an occupational hazard for members to get as lost in space as Dr. Zachary Smith. Cracked Machine, here tonight to provide the entertainment at the Devizesโ Southgate, are also prone to getting through some keyboardists and drummers, though if the lead guitarist-frontman and bassist remain steadfast, this propensity is not the only element to them comparable with Hawkwind, and thatโs a good thing in my opinionโฆ..
If youโve any hazy recollection of a maintaining a horizontal posture in a bedroom for the duration of a scratched long player with a gatefold sleeve, staring at patterns either in the mould on the wall or blu-tacked Mandelbrot set posters covering them up, in a smoky haze proportionate to your memories and stenching of wood burner and red Leb, whether only with a bong for a friend or a few stragglers with no more conversation than the bong, save a few comments like โoh wow, man, can you see it?!โ then Cracked Machine is the band to seek such fond memories, and bring them to the forefront of your fragile cerebral cortex, through a preponderance of sublime bassy rock bliss.
For if space-rock is a natural progression from Led Zeppelin, Flyod or Hendrixโs overextended bridges of swirling sonic electric guitar skullduggery and wobbly sound effects, Cracked Machine nailed it some years ago and show no sign of altering their methodology. In fact, the tendency is to get harder. Though Hawkwind allowed vocals, Fromeโs Ozric Tentacles may be a better comparison for space-rock aficionados.
In this, itโs been some years since Iโve caught up with them live, despite reviewing albums one, two and three. It was left up to Ben Niamor and Andy Fawthrop to review their last two appearances at the Southgate, respectively in November 2022, and October 2018. For me, I will always have the 2019 Devizes Street Festival, when Pete of Vinyl Realm paid and hosted our local stage idea on the corner of St Johnโs and townsfolk slow-roasted on deckchairs while Cracked Machineโs definitive sound caressed their very souls. But while Cracked Machineโs lineup has changed since then, their devotion to the sound and ability to knock it out to the shimmering rafters, isnโt.
In that, I knew what I was letting myself in for. It was another one of those birthday things for me, which always seems to charge me with ever-increasing speed. There wasnโt actually much else happening in town Saturday night, much I wouldโve missed this for a wanton jig to Motown or some-other such-like, elsewhere. Suppose I had the option to go down the Bin afterwards, but as it was advised by Vince Bell who I met on the bus, such a recommendation had to be taken with a pinch of salt, and was best at 52 to get a taxi direct to my duvet! For a while there though, it was a party, as it is in The Southgate, with itโs no frills hospitable atmosphere, affordable range of drinks, and general โproper pubโ tenet. The affectionately dubbed โGateโ doesnโt change like band members of a space-rock band, and itโs a cracking party there more often than not.
Tom Harris kicked off the proceedings with his guitar, belting vocals and the expressions of a hyperalgesic at the dentist. Impossible to fault, Tom delivers the banter as well as his songs, divides covers equally from originals, so if heโs not charming an emotive blues ballad of his own pen, itโs perhaps a scatological one or heโs made amusing entertainment from a slyly chosen cover. Rob Thomasโ Santana summer smoothie reflects the unusually clement climate for March, and Tenacious Dโs hilarious Tribute was surely perfect for Tom, and he handled them with might, until drummer Gary Martin arrived from a support slot at the Pump with Clock Radio, and the main act was completed and ready to rock.
They didnโt come up for air throughout these lengthy compositions of prog rock formulated instrumentals, and as a result of not taking advantage of the customary break, their set ran off too early. Landlord Dave encouraged them to pull something else out of the bag, saving the necessity of the crowdโs cliche call for an encore, which you know wouldโve happened anyway. To which they considered how to continue, yet what elapsed was another drifting spacey masterpiece of fifteen minutes or more. We loved it.
If the template of Cracked Machineโs sound is arguably narrow, and narrative is vague due to only being expressions of instruments, their nature is stylised, and works wonders, creating a spellbinding ambience. Cracked Machine are always welcomed by the Southgate regulars, for even if the pub strives to diversify, itโs electric blues and prog rock which they favour, and this, with those wobbly keyboard noises and subtly placed samples, is simply a psychedelic progression from it which is decades old, yet Cracked Machine proves itโs worth in the modern world.
Space rock, or acid rock, a direct descendant of Pink Floyd and Zepโs tolkienesque The Battle of Evermore, also acts as the bridge from rock to electronica and ambient house, a bridge the guarding troll usually confounds most rock subgenres with a riddle and renders them unable to cross, thatโs why I love it, and thatโs while I will only have good things to say about Cracked Machine.
An effervescent musical, full of promising young talent Written by: Melissa Loveday Images by: Gail Foster After the success of SIX last year, Devizes Musicโฆ
A photo is circulating on X of Calne’s Reform UK candidate Violette Simpson, which for some reason doesn’t appear on her election campaign….I wonder why?โฆ
Big congratulations to Devizes DJ Greg Spencer this week, the creator of Palooza house nights at The Exchange nightclub, for he made the prestigious billโฆ
The second single from Georgeโs sessions with Jolyon Dixon is out today, Isnโt She Lonely. With the vaudeville ambience of Queenโs later material and sprinkles of doo-wop at the intro, this whisps around crooners with subtler psychedelic undertones than usual. One could ask if this is tongue-in-cheek or a mature direction for George, to delve into post rock n roll influences, yet, of course, it retains, through its incredibly inventive uniqueness, the definitive George Wildingโฆ..
For his fans itโll remind them somewhat of Terrible Little Secret from his decade past Being Ragdollian EP; how George is skillfully capable of frolicing vocally with the schlager of artists like Tony Christie, and remain cool throughout by splicing this music hall vibe ironically with a degree of melancholy in the narrative. It is, in short, impressive.
โThe lyrics were born out of the idea of changing one letter of โIsnโt She Lovelyโ so it takes on this whole desperate air,โ George explained. โIt goes from so celebratory to a real longing when you change it to โLonely;โ the instant flip side of love. When I wrote it I had it as a 60โs thing in my head; think Bobby Veeโs โTake Good Care of My Baby.โโ
George Wilding
My immediate reaction was Stevie Wonder was referring to his newborn daughter in the title, rather a romantic interlude, but this take only bears resemblance to it by title, and just like how George can make a cover his own, Isnโt She Lonely is not in any way a parody of Wonderโs 1978 hit. Though the commercially viable element rings home, and sticks.
Just as Madonna did with True Blue, yesteryear pop hooks will be recalled and reused so not to be archived in an impenetrable chest, and in that they become timeless, precisely summing up this song. If the last single back in October, Signs of Life, bore elements of gothic and most definitely indie, this is George being more playful, different, yet still being George!
Isn’t She Lonely is across streaming platforms today….
Melksham & Devizes Conservatives released a statement on the 7th April explaining an internal audit revealed one of their candidates was โnot qualified by residenceโฆ
Last month we were pleased to announce our involvement with the new Wiltshire Music Awards in conjunction with Wiltshire Events UK, details of which areโฆ
And there was me thinking nothing good comes out of a Monday! Today local bistro Soupchick, popular in the Devizesโ Shambles opened their second branch,โฆ
Stuffed my dinner, scanned the brief, headlonged out the door, forgot about the road diversion into the Market Place, made a u-turn, arrived at Wiltshireโฆ
It was a fantastically successful opening night for Devizes Musical Theatre at Dauntseyโs School for their latest show, Disneyโs Beauty and the Beast, and Iโฆ
We remain in awe of the deserved success of indie-pop band The Sunnies, which has continued to flourish since winning Take the Stage at the Neeld two years ago. But is their hometown ready for the next big teen sensation? If so, Iโm predicting it will be Between the Lines, because it should be Between the Linesโฆ..
Last weekend The Sunnies headlined a town councilโs 4Youth โNext Gen Gigโ at The Melksham Assembly Hall. Being just a smidgen over the age limit I missed this, but a video of the support act, Between The Lines, shared on social media caught my eye, or at least, my ear!
Formed five months after The Sunnies took the Neeldโs stage, in October 2023, Between The Lines are smooth indie-rock female-fronted four-piece, consisting of bassist Belle upfront, lead guitarist George, and Ethan and Louis, who both switch between drums and guitars, the latter being the rhythm guitarist.
They put out a demo single, Fading Time earlier this year, with an irresistible classic rock riff, some nonchalant and confident vocals, and an enchanting hook. Itโs raw, for sure, but a grower. Its ingredients blend wonderfully, painting a melancholic picture of adolescent romance; the tune is moreish, and blossoming to bursting point with potential.
โFading Time was the only song we recorded in that session,โ George explained, as I thought I should catch up with them, sooner rather than later, โbut there are exciting new ones due to be released very soon.โ I look forward to hearing them; progression feels imminent with this promising new band; you should keep an eye out for them.
With the band members currently studying music courses at either college or sixth form, I always like asking teenage groups what their music teachers thought of their band, poorly assuming it’ll break the ice! Even if referencing their education is highly unlikely to do that, I tend to stereotype teachers in retrospection of my own, wondering if they retain the doddery notion rock music is the โwork of the devil,โ and attempt to throw classical violin at them, or theyโve modernised, least enough to be hip to be square on a Huey Lewis level!
Louis answered this one, elucidating Georgeโs and his music teacher had, โsupported our band on multiple occasions, with gig opportunities and equipment in the past, and has always been enthusiastic about it. Fortunately, no classical violins!โ Ah, got you. Our music teachers used to be funky too, though only in the archaic definition of being unpleasantly smelly!
Ethan expanded on this, and moved onto their first few gigs. โMy drum teacher was always telling me to form a band and after talking with Isobel,โ He said, โshe was adamant to get something going. Through music GCSE, we started Between The Lines, playing songs with each other for assignments and eventually starting regular rehearsals. Weโre still new to the gigging scene, and have performed at the Kings Arms in Melksham and The Queenโs Head in Box.โ The latter being a fortunate venue to play so early, Ethan also went on to reveal theyโre on the bills for Box Revels in May and CorFest at Corshamโs rugby club on June 21st.
George explained how theyโd heard of The Sunnies before they had formed, upon me cheekily asking them if they thought they were the next big thing to come out of Melksham; youโve got to big yourself up in the Sham, theyโve got a golden arches, and Henry Moule inventor of the dry earth toilet, as claims to fame!
โWell, hopefully!โ he laughed, but remained modest. โIt really was great to play with people that youโve looked up to, in a way, and of course they bring such an energetic and fun performance which is something to be fond of. As for us, it’s exciting to see lots of new people enjoy what we do and it brings a lot of motivation for us to keep moving forward and expand as much as we can, it’s only up from here.โ
Based solely on this single, I strongly hope and suspect it will be, so we moved on to the demo, Fading Time. I suggested the opening riff reminded me of the intro to Sweet Home Alabama combined with a dollop of Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn, even if itโs showing my age, itโs an accolade. I wondered if this smooth feel-good indie-pop rock was the kind of quality they were going for.
โThe song itself came from a simple melody idea that I had for ages never necessarily taking any inspiration from others,โ George expressed, โand we bounced back and forth from each otherโs ideas until we recorded it in the short space of time we had.โ
Ethan expanded on the backstory of Fading Time, in answering that cliche question I fired at them about their working process. โSo far,โ he clarified, โour originals have stemmed from one idea. For example, โFading Timeโ came from a melody idea from George and our unreleased single developed from a project I created for a college assignment. We then developed the song together to add a little bit of each otherโs personality in our parts. We are fairly new to songwriting as weโre mainly a cover band but we all develop our own little ideas and send them to each other!โ
Their current repertoire includes covers of The Foo Fighters, Radiohead, and Chris Isaak, among others. โWe try to choose covers that are both crowd-pleasers and that reflect the same vibes as our originals,โ Belle expressed.
Between The Linesโ website cites Radiohead and Matt Maltese as influences, Belle expanded on this, โas the main lyricist of the band,โ she suggested she took inspiration from โvery poetic artists, like Boygenius, Fiona Apple and Bon Iver. Ethan focuses on instrumentation, inspired by Big Thief and Better Oblivion Community Centre. George is all about the hooks and guitar riffs, heโs influenced by Wallows. Louis works on a strong rhythm, taking from Foo Fighters and Seal.โ
Phew, at least the last two my dilapidating database has heard of! Youโve got to love Seal, I saw him live once, but he didnโt do Kiss From a Rose nor Crazy, just balanced a beach ball on his nose and clapped his flippers. That was the last time I went to a gig at the Sea Life Centre.
As a finale, I pondered whatโs in the band name, perhaps they met in a history class about WWII, you know, between enemy lines … .perhaps, ah, forget it, Iโll get my coat! When actually, Belle revealed rather than history, they did meet in GCSE music, โdoing a project for the Christmas concert!โ Not too far off the mark then, just the wrong lesson, which goes in line with my own schooling. I was often found in the wrong lesson, and if I was in the right one, I tended to be somewhere else mentally; kind of explains a lot.
โChoosing a name for the band was quite difficult,โ Belle said, signalling her vast music knowledge supersedes her age, โeveryone suggested different names every day. Ethan suggested the name In Between The Spaces, which reminded me of two things – Between The Bars by Elliot Smith and especially the album Between The Lines by Janis Ian. After numerous ideas for names we decided on Between the Lines!โ
Deliberating on a band name is important, it might fatefully fade into obscurity as the competition of a tough market to break takes its toll, or it could be that name in lights for decades to come. I wish Between The Lines all the very best with their ambitious beginnings, and very much hope the result is the latter.
I advise you to support new local talent and follow their socials, TikTok, and website here, as while Iโm no clairvoyant, I know what I like, and predict we will be hearing a lot more good stuff from Between The Lines in the near futureโฆ..
Renowned Devizes auctioneers and valuers, Henry Aldridge and Son announced today they are relocating their auction rooms to The Old Emporium, a Grade II listedโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Ann Ellison. What can possibly be better than watching a performance of โBlood Brothersโ by Willy Russell? Watching TWO performances ofโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Josie Mae Ross and Richard Fletcher John Hodge is well known for his screenwriting of โShallow Graveโ, โThe Beachโ, โA Lifeโฆ
One of Swindon’s premier grunge pop-punkers, The Belladonna Treatment released their debut single, Bits of Elation, with London-based SODEH Records earlier this month. I spokeโฆ
A second single from Swindon Diva Chloe Hepburn, Situationships was released this week. With a deep rolling bassline, finger-click rhythm and silky soulful vocals, thisโฆ
I’m delighted to announce Devizine will be actively assisting to organise a new county-wide music awards administration, in conjunction with Wiltshire Music Events UK. Theโฆ
Bussing into Devizes Saturday evening, a gaggle (I believe is the appropriate collective noun) of twenty-something girls from Bath already on-board, disembark at The Market Place. One cries out her desperation for the loo, but there’s no detours to another bar en-route for relief, they’re steadfast to their destination, The Three Crowns; a wise choiceโฆ.
I’m heading that way too, trying to pick up pace and overtake them, so as not to convey I’m some creepy codger following them from the bus! Some lads intervened with a wolf-whistle down the Brittox, I gathered at them and not me. I’ll quip with them to break the ice, in hope they see it’s coincidental that our destinations are the same. It worked, they seemed unconcerned, and giggly.
With a fresh lick of paint it really didn’t need in comparison with others, and a scrumptious selection of designer burgers, The Three Crowns is the go-to pub for gen z coming of age, millennials, and a number of elder diehard party heads who still think they’ve โgot it,โ because they have, bless โem!
But the greatest thing about these cross-generational gatherings at The Three Crowns is the carefree atmosphere without division. Everybody is here to enjoy themselves. They crave a live band to throw high-energy covers at them, era-spanning songs they know, love and can sing along with, and they’ll party trouble-free together. Younger attendees will high five the elders, and dad dancers mingle without mockery, I hoped!!
I’m at the back gate chatting to landlord Simon while tonight’s band is sound checking. It’s this Marlborough-Swindon based band’s debut at The Three Crowns, but I assure him what I suspected, that Static Moves will fit like a glove. Not wanting to blow my own trumpet, but I was bloody right anโ all!
Static Moves are a side-burns, flat caps and pork pie wearing, two-Clives five-piece covers band with keyboards, in self-promoting black t-shirts. Even if these other elements don’t convey Static Moves are bringing a touch of new wave eighties mod retrospection to the table, any band boasting two Clives is a win-win!
Being honest, there have been occasions when I’ve dropped into the Crowns to see a great cover band, yet my desire for originals redirects my zimmer frame over to the trusty Gate, and I’m faced with two half-reviews; not this time. Static Moves are irresistible, and enthral any audience.
The systematics of Static Movesโ repertoire appears to be anything which can be delivered loud and proud like it’s Coventry in 1980 or Madchester in 1990. If a particular song choice isn’t, they make it so it is. Taking no prisoners they were greyhounds out of the starting traps, rarely coming up for air, save a short break.
The frontman isn’t Luciano Pavarotti, needs not to be, but is commandeering, can hold a note, and a dynamic showman, with a habit of launching his tambourine either airborne or into the crowd.
The band compliment the lively mannerisms, though fairly recently formed, all members hold a wealth of experience, which shows. It looks like a tight ship, a new drummer slipping into the kind of camaraderie which reflects onto the audience; they’re having fun, you will too.
Static Moves compact a party into their pocket, and, for want of a less Potterhead analogy, like a Choranaptyxis it expands to fit the available space when they catapult it out upon an anticipated crowd. They told me they were working on some originals, we’ll hold the front page.
There were components to their set, it kicked off seventies, absolutely scorched Primal Scream’s Rocks, then launched tongue-in-cheek into early eighties pop hits like Nena’s 99 Red Balloons, Kim Wilde’s Kids in America and even found time to make one-hit-wonder Tiffany’s smash their own! As you might imagine, this was my personal summit, โcos I bought those singles, but I also observed all generations present acknowledging and lapping up those bubblegum classics.
It moved as swiftly as their tempo onto tracks I’d consider were their own favourites, the more less commercial punk anthems like The Buzzcocks, by which time they had the audience eating out of their hands and could’ve pulled any cheesy bygone slush puppy out of their bag and still rinsed it! As it was they took to The Beastie Boysโ Fight for your Right, which was only amusing until they followed it with a grand attempt at Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Despite the diversity, the template of loud and proud prevented pigeonholing, a party band with a big sack of crowd-pleasers and an unrivalled enthusiasm to deliver them. The finale alongside Billy Idol, were millennial showboats, Britpop anthems, you know the one from The Killers, and yeah, they did Wonderwall, but while I deem that clichรฉ, they did it well, and it always gives the youngsters an opportunity to show everyone they have torches on their phones!
Ahem, that’s irrelevant against the positivity of a diverse crowd throwing away their cares for a moment and enjoying themselves. That’s what’s infectious; you’re duty bound to follow suit with a band like Static Moves. I couldnโt physically leave until the deal was fully sealed.
The Three Crowns revel in this infection, and is the reason it bucks the trend of a decline in pub culture. Here is a Devizes lesson in how to do it, they deserve the praise but don’t really need it. Stalwart for a number of years now, most know the Three Crowns is a testament to a memorable night, including, it seems, girls bussing in from Bath.
Can You Find The Wiltshire Potholes From The Moon Craters?! Now, at Devizine Towers we are far too mature and sensible to mock Wiltshire Councilโsโฆ
Review by Pip Aldridge Last week, I had the privilege of seeing the Fulltone Orchestra perform at the beautiful Tewkesbury Abbey beneath the Peace Dovesโฆ
If many space-rock acts have more band member changes than most other musicians change their socks, Hawkwind are the exemplar of the tendency. There mightโฆ
The second single from Georgeโs sessions with Jolyon Dixon is out today, Isnโt She Lonely. With the vaudeville ambience of Queenโs later material and sprinklesโฆ
Once the demonic entity Spring-Heeled Jack entered folklore it became subject to many books and plays, diluting the once real threat of this Victorian bogeyman into a mockery of mass hysteria and hoaxes. If our local upcoming blues soloist JP Oldfield is resurrecting the legend as an opening to his forthcoming debut EP, Bouffon, the trackโs haunting ambience is broken by the usage of his kazoo, implementing the very vaudeville element of satire the albumโs title reflectsโฆ.
Bouffon, being a French theatrical term for a performance of mockery, much like a jester becomes subtly apt once youโve listened, but thereโs deeper prose at work. โI threw a lot of names around in my head for this project but nothing seemed to fit,โ Josh told me, โI wanted a name that summed up everything that these songs, my style, stood for. As such Bouffon, I think, is an unexpected title for my debut EP but I’ve never really seemed toย like following the mould with any of this musical stuff and despite at first I rejected the idea, it sat in the back of my mind and wouldn’t go away.โ
In a town where blues is taken extremely seriously my initial reaction to this EP was โthere he goes again, blowing that kazoo when traditionally there should be a harmonica!โ But it soon dawned on me, this, and his beaten up suitcase pedal-drum looking like a juke joint throwout, is all part of the unique and idiosyncratic approach JP Oldfield has forged, and its originality works wonders.ย ย
If thereโs one notable eccentric kazoo-blowing duo on the local circuit itโs Devilโs Doorbell, who Josh supported at Chippenhamโs Old Road Tavern. But whereas those crazy boaters with ukulele and washtub bass rely solely on the jaunty and jocular, thereโs a much deeper tenet to JP Oldfield, richly layered, psychologically.
โTo me a Bouffon clown holds a mirror up to the audience,โ Josh explained, โat times it can be hard to look at, deeply sad, and presents you with things you’d rather not face, but in the end it doesn’t pull its punches, and allows for anything to be possible, a blank space where youโre truly free to explore. I really resonate with the idea of this. I’ve always enjoyed the strange, quirky and unlovable. Elements of this have bled far enough into my music to feel a need to name my debut after it.โ
The second tune asks this directly, if the singer has the blues, as if the melancholic disposition of blues is an affliction the doctor can diagnose. But three tunes in and weโre blessed with such melancholy, Last Orders is a gorgeous ballad to vainly justifying alcoholism. Magpie which follows delves much deeper in its narrative.
โA lot of people associate me with lively suitcase drum playing, jazz chord kazoo mania,โ Josh expressed, โand I get it, but that’s not the only side to my music and I would be doing myself a disservice if that was all that I recorded. All my songs are dark but sometimes it needs to bubble up fully to the surface and see the light of day.โ
He examples the two as those which โreally fill out the point of the recordings.โ โLast Orders is a deep dive into my previous alcohol abuse and really aims to look behind the curtain on the inner workings of a lonely alcoholic. Magpie is a story told from the point of view of a child whose parents have just lost a baby and the confusion that comes from that as the parent’s attempt to hide and dress up the truth. It was actually written in half an hour, the afternoon before hitting the studio, when I put it down on tape it was only the fifth time I ever played it. I had the lyric sheet in front of me and sat real close to the microphone. We did it in one take, the studio went silent and we all seemed to be in agreement that despite it not being perfect, it was exactly the take we needed for that song.โ
I suggest, in its rawness, Magpie is the most emotionally driven track on the album, the song an audience will take away with them. Though achieving the balance is key here. When we first met for an interview, the topic rested mainly on his powerful basso vocal range, likening him to Cash or Leonard Cohen, and while Josh should pursue this angle in his recording, his live show wouldnโt be the same without the more kazoo blowing mockery of his macabre topics. For the finale Josh pulls in all resources. By title and topic, Satanโs Bar one could imagine weโre off in a similar style as Last Orders and Magpie, but no, mate, itโs jump blues and off he goes with that kazoo again! I suppose, solving the dilemma on how to go out, Satanโs Bar has both sides toJP Oldfieldcovered nicely.ย
If I tend to relate baritones to Jim Morrison, and his ability to induce his crowd hypnotically, (taking into account their probable intoxication!), one can suggest JP Oldfield has a similar commanding voice, and thatโs a high compliment, but deserved on the strength of this EP alone.
Oliver Stone projected this well in his 1991 biopic, though those who knew Morrison criticised his persona as deeper layered than that which was represented. They claimed while Morrison was the unbalanced and sometimes vexatious character portrayed, that Stone missed his more playful and humorous side. Josh undoubtedly has the capacity and skill to mesmerise a crowd, like Riders on the Storm, yet if those middle tracks on the EP proves this, the beginning and end ones suggest his favourite Doors track might be the more gamesome Alabama Song, showing Morrison to the way to the next whiskey bar.
Bouffon is released on 25th February 2025, it certainly wonโt disappoint his live fans. With this original balance of melancholic delta blues with a sense of vaudeville satire, thereโs deep personal reflection versus folklore and contemporary narrative, all encompassing and blended superbly.ย
When I first heard Josh perform, I figured this needed the kind of guided hand only the legend Nick Beere at Mooncalf Studios could master. Coincidentally I bumped into him the weekend after Josh sent the album, and Nick not only confirmed he had recorded it, but agreed the kazoo and all JP Olfieldโs gubbings were all part of the uniqueness of the act.
โNick’s not only very knowledgeable but also a great guy,โ Josh finished on. โWe’d met a couple of times before, at open mics, and he already had a fairly good idea of what I sounded like. I left the production side completely in his hands, he’s the master, I just make the sound. It was the first time Nick had ever recorded a kazoo and a suitcase so I was happy to be the first!โ
A new music festival is coming to Devizes this July. Organisers of the long-running Marlborough based festival MantonFest are shifting west across the downs andโฆ
All images: ยฉ๏ธ JS Terry Photography An awards ceremony to celebrate the outstanding musical talent within the city, aptly titled The 2024 Salisbury Music Awards,โฆ
Monsieur, with these Exchange Comedy night you are really spoiling us, for usually comedy in Devizes is just what we make ourselves; laughing at visitorsโฆ
A drone operated by Wiltshire Hunt Sabs was attacked by a second drone, twice, while surveying The Beaufort Hunt, after it recorded them illegally huntingโฆ
Without sounding like a stuck record, itโs the same unfortunate news for Devizes Street Festival as it was last year; Arts Council England has notโฆ
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Just over two years ago I was privileged to be in the audience when Jazz Sabbath played their only previous show in D-Town.ย And what a night that was. The musical skill on show simply blew me away.ย No surprise then that weโre mightily looking forward to their next gig here on 1st March….
Jazz Sabbath are a jazz trio headed by Adam Wakeman, son of Rick Wakeman on keyboards, Dylan Howe, son of Alan Howe on drums, and Jack Tustin (son of his parents Iโm sure), on upright bass. Theyโve just started on their 2025 UK tour, and many of the venues are either already sold out, or very close to doing so.ย And one of those dates is in our town, long in the calendar, thanks to the forward thinking of long-time fan Paul Chandlerโs Longcroft Productions.
Adamโs credentials are absolutely second to none. Apart from having a famous father, Adam has played with the elite of the music world. Recent credits include Tony Hadleyโs world tour, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Rick Wakeman, and at Ozzy Osbourneโs induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Heโs also booked to play with Ozzy and the mighty Sabbath themselves at the recently-announced farewell gig in Birmingham this Summer. Thatโs a pretty impressive CV in my book.
Their offering is to present jazz interpretations of Black Sabbath classics. It sounds utterly mad, but it isnโt. Adamโs jazz arrangements are an almost unrecognisable world away, and the bandโs shows also feature plenty of Adamโs own contemporary compositions. To my ear itโs very little Sabbath, and very much Jazz, but the only way to test that supposition is to get yourselves a ticket and head on down to The Corn Exchange!
The band will be playing material from their latest and third album โThe 1968 Tapesโ which, as usual, is promoted in the bandโs straight-faced spoof mock-documentary style. Itโs worth the ticket price alone just to see and hear the whole comedic wrap-around, never mind the excellent music. So take it from me โ youโll be in for a superb night of entertainment.
Get out and get those tickets โ this is going to be a real one-off!
We remain in awe of the deserved success of indie-pop band The Sunnies, which has continued to flourish since winning Take the Stage at the Neeld two years ago. But is their hometown ready for the next big teen sensation? If so, Iโm predicting it will be Between the Lines, because it should be Betweenโฆ
Bussing into Devizes Saturday evening, a gaggle (I believe is the appropriate collective noun) of twenty-something girls from Bath already on-board, disembark at The Market Place. One cries out her desperation for the loo, but there’s no detours to another bar en-route for relief, they’re steadfast to their destination, The Three Crowns; a wise choiceโฆ.โฆ
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 lastโฆ
Hold on tight, the new single from I See Orange, Mental Rot embodies everything I love about this Swindon grunge trio, and takes no prisonersโฆ..
If there are few bands on the local circuit to have turned my head and caused me to wallow in self-pity that I sorely missed out on the grunge zenith, I See Orange is the kingpin to this personal change of tide; proof youโre never too old!
With sublime professionalism abound, theyโre creating riotous rock anthems; my untrained ear evaluates what I deem to be the conventions of grunge, and this tune in particular, while sits into the subgenre only subtly, relishes more in orthodox, good old punk rock, with perhaps a slice of metal, to be savoured, and not overly-pigeonholed.
In the words of Chuck Berry, who, face it, knew what he was talking about when it comes to rock n roll, โyou can’t lose it, any old way you choose it.โ Iโm getting more Joan Jett than Nirvana with this one, a timeless sound you cannot ignore, to that of what the Smalltown Tigers are more recently putting down.
Upon hearing the title was to be Mental Rot I wrongly assumed this new one would drift in the layers of melancholy and emotionally rise and fall, in that grunge formula many their past tracks follow, but this rocks out from beginning to end and sustains an explosive feel good energy aging punkers like me simply cannot whinge about! If, as the lyrics suggest, itโs โgnawing up and getting to the claw,โ hey, I like it like that!
They’re one of six finalists to play The Finsbury in London tonight for a place in The Musos Awards Soccer-Six finals at the Electric Ballroom in March; we wish them the very best of luck. Play like this new single, and I reckon you’ve got it in the pocket I See Orange.
A sublime evening of electronic elegance was had at Bathโs humble Rondo Theatre last night, where Cephidโs album, Sparks in The Darkness, was played out exclusively to a packed house. It was, in a word, breathtakingโฆ.
The type of genius who built a laser-harp at seventeen years old, Cephid‘s composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Moray McDonald is bound by modesty, and appeared, prior to the show, understandingly nervous about the prospect of performing. He hadnโt contemplated ever reproducing this masterwork on stage, for the project began as a collection of demos he created โfor fun.โ โWith all my focus being on creating an album that would live up to the grand ideas in my head,โ he explained, โI didnโt stop to think about whether this music could be performed in a live environment.โ
Seems he shies from being centre of attention, his comfort zone on stage favouring the many occasions he hides as a keyboardist in prog rock bands. Moray, currently residing in Lavington, cut his teeth touring with progressive rock and metal artists such as That Joe Payne, Godsticks, Kim Seviour and Ghost Community, more recently he remixed for OMD.
Moray was adamant this was a totally exclusive show which wouldnโt be taken on the road, although it has the magnitude of doing so. The show was produced and promoted by his partner Charlotte, whoโs theatrical flamboyance encourages Moray to overcome his reservedness. Therefore a communal air bloomed in the audience, that this was a one-off treat, and we were the lucky few; because we were.
Being I was there to review, it probably didn’t help his anxiety any telling him I’d seen Kraftwerk at a Tribal Gathering of yore, where from every tent of every subgenre ravers descended to observe the roots of it all. โKraftwerk was the beginning of everything,โ he agreed.
While itโs an accurate summary of the origins of electronic pop music, Sparks in The Darkness delves beyond this for inspiration. Itโs orchestral on a Jean-Michel Jarre level; even if the show wasnโt to the same scale it was in spirit. It nodded to the trial phase of electronic music, prog-rockโs psychedelic swirls found in Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin et al, and continues to the ambient house pioneers like The KLF and Orb. It rests on the heyday of electronica, the quirky experiments of new wave post-punk like New Order, and early US electro outfits, like Newcleus. Yet it incorporates contemporary technological advances, the variety of modern subgenres stemming from it, and it evoked in me a fascination with the history of electronic sound.
To contemplate futurist Luigi Russoloโs 1913 The Art of Noises theories, that music would change due to the ear becoming accustomed to mechanical, industrial and urban noises, and the dadaists flouting this, is to consider the eighties clunkiness of the engine sampling of the aptly named Art of Noise, or Yello, or the piercing hubbub of acid houseโs 303s, for the sake of artistic expressionism rather than melodious music. Sparks in The Darkness doesnโt go there, it doesnโt tumultuously provoke, rather itโs polyphonically beautiful, sampleless, and tonally complimentary on the ear. In this, the decades of electronic music progression has become an epoch, therefore a โfolkโ music, effectively turning music full circle; Cephid is on that cusp, and proved it last night.
But not beforeThat Joe Payne, who later returned to the stage to provide vocals for Cephid, supported with an astounding original set. With just keyboard and voice he acoustically gifted us with a one-man rock opera, the like Iโd never seen before. Combining camp comedy with tragedy, reminiscent of Elton Johnโs heyday and expressed divinely with the vast vocal range of Freddie Mercury, this was delicious vaudeville. Though I cite these clear influences, they broke the mould when they made That Joe Payne, and that is the only shame about this highly entertaining character.
If That Joe Payne was something which bucked my norm in the nicest of methods, the whole evening was equally different for me, who these days is used to traditional rock, folk, or blues bands, and even with a history of dance music under my belt, this wasnโt a rave anymore than it was a gig in the tradition of, even if the effect was similar. This was a showcase of modernism, an electronica fantasy in fruition. If at any point I likened it to something visually, it was Howard Jones meets Orbital, and thatโs a high compliment.
The Rondo ignited with laser lights after the interval, colouring the subtle smoke machine output, and doused with a building ambient drone. Moray appeared onstage with electric percussionist Graham Brown, both dressed in white bodysuits with scarlet tie-belts. Layers developed and the album was played out sublimely, stretched to fit the show. The skill of the pair, to unite in sound and highlight exactly how these tunes were accomplished was insightful, and amazing. The only analogue instrument being a snare, the rest was digital technology caressed to evolve the most refined musical topography, an audio landscape masterpiece.
The grand finale was the usage of the triangular centrepiece, the laser harp Moray created at seventeen but had never used publicaly. Even if many in the crowd were connected in some way to Moray or the team, akin to a family party, everyone was held spellbound when the laser harp strings lit up, and Moray took position behind it.
If the perfect composition of this groundbreaking sound, with the laser show and theatrical performance wasnโt enough to convince anyone in the crowd to the monumental importance to the artist, and the rare and wonderful occasion this was, it was Morayโs expression of sheer joy, at the audienceโs standing ovation. It was confirmation that this project, so immensely well received, is surely the testament, plus an ego boost, to the diffidence of a creative genius!
You might have missed this show, but you can (and should) buy the album HERE.
Once the demonic entity Spring-Heeled Jack entered folklore it became subject to many books and plays, diluting the once real threat of this Victorian bogeymanโฆ
Devizes singer-songwriter Jamie Hawkins, famed for poignant narrative in his songs and one-third Lost Trade, has always had a passion for filmmaking; Teeth is theโฆ
There are only a few tickets left for this yearโs Devizes Festival of Winter Ales, an important fundraiser for DOCAโฆ.. This year DOCA has teamedโฆ
A sublime evening of electronic elegance was had at Bathโs humble Rondo Theatre last night, where Cephidโs album, Sparks in The Darkness, was played outโฆ
โThis song speaks to anyone who’s ever felt like they weren’t quite enough for someone, yet still held out hope for just a hint of validation,โ Sam Bishop explained to me about his latest release, Just a Little which is out today, 7th Februaryโฆ.
The immediate hook to this song is in the simplicity of the riff, it glides with a summer breeze echoing in feelgood ambience. Refreshingly vehement and not overworked, Just a Little caused me to think of Natasha Bedingfieldโs Unwritten, and further back to how Madonna secured her queen of pop title with the Latino hook in La Isla Bonita, or am I going too far back for you now?! Noah Kahan brought back fervency, this goes along similar lines, though Sam likened it to Coldplay and Bastille, stating, โI hope people can connect to it.โย
Itโs certainly miles beyond his beginnings in Devizes School boy band 98 Reasons and the duo Larkin with fellow member Finley Trusler, in commercial viability. It shows a maturity, but if weโve followed this natural progression I could argue his previous songs were growers, whereas this was an instant like, and swift appeal is whatโs needed in the fast-paced industry.
Sam scribed this beauty whilst travelling the States over summer and produced it once home. โThis song is for everyone whoโs ever felt like they were giving their all but still wondering if itโs enough,โ he expressed, โI wanted to create something that felt vulnerable, yet comforting, that also feels personal.โ Yeah, Sam, I think youโve captured that!
Just a Little is out across streaming platforms from 7th February. Check it out HERE; it’s already top ten on UK iTunes – deservedly.
Like a hedgehog poking his nose out of the bracken, just a few hours on the Sunday at Swinterfest was enough to cure me of my hibernation, which seems to lengthen with each year and causes me to worry the attraction of warm, cosy nights in might seclude me forevermore, and Iโll never see a chap strum a guitar again!
I was only at the Beehive for ten minutes before wishing Iโd got here sooner, three days sooner! Swindon Shuffle organisers decided to create a winter version for last weekend, and speaking with both Ed Dyer and Jamie Hill of Swindon Link and Ink, they were wary if it would be as successful as their annual summer extravaganza. Exhausted by Sunday but still positively beaming with enthusiasm, Iโm glad to report Ed signed the event off as a huge triumph.
Crowds turned out to the respective pub venues on each day; Thursday at the Hop, Friday at the Vic, Saturday at The Castle, and Sunday at the Beehive. A colossal selection of the South Westโs finest musical talent united to raise some wonga for the Prospect Hospice, as they do with The Swindon Shuffle and My Dadโs Bigger Than Your Dad festival.
The team assembled for the final showdown at the Beehive, which is a crazy-good watering hole aptly on Prospect Hill; I could resist no more. From Courting Ghosts and Canuteโs Plastic Army to Will Lawton, George Wilding to I See Orange I sadly missed many of my favourites, even our wonderful M3G and Devizes-own Nothing Rhymes With Orange; what can I say in my defence? Would central heating, cosy sofa or homemade stew cut the crust?!
Despite it being a whistle-stop, I was so glad to be reunited with Swindonโs premier Americana collective Concrete Prairie. At one point I was close to becoming their groupie, unfortunately our paths havenโt crossed for a while. Seconds into their set why Iโve claimed theyโre better than sliced bread came flooding back. They were, for want of a technical evaluation, absolutely and steadfastly, one-hundred and fifty percent on fire.
I donโt know if it was the fact the Beehive is one of their favourite venues to play, if time had eroded my expectations of them, or theyโve polished their already proficient skills, or maybe because they opted for their more high-energy originals, or possibly now those songs have become classics fans chant them back at them, but wow, just wow!
I was introduced to Clarie, their new fiddler, previously informed she fitted like a glove into this astounding band, and they weren’t fibbing. It is in their unification where sparks fly, if individually theyโd reach a level of greatness naturally, together theyโre solid and tight. Concrete Prairie is the whole deal for dark and foreboding themed country-blues-rock which takes you on a mood-changing journey; they could play disco and still rouse the hairs on the back of your neck, dammit! (they donโt though, for the record!)
Prior to their invigorating explosion I was delighted to find a new love. From Newport, Joe Kelly & The Royal Pharmacy were truly a blessing. Described as a chameleonic presence, in so much as he plays solo, or his masterful originals are fleshed out with the three-part vocal harmonies, guitar and keyboard combo of his backing band the Royal Pharmacy. Joe explained the versatility of his band contained missing elements today, of drums and bass, which when added could evoke the harder rock ambience of a five-piece, on occasions, but the harmonious delivery of folk-rock masterpieces was plentiful for me to decide this outfit is something I could perpetually return to.
Perfectly pitched between smooth and rustic, Joeโs authentic raspy call of expressionism is breathtakingly emotive, his canvas is projected outwards but his brush operates inwards. It conveys that timeless fidelity and sense of personal reflection and identification of Guthrie or Dylan, with the gusto of Geldof or Petty. It is, in a word, gorgeous; music for the soul.
Through his self made independent record label, Dirty Carrot Records, thereโs a selection of their recordings to check out, I recommend you do, and theyโre showcasing their local circuit with five other artists on the books. Joe Kelly & The Royal Pharmacy timelessly embrace every classic element of folk-rock, the emotional poignancy, sincere homespun fashion, the evoking sound, and project them outwards nothing short of sublimely, encapsulating an audience you really need to be in!
And that was only two of the thirty three acts booked to perform at the inaugural Swinterfest last weekend; imagine the length of my waffling if Iโd see anymore! Jamie at Swindon Link wore the Swinterfest T-shirt out and gave a more comprehensive evaluation, here. Me? Iโm more of a Catchphrase contestant than a music journalist, I just say what I see, and those bottles wonโt deliver themselves, so, I had to retire from the bustling Beehive, disappearing into the night; milk and honey not mixing well this time. Shame, because I missed Erin Bardwell and the Subject A gang, and SN Dubstation, despite knowing theyโre both up my street and knocking loudly on my door.
The most important part to all this was questioning the big chief organiser of the Shuffle and now Swinterfest, Ed Dyer, if heโd make this an annual thing, and there was absolutely no sign of doubt in his tone that he would. Interestingly he suggested incorporating other arts into the mix, suggesting comedy, poetry and drama. The idea was to separate it from the music dominated Shuffle, so it lives in its own domain and isnโt viewed more simply as a winter version of the Shuffle. But as Jamie expressed, what they know best is music, so they went with that to begin with, and they certainly do!
I caught up with an excited Jonathan Hunter, leader of Devizes Town Councilโs independent party The Guardians, and local loyal youth worker Steve Dewar toโฆ
Experience the Bradford on Avon Green Man Festival, a vibrant, family-friendly community gathering featuring traditional dance, music, song, and folklore throughout the town centre onโฆ
If Iโm considering reviewing worldwide music again, why stop with this planet?! Though Iโve reasoned two tenacious links to mention this madcap Scottish interstellar outfit;โฆ
The team behind popular all-day music extravaganza, My Dadโs Bigger Than Your Dad Festival, can now reveal that nearly ยฃ11,500 was raised for Prospect Hospiceโฆ
By Ian DiddamsImages by Jeni Meade No aficionado of 1960s and 1970s horror films would have missed seeing โRosemaryโs Babyโ, a story of Satanic pregnancy,โฆ
In November last year I was mightily impressed with Bristol soul-reggae producer Kaya Street, and reviewed their EP The Soul Sessions, read it here forโฆ
Four years of hard work in the making, and it sure shows, Man Made of Glass, the third album from John and Jolyon, aka Illingworth, is released across streaming platforms this week. If youโve seen this Salisbury duo performing on the circuit, the unyielding passion they inject into the obligatory classic rock covers set isnโt half of what they put into their own compositionsโฆ..
Pardon me if you came here for a respite from the onslaught of inflammatory international headlines and toread a nice music review, Man Made of Glass contains much prose on the tyranny of contemporary politics. As the idiom is defined, this narcissistic disorder of egotistical figureheads is fragile and therefore likely to shatter manifests abstractly, particularly in the title track and single Gaslight, but hey, I think itโs safe to say we know the people it is directed towards.
Itโs a floating opening, building in layers, this title track, richly written even if poignantly critical of power corrupting. As ever with Illingworth thereโs this breezy air of feelgood rock too, of Foreigner or The Cars, which enriches the sound naturally. Soulless might be the subject, but soulful is the expression; itโs a contrast.
Superior single Gaslight does similar theme-wise, but as powerful as an indie rock anthem, and rolling on a tougher riff than the title track, throughout, it takes the manipulation of its titleโs term to the worldly encouragement of avoidance; this โdonโt be convinced by propagandaโ concept.
Bittersweet is the general ambience Illingworth delivers with here, and thatโs no new thing in rock, but they do so with such passion and expertise it polishes the delivery and leaves you feeling alive and stimulated, with nothing bad you could possibly say about their songs. They are rich with honesty over vanity, reflecting on the theme. Gaslight may be the kingpin to the album, the running motif becoming less prominent in the other tracks. Every tune is a beauty though, embracing all stimulating elements of being uplifting, inspiring and catchy, just subtly with differing moods and tempos.
We Donโt Have to Try is a country-rock ballad on an eternal love subject, whereas, Heart To Rule Your Head, is an inspiring โyou can get it if you really wantโ upbeat track.
Another Passion is upbeat too, of if, buts and maybes, whereas New Year is arousingly paced, reflecting on the unification and love perpetrated by the annual occasion. Love conquering over evil becomes the inclusive factor as the album drifts archetypically. This conquering notion to avoid the brainwashing of those seeking power lessens somewhat in favour of identifying affections, yet never fully expires. The finale is not to let it worry you, as the matter will shatter like glass.
While great, if previous Illingworth albums can feel fragmented, like randomly placed collections of their memorable songs you rarely hear enough of when theyโre gigging, Man Made of Glass is more rounded, it has an overall concept. Like a classic rock album, the tracksโ narratives combine and flow wonderfully. Itโs not a โconcept album,โ per say, but in the same classic fashion, and thatโs a welcomed rare find these days of media overload and the average attention span of a goldfish!
Man Made of Glass is more suited to a vinyl, CD or cassette format, of a time when album composition contained an all-inclusive message, and you sat in the dark listening to it. Just like those albums of yore it feels like something to cherish, a testament to a bleeding heart of sentiment you identify with and get emotionally involved with, rather than simply hearing it while you wash the dishes. But hey, streaming is the mainstay these days, and thatโs where youโll find this treasure buried.
Another Stunning Week-End For Live Music Andy Fawthrop Normally Iโd be raving about just how good the live music was at The Southgate on Sundayย afternoon.โฆ
Developed in Devizes, blossoming in Bristol, as well as a snazzy new website, indie-punk phenomenon Nothing Rhymes with Orange released their next single, and itโsโฆ
Seems odd the perfect combination between Devizesโ only theatre, The Wharf, and one of the longest-running performance group, White Horse Opera hasnโt linked before, butโฆ
Featured Image Credit: Stewart Baxter Riot predictor Nick Hodgson formerly of the Kaiser Chiefs has a new band, the charmingly named Everyone Says Hi, andโฆ
Riot predictor Nick Hodgson formerly of the Kaiser Chiefs has a new band, the charmingly named Everyone Says Hi, and theyโre playing an instore at Marlboroughโs Sound Knowledge, on Sunday 2nd Februaryโฆ.
Everyone Says Hi will play a number of live dates across the UK to celebrate the release of their upcoming self-titled debut album, set for release on 31st January 2025 via Chrysalis Records. The latest single from the record, Lucky Stars, is out now.ย
The band will embark on a run of UK in-store dates, in cities like London, Lancaster, Hull, Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds and Liverpool. The fact Marlborough appears on this and many other major industry playerโs giglists is a testament to the reputation and hard work of Sound Knowledge.
Prior to this, they will perform two newly announced headline shows in support of Independent Venue Week. Frontman Nick Hodgson said of the importance of indie venues, โweโve just finished a tour of small independent venues in the UK and it really brought into focus for me how precious they are. There are people all over the country working so hard to bring live music to their area and when people turn up and love the gig it really feels like the beginning of something.โ
โItโs a cliche to say that without the small venues there would be no arena bands and festival headliners but itโs definitely my experience with Kaiser Chiefs and Iโm sure for the other guys in the band that independent venues arenโt just a cute little step along the path, they are the path.โ
Nick has long been a songwriter in high demand. Since leaving his teenage band back in 2012, he has co-written for the likes of Dua Lipa, You Me At Six, Duran Duran, George Ezra, and Holly Humberstone, and collaborated on tracks alongside Mark Ronson, Kygo, and Shirley Bassey. Having racked up over 5 million cumulative album sales globally, Nick now focuses on a new challenge. You wouldnโt bet against him.
Itโs a floaty album of universal indie; instant like from me! Everyone Says Hi sees Nick adopt the role of lead singer-guitarist, and brings together musicians Pete Denton on bass, Glenn Moule on drums, keyboard player Ben Gordon (ex-members of The Kooks, The Howling Bells, and Liverpoolโs The Dead 60s respectively), alongside Leeds based guitarist Tom Dawson. The bandโs name is lifted from a David Bowie song of the same title. What you hear across its ten tracks is high-calibre, beautifully sculpted songcraft performed by high-calibre, experienced players. Not so much showing โpromiseโ here, but instantly delivering bonafide โbig songsโ that belie the bandโs status as relative newcomers. The record was produced by Nick at Londonโs Snap Studios and at his home studio. Pre-order the albumย here.
Everyone Says Hi is the fruit of a multi-platinum musician deciding to draw a line and start afresh. Back to the same bedroom floor where the first tentative notes were played, holding the same guitar that was played way back when, back to forming a band with trusted friends, and back to booking the sticky basement stages where teeth were first cut. But whilst you can metaphorically wipe the slate clean on most things, you cannot unlearn what you already know. If emotionally driven, arena-ready songs come almost second-nature, youโd be foolish to ignore the gift youโve been given.
Sound Knowledge said, โwe’re delighted to say that Everyone Says Hi will be joining us for one of our first in-stores of 2025. They’ll be playing a stripped back set in the shop itself from 3pm on Sunday 2nd February. Stick a note in with your pre-order to guarantee your place.โWhich you can do HERE.
Bob Marley sang โjamminโ โtil the jam is through,โ Jimmy Cricketโs catchphrase was โcomeโere, thereโs more,โ but it looks like The Southgate in Devizes isโฆ
The second feature film for director Keith Wilhelm Kopp and writer Laurence Guy, First Christmas enters development, to be produced by Shropshire-based production company, Askโฆ
Image credit: Forestry England/Crown copyright. Forestry England Nightingale Wood invites dog owners to celebrate Walk Your Dog Month this January….. Walk Your Dog Month isโฆ
Bob Marley sang โjamminโ โtil the jam is through,โ Jimmy Cricketโs catchphrase was โcomeโere, thereโs more,โ but it looks like The Southgate in Devizes is combining the two. Jamsters is landlord Daveโs new initiative to provide a Friday night platform for loose groupings and associations created at their regular jam sessions each Wednesdayโฆ.
The inaugural occurrence of this happened in November, with JP Oldfield, Gordon Thompson and Sammi Evans, this Friday, 10th Jan, sees the turns of Ben Borril, Chrissy โSteenโ Chapman of Burn the Midnight Oil, Adam Spanswick and George (not the pub dog!) and they kick off at 8pm. We understand this is to become a monthly occasion,and are happy to hear of it!
Wednesdays jam sessions have been in operation for some years now at the Gate, and have become something of a regular convention for local musicians to gather and network. Perhaps more so even than open mic nights, these jam sessions not only provide entertainment, practice, and the chance of making friends and connections, but are also an opportunity for our local musicians to experiment and see who works well together. During its time weโve seen collaborations and bands formatted from it, such as Pat Ward and Ben Borrillโs Matchbox Mutiny and Tom Harrisโ No Alarms And No Devizes.
Now, with a monthly instalment of this Friday night extension of the jam sessions, we hope to see more groupings form and flourish from it. Through all the current hardships of the hospitality industry, The Southgate continue to buck the trend through their dedication to making the pub a friendly, affordable, and welcoming place and, supporting, not the recognisable big names rather upcoming local musicians; the like whoโll mingle with the punters and be glad you came. Thatโs itโs community feel and thatโs itโs grand appealโฆ I hope to see you down there soon, mineโs a pint of Rosieโs Pig, cheers!!
Salisbury acoustic singer-songwriter Rosie Jay released her debut EP today, taking its title from her first single from June this year, I Donโt Give aโฆ
I’m loving this new tune! Swindon’s upcoming reggae singer/DJ Silver-Star has teamed up with the legendary General Levy for a drum n bass golden nuggetโฆ
Once upon a time it seemed to me, that folk would grin and bear the winter weather for the sake of a Christmas lights switching on type of event, then batten down the hatches and hibernate like hedgehogs until spring. Nowadays you need not wait till summer for music festivals; winterfests are a thingโฆ..
For those who cannot wait for the blossoming, and need a big fix of music and arts right now, here’s some local winter festivals to unravel their scarves and remove their bobble hats:
Bradford Roots Festival
Firstly, a well established winter occasion, Bradford Roots Festival at the wonderful Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon. This is happening as a Saturday only event this year, on the 18th January. Our Andy reported on this one some years ago, and I snatched coverage of it off him, realising the โRootsโ in its title refers more to hosting local acts of a variety of genres, not just a folk festival as it might be wrongly conceived as. It has become something of an unmissable winter local music convention, especially feeling like this being housed under the one roof of this purpose-built venue.
Wiltshire Music Centre are leaking names for the lineup individually on their Facebook page, the incredible Becky Lawrence being the first reveal. You can rest assured, though, based on past experience, this will be a whoโs-who of local acts, over five stages. WIth an open mic stage, late-night transatlantic folk sessions, a family-friendly daytime with Wassail and childrenโs arts and crafts, food & drink, a mini makerโs market, and more, this is a delightfully warming occasion. You can choose from an All Day ticket (11am โ 10.00pm) or an Evening Session ticket (7pm โ 10.00pm) ยฃ25 / ยฃ13.50 All Day, ยฃ12 / ยฃ7 Evening. U12 free with an adult.ย
Devizes International Blues Festival
Same date, different town, if Devizes has a penchant for the blues, luckily supports the Long Street Blues Club which hosts international blues artists, and the current Mayor Ian Hopkins is the organiser of the club, you can trust when it comes to the compulsory organisation ofย Mayorโs Appeal events itโs going to be a blast.ย ย ย ย
Saturday 18th January sees the first Devizes Blues Festival inside the Corn Exchange. It promises โto create an intimate blues club in the Ceres Hall around tables and seating is just limited to 250 guests.โ One of the greatest contemporary blues guitarists hailing from the south side of Chicago, Toronto Cannon, Nora Jean Wallace, a Chicago blues singer with deep Delta roots, John Primer, one of the kings of Chicago blues and original guitarist in Muddy Watersโ band, singer Oscar Wilson and harmonica genius Giles Robson, you can guarantee have been cherry-picked by the expertise of Long Street. Tickets on sale now. ยฃ50.00 in advance.
DOCA Festival of Winter Ales
If the Blues Festival is new to Devizes, of course the town has had a winter festival for a number of years, and surprise, surprise, itโs all about booze! The DOCA fundraising WInter of Festive Ales is on Saturday 15th February, early bird tickets are up for grabs and itโs vital to the future of DOCA to support this, if you can. There will be a massive selection of beers and ciders to try with some quality music and cabaret to entertain you, we just donโt know what they are yet!
Figgle Winter Festival
While I confess, thereโs still a lot of updating to our event calendar to be done to bring 2025 to full fruition, and no doubt details of more winter festivals will come to light. Events like Figgle Winter Fest on the 1st Feb at Figheldean Village Hall, with a great and varied lineup of All Floyd, Strange Folk, Break Cover, The P45s, Lump, The Zucchinis, and one of our favourite upcoming stars, Rosie Jay.
Swinterfest
But itโs over to Swindon where we really need to concentrate, for the Swindon Shuffle is saving one big Christmas cracker for the end of January! The Shuffle offers us a scaled down in quantity but not quality version of their annual fundraiser for Prospect Hospice, on the weekend starting Thursday 30th January. Swinterfest is now a thing, and it looks set to warm live music in Swindon. The Shuffle really is a blessing late summer, when you can wander Old Town and beyond and discover so much live music itโs impossible to take it all inโฆ and itโs free too, save for collection buckets for the hospice. It is therefore a safe bet Swinterfest will be off the scale awesome too!
Swinterfest is scaled down to one pub per day, saves wandering the nippy night air. Thursday at the Tuppenny with Courting Ghosts, Canutes Plastic Army, Will Lawton and George Wilding starts it off in style; we love all this with cherries on. Friday, the 31st Jan and itโs all down The Vic for a punkier gig with All Ears Avow, Modern Evils, Not Warriors, Adder and our personal pick of this bunch, I See Orange.
Saturday night at Swinterfest is down the Castle, with our picks Meg and Nothing Rhymes WIth Orange, and also new ones on us, Stay Lunar, Wild Isles, Oojah, The Vivas and more are promised too. Sunday is the Beehiveโs turn to play host, with our recommendations being Subject A, SN Dubstation, Concrete Prairie, and Fly Yeti Fly, and newcomers to us, Joe Kelly, Carnival Saloon and Sebastian and Me. Swinterfest may be a new venture, but, well, look at the fantastic lineup, the choicest one of all; it beats a brown snowball in the chops, in my humble opinion!ย
As I said, Iโm sure more winter festivals will come to our attention as time moves on, so keep an eye on our event calendar, but for now I think thatโs plenty to warm your cockles, and massively reduce those post Christmas winter blues.
Somewhere just outside Westbury a sizable barn hosted the most memorable new year’s eve raves in the mid-nineties, but Iโd never have imagined then, thatโฆ
A Scooby snack-sized pinch punch, first day of the month came from Minety Music Festival this morning upon announcing their headliner for 2025, The Funโฆ
by Ian DiddamsImages by Josie Mae-Ross and Infrogmation Tennessee Williamsโ quasi autobiographical drama โA Streetcar Named Desireโ was first performed in 1947 as the worldโฆ
Purveyors of perfect motion, house music promoters Palooza return to The Exchange in Devizes on Friday 20th December, for its grand finale of the yearโฆ..โฆ
Okay, so, Iโm aย little behind, recently opting to perfect my couch potato posture and consider hibernation, meaning Iโve not yet mentioned Kirsty Clinchโs newโฆ
So yeah, not only has Cracked Machine and Clock Radio drummer Gary Martin added a letter A to his name to make it sound more extraterrestrial, heโs also fired a sonic blast back to planet Earth in the form of a whopper of a solo rock album! In Retrospect does what it says on the tin, taking inspiration from his most treasured rock bands of yore, and does it loud and proudlyโฆ..
Starter for ten, now Gary Martian, proves heโs a supernova of a multi-instrumentalist, taking the helm of every aspect from guitar to drum and the recording, mastering and distribution of this heavily-laced monster. If Cracked Machine are known for returning us to those heady days of space-rock, the intro to the opening track Lifeboats feels this is going the same direction, but in seconds weโre awash with slamming guitar and drum combos letting rip of a riff more akin to grunge. Whoa, it didnโt even wait for me to attach keychains to my flared cargo trozzers.
Yet while thereโs rising and falling influences from nineties grunge like Nirvana and Therapy? I also taste nods not only to pioneers of the Seattle sound like Alice in Chains, but a broader spectrum of alt-rock too, and even rooted at the few tender moments, with electric blues and the soundscapes of Floyd, such as the closing of a few tracks, one called Bang in particular. Thing is, this value for your dollar, twelve dynamite tracks perpetually exploding at an average full four minutes each, and an epilogue song, Red Handed running into the twenty-minute margin, sublimely. Time enough then to input a carrossel of nods to every influence which has inspired Gary over time.
And there are Syd Barrett moments of whimsical psychedelia, something about Your Coffee Table, thereโs metal grinding like Pearl Jam, breezy moments of The Smashing Pumpkins, such as Summer in the Autumn, and brief commercially viable moments like Jane’s Addiction. โItโs a big-olโ rock album,โ Gary told me, โinspired by the bands I love.โ
Iโm not in my comfort zone connoting such heavy rock and nailing its influences, I confess. I just say what I like, and like recent outfits coming out of Swindon, I See Orange and Liddington Hill, this is the kind of thing which causes me to regret my ignorance to harder rock subgenres, particularly during the ravey nineties. I guess it was all that slushy โsoft metalโ previously, for it was an impermanent trend which put me off track; still time for me to catch up, isnโt there?!
This album erodes the Muppetโs Animal stereotype of drummers just being drummers and bit bonkers, as Gary excels in mastering not only all the instruments required to stage an entire rock band, but also in the composition of them. In Retrospect was released across all streaming platforms and is downloadable from Bandcamp, at the beginning of the month, apologies for the delay, but this will rock your cosy Christmas foozies off!
With Black Friday just a few weeks away, Wiltshire based Blackmore Computers Ltd, is encouraging people to think pre-loved if theyโre planning on buying laptopsโฆ
If rural West Country had a penchant for trance in the happy daze of the mid-nineties, heady nights of fluorescent-clad crusties with eyes like flyingโฆ
Congratulations to Rosalind Ambler and Paul Snook from Devizes Writers Group… At the National Community Radio Awards held in Cardiff on 16th November Together!, theโฆ
Two of the county’s top retrospective cover bands meet for a double-bill of action in Market Lavington This Saturday. Calneโs indie rock five-piece Six Oโclockโฆ
Again we find ourselves congratulating and thanking young Chloe Boyle for fantastic fundraising efforts for Devizes homeless charity OpenDoorsโฆ. With friends and family she spentโฆ
Images: Chris Watkins Media It was lovely to spend Sunday afternoon at Devizesโ Wharf Theatre, to see how this yearโs pantomime Hansel & Gretel, isโฆ
Sheffieldโs DIY punk queer emo five-piece, Slash Fiction will be at the Pump in Trowbridge on Wednesday 20th November as part of their nationwide tour.โฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Playing Up Theatre Company When is a mousetrap not a mousetrap? When itโs written by Tom StoppardโฆIf you have seen โTheโฆ
Far from burning the midnight oil, itโs a weekday afternoon and Iโm with a cuppa, at a rehearsal for a blossoming Devizes-based trio, Burn the Midnight Oil. If youโve ever thought nothing great comes from open mics, this might be the thing to change your mindโฆ.
Itโs early days, forming in September, theyโve created a corporate identity, recorded a three-track demo theyโre planning to launch, are busy writing more songs, and sound as if theyโve been on the local circuit forever. I wanted to catch up with Burn the Midnight Oil to find out how theyโve come so far so quickly, dig a little deeper into their backgrounds and generally poke my nose into their business.
First clue, theyโve varying areas and degrees of experience in music, but have found common ground through their medical issues. Front girl Chrissy, aka Steen, spoke of her PMDD, GAD and ADHD, and coming to faith during Covid at Devizesโ St James. โThere was a day I was like, really, really sobbing my heart out, and praying,โ she expressed, claiming she heard the โbiggest, boomiest voice ever say โsing,โ and two weeks later I was having videocall with a huge hip hop artist who was part of Foreign Beggars, which were massive during the 90s and early noughties.โ Landing a deal working for a record label Chrissy liaised with drum and bass producers, who asked her to โjump in on the tracks,โ and she supplied vocals on tunes from artists like Beskar.
โIt feels a bit serendipitous,โ she said, โbecause I had no experience working as a social media manager, I had no business connecting with somebody who’s quite prestigious and I had no right to just jump on some tracks and with my first EP release going straight onto one of the biggest drum & bass labels in the UK.โ To which she compared the unforeseen development to meeting the band members, Andy โBig Birdโ Jacobs and bassist Chris Lane.
Chrissy explained Chris has Marfan syndrome, โI’ve known Chris for a while, but he’s very introverted,โ she elucidated, progressing onto finding a mutual neurodivergent connection and being a support system for each other. Chrissy formed a duo with a bassist called One Trick Pony, performed at a few open mics and organised charity fundraisers at the Southgate over the past two Christmases. When the bassist was unavailable due to other band commitments Chris stepped in, and they spawned the idea to reform the duo under a new name. Though not present at the beginning of our chat, Chris did turn up toward the end, either shy or forgetful as to just how many bands he’s currently engaged in!
Present and vocal throughout, lead guitarist Andy, told of a car accident which affected his nerves, and most of the dexterity in his fingers. Prior to this, Andy spoke of being a โvery successful professional guitarist in London,โ a session and theatrical guitar player, citing Shirley Bassey as an artist he had worked with.
โI could still play a bit,โ he explained, โbut my career was over, which was a bit of a downer.โ Playing his part in an amateur blues band, Andy went into social care management, โbut Covid triggered an illness in me called Barry Syndrome,โ he told me, โWhich completely paralysed me from my neck down overnight. I was in hospital for six months. My wife was told I probably wouldnโt last the night. On the two occasions I didn’t see her for six months because there was no access, I was told I’d never walk again.โ
Andy put his recovery down to the bicycle in the gym, and though he didnโt imagine he would play guitar again, he expressed, โit was all a bit tragic and horrible, but slowly I got a little bit back and I started picking the guitar up again. After about six months, I came out of hospital. I just started playing again, just acoustic, and I that’s when I went up to The Crown [open mic at The Crown, Bishops Cannings] and I played a couple of pieces there.โ Within those pieces, he asked Chrissy to sing them.
They trialled a drummer, โbut he wasn’t the right fit and he knew he wasn’t,โ Chrissy said. โSo he very graciously said I’m going to walk away from this because I’m not the right drummer for you, which is a really nice thing to say. But I think we’re percussive enough with how we play.โ Considering their medical tribulations they joked about getting the legendary one-armed drummer from Def Leppard. โYou know, like one arm, one leg, not as long as they’re opposite sides of one another, one each side, that would be silly!โ
Now, if music is therapeutic, I wanted to gage if that was their reasoning for the band, but burning the midnight oil isnโt best medically advised over a strong cup of coco and an early night! Chrissy explained the band name derived from her staying awake all night drafting the songwriting, rather than the notion they were rock, rolling, and burning the candle at both ends.
Chrissy passionately talked of being a survivor of domestic abuse. โIf you’re a woman with ADHD, you’re more likely to attract people with narcissistic tendencies,โ she explained, justifying her โhorrible cycleโ sheโs trying to break, โof quite abusive relationships,โ and how this is reflected in her songwriting. โThere’s a lot of resilience and hope that comes from the songs. I’m on a journey of healing. I think we’re all on a journey of healing, and Iโve always used the music as a form of therapy. If I can get my experiences onto paper, it’s like I’m not affected by it.โ
Andy agreed, spoke of his consistent neurological pain, โbut when I’m playing it just goes. I don’t think about it. I’m just so intense in the music. I mean, it’s just my passion.โ He began reminiscing of his instant attraction to guitar when, on his first day at secondary school, the music teacher putting a guitar in his hand, and that was his calling. โI wanted to be a professional guitar player, and nothing would stop me.โ
If this is all beginning to feel like Iโm in a support group here, the proof is the pudding, and the three tracks theyโve put down so far suggests otherwise. With harmonica and wavering strings opening, Lock Up has a rootsy blues feel, Chrissyโs vocals poignantlyย express the theme of the arrival of mysterious and dubious fellow, expertly, and the whole vibe is nonchalant and smooth.
Scapegoat ushers in a more upbeat bluegrass air, with a deadpan subject, and Werewolf posing similar tenet, yet tips back into blues, and probably contains the most beguiling hook. Throughout though, thereโs an intelligent balance between Americana and UK folk-rock, bags of potential, and the stylised promise of a blossoming band heading for something far greater.
In trying to think of a suitable female-fronted comparison, I changed to consider The Doors in the end, for the composition of three individuals with varying influences combining to create a timeless sound is how Iโd pitch them both. On songwriting Chrissy connoted a song she was working on called Devil You Know,โbecause statistically you’re more likely, as a woman, to be raped by somebody you know,โ she said. โIt’s not about being dragged into the bushes, and that’s been my experience I’m really trying to connect with, those darker sides of life experiences, because life’s hard, it’s not any an easy ride for anyone.โ Using a metaphor comparing a paper cut to a broken leg, Chrissy conveyed an expression she said she was fond of, that โpain is pain. I really want to connect with people of over-shared experiences like this, in the hopes that music could be healing.โ
It’s the most common conviction of dedicated singer-songwriters to want your audience to identify with your outpourings, otherwise your voice is just an instrument, and you are just a pop singer. Though within the masses of potential for Burn the Midnight Oil I hear scope for commercial viability, itโs through their personal reflections and devotion to support one another which I feel will strengthen their ability to convey the image they desire. After a successful first gig last weekend at The Kings Arms in Amesbury, arranged by Wiltshire Music Events, Burn the Midnight Oil are looking forward to a fundraiser at the Devizes Southgate on Sunday 22nd December. See the poster below, thereโs raffle prizes et al.
Chrissy has a solo set at the Lamb in Urchfont this afternoon (15th Dec) supporting Vince Bell, the most modest of Devizes acoustic legends, who Chrissy cited as assisting her in developing her songwriting talent. Promising things are afoot here, and youโll be chuffed with yourself to witness it blossoming, I believe.
โSeeing us as a brand and my understanding of working in the industry,โ Chrissy figured, โis like, actually the music isn’t the product, we’re the product and I really want to share that journey, make it personal for everybody.โ
With folk songs drafted about the origins of tiramisu, odes to Morticia and Gomez Addams, Steen justified her thought processes and random muses, the latter being an โepitome of a really healthy, loving relationship,โ in a tenacious yet optimistic manner to direct her developing subjects didnโt all focus on โthe bad things that happened to me.โ Though I find itโs the ability to use such as metaphoric examples and include them into a combination which will really make the hairs on the back of our necks stand up, and theyโve the greatest potential to do this.
ย I’m hoping one day I can write a happy song,โ she mused, โbut the style is, well, you know, you donโt choose the songs, the songs choose you.โ And so ensued a conversation about the differences between the melancholy of Dylan and wild romantic images Springsteen tended to paint, for thereโs always exceptions to the rule, they both broke their own style at times, but pictures, I think youโve got this one now; Burn the Midnight Oil is a name we will be hearing a lot of over next year.
Wiltshire Music Centre is delighted to announce the new appointments ofย Danielย Clark as Artistic Director, andย Sarahย Robertson as Executive Director.ย Danielย andย Sarahย join Wiltshire Music Centre in a new co-leadershipโฆ
By Mick Brianphotos by Chris Watkins Media Disney aficionados will need no introduction to โThe Little Mermaid,โ Disneyโs 1989 film about mermaids falling in loveโฆ
Remember, remember, weโre moving into November; leaves, loads of โem! Being as we are no longer doing weekly roundups, hereโs some highlights of events inโฆ
The simple answer is yes, very concerned. Following the publication of an article in Melksham Newsโs last issue questioning the councilโs public notice policy, Wiltshireโฆ
Salisbury acoustic singer-songwriter Rosie Jay released her debut EP today, taking its title from her first single from June this year, I Donโt Give a Damn. Thing being, I do, I give much more than a damn about Rosieโs musical outpourings, because this doesn’t sound like a debut EP from a nervous teenager warbling immature ruminations. This sounds like an accomplished artist who’s been with an agent, producer and mainstream record label for eons, and established a name for themselves by acquiring the skill to balance a hook and identifiable narrative, and compose them into a beautifully stylised soundโฆ.
Rosieโs been working with producer Joylon Dixon on these four tunes, and it shows. Likely a perfect match, for this is faultlessly fresh, like Kirsty MacColl in her prime; a comparison Iโve used before for Rosie, and though a high accolade, itโs fully deserved. For there is nothing to dislike here, the mood is breezy, the prose is thoughtful, both reaching out to her generation, while maintaining the classic template for acoustic folk rock for all to appreciate.
Beginning with her heartfelt breakup song, I Donโt Give a Damn, the opening has this easy to sing along to chorus, but defines the potent melancholic and ironic thought pattern of the victim of a relationship breakdown in its verses. Akin to Sinead O’Connorโs Nothing Compares 2U, and just as expressly delivered.
For Rosieโs voice is magnetism, flowing gracefully and earnestly, but the whole composition suits this, perhaps with no better example than the second tune, also the second single released, Sing Another Love Song. As it sounds this is a flowing, more positive angle yet while thereโs still a clever hook, in so much as McCartneyโs ironic Silly Love Songs conveys the opposite effect.
If I preferred this song from the debut at the time, the next two, so far unreleased tracks, proves Rosie though beginning with a firm base, her songs will improve each time. Mind Fuckery is her magnum opus, but only to date. Isolation and affliction brought about by addiction is spelt out in the imperfections Rosie compares within herself and her generation. Again, weโre sneaking through an open door into Rosieโs mindscape, and it’s a poignant landscape of intense pensive and evocative prose.
The measure of a good singer-songwriter is when a listener feels like they bring a little subconscious of the artist back with them, the notion they identified and made a friend through their performance, as if they knew this person all along. I had been reviewing Rosieโs singles for a few months before finally meeting her. When I did, it was exactly like this, it felt as if I had known her for ages, because even at this young age she projects herself, her thought processes and emotions so utterly exquisitely through this beautiful music. The final tune, well, despite all thatโs been before, Carry Me, is the most graceful yet.
The final song is angelic, and steeped in astute metaphors Rosie faces her โpersonal battle,โ it is, just as the other three songs, an emotive treasure wrapped in sublimity. There’s something standalone in the simplicity of person with guitar; the stripped back diploma for a musician, the final exam, and Rosie passed with flying colours. She should be setting the exam rather than taking it! What an amazing start.
Just as Iโve seen the careers of profoundly talented local artists like George Wilding, Tamsin Quin, Kirsty Clinch and Jamie R Hawkins progress from first reporting on them, I have high hopes for many of our aspiring newcomers, from Ruby Darbyshire to Meg and Harmony. Rosie Jay is high among these others, and based on the excellence of this EP I see no reason not to compare her to the likes of Elkie Brooks, The Beautiful South or Cerys Matthews. You simply have to allow yourself a quarter of an hour to take this in, released on all streaming platforms and as a CD. Follow Rosie on Insta. TikTok. YouTube. Thereโs an EP launch party at the Winchester Gate in Salisbury, tonight.
Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts announced their upcoming project, YEA Devizes today. Made possible by a grant from National Grid Electricity Transmissionโs Community Grant Programme,โฆ
Alberta Cross, along with the up-and-coming local bands Something Moves and BroccoliBoy, will perform at a charity gig on Saturday 30th November at 23โฆ
Our very own illustrious orchestra, The Fulltone Orchestra, are staging live performances of Enyaโs 1988 breakthrough album, Watermark in Basingstoke, Bath and Cheltenham laterโฆ
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
A Scooby snack-sized pinch punch, first day of the month came from Minety Music Festival this morning upon announcing their headliner for 2025, The Fun Lovinโ Criminalsโฆ.
Set for the weekend of 3rd-6th July, the Saturday will see those infectious Fun Lovinโ Criminals headline the mainstage with their blend of cinematic hip-hop, rock โnโ roll, blues-jazz and latin-soul, stalwarts of the New York music scene since 1996.
Famed for the worldwide multi-platinum debut album Come Find Yourself, from which we all remember their famed Tarantino movie sampled single Scooby Snacks, the fun Lovinโ Criminals settled in the UK, performed an infamously raucous set at Glastonbury and have amassed six studio albums, two cover albums, and a triple live album. Their comical tales of music, drugs, crime and existential ennui as parts of life in the neon metropolis rewarded them Europeโs best-loved โcousins from New York.
Exciting news for this Wiltshire festival, but far from the only fun lovinโ thing about it. Yes, they grab some major headliners, but this community-driven, wonderful yet affordable festival supports a plethora of established and blossoming local acts, loads of side activities for all ages, and has this generally superb vibe, as I discovered when I dropped in for the Sunday this year, and felt from the one day alone, Iโd found my spiritual nirvana; most well-organised, carefree festival around these parts by a country mile or two!
Addition: You could also be dancing in the moonlight with Top Loader, headlining the Sunday night at Minety!
Forget the feud between Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, this is England’s West Country rivals The Skimmity Hitchers and Monkey Bizzle in a vicious rapโฆ
Itโs been a fantastic summer for Wiltshireโs indie-pop favourites Talk in Code. I think Iโve caught them live at least four times, and only onceโฆ
I was chatting to Josh Oldfield last week, a Devizes singer-songwriter I believe weโll be hearing a lot more of. Though this interview was pendingโฆ
Devizes is often spoiled for choice when it comes to live music. Swindon folk ensemble SGO at the Gate would’ve been an excellent decision for this Saturday night, and I considered dropping by at some point during the proceedings at Long Street Blues Club prior to the proceedings at Long Street Blues Club, but during the proceedings at Long Street Blues Club I concluded I’d have to be criminally insane to leave nowโฆ..
I might be insane, but not criminally, yet!To a packed house, award-winning, and not one to shy away from jesting about it, UK blues legend Ian Siegal came, saw, and revisited his two debut albums as requested by Long Street Blues Club organiser and Devizes mayor Ian Hopkins, enthralling the crowd; including me.
Ian Siegal is a national treasure, his 2009 album Broadside made MOJO magazineโs blues album of the year, but the theme tonight focussed on his debut album from four years previous, Meat & Potatoes, which received four stars in the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings and paved the way for Ianโs sound, and its follow on, 2007โs Swagger. With the original organist from Meat & Potatoes, Jonny Henderson, and drummer Tom Gilkes, he drove sublime Detroit, Chicago and Memphis blues fusions, authentic and raw, to the forefront of a deservedly ostentatious show. Thatโs how you play it.
I’m not up on these albums, detected a chorus mentioning Swagger, but for the most part, I was simply soaking up the sublime moment joyfully and without overanalysing; too easy to go with the flow of Ian’s sound. There were nods to his influences in splices of covers, flamboyant banter, and skilled compositions. It was, in summary, divine blues. Devizes own, Jon Amor joined him for a couple, and Ian spun blues riffs like they were childsplay.
None of this before the support act, young Ruby Darbyshire, who for the first and last time she played here I called it to be the best support Iโve seen at the club; itโs a double-whammy line-up tonight. Multi-intrumnetalist, Ruby was blowing her bagpipes for Remembrance in the Brittox earlier. Arriving a tad late due to a bus delay, I noted she was already underway, unusually behind a keyboard. Explaining she hadnโt played piano live before, she made a grand job of it, and returned to her guitar where we know and love her best.
A few originals including her timeless Insomnia, and covers from Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone to Rag & Bone Manโs Human, she puts her wonderful stamp on them all, rapturously expressive and soulful. To hear Ruby is a magic Iโll never tire of, sheโs improved her confidence, which is tricky in this appreciation society, where thereโs the silence of a library while performers do their thing. It may be respectful, but a smidgen daunting for anyone on the stage used to more clamorous venues. But hey, anyone who can make Queenโs Is This The World We Created their own fully deserves the upstanding applause she received, from a matured audience who have witnessed many talented people come and go.
Blues stalwarts at the club may have been in the know much longer than me, but Devizine was a learning curve, and when I began it I had no clue how deep the rabbit hole went, this, what I dub โMel Bush effect,โ the town’s association with UK blues. When blues supergroup lockdown project Birdmen became a live show at Long Street a couple of years ago, Dave Doherty invited me and it was my epiphany into how the club was continuing Devizes folk’s affection for the blues. This fantastic eye-opening gig was so due to the stellar lineup, in particular frontman Ian Siegal.
In its review I summarised him as โthe very definition of cool,โ but knew I’d have to expand on that next time, which was when he was a guest at the Jon Amor Trio monthly residency at the Southgate in March. So, the extended version was as โcool on a barefoot Bruce Willis pounding through the glass of the Nakatomi Plaza level, he is the Steve McQueen leaping anti-tank obstacles on a stolen Triumph of UK blues!โ
As a quote I was kinda chuffed with, I thought I’d attempt to recite it when I met him after the gig, but intoxication levels took control, and accepting I’d probably stumble out the word Nakatomi, I only mumbled I compared him to Bruce Willis. He didn’t seem impressed, assuming I was referring to the dire commercial album Willis launched in the eighties, trashing soul classics like Under the Boardwalk! Apologies to the man, for I’d archived that album to the back of my mind and wasnโt referring to it at all!
I hope he reads this so I can correct the tit I made of myself! Because last night’s gig was sublime; I never had any doubts, and my concept Ian Siegal is cool, however I express it, sticks! Plus, of course, there will be plenty of other opportunities to make a tit out of myself, Iโm sure!
As for Ian, he seems to be on a permanent tour, find dates on his website, and news of an new album, Stone by Stone, due in April, HERE.
For Long Street, John Otway & The Big Band arrives next Saturday, 16th November, promising to be something different, and with Billy in the Lowground in support. Then, Thomas Atlas Band plays with Two Smiles, A Bang, and a Legend in support, for a Christmas Party on Saturday 21st December.
In 1985 Tenor Saw toasted the lyric, โanother sound is dying,โ in Ring the Alarm. It implied his sound was the contemporary champion, yet while it’s true reggae is competitively progressive, this particular tune’s dubplate derived from the Stalag riddim created by Ansel Collins twelve years earlier, as did Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam and numerous others. I appreciate the ethos of dubplates, for a musician to lay down a track and various singers to interpret it, but favour, if you want a true contemporary champion sound, itโs not to regurgitate existing riddims, but to use past influences to create original composition; the more the merrier! I may have opened a Pandora’s box upon receiving The Soul Sessions EP from Bristol’s Kaya Street, but it’s certainly a refreshing and interesting original soundโฆ..
In a promotional shot advertising their latest single Wild Child, getting spun on Daniel Pascoe’s BBC Introducing show, Kaya Street’s main man, Kaya, is shown wearing a Trojan Records logo on his T-shirt, it connotes awareness of their roots. I beg to differ from their accompanying quote, โlike nothing we’ve heard before,โ while perhaps not recently, the fusions Kaya Street experimented with here, reggae, soul, and afrobeat, have indeed been tried before, in abundance.
I could cite bands from Misty in Roots to the Clash, and even Bristol’s own Massive Attack. I could point to the logo on the shirt and suggest many discs sought for distribution by Trojan in the sixties experimented in such a manner; take Lord Brynner’s 1966 single Congo War as one of many examples, or even predate this with the notion mento is rooted from African rhythms. Yet, it’s not the ingredients in Kaya Streetโs melting pot which makes it prominently interesting and beguiling, rather the way they stir it, the method in the composition and production. Either that, or I’m an ageing trainspotter beyond the years of all at BBC Introducing!!
The single Wild Child is an enchanting one-drop steppers march, steeped in conscious vocals akin to Marleyโs Get Up Stand Up, denouncing the violent crime epidemic in the UK.
It’s bravely brassy too. In an electric modern world taken for granted, it will wake you up to the roots of reggae, when brass sections ruled the day, something which trends throughout the EP. Iโm more than happy for the EP to flow throughout like this, but, imagine, a pleasant surprise when the second tune, Alfie proves Kaya Street are no one trick pony.
This is positively alive in an uplifting, paced soukous-inspired sound, while the last song Sway sounds more south than east African; funky township jive, reminding me somewhat of Thomas Mapfumo, with such a saxophone solo to rival Hugh Masekelaโs trumpet, least as near as dammit! The penultimate song Be Mine is more commercially western, the offbeat is slight, the theme is romance, the overall vibe is soul, with its silky backing vocals, and again with this consistent concentration of saxophone.
But the best example to highlight my opening point is Low.Low certainly wasnโt my favourite on the EP, to begin with. It starts very lounge jazz, again with the prominent sax and silky vocals, but then subtly and unexpectedly twists into a dubby rockers riddim, so smoothly I had to rewind just to identify when and how this occurred. This alone caused my first impression to alter from, โyeah, this is good,โ to โactually, this is a stroke of genius,โ and for me to take it back to the beginning and reassess it.
Kaya Streetโs sound, like anything progressive and experimental, is a grower, it creeps up on you. Thereโs narratives to each song Iโve yet to analyse fully, but the more you listen, the more you detect an element from this vast melting pot of cherry-picked influences, and comprehend the story behind each, and I love it for this!
Being I was digging into the archives to find examples of similar past fusions, a subject I could chew your ears off about, if Brynner’s Congo War is a specimen to skaโs African roots prior to the commercial blossoming of Rasta, as opposed to the more commonly cited jump blues influence, derived from US troops leaving radio masts in Jamaica after the second world war, try The Paragonsโ lesser-known If I Were You for soul train size. Itโs so funky it could be in the Stax catalogue, and is something Be Mine reminded me of; thereโs so much going on here.
Yet as many examples of where and how the melting pot has been stirred, none are apogees; it takes Jamaican born Bronx DJ Kool Herc to reach that climax, when he maintained the procedures of King Tubby and applied it to funk and soul to appease the multiculturalism of New York, and created hip hop. Bristol in the nineties was a kingpin to pioneering a UK hip hop formula, which returned influences full circle and incorporated reggae again. Kaya Street continues this Bristol epoch, reviving it freshly. The Soul Sessions is a revisit, recorded in three sessions in 2012 at Exeterโs Valvetastic Studios, with prolific award-winning producer and musician Jolyon Holroyd.
If I am to find some niggly, itโs a lack of intro; the songs tend to jerk right in, but I guess itโs because I have the single edits here, and Kaya Streetโs impressive lineup is plentiful to convince me they know the formula to extend and polish. It consists of Revelation Roots drummer Dan Salter, bassist Mark Lee from Hot Dub and Kolo, and that gorgeous sax is provided by Ray Beavis of The Clash, Suzy Quatro, and Katrina and the Waves. Kaya himself has previously worked with dub producers The Vibronics and Dubmatix. Herein is an insight to how the influences meld so professionally, so absolutely sublime.
And sublime is a word Iโll happily use to sum this up, save me waffling further! The initial project was a limited run of CDs for gigs, now for the first time, they are being remastered and released online. Wild Child was released 1st of November, the rest, I believe, will follow, and you need to be there to hear them when they do; Don Letts is raving about this, so hereโs the socials to follow.
by Ian Diddamsimages by Josie Mae-Ross Noel Coward is probably best known for โBlithe Spiritโ but he in fact wrote sixty-five stage plays over aโฆ
Comedy in Devizes is a rare thing, unless you count visitors turning right at the Shaneโs Castle junction, reading opinions on the Devizes Issues (butโฆ
Seems like an age since I last visited Bradford-on-Avonโs wonderful Wiltshire Music Centre, though Iโve been listing their vast range of events on our calendar.โฆ
Wiltshire Music Events UK has hosted tons of memorable events locally, from CrownFest and The Marley Experience at Devizes Corn Exchange, to more everyday gigsโฆ
Am I going to tell you about this new George Wilding tune, or not? Huh? Oh, sorry mate, what was that again?!
Sounds like George is irked with a distracted nomophobe, much less speaks out for everyone ignored when addressing someone permanently glaring at a phone screen and risking causing a hitch in a relationship; I donโt blame him and suspect most of us have been both victim and guilty of violating basic manners while gawking at someone’s lost cat or unappetising supper photo on Facebook.
Maybe this review will make you think twice, maybe it’s hypocritical even reading it, but whatever; it’s the damn good welcoming home song we’ve come to expect from this local legend.
So, pay attention now, because it’s been a while since we’ve been able to say we’ve a new single from the prodigal George Wilding to mention. He’s been enjoying being the human jukebox aboard cruise ships, guaranteeing his bread and butter, and if he’s got some stories to tell, we’re glad to see him back to tell them.
Sign of Life is out across streaming platforms on the 24th October 2024, we’ll drop a link here to it when available, so check back in or follow his socials. Its working title, Canโt Get Through to You, may be more enlightening, but not so punchy.
George Wilding
A medium-paced post-gothic indie rock riff, comparable to those who dared buck the noncommercial ethos of the subgenres of new wave, The Smiths, The Cure both spring to mind, though George’s distinctive and often adventuresome vocal range should be no stranger to anyone locally based and therefore needs no comparables. This is a grower, creeping up on you, and after a few listens youโll be hooked. But besides, itโs George, and doesnโt divert from the style or excellence of his previous outpourings; fans will be pleased to hear, I reckon.
Double-whammy, as itโs produced by the amazing Jolyon Dixon, renowned for bringing the best out of many artists new to us; weโre delighted to hear of this perfect coupling. Jolyon told me, โit was great fun working with him, canโt believe we hadnโt done so before!โ
Look out for it on Thursday, just donโt ignore your better half when they complain youโre supposed to be taking the bins out rather than listening to this amazing new song from George Wilding, as that is what ear-pods were invented for!
The “Business Fit For Future” programme has launched with startups across Wiltshire seizing the opportunity to participate in free online business planning workshops. This initiativeโฆ
Featured Photo: Forestry England/Crown copyright Planned timber harvesting is set to begin at popular walking destination, West Woods, from the end of September until Marchโฆ
Despite the population of Devizes throwing confetti and paint at each other in their most celebrated annual ritual, I believe I picked the right weekendโฆ
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
If Phil Cooperโs 2018 โThoughts and Observations,โ was one of the first albums we ever reviewed here on Devizine, itโs been a while since Iโve been able to say โa new single from Phil Cooper,โ but here we are, and itโs a great place to beโฆ..
As the name suggested โThoughts and Observations,โ as Philโs songwriting template, in general, is relatable personal reflection which often provides pointers for his audience, it was brimful of such, and while the new single Still Holding My Breath does likewise, it offers a matured side to Philโs convictions. Plus, it rides that cool acoustic value we know and love him for, remarkably well.
Thereโs a definite and poignant message of perseverance here, opening with the line โlook out world, Iโm here to stay,โ and a measure of success whereby the creative mind must continue nonetheless. As is Luke 6:38, the songโs indispensable line, โI still believe the more you put in the more you will get in return,โ rewards any labour of love for the hard worker with the notion to keep at it.
Phil is one such hard worker who I see setting himself high goals, and in embarking on many projects, some formulated, others more experimental, has had varied success with them. Perhaps none more than his grouping with Jamie R Hawkins and Tamsin Quin as The Lost Trades. If this modern folk harmony trio has achieved more than the sum of all their parts as individuals, it is with hard work they’ve achieved so and with an โa little help from my friends,โ sentiment evident in the depths of this song, and more visually with the excellent accompanying video made by Jamie. The song is, besides the labour applied to The Lost Trades, something wholeheartedly solitary, an introverted savoury sentiment.ย It’s nice to see them take a short break from the trio in order to align themselves once again with their separate identities, as they were before the dawn of The Lost Trades all remarkable within their own rights.
I believe the hard work has paid off for Phil, relatively, making me wonder what his expectations or goals are, what he dreams to achieve, being Still Holding My Breath suggests quintessentially he still has โbarriersโ to overcome, but a single this good is surely proof of his worth; it is a valuable song. And in that, this is more an outward facing concept, delivering a message to us.
To the artist personally, do take a deep breath, itโs an outstanding song, Phil; inspiringly evolved from everything which has gone before it. To everyone else, decide for yourself by taking a listen!
The newly drafted forest plan for West Woods and Collingbourne is open for public consultation until Monday 7 October. The plan outlines how each woodland willโฆ
If there’s been welcomed stand-ins for the monthly Jon Amor Trio residency at the Southgate in Devizes recently, Ruzz Evans and Eddie Martin, Jon โtheโฆ
Supporters of local live music know, least they should do by now, that Swindon is the place to head this following weekend, 12th-15th September, becauseโฆ
Must confess it felt somewhat odd to return to The Crown in Bishops Cannings for my weekly ration of live music. The only pub in the village has been closed a short while, since verbal pitchforks and torches from a crotchety minority who wanted the tavern to be little more than a museum artefact drove the previous landlords outโฆ..
Prior it was a bustling community hub run immaculately with gusto and enthusiasm, hosting a variety of events and raising funds for charities. Seemed crabby witches and even a lord of a manor were prepared to gang-up, lie to police, and misquote Devizine when we failed to appeal to their better nature. It backfired, they didn’t own one, but let’s not dwell.
New landlords are in, pleasant and keen to maintain the pub’s reputation amidst the prying Karens. Sarah, the new landlady praised her new chefs, and the pub hosts an open mic every first Thursday of the month, Tuesday evening quizzes, and intends to begin a men’s mental health group and possibly a football team.
Tonight, however, will be the new owners first live music night, and they’ve wisely hoisted in promoters Wiltshire Music Events to organise it. Though without much advertising unfortunately the crowd was slight. Never the simple accomplishment it may seem when established venues have the monopoly through a regularity of gigs, to sporadically host will require endless bashing about it on social media. It is, however, easier with the increased 49 bus service, that a night bus will drop into villages enroute, of which you should take note.
I’m in attendance not only to support and encourage the importance of entertainment in villages, save the thought of losing your local watering hole. Rather it is because Wiltshire Music Events is hosting two new acts on their roster, one who’ve yet to explore outside of their Salisbury circuit. A wise choice being the neighbouring church is a mini replica of the cathedral to make the bishop feel at home in the Cannings, or at least so the myth goes!
Firstly, in support, young singer-songwriter Rosie Jay, one I’ve been dying to meet and see live since fondly reviewing her first two singles. Rosie didn’t disappoint despite the pedestal I’ve put her on. Her self-penned songs are rippled with the poignancy of the classic template acoustic wordsmiths who made it big will follow; concentration on the hook, something even more essential with the attention span of the Tik-Tok generation.
Her voice is rich, affectionate, and she delivers songs with passion and blossoming stage presence. An interesting choice of covers from a young artist, often, she explained to the audience, inspired by their usage in films. Okay, Elvisโ Can’t Help Falling in Love is timeless romantic, and The Cranberriesโ Zombie is most formulaic, but Dylan’s It Ain’t Me Babe, is a cynical rare choice to pull from her magician’s hat. Though it relates in theme to Rosie’s first song, I Don’t Give a Damn, and her general subjects. Rosie nailed them all, beautifully, with particular evocative expressions in the reclusive and heartfelt jaundiced emotions of Dylan, and likewise her own intelligent compositions.
Currently pursuing a Level 3 Diploma in Music at Wiltshire College and University Centre, Rosie told me of her work on local radio, and was enthusiastic about her forthcoming EP. Part of the growing Wiltshire Music Events family now, as Joylon Dixon has worked with her to produce it. And Joylon accompanies the next performer, the incredible Rachel Sinnetta.
Renowned for a two-year stint supporting Gerry & The Pacemakers, singing to Prince William and recording with Pete Townshend, Rachel intended to tour aย “Wuthering Heights: The Music of Kate Bush,โ project which unfortunately fell through.
Music teacher Rachel set to tour this tribute extensively throughout the UK; that’s what the blurb told me. All I know is Kate Bush is the vocal epitome of singularity, the individuality debatably overlooked in today’s pop industry, as the penchant to sound akin to Whitney Houston seems paramount.
Just like Dolly, Cher, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Tom Jones, Alanis Morissette, even KT Tunstall et al, you need a seriously powerful vocal range to convincingly take on a Kate Bush cover. And Rachel did, sublimely delivering Running Up That Hill, and popular hits of all the aforementioned. Seemingly having her own deal with god, Rachel naturally reaches the notes with ease, her husky yet divine rock voice is the eloquence and faculty able to adapt to take those powerhouse ballads on with such precision and poignancy, particularly with the female giants. She even rinsed Arthea Franklinโs Natural Women, and left me tingling, Chaka Khanโs Ainโt Nobody too simply wowed. Proud Mary in the key of Tina Turner; who would dare attempt them in an intimate gig such as this?! Rachel Sinnetta made them look childsplay.
Sassy with Tom Jonesโ Kiss, joyful with Erasureโs A Little Respect, covers came thick and fast, coupled with the secret legendary Jolyon Dixon without rehearsal was a match from heaven, and the whole shebang was utterly blissful; shame only us, a few regulars and their dogs were there to witness it. Such is the uphill struggle for new landlords to plant their establishment into a local music circuit, partially my reasoning for doing this blog.
So, take heed now, especially everyone in Pewsey; this wonderful formula, Rosie Jay followed by Rachel Sinnetta with Jolyon Dixon will be continued at the Royal Oak, in Pewsey, with a free gig from 8pm, next Saturday, the 19th October; they are in for a treat.
Devizes-own indie-pop-punk youth sensation Nothing Rhymes With Orange smashed the Exchange on Friday as a farewell to their local fanbase. They pursue a music courseโฆ
Reports of another road traffic accident at the notorious Black Dog Crossroads near Lavington today coincides with Wiltshire Councillor for the Lavington constituency, Dominic Munsโฆ
For that certain some-Karen who drove through town last weekend, jumped on social media to waffle off the clichรฉ rant โnothing happens in Devizes,โ butโฆ
Trowbridge-Devizes finest musical export for a decade or two, acoustic folk vocal harmony trio, The Lost Trades, step out for a nationwide tour this September.โฆ
The Fulltone Orchestra has confirmed today that their annual festival will take place on The Green in Devizes from 25th โ 27th July 2025โฆ. โItโsโฆ
Despite summer being a fleeting memory, and time to batten down the hatches for our major events, even if there’s not โmuchโ going on in Devizes at night, there’s always somethingโฆ.
Though tempted by gigs further afield, The Pump in one direction, George Wilding in Pewsey the other, I had had โone of those weeks.โ You know the sort, I’m sure; don’t ask if not! It persuaded me towards the self-indulgence of too many ciders; a rare thing for me these days, usually I’m happy to drive to a gig, but adamant I was staying in Devizes to booze, I was stuck with the โsomethings.โ Thing was, those things turned out really rather good.
If there’s always something happening in Devizes, it’s largely down to two pubs, The Southgate and The Three Crowns. But Saturday night, The Bear Hotel was hosting a soul DJ night of Motown to disco, by long-standing Melksham based DJ, Maurice Menghini, aka Mister M, and his partner on the wheels of steel, The Original PJ, or Patrick, as I was introduced to him as. Maurice has carved a flexible DJ promotional organisation called Real Music Promotions, for all manner of function, with a personal penchant for reggae. Heโs been at it for years, and is renowned locally.
My round robin, then, began at the exquisite Bear Hotelโs Ballroom, as rubbing shoulders with Maurice has been long overdue. Itโs a matured affair, a blossoming crowd of Devizes disco die-hards gathered, looking for any excuse to dance, and Maurice provided that with the unsurpassed magic of Motown classics, Northern Soul rarities and spanning into later disco discs. They know what buttons to press, supplying lively banter, and request cards on the tables. While itโs a ticketed event, they only weigh in at a fiver, with free live music elsewhere it must be said, a disco is a hard sell by comparison. Nevertheless, variety is the spice of life, all events are valid here, and Maurice and Patrick are ahead of their game; the ballroom is bouncing.
Real Music promised to return for another at the Bear, on New Yearโs Eve. Rest of the time you can find this double-trouble DJ duo regularly at Spencer’s Club at Melksham FC. The Sham, huh? Coming over here, guys, blessing us with soul vibes and forcing Devizes folk to shake their tail feathers, whatever next?!
Allowing the disco to simmer on low heat, I slipped off across the Market Place, to the trusty Three Crowns, black my nose there. Hugely popular with Millennials and a few older who think they are, The Three Crowns is bustling as usual. Itโs ever-lively, the place to be, theyโve extended their menu and have the knack to attract a variety of the Devizes demographic.
Except, rather than a full band they usually host, more often than not Britpop or classic rock covers, a working combination, the pub hosts dynamic Devizes duo, Funked Up. Also at it for years and locally renowned for it, with a keyboard and saxophone combo the duo deliver the timeless soul-filled pop classics you simply have to dance to, and they deliver them with the gusto equal to a full band. Needless to say, with the drinks flowing, this one will go off.
For the elders, come-as-you are Devizes live music aficionados, The Southgate remains the place to head for, and rightly so. The rare thing of welcoming original music, the authenticity of pub culture of yore, and the general communal atmosphere are its benefits, and we love it for them. Though I confess I preconceived the band by their name, A Smile, Two Bangs and a Legend kinda sounds quirky and loosely thrown together, you know? As if theyโre a nice, smiley conformist ensemble, attempting to break the wedding function band market! I should know better than to doubt the Southgate, as on arrival all-macho, healthy and hard rock was pumping out and A Smile, Two Bangs and a Legend were nearing the end of their first half.
The obvious question upon meeting one of those classic rock enthusiasts of the band, was who was the Smile, because they all looked equally red-blooded, who was the bangs, because as a unit they all made a noise, and who was the legend, because if there was one of those professional, ex-famous musician beatniks who occasionally played bass for some rock god and lived off the stories, it couldโve been any one of them! I stood corrected and better informed; the band name derives from a Monty Python quote, though a fan, Iโd not heard of before; from the Flying Circus series I believe, trainspotters.
But it wasnโt the origins of the name, rather the expert delivery of rock classics which turned this around. Executions of ZZ Top and AC-DC and all in-between came thick, fast and accomplished. It is precisely what the regulars at the Southgate lap up, a timeless template of prog-rock to the dawn of metal, those hard-hitting powerhouses which time will not allow us to forget. A Smile, Two Bangs and a Legend exceeded my preconceptions with smiles, bangs and were, definitively, legends in their own denims.
As imagining Iโm the soul man Sam & Dave sang about, Iโm inclined to leave the Gate, safe in the knowledge the band had it under wraps. Next time I see smiles, bangs and legends on the roster itโs a confirmed grand night at the Southgate, but then, in six years Iโve yet to be disappointed. I am, however, curious to see how our Melksham grandmasters are getting on at the Bear ballroom. On arrival things have escalated, the party in full swing is pumping, the Motown classics have progressed to disco ones, and the crowd have had their fill at the bar, and were either shaking their stuff or chatting enthusiastically.
This ballroom should have been filled to capacity, soul men and divas of Devizes, or anyone with a penchant for disco dancing of yore should take note, keep your eye on Maurice & Patrickโs future events, we will highlight them on our event calendar, your NYE is sorted there. Such it was, that on a mild night, between seasons of Long Street Blues Club, with no Arts Festival, DOCA, Food Festival, or even a show at the Wharf, that a weekend in Devizes is always on the cards, always there is a few options of something going on, and they’re usually pretty good!
Chandra, Hindu God of the Moon, with his own NASA X-ray observatory named after him, and also frontman of a self-named friendly Bristol-based four-piece pop-punkโฆ
Paul’s self-made cover to his latest single, Some Days depicts a fellow sitting under a tree pondering life, while an autumn zephyr blows leaves aroundโฆ
Itโs when you hear those American addresses, like house number 21,456 Park Avenue, you realise Long Street in Devizes is a long street only comparableโฆ
Impressive, in a word, is the Lawrence Art Societyโs annual exhibition at Devizes Town Hall this year, in both quality and quantity; you’ll be amazedโฆ
Following on from last monthโs email, this is a final reminder that yearโs Imberbus service will be running this coming Saturday โ 17th August 2024.โฆ
Hereโs our bitesize look at whatโs happening in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming weekโฆ. Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go thereโฆ
by Ben Niamor A first outing on Saturday to Sound Knowledge for Devizes favourite Elles Bailey, whose latest album dropped Friday, and this mini tourโฆ
Itโs been a fantastic summer for Wiltshireโs indie-pop favourites Talk in Code. I think Iโve caught them live at least four times, and only once blagged a lift home from guitarist Snedds, of which is customary to drunkenly chew his ears off on as many random subjects the journey time will allow; I guess that officially makes me a โtalker?!โ
But hey, nights drawing in, back to recorded sound, and Talk in Code have a new single, Harder to Breathe, out this Friday, 4th October 2024; it is still 2024, right?!
Again this one follows the irresistible building template of the band, bridging the gap between 80โs new wave electronica and 90โs indie pop. This one, I believe, really harnesses the bandโs objectives of creating timeless pop with dynamic eighties synth and guitar combos. The effect is akin to iconic producers like Peter F Wolf or Narada Walden; Harder to Breathe evokes blissful recollections of songs from the peak of the era, from Go West to Madonna, and weโll never stop dancing to them; try to stop me, I double-dare you!
Harder to Breathe is another universally exemplary precedent of this original timeless anthem ethos Talk In Code are achieving. The sound reaches that blinkered emotion of ones infatuation suffocating the object of their desires, at least in a pop-tastic fashion, as is the theme. At least I think it does, it’s been a long time since anyone was infatuated with me, but once upon a long time ago, believe it or not, some did; funny old world, isn’t it?! No one was even paying them!!
Frontman Chris Stevens said of the single, โwe want to evoke the feelings you have when you meet people that have a huge impact on your life; being overwhelmed, lust, falling in loveโฆthe song addresses if it is simply instinctual to gamble with matters of the heart.โ
A versatile force live, able to suit a variety of festivals and venues, itโs been a great summer, but the fun doesnโt stop, this tune matches the gusto of their performances, in the comfort of your own home; give it a listen, just don’t try to stop me from dancing!
Tickets are limited and selling fast for a staged reading of Oscar Wildeโs most renowned comedy masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest, performed in theโฆ
People from the Swindon community flocked to protect their town and itโs residents, in anticipation of the rumoured far right anti-immigration march through their townโฆ
New single out today from Swindon-based gothic-folk duo, Canuteโs Plastic Army, and itโs three yeses from meโฆCan one person give three yeses? Iโm way pastโฆ
Second impressive single from young Salisbury singer-songwriter Rosie Jay is released today. Sing Another Love Song; a sound of the summerโฆ.. Her debut breakup trackโฆ
I was chatting to Josh Oldfield last week, a Devizes singer-songwriter I believe weโll be hearing a lot more of. Though this interview was pending before Iโd had the opportunity to see him perform, coincidentally the Sunday before I was fortunate enough to, at a private partyโฆ.
And it was worth a fortune, Josh has confident stage presence, a guitar soloist with soothing baritone vocals, white shirt and waistcoat, and a vintage suitcase foot-drum akin to a travelling Southern bluesman of yesteryear. ย Connoting retrospective style, the drum gives depth to an otherwise acoustic set, and the show is quirky, but oozing with professionalism, like a one-man skiffle band. Itโs something different from the norm, locally, which was the starting point to our chat.
Josh amended my description as โslightly different,โ โit’s a fair bit different,โ he suggested, โand I didn’t mean to do it on purpose, it’s just naturally how it came out.โ Fresh from Peggy-Sueโs local showcasing Don’t Stop the Music Radio Show on Swindon 105.5, he said it went โfantastic; there seemed to be people into it. And I don’t actually know what I’m doing, but it’s something different!โ
Pinning his sound only for want of conveying it to you, I jested he caused me to think a โskiffle George Ezra!โ Said with upmost respect, despite Ezraโs commercial success, he never waivers his style, possibly opening a door to others with deep vocal range. Josh ducked the Ezra comparison, concentrating on the skiffle and deepness of his range. โSkiffle’s perfect. It’s something I should have realised with gigs; people seem to like originally. Years ago I’d try and move away from how deep my voice is, because it’s not popular. Professionals and singing teachers will tell you, that because my voice is baritone, they’re like, oh, you got to learn higher range for popular music.โ
I supposed that was the appeal. โWell, yeah,โ Josh continued, โturns out people like hearing the lower ranges, as it’s not so common, and maybe there’s a comeback now, where people are kind of picking that up a little bit more.โ We waffled for some considerable time on the templates and expectancies of modern pop vocals, compared to a unique time of yore when a voice was a personal signature. Josh cited Tom Waits and Nick Cave as influences, favouring โobscure stuff,โ over contemporary pop.
He first picked up a guitar at thirteen. โMy dad just had a guitar knocking around the house. He used to play a bit, but didn’t really play anymore,โ but stressed he didnโt start singing until recently. A couple of months ago he sang at the open mic at the Cellar Bar, โthe first time my mum ever heard me sing, and I’m like thirty now. Singing is not something I’ve been doing naturally throughout the whole thing.โ
Josh comes across an earnest perfectionist, one who solitarily hones his craft and doesnโt unleash anything until itโs mastered, ergo heโs new on the scene but โoven-readyโ to give an impressive show. If now is that time to break the local scene, thereโs a valid reason. Given the all-clear from being diagnosed with testicular cancer last year, at twenty-nine years old, Josh expressed, โessentially that’s what ended up pushing me to want to pursue music. I was like, โI’ve kind of been given a second chance,โ you know? That was the main drive.โ
At the party Josh pulled some finely penned originals out of his bag as well as adapted covers of crowd-pleasing pop, such as Tainted Love; the set was instantly prodigious. On writing he expressed songs were, โflowing out. They’re just coming. I was being asked last night, what’s this song about? I don’t really have a clue what they’re about. They’re just literally being put down on paper and then, there’s a meaning in there somewhere, you know? It’s more like transposing them. There was a song I wrote on Monday, and I played it on Tuesday on the radio, because it just kind of happened. But then, when I was trying to look at what it was about it, well, I mean, I was watching Clarkson’s Farm the day before. So, there was some stuff about a farm in there, so maybe it’s linked to that in some way!โ
Capturing a moment no matter how inconsequential at the time, naturally crafting art sourced from it when inspiration strikes, and being as impossible to summarise how and why as it is to transmit a dream, is key to creative genius. That question put him under the spotlight, but he came up trumps!
Our conversation diverted to breaking the local circuits, the balance of adapting to certain venues and niches, as while many want cover bands, few prefer original acts locally, and I affirmed Joshโs self-penned vintage style would suit the matured blues aficionados of Devizes. Though we covered the upcoming more youthful indie-punk scene and talked of Kieran at the Pump. โThat’s more what I remember,โ Josh stressed after hearing me on the blues penchant of town. โBack in the day, the whole Sheer Music thing in Devizes. When that disappeared, I thought music in Devizes had disappeared. I thought it was all just, you know, pubs getting cover bands.But getting into it, there’s quite a big scene. It’s just finding it.โ
Thatโs why we, and people like Peggy-Sue are here! Josh is sourcing all the right channels and appears on Fantasy Radio on the 10th of October.
We continued onto the one-man band thing, and that authentic suitcase drum. โIt’s from America,โ Josh explained, โit’s a suitcase with the basic drum built in. There’s a Pan American drum company, only two companies in the world that do it.โ I imagined axemen of yore stopping at the crossroads and selling their soul to the devil with it! โWell, yeah, that’s the thing,โ he replied, โI want to play instruments where I can take them anywhere. So I got the kazoo as well. I can take that anywhere. I can play acoustic guitar anywhere. I can sing anywhere. When I think blues, thereโs electric, but then there’s the kind of, sitting on the front porch, playing kind; playing just cause you want play,โ which led us onto old-archaic bluesmen, of which there could be no doubt Josh has done his homework, alluding to RL Burnside and others. โNo one knew about him until he was like sixty something. He was a sharecrop farmer, and he just lived out there. He had like sixteen children or something, you know? But he didn’t care. And that’s really for me where that kind of foundation comes from,โ he said, explaining the story of a blues song he played at the party.
โThat old style of blues, I’m trying to lean towards, to be honest, has a lot in common with punk,โ he said and triggered a tangent on pigeonholing when roots intertwine, which developed onto open mic nights.
โEveryone I’ve met has been through the open mics, and I like playing them,โ Josh reacted. โThere’s this kind of community around it. Yeah, it can be a bit musician convention, and again, you mentioned Vince Bell, you know that’s where I met Vince. Me and him are looking to play a couple of shows together hopefully later this year.โ
Playing with the ethos of taking music back to its roots makes Josh flexible, his music fits into folk and blues, so itโs apt to work with acoustic folk singers like Vince, and Josh mentioned working with Jamie Tyler of The Worried Men too, electric blues, a different kettle of fish, but still fits like a glove. โThe live reaction to stuff seems to be great,โ he added. โIt’s that people like the music, to be honest, more than anything else that always surprises me. It’s like we were getting messages in while I was on the radio yesterday and people saying that they were really loving it and stuff and that’s surprising.โ
If Josh Oldfield is modest and wears his heart on his sleeve, itโs a common sign of a creative prodigy. He admitted, โI’m very reserved, introverted. In fact, part of the reason I like playing music is because I don’t have to be in the crowd. I don’t like being in crowds. So if I’m playing the music, I’m not in the crowd!โ Thereโs logic there, but in the brief time I saw Josh play, Iโm convinced of what I said at the beginning, I believe weโll be hearing a lot more of him.
If it’s been a fantastic weekend on Devizes Green with the orchestral Full-Tone Festival, further out of town scooterists, mods, skins and anyone elseโฆ
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 comingโฆ
Seems like an age since I last visited Bradford-on-Avonโs wonderful Wiltshire Music Centre, though Iโve been listing their vast range of events on our calendar. Maybe itโs a good time for you to check out whatโs going on there as theyโve just released their autumn-winter programโฆ.
From contemporary and folk to jazz and classical, thereโs a massive variety. I’d go out on a limb to suggest you’ll not find such diversity in any local music venue. The season begins with some Northumbrian pipe folk with Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening on Wednesday 2nd October. Pupils of The Yehudi Menuhin School, a global leader in music education, present a varied showcase of talent and skill from their young musicians on Sunday 6th.
While Friday 11th gets choral with innovative and creative vocal ensemble The Marian Consort, telling the story of Renaissance art through sound, renowned Pink Floyd tribute All Floyd recreates the Division Bell album on the Saturday at St Margaret’s Hall, while Syrian โQueen of the Qananโ Maya Youssef returns to the centre.
BBC Folk Musicians of the Year Andy Cutting and Sam Sweeney group with Rob Harbron on Wednesday 16th for some freeform folk under the guise Leveret. Food critic and MasterChef judge Jay Rayner arrives Saturday 19th as a pianist with a penchant for jazzy โ80s pop; who knew?!
Catherine at the Music Centre really wanted me to highlight the Charity Musical Bingo night on Wednesday 23rd October. โItโs very new for us,โ she told us, but if, like me, youโre thinking โbingo, really?โ note, she explained the spin on it, โweโre planning it to be glitzy and fun, with an added fancy dress competition, live music from quirky covers band FLQ, plus food from Feast Brothers. Itโs a fundraiser for the Centre; instead of numbers on a bingo card, we play snippets of pop songs from the 50s onwards and if they are on your card, you mark them off until you win.โย That’s my kinda bingo!
Bringing together an electrifying seven-piece band of influential Senegalese musicians and vocalists, master kora player and singer Seckou Keita could have you swaying to the beat of his latest album, Homeland, on Friday 25th October, while The Urban Folk Quartet mix Celtic tune forms, traditional song and cross-genre influences like Afrobeat, Bluegrass, funk and rock, on Saturday 26th.
Kasai Masai at Wiltshire Music Centre, December 2023
October ends with the classical, a lunchtime concert from Italian string musicians Trio Chagall, and weโve only mentioned the first month. November sees Sir Stephen Hough, The Bristol Ensemble, both Trowbridge and Bath Symphony Orchestras, and Bachโs Brandenburg Concertos with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. For folk thereโs Calan and Manran, thereโs a homage to Simon & Garfunkel, and a big weekend of jazz.
And weโve not yet covered all the family events like Voices for Life where 200 children from local primary schools sing with BBC Young Chorister of the Year, Belinda Gifford-Guy, or youth projects like Wiltshire England Youth Orchestra and Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Weโve not touched upon the sterling work of the Zone Club at the centre, offering Monthly creative sessions for learning disabled young adults. Thereโs probably more amazing work going on at Wiltshire Music Centre I donโt even know about, but you cannot deny, itโs a fantastic place with a heart of gold. And you need no other reason to pick up some tickets and support their fundraisers, safe in the knowledge youโre supporting a rather special organisation pushing boundaries in local arts and music.
For full program details, and to book tickets, see HERE.
Gallivanting through festival season omits crucial visits to my local watering hole; I’ve missed it sooo much, and now feel thoroughly refreshedโฆ with a hintโฆ
Featured Image by Simon Folkard Following the announcement earlier this year about the cancellation of the Devizes International Street Festival due the loss of Artsโฆ
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 comingโฆ
The 50th Anniversary of the now legendary Village Pump Festival, which was brought back to the UK festival circuit in 2018 by director Nicholas Reed,โฆ
Jam-packed July! If thereโs always lots to do throughout the year, July especially so!ย ย Hereโs what weโve found in the wilds of Wiltshire this comingโฆ
Marlborough gothic duo Deadlight Dance are due to release an EP of new material. Itโs called Chapter & Verse and itโll be out on Ray Records on 13th September 2024โฆโฆ
Nick Fletcher and Tim Emery, aka, Deadlight Dance, stripped back a collection of their favourite new wave-goth classics and recorded them at the 12th century All Saints Church in Alton Priors last November, releasing them as an album, The Wiltshire Gothic, in March. If the Wiltshire Gothic excelled in uniqueness for acoustically recreating the sounds which inspired them, Deadlight Dance prove theyโre no one trick pony with this new EP, as while it equals to the eminence of The Wiltshire Gothic, it does so for entirely the opposite reasoning.
After this acoustic beauty of echoing mandolins the effect is immediate, Deadlight Dance pull out heavy synths on this EP, a stark difference you may also find in their live gigs, swapping from acoustic to synths at the halfway house. Itโs electronica punchy and as positively eighties as the original new wave and gothic songs they covered for The Wiltshire Gothic, of Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, et al, but all five tracks are their own work, completely original.
The only similarities with the last album is that thereโs a theme, this time within the subject matter rather than the production, and naturally, itโs as proficiently entertaining. The concept here is something to appease their old English Lit teachers at the Sixth Form where they met, as each track is inspired by a book character, in one word titles. So, the tracks are Montag, Rosemary, Charrington, Judas and Monster, leading me to rustle my mindโs archives as to the books they represent; I got four out of five without Google, honest, sir, do I get a merit mark or something like that?!
Opening sonic, like OMD in their prime, book-burning firefighter Guy Montag of Fahrenheit 451 is the first subject and this is the only tune here which uses a sample, from the 1966 film adaptation Iโd imagine, but Iโve not seen it, only read the book like a good boy! Obviously, futurism fears, flames and the controversial connotations of Ray Bradburyโs magnum opus is ideal for a gothic related song, and we are off to an engagingly good start.
The second song is the one I guessed incorrectly, itโs the girlfriend of the neurotic Gordon Comstock in Orwellโs Keep the Aspidistra Flying, Rosemary Waterlow. Concentrating on her relationship frustrations, the song is a haunting echo in plodding synths, again, an ideal candidate for Nickโs howlingly vocals.
Sticking with George Orwell, though this one remains instrumental, the antique dealer come undercover Thought Police agent in Nineteen-Eighty-Four, Mr. Charrington is the next subject. Again, itโs a haunting sound enough, it needs no vocals, it twists in metallic scraping undertone, dark and mysterious futurism, it would evoke the perfect mood for the score to any possible remake, or in turn the soundtrack to the previous UK government who seemed to view Orwellโs masterpiece a self-help guide; apologies, couldnโt resist adding that!
Fourth tune in, is called Judas, no prizes for citing the book it comes from, but after the gloom of Charrington, the sound is surprisingly uplifting, capturing the pop side to classic goth rock, like The Cure. Iโm undecided if the song is sympathetic to the actions of Jesusโ grass Judas Iscariot, if it furthers to question the integrity of the bible more generally, or both. But itโs an interesting atheistic angle, and an astutely written song.
Thereโs a bass stomp verging on techno intro to the final song, Monster, reminding me of a fast coming of Jaws, then the synths swirl and Nickโs off thirty seconds into the melodic narrative of Mary Shellyโs Frankenstein, or the The Modern Prometheus, a gothic novel indeed. It caused me to consider Frank Millerโs reinvention of Batman, a character whoโs mysteriously shadowy edge was lost through the passage of commercialisation, particularly via TV, and how he gifted us The Dark Knight version.
Frankenstein portrayals are so commonplace, and often comical, it obscures the harrowing nature of the original story. As they do with all the book characters here, Deadlight Dance captures the mood, the intensity and torment of Mary Shellyโs monster, through music, as by Sergei Prokofiev captured the characterisations of Peter, the Wolf and other animal side characters. Itโs an absorbing prose, excellently manufactured, and brings gothic rock of yore back into the forefront. Not forgoing, when contrasted with the Wiltshire Gothic, it shows diversity in Deadlight Dance, both are returns to โconceptโ in albums, something dearly overlooked in todayโs one track Spotify world. It leaves me wondering where theyโll go next, but feeling confident each new progression will contain cognitive connotations amidst this hail of gothic rock, and these are the elements which makes each release a treasure.
Chapter & Verse will be released on Ray Records on 13th September 2024, across streaming platforms and available to buy on Bandcamp. Follow Deadlight Dance socials to keep in the know.
Find Deadlight Dance supporting Canute’s Plastic Army at the Tuppenny, Swindon on 19th September.ย
With the unfortunate cancellation of Devizes International Street Festival this year due to Arts Council cuts, all eyes are on our wonderful Hillworth Parkโฆ
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 comingโฆ
By Mick BrianPhotos by cast and arenaphotography William Shakespeareโs tragedy, inspired by real life eleventh century Scottish kings, is well known by anybody thatโsโฆ
Devizes-own indie-pop-punk youth sensation Nothing Rhymes With Orange smashed the Exchange on Friday as a farewell to their local fanbase. They pursue a music course together at Bristol Uni; but is this goodbye forever, or just Chow for Now? (there’s a pun there, but only for ardent fans!) I met them at their rehearsal the day before to ask this, chat about their past, prospects, breakfast cereal intake, and Jennifer Anistonโฆ.
If you noted new songs on Saturday, why one was named Jennifer, if you observed the song Manipulation, once used as an encore, was pushed to the middle of the set, or if you’re generally wondering how they’ll cope living and studying together in one house, all will be answered!
Background first. A couple of years is all it’s taken Nothing Rhymes With Orange to build a phenomenon locally, the likes I once compared to The Hoax thirty years ago. I quoted myself to nightclub owner Ian James, who agreed, reminiscing about the Hoax playing Jools Holland’s show. They may not have reached that level yet, but this present conjunction is the make-or-break period. Many school bands fold here, as life takes them in different directions. Ergo, key to gauging their thoughts is to cast their minds to the beginning and discover how close knit they are.
So once we established the original lineup of frontman Elijah Easton, guitarist Fin Anderson-Farquhar, drummer Lui Venables, and bassist Ivor Ritson formed NRWO at Devizes school, Ritson being replaced by Sam Briggs soon after, I wondered if they were friends beforehand. โWe all knew โofโ each other,โ Sam and Lui confirmed, โkind of knew each other separately from Lavington,โ Fin added. โBut then we didn’t talk to each other!โ Sam completed. Elijah agreed, stating heโd known Lui since about twelve years old, โbut we didn’t speak until I was about sixteen,โ when they both joined another band.
Sam brought it to present day, โif youโd have asked us at the start, like five years ago, if you’d all be living in the same flat togetherโฆ.โ Which bought a round of laughs, I believe Lui bantered about Sam. โI would have been like, what are you talking about?!โ Sam completed. Youngest in the band, Fin, reminisced, โme and Sam used to play in a band together, when I was in year 7 and he was in year 9,โ then added โnarcolepsy!โ Iโm uncertain if thatโs the name of the band, or if he suffers sleep disorder!
Theyโre venturing to Bristol to study the same music course, residing at the same residence. Sam pointed out last year ago thatโs the furthest theyโd gigged. โThis year we’ve done everywhere compared to last year.โ Story checks out, alongside many festival bookings, they also made first steps in London, โyeah, Camden in two weeks,โ Sam replied. But when they get there, and people don’t know them, how does it compare to being in Devizes with fans singing back to them? And which do they prefer?
Image: Gail Foster
As harmonious as they perform, they agreed they love playing both, Elijah complementing, โwhen you go to these places and then you see people enjoying your music as well, that’s a whole other experience.โ
Sam exampled a gig at Bathโs Komedia, balancing the two, โthat was half and half. Some people at the front who knew us. But then there was about 500 other people, which was mental!โ
On the potential pressures of communal living I used an example; an occasion when I woke up one morning to discover the pasty Iโd planned to take to work had a bite taken out of it, and was placed inconspicuously back into the fridge!
Fingers for such inconsiderate tomfoolery was immediately pointed to Elijah, with milk! He confessed heโs on about seven bowls of cereal a day! โBut I buy them,โ he reasoned. โI think that’s the difference. When we were at the start of Sixth Form, I didn’t really know what I was going to do,โ he furthered, โand I didn’t know I was going to Bristol. I had no idea what I was going to do with it.โ
Image: Gail Foster
Sam added, pointing to Fin, โI think I was the only one of us three, and maybe you, who knew you were going to do music at college, maybe…โ
โYeah, because I have no other option,โ Fin complemented!
Sam continued, โI was already going to do that before I even got in the band together, I injected that into you a little bit when I turned up.โ
โI think now we’re just throwing ourselves all in,โ Elijah said, โabout two years ago, we were doing it and not sure what we were going to do.โ There was a mutual agreement it was because, โwe love it.โ
Maybe they can deal with subtle musical differences, but when it comes down to breakfast cereal, that could be the limit which pushes it over the edge! Yet when citing their musical influences, they all wanted to say the Fontaines, even when I first opened the door to see Elijah bouncing around the hall with his guitar, Sam sitting picking his like it was made from diamond, Fin with the expression of motivated concentration, and Lui holding it together on the drums, it was like a gig without the audience, and all these elements indicates mutual appreciation for their common goal, drives an instinctive pledge, a motivation to bond and therefore to work harmoniously, and hard. As Elijah expressed, โwell, it’s like we’re brothers now.โ
While the guys were taking the interview seriously, there I was back on pastry products, implementing an unwarranted light-hearted angle, joking on the Greggs steak bake falling apart lyric from their song Monday, was his own fault for going to Greggs. Yet in this I was pondering those amusing themes of pitiful everyday scenarios like Lidl Shoes too, as all good punk should, against the balance of romantic themes, and this brought about how they tackle cliches in pop when creating a song, and methods they use to compose them.
Image: Gail Foster
โI’ll probably come up with some lyrics,โ Elijah revealed, โif thereโs a lyric that is unbearably cliche or, obviously, there’s something in it that you could make fun of or compare to another songโฆ If we make a song that sounds like a YouTube montage, one of us will bring it up, and bluntly say this sounds cringe. We just get rid of that. Looking back on our old songs, we sort of did. If you think Manipulation, when I listen back to that now, I think it’s a bit cliche, but part of cliche people still have a love for.โ
Manipulation was their crowd-pleaser and often used as the encore, I had previously noted it had been pushed to the middle of the setlist for tomorrowโs gig.
Sam theorised, โthereโs a familiarity in cliche. In some sense you can find beauty in it โcoz you can try hard to avoid a clichรฉ, and write with an ambiguous sense about something, but people still need to understand it, and I think itโs easy to go away from what people know. You know what you’re thinking, other people don’t. The hardest part is the balance of trying to write something people can understand and connect with as well as not thinking it’s cliche. That’s the difficult art to master.โ
Do they have a template when creating songs, or do they sporadically come together naturally? โThey’re all different, really,โ Elijah answered, โwe all do instrumentally. I’ll think of some lyrics, but it can change from song to song. The recent ones, we’ve been coming up with loads of new ones, and the new format is, we’ll think of some lyrics, we’ll cook it quietly, maybe get the first product ready, and then get the whole band in and finish it into this final product.โ
Image: Gail Foster
Eiljah praised Samโs input. โAnother thing that’s changed is having Sam in the band, because we’ve written differently compared to when we wrote Manipulation and songs like that and didn’t have Sam in the band. Sam’s changed the dynamic again with how the template is, and now we’ve got him playing guitar, we’ve got like three songs greatโฆ.โ
Fin added, โwhen we started, we were sitting down and going, โwe need to write a song,โ now itโs like, ooh, a new song come up, letโs do that, it’s less sitting down and going, โwe are writing a song right now.โโ
I could sense professionalism establishing through experience and understanding the natural passage of creativity is to recognise and develop when inspiration strikes. The new songs are patently more skilled than previous three-minute punker blasts, to concentrated and prolonged instrumental sections akin to prog rock, yet retaining edge, NRWO are crafting a unique style and are united in perfecting it. The gig at the Exchange confirmed this.
Sam said, โthat’s the most important thing to stay with when you’re writing a song. It’s to not write a song because you need a song, but it’s to write a song because you want to write a song. We’ve done it before. You sit down and you’re like, oh shit, we’ve run out of ideas. We’ve played all these songs a thousand times. Let’s write something new, but 99% of the time nothing comes out of that. It’s more likely to come out of just sitting down and you’re jamming or you’re sitting in your room.โ
Elijah added, โFor me, you know, the song starts as an emotional output, experience. We’ll have a week of not trying to write anything, and you have like, a shit day or, you go to a party or something and then, suddenly, you wake up about 3:00 in the morning, write this song and then go back to sleep! And then I’ll wake up in the morning. I’ll send Sam a voice-note on my phone singing.โ Like the song Monday, I reasoned, that happened, didnโt it? โI’m having a typical Monday, write a song about it!โ
Image: Gail Foster
โIt’s interesting the links you can find,โ Sam responded, โEli might have written some lyrics, and then a month later I’ve wrote some guitar parts, and I’ll send it to him. What I was feeling at the time I wrote that guitar part was the same as what he was feeling when he wrote some lyrics another time. And those two things end up being a song.โ
โI think we’re sometimes technologically on a wavelength as well,โ Elijah followed with, โwe’ll literally write a song on WhatsApp, we’ve done that on voicemail!โ
Thinking this has all gone rather serious, I asked the guys, โwhoโs in it for the music? Whoโs in it for the chicks? And who’s a bit of both?!โ And you should realise I cannot divulge full details, but some decided on otherโs behalf, few suggested they were spoken for, few opted for both, but when it returned to seriousness, the music was the overall winner. โI’m definitely in it for the music,โ Elijah claimed, then professed to writing a song about his fixation for Jennifer Aniston, whoโs erm, four years older than me, โwhen she was in Friends,โ he clarified! Fin hoped Jennifer might marry him off, but they performed the song at the Exchange, none of the female fans seemed to fuss!
Nothing Rhymes With Orange at Devizes Street Festival
We moved swifty onto the course at Uni. โWe’re almost all doing the same thing,โ Fin explained, but stressed there was differences. โThere’s production,โ Elijah added, โturning it from live music into songs, how to record and how to get all the right equipment and recording settings.โ
โIt sounds like all you’re going to be doing is playing guitar or drums or whatever,โ Fin informed, โbut it’s getting bookings, arranging gigs. There’s also business and event management in it as well. Yeah. So it’s kind of it’s the performance and โaround itโ as well as like just standing and playing shows.โ
โWhich is pretty good because I mean, we’re kind of been doing it for a year!โ conveniently led me onto my next question, if they could put forward what theyโve already achieved as a project? Elijah scrubbed the โhomeworkโ idea but welcomed the thought they would โhelp us achieve more and bigger opportunities, links into festivals and meeting new people and into new studios.โ Just being in Bristol alone is beneficial to this, surely?
โWe started to struggle recently with the fact that there’s only so much you can gain from being in a little town,โ Sam expressed, โthough itโs been nice.โ This took us on the angle of finding venues wanting original music over cover bands. โThat’s the thing,โ he continued, โyou often get, โooh, can you play covers? Which is fine. What’s been good, is to get such a strong fan-base. It’s been easy because there’s not much else around.โ Using a gig from May, at the Three Crowns in Devizes, where the usual requirement is cover bands, such is the reputation the boys have attained, fans will sing their songs back to them in much the same way classic covers will evoke.
โYeah, it’s just brilliant,โ Elijah smiled. โWe met loads of people, had amazing gigs in Devizes. I’d like to think this is the start; we’ve got this band now, and we know what we want to sound like, we know what we want to play like, and we know how we want to perform. So we’re just taking the same thing, and the main goal is trying to get it as big as possible, which is a bit crazy! Crazy, but I think the whole thing is a bit crazy, because if you’d have told me and Lui like what, five years ago, we’d even beโฆ.โ
โYeah,โ Luiinterrupted, โitโs mental where weโve comeโฆ.โ
And it is. I asked of their influences, but rather they concentrated on upcoming guitar bands like Wunderhorse, found solace in the smaller stages at Reading Festival, and stuck to their guns of analogue guitar music rather than experiment with tech. I pushed them on synths and backing tracks. โI don’t think we necessarily want it for ourselves,โ Elijah said, โbut I think it’s inspiring to see a band going into mainstream with just their guitars and nothing else because I think it’s rare now.โ
Fin expanded, โa lot of the people in the top ten are just one person,โ and we spoke of the depletion of mainstream bands. โA randomly inspiring one, because I could list 1000 bands which inspire me,โ Sam added, โthat’s the obvious thing to say, but besides that, like Reading the other day, we saw Georgia Smith, and itโs cool to see, not thatโs inspiring our music, but to see there’s a band playing behind her. If you listen to her on Spotify, there’s garage beats and it’s all produced and processed stuff; that’s coming round a bit more as well. You see these people who traditionally would have a backing track and a microphone, coming out with band behind them. Which is really cool as well, on the basis, one; it gives you different points of view on what you could go to as a band later down the line, and also the fact that there’s more room for itโฆ.โ
โItโs good to see music live,โ Elijah prompted a chat about smaller gigs versus the mainstream. โI will always love loads of fans, always,โ he suggested, โwhen you see like all those faces out in front of you, and it’s like geez!โ
We spoke of naturally maturing a sound but being uniformed against selling out or diversifying your style, ending with me supposing thereโs a formula you stick to for however long that roller coaster rides.
โIf you change in the right way, you can never be wrong,โ Elijah replied, โwe’ve probably got an album of songs now that we’d all be happy recording and releasing. But if we did another one, we stick to the same formula, but say, a third album, normally people get bored of it.โ
Sam added, โthere’s changing in style, which can degrade a band potentially,โ but turned the focus onto โa loss of energy,โ for the flailing attention of the public on a band. Sam figured it wasnโt the change in style of a band, โbut if you don’t retain that energyโฆ.one thing you shouldn’t do is not change your style and try and stick to the same thing, if none of you want to do it, because then it’s just going to sound like you don’t want to do it. And I think, personally for me, and otherโs might feel differently but I find it more important if you needed to do a little change in style to promote the fact that you like what you’re doing now, I feel like that’s better and I think to an audience that’s better conveyed if someoneโs enjoying themselves on stage playing what they like. That’s better to see than someone playing what you want but not enjoying it.โ
But Iโm going to twist the narrative to influences, because I believe the lads have been a contributor to encouraging younger locals to practise and form bands too, and wanted to ask them if they had any advice for them. Iโm unsure how true this is, they suggested they wasnโt aware of it, but were happy to hear of it. But the advice was definite and unified; โdon’t give up.โ โYeah, just do it.โ โIf you wanna do it, do it. It’s clichรฉ, butโฆ.โ
โEven if you got no idea what you want to do,โ Eljah added, โif you like something and you’re enjoying it, just do it! Because otherwise you can’t just be miserable if you’re not doing it. If you listen to people who say, oh, that’s terrible, don’t do that, stop, stop playing, what are you guys doing? Yeah, there’s no one to be doing anything, if everyone just listened to them, youโve just gotta enjoy yourself!โ
It seemed to me weโve a lovable, carefree frontman, lavishing in the moment, rightfully, against Sam, the articulate analysist, pinning their thoughts, and the whole band are tight, hardworking and motivated; thatโs a winning combo. Sam added, โdon’t compromise your originality for the sake of other people, I think is the biggest thing. Because at that point you’re enjoying yourself. And that takes me back to what I said earlier on, yeah? A band enjoying yourself is a band in its best place.โ And this made a perfect summary of NRWO, our town should be proud of what these guys have attained, but the killer question is after such a great gig at the Exchange, is this us parting ways, or just Chow for Now?!
Nothing Rhymes With Orange
โThe main thing is we’ll be back,โ Elijah promised, and went off rambling slightly! If I know anything about student life, theyโll be back when they run out clear underwear! But when they do, Confucius say, Nothing Rhymes With Orange will have attained vast advances beyond the sphere of knowledge here in Devizes, and if the Exchange gig was more refined than ever before, their return will be something else! Until then, we at Devizine wish them all the best with their studies and lives in Bristol; if you can call making rock music a study, I call it shirking!! That Ain’t workin’!!
by Ian Diddamsphotos by Richard Fletcher & Lisa Hounsome The concept of historical brutal dictatorships and comedy is not necessarily one that one considers asโฆ
A leopard doesn’t change its spots, and neither does a British Lion. Watch other Devizes pubs change landlord, decor, attractions, and styles. Watch them close,โฆ
The Light at the End of The World is a fourteen tracks strong album which scores a goal directly from the kick-off with the aptly titled opener Letโs Go. Released at the beginning of the month (August 2024) the timeless goodness of hard rock is firing off on all cylinders, and it doesnโt wait for the opponent to tie their shoelaces. What did you expect? This is a band called Bottle of Dog, who use a logo design adapted from the Newcastle Brown Ale labelโฆ.
Lady Red follows, then Push Up Push On, and this Chippenham three-piece indie self-defined raw powerhouse shows no sign of letting up. Thereโs something ZZ Top about all this love at first sight monster. The band was accidental; formed from a one-off gig, now on their two-hundredth, a splendid accident.
Their Facebook blurb pigeonholes it as indie, combining โseventies classic rock sounds with modern day indie,โ yet I find it takes four tunes to meander from the outright frenzy of early eighties hard rock. The riff of Chancing hints at mod rock of the same era, something that reminds me of the Undertones, or and especially, Secret Affair. Better Than Me, which follows immediately after tingles with a goth rock edge. Clearly thereโs more going on here than the initial blast, but through influence nods it never loses its frenetic, loud and proud edge.
Okay, The Light at the End of The World doesnโt dare to experiment, opting for the tried and tested rock template, and only moving from subgenre to subgenre, but it does so thunderously and with the โif it brokeโ notion; hard not to like unless youโre George Gershwin! And anyway, before you know it, Loveable Idiot at the halfway point has taken us back to hard rock, and you wonโt be complaining. Itโs authentic noise, lyrically felicitous and admissible for the bill.
Three quarters through the album you consider yourself safe from getting a slushy or moody angled track, Bottle of Dog give it their all throughout. Break the Page perhaps the pre-eminent, a rolling riff to make to hurry your fag and get back inside the pub to headbang! The penultimate Captainโs on Board, has an anti-establishment yell, providing adequate narrative over the rolling drums and a โHey!โ chorus, which leaves you confident the audience of a live gig will be singing back to them no matter how unaware of these confident originals they are, or pissed they happen to be!
And we finish with Zombie Town, which quotes London as the inspiration, alien to the communal Chippenham, yeah, keep your nose out, pal! Unsure if any inner meaning to this, or if this is quite a light at the end of any road, or album, as the title may suggest, but it sure is fiery fun, quality blaring and doesnโt come up for air. If a metaller went to a boozer expecting covers of Ace of Spades and Hallowed Be Thy Name, or punk wanting White Riot and Teenage Kicks, neither would go home disappointed if Bottle of Dog simply runs off this album.ย
They play the Fleece in Bristol 8th September, The Royal Oak, Corsham 2nd November, Colerne Liberal Club on 7th December.
Cool, Man Andy Fawthrop Devizes Arts Festivalโs programme continued on Thursday night, and it was time for a little jazz.ย As I often say (apparently)โฆ
A Lunchtime Amuse-Bouche by Andy Fawthrop Devizes Arts Festivalโs programme continued on Thursday afternoon with a lunchtime classical concert in the beautiful surroundings of theโฆ
Masterclass by Andy Fawthrop Devizes Arts Festivalโs programme continued last night, and it was the turn of another big name to grace the stage ofโฆ
Over the coming weeks I’m having cuppas with candidates of the Melksham-Devizes constituency crazy enough to indulge my political ignorance and endure my inane waffling;โฆ
World Class Piano by Andy Fawthrop And, following a lively few days of varied events over this last weekend, weโre now into Devizes Arts Festivalโsโฆ
A first outing on Saturday to Sound Knowledge for Devizes favourite Elles Bailey, whose latest album dropped Friday, and this mini tour of a handful of record stores gave us a rare intimate opportunity to enjoy an artist whoโs enormous growth and success has her playing a frequently different kind of larger venue, than the small venues I first saw her in some years ago nowโฆ
Indeed she had played Cropredy the day before, and Glastonbury earlier this year..! I will be honest here, I am a fan.. have been for years. She has always surrounded herself with the most amazing musicians and today was no exception, Joe Wilkins and Demi Marriner, both close friends of hers and co writers and conspirators in the new album, and it showed, the happy ease with which they delivered the meaningful verses of a selection of fine songs from the new album, a real treat.
I already loved 1972, a stand out song partly I confess owing to my having watched the video many times.. that was shot in and around Devizes by some other incredible musicians and creatives, many of us are more than familiar withโฆ the gorgeous humans over at Growvision.. aka Robin and Greta of Beaux Gris Gris fame. Itโs a fantastic video even if you werenโt a D Town native like me.
The song is about a time without mobile phones, and all the trappings of life we think we canโt survive without though most of civilisations history has doneโฆ
Another favourite for me, as Elles does open retrospective and human warmth and truth better than mostโฆ Leave the light on – An open love letter to her husband . An open hearted reflection on how she can live her dreams, and if as the inspiration for this song dictates she arrives home late, her home will provide all the welcome and support imaginable, literally a light left on, like a home fire burning.
Thereโs a theme in Elles entire being, certainly all my interactions with her, a real appreciation and gratitude for all lifeโs opportunities, the love and support of everyone.. the record buyer and fan, of her amazing team and family.. the whole journey.
Perhaps thatโs a marker, a lesson for many less wholesome people in todays music industry..? Be real and treat everyone with love and appreciation and karma will underpin your own growth..? Certainly seems to have worked here.
Anyhow, I digressโฆ the album was gonna be called Silhouette Under a Sunset, originallyโฆ Silhouette in a Sunset – a great new song about souls who you feel have known each other before we have met in this lifetimeโฆ such is the immediate warmth or common ground.
Turn off the news – talks of being grateful for being able to lose ourselves in books, records, etcโฆ a guilt of being able to escape the world at are worst.. summarised in being able to turn off the e-news, which of course sometimes many find they cannot.
Another truthful reflection on life.. Truth ainโt gonna save us – When you have to call the end of a relationshipโฆ the truth and conflicts of lifeโs harder moments.. written with Matt Owens beloved of SK of course in his own right..
Of course all this very real subject matter is wrapped in such gorgeous music, and lighter moments that it connects you with the truth and reflection that makes much of Elles music resonate so strongly with us the listener.
I talked to some new listeners exposed by this local opportunity and hardcore fans alike in the throng, and many with shirts declaring admiration for Elles and other contemporariesโฆ We are fortunate locally we have the incredible Sound Knowledge, and many great venuesโฆ we are considered very well in this area for the love and support of it all.
To quote something Elles shared.. โ โThereโs no destination.. only dreams to realiseโ Of course store appearance limited coloured vinyl and deluxe albums were flying out the door.. check out the album and catch Elles on tour, join the ride. Thankyou once again to Elles and Sound Knowledge for all they do.
Seven-piece sui generis ensemble The Cable Street Collective were everything I expected them to be last night at The Corn Exchange; another impressive booking forโฆ
As if the FullTone Festival isnโt exciting enough for Devizes, the Town Council has allowed them an extra day, on the Friday 26th Julyโฆ.. Seeingโฆ
Andy Fawthrop Itโs All In The Genes Today Devizes Arts Festival presentation took on a more serious and talkative tone with another marquee signing takingโฆ
The first gig and club night by Devizes Youth Action Group exclusively for secondary school aged youth in Devizes back in February was hugely successful,โฆ
Hereโs what weโve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week. Donโt forget your sunscreen and a nice party umbrella! Everything listedโฆ
Have you had โthe visitโ yet? Your local councillor house-calling hand-in-hand with Conservative candidate Michelle Donelan? I have. At least it broke up my busyโฆ
If the opening Friday evening of Devizes Arts Festival was amazing for lively pirate-punk craziness, Saturday night was too for precisely opposite reasons. Bristol’s soulstressโฆ
โWe can’t stop here. This is Tory country,โ I chuckled while fiercely yanking the handbrake, as if Dr Gonzo was in the car. We can say that now, (wink!)
One can be infamous on Marlborough’s Facebook group by not applying sufficient handbrake on the High Street, as if K.I.T.T had a blonde moment. But I’m not here for that. I want to see their Pantsโฆ.
Memories flood my neurons as I saunter to the Parade; shirking in Waitrose for a measly ยฃ2.20 per hour, hoping to get off with a goth girl outside the Dragon on New Years Eve, waiting for an older mate to return with a bottle, hiding down the alley where Victoria Wine once stood. The majority of shop facades have changed, the rest remains the same, even the most uninspiring nugget of hip hop graffiti the world over, on the wall of the alley. It’s offended the cliquey since the eighties, I checkedโฆyep, fading but still there.
Same deal down the Parade, much the same, save The Crown is now โDan’s,โ and they’ve a posh looking cinema. Years I spent in Marlborough, no flicks, moved to Devizes where they had one, it shuts down and one opens in Marlborough. Maybe I jinxed it.
Many of those fond memories are located in the Lamb, once Vyv and Jackie’s flagship Waddies. One from the mid-nineties when we gathered to see โMoose’s new band,โ which we had high hopes for, knowing the giant goth Moose Harris was in New Model Army and The Damned. Surprised but drunkenly amused upon them delivering a set of pop covers in a heavy metal fashion, whereby the theme to Bob the Builder was their showstopper!
Pants was supposed to be a one-off joke, a Marlborough Spinal Tap, but that knob jockey Jim Davidson is still touring, why not perpetually repeat their nonsensical gag? It never seems to wear thin, if it ever had any depth!
Undoubtedly the funniest interview we’ve done was with Pants, when they played the landlord’s retirement, but morso I ran it because I knew it’d be as funny as fuck, and it was..
Significant because Pants is a Lamb exclusive, a Marlborough thing. No one else would dare book them, and equally it’s likely they wouldn’t be arsed to play there! Would the new management be as inviting to this bizarre and self-deprecating ritual? Would they continue their legendary live music rep in Marlborough?
Glad to report they’ve improved on it. Less sporadic, live music is now weekly, the back of the yard has a summer ankle stage, and there’s a communal and hospitable atmosphere. Such is this community feel, the sound man for Pants, Lee Mathews has his own band supporting, The Vooz, and local legendary drummer Dan Tozer is drumming for both.
The Vooz kicks the proceedings into gear. It’s high-energy contemporary punker pop covers neatly delivered with enough gusto for four bands in one, and sprinkled with some originals, such as one about getting wasted outside Swindon’s Brunel Rooms, indicating there’s a historic penchant for the lively and swearing for swearing sake hairdressing frontman. Lee is a force of nature, providing only vocals he bounds around the stage, banters on a local level, posing for selfies with nipples on show, and generally raises a roof even if there isn’t one; a legend in his own shirt.
Yeah, archetypal are the singalong covers, Arctic Monkeys, Green Day, and a Lemonheads version of Mrs Robinson, but it’s entertainingly tongue-in-cheek and proficient; apt for what’s to come, especially the comical Kylie cover!
With anticipation brewing, Pants took their time to set up, reminding me somewhat of the Dolly Parton quote โit takes a lot of money to look this cheap,โ it takes Pants a lot of prep to sound this shit! I mean, they opened in the black warlock cloaks of a heavy gothic band, only to throw them off and cover Abba’s Mamma Mia with black wig, starry spandex bodysuit and black tape crosses over nipples. And I travelledโฆfor this!
Yeah, I travelled because we share this desire for undervalued self-deprecating and ironically overstated disparagement and weirdly define it as humour. Pants are deliberately shit, that’s the joke, beneath it they’re proficient musicians but that’s the last thing they’ll confess to being. Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band did this, Spinal Tap, Barron Knights, but rarely do we see it today. Things are more lateral, pragmatic now, you’re either a great band, or a shit band pretending to be great, not the opposite.
As darkness fell over Marlborough, the town gathered to catch a glimpse of something as traditional as the Mop Fair. Pants covered every pop classic you wouldn’t want them too, Don’t You Want Me, Turning Japanese, and from Girls Aloud’s Love Machine to Sparks This Town Ain’t Big Enough of Both of Us. Tiger Feet at the finale I’ll give them, but they rolled out medleys of Kung Fu Fighting with You Sexy Thing, they used an out of time hooter for Tainted Love like it was a bloody seventies quiz show with Bob Monkhouse, they did Hey Mickey and the Theme from the Sweeny, for crying out loud, what is wrong with them?!
They tried so hard to make this gig as shit as they possibly could, but even failed to do that. The crowd lapped it up, it was highly entertaining, hilariously tongue-in-cheek, but like a kebab, you need a few pints inside you to fully appreciate the silliness of a Pants show, and being I was drivingโฆStill, I managed more than my quota of laughs.
The Lamb rocks, the Vooz are fantastic and Pants are no Y-fronts, proper comfortable silk boxers. I’m glad I’ve seen them again after thirty plus years, and look forward to 2054 when they’ll hopefully progress from the seventies!
Meanwhile, next Saturday is another Famous Hangover Session at the pub, with a number of bands playing, worth the trip… or try a tea room with Danny K, whatever floats your boat!
by Ian and Paul Diddams photos by Ian Diddams and MDBTYD Festival
The 4th iteration of MDBTYD Festival was held on Saturday at its home of homes, Swindon Town Gardens. Last year Devizine covered the proceedings with Darren venturing northwards, and his thoughts and explanations can be found here
You can find all the background to the festival in Darren’s post, but I can add that this year in 2024 over ยฃ8000 will have been raised as I write this with other monies still coming in – in that vein itโs not too late to donate! Just follow the link here.
If you CBA to read Darrenโs 2023 post, a summary is that the MDBTYD Festival seeks to raise funds for Prospect Hospice in honour and recognition of Dave Young, a mover and shaker in the Swindon music scene before his passing in 2021. This is generously aided by the primary sponsorship of “Future Planning” Independent Financial Planners as well as support from Jovie Grill, Funky Corner Radio, Swindon PA Hire, Jamaican Me Crazy, The Tuppeny, Holmes Music, Vibish Brewery, SPR Garage, The Castle, South Swindon Parish Council, C.P. Jeffries, LF, Mamas Events, T Marshall Services, Originzone, Scarrots fun fairs, Hills and Platinum Security services.
While not totally perfect, nonetheless the weather this year was better than last year’s it has to be said although that bar was pretty low! Nine hundred souls joined in the fun in Old Town Gardens, and as in previous years enjoyed acts both in the festival arena on the main stage but also in the Acoustic stage in the band stand in the main park, as well as the craft market and fair ground. In fact it must be said so incessant was the music offerings in the main arena that these correspondents hardly managed to get to the Acoustic stage but that is no slight on the acts there – and if “Plummie Racket” was anything to go by when we did manage to squeeze a couple of numbers in the quality was high! For future reference to the great Devizine readership, the acoustic stage, craft market and fairground is open to the public though Im sure anybody availing themselves of the “free” offerings would be chucking a suitable donation in a bucket online of course.
So – the main arena. What a cornucopia of delights! All Swindon/Wiltshire based bands with local followings and the standard started high and maintained itself throughout. Without going into glorious technicolour detail across the board (else we’d be here until Christmas writing and reading it all) our musical pleasure zones were in turn tickled by “Copper Creek” with Americana style folk to start the toes a-tapping, “Broken Daylight” & “JB and The Mojo Makers” each with their own brand of driving rock and blues, and then “I See Orange” – a quite excellent Grunge, hard edged band with on stage attitude par excellence… sporting a bright orange bass… what came first the band name or the bass we wondered?! “Thud” blew us away with more driving bluesy rock and were followed by the stunningly vocalled “Joli & The Souls”. And lets not forget the “surprise” visits from “Ministry of Samba” !!
Eventually as evening began the crowd got what many were here to see – “The Chaos Brothers” an eclectic mix of punk, glam and new wave covers from Calne and Dave Young’s last band. And thence to the total treat of “Gaz Brookfield and The Company of Thieves”. Gaz is well known in these parts as a solo performer, but he has appeared for quite some while periodically with a bunch of assorted ne’er do wells “The Company of Thieves” and its becoming more common I have noticed of late for the full band experience to occur. But whether solo or a-Company-d (see what I did there?) Gaz’s tunes are a roller coaster of emotions from poignant, to laugh aloud, to reflective, to angry. He – and the Thieves – never disappoint.
Sadly our carriage awaited to return us to the depths of the county and Devizes so we missed SN Dubstation but their reputation precedes them and I have no doubt they were their spectacularly entertaining selves ๐
Now of course festivals are so much more than the bands of course. There is one area that is on the lips of seemingly every festival goer to every festival I discuss … the LOOS! Well, the loos were sparklingly clean, delightfully fresh on the nostrils and plentiful – I never had to queue all day! The bar – another important aspect of festival days of course – did have queues but that is testimony to the excellence of the products available and it is always lovely to spend time chatting to other attendees. On a personal note, we both felt the beer offering was absolutely spot on … a Vibish pale ale with a hint of Melon (a nod to Dave Young’s quote that he didnโt want his beer to taste of melon!). The bar was provisioned by “The Tuppeny” with some proceeds going to Prospect Hospice too. That of course just leaves – the food! The usual popular array of burgers, hot dogs, and hog roast – and chips! – from “Jovie Grill”, but another personal hats off to “Jamaican Me Crazy” for their fantastic Caribbean food … curry goat, jerked chicken, rice and peas etc. etc. etc. Simply great!
And so the day came to an end. It had flown by – a tribute to the high standard of acts and the enjoyment of the day. MDBTYD 2025 planning is already under way and it is sure to be even better if that is possible than this year’s.
And for more musical splendiferousness in the same vein for Prospect Hospice is the upcoming “The Shuffle” – Swindon’s biggest festival of unsigned grassroots music, 12th-15th September!
With a rolling hook in the chorus, piano riff over acoustic guitar and a heartfelt narrative, hereโs a promising debut single from Salisburyโs young singer-songwriterโฆ
Land ahoy me hearties! Devizes Corn Exchange was boarded last night by Cornish punk pirates Jolly Roger, for a frivolous and swashbuckling opening to Devizesโฆ
Images used with kind permission of Pacific Curd Photography West Wilts and Somerset folk-rock collective Courting Ghosts are about to release their debut album, Fallingโฆ
We’ve been chatting with the Community Organiser and Campaigns Manager of Devizes and District Foodbank, Alex Montegriffo, about an important free community conversation on Mondayโฆ
By Ian DiddamsPhotos by Gail Foster In 1971 Ken Russell enchanted film audiences with โThe Devilsโ, which incorporated nuns in the story โ somewhat controversially.โฆ
Friday evening in the liveliest of Devizes pubs, The Three Crowns, with Devizes best upcoming band, Nothing Rhymes With Orange pulling a two hour setโฆ
In recognition of his selfless ministry and leadership of St James Church, where the community and residents are at the core of everything, birthday boyโฆ
Itโs going to be all strawberries and cheese baps in pith helmets swinging in trouserland bedlam, with chap-hop shenanigans galore at the Barge on Honeystreetโฆ
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Gallivanting through festival season omits crucial visits to my local watering hole; I’ve missed it sooo much, and now feel thoroughly refreshedโฆ with a hint of hangover!
With Ian dispatched on the 49 to My Dadโs Festival in Swindon, and a double-whammy of FullTone and Scooter Rally pending next weekend, leaves me a free Saturday to enjoy a cider or five down my favourestmost tavern The Southgate.
They’ve ciders leftover from Beer Festival for three quid a pint, my favourite poison, and being my favourestmost indie popsters Talk In Code are doing their thang there, it’s a no-brainer; favourites all round.
Hardly been an age since giving Chris, Snedds, Titch, and Jambo some deserved attention on Devizine, being Minety was only a fortnight ago, but they’re a band I never tire of seeing. Plus I was interested to see how this would play out, being while the Gate is renowned for hosting original acts such as Talk in Code will insist on doing, there’s a common epoch to appease the blues aficionados of Devizes, else provide quirky alternatives like folk or jazz. Talk in Code is decidedly matured pop with indie roots, using subtle backing tracks to create ambience, so I worried the unusual fit might fail to create a sensation. I stand corrected and should never have doubted.
Such is their ability and universal appeal, to slot as neatly into something like FullTone and another such different shape like The Southgate. With two forty-five minute sets, a longer shift than usual, Talk in Code decided to warm the crowd by dipping into their more indie-rock back catalogue, and deliver the newer songs of a more eighties pop rock vibe towards the finale. Arguably, this could’ve been reversed as an audience younger than the Southgate regulars attended to begin with,ย to even out later. On the other hand the later songs infuses the party and rouses the crowd better, so by the beginning of the second half any concerns I might have had were quashed, and Talk in Code brought the house down with a jumping frenzy from a more diverse demographic than usual in the pub.
Such humbling merriment is, after all, what the Southgate vibe has always been about, and achieves as a standard; one damn fine reason among others why it’s my favourite pub.
It’s a world apart from standing on a stage with the audience at some distance away, to cram yourself into the Gate’s legendary alcove and literally have an audience so close to kiss you! It can be daunting, it might expose tricks you can hide on stage, but when played right, it’s the communal relationship creating an atmosphere you cannot attain with an audience standing twenty feet away from the stage. Talk in Code are utterly flexible on this. They need not adapt to suit the surrounding, but rather, what they deliver guarantees to work on any level of location and set.
And the sum of it all did produce another memorable gig at the trusty Southgate. Kicked off with an impressive support set by Bristol indie-rock trio Laissez Faire, a new one to me who could’ve easily taken a headline slot, and regularly does elsewhere. With a harder rock edge than Talk in Code, they had an acute sense of balance in bringing frenzied bridges and even-paced melodies. Their original compositions taking a hint of grunge, were confidently delivered and adroit, with attention to wider appeal than simply thrashing something out, I detected equally proportioned nods to the punker side of eighties mod rock as well, which is always a win for me.
Yet another top night’s entertainment for free, that you’d gladly buy a ticket for, at the dependable Southgate; they never fail to please. Laissez Faire, an introduction to a name to keep a keen eye on, followed by a band we’ve tracked the progress of for many years, and with a building mass of followers dubbed Talkers, on a local level at the very least, provide such a universal sound it’s impossible to ignore their success. Talk in Code by name, but there’s no cryptic mystery as to why they’re one of the very best bands on the circuit.
The 50th Anniversary of the now legendary Village Pump Festival, which was brought back to the UK festival circuit in 2018 by director Nicholas Reed, are down to their last 100 tickets; be as quick as a quick thing being quickโฆ.
Driven by the uk festival exclusive for the debut duo performance from long time British folk legends Maddy โSteeleye Spanโ Prior, who graced Trowbridge’s Village Pump venue in the early 70s, prior to any fame and fortune and jon โbellowheadโ boden. This incredible partnership gets its first live performance at a venue that kick-started their early careers in what is such a significant moment in the festivalโs history.
Also on the line up are the fast becoming deeply respected The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, in what is surely a festival headline debut! The Barnsley trio offer up their usual wit and humour, but with recent new addition Jamie Roberts, brother of the wonderful Katheryn Robertโs who will also be performing with her duo with her partner Sean Lakeman.
Itโs a true folkers line up, which includes โGilmore-Robertsโ, โSykes-martinโ, โStonegallowsโ and festival stalwart โKeith Christmasโ. Ceilidh from โSpill the Whiskeyโ, and some world music from the Bath-based klezmer band โNinotchkaโ and โRSVP Bhangraโ.
Unmissable highlights recommended by us at Devizine, and to interfere with an otherwise fine press release with our own opinion, (as we care to do!) would include Gaz Brookfield, Mr Tea & The Minions, Concrete Prairie, Be Like Will, Billy in the Lowground, Fly Yeti Fly, Devilโs Doorbell, The Lost Trades, Thieves, and of course, Ruby Darbyshire and Nothing Rhymes With Orange; this is stellar line-up of tried and tested local talent alongside the headliners.ย ย
Unlike other festivals, Trowbridge offers free camping with their weekend tickets. This offers unrivalled value for money and set in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, basking in the shadow of Westbury White Horse.
ย Abrilli, sole Director and owner of Tonka Bean Cafe Bar in Devizes announced today, due to โsignificant changes in personal and financial circumstances due toโฆ
Jam-packed July! If thereโs always lots to do throughout the year, July especially so!ย ย
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.
The Frome Festival is underway, and ends on 14th July. Cheltenham Music Festival also, ending on 13th July.
Marlborough Open Studios is running until 28th July.
Wednesday 10th
Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.
Three Choir Showcase Concert at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, featuring BCG Choir, PSG Choir and the Horizons Choir. Jam at the Boathouse.
A Lunchtime Recital with flautist Klio Blonz at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Cheritang at the Bell, Bath. The Dreamer Live at The Rondo Theatre.
Scott Mickelson at The Beehive, Swindon. Chocolate Theatre presents The Full Monty at Swindon Arts Centre. Infant Voice Festival at the Wyvern Theatre.
Paul Masonโs The Bob Morris Lecture at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.
2000Trees festival opens near Cheltenham.
Thursday 11th
James B Partridge Presents: School Assembly Bangers at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Fly Yeti Fly at The Tuppenny, Swindon. Erin Bardwell & Friends at The Castle.
Richard Herringโs Can I Have My Ball Back at the Cheese & Grain, Frome.
Friday 12th
โSteve Davisโ and โKavos Torabiโ at the Barge Inn Honeystreet.
Marlborough Festival opens and runs all weekend. Comedy Night at the Town Hall. El Toro at The Bear, Marlborough. Luke Gittins with Ash Smith at The Green Dragon.
Double Bill at Pound Arts, Corsham with Ben de la Cour & Holysseus Fly.
Black Charade & Fell Out Boy at The Vic, Swindon. Funkinsteins at The Beehive. Viggo Venn at the Wyvern Theatre.
One Chord Wonders at The Boathouse, Bradford-on-Avon. Future Plan and Lindup Brothers at the Three Horseshoes.
Faith at The Rondo Theatre, Bath.
Peatbog Faeries at the Cheese & Grain, Frome. An Dannsa Dub at the Tree House.
Saturday 13th
Devizes Beer & Cider Festival. Humdinger at The Three Crowns, Devizes. Thomas Atlas at The Southgate, Devizes.
Josh Kumra and Mica at the Bear, Marlborough. On Remand at the Crown.
Reading Dub Club at The Barge, HoneyStreet.
Everything Changes at Melksham Assembly Hall.
Adrenaline Stompers Festival at Club Venom in Westbury.
Characters Stage Schoolโs Annie at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Innes Sibun Trio at The Boathouse.
John Hegley: An American in Luton at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Bar Tape at The Rondo Theatre, Bath. The Spirit & Sound of Steely Dan โ Nearly Dan in concert at Chapel Arts. Salt Beef Reuben & Friends at the Bell, Bath.
Hooch at Royal Oak, Bishopstone. Phantom Droid, Thrakian and Hora at The Vic, Swindon.
Miss Kelโs Academy Of Dance: Stars And Stripes at the Wyvern Theatre.
Flash Harry at the Corner House, Frome. Gary Davies Sound of the 80s at the Cheese & Grain.
And Somerset Kaya Reggae Festival at Caryford.
Sunday 14th
Editorโs Pick of the Week is Picnic in the Park at Hillworth Park, Devizes from 12-5pm; hope to see you there! Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective at The Southgate, Devizes straight afterwards.
Wiltshire Young Musicians Summer Festival from 1.30pm at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Tom Cornnell at The Boathouse. Luna Barge at the Three Horseshoes.
Jon Amor Trio at the Bell, Bath.
Richard Wileman & Amy Fry at Richard Jefferies Museum, Swindon from 1pm. Kitty Langan Studio โ Schoolโs Out at the Wyvern Theatre.
Frome Symphony at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.
The Godney Gathering in Somerset opens.
Monday 15th
B D Lenz at the Bell, Bath.
Tuesday 16th
Alex Vietch Quartet at Jazz Knights in the Royal Oak, Swindon.
Ben de la Cour at the Bell, Bath.
And thatโs your lot, for now!
Important note: events which come to our attention from now on, will be updated on the Event Calendar and NOT HERE. So, be sure to check in from time to time, use the Event Calendar to find more info on everything listed on here, and for ticket links, etc. Use the Event Calendar to check for updates and planning ahead.
Did we miss you out? Did you tell us about your event? 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!
White Horse Opera members, Soprano Barbara Gompels, Mezzo Soprano Paula Boyagis, Tenor Carlos Alonso together with pianist Tony James join forces with international cellist Anupโฆ
By Ian DiddamsImages by Chris Watkins Ruth Ellis was hanged aged 28 years old, by Albert Pierrepoint the official executioner in the UK, at Hollowayโฆ
A group of local women and their families are gathering together to lay a huge installation of childrenโs clothes outside the office of Justin Tomlinsonโฆ
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.
Brian Yeatesย Images: Greg Stoner This was the first time Iโd heard about the Pump, and realised it did not refer to the popular local festival. I was familiar with James and the Cold Gun from a support run they did with Therapy a few years back. And I was planning to go and seeโฆ
Beltane, May Day, or just plain bank holiday Monday; whatever you whatchamacallit, itโs the first day of May, and there’s lots to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week. Hereโs what weโve foundโฆ. Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info. It may be updated withโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages from Jinder facebook It has somehow been a few years since I last saw Jinder โ or Phil Jinder Dewhurst โ play so Sunday evening was a serendipitous outing to the Queenโs Head, Box to catch him play the second half of a gig alongside Mark Harrison. I’ve talked about the venueโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages from Mark Harrison Facebook Last summer I was lucky enough to see Mark Harrison play at the โTangled Rootsโ festival over Radstock way (highly recommended that is too, for a laid back weekend of camping, workshops, and americana/roots music!). So when I saw him appearing on a Sunday night card at theโฆ
In what appears to be a deliberate attempt to smear the campaign of opposition candidate for Wiltshire Police Crime Commissioner, independent Mike Rees, it seems existing PCC Philip Wilkinson has outright and unashamedly lied in a Facebook commentโฆ. In the comment, Mr Wilkinson states Mr Rees was โpart of the force that went into specialโฆ
Familiarity was key for me last night, if last weekend was new, trekking to Swindon for their soul and jazz festival, watching an amazing Gambian musician play a string instrument made from a cow skin covered pumpkin. Cue the theme to Cheers, sometimes I simply want to get down to my local, see a bandโฆ
Itโs just as unlikely Jimmy Page, who, it is said, designed the cover of Led Zeppelin 4, couldโve imagined Long Lot, the thatcher in a Victorian postcard discarded in an antique shop near his house in Pangbourne and used in the design, would be the central attraction in an exhibition some fifty-two years after theโฆ
Ah, the Tina Turner tribute, which turned my criticism of Tina Turner tribute acts on its head, is coming to Devizes in August. In the light of Wiltshire Music Eventsโ recent successful Corn Exchange takeover with the Marley Experience, it’s set its own pedestal pretty highโฆ. Avid readers of Devizine should know I try, asโฆ
by Ian Diddamsimages by Jim McCauley & Bath Drama Its 3 a.m. You are tired. You are still going round and round in circles in a discussion with a partner, lover, friend about a lover, their lover, a friendโs lover. Sound familiar? Flashbacks? We have all been there โ well, anybody that has any friendsโฆ
With the danceable penultimate act attracting a packed crowd, I observed a young teenager, who, on spotting a disregarded beer bottle, picked it up and disposed of it properly. I’m at Mantonfest, the gem on Marlborough’s annual event calendar. I’m not surprised, having been a few times now, it has always been this pleasant and respectable; this year I reasoned whyโฆ.
Kids these days, huh? Reacting appropriately, averting a potential trip hazard, I ask you?! Elsewhere, a younger girl is on her dad’s shoulders, pumping her arms in the air while the Queen tribute reenacts classics way beyond her years, and her dad bounces underneath; it’ll be one of countless priceless family memories to savour here today, just like Heidi of Barrelhouse giving out inflatable guitars, mics and more randomly, crocodiles!
For at Mantonfest’s very opening, parents are driven to joyful tears, as thirteen year-old Megan Mills from St John’s School swaps guitar for keys and confidently delivers an outstanding if short set, filled equally with talent and expression.
If, in past years I’ve pondered the wide age demographic at Mantonfest, Mills, the aspiring health and safety officer, the girl piggybacking her dad, the toddler clutching his inflatable croc, are examples as to why. It’s the festival’s fifteenth birthday, families have grown up with this, ergo, Mantonfest is an institution, they return habitually and hold it in such high esteem, even at teenage they respect this congenial ethos. It creates a matchless experience to justify me hailing Mantonfest as the friendliest festival you’re ever likely to attend.
It’s tradition which warrants the return of favoured acts, such as Madness-Bad Manners and overall Two-Tone act, Badness, back by popular demand. They blew the roof off last year, although they mimicked their show, they came up shining, and skanking again.
Similarly, the model set from Barrelhouse will never go grey. They are to Mantonfest what R2D2 is to Star Wars, appearing time over and never failing to delight with their perfectly pumped hoedown of vintage blues. To see Barrelhouse live is cake, to see them at MantonFest is the icing on that cake. Yep, there’s many repeating features at Mantonfests, but if it’s not broken โฆ.
I’m standing with Chippenham’s wonderful folk singer-songwriterMeg, complimenting Mills for a likeness to her own expressive vocal range. Meg’s on next, which shouldn’t really be as the section is supposed to showcase talent from the town’s comprehensive, but as one band cancelled I was called for a suggestion and couldn’t imagine anyone more apt and deserved. At 17 now Meg has developed a name for herself, hard working her idiosyncratic style to play Chippenhamโs Pride, Folk Festival and expanding to Minety and Trowbridgeโs Pump. On her first of three gigs this weekend, she excitedly tells me how it went supporting Jools Holland. Such are local circuit barriers though, Meg’s not so widely known here, so even a short set is good to help her to venture eastwards, and they sure made her welcome.
Sublimely delivering three tunes of her own wares, Meg set the bar high for Rory & Tom, who followed by providing popular covers in a friendly and lively fashion. Elton-like pianist Sammy Till-Vattier polished off the youth section. Saw him last year, he’s the upcoming name to watch on the Marlborough circuit. His poignant crafted originals are emotionally poured out, he literally sweats solo talent, as his final piece verged on Serge Gainsbourg level, and in his language too; je l’ai aimรฉ!
This opening section to Mantonfest debuted last year shouldn’t be viewed as a filler or talent contest, rather a taster of what’s to come for the family event.
Just like other neighbouring towns, Marlborough youths show dedication and talent. It fills one with confidence that music is safe in Gen Z hands, but more importantly is Mantonfest’s drive to showcase them. There’s no bolt-on gazebo miles away from the event’s main brace, they’re on the same stage which Toyah once graced.
There’s a part of me, though, which wishes the hordes who came for the finale crowd-pleasing tribute acts could’ve supported the local talent at the start, but I know, cookie crumbles this way.
Tributes were the order of the evening, but nestled between the St John’s section and them, the tradition of family continues. Josie Mackenzie is no stranger here, she pulled a blinder last year guest singing with The James Oliver Band. Taking front and centre this time with swing-style rockabilly-blues her new band the Radiotones wonderfully reintroduced fifties-early sixties classics in an Etta James fashion. Particularly stand-out was Ray Charlesโ, Hallelujah, I Love Her So.
Then, Olโ Man Witcomb And The Bergamots; wow! In different guises, especially one called Skedaddle, Witcomb family members have regularly played the festival as they live in the village, albeit a slot so early I missed them before. Took this with a pinch of salt, then, assuming this being a village custom, I wasn’t expecting greatness; my biggest surprise this year.
The old man referenced in the name is Chris Witcomb, bassist, wife Jane sings, boy, does Jane sing, and three sons back them on lead acoustic and electric guitars, and drums, like a Manton Carter Family!
If this ensemble was โformed for a bit of funโ as stated I’m truly in awe; they were as uniformed as any professional classic rock band, and handled some unusual and technically challenging covers, particularly poignant was Genesisโ Land of Confusion.
Aside from their model set they even carried onstage banter with ease, apologising for performing Making Plans for Nigel for its possible election connotations! It was a gorgeous performance they really should take on the road, sitting somewhere between The Pretenders and Fleetwood Mac.
Between acts Fruci Fit Personal Training of Marlborough and Devizes gave a loud and proud exercise class, then, The Fab Four took the stage. Working through the Beatles discography with lighthearted panache, they’re another back by popular demand, and are a thoroughly entertaining tribute. Barrelhouse followed as evening set in, enough said. Coupled with the perfect weather, it was looking to be a most memorable Mantonfest.
A further three tributes to take us to the cumulation. Firstly, Forever Elton was enjoyable if technically mediocre. Badness did it again, stealing the show with upbeat Two-Tone re-enactments in newspaper suits but idiosyncratically making tributes stand-alone. The northern working-class banter is at invaluable comical proportions, but their musical proficiency too makes it a class homage. It’s a wonder how Queen tribute The Bohemians will top it, but surprisingly, according to my love of ska, and the fact Queen tributes are two to a penny, I think they did.
Tricky to perfect but a common choice to attribute, Queen is a national pride. To do this badly would be an epic fail. I’ve always thought this, ending up surprised with the results of previous Queen tributes I’ve bore witness to, but The Bohemians were undoubtedly the best. It was a show stopping finale, a sublime imitation of probably the finest rock band ever, if not, certainly the most popular. Throughout their performance I was equally held in awe at the precision and attention to detail, and simply enjoying the moment, as those rock classics were delivered with such skill and gusto.
Yet it is not only the excellence of all the acts which makes Mantonfest Mantonfest, rather the lesser ingredients, the beautiful setting, the simplicity of the arrangement and its dedication to hold dear its self-made traditions. But most importantly, and likely the sum of all other parts, it’s this trouble-free tenant akin to a Caribbean holiday (with rum punch,) which has seen a generation grow and be proud and respectable of this wonderful annual occasion.ย
For me, it’s equally about Mills, Sammy et al, as it is for a tribute act knocking it out of Treacle Brolly, but I feel it is too for the many here who enjoy this gem year after year. Another Mantonfest ticked off, another astounding and memorable year, it never fails to impress me.
If we spoke only last month about Wiltshire Councilโs threats to prosecute Wiltshire Music Events over posters advertising a Bob Marley tribute event in Devizes,โฆ
By Florence Lee Images by Kiesha Films โThey promised hardcore shenanigans which never fall below 180 bpmโ SHOX: After seeing Shox in February I wasโฆ
Girls, girls, girls, we love them here at Devizine, especially our esteemed all-female local supergroup The Female of the Species. 2024 will be their ninthโฆ
Two teen Devizes punker bands appear on Trowbridgeโs Pump triple-bill this Saturday, as the search for the Future of Trowbridge reaches its eighth instalment; unsureโฆ
There will be some foot-tapping folky goodness at the wonderful Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon on Friday. This year’s Bradford Roots Festival may be aโฆ
Being our reporter Flo was unfortunately unable to attend the Devizes Youth Action Group’s second sell-out gig on Friday, I sought to catch up with stars of that show, Steatopygous, who were supporting at The Pump on Saturday tooโฆ
Three birds, one stone. The Pumpโs overdue another praising plug from us, being such the absolutely fantastic venue we’re smitten about. A chance to finally hear Steatopygous for myself, a band Flo’s been raving about, is a second reason to be here tonight. Third is to tick Swindon’s I See Orange off my must-see list; jobs done within an exuberant night, ears still ringing this morning!
You realise the Spanish understandably keep all the best oranges for themselves and send us the tasteless non-perishable ones, right? Try oranges there and they’re the tastiest ever. Well, this is one of those which evidently slipped through the net. Their name pops up as if set in my algorithms, I See Orange at the Vic, at Minety, and so on; now I’ve seen I See Orange, effectively I saw Orange, past tense, but I would see I See Orange again, if this makes any sense?!
Nestled between two Swindon drummer and bassist grunge lads, a strikingly attractive Latino girl confidently thrashes out stylised and euphoric originals in a manner sublimely nodding at punk’s heyday, fused with a thousand post-punk influences. It’s loud, proud, it’s imagining The Sugarcubes played Nirvana style, the Smalltown Tigers aimed a smidgen more metal, but it certainly doesn’t hang around for you to pigeonhole it!
Three minute heroes is their punk traditional ethos, with doll symbolism, a bubble machine and a penchant for bending backwards whilst maintaining remarkable handling of her lead guitar. It was showy, tight and, dammit, I never knew grunge could be so sassy and alluring! I See Orange are ones to watch, lively, original, producing some electric shock recordings and their debut show at The Pump fitted like a glove; I was suitably wowed by their presence and dynamic sound.
Such is it that while most celebrated venues seek the big names past or present, The Pump strives to showcase the next big names, especially when promoted by Sheer. Though my attendances past tend to be established local greats, the smooth folk of The Lost Trades, of Will Lawton, or chap hop Professor Elemental, it was tonight I witnessed the legendary Pump, literally pumping out it’s full potential with the names the youth there will boast to future grandchildren they saw them in their prime. That’s the spirit of this once folk club now small axe, and it stamps Trowbridge on the live music map of the UK with unrivalled gusto.
We’ve passed a short lived era of doubt, when Wadworth flagship the Lamb, which contains The Pump, changed hands. Pleased to hear of a fairytale ending where the new owners welcome its addition and also hosts conventional music nights of its own, largely open mics; phew!
Indeed there’s an air of greater potential at the venue, despite already punching above its weight. Any musician should consider a gig there as a benchmark to their achievement. I know Devizes-own Steatopygous have been building to this point, working hard, and now, since Sheer promoter Kieran asked me for their contact details, and staged them under the Future Sound of Trowbridge banner, here they are again, thrown off any potentially patronisingly and perhaps amateurish connotations of “youth” or “teen band,” they’re here with their own pride and right, and largest fanbase tonight.
Steatopygous are a trio to repel stereotypically passรฉ half-centenarians, who’d likely label them “witches,” being Fishy Rishi and his gang has receded us to medieval, yet it’s precisely these redeeming qualities I salute them for; I’m weird like that, historically! It’s punk in quintessence, and if you’re not offending someone you’re not doing it properly.
Riot grrrl is not only musical subgenre though, more counterculture tenet, an expression of feminist anarchy exposed equally via poetry, political standing and DIY zine culture as well as music, and it was through illustrating those punk-paste zines of the nineties I became aware of the movement and bands like Bikini Kill, encompassing it. Ode to my days of blim-holed Letraset, Pritt-Stick, and stapling your finger to photocopied pages for a return of 10p!
It deals with the anger and frustration of inequality. While considered socially acceptable for male musicians of past eras to express enraged emotions, the suppression of women to do likewise is riot grrrl’s angle, and Steatopygous embody this superbly. Such as it is, after they’ve screamed the house down, all is vented, so a chat with them was hospitable, intelligent, and involved subjects like completing their exams and future hopes.
On stage though, they’re a force, hammering out originals with thoughtful prose and screeching emotion, you cannot prevent them embedding their prose into your soul if you wanted them there, or not! On subjects keyed to the movement, yet contemporary, they shine. A cry to Israeli occupation of Gaza, for example, but their personal favourite shaming laddish behaviour, a quick blast called Little Boy.
If Nothing Rhymes With Orange set a high bar for current Devizes bands, Steatopygous will nuzzle underneath it and come up trumps via their own methods. I hope they don’t change this energy to be commercially viable, as it was a unique fuzzbox frenzied experience to savour and the young audience lapped it up.
Between these two divine outbursts saw perhaps a more archetype nod to punk roots. Hayden Lloyd as a Midlands trio provided a wonderfully delivered moment of sanity for elders present, blessed in the mod blues reminiscent of Paul Weller at his edgiest, and polishing his set with an astute cover of Hendrix’s Foxy Lady; deffo not riot grrrl! His was heaped in retrospection, of The Who and the progressive advances which got us to this stage, and it was done exceptionally well.
Another triple header night of excellent original music from the pride of Trowbridge, worthy of the short journey. The Pump is where it’s at, The Pump showcases what others wouldn’t dare to, and such is the other’s downfall. I saw Orange, that would’ve been enough to warrant an awesome night’s entertainment, Haydon and Steatopygous were bonus balls we’ll see headlining in future I donโt doubt for a second, both their performances last night surely sealed such a deal.
When Flo reported on the first Devizes Youth gig, she thought to interview Steatopygous, you can read it here, whereas I popped out for a damn tasty chicken burger from the stall down the street; it’s my reward for telling local live music aficionados The Pump is your pilgrimage!
Spring has sprung! There were two snails on my milk-float this morning, opening โdoing it,โ without shame; absolute filth! โฆ. I should have filmedโฆ
One of many young indie bands which impressed me at Bradford Roots Festival, and proof thereโs more than the name suggests at The Wiltshire Music Centreโs winter convention of local music, Bristol-based LilyPetals released their debut EP this weekโฆ.
Firing on all cylinders, thereโs five three minute heroes and one slightly longer tune on this impressive introduction to an equally-gendered and equally promising four-piece. Contemporary themes imploded by two fierce opening tracks, Currently Unavailable and, particularly, We Want More, arch a punk flavour of punkโs heyday; and I like that a lot! Thereโs wailing guitars, echoing chorus lines, and emotion pouring out.
If weโre talking emotion though, the tempo lessens for the third tune, Thatโs What You Said to Me, proving LilyPetals is no one trick pony. Itโs a rolling ballad, with a euphoric element akin to a rock classic. If this tune will raise your eyebrow, note, Playwright reverbs with passion and fire, thereโs almost shards of glam rock meeting gothic in there too. But LilyPetals have mastered the hook, leading to a bridge via a finger click, is clever and beguiling stuff.
The four minute tune is the penultimate one, and it just drives from the intro. Break Your Mind is perhaps a magnum opus to date for this band, though I highly suspect from the concentrated and tight compositions of all these tunes, weโre going to be moving onto even better stuff from them in the near future. In principle then, this is encouraging, and it feels like punk is saved for a new generation in their indie passion. This is to Bowling For Soup what Reef is to The Rolling Stones, but the potential for improvement is gapping in their hands; the canvas here is ripped and ready to rock!
It finishes with Spaceman, mate, check this out, the hook is a sinker, it has all the elements of a classic, and, as weโve seen with bands like The Radio Makers, punk rock can evoke modern generations, and punk can live on through them. LilyPetals, arguably ironic namesake, yet the fervour is at a blossoming point, and this is a great and lengthy EP, verging on an album, and album worthy of your perusal.ย ย
Wiltshire Councilโs ambitious plans to resurface all the roads in Devizes before the next ice age have been cancelled because rare dinosaur fossils have beenโฆ
November was one crazy month for our friend and researcher from the Regional History Centre at the University of the West of England, Brian Edwards.โฆ
With howling, coarse baritones Nick Fletcher, the main vocalist of Marlboroughโs gothic duo, Deadlight Dance chants, โhere comes the rain, and I love the rain,โฆ
An exodus of musical lovers and, I’d assume, a healthy handful of friends and family, trekked southwards through winter’s final ambush last night, to enjoyโฆ
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Hereโs what weโve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week, with a bank holiday in the mix!
Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info. It may be updated, so check in later in the week.
Ongoing: A Wiltshire Thatcher: A Photographic Journey Through Victorian Wessex runs at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes, until the end of August; review here.
Ongoing: Bath International Music Festival: 17th – 26th May
Wednesday 22nd
Acoustic Jam at The Southgate, Devizes.
The Wizard of Oz at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-onAvon.
Starting a run until the 25th May, I Love You Because at The Rondo Theatre, Bath. The Barefoot Bandit at the Bell, Bath. And the Mission Theatre begins SparkFest with two shows, The Sofa and Dead End.
Big Jam Sessions at The Vic, Swindon. Irish House Party at Swindon Arts Centre.
Thursday 23rd
Runny Snotts Acoustic Sessions at The Neeld, Chippenham.
Nick Helmโs Super Fun Good Time Show at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Here Come the Crows at The Vic, Swindon. Luke Combs at The Wyvern Theatre. Confessions Of Sweeney Todd at Swindon Arts Centre.
SparkFestโs Independent Digital Screenings at The Mission, Bath.
And the last Shindig Festival opens at Dillington Park, have a great time if youโre going to that.
Friday 24th
Chippenham Folk Festival opens and runs until 27th May.
Nothing Rhymes With Orange at Devizes Street Festival
Nothing Rhymes With Orange are back on their home turf, playing The Three Crowns, Devizes, which we make Edโs pick of the week. Full on Fridays at the Exchange in with resident DJ Stevie Mc in the mix.
Shilts & Friends at the Civic, Trowbridge.
Jessica Fostekewโs Mettle at Pound Arts, Corsham.
CapโN Rustyโs Skiffle City Rockers at The New Inn, Amesbury.
Hatepenny at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon. Call The Shots at The Boathouse.Bach Week: at Wiltshire Music Centre, with Quartetto di Cremona The Art of Fugue.
Biggles Sound System is at St James Wine Vaults, Bath. Fleetwood Mad at Chapel Arts. MacPlebs is the SparkFest show at The Mission.
Tyrants at The Vic, Swindon. Nick Helmโs Super Fun Good Time Show at Swindon Arts Centre. Rock It at The Queenโs Tap. And thereโs a Beer and Cider Festival at Swindon & Cricklade Railway.
Be Like Will at Tuckers Grave Inn, Faulkland.
Carsick are at The Tree House, Frome.
Cursus Festival opens in Dorset.
Saturday 25th
Chris Free at The Southgate, Devizes. Sam Briggs joins Stevie MC in the mix at the Exchange.
CapโN Rustyโs Skiffle City Rockers at the Crown, Bishops Cannings.
Mick Jogger and The Stones Experience at Edington Charity Ball at the Three Daggers.
Family Fun Day at Spencerโs Club Melksham from 11am-4pm.
80s Disco at the Talbot, Calne.
Lonely Road Band at Gloucester Road Cons Club, Trowbridge.
Molly Chambers at Hawkeridge Village Hall near Westbury.
The Reason at Prestbury Sports Club, Warminster.
D-State at Tuckers Grave Inn, Faulkland.
aKa Dance: A Real Fiction at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Larkhall at Kington Langley Village Hall.
Steve Backshall begins a few dates at Longleat running until 2nd June.
Biaritz at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
Chris Moyles 90s Hangover Festival at Swindon Town FC Rockabilly Rumble at the Vic. The BeatRoutes at The Queenโs Tap. Sonic Alert at Woodlands Edge. Daliso Chaponda โ Feed This Black Man Again at Swindon Arts Centre. Daniel OโReilly: Out Of Character at The Wyvern Theatre.
The Ciderhouse Rebellion at Chapel Arts, Bath. SparkFest at The Mission has Stage Fright, CYCLOPS: More Than Meets The Eye, and The Chipping Norton Incident.
Love Saves the Day at Bristol.
Jeremy Healy at The Cheese & Grain, Frome. The Hammervilles at the Tree House.
Sunday 26th
Muddy Manninen & Pasty Gabble at The Southgate, Devizes from 5pm. People Like Us at The Three Crowns.
Open Mic at the Red Lion, Lacock.
Pete Lane and the Sailing Stones at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
Luke Philbrick & the Solid Gone Skiffle Invasion at the Bell, Bath. Bath Fringe Festival shows The Demeter by Lewis Cook at The Mission.
Could Be Real Tribute Festival at Swindon Town FC. Lonely Road Band at the Richard Jefferies Museum, free entry. Mrs Smith โ See Me! at Swindon Arts Centre. Punt and Dennis at The Wyvern Theatre.
Bank Holiday Monday 27th
The Popup Youth Cafe will be on the Green in Devizes from 2-4pm. Funked Up at The Three Crowns, Devizes.
Tom Odell โBlack Fridayโ at The Memorial Hall, Marlborough, check ahead I think this may be cancelled.
Open Mic at The Old Road Tavern, Chippenham.
Wonder Gigs: Sky at Pound Arts, Corsham, followed by John Robbโs Do You Believe in the Power of Rock n Roll.
Bruton Packhorse Fair.
Car Show at Tuckers Grave Inn, Faulkland.
Big Chimney Barn Dance at the Bell, Bath.
Tuesday 28th
Half Term Reduction Linocut Workshop at Hannah Cantellow Studio, Devizes.
Exhibition on Screen โ Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matis at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Pop Princesses at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. Fleur Stevenson Quartet at Jazz Knights in the Royal Oak, Swindon.
And thatโs all weโve got for now; fill your boots! Events listed here are subject to change, we are not responsible for cancellations, errors or postponements in anything listed.
Do check ahead with our ever-changing events diary. Isnโt it high time you snapped up some tickets for the Devizes Arts Festival at the end of the month running into June?
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!
The first Kamikaze moth of the year dive-bombed my face the other morning. Forget blossoming trees and tulips, that’s a milkmanโs sure sign of springโฆbecauseโฆ
The Liberal Democratโs are today celebrating a historic election win in the heart of Marlborough, in the first contested Town Council election for thirteen yearsโฆ.โฆ
After a larger quantity of social media teasers than previous years, Devizes Arts Festival has today revealed their full line-up for 2024. Better take aโฆ
Hereโs whatโs happening over the coming week in the wilds of Wiltshire, hold onto your hats! Everything listed here is on our event calendar; goโฆ
Image: Czampal Iโm laughing, not at the Glasto lineup, but the incalculable comments of negativity it has encouraged in Facebookland. It should be said though,โฆ
Ian Diddams Written by Jonathan LarsonPresented by Maple Theatre Company It’s always hard reviewing a show that one has seen multiple times before, performed byโฆ
In true Royston Vasey style, unfortunately due to time and resources we donโt review international music as we did during lockdown, choosing to focus moreโฆ
On International Womenโs Day a group of women from the Swindon community decided to organise a clothes memorial for the over 11,500 Palestinian children killedโฆ
Buses, huh? Last time I strolled to the dual carriageway to catch one it was four minutes early and didnโt hang around for listless fogies with an appetite for entertainment. I glumly watched it blur past from fifty yards down the lane. This time I hotfooted it, my ageing heart pushed to its limits, and the delayed bus left me standing there for fifteen minutes! Once in Devizes, although far from Broadway, options for quality music and drink still overpowers those of neighbouring market towns; something we should be proud ofโฆ.ย ย
Post vegan market and a craft fair at the Corn Exchange, as evening sets in The Pelican prepares for its beloved karaoke, a couple of hobos strum a ditty by the fountain, and the amazingly talented Adam Woodhouse arrives at The Three Crowns. Yet I must bypass such significant options, itโs over to Long Street Blues Club, because when Ruby Darbyshire is in town, thereโs no compromise from me.
I give a nod to Joe Hicks, likely the best support act Iโve witnessed at Long Street to date, yet at seventeen-years old, Ruby Darbyshire, I believe mayโve topped it. Her first time at the legendary club, she practised two blues songs to play them, one by Beth Orton, another more classic, although by subject her own composition Insomnia could be perceived as blues, and her overwhelming vocals blessed the club with these and a sprinkling of popular covers.
Thereโs a double-whammy of congratulations to organisers of Long Street, councillor Ian Hopkins who this week became Mayor, and his now wife, Liz, for their marriage in the same week. We wish them many happy years together. But dilemma dawns for me; though keen to hear a group composed of legends Horace Panter, Steve Walwyn and Ted Duggan, by name alone itโs fair to suggest accolades as standard, whereas itโs the first time Swindonโs gypsy-folk Canuteโs Plastic Army are in town. Theyโre down our trusty Southgate, and since hearing a handful of their most impressive singles, and our ethos of supporting local acts, I must depart the club with haste.
Much as I would love to pretend this was all part of careful planning, it wasnโt! Believing our fantastic regular reviewer and part of the furniture at Long Street, Andy Fawthrop was still on his holibobs, I endeavoured to stay as long as possible in order to give fair praise to The Dirt Road Band, when all the time he was hiding behind me! So, it gives us an opportunity to merge our words and be comprehensive about a typically great Saturday night in Devizes.
After Ruby did her thing, which never fails to leave me suspended in awe, I stayed for two songs from The Dirt Road Band. Ruby rinsed beautiful versions of Joni Mitchellโs Big Yellow Taxi, and Princeโs Nothing Compares 2U, as regulars in her set, yet again, itโs in jazz renditions such as Erroll Garnerโs Misty and Nina Simoneโs Feeling Good, where her sublime vocal range is let loose, is something to behold, and the very reason Iโm here at the club. Crowds flock this shy prodigy during the interval with congratulations, clearly itโs not just me who thinks this.ย
The Dirt Road Band came on all guns blazing, in an impressive electric blues-rock fashion. I favour my blues rootsy, though tip my hat for their aptness to the Clubโs favoured mode. Here below, is Andyโs take on them; I salute plus thank him for his expert thoughts, as ever.ย
A recently-formed modern (super-)group, consisting of gig stalwarts Horace Panter (The Specials) on guitar and vocals, Steve Walwyn (DR. Feelgood) on bass, and Ted Duggan (Badfinger) on drums, these guys had all been around the block a few times. They knew how to play, how to drive a set-list and how to work the audience.
They took a couple of numbers to really get going, but once they hit their groove there was nothing stopping them. Playing a single ninety-minute set they ripped through both original material and a few great covers. It was rock, it was blues, it was boogie-woogie, and they shifted these styles around with seemingly no effort.
Keeping the audience to a chit-chat to a minimum, they frequently segued from one number to another. There were some great riffs on the new songs, and there was a definite Feelgood vibe going on at times. It was no-nonsense, professional stuff, highly enjoyable. A cheering, standing ovation was rewarded with Get Your Kicks on Route 66. By comparison to Beaux Gris Grisโ near three-hour performance the other week, ninety minutes felt very short, but it was quality not quantity that was on offer here. Good gig, good value. Definitely a band worth checking out.
Eyes back on me, then; thanks Andy! Without cloning technology I missed this, hot footing it again, this time to the Southgate. Dirt Road Band originally asked to play here, landlady Deborah thought theyโd be better suited to Long Street, and so we are blessed with the presence of Canuteโs Plastic Army, I understand itโs their inaugural visit tour trusty answer to a Devizesโ O2, though the guitarist plays also with welcomed regulars SโGO.
Based upon both the Army part of their name, and the strength of a few singles Iโve heard from them, such as the incredible Wild, I was first surprised to see they were but a duo! Nevertheless, through Anish Harrisonโs intense and consuming vocals and the intricate guitarwork of Neil Mercer, they build layers through loop pedals and sheer expertise, to produce the euphoric gothic folk one would expect a full band to have produced.
There were a few technical hiccups with the PA, yet through warts and all, the duo gifted us with an inspiring, beautifully accomplished and unique sound. Whimsically gliding like fairies in mist, ringing out choral from just one voice, or bittersweet, they were reciting influences in subject from folklore and mythical prehistory in breathtaking splendour. I changed my mind, they are indeed an army, armed with allegory and an elated passion to deliver it.
Itโs Anglo-Saxon, or Celtic Pagan, reverberations of times of yore, wrapped punk and pirate-like. At times I likened them to Strange Folk, at others The Horses of the Gods, but mostly it was individual expression, and thatโs the icing on their cake worthy of our perusal.
And thatโs a wrap with dirty roads, a plastic army, and a gemstone. Through unforgettable acoustic goodness to an exclusive gothic folk duo, via a legendary supergroup of blues, you have to award Devizes, weโre still punching above our weight when it comes to valid options for a great night of live music, and, sadly, I didnโt even get the opportunity to head over to The Three Crowns for Adam; cloning technology, see? Get to it scientists, now!
Wowzers! Huge congratulations and a colossal thanks to young Chloe Boyle from Devizes, who is planning to spend the night of April 5th sleeping outsideโฆ
Newly formed and locally based collective Palooza hosted their opening night at The Exchange nightclub in Devizes yesterday, offering house music with universal appeal andโฆ
Salisbury-based event organisation Wiltshire Music Events has been ordered to remove posters advertising the Marley Experience gig at the Devizes Corn Exchange on 13th April,โฆ
The fifth single coming out from Chippenham singer-songwriter M3g on Friday, Ashes of Memory, and if Iโve said in the past what separates Meg fromโฆ
Swindonโs sonic indie popsters Atari Pilot are a prolific bunch, and have a new single out called The Rules Never Changeโฆ. And, they donโt. Thereโsโฆ
Firstly, to clear up any confusion, as I know I was, a little, and I also accept it doesnโt take much these days, Devizesโ finest musical export since The Hoax, Nothing Rhymes With Orange will play a homecoming gig at The Three Crowns on the Friday 24th June, and not as previously advertised on the Saturdayโฆ.
Reason being is symbolic of the monumental progress this young band is making nationally; on the Saturday theyโre at the third heat of this yearโs Pilton Stage party in Glastonbury, the winners of which will go on to share the stage with a major headliner in front of 8,000 people on Worthy Farm in September, thatโs all!
Here at Devizine Towers weโve got all fingers and toes crossed for the guys, itโs a tough cookie, but we look forward to catching up with them on Friday. If you need confirmation of my claims of their blossoming progress, check out the latest single, Cats Eyes, which they launched today, and you will realise Iโm not making this up; shits got real.
If eyes are a window to the soul, and cats are sly, this bountifully bodacious banger is the wild romantic ride of Born to Run, with an nonchalant and stylised ring of youth. The narrative is elementary though noteworthy, the post-festival blues of confusing mental bedlam over a fleeting romance, and coming to terms with it all when homebound; itโs convincing, I get the inkling theyโve been there.
Yet itโs the professionalism of a lively style defined here which impresses, having watched these Devizes lads progress from the levels of fun yet amateur punky knockouts like Chow For Now. And itโs all contained within a relatively short space of time whereby each single is a moonwalk to initiating a universal style.
If the early singles like Chow and Manipulation fuelled a local fanbase of peers, Cats Eyes will play the same part in enthusing the big kahunas of the music industry, and if not, I want an inquiry as to why not. These songs theyโll undoubtedly look back on as stepping stones, yet while thereโs a modification to a growing professional trend which sounds to me retrospective eighties indie-pop, the like I hail bands like Talk in Code for reverbating, their rawer punker influences arenโt completely saturated here. It doesnโt feel like selling out, it feels like a natural progression to a permeating and accomplished sound, which will equally not disappoint fans but amass newer ones too.
If weโve always been impressed with Nothing Rhymes With Orangeโs insatiable ability to energetically harmonise, itโs evident here in abundance too. Theyโve mastered the hook, and taking it to a bridge, they detonate the pop formula with indie goodness, something which only gets better each time; Catโs Eyes makes another positive leap forward.
The band have been consistently gigging across the South West at festivals and niche music venues since they met in a secondary school, and have been championed by many local radio stations including BBC Introducing who have featured two of their tracks. With a summer tour announced they’ll be playing a range of headline and support gigs right across Wiltshire and on to Hampshire, Bristol, Reading and London.
But while itโs great to see them heading out, you know when they arrive back in Devizes, the party is on, and fans will be chanting their lyrics back to them; the highest accolade aside a blinding review from me, naturally!!
Members of Swindon Palestine Solidarity made themselves heard at the Labour Party fundraising dinner, where Jess Phillips MP was the guest of honour, protesting atโฆ
Swindon indie popsters Talk in Code return tomorrow (1st March) with a new single, Something Of Nothing โฆ..hold tight to your Deely-Boppers, things are aboutโฆ
Think early nineties dance-indie crossover and the Madchester circuit might understandably spring to mind. Yet Pop Will Eat Itself were Brunmies, The Shamen were Scots,โฆ
I trouble procrastinating upon being gifted a previously released CD from an artist for review, unfortunately they land on the backburner, prioritising upcoming news items.โฆ
Ian Diddams Regular readers of Devizine may be well accustomed to hearing the name โVince Bellโ. For those less frequent readers or those that haveโฆ
Bit Wintery, innit? Calendars are going forward, weather is going backwards! Hereโs whatโs happening over the coming week in the wilds of Wiltshire, hold ontoโฆ
Hereโs what weโve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming weekโฆ
Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info. It may be updated, so check in later in the week.
Ongoing: A Wiltshire Thatcher: A Photographic Journey Through Victorian Wessex runs at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes, until the end of August; review here.
The Thrill of Love is currently running at the Wharf Theatre until Saturday, hereโs a review.
Wednesday 15th
Acoustic Jam at The Southgate, Devizes.
Patsy Gamble Jazz Trio at St Nicholas Church in Bromham, preview here.
Jonathan Leibovitz at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.
Mohamed Errebbaa at the Bell, Bath
Memory Cinema at Swindon Arts Centre, for those suffering with dementia and their carers, screening The Lavender Hill Mob (U). Latin funk jazz with Starlings at Jazz Knights in The Royal Oak, Swindon.
Thursday 16th
Royal Wootton Bassett Carnival & Fun Fair starts and finishes at the weekend.
Courting Ghosts at The Tuppenny, Swindon. Rusty Goatโs Poetry All-Stars at Twigs Community Gardens. Memory Sing at Swindon Arts Centre. Pete Allenโs Jazz Band at Swindon Arts Centre. Antiques and a Little Bit of Nonsense at The Wyvern Theatre.
Friday 17th
Full On Fridays at the Exchange, Devizes, with DJ Stevie MC.
Medium Nikki Kitt is at Melksham Assembly Hall .
Mosquito at the Aldbourne Social Club.
Pat Sharp Party Night at the Civic, Trowbridge.
Ion Maiden at The Vic, Swindon. Simplicity at the Queenโs Tap. Ashley Blaker at Swindon Arts Centre. Julian Clary โ A Fistful Of Clary at The Wyvern Theatre.
Ruzz Guitar Trio at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon. Karport Collective at The Boathouse.
Bath International Music Festival begins today, running until 26th May. Bootleg Bee Gees at Chapel Arts. Daliso Chapondaโs Feed this Black Man Again at The Rondo Theatre, Bath.
Dutty Moonshine DJ Set at The Tree House, Frome.
The Chilled Out Motorhome and Camper Weekender in Cirencester opens.
Saturday 18th
Devizes Vegan Market at The Market Place from 10am-3pm. Mynt Image Craft Fair in the Corn Exchange. The Dirt Road Band at Long Street Blues Club. Canuteโs Plastic Army at The Southgate, Edโs pick of the week this one. Adam Woodhouse at The Three Crowns. Caztro is in the mix at the Exchange.
White Horse Soapbox Derby in Westbury.
Mosaic Dogs at The Lamb, Trowbridge.
Talk in Code at The Kings Arms, Amesbury.
Rachel Newton at Pound Arts, Corsham.
Black Wendy at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon. Vocal Works Gospel Choir โ live at 21 at the Wiltshire Music Centre.
Shelf is at the Rondo Theatre, Bath, with a kids version, then teenage men version. Roxy Magic at Chapel Arts.
The Bowie Experience at The Vic, Swindon. Awakening Savannah at The Queenโs Tap.
The Soul Strutters at the Woodlands Edge. Drew Bryant at the New Inn. The Blackheart Orchestra at Swindon Arts Centre. eMotion Dance Competition at The Wyvern Theatre.
Frome Memorial Theatre Open Day followed by Jive Talkinโ. John Lydon is at the Cheese & Grain. ZZ Toppd at the Tree House.
Sunday 19th
The Hoodoos at The Southgate, Devizes from 5pm.
Open Mic at the Red Lion, Lacock.
Shot by Both Sides at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
Eddie Martin at the Bell, Bath.
Lee Hurst โ Sweet Sorted Lovely at Swindon Arts Centre.
The Frome International Climate Film Festival at the Cheese & Grain.
Monday 20th
Tony Remy, James Morton & Anders Olinder at the Bell, Bath.
Steeleye Span at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.
Tuesday 21st
Letโs Walk โ Caen Hill & Jubilee Wood
Crazy Bird Comedy Night at The Piggy Bank Micropub, Calne.
Gareth Williams Trio for Jazz Knights at The Royal Oak, Swindon.
Ash Mandrake & Jenny Bliss at the Bell, Bath.
And thatโs all weโve got for now; fill your boots! Events listed here are subject to change, we are not responsible for cancellations, errors or postponements in anything listed.
Shindig Festival at Dillington Park begins next week, the last Shindig festival, have a good one from me.Also find upcoming Chippenham Folk Festival 24th-27th May. Love Saves the Day in Bristol. Beer and Cider Festival at Swindon & Cricklade Railway. Cursus Festival 2024 Dorset. Chris Moyles 90s Hangover Festival at Swindon Town FC.
In Devizes Nothing Rhymes With Orange makes a homecoming at The Three Crowns on Friday 24th. And isnโt it high time you snapped up some tickets for the Devizes Arts Festival at the end of the month running into June?
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!
Hey, teacher! Leave those sausage rolls alone. Hereโs whatโs happening over the coming week in the wilds of Wiltshire, hold onto your hats, there beโฆ
West-side in the Lavingtons last night, tumbleweeds could’ve blown along the High Street as an army of highway operatives rode into the village with heavyโฆ
Featured image by LoraDore After an impressive forty-five years of Guiding in Worton, through Brownies, Guides, Young Leadership, and as the Unit Leader there forโฆ
Hereโs whatโs happening over the coming week in the wilds of Wiltshire, hold onto your hats, letโs lots to get throughโฆ.. Everything listed here isโฆ
This Saturday sees Bristol’s Hip Hop phenonium, The Scribes bringing their Boombox show to The Pump, Trowbridge, and will be the group’s only performance inโฆ
A triumphant album release party last night for one of the hottest, rapidly growing talents in the blues/rock scene; Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypseโฆ..
Guitarist supreme Robin Davey hails from the shire, and was once in The Hoax, a genre-defining UK blues band with Jon Amor, one of the guests we witnessed absolutely blow the roof of the Corn Exchange last night.. so, no stranger to our town. Louisiana-born powerhouse Greta Valenti, also married to Robin, brings the most incredible energy and voice to this band.
They always handpick the most amazing musicians; with this lineup of Sam on keys, Tom on drums joined by additional keys from the incredible Emma Johnson, a horny brass section (as introduced!) and two more local musicians, Jon Amor and Ruzz Evans, bringing some more incredible sounds of their own to the proceedings.
No surprise thereโs an intuitive connection with the band, always playing with the most incredible musicians, these guys are among the most professional outfits you could ever hope to see. Whether raising the roof, running straight out onto stage with Whatโs my Name? a fan favourite anthem, and getting all singing within the first song, or winding down the tempo to captivate the audience with the soul quenching Bungalow Paradise, whether itโs the Queen herself or the musicians doing the talking, they have new and old fans alike eating out of their hands.
New material like Mama Cray, written from Gretaโs childhood family memories including accordion accompaniment from Sam to sound like the true Cajun singalong anthem it isโฆ
Or from previous records like Thrill Me, a track that has the previously indoctrinated singing at the top of the voice and in silent deference to the whims of Robinโs guitar inside one song!
Donโt take my word for it, friends have taken to social media today having experienced their first full band stage show spreading superlatives stating โabsolute classโ , โ AMAZING!โ These are from seasoned gig-goers having experienced something much more powerful than anyone could generally expect from a town gig.
The Corn Exchange was filled with over three hundred people, from the seasoned music addict (one notable and passionate couple Pat & Maria marking this gig a milestone of 50 Beaux Gris Gris gigs!) to first timersโฆ Many of them have declared an instant connection, this was nearly double the crowd of the previous outing in the Corn Exchange, some two years ago, which shows the growth of the band and the desire of potential fans to connect with such a talented ensemble.
The new album, Hot Nostalgia Radio, has an even wider spectrum of material and influences than ever before, and is very much more radio friendly , and even more accessible without genre pigeonholing.
The incredible thing being this is nothing to do with record labels, etc, as is sadly all too common, it’s a drive from a band who are truly independent, to widen their appeal, to explore more ideas from their own life stories, and above all have a ball!
I confess to being of the opinion this band are truly amongst the best live bands anywhere right now, they have a fanatical following, which can only grow.
No matter what you think your bag is rock and roll, blues, whatever give this band a few minutes, if you like something you hear go seek out their records, or better yet feel the force of a gigโฆ truly the same quality runs through everything they do.
Totally incredible performance, and for me I am proud that our town showed them so much love, we are blessed with incredible venues like the Southgate, Long Street Blues Club, etc, that are so well respected in the wider music community, that Devizes can punch so massively above its weight bringing these opportunities to our door.
I think I can safely speak for the vast majority of that hall last night in thanking the promoters, the band and their incredible team, and of course their guests for one of the very best gigs of my life, right here in my hometown! For many thatโs something appreciated as being truly amazing to get involved with. Hot Nostalgia Radio by Beaux Gris Gris is out now, search any platform you care to mention and go hit them up; letโs keep them touring and do this again soon!
As part of the global Kidical Mass movement, this event combined a family-friendly cycle ride with aย protest, calling for safe streets for everyone. The rideโฆ
On Saturday, people from across Swindon came to Swindon Palestine Solidarityโs charity dinner to raise funds for Medical Aid Palestine and raise awareness of theโฆ
To international acclaim on the folk circuit, weโve loved to follow the progress of the Lost Trades since day dot, when Phil Cooper enthusiastically toldโฆ
A third instalment of space rock swirls and cosmic heavy duty guitar riffs was unleashed in January from our homegrown purveyors of psychedelia, Cracked Machine.โฆ
This was the first time Iโd heard about the Pump, and realised it did not refer to the popular local festival. I was familiar with James and the Cold Gun from a support run they did with Therapy a few years back. And I was planning to go and see them at the Fleece a few weeks ago when we had a few days away in Bristol, but the gig was sold out….
The Pump, part of the grounds to The Lamb public house, on outward appearances appears to be not much more than an old stable building next to the pub. Being a former member of Melksham covers band El Niรฑo a number of years back, I could recollect playing at the Greyhound just up the road. However, inside is a different story. Two floors, the upstairs has old cinema seating, capacity is seventy. The venue is fitted out for gigs, with sound and lighting facilities, thanks to lottery funding. A nice intimate, quirky venue with musical instruments and stable paraphernalia adorning the walls, as well as โthe pumpโ. If youโre tall like me there are a few places to exercise caution due to low ceilings! Most of the beams have been painted with blackboard paint so that visiting bands can chalk their name up on there.
I quickly set about trying to engage my friends to join me at this event and I managed to get a group of five of us to make the trip from the Vale of Pewsey over to the big lights of Trowvegas! The fact that for the princely sum of ยฃ11 each, we actually got to watch four bands, sealed the deal.
So first of all we headed to the Lamb to get some drinks as there is no room to have a bar in the Pump.
Unfortunately we missed a lot of the set by the Real Cheesemakers because we were outside but could tell from what we could hear that the audience inside were being treated to some top music. When we finally ventured in and got our wristbands we were taken aback by the witty and clever lyrical content of the Real Cheesemakers songs. As the set finished we were disappointed that we hadnโt caught more.
Next up was the young but very talented Nobodyโs Dad, playing a lively and grungy Pixie-esque set, not to be missed if you get the chance to watch them live. The two lads and two lasses worked really well together and there were great harmonies from the ladies throughout the set.
The hard hitting post punk duo Lucky Number Seven were up next. Just drums, guitar and a big sound from their backing tracks/samples. Weโd seen these before at the Underground in Swindon and they did not disappoint with their charged and effervescent set.
As we hear Kate Bush piped over the PA, my mate looks over and says to me thatโs her song, โJames and the Cold Gun;โ time for the main event. The band walked in exuding rockstar. The experience gained since the last time I saw them drips out of every pore, having extensively toured the U.K., two runs in the US including the SXSW (South by SouthWest) festival as well as a support slot for Guns n Roses at Hyde Park and some interesting studio time in the home of grunge.
A lively set with plenty of audience interaction followed covering all of James and the Cold Guns repertoire. With bangers such as Chewing Glass (a personal favourite,) She Moves, dedicated to bassist Gaby, and the recently released Sting in the Tail as well as a new song. Their hard hitting, pacey alternative heavy rock with hints Queens of the Stone Age amongst many other influences was just what the crowd wanted.
The end of the set saw the front men encourage the crowd to form a mosh pit, which members of the band joined in with as well as hugs and handshakes for the audience members that were wearing their bandโs merch, reciting lyrics word for word or actively involved in the mosh pit.
All in all a thoroughly good night and we would love to do it all over again!
Feeel the melody that’s in the (Devizes) air! If the nineties house clubbing revival is whatโs happening elsewhere around the nation, we have to admit,โฆ
Hey you, Feb already, hereโs whatโs happening over the coming week in the wilds of Wiltshireโฆโฆ Everything listed here is on our event calendar; goโฆ
Perhaps best known as the frontman of Afro Celt Sound System, the Belgium-based artist N’Faly Kouyatรฉ will be hitting the road for nine intimate showsโฆ
The Importance of Being Earnest is rather like a newfound interest in jazz, you must โunlearnโ the four-beat pop you’re accustomed to, to fully appreciateโฆ
Hey frozen duckling, hereโs whatโs happening over the coming week in the wilds of Wiltshireโฆโฆ Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go thereโฆ
โThey promised hardcore shenanigans which never fall below 180 bpmโ
SHOX:
Afterseeing Shox in February I was expecting to have a great time, and for them to expand on their ideas which they showcased at the Devizes youth night; however, they managed to smash my expectations once again….
Their set list included โBack To Schoolโ by the Deftones, โFlorescent Adolescentโ by the Arctic Monkeys and โDrownโ by Bring Me The Horizon and included some insanely smooth add-inโs using the DJ set. The transition between playing โHappy Songโ by Bring Me The Horizon and โKilling in The Nameโ by Rage Against the Machine had a syren playing and what I can only describe as โThe music and voice that speaks to you before you go onto a terrifying roller coaster.โ I am not quite sure how to describe it, but I have never heard anything like it before. It was pretty incredible โ it drew the audience in and it was a really interesting experience. Their set was very much a journey rather than just some music. SHOX have come on leaps and bounds since the youth night and with some more gigs under their belt, I can only imagine their sound will continue to develop.
I wanted to know some more about them, so after getting in contact, I asked them a few questions. Jamie (drummer) and Ed (singer/rhythm guitarist) played together in primary school and wanted to get into a band in secondary school. So, when they joined they went out and looked for a band. Zac (guitarist) and Dylan (bassist) came along around two years later when they got paired to do an academic music project together. Once they had played a few times, they realised they had โgreat chemistryโ and formed SHOX. They are looking to start the rollout of their debut album called โTo Be Honest, I Couldnโt Be Botheredโ and are hoping for a release in November. They also have a โBig announcement in the middle of June,โ which I am sure many are looking forward to. If you havenโt seen them live, I would really take the next opportunity!
If you havenโt read my interview with Steatopygous, I would recommend reading it as you get the โinside scoopโ on what Steatopygous really means.
In a nutshell, Steatopygous is a riot girl (and boy) band, which truly could not get any better. With front girl Poppy Hillier, playing guitar and singing, the memorising Eliza on bass and drummer Ewan. They played three originals: โMarieโs Wedding Songโ, โFemale CDโ and the new โLittle Boyโ. It is safe to say that since hearing Little Boy, it has not left my mind since. You can tell the song came from somewhere close to their hearts, and is now embedded within the audienceโs. Both Female CD and Maireโs Wedding Song are also well written songs, that I cannot wait to be able to listen to online.
With three admirably well executed Bikini Kill songs – Carnival, Feels Blind and Star Bellied Boy, they enticed the audience so much, we were demanding โone more songโ. And wow, they performed Deception by le Tigre, which truly exploded the mosh pit, not that we had stopped dancing since Steatopygous had entered the stage. I just want to say an incredibly well done to Eliza, Poppy and Ewan, as during their set, they had to stop for a tech issue, but carried on, dare I say, better than before. As a performer myself, I can understand how gut wrenchingly scary it can be to play on stage, let alone have to stop and start again, and they dealt with it like the pros they are becoming. I have been told they are working towards an EP and I, like many others, am beyond excited to hear how it comes out. So, like SHOX, if your ears havenโt been blessed by the music of these beautiful people, then I would really take your opportunity.
While I heard both Steatopygous and Shox before, I was pumped to be able to listen to Menthol Lungs as I hadnโt heard of them and all I can say now is that I was missing out. As soon as they started to play, I was transported into the world of Subhumans and Minor Threat and felt the immediate need to find my skateboard and go stagedive off a speaker stack! Their heavy punk rock music was awesome, and I was even more blown away when I realised that eight of their ten songs were originals!
Menthol Lungs are anarchistic hardcore, which was appreciated by me and the crowd. The deeper meanings to what could have been simple lyrics, elevated their performance as they spoke for what they truly believe in. If I thought their performance couldnโt get any better, they then performed โThe Combine Harvesterโ by The Wurzels, which had the audience in stitches and singing along in true Devizes harvest-core fashion :-). I was lucky enough to be able to speak to the amazing Ava, who sings and ask a few questions about their band:
โWe have Corey, who is on rhythm guitar. Sam, who couldnโt make it today, is on lead guitar โ he is great. Zeth right here is on drums, Fergus on bass and I am Ava. I do vocals.โ
How did the band form?
โSo, about two years ago, I got kicked out of a sh**** pop, punk band, called Corner Shop Liquor. I then turned around to my mate James, an artist as well, and said โI want to start a new band, can you help me out?โ and he introduced me to Corey who could play guitar. Then my fiancรฉ Ash joined us as bassist, but then replacing Ash was Fergus; Fergus and Zeph kind of came as a package deal.โ
โWe met Corey at a gig about a year and a half ago and so he vaguely knew us.โ
โYeah, so about a year and a half ago, we got Zeph and Fergus in a band and we record some stuff and start rehearsing on Zephโs farm, in some stables. We got our first gig last December.โ
Special mention to their six-string bass, which I had to ask questions about:
โMay I just say your six string bass is insane. Looks sickโ โ me!
โThere is actually a funny story about that. Fergus left one band rehearsal with a five string bass and he left it at the rehearsal space. When he came back, he had a six string bass with him. Itโs brilliant.โ
How do you write your songs?
โSo, usually Cory will sit down and write some riffs and upload them onto Songster. He will add some drums and lead guitar and a bit of bass. Then, I usually have some lyrics lying around in my notes app and write them up into a full song, or Corey will write lyrics as well. Then at rehearsals we see what works and it usually ends up in a song.โ
How do you think tonight went?
โDo you know what, it was killer. Best vocals I think I have ever managed, to be honest.โ
ย Whatโs your next step?
โNext step โฆ We have an album coming out hopefully later this year. We are hoping for August, but aiming for the end of the year. We have a gig coming up with Disorder in July. We love Disorder. July 25th โ go buy your tickets!โ
Thank you Ava for spending some time speaking to me; you and your band are great and I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing how you guys progress in the future!
So, in conclusion, the audience and I had a brilliant time, dancing, sweating, slamming, singing and getting to know these sick bands. If these bands are not on your radar, please go give them a follow and see how they progress as the gifts they have for your ears are extensive and they have years beyond them of only getting better.
Finally, I just want to say a massive thank you to Kieran and everyone at the Pump. It is an incredibly special, intimate place, which holds thousands of memories for us kids. I wouldnโt be able to recommend going more. If you havenโt been, you are not just missing out on amazing music, but also an experience that you wonโt be able to forget for years. Thank you for letting bands be able to share their music with everyone. What you are doing with โThe Future Sound of Trowbridgeโ is unbelievably special and loved by so many people.
P.S. the drummer from SHOX, Jamie, has a DJ set at the Pump on Trowbridge on the 10th of May. Go get your tickets!
Devizes-based chocolate engineer Holly Garner, 2023 Chocolate Champion for the Southwest, has launched her new chocolate classes for the first half of 2024โฆโฆ From learningโฆ
Tuesday before Christmas Iโm in New Society. I gazed across to a table by the window, recalling an optimistic response from local Labour candidate Rachaelโฆ
Fashionably late for the party, apologies, the fellow Iโm not sure if he minds me calling โthe Mike Oldfield of Swindon,โ though itโs meant asโฆ
Here we go with what weโve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week, exciting stuff, I know!
Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info. It may be updated with even more things to do than listed here, so check in later in the week.….
Wednesday 17th
Acoustic Jam at The Southgate, Devizes.
Emmanuel Coppey and Antoine Prรฉat at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.
Two times BBC Folk Award winner Daoirรญ Farrell is at Chapel Arts, Bath.
Memory Cinema, for those with dementia, at Swindon Arts Centre are showing A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Tom Houghtonโs Itโs Not Ideal at Swindon Arts Centre. Peppa Pigโs Fun Day Out at The Wyvern Theatre.
Show Of Hands โ Full Circle Farewell Tour at the Cheese & Grain, Frome.
Thursday 18th
Quiz Night at the Peppermill, Devizes in aid of The Cotswolds Dogs & Cats Home.
PSG Choir taster session at the King Alfred Hall, Chippenham.
Thieves & Skiddy at The Tuppenny, Swindon. The Big Fat Monthly Quiz at the Vic.
Memory Sing at Swindon Arts Centre. Primary School Assembly Bangers Live! at Swindon Arts Centre. Peppa Pigโs Fun Day Out at The Wyvern Theatre.
Fretn Keyz with Dave Howell at Rude Giant Beerhouse, Salisbury.
Friday 19th
Youth Work Auction Fundraiser at John OโGaunt School, Trowbridge.
Take the Stage at the Neeld, in Chippenham. Chippenham Beer Festival too.
Bradford Roots Special at The Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon with Billy in the Lowground, Daisy Chapman and Thieves; Edโs pick of the week, that one is! Preview here.
The Droogs & John E Viztic at The Three Horseshoes in Bradford-on-Avon.
People Like Us at Prestbury Sports Bar, Westbury.
Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival, preview here. Draining The Swamp at Swindon Arts Centre. Barrelhouse & The Leon Daye Band at the Vic.
Winginโ It at The George & Dragon, Salisbury. A Murder Mystery at Salisbury Cathedral.
Johnny Cash Revisited at Chapel Arts, Bath.
ex Wishbone Ash, Martin Turner is at The Tree House, Frome.
Saturday 20th
Roma Antoine Exhibit and Art Sale at Tonka Bean, Devizes. Devizes Swap Shop at St James Church. The Bren Jones Big Band at the Wharf Theatre. Strange Folk at The Southgate. Down the Hatch at The Three Crowns. DJ Tappa Tappa at the Exchange.
Oriental Antiques Indigo Antiques Open Day at Manningford Bruce, Pewsey. Dutty Moonshine at the Barge on HoneyStreet. @59 at The Woodborough Social Club.
Martyโs Fake Family at The Pilot, Melksham.
The Future Sound of Trowbridge #8 at the Pump in Trowbridge; preview Here.
Mighty Magic Animal at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon. Griff Rhys Jones: The Catโs Pyjamas at Wiltshire Music Centre.
Pop-Up Bowie at Chapel Arts, Bath.
Driftwood at Tuckerโs Grave Inn, Faulkland.
Junkyard Dogs at The Kingโs Arms, Amesbury. Are You Worthy & Grant Sharkey at the Winchester Gate, Salisbury. Salisbury Pride Fundraiser at The Hope & Anchor, Salisbury.
Rosie Holt โ Thatโs Politainment! at Swindon Arts Centre. Wrong Jovi at the Vic. The Worried Men at The Queenโs Tap. The Tin Shack Band at The Woodlands Edge.
The Shires at the Cheese & Grain, Frome is sold out, so too is Bare Jams at the Tree House. Try the 41 Fords at The Sun; we love the 41 Fords!
Sunday 21st
Mr Griff at The Southgate, Devizes from 5pm. Devizes Town Band Showtime Sensations at the Corn Exchange, Devizes.
Open Mic at Red Lion, Lacock.
Jazz on Sunday Afternoon at Little Cheverall Village Hall.
The Dirty Weather Blues Revue at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.
VW Campfest begins at Stonehenge.
Mini Ravers โ Spring Tour at The Cheese & Grain, Frome.
Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd
I got nothing, yet; keep a keen eye on our updating event calendar, as Iโm way behind updating it, and still got the front garden to sort out! Weeds, huh? I used go out to the garden to smoke de grass, nowadays I just go out to the garden to cut de grass!!
And thatโs all weโve got for now, other than some technical gubbings to say: Events listed here are subject to change, we are not responsible for cancellations, errors or postponements in anything listed.
Important note two, events which come to our attention from now on in, 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!
Bristolโs fine purveyors of idiosyncratic folk-raving, Ushti Baba, who if youโre in Devizes you might recall played Street Festival in 2022, have a new singleโฆ..โฆ
With an album review in the pipeline for Dad which includes vocals from Sienna, our Swindon princess of melancholic poignancy has a new single, Timeslipsโฆ..โฆ
Our favourite loud Brit-popping local Geordie and gang are back with a second album. Theyโre calling it Gazelles, after the previously released single opener Endlessโฆ
Featured Image: FullTone Festival, Devizes 2023 by Gail Foster Onwards with our look through all the big local events and festivals coming our way inโฆ
devizine.com 