Strange Days Festival Brings Brian Blessed and Henge to The Barge on HoneyStreet in September

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, folk are hunting for the unique and often quirky exceptions. Accept The Barge at HoneyStreet always goes the extra mile as a fact. With camping and weekly events so good it’s like a little festival there most of the time, and their homemade HoneyFest still looming on our calendar this September one caught both my eyes and ears; it’s not just unique, it’s otherworldlyโ€ฆ..

Our legendary and beloved Barge Inn, long considered a nexus for crop circles, cosmic curiosity, and canal-side wonder, will host the inaugural Strange Days Festival, a bold new gathering of curious minds, music, and mystery; intrigued huh?!

And leading the charge into the unknown? They’re truly blessed to have none other than the inimitable Brian Blessed, Britainโ€™s booming-voiced national treasure. As a headline speaker on the Saturday afternoon, Blessed, known for his larger-than-life presence and deep fascination with both earthly and cosmic exploration, not to mention his own real-life cryptid investigations, is surely worth the ticket stub alone. If “Gordon’s alive,” let’s hope he’s not moored at the Barge in September!

โ€œStrange Days Festival is a celebration of the unexplained, rooted in the Fortean tradition: a space where the strange is taken seriously, but not solemnly,โ€ organiser Matt Page of Area 51 explained, and he should know. Area 51 Design provides world-class performances, costumed characters, and cutting edge themed decor to events worldwide, from Glastonbury to the Seychelles.

I had a gander at their Facebook page and was left in awe at their quality bizarre installations, pioneers in this art movement to create feasts for the eyes of festival-goers. But back to Strange Days, indeed.

There’s talks and panels on cryptozoology, folklore, the paranormal and other such shenanigans. This includes legendary underground cartoonist Hunt Emerson, an inspiration to me in my scribbling days of yore, cryptozoologist Richard Freeman, Ian Simmons, editor of Fortean Times, and various other podcasters, artists, authors and researchers.

The festival’s ethos invites attendees to question the world around them, with curiosity, critical thinking, and a sense of cosmic humour. But we’ve only just got started, for when day turns to night, the mystery turns to music. With an electrifying line-up of live bands, DJs and performance art, our interstellar heroes Henge headline. 

If you’ve not witnessed their high-energy, intergalactic spectacle before, what planet are you on? I trekked to The Cheese and Grain to investigate them, here’s my take on it, and the bonkers support I mentioned, Paddy Steer is also playing Strange Days. With their message of peace, rave, and galactic unity, Henge are the perfect sonic ambassadors for the spirit of Strange Days.

Plus, naturally, if QTV’s Quentin Smirhes and Comfrey aroused your unnatural senses and turned your head towards social distancing worm helmets during lockdown, you’ll be concerned Sean Reynard will be there, along with Calne’s Real Cheesemakers, with or without their tortoise.

โ€œThis isnโ€™t a conspiracy circus or a sci-fi cosplay,โ€ Matt promises. โ€œItโ€™s a space for real inquiry, meaningful discussion, and a very good time. We’re bringing together the serious and the surreal, the cerebral and the celebratory.โ€ Okay I get that, but you know those human fans of Henge will bring the plasma ball hats anyway!!

If aliens are to visit us, this is surely the best weekend to do so. Therefore I’m going above and beyond our usual local network, calling all galactic lifeforms, space cadets and fortean fans, for this, on our doorstep, looks more like a porthole to another world rather than the typical half-baked efforts at a festie!

Strange Days Festival is at The Barge on HoneyStreet from 5th to 7th September 2025. Tickets and info HERE, or at your nearest interstellar space port, located near Alpha Centauri.


Trending….

Professor Elemental in Session with Madam Misfit and the Real Cheesemakers at The Barge on Honeystreet; 2nd August

Itโ€™s going to be all strawberries and cheese baps in pith helmets swinging in trouserland bedlam, with chap-hop shenanigans galore at the Barge on Honeystreet when Brightonโ€™s whimsical rapper Professor Elemental arrives at the legendary mooring, campsite, and crop circle centre of the world, on Friday 2nd August; expect unpretentious hip hop, expect silly costumes, expect nonsensical rhymesโ€ฆ.

Ah, we love that bobby-dazzler, whoโ€™s colourful suits alone are worth the ticket price. But alongside his crazy capers arrives a new one on me, the chic Madam Misfit, who could only be described as the dame of UK comedy hip hop, a mesh of retrospective gamer, burlesque beauty and jazz queen of any hullabaloo. If chap hop is a thing, so too must there be, erm, flap hop, is it, maybe, I dunno?!  

The pair are joined by Calneโ€™s heavy comical heathens, The Real Cheesemakers. Obsessed with Swindonโ€™s magic roundabout, tortoises and skulls of doom, theyโ€™re a man down so will be scattering acoustic vibes into their loud and proud chants. Look, the comic poster is inciting enough to make Jack Kirby quiver; need I waffle on, darlings?ย 


Trending…..

Devizes Issues Wants You!

Dubiously biased and ruled with an iron fist, the mighty admin of the once popular Devizes Facebook group, Devizes Issues, is using the iconic Greatโ€ฆ

Keep reading

Lady Nade; Sober!

Dry January, anyone? Well, Lady Nade just plunged into an outdoor 4ยฐC eucalyptus sauna for a social media reel. But whilst I’d require a stiffโ€ฆ

Keep reading

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Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 22nd – 28th November 2023

Everything to do in Wiltshire this coming week, right in one handy listing, you know the drill, jump to it, preferably before putting your Christmas tree up, it is, after all, only mid-November; take a chill pill!

Okay, please be aware this is not comprehensive and new events can and might yet still be added to our blossoming, occasionally updating EVENT CALENDAR; they might not be added here, so do check in regularly. You can also find links to everything mentioned there, and plan ahead.

One other really important thing before we get going, the thing everyone seems to brazenly browse past pretending it didnโ€™t apply to them, we need donations to fund this, so, if you can, please donate a little something to keep us going; awl, thank you. If you love it, donโ€™t lose it, like Bez on a nineties dance floor. For info on how, see HERE. Please and thank youโ€ฆ


Ongoing: Dark, the latest exhibit at the Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham runs until 26th November.

Two exhibits at Wiltshire Museum in Devizes: Lest We Forget: the Black Contribution to the World Wars and Eric Walrond: A Caribbean Writer living in Wiltshire. Reviewed Here.


Wednesday 22nd

Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes.

Memory Cinema at Swindon Arts Centre showing Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Running until Friday 24th Voices for Life Extraordinary at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Kroke at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Clusterfunk at The Bell, Bath. Former ELO 2 Frontman Phil Bates Up Close And Personal Solo UK Tour at Chapel Arts.


Thursday 23rd

Kim Emery at La Bobina, Marlborough.

Dead Man’s Whiskey with  Wicked in support at Underground, Swindon. A Christmas Carol at Swindon Arts Centre, Jake Leg Jug Band at the Beehive. Luna Barge at the Tuppenny.

Entertaining Angels at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon.

Hear my Voice, the LGBTQ+ poetry night at The Rondo Theatre, Bath.

Passenger Club at The Winchester Gate, Salisbury.


Friday 24th

Continuing into Saturday but the main show is Friday, folks, the DOCA Winter Festival in Devizes is always a wonderful evening. With the lantern parade, light switch on, Devizes Town Band and market, itโ€™s my obvious choice for editorโ€™s pick of the week!

Staying in Devizes, Chicago Blues Trio at Long Street Blues Club, Stones Throw at The Three Crowns, and a lantern parade Karaoke Party at The Pelican.

But itโ€™s Marlboroughโ€™s light switch on and market too, and Mean as Custard plays the Bear. 

Writing and Researching a novel with Keith Stuart at Chippenham library, music cafรฉ at the Cause, and Kate Lomas, with Laissez Faire and others play a fundraiser in support of the new Chippenham Arts Centre, No.7.

Sad Dad Club at Stallards, Trowbridge. Parker plays the Pump, with A Bottle of Dog and Happy Dogs in support. And thereโ€™s jazz with the Stilts at the Civic.

Carmen Co at St Michaelโ€™s Church, Mere.

Red Light at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon, The Remnants at The Boathouse, Bradford-on-Avon.

Running to Saturday, The Bean Spillersโ€™ Improvised Musical at The Rondo Theatre, Bath. Sheer Music is at Moles with Pet Needs, the Glitchers and Nothing Rhymes With Orange in support.

Oasish Vs Stereotonics at The Vic in Swindon, Phantom Lymb at the Beehive.

Frome Lantern Parade and Christmas Light Switch on too, with The Membersโ€™ โ€œSound of the Suburbs tourโ€ coming to the Tree House.


Saturday 25th

Thereโ€™s a lecture at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes called The Hunt for Stourton Castle.ย ย Adam Woodhouse is at The Three Crowns, The Worried Men at The Southgate.

Alex Roberts is at The Barge on HoneyStreet. Trash Panda at The Lamb, Marlborough,ย 

Static Moves at the Burbage Legion Hall, The Crofton Stokers at the Woodborough Club, 

Billy & Louie at The Crown in Aldbourne, and the Ramsbury Christmas Food and Artisan Market .

The Heart Beats at Melksham Rock n Roll Club. 

Freepeace at The Red Admiral, Trowbridge, Ed Byrneโ€™s Tragedy Plus Time tour at the Civic.

Chippenham parkrun at Monkton, Wiltshire College & University Centre Chippenham Campus Open Day also in Chippenham. Chippenham Christmas Market at the Old Road Tavern. Spotlight 3: Modern & Contemporary Art from the Collection of Chippenham Museum, and a Pre-loved Clothes Event at Hardenhuish school. 

The Fairytale Ceilidh: A Fantastical Dance Party at Pound Arts, Corsham, and Carmen Co at Grittleton Village Hall.

Bradford-on-Avon Floating Winter Fair today, with Bath Symphony Orchestra at Wiltshire Music Centre, and Borrowed Time & The Sinictones plays The Three Horseshoes.

Justin Adams & Mauro Durante at The Bell, Bath.

Moon at The Vic in Swindon, the World Music Club at the Beehive. Stephen K Amos at Swindon Arts Centre, Swindon Old Town Comedy Club has a Winter Showcase, Gaz Brookfield is at The Hop, Post 12 at the New Inn, and The Flashback Band hold an 80โ€™s night at The Woodlands Edge.

Craig Charles Funk & Soul House Party has sold out at the Cheese & Grain, so has Depeche Mode tribute The Devout at the Tree House, Frome.


Sunday 26th

James Oliver Band at The Southgate, Devizes.

The Stu Henderson Trio: Jazz at the Horseshoe, Mildenhall, Marlborough.

Melksham Record Fair at Melksham Assembly Hall.

Mark Simmonsโ€™ Quip Off The Mark at Swindon Arts Centre.

Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra Concert with Steve Banks at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Ruzz Guitar Trio makes an appearance at The Three Horseshoes.

Schtummโ€ฆ. presents Sarah McQuaid at The Queenโ€™s Head, Box. The Schmoozenbergs are at The Bell, Bath.

Frome Vegan Fair at The Cheese & Grain.


Monday 27th

David Celia at The Bell, Bath.


Tuesday 28th

Sarah McQuaid at Swindon Arts Centre, and thereโ€™s a bebop blowout for Jazz Knights at the Royal Oak, with special guests Ian Bateman & Alex Clarke, to remember the great Jazz promoter David Knight on what would have been his birthday.


And thatโ€™s all weโ€™ve got so far, but more stuff is added all the time, so keep a beady eye on 

THE EVENT CALENDAR!!!!

Have a great week!


Trending……

Rooks; New Single From M3G

Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward โ€œEโ€) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunesโ€ฆ

Burning the Midday Oil at The Muck

Highest season of goodwill praises must go to Chrissy Chapman today, who raised over ยฃ500 (at the last count) for His Grace Childrenโ€™s Centre inโ€ฆ

St John’s Choir Christmas Concert in Devizes

Join the St Johnโ€™s Choir and talented soloists for a heart-warming evening of festive favourites, carols, and candlelit Christmas atmosphere this Friday 12 th Decemberโ€ฆ

For Now, Anyway; Gus White’s Debut Album

Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova My apologies, for Marlboroughโ€™s singer-songwriter Gus Whiteโ€™s debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and itโ€™s moreโ€ฆ

Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 27th September-3rd October 2023

Summer is done and dusted, youโ€™ve got to lower yourself onto the toilet seat that little bit steadier, as we move into autumn. Still, the silver lining is thereโ€™s always lots to do locally; hereโ€™s what weโ€™ve found coming up this weekโ€ฆ.

Not comprehensive, as I tell you each time, more will be added to our event calendar as we move through the week and they come to our attention, so check in on it from time to time. If you donโ€™t let us know about your event you cannot expect it to be here, drop us a line and guarantee itโ€™s listed here, it costs nothing.

Please, if you can donate a little something to keep us going, do, thatโ€™s all I ask. We need to fund this, and any extra will be put into hosting events, something we would like to do more of but without financial support it makes it impossible. Any donations will be kindly accepted, you will get special attention, and we thank you. For info on how, see HERE.  

Pay a visit to Wiltshire Museum, Devizes, for the Anna Dillon exhibition; reviewed HERE, this ends on October 1st.

Ongoing until 29th Sept, The Incredible Quizzical Bath Pub Tour.

Clown Soup exhibit by Si Griffiths at the Forbidden Carnival in Chippenham. 

Devizes Food & Drink Festival is up and running, until 1st October.


Wednesday 27th

Acoustic Jam at The Southgate, Devizes.

Subject A at The Bell, Bath.

ZambaLando at โ€œMoose Hallโ€ Old Town, Swindon, Lunchtime Recital at The Wyvern Theatre, with Ed Byrneโ€™s Tragedy Plus Time in the evening.


Thursday 28th

Devizes Film Club Presents Lunana at The Wharf Theatre, and thereโ€™s a Murder Mystery Dinner at The Corn Exchange.

Marlborough Literature Festival opens, running until 1st October.

The Unravelling Wilburys at Melksham Assembly Hall.

The Last Baguetteโ€™s Playtime! at Pound Arts in Corsham, with the The Jackie Oates Trio in the evening.

Zambalando plays Savernake Street Hall, Swindon, Guy Tortora at The Tuppenny, Cooper Creek at The Beehive. Big Drink, One Man Boycott, Liddington Hill and the Starkers at The Vic. Magic Of Motown at The Wyvern Theatre, and the Phoenix Players โ€“ โ€˜I Thought I Heard A Rustlingโ€™ at Swindon Arts Centre, running until Saturday 30th.

Ed Byrneโ€™s Tragedy Plus Time goes to the Cheese & Grain, Frome.


Friday 29th

The Unpredictables are at The Churchill Arms in West Lavington.

Autumn Beer Festival at The Bell, Lacock.

Open Mic at Marlborough Town FC. El Toro at The Bear, Marlborough.

Sice Boo from The Boo Radleysโ€™ โ€˜The Secret of Happinessโ€™ at The Pump in Trowbridge.

Martin Kempโ€™s Back to the 80s at The Civic.

Thereโ€™s a 24 hour Danceathon at Cumberwell Park Golf Club in Bradford-on-Avon, for the Fearless charity.

The Unravelling Wilburys at The Athenรฆum, Warminster.

Diverse Disco, a party for disabled and learning difficulties, at The Tree, Swindon. The Britpop Band at the Vic, The Heretic Order and The Self Titled at Swindon Underground (formerly Level III,) Devizes Road Oktoberfest at the Tuppeny in Swindon continues all weekend. Echo at the Queenโ€™s Tap. Tea & Tour of the Spotlight Room at Wyvern Theatre, followed by Babatunde Alesheโ€™s Babahood.

LGBTQ+ poetry night, Hear my Voice at Rondo Theatre, Bath, The Alter Eagles at Chapel Arts. 

The Tom Petty Legacy at the Tree House, Frome, with Graham Parker & the Goldtops at the Cheese & Grain.


Saturday 30th

Leburn Maddox at The Southgate, Devizes, Illingworth at The Three Crowns, Strange Folk at The Lamb.

Thereโ€™s also a grand lineup at The Crown, Bishops Cannings, with music from 4pm, Steve Morano Band, Talk in Code and Purple Fish. they’ve a fire-dancer between the acts, BBQ and pizza, free entry, splendid pub, twist my arm, why don’t you?!

Thereโ€™s the Hillbillies at the Barge on HoneyStreet, and The Monkey Dolls at The Lamb, Marlborough.The Monkey Dolls @ The Lamb, Marlboroug

Josh Kumra @ The Bear, Marlborough

Pete Lambโ€™s Heartbeats play an Alzheimerโ€™s Support fundraiser at The Spencers Club in Melksham. Seriously Collins at The Melksham Assembly Hall.

Truckstop Honeymoon at the Pump in Trowbridge, with Swingletree in support, The Jon Amor Trio at The Red Admiral, Hilperton. Scout Killers at the Civic and Be Like Will at The Greyhound.

Ultimate Meatloaf at The Consti Club, Chippenham.

Six Oโ€™clock Circus at Calne Liberal Club.

Sarah-Louise Young: The Silent Treatment at Pound Arts, Corsham.

The Lone Sharks at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon. And a Bradford Roots Sessions evening at the Wiltshire Music Centre, with Concrete Prairie, Courting Ghosts, and Fly Yeti Fly, proper job, ed’s pick of the week that one right there be, oo-argh!

The Spooky Kids and Korn Again at The Vic, Swindon, Tundra at The Woodlands Edge, And Solo at North Swindon Club, Click at The New Inn, Hush at The Queens Tap, and Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare โ€“ Much Ado About Nothing at The Wyvern Theatre.

Celebrate Zappa : Treacherous Cretins at The Tree House, Frome, Motรถrheadache at The Cheese & Grain.


Sunday 1st

Monthly residency for the Jon Amor Trio at The Southgate, Devizes, with guest Ruth Hammond.

Fireman Sam is at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, and Victorius at Underground.

Interstate Express at The Bell, Bath.


Monday 2nd

Ope

Billy Billingham MBE โ€“ Always A Little Further at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon

Orfic at The Bell, Bath


Tuesday 3rd

Calne Music & Arts Festival starts with the Nonpareil, a Local Photography Group Exhibition. It runs across the festival until 28th October, at the Heritage Centre, Calne. Open 10:00 โ€“ 16:00 Tuesdays to Saturdays (closed Sundays & Mondays) Visit the Heritage Centre to see the exhibition of photography by โ€œNonpareilโ€, a small group of very experienced local photographers. It includes Award Winning Images from their Exhibitions and Salons that have been exhibited around the country. The festival lineup is in full on our event calendar.

100 Years of Silents: Our Hospitality (1923) with live musical score, at Pound Arts in Corsham.

Queenz โ€“ The Show With Balls! at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, with 

The Haunting at  Swindon Arts Centre.


Thatโ€™s all folks, but there are lots more to come!! Let the sunshineโ€ฆ..but do check in on our event calendar too, as updates will be on there, not here, this is just a guide. Have a great week whatever you do do!


And hey, we’re doing a monthly podcast again now; a bit of fun and some great local music on there, please take a listen…. at your own risk!


As Sweet as HoneyFest!

Imagine, it’s only just eight pm on the opening day of Honey-Fest at the legendary Barge on HoneyStreet, and the haystack-filled marquee is already positively pumping, largely due to the energetic hoedown of Bristol’s Mr Tea and the Minionsโ€ฆ…

Too tempting not to, a double whammy with Devizesโ€™ homemade upcoming marvels, Nothing Rhymes With Orange opening, I made a pit stop at HoneyStreet to black my nose and didn’t really want to leave!

I was intrigued as to where the ยฃ125 weekend ticket stub would go in comparison to an atypical weekend at the Barge, which, face it, is usually a mini festival itself! Though there’s no colossal stage erected, the sizable marquee makes for an apt music area, as in past events. Though this weekend thereโ€™s extra concentration angled at creating an appealing non-stop lineup for the entire weekend and as the ticket includes camping too, it is justifiable. Though, day tickets available on the gate are priced at a far more reasonable tenner; given these factors Honey-Fest is a must for the hedonistic alternative, and you will be guaranteed an amazing bank holiday weekend. It didnโ€™t take more than half-hour for me to acknowledge this!

The Barge ends up being the spiritual home of anyone who passes through, a magic which holds in the air surrounding it. Though, if it has been this way for decades, what Lenny and his team have created recently, is the kind of environment we, as regular attendees since the nineties, would have wished it to be like back then. Ergo, Honey-Fest is a win-win, a festival within a campsite and wharf surrounded pub, which already hails the spirit of counter-culture festivals of yore, anyway!

And I couldnโ€™t suggest a more apt act than the astoundingly fantastic Mr Tea & The Minions, I told them on Facebook theyโ€™d love the Barge, a no-brainer indeed. A headline act, Iโ€™d say, but scheduled early to fit their agenda, it was back to Bristol then onto a festival in Kent, followed by a trip to Guernsey for another.

They first came to my attention seeking out alternative forms of ska when doing a regular slot on Boot Boy Radio, an internet station designed to appease Two-Tone diehards. A desire to expand the agenda of the show from simply being retrospective led to me discovering South American ska, and Balkan. The latter so crazy and energetic, a mix of skaโ€™s offbeat and oompah and brassy Truba, and their folk. It is a recipe certain to rub off internationally. I became aware of Bristolโ€™s burgeoning scene, bands like the Smerins Anti-Social Club and Carny Villains and was already aware of the Scrumpy & Western folk flavour of The Boot Hill All Stars, et al. Aside the name Mr Tea & The Minions amused me, their sound was an instant love, for while others blend the influences of west country folk and Balkan ska, most adapt swing into the melting pot, or just fly off the handle of carefree loops of instrumental nuttiness. Here is a band composing structured songs with narrative within those confounds, most definably ska-folk, often amusingly but always with purpose, while still maintaining the infectious high-energy tomfoolery. I soon hurried off a review of their album Mutiny in 2019. ย ย 

Over the moon when Loz booked them for Devizes Street Festival last year, I roamed the Market Square excitedly ordering everyone to watch them, and they did, and they agreed, if I remember rightly! Gladdened they came out with the title track to Mutiny at HoneyFest and done a sublime rendition of Junkyard Lovesong from the album, but greater pleased to hear some new songs, like their latest single Twitchy Feet, and a swinging self-stylised finale cover of The Bloodhound Gangโ€™s Bad Touch, which simply rained fun. Here is the liveliest, friendliest six-piece family band with the structure and proficiency to command any age to a dancefloor I know of locally; what an amazing start to Honey-Fest, leaving me pondering, if this is an intro, what was yet to come.

Though none of this occurred before young singer-songwriter Marley begun musical proceedings at 4pm, which unfortunately I was still polishing off some beans on toast at home for, and followed by our favourite Devizes band, the utterly awesome Nothing Rhymes with Orange, which, since missing their stint on Fantasy Radio on Thursday, was what I was making a beeline Pewsey direction for. In fact, last time I did catch them it was also here at The Barge, an intended and worthwhile detour homebound from MantonFest.

That time though they were wedged in the corner of the bar and raising its roof. Here in the marquee the sound mechanics would be greater, yet they would need to overcome the niggly issue Elijah was Lost-Voice Guy for the evening! Though they prevailed, the charismatic frontman persisted, and Sam Briggs filled in too, as unperturbed they produced their collection of beguiling indie-rock originals, including their latest creation, Cats Eyes, and wowed the audience young and old, varying degrees of hippies, tipi glampers, passing druids, the odd stilt walker and every other charming and fun oddity who will pass by you at the Barge, making it such the magic place it is!

But the showstopper was a demanded encore just when Elijahโ€™s voice had all but given up, he asked the audience if anyone knew the words to Sex on Fire, to which a random volunteer affirmed, and Elijah asked she come on stage to assist. And she did, and it was as advertised, on fire. But more importantly, it signifies how this upcoming band are fast becoming accustomed to the spotlight, breaking the fourth wall and dragging the crowds into their banter. Something they could always do in their comfort zone of a loyal fanbase, but to rock up to a varied audience like the Barge, isnโ€™t so simple. Their performance was in short, the essence of a blossoming phenonium.

But of course, this was all but the very beginnings of HoneyFest, and if so, the whole shebang will wow you. Hats off to the team at the Barge, not just for staging this particular extravaganza, but for the many wonderful memories there and how theyโ€™ve maintained this spirit, supported our local live music circuit and created this divine pocket of resistance from the surrounding cliquey conventional area. Thereโ€™s food wagon, thereโ€™s a toy and clothes swap tent, thereโ€™s magical art displays, and crazy street theatre type crazies, but as I said, it may not be as hugely altered from the standard ethos of a weekend camping at the Barge as it could be, but itโ€™s welcoming, itโ€™s as wonderful as the Barge has ever been, and if it isnโ€™t brokenโ€ฆ…

To conclude my findings, look, weโ€™re overloaded with things to do this bank holiday, I know, itโ€™s gone bonkers, but if youโ€™ve no plans for tonight, this place could have your name all over it, and if not, hereโ€™s hoping thereโ€™s more annual HoneyFests. Failing any of those, of course, any weekend at The Barge is a blessing and whole heap of fun; forever recommended with festival jesterโ€™s hats on and bells on.


Trending……

Butane Skies Not Releasing a Christmas Song!

No, I didnโ€™t imagine for a second they would, but upcoming Take the Stage winners, alt-rock emo four-piece, Butane Skies have released their second song,โ€ฆ

One Of Us; New Single From Lady Nade

Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Ladeโ€™s latest offering of soulful pop. Itโ€™s timelessly cool andโ€ฆ

Large Unlicensed Music Event Alert!

On the first day of advent, a time of peace and joy to the world et al, Devizes Police report on a โ€œlarge unlicenced musicโ€ฆ

Winter Festival/Christmas/Whatever!

This is why I love you, my readers, see?! At the beginning of the week I put out an article highlighting DOCAโ€™s Winter Festival, andโ€ฆ

Devizes Winter Festival This Friday and More!

Whoโ€™s ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival and Lanternโ€ฆ

Nothing Rhymes With Orange at the Barge, and Beyond!

Another quick one from me, to say Devizes upcoming indie band Nothing Rhymes With Orange smashed it out of the park and down the Kennet & Avon all the way to the Barge on Honeystreet last nightโ€ฆ..

Canโ€™t give a full review as I only rocked up with a half-hour to spare, but it was plenty to witness, Nothing Rhymes With Orange are no hometown novelty. Punters at the Barge on Honeystreet were equally enthralled by their dynamic show of originals and the occasional cover. Of which one hailed out their request for an encore should be an original of theirs, which was interesting as it fully projects what weโ€™ve been saying all along about this band; their dedication to creating an exclusive and prototypical sound is primary, yet while their ability to project that to an audience is something theyโ€™re continuously perfecting, the result is sheer exhilarating.

It was at this point then, I stress, Nothing Rhymes With Orange seemed more at home and familiar in these pub venue surroundings than ever before, despite what is a legendary local venue with an historic appreciation for the quirky and unusual, it didnโ€™t phase them to perform confidently and superbly. I left thinking everywhere these young guys go they will imprint their music on those who attended and while they may have amassed a blossoming fanbase here, it will only extend further. But more to the point, it is so thoroughly deserved!

Heading a generational scene and finding time to network within it to showcase others is clearly making an impact, as a group of local youngsters form a new production company called Lost Monkey Productions, who arenโ€™t taking things one step at a time, rather hosting NRWO with Foxymoron and Overstory in support at Devizes most prestigious venue, The Corn Exchange on Friday 14th July.

Tickets for a tenner (hurry!) HERE.


Trending…..

Snow White Delight: Panto at The Wharf

Treated to a sneaky dress rehearsal of this year’s pantomime at Devizesโ€™ one and only Wharf Theatre last night, if forced to sum it upโ€ฆ

Chatting With Burn The Midnight Oil

Itโ€™s nice to hear when our features attract attention. Salisburyโ€™s Radio Odstock ย picked up on our interview with Devizes band Burn the Midnight Oil andโ€ฆ