Tag: the pump

Riot Grrl in Devizes? Steatopygous Release Demo

Featured Image: Kiesha Films

In times of pain or stress cats mimic the cry of a human baby to best attract attention. You may not like it, but if you donโ€™t address the situation and aid the pet, you are unfortunately part of the problem. Riot Grrrl is a subcultural movement of anti-punk feminism deriving from the USAโ€™s northwest in the nineties, which, like it or not, has found a new resting place in Devizes thanks to rising teen band Steatopygous…and with a debut demo, theyโ€™re rightfully attracting attention too.

Not Devizes you may whimper, our affluent yet insular market town steeped in tradition, where the most commonly reported crime during October this year was violence and sexual offences, more than double the second on the list, this anti-social behaviour we’ve got a bee in our bonnets about? Seems a rather apt location for youthโ€™s screams of anger and frustration at the inequality of patriarchy to me.

Dealing with issues facing youth, our townโ€™s newcomers, riot front-grrrl Poppy Hillier, bassist Eliza Brindle and drummer Ewan Middleton may well have facetiously named their band after an accumulation of fat on the thighs and/or bum, but their musical subjects are far from ironic or amusing. Neither are they the female answer to NRWO, with their blithe and amicable indie-pop style. This is artistically righteous, a freedom of expression, and just like the catโ€™s meow, you’d better take heed.

Stalwart support act at Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump, a venue dedicated to hosting the upcoming, whereby I saw them first, in June, despite our much younger reporter Flo singing their praises prior, when headlining Devizes Youth Action Group gigs. Steatopygous delivered varying themes there, such as one song on the crisis in Gaza. But the two tracks released on this demo, recorded by Kieran Moore at Komedia, concentrate on matters closer to home and traditional to the ethos of Riot Grrrl; boys taking advantage of a male-dominated world.

Cassowary, a bird with unusual reproduction behaviour which sees the male tend the egg while the female seeks other mates, is the metaphoric name for perhaps the most composed tune of the two. With archetypal driving drums and laden guitar it’s short, fiery and in your face, but perhaps not so aggressive as the other tune, Little Boy, which is a style-defining peach. Angry and unabashed, it takes no prisoners.

Image: Kiesha Films

It is the screech of utmost exasperation, the deliverance of cries typically bottled or only released alone. And therein lies the brilliance and reason of Steatopygous, this erudite anti-sensitive artistic licence opens a matured eye to the vexations and anguish of youth, particularly identifying the uneven game of love and all its sordid undertones. Or if you fall into the category subjected and victimised by the behaviour expressed so poignantly by Steatopygous, theoretically thereโ€™s the emotive response of identifying with it and not feeling alone with your troubles.

This is thunderously original and raw, daring samaritan punk, released on Trowbridgeโ€™s cassette label Sketch Book Records, which if it honours anything, itโ€™s this wholly DIY ethos of Riot Grrrl, and though will remain niche, is something you cannot ignore; phew, I might need a little lie down now!!

Merch at Bandcamp. Instagram. Spotify.

They support Perennial at the Pump on 7th December.

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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 cheesyโ€ฆ

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Emo Night: Slash Fiction and The Yacht Club Nationwide Tour Comes to Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump

Sheffieldโ€™s 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. A winter-warming double-header with their tour buddies, Londonโ€™s math-emos, The Yacht Club, and Devizes’ own upcoming nu-gaze band Enguun, with Steatopygous drummer Ewan Middletonโ€ฆ.

Comparable to Get Up Kids and The Wonder Years, Slash Fiction, recently released their debut album, Gender, Trauma & Friendship, which Kieran J Moore of the Pump hailed as hisย album of the year. They also claim The Yacht Club are equally as wonderful; โ€œthink math-y guitars a la American Football combined with a Jimmy Eat World pop sensibility,โ€ they said. Four members fighting their guitars, The Yacht Club define their style as Revival-Revival Math Rock and have an EP out called IDTTIARTBWY.

Itโ€™s unusual for the Pump to be open for a Wednesday night show. โ€œThis will either prove that we’re mentalists OR that Trowbridge is great throughout the week, and not just at weekends,โ€ they said. 

Engunn proved a hit at Devizes Youth Action Groupโ€™s club nights in February and June. Our reviewer Florence Lee said, โ€œwhen Enguun went onto the stage, I was simply blown away. They are insane. My ears were in euphoria as soon as Ewan Middleton and Joshua Allen started to bless the audience with their music. As a musician, their ability to capture audience attention and put everyone in a trance-like state of freaking out was out of this world.โ€ย 

Tickets Here, from the Pump Website.

Slash Fiction & The Yacht Club

La Bruja; New Halloween Single From I See Orange

There’s a trick and a treat for Halloween from Swindon’s finest alt-rock trio I See Orange; new single, La Bruja, or The Witch translated from Spanish, and it’s certainly cast a spell on meโ€ฆ.

If you’re still unaware of I See Orange, it should be considered folklore cunning craft to overlook them after this; you’ll find yourself sinking in a river! Reviewing them at the Pump at the beginning of the year, I made a beeline to catch them again at Minety during warmer climates. In retrospect I should’ve reviewed their debut four-track EP Lonesome Joy released around the same time as the Pump gig, but missing that window I figured I’d await something new. And here it is, creeping up on us!

Lonesome Joy and a separate song from the same session are generally formulated like all good hefty grunge; rising and falling mood layers, and the single Simply, tended to take a commercial blues angle, as if a metal Cranberries. While these are all positives, with promising roots and truckloads of potential, La Bruja is a constant, progressive, and it doesn’t wait for you to attach yourself to the ambience; it’s a beautiful monster, stomping through a dark forest, chasing you, from beginning to end.

Yards ahead of their previous outpourings, I’d say, its theme perfectly captures the unique identity of the band; a grunge-riot grrrl-garage punk fusion. Charlie Hart and Cameron Hill proficiently drive a hard rock drum and lead guitar arrangement, respectively, behind bassist Giselle Medina, who plays out an ironic kawaii character, a kind of post-goth shลjo kogal, akin to Mieruko-Chan, or Ling Xiaoyu for the Tekken players!

It’s a spookily seductive look, therefore so is this song. It’s as if it’s a direct response to Kip Tyler’s She’s My Witch, with a contemporary edge; lots of haunting, rocking edge. Giselle’s divine, evocative vocals are like a non-stigma emo Greek siren, crying out either an enticement or warning, depending on your fixation for paraphilic disorders; scratch beneath her innocent superficie to discover how deep her โ€œweird shit,โ€ delves, only at your own risk!

And it rocks sublimely, is risquรฉ and unearthly; nothing Monster Mash about it! Here’s their Linktree, and Bandcamp page, Spotify too. If you pop it on your pumpkin playlist, you’ll be grateful I told you and hopefully fill my bucket with Haribo!

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Last Remaining Tickets for Trowbridge Festival

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 quickโ€ฆ.

Driven by the uk festival exclusive for the debut duo performance from long time British folk legends Maddy โ€œSteeleye Spanโ€ Prior, who graced Trowbridge’s Village Pump venue in the early 70s, prior to any fame and fortune and jon โ€œbellowheadโ€ 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 festivalโ€™s 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 Robertโ€™s who will also be performing with her duo with her partner Sean Lakeman. 

Itโ€™s a true folkers line up, which includes โ€˜Gilmore-Robertsโ€™, โ€˜Sykes-martinโ€™, โ€™Stonegallowsโ€™ and festival stalwart โ€˜Keith Christmasโ€™. Ceilidh from โ€˜Spill the Whiskeyโ€™, and some world music from the Bath-based klezmer band โ€˜Ninotchkaโ€™ and โ€˜RSVP 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, Devilโ€™s 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.

Trowbridge Festival runs from 26th-28th July.

Those last few tickets are HERE, folks!

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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

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

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Shox & Steatopygous; Devizes Bands Support Menthol Lungs at The Pumpโ€™s Future Sound of Trowbridge

By Florence Lee

Images by Kiesha Films

โ€˜They promised hardcore shenanigans which never fall below 180 bpmโ€™

SHOX:

After seeing 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 โ€˜Back To Schoolโ€™ by the Deftones, โ€˜Florescent Adolescentโ€™ by the Arctic Monkeys and โ€˜Drownโ€™ by Bring Me The Horizon and included some insanely smooth add-inโ€™s using the DJ set. The transition between playing โ€˜Happy Songโ€™ by Bring Me The Horizon and โ€˜Killing in The Nameโ€™ by Rage Against the Machine had a syren playing and what I can only describe as โ€˜The 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.

Image: Kiesha Films

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 โ€˜great chemistryโ€™ and formed SHOX. They are looking to start the rollout of their debut album called โ€˜To Be Honest, I Couldnโ€™t Be Botheredโ€™ and are hoping for a release in November. They also have a โ€˜Big announcement in the middle of June,โ€™ which I am sure many are looking forward to. If you havenโ€™t seen them live, I would really take the next opportunity!

Image: Kiesha Films

Steatopygous:

If you havenโ€™t read my interview with Steatopygous, I would recommend reading it as you get the โ€˜inside scoopโ€™ on what Steatopygous really means.

Image: Kiesha Films

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: โ€˜Marieโ€™s Wedding Songโ€™, โ€˜Female CDโ€™ and the new โ€˜Little 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 audienceโ€™s. Both Female CD and Maireโ€™s Wedding Song are also well written songs, that I cannot wait to be able to listen to online.

Image: Kiesha Films

With three admirably well executed Bikini Kill songs – Carnival, Feels Blind and Star Bellied Boy, they enticed the audience so much, we were demanding โ€œone 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 havenโ€™t been blessed by the music of these beautiful people, then I would really take your opportunity.

Image: Kiesha Films

Menthol Lungs:

While I heard both Steatopygous and Shox before, I was pumped to be able to listen to Menthol Lungs as I hadnโ€™t 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!

Image: Kiesha Films

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 couldnโ€™t get any better, they then performed โ€˜The 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:

Image: Kiesha Films

Can you introduce your band?

โ€˜We have Corey, who is on rhythm guitar. Sam, who couldnโ€™t 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?

โ€˜So, 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 โ€œI 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€™

โ€˜We met Corey at a gig about a year and a half ago and so he vaguely knew us.โ€™

โ€˜Yeah, 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 Zephโ€™s 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:

โ€˜May I just say your six string bass is insane. Looks sickโ€™ โ€“ me!

โ€˜There 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. Itโ€™s brilliant.โ€™

How do you write your songs?

โ€˜So, 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?

โ€˜Do you know what, it was killer. Best vocals I think I have ever managed, to be honest.โ€™

ย Whatโ€™s your next step?

โ€˜Next step โ€ฆ 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!

Image: Kiesha Films

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 wouldnโ€™t be able to recommend going more. If you havenโ€™t been, you are not just missing out on amazing music, but also an experience that you wonโ€™t be able to forget for years. Thank you for letting bands be able to share their music with everyone. What you are doing with โ€˜The 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!

The Future Sound of Trowbridge #9

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The Lost Trades Float on New Single

Iโ€™ve got some gorgeous vocal harmonies currently floating into my ears, as The Lost Trades release their first single since the replacement of Tamsin Quinโ€ฆ

Barrelhouse are Open for Business with New Album

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 releaseโ€ฆ

Ruzz Guitar Swings With The Dirty Boogie

Bristolโ€™s regular Johnny B Goode, Ruzz Guitar Blues Revue goes full on swing with a new single, a take on The Brian Setzer Orchestraโ€™s 1998โ€ฆ

Steatopygous & SHOX: Two Teen Devizes Punk Bands Appear on Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump Triple-bill this Saturday

Two teen Devizes punker bands appear on Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump triple-bill this Saturday, as the search for the Future of Trowbridge reaches its eighth instalment; unsure if Flo, our youngest reporter (by a country mile!) will be on the scene, so I’m tempted to leave my embarrassing grandad cap in the drawer and have a nose myselfโ€ฆ.

A new one on me, Menthol Lungs headline the show, with an ambiguous base I’m taking a wild stab in the dark to be Trowvegas. They promise hardcore shenanigans which never fall below 180 bpm. I might try to attempt to keep up with that, but kids, please stop me if you see me turn purple!

Now, our town’s newcomers, riot front-grrrl Poppy Hillier, bassist Eliza Brindle and drummer boy Ewan Middleton, aka Steatopygous, take the middle slot. In accordance to Flo’s recent interview with them, in true punk DIY fashion this band formed at Devizes school, and was the one she was most excited to see at the youth gig set up by Devizes Youth Action Group at the Corn Exchange in Feb.

Progressive indie fusion with a drum n bass DJ, apparently, SHOX also played the gig, and Flo had only good words to say about them too, concluding thus, โ€œthese guys have some awesome ideas, which makes them stand out and make a unique sound that I would love to hear some original songs with.โ€ A concept that leaves me intrigued, I must say.

There’s one damn decent way to further these band’s progression locally, and that’s to feature at the one true venue dedicated to being their, and so many other upcoming talentsโ€™ launchpads, The Pump. Whereas most venues want to bring in a big name, The Pump strives to introduce you to the next big namesโ€ฆ. Bloominโ€™ lovely place too.

Bucking the trend of depleting support, this Trowbridge golden nugget goes above and beyond grassroots schematics to host what will surely be, The Future Sound of Trowbridge. Hats off to all who sail in her, and I’m over the moon if it is to be suggested Flo’s excellent coverage of the Devizes Youth Action Group gig on Devizine encouraged Mr Moore, our favourite-most promoter, to book these two. But, hey, if we’re talking hats, there’s bound to be some other codger to share gardening tips there, surely? What the hell, if I do attend this gen z hoedown I might take my grandad cap after all! Best of luck to Menthol Lungs, Steatopygous, and SHOX.ย 

Tickets are only a fiver, go, invite your grandad along too! HERE.

The Future Sound of Trowbridge #8

The Scribes Boombox to Trowbridge at The Village Pump this Saturday

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 in Trowbridge this year. Coming off the back of an incredible 2023 that saw the act perform at Glastonbury, WOMAD, Wireless, Isle Of Wight, Latitude and many more, this will be go off!

Arranged by The Village Pump Community Interest Company, this will be a great chance for people to see The Scribes’ Boombox in an intimate environment before they embark on their 60+ date 2024 tour,  with support on the night comes from local up and comers Iggz, Jay Brooks and Origin.

The Scribes are a multi award winning hip hop act whose unique blend of beatboxing, off the cuff freestyling, crowd participation and genre-spanning music has created a critically acclaimed live show quite unlike any other on the scene today, with appeal ranging far beyond traditional hip hop fare.

They have consistently proven to be an impressive and engaging live act with recent festival appearances at Latitude, Isle Of Wight, Glastonbury, Wireless, WOMAD, Electric Picnic (Ire), Wilderness, Shambala, Boomtown, Bearded Theory, Beautiful Days, Great Estate and many more, and are proud winners of both the Exposure Music Award’s “Best UK Urban Act” and the EatMusic Radio Award’s “Best Live Act”. The group have also provided original music for BBC and Channel 4 television, and are featured regularly on both national and local radio and media including BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1 Introducing and BBC Radio 6 Music.

The Scribes are hotly tipped as one to watch, recently signing with Stimulus Management (Nas, Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, Busta Rhymes), and sharing the stage with the likes of Macklemore, Rudimental, Nathan Dawe, Wu Tang Clan, Dizzee Rascal, Kelis, Rag N Bone Man, Example, Lethal Bizzle, The Wailers, Jurassic 5, Sugarhill Gang, KRS One, Pharoahe Monch, De La Soul, MF DOOM, and Souls Of Mischief to name (drop) but a few, and are steadily establishing a growing following across the continent to add to their already significant fan base at home.

The Scribes

Previous stuff about the Scribes on Devizine

Facebookย Instagramย Websiteย YouTubeย Spotifyย Bandcamp

Trending……

Joyrobber Didn’t Want Your Stupid Job Anyway

A second track from local anonymous songwriter Joyrobber has mysteriously appeared online, and heโ€™s bitter about not getting his dream jobโ€ฆ.. If this mysterious dudeโ€™sโ€ฆ

Devizes Chamber Choir Christmas Concert

Itโ€™s not Christmas until the choir sings, and Devizes Chamber Choir intend to do precisely this by announcing their Christmas Concert, as they have doneโ€ฆ

Steatopygous go Septic

If you believe AI, TikTok and the rest of it all suppress Gen Zโ€™s outlets to convey anger and rage, resulting in a generation ofโ€ฆ

The Wurzels To Play At FullTone 2026!

If Devizesโ€™ celebrated FullTone Festival is to relocate to Whistley Roadโ€™s Park Farm for next summerโ€™s extravaganza, what better way to give it the rusticโ€ฆ

The Worried Men Take the Pump

And Morpheus said unto Neo, โ€œunfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.โ€ Funny cos, I kinda feel similar about The Worried Men! So much so, it’s worth forgoing my weekend cider ration to drive down to the Pump to catch themโ€ฆ

Fast becoming our flagship grass roots music venue, enough for Wiltshire Councilโ€™s area board to reward them with a grant, Kieran and his team have transformed The Pump in Trowbridge from its origins as a folk club, through offering a diverse programme, and we love it here at Devizine Towers. It’s quirky, quaint, and most importantly, it’s impressively welcoming.

The grant was used to purchase some new equipment for The Pump that will enhance the artist and customer experience. There is no need to up their game with the programme of events though, in my honest opinion. Every show is a gig in heaven already, if heaven has an antique pitcher pump as a feature! Kieran said, โ€œwe’re really trying to contribute to our community and thank you for joining us along the way!โ€ The pleasure is all ours, thank you Mr M.

Their worthy Future Sound of Trowbridge project to promote youthful upcoming bands at the Pump may well be in full momentum, but was put on hold for this Saturday night to make way for experienced, marginally older musicians! One thing you could be certain of, Worried frontman Jamie Thyler handles his guitar like Michelangelo handled his paintbrush. Cruising that well-oiled machine through a medley of every known Renaissance blues and rock guitar riff, with the ladders of his highly accomplished bassist and drummer, moulds them into one beautiful Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The Worried Men show consists of a few originals from their extensive discography, which sound like rock classics anyway, meddled with this cascade of known riffs and only pauses to allow some time for Jamie’s quick-witted, Gilbert Shelton humoured quips. They’re not wholly covers, per say, more improv homages and nods to his influences, the guitar heroes of yore, the blues master axemen from Muddy to Howlin Wolf and Hendrix to prog-rock’s Deep Purple or Zeppelin. Enthusiastic trainspotters will pick out Mungo Jerry, Spencer Davis, The Stones, but never will Jamie simply re-enact, it’s simply acknowledged in a beautiful mesh.

Opening with a decidedly Muddy Water’s version of Just Make Love to Me, and ending with a Jumpinโ€™ Jack Flash encore, it truly was a breathtaking barrelhouse of delta to electric blues, with enough psychedelic swirls to overspill a sugarcube at Woodstock, but more importantly, it was delivered with sublime passion and exceptional skill.

First time I caught the Worried Men was at our trusty Southgate in Devizes last April, I made an odd but fitting oral hygiene comparison, โ€œJamie holds an expression of concentration, occasionally looking up at you through these spellbinding Hendrix fashioned excursions, as if to ask โ€œis that alright for you?โ€ Like a dentist with his tools stuck in your gum, you feel like responding, โ€œyes, fine, thank you doctor.โ€

But none of this magic occurred until after newly-formed indie-punkers Future Plan gave us a grand support. With an attention to the heady dawn of punk, Future Plan attacked an indie set with ferocity and fire, making for a wild ride of originals. It was confident, rocking, and having it. Particularly entrapping was a track they called Rinky Dink, Future Plan might just be the most bookable pub punk band, if the landlord wants drinks to fly off the bar. With a debut EP in the pipeline, and some singles pre-released from it, find them on Faceache here, and I look forward to catching them again on the local circuit.

Another, what might be usually fantastic night at The Pump, and a most agreeable double thumbs-up from me. Though, Iโ€™m still none the wiser as to what worries the Worried Men to call themselves such, if anything Iโ€™d say if itโ€™s not ironic, it should be.

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DOCAโ€™s Young Urban Digitals

In association with PF Events, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts introduces a Young Urban Digitals course in video mapping and projection mapping for sixteen to twentyโ€ฆ

Jol Roseโ€™s Ragged Stories

Thereโ€™s albums Iโ€™ll go in blind and either be pleasantly surprised, or not. Then thereโ€™s ones which I know Iโ€™m going to love before theโ€ฆ

Vince Bell in the 21st Century!

Unlike Buck Rogers, who made it to the 25th century six hundred years early, Devizesโ€™ most modest acoustic virtuoso arrives at the 21st just shortโ€ฆ

Deadlight Dance New Single: Gloss

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 allโ€ฆ

Things to Do During Halloween Half Term

The spookiest of half terms is nearly upon us again; kids excited, parents not quite so much! But hey, as well as Halloween, here’s whatโ€ฆ

Ruby Plays Glasgowโ€™s Barrowlands with The Charlatans

How did you celebrate your seventeenth birthday? Did you pop up to Glasgow to accompany The Charlatans, on bagpipes, at the historic Barrowlands ballroom, and then have your latest single spun by Chris Hawkins on BBC Radio 6?!

Being honest, the memory of my seventeenth birthday is vague at best, but Iโ€™m pretty certain it wasnโ€™t even in the same ballpark! A huge happy birthday, then, to our upcoming superstar Ruby Darbyshire, and an even huger โ€œwowzers;โ€ although this is amazing news, itโ€™s fully deserved in my humble opinion. In what she dubbed her โ€œbiggest gig yet,โ€ on social media, last weekend was a huge success, playing with The Charlatans at Barrowlands.

Ruby now lives on a narrowboat on the Kennet and Avon Canal near Bath with proud dad, Brian, who happened to call me with this astounding news last week. Exploding in exhilaration, he then told me I would have to wait to publish it. I think he just wanted to relay the story to someone, to best contain his understandable excitement!

Previously from Dumfries, Ruby used to busk in Buchanan Street, Glasgow, on many Saturdays, playing guitar and singing, where she raised thousands of pounds for Save the Children. Taken under the wing of the wonderful Pipe Major Jim McConnechie in Dumfries at the age of eight, while Ruby loves playing traditional music, for Remembrance Day, Burns suppers and other fitting occasions, sheโ€™s also known for using the pipes for rock music.

Homeschooled, Ruby now studies music at Bath College, and has become an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and Highland bagpiper. You may well have seen her busking in the Brittox of Devizes, and various other local locations. Particularly memorable in town, was her impromptu appearance with Wayne Cherry on his one-hundred hours of Remembrance fundraiser. You may have been lucky enough to see her play live locally, after listening to and reviewing her debut EP, Donโ€™t Give Up Now, Weโ€™re Nearly There, I made it top priority to attend her next gig, supporting Amelia Coburn, with Meg, at Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump.

On the couple of occasions Iโ€™ve had the honour to meet Ruby she remains modest about the attention, but if she doesnโ€™t like to blow her own, erm, bagpipes, journalist for the Times, Nick Fraser reviewed the Charlatansโ€™ gig, stating her guest appearance as the โ€œmost startling momentโ€ of the event. 

Her forthcoming single “Caller Unknown” was made possible by the support of Tim Burgess of The Charlatans who spotted Ruby at Kendal Calling Festival, and through his new charitable initiative, Help Us Help Bands, Ruby won a recording session at the Cheese & Grainโ€™s Bert Jansch Studio in Frome. I, for one, canโ€™t wait to hear the latest song, once Iโ€™ve gotten over how simply fantastic this is for our locally-based artist; Iโ€™ve gone all goosebumpily! Well done Ruby, we are rooting for you.

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CrownFest is Back!

Yay! You read it right. After a two year break, CrownFest is back at the Crown in Bishop’s Cannings. So put a big tick ontoโ€ฆ

Six Reasons to Rock in Market Lavington

Alright yeah, itโ€™s a play on band names and thereโ€™s only really two reasons to rock on Friday 17th October at Market Lavington Community Hall;โ€ฆ

Donโ€™t Give Up Now, Ruby Darbyshire

As discoveries of young local talent never seem to wane here at Devizine, hereโ€™s one with a difference, weโ€™ve not featured yet; you may have seen Ruby Darbyshire busking a showstopper with bagpipes, but itโ€™s far from the limits of this girlโ€™s mind-blowing talentโ€ฆ.

Her live studio recording is a four track EP, acoustic folk originals, titled Donโ€™t Give Up Now, Weโ€™re Nearly There, and itโ€™s something you simply MUST listen to, I order you to! My benchmark for a great writer is imagining myself at the same age merely attempting to scribe something on par, the conclusion being the profoundness and emotive expression of Ruby here crosses the winning line while Iโ€™m not even off the starting block, and me, with bagpipes, donโ€™t even contemplate it!

Using a comfort blanket as a metaphor, a pensive ditty called Insomnia opens, the title explaining the lucid theme, first person prose reflection on growing up and fatigue. The EP ends with the struggle for self-control customarily portrayed as the devil on one shoulder, angel on the other, but perhaps questioning her impulsive behaviour moreso. Devil Doesnโ€™t Want This leaves you aching for more, itโ€™s edgy and darker than the two relationship subjects between them.

Pandora is perhaps the deepest dimensionally, a personification of the Pandoraโ€™s Box idiom, Ruby nails the process of a labyrinthine of issues once pursued generates greater problems, and itโ€™s conveyed sublimely. Donโ€™t Want to Hear You Cry is less abstract, but equal in emotive, matured outpouring. In summary of the whole EP, itโ€™s a beautiful thing, sublime.ย 

Echoes of Opportunity Knocks winner and Paul McCartneyโ€™s first venture into production, Mary Hopkins in her delivery, Ruby bears all the hallmarks of a classic female folk singer, ofย Holly Near, vocally, of Joni Mitchell in calibre and of Dar Williams in emotive outpouring, akin locally to the rapturous Daisy Chapman.

Often seen busking or at open mics with her dad, Brian, itโ€™s clear Rubyโ€™s music evolved from a musical family at a tender age, a prodigy flourished, to hear the results is blissful. Gig dates can be found on her website, here. Sheโ€™s at the George in Lacock on Wednesday evening (6th Sept.)

Ruby supports Amelia Coburn at the Pump on Saturday 14th October, with Meg, she writes to tell me she โ€œjust heard yesterday that I’m on stage at the Bradford Roots Festival in January,โ€ and goes onto explain Tim Burgess from the Charlatans, organiser of the Kendal Calling festival asked to return next year, donating her a day’s recording at the Cheese and Grain, with musicians and Freddie Cowan from the Vaccines as producer. Full-gone conclusion, in my opinion, Rubyโ€™s music will grow into a phenomenon, and you need to hear it blossoming.

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Oh Danny Boy!

Oh Danny Boy, oh, Danny Boy, they loved your boyish Eton looks so, but when ye was voted in, an all democracy wasnโ€™t quite dying,โ€ฆ

A Quick Shuffle to Swindon

Milkman hours with grandkids visiting it was inevitable a five hour day shift was all I was physically able to put into this year’s Swindonโ€ฆ

Swindon Branch of Your Party is Growing

Following the excitement and success of the first meeting of โ€˜Your Partyโ€™ in Swindon, a second meeting has been arranged for 18th September 7.30 -โ€ฆ

No Rest For JP Oldfield, New Single Out Today

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 circuitโ€ฆ

DOCA’s Early Lantern Workshops

Is it too early for the C word?! Of course not, Grinch! With DOCA’S Winter Festival confirmed for Friday 28th November this year, there willโ€ฆ

The Future Sound of Trowbridge; The Pump Calls for Young Talent

The Pump in Trowbridge, is a music venue called such because it is a renovated pump room, but I always like to think the pump disambiguation should also be a metaphor for the heart, for it is the heart of live music in our county town, and it sure has a lot of love to give!

Iโ€™m delighted today to be able to announce the Pumpโ€™s search for the next generation of Trowbridge’s best and brightest musical stars, and theyโ€™re naming it The Future Sound of Trowbridge!

Already renowned for their unrivalled and at times blistering live music experience, The Pump is hoping to continue to inspire and educate the next generation of music stars, by offering our venue and platform. Giving young people the agency and opportunity to present and perform their music and art to their peers, in a professional environment.

Skill level and performance length arenโ€™t an issue; But the desire to get upย and perform is essential! The Pump will provide an exceptionally safe space for people to perform in, with expert help at hand to assist any musician through their technicalย requirements to be in the best possible position to perform their music live!

Now, I always figured if any local venue has done most to encourage youth already, itโ€™s been The Pump. Sheer Musicโ€™s promoter, Kieran Moore, tells me, โ€œbe that as it may, we want to formalise it in the shape of a project, and here it is!โ€

โ€œThere are no limits on the style, type or size of the music,โ€ he continued, โ€œwe aim to unearth what latent talent we have in Trowbridge and offer the opportunity to SHINE!โ€

You could be the next pioneer of the spoons, an aspiring violinist or an Avantgarde psych rock, pedal noodler. You could even be a rapper or DJ. The options are limitless, but the opportunity is here and now!

You must be aged between 14 and 25, and not already in an established* band. 

Pre-existing local musicians will be able to perform.

There are also opportunities for those who wish to be involved with the delivery of the events. Aspiring sound engineers or lighting engineers are welcome to contact The Pump.

You may be a photographer, or zine writer or blogger. You may be a graphic designer. All of these skills are valued and can be explored and developed with your peers, to gain experience and contribute to your community! 

More information can be found at;

http://www.thepumptrowbridge.co.uk/ or you can email:ย 

thepumptrowbridge@gmail.com

The first event has already been confirmed, with young indie hopefuls Nothing Rhymes With Orange set to perform on Friday 1st September, with a line up including more young musicians from the area.

The Future of Rock and Roll is in your hands, the future of Music is YOU!

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I See Orangeโ€ฆ.And Doll Guts!

There was a time not so long ago when I See Orange was the most exciting new band in Swindon. Their latest offering released atโ€ฆ

Talk in Code Down The Gate!

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 themโ€ฆ

Recommendations for when Swindon gets Shuffling

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 toโ€ฆ

Just Meg; an Interview

by Jess Worrow

I confess a few nerves about my first interview, in a coffee shop in Chippenham, however after meeting folk singer-songwriter Meg, it became more like a chat between two friends. Meg is appearing on the line-ups of many local festivals and venues, from Trowbridgeโ€™s Pump, Chippenham Pride and Folk Festival, to MDBTYD festival in Swindon.….

I asked her which gig she was most looking forward to, โ€œthe Minety Festival is where most of my focus is, as it’s the closest,โ€ she explained. Meg is playing the Minety stage on Friday night alongside other upcoming artists such as Boston Green and The Sunnies, and amidst legends like Dodgy, Reef and Scouting For Girls.

But which are her favourite venues and most memorable gigs? โ€œIt’s a difficult question, I find gigs better when there are friendly people and a good environment. I did a gig with Boston Green at Newark Hall in Chippenham; they were amazing!โ€ Meg was passionate about the Pump in Trowbridge, which presents opportunities to upcoming and diverse musicians. โ€œKieran,โ€ she said, โ€œwho runs it is really involved in helping young musicians.โ€

I was keen to understand the difficulties for younger people getting local bookings, at sixteen it must be hard to get gigs being many venues are pub-based. โ€œAt times it can,โ€ Meg said, โ€œI’ve had a few venues whoโ€™ve said no because theyโ€™re 18 plus, so, like bars and clubs, as legally it would be very difficult. Then getting the fan base in because many of them are younger as well.โ€

Whatโ€™s Megโ€™s favourite thing about performing? โ€œThe fact I can do it and that there’s an audience who cares enough to actually listen, and who will come up and talk to me afterwards; itโ€™s really sweet. And of course, I love it! I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it.โ€

Glastonbury is a dream gig for any artist, Meg included. โ€œThough I don’t think I’d like to go there unless I was playing,โ€ she remarked. Meg cited Florence and the Machine and Aurora as influences, โ€œthey have been hugely influential on my personal style. When I was first going out, I didn’t have many originals, mainly doing Florence and Aurora covers.โ€ But now Meg is a prolific writer. โ€œAt this point,โ€ she expressed, โ€œI’m doing all originals, but this time last year I only had two and was doing mainly covers. I actually wrote a bunch of songs whilst doing my GCSEs! Itโ€™s a good way to relieve stress. So, I have a lot more material now.โ€

Enough for an album, and at such a young age? Meg was thrilled about an opportunity to record her songs, โ€œI mean thatโ€™s got to be exciting, right?โ€

โ€œI’m so excited for that!โ€ Meg expressed, โ€œI’ve got two days booked, so hopefully I’ll get all the songs I’ve got going at the moment recorded. Yess, there’s going to be an album! We are going to aim to start releasing around September, and then the album will probably come out between then and Christmas.โ€

โ€œI feel like the music industry isn’t always that accessible to become successful in, but at my age, I think I have the freedom to put a lot of time into it, and I’m obviously still supported by my parents, and I love them so much; they help me a lot with it!โ€

I wondered where Meg got her inspiration. โ€œInspired by the work of Aurora and Florence and the Machine,โ€ she began, โ€œI love nature so that can sometimes help. And rain, whenever it rains I seem to get ideas! A month ago it was really misty and I wrote a song which is called Mist, which is one of my favourites. When inspiration strikes you just have to write; I often find Iโ€™ll be writing songs in the back of my school books!โ€

Where did it all begin? โ€œThis probably sounds cliche,โ€ Meg replied, โ€œbut it’s always been there, as soon as I could talk I started singing! I was four when I wrote my first little song. I would always sing with my mum when I was younger which really helped get me into it and my dad played musical instruments so that helped too.โ€

Mist being her personal fav, Meg continued, โ€œThere is this one that’s a calm one; some people say it’s sad, but it’s very nostalgic for me. It’s called Hide in the Rain. There is also another one that’s really helped me through a lot of things, called Together, because Iโ€™m autistic the song has helped remind me I can unmask, I don’t have to pretend to be someone else and it’s fine to be me.โ€

Mentioning Together, about her autism, I asked Meg when she is writing her songs does she try to represent autism? โ€œI think Together is the only song I’ve written about it. But I do quite openly talk about it and I don’t think it should be something people are scared to talk about. For me personally it’s part of who I am and I really value that part of me. It’s made some parts of life difficult but it’s made parts of my life better. I honestly don’t think I would be doing this if I wasn’t autistic, in a weird way. All of my songs are about me in some respect and it’s a part of me I can’t escape.โ€

Does Meg get performance anxiety? โ€œSometimes, it often depends on the gigs. At new environments like a festival Iโ€™ve never been to, or when I’ve got a lot of new songs I haven’t performed, I found then that it can be very nerve-racking.โ€

It was lovely chatting to Meg, I asked her what her proudest musical accomplishment was, so far. โ€œI’m not sure. It’s hard to say, but coming second in Take the Stage in Chippenham, when I was fifteen has to be up there!โ€ And Iโ€™m sure there will be many more!

You can find Meg performing at Minety, Trowbridge Festival, MDBYTD and The Shuffle and regularly at The Pump. 

Follow MEG on Instagram Facebook

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A Busy Week For Lunch Box Buddy!

It was great to bump into Lunch Box Buddy in Devizes today. Last week was hectic for him; first BBC Wiltshire stopped by his standโ€ฆ

Wither; Debut Single From Butane Skies

Whilst dispersing highly flammable hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere is not advisory,  Butane Skies is a name increasingly exploding on local circuits. The young andโ€ฆ

Carsick Pump It!

By Ben Niamor (with Devizine edits)

This evening Iโ€™ve been reminded of a different feeling, something missing in recent years; noisy, energetic, bordering madnessโ€ฆ..

Youthful bands with something to say, a truly incredible gig. Sheer Music Presents Carsick at Trowbridge’s Pump, with Devizes own Nothing rhymes with Orange, and first out Meg, from Trowbridge.

Meg has a great voice and some great original songs. NRWO are a great, bouncy, mosh-friendly, superb band with huge potential for a wider audience.

And Salisbury’s Carsick – holy shit, good band! They reminded me of seeing new wave punk, or laterally The Computers. Clearly the whole assembled crowd of all ages felt the same, a resonance, an energy, a way to make people feel alive.

Instant fan, incredibleโ€ฆ

Itโ€™s been too long since Iโ€™ve seen anyone stand on a balcony, or the drum kit, since I saw crowd surfing or saw so many people having fun in this way.

Pump promoter Kieran J Moore continues to impress and influence me, with bands but also the incredible support he offers a scene that evolves. Nights like this makes me proud to know him. 

I have been told by record store owners, reviewers, many people I needed to see these bands and somehow Iโ€™ve landed on my feet and seen both together. Thank you all of you, amazing gig and wonโ€™t be the last time I see any of you.

Kieran said of the gig, “it’s single handedly more impressive, valuable and important when a band can come to a rural backwater town and blow up a scene, show and venue. Last night, once again, we showed that you don’t need to leave Trowbridge to have the time of your life.”

“Three young, fresh new artists played The Village Pump, and hundred people witnessed something you cannot fake, or throw money at to create. We saw something real, genuine, pure and incredible. It was that simple.”

The Devizine editor, gutted for being unable to make this one(!) wishes to extend this by congratulating all at this fantastic grassroots venue on our doorstep. The Pump continues going from strength-to-strength, last week the subject of a BBC Points West filming, highlighting hostess and trainee sound engineer Megan, as part of her work via The Prince’s Trust. The filming will be broadcast this Thursday 4th May. On our maiden voyage to the Pump, Megan made the perfect host, and her enthusiasm for this opportunity spoke volumes.

We continue to ensure all forthcoming gigs at the Pump are listed on our event calendar, and a direct link to their website is HERE.

Unsurprised Alchemy: Will Lawton & The Alchemists Played The Pump

Roundabouts of Wiltshire, I usually just drive around them, that is, after all, their purpose. Saturday evening, I parked in the middle of that big one in Trowbridge; you know the one, all roads lead there, probably driven around it a thousand times. But I knew it was there and like the rest of my night, nothing came as a big surprise.….

Though to assume “unsurprised” conotes negative couldn’t be further from the truth. The carpark is for patrons of the town’s The Lamb, a handsome unassuming flagship Waddies, with a pump room aback converted into a music venue. Unsurprised by this because I’ve known about the Pump for years, sent reviewers there, plus every musican who’s played it speaks highly, and gasps in shock if I reply I’ve yet to frequent it.

Simple reason being gigs are more often than not on Fridays, unsuitable for my rota. But to pinch an idiom from Sheer Music promoter Kieran J Moore himself, which he often uses to describe a band he’s booked, The Pump is “punching above its weight” when it comes to local live music venues, casting off any ill-conceived notions Vegas is a cultural void, and affirming our county town on the UK’s grassroots venue map.

Sheer Music itself is a stamp of authenticity, your assurance of a quality gig, and here is its headquarters. KJM not in attendance tonight, but their Will Riker, Megan made the perfect host, with a joy impossible to hide spoke of their delight at the helm of the Pump; I’m equal in delight to have finally ventured here.

But it’s a triple-whammy of unsurprised delights, as headlining is the fantastically unique Will Lawton and the Alchemists, a raggle-taggle ensemble of skilled Chippenham, and Malmesbury musicans impossible to pigeonhole. On the strength of recommendations, our review of their latest EP Alchemy, and Will’s solo tracks he’s contriubted to our Julia’s House compilation, I was assuredly in good hands.

They were everything I imagined they would be, splashed with a touch more. Sublimely distinctive and individual, quirky and acomplished, the result was spellbinding musical alchemy (as it suggests on the tin,) the variety to force your eyes closed and dream abstract visual accompaniments but sqint at intervals to amaze yourself at just how they create it.

These original enchanted compositions are performed on keys by Will himself with poignant lead vocals, guitarist Ami Kaelyn with emotive side vocals akin to Pink Floyd’s Great Gig in the Sky, Buddy Fonzarelli on an eletric four-string upright bass and as witty as they come, sophisticated engine room drummer and live sample triggerย Weasel Howlett, and classically trained, multi-instrumental Harki Popli usually adding an eastern flavour on tabla drums but unable to attend tonight.

There’s often psychological and astronomical themes to make Brian Cox’s toes curl, but it’s always with this drifting, beautiful ambience.

After the perfect ambience of their lengthy EP tracks, kicking off with the Bricks single, moving onto Dust, and earlier compositions like Soul Sneeze, they break them down with hilarious banter of equal skill. It’s avant-garde, only comparable with those who pushed musical boundaries for pushing musical boundaries; from Mozart to Flyod, Zeppelin to Giorgio Moroder, Scott Joplin to Scratch Perry, and I’ll give you King Tubby to A Guy Called Gerald as The Alchemists occasionally slip into idiosyncratic drum and bass with a breathtaking outcome. This is jazz, this is indie-folk, this bears hallmarks of classical, soul, psychedelia, of everything gone before and a hint at what’s to come.

If I get narked by Oasis being compared to the Beatles I retort they’re retrospective, the Beatles were progressive, and the Alchemists are far closer to what we could predict they’d be putting out today, to rinse the sincerity from Stevie Wonder’s parental pride anthem, Isn’t She Lovely, with a tune called Daughter, yes, it really is on this level.

But maintaining a down-to-earth charisma it’s warts and all, as if the music comes naturally and they’re in its playground. Similar could be said for the supporting act, as I did say this was a triple-whammy. With a forthcoming tour, they hid their identity with the anagram, Slotted Hearts, to perform a trial-and-error inaugural showcase of the new album, but like I also said, nothing came as a surprise as I teased Tamsin Quin, one third of the Lost Trades, that I sussed it because I’m good at anagrams. This was, of course, bullshit, I just noted they were attending via the Facebook event page!

And a wonderful set they were already in swing of upon my arrival, The Lost Trade’s second album is the perfect progression of their debut we reviewed a week ago. Our beloved vocal harmony modern-folk trio are going from strength-to-strength, destined for the deserved greatness they work so hard for. Their performance was as they said it would be, we were guinea pigs to replicating the album live, and if a few hitches were expectedly made, they were subtle at best. But humbly excusing themselves was unnecessary. If this was an insight into what’s to come, you need to be there when it goes off. It was a stunning performance, sublimely introduced, end of.

But it’s the informal setting, you see? The kind of safehouse where The Lost Trades can experiment, the kind of music appreciation society open to interpretation, with walls adorned with brass instruments and other random paraphernalia, wonky steps up to a seated balcony, and crossed beamed with an invition for appearing acts to graffiti their names upon. It’s quirky, non-pretenious, and exceptionally hospitable; it’s got my name all over it. A little haven of music I wished I’d trekked to a lot sooner, but I’ve done it now, and I’m not looking back.

Sellout gigs I hope will encourage them to open Saturdays more often, their programme chockful of selected delights, which, more often or not, are the upcoming named must-sees. The Pump’s collaboration with Sheer is a match made in heaven, and if your vision of heaven is a quirky backroom blessed with a plethora of our best musical activities, The Pump is the direction you need to be looking.

Through the ambient nature of Will Lawton, and the mellowness of The Trades, I take to wonder how lively post-punk bands like Carsick fair here, Megan confirmed they were stage diving like a moshpit, so aside this venue’s quaintness, diversity matches its brilliance.