Thieves Plan Unplugged Gig at Brokerswood

We don’t like many thieves here at Devizine, but we do love Thieves the band! Well, those Thieves have an interesting next gig it’s worthwhile mentioningโ€ฆ..

The first time I saw these Thieves it was a paradox of coincidences. I was hiding in the back of the Wild & Wooley room of Bradford Roots Festival at The Wiltshire Music Centre, and I was suitably wowed by their Americana/UK folk harmonies. I likened them to The Lost Trades at the time, and told the person next to me, only to realise it was Phil Cooper, one third of the Lost Trades! I then proceeded to vocalise my observation that the guy on the banjo looked uncannily like soloist Adam Woodhouse, only for Phil to sigh, โ€œit is Adam Woodhouse!โ€ Should have gone to Specsavers.

Since, the collective of Adam with Rory Coleman-Smith, Jo Deacon and Matt Hughes have gone from strength to strength, regularly gigging, you might have seen them; consider yourself lucky. They gained me enormous kudos when they played so beautifully at Rowdefest last year, it was uplifting and toe-tapping goodness. Oh, and, we fondly reviewed their debut EP.

They’reย  excited to announce a headline appearance at Brokerswood’s Tin Church, near Westbury, on the 28th February, with support from the amazing Feral Beryl. Though the Thieves explained, โ€œwe were lucky enough to perform in this wonderful venue last year as a supporting act,โ€ it’s the first I’ve heard of a gig there, ‘cos no one tells me nuthin’, but I do recall sitting with the kids on the miniature train!

As an outdoor pursuit area, Brokerswood has been a popular attraction for families and campers since 1968, now in an effort to preserve the land, it’s converted into a holiday park. 

With no electricity, The Tin Church is a beautifully unique venue where the musicians are lit solely by candlelight and the original paraffin lamps and perform completely unplugged, taking advantage of the wonderful acoustics of the space. The band say, โ€œitโ€™s an experience like no other and an evening of music not to be missed!โ€

Sounds good to me; who needs electricity when youโ€™ve got beautiful music?! Priced at ยฃ18, it gets even better because it includes canapรฉs, with tickets available from The Cheese & Gain website. But, if you happen to miss this, as it’s a busy weekend what with The Festival of Winter Ales in Devizes and much more, Thieves will be playing this spring festival in March at Trowbridge Town Hall.


Thieves Debut EP

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 youโ€™re lucky enough to catch them at, I suggest you pick up a copy of this little showcase disc; theyโ€™re our very own resident Carter Familyโ€ฆ.

Opening with Calneโ€™s 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, Iโ€™m thinking Neil Young, the Byrds, and all those irresistible Americana classics, which imagines youโ€™re 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 Roryโ€™s resonator, Adamโ€™s mandolin, and Mattโ€™s upright bass, you can sense Joโ€™s 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. Iโ€™m no connoisseur, just know what my ears like; itโ€™s all a melting pot,ย and Thieves stir it with delicate precision.

And in that, Iโ€™m unsure about the name Thieves. Certainly the genuine sound of America is pinched if not more agreeably heavily influenced by, but it might suggest thereโ€™s 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 โ€˜that 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. โ€œIt is Adam,โ€ Phil replied! Oh, yeah, so it is; I didnโ€™t 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 itโ€™s so beautiful and moreish, leaving you suspended on whatโ€™s to come from Thieves, but rest assured, hereโ€™s a wonderful quartet which can hold a crowd spellbound.

Find where Thieves are playing on our local circuits by following socials Facebook Insta for gigs, and hopefully catch them at Rowdefest on Saturday 31st May? Itโ€™s free, bring me a haslett and cucumber sandwich, Iโ€™ve arranged the acts, I wonโ€™t let you down.

iTunes Link

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Rowdefest 26 Lineup Reveal!

Drizzly Sundayโ€ฆagain. Iโ€™ve just finished designing the poster, so allow me to reveal the lineup for Rowdefest this coming May, might cheer us up aโ€ฆ

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Bradford Roots Session Special With Bill in the Lowground, Daisy Chapman & Thieves This Fridayโ€ฆ..

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 a fleeting memory, but it seems they can’t wait for another January, so 19th April sees a session highlighting some fond favourites; if you’re looking for something to entertain you, I thoroughly recommend itโ€ฆ.

Two bands on a triple bill, both which achieve a perfect balance; barefoot fiddler and banjo bashing Broughton Gifford-based headliner Billy in the Lowground, a well-established west-country come Americana favourite who have that rare knack of stabilising an up-tempo pitch with concentrated narrative. And the new ensemble of Adam Woodhouse called Thieves, who mightily impressed me at this year’s festival with that perfect balance of vocal harmony bluegrass and darker country blues.

Nestled between these two fine bands you need not accept a substitute. Trowbridge living legend Daisy Chapman is also on the bill. An early time slot at this year’s festival meant I still haven’t managed to scrub her name off my must-see list, despite briefly touching base with her and, naturally, fondly reviewing two of her albums over the years. Unique is an understatement with Daisy, and if we’re talking about perfect balance, I couldn’t say if it’s the euphoric and epic musical style of her folk, or her astounding writing ability which sets her above your average local singer-songwriter, so I wager it’s both!

Wiltshire Music Centre’s dedication to, and not to mention development of local music is second to none, as well as hosting a wide variety of international musicians. This one is going to leave you contemplating it was twelve pounds well spent, with certainty.

Tickets HERE


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Agricultural Appropriation with Monkey Bizzle

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Doctor Faustus Sells His Soulโ€ฆ. in Devizes!

Featured Image:@jenimeadephotography Just another rainy Saturday afternoon in Devizes, whereby I watched a profound fellow dramatically sacrifice himself to the devil, then popped to Morrisonsโ€ฆ

Chandra Finds Heaven on Earth

Usually I just write what I think, but if I had a point-scoring system this new single from Bristol-based indie-pop outfit Chandra would tick everyโ€ฆ