Richie Triangle
Back yonder,
in the early days of scribing articles for Index, I reported my surprise upon
wandering in the Black Swan and finding it renovated to the charming place
Devizes hipsters know it as today. At the time, I was adamant I wasn’t there
for antique shopping, stating “I’m not David Dickenson; I’ve come here for
atmosphere, a pint and some live music, the quality of all above my
expectations. To suit the off-beat character transforming the place a young
Irish singer stands at the windowed alcove grasping his guitar with passion.”
That singer
was, of course, Richie Triangle, and he bought a sense of cheerfulness with
spritely enthusiasm, good humour and talented performances. Alas his campervan
out back of the pub is no longer, Richie has been travelling, but we’ll still
recall him busking in the Brittox and just his short stay in our town, he
gained a local following.
Well it
seemed we’ve good taste in Devizes, as Richie found success on his adventures
and has hooked up with Adrian Sherwood’s ground-breaking On-U-Sound studio, to
record “Made from Broken Pieces,” an album of original material, all written by
him.
In his own
words, Richie is, “describing and sympathising with all our situations. How
despite being broken, beaten and battered, we’re still here, alive and strong,
and have many crazy tales to tell.” The concept stemming from a rock climbing
accident Richie suffered while travelling India.
Paralysed from
the waist down, it was a struggle to make it back to the UK. “After much
determination and most of 2015 in a wheelchair,” Richie explains, “I managed to
rehabilitate enough to be able to stand, and in time, walk. I couldn't sit
around, and I absolutely had to get back in the music.”
Good news is
Richie is back in town, playing the Crown on Saturday, thanks to the
magnificent Marland Music. This will make the ideal after-carnival party and hopefully,
he’ll have copies of this acoustic magnum opus, with hauntingly sublime backing
sounds, akin to a modern James Taylor or Neil Young. Or, you can download it
for a tenner here: https://www.richietriangle.com/
bargain.
Other
after-carnival parties are available; Stuart Beck performs at Times Square,
Mike Barham belts out classics at the Moonrakers, DJ Ramon’s getting funky at
the Southgate (with BBQ.) What am I,
some kind of human event calendar now? Bloody cheek, might start singing in the
Market Square myself.
Fear not,
that will not happen, not with Black Rat Monday out of the way.
While on the
musical subject, I was lucky enough to be treated to an exclusive preview of
the newly formed “Full Tone Orchestra,” at a rehearsal for their performance of
Iconic Themes on 16th September at the Corn Exchange. After just
three rehearsals I can confirm they sound totally awesome and this should be a spectacular
night as they accomplish numerous film scores.
Invited by
the ever-busy Jemma Brown, who is promoting the event with husband Anthony, the
conductor. I arrived fashionably late to which Jemma whispered I’d missed,
“Game of Thrones.” Fussed about this I was not, for it’s not something I’ve
followed, rather I favour I arrived just on time as they moved onto the Star
Wars theme with boundless energy, and this is much more up my street.
Having to
close my eyes and allow the music to envelope me, rather than let my eyes
wander over the school hall or the musicians attempting to concentrate, I could
almost imagine Darth Vader striding up the corridor like the headmaster from a
netherworld.
An attempt to bring the uplifting sounds of an
orchestra to the Devizes masses, I’ve seen first-hand the hard work and
dedication the Full Tone Orchestra are putting into this performance, I heard
them still going for it hours later when the wind blew in the right direction
and I was taking the recycling bins out!
All this and
the anticipation of awesome Swindon based two-tone ska band, The Killer-Tones
returning to our Con Club on 21st October, with Easily Led
supporting, courtesy of The Devizes Scooter Club, you can’t say for a town this
size, #nothingeverhappensindevizes hashytag or no hashytag.
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For people having issues accessing Index recently, here is my mid-week special column again:
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No Surprises Living in Devizes
“Is this… I mean, are we still in
Devizes?”
Photo used with kind permission of Gail Foster
I’m in the Market Place, minding my own, when grass verges
take human form and saunter. I gawk to the bottom of a bio-cup pondering how
many of these I’ve had.
The taxi rank appears to have metamorphosed into an
inflatable slide on which toddlers merrily bound. The Corn Exchange has grown a
metallic structure, protruding from its façade, upon which a contemporary brass
band play a funky Jungle Book anthem. Circus strongmen in stripy leotards
mingle, showing off muscles and their Salvador Dali pencil moustaches, and a
little girl chats on an old phone while her chair and oak desk manoeuvres down
the Brittox and into Boots.
Children queue at a Wiltshire Museum stall to make coins, as
the curator gives the press a harder thump and devotedly explains the process. There’s
a seadog in his sailing boat, with a cloud on a pole attached to the stern, on
the High Street, and at the corner by the bank there’s a fresh aroma of lemonade.
People balance upon tightropes through the trees, and
children gather outside the Bear Hotel to play inventive wooden puzzles while
fascinated pensioners smile, casting off the pigeonhole which states kids
require electronic devises to maintain enthusiasm.
Everybody’s in their silliest hats, washing down Thai
takeout, soul food or kangaroo burgers with unique cider and ale, soaking up
the sun, of all crazy occurrences. They chat and laugh, asking each other, “is this…I
mean, are we still in Devizes?” while a romantic on stilts offers a girl the
hanging basket from the Town Hall.
It’s not just me, things are abnormal I ponder, as children
sway on swing-boats near the monument where people usually squabble over parking
spaces, and the pubs and cafes mould into the surroundings, adding their own
entertainment and grub. Either it’s the fiesta rechristened, “Black Rat Monday”
by aficionados of the “British” (Lion) stand, I’ve had too many of them
already, DOCA have knocked the ball out of the park for another year, and we’ve
not even reached carnival weekend yet, or all three blazed into one glorious
celebration.
Now you should know by now, this is a rant column, and I’m
not one to mince my words; if it needs criticising then look no further. Plucking
hairs, there could’ve been a DJ or at least some tunes during the intervals, the
music could have been sprightlier and I’d like to see an acoustic tent
showcasing local talent, although circus acts filled the gaps, I note Larkin
busking in the Brittox, and confess, shamefully, I missed the last band which
sounded right up my street and bashing my door down.
Merrily I wandered home along the canal, since the
better-half drove the exhausted kids back earlier. Along the towpath life
continued as longboats sailed through the locks, seemingly oblivious to the
activities in town. I stopped on a bench past the café, where some swans
dredged their wings and an old lady looked out across the run-off pools. She
strolled over, sparked a conversation, explaining her family had temporarily
abandoned her to take tea in the café, but she didn’t feel she could walk any
further, and then she sat down. She was from Andover and among subjects of our
tête-à-tête, such as war years (she was 83 and proudly told me,) and children today;
she announced that she thought this place was lovely. I looked across the
rolling downs beyond Caen Hill and the sun which was setting above it, a scene
I’ve seen time and time again, and I humbly agreed.
I never get bored of the beauty of “this place,” and if we
can see that, as if we would for the first time, and we can go out and
celebrate life in our simple way, we don’t need a Glastonbury Festival sized
gala, just our humble do, we’re truly lucky my friend. So, as the celebrations are
to continue this week, some-kind of fun paint conflict, the bizarre Confetti
Battle, (Wednesday) the carnival parade (Saturday) and free side-events, such
Children’s Proms in Hillworth Park on Sunday, (2-4pm,) cast off petty
squabbling, our political, social and financial differences, and enjoy the
moment, hailing DOCA for the amazing show they’ve given us.
Now, where did I put my Black Rat?
Yeah that one, the one the dragonfly just crash-landed into;
thanks, yeah, yeah, this is Devizes.
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