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A desire to expand the agenda of the show from simply being retrospective led to me discovering South American ska, and Balkan. 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. The million-dollar question for him where do you take this next? The stage has become iconic, the event has become ingrained in just a few short years in our town’s culture, as I predicted after the inaugural one. I had one question for him, as we stood next to this impressive stage surrounded by a mass of crowds clearly enjoying themselves without an inkling or care of online rants. “Here’s a man who needs his bed!” I guesstimated to conductor Anthony Brown as he approached to greet me. The Full-Tone Orchestra can musically pull a rabbit from a hat, but they’re not gods! Just a collection of talented individuals, a majority of which are local, and the coming together on this scale, the logistics in organising it, the opportunities it provides, the attention to detail, from first aid to side stalls and from portaloos to one man standing conducting a variety packed programme for a full weekend is bonkers amazeballs, and to nitpick unavoidable paltry I can only imagine is based on pathetic jealousy. “The least the orchestra could have done was to prevent the rain and stop the traffic,” I joked with chief organiser Jemma Brown, as the rant included the grass was wet and there was noise from the road! Then some keyboard warrior goes on Facebook clutching at straws to find any minor issues to whinge about the event. Jess Self Fulltone Festival 2023 Day Two ©Gail Foster ‘It’s such a welcoming festival, everyone’s so friendly.’ ‘It’s brilliant! I can’t wait to get to the front and dance!’ It’s got such a safe atmosphere and amazing and varied music’. ‘I don’t enjoy the bigger festivals there’s too many people and I feel overwhelmed. I spoke to a couple who live locally and, also, a few who had travelled from neighbouring Calne, Trowbridge and Westbury to attend. I got talking to people in the food and drinks queues to ask their thoughts about Devizes’ only two-day bank holiday festival. Pete Lamb’s Heartbeats Fulltone Festival 2023 – Day One ©Gail Foster There were many set up on the opposite side of the road with their blankets laid and tents erected enjoying the music from afar. I left before the end and saw that the entertainment and enjoyment on The Green had spread past the impenetrable, black sheeted fencing. They were hanging with their friends, the older ones walking laps around the site enjoying the freedom and festival atmosphere. Those festival goers not dancing were sat in their camping chairs chilling with mates or queuing for food, all bopping their heads to the music.
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The crowd in front of the huge Glastonbury-esque stage was thronging, glow sticks in hand with face glitter and fairy-light flower headbands adorned. Perhaps that’s the wrong word for the earlier afternoon classical proms and TV & movie music but by the end of the evening the dance anthems were pumping out. The vibes were chilled, and family focused, the food and drink options were varied and reasonably priced and the tunes were banging. When I arrived the magnificent Full-Tone Orchestra was in full swing with Jemma Brown (one of the key organisers of the festival) at the microphone – and what an incredible voice she has! Fortunately, we do have some coverage, as our equally wonderful writer Helen Edwards dropped in on the Saturday, and then I made haste for the Green on Sunday, as soon as I washed the dishes, as is my part of the bargain with the very patient and understanding Mrs Devizine…… Becky Lawrence ©Gail Fosterįull-Tone Festival: Saturday: Helen Edwardsĭay one at the festival was fantastic. With such a busy weekend in general, the one possibility I believe we can leak is it may not be on the same date, other than this you’ll have to wait to see!Īnd it was a busy weekend, alas I didn’t get the full-on Full-Tone experience I should’ve done and looking through Gail Foster’s awesome snaps today I see what I missed, including the wonderful Becky Lawrence who we absolutely love here at Devizine Towers. It may be a wrap for another successful Full-Tone Festival in Devizes this bank holiday weekend, but talking to conductor Anthony Brown, seems like it’s full steam ahead for next year, with a few changes.