The Ocelot Massive Marlborough Ska Attack

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:59:00 +0100

Right. You lot might remember a few months back me calling myself a Slag. Well I’m still a Slag and I’m giving you lot a chance to become Slags as well.

I’m obviously talking about being a fan of Slagerij, the amazing ska band from Swindon.

Yep, that’s right. We liked them so much we thought we would book them and show you lot exactly what’s so brilliant about this ska threesome by putting on a one-off ska night in Marlborough.

On Saturday March 10, you should get to The Bear on The Parade for ‘The Ocelot Massive Marlborough Ska Attack’.

There will also be support from brilliant Bristol ska outfit Mad Apple Circus. This lot (and I do mean a lot) , are an original Big-band reggae ska/punk group from the deepest darkest suburbs of Bristol. They might find it a bit of a squeeze in The Bear so make them feel welcome.

Slagerij, meanwhile, should have loads of room to jump around in as there’s only three of them. There’s Janek Slagerij (on drums), Matt Slagerij (on bass) and Martin Slagerij (guitar). They’re not brothers but coincidentally all have the same surname. Weird.

Anyway this is going to to be a foot stomping, skanking night of live music that is bound to get you shouting ‘oi, oi, oi’ and pumping your fist into the air.

It’s free and kicks off at 8.30pm. The Ocelot will be there and we might even be giving away a few goodies as well. We can’t wait!

Find it on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/events/243770999038612/

The Ocelot Recommends....

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:09:32 +0100

This month editor Jamie Hill waxes lyrical about The Carters Rest in Wroughton - one of the best real ale pubs around.

I’ve been meaning to write an Ocelot Recommends about The Carters Rest for a long, long time.

Usually, when I write these recommendations it’s about the food but this particular recommendation is solely about the real ale. And this is a pub that has definitely earnt its reputation for being one of the best real ale pubs in the area.

But don’t just take our word for it as it won the Swindon and North Wiltshire CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2009 and 2010 and was narrowly beaten by the Red Lion in Cricklade last year.

That’s pretty high praise indeed but it is well deserved. If you are a real ale enthusiast this place is like heaven as it boasts 12 hand pumps. This means it has five regular ales from Hopback, Plain Ales, Cotswold Spring, Sharps and Ramsbury Breweries as well as seven ever-changing guest ales.

Its recent guest ales have included ones from Wentworth Brewery in Rotherham and Wold Top in East Riding. This month it should have beers from Great Western Brewery in Harnbrook in Bristol as well as Loddon Brewery of Dunsden, Oxfordshrie and Cotleigh Brewery of Wivelscombe in Somerset.

Also in March they’ll have beers from a new East Yorkshire Brewery called Great Newsome and more that will be decided on.

Kevin and Caroline MacDivitt, who have run the pub since 2006, are such real ale enthusiasts that for their Winter Beer Festival they make a special trip to the area they’ve chosen to get their beers from so that they can visit each brewery personally to pick up the beer. That’s dedication for you.

We can’t recommend this pub enough and it does so much more than just real ale. They always make sure their punters feel welcome even going as far as to serve a free soup during each half time of the England games during the Six Nations. Each soup is themed around the country England is playing. They served pizza soup when England played Italy!

They also hold a regular poker league night on a Sunday and Tuesday at 8pm; a quiz on a Thursday night with a cash rollover jackpot and darts and crib on Monday and Wednesdays. On Sundays there’s a meat draw with free roast spuds thrown in.

The world would be a better place if every pub was like The Carters Rest.

The Carters Rest

High St, Wroughton Swindon SN4 9JU

01793 812 288

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The Ocelot Massive Marlborough Ska Attack

The Ocelot Recommends....