[email protected] nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 217 August Oxford’s Music Magazine 2013 A word to the wise

RALFERALFE BANDBAND OXFORD DUPLICATION CENTRE [email protected] Oxfordshire’s travelling Office: 01865 457000 Mobile: 07917 775477 Supporting Oxfordshire Bands with troubadour talks music, film Affordable Professional CD Duplication and the Mighty Boosh. FANTASTIC BAND RATES ON ALL SERVICES Professional Thermal Printed CDs Also in this month’s issue: Full Colour/Black & White TRUCK and CORNBURY reviewed. Silver or White Discs Design Work Support Introducing THE GRACEFUL SLICKS Digital Printing Packaging Options plus Fulfilment

Local music news, reviews Recommended by Matchbox Recordings Ltd, Poplar Jake, Undersmile, Desert Storm, Turan Audio Ltd, Nick Cope, Prospeckt, Paul Jeffries, Alvin and five pages of gigs. Roy, Pete The Temp, Evolution, Coozes, Blue Moon and many more... NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 DHP PRESENTS al T - T ick ETS

.co.uk .co.uk NEWS — fac — Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] E book.com/al Online: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net T - T ick ETS gathering THE OXFORD RECORD lOc A l nAtives lO ndO n grA mmA r .co.uk DVD & CD FAIR cAndy sAys chArlie BOyer & the vOyeurs chAsing grAce St ALDATES PARISH CENTRE cheAthAhs chlöe hOwl dAncing yeArs drenge fyfe 40 Pembroke St, St Aldates, OX1 1BP th jAy BrOwn jj rOsA kimBerly Anne mt. wOlf POrt islA Saturday 24 August 10am-4pm PyyrAmids ruen BrOthers ryAn keen sweet williAm temPles tO kill A king trOumAcA Rock/pop/jazz/soul/reggae/indie/all other genres Accessories/memoriabillia/books. wAxAhAtchee wOlf Alice Brand new and back catalogue/Rare Vinyl www.usrfairs.co.uk m A ny mO re tO B e A nnO unced NEW ZEALAND’S FRENCH FOR RABBIT are among a host of acts playing Irregular Folk’s summer all-dayer festival this month. The Wellington-based dream-pop duo join a host of local and national acts for the event, set in a Bedouin tent in the garden of The Perch in Binsey, where Irregular Folk have set up residence since May, hosting nights of alternative and experimental folk music, from harp recitals to poetry evenings. rd O 2 AcA demy O xfO rd // st. jO hn the evA ngelist // t he BullingdO n // POrt m A h O n The event takes place on Saturday 3 August, from midday. Joining the Kiwi pair will eAst OxfO rd cOmmunity c entre // cOwley rOAd m ethO dist c hurch // truck stO re be Message To Bears, Salvation Bill, Fraeda, Duchess, Bright Works, Beth Porter & the Availables, Sea Stacks, Ian Giles, Until the Bird and Jordan O’Shea. sAturdAy 19th OctOBer // www.gAtheringfestivAl .cO.uk Tickets for the all-dayer are £10 adv or £12 on the day. Visit www.irregularfolk.co.uk for more details and future Irregular Folk shows. £20 A ll A ges, under 14 tO B e A ccO m PAnied B y A n A dult

CANDY SAYS are among the latest set FLORENCE PARK COMMUNITY of acts to be confirmed forGathering CENTRE is looking to host more gigs Festival later this year. from this month. The venue is looking for friday 30th august Thursday 10th october Sunday 3rd November Thursday 21st November The local favourites join already- bands to play or promoters to organise announced acts Local Natives, London their own shows there. Local blues veteran The Marsh Harrier Oxford pokey la farge kids in glass houses mad dog mcrea moulettes Grammar, Charlie Boyer & The Voyeurs, Pete Fryer plays there on Saturday 24th o2 AcAdemy2 o2 AcAdemy2 the bullingdon the jericho Temples and Wolf Alice on Saturday 19th August. Bands or promoters interested are looking for acts October, with some forty bands set to play should call Mick on 07795 847898. Are you in a band? eight venues on and around Cowley Road Tuesday 24th September Thursday 24th october Wednesday 6th November Thursday 21st November across twelve hours. Last year’s inaugural BEAR ON A BICYCLE launches a singer songwriter? solo artist? the 1975 lanterns on the lake wille & the bandits Gathering sold out and was shortlisted for new compilation album this month with Then get in touch turin brakes Best New Festival and Best Metropolitan an instore gig at Truck Store on Cowley o2 AcAdemy | sold out the bullingdon the bullingdon o2 AcAdemy2 Festival at the UK Festival Awards. Road. My Crooked Teeth, Jordan O’Shea, Other new acts announced include Joshua Gilbert, Sier Pin Sky, and Rhys @ [email protected] .co.uk Thursday 26th September Wednesday 30th october Saturday 9th November Chasing Grace, Dancing Years, Drenge, Baker all play instore on Sunday 4th Thursday 5th December Jay Brown, JJ Rosa, Mt Wolf, Port Isla, August from 5.30pm to promote `Family’. or call 01865 718225 melanie pain beans on toast ruarri Joseph ick ETS night beds Pyyramids, Ryan Keen, Sweet William, Visit www.facebook.com/boabrecords T -

T the jericho the bullingdon the bullingdon To Kill A King and Waxahatchee. for more label news. o2 AcAdemy2 Tickets for the event are on sale now, priced £20 adv from Truck Store. More AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into BBC Tuesday 8th october Saturday 2nd November Tuesday 12th November information online at Oxford Introducing every Saturday fossil collective the growlers the rifles www.gatheringfestival.co.uk. evening between 8-9pm on 95.2fm. The

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E o2 AcAdemy2 the bullingdon o2 AcAdemy2 FLASH HARRY PA HIRE is set to Oxford releases and demos as well as carry on despite the death of founder featuring interviews, studio sessions, gig — fac Tony Jezzard in June. Tony’s cousin reviews and local music news. The show and partner in the PA company, James is available to stream or download as a podcast at bbc.co.uk/oxford.

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Nightshift_August.indd 1 19/07/2013 15:51 A quiet word with produced by me and one or two other Oly is also an artist and filmmaker musicians – a bit more DIY – but as well as a musician. As well as for this one I involved more people designing the sleeves for his albums, along the way. For instance Nick he has made a critically-acclaimed played all the bass guitar on this documentary, The Ballad of AJ album; he’s a great musician and you Weberman, about the notorious Bob RALFE BAND can hear it in the recordings.” Dylan obsessive, which drew him to John Peel once said he couldn’t tell the attention of The Mighty Boosh Faithfull. That’s quite a cast… who you’d been listening to, which crew with whom he’s subsequently “I’ve gradually got to know all these is quite a compliment. Is that the work, while his animated video for guys and they’re all friends. They sort of thing you hope to hear people the song `Women Of Japan’ won him heard my first album, `Swords’. It’s say? “People do often say that Ralfe Best Video at South by South West. great working with Garo, Nick and Band doesn’t sound like anyone Are there times when one of those is Mike: they’re all brilliant musicians else which is a compliment in this more important to you; how much do with great taste. They’ve also played crowded world. I do have influences you try to fuse those roles? I know a lot together, so have good empathy but hopefully they meld into my own you designed the sleeve for `Son Be with each other. Andrew Mitchell, concoctions. I just do my thing and Wise’? who I’ve worked with for years, also try not to think about it too much.” “I like to work in other creative added guitar to this album, so pretty Much of `Son Be Wise’ reminds mediums, and look for a new well everyone I’ve ever worked Nightshift of cult 80s pop maverick challenge. Sometimes it can be with is on the record. Rowland has Momus, partly vocally, partly confusing where to put your energies engineered a lot of my recordings; I’d because he too managed to sidestep when there are so many possibilities, be lost without him! falling into specific genres. Is that but I’ve worked like this for a while. “On the live front I’ve being playing something Oly is aware of, or Art and film feed into my music; with different configurations of consciously aims for? it’s part of the whole thing for me. I the band. I did the Europe dates “I have just had a listen to Momus, created the artwork for the album: I supporting I Am Kloot playing as for the first time; I like it but it’s love art and want to bring this into a duo with Garo, and recently I’ve not an influence. It’s funny, people Ralfe Band. played a lot with Mike. There has often mention other artists who I’ve `Women of Japan’ won Best been a lot of instrument swapping, never listened to. A few people have International Video at SXSW; that including washboard and trumpet.” mentioned Lloyd Cole this time must have been a big boost. Alessi and Piney between them add too, who I’ve also never listened to. “People do love that video, it backing vocals to half the album, I’m more influenced by Tom Waits, appeals to people who love strange adding yet another dimension to the although I appreciate you may not animation.” increasingly fulsome Ralfe Band hear it in my vocals. Not yet anyway! What was it like working with the sound. “Personally , thus far I’ve wanted Mighty Boosh? “I met Alessi through my manager to create albums with variety, that “The Boosh liked my music and also Michelle. She has a unique voice. create a journey, a bit like a film saw The Ballad of AJ Weberman. I really wanted female singing soundtrack, rather than a set of ten They thought it was funny and asked on this album; I love listening to similar sounding songs.” me to film their second big tour. “Oxford is picking up on It is an utterly charming album, one the last few years,” continues Oly, girl singers and duets. All sorts of As befits a journey `Son Be Wise’ That led to the film Journey of The this album, which is nice. I have whose mood of bucolic serenity is explaining his lack of roots, “I think singers like Billie Holiday, Nancy was recorded all over the world over Childmen, a feature documentary. played all over the UK and Europe kept on its toes at each and every turn just being on the move can throw up Sinatra, Jane Birkin, Bjork and those many different sessions – was that Last week I played piano and and I suppose I didn’t associate that by some new, neat trick, sleight of creative ideas. Although you’ve got to female ghostly vocals on Morricone deliberate or just the style and pace glockenspiel with the Boosh at the closely with a local scene before, but hand or simple spark of something settle down for a bit to turn the ideas soundtracks. Alessi sings on four Oly prefers to work at? Barbican; we performed a song called the fact that I’ve recorded so much special. into something. I find Oxford’s an songs. I know Angela Piney through “It wasn’t deliberate to be honest, `Cloaks’ from Beck’s new album of here and so many musicians on the easier place to work than London in a Garo and she has a great voice too and probably just more evidence of my sheet music, `Songreader’, which lots album have roots here makes the And yet, up until this lot of ways, people have more time to sings on `Dead Souls’. chaotic lifestyle. But I wanted to try of artists were performing, including connection more real. I think people point few on the local scene would get involved. What did Rob Ellis and Andy Ramsay different settings and to work away Jarvis Cocker, Charlotte Gainsbourg didn’t really know where I was from even have thought of Ralfe Band as “I’m back in Oxford now but I was bring to the album, production-wise? from home. I don’t like being cooped and Villagers. I got to meet Beck, with the previous albums – my first one of our own. living between here and Berlin for “Rob produced some early sessions up for too long and wouldn’t want which was great, as I’ve always been album came out on Skint Records There have been Oxford gigs of three years. Berlin is a great city and for this album in Wales. The song to spend months in one studio. New inspired by him.” from Brighton, so people initially course, and appearances at Truck fun place to be creative. It has an `Cold Chicago Morning’ made it surroundings can free me up, so thought we were from there, and then Festival, with which he had strong amazing raw history, it’s spacious onto the album and also features it’s really worth moving around to For those among us yet The Mighty Boosh connection is very links, but with a sense of wanderlust and cheaper. But the musicians I’ve his drumming, and it’s one of my generate ideas.” to catch up with Ralfe Band live Oly is much a London thing.” that has seen him living in Germany played with on all my albums are in favourites, I love it. After that I on the Folk Guild stage at Wilderness as well as travelling and recording Oxford or London so that lured me recorded with Andy and that led Two of Ralfe Band’s this month, the perfect setting really for Oly Ralfe, the central around the world, alongside writing back. And the ale of course.” to the song `Ox’, which starts the biggest fans just happen to be two music that’s exotic but equally at one figure, if not sole member, of Ralfe film soundtracks and making his own, The local musicians Oly has worked album. Andy’s studio is down in of the most influential DJs currently with the natural world. Band, might not be among that cast of prize-winning documentaries and with, both on the new album and its Bermondsey, surrounded by African on radio, Mark Radcliffe and “I’ve heard Wilderness is a great highly celebrated Oxford musicians videos, and links with the likes of The predecessors, 2005’s `Swords’ and churches; it’s quite a place. However Marc Riley; how helpful has their festival, so I’m looking forward to it. just yet, but his overdue membership Mighty Boosh, Oly Ralfe has rarely 2008’s `Attic Thieves’, are among the I realised I wasn’t quite finished with patronage been? We’re playing in the evening which of that elite looks to have been signed felt like a settled Oxford musician, most respected names in the county: a lot of the songs so I returned to “Mark Radcliffe was a big supporter I’m happy about. We’ll create a set off with the release of `Son Be Wise’, more an artist of the world at large. Garo Nahoulakinn and Rowland Oxford where I carried on working of my first two albums and Marc that builds into a feverish climax. the third album released under the He grew up in London, learning to Prytherch for starters, whose CVs with Rowland. I should also mention Riley has been too, especially the “After that I’ve got a plan to record an Ralfe Band name. play piano in his teens, inspired by include Goldrush, The Epstein and John Greswell who played all the new album. Marc recommended album of instrumentals, which focuses The album, as enthusiastically stated Eric Satie, Chopin, Bob Dylan and Truck Studios; then there’s Nick strings and mandolin and mixed the Ralfe Band as the support for a big more on my piano playing. `Son Be in last month’s Nightshift review, writers like Jack Kerouac (hence Fowler from Gaz Coombes’ band, album in Soho and is a big part of the tour Kloot did in April and May, Wise’ is all songs, but instrumentals is ripe for summer picking, while the travel bug, no doubt). Early on and Mike Monaghan from Candy final sound.” which we did and it went really well. are also a big interest of mine. I’ve further afield, from 6Music and Radio he played keyboards in band called Says. Beyond the local compatriots It’s important to have people like this been recording lots of ideas and it 4 to Mojo, the plaudits are equally Menlo Park before heading down are the likes of Alessi’s Ark’s Alessi As mentioned, `Son Be championing the music over time. feels good to have something new to effusive, as writers and broadcasters his own path as Ralfe Band, moving, Laurent, and cult alt.country star Wise’ is Ralfe Band’s third album. We’re getting more radio attention create alongside gigging the current fall for Ralfe’s mix of rustic, on and off, to Oxfordshire, drawn Piney Gir, while `Son Be Wise’ also How does Oly rate it compared to his than before with this album. We album.” sometimes ramshackle psychedelia in by friendships forged with local features production contributions from previous two? performed on Loose Ends (BBC and homely eclecticism, which takes musicians. Stereolab’s Andy Ramsay as well as “I think it’s quite an ambitious album Radio 4) a couple of weeks ago, so `Son Be Wise’ is out now Highline in waltz and bossnova time, music Rob Ellis, renowned for his work with and I hope it’s a step forward for me. we can now count Clive Anderson as Records. Visit www.facebook.com/ hall grandeur and folksy laments. “I travelled a lot over PJ Harvey, Anna Calvi and Marianne My earlier albums tended to be mostly a supporter too!” ralfeband for more news. Sponsored by LUKE KEEGAN `Conker & The Wheel’ (Own label) Man with guitar and a small satchel of RELEASED melancholy. Been there, seen it, decided against buying the t-shirt. Seriously, while such a set- COLOUREDS AFTER THE up is essentially timeless, you really have to be saying or doing something special to stand `Pop Forlorn EP’ THOUGHT any chance of standing out, and Luke Keegan’s (Own label) `Process of `Conker & The Wheel’ offers little evidence that Let’s be honest, the new Daft Punk album is a bit something special is there for the taking. shit, isn’t it? Oh yeah, there’s some good stuff in Illumination’ It’s not awful as such. The album’s pleasant there but mostly it sounds like Shakatak rather (hmm…), well-crafted (tsk…), decently than the modern day disco classic we’d hoped (Own label) For something which Matt Chapman, sole produced (getting desperate here…) and simply for and been led to believe would be delivered. auteur of After the Thought, openly admits executed (small mercies), while Luke himself So anyway, the best thing you can do right now was just a de-cluttering operation, when he SAMUEL ZASADA has an unadorned voice that he utilises well KING B is flog your copy on Ebay and spend the couple within its comfort zone, so there’s none of that chronologically cut and pasted all his music of quid you get on this wee beastie. tortured excess you get with too many woe-is-me composition files from the last two years onto `Winter’s End EP’ `Down at the Blues Café’ You see, Coloureds, despite appearing to be butchers of Bob Dylan’s questionable legacy. CD and packaged it in brown paper origami, the sort of nutters whose sole purpose in life (Big Red Sky) Among the ten songs there are hints of Crosby, (Own label) these 16 tracks are the most remarkably So here’s the deal – a band who sound like the Optimism in blues seems like a contradiction in is to break music into tiny pieces and laugh Stills & Nash, Paul Simon and even America, coherent and resonant batch of ambient- musical incarnation of a frosty autumn morning terms, but “good-time blues” is a common self- hysterically while they’re doing it*, actually particularly on `Hermit’ and the album’s electro I’ve heard in a long time. make their comeback at the height of the hottest description for the sort of bands who frequent that know how to write a proper disco monster. of malfunctioning robot techno we’ve come to title track, nodding gently in the direction of Possibly it’s the fact I’m reviewing this summer in recent memory and call it `Winter’s circuit, leaving the desolation and heartache to That monster being `Automate’, which is know Coloureds for, wibbling spasmodically at sunnier 1960s shores. But mostly the album during the 86-degree heatwave: with its End’, which would mean spring, right? Hell, acts like Tamara & The Martyrs and Vienna Ditto, pretty much exactly what we’d hoped `Random the bar as the beats and bass rock the joint. somnambulates wearily by way of some soporific humidity, supernatural haze no wonder the hedgehog who lives in our back two local bands who more deeply embrace the Access Memories’ would be like: nasty serrated There are additional remixes here from Sshh! bitter ruminations on past relationships – the and timeless reflections of lost childhood garden feels confused; he doesn’t know when spirit but not the clichés of the genre. synth bites, four-to-the-floor beats and enough incongruously wistful `Anyone Can See’ in The Deaf Have Aids and Kenji Run, though or where he is. Long-standing Oxfordshire regulars King B summers, but many of the pieces here share particular with its easy sax embellishment that funk to pimp the Cowley BMW works’ entire neither improves on the originals and really, Anyway, just to confuse things a little bit more, declare that a sense of optimism runs throughout the same contemplative quality, as if you simply adds an extra layer of varnish to an car fleet . “Now you’ve got a funky beat / You while the world enthusiastically settles for there is no-one called Samuel Zasada. Instead their album, believing that “having the blues is no are sat in the cool of the shade, watching the already overly-polished sound. It’s typical of a can’t help but move your feet” whoops the second best, this is our new soundtrack to it’s the band name of singer-songwriter David bad place to be.” Which feels like they’re coming shimmering landscape. pedestrian-paced set of songs that threaten to looped vocal sample as synths squelch like hitting the dancefloor and breaking stuff. You’d Ashbourne, previously Demo of the Month from a place of comfort where real blues can Mood and depth are the key elements of good tumble into David Gray territory at any point, Godzilla stamping on a blancmange the size of be daft not to join us. winner in these pages and a man possibly even never touch them, or they it. And the easy nature ambient music and throughout `Process Of while `Birds’ feels like an endless night of Manhattan, and they’re not wrong. Dale Kattack taller than he is melancholy. of these six songs bears that feeling out. Claire Illumination’ you get a real sense of Matt’s Later… re-runs with an old copy of Q magazine `Pop Forlorn’, for its part, sounds like the sort (* - which they bloody well are) This comeback EP sees no new-found Johnson’s voice is smooth, the guitars smoother care and deftness of touch in these areas; even the only form of alternative “entertainment”. optimism in Ashbourne’s outlook. If anything still; everything is laidback, tending towards jolly the three included remixes, notably Spring And we probably shouldn’t mention that album most of the drama and fight of his superb `Obit’ on the album’s major chord centrepiece, `Blue Offensive’s ‘Worry Fill My Heart’, and opener `Pack Up & Leave For Paris’ reminds wordless songs that idly throw out a ridiculous EP has gone, replaced with weary resignation Café’. Nothing grates or suggests raw emotional Listing Ships’ `Then Venice Sank’, blend in us of Enrique Iglesias’ risible `Hero’. It does, MASIRO set of examples of melody and rhythmic and romantic reflection. Not such a terrible engagement; rather the whole thing sounds like with the dreamy chill of the whole. however, remind us just how much we love tension, and what’s not to like? Masiro call thing when you hear the chilly, spectral close the gentle background hum to Sunday night pub `EP’ Outside of the waveforms, ‘XFD’ sounds Extreme Noise Terror. themselves ‘experimental mathcore’: that’s harmonies of the EP’s title track, David’s sessions. Only `Down’ really comes close to like a cunning Kraftwerk mash-up of `Billie Dale Kattack (Own label) great, but seems gimmicky. They’re more solid slightly strangulated voice sitting uneasily amid hitting the spot with its darker, almost rockabilly After the gloomy atmospherics of 64-seconds- Jean’’s synth bassline and Berkana Sowelu’s than that trite term would suggest. his bandmates’ almost ecclesiastical voices. The rumble and Johnson’s more regretful vocal tone long opener ‘Intro’, Masiro leap headlong `Solid Fuel’, while `Buzz’ jauntily sets off on Simon Minter what feels like the intro to `For Once In My song sets the snowy scene for most of the rest Recently we read an interview with Eric Clapton into the business at hand with ‘Tong Warrior’, of the EP, notably the harrowed, introspective which suggested the essential elements of playing Life’ waiting for Stevie to lash harmonica all setting out the band’s stall within around a tenth `Between The Ground & The Sky’, pitched the blues were technique and strict adherence to over it. Only one track, `Pianoplays’, jars the of its duration. What sounds like dual guitars somewhere between old world Scottish folk and the age-old traditions, which seems to be where atmosphere with its five minutes of insistent - no bass guitar; perhaps one baritone - crunch TAMARA & THE gothic beachcomber blues. While `Scratching’ so many (mostly white) blues musicians have piano loop, but maybe it’s designed to. out riffs with a glorious sense of urgency, whilst tends to drift inconsequentially, `Lifelessly’ is dropped the ball since the early part of the 20th I can’t recommend this collection highly prog-metal-style drumming (with double kick MARTYRS more aggressive, almost military in its onward Century. And why so much modern blues sounds enough to anyone who loves William Orbit’s drums abounding) build a backbone of the march, and sounds like a bluegrass take on Thin both sterile and lacking authenticity. King B are `Strange Cargo’ trilogy, B So Global, or rhythmic and structural changes that happen `Get Him Out’ Lizzy, which isn’t as odd as that might appear. no worse than anyone else in these stakes, but Maurice Jarre’s soundtrack to the film disarmingly often throughout the songs on this (Big Red Sky) A toast to Samuel Zasada’s return, then. there doesn’t seem to be much here that we’d five-tracker. So tightly bound in plastic is this CD it takes Witness. `Process of Illumination’ is just that: But what to drink? Iced Pimm’s or a deep, consider blues beyond playing the right chords The most significant parallel with Masiro almost military force to prize it from its sleeve. enlightening. rich Shiraz? Ah sod it, let’s have a pint of in the right order. If it’s the real spirit of the blues is Oxes, with whom they share a vocal-less Getting Tamara Parsons-Baker to open up Paul Carrera everything, then we won’t know or care what you want, you’re better heading somewhere far musical approach, incredibly direct and close- about her feelings takes rather less effort. In day of the week it was, never mind the season. darker than this particular café. sounding guitars, and a healthy inability to stick fact `Get Him Out’ is three and a half minutes Dale Kattack Dale Kattack to what they’re doing. This is all to the good, of turbulent emotional unravelling, brooding as Masiro also share Oxes’ supreme sense of hurt rising to almost operatic heights of gothic dynamics, tunefulness and humour, sprinkling despair, the sense of drama so ladled on the plaintive falsetto at times, while the band’s mix harking back to 70s rock but never quite takes enough twists and turns throughout their work song would have fitted in well on Marc & the ECHO BOOMER of electronics and heavily-treated guitars does flight when you hope and expect it to. to not only engage but also to amuse. At times Mamba’s `Torment and Toreros’ opus. “Your `Beats & Bones EP’ little to dispel such images. Echo Boomer are at their best when they rain the Oxes similarities are exceptionally close - shop sells lots of nice hats / Have you got one Lead track here, `The Circle’, turned up on the in the histrionics. `Make You Feel’ is easily on ‘Decayer’ especially - but there’s nothing big enough for my whole head?”, asks Tamara (Own label) band’s last EP back in 2010 but has doubtless their best song to date, airy yet insular and wrong with taking inspiration from the best. at one point, sounding like a tempestuously A name that’s hovered around the local scene been given some extra production polish along with the emotion both more natural and less Where Masiro nudge things in their own bitter cross between Nico and Anna Calvi. for a fair while now, Echo Boomer have always the way and seems built purely to fill whichever imposing. `Animals’ similarly holds back on the direction is with some subtle processing and use Strange but bewitching. And like any good been predisposed towards the epic side of wide open space they dream of playing to, while big stage bombast, benefitting from the pensive of effects. ‘Tong Warrior’ uses looped sounds to witch, Tamara demands and deserves your delicate pop; stadium-sized introspection if you resting on a squelchy, silicon Kraftwerk groove. atmosphere they create. It’s in moments such good effect; ‘Sky Burial’ includes overdubbed unconditional love. Just don’t forsake her; will. If that description gets you to thinking of The overlong `Making Eyes’ is pure U2, as these, when they make themselves sound guitar twinkles (for want of a better word); we couldn’t vouch for your health in such Radiohead around `The Bends’ you’re not too both guitar and vocal-wise, lush in construct smaller, that Echo Boomer suggest they could be ‘KPanda’ chucks in some wah-wah squeal. circumstances. wide of the mark, Echo Boomer singer Jonny and texture but somehow spiritually empty. so much bigger. Combine that with flawless musicianship and Dale Kattack Race in particular echoing Thom Yorke’s `Beautiful Mind’ is better, closer to Field Music’s Dale Kattack performers. th th OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern Friday 9 – Sunday 11 WILDERNESS: WEDNESDAY 7th FREERANGE: The Cellar – Drum&bass, hip Cornbury Park hop and dubstep club night. Wilderness is not, as the organisers themselves GIG GUIDE ACOUSTIC LOUNGE: Fat Lil’s, Witney point out, just about the music. There’s plenty of it, but it shares equal billing with all th manner of other stuff. Like food. And theatre. THURSDAY 1st The Bird; funky afro-pop types Bright Works, THURSDAY 8 And outdoor activity stuff. Did we mention FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY CONVENTION: ACOUSTIC SESSION: The Bullingdon – and melancholic balladeer Jordan O’Shea. the food? At last year’s event one Nightshift Cropredy – Fairport Convention host their Starting a run of free acoustic music in the front SACRED MOTHER TONGUE: O2 Academy scribe was forced to eat four meals a day just euphoric soundtrack to any sunshine that annual gathering of the folk-rock tribes – see bar of the Bully every Wednesday, Thursday, AUGUST – Epic metallers on the rise outta Northampton, to make the most of the smorgasbord of tasty invades the weekend. main preview Friday and Saturday throughout August. Wheatsheaf – Free gig in the downstairs bar mixing elements of classic thrash, metalcore, treats on offer. We’re not sure if said scribe from the local veteran songsmith and chums. STEAMROLLER: Red Lion, Cropredy – CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford tech and death-metal together on their new joined in the mass skinny dip in Cornbury Joining this trio of bill-toppers are London soul OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Heavy-duty blues rocking in the vein of Cream Community Centre – Singers, musicians, poets, album, `Out Of The Darkness’ and out on tour Park lake, but there’s that on offer too. man MICHAEL KIWANUKA, winner of BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston and Hendrix from the local veterans as part of performance artists, storytellers and more every following summer showings at Bloodstock and the BBC’s Sound of 2012 poll and previously the Cropredy fringe festival. Thursday at Oxford’s longest running, and best Download. But yes, Wilderness is a veritable polymath tour support to Adele, and the frankly lovely nd CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford open mic club. FRIDAY 2 THESE ARE OUR DEMANDS + THE of a festival party. Amid the scenic loveliness MARTHA WAINWRIGHT, who not only has Community Centre OSPREY & THE OX 4 ALLSTARS: The CHRIS RYDER: Truck Store (6pm) – Instore OTHER DRAMAS + MARK COPE + of Cornbury Park you’ll find banquets – a fantastically powerful voice but also has the OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon set from the local singer-songwriter. STEM: The Jericho Tavern – Taut alt.rocking courtesy of chefs like Russell Norman and best cheekbones in pop music right now. Yes BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston Thursday 8th – Saturday 10th RETRIBUTION + IGNITE THE SKY and rockabilly rumbling from former-Harry Polpo, Yotem Ottolenghi, and Mark Hix; she does. + MORDECAI + CROWS REIGN + Angel chaps These Are Our Demands, alongside theatre from Shakespeare’s Globe, English Further along, there’s the fresh-faced Cobain- th FAIRPORT’S MINIMATA CONVULSION + EVAVOID: The Other Dramas, Maria Ilett’s new band with FRIDAY 9 National Ballet, Unicorn Theatre and House alike TOM ODELL; epic stadium-popsters O2 Academy – Skeletor present a night of Richie Wildsmith. WILDERNESS: Cornbury Park – Opening of Fairytales; late-night parties orchestrated TRIBES; wistful folk songstress LUCY CROPREDY rising local metal talents, including the reformed PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM day of the music, food, theatre and outdoor by Secret Garden Party; talks and forums with ROSE; beardy Isle of Wight quirk-pop outfit Retribution; death-metal-cum-metalcore crew DJs: O2 Academy – Weekly three-clubs-in-one activities extravaganza – see main preview Intelligence Squared, The Idler, The School of BEES; dreamy Parisian psychedelic popstrel CONVENTION: Ignite the Sky; prog-rockers Mordecai; metalcore shindig, with indie hits at Propaganda; kitsch SUPERNORMAL: Brazier’s Park, Ipsden Life, the Royal Observatory and the Napoleon MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER; soul singer and thrash merchants Crow’s Reign, and virulent pop, glam and 80s at Trashy, and dancefloor – A three day feast of decidedly leftfield music Association; wellbeing stuff with a lakeside JOHN NEWMAN, best known as the voice of Cropredy deathcore warriors Minimata Convulsion. faves from Jack FM’s DJs. and arts happenings in the picturesque setting of The origins of Fairport Convention’s spa and Headspace. And of course a sing- Rudimental’s `Feel The Love’ and `Not Giving SKYLARKIN SOUNDSYSTEM: The Cellar EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar – Braziers Park – see main preview annual festival now seem so far in the along Wickerman session. Did we mention the In’; Mercury-nominated traditional gypsy folk – Your monthly dose of party-hearty reggae, Techno, bass and house club night, every FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY CONVENTION: mists of time we wonder if even the band food? Mmm… food. revivalist SAM LEE, and pensively ethereal dancehall and roots with Count Skylarkin and Saturday at the Cellar. Cropredy – Second day of Fairport’s annual themselves remember the earliest occasions. moodists LONDON GRAMMAR. chums. Tonight’s shindig features regular visitor BREEZE: Fat Lil’s, Witney folk and rock gathering, with 10cc atop the bill Having seen the band enjoying the odd But anyway, you could go all weekend without DJ Derek, the legendary septuagenarian reggae FOLLYFEST: Faringdon Square – Live music – see main preview pint or twelve backstage once, it wouldn’t setting eyes or ears on a live band, but it’s the There’s loads more too, including a stage and ska legend, soon to hang up his boots, and and more all day, including sets from Boogie BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Dancefloor surprise us if they don’t even remember musical side of things we’re most interested in hosted by The London Folk Guild that here making his penultimate visit to Oxford, so Me; Kiff; The Mighty Redox; Tramp Aviators; Latin, Balkan beats, world grooves and nu-jazz the previous year’s. But here it is again, here at Nightshift. Well, aside from the food will feature not only long-time local hero not to be missed. Meanwhile Jewels & Jacuzzis Cooper Black; The Shapes and Eat, Love, Sing. club night with live bands. Oxfordshire’s oldest live music festival, one obviously. RICHARD WALTERS, but also this month’s return to live action with their trademark sultry, KNIGHTS OF MENTIS + COUNTRY that according to the organisers belongs as Nightshift cover star RALFE BAND. soulful roots reggae. th FOR OLD MEN + BLACK FEATHERS: much to the regulars as it does the hosts. The SUNDAY 4 This year’s headliners are grandly- ONE WING LEFT + THE DRAKES + The Jericho Tavern – Country, roots and event hasn’t changed an awful lot over the MY CROOKED TEETH + JORDAN proportioned indie-folk hitmakers NOAH To go into any further detail at this point MEGAN HENWOOD: The Wheatsheaf – Americana from Knights of Mentis and Country years, an atmosphere of family-friendly bon O’SHEA + JOSHUA GILBERT + SIER & THE WHALE; Detroit’s cult fok-rock would only keep us from indulging in Indie rock from local newcomers One Wing For Old Men. homie abounds, but change it has. Fairport PIN SKY + RHYS BAKER: Truck Store politico RODRIGUEZ, whose story, told in something sumptuous, doubtless involving a Left at tonight’s It’s All About the Music show. TEMPESTORA + RETRIBUTION: The themselves still headline the Saturday (5.30pm) – Local label / collective Bear On A the film Searching For Sugar Man, is one of truffle and red wine sauce, before discarding They’re joined by fellow local rockers The Wheatsheaf – Classic thrash metal from night, their three hour set littered with old Bicycle launch their new sampler album with the most intriguing in modern music history – our clothes and plunging headlong into the Drakes and acoustic singer-songwriter Megan Gloucester’s Tempestora. favourites from their fifty-year career, and an instore featuring gentle country-folkster My the missing, presumed dead cult hero a major lake. No, sorry, not an image we wish to leave Henwood. JUICE: The Bullingdon – Upfront house with plenty of guest turns, but the inclusion of Crooked Teeth (Jack Olchawski from ToLiesel); star in South Africa, unbeknownst to himself, you with. Just think about all the great music THE MIGHTY REDOX + MARK DJ AC, Alex Salt and Lee Harris. 70s shock-rock legend Alice Cooper atop melancholic troubadour Jordan O’Shea; and now a belated celebrated artist worldwide; instead. And the food. Don’t forget the food. ATHERTON: James Street Tavern – First of STEAMROLLER: The Nag’s Head, the opening night bill will surprise many. autumnal, misty-eyed folk-popsters Sier Pin Sky plus Aussie electro-pop duo EMPIRE OF many shows this month for the hard-working Abingdon Cropredy is no longer a folk purists’ reserve and ambient post-dubstep acoustic pop chap THE SUN, who should provide a suitably Food. local swamp-blues veterans. MATT R JACKSON: Fat Lil’s, Witney – though and the great man will doubtless Rhys Baker. ULTIMATE 90s: The Bullingdon – Fortnightly Michael Jackson tribute. get a warm welcome. Ditto 80s electro- MERCILESS PRECISION + SHATTERED DREAMS: The Wheatsheaf – jump jive, jazz, boogaloo and early soul. celebration of 90s club classics and old skool pop hitmaker Nik Kershaw and soft-rock MEATPACKER + ACID SHARK + A one-off reunion show from the local melodic faves. th veterans 10cc. The Levellers would once FUCKING WORTHLESS: The Wheatsheaf SATURDAY 10 pop-punk faves. MONDAY 12th FOLLYFEST: Faringdon Square – First day – A night of grindcore ferocity with Bristol’s WILDERNESS: Cornbury Park have been considered to uncouth and punky PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM REVELATORS: The Jericho Tavern – Slide- of Faringdon’s annual music fest, today featuring Merciless Precision and Acid Shark, plus SUPERNORMAL: Brazier’s Park, Ipsden - to play here but now they fit in perfectly, DJs: O2 Academy led Delta blues with a southern gospel edge Josie & the Outlaw; The Hedgerow Crawlers; Leicester’s one-man aural assault machine Crochet and Homosexual Death Ride in perfect as do returnees Edward II with their SINKING WITCHES: The Cellar – Grunge from singer and guitarist Paul Morris and his Power Train; Swamp Root and The Yearning. Meatpacker, self-described as “the audio harmony – see main preview folkified reggae. More traditional folk fare from the local rockers. band at the only Famous Monday Blues show comes courtesy of Peatbog Faeries, while expression of hatred and anger against the meat FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY CONVENTION: EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar rd of the month. Mediaeval Babes performs songs from a SATURDAY 3 industry and the corrupt system that upholds it,” Cropredy – Fairport round off their weekend LITTLE BLACK DRESS: The Bullingdon – IRREGULAR FOLK ALL-DAYER: The which sounds just dandy to us. time even before Fairport or their festival party with their traditional three-hour set, guests House club night. th was imagined. Perch, Binsey (12 midday) – Irregular Folk FOLLYFEST: Faringdon Square – Third and and all – see main preview FUSED: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rock covers, from TUESDAY 13 rounds off its summer encampment at the final day of the festival, today featuring Ukebox BLEED FROM WITHIN + BRICKS & Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters to Kings of JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon Perch with an all-day mini-festival of folk- Jury; Owen & Stone; The Hawkhurst; 14Ten and MORTAR + GODSPEED + I CRIED Leon. INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial, inclined sounds in a Bedouin tent. Among those Adina & Johnson. WOLF: O2 Academy – Deathcore and OSPREY & THE OX4 ALLSTARS: The ebm, cyber-punk and darkwave club night. playing are sweet New Zealand dreampop duo groove metal, inspired by the likes of Lamb Marsh Harrier OPEN MIC CLUB: The White Rabbit French For Rabbit; wispy folk, electronica and MONDAY 5th of God, Pantera and Machine Head from OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern minimalist classical ensemble Message To Bears; Glasgow’s rising stars Bleed From Within, SUNDAY 11th atmospheric acoustic indie crew Salvation Bill; th TUESDAY 6th out on a headline tour to promote third album WILDERNESS: Cornbury Park WEDNESDAY 14 bouncy afro-popsters Duchess; orchestral folk- KOTCH + MWJ + SKINS: The Cellar – JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon `Uprising’, having previously opened for SUPERNORMAL: Brazier’s Park, Ipsden pop act Sea Stacks; local folk singer Ian Giles Calligraphy club night with guests and residents OPEN MIC CLUB: The White Rabbit – New Testament and Megadeth, as well as supporting HIPSHAKIN!: The Library – Monthly dose and friends; inventive chamber-pop trio Until playing house, garage and bass. weekly open mic session, with a free pint for all Rise Against in Oxford last time round. of 50s and 60s rhythm’n’blues, rock’n’roll, MAYORS OF MIYAZAKI + PUNCHING th `What A Waste’. DETHSCALATOR, dissonant noisecore TUESDAY 20 SWANS + MASIRO: The Wheatsheaf FRANKIE’S WHISKY NIGHT: The Port merchants in the tradition of Amphetamine JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Grungy, spasmodic fight-pop in the vein Mahon – A night of whisky-infused folk, Reptile Records. Or maybe even Neurosis OPEN MIC CLUB: The White Rabbit of Huggy Bear from London’s Mayors of blues and roots music in the company of the and Converge-inspired feral metallers ART OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern Miyazaki, plus complex math-core ferocity equally homely and exotic Francis Pugh & The OF BURNING WATER. The again it could from Masiro. Whisky Singers with their sour mash blend of well be the recently reformed TERMINAL st DIRT ROYAL + THE REEDS: The Jericho WEDNESDAY 21 bluegrass and gutter blues. They’re joined by CHEESECAKE, whose bad acid trip psych- FREERANGE: The Cellar Tavern country-blues crew Swindlestock and sweetly rock set them up as the UK’s answer to SPARKY’S JAM NIGHT: James Street THE PETE FRYER BAND + PURPLE plaintive Grey Children. Butthole Surfers back in the early-90s. Tavern – Open jam session. MAY: James Street Tavern – Oddball blues CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford th OPEN MIC SESSION: Fat Lil’s, Monday 19 and classic covers from the veteran local Community Centre Talking of buttholes, HOMOSEXUAL Witney Friday 9th – Sunday 11th bluesman. VOODOO VOODOO: The Library – 50s ARBOURETUM DEATH TRIP not only have the best band BOHEMIANS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Queen and 60s vinyl trash, surf, rock’n’roll, mambo name of the weekend but have a song called nd SUPERNORMAL: tribute. THURSDAY 22 and garage session. / COMA WALL / `Temple Of Butthole’, which is seriously ULTIMATE 90s: The Bullingdon TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: Towersey Playing OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon freaky. They describe themselves as “fat old Braziers Park, Ipsden Field – First day of the enduring local folk BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston LISTING SHIPS: There are festivals – you know, where people dykes,” which doesn’t quite convey how great SATURDAY 17th festival, kicking off with a show from Ian The Port Mahon come and watch bands, often famous ones, on they are. And on the subject of celebrating Dury’s old band The Blockheads, playing old THE SIMPLE WEEKENDER: Rookery FRIDAY 23rd Anyone who witnessed Arbouretum’s stages while enjoying a few beers and perhaps being old, GREY HAIRS are on hand with hits, from `Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’ to some organic pig roast – and then there are some middle-aged post-punk ire in the vein of Far, Shabbington TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: Towersey Playing headline set at Audioscope last year will festivals. Events where boundaries between Mission of Burma and Pere Ubu. ELDER STUBBS FESTIVAL: Elder Stubbs Field – The festival gets going in earnest be positively salivating at the prospect artist and audience, music and art, theatre You want more? Are you crazy? Well how Allotments (12-6pm) – Live music, food and Friday 16th – Sunday 18th with a headline set from Northumbrian folk of seeing the band in such dangerously and, oh god, what else – crochet! Yes that’s it, about Oxford’s own COMA WALL, with family activities in aid of Restore. stars The Unthanks, alongside quirky brass intimate confines as the Port Mahon. The blur to such an extent you’re never quite sure their all-consuming folk-doom? Or earthy, THE MIGHTY REDOX + THE SIMPLE collective Orkestra del Sol, veteran protest Baltimore rockers’ grunged-up psychedelia what you’re experiencing, or where, and you loop-driven balladeer DAVID THOMAS HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES: James singer Vin Garbutt, innovative banjo man Dan is big enough to fill whole galaxies, never come home with your life changed a little, or BROUGHTON? Maybe disturbingly Street Tavern – Swampy blues and WEEKENDER: Walsh, and local Turkobilly crew Brickwork mind a venue not much bigger than your maybe a lot. Maybe you’ll leave the civilised psychotic trip-rockers EVIL BLIZZARD? Or psychedelic funk from The Mighty Redox Lizards. gran’s living room. So anyway, it’s going alongside local Americana and bluegrass faves Waterstock Meadow UNKNOWN FLOW + ALIAS + NOT TOO to be immense and you will probably world behind completely and go and live in a splenetic agit-punks GOOD THROB? Since the demise of Arcane Festival a Headington Hillbillies. SHABBY: The Wheatsheaf – Jazz and prog- leave with the inner workings of your tree with just a loincloth and an iPod full of few years back Oxfordshire hasn’t had a DUCHESS + THE MILLER TEST + inspired heavy rocking from Unknown Flow. ears broken into tiny pieces, but it will be psychedelic doom metal for company. At least There’s a serious danger of Nightshift getting dedicated dance-orientated festival to call 2 STROKES + ADINA & JOHNSON: DOWN & OUTS + BEAR TRADE + THE worth all that for the sheer sonic thrill of until Supernormal comes round again. a bit carried away with all this musical its own. Who better to rectify that situation The Hollybush, Osney – One gig closer CELLAR FAMILY: The Port Mahon – A getting up close to such a dark, dirty ooze carnage compacted into one weekend, and than long-standing local house and techno to Wittstock fundraiser, tonight featuring night of punk fun at the Port, with melodic and rumble of musical lava that sounds Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Supernormal is we haven’t even mentioned MUGSTAR club Simple, who are promising a back- sunshiny afropop collective Duchess. Liverpudlian punkers Down & Outs, like Fairport Convention being bulldozed small but is very deliberately imperfectly and their Hawkwind-heavy blizzard of to-basics three-day event, doubtless in the DJ SWITCH: The Bullingdon – Hip hop, Sunderland’s Bear Trade and local hardcore by 80s dronemeisters Loop, or an eternal, formed, and it is not for the faint hearted. riffs and grooves, or cult British folk and spirit of the early days of free parties and drum&bass and electronica from the three- scourers The Cellar Family. infernal battle for sonic supremacy between Now in its fourth year at Braziers Park bluesman MICHAEL CHAPMAN, nor raves. Eschewing big-name out-of-town times DMC DJ champion. BON GIOVI: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Bon Jovi Black Sabbath, Crazy Horse and Band of environmental study centre, the artist-curated tar-black sludgers I’M BEING GOOD and acts, they’re keeping it mostly local and THE SECRET KIDS: The Wheatsheaf – tribute. Horses. Their last album, `Coming Out Of festival is all about breaking down barriers PHYSICS HOUSE BAND’s mix and match low-key, an assortment of Simple residents Grungy pop-punk. JUICE: The Bullingdon The Fog’, was their finest yet, the elongated and opening ears, eyes and minds. In this it is of drum&bass, surf and psychedelia. and regulars augmented by DJs from club ONE WING LEFT + THE OTHER jams replaced by more compact songs that getting better and better. This year’s musical And we shouldn’t really go before we’ve nights such as London night Peoples, with line-up alone is quite stunning, even if the mentioned THEE BALD KNOBBERS DRAMAS + SUPREMIS + MEGAN SATURDAY 24th could be bewitchingly tender, or terrifying their fresh underground house, techno, in their intensity. A terror and intensity biggest bands on the bill are a long, long way CHURCH OF CHAOS, because there’s HENWOOD: The Cellar A TRUST UNCLEAN + ANNERO + EYES breakbeats and bass; local vinyl aficionados that’s sure to be matched by Coma Wall, the from being household names. every chance they will wander off into the PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM OF EVE + DEMASK THYSELF : The Cratedigga, with a selection of classic dance dark, unplugged alter eg of arch doomsters woods with your children in tow. DJs: O2 Academy Wheatsheaf – Virulent grindcore from rising tunes from across the spectrum; London’s Undersmile, who sound like Hell’s own folk Chief among equals are probably Liverpool’s EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar local starlets A Trust Unclean, alongside deep house, techno and disco crew Flight band. Them and nautically-obsessed electro- veteran art-rock weirdoes CLINIC, Beyond such simple, sedate pleasures as STEAMROLLER: Chalgrove Festival metalcore crew Annero and more. Rhythm; bass, old skool hip hop, roots, dub, heavy post-rockers Listing Ships. Oh yeah, whose synthetic update of 70s New York all this music, there is also art, cinema and funk and soul from Oxford’s Dub Politics TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: Towersey Playing th this one’s gonna rock. underground experimentation is still going workshops, but often not as you might expect SUNDAY 18 and Bassmentality, and long-standing local Field – Show Of Hands team up with Miranda strong. Likely highlight of the entire festival them to be. And then there’s a chance for THE SIMPLE WEEKENDER: Rookery party hosts Sonic. Dozens of DJs, from well- Sykes for today’s headline set. Also on the bill though, could be SHIT & SHINE, a loose some Bowieoke if you want to get up on stage Far, Shabbington known old hands to some playing their first are English folk veteran Martin Simpson, Debs PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM collective of noisebound psycho merchants yourself. Heck, Nightshift is even going to MEGAN JOSEPH + LAIMA BITE + festival, and not a corporate logo in sight. Newbold, Gas Mark 5, Lucy Ward, Moulettes DJs: O2 Academy whose set at Audioscope a few years back be doing some DJing at some point. Probably LEIGH ALEXANDER + PURPLE MAY + and Tim Eden. EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar remains one of the greatest, and definitely involving lashings of obscure synth-pop. BLIN’ JONNIE + BEARD OF DESTINY: THE AUGUST LIST THE YARNS + most intense, musical displays Nightshift And we weren’t joking when we mentioned The Wheatsheaf (2.30-7pm) – Free unplugged BRIGHT WORKS: Modern Art Oxford SUNDAY 25th has ever witnessed. Whether there are five crocheting. It’s the new knitting, apparently. afternoon session hosted by Klub Kakofanney, – Garage-raw porch songs from Kerraleigh TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: Towersey Playing or twenty of them on stage, they will be That’s how weird and wired Supernormal is. featuring the likes of gothic folkstress Laima, and Martin Child, together as The August Field – More folk and world sounds from awesome. So go along. And if we don’t hear from you caustic songsmith Leigh and genial bluesman List, creating backwoods magic inspired by Mama Rosin, Home Service, Martin & Eliza Ditto HOOKWORMS, fantastic psych- again, we’ll just assume you enjoyed it all a Beard of Destiny. the likes of The Handsome Family, The Low Carthy, Nidi d’Arac, and The Spooky Men’s krautrock drone groovers on the rise. Or maybe bit too much. Anthem, White Stripes and Wilco. They’re Choral, among others. th joined for tonight’s Pindrop Performance MONDAY 19 BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) show by jangly indie-folksters The Yarns THURSDAY 15th Academy – A night of heavy, heavy noise with ARBOURETUM: The Port Mahon – London’s rising metal starlets Driven, riding the and afropopsters Bright Works, who’ve just CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Brooklyn’s very ‘eavy psych-rock dudes MONDAY 26th grooves in the style of Corrosion of Conformity prepare to blast a small room to smithereens – changed their name from Nairobi. There’ll Community Centre TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: Towersey Playing and Lamb of God and riding high on the back see main preview also be live theatre from Awkward Actors. THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf Field – Local(ish) English folk heroes Spiers of the acclaim accorded their debut EP `A EELS: O2 Academy – Mark Everett sings CHURCH OF THE HEAVY: The – Free unplugged show in the downstairs bar & Boden round off five days of Towersey- Breakdown of Character’ and set to play Metal tales of woe with warmth and wit – see main Wheatsheaf – Rock, hardcore and metal from the local blues rockers. based fun and dancing in fine style, alongside Hammer’s Hammerfest later this year. They’re preview night with Malmstrom, Bludger, Masiro and OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Anglo-Scots folk femmes The Poozies. joined by Stourbridge’s epic prog-metallers Confront the Carnage. BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston NICK OLIVERI’S DEATH ACOUSTIC + Martyr de Mona, local tech-core titans Komrad DESERT STORM ACOUSTIC: The Cellar BE READY DJs: The Bullingdon th and thrash-core merchants K-Lacura. KNOTSLIP: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Slipknot TUESDAY 27 th – Acoustic show from the QOTSA, Dwarves FRIDAY 16 THE SIMPLE WEEKENDER: Rookery and Mondo Generator man-monster – see main tribute. JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon DRIVEN + MARTYR DE MONA + Far, Shabbington – Opening night of Simple’s preview PETE FRYER BAND: Florence Park OPEN MIC CLUB: The White Rabbit KOMRAD + SALVAGE + K-LACURA: O2 weekend of dance – see main preview Community Centre OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern The Port Mahon - Ethereal, stripped-down PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM electronic and shoegaze from London’s boy/girl DJs: O2 Academy duo Blues on Blue at tonight’s Tertium Quid OSPREY & THE OX4 ALLSTARS: The show. Plough, Long Wittenham BUNKFEST: Various venues, Wallingford THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Red Lion, – Bunkfest returns to Wallingford, providing a Eynsham weekend of music across various venues in the PAUL & GRAHAM: James Street Tavern town, highlights of the folk and blues-based bill THE MISSING NOTES: Masons Arms, including The Oysterband, The Albion Band, North Leigh Ahab and Gordie McKeeman & His Rhythm EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar Boys. There’s also a host of ceilidhs, kids activities and a beer festival through til Sunday. WALT FRISBEE + DANNY MAC: The Monday 19th Jericho Tavern - 8-bit rap and electronica from Walt Frisbee. NICK OLIVERI’S Monday 19th IRON ON MAIDEN: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Iron Maiden tribute. DEATH ACOUSTIC: EELS: O2 Academy THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Dolphin, Mark Oliver Everett has, as you’ll know Wallingford The Cellar if you’ve ever read his excellent but often ULTIMATE 90s: The Bullingdon For someone who seems a bit too well The harrowing autobiography, led a life beset by known for his turbulent personal life, Nick tragedy and heartache, particularly as far as SATURDAY 31st Oliveri has fitted an awful lot of music into his family went. And over the years, from his 42 years. Notwithstanding the arrests EST 1999 THE BIG FEASTIVAL: Alex James’s and apparently biblical drug consumption, Cellar his early home-baked demos to a succession Farm, Kingham – Alex James is probably he’s played on countless albums with his of critically-lauded hit albums, he’s the only bloke on the planet who’d revel in documented that life with a combination of bands Kyuss, Dwarves, Queens of the Oxfords only truly being called the cheesiest man in rock, but Stone-Age and Mondo Generator, as well musical invention and deep, dark humour. that’s what happens when you leave Chartland independent gig And musically he’s never stood still, veering as contributing bass, guitar or vocals to behind and dedicate your life to the wonders the likes of Motorhead, Mark Lanegan, and club venue from intimate indie balladry and country to of dairy produce. And here he is, teaming up voodoo blues, 50s rock’n’roll and swampy Turbonegro and Slash. He managed to get with nutritional saviour of children the nation himself sacked from QOTSA but was back pop. His gigs too can be unpredictable – over, Jamie Oliver, to present two days of what you get from tour to tour, or even gig for `Like Clockwork’, which suggests Josh food and music on a farm. Feastival finds the Homme still holds a special place in his Frewin Court, Cornmarket St, Oxford, OX13HZ to gig, can vary immensely but he and his music taking at most equal billing to the grub, www.cellaroxford.co.uk band are master musicians and the spectacle heart for Nick. Nick who looks like he was but alongside the artisan sausages and locally- born to be a rock star, resembling a gothic is rarely less than enthralling and visceral. sourced galangal (as if!) there are big stage From the gorgeously sardonic reflection backwoods serial killer and prone to playing turns from house and garage giants Basement at best semi-naked. With Mondo Generator of debut album `Beautiful Freak’, through Jaxx; pop-friendly hip hop starlets Rizzle musical highpoints (often emotional lows) he mixed and melded breakneck slasher Kicks; folk and soul songstress Liane la Havas; punk with sprawling blues, augmented like Electric Shock Blues’ and `Blinking Britpop veterans Dodgy; pioneering dance DJ Lights’, to his latest, tenth, album, by Winnebago Deal’s two Bens, but with Norman Jay and Norwegian singer and multi- this new band he’s unplugging everything, `Wonderful, Gorgeous’, the stories keep instrumentalist Bernhof. The fun continues on coming and the sound, while essentially so exactly what we’ll get is open to Sunday when Justin from CBeebies will be speculation. A selection of choice cuts always Everett, keeps shifting. At every leading a toddler moshpit turn, though, quality is assured. from his long and varied career is likely CARRIE RODRIGUEZ: The Bullingdon though and whatever happens, it’s unlikely – Great traditional Americana, bluegrass and to be suitable for softies. To celebrate the WEDNESDAY 28th country-folk from Tex-Mex singer and fiddle occasion, Oxford’s own masters of dark player Rodriguez, who first came to attention bluesy heaviosity, Desert Storm, go the full playing alongside Chip Taylor but who has since th acoustic in support. THURSDAY 29 gone on to play, record and write with Lucinda CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Williams, Rickie Lee Jones, John Prine, Mary Community Centre Gautier and Alejandro Escovedo. She’s over in PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf – the UK with her band to plug new album `Give Free unplugged set in the downstairs bar. Me All You Got’, representing another great OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon coup for the excellent Empty Room Promotions BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston folk. GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with FRIDAY 30th AGNESS PIKE + THE SILHOUETTES POKEY LAFARGE: O2 Academy – Hot + WALT FRISBEE: The Wheatsheaf – swing, early jazz, ragtime blues, bluegrass and Another great mixed bag o’noise at GTI this country from St Louis string band revivalist month with theatrical thrash merchants Agness LaFarge, who’s drawn acclaim for breathing Pike coming on like an acid-fried Christopher new life into traditional American roots music. Lee fronting Machine Head. Support comes Jack White is a big fan, having produced the from Wolverhampton’s Radiohead-inspired band as well as inviting them to open for The rock’n’electronica types Silhouettes, and 8-bit Raconteurs. They’re over in the UK to promote rap crazies Walt Frisbee. last album `Carry Me Back’. BUNKFEST: Various venues, Wallingford BLUE ON BLUE + AFTER THE ONE WING LEFT + MEGAN HENWOOD + THOUGHT + KID KIN + LEE RILEY: FRANK & BRONWYN: The Jericho Tavern

Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion in the gig guide is 6pm on the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Call 01865 372255 (10am-6pm), or email listings to [email protected]. Gig listings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be reproduced without permission. photos:Sam Shepherd Echo & the Bunnymen Wilko Johnson Wilko Tift Merritt Tift Imelda May Osibisa TIFT MERRITT TIFT Sunday and strangely, before the before and strangely, Sunday – order running Sunday’s end of and Bellowhead making effectively the headlining acts. Seth Lakeman Lou Reed, Richard Up there with as being Young Neil Hawley and grumpy entertainers, one of the more Morrison’s Van say that fair to it’s Yet an utter disaster. set could be acts this weekend, he unlike some so there’s opts to play the hits. Okay during a little jazz meandering most part `Moondance’, but for the he keeps things fairly succinct. The Night’, `Gloria’, `Here Comes Says’, and `Brown Wilson `Jackie all get a workout, and Eyed Girl’ perfect voice is utterly Morrison’s written throughout. He might have of all time the most overrated album set but today’s Weeks’, with `Astral is quietly splendid. Morrison is readying Van As himself for bed, is over in the Songbird stage putting on one of the performances of the stream of heartfelt and A weekend. beautifully written country songs that along with the pedal steel (on `Sweet for example) Merritt is more Spot’ than capable of making a lump rise in the throat and a tear appear in the eye. Unless you’re hardened cider drinking types of course. Like Joni Mitchell with a less irritating voice, with performances like this, it can only be a matter of time before she’s equal. considered Mitchell’s the shade from every tree taken, With lorry to TV down to the Samsung it’s provide all our air conditioning needs. That this means we have to endure a short promotional demonstration is frankly not a concern any more, and once the demo begins to go wrong we’re glad we made the TVs “work better Samsung effort. elsewhere” is probably not the slogan though. they’re after, climax, which And so to Cornbury’s should come in the form of perennial party faves BELLOWHEAD, but who fail to connect in the manner often Too we’ve come to expect. they seem to be more concerned with their individual chops and showing off becoming a virtuoso jam band rather than gelling as a simple fun unit. up to SETH So instead it’s his LAKEMAN to win the day, serious heritage folk somehow more fun and rousing than Bellowhead’s from White Hare’ dance tunes. `The album is an early his `Freedom Fields’ the droning, set highlight, but it’s the night’s that’s scouring `Kitty Jay’ dexterity and apex, Lakeman’s imagination on the fiddle is always a revelation and proof once again that whatever its musical variables, Cornbury never fails to finish as sun shone. brightly as the weekend’s Dale Kattack and Sam Words: Shepherd

of whom are huddled around radios final, Wimbledon listening to the going. “I’ll not lie to you” she says Things “the Swiss put you to shame”. Andy perk up when she announces Murray has won. People, eh? MORRISON needs his sleep, VAN which presumably explains why his headline slot appears so early on With that sun now deploying cruel now deploying that sun With we find punishment, and unusual same under the crouched ourselves we used last year toold tree that from drenched. It’s avoid getting vantage point thatthis particular dropout LUCY we catch X-Factor one the set (she’s ’s SPRAGGAN The up folk and rap). that mashed show is later provenpower of that as itin the Rapture music tent hordes ofstruggles to deal with the signedpeople wanting something got nothing in the she’s That by her. way of merchandise is incidental, scribble onpeople are happy with a or limbs (fractured scraps of paper, else theyotherwise) and anything whycan get their hands on. Quite a frenzy isthey’ve been driven to such a fairly hard to ascertain; Spraggan’s some ofamicable performer with her material fashioned in a way that would approve of. It’s Wood Victoria her forays into hip-hop that are a little gets a `Golddigger’ clunky however. reworking which lacks real bite (oh to Ton’ A Weights hear her cover `Miuzi or `Dope Man’) and over the course of a whole set, her inability to mix up her lyrical meter means that her songs Still, as begin to sound very similar. far as X-Factor contestants go, she’s at least got personality and charm. hard not to feel a pang of sadness It’s when WILKO JOHNSON takes to the stage. Having completed his he asked to be added to farewell tour, not the bill, which suggests that he’s quite done yet. He might well be on no doubting his last legs, but there’s his he puts into the sheer energy performance. Still scooting around the stage in a demented fashion and playing in a style that looks horrifically sloppy but is in fact razor is a magnetic performer. Wilko sharp, is a Bully’ The encore of `Woolly curious mix of fun and sadness, but perhaps the lesson is to enjoy every seems Wilko day like it is your last. to be doing just that. The heat is clearly getting to AMY the audience, and it’s MACDONALD that notices how flat they are. Making it to the festival just in time (she’d played a festival in Switzerland the night before) keen to get on. Despite running she’s through all her bigger hits (`Slow It Down’) and dropping a few classic covers in for good measure (Jackie and And Higher’ `Higher Wilson’s The Dark’) `Dancing In Springsteen’s she struggles to get the crowd, many

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There’s a genuine hairs-on-the-back- There’s creep in, and there’s no doubting in, and there’s creep voice. gravelly startling Grey’s an (during at his angriest even Yet version of `Brighterimpassioned quite smooth. Far be still Days’) he’s that torturing artistsit for us to suggest but Grey is a fineshould be allowed, a performer that could doexample of rough edges and awith a few more trauma.hint of emotional The Script? Is it Wanted? The Is it ! Quick, run away! LAWSON No, it’s worst BryanImagine, if you dare, the Now give it Adams power ballad ever. it in a sheena good polish. Now coat witteringof that effluence we were up theon about earlier and whack And Lawson for you. That’s volume. you’re welcome to them. Oh that THE PROCLAIMERS their set thatwere as loud. So quiet is It would seem that they’re attempting miles away. Two to play acoustically. a shame, because despite the fact It’s that they’ve been often tarred with a comedy brush, their folk-smothered polemic is quite something to hear. They’ve always been fine songwriters clear from what little can and that’s actually be made out. Still, they play all the ones that everyone knows… America’,` 500 Miles’ `Letter From and that other one about getting married. More classic moments from ECHO & THE than it’s BUNNYMEN decent to list here, from their opening `Going Up’, through magnificent renditions of `Rescue’, `Do It Clean’ to a rousing Terrace’, and `Villiers and `The finale of `Killing Moon’ Cutter’,above they’re simply a class And when they everything else. Ever. Nightshift feels play `All My Colours’ like life is complete and we can die happy right here, right now. Which would at least save us from having to watch KEANE. Not that they’re bad as such, just a bit of a comedown after such grace and The likes of `Somewhere intensity. are surefire crowd- Know’ We Only pleasers but their U2-lite stadium pop lacks that elusive star quality and we for the Disco Shed where head off they’re banging out Daft Punk and claiming to be “the anti Keane”. Interspersing material from his new album with the mellower classics from his Stranglers days, Cornwell lost his bite with new obviously hasn’t songs like `God, Guns and Gays’, The and `Always `Duchess’ but it’s that shiver the spine even in this Sun’ intense heat. Sunday HUGH moment when of-your-neck CORNWELL launches into `Skin simply Deep early afternoon. It’s Ditto his demure, gothy gorgeous. bass player who induces similar goosebumps in one Nightshift

Songbird Stage is more than palpable. Stage is Songbird a poem his set with up Wrapping committingJeremy Clarkson about with a number ofsexual atrocities nice touch, and vehicles is a different not just a team he’s a reminder that and, but an astute gonk on Buzzcocks poet.very funny performance is MAY IMELDA Back outside at Cornbury, something of a fixture Herand long may that continue. rockabilly set contains enough the oldernostalgic flavour to keep punters happy and just enough cool to appeal sauce and effortless andAs if sauce to everyone else. cool were important to effortless May has grown anyone at Cornbury. appeared here,in stature since she first a stunninglyand has developed into many of putting confident performer, the others on the bill here to shame. She might have made a better headline act than SQUEEZE to be honest. Perpetrators of timeless hits they may be but tonight they seem intent on force-feeding an album’s- worth of inferior new songs on us, which is a pale notably `Tommy’, do get We of `Eleanor Rigby’. rip-off from `Labelled the hits, eventually, Yours’ Me I’m to `Take Love’ With but you feel they’ve lost too many of the crowd by then and it takes `Up to and `Cool For Cats’ The Junction’ establish any kind of a high to end on. Saturday not often you get to see a former It’s host, sauce mogul and Masterchef one-time punk playing guitar in a piss poor band, and today is not the day to The jangly nightmare set that straight. emanating from Lloyd Grossman’s FORBIDDEN band THE NEW stinks worse than one of Heston ill-conceived forays into Blumenthal’s faecal cheesecake. it’s of the telly, off of stuff Talking Apparently. Downton Abbey. ‘er off Never seen it to be honest, but SADIE & THE HOTHEADS has period Unlike drama pedigree apparently. music which is very much her band’s the mongrel, ranging from jazz-funk function band to penny-whistle folk and on to 50s doo-wop and polished At her best she reminds us bluegrass. of Dolly Parton (always a good thing), Transfer Manhattan but too often it’s reincarnated. Nothing at all contrived about OSIBISA, whose fluid fusion of west African dance, jazz and funk is pretty much made for this kind of weather. Plus their bongo player is the coolest looking man of the entire weekend. Apart from Ian McCulloch, obviously. blues and ’s & MOFRO JJ GREY country balladry is well performed, and no less hokey than Seasick At times there are schtick. Steve’s The Faces sound that elements of QI tent is back again this year Klaxon. There’s the crowd There’s QI Klaxon. . He’s the kind KING CHARLES. He’s The own material, but who can blame himown material, but who can a midpointfor playing it safe. Like and Joolsbetween Jerry Lee Lewis goodHolland, Lee is surprisingly into a only when he detours fun. It’s go a littleclassical medley that things would Wakeman Even Rick astray. too far. have considered it a folly to make hard to know quite what It’s of of thing that pops up at festivals a because he ticks all the boxes. He’s but not too much (updated bit edgy, Didn’t `We lyrics on Billy Joel’s a bit rock, but The Fire’), he’s Start a touch of not too much, and there’s reggae about his rhythms too. But all good It’s not too much obviously. clean fun, and nothing to get too a fairly effective excited about, but it’s distraction from the peanut butter and doing a fair chocolate ice cream that’s trade in the main arena. are quite THE OVERTONES peculiar proposition in that they are a Barbershop harmonising boy band that appears to have taken their sartorial cues from the Nation Of Islam. In another universe, they’d be considered an elaborate satirical joke but here, it seems to make perfect sense. Frequently dropped notes and some quite unbearable between-song banter about how tight their strides are, actually enhances their set and everyone seems to love them. about no arguing There’s talents. ’s KNIGHT BEVERLEY still got a voice that would put She’s several other soul divas to shame; it’s just that her set seems a little too safe. to hear her really roaring, love We’d but tonight she seems content to go through the motions a little. and they’ve really put some effort into making it an interesting place to take a break from the sun and the the quiz, music. For a start, there’s where those foolish enough (ahem) to give it a go constantly fall foul of the sourcing publishing of Unbound to pass the time, and then there are the special guests. Over the course of the Alan Davies, weekend, the likes of Robert Llewellyn and Katy Brand take to the stage, but Friday belongs to Phill Jupitus. Performing to a virtually impossible packed tent, it’s to see him, but his anger at being drowned out by the music from the

no less, is even th

LIVE MATTHEW LEE gets the main MATTHEW which suggests he should stick to his more convincing than his covers, measure. His originals are actually the odd original thrown in for good series of old rock’n’roll standards and stage underway with a Valley Pleasant entire scene for the next three days. The Sun’, which pretty much sets the to get. Unless you count `Melt Into summery and sunshiny as it’s possible summery and sunshiny as it’s love and ice cream, which is about as `Favourite Flavour’ which is about `Favourite Flavour’ and they’re playing a song called proceedings on the Songbird stage are opening SAYS But look, CANDY of Snot might be more apt. anyway). River of Effluence? Stream for pint, it’s cheaper than the bar here for pint, it’s Vick’s Sinex than beer right now (pint Sinex than beer right now Vick’s means he’s getting through more means he’s suffering from a stinking cold, which suffering ’s review team is half of Nightshift’s Meanwhile, back in the mortal world, reality. Supertramp is probably closer to Clarkson endlessly banging on about anyone in the world, ever? Jeremy going through every email sent by himself up for Squeeze’s set by himself up for Squeeze’s bars? The Prime Minister hyping bars? off, surrounded by his hoarded cereal off, in there. Noel Edmonds sectioned what kind of depravity might go on cash. The mind can only boggle at cash. with extreme allergies and pots of with extreme allergies festivals are experienced by people Regatta. This, presumably, is the way This, presumably, Regatta. to be something out of Henley viewing gallery with what appears someone having pimped the VIP VIP someone having pimped the more genteel and posh than usual, the Glorious 10 such nastiness. This year’s event, This year’s such nastiness. Cornbury is too nice and polite for be described as such). But yes, more later, sadly – could accurately more later, posit that Lawson’s music - of which posit that Lawson’s name like that (although you could invited to genteel Cornbury with a though sadly we can’t imagine being though sadly we can’t called River of Effluence forthwith, Nightshift has decided to form a band Saturday morning. bathing in a river of effluence comebathing in a river of effluence was because for once people weren’t weren’t was because for once people The Rolling Stones played. No, itThe Rolling Stones played. because coffin-dodging pub rockersbecause coffin-dodging wasn’t considered a vintage year considered wasn’t festival. This summer’s Glastonbury summer’s This festival. of sunshine has on the mood of aof sunshine has on the mood can’t underestimate the effect a bit the effect underestimate can’t Friday but youIt might be beyond cliché Great Tew Park Tew Great CORNBURY FESTIVAL CORNBURY photos:Sam Shepherd the soul where songs don’t need to be intimate and idiosyncratic, or possibly with the odd new romantic synthetic in the sky, it’s down to them to Spiritualized complex or original, they just need because his timing’s so wayward the flourish. provide a bit of sunshine. Ordinarily to be right. That whisky bar suddenly band sounds weird. We fervently hope We should have gone for a wee when this is a band that would make us seems like a much better idea. a Trucker or two got their “I won’t they were on, because afterwards turn on our heels and run, performing forget this!” moment from Max. we lose our sweet spot in the Saloon ska-pop in the style of The Police or a LIVE Tony Jezzard, who sadly passed away to answer the old call of nature (no watered-down Madness. Being open recently, provided sound for most of Entrenched in corduroy, Public aroma surprise reports from next minded souls, we give them a chance, the events in Truck’s history, so we Service Broadcasting door, this time), and when we return and to be fair they can clearly kick up TRUCK FESTIVAL go to see one of his old bands, The look for all the world like they’ve The Original Rabbit Foot a storm. Shapes, in the Saloon to raise a stepped out of the 1970s and onto Spasm Band are in full swing, and Hill Farm glass in his memory. Whether the the Market Stage. All of which is the building is impossible to get into. We’re all for kids who can’t play too many, and Wild Swim would be band find it as emotionally charged as rather the point seeing as their set is From what we can hear from outside making pop music; to a certain extent Friday we do, we’re not sure, but they play based around old public information the group is killing it as usual, the that’s what it’s for, but even we can’t This year, it’s a sort of Omnitruck. quite wonderful. So we visit Truly Ford at the fantastically, and with more a touch films, documentaries, and footage shouts and screams coming through get on with Bentcousin, a pair of There are little bits of everything more gusto than we’ve witnessed from black and white movies. Their the swing doors tell us that there’s not twins jigging clumsily about, singing that has been popular in Truck’s Virgins stage instead. She’s a young singer from Faringdon and she shows previously, adding a tang to their entire set is a marvel: samples are much difference between the Rabbits’ flatly about sibling rivalry and double past (except metal) all dotted around accessible mixture of Van Morrison, dropped in with pinpoint precision, raucous jazz riot and a proper western chemistry and Panini sticker albums the site on special stages: there are some real promise, dark cello tones enriching strong, approachably The Rembrandts and Squeeze. Wrigglesworth’s drumming is bar brawl: bodies fly about the place, (possibly) over some floppy pop. Plus big indie names on the main stage; surprisingly forceful despite having to the noise is intense, and the piano they eviscerate `Boys Keep Swinging’ there’s a little metal shed full of dramatic compositions. Our only real complaint is that she tends to over- If you find Ten Benson a bit too operate carefully within each song’s never stops playing. and dance on its defiled cadaver. One Americana; there are old characters baroque, then you might appreciate parameters and each hook is greeted of them is wearing a Wham! t-shirt Public Service Broadcasting and a smattering of new local bands, emote vocally, which is the curse of current pop music: schoolkids should guitar and drums duo Wet Nuns, with an outbreak of furious dancing For some of the audience here at and the make-your-own-fun vibe is some stoned east Oxonians spinning who bash away at their huge stoner in the tent. `ROYGBIV’ taps into the Truck, Ash are the soundtrack to their so cloying it really is uncannily like reggae, and a Big Scary Monsters/ be made to listen exclusively to Billie Holiday and Leonard Cohen for at punk tracks like a cross between gentle feelgood vibe of Lemon Jelly’s youth. They’ve had hit after hit with watching an 80s episode of Why Don’t Alcopop! stage for people who like Winnebago Deal and Status Quo. `The Staunton Lick’; `Spitfire’ ups the likes of `Girl From Mars’, `Shining You? So, naturally, we go off and do math pop and dressing like Ferris least two years before being allowed a sniff of Alicia Keys. They do one song that just sounds like the ante considerably along with the Light and `Burn Baby Burn’ and something less boring instead. Bueller. It’s a lovely line-up, and our the riff from `Foxy Lady’ made out of abrasive thrash of `Signal 30’, while wisely, they’ve decided to keep the set only wish is that that styles could be Liverpool’s Ady Suleiman concrete over and over again. Then `Everest’ points towards their synth- to the hits and rightly so, it’s a festival Bright Works (formerly mixed up on different stages, as it was they do another that sounds exactly pop influences. Those unfamiliar with after all. It’s a bit of a nostalgia fest, a Nairobi) offer oddball pop of a more this that drew us to Truck in the first provides one of a couple of examples this weekend of an act that is the same. Cracking stuff. the band might think that they rely solid set that keeps the weary ticking palatable nature. As we enter the place. And there should be probably on the visual element of their show over for just a little longer. Jamalot tent, the band is laying down be some metal. shamelessly commercial, yet not hideously calculated. He has a fine Frankie & The too much, but the sunshine has made some refined white funk and someone Heartstrings play on the main the AV element of the set pointless. Finally on the mainstage are is doing a strange yodelling vocal Nightshift’s weekend starts with vocal style, with plenty of contempo- chops and smooth jazzy phrasing, stage on Friday. We literally cannot That their songs can inspire such Spiritualized, another band over the top. It’s like Hall & Oates Oxford’s own Dallas Don’t, tell you anything about them. The devotion suggests that Public Service that no doubt provided the soundtrack fronted by Emo Philips, which is who attack Postcard Records’ jangle existing in a strange but comfortable space between Sheeran and Sade, and programme mentions The Smiths, Broadcasting have far more to offer to the young lives of a few people in obviously great. Later they do some with the snarl of Future Of The Left, Orange Juice and Dexy’s, but we’ve than a clever idea; they have the songs the audience. However, those people African jive, and throw in a few synth and who spark up rich, poetic indie he can pen an ear-catching lyric too. Good luck to him. already seen how accurate that thing to back it up too. were probably so wasted at the time lines that sound like chase scenes tunes by throwing themselves at them is. Instead of writing notes, our we they can’t quite remember their youth, from Knight Rider, and it’s all bloody full pelt – the drummer especially We’re sitting back at the main stage, draw a picture in our notebook of a What’s worse? Bands like The Joy or Spiritualized. An odd choice as a good fun, and approximately four plays like he’s trying to stab excitable local musician who’s walking past, Formidable who make a “come headliner, Spiritualized are unlikely to thousand times better than last time cockroaches with a skewer. trying to think of a way to describe Milo Greene, so we ask the man which says everything about how hither” gesture as soon as they’re get anyone up and moving, yet their we saw them. The Joy Formidable Toy interesting The Heartstrings are. It’s onstage, or punters who actually move opium-heavy blues jams do make it We feel as though new stage The next to us for an adjective. “Benign”, he says. Yeah, that’ll do. Their Fleet not even a very good picture. closer? Performers, stop worrying through to a fair section of the crowd. Kimberly Anne is today’s Ady Great Western Whiskey Saloon about a few measly feet of space, Contemplating the stars and getting Suleiman, except she’s actually better. And Blues Kitchen was probably Foxes-style music seems to want to be anthemically big and subtly intimate We were talking to someone earlier and listeners, if you want to jump lost in the waves of `Electricity’, `She Whilst she plays guitar a percussionist created by polling the residents of in the day about how wide a range about having a good time, don’t wait Kissed Me’, and `Come Together’ adds flourishes on a small stand-up the Abingdon area about what they’d simultaneously, and so ends up middlingly harmless. Benign. Good of customers festivals now get, for a formal invitation, it’s a fucking might not be everybody’s cup of tea, drum kit (side on, we’re happy to want from a festival: proper pub embracing a greater variety of age and rock festival not the Jane Austen Re- and watching J Spaceman sitting report), and her outstanding muscular, stools, no stupid new-fangled pop like a tumour is good: not exactly desirable in and of itself, but you social background than in the distant enactment Society. That rant aside, on his arse is not the most thrilling low voice draws a line between the music and vintage Watneys beermats, past. Sadly, though, they still attract the band is rather good, throwing out spectacle but after a day of getting rich sincerity of Tracey Chapman and please, squire. Apart from the fact that suppose things could have turned out a lot worse. the stupid. A girl in a portaloo next to graceful, melodic pop songs with a roasted alive, Spiritualized provide a the sweet urban froth of TLC. This set the doorway isn’t really big enough, us is shouting to her friend outside: nice punchy rhythm and choruses soothing conclusion to the first day. of young, slick pop sounds as though and that moving on to spirits would “Oh my God! It stinks in here! It people can hoof beachballs into the it was built to move the heart and the be ill-advised in this searing sunshine, Generally, pretention is the worst crime a singer songwriter can commit smells like...it smells like...shit!”. If heavens to. feet, and not shift mobile phones, Bo Ningen this turns out to be a wonderful stage, that’s a surprise, it begs the question which is sadly rare nowadays. She hosting quality performers, and warm- – in the literal sense of pretending Saturday to be what they’re not; we quite like what she was planning on doing in Bo Ningen are a very good band, must be good, because we’ve got this natured crowds. Opening act The there if not the passing of human at times a great band. They take the During the night The Barn has had far into the review and not mentioned Spare Room, for example, layer it when songs are about gryphons something of a make over. It now and particle physics and Mallarme, effluent. Hopefully she couldn’t work ultra-scuzzy garage burn that Japanese her amazing hair, which looks like a some wonderful West Coast three-part out how to unlock the door. bands seem to do so well – Guitar resembles a beach scene, complete drunken guardsman’s wonky busby. harmonies over pretty little guitar it at least fills the review word count with deck chairs, a small boat, nicely – but Ags Connolly is Wolf springs to mind – and add some and glock ditties, which proves that Kudos to the Virgins stage for untamed freakout sections, as well sand, a bar, and for some reason, a Toy have been recommended to novelty isn’t the only route to success. the exception. Despite being a rural volleyball court in the middle of the Oxfordshire boy who can almost booking a couple of the more unusual as a mystical rock vibe which sort of us by a big Meatloaf fan, which acts of the festival, even if they’re reminds us of Steppenwolf, and then venue. Whilst it’s a nice idea to give would normally be enough to send Wild Swim are a peculiar certainly spell Faringdon and who the place a spruce up, the deckchairs has a speaking voice like a turnip already well known to regular gig play it all in a manner that suggests us striding in the opposite direction, proposition, and perhaps not one best goers, not least a favourite of ours, someone said Didcot power station make it impossible to navigate to but this Meatloaf fan also really likes suited for a boiling hot day. Their salesman, when he sings it’s in a the front in an easy way, and it goes deep, western croon that sounds as King Of Cats. Max Levy’s will explode if they ever drop below Beefheart, so we thought we’d give synth pop is overwrought to the point tortured rodent screech and his maximum intensity. Which is great, without saying that having a bunch of them a try. Very good choice. Toy’s of sarcastic saturation; it’s almost like though it’s being broadcast direct lagered up twats playing volleyball from Nashville (to us, that is – to allusive – or perhaps, elusive – lyrics but as it’s in the Barn we can’t hear post-Velvets pop is a little like The an introspective version of Fixers’ won’t be garnering fans as swiftly as most of it, just a sort of rhythmic hum, while there’s a band on is really pretty Primitives, but with taut motorik summery feel good pop. It’s most Americans it probably sounds like annoying. Still, good effort. Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins). Ady Suleiman, but he has a small, so we buy a CD. If we throw the stereo drums driving everything relentlessly certainly well executed, and brings appreciative following, probably down a well and sit in a cowpat, it’ll be onwards, and some nifty McCartney to mind the theatrical flair of Antony And that should mean that we walk Getting a tent full of supremely away without giving him a second because underneath the awkward just like being there all over again. guitar parts to hold the tunes together. Hegarty in places, but for now, it’s swagger, he can actually write songs. hungover and tired punters skanking We’re not sure if it’s bubblegum kraut sunny and we’re in need of the joys listen, but something about his songs first thing in the morning is no keep us enrapt. It’s probably the lazily He’s playing with a rhythm section We really like Beta Blocker & or amphetamine shoegaze, but it’s of life. A heartbreak, a dark bar, a today, although the solo songs work The Body Clock’s music, it’s easy task, but Marvellous pretty damn intoxicating, and there different weather report and one drink lachrymose melodies, and the sleepy- Medicine manage it. With clouds eyed resignation, that hits the spot in best, possibly because his music is like a Benylin-woozy Dinosaur Jr always seems to be another plateau photos:Sam Shepherd TRUCK FESTIVAL The Horrors of guitar noise for the songs to leap up to: if you’ve ever listened to the first Psychedelic Furs LP and LIVE thought, “this could really do with fat layers of Korg in place of the goth”, you’re in luck. WE AERONAUTS / MAY THE

The Ramshackle Union Band are BIRDS / THE BALLINA WHALERS playing some pretty good country stuff in the The Perch Saloon, according to what we catch through the The picturesque garden of The Perch their recorded output. More used to window. Still, there won’t be a shortage of country is a perfect a setting for Irregular playing in Soho than leafy Oxford, in there for the rest of they day, so let’s not tarry. Folk’s Bedouin tent and the latest of they have just right amount of edge Back in the Veterans tent, we realise that Katy their Summer Sessions. The Ballina to prevent matters getting too polite Rose is actually KTB – we think we did know this, Whalers are a young a capella trio and pastoral. somewhere deep down – and that The Cavalry specializing in sea shanties, executed It’s hard to believe that four years Parade is actually Joe Bennett on a lap steel, with a tad more enthusiasm than have passed since We Aeronauts which we didn’t know but is still not causing any reels talent. Then there’s that annoying floored all challengers at that year’s of shock, let’s be honest. Katy has a very good voice, thing of being taught a couple of Punt, but we’ve checked and they as we well know, and, if the material can be a touch lines that we’re supposed to sing have. Now also London based refined for our tastes, `Bluebird’ is still a lovely song. back at them, like we’re back at apart from two members, they school. This kind of thing may be still weave expertly-crafted tunes LA duo The Bots are properly gigantic, a back on trend, at least in Oxford, but with lush arrangements, making vicious mess of feral guitar and pummelled drums it’s difficult to see what real purpose the best use of a trumpet since The that takes in Sabbath riffs, Hendrix via Last Exit it serves, like playing the spoons, Blaggers ITA. With three singers to solos, punk vocals and more pummelled drums. It’s though it would probably work better choose from, Anna wins on stage irreverently witty, too, and our favourite moment late at night in The Half Moon. presence as well as voice, so it’s no is when one of them breaks off from caustic guitar The May Birds bring their London surprise she ends up taking on most screeches to stop and play three notes on a farty Royal Republic Ultrasound take on the acoustic, folk thing with of the duties. Using a drum box synth repeatedly for about two minutes. The other considerably more clout. Thoughtful rather than a kit lets us appreciate one, in case you’re wondering, was pummelling the lyrics, some haunting cello and the songs with the full band but drums at the time. bags of atmosphere give them total in a relatively restrained format command over the crowd, who are at to suit the setting. The climax is It’s often quite hard to get particularly excited about risk of wilting in the heat. They also a triumphant, singalong ‘Chalon bands reforming, but we’ll make an exception for manage to take a traditional starting Valley House Band’ that could melt Ultrasound. They got back together in order point and successfully create a the hardest heart: emotional but to provide a song for a charity album for the benefit musical world of their own, including never mawkish, much like the band of Cardiacs’ Tim Smith and decided to give it a song about Top Shop, bringing in themselves. another go. The resulting album is as good as we’d remixers to provide a new take on Art Lagun hoped, and on today’s evidence they’re still as great live as they ever were (even if Tiny’s not in the best of moods). Their half hour slot means that they of the organisation set up the stage around him, impossibly infectious music to the erudite lyrics to never really get a chance to get going, this is a band laying down airy melodic lines and singing in a the fact that they’re politically engaged musicians after all whose songs are as expansive as Tiny’s style equidistant between Max Romeo and Horace who don’t resort to rabble-rousing simplifications. waistline, but nonetheless the likes of `Stay Young; Andy as if he is lost in his own musical world. This 45 minute show is inevitably a bit of a greatest and new track `Deus Ex Natura’ are quite glorious. He’s a proper ragamuffin too – we mean that in hits workout, and we would have liked more time the original sense; his scruffy martial jacket makes to explore their more esoteric work but seeing a Big stupid rock n roll hasn’t ever really been a him look like a disciple of The Libertines gone packed tent leap manically to a track we first saw fixture at Truck, but Royal Republic state a dread. He jams out a track with Pieman, who Scroobius play solo to fewer than 20 people in good case for its inclusion in coming years. A heady is next on the bill, which is rather a sweet way to The Zodiac is pleasing. In fact, while this set is mix of Rocket From The Crypt, So-Cal punk, and treat set changeovers. Pieman is a beatboxer of going on, other stages were being headlined by school yard humour, they’re a much needed injection some frightening ability, who is incredibly adept ShaoDow and Rolo Tomassi, two more of dumb-headed brilliance. To call them a comedy at replicating dubstep wubs and scratchadelic acts Nightshift first discovered playing blinding band would be doing them a disservice; they’re curlicues as well as the traditional drum sounds. gigs to a tiny smattering of listeners, and it’s truly brilliantly tight, have a raft of instant ear-worm tunes And he can rap, it turns out. The bastard. We’d like heartwarming. and quickly get the audience onside. Underwear is a to see him doing something more substantial one shining example of how to handle a festival crowd, day, or perhaps a set of collaborations. Closing this year’s Truck are The Horrors, a as vocalist/guitarist Adam Grahn takes the audience band that definitely split opinion. There are those in the palm of his hand and leads them towards rock When The Subways run onstage, fists aloft, that will be delighted to hear that they showcased and roll heaven. Yes it’s showy and meticulously like second-rate telethon presenters, we fear for two new songs during their set, and there are those planned, but they’re a breath of fresh air. our teeth, which can only take so much grinding that will suggest that those two songs sound exactly And So I Watch You From Afar are on of a weekend. But they’re actually good fun. They like all the others anyway. There is, it would appear, the main stage. It’s almost too easy. They might know their way from one end of a tune to another; no middle ground. A set that contains the Gothic as well be called, And So I Nip Off To The Bar. they look as though they are sincerely having a ball Bowie strains of `Still Life’ and the Joy Division- Which isn’t to say they’re rubbish, but their twiddly onstage, and their set does actually make us a smile, like pulse of `Scarlet Fields’ should have enough to posty-rocky thingy is not as interesting as watching even while we fail to recall any of their music mere please everyone, though. kids climb over the giant CD sculpture, or trying seconds after it has finished. Plus, it’s endearing to explain cryptic crosswords to a Swede (partial that their stage moves are a vindication for clumsy As The Horrors wrap things up on the main stage, success). Fight Like Apes are better, not least wedding dad dancing the world over. it’s back to where we began with The Epstein because their singer is dressed like Siouxsie and if at The Great Western Whisky Saloon & Blues they are overly fond of a repeated singalong vocal The only thing that annoys us about Dan Le Sac Kitchen. It’s so busy that the crowd is spilling out line, they know when to kick in enough energy to Vs Scroobius Pip is the “Vs”. Considering of the saloon doors, and while it’s impossible to take a song home. they’re a laptop twiddler with a taste for 8-bit see them, it’s easy to hear why so many people are squiggles and late-90s breakbeat wrangling, and a hanging on every note. They sound utterly elegant The timetable says the Jamalot stage should host beardy spoken word artist with a love for classic and nuanced tonight, the perfect way to end a The Fridge & Bungle Experience now, but it looks hip hop and Detroit hardcore, their music is a thoroughly enjoyable festival. a lot like Ilodica to us.You have to love the way surprisingly cohesive collaboration. We can talk at that he just plays his relaxed roots whilst members great length about why we admire them, from the Words: David Murphy and Sam Shepherd INTRODUCING.... AUGUST Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under Monday 19th WILL McNICOL Every Tuesday The Graceful Slicks THE OXFORD JAZZ CLUB Who are they? Jazz and Spanish-flavoured music. 8-1am; free entry Psychedelic garage rockers The Graceful Slicks are: Alex Abbott, Chris Davies, Patrick Coole and Lewis Burke-Smith (vocals, guitars and bass), Fridays and Joe Cleverley (drums). They formed from a combination of Oxford 2nd ULTIMATE 90s – Old skool and club classics. 10-3am band break ups, and personal ads, citing a love of psychedelic music. Alex and Lewis were previously in a punk band together and wanted to mellow 9th JUICE – Upfront house music with DJ AC, Alex Salt their sound out and work on something “more layered and psychedelic”. and Lee Harris. 10-3am Various line-ups coalesced with the current five two years ago. Since then th 16 ULTIMATE 90s they have recorded a series of demos and have had their music released in 23rd JUICE the USA and China. In the States they shared a label with Bauhaus and The 30th ULTIMATE 90s Dandy Warhols, while in China they made the front cover of a national music magazine. In May they played the Oxford Punt and later this year they plan their first official UK release. Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: Saturdays What do they sound like? “Von Braun. Two of us were in an Oxford punk band about five years ago th 10 LITTLE BLACK DRESS – House night. Inspired by much of what happened in the 60s where hallucinogenics might and we used to always support each other. Since then we have become good 17th DJ SWITCH – DMC championship winner. 10-3am; £10 have been involved, they mix up Nuggets-style garage rock and punky blues friends and still always like to gig together. We also share needles. We’re 24th BE READY DJs – 10-3am; free B4 11pm; £6 after with droning psychedelia, 90s shoegaze, and moments of surf rock. Or, as a pissed at them though as they didn’t mention us when they were `Introduced’ 31st recent Nightshift live review had it, “All their songs are identical, thrashing a here; we must have been in a rut in the relationship at that stage.” CARRIE RODRIGUEZ multi-guitar groove relentlessly whilst vocals mutate from murmur to howl: If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: they change instruments and mic duties after each track, but it always sounds “The Easy Rider soundtrack.” Sundays the same. It will always sound the same. Life is a myth, space is an illusion, When is their next gig and what can newcomers expect? 25th COMEDY NIGHT. Humour Tumour presents the best and time one livid final flame.” “Didcot music festival; expect to see the cooling towers produce rainbow- and newest acts on the UK circuit. 7-10pm; £5/£4NUS What inspires them? coloured smoke while five boys smile onstage and try not to laugh.” “Other bands; a good Wikipedia page.” Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: Career highlight so far: “There’s some really great bands, but there’s not many psychedelic bands.” “Playing Charlbury Riverside Festival, a few hours before our lowlight…” You might love them if you love: FREE LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC IN THE FRONT And the lowlight: The Seeds; The Morlocks; The Archie Bronson Outfit; The Doors; The Brian BAR EVERY WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY & “D-fest the same day when some douche bag started singing Ed Sheeran by Jonestown Massacre; Thee Oh Sees. SATURDAY IN AUGUST. himself on stage and eating into our slot by about 20 minutes. Then we got Hear them here: eaten alive by mosquitoes and our drummer puked from dehydration.” Thegracefulslicks.bandcamp.com DR SHOTOVER: New Balls THIS MONTH IN OXFORD Well, well. It’s you again, is it? In search of more tantalising titbits and noisome ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY T H E W H E A T S H E A F nuggets from the Oracle of Oxford Rock, are you…? Pull up a pew. Bit warm, ND FRI 2 AUGUST what? Do feel free to place a pint of the usual in front of me. Ah, thank you. [Glug then claimed conversations with chickens while glug glug]. Same again? Don’t mind if I do. Keep ‘em coming and I may even 20 YEARS AGO 10 YEARS AGO Twenty years ago, as now, there were bands who felt Mark Gardener was the featured artist in living in France turned things round again, so let’s THE DRAKES + MEGAN HENWOOD 8pm/£5 forgive the fact that you are wearing – ugh – trainers. Reminds me of the last ONE WING LEFT undervalued in Oxford. Back in August 1993 it was August 2003’s Nightshift, to coincide with his give a big cheer for French chickens and spare them SUN 4TH AUGUST meeting of the East Indies Club Special Promotions Committee, at which Sporty from red wine sauce. Longworth was heard to remark, ‘If only the local music scene could be more like the turn of Radiance, much favoured by Curfew appearance at Truck Festival over the summer and Wimbledon’. You can probably imagine the reaction… but, once we had picked magazine as well as Jericho Tavern promoter Mac the release of `Waves’, a compilation of Ride’s MERCILESS PRECISION MEATPACKER + ACID SHARK ourselves up off the urine-scented linoleum and the mocking cries of ‘Tennis and the Oxford Venue’s Nick Moorbath, but a band Radio 1 sessions. Mark had, after the demise of 5 YEARS AGO FUCKING WORTHLESS 8pm/£5 elbow!’ had died down, mature debate revealed that old Sporty might have a who struggled to pull any sort of crowd. The trio’s his Animalhouse project with Sam Williams, As had now become normal in Oxfordshire, the FRI 9TH AUGUST point. A few jugs of Steward Bedingfield’s home-made sangria later, it was agreed front page interview feature in Curfew saw them looked like quitting music altogether, but here summer of 2008 was awash with local festivals. that perhaps we in the world of talking about their passion (“Sometimes we’re too he was fresh from a tour of the States. He looked August’s Nightshift featured extensive reviews of Oxford Rock could learn a thing upfront, too passionate; it scares people off a bit”) back fondly on Ride’s “early chaotic transit van RETRIBUTION 8pm/£5 Truck, Cornbury and Wakestock, while reporting TEMPESTORA or two from Andy ‘Mr Miserable’ TH and their desire to “say something to people, rather sell-out tours and recording `Nowhere’,” as well that Zapfest, planned for South Park, had been SAT 10 AUGUST Murray’s success in the arena than just make them dance and forget about us as the band’s Reading Festival appearance in cancelled due to money troubles. of lawn tennis. (Pronounced, at afterwards.” Singer Barrie – who would reappear 1992 and playing the Royal Albert Hall, though With the gig calendar at its quietest, indoor notable 8pm/£5 this particularly well-refreshed SHATTERED DREAMS on the local scene with The Anydays in more recent bemoaning the experience of “having to watch gigs included Stornoway supporting Edinburgh TH juncture, ‘tennish’). So, let’s FRI 16 AUGUST times – sang the praises of Elvis Costello and Candyflip performing `Strawberry Fields’ six times indie heroes Ballboy at The X, showing just how see… we need a dour, moody Paul Weller as lyrical inspirations, while trying to for Top Of The Pops.” Mark went on to discuss The and traumatised-looking figure- much things have changed in five years, while Greg balance a determination to write optimistic songs, Animalhouse (“In the early days it was fun, but as PUNCHING SWANS + MASIRO head. Thom Yorke? Done! We Dulli and Mark Lanegan’s Gutter Twins were the MAYORS OF MIYAZAKI while generally feeling despondent. time went on it became draining for all involved. JUMPSTART THE JUNGLE 8pm/£4 need a sense of the ups and highlight of the month in music. SAT 17TH AUGUST downs, the laughter and tears, Decidedly more chipper were Heavenly, local The music industry was in total collapse and it was GTA featuring Jada Pearl were the Demo of the vagaries of Lady Luck… indie legends who released two singles on the cult a bad time to be signed to a major label. But I think the Month for their collaborative “funk-disco Sarah label this month, `P.U.N.K. Girl’ and `Atta we made a great record in the end, despite it all.” 8pm/£5 The Candyskins? Dude, (as our dancefloor filler that threatens to be Shakatak but THE SECRET KIDS transatlantic chums would say)… Girl’ described as “perfect summertime pop,” and An emotional reunion with Ride bandmate Andy struts around amid the glitz and mirror balls like FRI 23RD AUGUST that works for me! Plenty of both going on to get Radio 1 airplay. Another band Bell at a gig at the Cellar held a special place in a rapped-up Grooverider.” At the other end of the top-quality super grass? Say no who have gone down in local music folklore, The Mark’s heart: “It was a total surprise and totally pile Red Valve had issued a ten-point manifesto UNKNOWN FLOW ALIAS + NOT TOO SHABBY 8pm/£5 more. A bit of a racket? Abso- Anyways, released their `Sunshine Down’ EP. unplanned until the morning of the show. Until then for their own success, which included, at number 9, SAT 24TH AUGUST bloody-lutely! [Dr S collapses in Coming to town in what has always been a quiet I didn’t even know Andy was coming to the show. the statement that “They are always willing to try hysterical whoops of laughter gig month – and at a time when Cropredy was That’s a great way for reunions to happen.” out new ideas,” which seemed to manifest itself in and falls off his bar stool, all the only local summer festival – were band-of- As for the present, Mark declared “I can’t ANNERO + EYES OF EVE + DE’MASK THYSELF 8pm/£5 a few rehashed AC/DC riffs and a load of attitude- A TRUST UNCLEAN cheer wildly and the jukebox the-moment Mint 400; ex-Swervedriver types remember ever feeling this inspired and happy with free pub rock that “is so utterly devoid of character SAT 31ST AUGUST starts playing Desert Storm’s Skyscraper and Collapsed Lung, all at the Jericho new songs. The American tour was a great time to but goes on so long that listening to it is like trying stoner-sludge arrangement of Tavern, while Radiohead played a headline show test new songs against some of the Ride favourites. to get an injunction against a faceless stalker who Wimbledon theme music Light THE SILHOUETTES + WALT FRISBEE 8pm/£4.50 at the Oxford Venue, returning home after selling I was very disillusioned with the music industry and keeps reciting discarded Axl Rose lyrics down the AGNESS PIKE and Tuneful]. Next month: The Umpire over a quarter of a million copies of `Pablo Honey’ life. I ended up in the Mojave Desert wondering phone to you for hours in a dull monotone.” Fun The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Strikes Back Debbie Harry: ‘Anyone for Denis, Denis?’ in the States. what the hell I was going to do with my life.” Mark times. the work of one Rhys Baker, formerly of form but you imagine hearing it amped to Demo of the Month winners Camena and the max in a live setting would really do now aligned with the rather good Bear the trick. Chris needs a new band to get to On A Bicycle collective along with one- that stage, so track him down and offer your DEMOS time bandmate Jordan O’Shea. This debut soul and services to the cause. Sponsored by outing is a one-song offering called `You Demo of the Month wins a free half Blues’, an eerie, airy slice of electronic day at Silver Street Studios in Read- minimalism that’s kind of post-Radiohead, FOXY BROWN post-dubstep, a bit glitch, all slo-mo beats An odd one this. The only address given is ing, courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. and what could be tiny alien mouse voices, Jesus College and Foxy simply signs off as Visit umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift all broken up by sparse acoustic guitar Ms Brown, so she’s obviously not giving strumming. It doesn’t really do a huge much away. And song-wise you feel she’s Our Demands. Despite the name there’s amount or go anywhere in particular but it keeping her cards tight to her chest as she 01865 240250 DEMO OF little that’s particularly militant about them, does so in an elegantly shadowy fashion, so closes down each of her five numbers here aside from some ominous drum salvos, the we like it, and have let it sit in front of the around the ninety second mark. It’s like mood held captive firmly in the pensive fireplace like a toy robot pet chinchilla. It’s listening to short samples of full songs on THE MONTH corner, dark surf guitars and Chris’s falsetto quite pretty, truth be told. Amazon or something, so we’re not entirely adding up to a slightly edgy, lysergic night sure what to make of it all. Certainly she’s time road trip through a David Lynch-like got a good voice, either crooning in haunted GRANT moviescape. Best of the two songs here is GAG REFLEX country folk fashion on `Moon Glow’, Longstanding gothic balladeer Grant comes `Hospital Radio’, which sounds safe and Unlike Rhys, Cheltenham-Oxford punk sounding like Cowboy Junkies in some around with a new recording every couple homely enough but is a starlit rockabilly duo Gag Reflex do very much have a sense afterhours basement bar, or getting bluesy of years or so and while he’s part of the rumble that sounds like a cross between of purpose. That and a determination to and ballsy on the rough’n’ready r’n’b of furniture enough to take for granted (see Radiohead and The Cramps and which shout at anyone and anything that makes `Sugar Daddy’, where she comes on like what we did there?), it’s always worth crawls to an odd conclusion via what them vexed is what gets them out of bed a lo-fi Amy Winehouse. Since there’s five sitting up and listening properly, since he’s sounds like Gandalf the Grey intoning in the morning. Adopting a stripped-down, songs (or bits of songs) on the CD and out on a limb of one musically locally. A strange elvish curses at some demon of the lo-fi, almost industrial approach to punk, only four tracks listed on the sleeve, we long-time acolyte of Scott Walker, Grant underworld. Well, that’s summer buggered, their laser-gun guitar attacks sound like get a bit lost as to what’s what halfway seems to be trying to follow his hero down then. they were born in the shadow of Killing through but the general thrust of it all is that particularly convoluted rabbit hole Joke and raised on a diet of early Big towards the classic lady sings the blues he’s gone down in recent years, discarding Black EPs. `Cut To The Spike’ staggers lamenting of Billie Holiday et al, but while accepted song structures in favour of dense, MARVELLOUS and stutters along, maybe not quite as it could be great – really it could – it feels disjointed atmospheres, none more so menacingly as it would like but sinewy half-baked instrumentally and production- TURAN AUDIO.co.uk than on opener `Digitalis’, which is trippy MEDICINE enough, and armed with some Albini-eque wise, and with each songs fading into the Professional, independent CD mastering scree, to make most folks think twice about ether before it’s really got going it’s all a and desperately dark enough to get us Marvellous Medicine, by contrast, would Artists mastered in the studio last month include; thinking of Tricky at his most paranoid and doubtless like to keep summer going starting anything untoward. `I’ll Be The bit inconsequential right now, which is a JONA OVERGROUND, DEAD AT ELEVEN, BOB SEGER AND inaccessible (and thus best). Immediately all year round, with every weekend a Hyena’ is similarly tinny and disjointed, genuine shame. THE SILVER BULLET BAND, THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS, he lightens up on `Unless (SSR)’, though street carnival. Describing themselves but equally determined to make its mark, JOHN HIATT, EMMYLOU HARRIS, TOWNES VAN ZANDT, PETE it’s all relative, his fulsome tenor belted out as a university-based six-piece reggae though `Chew Myself’ finds them getting SEEGER, STEVE HILLAGE, STEVIE NICKS, MARK SPRINGER, over simmering middle-distance blues, the band, their PR quotes The Specials, The a bit two-dimensional and shouty when the MOTÖRHEAD, THE ORIGINAL RABBIT FOOT SPASM BAND, whole thing teetering on the brink of being Streets, Jamie T and Alphabet Backwards likes of `What’s The Deal, Kim Jong Il?’ is THE DEMO utterly preposterous. Grant tips maybe too as reference points and the result is as a reminder of what they do better – keeping REUBEN AND CALLUM, THE TROPHY CABINET, FEUD, NO. 1 far that way on the hammy `Loam’, but disparate as that suggests. `If I Am Young’ that menace in check and brooding on DUMPER STATION, THE FADES, MICHAEL PALMER. `Theme From The Tantric Skull-Feeders’ starts off threatening to be a lightweight stuff rather than lashing out too forcefully, drags us right back to some obscure piano house cut before slipping into an exposing a lack of raw muscle. 01865 716466 [email protected] early-80s dark-pop noise, all churning but easy ska canter, then into some slender TERPSICHORE restrained industrial guitar, and scowling, r’n’b balladry and eventually a bit of Ooh, get us. We know what Terpsichore semi-operatic vocals, like a cross between Stevie Wonder-style funking, the singer, DR means. It’s the muse of dancing in Greek THE COURTYARD STUDIO early Sisters of Mercy and Depeche Mode meanwhile coming over like a young mythology, though concentrating on the SLAGGLEBERRY terps bit of the name, we’d happily neck an at their most gothic. Hell, it’s even got Michael Jackson wannabe. Not bad PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/24, what sound like Cossack chants on it. How elements to fuse together but we’re not No risk of a lack of raw muscle where Dr entire bottle of lighter fuel than listen to this OTARI MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE MACHINE, to follow that? Why not something lovely sure they do fuse that well and just as Slaggleberry are concerned. They’ve been wretched, rancid, house-lite landfill-friendly and warm that’s about two steps removed you’re ready to cast off your inhibitions absent from the local scene for a while heap of inconsequentiality again. David 2 TRACKING ROOMS, SUPERB CONTROL ROOM from being an old Matt Monroe ballad? and have a boogie, they’re coming on and now seem to be essentially just Chris Guetta has much to answer for – and maybe WITH GOOD SELECTION OF MICS & OUTBOARD Approximately twelve of you reading this all sensitive and self conscious. `Air To Pethers, who’s also in the mighty Masiro, one day some wise soul in The Hague GEAR + MIDI FACILITIES (Inc LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI but heck, the man makes enough noise will make any effort to search this out, but Breathe’ would be more cohesive – a will call him up to answer to for his sins S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND etc.) for you, the pathway to the kingdom of contemplative acoustic amble that’s for ten here, a beastly fifteen minutes of against good dance music. In the meantime eviscerating guitar noise and pulverising his dispiriting shadow continues to loom heaven is swept clear. The rest of you can not far off Robert Wyatt at times – if it Residential facilities included. drums, barrages of nasty angular hardcore over clubland like an overweight lorry sit and wallow in your Mumford and Sons wasn’t punctured at random intervals by www.courtyardrecordings.com math-rocking that dips into pockets of driver’s arse over a blocked toilet bowl, effluence. a full-on rap that just feels tagged on and PHONE PIPPA FOR DETAILS on 01235 845800 incongruous. We’re told that Marvellous placid contemplation before emerging once preparing to rain down more shit into an Medicine are classically trained, which again even uglier and more ferocious than already overflowing lake of excrement. And might explain that desire to be clever and before. Salvos of blast beats hold things Terpsichore’s cliché-riddled lump of Radio THESE ARE OUR keep going off in different directions, but together but the guitars remain intent on 1 b-list makespace is just another turdplop sometimes just sticking to the point works going off at tangents, reminding us at times into that benighted bowl. A great club hit DEMANDS far better. Talking of medicine, Nightshift of fellow local mathcore tyrants Komrad. needs only two things: some monstrous Back in what seems like Oxford’s musical used to be in a band called Homeopathy. It’s all done with suitably pinpoint beats and a chorus as big as a horse’s cock. middle ages, Harry Angel were one of our We were like Placebo but less effective. accuracy – stealth bomber rock with laser- This, if we may be permitted to extend the most promising bands of noisy buggers, Thankyouverymuch, we’re here all week. guided riffs. Does it inspire shock and scatological imagery just a little longer, is all fizzing post-hardcore fury in a kind of awe? It comes close-ish here in recorded less horse’s cock, more dog’s arse. Sonic Youth-inspired death-pop fashion. Since then the band’s singer Chris Beard has WHYRHYS gone on to show he actually has the voice Short of employing a professional welsh Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links of a desolate angel in Flights of Helios, person to translate the name we can only to [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without and here he is back united with two of his guess that Whyrhys means “Rhys is wired a contact address and phone number; no more than four tracks on a demo please. If you old Harry Angel bandmates in These Are to shit on magic mushrooms,” this being can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. Sat 3rd Aug • £8 adv Sat 6th Oct • £7 adv Sat 9th Nov • £25 adv Mon 2nd Dec • £22.50 adv 7pm - 10.30pm Zico Chain 6pm - 10pm Black Star Riders Sacred Mother Tongue Boy George (Live) This Is What I Do Tour Mon 7th Oct • £15 adv Thurs 5th Dec • £10 adv Sat 10th Aug • £8 adv Night Beds 7pm - 11.30pm The Quireboys Sat 9th Nov • £11.50 adv Bleed From Within + special guests Bonafide & More 6.30pm - 10pm + Empire Divided + Bricks & Mortar Kodaline Sat 7th Dec • £12 adv + God Speed + I Cried Wolf Tues 8th Oct • £8 adv Absolute Bowie Fossil Collective Tues 12th Nov • £15 adv Mon 19th Aug • £23.50 adv The Magpie Tour The Rifles Weds 11th Dec • £17.50 adv 6.30pm Eels + Life in Film + Dexters Weds 9th Oct • £8 adv Airbourne 6.30pm Fri 30th Aug • £12.50 adv Fri 15th Nov • £25 adv Nina Nesbitt 6.30pm Thurs 12th Dec • £25 adv Pokey La Farge Gary Numan The Darkness Thurs 10th Oct • £13.50 adv Sat 31st Aug • £7 adv 6.30pm - 11.30pm Kids In Glass Houses Sun 17th Nov • £13.50 adv Thurs 12th Dec • £18.50 adv Skeletor - + Propellers Gabrielle Aplin Adrian Edmondson The New Breed #2 & The Bad Shepherds Sat 12th Oct • £10 adv ft. Retribution + Ignite the Sky Weds 20th Nov • £9 adv UK Foo Fighters Rescheduled show - original tickets valid + Crows’ Reign + Mordecai The Family Rain Fri 13th Dec • £28 adv + Minamata Convulsion (The No.1 Foo Fighters Tribute) Happy Mondays + Evavoid ‘Bummed’ 25th Anniversary Tour Sun 13th Oct • £7 adv Thurs 21st Nov • £20 adv Fri 13th Sept • £23 adv Nadine Shah Turin Brakes Fri 13th Dec • £12 adv Babyshambles Electric Six Fri 18th Oct • £18 adv Tues 26th Nov • £13.50 adv 6.30pm Sat 14th Sept • £8.50 adv The View Tues 11th Feb 2014 • £18.50 adv 7pm - 10pm • Rescheduled - original tickets valid From The Jam Less Than Jake Janet Devlin ‘All Mod Cons’ Sat 30th Nov • £15 adv 35th Anniversary Tour 6pm & Reel Big Fish + Zebrahead Sun 22nd Sept • £12.50 adv The Naked and Famous Fri 18th Oct • £10 adv James Blake 6.30pm Sun 1st Dec • £25 adv Thurs 13th Feb 2014 • £10 adv Guns2Roses & Ocean Colour Scene Cash Mon 23rd Sept • £10 adv Metallica Reloaded Marchin’ Already Tour Payin’ Tribute to the Man In Black Swim Deep Sat 19th Oct • £20 adv Tues 24th Sept Gathering Festival The 1975 Multi venue festival

Tues 24th Sept • £15 adv Weds 23rd Oct • £20 adv Liam Fray 6.30pm + Bipolar Sunshine The Cat Empire

Fri 25th Oct • £18.50 adv Weds 25th Sept • £15 adv Madina Lake Blue Farewell Tour + Fearless Vampire Killers Sun 27th Oct • £16.50 adv + Super Happy Fun Club Tyler Hilton + Paighton

Thurs 26th Sept • £6 adv Mon 28th Oct • £19.50 adv The Younger The Queen Extravaganza

Fri 27th Sept • £8 adv Thurs 31st Oct • £15 adv 6pm Mike Dignam Wretch 32

Tues 1st Oct • £22.50 adv 6.30pm Sat 2nd Nov • £12.50 adv Fat Freddy’s Drop 36 Crazy Fists

Weds 2nd Oct • £19.50 adv Mon 4th Nov • £20 adv 6.30pm - 10pm Hawkwind The Wailers playing the classic album performing Legend in it’s entirety “Warrior on the Edge of Time”

Fri 4th Oct • £6 adv Fri 8th Nov • £11 adv 6.30pm 7pm - 10pm Evarose The Doors Alive

Tickets for Saturday night shows INCLUDE FREE ENTRY to Propaganda (or £6, £5 NUS / members, £4 NHS on the door)

facebook.com/o2academyoxford 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE • Doors 7pm unless stated twitter.com/o2academyoxford Venue box office opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5.30pm youtube.com/o2academytv ticketweb.co.uk • wegottickets.com • seetickets.com • gigantic.com