[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 271 February Oxford’s Music Magazine 2018 “The only other thing I wanted to do with my life was be a househusband, with a whole bunch of kids”

From Unbelievable Truth to Frank Turner’s Sleeping Souls - Nigel Powell talks about his life in music, writing his own songs and the terror of being a frontman

Also in this issue: Gazthe Coombes returns sad song co. Walter leaves Foals Truck store turns seven Introducing GIFT OF BLINDNESS

Plus All your Oxford music news, previews and reviews, and five pages of local gigs for February NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshiftmag.co.uk

month with a download single, `Daydreams’ on February 9th. The rising indie/garage-rock quartet’s EP, `Birthdayboy’, will be released on CD and download on the 16th March. The band launch the EP with a headline show at The Cellar GAZ COOMBES returns with his third solo album on Friday 23rd March. There’s more in May. `World’s Strongest Man’ is released on vinyl, CD and th at www.youneedselfhelp.co.uk. download on Hot Fruit on May 4 . It is the follow-up to Gaz’s 2015 BRIAN BRIGGS returns to Mercury-nominated `Matador’ and is, in his own words, “inspired Oxford for his first live show in the OXJAM returns to Oxford in variously by Grayson Perry’s The Descent of Man, Frank Ocean’s city since Stornoway’s farewell gig October as part of the nationwide `Blonde’, Californian weed, British woodlands, unchecked masculinity, at The New Theatre in March last network of shows raising money Neu! and hip-hop.” A lead track from the album, `Deep Pockets’ is rd year. Brian, now a nature warden in for anti-poverty charity Oxfam. released on the 23 February. Wales, will perform a collaborative After a series of successful Full tracklisting for `World’s Strongest Man’ is: `World’s Strongest show under the name The Glass fundraising all-dayers, Oxford Man’; `Deep Pockets’; `Walk The Walk’; `Sh*t (I’ve Done It Again)’; Aisle alongside poet Paul Henry at didn’t host a full Oxjam festival in `Slow Motion Life’; `Wounded Egos’; `Oxygen Mask’; `In Waves’; The Old Fire Station on Saturday 2017, with 14-year-old local music `The Oaks’; `Vanishing Act’, and `Weird Dreams’. Gaz plays an initial th 3rd March. Tickets, priced £14 and fan Max Blansjaar’s show at Tap live show at ULU on Wednesday 28 February, with a full UK tour £12, are on sale now at Social the only gig organised. expected to coincide with the album release. www.oldfirestation.org.uk Oxjam 18 is looking for local festival organisers and gig runners SAE OXFORD is looking for develop their skills, work as a part DESERT STORM release to help set up a multi-venue event local bands and solo artists to of a team, meet local creatives and their fourth album next month. across the city. perform at their new Live Lounge develop a showreel of high quality `Sentinels’ is out on the 1st March Anyone interested in helping can sessions. The college, situated in content.” and the band will play a hometown apply at oxjam.org.uk/festival- Littlemore, offers degree courses For more details email headline show at the O2 Academy managers in music, video and gaming [email protected] with links on Saturday 24th March as part technology as well as the music to your music. of an extensive European tour. THE AUGUST LIST, TIGER industry, is expanding the project `Sentinels’ is the follow-up to MENDOZA AND VIENNA started by its Liverpool campus; RADIOHEAD, THE 2014’s `Omniscient’. The band DITTO fly the flag for Oxford musicians work with students on CANDYSKINS, DUSTBALL celebrated their tenth anniversary music at this year’s Are You every aspect of the performance AND NIGHTSHIFT are all in November. Find out more at Listening? festival in Reading. and can take a video of their namechecked in a debut novel by www.desertstormband.com. The multi-venue event takes place performance away with them. SAE local writer JB Cameron released on Saturday 28th April. Organised audio production lecturer Mike Hill last month. No Explosions is a TRUCK FESTIVAL are set to by Heavy Pop, who recently took explained: “The live lounge offers story of growing up in a music announce this year’s line-up in over the running of The Jericho local artists the chance to record scene and trying to make it in a the week starting the 5th February. Tavern’s music programme, AYL? their music in a way that genuinely band, with parts of the story set Keep an eye out on truckfestival. Features sets from Idles, Field represents the live performance. in The Point and The Zodiac. com as well as Nightshift’s Music, Plump DJs, Warm Digits, They can share the session with No Explosions is available for Facebook and Twitter. Yonaka and 6Music’s Steve Lamacq their fans and even send it to music download at Amazon.co.uk among others. Tickets, priced £20 in promoters to help secure their next SELF HELP build up to advance, and full line-up details are gig. The live lounge provides SAE AS EVER, don’t forget to tune the release of a new EP next at www.areyoulistening.org.uk students with an opportunity to into BBC Oxford Introducing every Saturday night between WALTER GERVERS has left Foals, it has 8-9pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated been announced. Bassist Walter helped form Foals in 2006 local music show plays the best having previously played in local band Face Meets Grill. Oxford releases and demos as Announcing his departure on social media on the 5th well as featuring interviews and January, Foals, who are currently in the studio working sessions with local acts. The show on their fifth album, said, To“ all our fans, sadly we have is available to stream or download to announce that our mate Walter has decided to leave as a podcast at bbc.co.uk/oxford. the band to pursue a new life. The parting has been sad but we remain firm friends. He’ll always be our brother; OXFORD GIGBOT provides a we love him and wish him well in his future endeavours. regular local gig listing update on We had 12 amazing years touring together, from a small Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing postal van to the Pyramid Stage and beyond. It’s the end you new gigs as soon as they go of a chapter but not the end of the book. We are making live. They also provide a free new music and are working on the fifth LP. It’s gonna be weekly listings email. Just contact the best yet. Love Foals.” [email protected] to join. NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshiftmag.co.uk

NIGHTSHIFT is set to be the subject of a full day of discussion at Brookes University in March. The Popular Music Research Unit at Brookes will host the event, entitled Nightshift: Exploring Oxford’s Music Magazine on Tuesday 27th March. The day will run from 9:45am to 4pm at the Headington Hill site and will feature the history of Nightshift and the Oxford music scene going back to its origins as Curfew in the early 90s, as well as discussions local scenes and regional TRUCK STORE celebrates its seventh birthday this month. The music media and demo reviews, as well as a Q&A session with founder independent record store on Cowley Road will celebrate its anniversary and editor Ronan Munro. The day will be free and open to all, but with a day of live music, special offers and cake on Saturday registration will be required. Further details will be in next month’s issue 10th February. The line-up for the day is yet to be finalised but and posted on the PMRU website in due course at store manager Carl Smithson talked to Nightshift about the store’s pmrubrookes.wordpress.com/events. latest milestone, which has seen it flourish in a difficult climate for independent shops and music stores in particular. “As with most retail it’s hard work these days,” said Carl, “but we’re driven by passion for music and genuinely care about what we’re selling so that makes it easier to keep going. Being an independent gives us more flexibility and adaptability than bigger stores so we can react to changes, such as the huge increase in vinyl sales, much faster. With this in mind we’re constantly endeavouring to improve the store and try new things, working with different people or groups and generally engaging with what’s going on in the city.” Carl also sees Truck Store’s place at the heart of the Oxford music as vital. “For the local music scene we’ve always tried to be as supportive as possible, be it from stocking local band releases to hosting launch events where possible. We’ve also developed really strong relationships with local promoters and work hard on selling tickets and promoting live music in town. We’ve run a stage at Riverside festival for a few years, run stalls at lots of local festivals, held a screening at UPP, as well as being involved in events at Modern Art Oxford and the Ashmolean... all of these engagements have in some way incorporated support for the local scene and we’ll keep trying new things as and Due to the sheer amount of The earlier we get stuff, the sooner when opportunities arise.” music we receive at Nightshift, we it can be reviewed. We reserve the Visit truckmusicstore.co.uk for more details of the day, and more cannot always review stuff as soon right to decide what is a release and importantly, keep visiting Truck Store to keep local independent music as we get it, so please be patient. what’s a demo. Yes we do. retail going. A Quiet Word With Turner has proved to be a master and great about the world. `Lonely Is was really impressed with the mix on in some covers as well. On the ‘In of building a fanbase from the A State Of Mind’ is about a joyous `Worth’, which was done by a friend Amber’ tour I played a different Ben ground up over the years; is that first night together, and `What You of ours in LA called Chris Kasych, Folds cover every night. I haven’t run old-school approach of constant Make Of It’ is my very joyful take on who just happens to be a Grammy- out yet, so maybe I’ll trot some more touring something Nigel still feel atheism and what it means to me and winning engineer who’s worked with of those out.” is important and relevant in today’s empowerment in my life.” Adele, Bruce Springsteen and Neil internet-led industry? Young. Tarrant suggested we ask Having been lucky “I don’t think it’s something any of Nigel’s old Unbelievable him if he would like to mix the new enough to make a career in music us think about. Working in a hard Truth bandmate Jason Moulster Dive Dive record, which he seems for over 20 years, what, we wonder, and focused manner has always plays on the new album; it must be interested in doing, so it’s moving might Nigel have done in life if that the sad song co. been a part of my makeup as well. comforting for him to have such a forwards slowly.” hadn’t worked out? Purple Rhinos had a reputation of close, long-standing musical partner. Unbelievable Truth exposed you “The only other thing I wanted to do playing anywhere at the drop of a Being around the local scene for so fully to the music industry at its best with my life was be a househusband, hat, and when we met Frank Dive long and making such close friends and worst; what particularly do you with a whole bunch of kids. Although Dive were on an absolutely gruelling must provide a great foundation. remember from that time and what that doesn’t count as a career, it tour schedule, sometimes playing “Sadly I have lost touch with the lessons did you learn? bloody well should because bringing three shows a day. There is now and local scene from being on tour so “From the vantage point of nearly up children is a lot of work, that always has been a multitude of ways very much for the last ten years. But twenty years since our debut album doesn’t usually get appreciated as to break through and let people hear absolutely my experiences in it have I have mostly fond memories it should. I was a teacher at Oxpens what you’re doing, and we seem to helped me get where I am, and some of that time. I loved the creative college on their music BND, and I have drilled one of those approaches of my most cherished friendships have environment, and it was such a special found that fulfilling and enjoyable. into the ground.” Lately I’ve been thinking about Nigel financed `In Amber’ through training as a counsellor as well.” crowdfunding; did being part of “I find solo shows terrifying. I can drum in all Having spent so much of his life Sleeping Souls help? sorts of high pressure situations and feel calm involved in music and particularly on “Undoubtedly. Frank’s fans are the road, it might come as a surprise gorgeously committed, so a certain and professional, but when I have to to those who don’t know him that section of them were interested to sing and play my songs every butterfly in the Nigel is a strict teetotaler; as such know that I was doing something. My are there elements of life on the previous solo album was so long ago world takes up residence in my stomach.” road with a rock band he’s ever felt I don’t think most of them had any uncomfortable with? idea that I did anything like that on sprung from it. I see Mac, who used treat to be working with two people “Not uncomfortable, as such, my own. And it was heartening to get to run the Jericho Tavern, from time who I loved, and still do. I suppose because it would be a miserable life messages from Unbelievable Truth to time; Jon Spira, who made Anyone I learned to accept that for anyone if ten months of most years I was in fans saying they were excited to hear Can Play Guitar and loads of videos working in a record company, them a situation where I felt out of sorts. new stuff from me.” for bands on the local scene, is still a keeping their job and being able to I tend to be a little more isolated close friend, and bumping into Tarrant pay the mortgage next month was from the tour party than everyone “Writing only comes to stage). Around the same time he was Sad Song Co. began as something ends with a nine-minute song that has While 2007’s `Poignant from Dustball, as they were then, in always their top priority, so you have else because after a certain point of me when I’ve been stationary for drumming in Abingdon pop-punk of a prog-influenced side project but four guitar solos in it – up from zero Device’ was based around stories the Oxford Music Central offices in to navigate a path that respects that the evening there’s not much I can a few weeks, and that just didn’t faves The Purple Rhinos, whose motto over the course of time the music on the entirety of the previous album from an old people’s home and `In 2000 was a life-changing moment, while not compromising on your contribute. But we’re all very close, happen for a lot of years and I found was “any gig, any time, any place”. has expanded in its musical reach – so I haven’t abandoned my post just Amber’ dealt heavily with old age although I didn’t know it then. As far artistic instincts.” which is somewhat miraculous after myself being inspired by the music Nigel’s first band, Illiterate Hands, and revealed ever greater depths of yet. And I did spend a couple of years and death, `Worth’ finds Nigel’s lyrics as inspiration goes, I would have to a decade on a tour submarine, and we I was creating to finish it and try was formed at school with classmates lyrical feel. Reviewing `In Amber’, drumming in a Genesis tribute band.” even more personal. pick (American songer-songwriter Back to the present day stay sensitive to each other’s needs, and convince people to listen to Jonny Greenwood and Andy Yorke. Nightshift declared “The ultimate “When I was writing ‘In Amber’ I and former Miracle Legion frontman) and February sees The Sad Song Co. and make allowances for them.” it,” declares Nigel Powell, the man Later he would form Unbelievable victory for the album is the way all A highly accomplished thought the next album was going to Mark Mulcahy. His talent and playing what is their first official behind Sad Song Co. and a musician Truth with Andy alongside lifelong the meticulous musicianship is never multi-instrumentalist and singer, Nigel be about violence of various kinds. compassion are so immense. That’s hometown gig. It’s a prospect that So, after so long on the whose career stretches back almost frined Jason Moulster, sign to Virgin allowed to be anything more than a has complete control over Sad Song That triggered off a few songs, but in something I definitely aspire to.” still gives the gig-hardened Nigel an road Nigel Powell, now resident in three decades and has, over the years, and enjoy some chart success before springboard for the strong melodies; Co., a contrast to playing as a backing the end I let myself write whatever I Looking back at some of the bands attack of nerves. Kidlington, is coming home, for one taken him all around the world and they disbanded. Following that emotion wins over technicality pretty musicians for Turner or his brother, or wanted lyrically, rather than tie myself Nigel has played in, which were most “I was thinking about it, and it might night only. The Oxford show is part seen him performing to the sort of adventure Nigel joined Dive Dive much all the time. Sad songs indeed, as part of a songwriting partnership to a concept. It is more relationship- fun and which, if he had to pick, possibly be my first proper hometown of an 18-date UK tour to promote audiences most Oxford bands can as drummer, another band with an but ones to make your heart swell.” as with Unbelievable Truth and Dive based than the previous albums. would he most like to reform? solo show ever. I did a low-key the new record, but will he be able to barely start to dream of. enviable work ethic who built a `Worth’ is its equally emotive Dive. He’s enjoyed a hell of a career Three of the songs are rather close “Dive Dive have never formally split Sofar Sounds night in 2016 with ‘In take the album out on the road some substantial cult following and through sequel, an album whose delicate, as part of other bands, but The Sad to experiences during the last couple up, it’s like a separation but we never Amber’, but I think that’s the only more or is Frank going to be calling Nigel is talking about the whom he met Frank Turner, who yet elaborate musicianship calls to Song Co. is the only one that places of years, and when I’d finished the got around to sorting out the divorce. I Oxford gig I’ve done. It’s exciting! any day soon? making of his new album `Worth’, his recruited him, along with Dive Dive mind the likes of The Blue Nile, him centre stage. album and was looking at it it seemed think being in Freak! with my brother “As far as solo gigs go, I find them “We’ve finished the seventh Frank fourth under the Sad Song Co. name bandmates Tarrant Anderson and Ben Flaming Lips, Porcupine Tree, Steely “I never felt frustrated creatively in to point at questioning the worth of was sometimes a little uncomfortable, terrifying, honestly. I can drum in Turner album which will be out in and the second in just over a year Lloyd, to form his permanent backing Dan and Pure Reason Revolution, Dive Dive because the music was the things, of love, of myself, all led by because I would fall back into the all sorts of high pressure situations April. At that point it all starts again following a nine year gap between band. Since 2007 Nigel has played among others. Nigel’s proggy roots result of all of our input, even though `Worth My Bones’, which was written little sibling role and feel a bit brow- and feel calm and professional, but so there won’t be any time for another solo records. `Worth’ is the follow-up on seven albums and countless tours (he once played at Marillion’s fan Jamie was the main songwriter. From specifically probing my ambition to be beaten. I would love to do some more when I have to sing and play and it year after that to do anything else to 2016’s `In Amber’, which in turn with Turner, culminating in a set at annual convention in the Netherlands) time to time with Frank I’ve felt a musician, and what that meant to my Unbelievable Truth music, except be my songs every single butterfly musically. As far as The Sad Song followed 2007’s `Poignant Device’ the 2012 London Olympics opening haven’t disappeared altogether. disconnected from my own sense relationships with people, particularly Andy, who is still my best friend, is in the world takes up residence in Co. goes, I don’t even know for and his 2003 debut `Miseryguts’. ceremony. “I do have this reputation amongst of art, but I think the reason I don’t my kids.” very happy now not being involved my stomach. Live it’s just me, and sure if there’ll be another album. If The long gaps between his early my friends of being a massive prog- write when I’m on tour with him is Unsurprisingly given the Sad Song in the music industry, and I wouldn’t occasionally Jason playing bass, so I write something, then there will. I releases were due to Nigel’s So Nigel Powell has head, but I really don’t think it’s I suppress that side of me when I’m Co. moniker there’s a downbeat, want to put that on him.” the gigs are very stripped back in have some ideas for other projects, incessantly busy music career with certainly seen the absolute highs, so,” he muses. “I do really like some working with him, and it takes some emotive drive to many, if not most, of With singer Jamie Stuart now living comparison to the full arrangements of and hopefully the Dive Dive album other bands and the quick succession as well as some of the lows, of the prog rock, but, like any of the music time to come out of dormancy.” Nigel’s songs; does he see himself as in the States can Nigel see Dive Dive the records. I would love to work with will get finished and appear. And I of his last two albums comes as a music business and probably played I listen to, it has to connect with me Conversely, playing someone else’s a melancholic songwriter or is there ever making a comeback? They were a band, but I just can’t afford to pay have some sorting out of my personal result of some rare downtime from most of the countries in the world emotionally. So I love Genesis, but songs brings less pressure. hope and light in the songs too? a band who made a huge impact on people, and I wouldn’t take the piss life to do. After over thirty years in touring the world as part of Frank where gigs happen. But for all the can’t stand Yes, or ELP, or any of “I really enjoy recording and touring “I think there’s always been a mix the Oxford scene, an early inspiration by asking anyone to do it as a favour. the area I’m thinking of moving to Turner’s Sleeping Souls band. thrills that drumming in one of the those other fiddly ‘look at me so I can with Frank. I’m much less nervous of feelings on the albums. I skew for Foals’ Yannis Phlippakis. I do enjoy getting to the empirical London and seeing how that works most successful bands around brings, impress you while wearing a cape’ playing his songs, mostly because I’m towards the melancholy, hence the “We haven’t counted it out. It’s centre of the songs by myself though. out. But from April onwards the diary Nightshift first Nigel’s burning passion is for the bands. I really enjoy some Porcupine drumming which is my main skill, Ronseal band name, but on this an unusual situation, in that before It’s a different kind of challenge to is basically solid…” encountered Nigel in the early 1990s songs he writes himself as Sad Song Tree, but Dream Theater makes me but also it’s definitely less exposed. I album `I Don’t See It’ couldn’t really Jamie left we finished another album, make them stand like that. There’ll be playing keyboards in his brother Co. Here is where his often bruised want to smash my ears in with a love his songwriting, and contributing be more positive. It’s talking about which I think could be our best. But something from all four albums, but `Worth’ is released on the 9th Adrian’s band Freak! (our first review emotions and melancholic disposition hammer. There’s always elements of it to it is an honour. I honestly believe feeling strong and clear and trying with him gone we weren’t going to I’m more comfortable and prouder February. The Sad Song Co. play suggesting the overly-energetic Nigel are thrust into the light and the real Mr in my music, though. The last album he’s one of the very finest lyricists the to help a friend in a dark place by be able to play shows and promote of ‘In Amber’ and ‘Worth’, so it’ll Modern Art Oxford on Saturday should have his feet nailed to the Powell reveals himself. you had to dig for them, but `Worth’ world has ever produced.” being their link to all that’s bright it, so it was shelved. Tarrant though focus more on those. I enjoy throwing 17th February. Sponsored by ADAM BARNES `Vacancy at NASA’ (Wild Native) RELEASED If he’s been largely absent from the local scene of simple, the “I want to fall in love with her again” late Adam Barnes has hardly been idle, a recent message as old as lyricism itself but given wings FLIGHTS OF HELIOS THE SAD SONG CO. tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland adding by Adam’s plaintive, occasionally dramatic, to the 500-odd gigs he’s played since he began but rarely over-adorned voice which frequently `Endings’ ‘Worth’ his musical adventures, inspired as a teenager by bears a striking resemblance to his old friend Mr (Self released) (Self released) fellow Oxford songsmith (and later tourmate) Walters. Similarly the heartstring-tugging `Lovely It’s hard to believe that this is Flights Of Helios’ This never less than interesting fourth album from Richard Walters. He’s also been recording this new Navigator’, with its shadowy strings hovering debut album, as they’ve been around long Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls drummer – album, the follow-up to 2014’s impressive debut at its edges and Adam’s voice at its emotionally enough to have an extensive back catalogue. Yet and former member of Unbelievable Truth and `The Land, The Sea and Everything Lost Beneath’. wracked best, conjures a wonderfully starlit image here we are with `Endings’, a title that hopefully Dive Dive – Nigel Powell manages to conjure up If you were a fan of that opus, you won’t be of love as a spaceward trip. is not an indication of the band’s intentions memories of some of the more literate quarters disappointed by `Vacancy At NASA’, which If there’s a fault with the album it’s its following this album’s long overdue release. of 80s pop – Prefab Sprout and The The are revels in a similarly uplifting form of musical steadfastness of mood and message; Barnes is Anyone who has caught the band live will know touchstones and it’s a release where Powell has and poetic melancholy; it’s a collection of songs never going to reinvent the musical wheel but a than a little self-awareness and one of his many that when they’re at their best, they can be truly clearly agonised over his lyrics, striving to emerge rich in reflection, longing and occasional sorrow, couple of the more mid-paced tracks merge into strengths is in not tying himself up into too transcendental. Despite finding themselves from the shadow of more famous collaborators but also one capable of something approaching each other in the memory, while lines like “I’ve many lyrical knots. Like his music and voice, defined as space rock, the truth is that Flights and contemporaries. ‘I Don’t See It’ recalls the euphoria with epic flights of soul-bearing that fly got a fire burning in my soul” wouldn’t test the his words are best when they’re kept sweet and Of Helios take from an array of influences and oeuvre of Paddy McAloon’s band of Geordies in the same airspace as Elliot Smith, Damien Rice most basic of boyband lyricists. simple. Adam Barnes’ world isn’t the sunniest fuse them into compositions that often straddle while ‘Einmal ist Keinmal’ is pure Radiohead, and Ray Lamontagne. Then again “I always seek the worst in place to live, but the world is definitely a better genres with ease. That said, `Endings’ opens perhaps unsurprisingly given that the paw prints Early highlight `Everything’ reaffirms the everything / It’s served me okay up to now / I place for having him and his music in it. with a sprawling, cosmic epic in the shape organ and the chanted backing vocals which of that band’s engineer, Graeme Stewart, were belief that Adam is best when he keeps things think you’re better off without” suggests more Sue Foreman of `Donalogue’ that after a few minutes of sound like the ruminations of a crew of damned deployed in the album’s making. undulating scene setting reaches its climax with sailors, but the song’s distinctly nautical theme But where Powell hasn’t been able to Girl’, in addition to boasting lovely, lilting vocalist Chris Beard repeatedly crooning the line only goes to further the connection. help himself is with his predilection for an bass, notes that not every pretty high-achiever LITTLE BROTHER “Sun, moon and stars”. In their repurposing of a The album finishes up with `Cartographer’, a overblown guitar solo – ‘Lonely is a State of is a conservative cis-bitch. As well as this traditional Irish folk ballad Flights Of Helios take cover taken from Bleeding Heart Narrative’s Mind’, an 80-style chugger with an overly ELI live favourite, the album’s highpoints are the in jazz breaks, eerie drones, and throw in a fair `Tongue Tangled Hair’ album. It’s a shimmering simplistic chorus that would make Eric Clapton clattering, Monks-influenced `Drunk Maria’; amount of pop nous for good measure. So yes, it’s epic that not only showcases Chris Beard’s blush, while nine minute closer ‘Wounded `Tooth’ `Fuzzy’, a fountain of pop glory with a great space rock captain, but not as you know it. wonderful vocal capabilities, but also Flights Lion’ repeats the dose, only for a longer period (Self released) atonal unsolo stuck in the middle; `Rainbows There are a fair amount of straightforward pop Of Helios’ flexibility. Those that still miss of time. ‘Worth My Bones’, perhaps the most When one of the most reliably entertaining bands Don’t End’, a budget torch song that sounds like hooks throughout the album, notably when the Stornoway will find plenty to love here as the instantly catchy track on the LP, also dredges in town, one rooted in blues and funk traditions, Princess Peach having a go at `The Impossible band are at their most direct: `Factory’ skips band toy with dynamics and beautiful melodies up memories of that benighted decade, recalling inform you they’re ditching all that in favour Dream’, and the title track, replete with a funky along with the same new wave energy that throughout. It might be a cover but in this form the white soul bands of the time attempting of a more electronic, disco-inspired direction, Grange Hill synth line which is more Le Tigre infused The Strokes in their earliest days, before it takes on a new life, as it veers from abstraction to keep it real. It’s the kind of trick that Cliff you worry we’re heading for a Spinal Tap `Jazz than Bikini Kill. With the release of this album, blunting those sharpened guitar riffs with waves to sharp focus before sprawling out once again Richard might have tried to pull off; none Odyssey’ moment. Heck, they’ve even got rid of we raise a glass to Rainbow Reservoir: make of blurring reverb. `Funeral’, meanwhile, hints like an apparently endless summer afternoon. of which is surprising given that ‘Worth’ is the waistcoats, apparently. ours a double-strength Fluttershy daiquiri, at the folkier aspects of Led Zep and the dark `Endings’ is a fine beginning, however delayed, accompanied by a press release that veers so Thankfully new single `Tooth’, the first of a cheers. and brooding atmosphere of Nick Cave’s more and it’ll be interesting to see where Flights Of far into Alan Partridge territory that you’d series of singles planned for this year, isn’t such David Murphy unsettling work, but its most overriding influence Helios go from here. On this evidence, the sun expect Powell to be taking up residence at the a radical departure as they lead us to believe, seems to come from The Doors’ `Crystal Ship’. moon and stars are well within reach. Travelodge on Abingdon Road. Alex Grew’s vocals are an instantly recognisable That may be down to a threatening, seething Sam Shepherd Which is a shame because lead single ‘What RAINBOW RESERVOIR touchstone, while Jos Regal’s bass still comes You Make Of It’ is very good indeed; it recalls MOTHER coated in some nicely dirty funk. Talk Talk both musically and lyrically, perhaps `Channel Hanna’ The beats are more regimented though, and the with Toseland and Kobra & The Lotus as well as obviously given that band once recorded a (Odd Box) ‘Remnants Of A Wasted guitars come augmented by more prominent support Fearless Vampire Killers, Tragedy and song called ‘Life’s What You Make it’, while Rainbow Reservoir might be an actual place, keyboard sounds. Overall it sounds like a Rival States among myriad others. ‘The Body Beautiful’ also supplies more than in Connecticut, but it really sounds like some Dream’ spruced-up version of the band we know rather Musically adept from an early age, these five a nod to the legacy of Mark Hollis’s outfit My Little Pony SodaStream knock off. That’s (Self released) than a complete overhaul, as if they’ve swapped tracks are slickly recorded but see the band only to once again head towards histrionics in fitting, because this album, whilst ostensibly Five tracks of grumbly, Britpop-style, soft their Black Keys records for Glass Animals, moving ever further from their metal roots to a its guitar floggery. A curate’s egg of an album punk, is embellished with the hairclips and indie rock, whose EP cover – a late-night but haven’t got round to taking the former to more straight-up classic rock sound, less Judas then, with some genuine high points to match dimpled grins of vintage twee pop, and for every photograph of a drunkenly-collapsed, short- the charity shop yet – just in case. We’ll miss Priest, more Stone Sour, blood, guts and thunder the ill-advised explorations. None of this might buzzsaw guitar rasp and declamatory shout of skirted female, and a hoodied male biding his the waistcoats but as long as Little Brother Eli displaced by some almost funky grooves and prevent ‘Worth My Bones’ becoming a massive norm-slapping individuality, there’s toyshop time and eating chips – suggests some kind haven’t thrown the live energy baby out with the choppy guitar riffs. The EP’s title track is a hit with a fair wind, mind. chintziness and cutesy melody. It could be the of social commentary. That’s evident also in blues rock bathwater, we’ll still love them. chest-beating stomp and scurry that just about Rob Langham soundtrack to the advert for Riot Grrrl’s World. some heavy-handed lyrics on tracks like ‘Make Dale Kattack keeps the grit and gravel under its fingernails Despite a dip too far into cloying infantilism Money, Be Happy’ – “You want more money / but maybe needs an extra punch to it. `The on `Blue Crab’ and `Big Bunny’, which sound Others’ ups the game a bit, the riffs meatier, Will it make you happy?” – but if there is rage singer Joey Kenny’s voice less forced and more like a six year old making up songs in the night or desperation being communicated here, it’s not authoritative, the whole thing a bit ballsier to stave off a fear of the dark, `Channel Hanna’ through the music. There’s nothing particularly all round in a Queens of the Stone-Age kinda is an exciting, energising record, and one that wrong with Mother’s type of Cast-meets- way, while closer `All She Wanted’ opts for the refreshingly doesn’t mistake unilateral hatred for Bunnymen-meets-Libertines-having-a-quiet-day- THE REAPER slow burn approach while keeping the riffage pointed criticism. in melodic guitar thrum, and it’s all very cleanly simmering at a steady intensity. Whilst The Pistols bluntly stated the Queen and slickly put together and performed. The `Intoxicated’ It’s a solid enough set of songs, but only `The “ain’t no human being”, Rainbow Reservoir’s final track, ‘Descend Into Madness’, displays a (Self released) Others’ really stands out above and beyond `Brenda’ is a little more kind, observing that little ingenuity of structure and texture. But in `Intoxicated’ is an appropriate title for The standard melodic hard rocking in a heavily whilst ER might be very nice, she’s kind of a world that seems to be relentlessly collapsing Reaper’s new EP; after years of kicking out the congested market. They might be all grown up pointless. No hard feelings, but how about the around our ears, a little more demonstrable fury jams across the UK most of the band are finally now but it’d be a shame to see The Reaper lose dissolution of the monarchy, ma’am? Similarly, wouldn’t go amiss. In the meantime, ‘Remnants old enough to drink in the clubs they’ve been their youthful zest to those arch enemies of rock `Podium Girls’ resembles Voodoo Queens’ Of A Wasted Dream’ offers a mildly diverting playing since their early teens. and roll fun: proficiency and maturity. `Supermodel Superficial’, but lets the glossy break from the madness. Over 160 gigs in that time has seen them tour Dale Kattack airheads down gently. As balance, `Gold Star Simon Minter Sponsored by RELEASED THE CELLAR GIFT OF BLINDNESS WHAT’S ON IN FEBRUARY

`Wasteland’ Thurs 1st Fri 9th Sat 17th Future Perfect Terraforms Future Perfect (Blindsight) MOTHER + GUESTS PHIL TANGENT + THE BLINDERS “Christmas is over and we’re firmly in winter’s Over the course of 70 minutes of suffocating 7.30–10.30pm • GREENCODE & + BRIXTONS AND icy grip.” It’s true, but I was actually talking discordant drone and crashing cymbals, we’re £6 • 16+ BOLO + MAGNUM + WATERFOOLS about how I feel whenever I listen to Gift of let inside a psyche dealing with mental anguish SWYNDLA + MC KB 7.30–10.30pm Blindness, Umair Chaudhry’s doom project. – the kind of music Gregor Samsa would Thurs 1st + MC SANDMAN £7 adv • 16+ 11pm–3am • £5 early The producer and musician has played in both probably have made if you’d given him an FOOTNOTE House / Techno bird • £6 adv • £7 otd Mon 19th the maniacal Xmas Lights and the serenely electric guitar and told him to express himself. 11pm–3am • £5 Future Perfect downbeat Abandon, but Gift of Blindness may The repeated screams of “I must be dead” Sat 10th DEAD! + GUESTS be Chaudhry’s most all-devouring project yet. in ‘Shield’ sum up the mood nicely. At their Sat 3rd Future Perfect 7.30pm–10.30pm Forget whichever faux-Sabbath stoner rockers harshest Gift of Blindness invoke the metallic Cellar Music… DREAMSTATE + £8 adv • 16+ CHAPTER AND VERSE the media may be trying to peddle to you as clang of Godflesh, but one can also hear the INDEPENDENT 7.30–10.30pm Wed 21st “doom”, Gift of Blindness are the real deal. influence of Soundgarden in some of the more VENUE WEEK Artists TBC £6 adv • 16+ Future Perfect In fact, they get as close to soundtracking that melodic lead guitar parts. 7.30–10pm • £5 CATHOLIC ACTION hollow feeling of the ground falling out below Could this be the bleakest album to come out majestic and harrowing in equal measure. Sat 10th + GUESTS Move 7.30–10.30pm your feet as is humanly possible. of Oxford in 2018? Either way, `Wasteland’ is Tom McKibbin Sat 3rd HEDEX + BURT COPE • FREERANGE £7 adv 16+ + CRYPTIC SOUND UKG / Grime / Bassline + AVENO golden shower than shitstorm. Thirty minutes the understated euphoria of its chorus. Expect to 11pm–3am Wed 21st RESTRUCTURE 11pm–3am • £6 and five versions of the song later, Nightshift has hear it sung back at them by festival crowds from £5 all night BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE the pub toilet scene from Trainspotting stuck May to September. Mon 12th 80s / New Wave / Disco `Antisocial Media / Mon 5th in our heads and has gone right off the idea Dale Kattack K-Funkz: D&Bassline 11pm–3am • £5 Divine Schism WHEETO + KRYPHON Remixes’ of lunch. Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve been SHOPPING + KONE listening to Restructure. Now wash your hands. + BURT COPE Thurs 22nd (Self released) + DESPICABLE ZEE + XODOS Dale Kattack FOOTNOTE Nightshift is the last to frown at scatological ART THEEFE 7.30pm–10pm 11pm–3am £7 adv • £9 otd House / Techno language, but it’s hard to get far into `Antisocial `I Trained a Spy’ £4 • £6 • £8 11pm–3am Media’ without wanting to have a bath in neat Tues 6th Domestos, such is the imagery that bescumbers (Self released) Tues 13th Fri 23rd INDUSTRY Intrusion the song. “Skids all up me Calvin Kleins / Art Theefe singer Matt Sage posted on Facebook Techno / Disco Skylarkin’ soundsystem RESIDENT DJS KIOKO + COUNT a few months ago that he’d discovered and fallen 11pm–3am Bollocks these ones were white / Now they’re DOKTOR JOY SKYLARKIN + MORE in love with Mark Lanegan – something any £4 B412 • £5 brown and covered in shite” spits singer + BOOKHOUSE 10pm–3am + GUESTS Mark Webb over Fred Toon’s minimalist lo- sane human being should do. Good news then £5 adv • £7 otd Wed 7th • fi beats and keys. Further in there are glory and it shows with this latest single in the lead up 8.30pm–2am £4 otd to the band’s full debut album in the summer. BURNING DOWN Goth / Cyber / Dark holes, masturbation, no toilet paper and an THE HOUSE Sat 24th Alternative Dress Code Future Perfect overwhelming stench of yobbish disgust, Matt’s voice has developed a smoky layer of dirt 80s / New Wave / Disco DESERT MOUNTAIN to it that makes him sound like a once-smooth • aimed squarely at social media narcissism and 11pm–3am £5 Wed 14th TRIBE + GUESTS lounge singer who’s had too many nights on the a chorus with the blunt message “I really don’t Future Perfect 7.30–10.30pm JOHN + GUESTS give a shit / You’re an insignificant tit”. It’s complimentary wine, with a real growl about Thurs 8th £8 • 16+ Future Perfect 7.30pm–10pm like Goldie Lookin’ Chain turning their sights it at times, while behind him the guitars have REDFACES + GUESTS £6adv • 16+ taken on a darker, more doleful vibe, a bit of late Mon 26th on Sleaford Mods and coming up smelling of 7.30–10.30pm night surf shimmer and gothic country rock. It Future Perfect something that definitely ain’t roses. £6 adv • 16+ Thurs 15th suits the grainy video set in what looks like the PALE WAVES There are a handful of remixes here to bring a Future Perfect + GUESTS burst of air freshener to proceedings, although final last chance all-night bar in town. It’s quite Thurs 8th THE LOVELY EGGS + 7.30–10.30pm a departure from what we’ve heard of the band Clubber’s Guide to the PORKY THE POET • the best of these, by Tiger Mendoza, rather than LOW ISLAND Galaxy: In Orbit £8adv 16+ so far and it’s something we could get rather 7.30–10.30pm opening a window to let in some air, piles on LAURENCE GUY + £9 adv • 16+ the claustrophobia in churning, reverbed-up `Too Young’ comfortable with as we sit here on this bar stool DJ VILLEMIN industrial style. Golden Cities at least bring a (Self released) at 4 in the morning savouring the dregs of that 11pm–3pm Fri 16th degree of sprightliness to the song, so it’s more Low Island have spent the past twelve months third bottle of Rioja. £7 adv • £8 otd Future Perfect drip-feeding us a steady procession of online Dale Kattack ITCH (THE KING singles, building to a full EP to come in March. Fri 9th BLUES) + GUESTS Future Perfect 7.30–10.30pm It’s a slow-build approach that’s reaped rich WE ARE NOT DEVO – £10 • 16+ dividends as the band now count everyone from A TRIBUTE TO DEVO Annie Mac and Huw Stephens to Foals and 7.30–10.30pm Fri 16th Radiohead as fans. They’ve found themselves £8adv • 16+ SOUL SESSIONS playing Reading and Leeds Festivals and Disco / Soul / Funk Primavera Sound (where the video to this single 11pm–3am was filmed), while this EP release will coincide £5 all night with their biggest London headline show to date at The Scala. It looks like they’ll own the summer. And all on the back of slick, funky The Cellar, Frewin Court, Oxford, OX1 3HZ electro-pop songs like this, which draw a woozy @CellarOxford TheCellar.Oxford line between Japan’s ghostly 80s synth-pop www.cellaroxford.co.uk and Caribou, via Arthur Russell. `Too Young’ follows the template so far: a tightly-reined rush and swell of beats and synths building to The Grateful Dead from Franklin’s Tower. blummin well aren’t, but also they are – see OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms – main preview Weekly open session. MR B THE GENTLEMAN RHYMER + THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Tree, Iffley GRACE SAVAGE: The Bullingdon – Straight (4-6.30pm) – Rock and blues covers from the outta Surrey, Bespectacled, besuited and veteran local singer and guitarist. elegantly moustachioed chap-rapper Mr B, gives hip hop a run through with the Queen’s GIG GUIDE English, coming in at that point where De th MONDAY 5 la Soul meets Noel Coward and Flanders & st rd SHOPPING + KONE + DESPICABLE ZEE: THURSDAY 1 SATURDAY 3 Swann. Or maybe NWA if they’d grown up in The Cellar – Post punk goes to the Hi-Life THE BREW: The Bullingdon – Loud and COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS: St. Hove and been more interested in cricket and disco with the busy, busy Rachel Aggs and heavy rock’n’soul, influenced by Led Zep and FEBRUARY Barnabas Church – Stories from the road and fine tea. chums – see main preview Cream from Grimsby’s The Brew at tonight’s from behind the bar from the much-travelled SILK ROAD + YORE ONLY RITES + OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Royal Blenheim – Haven Club show, the band out on tour to King and Temples from the recent Nightshift singer and guitarist – see main preview ORCA + THE DEMOISELLES: The Weekly open session. promote their new `Shake the Tree’ album, Introducing stars, launching their new EP THE SHERLOCKS: O2 Academy – Wheatsheaf – Swaggering hard rock and MARTIN SIMPSON: Nettlebed Folk Club having previously toured with ZZ Top and `Remnants of a Wasted Dream’. Anthemic, Arctic Monkeys-style rocking blues from Silk Crew at tonight’s local bands – Masterful traditional folk songsmithery from Lynyrd Skynyrd, and shared stages with Jeff FOOTNOTE: The Cellar – House and techno from Sheffield’s Sherlocks, back in town after showcase. the veteran acoustic and slide guitarist, back at Beck and Joe Bonamassa. club night with resident DJs. their show here last year, on another headline MICHAEL BOLTON: The New Theatre – Nettlebed. MOTHER: The Cellar – Grunged-up indie THE SPIN with TIM WHITEHEAD: The tour to coincide with new single `Chasing Walk to the North Pole in just our underwear; rocking in the vein of The Strokes, Spring Wheatsheaf – The weekly jazz club hosts tenor Shadows’, ahead of a spring tour supporting go head to head with a pack of ravenous th saxophonist Whitehead, playing alongside the Liam Gallagher, the band having previously wolves; free dive into the Miarana Trench; call rd TUESDAY 6 th Saturday 3 club’s in-house band. toured with The Libertines, Scouting For Girls, SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Adebayo Akinfenwa rude names to his face: Sunday 4 COURTNEY MARIE THE JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW: The Reverend & the Makers and The Enemy. Street Tavern – Weekly open mic night. these are all things Nightshift would willingly New Theatre – Big stage tribute to The Man In SKEPSIS: O2 Academy – South London INDUSTRY: The Cellar – Techno and disco do before we’d listen to Michael Bolton ever JESCA HOOP / ANDREWS: Black. bassman Skepsis returns to town after his club night. again. And, dear God, that haircut… set here as part of the Crucast label tour in THE AUGUST LIST: THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf TERRAFORMS: The Cellar – The long- November. St. Barnabas Church – first of a fair few shows this month for the th running local drum&bass club night enters The Bullingdon Courtney Marie Andrews has spent almost veteran local party starters, mixing up swamp METAL TO THE MASSES: The Wheatsheaf WEDNESDAY 7 Two things always tend to get brought up ROCKSOC NIGHT: The Wheatsheaf – Live its tenth year, tonight with guest Phil Tangent her entire adult life on the road. Raised in blues, funk, ska, pop and psychedelia in the – The latest heat in the battle to win a place in any article about Jesca Hoop before her rock from the student music society. on the decks, alongside Greencode & Bolo, Arizona, at the age of 16 she headed off downstairs bar. at this summer’s Bloodstock, tonight with music is even mentioned: she’s a former BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Magnum, Swyndla, MC KB and MC Sandman. on her first tour: playing any bar or café CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Imminent Annihilation, Honour in Ashes and Mormon, and she was previously nanny Cellar – 80s, synth-pop, glam and disco club that would have her along the West Coast. Community Centre – Oxford’s longest running Ape. NIGEL GARAGE: The Bullingdon - to Tom Waits’ kids. So, there. Got that out night. And when she finished that she took a open night continues to showcase singers, FRANKLY SINATRA: The New Theatre – Puntastic garage club night. the way now. Both have a bearing on her AMIR + AKA GEORGE + THE KINGS Greyhound bus to New York and did the musicians, poets, storytellers, performance Big stage tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes. THE RONNIE SCOTT’S SOHO music though: lyrically she can be scouring PARADE + ERICA: The Jericho Tavern same along the East Coast. And when that artists and more every week. SIMPLE with DJ STINGRAY: The SONGBOOK: The Cornerstone, Didcot – about religion, including her former faith, was done, she spent the following decade ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure Bullingdon – House and techno at the long The Ronnie Scott’s Allstars run through classics and Waits was an important mentor to Hoop touring as guitarist and backing singer with – Weekly unplugged open mic session. running local club night, tonight hosting THURSDAY 8th from the world-famous London jazz club. early in her career, describing her music some 40 different acts, including Jimmy BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Detroit’s globetrotting DJ and producer REDFACES: The Cellar – Sheffield’s as “like swimming in a lake at midnight”. Eatworld and Damien Jurado, as well as Sandford – Open blues jam. Sherard Ingram, who’s worked with Carl Craig, harmony-heavy 60s r’n’b-influenced indie th Hoop’ picked up a fair few influential Belgian band Milow, whose members Anthony Shakir and Kenny Dixon as well as SATURDAY 10 rockers head back to town after their show DREAM STATE + CHAPTER & VERSE: friends along the course of her five-album in turn became her backing band on the releasing club hits under the name Urban Tribe nd here back in October, following supports to The Cellar – Technical post-hardcore from career: Elbow’s Guy Garvey persuaded her EP she recorded over there. Eventually FRIDAY 2 as well as his DJ Stingray alias. Courteeners and Strypes and an appearance at south Wales quintet Dream State, out on a to move from her native California, where homesickness caught up with her and she NATALIE IMBRUGLIA: O2 Academy – FREERANGE: The Cellar – UK garage, last summer’s Truck Festival. headline tour in the wake of the huge success she’d been working as a wilderness guide, went home and worked in a bar. Here she First Oxford show in almost a decade for the grime and bassline club night. NEW GENERATION BLUES SHOWCASE: of last year’s anthemic `White Lies’ single, and the pair have collaborated regularly, used the stories she heard from customers one-time Neighbours star turned multi- THE MIGHTY REDOX + TALC DEMONS The Bullingdon – The fifth showcase tour of clocking up over a million Spotify plays and 3.5 while in 2016 she recorded an album of – farmers, construction workers, waitresses million selling pop icon, best known for + THE JESTERS: The Whitehouse rising British blues talent brings Danny Giles’ million Youtube plays. Support from London duets with Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam. Her – alongside her own experiences to write international hit `Torn’, and out on tour to THE INFLATABLES: The Wig & Pen – full-blooded blues-rock, gospel and soul to alt.rockers Chapter and Verse. new album, `Memories Are Now’, released and record the album `Honest Life’, her promote 2015 album `Male’ as well as her Classic ska, reggae and Two-Tone tunes from town, joined by ever-gigging guitarist Brent CASH: O2 Academy – Second Johnny Cash on Subpop, reflects her folk roots as well sixth (not bad given she’s still only 26 and long list of hits. the longstanding local party faves. Hutchinson, inspired by Hendrix, Gary Moore, tribute show of the month. as her restless spirit: songs can be sparse, has rarely been off the road long enough to BOSSAPHONIK with SOOTHSAYERS: PHIL BEER: Tiddy Hall, Ascott-under- Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. There’s also SYKKO DOLLZ + SAINTS OF SIN + simple and acoustic, or percussion and loop record). The album uses that life on the road The Cellar – Latin dance, global grooves, Wychwood – The former Albion Band and dynamic rocking blues from duo Red Butler. SPYDER BYTE: The Wheatsheaf – Triple heavy, densely orchestrated and full of ideas. as a framework to explore youth, maturity, Balkan beats, Afrobeat and nu-jazz club night, Show of Hands folk veteran comes to the CLUBBERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: dose of hard rock courtesy of OxRox tonight, She can be self-consciously kooky at times, dreams of escape and the cost of that hosted by Dan Ofer and tonight featuring Wychwood Folk Club, the singer and multi- The Cellar – House, disco and soul club night with sleaze rock and glam-punkers Sykko Dollz musically and lyrically, but more often she escape, longing and redemption in a classic, a live set from London’s veteran Afrobeat instrumentalist backed by his new band. with renowned selector Laurence Guy, plus DJ headlining over hard rockers Saints of Sin and can be genuinely otherworldly and strange. unfussy country roots style that recalls ensemble Soothsayers, whose horn section Villemin. sleaze-metallers Spyder Byte. Everything she does is understated and Gram Parsons, Emylou Harris and the 70s featured in Fela – The Musical, as well as th SUNDAY 4 CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford SOMEWHERE LIKE YOU – THE ADELE precise even while she’s singing about Greek Laurel Canyon sound. It has the unhurried, collaborating with Dele Sosimi Afrobeat JESCA HOOP + THE AUGUST LIST: The Community Centre SONGBOOK: The New Theatre – Tribute to mythology, the Bible, internet age anxiety assured feel of a seasoned artist, which she Orchestra among a host of others. Bullingdon – Haunted folk-pop from the much- ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure the billion-selling singer. and love in all its bitter forms. Superb local very much is, despite still being so young, KLUB KAKOFANNEY with FRACTURE loved Ms Hoop – see main preview BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, MOVE: The Cellar – UK bass and drum&bass support tonight in the form of Nightshift’s so best catch her here before she’s whisked + RESTRUCTURE + BE STILL + COFFEE BREATH + FANCY DRESS Sandford club night with a guest set from Hedex, one of Number 1 act of 2017, The August List. off again by the call of the road. THE SCISSORS: The Wheatsheaf – Characteristically mixed bag of fun from Klub PARTY + NIGHT SWIMMING + SUPER the hottest names in jump up. Eynsham Kakofanney again tonight with blues and LEMON DAYS: The Library – Math/emo FRIDAY 9th GUNFINGERS: The Bullingdon – Grime, funk-inflected rockers Fracture; punk-rap-rave rocking in the vein of American Football, UPRISING with CASSELS + CHEROKII r’n’b and bassline club night th hoolies Restructure; pop-punkers Be Still and Tubelord and TTNG from Birmingham’s Coffee + EASTER ISLAND STATUES + BANDICOOT + CLAYTORIDE: The SUNDAY 11 more. Breath, alongside local Sunny Day Real Estate- FLATLANDS: O2 Academy – Quality line-up Jericho Tavern – Indie rocking from JORJA SMITH: O2 Academy – Emotive and LONDON CALLING: The Bullingdon influenced indie sulkers Fancy Dress Party, and of local talent at the O2’s team-up with BBC Swansea’s Bandicoot. politicised r’n’b from the Walsall singer and – Tribute to The Clash, celebrating the 40th shoegazers Night Swimming. Introducing in Oxford. Wiry, uptight post- PSYCHEDELIC TEATIME: Magic Café, Brit Critics Choice winner for 2018 – see main anniversary of `Give ‘Em Enough Rope’. BEARD OF DESTINY + DES BARKUS hardcore brothers Cassels unleash their poetic Magdalen Road (3-4.30pm) – Electro-psych preview SIMON & GARFUNKEL THROUGH + ANNEI + FRANKLIN’S TOWER: ire alongside thunderous beats’n’riffs duo rockers Flights of Helios play an acoustic set in KLUB KAKOFANNEY with THE THE YEARS: The Cornerstone, Didcot – Donnington Community Centre (6pm) – Free Cherokii, heroic indie/folk-rock starlets Easter the East Oxford veggie café as they launch their FACTORY LIGHTS + TONY BATEY & Career-spanning tribute to the mega-selling evening of acoustic music, including Delta Island Statues and fluffy pop crew Flatlands. long-awaited debut album this month. SAL MOORE + CANUTE’S PLASTIC duo. blues from Beard of Destiny and a tribute to WE ARE NOT DEVO: The Cellar – They THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Red Lion, ARMY + MARK BOSLEY & PETE LOCK Armstrong, Fats Domino and more. r’n’b from The Deadbeat Apostles in support. OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Royal Blenheim CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford McGOLDRICK, McCUSKER & DOYLE: Community Centre Nettlebed Folk Club – Another chance to catch ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure three of the contemporary folk scene’s leading BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, lights together in an intimate setting, with the Sandford Transatlantic Sessions trio back at Nettlebed’s renowned weekly club – Michael McGoldrick th plays flute, whistles and uillean pipes, with FRIDAY 16 ITCH: The Cellar – The King Blues frontman John McCusker on fiddle and John Doyle on heads out on another solo tour, this time reading vocals and guitar for a run through of their from his new 101 Haikus book of politicised combined catalogues and traditional numbers. Monday 5th poetry, as well as playing songs from his King Blues and solo career. th SHOPPING / KONE / TUESDAY 13 THUNDER ON THE LEFT + SECOND IN INTRUSION: The Cellar – Monthly goth, LINE + ORDER #227: The Wheatsheaf – DESPICABLE ZEE: industrial, ebm and alternative 80s club night Nimble, angular and melodic indie-core from The Cellar with Doktor Joy and Bookhouse keeping it dark London’s Thunder on the Left back in town and Rachel Aggs is a busy woman. When she’s on the decks. coming in somewhere between Fugazi, Veruca not playing with Trash Kit with former SAM BAKER: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Dark- Salt and The Breeders on new EP `The Age of Rock of Travolta and Electralane member hearted, poetic Americana in the vein of Johnny Letting Go’. Support from Newbury’s melodic Ros Murray, or touring with the sublime Cash, Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle from skatepunks Second in Line and Oxford’s Sacred Paws, she’s usually working on a Texan songsmith Sam Baker at tonight’s Empty virulent hardcore beasts Order#227 new Shopping record. They’ve released Room show, the singer and guitarist over in ULYSSES WELLS + MELLOR + DAIS: The three in the last four years, which is some the UK to promote `Land of Doubt’, his fifth going. Aggs has also spent time in Golden album, recorded in Nashville and seeing Baker Friday 9th Grrls and a few other bands but Shopping move towards a more electric sound. is up there with Sacred Paws as her best SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James WE ARE NOT DEVO: work: sparse dance-punk that keeps one eye Street Tavern on the party vibe and the other on social The Cellar and political issues – particularly race and WEDNESDAY 14th Nightshift doesn’t, as a rule, go a big deal on tribute bands, mainly because the ones gender. The trio is steeped in the uptight JOHN: The Cellar – Seriously malign noise- who come to town tend to be tributes funk of the late-70s/early-80s, inspired rock from the hard-to-Google south London to predictable granddad-rock acts, from by The Raincoats, The Au Pairs, Gang of duo (both of whom are called John), slamming Queen to Pink Floyd. Usually Pink Floyd. Four and The Delta 5, with Aggs’ West it out in the vein of Fucked Up, No Age and We’re always happy to wallow in a bit of African hi-life-inspired guitar style always Idles, who they recently supported, as well nostalgia though if something interesting to the fore. Tonight’s gig, hosted by Divine as shows with Pulled Apart By Horses and pops by and here we get the rare treat of a Schism, is Shopping’s Oxford debut, the USA Nails. They’re out on a headline tour to tribute to Devo, Akron, Ohio’s electro-pop/ band out on tour to promote last year’s promote recent debut album `Godspeed in the weird-rock freaks whose kitsch surrealism `The Official Body’ album, as fine a slice of National Limit’, and a perfectly beastly way to hid clever satire and astonishing musical post-punk pop as you’ll hear. And who else soundtrack Valentine’s Day. invention. Debut album `Q: Are We Not to share the stage with them than Oxford’s METAL TO THE MASSES: The Wheatsheaf Men? A: We Are Devo!’ is a consistently own post-punk-inspired trio Kone, mixing – Tonight’s heat of the heavyweight battle of under-appreciated electronic/post-punk many of the same influences – particularly the bands features Violence is Golden, Confront masterpiece whose influence remains The Raincoats – with Young Marble Giants’ the Carnage and Damaged Reich. gently bubbling indie pop and The xx’s constant if mainly underground. Featuring two pairs of brothers – the Mothersbaughs gothic understatement. Opening the show th is Zahra Tehrani’s excellent, inventive solo THURSDAY 15 and the Casales, Devo formed in 1974, beats project Despicable Zee. THE LOVELY EGGS: The Cellar – Magic inspired by the murder of student protesters onions and punked-up sweary psychedelia from at Kent university by National Guards, + MARK SOLLIS: The Wheatsheaf (3pm) – the Lancastrian pop superheroes – see main and the idea that American society was Klub Kakofanney host a free afternoon of live preview actually devolving (pretty prescient given music in the Sheaf’s downstairs bar. HAYSEED DIXIE: O2 Academy – Classic recent events). They enjoyed only one hit OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms songs covered bluegrass style by the Stateside in their time - `Whip It’, but the likes of hillbilly crazies, renowned for taking on AC/ `I Saw My Baby Getting Sloppy’, `Jocko th DC, Queen. Motorhead, Led Zep, Sabbath, Homo’, `Mongaloid’, `Girl You Want’ and MONDAY 12 The Darkness and more, but with new album their classic Stones cover `(I Can’t Get NEWTON FAULKNER: O2 Academy – The `Free Your Mind and Your Grass Will Follow’ No) Satisfaction’ are brilliantly weird. So ever affable Mr Faulkner returns to town as part expanding their palette to Bob Marley, Marvin yeah, Nightshift is taking a night off from of a tour to promote new album `Hit the Ground Gaye, The Temptations and Elvis Costello, championing new music and is indulging Running’. among others. in musical comfort food. Join us; we’ll WILLY MASON + NINA VIOLET: The SPIN with NIGEL PRICE: The Wheatsheaf buy you a beer and maybe enjoy a bit of a Jericho Tavern – Rough-hewn rustic folk- – Breezy swing and blues-tinged jazz from the (weirdly robotic) dance. pop, poetic sincerity, winsome charm and hard-working guitarist at tonight’s Spin. dusty hymns to moving on from the New York THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf troubadour, back in Oxford for his first club – Free gig in the downstairs bar. show in almost a decade, already sold out. BIG BOY BLOATER + THE DEADBEAT K-FUNKZ: The Cellar – Bassline, UK garage APOSTLES: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Classic and drum&bass club night with Wheeto, r’n’b, rockabilly, blues and surf from singer, Kryphon, Burt Cope and Xodos. guitarist and radio DJ Big Boy Bloater and his OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ: Harcourt band back in town, promoting recent album Arms – Classic jazz and ragtime from the local `Luxury Hobo’, having previously toured with ensemble, taking on Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Imelda May. Great country-tinged soul and peers on classic cuts like `Beasley Street’, `I of the bands. – former bandmate of Deirdre Cartwright in with local live faves Little Brother Eli back Wanna Be Yours’, `Evidently Chickentown’ and The Guest Stars – and her band at tonight’s in action with a new disco-fied, electronic `Twat’. nd Spin club. sound that still has its roots in funked-up rock. TOM ZANETTI + K.O. KANE: O2 THURSDAY 22 CIPHERS + CHALK + BREEZEWAX: The They’re joined by promising new indie crew FISHERMAN’S FRIEND: Tiddy Hall, Academy – Simple hosts the Leeds based Jericho Tavern – Daisy Rodgers Music Night Quartermelon, mixing shades of shoegaze, Ascott-under-Wychwood – The veteran a rapper and producer, best known for his 2016 with new local electro/indie glitchers Ciphers, soul and funk into their inventive sound, and capella shanty congregation play an already hit `You Want Me’ with Sadie Ama. taking a cue from Portishead and Explosions Death of Hi-Fi singer Lucy Cropper’s new sold-out show at Wychwood Folk Club, THE BLINDERS + BRIXTONS + in the Sky, plus fidgety electro-pop from solo project Lucy Vee, marrying her sultry, keeping the timeless songs of the sea alive a WATERFOOLS: The Cellar – Barricade- London outfit Chalk and woozy, electro, r’n’b soulful voice to funky beats and electronics. quarter of a century on from their formation manning, statue-kicking militant indie-punk and and hip hop from Breezewax. MAYA YOUSSEF: Holywell Music Room in Port Isaac, Cornwall, during which time rock’n’roll in the vein of The Enemy, Arctic FOOTNOTE: The Cellar – Traditional and experimental Syrian music they’ve played Glastonbury and the Queen’s th th Monkeys and Shame from the Manchester CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford from the acclaimed qanun virtuoso – see main Sunday 11 Diamond Jubilee and released two Top 10 Saturday 24 band, out on tour. Community Centre preview albums. THE SHAKER HEIGHTS + SWITCH OUT ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure FACTORY LIGHTS + CHRIS REEVES + MAYA YOUSSEF: JORJA SMITH: SPIN with THE ALISON RAYNER + MÖBIUS: The Wheatsheaf – Sweet, dark BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, MOIETY: Harcourt Arms – Small Faces- QUINTET: The Wheatsheaf – Rhythmic O2 Academy synth-pop and indie from The Shaker Heights, Sandford style 60s r’n’b and Springsteen-influenced Holywell Music Room jazz, Latin, funk and folk from bassist Rayner Born in Damascus, virtuoso Syrian For someone who started her music career playing songs from last year’s excellent blue collar tales from Shapes offshoot Factory qanun player Maya Youssef moved to singing Katy B songs with a mate at school, `Collapse’ album. rd Lights, putting Oxford’s past to song in FRIDAY 23 the UK after being given an Arts Council Jorja Smith has done okay for herself. Okay, MUSICAL MEDICINE: The Bullingdon personal style. th SKYLARKIN’ SOUNDSYSTEM featuring exceptional talent award in 2012, allowing rather more than okay – phenomenally well GRAFFITI CLASSICS: The Cornerstone, Thursday 15 KIOKO: The Cellar – Count Skylarkin her to launch a career that has subsequently really. For starters she’s won the 2018 Brits Didcot – The livewire string quartet mix up th THE LOVELY EGGS: hosts his monthly reggae, dancehall and soca SUNDAY 25 seen her playing at the Royal Albert Hall as Critics Choice Award, an honour previously classical music with gypsy swing, folk-dance shindig, tonight featuring a live set from SPINNING COIN + GREEN HANDS part of the Proms alongside Damon Albarn bestowed on Adele, Sam Smith and most and comedy, pitching in somewhere between The Cellar Birmingham’s Sioko, mixing up reggae, soca + SALVATION BILL: The Library – and won her an audience around the world. recently Rag’n’Bone Man, and an almost Beethoven, bluegrass, baroque, rock’n’roll and Despite describing themselves simply as “a and Afrobeat into their pop-friendly tunes, Variously jangly and spiky indie of the old The qanun is a 78-stringed instrument sure-fire guarantee of commercial mega disco. punk rock band from northern England,” it’s winning fans in David Rodigan and Lee school from Glaswegian quintet Spinning Coin akin to a plucked zither and is integral to success. And then there was the MOBO fair to say there isn’t another band around `Scratch’ Perry along the way. at tonight’s Divine Schism show, the band traditional Syrian music. Youssef has taken Award nomination last year. And getting the anything like The Lovely Eggs. Formed th BRIXTONS + RESTRUCTURE + THE drawing inspiration from classic Scottish 80s those traditions, including using maqam chance to collaborate with and perform live SUNDAY 18 by married couple Holly Ross and David THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS: The RELATIONSHIPS + FUJI: The Wheatsheaf bands like Josef K and The Pastels, on whose scales, and fused them with elements of with Drake. And being picked to open for Blackwell, the pair, from Lancaster, plough Cornerstone, Didcot – Traditional Celtic – Indie rocking in an Arctic Monkey vein Geographic label their recent debut album jazz and flamenco among other styles, Bruno Mars on last year’s US tour. Yeah, not a singularly idiosyncratic furrow, bashing ballads, lullabies, jigs and reels from the from Wantage’s Brixtons at tonight’s It’s All `Permo’ was released. on her debut album `Syrian Dreams’, a a bad 18 months for the singer from Walsall out gorgeously exuberant indie-thrash gems Scottish band. About the Music showcase, and host Osprey’s SUNDAY SESSION with MAN CHOIR + journey through and tribute to her battered whose debut album `11’ is finally released like `Allergies’ and `Goofin’ Around (In OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms birthday party. They’re joined by Rap/rave/ VALENTINO: Florence Park Community homeland, dealing instrumentally with this year. It follows a debut single, `Blue Lancashire’)’ one minute, potty-mouthed THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Tree, Iffley punk duo Restructure, channelling The Streets Centre (2-5pm) – Family-friendly gig session the war there, her music attempting to Lights’, which was picked up by Skrillex grunge rants like `Don’t Look At Me (I (4-6.30pm) through Sleaford Mods’ sense of disgust. with 30-strong community choir Man Choir capture the sorrow and hope of the conflict and Stormzy; a club hit, `On My Mind’, Don’t Like It)’ and `People Are Twats’ the There’s also a return to live action for tweedy performing an eclectic repertoire, plus local and those caught up in it. Fans and critics with Preditah and million-streaming singles next, everything smothered in a quintes- psychedelic indie poets The Relationships, acid-jazz funk crew Valentino playing James have acclaimed her unique, innovative like `Where Did I Go’ and `Beautiful Little th sentially northern gravy of daft humour, MONDAY 19 with tales of late-life melancholy riding on Taylor Quartet songs. approach to the instrument and it’s fitting Fools’, the latter released on International oddball lyricism and Holly’s unrefined DEAD!: The Cellar – Melodic velocity Byrds-like pop wings, and funky indie pop OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms her first visit to Oxford, courtesy of Oxford Women’s Day and written by Smith about Lancastrian accent. On the one hand they’re grunge and punk fun from London’s Dead!, from Fuji. THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Prince of Contemporary Music, takes place at the the women in The Great Gatsby. If her so determinedly anti-commercial they out on a headline tour to promote debut album THE LAST DINOSAUR + SAM MARTIN: Wales, Iffley (3-6pm) historic Holywell Music Room, which voice is sultry and soulful, her words carry released a single called `Fuck It’ on a bank `The Golden Age of Not Even Trying’, having The Jericho Tavern – Fragile, soul-bearing TOM IVEY: The Brewery Tap, Abingdon has hosted myriad musical explorers plenty of bite, but what do you expect from holiday Monday so that DJs couldn’t play it supported Papa Roach at Brixton Academy at chamber-folk and country-tinged pop from (5pm) – Acoustic and electric blues covers and and traditionalists over the centuries. someone who wrote an A Level dissertation and no-one could actually buy it, but on the the end of 2017. Cambridge’s The Last Dinosaur, taking originals. Youssef is joined by local cello virtuoso entitled `Is Post-Colonialism Still Present other, pretty much everything they do comes OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Royal Blenheim inspiration from Talk Talk, Sparklehorse and Barney Morse-Brown from Duotone, and in Grime?’. Musically her jazz-inflected tinged with pop magic. With new album CARA DILLON: Nettlebed Folk Club Penguin Café Orchestra. th percussionist Elizabeth Nott, who also r’n’b isn’t turning over any new stones, but `This Is Eggland’ the pair have recruited MONDAY 26 – Traditional folk music from the multiple OWL LIGHT TRIO: Quaker Meeting played on the album. her voice is worth any success she gets all PALE WAVES + OUR GIRL + BLOXX: The award-winning Irish singer, back at Nettlebed Dave Fridmann to coat everything in a rich House, St. Giles – Instrumental experimental by itself. Not surprising then that tonight’s Cellar – Ethereal shoegazy spangle and electro- after her show here last year. albumen of psychedelic craziness, tracks folk from local outfit Owl Light Trio, recent show is already sold out; this time next year indie from Manchester’s Pale Waves, heading Scottish-flavoured folk dance from the 2016 like `Hello, I am Your Sun’ and `Wiggy support to The Rheingans Sisters. she’ll have far outgrown venues this size. up this DIY Class of 2018 tour, the band Scottish Traditional Music Awards Best Folk th Giggy’ keeping one hand on their northern TRACKSUIT & TRANCE: The Bullingdon TUESDAY 20 having recently been long listed for the BBC Act and Album of the Year winners, playing lunacy while aiming spaceward and creating – Old skool house and techno. Jericho Tavern – Daisy Rodgers Music show PETE BOSS & THE BLUEHEARTS: Sound of 2018 award. Debut single `There’s a songs, tunes and step dances from their recent their most commercial music to date. Night- WHITE HORSE WHISPERERS + BOON, with local rockers mixing up the influences of The Bullingdon – Slowhand electric blues Honey’ was produced by The 1975 and they’ve `Astar’ on bagpipes, fiddle, flute and guitar. shift sometimes dreams that if we’re really MEW & WOOSTER: The Cornerstone, Royal Blood and Them Crooked Vultures, with from the local blues-rock veteran and former previously been out on tour with Superfood. good, when we die we’ll go to Heaven and Didcot – Traditional folk tunes and originals support from Reading’s Libertines-inspired Elmores frontman at tonight’s Haven Club KING 810: O2 Academy – Michigan’s th The Lovely Eggs will be our new mum and from Faringdon’s WHW at tonight’s pay-what- TUESDAY 27 rockers Mellor and singer/songwriter Dais, show. brawling metalcore mob bring the brutality dad. The afterlife would be a riot of colour you-want bar show, alongside BMW’s easy HAK BAKER: The Jericho Tavern – Folk- coming in somewhere between KT Tunstall and SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James and darkness as they tour their most recent and fun. bluegrass, trad folk and 60s pop. reggae-indie-hip hop fusion from the London Kate Nash. Street Tavern `La Letit Mort or a Conversation with God’ MAD LARRY: The Prince of Wales, singer, touring his `Misfits’ EP. SILENT DISCO: O2 Academy album, fronted by MMA fighter David Gunn, so Shippon – Classic r’n’b, rock and blues from SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James st probably not a band you’d want to heckle too WEDNESDAY 21 the veteran local singer and guitarist. Street Tavern th CATHOLIC ACTION: The Cellar – much, at least without a nearby escape route. SATURDAY 17 OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Royal Blenheim THE SAD SONG CO.: Modern Art Oxford – Glasgow’s indie rockers Catholic Action, led th th BREABACH: Nettlebed Folk Club – WEDNESDAY 28 Nigel Powell plays his first hometown headline by Casual Sex drummer Chris McCrory, return SATURDAY 24 DESERT MOUNTAIN TRIBE: The Cellar show to launch new album `Worth – see main to Oxford for a headline show after supporting – Epic, opulent psych-rock from London/ interview feature. Kagoule here last year. Cologne trio Desert Mountain Tribe, taking DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE: O2 BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Black Angel’s frazzled, dark-edged psych for Academy – Manchester’s titan of scabrous wit Cellar a trip into U2-style stadium rock and prog, via and legendary punk poet JCC returns to Oxford METAL TO THE MASSES: The Black Mountain and The Pretty Things. after his sold-out show here in November, Wheatsheaf – Stoner-blues heavyweights GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES continuing to explore the gutter and the sky in Crimson Tusk go up against Witney death with LITTLE BROTHER ELI + his undiminished sardonic style, the godfather metallers Bloodshot and punk veterans Trauma th QUARTERMELON + LUCY VEE: The Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20 of each month, no exceptions. of slam poetry and a rhyming genius with few UK at tonight’s heat of the Bloodstock battle Wheatsheaf – Top-notch mixed bill from GTI Listings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be used without permission. point in the evening – but that doesn’t make it any less pathetic and GO WEST / NIK KERSHAW / MAIIANS / PORRIDGE RADIO / LIVE insulting. And it’s in stark contrast to the attitude of The Cribs, a band WANG CHUNG KID KIN / SHH! THE DEAF HAVE who’ve headlined the second stage The New Theatre AIDS / GARDEN CENTRE at the Reading and Leeds Festivals, What should be a routine retro the song in question. But it quickly and who play the upstairs room at run-through of three of the 1980s’ becomes apparent that the two acts The Cellar the O2 Academy as though it’s the more forgettable mid-table pop acts are going to perform a joint set, with a It’s three nights before Christmas If you picked out Porridge Radio’s best night of their life. When they’re (advertised under the rather hopeful couple of Kershaw songs followed by but tonight’s celebratory gig is less myriad apparent influences you’d photo: GlassHertzzPhoto not taking requests from the crowd banner `Icons of the 80s’) turns out a brace from Go West and so on, like about the birth of Jesus, more about have one hell of a playlist, from or reminiscing about their last time to be a more unusual evening, as well some kind of 80s pop penalty shoot- the return of one-time local musical which Lykke Li, The Slits, Young in the venue (2004, with Death Cab as a reminder of that decades’ less out. The best of Kershaw’s songs are messiahs Maiians, back onstage Marble Giants and Nadine Shah for Cutie), they’re playing seriously appealing musical traits. the lightweight synth-pop of `I Won’t together for the first time in a year, might be the prime picks; fuse them loud, seriously good rock music, with For starters Cutting Crew have been Let the Sun Go Down On Me’, and having spread themselves across the together somehow and you get an the sort of energy and enthusiasm forced to pull out of the gig because the anthemic `Wouldn’t It Be Good’, globe in pursuit of work. intriguing mix of sleepy-eyed chart most bands can only dream of. Nick Van Eede’s daughter is critically while Go West did have a couple of The expansive bill, put together by pop, awkward post-punk noise, off- The set kicks off with `Our Bovine ill. Fellow one-hit-wonders (in the passable nuggets in the shape of `King Divine Schism, kicks off in festively the-wall rock and a musical mix of Public’, the opening track from UK at least) Wang Chung are a late of Wishful Thinking’, which has the freakish fashion with Garden determination and befuddlement that `Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, replacement and come with the entire crowd singing along, and the Centre, former King of Cats man might fall aprt any moment but stays Whatever’, with its jerky, stabbing added bonus of sharing at least one brassy electro-funk of `We Close Our Max Levy conjuring The Velvet the course in real style. drum beat and anthemic chorus member. By way of tribute to Nick Eyes’, both saved til last. Underground’s `Afterhours’ as It’s late and we’ve watched four getting the crowd instantly on side and his daughter, and doubtless to There’s also some right old guff. The covered by Joe Pasquale, or maybe bands already but Maiians have – and it just keeps getting better sate any disappointed punters, they joint covers for starters: Eurythmics’ Happy Flowers if they’d decided to the packed room gripped from the from there. `Come On, Be a No- play `I Just Died In Your Arms’, `Sweet Dreams’ is turned into make a trad folk album in the style off and for the duration, their twin One’ drives things forward with its which is touching but perhaps not mushy, MOR pulp, while their take of Renaldo & the Loaf. Everything live drummer powered pocket rave alt-rock bassline and angsty lyrics. the most appropriate title given the on `Hungry Like the Wolf’ has our is gleefully, sinisterly childlike as he still as special as it was before they `I’m a Realist’ gets an uproarious circumstances. We wish her well for Duranie companion for the night sings about finding porn mags under went on hiatus, spaced-out electro- reception, helped along by some a full recovery, but we’re not sure rushing from the auditorium in bridges and dead bodies in weirs. A pop and taut rhythms providing chanting from the audience. The we can forgive Wang Chung for their panicked disgust. A set closing `Sex real nightmare before Christmas. an ebb and flow dynamic that newer tracks are good, if less well bombastic soft rock that edges too On Fire’ is both anomalous and After Shh! The Deaf Have Aids’ allows tension to build, flower and known but it’s the best tracks from close to Dire Straits’ stadium pomp at godawful, but it’s the constant reliance glitchy electro that resolves into dissipate before building once again, `Men’s Needs…’, culminating in times. Or their cover of Blur’s `Boys on bombast and histrionics that really some pleasantly laidback acid house Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre `Be Safe’ – accompanied by a & Girls’, which is pub-rock proficient grates, both acts relying on overblown comedown and chilled beats, Kid dropping happy pills and heading giant video of Lee Ranaldo – and but utterly soulless. Still, `Dancehall showboating instead of sticking to the Kin presents a more expansive set, off to Ibiza for a summer session. the Strokes-influenced title track, Days’ is a tune, taking the band tunes in hand – perhaps a realisation featuring live drums, violin and There are new tracks among that stand out in a set that’s always from aimless bluesy chug into funky they don’t have as many hits as vocals, starting in droning fashion old favourites like `Lemon’ and blisteringly energetic, always bold electro-pop for four fun minutes. they’d like or need to keep a nostalgic before blossoming into something `Parasor’ and if you asked anyone and brash, pretty much always We should have guessed something audience happy for the duration. And epic and exuberant and, yes, quite tonight, they’d love to see Maiians brilliant. was up when Go West turn up that’s 80s chart music in a nutshell: beautiful, like Sigur Ros consuming back together for good; that won’t By the time The Cribs leave the onstage alongside Nik Kershaw for some cracking tunes and a lot of The Cure’s `Faith’ album and going happen any time soon, but if they stage (no encore, just the loud his opening number, a cover of U2’s polished pomp. You can see why the full gothic. A Christmas song can make this reunion an annual hum of feedback that continues `Beautiful Day’. The height difference many consider the 80s music’s worst breaks the set up a bit too much but event, Christmas will be even more until a crew member comes onstage between Pete Cox and Kershaw is decade; it wasn’t, but nights like this they rise again at the end, as good as of a reason to celebrate each year. to unplug Ryan Jarman’s guitar), genuinely comical, which at least don’t do its cause too many favours. we’ve seen them. Sue Foreman everyone seems a bit dazed. It’ll detracts from their demolition of Dale Kattack be another 24 hours before we can hear properly again, thanks to the bizarrely misadjusted levels at the THE CRIBS / PAWS O2, but it’ll be a lot longer before we THE SURFING MAGAZINES / ADAM AND THE OXFORD clear our minds of the sheer vitality O2 Academy of that performance. And PAWS? ELVIS RECORD & CD FAIR Being a support act can kind of suck maybe come forward from the bar.” at the drum kit and storms off. Well – let’s just hope they get time to St ALDATES PARISH CENTRE sometimes. “We’ve come all the way No one comes forward from the bar. It’s an understandable reaction to have a chat with the Jarmans about The Jericho Tavern 40 Pembroke St, St Aldates, OX1 1BP from Glasgow,” complains Philip The mood sours as the set continues. playing to such a lacklustre crowd working a crowd. Five-piece Reading band Adam and Three members take turn on lead vocals: th Taylor, lead singer of PAWS, “so Eventually Taylor throws his guitar – the room’s almost empty at this Tom Kingsley Elvis have an endearing 70s pub-rock David Tattersall from The Wave Pictures Saturday 10 February quality about them in an early Stiff plays the part of Mr Young with some 10am-4pm Records vein, right down to the bassist’s fairly impressive lead guitar, but sadly KNOW / MSRY / REPERCUSSIONS OF YESTERDAY highly unfashionable braces. The upbeat, an annoyingly thin and shouty singing Rock/pop/jazz/soul/reggae/indie/all other genres reassuringly innocent air is aided by solid, voice. Slow Club’s Charles Watson is the Accessories/memoriabillia/books. The Wheatsheaf unflashy songs and a nifty lead guitarist, Danny Whitten figure, his mature rhythm Brand new and back catalogue/Rare Vinyl A quick glance at Repercussions of Yesterday’s Facebook reveals that the MSRY aren’t reinventing the wheel but they have kicked several of its struts as evidenced on the recent single ‘Hanging guitar matching his broader, more measured www.usrfairs.co.uk one-man death/doom band has been releasing albums and EPs for over 12 to splinters.It’s relentless fun, if your idea of fun involves large-scale nuclear Tree’. Crucially, and in contrast to so many singing style. But the finest voice comes years now. Tonight’s gig suggests the passing years haven’t done anything to devastation. Never mind Trump, this is fire and fury. new bands, they don’t take themselves too from drummer Dominic Brider, and his mellow Roy’s mood as he churns out a portentious half hour of chain gang Tonight’s gig being part of the Metal To The Masses competition to win a seriously, which seems to be a Reading energetic playing is a welcome counterpoint clang and demonic growls, sometimes rising from his lava flow dirge to crank place at Bloodstock, the running order has been drawn out of a hat, and it’s thing. to the laidback Californian 70s vibe. Possibly up the death side of his sound. It can be a bit laboured at times but as far as Know’s unfortunate task to follow MSRY onstage. Someone says they’re The Surfing Magazines are possessed of sensing where they’re going wrong the set lowering spirits goes, it does its job. from Basingstoke; someone else thinks they’re from Berinsfield; their accents some decent pedigree, comprised of two eventually starts to go up a gear. ‘Peeping After which MSRY are the musical equivalent of stepping on a hand suggest somewhere just west of The Volga. Musically they’re somewhere just thirds of The Wave Pictures and half of Slow Dom’ from last year’s self-titled album grenade; everything is noise and bright lights and you momentarily feel like west of the 1980s, all hair and histrionics, a bit too cheesy for their own good Club. While those bands share a certain provides some welcome relief and actually your innards are about to become your outtards. Pocket-sized human war and with a whiff of the Viper Room about them. Musically they’re a disjointed late-night, dark nightclub vibe, tonight they sounds like surfing music, but overall the machine Kyle Churcher, topless and tattooed, is immediately off the stage mess for the most part but the diminutive singer punches above her weight like surprise us with an opening song deep in curious clash of influences makes for a rather and in the audience’s face, screaming, bellowing, rasping and spittle flecking a Sylvanian Klitschkow with a raw Joan Jett voice on her that carries the band debt to 1972-era Neil Young and Crazy confusing experience, not aided by a poor what might be his shopping list or the names of everyone who’s ever done along. Just as we’re about to give up on them they close with a belting death Horse, before the untimely demise of Danny sound mix. Ultimately the band leave an him wrong and needs to die. Right now. His offstage antics mean you could metal number that goes the full Cradle of Filth. Too little too late perhaps but Whitten. This is followed by another, then impression of playing more for their own miss guitarist Charlie Bishop’s gut-busting onstage performance, perpetual hopefully a darker path they’ll want to follow in future as they make their way another and so it goes till they break cover pleasure than ours, but the enjoyable support motion personified as he cranks out a hardcore storm that leaves any back to Basingstoke, or Berinsfield, or even Barnaul. with a version of ‘Vampire Blues’ from band saves the evening from failure. concessions to contemplation or clean in a chewed heap in a bin somewhere. Dale Kattack Young’s classic ‘On The Beach’ album. Art Lagun HARCOURT ARMS INTRODUCING.... Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under Saturday February 24th Gift of Blindness Who are they? Gift Of Blindness were formed by Oxford sound engineer Umair Chaudhry and collaborator Simon Tierney, both former members of electro-metal FACTORY band and twice Nightshift cover stars Xmas Lights. GoB started in 2013 and continues now as a personal project of Umair. He has released two albums on Blindsight Records and played a handful of gigs. The most recent album, the aptly-titled `Wasteland’, came out at the end of January, featuring music written over the past 12 years. Along the way he has collaborated LIGHTS with various bands including Fragment from France and Chuter from Cheltenham. Umair also records under the name Abandon. What do they sound like? Plus Support from Pain and the end of things, played out at crushing volume. With Gift of Blindness Umair heads into the darkest, noisiest corner of his musical “`A Sun That Never Sets’ by Neurosis: the closest to a religious experience explorations. It’s heavy and malign, bleak and brutish, a musical hell that I’ve ever had.” Chris Reeves takes Godflesh as its starting point, sinks its teeth in and doesn’t let go: a When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? musical vision of Ragnarok played out at funereal pace. “I expect to have some gigs planned in February onwards to promote the What inspires them? new album; expect crushing atmospheric industrial tinged doom, swathed Moiety “Existentialism; mental illness; Hector and the Dynamitard robots from in dissonance with moments of harmony, distorted synths and down-tuned 80s sci-fi movies Saturn 3 and Annihilator; snakes on crosses; Mad Max 2. guitar and bass and crawling-pace drums, with sometimes sung sometimes Monday February 12th Career highlight so far: shouted reverb drenched vocals.” “Being told to “turn down” at The Sanctuary in Basingstoke following a Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: oxford classic jazz face smashing, beer-glass shuddering gig by Liverpool’s Conan.” “I’ve always loved the fact that the Oxford scene is so diverse and there’s And the lowlight: something for everyone out there. However something I miss is more “The previous night’s gig at The Lounge Bar in Alton, plagued by dangerous and extreme music coming out of Oxford.” Open Mic Every Sunday continuous technical problems.” You might love them if you love: Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: Godflesh; Swans; Undersmile; Conan; Neurosis; Nadja; Sunn O))). live music at the heart of jericho “The last Oxford band I really liked was Undersmile.” Hear him here: Cranham Terrace Jericho Oxford ox2 6dg If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: www.blindsightrecords.co.uk 01865 556669 THIS MONTH IN OXFORD Dr SHOTOVER: Licence to Kip ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY T H E W H E A T S H E A F [Dr S snorts and smacks his lips, waking up at the East Indies Club bar]. Wha…? nd Huh? Who? Ah, there you are, Carruthers. Pull up a pew and get the breakfast Family Machine most certainly were, even while Hall, and a special acoustic show at The New Friday 2 February – KLUB KAKOFANNEY 20 YEARS AGO martinis in. Word of warning, old boy: don’t sit with your back to the belly-dancers It must have been a quiet month for news and stuff they were singing songs about roadside tributes Theatre as part of the Childish Things fundraiser – you never know when one of them might turn out to be an agent of SHAGG, with to fatal car accidents. Having been everyone’s for Helen & Douglas House, also featuring KT BE STILL + RESTRUCTURE 7:45pm happening in February 1998 since Nightshift’s lead FRACTURE a miniature silenced dart-gun in her navel. Now, did I ever tell you about the time I Tunstall, Newton Faulkner and Bug Prentice. Saturday 3rd February – METAL TO THE MASSES news story concerned The Unbelievable Truth favourite cuddly pet dog of a local band for a nearly got the James Bond gig? It hasn’t always been the charmless pug-ugly Daniel dropping the The from their name. Theories as to while, the quartet were set to release their debut Singer Brian Briggs mused that the limit of his IMMINENT ANNIHILATION + HONOUR IN ASHES + APE 7:45pm Craig, y’know. Yours Truly went for it in the early 70s, after Shir Shean Connery album, `You Are The Family Machine’, on rock and roll lifestyle since the release of the Friday 9th February – JAM CITY announced he was off to make more serious films (like, uh, Zardoz). My agent – the definite article’s demise ranged from a lawsuit from The The to it being borrowed by Virgin Alcopop! this month, and we declared it time to band’s previous album had amounted to learning you know Spanish Tony, don’t you? – successfully pushed me to the front of the stop taking the band for granted and give them balloon modelling and getting a new phone. Ollie audition queue (mainly by introducing the competition to strong mind-expanding labelmates Verve – themselves the subject of a SILK ROAD Steadman declared his love of going on tour, not substances which put them out of the running). I had all the moves, I had the lawsuit – so they could be rebranded as The Verve. a turn centre stage, since the album was, in our YORE LAST RITES + OSCA + THE DEMOISELLES 7:45pm swagger, I had the cocktail shaker. I even had the ghastly white tuxedo. But after There was also concern that by removing the The own words, “a belter.” “It sounds like a cliché, for its drunken escapades and riotous behaviour th Saturday 10 February – OXROX I’d said ‘Shaken not shtirred’ fifty times at the audition in a variety of poses and from the name, the band’s artistic integrity could but I’ve always believed that the song is the star,” but because “the long drives – seventeen hours is settings, I got the old ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you’… and later discovered they were be compromised by allowing other Unbelievable said eternally self-effacing frontman Jamie Hyatt, a useful stretch – allow you to catch up on all the + 7:45pm SYKKO DOLLZ SAINTS OF SIN SPYDER BYTE after a female Bond. My first reaction was to send a F*** YOU telegram to ‘Tubby’ Truths to exist. Record shops across the UK were before admitting that secretly he’d “love to be films and books you’ve missed out on, holed up in a Wednesday 14th February – METAL TO THE MASSES Broccoli. But he did me a good turn in a way. Because then I switched career to foced to move the band from the T section, where remembered with loads of flowers” if he should studio.” As the quartet’s commercial star continued become drugs roadie for legendary Oxford progsters ELFGLADE – and the rest is VIG + CONFRONT THE CARNAGE + DAMAGED REICH 7:45pm they’d enjoyed the reflected glory of The Beatles, ever be wiped out in a traffic accident. to rise, the famously academic group were glad th psychotropic history. Thursday 15 February – THE SPIN JAZZ The Spice Girls and The Finlay Quaye to the U Elsewhere The X in Cowley closed down after they didn’t have to contemplate a return to normal Meanwhile a certain jobs any time soon. “I recently took a look at all my 8pm section, alongside Ultravox and Uriah Heap, the landlady Alison lost a court battle with the PRS NIGEL PRICE suave actor changed old chemistry papers stored on Google Drive and I Friday 16th February musical alpabetting equivalent of being sent to over unpaid live music royalties, depriving east gender from Roger to almost fainted at the prospect of ever recalling what Demi Moore and got the Uzbekistan. A few days later The Oxford Mail Oxford of one of its most individual small venues. I meant by `mechanical cleavage in the intradiol part. Well, got the part launched their own investigation into the affair, Also closing down was Avid Records near THUNDER ON THE LEFT and extradiol catechol dioxygenases’. Please tell me by, uh, LOSING the part, proving they were even more bored than us that Gloucester Green which, at the time, left Oxford + + 7:45pm WORRY SECOND IN LINE ORDER#227 if you know what I mean. week. without a single independent record store. there’s session work out there!” said Oli. Saturday 17th February What’s that? This was Given such frivolity it came as a surprise to see Big names in town this month were Richard Another big local name were also on the move all a dream??? I don’t there were actually some gigs happening this Hawley, Alison Moyet and Gabrielle at The with Foals releasing `Holy Fire’ this month on SWITCH OUT + MOBIUS 8pm THE SHAKER HEIGHTS think so, Carruthers, New Theatre; Black Francis at Brookes Union Transgressive, while This Town Needs Guns Wednesday 21st February – METAL TO THE MASSES month with Mogwai’s show at The Zodiac a I don’t think so. We’ll highlight, alongside gigs by Ultrasound and The and The Courteeners, Airborne, Art Brut, The released their `13.0.0.0.0’ album, and Candy Says, discuss it over another CRIMSON TUSK + BLOODSHOT + TRAUMA UK Poozies. Over at The Point a bunch of newcomers Cribs, Hot Chip, Metronomy and Dropkick Junkie Brush and rapper Chima Anya had EP nd THE SPIN JAZZ vodkatini with a couple Thursday 22 February – called Snow Patrol were starting out, and folk Murphys at The Academy. releases out. of these purple tablets A peak at the demo pages reveals Demo of the ALISON RAYNER QUINTET 8pm dissolved in it. Yes, yes, legend June Tabor was at The Playhouse. Friday 23rd February Month was the debut recording by a new couple freshly obtained from 5 YEARS AGO to town going under the name The August List, Spanish Tony. Absolutely 7:45pm It was all about Stornoway in February 2013. The who’ve since become a beloved part of the local BRIXTONS THE RELATIONSHIPS + FUJI harmlessssss. [Dr S turns Tubby: ‘This time with feeling, Miss Moore - The 10 YEARS AGO th Saturday 24 February – GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES into a giant lizard and name’s Blonde… Jane Blonde’ The Family Machine were a leaping and a local folk-pop heroes were on the front cover of musical furniture. “They sound like they come falls off his barstool]. Demi: ‘But what’s my motivation, Mr Broccoli?’ tumbling on the front cover of February 2008’s Nightshift again (their third appearance), talking freshly pickled from the American backwoods LITTLE BROTHER ELI QUARTERMELON + LUCY VEE 8pm Next month: Oh-Oh, Tubby: ‘Two million dollars plus points’ front cover. Was that really ten years ago? Don’t about new album `Tales From Terra Firma’, as rather than the Home Counties, full of grit and soul, The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford (Shed) Seven Demi: ‘OK’ time fly when you’re having fun. Something The well as a two-night homecoming at Oxford Town fire and fog. Lovely stuff,” concluded the review. Motorhead in Hell’s own boozer, or at least sat on the sofa with the cat and a cup of tea NIGHTJAR And then before we’ve barely had time to and some biscuits – anything to get away blink ourselves awake we’re back amid from the responsibility of having to think the sluggish drudgery, lethargy and what of new and exciting ways of describing DEMOS appears to be some kind of inspiration Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day music of no discernible character, melody vacuum, with this lot pushing the irony at Soundworks studio in Oxford, or lifeblood. It’s actually pretty decent to meter into the red by naming themselves begin with, sounding (very vaguely) like courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit after a bird whose strange, haunting a just-woke-up Bill Callaghan fronting a www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift crepuscular thrum is far removed from their somnambulating Radiohead, all moonlit leaden dadrock, sounding like the result spangle and introspective crooning, but from go in a sort of Amazons or Catfish & the of a committee of dead-eyed marketing there it goes… nowhere, just slumps and Bottlemen fashion but in a world of exotic executives’ attempts to develop the DEMO OF slumbers along on the same torpid track for sonic wonders and exciting futuristic musical perfect ad-friendly opening act for Liam its five minute duration, perhaps imagining possibilities, another bunch of lads playing Gallagher’s next tour but giving up halfway it’s caught everyone up in its dark ambience THE MONTH guitars together doesn’t really feel like through when the already slim budget when actually everyone’s actually slipped something to get too giddy about. ran out before they got to the tunes and into a coma, lulled into unconsciousness JONNY RACE attitude stage. Surely a song called `Hapax by the innocuous background hum of “Too gentle for this world” we said of Legomenon’ should be an acid-frazzled inconsequentiality. We don’t expect wild Jonny Race in his last demo review. And OK RUBY space rock odyssey, not a dull as ditchwater rock and roll debauchery every time but in Nightshift wonders if we’re really cut out If Jonny Race is too gentle for this cruel voyage to the bottom of a muddy puddle in a world where Idles, Shame and Fat White for the monthly battering of the senses that world, OK Ruby sounds like she’s in Basingstoke? And surely anyone – anyone at Family exist, there’s no excuse for this kind is the demo pile. Oh there are good months danger of wilting before its horrors but all – embarking on a music-making journey of complacent lethargy. for sure: months where we’re left feeling has dug deep into her emotional reserves should start out with the idea that music buoyant and optimistic for the future of and is crying “no more!” even while she should be fun or thrilling or frightening or music in the face of the fun, energy, rage stifles a sob. The debut recording of singer/ emotionally moving and not as worthy as a and invention we hear. Then there are songwriter Esme Garlake, this is a sweet, OH JOY Fair Trade hessian sack and as appetising as months like this where we wonder whether sometimes swoonsome swim through both Oh joy indeed: because what we need right after that ode to torpor is another artist who a steaming pile of polished turds. Obviously Trump and Fat Lad’s nuclear pissing contest jazzy ambient electro-folk and full-on not in Nightjar’s case. isn’t such a bad thing if it puts paid to the acoustic jazz-pop, her clear, soulful voice sounds like they’d throw a (half hearted) sort of soporific smorgasbord of shite laid partway between Sade and The Cardigans’ hissy fit if their mum suggested they drag feast-like before us. Perhaps some people’s Nina Persson, with maybe just a hint of their sorry carcass out of bed before midday and maybe put their limbs to some kind of creativity really would be better put towards Minnie Riperton when it hits the high notes. THE DEMO TURAN AUDIO.co.uk novel ways of catching and cooking rats The music’s maybe a tiny bit too smooth use. Poetic introspection is the heart and Professional, independent rather than etching odes to misery on a as it stands – though it’s well produced by soul of so many great artists but glum navel- DUMPER audio mastering guitar. Still, Jonny here gives us some faith Catgod’s Robin Christensen-Marriot – with gazing is the death knell for great lyricism with his delicate brooding. The two songs an air of late night jazz lounge melancholy so lines like “Come over I’m doing nothing Mastered in the studio last month; / By tomorrow I’ll be so tired / Tomorrow Apple approved here, `Always Let Me Go’ and `Are You about it, but it’s seductively sleepy-eyed, MARSHALL GREAT WESTERN TEARS, SONIC YOUTH, mastering But hey, whaddya know – this is even worse. Ready For Love’, have a discreet elegance with `All I Can Do’ wafting close to `Dream means nothing / Just like today did / I DEPARTMENT S, SUPERJOINT RITUAL, Having spent much of our lives watching Dr about them, a chilled saxophone wandering A Little Dream Of Me’ at times, and makes wonder what the ambitious people are doing Who we always imagined time travel to be NINE INCH NAILS & DAVID BOWIE, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, over the chitter-chatter beats, piano runs us think Esme here might have a very bright / Can we stay here all day and do fucking exciting, if sometimes perilous, but then the LEONARD COHEN, SIMON & GARFUNKEL, PEARL JAM, and Jonny’s impassioned but understated future indeed with a sharper set of songs. nothing?” grumbled and groaned out over TARDIS didn’t tend to materialise inside a vocals that, like last time, have more than a by-rote indie stodgepot feel less like the EAGLES, JAMES STEVENSON, SANGUINE HUM, NATHAN mid-80s soft rock ballad where any peril to a bit of the Thom Yorke about them. The clarion call of a heroic, tragic rock poet and MAJOR, MARK SPRINGER, YOUNG KNIVES. be had comes not in the form of rampaging sax counterpoints the urgency of the songs JERAMESA more like the bleatings of someone who Zygons but death by cloying tedium, or 01865 716466 [email protected] and makes them sound like Radiohead When demos increasingly consist of a single could do with a spell clearing landmines in at least a nasty allergic reaction to MOR wandering off on a lazy jazz trip after a track at least Jeramesa here gives value for Helmand Province to help concentrate his balladeering infused with tasteful electronics heavy smoking session. `Are You Ready For money with his new song clocking in at mind and work out life’s priorities. and overwrought vocal preening. We’d say Love’ is the better of the two tracks, with eleven minutes. Which is actually a bit of a it sounds like Cutting Crew, Foreigner and COURTYARD a slightly darker edge, albeit one tempered cop-out given it’s called `The Forever Trip’, Styx got tanked up together and formed a by the immortal line “It will eat all your which sounds like it should be the title of a BE STILL RECORDING STUDIO Oh thank the Lord, a bit of life. Just a sliver discreetly pompous adult orientated rock 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: porridge” while warning of the pitfalls of rare Spacemen 3 bootleg. Trip is right though but enough to stay our hand on the gallows supergroup together but the tanked up bit NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 that crazy little thing called love. Unless of given Jeramesa’s psychedelic leanings. His we’ve built in the Nightshift office over the suggests there was some kind of fun or MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb course he means the overfed North Korean previous offering, a full album, was a darkly Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear last hour or so. We caught Be Still opening mischief or irresponsibility about the whole despot is looking for something to dunk his wigged out journey from Pink Floyd-like Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern for Slowcoaches at The Cellar last year and sorry affair. No, this is more like Cutting Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules baked cockroaches in after he and President psych-pop into scowling Swans-inspired wondered if they might inherit Dive Dive’s Crew, Foreigner and Styx were hooked up Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. Fucknut have reduced everything to ash. gothic rock but here he keeps it mostly local pop-punk crown. This one song demo to a factory farm milking machine and had Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. acoustic, building an eastern-flavoured www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk mantra on guitar and (what sounds like) makes us think the same thought, the band’s the very essence of their blandness sucked Americanisms forcing things a bit as they out of them, pasteurised to get rid of any risk In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk sitar, his voice a lysergic, gravelly buzz Email: [email protected] open with the line “Rock ‘n’ roll isn’t dead, of interesting stuff, then diluted like some WHITE LAKES that sounds more like a treated guitar than Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 Unlike most of this month’s pile this lot what usually passes for singing. It doubtless it’s just getting old” (and in the case of the hellish musical Homeopathy. The side effects at least sound like they’re alive and not sounds best after a bit of pharmaceutical previous couple of demos, incontinent and of imbibing this distilled essence of pallid stumbling to an overdue death by way of indulgence but never quite hits the levels of possibly senile), not quite hitting the sweet nothingness include nausea, a soul crushing a terminal Temazepam haze and a virulent insistency we’d want to hear from something spot they came close to a few times live. At belief that Lemmy, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith dose of Australian flu. That said, the one with a title like that. A trip maybe but one least they only sound like they maybe need and James Brown ever existed and Michael song here, `Call Me Up’, is a bit typical that doesn’t quite reach escape velocity. an extra spoonful of sugar in their coffee Bolton actually created the world and all the lad rock and they’d doubtless consider the rather than a full-on rocket up their arse but music in it, and mostly an irresistible desire chance to open for The Courteeners as a next time think fast and furious rather than to slam your own head repeatedly in a steam Rehearsal and Recording studios career boon rather than a decomposing JUNIPER NIGHTS mid-paced and slightly disgruntled, eh. press. Down in one, people; down in one. albatross around their musical neck. It’s an Escape is a word that springs all to quickly Four state of the art rehearsal rooms up and at ‘em blast of blokey energy with to mind listening to this laboured slab Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a and a professional recording studio. some nice rinky dink guitars and a chiming, of underfed mumblecore. We picture contact phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. We make anthemic chorus that almost launches itself ourselves running free and unhindered For bookings call Jamie on 07917685935 no pretence to being fair, objective or open-minded and reserve the right to use juvenile insults into epic shoegaze airspace towards the through sunny meadows, or hanging out Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford • glasshousestudios.org while almost completely ignoring your music should we feel like it. Your Facebook friends are end. It’s passable enough as these things with the newly reformed classic line-up of welcome to get all huffy on your behalf, but we’ll laugh at them too. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

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