[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 251 June Oxford’s Music Magazine 2016

Little Brother Eli Oxford’s funk soul brothers bring the party also in this issue GLASS ANIMALS return Introducing CHEROKEE WIN TRUCK TICKETS! PLUS All your Oxford music news and reviews and six pages of local gigs for June. 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

buy new clothes, a replacement laptop, synths and samplers and many other things. As a token of my thanks, I am giving you this small gift in return... a new song GLASS ANIMALS return to action with a new single, ‘Life Itself’ , called `Sweet Town’, dedicated to this month. Released via Paul Epworth’s Wolf Tone label it is the first all of you and the people of San track to be taken from the Oxford quartet’s second album, `How To Be Antonio, Texas. Pass it on to your A Human Being’, due for release at the end of the summer. friends and enjoy it. I will make ‘Life Itself’ was debuted on Annie Mac’s show at the end of May and it available to everyone to hear at made Radio 1’s Hottest Record In The World. some point in the future, but for Singer and producer Dave Bayley said, “Things have changed a lot CHAD VALLEY were forced to now it’s just for you. See you on for us over the past two years, so much has happened. Instead of sitting cancel their homecoming show at the next tour. Bigger and better!” in the studio we’ve been in a different city every night, making friends, St Barnabas in May in the wake of Hear `Sweet Town’ at hearing crazy stories, getting in crazy trouble. All of it made me want to the break-in of their van that saw soundcloud.com/chadvalley. think about people and write something rawer and more human. `Life them, along with tourmates Shallou Itself’ is one of those. It’s about a guy who was born a bit strange and and Blackbird Blackbird, lose BEAR ON A BICYCLE release struggles to become part of society. Because of that he spends more all their equipment, clothes and a new label sampler this month. time alone in his own head, getting stranger, and it becomes an awful passports in San Antonia during `Bear on a Bicycle #4’ features cycle of doom. their recent American tour. 12 tracks, including cuts from “Sound and production-wise we’ve been buzzing off the amazing A Gofundme.com campaign raised Waltz in the Shallow End; Be energy of the crowds we’ve been playing to. As the crowds grew, they £10,000 towards replacing all Good; Sier Pin Sky; After the got more feral… and so did we. We found ourselves going wilder on- the equipment lost but while the Thought; Paddox; Jordan O’Shea stage and playing heavier, grittier, high-energy versions of our songs, Stateside dates were mostly able to and My Crooked Teeth. Get it at changing them every night. Now we’ve tried to put some of that energy, go ahead, planned UK gigs were boabrecords.bandcamp.com spontaneity and sound on tape.” called off. Glass Animals’ debut `Zaba’ has so far sold nearly half a million Everyone who contributed to RACHEL RUSCOMBE copies worldwide and enjoyed 200 million Spotify streams to date. the campaign received a thank KING releases a new EP next The band have performed at festivals around the globe, including you message from Chad Valley’s month. `Vivid’ features five new Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Glastonbury, as well as two Hugo Manuel (pictured), as well songs from the former Ragdoll sold-out headline shows at LA’s 2000-capacity Wiltern and NYC’s as a free download of a new singer. Rachel launches the EP 3000-capacity Terminal 5. They will play at Wilderness Festival in west song, `Sweet Town’. “Thank you with a show at Art Jericho on Oxfordshire in August. to every single one of you that Saturday 16th July, with support As well as the new single, the band shared a brief teaser for their donated,” wrote Hugo, “I can’t from Trev Williams. Hear her at forthcoming album on social media while announcing that they will begin to express the gratitude I rachelruscombeking.bandcamp. play two shows this month, including at London’s ICA. have for the kindness that we have com Hear `Life Itself at po.st/LifeItselfYT felt from you. This experience, whilst completely shocking and INTRUSION celebrates its 15th for a decade and a half now at its and Krieg, plus guests. awful, has completely restored anniversary this month with a suitably subterranean home of The Cellar’s regular bass, garage, my faith in humanity. I never special Myths, Fairytales and The Cellar, running on the second grime and drum&bass night Fluid, thought that I could be the subject Legends birthday party. The Tuesday of every month. The party meanwhile, celebrates it fifth of such generosity, and I hope long-running club night has been take splace on Tuesday 14th June, anniversary this month with a party you will be pleased to know that flying the flag for goth, industrial, with DJ sets from regulars Doktor on Saturday 18th June. Masp is I am starting to use this money to cyberpunk, ebm and darkwave Joy, Bookhouse, Simon Penguin your host, plus myriad guests.

STEALING SHEEP AND BASTARDGEIST have been confirmed as the headline acts for this year’s Irregular Folks Summer Session. Liverpool’s psychedelic old-worlde wyrd folk collective Stealing Sheep make their first appearance in Oxfordshire for over four years at the all- day mini-festival, which takes place at Hogacre Eco Park on Saturday 2nd July. Experimental folktronica chap Bastardgeist returns after his showing at last year’s Summer Session, which also featured C Duncan, who went on to be shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. This year’s Irregular Folks session also features sets from singer Jessica Slighter, who has recently toured with Jenny Hval; Waitress For The Bees; Water Pageant; Whisky Moonface and Jess Hall. A second stage, The Odditorium, will be hosted by the people behind Sing- Along-A-Wicker-Man, plus a very special host for the day. Tickets for the event, priced £15, are on sale at www.irregularfolk.co.uk. NEWS TRUCK FESTIVAL has opened place on Sunday 5th June. The event, the voting on acts to be chosen organised by Southern Guitars from its band app applications. and sponsored by Bak Trak, takes Festival goers can vote alongside place at the Spread Eagle Hotel on a panel made up of members of Cornmarket Street in Thame, from Mystery Jets and Blossoms as 10am through to 4pm. As well as well as Alcopop and Big Scary exhibitions there will be a live stage Monsters Records, BBC Introduing run by Premium Light and Sound, in Oxford and more to choose which with sets from 14-year-old local bands will play the festival over classical fingerstyle guitarist Billy the weekend of the 15th- 17th July Watman, plus country duo A Little NEVERLND, THE EPSTEIN AND SAEDLY DORUS & THE HOOLIE in Steventon. Some 35 acts from Bit Country, and Exeter cigar box BAND are among the acts confirmed for Charlbury Riverside Festival. Oxfordshire are in contention with guitar and didgeridoo duo Windslide. Riverside – the biggest free live music festival in Oxfordshire – takes place over 150 acts from around the UK. Entry is £3. Visit over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th July at Mill Field in Charlbury. Vote for your local faves at www. www.southernguitarshows.co.uk Neverlnd follow their showing at Common People with a headline set on truckfestival.com for more details. the Saturday night on the main stage and are joined by The Epstein; Leader; The Knights of Mentis; Bright Works; Crystallite; Fuji, and The Aureate Act. BETA BLOCKER & THE BODY AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into Disc-ceilidh crew Saedly Dorus top Sunday’s main stage bill, with support CLOCK have split. The local psych/ BBC Oxford Introducing every from The Wonder Beers; Dave Sutherland; Speedbuggy USA; Peerless noise-pop crew, who played at Truck Saturday night between 8-9pm on Pirates; The Mighty Redox; Headington Hillbillies and Dungeon Wolf. Festival in 2013 and The Oxford 95.2fm. The dedicated local music Over 40 acts will be performing across three stages at the festival, now in Punt in 2014, announced their split show plays the best Oxford releases its 21st year. The second stage, curated by Rapture and Truck stores, features on Facebook with a brief message, and demos as well as featuring Cherokee; Lucy Leave; Russell Morgan; Muddy Johnson; The Black Hats, saying, “We still love each other interviews and sessions with local and Sylva Kay on Saturday, plus The Lottery Winners; The Hummingbirds; and will be continue to collaborate acts. The show is available to stream The Beckoning Fair Ones; Paprika Blues Band; Charlie Leavy, and A creatively on new projects. Thanks or download as a podcast at Reluctant Arrow on Sunday, with more to be added. a bizzilion if your one of the many bbc.co.uk/oxford. As well as the music there are the usual kids activities, while the Wychwood lovely people who helped us in any brewery has again produced an exclusive bitter for the festival, with fans way. Peace and Love forever and OXFORD GIGBOT provides a invited to name the new ale and win a year’s supply. ever.” The band’s `Inside the Pickle regular local gig listing update on “Riverside has always had a special feel and atmosphere to it,” said festival Jar’ EP is free down to download at Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing organiser Andy Pickard; “People return every year because they had so much reeksofeffort.bandcamp.com. you new gigs as soon as they go fun there as youngsters and now want to share that experience with their live. They also provide a free children. Being held on an idyllic island in the Cotswolds always helps, as The inaugural Thame weekly listings email. Just contact well as being free!” Guitar & Music Fair takes [email protected] to join. More info and news at www.riversidefestival.charlbury.com. WIN tickets It’s summer, so it must be time for TRUCK FESTIVAL, an institution now as synonymous with Oxfordshire as Tolkien and May Morning.

As ever set in the south Oxfordshire idyll of Hill Farm in Steventon, this year finds Truck back bigger and longer than ever before. Boosted by a succession of sold-out years, they’ve supersized to a capacity just under 10,000, and the festival takes place across three days, running over the weekend of the 15th-7th July.

They’ve gone big on headline acts too: Manic Street Preachers are one of the biggest names in Truck’s enviable 18 year history, and are joined by Catfish & the Bottlemen (pictured) unearth all sorts of musical treasures. There will splendidly awesome and generous competitions. and Everything Everything atop a bill that also be, as ever, a strong local showing, with Cassels, features Jurassic 5; Kodaline; Mystery Jets; Esther Joy Lane, Willie J Healey, Pixel Fix To stand a chance of winning, Circa Waves; Jack Savoretti; Young Fathers and The Dreaming Spires among those already TELL US WHICH ONE OF THE and We Are the Ocean. announced, and more to come. FOLLOWING WAS NOT A HEADLINE ACT AT LAST YEAR’S TRUCK FESTIVAL: Other acts across the weekend include SOAK; Despite expanding to three days, tickets for a) The Charlatans b) Super Furry Animals Ratboy; Swim Deep; Gnarwolves; Sundara the weekend have been kept to a more than c) Basement Jaxx Karma; The Magic Gang; Coasts; Neck Deep; reasonable £86.50, with concessions available. Email entries, clearly marked Truck Competition, Norman Jay; Clean Cut Kid; Spring King; You can get yours, along with finding out more to [email protected], or send entries Eliza & the Bear; Black Honey and Public line-up details and what’s going on beyond the on a postcard to Truck Competition, Nightshift Access TV, while one of the best bands Nightshift music stages – from comedy to kids activities – at Magazine, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. has witnessed over the last year, Pumarosa, will truckfestival.com. Please include full name, address and a daytime also be there. Don’t miss them. phone number. Deadline for entries is the 21st And thanks to our good chums at Truck, June. The editor’s decision is whoop loudly and The joy of Truck Festival is strength in depth Nightshift has not one but two pairs of weekend enthusiastically about Pumarosa, even during and across myriad stages large and small, you’ll camping tickets to give away, free, in one of our other bands’ sets. A Quiet Word With singing nursery rhymes, is a rough- really. One person’s sterile and timid songs had already been in our set it definitely still reflects where we are hewn gang of Delta roughnecks, is another person’s understated and for a number of shows, so they were now; we’re extremely proud of it. It rocking it up in a Mississippi shack groovy; that’s the great thing about really nailed down, which felt like it is a reflection of us, so when number after several bottle of moonshine, music. What I see around the local gave us way more room to express two rolls around, in the words of bop- having accidentally trashed their music scene is that the majority of ourselves and focus on getting the it, `we’ll do it again, but better’.” record player while dancing like local bands are still kids, and when right energy into the performance in JOSH: “We’ve got a lot of plans for loons to White Denim,” before you’re in a band when you’re a kid the studio.” the summer: our album launch is at suggesting that Jack White and Red you inevitably end up imitating The Bullingdon on the 25th of June. Little Brother Eli Hot Chili Peppers might be swinging the stuff that you really love the Yes, the album. Given We’ll be hitting up tons of festivals round to join the party. sound of. That’s part of the creative Little Brother Eli’s ability to get a and in September we have booked a Quite simply Little Brother Eli have process and learning to grow as an room moving, here’s always a worry two week tour in Europe to promote got the blues. And the funk – lots of artist. Aside from some exceptional such infectious energy won’t translate the album.” funk. And the soul. Chuck in a whole individuals, that real understanding to record. Thankfully it does, not least heap of garage rock and some hip and expression of originality really due to a production that really packs On the road and up on hop sensibilities and you’ve got a only comes later on once you’ve a punch. stage is obviously where Little good-time, livewire band for whom learnt a bit more about yourself and “We recorded the album in three Brother Eli belong. As well as a party is what they exist to make. about creating music.” sessions over the course of a year. As regular local shows they’ve gigged I mentioned before, our manager had extensively outside of Oxfordshire In fact, we wonder how As well as earning an pushed us to write better songs, so the over the last couple of years; what a bunch of young white dudes from enviable reputation for the gigs, gaps in between recording allowed have been the particular highlights – Witney learned the blues. `Hanging’ Little Brother Eli are renowned as us to get back to the drawing board a and any great gig disasters to report? in particular from the album has got one of Oxford’s most sartorially few times and add in new material. It JOSH: “There have been so many a raw White Stripes feel to it. Have elegant bands; how important is also allowed us to develop the kind highlights so far, most of them local any of them spent much time in the image to them? of production we’re going for. We like Truck Festival, where we got to American south? JOSH: “I must admit, I had to recorded it at The Animal Farm in do a live session for Whispering Bob ALEX: “I don’t think any of us look up sartorially when it was first London, a tiny little studio with an Harris. have ever ventured that far. We tend “Beyond that, we performed at to steer away from describing our Reeperbahn Festival in Germany music as blues. Mainly, because I “History is full of bands getting bad reviews last year, which was an amazing think we’d have a lot of disappointed and the then rising to success, so my advice experience. We’re heading back out blues fans turning up at our Germany during the European leg of shows. None of us are real blues nuts would be to carry on doing what you love.” the tour this September. either; I think you can hear that in “I think the only gig disaster we’ve the music. mentioned. Pretty sure none of us awesome producer who really nailed had was when Benji our drummer “But you’re completely right: have any of our clothes tailored. our sound. We wanted the album to broke his collar bone last year after Jack White’s blues influenced Although that might become more be as accurate reflection of us live falling off his bike. Luckily he healed projects have been a far bigger of a necessity as Benji and Alex as possible, so energy was key when quickly and we weren’t without him direct influence on our songs than continue to wrestle with the ill-fitting recording. I think we got it.” for too long.” traditional 12 bar stuff. I think that issues of being long but not large. The album ends on a bit of a downer, Jack’s kind of neo-fuzz-garage-rock- “Image is something that all popular mood-wise, when most of it’s a party, Thankfully not, and so “Alex is clearly the best resulted in the band being hurled However, after some initial feelings this album - even when we felt like blues thing has definitely paved the music artists have to consider. It’s a riot. Is that your way of telling the Little Brother Eli party goes on… conventional dancer, but Adam is the unceremoniously into the Demo of disappointment, we did make a we couldn’t. I think that’s what has way for a load of cool bands like The not something we’re ever in pain everyone to drink up and go home, and on. In fact there’s a line in the one you want at a wedding reception Dumper. The review described the conscious decision to make more of made the biggest difference to our Black Keys, White Denim, Rival over, but it is important. More than or are you just good at hiding the album, “Grab me by the shoulders, because after a couple of scotches nascent group as sounding like an effort in the Oxford music scene, songwriting.” Sons and Royal Blood. I’d even go anything, it’s all part of making it as sadness in the other songs? we can dance all night.” Who in the he’s like John Travolta on the dance Jamiroquai playing nursery rhymes which up to that point we hadn’t So now Little Brother Eli have joined as far as to say he’s provided a bit easy as possible for new listeners, ALEX: “The majority of the album band would last longest at an all night floor.” and suggested they were destined to really done. That’s a decision which a very select group of local acts of a revival for bluesy garage rock viewers and audiences to digest is quite intense and `Cold Tales’, blues party and who’d be first to fall appeal to chin-stroking Later… with has paid dividends. The music scene who’ve been in the Demo Dumper, bands. I feel like he’s done that thing what it is they are experiencing. the last track, is probably the most unconscious under a table? Who’d Josh Rigal, bassist with Jools Holland aficionados. in Oxford can be unforgiving if you then Demo of the Month and finally of making people feel like it’s okay Alex always says that it’s an heartfelt of the bunch. It’s a reflection pull and who’d be found in the Little Brother Eli, is answering don’t put the effort in. We began the front front cover – Dustball, Asher to be in a rock band again, in the important part of the show – being in on the acute feelings of loss when kitchen? Nightshift’s question about who is A few months later the playing more shows in town, working Dust, Twizz Twangle, and Tristan & kind of way that Nirvana, Red Hot character.” your long-distance loved one leaves JOSH: “Who would last longest? the best dancer in the band. band – the line-up completed by hard to get involved with the scene the Troubadours are among the few Chili Peppers, Blink 182 and Foo You’ve got a reputation now as one you standing alone on the platform If we were talking handled mug and We ask because Little Brother Eli guitarist Adam Stowe, drummer and we have reaped the rewards. who have been there. What would Fighters have done in the past.” of the liveliest live bands in Oxford; as the train pulls away. In the live set, tankard, then Alex would win hands are a band who don’t just inspire Benji Page, and lap steel specialist Oxford is now our homestead, and we they say to a band who’d just got a There’s a boldness and a rawness in what do you think makes you such a it sits right in the middle, and serves down, as you’ll often find him in the outbreaks of jigging and frugging and Tom Williams – found their league have been rewarded with a fantastic, critical kicking? your funk and soul, though; where good live band, and how do translate to break up the set into two energetic nearest `proper’ pub to the venue, general moving and shaking, but like position, so to speak, reversed as they enthusiastic little fan base. That JOSH: “History is full of examples do you draw main inspiration from? that to the album? halves, a chance for the audience enjoying the `proper’ real ales.” to get in on the act too. Here is a band were awarded Demo of the Month, support is vital for a band like us, of bands getting bad reviews and the JOSH “A huge influence on our JOSH: “We love playing live. One to collect their thoughts and digest ALEX: “Would be first to fall who quite obviously love performing. the turnaround in their musical moving forward. So for that we can then rising to success: from Elvis to music comes from an album by The of the reasons people keep coming to what they’ve hopefully enjoyed so unconscious? Definitely Josh Singer Alex Grew in particular likes quality astounding. In between they thank Nightshift for the demo dump. The Beatles to Nirvana, so my advice Raconteurs called `Consolers Of The our shows, we hope, is to see our ever far. It’s a song that also gives the because he has the alcohol tolerance to cut a few shapes up on stage, an played at The Oxford Punt and pretty Your next recording then got demo to any artist would be to carry on Lonely’. It’s one of the reasons we evolving performance on stage and if guys an opportunity to really show of a small child. Who’d be first to alternately elegant and gangly mover much every local venue and festival of the month; was there a feeling of doing what you love. A review is just started the band. Everything from people have taken the time to buy a off more nuances to their playing and pull? That’d be Tom because he’s with the unselfconsciousness of a true going, quickly becoming one of our relief or vindication? How do you one person saying `I like this’ or `I the production to the songwriting is tickets and leave their homes we need musicianship. On the album, it shows the best looking, almost too good showman. favourite, and most fun, live acts. think the band changed between don’t like this’; you have to find the what we aspire to achieve in our own to give them a show to remember.” a different side to the band and leads looking. Who’d be in the kitchen? Faced with the enthusiasm levels those two recordings? people who do like it because they’ll music. However, each member of the ALEX: “We also try to work really on nicely to the first track, `Oceans’, Adam and Benji might be playing coming from the band, it’s nigh Now, as Little Brother JOSH: “To be honest we expected to buy your records and turn up to your band has their own influences. Benji bloody hard. I think there is often when the album’s on repeat. So table football, swapping notes on on impossible not to enjoy a Little Eli prepare to launch their debut hit the Demo Dumper again. I’m not shows: they’re the people that really applies a lot of hip hop and 70s soul pressure on bands to only play the maybe rather than `drink up and go the best spectacle lens cleaner or Brother Eli gig. Even the notoriously album, `Cold Tales’, with a headline sure vindication is the right word; we matter. But when you’re trying to grooves to his playing; Adam loves `right shows’. Our ethos however home’ it’s `take a break because we’re perhaps teaching people regional two-left-footed Nightshift has been show at the O2 Academy on the 25th certainly felt like the hard work we’d make a living, it’s better if there are new country music; Tom loves old is more in line with `the only bad about to go again...’” dance practices of the Middle East. known to let go a little in their June, Nightshift chatted to Alex and put into the songwriting, and into more of those kinds of people!” country music; I love Motown and show is the one you refuse to play’. You finished recording last year; Whatever they’re doing, you’ll presence. Josh and asked them how that initial playing shows in town, had paid off. Alex’s favourite band is ELO. I think We gig a lot and put a lot of time does it still reflect where you are now, always find them in the kitchen at slating affected them and whether it “The band had definitely evolved by So, what changed in all these things come together to into rehearsing; all that practice and what’s the plan for the rest of the parties.” help us sound unique.” really allows us to cut loose with the year? It wasn’t always the changed the way they made music. that point and our material was much Little Brother Eli’s music between th case, mind. Our first encounter ALEX: “Our old band got demo stronger. The first demo was written those two demos? That last review Why do you think so many bands go dancing too! ALEX: “We’re already busy writing `Cold Tales’ is released on the 24 so wrong when they try to play soul “I think the most important factor in album number two and seeing June. Little Brother Eli play the O2 with Little Brother Eli, formed in dumped too so it felt like protocol before we’d even started playing the stated, “Get better being something th west Oxfordshire by Alex and Josh by that point. As much as I’d like songs as a band. We have a really Little Brother Eli have done with and funk and come across as sterile translating our energy on to the record how our music is developing is Academy on Saturday 25 June. back in 2013 while the pair were at to say it did, I don’t think that it dedicated management team who giant bells on. Where once was a and timid? was that the songs were all gig ready. an interesting process. We’re still Hear them and find out all the latest universities in London and Sheffield, changed how we make our music. pushed us to write better songs for band who reminded us of Jamiroquai JOSH: “I guess it’s a matter of taste Before every recording session, the playing the full album live, so I think news at littlebrothereli.com Sponsored by play on Annie Mac’s show and precedes new GLASS ANIMALS album `How To Be A Human Being’ this summer. `Life Itself’ While `Life Itself’ doesn’t herald a radical new departure for a band whose music comes from (Wolf Tone) those moments between sleep and wakefulness, To paraphrase that legendary Elvis album title, 200 it’s a more rhythmic, less somnambulant RELEASED million Spotifier listeners can’t be wrong. Okay piece, something approaching a Burundi beat LITTLE BROTHER ELI Who Do You?’ with its dirty funk groove, and they could; they could all be addicted to Years underpinning silken psychedelia, sleigh bells, even `This Girl’, singer Alex Grew in full freewheeling & Years or James Blake, but for the sake of this a Chinese motif at its start, while David Bayley’s `Cold Tales’ Anthony Kiedis form, performing vocal acrobatics argument we’ll assume they’re all imbued with intense, whispery voice provides a counterpoint to over the band’s epic stadium riffage. The Chili incorruptibly good taste. the euphoric harmonies of the song’s chorus. (Self released) Peppers remain a touchstone for the band’s sound 200 million Spotify plays. That’s what Glass A bunch of white kids from a provincial There’s an almost regimented, machine-like feel throughout, alongside Jack White’s post-grunge Animals have racked up since they stepped out Oxfordshire town playing a funky kind of blues to the song, driven ever onward by that beat, but take on the blues, but while the influences are into the public glare in 2013. They’ve also sold rock shouldn’t, on paper at least, have got the languid fluidity Glass Animals specialise in obvious it rarely detracts from a band who can half a million copies of their debut album, 2014’s Nightshift’s pulse racing. If it did to start with it brings everything to organic life, and the result kick it out like they were born to the big stage. `ZABA’, on Paul Epworth’s Wolf Tone label. was for the wrong reasons. Little Brother Eli’s feels a little like a good-natured, late-night jam They can take the action out of the stadium and In an age when most bands would celebrate first demo was unceremoniously dumped with session involving Mbongwana Star, Radiohead, down to the banks of the Mississippi too when selling a few hundred records it’s a phenomenal their woozily psychedelic r’n’b came through Tame Impala and The Weeknd, powered by a “And don’t come back!” message rammed they want – the pedal steel-led `Hanging’ in achievement. It makes them Oxford’s most internet word of mouth, much of it abroad, where unending mugs of tea and joss sticks. A suitably up its backside. A year later they were playing particular a nod to the southern blues roots of their successful current band after Radiohead and Foals, they’ve toured more extensively than in the UK. ambitious heroes’ return for Oxford’s most the Oxford Punt and sat proudly atop the demo sound. albeit a gang of local heroes who remain barely Their return to action with new single `Life Itself’, unassuming heroes. pile, proclaimed as the best funky blues party A rare mistep, `Shake Me’ is too much bluster, recognised in their home town. The success of perhaps predictably came with an exclusive Dale Kattack in town. too little substance but `Roll Away’ shows their It’s not difficult to see why. The west versatility, retaining that air of euphoria even on Oxfordshire quintet have built their reputation more considered tracks. on constant gigging, with a live set that invites numbers: the hazy, almost grungy `Oceans’, and Whether `Cold Tales’ fully captures the energy STRAY DOG everyone in the room to ditch inhibitions and the (by their standards) solemn lament that is the of Little Brother Eli’s live set probably depends dance. Their lively, upbeat blend and bake of album’s title track. on how loud you play it and how many mates you `Soap EP’ Jack White, White Denim, Black Keys, Red Hot Guess that’s the nature of blues, though: when surround yourself with, but it’s an assured debut (Self released) Chili Peppers and plenty of old time blues and the party’s over real life is there to be lived. that packs enough of a punch to suggest they’re It seems half a lifetime since Iona Roisin was funk wears its influences as well as its heart on In between these downbeat bookends though, a band with a foot in music’s past but eyes on a fronting brilliantly precocious prog-punk-hip- its sleeve. Strange then the band open and close Little Brother Eli’s sense of positivity holds bigger, brighter future. hop-pop crew Baby Gravy, and given the ages their debut album with their two most downbeat firm. High points are long-time live favourite Dale Kattack of the members of that band when they started, it kind of is half a lifetime ago. Iona’s moved on something since then, this new edge of harshness to the much more bitter than CABSTARS EP, again produced alongside London’s Bare sweet boy/girl vocals. At one point we wonder Beats, a similarly crepuscular mood piece to if maybe Alphabet Backwards have unleashed `The World To Me’ the pair’s `Cling’ EP back in 2014, the spooked their dolorous twin upon the world to balance sparseness of the production, all trippy textures out all their positive vibes. (Self released) Boasting their roots in the UK’s ska capital, and barely-there beats, a languid fog that wisps In fact it’s strange that the bands that most around Iona’s fantastically sulty, smoky voice, instantly spring to mind by way of comparison Coventry, but featuring members from Oxford, Cabstars make no bones about their huge debt to sounding at times like Esther Joy Lane’s twenty- – Heavenly and Bis – were similarly buoyant LEADER a-day delinquent sister. PUNCH DRUNK in mood, while Robot Swans rarely let the sun that city’s favourite sons and daughters, the lead track a slow skank that shuffles maybe too close to Lead track `The Wander’ is aptly titled, a drift shine on their cute, DIY pop world. `Islands’ `Young Again’ through deserted late night streets that recalls MONKEY CLUB might be Huggy Bear ditching the feisty The Specials’ `Do Nothing’. It carries its languid groove comfortably, but singer Ben Hugh’s voice (Self released) London Grammar’s sense of isolated romance. militancy and seeking solace at the bottom of a Bombast in rock music is all well and good, but In fact, like the cat in Kipling’s classic poem, `Images of You’ whisky bottle (“There will always be whisky,” sounds like its straining to fit the style, and we’re increadingly reminded not of Neville Staples or for it to work you’ve got to properly go for it – no this is music that likes to walk by itself. When (Self released) intones Matt Bradshaw solemnly at one point), point kicking in with an epic flourish only to drop Iona croons “I’m sure you’ll both be very Formed in Banbury back in 2010, the members of and further in, on the nominally jingly jangly Terry Hall but UB40’s Ali Campbell. The phrase cod-reggae has drifted out of favour, your shoulders as soon as the first verse starts. happy,” on the dark, desolate, organ-led `With Punch Drunk Monkey Club are still only just out `Something in the Water’, the line “There’s No, stick out your chest, foot up on the monitor Without’, you know such goodwill is entirely of their teens now and, as is the way with bands dogshit on the statue” is on hand to suppress any but once it was used to deride (mostly) white guys trying to ape Jamaica’s greatest cultural export with and imagine you’re riding a dragon into battle ironic. of such an age, they’ve gone on university-based errant ideas about cutting loose. decidedly mixed results. It’s a phrase that creeps with ancient Gods. Credit to Witney’s leader The more urgent `Second Thought’ could be hiatus in the wake of this debut release. ROBOT SWANS That’s not to say the album is an unrelenting back into our consciousness listening to `Pinch Me then that they stick to their guns for the most a brooding, gothic Ms Dynamite and overall Having started out mainly as a covers band barrel of misery. Robot Swans’ songs are good `The Tyranny of Robot To Wake Me Up’, which again coasts on a smooth part on this EP. Lead track `Chasing You’ comes this is music that wants to be left alone with its they’ve grown into themselves over time, with naturedly bare bones, bordering on nursery groove but struggles to sound authentic, and the with Stadium stamped all over it, singer Ben darkest thoughts. this EP featuring four self-penned songs. There’s rhymes at times, and a sort of cover of `My Swans’ lasting impression of Cabstars is a tight, effective Edgington becoming increasingly hysterical as Let it brood, let it ruminate, but ultimately, let it a strong feeling, though, that any or all of them Bonny Lies Over the Ocean’ is positively band in need of a singer to do them justice. the song builds, sky-searching guitars, coruscating into your heart. could have been swiped from other bands. (Self released) singalong until you realise it’s actually a pretty The cover of Robot Swans’ debut album Dale Kattack keyboards and thumping bass all clamouring for Victoria Waterfield Lead track `Images of You’ is the strongest gruesome internet-age tale of woe. features a delicate but rudimentary model of supremacy. Like fellow widescreen local rockers A here, kicking in with admirable bombast, like The album’s high points come with opener a swan made from Lego bricks. It’s pretty but Silent Film there’s something of Simple Minds and something from mid-80s Simple Minds, before `Pricks of the Trade’, a moody but driving looks fragile and slightly melancholy. It’s an Ultravox about them – two bands who did as much it slunches into standard indie rock territory, the synth-pop number that reminds us of the mighty appropriate reflection of the band that built it. as anyone to make sure the 1980s sounded BIG. singer’s strangulated mumble-cum-howl dragging Ladytron with its scouring texture, and closer Formed three years ago Roboto Swans remain Even when Leader turn the epic switch down a everything towards the throng of post-Arctic `Winter Kill Grass’, a vehicle for Laura Theis’ one of the most ramshackle live bands Nightshift notch they sound like they’re playing atop some Monkeys bands even as the violinist does his best wonderfully dreamy/desolate voice. has witnessed, but this album shows how far mountain peak with vertiginous vistas spreading to inject some invention into proceedings. The main misfire is `Iron in the Fire’, an ugly, they’ve come since then and just what they’re out before them. `Circles’ has a hint of the boy From here they tick all the requisite pub-rock misshapen attempt at punking things up that capable of. band about it, and the whole EP is fuelled by a boxes, from a modicum of funk that could have doesn’t suit them. Mostly though the trio make The trio describe themselves as “twinkle crowd-pleasing sense of uptight euphoria, while been half inched from either Red Hot Chili a virtue of unassuming gloominess layered on rock” and their music as “superficially happy,” `Left Outside’ steers them closer to Biffy Clyro- Peppers or Reef, to an elongated guitar solo on lo-fi pop tunes. There are those who’ll recoil both of which show a keen self awareness. style festival-friendly anthemic post-grunge pop. `Feeling Alright’ that seems to be included for the The keyboards do twinkle on occasion, and at Robot Swans’ none-more indie stylings, but In fact everything about Leader points to festival sake of it. `Nightmare’ ups the blues rock quota a cursory listen might suggest simple, upbeat never forget – Lego is way tougher than it looks, triumphalism. And, really, why not; if it’s not but while there’s energy aplenty here it seems to songs, but `The Tyranny of Robot Swans’ is and anyone tries stamping on it is gonna get exactly subtle it is highly effective. Big music be at the expense of any real character of their overwhelmingly maudlin and reflective, noisy hurt. made for big venues. Go and get your dragon. own. guitar stabs occasionally at hand to lend an Sue Foreman Dale Kattack Dale Kattack ONLY Interested in £86.50! a career in the 15/16/17 JULY 2016 • HILL FARM, OXFORDSHIRE, OX13 6AB Creative Industries?

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THE CELLAR FREWIN COURT OXFORD Plus Support Band - DECOVO OX1 3HZ WWW.CELLAROXFORD.CO.UK The Cellar Frewin Court Oxford OX1 MUSIC HISTORY BEGINS UNDERGROUND! Sat 25 June Tickets £6 in advance : wegottickets.com - £8 on the Door 8.30pm Decovo - 9.30pm Maia singer-songwriter Robert Lane supports. genius – see main preview DIRTY EARTH BAND: Fat Lil’s, Witney – LERA LYNN + GEORGE COSBY: The Party favourites from the local rockers. Bullingdon – Gorgeous, atmospheric Lynchian alt. THE MIGHTY CADILLACS: The Brewery country from the rising Nashville star – see main Tap, Abingdon – Classic blues, r’n’b and preview rock’n’roll. FAIRPORT CONVENTION: The Cornerstone, Didcot – Mssrs Nicol, Pegg, Leslie, Sanders GIG GUIDE SUNDAY 5th and Conway continue their tradition of playing WHISKEYDICK + TREVOR’S HEAD: intimate shows around the Shire in the run up to st DOT’S FUNK ODYSSEY: The Bullingdon The Wheatsheaf – Return to town for heavily their annual Cropredy gathering, the pioneering WEDNESDAY 1 folk-rock legends still going strong fifty years on COASTS: O2 Academy – Polished tropical – Soulful tunes, Latin vibes and funky grooves bearded Texan country/metal duo Whiskeydick, from their inception, setting the benchmark by th pop in the vein of Foals and Friendly Fires from from the local funk and soul band, playing Aretha mixing outlaw country and serious rock riffage Monday 6 which all subsequent English folk artists will be Bristol’s Coasts, out on tour to promote their Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson into an unusual whole that’s like a cross between compared. Long may they reign. eponymous debut album, co-produced by Duncan among other classics and originals. Pantera and David Allan Coe. Acoustic they may LERA LYNN / Mills (Jake Bugg) and Fraser t Smith (Adele / Sam JUNE MIRACLE LEGION, MARK & RAY DUO be but they’ve supported Honky, Weedeater and th Smith). declared his `Waxing Gibbous’ album to be his SHOW: The Jericho Tavern – Ahead of a full Nashville Pussy on tour. As they say themselves, TUESDAY 7 GEORGE COSBY: MALCOLM MIDDLETON: The Bullingdon last, he’s still with us, his last outing `Electric band reunion tour later in the year, Connecticut “we’re just a train-robbin’, gun-totin’, dope- KATHRYN JOSEPH + JESS HALL + – The former-Arab Strap chap returns with more Blue’ released under his Human Don’t Be Angry indie legends Mark Mulcahy and Ray Neal play a smokin’, guitar-pickin’, muthafuckin’ good time COLDREDLIGHT: Modern Art Oxford – The Bullingdon Room for another Americana show in little ol’ of his joyous gloom. Having previously described alter ego. series of acoustic shows across the UK as a duo. band, taking hillbilly music and spreading it across Gorgeous, griefy folk-pop from the Scottish singer Oxford? Of course there is, especially when himself as sounding like “a fat child throwing a THE VIM DICTA + GRUB + BEAVERFUEL: Often compared to REM in the early days, the the land” Yes they are. – see main preview it’s an artist of the calibre of Lera Lynn (no, Casio keyboard down a flight of stairs and hitting The Wheatsheaf – OxRox’s very wonderful host band’s rootsy take on 80s alt.rock has proved to be HEADINGTON FESTIVAL: Bury Knowle ALVIN ROY & REEDS UNLIMITED: The she won’t be singing `We’ll Meet Again’). an old man at the bottom who’s playing Verve Sam celebrates her birthday in some style with an prescient, although, as is ever the case, they were Park – Live music in the park, with sets from Bullingdon – Trad jazz, bop and swing from Alvin The Nashville singer, songwriter, producer songs badly on an over-priced guitar,” it’s fair to Oxford debut for Los Angeles psychedelic power beloved of critics more than record buyers at the Headington Hillbillies, Ady Davey, Nick Gill, Roy and his reeds band at the Bully’s free weekly and multi-instrumentalist, has kind of gone say he doesn’t take himself too seriously even as rockers The Vim Dicta, the young trio earning time. Time is ripe to rediscover a great overlooked Special Riders and more. jazz club. stratospheric since the release of her second he explores the dark nights of his soul, and he’s a themselves an enviable reputation in the States band. 13 BURNING: The Wheatsheaf – Old school album `The Avenues’ in 2014. As well as master of underplayed observational pop, nearly for their raw, riff-heavy blend of Led Zep, Janis THE DREAMING SPIRES: The Cornerstone, th metal. MONDAY 6 featuring in pretty much every end of year nabbing the 2007 Christmas Number 1 spot with Joplin, The Doors and Jefferson Airplane, and Didcot – Quality Americana and 60s-inspired HANS HOUSE: The Cellar – House remixes of PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED: O2 Academy – critics chart going in the States and earning his wry `We’re All Going To Die’ ditty. Having set to release their new album to coincide with rocking from the local heroes, recently nominated the legendary Hollywood composer’s works, from Lord Lydon of Sneer returns with more post-punk herself an appearance on Letterman, a fair this UK tour. Local psych-grunge support from for a slew of UK Americana Awards, the band, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lion King to few of the songs on the album were used to Grub and splenetically witty noise-pop outfit helmed by brothers Robin and Joe Bennett, Batman, Superman and Kung Fu Panda, with DJ nd rd soundtrack True Detective, in which she also Thursday 2 Beaverfuel. Happy rocking birthday, Sam. inspired by The Band, Big Star, The Beatles and Friday 3 EE Rolls, GMBC and Gilpin’s Jam. had a cameo as a bar singer. These sort of BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Cellar The Byrds. SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Street things have a tendency to get an artist noticed THE HOT 8 BRASS – Fortnightly club night mixing up 80s pop, disco, SPARKY’S SPONTANEOUS SHOWCASE CANCER BATS: Tavern – Weekly open mic and jam session. and sales and Youtube views pretty much went new wave, glam and synth-pop. & SPOTLIGHT JAM: The James Street – TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE: The Half Moon BAND: O2 Academy Renowned local open mic host Sparky helms O2 Academy – Modern jazz and grooves from the Hammond/ through the roof. One of the finest voices in Ah, Cancer Bats, how much do we love you? modern country music, Lynn hasn’t rested on Formed in 1995, New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass nd his monthly bands, jam and open gig, with Chris sax/guitar/drums outfit, playing their monthly THURSDAY 2 Lots and lots and lots, it must be said. Here’s Band earned their reputation playing the Browne, Richard Brotherton and Cosmosis. residency. her laurels since and her follow-up album, MOULETTES: Truck Store – Back in town after a band that doesn’t mess about, preferring to jazz clubs and festivals of their native city, JIMBO 40: The Cellar – Drum&bass club night `Resister’, pretty much ditched the pedal steel their show at The Cellar in April, Glastonbury’s get on with economical sub-four-minute blasts as well as local jazz funerals, but it was in with Greencode and Bolo from Terraforms, plus twang in favour of a far more atmospheric, proggy psych-folksters play an instore set as they of (often surprisingly melodic) metalcore th the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that they more. WEDNESDAY 8 otherworldly sound, spacious and exploratory, achieved worldwide recognition, featuring promote new album `Preternatural’. noise rather than fanny about with technical ADAM ANT: The New Theatre – The Dandy as close to Opal or Mazzy Star as it is to THE HOT 8 BRASS BAND: O2 Academy fripperies. The Toronto band’s latest album, Highwayman returns to town for the first time in Spike Lee’s documentary When the Levee th the likes of Neko Case – perfect music for Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts. As a result – New Orleans street brass given a hip hop SATURDAY 4 `Searching For Zero’ – produced by Ross since 2012 to coincide with an extravagant box soundtracking future downbeat drama series. PEERLESS PIRATES + DEAD PHEASANTS they became the first American act signed to sensibility from the stars of Spike Lee’s Robinson – is possibly their most experimental set reissue of classic album `Kings of the Wild While she’s co-written songs with Rosanne + THE STANDARD + ACOUSTIC JOURNEY: Tru Thoughts, their fusion of New Orleans documentary When the Levee Broke: A Requiem in to date, and finds them exploring their Sabbath Frontier’. Having dominated the early-80s charts Cash and T Bone Burnett, for the most part O2 Academy – Oxford’s swashbuckling rock marching brass and jazz with hip hop and funk Four Parts – see main preview obsession to the max at times, but it’s also a with theatrical glee and monster hits like `Ant everything on Lynn’s album is her own work, buccaneers launch their debut album, carving spicing up a traditional style. Their endurance THE HUNNA: The Bullingdon – Anthemic highly volatile emotional catharsis, spurred on Music’, `Stand & Deliver’ and `Prince Charming’, including playing pretty much every instrument out a niche as one of the most entertaining live and increasing success, though, hasn’t been indie/boy band crossover from Hertforshire’s by the death of several of the band’s friends a gradual retreat into a less successful solo on it, and she’s set to become one of the bands in Oxford with their pirate-themed mix of without tragedy. No fewer than three of the Hunna, out on a headline tour after supporting in the time it was being written and recorded. career and mental health issues, Ant’s return to biggest talents in the Americana sphere. Great Smiths-y indie, rockabilly, Tex-Mex and eastern group have suffered violent deaths: trumpeter Coasts and a string of sold-out shows around the So, while the band crank out black-hearted performing at the end of the noughties was as downbeat dark-pop support at tonight’s Empty European folk-punk. They’re joined tonight by Jacob Johnson shot dead aged just 17; 22-year- country, winning a fanatical teenage following on blues and southern rock sludge boogie, or much a personal triumph as it was a welcome Room Promotion show from London singer Chippenham’s political ska-folk-punk crew Dead old trombonist Joseph Williams gunned down the back of singles `Bonfire’, `She’s Casual’, and venomous punk-tinged metal anthems, the still return of a man whose dedication to proper George Cosby, inspired by The National and Pheasants; ten-piece covers band The Standard, by the police, and drummer Dinerral Shavers `You & Me’. impressively strident Liam Cormier lets rip pop star entertainment puts most modern day Bon Iver. and country trio Acoustic Journey. killed in a gang shooting when his stepson was CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford in a manner that suggests Beelzebub himself manufactured nobodies to shame. As well as the TUSKEN + HIGH TIDES + BETTER THAN the intended target. Such tragedies might have Community Centre – Oxford’s longest running is tearing terrible confessions from him. Live hits there’s be plenty of early Adam & The Ants Koala, and wonderfully bizarre Weimer-style NEVER + LE PUB: The Bullingdon brought an end to lesser groups but in 2013 open club night continues to showcase singers, there is mayhem and ferocity of a type that’s gems to keep the old guard happy. operatic cabaret-rock from Brown Glove, who 13 BURNING + NOT TOO SHABBY + The Hot 8 released their second album, `The musicians, poets, storytellers, performance artists irresistible, but equally you can sing along, if LUCY SPRAGGAN: The Bullingdon – closed this year’s Oxford Punt. RAISED BY HYPOCRITES + SOCIAL Life & Times of the Hot 8 Brass Band’, which and more every week. your lungs can cope. Having made their name Whimsical hip hop-infused acoustic pop from the ANNA CORCORAN & BAND: St. John DISCHARGE: The Cellar – Church of the took their roots yet further into new territories, SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half Moon supporting everyone from Funeral For a Friend former X-Factor contestant, best known for her the Evangelist – Singer and pianist Corcoran Heavy keeps it rifftastic with old school metallers the brass backing up commentaries of injustice – Open mic night. and Bring Me The Horizon to Rise Against and song `Tea & Toast’, back in town as part of a tour plays songs from her new album `Easier Than 13 Burning recording their set for a live EP. and violence in New Orleans and adding a ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure – NOFX, Cancer Bats are top drawer headline to promote her third album `We Are’. Falling’, her gentle fusion of folk and jazz They’re joined by Witney metallers Raised new twist on The Specials’ `Ghost Town’ and Unplugged open mic night. material now, blitzkrieg entertainment with DISCO MA NON TROPPO: The Cellar – drawing comparisons to Norah Jones and Sarah By Hypocrites and punk/grunge outfit Social Basement Jaxx’s `Bingo Bango’. Back in BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford few equals. Time hasn’t mellowed them. If House, disco, dub/, afrobeat and cosmic weirdness McLachlan. Discharge. Oxford for the first time since 2014, they’re – Open blues jam. anything they rocker harder than ever. with DJ Closed Stack, Mallard Hotlines, DJ TENTH LISTEN + KANCHO! + COWLEY WHAT YOU CALL IT, GARAGE?: The Cellar touring their `Vicennial – 20th Anniversary’ Mangrove and Virtual DJ. CHAINSAW: The Library – Local skate punkers – Free Range’s garage, grime and bassline club album. rd Tenth listen launch their new EP at tonight’s free FRIDAY 3 night playing underground sounds. CANCER BATS: O2 Academy – th Smash Disco show, joined by two-man noise-pop BOULEVARD SPRING: The Cornerstone, THURSDAY 9 RAAAAAAAGHHHHH! Yeah, that learned ya THE CULT OF DOM KELLER + THE NEON riot Kancho! and lo-fi hardcore crew Cowley Didcot – Thames Valley Jazz and Swing Band – see main preview VIOLETS + MASIRO: The Bullingdon – Chainsaw. play standards – including `The Lady Is A Tramp KLUB KAKOFANNEY with SINFICTION Nottingham’s psych-kings bring the deep, dark MY DARLING CLEMENTINE: Fat Lil’s, and `Tuxedo Junction’, and original songs. + THE COUNT OF 3 + MOOGIEMAN & groove to town – see main preview Witney – Between them, husband and wife duo NINEBARROW + ROBERT LANE: Tiddy THE MASOCHISTS + ROSE SEGAL: The THE ELO EXPERIENCE: The New Theatre – My Darling Clementine have clocked up several Hall, Ascott-under-Wychwood – Wychwood Wheatsheaf – Klub Kak host another merry Big band ELO tribute show returns to town. decades of successful, critically acclaimed solo Folk Club hosts award-winning duo Ninebarrow, mixed bill, with punky indie rockers Sinfiction, RAISED BY HYPOCRITES + IDEAL KOALA and collaborative work. Singer and songwriter Jon Whitely and Jay LaBouchardiere playing classic beat band The Count of Three, wobbly + BROWN GLOVE: The Cellar – Mixed bag Michael Weston King was previously a member traditional folk songs inspired by the rural electro-pop from Moogieman and wistful acoustic of local bands with Witney’s metallers Raised By of pioneering British country band The Good Sons landscapes of the British Isles. Birmingham folk-pop from Rose Segal. Hypocrites; experimental cellist and singer Ideal – dubbed The UK’s answer to Uncle Tupelo – and Latin, Balkan beats, global grooves, Afrobeat music, with sets from Cameron A.G., A Silent by the genial Jeremy Hughes and his psychedelic SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Street and nu-jazz club night, with a live set from The Film, Richard Walters and Egrets. Bring a picnic. folk crew Moon Leopard. They’re joined by folk/ Tavern Carny Villains, playing a raucous, theatrical mix POLICE DOG HOGAN + PAUL McLURE: blues types Beard of Destiny, a capella ensemble MUNKEY: The Jericho Tavern – Rock and funk of swing, ska and Balkan-flavoured folk. Host Dan The Bullingdon – Upbeat urban bluegrass, Riverside Voices and uke crew Oxford Ukuleles. covers. Ofer is on the decks playing the best in world jazz suburban country, West Country folk, fun drinking NATIONAL YOUTH FOLK ENSEMBLE dance. songs, tales of failed barbecues and souvenir tea DAY: The Cornerstone, Didcot (11am-4m) – An WEDNESDAY 15th BIG DEAL: The Bullingdon – Grungy pop, dark towels at tonight’s Empty Room show from the open day for young folk musicians aged 14-18 SONA JOBARTEH: The North Wall, folk and dream-pop from the London-California ever-touring octet, back in town after last year’s to jam and learn about folk songwriting and Summertown – Rare opportunity to see Sona duo of Kacey Underwood and Alice Costelloe, sold-out show, the band featuring Guardian performing. Jobarteh, the first female Kora virtuoso to come back out on tour to promote their new album, the columnist Tim Dowling on banjo, their inclusive, WATERFAHL: The Brewery Tap, Abingdon from a noted west African Griot family. Players follow-up to 2013’s lauded `June Gloom’, which feelgood onstage vibes a neat counterpoint to his (5pm) - Acoustic blues and pop duo. of the traditional 21-string African harp have been th th Monday 6 earned them a tour support to Depeche Mode. dry, hangdog humour. almost exclusively male over the centuries – the Thursday 9 BLOODY KNUCKLES: The Bullingdon – PETER ASTOR + PUPPET MECHANIC: The MONDAY 13th instrument handed down from father to son, so PUBLIC IMAGE Ltd: Classic house club night. Wheatsheaf – Having tempted The Go-Betweens’ VIOLENT CHIMES + SHOTGUN SIX + Sona’s rise has been little short of extraordinary, THE CULT OF DOM CARLENE CARTER: St. Barnabas – The Robert Forster to town last year Swiss Concrete STARBELLY: The Library – Emo, grunge and and her music – based on the traditional songs, O2 Academy daughter of June Carter Cash and 50s country bring another 80s indie demigod to Oxford in the drone-rocking at the local bands showcase. sounds and stories of the Mandinko people from KELLER / THE NEON PiL’s previous two gigs here over the last few superstar Carl Smith, Carlene Carter is part of form of Peter Astor. Long before Oasis, or even The Gambia, Senegal, Mali and Guinea – is years have been nothing short of a revelation. the great Carter country music dynasty, sharing My Bloody Valentine and Ride, Astor’s name th elegant, otherworldly and rhythmically hypnotic, VIOLETS / MASIRO: John Lydon’s well-earned reputation as a TUESDAY 14 their tendency towards the dark edges of the genre was synonymous with Creation Records with helped along by a pure, highly melodic voice. lifelong contrarian meant anything could THE HUGH TURNER BAND: The Bullingdon having recorded her 1978 debut album in London his bands The Loft and The Weather Prophets, Probably the most pioneering musician playing in The Bullingdon have happened, but in the end both shows – Funky jazz from Turner and chums at the Bully’s Groove is in the heart, but it’s also in the with Graham Parker’s The Rumour before going helping spearhead a particularly elegant, poetic Oxford this month. free weekly jazz club. head, and if it’s played down and dirty were extended tours de force with Lydon an on to cover `Ring of Fire’ and `Foggy Mountain form of indie pop. The author of such timeless SARI SCHORR & THE ENGINE ROOM: INTRUSION: The Cellar – The long-running enough, in your bowels too. Nottingham’s imperious ringmaster as he and his recently Top’. Having enjoyed her biggest hits in the 90s indie classics as `Up The Hill & Down the Slope’ The Bullingdon – Powerful, gutsy blues rocking goth, industrial, ebm and darkwave club night Cult of Dom Keller’s groove is positively resurrected band, including former Pop Group with `Every Little Thing’ and `I Fell In Love’ she’s and `Why Does the Rain’, his cult status has rarely from New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee celebrate their fifteenth anniversary with a subterranean it’s so deep and heavy. Since member Bruce Smith, ran through every great chosen to explore her family’s musical legacy been troubled by commercial success, and after a Sari Schorr and her band at tonight’s Haven fairytales, myths and legends party. their formation in 2007, and via a brace of moment PiL have created since they emerged with new album `Carter Girl’, playing songs brief solo career in the early 90s he disappeared Club. Having made her name with guitarist Joe lo-fi album releases, they’ve become darlings from the ashes of The Sex Pistols. The Pistols from across the generations, including The Carter from music altogether for nearly a decade before Louis Walker, Schorr has drawn comparisons to of the underground psychedelia scene and might have kicked down the statues, but with Family and AP Carter – even bringing long-term re-emerging. His new album, `Split Milk’, was Janis Joplin and Tina Turner, while her new band th played psych fests from Austin to Lewes, PiL, Lydon’s musical legacy reached further family friend Kris Kristofferson in for some duet recorded with Veronica Falls’ James Hoare, and Tuesday 7 features former Robert Plant guitarist Innes Sibun. their heavy duty bass-led dirge as spaced-out and into more interesting corners. As Simon action. Another American cult legend brought to if these days Astor works full time as a music STOLBY + BROWN GLOVE + LAIMA BITE: as it is juggernaut relentless. Very much in Reynolds argues in his superb book Rip It you by the good folks at Empty Room Promotions. lecturer, a listen to any of his best albums should KATHRYN JOSEPH The Wheatsheaf – It’s All About the Music hosts the lineage of similarly drone-heavy psych Up And Start Again, PiL’s debut album was THE FELLOW MAN + WE BLESS THIS teach aspiring musicians everything they know its regular Let The Lady Sing showcase of female / JESS HALL / bands as Loop, The Heads, Spacemen 3 and the real year zero for rock music, taking the MESS + OH LEE RECORDS FOLK about writing a great pop song. singers, tonight with Joni Mitchell-inspired folk- Wooden Shjips, their one and only mission revolutionary spirit of punk and drawing COLLECTIVE: The Wheatsheaf – Portuguese LUCY LEAVE + SLATE HEARTS + pop people Stolby; theatrical Weimer-steampunk COLDREDLIGHT: is to mine that groove to its darkest depth in disparate strands, from dub to funk to singer-songwriter Bruno Mira brings his breathy 31HOURS + WOLFS: Modern Art Oxford – cabaret nightmares from Brown Glove, and and expose your soul to a wonderful world electronic music and inventing a whole swathe acoustic folk-pop band to town. Fresh from their excellent Punt set Lucy Leave elegantly melancholic pop from Laima Bite. THE AMAZONS: Modern Art Oxford – unfurl their psych-groove, punk noise and spiky- Modern Art Oxford of noise. In this quest they’re ably supported of new musical genres. Abetted by some of the With an album titled `The Bones You Have BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Cellar Reading’s anthemic power-pop crew The Amazons pop storm once again, while fellow Punters Slate by Oxford’s own psych-drone heroes The most innovative musicians of the modern age – Thrown Me & Blood I Have Spilled’, return to town. Hearts lead the local grunge revival charge, Neon Violets, whose adherence to groove bassist Jah Wobble, guitarists Keith Levene and Kathryn Joseph’s songs were never going to th WALLINGFORD BLUES & BEER sounding impressively like T-Rex if they’d grown THURSDAY 16 and space-rock sonic expansion is similarly John McGeoch, and drummer Martin Atkins be a barrel of laughs. Instead they are stark, FESTIVAL: The Regal Centre, Wallingford up in Nirvana’ basement in the early 90s. Support SLATE HEARTS + THE VINCENT WHITE head-on. Coming in and flying out in rather – Lydon took PiL to places previously unvisited haunting, poetic and utterly, utterly gorgeous. – Doing very much what it says on the tin, from promising funked-up electro-pop newcomers BAND + LE PUB + THE STRAYS: The Jericho more directions are Masiro, whose math-rock by a rock band, arguably inventing post-rock Having spent the early part of her career along the way. From 1978 to their unofficial the annual Wallingford Blues & Beer Festival 31Hours at tonight’s Tigmus show. Tavern – It’s All About the Music showcase night attack stays the right side of prog decency, considered Scotland’s best kept musical with frenetic grunge-core newcomers Slate Hearts split in 1992 PiL’s output was inconsistent provides a bluesy soundtrack to ale consumption LITTLE SPARTA + COLDREDLIGHT + mixing technical virtuosity with free-ranging secret, her Kickstarter-funded opus beat off alongside blues rockers The Vincent White Band to say the least but the best of it – 1979’s over the weekend, today’s star turn coming from PIPELINE: The Cellar – Folk-punk duo Little rock fun. A night to leave the real world competition from Belle & Sebastian, Young and more. inspirational `Metalbox’ and the more abstract, the now seemingly immortal Wilko Johnson, Sparta launch their debut EP. behind and feed your head. Fathers and Mogwai to win Scottish Album MARTY O’REILLY & THE OLD SOUL electronic `Flowers Of Romance’ in particular, whose successful battle with cancer has provided ABBA MANIA: The New Theatre – All your of the Year in 2015, while she’s earned herself ORCHESTRA: Fat Lil’s, Witney – stand alongside the greatest, most challenging one of the happiest rock and roll stories of recent favourite ABBA hits. Admit it – this is the best gig a devoted following that includes Lauren Blues and swing of a darker persuasion music ever made. Something the band’s most times. Having breathed new life into r’n’b in the in town this month. Laverne and Marc Riley along the way. Like from Marty O’Reilly and his band, recent releases have continued to do. So we 70s with Dr Feelgood, he’s continued to prove WALLINGFORD BLUES & BEER New Zealand’s rising star Aldous Harding, inspired by Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee go along expecting greatness. All previous himself not only one of the UK’s finest blues FESTIVAL: The Regal Centre, Wallingford Kathryn Joseph deals in the griefier side of Hooker and Tom Waits. evidence suggests we shall not be disappointed. guitarists (inadvertently laying the groundwork – Second day of the annual blues and beer fest, for punk) but also a livewire performer who never today’s proceedings starting early with a family- life lyrically and brings it to shimmering life CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford gave up playing every show like it was his last, friendly daytime session featuring local guitarist with a voice that’s spectral and birdlike, her Community Centre has written for and collaborated with Nick Cave, even as deteriorating health suggested it might and singer Matt Edwards and his band, plus sometime unnerving vulnerability drawing SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Steve Earle, Roger McGuinn and Ron Sexsmith, be. Keep on rocking, sir. Support from The Liam Hiproute and Big Joe Bone. Tonight’s main event comparisons to Anthony Hegarty and Joanna Half Moon while Townes Van Zandt has covered his songs; Ward Band and Thomas Ford. is topped by Stratford’s rising young guitarist Newsom. Tonight is her Oxford debut and is a ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Lou Dalgleish, meanwhile, has worked with Elvis REVELATORS: James Street Tavern – Lively Laurence Jones, who has been compared to Peter rare chance to see one of the most astonishing Obscure Costello and Bryan Ferry as well as releasing a blues and cigar box guitar boogie in the vein of Green and Joe Bonamassa. Support from Red vocal talents around. An added bonus comes BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, succession of solo albums since the early 1990s. Seasick Steve and Rory Gallagher. Butler and Babajack. in the shape of two of Oxford’s own brightest Sandford But after ten years of marriage the pair finally PLANTEC: The Cornerstone, Didcot – Classic DIDCOT BEER, CIDER AND MUSIC vocal stars – bright-eyed, romantic folk- started to write and perform together, bringing Breton and Celtic folk music for the modern age FESTIVAL: Didcot Civic Hall – Rock covers pop singer Jess Hall and a solo show from th their voices together on debut album `How Do You Coldredlight, aka Gaby-Elise Monaghan, FRIDAY 17 from Brittany trio Plantec, reinvigorating the from Junction 6 and more. NELLY: O2 Academy – Over a decade Plead?’, an album of classic Nashville-style duets whose dark, desolate blues was one of the traditional sounds with loops, samples and synths. JOHNNY’S SEXUAL KITCHEN: The White and a half on from breakthrough debut that explore the timeless themes of the country most talked-about turns at this year’s Oxford BETTER THAN NEVER: Fat Lil’s, Witney – House – Rock, blues, country and punk covers. album `Country Grammar’ Missouri duet, inspired by, but often equal to, the likes of Pop-punk from the local faves. Punt. Quite simply an unmissable show. George and Tammy Wynette or Carter-Cash. rapper Nelly is out on tour playing DIDCOT BEER, CIDER AND MUSIC SUNDAY 12th club shows with just a DJ and hype CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford FESTIVAL: Didcot Civic Hall – Live blues Community Centre JAMIE C PAGETT + ASH LEWIS + man rather than the massive stadium and r’n’b from Mad Larry and more at the beer CLAIRE LE MASTER + DAN McKEAN: The and arena gigs he once enjoyed, but if SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half Moon festival. ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure Wheatsheaf (2.30pm) – Klub Kakofanney host a multi-million selling albums are a thing free afternoon of unplugged music in the Sheaf’s of the not-so-distant past, he seems to BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford th VISHTEN & MEAGHAN BLANCHARD: St SATURDAY 11 downstairs bar. be enjoying himself as much as ever st Nicholas Church, Baulking GLASSHOUSE STUDIOS 1 BIRTHDAY BEARD OF DESTINY + MOON LEOPARD going by reviews of recent shows, the PARTY: Glasshouse Studios, Cumnor (2pm) + RIVERSIDE VOICES + OXFORD new-found intimacy adding a freshness to monster hits like `Hot In Herre’, th – The recording and rehearsal studio celebrates UKULELES: Donnington Community Centre FRIDAY 10 its first anniversary with a free afternoon of live (6pm) – Free evening of unplugged music hosted while those old Neptune-produced tunes BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Dancefloor haven’t passed their sell-by date yet. THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Mad Hatter – lately as she’s made her name known on the sets from Cuban big band Ran Kan Kan; folksters Wheatsheaf – Reliably mixed bag of sounds at Party-hearty swamp blues, funk, ska, folk and pop European blues circuit. Band of Hope; kids songs from Nick Cope, and this month’s GTI. Light, bubbly, funky rock from from the veteran local faves. ska and funk-tinged blues rock from The Mighty local newcomers Tanners Pool, plus excellent TUESDAY 21st Redox, plus Papa Nui; Madflamenco; Alex pop-inflected post-punk from recent Demo of SATURDAY 18th THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: O’Connor and Maracutaya. the Monthers Juliet & the Raging Romeos, and STILLMARILLION: O2 Academy – It’s true, O2 Academy – Anton Newcombe’s frazzled LITTLE BROTHER ELI + NINE MILES skilful fretwork, subtle vocal harmonies and finely there are still Marillion fans out there. If you fancy psychedelic rockers return to Oxfordshire for the SOUTH + NEVERLND: The Bullingdon – nuanced acoustic duo dynamics from The Lost Art. a bit of fun, ask them where Fish is and watch first time since their set at Truck Festival back Album launch show for this month’s Nightshift PITCHBLACK: The Cellar – Techno club night them turn puce with rage as they explain that in 2007, the notoriously headstrong bandleader cover stars, with their livewire blend of blues, funk with John Swede, Mark Dancer and Jack Powell. actually he left in 1988 and Steve Hogarth has having dispensed with almost as many band and garage rock. Country and blues rocking from THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Whitehouse Nine Miles South in support, and eclectic indie, SHEPHERD’S PIE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Hard th been singer for far longer than he ever was. Then members as Mark E Smith, but for all his wayward Sunday 19 th ask them if they still play stuff off `The Lamb Lies behaviour – bordering on outright self-destruction, electro and more from Neverlnd. rock and metal covers, from Maiden and Metallica Monday 27 TESTAMENT: Down On Broadway’. as evidenced in the filmDig! – his singular vision MAIA + DECOVO: The Cellar – Lively to Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath. THE CHEESEGRATERS: The Bullingdon has helped him produce some amazing music spaced-out sci-fi folk-pop from the well-travelled WITTFEST: The Plough, Long Wittenham SAUL WILLIAMS: O2 Academy – The drunken funksters return to action after along the way, from their early psychedelic blues Huddersfield troupe – see main preview (1pm) – Johnny’s Sexual Kitchen, Mad Larry and another elongated hiatus, armed with a fresh rock, through more experimental noise, inspired CHASING DAYLIGHT + ECHOPRAXIS + more at the weekend music fest. O2 Academy They might not be part of thrash metal’s Big KUIPER + KANADIA + NEON TEEPEE + DRIVIN’ SIDEWAYS: The Dolphin, Saul Williams is angry. Saul Williams has Four, but Testament’s history is intrinsically selection of tunes to butcher. Warning: may by The Velvet Underground and My Bloody contain kazoo solos. Valentine, to last year’s tribute to European art GRUB: O2 Academy – Local bands showcase Wallingford – Rocking blues. always been angry, and now more than ever locked into that of Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer night from It’s All About the Music, with THE MIGHTY CADILLACS: The Three music needs angry people. A philosophy and Megadeth. They emerged from the same NEW GENERATION SUPERSTARS + THE house cinema, `Musique de Film Imaginé’. BLACK BULLETS + HELL’S GAZELLES + THE STUART HENDERSON QUARTET: The Britrockers Chasing Daylight launching their own Horseshoes, Long Hanborough graduate, poet, writer, visual artist and actor, early-80s California scene that spawned a range of marmalade while paying musical tribute Williams is multi-talented in the extreme but it’s whole raft of pioneering heavyweights, and TRAUMA UK: The Wheatsheaf – Nottingham’s Bullingdon – Free live jazz from trumpeter Stuart to The Beatles, Kinks, Oasis and Blur. Support th as a rapper he’s at his most potent, a man who’s they toured with the latter three over the years punked up rockers come to OxRox, out on a Henderson and band. SUNDAY 26 headline tour after supports to The Wildhearts, SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Street comes from indie rockers Echopraxis; funky HATTIE BRIGGS + LEWIS BARFOOT + spent close to two decades raging against social as well as with the titans who inspired that rock from Kuiper; expansive stadium-pop from injustice and corporate greed, while refusing scene – Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Black Duff McKagan’s Loaded and Supersuckers. Tavern JACK COOKSON: The Jericho Tavern – Supports include great local heavy rockers Hell’s Kanadia and psychedelic grunge noise from Grub. Winsome acoustic folk-pop from Gloucestershire to be bound by genre tropes. If the primary Sabbath. The band’s debut album `Legacy’ GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with inspiration for his poetic, sometimes stream of (also the original name of the band) has lately Gazelles in a Judas Priest and Led Zep vein. WEDNESDAY 22nd singer Hattie Briggs and her band – which often FLUID: The Cellar – The drum&bass, bassline TANNERS POOL + JULIET & THE consciousness raps is Gil Scott Heron, and his been recognised as a thrash classic to equal THE DESLONDES + TWAIN: The Bullingdon features Barney Morse-brown from Duotone – out and grime cub night celebrates its fifth birthday, RAGING ROMEOS + THE LOST ART: The early records touched on Public Enemy territory, those of their more lauded contemporaries, – Quality Americana courtesy of Empty Room on tour to promote her debut album `Red & Gold’, with host Masp and guests. he’s expanded his sound incrementally over the and sales wise they didn’t do too shabbily promotions again tonight with New Orleans’ inspired by the likes of James Taylor, Eva Cassidy THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Cricketers th years, taking in Living Colour’s funk-rock and either – shifting over 14 million albums around rootsy roughneck country stars on the rise, mixing Saturday 25 and Katie Melua. Arms, Cowley – Fun blues rocking from the The Mars Volta’s inventive prog, while covering the world. Constant line-up changes have gumbo grooves, honky tonk, campfire stories and HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES: Prince of veteran local singer and guitarist. U2’s `Sunday Bloody Sunday’. He’s worked done as much as anything to stop their top tier humour and southern states folk music into a rich MAIA: The Cellar Wales, Iffley THE MIGHTY CADILLACS: The Black While a million column inches are dedicated with and toured extensively with Nine Inch momentum continuing, though. Only guitarist stew. BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) Swan, Abingdon to the demise of the music industry as it Nails as well as artists as diverse as Nas, Erykah Eric Peterson remains from the original 1983 FUJI + SEVEN O’CLOCK JUNKIES + was, and the opportunities and pitfalls of the Badu, Blackalicious, The Fugees and Zac De La line-up, while singer Chuck Billy, who joined BOON, MEW & WOOSTER: The Wheatsheaf th internet free-for-all, when it comes down to MONDAY 27 Rocha, and acted in a musical soundtracked by in 1986, is the only other member to appear on th – Alternately ambient and spiky melodic rocking SAUL WILLIAMS: O2 Academy – The New SUNDAY 19 it, the most effective, and satisfying route Tupac, so he’s hardly your typical MC. That he every Testament album. Lead guitarist Alex TESTAMENT: O2 Academy – Heads-down from Fuji at tonight’s Oxford Music Rooms show, York rapper continues to rage against the machine to success is getting in the back of a van upped sticks from his native New York to live Skolnick returned to the fold in 2005, having moshtastic riff-frenzy a-go-go from the thrash with support from REM-inspired indie crew Seven in poetic style – see main preview and gigging til your fingers bleed and your in Paris suggests he’s got a wider vision than quit years earlier over the band’s direction – he veterans -see main preview O’Clock Junkies and folk-rock trio BMW. MORELAND & ARBUCKLE: The Bullingdon kidneys explode. Nowhere is this more true most, and if he tends towards the polemical, wanted more melody, the rest of the band were BRAIDS: O2 Academy – Montreal’s precious – Raw, gritty Delta-style blues and electric blues- than on the fringes of the folk scene where he does so with the lyrical dexterity of a true headed into death metal at that point. Along the popsters return to Oxford on the back of third rd rock from Kansas duo Aaron Moreland (guitar) THURSDAY 23 reputations are earned through graft and the poet. Prolific as a guest and collaborator, way they’ve had more drummers than Spinal album `Deep in the Iris’, their last visit to town and Dustin Arbuckle (vocals and blues harp), out TEN TOG KING + FLASH FIRES + ANDRE ability to engage a new audience every night. Williams’ own album output has been sporadic Tap could imagine, and the band have endured a low-key show at the Jericho Tavern around on their `Promised Land or Bust’ tour. CHAVES + TEN TOMBS: The Jericho Tavern Or in Maia’s case afternoons too, since they’re but this tour coincides with his new opus through cancer and brain tumours as well as the time of acclaimed debut `Native Speaker’. – Duvet-core from Ten Tog King at tonight’s It’s a fixture on the festival scene, where their `MartyrLoserKing’, a meditation on social the line-up changes. And they’re still with Their often extended, cyclical songs, buoyant yet th All About the Music showcase gig. eclectic but inclusive approach to folk music TUESDAY 28 justice in the internet age from the viewpoint of us, making thrash metal as it always was and baroque, can evoke `Feels’-era Animal Collective, CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford makes them a regular fixture. They describe THE BULLINGDON HOT CLUB: The a computer hacker living in Burundi. Go see a always will be, their influence on subsequent Broken Social Scene’s expansive folk-tinged Community Centre themselves as sci-fi folk, which doesn’t mean Bullingdon – Hot jazz and swing at the Bully’s lyrical master at work. generations plain to hear. Metal, you see, is pop and The Sundays’ playfully ethereal indie SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half Moon a huge amount but in their case involves a weekly jazz club. forever. There will be riffs. shimmer, deeply textured and intricate but strongly ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure sometimes rootsy and upbeat, sometimes SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Street melodic, but it’s singer Raphaelle Standell- BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford spaced-out and psychedelic blend of traditional Tavern Viv on piano) and their friends Preston’s gloriously pure, almost ghostly voice ALKALINE: O2 Academy – The rising Jamaican instrumentation, Deep South atmospherics; LUCY LEAVE + TOO MANY POETS + NO that really stands out, acrobatic enough to see her dancehall star embarks on his `Next Level Unlock’ th Mariachi horns; dancey grooves and close th DICE GRANDMA + GIRL POWER + DRORE compared to Björk, but more in tune with Julee FRIDAY 24 WEDNESDAY 29 tour, having made his name alongside Beenie Man harmony singing. The fact that reviews over + BASIC DICKS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – As good Cruise, Tori Amos and Edie Brickell in the way it SKYLARKIN SOUNDSYSTEM: The Cellar WILL & THE PEOPLE: O2 Academy – Reggae and Rkade. their six-year lifetime have drawn comparisons a reason as ever there was to get the bus over to sweetly soars and bends notes at will. – Count Skylarkin hosts his monthly reggae, and ska-soaked 60s pop and good vibes from Will BLACK IRON PRIEST + SECOND RATE to MGMT, Anthony & the Johnsons, Mumford Witney for the evening, with spiky psychedelic HENRY CLUNEY + MAD LARRY + THE dancehall, dub and soul party, with live guests and Rendle’s enduring band. ANGELS: The Cellar – Black Iron Priest would & Sons and Beirut, shows they’re a hard act to noise from Lucy Leave; dark, confrontational CORSAIRS + OSPREY + PURPLE MAY: classics from the crate into the wee small hours. CLUB SODA + THE ILLUMINATI + be a great name for any metal band, and this lot pin down. They come from Huddersfield but gothic rock from Too Many Poets; angular The Wheatsheaf (3.30pm) – A free afternoon of CHEROKEE + BEARD OF DESTINY + THE FASHIONPROOF: The Wheatsheaf are a triple-value tribute to Black Sabbath, Iron seem to consider the UK’s motorway network math and post-rock from No Dice Grandma; live music in the downstairs bar, with Stiff Little OTHER DRAMAS + ADY DAVEY & SHAKY Maiden and Stryper. Only kidding, Judas Priest. their real home and you could easily imagine militant, sheet metal hardcore from Girl Power; Fingers’ Henry Cluney playing alongside local LIPS: The Wheatsheaf – Recent Punt stars th So, wall-to-wall classic rifforama at tonight’s they originate from some bohemian Californian THURSDAY 30 sludgy D-beat noise from Drore and hellbastard r’n’b stormer Mad Larry; rockabilly crew The Cherokee kick it out raw and loud in the vein of OxRox show, with an opening set from London’s enclave. Or maybe aliens really did bring them BRICKWORK LIZARDS: The Bullingdon – rocking from Basic Dick, featuring members of Corsairs; bluesman Osprey and hosts Purple May. Royal Blood, Drenge and Led Zep, with support metal and rock and roll crew Second Rate Angels. here. Pop along and find out for yourself. Turkobilly fun at the Bully with the local fusion Undersmile, Too Many Poets, Girl Power and THE MIGHTY REDOX + JABBA CARTEL + from folk and blues man Beard of Destiny; garage- KONE + LUCY LEAVE: The Wheatsheaf – crew, mixing traditional Arabian folk music with more. Idiot King host sparse, monochrome post-punkers DES BARKUS: The Whitehouse (3-7pm) pop duo The Other Dramas, and veteran local blues, hip hop and rockabilly, gearing up for a blues and country rock chap Ady Davey. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Kone whose dark, understated pop recalls The summer of festival-flavoured good times. Community Centre Chameleons and Young Marble giants as well as th HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES: James Street BENET & VIV McLEAN: St John the MONDAY 20 Tavern – Bluegrass and country-folk from the SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half Moon The xx at times. Everyone who buys an advance CROBOT: O2 Academy – Dirty groove rock Evangelist – An evening of jazz and classical with local regulars. ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure ticket will get a free single from the band’s new from Pennsylvania’s Crobot out on tour on the the McLean brothers (Benet on piano and violin, WITTFEST: The Plough, Long Wittenham – BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford EP. Great noise-rock support from recent Punt back of their `Something Supernatural’ album, Weekend music festival with blues rockers The stars Lucy Leave. drawing comparisons to Wolfmother, Queens of Vincent White Band, punk crew Strike One and CLUB SODA + DEAR HERO + OCEAN the Stone-Age and Soundgarden. more. RUINS + ROSE SEGAL + LUKE ALLMOND: THE KAZ HAWKINS BAND: The Bullingdon The Bullingdon – 80s-flavoured popsters Club – Deep, powerful blues and soul from Northern th Soda headline tonight’s It’s All About the Music Irish singer Kaz Hawkins, recent winner of the all SATURDAY 25 Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Email listings showcase, with support from gothic post-punk Ireland Pure M Award for best female singer. She FLOFEST: Florence Park (11am-4pm) – Live to [email protected]. All listings are copyright Nightshift Magazine and may not be repro- people Dear Hero and more. adds this to myriad blues accolades she’s received music and family fun day in the Cowley park, with duced without permission. Johnny Moto Sam Shepherd THE OXFORD PUNT Kanadia Slate Hearts Brown Glove Johnny Moto Various venues Three hours before The Punt starts would sound like this, ie. fantastic. and it’s perfect punting weather Our inner 16 year old has a new in Oxford. As in you could sail a favourite band. punt down Cornmarket, such is the monsoon-season downpour If rock and noise dominate much of enveloping the city centre. this year’s Punt, solace and space No wonder sound engineer James to think is available at Turl Street Serjeant, who was electrocuted while Kitchen. First act here, Charlie setting up last year’s Punt, has wisely Leavy, has been playing the elected not to load in the Purple length and breadth of the country on Turtle PA til it’s over. Although it her lonesome over the last couple means he makes it to the end of the of years, racking up the sort of night unfrazzled, it does mean that Soundcloud hits that would make the venue – as is traditional now – every other act tonight green with Johnny Moto Sam Shepherd Johnny Moto runs late, and therefore we don’t get envy, and you can quickly see her Drore Crystallite Cherokee Sam Shepherd Paul Carrera to see as much of Moogieman & appeal; her impressive vocal range is The Beckoning Fair Ones The Masochists as we’d like. given warmth and extra soul by the We do, however, see enough to know Yorkshire burr in her accent. Simple they look like the PTA impersonating but highly charged love songs like Kraftwerk, sound like Devo playing `Don’t Trust In Cupid’ recall Tracy Tom Lehrer and they posit reusing Chapman or Indigo Girls, but she’s disposable cameras as a metaphor of not too comfortable in the acoustic minor civil disobedience. singer-songwriter mould, singing The Cellar is only next door, but one song in Korean before tearing The Great Western Tears her finger open and finishing the set make it feel as though we’d ridden with her guitar streaked with blood. a transmit beam direct to Nashville. There may be plenty of riotous rock Coldredlight

Theirs is unreconstructed country, and roll going on elsewhere tonight Sam Shepherd easy on the ear and impeccably but Charlie is the only act to literally performed. It’s proper old-fashioned bleed for her art. Nashville, but the syrupy beauty of the pedal steel is enough to win over Filling in for Being Eugene at the last the most cynical heart. minute hasn’t intimidated Witney’s math rockematicians No Dice, Back in The Purple Turtle The Grandma who put in a fantastic Aureate Act are an intriguing performance at the Purple Turtle. propsect, combining funk-indebted Taking inspiration from the likes of indie and various strains of At the Drive-In, That Fucking Tank Great Western Tears progressive rock, from the bombastic/ and any number of noisy bands that quiet dynamic of King Crimson, to you might find at ArcTanGent festival, Cherokee are here not so mesmeric as it is desert-at-midnight Crystallite, who are playing know what he must have felt like. Poets look as though they’re not they could find in songs they love, or the haunted atmospherics of Talk Talk NDG are loud, pointy and very, very much to play a set as to put on a desolate, and we look forward to a the sort of mid-80s rock that can only Musically it’s close to hell on earth: so much on two different pages as hate, from the bouncing, unspeakably and some of the `flute and panpipe’ tight. The musical equivalent of being show. Bassist/vocalist Jack appears less hectic opportunity to see her be performed with your head in front excellent, then. two different planets, but the creative catchy jaunt of `Spellbound’ to their tendencies of the genre as a whole, cast asunder in choppy waters, they to be wearing a matador’s jacket with her full band set-up as soon as is of a giant fan and a foot on a monitor. tension that ensues is precisely eviscerating and (sorry, Tom Petty) and theirs is a hypnotic performance, pummel the senses and leave your and sombrero (though the latter is humanly possible. By all that is rational and reasonable Lucy Leave have steadily become what makes them currently one of definitive remake of `You Got Lucky’. like a cross between Foals and Yes, mental arithmetic feeling severely soon frisbeed out over the heads of Little Red too aren’t at full- this should be unbearable, but there’s one of our favourite local acts in the Oxfordshire’s most intriguing and that shows a very young band with a lacking. the crowd) while drummer Felixx band strength tonight, playing in their so much gusto and infectious energy past year, peppering their spiky pop original bands, located somewhere Brown Glove take to the stage great deal of ambition and talent. is dressed as either a droog or a acoustic three-piece guise, which onstage, nobody with any ounce of with psychedelic curlicues and punk in the hinterland between Bauhaus dressed as distressed pierrots, and The White Rabbit somewhat absent- dissolute morris dancer (we’re not we have to say suits them better, human decency could dislike them. floyd textures. They’re not always and Soundgarden and destined for a proceed to play a piece of clockwork Discovery of the night occurs at mindedly leaves the house stereo quite sure which). Appropriately allowing the three-way harmonies to The singer is a whirlwind, looking the tidiest band in history – drummer cult following. Their set ends with a goth cabaret like JF Sebastian’s The Wheatsheaf and the torrent of on as the bands play. Not that you’d enough, their thunderous alliance work their magic on their country- a lot like P!nk with everything Pete Smith often sounds as though chaotic, destructive stage invasion, automata trapped in some Weimar of literate punk pop unleashed by The hear it with Kancho! in full flow. of Royal Blood’s beef and Iron tinged indie-folk that occasionally exaggerated to the limit and the band he’s working out which of his hands tonight’s single most rock and roll the damned. With lots of harpsichord Beckoning Fair Ones. Their Drums are pummelled relentlessly Maiden’s theatrics proves to be sounds like Nick Cave has dropped is having more fun than any single can move faster than the other – but moment. canters, twisted diva soprano and dour, snarky twitch rock reminds us and improbably overdriven bass ultraviolent with bells on. in for tea and darkness with First person inside the ring road right all that proper grown-up stuff is tiny bursts of super-compressed of barely remembered Peel favourites strings twanged, with the occasional Aid Kit. now, with those in the front two rows irrelevant when songs are weird, Crandle open their set by thrash guitar underpinning some Badgewearer (look them up, it’ll be snatch of shouting, and it all sounds Coldredlight is a name coming a close second; in the face of wonky and wonderfully inviting. transforming Antony and The very naughty lyrics, it’s a bit like The worth it) while the walls of synth pretty superb, and talk at the bar - as almost unknown to Oxford’s gig- Kanadia aren’t necessarily noisy, exuberance like this, all our music Johnsons’ `Hope There’s Someone’ Tigerlillies appearing in the Flesh vying with the guitar point towards close as we can get to them - turns to goers, and the Turl Street Kitchen’s but they are big. Stadium big. Epic journo, record collector notions of Portishead’s lax work ethic might be into a gloopy, doomy, sobbing mess: World readers’ wives forum. Singer Future Of The Left. Even a song Big Black’s industrial misanthropy. small room is crammed with people reverb on the reverb big. They sound what is acceptable get lost, like tears the cause of much exasperation to an aching torch ballad coming out Gemma Moss has been known to about going on holiday seems to rouse In filthy rock terms, they may be who have come along to find out a bit like pre-definite article Verve in rain. fans, but not to STEM at The Cellar, of a melting radio. When the second come up with some pretty spicy stage singer Niall to vein-popping fury, outfrizzed by Slate Hearts and who this new act is. What we find is tackling some 1995 vintage PJ who seem eager to capitalise on number, a hazy, swaying take on shows in the past, but with Brown while the ear-chafing Mogwai-esque Too Many Poets, but at their best Gaby-Elise Monaghan and her guitar, Harvey, and at one point they go so You go and see a band featuring the Bristolians’ protracted silences. Leonard Cohen’s `I’m Your Man’, Glove, a duo with her partner David coda to final track ‘Billy’ ensures a Kancho!’s music is as shocking playing some mesmeric, chiming far as to sound like U2 half-inching 50% of Undersmile, you better go They don’t exactly deal in spectacle, starts a few in the audience turn Kahl, she’s found a more subdued thrilling climax. as their name’s original meaning songs. She has a strong, strident Roxy Music’s `Love Is The Drug’. prepared. A stiff drink in hand, we but with a deep, dark bass, doomy on their heels. Their loss: Crandle sense of theatre that lets the songs Continuing what is a rather noisy (don’t Google it at work; Google voice, which oddly reminds us of BIG, in other words. Cellar engineer return to the Turtle for Drore, electronics and some languidly smoky are bewitching, both for the artifice take centre-stage. Punt, Slate Hearts impress with Badgewearer instead). Avril Lavigne, although an Avril Jimmy Hetherington is vaping some who have taken the ‘Smile’s sludge vocals, there’s enough about their of their ethos (famous songs of And, that’s it. The last pint is downed, their unashamed grunge: unashamed These Are Our Demands Lavigne who’d swapped skateboards, strange concoction that smells like and given it a wee D-beat kick up music – portentous without being all eras and genres stripped to and we murmur our goodbyes before in that they sound like Mudhoney aren’t shocking but their itchy, ripped jeans and hours at the mercy candy floss, and being caught up in the fundament. This is half rock and pretentious – to captivate. melodramatic little cabaret numbers) stumbling towards bed with our feet at their scuzziest, and that one of scratchy post-punk is suitably intense of her publicist’s thinktank for a gust of this is not a trillion miles half silt, and experiencing it feels and the obvious earnestness of their aching and our ears ringing. Time to them wears the least cool dungarees – man on a ledge tense, and if there’s evenings spent staring at misty away from experiencing Kanadia’s like having a sore throat in your Countless bands split citing personal approach. It’s the sound of amateurs die. witnessed in public since 1991. If the any disappointment to be had it’s that moonlit hinterlands with nothing for billowing confections. ears. In 1919, a man named Anthony or musical differences; far fewer have (they apparently only learned their dirty fluff from under the beds of a with such tension and a name like that company but a Mazzy Star record di Stasio surfed through Boston the nerve and courage to stay together instruments so they could play this Words: David Murphy; Ben ten storey flophouse were squeezed they haven’t held the entire pub up at and the ghost of Robert Johnson. A Did we call Slate Hearts shameless? on a black sticky wave during the despite them for the greater good. year’s Punt, but who’s believing that?) Woolhead; Tom McKibbin; James together into the form of riffs, it gunpoint before their set ends. cover of Hozier’s `To Be Alone’ is as Well, that’s nothing compared to Great Molasses Flood, and we now The misfit members of Too Many amazing themselves with the depths Dawson; Ian Chesterton BELLOWHEAD LIVE Oxford Town Hall They’ve came from all points of the which add an extra layer; band founders compass tonight, not to bury Bellowhead Spiers and Boden duetting in particular but to celebrate a band who were not only is an emotional moment, while in a nice five time winners of Best Live Act at the touch, Oxford-based original member Giles

photo by Guy Henstock BBC Folk awards, but one of the best live Lewin comes onstage to be one of five bands of any genre in recent times. fiddle players in a rousing `Haul Away’. The eleven piece are ending their twelve With band members striking poses the year journey on the stage where it all began show has a sense of theatre about it, and when, after some hurried rehearsals in an Boden and Spiers Morris dance their way east Oxford scout hut, they played their through the much-loved `Slow Gin’ set first gig at the Oxford Folk Festival, and before the band leave the stage for the Tim Healey, who booked them then, is here first time with a boisterous version of the to witness their final hurrah. cautionary `New York Girls’ ringing in the Emerging from the depths of the Town crowd’s ears. Hall to a rapturous reception from a long- Back they come for the another of their since sold-out crowd, Bellowhead open anthems, `London Town’, with the crowd with `Amsterdam’, always a showcase for joining in the actions, and a jubilant `Frogs’ singer Jon Boden, tonight resplendent in a Legs and Dragons’ Teeth’ announced as sparkling belt and later an equally dazzling “what we always finish with.” Except every waistcoat, changing the lyrics to “a singer fan knows there’s one song not played yet who’s gone”; surely a reference to his and back they come again. “We’ve got one decision last year to leave and which led to more song for you; it’s the first song we the band’s decision to disband. played on this stage and it’s going to be the They follow with the catchy `Alabama last, announces Boden, and the singing of Roll’, an early reminder of just how many `Prickle-Eye Bush’’s chorus by the entire of their tunes have killer hooks. Then it’s on this final night could not have been onto the near traditional folk of `Cold more heartfelt. Blows the Wind’, about a corpse being As the band walk off together for the last stalked, with the stage bathed in eerie blue time, they looked drained and emotional, light; the jazzy `Fine Sally’, and onwards particularly Spiers. Bringing up the rear, towards the strangeness of `Flight of the Sartin turns for a last look, acknowledging Folk Mutants’. the cheering crowd with a nod of the head. hovering elegantly over sparse guitars Within the framework of joyous brass, To quote Boden, “not a wake but a victory NEVERLND and a simple tambourine and shaker percussion and multiple strings, John lap,” and the end of twelve glorious years Jacqueline du Pre Building rhythm. In fact it’s often when they Spiers’ melodeon and Paul Sartin’s oboe, for folk and for live music. strip back the sometimes overly there’s still space for the duos and trios Colin May New name; new band? When they’re searching for something the band’s music is often languorous, busy arrangements that they sound at Balloon Ascents announced they beyond simple pop tunes. with understated dub and funk their best. So, the piano lament-cum- were to become the spellcheck- The good news on tonight’s elements, it’s this voice that holds tropical-pop rock’n’stroll of `Lonely bothering Neverlnd last month, evidence is they haven’t deserted the melodic core steady throughout. Alone’ makes way for the dressed- CHAMELEONS VOX / BAWS INC reaction ranged from slight concern their old ways completely. The better Old favourite `Cutout’ is an early down `Easy’, which provides a more O2 Academy to barely-stifled snorts of derision. news is some of their new songs are highlight tonight, its almost jazzy effective vehicle for Thomas’ vocal Why change tack so abruptly the best they’ve done. slink unfurling as well-placed performance. “I am in a stupid band,” sings Baws Inc been sustained by a fanatical few over the when things had been building so With his hair styled into a collapsed harmonies and a tightly-reined Pink They peak, though, with the singer Mac with his tongue doubtless only decades, including several influential radio well so far. On reflection though, quiff and dressed in distressed three- Floyd-style guitar solo creep in, but elaborately rhythmic `My Heart half in his cheek. For over 30 years the man DJs, but faced with an audience who only it feels like an acknowledgement quarter-length jeans and white high the staccato tumble of `Neighbours’ Away’ and recent relaunch debut best known as the promoter who put The really want to hear the old songs again, a that the band are growing up. tops, singer Thomas Roberts looks is a captivating counterpoint, `Where Do I Start’, which sounds Jericho Tavern and The Point on the world’s future as a never-ending nostalgia exhibition Balloon Ascents suggests almost increasingly like a lost founder bringing a welcome air of discord to like Belle & Sebastian if they’d got music map has crafted alternately careworn obviously doesn’t appeal to Burgess, who is childish glee; Neverlnd something member of One Direction, though the sometimes languid grooves. their funk on a bit. We’re still not too and sharply observant songs with one foot the sole remaining member of the original more exploratory. The band – for his enthusiastic dance moves might There’s the odd mishit; `No’ sure about the new name, but there’s in punk and the other in quintessentially line-up. tonight’s relaunch gig in the suitably need some tutoring; but when he manages to be both awkward more than enough evidence tonight to English self-deprecation. Baws Inc. are little Once more through those old classics ambitious environs of the Jacqueline sings, he’s possessed of an often and anonymous, but they rescue suggest that Neverlnd won’t become different. Featuring assorted members and then, and the opening rockabilly rumble du Pre Building expanded to a six- stunning voice, pure, wide ranging themselves immediately with the home to another bunch of lost boys. ex members of Medal, The Candyskins, The of `Don’t Fall’ sets a familiar, welcoming piece – have always sounded like and able to turn on a sixpence. While darker `Aberration’, Thomas’ voice Dale Kattack Anyways and Les Clochards, they sound scene. The questing `Monkeyland’, with good time while singing about it being as its undercurrent of surly menace, builds bad as it can be, while on new single `Dr momentum, though often tonight’s set is LEADER / A WAY WITH WORDS There’s a distinct 80s feel to their set opener, heroic chiming guitars and Ink’, a rambunctious bluesy number that oddly subdued, perhaps a reflection of its expansive vocals suggesting Midge Ure fronting Big Country, while further might be Carter USM out on the sauce, Mac farewell nature, at least until the lysergic O2 Academy in they unexpectedly conjure something approaching a Jeff Buckley moment sounds like he’s over-enunciating in sneery spangle of `Swamp Thing’ spreads its On the day Oxford United won promotion to League 1, A Way With Words’ with the more tender, stripped-down `Circles’. Lydon fashion while stifling a Cheshire tentacles across the venue, a song that stands onstage pre-gig huddle feels more like a pre-match team bonding exercise, Where they tend to fall down are on the couple of faux-funk, chugaboogie Cat grin. “This one goes out to the hard amongst the best that 80s alternative music and there is a similarly muscular sense of determination about their bolshy, numbers that could be any pub band in any town across the land, but when of thinking,” he announces before the last had to offer. grungy rock that perhaps has more of Stevenage’s physicality about it than they play it big and bold, particularly on set highlight `Chasing You’, they number. We’re sure they can hum along Tonight’s crowning glory, though, is a Kemar Roofe’s fleet of foot creativity. really come into their own. In fact the set builds strongly to the point `The happily. The rest of us can celebrate another relatively rare outing for `Mad Jack’, an In particular they seem unable to switch styles or pace, even when they Way You Do’ becomes a singalong for the impressively packed crowd, `Left indisputably smart band in town. intense, anthemic clarion call for outsiders, attempt to slow things down with `Caffeine & Cigarettes’, which merely Outside’ is a pure stadium-filling rock anthem, and encore `Live Like Kings’ Celebrations of a different sort for musical or otherwise, and a likely final comes across as laborious, and as the set progresses, the early Foo Fighters is their full-on U2 moment. Chameleons Vox, who are bowing out with reminder of one the finest bands of the last influences make way for something that whiffs heavily of Nickleback – in an Without breaking down new musical barriers Leader confidently stake their one last tour after some 35 years as the UK’s few decades, one who never really found Oxford sense at least, the Swindon Town of rock music. claim as an unabashed rock band with ambitions beyond local stages, and if most enduring cult concern. Too heartfelt for a place to fit in and so leave as unbowed Leader are similarly muscular, and display an admirable set of tattoos Oxford United can look forward to life in a higher division next year, there’s post-punk, too poppy for the goth crowd and mavericks who simply lit their own musical between them, but possess far more melodic guile, as well as an ability to no reason why Leader can’t expect to be playing at the next level soon far too agitated and militant to follow U2 fire, one that continues to attract acolytes alter pace and tactics, to make for a dynamic, and engaging set that equally enough. and Simple Minds to stadium glory, Mark and will do for years to come. recognises the importance of brevity. Dale Kattack Burgess’ Manchester road warriors have Dale Kattack wishing for a more starring role ROBOT SWANS / DITTE ELLY TIGER MENDOZA with DAVE LIVE for the distaff section of the band. Nevertheless, with seven people Modern Art Oxford GRIFFITHS on stage, it’s to entertain us that The main support for tonight’s show Beautiful. the group are devoted and if the is singer/songwriter Ditte Elly, who Tonight’s gig is the launch for Fusion Arts impression is of a rollicking pub Having made what is likely to be might be an electronic music whizz, act, they have just enough savvy has been mostly absent from the Robot Swan’s debut album, and photo by Marc West photo by Marc one of the Oxford albums of the Ian really isn’t a great singer. But and just enough of the New Wave local scene since releasing 2012’s they set the bar pretty high. The year in `Shadow’, there’s a tangible they rescue themselves before to elevate them above the kind of ‘We’ll Meet Again’; she’s been further into their set we get, the sense of anticipation for tonight’s too much damage is done, Dave’s band that might feature as part of studying up north. In that time she more I run out of space in my notes launch gig, one accentuated by the hysterical vocal performance Oxford’s parallel music scene – the has gained the attentions of 6Music, for all the diverse influence the trio appearance of former-Evenings clashing with the dystopian future kind of shower that you’ll come Amazing Radio and opened for bring together. On first inspection, main man Mark Wilden on drums, factory industrial clang and some across if you are ever unimaginative Newcastle natives Lanterns On The they’re a lo-fi slacker indie band, bolstering the beats considerably. scouring `Animals’-era Floyd guitar enough to set foot in O’Neill’s. The Lake. but the first clue this isn’t quite all The chief surprise of tonight’s gig is noise at one point, the darkness keyboardist is introduced as a fan of Accompanied by loose percussion there is to them is the DIY robotic how guitar-orientated it is compared of the music accentuated by a League 2 champions Northampton and soft backing vocals the star of glockenspiel they’ve built. to the record, with Ian De Quadros’ video of the Black Rabbit of Inle Town, presumably still reeling from the show is Elly’s voice. It would This highlights the very nature of electronics somewhat buried in the from Watership Down cavorting any suggestion that the Cobblers are be impossible to avoid making Robot Swans: beautifully at odds mix, either by design or as a result lysergically across the back wall for this year’s second best team in their comparison to Laura Marling but with itself, scuzzy punk? Sure. of the venue’s acoustics that don’t much of the set. division. Ditte’s low register is more rooted Crystalline synths and electronic really reward sonic intricacy. At their best when they’re With both local bands receiving in traditional folk styles, evoking beats? Throw in some of that too. heroes’ applause, Treetop Flyers the greats of the folk-rock revival, There’s post-rock sampling and Not that this is any kind of a belligerently psychedelic, urgent are a more polished, more studied notably Sandy Denny. droning countered with male/ problem as the opening track and sounding like they want to presence from the off. We are Her voice flows like honey over female vocals on top of a riff piledrives in in a motorik blast of escape these four walls by sheer immediately plunged into a the minimal guitar arrangements that sounds not too far from The metronomic drums, overdriven sonic force, this incarnation of Tiger world of tie dye shirts, dirty riffs, of her compositions. Like her folk Pixies; add in the wry humour and guitars and velocity rap samples, Mendoza are closer to krautrock mind altering substances and forebears, she doesn’t stick to a pop hooks of vintage Pulp and like some lost 90s treasure chest or even post-rock than we’ve swirling, kaleidoscopic colours. simple verse-chorus-verse structure, you’ve got an idea of the unique collision of Prolapse and JC-001. known them and the gig feels like Singer Reid Morrison nods like highlighted wonderfully on the concoction Robot Swans have And they barely let up from here, a re-imagining of `Shadow’ than a an extra from `Celebration from seven-minute `Right Out Of Time’, created. ` Careers For Girls’ in particular faithful recreation of it. With Mark TREETOP FLYERS / THE SHAPES / LES CLOCHARDS Big Sur’ and it’s to Crosby, Stills which evokes the freeform feeling Honestly, I think I could use up hypnotic and oppressive with apparently due to sell his kit and and the Gang, Gram Parsons of Ray Lamontagne and Josh T. my whole word count trying to something of a stadium supergroup depart for London soon, it’s likely The Bullingdon and the Flying Burrito Brothers Pearson’s arrangements. Ditte ends enumerate everything Robot Swans sense of the epic about it. this will be the only time Tiger Given their name and given the US – that the mood emanates. With prison for the forging of luncheon that the debt is comprehensively her set with a re-working of older have brought into their sound, but There are passages where the trio Mendoza takes such a form; perhaps prominent presence of an accordion, two songs in the set dealing with vouchers, cannot help but set the owed. Such shameless pastiche song `Northumberland’, with pitch- simply put it’s pop music; clever seem to lose focus and start drifting they might find time to record an one might expect a Gallic the paranormal, the band’s clever mind wondering. is something they just about get shift effects and looping a capella 21st Century pop music made, by a perilously close to Explosions In alternative noise-rock version of experience from Les Clochards to lyricism recalls The Go-Betweens If the openers are perhaps guilty away with – the songs are good parts in rounds until the layers trio of brilliant weirdos. The Sky territory, while `Colossal `Shadow’ before he goes. kick off proceedings at a nicely at their most folk-tinged while the of underusing their female vocalist, and the professionalism enhanced – become an abstract folk-drone. Matt Chapman Jones Fossil Flight’ shows that while he Dale Kattack full Bullingdon, but it’s instead electrics are turned up for `Soap and The Shapes are even more negligent Joaquim Phoenix in Inherent Vice is from all four corners of the British Water’ and `Guilty as Charged’. The in this respect; some truly lusty not an influence on this showing. Isles – as well as Australia and the latter, an account of being sent to backing singing leaving one Rob Langham NIGHT BEATS The Bullingdon SLATE HEARTS / time round. Slate Hearts bring it on strong with owing no small debt to 70s counter-culture artists “Rock and roll can never die, there’s bends, there’s a pleasingly refreshing the fabulous vocal twist of Marc Bolan fronting like Robert Crumb. This short tour promotes new more to the picture than meets the take on a savagely flogged horse. DEAD PHEASANTS / Scientists or Skin Yard. These boys are pumped Rough Trade album ‘Manhattan’, a charming eye,” prophesied Neil Young in Sadly there’s a lack of showmanship and getting it just right, and live they crank set of little pieces circling around an ambivalent 1979, but with an increasing amount which doesn’t allow a muted Monday ROBERTO Y JUAN it up more than their SoundCloud suggests. relationship with his hometown. Every song is of crossover acts with multi-genre night crowd to totally engage with They even do a corking chunk of `21st Century so crammed full of words that everyone strains methodology, bands who embrace the band, although the approving The Wheatsheaf Boy’ to flag up “Yeah, we know what you’re to not miss any, the overall result being a kind the purist rock and roll doctrine do nod of heads suggest that with a little Roberto y Juan; so that’ll be Robin Christensen- thinking”. Welcome back SubPop; we’ve missed of Talking Indie, as in Talking Blues. While the appear to be dwindling. Often the more coaxing from lead singer Lee Marriott and Jonny Vickers from Neverlnd, then. you. voice naturally falters and cracks, this only adds only groups still making any headway Blackwell the ambience could have Good offshoot: erudite musically, neo-prog fused Paul Carrera to its effect and charm. in the category seem to be a parody of surpassed that of a poorly attended with Lat-indie jazz-funk. Okay, it’s Santana as While his terrific album of Crass covers could their idols, adding nothing and merely regional boggle tournament. The imagined by Postcard Records. It’s very much a be classed as antifolk, tonight’s show is a little highlighting the ridiculous gimmicks vocalist doesn’t, unfortunately, have work in progress but it’s blues groovetastic with JEFFREY LEWIS & LOS more New York indie, never too far from the of a genre that contains the good, the the strength of voice or the haphazard more than a hint of promise. UK variety but always its own master. His bad and the hideously disfigured. antics to entice or enthral but the Reviewers are having to work extra hard BOLTS / ROZI PLAIN version of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Heroin’, Night Beats, however, with their musical camaraderie of the three these days with all the genre fusions and cross renamed ‘Internet’, is full of hilariously accurate blues inflected, sleazy, unkempt piece is enough to keep the evening’s pollinating going on. None more so than The Wheatsheaf comparisons between the two (“it’s my Wi-Fi riffage and sturdy, unrelenting rhythm entertainment ticking over nicely, with Chippenham’s Dead Pheasants, a politically No surprise to see the Sheaf sold out this Tuesday, and it’s my hi-fi”). ‘Support Tours’ is his story section are a band who live by the the band appearing polished and self strident (both lyrically and vocally) mash-up of as both acts richly deserve a full audience on a of a life on the road playing down the bill while same ideology of the early pioneers, assured throughout the hour long Dexy’s, dub and Two Tone, and, fair to say, left school night. Rozi Plain and her four-piece band looking forward to turning the tables in the and perhaps have the ability to keep set. Their Bo Diddley cover, `Hey wing (does anyone beyond a few neo-nazi bands make gentle, playful music that seems almost future. But the highlight is ‘Scowling Crackhead things dynamic and animated. Mona’, is a nice, reflective touch and write right-wing political songs?). Ultimately, childishly simple at first listen, reinforced by Ian’, a tale about a neighbourhood figure he’s Hailing from Seattle, the band fits effortlessly into a wholesome and though, we just dance to everything they heap on her very 80s pair of dungarees, like a post-punk known since childhood, reflecting on their lives are touring `Who Sold My complete show which leaves a warm, us and not bother to wonder if Corbyn is the sex Playaway. Things take a more serious turn with a then and now: “You must have it so rough kid, Generation’, released earlier this fuzzy feeling that perhaps Neil Young panther in the song `Sex Panther’. They also play cover of Sun Ra’s ‘There Is No Sun’, benefitting well I wonder, forged by a tiny portion of love year and incorporating perverted was on to something. a song called `Reining Bodies’, which they are at from a lovely, stripped-down arrangement. Her or fortune, goes lightning or goes thunder”. This twelve bar blues narratives with You don’t always have to reinvent great pains to tell us is spelt R-E-I-N, to which I constant guitar re-tuning reveals the complexity is stuff worthy of John Donne, metaphysical refined, yet dissident guitar solos the wheel but rather tweak the design add question marks to my dancing. underlying the songs, some with echoes of poetry for the Spotify generation. Like a listen to and punchy, simplistic bass hooks to produce something original and They say music/fashion/culture has a 30 year Stereolab, which work their way inside your head one of his albums, tonight’s show is a complete to create something familiar but Night Beats have certainly created cycle, so you better get on and die if you don’t in an entirely welcome manner. experience, leaving us touched by real emotion also compelling. The guitar solo is something relevant and distinguished want to get knocked off your Zimmer frame by New York’s Jeffrey Lewis has been releasing and a complete lack of artifice. We need more something that in this day and age in their pursuit of a rock and roll the interest being shown in grunge by long- records, CDs and cassettes for nearly twenty like him. can seem a little reactionary but by revival. fringed tykes who weren’t even born the first years, with a side-line in producing comic books Art Lagun using an octave pedal and fierce pitch Richard Brabin And the lowlight: INTRODUCING.... “Waking up cold, Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under wet and tired in a rainy festival field.” Oxford’s Their favourite only other Oxfordshire centrally act is: located music shop CHEROKEE “Being that we’re not allowed to pick Who are they? all the great bands we Cherokee are a two-piece “punk’n’roll act”, comprised of bassist and have had the pleasure singer Jack Harley Bourne, and drummer Felix Bartlett. They formed a year of playing with, ago “as a joke, with a desire to both avoid social media and a fixed name Beard of Destiny: at the start.” However, “as people found it as fun and enjoyable to watch as another two piece we find it to play we stuck to a name and caved in on both counts.”The pair with great songs – have been friends since childhood but always too busy with other musical check out `Ted Ate projects to form a band together. “When both our previous acts came to an Keith’.” end at the same time we started to mess about, and we’ve been messing If they could only about ever since.” After a string of rave reviews in Nightshift, they played keep one album, it The Oxford Punt last month. They claim The Wheatsheaf “has become our would be: spiritual home.” “`Led Zeppelin II’.” Oxfords oldest music shop is the place to visit for What do they sound like? When is their next 01865 333581 Heads-down, no-nonsense rock-and-fucking-roll. It’s loud and fast local gig and what [email protected] and phenomenally powerful, but not without plenty of guile as the duo can newcomers • Rock, Pop & Chart CDs from £5 • 3 for 2 on selected sets of guitar strings constantly reveal an ear for strong melody and an ability to change tack expect? Blackwells.co.uk/oxford • DVDs, giftware & t-shirts • Printed music and books throughout their full-on live sets. There’s elements of hardcore, grunge and “The Wheatsheaf on the 24th of June. If testimonials and Nightshift are @blackwellsmusic garage rock amid the timeless 70-inspired blues rock riffage and beats, not anything to go by expect `beastly gods’ and `one of the most exciting live • A selection of vinyl and record players • An ongoing programme of musical events fb.com/blackwellsmusic to say plenty of (often dubious and scatological) humour and fancy dress. acts you will be likely to see’. Or, in our words, some loud, cathartic fun • A range of instruments & accessories What inspires them? with songs about our favourite shade of brown.” 53 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BQ “Monty Python; Keith Moon; Danny Morris telling us we’re `ruuubbish’; Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: Joal Shearing’s baby face; Osprey and the Mighty Redox clans’ endless “All the great acts and people whom support one and other in order to energy and enthusiasm for new bands, and most importantly Des Barkus for help Oxford music thrive. Least favourite: that ridiculous two piece called continuously encouraging us.” Cherokee, who are just too loud!” Career Highlight so far: You might love them if you love: “Packing out the Gappy Tooth Industry’s night, then having the stage Led Zeppelin; Royal Blood; The Who; Drenge; Lightning Bolt; Derek & Clive. invaded while everyone went nuts. It felt like one huge ball of energy and Hear them here: any concept of ‘them and us’ with the audience had disappeared.” www.facebook.com/bandcherokee

Dr SHOTOVER: File Under Urban THIS MONTH IN OXFORD Ah there you are, Pykestaffe. Welcome to the East Indies Club bar. Pull up a T H E W H E A T S H E A F laminated stool and get some brews in. Pykey, this is everyone. Everyone, ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY Wednesday 1st June – OXROX Pykey. Last seen in your fashionable 1980s high-rise duplex, monging out Ozric Tentacles and The Candyskins were at The On the gig front Echo & the Bunnymen, kiwi THE VIM DICTA GRUB + BEAVER FUEL 7:45pm in front of Teletubbies after rolling up a fat one. Or so we assumed when 20 YEARS AGO Friday 3rd June – KLUB KAKOFANNEY we came to visit. ‘I say – that has a piquant hydroponic aroma’ said Lord The very worst part of putting Nightshift together Zodiac; Three Colours Red, Sidi Bou Said and singer Bic Runga and footie anthem writers The Chavvesworth as we stepped out of the lift in Trustafarian Towers, to be each month is having to report the passing of The Frank & Walters were at The Point, and Lightning Seeds were all at The Zodiac, while MOOGIEMEN & THE MASOCHISTS 7:45pm SINFICTION greeted by a cloud of pungent smoke. ‘Primo-quality skunk’ added Baron one of our city’s music community. June 1996 local faves Beaker and The Changelings were Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie played Sunday 5th June – BURIED IN SMOKE Crustington as we walked in through your ever-open front door. ‘Eh-oh’ said saw one of our saddest ever losses as Mathew up at the old Oxford United Supporters Club in a solo show at The Phoenix Picturehouse – a Headington. show at which he first met Mark Gardener, WHISKYDICK TREVORS HORN + CRIMSON TUSK 7:30pm Tinky-Winky on the screen. In fact the smell of burning socks was just that Fletcher died. Mathew, drummer with Talulah Tuesday 7th June – MD PROMOTIONS – flaming foot-attire. You had turned the TV down, dropped some Ketamine Gosh and Heavenly, was just 26 when he the pair releasing their joint album, `Universal and dozed off with your stockinged feet on the retro two-bar electric fire committed suicide after battling depression. A Road’, together last year. 8pm/Free Entry 10 YEARS AGO 13 BURNING whilst listening to your CD of 20 Greatest Anarcho-Trance Chills, Volume 7. th supremely intelligent and talented young chap, Following on from Talulah Gosh, another Oxford Friday 10 June You woke as we entered, leaped up with a howl of pain, and began to dance he’d formed Talulah Gosh with his sister Amelia band who were retrospectively lauded as pioneers frantically round the room, sparks flying from your smouldering footwear, 5 YEARS AGO THE FELLOW MAN WE BLESS THIS MESS when he was just 16 and was a well-known and were doom-metallers Sevenchurch, who in June Bit of a quiet one, June 2009, though new as the Flaming Lips remix of Tubthumping came on the stereo. The water OH LEE RECORDS FOLK COLLECTIVE 8pm much-loved character at gigs around town. His 2006 were featured in metal bible Terrorizer, their releases from The Relationships (third album th had been cut off, so we dealt with the situation as best we could using a Saturday 11 June – SWISS CONCRETE death came just days after Talulah Gosh saw their one and only album `Bleak Insight’ hailed as the `Space’); The Anydays (`16 Days’) and My half-full bottle of Sunny Delight which was lying around. Oh, and old Chavvy entire recorded catalogue released as an album, third greatest doom album of all time, behind Friend Rachel (`A Moments Silence’) made PETE ASTOR PUPPET MECHANIC + SIMON DAVIS 8pm and Crusty hadn’t `Backwash’, on K Records, and he would never th Black Sabbath and Cathedral. sure it wasn’t totally bereft of action. Similarly, Wednesday 15 June – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC yet emptied their know just how revered they would become. More immediate acclaim for local indie rockers local gigs from 2 Many DJs, Gary Numan, bladders after multiple The Talulah Gosh retrospective coincided with STOLBY BROWN GLOVE + LAIMA BITE 7:45pm November this month as they won the Oxford Example and Temper Trap at the O2 Academy, th ciders in the Dog & Friday 17 June – IDIOT KING a new single this month from Heavenly, a split bands World Cup, beating Nation 2-0 in bass legend Doug Wimbush at The North Trike… so their, um, single with Bis. Heavenly’s contribution, `Trophy the final. 24 bands participated in the event Wall, and The Pains of Being Pure At Heart 8pm KONE natural resources Girlfriend’, would be the last song released by the organised by Audioscope, which raised money at The Jericho Tavern made it a case of quality Saturday 18th June – OXROX came in handy too. band during Mathew’s lifetime, with final album for homeless charity Shelter. Less appealing over quantity. This month’s Nightshift saw NEW GENERATION SUPERSTARS Hmm, smells like you `Operation Heavenly’ released in October. World Cup-related local music goings on in International Jetsetters gracing the cover. The haven’t changed your Other releases this month included The THE BLACK BULLETS + HELL’S GAZELLS + TRAUMA UK 7:45pm the form of Loopy’s `Come On, Come On band fronted by Mark Crozer, and featuring socks since, Pykes old Candyskins’ `Get On’ and `Mum Steals Friday 24th June – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC (We’re Not Coming Home)’ single which was ex-Ride man Loz Colbert on drums, were set to chap. Excuse me if I Boyfriend’ by cult local heroes The Bigger the described as “a wretched mess that sounds like release their new single `California’, and while CHEROKEE + BEARD OF DESTINY + THE OTHER DRAMAS 7:45pm move upwind of you God, while The Nubiles put out new single `I The Fimbles getting pissed and thinking they’re the band were to prove shortlived, Mark went th Saturday 25 June – GTI along the bar. Still, Wanna Be Your Kunte Kinte’ and Oxford-related Chumbawamba.” on to enjoy some serious success in the States indie crew Comet Gain released `Say Yes (To TANNERS POOL JULIET & THE RAGING ROMEOS you always were a bit In other local release news Lab 4 released their in 2012 with his band The Rels, when his song of an Urban Leg-End. International Socialism)’ – something they’re fourth studio album, `None of Us Are Saints’, `Broken Out In Love’ was bought by WWE and THE LOST ART 8pm Cheers! doubtless still waiting on. Wednesday 29th June – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC on Resist Records this month, featuring remixes used – under the title `Live In Fear’ – as the intro Among the highlights of the local gig calendar from Nightbreed and Slipknot’s DJ Starscream, song for wrestler Bray Wyatt. He also went to was a visit to Park End Street for pioneering CLUB SODA ILLUMINATI + FASHIONPRO 7:45pm Next month: Banksy Pykey Pykestaffe and his dog Special K go for a walk while Young Knives released `She’s Attracted on to play guitar in The Jesus & Mary Chain, a The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Drew My Father round the Trustafarian Towers Estate house DJ John Digweed. Elsewhere Mansun, To’ on Transgressive. position he occupies still. the music is such a load of arse in the first CHALK place (did you see what we did there? Did Fear not dear reader; Nightshift hasn’t you? Did you see?). Sorry, sorry. Trying topped itself. While retaining an agnostic to distract ourselves from having to say outlook on life and its afterwards bit, we anything about the music again. Because DEMOS do worry that at some point all our sins Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day what’s to say about something so lifeless, will be counted and we’ll be condemned at Soundworks studio in Oxford, so bereft of excitement, imagination or to an eternity in Hell by a less than benign soul it might as well have seeped out of an courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit deity who actually likes a bit of ambient ad agency executive’s lunchbox after one www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift jazz funk, thank you very much. And we’ll too many meetings about decaffeinated bio be forced to listen to music like this on an yoghurt. “I won’t stay silent, ugh, ugh, ugh,” eternal loop and if we scream for mercy poetic reverie, with just the odd gallon or grunts some autotuned petri-dish-grown some sulphurous demon will just crank the two of multi-tracked, echoey vocal stuff r’n’b droid over sterile club beats and synth DEMO OF volume up another notch. C’mon – Chalk 01865 240250 going on, which does tend to evoke visions washes that might as well have been scraped – what kind of non-descript pantywaist of Mulligan and O’Hare rather more than out of Years & Years’ nappy. Because that’s name for a band is that anyway? Chalk is THE MONTH is probably intentional. Lyrically too it all how Years & Years’ music comes into this soft, old-fashioned and tends to wash away sounds like it’s meant to be very serious world. They shit it out after eating nothing in a slight drizzle. At least you could stab We were, as tends to be traditional every while not really saying much. Printing the but decaffeinated bio yoghurts for months some fucker in the neck with a fountain other June when there’s a major footie lyrics doesn’t help the cause either since on end. And Alskr have lapped it up like it’s pen, like Joe Pesci in Casino. Chalk’s just tournament on, going to do a Demo reading the lines, “I believe / That the small a new flavour of Ben & Jerry’s. Can’t write dull and reminds us of musty classrooms European Championship, which would have people’s victory / Is a big deal in history / proper words; can’t write proper songs. and teachers with tweed jackets with leather allowed us to use all those terrible football- Ooh,” makes us think of the Hillsborough What fucking use are you to anyone? patches on the elbows. Chalks is… hey, are related puns we’ve been saving up since the victims’ justice campaign, and then we avoiding talking about the actual music last World Cup in Brazil, forcing sporting immediately after, Frankie Howerd. metaphors into places where they really well enough? Music that goes wuff, fluff, shouldn’t go. But even a cursory pre-season wuffy fluffy wuffity nuff nuff for about THE DEMO listen through to this month’s batch revealed TRAUMA eighteen hours before collapsing into an it would be like hosting a tournament Formed in 1995, Witney punks Trauma insipid puddle of its own making, its feeble featuring one consistently decent-ish team previously supported punk legends UK Subs little limbs incapable of lifting itself up DUMPER – a musical incarnation of Portugal or and caused an electrical blackout in their and so it drowns slowly while complaining The Czech Republic perhaps – and a load hometown during a gig, before one of them pathetically about… heck, we don’t know. of other crap that might as well be Faroe went off to join the army. They reformed in Or care. We’re too busy trying to ram this PLASTIC Islands Reserves, or American Samoa 2014 and played with Twisted State of Mind fountain pen far enough up our nose to .co.uk Under-23s (look ‘em up, fun footie fact fans). before one of them (the same one, we think) make our brain stop working so we never BARRICADES TURAN AUDIO “Romantic and honest, gloomy and Professional, independent CD mastering So we decided to just review them all as left to work on an oil rig. And yet, like the ever have to listen to Chalk ever again, the curious, melodic and melancholic, Plastic normal, guided by the frustration that there’s Black Knight in Monty Python’s Holy Grail, simpering heap of aural insignificance. Barricades chronicle life in the troubled yet Artists mastered in the studio last month include; only one Demo Dumper slot available. they keep on fighting even as bits of them fascinating 21st century with painstaking RUTS DC, FLIGHTS OF HELIOS, DEEP PURPLE, are lopped off. Admirable dedication to the sincerity, asking questions and trying to punk rock cause we’d say even if this one- JAMES GEORGE TETISH, FOREVER NEVER, ASTRAL CLOUD Oh thank (insert name of favoured deity/ find the answers. Inspired and influenced GRANT BALDWIN song demo sounds like all that blood loss prophet here) for that – a bit of life at last. by almighty Radiohead, Oasis, Coldplay, ASHES, DAN SHEARS AND THE VELVETEEN Anyone who’s a regular reader of the demo has left them a bit knackered. The guitars James George here at least seems to realise Muse, Keane, Razorlight and many others, ORKESTRA, TWISTED STATE OF MIND, BAUER, pages will know Grant by now – former No chug out what could be a basic football chant a song might need a purpose and a melody the trio loves to experiment with styles, Joy In Mudville singer who’s been indulging while the singer aims for Jimmy Pursey MARCUS CORBETT, THE CRUSHING, ALISTAIR and possibly shouldn’t reflect the idea of a sound and approach.” This, dear reader, is his love for the stranger side of Scott Walker rabble-rousing and Lydon-esque bite by way MELVILLE, EYES SEE BLIND. universe sliding inexorably towards a state our first exposure to the world and mindset and assorted other esoteric gothic noises of some gruff huff and puff, and it all sounds of entropy. So we get some siren-sounding of Plastic Barricades. And yours too now, so for a fair few years now, with consistently like some early-80s Oi! band playing at half 01865 716466 [email protected] synth pop that reminds us a bit of The wipe the tears from your eyes and the coffee pleasing results. This new offering feels speed, now too stiff of limb to catch the puny Killers, tumbling drums and some doomy, you just snorted out of your nose from your like a slight detour from what we’ve come new romantic kids it once dished out regular proggy guitar and James himself muttering shirt and ponder the romance and honesty to expect, a far more understated set of kickings to. Best have a nice sit down on darkly “I want to make you mine” over and gloominess, melodic melancholy and songs that owes more to Peter Hammill’s this park bench and neck a couple of cans of COURTYARD and over again, which, given the general painstaking sincerity of a trio of young post-Van der Graaf Generator solo Scrumpy Jack. backstreet rough house atmosphere of the men who are trying to find – yes – answers. RECORDING STUDIO material, particularly demo highlight `The 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: In this troubled century. Bunch of poncy Jade Collector’, with its tender, spacious song, suggest this ain’t a pretty love song. NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 layout and a vaguely medieval vibe. The YUUSA MUUSA We’re outta here, but we’re taking a small fucking wankers. But hey, at least they’re MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb acoustic-prog-meets-operatic-aria feel Not as fighting fit as they might once have satchel of hope with us. That and a litre searching for the truth while the rest of us Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern spreads to `Avenues’, which sounds like been, Trauma could probably still administer bottle of vodka that we swiped from the slouch complacently on the sofa necking optics. We’re going to need it for these next vodka by the pint, and what better way Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules Grant’s drifting in, along and out again a decent beating to this lot with both arms Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. to get to the heart of life’s puzzle than by in a particularly heavy Temazepam haze. tied behind their back. We’re not averse to two demos. Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. It’s all rather elegant, and Grant remains a a bit of wafty dream-pop here at Nightshift, sounding like the lily-livered, keening www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk very individual vocal talent locally. It does, really we’re not, but if this is a dream it’s the kid brothers of 80s plastic pop sensations In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk at times, all sound a bit too serious and one where you’re trying to get somewhere ALSKR Curiosity Killed The Cat? And kids, if that Email: [email protected] Musicians today are so bloody idle they portentous though. Come on old chap, it’s in a hurry but your feet just won’t move and reference is too far in the dim and distant Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 have simply given up using proper words only music – it’s not football or anything so everything’s going in horribly slow motion pre-history of pop as you know it, simply for band names, so we’ve ended up with damn important. and you can’t breathe properly. Then again, imagine the queasy joy of drinking a pint The Weeknd, Neverlnd and AXLNDR. that all suggests a modicum of drama – of semi-skimmed milk that’s been sat in the Speak properly and pick your feet up when something that is staggeringly absent from sun for a week. That’s pretty much what you walk, wretches! At least with those this relentlessly beige ambient clamour of listening to Plastic Barricades is like. Hey, acts you can work out what the real word ALL IS WORTH twinkles and fluffles and coos and general guys, take your painstaking sincerity and is supposed to be, but Alskr? And no, don’t The punningly-named musical alter ego of airy-fairy inconsequentiality. Four songs of ram it up your sorry backsides before we say Alaska, because what’s that superfluous Nathan Allsworth, a chap who’s been around lifeless drifting and general wooziness that think of new and exciting ways of using this R doing? Who needs superfluous R’s when pen as a torture implement. Three state of the art rehearsal rooms. the local scene for a good while now, notably makes Slowdive sound like Napalm Death in in promising electro-funk crew Grudle Bay the up and at ‘em stakes. Fifteen minutes in For bookings. a few years back, All Is Worth finds Nathan and that bit in the dream about not being able Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to going it alone if not acoustic on this one- to breathe seems positively appealing, so we Call Jamie on 07917685935 [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without song demo, titled `NYC’. Backed by sparse stick a plastic bag over our head and staple a contact address and phone number; no more than four tracks on a demo please. If you Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford electronic beats and shimmering acoustic it closed. Ah, soft, succulent, airless death… glasshousestudios.org can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. And don’t fucking whine about your guitar he’s lost in a fluffy, floaty mist of Mother, I think I can hear angels singing… review on Twitter either, else we’ll print a screenshot and make you look like a prize tit. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Sat 28th May • £8 adv • 6.30pm Sun 19th Jun • £10 adv Sat 13th Aug • £8 adv Thu 13th Oct • £17.50 adv The Computers Braids Better Than Never Dead Kennedys + Cassels + Fault Line + The Ghost Riders In The Sky Mon 20th Jun • FREE ENTRY • 7pm + Elasea Thu 13th Oct • £20 adv EURO 2016: Bars and Melody Tue 31st May • SOLD OUT England v Slovakia Tue 16th Aug • £15 adv • 7.30pm The Temper Trap Hayseed Dixie Fri 14th Oct • £8 adv • 6.30pm + DRELLER Mon 20th Jun • £11 adv • 7.30pm Little Brother Eli Crobot Sat 20th Aug • £10 adv Wed 1st Jun • £10 adv The Besnard Lakes Sat 15th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm Coasts Tue 21st Jun • £16 adv The Smyths - The Brain Jonestown Wed 31th Aug • £10 adv • 7pm Queen is Dead 30th Thu 2nd Jun • £17.50 adv Massacre Sticky Fingers Anniversary Tour The Hot 8 Brass Band + Harleighblu Fri 24th Jun • £11 adv • 11pm Wed 31th Aug • £26.50 adv Wed 19th Oct • £15 adv • 6.30pm + Temple Funk Collective Genres Ft. Hazard, Echo & The Michael Kiwanuka Frankee, Joe Ford, IC3 Bunnymen Fri 3rd Jun • £11 adv • 6pm & Evil B Thu 20th Oct • £11 adv Cancer Bats Fri 2nd Sep • £8 adv • 6.30pm JP Cooper + I Cried Wolf Sat 25th Jun • £8 adv • 6pm Elvana - The World’s Chasing Daylight Finest Elvis Fronted Fri 21st Oct • £11 adv • 6.30pm Sat 4th Jun • £9 adv + echopraxis + Kanadia Tribute to Nirvana Guns 2 Roses Peerless Pirates - + Kuiper+ Neon Teepee Album Launch Party + Grub Sun 4th Sep • £12 adv Sat 22nd Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm + Dead Pheasants Broken Brass Ensemble The Doors Alive + The Standard Mon 27th Jun • £16.50 adv + Count Skylarkin + Acoustic Journey Saul Williams Sat 22nd Oct • £22.50 adv •6.30pm Thu 15th Sep • £8 adv Buzzcocks Sat 4th Jun • £5 adv • 11pm Wed 29th Jun • £10 adv Moon Hooch Klass Vybz - Local Lock Will and The People Mon 24th Oct • £13 adv Down Fri 16th Sep • £8 adv • 6.30pm Sunset Sons + White Magic Sound Sun 10th Jul • £20 adv • 6pm Homeplanetearth + Party Shot Movement KRS-One + Roberto Y Juan + 2XCLUSIVE ENT Tue 25th Oct • £13.50 adv Hawklords + Light Roots Sound Fri 15th Jul • £10 adv Thu 22rd Sep • £29.50 adv Legendary Night Ft. Gary Numan Mon 6th Jun • £27.50 adv Wed 26th Oct • £18 adv •6.30pm Pak-Man Live Steve Mason Public Image Ltd Fri 23rd Sep • £8 adv • 6.30pm + The Beat Sat 16th Jul • £10 adv • 6.30pm G2 Defi nitive Genesis Fri 28th Oct • £20 adv • 6pm The Southmartins The Christians Sat 11th Jun • FREE ENTRY • 7pm (Tribute To The Wed 28th Sep • £12 adv • 6.30pm EURO 2016: Beautiful South & The Warlocks England v Russia The Housemartins) Fri 28th Oct • £10 adv • 6.30pm Fri 4th Oct • £20 adv Gentleman’s Dub Club Thu 16th Jun • £15 adv Sat 16th Jul • £27 adv • 9pm The Kills Out of The Blue Fri 18th Nov • £8 adv • 6.30pm Chronixx Little Red + The Zinc Fence Band Tue 7th Oct • £30 adv • 6.30pm Fri 17th Jun • £26.50 adv UB40 Sat 19th Nov • £11 adv • 6pm Nelly - Live In Concert Fri 22nd Jul • £8 adv • 6pm The Callow Saints Fri 7th Oct • £12.50 adv • 6.30pm Defi nitely Mightbe Fri 17th Jun • £25 adv • 10pm + The Deadbeat Apostles UK Foo Fighters (Oasis Tribute) Alkaline Live New Tribute Sat 19th Nov • £8 adv • 6.30pm Level Unlock Tour Wed 10th Aug • £12 adv Bob Wayne Sat 8th Oct • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm Saedly Dorus And The Sat 18th Jun • £12 adv • 6.30pm From The Jam Hoolie Band Stillmarillion Thu 11th Aug • £12 adv Sat 26th Nov • £21 adv • 6.30pm Big D and the Kids Tue 11th Oct • £12 adv Sun 19th Jun • £18 adv Table AURORA Turin Breaks Testament

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