[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 264 July Oxford’s Music Magazine 2017

“It was easy to slip back into the chemistry of old and how we worked best together in RIDE the early years.” Mark Gardener talks reunions, communication and returning to The New Theatre. Also in this issue: Introducing THE OTHER DRAMAS Truck & CoRnbury previewed COMMON PEOPLE, KRAFTWERK & SLOWDIVE reviewed 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

August on National Anthem, part of Columbia and features thirteen songs.

ALL TAMARA’S PARTIES CARNIVAL brings a huge splash of colour to Cowley Road again on hosts a bank holiday all-day mini- Sunday 2nd July, with the annual celebration of east Oxford life again festival on Sunday 27th August. set to feature myriad live music stages, sound systems, dance displays, Catgod; Lucy Leave; Salvation food and the main procession, stretching for over a mile and featuring Bill, and Anna McCrae from the over 660 people from 30 community groups and schools, taking over Young Women’s Music Project are the road, from The Plain to Magdalen Road as well as pubs, car parks all confirmed for the event at The and side streets around the area. Tap Social in Botley, with more Over 40,000 people attended last year’s Carnival, making it by far the acts to be announced. 25 early bird largest music gathering in Oxfordshire. tickets, priced £10, are on sale from Live music stages awill be situated at The Cape of Good Hope; 420 alltamarasparties.bandcamp.com. Skates; Jeune Street; East Oxford Community Centre; The Black Swan; The Bullingdon; The Library; Manzil Way; Restore; the Asian Cultural CHAD VALLEY and Jack Centre, and The City Arms, with live music from the likes of The Young Goldstein play at the second We Women’s Music Project; reggae stars Zaia; Cubanista big band Ran LOUD MOUNTAINS were Are Your Friends mini festival Kan; swamp-blues crew The Mighty Redox; dark-pop stars Death of picked by Nightshift to play this later this year. The annual all-day the Maiden; hip hop collective Inner Peace Records, and classic r’n’b month’s Truck Festival. The event takes place on Sunday 3rd band The Shapes mixing with DJs; samba bands and dance displays; country-rock outfit were one of September at The Bullingdon, Irish dancing; drum troupes; steel bands; Bollywood dance; burlesque half a dozen Oxford acts selected aiming to raise money for the and more. from Truck’s band app, which Michael Barry Fund for the Brain As well as the live music Carnival boasts its traditional cornucopia of allows unsigned bands from Tumour Charity. Michael Barry, world food stalls; a science zone; skateboarding and kids activities. around the country to apply for a who died in March 2016 aged 35, Carnival runs from 11am til 5pm, with various gigs and club nights slot. BBC Introducing in Oxford was one of the organisers of Abort. afterwards, incuding Simple’s traditional house and techno party at selected four local acts: Slate Retry. Fail?, the club that hosted The Bullingdon. Hearts; Catgod; 31Hours and The some of the earliest gigs by Foals, On Saturday 1st July, South Park hosts Colossus Awakes, a pyrotechnic Autumn Saints, while Uprising Youthmovies and Friendly Fires, as extravaganza in South Park. The event starts at 9pm; entry is free. picked Little Brother Eli. They all well as playing in local electro-pop Full Carnival details at www.cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk join fellow Oxford artists Willie J act 100 Bullets Back. Healey, The Dreaming Spires and The show will be Chad Valley’s Leader among others at the sold- first hometown gig since December HEAVY POP have taken over Listening festival, which regularly out event at Hill Farm in Steventon 2015 and their first since they lost bookings for The Jericho Tavern. features Oxford bands. over the weekend of the 21st-23rd all of the equipment in a van break- The promotions company have Among the first shows booked July. Full line-up details at in during a tour of the US last year. been putting on gigs in Oxford into the Tavern is Tom Williams www.truckfestival.com. Fixers frontman Jack Goldstein, since 2008, including shows from on Saturday 16th September. will be playing songs from his new The Wave Pictures, Ezra Furman, Find out more about Heavy WILLIE J HEALEY releases his album `Sandwiches’. Follow We Spring King and Royal Blood, Pop at www.heavypop.co.uk debut album next month. `People Are Your Friends on Twitter at @ while they are also the team behind or follow them at twitter.com/ & Their Dogs’ is out on the 18th thembfund. Reading’s annual Are You HeavyPopPromo.

WOLF EYES are among the latest set of acts to be announced for Supernormal Festival. The seminal Detroit noise band make a rare foray into Oxfordshire when they play at the experimental music and arts festival at Braziers Park in Ipsden over the weekend of the 4th-6th August. Other names released include Self Help; The Wargs; VÄLVÉ; Sacred Paws; Rat Salad; Not Sorry; R. Elizabeth; Matana Roberts; Lush Worker; Aggressive Perfector; Beards; Clout Then Grappling; Ed Askew; Death Pedals; Evil Usses, and Cattle. They join a host of acts announced last month, including Sharron Kraus, Dead Rat Orchestra and Left Hand Cuts off the Right. Now in its eighth year, Supernormal has earned a reputation as as the most esoteric, eclectic and adventurous festival in Oxfordshire, winning national awards for its challenging, artist-curated line-ups and diversion from traditional festival tropes. Tickets, priced £85, including camping, are on sale now at www.supernormalfestival.co.uk. NEWS FIRST-CLASS 7th July at The Bullingdon, with LIVE MUSIC AND the winner earning a place on the year’s Bloodstock bill alongside ENTERTAINMENT headliners Megadeth, Ghost and Amon Amarth in August. ON YOUR DOORSTEP THE BLACK SWAN on Crown Street hosts a new fortnightly open mic night starting the month. JULY OCTOBER DECEMBER Slung What You Brung kicks off THE CARPENTERS STORY SAT 8 SUZANNE VEGA MON 2 BANANARAMA MON 4 on Thursdays 13th July and will RIDE MON 10 TOTALLY TINA SAT 7 THE SENSATIONAL 60’S EXPERIENCE FRI 8 run every other week from there, from 8-11pm. Anyone wanting to THE ILLEGAL EAGLES FRI 21 MARC ALMOND SUN 15 CHRIS REA SAT 9 perform can simply turn up on the MIDGE URE, THE CHRISTIANS, THE RUSTY BICYCLE hosts a night, or contact Spike Holifield AUGUST ALTERED IMAGES TUE 17 day of free live music alongside its via Facebook. Performers’ sets will THE PRETENDERS WED 18 annual beer and cider festival on be 20 minutes, with a free drink for JOE MCELDERRY SAT 5 THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW THU 19 Saturday 29th July. Ziaia (pictured); every act. CORNBURY FESTIVAL organiser Hugh Phillimore has been Little Brother Eli; Little Mammoth; talking to Nightshift ahead of the event’s Fabulous Finale this month. SEPTEMBER Ran Kan Kan; Jauquin & the POLAROID pictures of local acts Cornbury is bowing out after fourteen years, in its time bringing stars PEACE TRAIN: NOVEMBER Smoke Machine, and Sian Lloyd performing at Common People like Robert Plant, Amy Winehouse, Elvis Costello, Simple Minds and THE CAT STEVENS STORY TUE 12 Jones will all be playing live at are on display at Truck Store JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS Tom Jones to Oxfordshire, earning itself the affectionate nickname TEXAS WED 13 RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA SUN 5 the pub on the corner of Magdalen this month. Local photographer Poshstock along the way for its regular cast of well-heeled guests, THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN FRI 15 COLLABRO MON 6 TOGETHER Road and Hurst Street from Cristina Camilla Corazza’s including Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightley and David Cameron. IN CONCERT midday til late. Wear your drinking exhibition features shots of Death Bryan Adams, Kaiser Chiefs and The Pretenders will headline the final NIGHTS ON BROADWAY - ALISON MOYET TUE 7 th th THE BEE GEES STORY SAT 16 MIDGE URE suits and your dancing shoes. of Hi-Fi; Kanadia; Catgod; The festival, which runs over the weekend of the 7 -9 July at Great Tew JOHN MAYALL IN CONCERT WED 8 WITH BAND ELECTRONICA Balkan Wanderers; Slate Hearts; Country Park. ONE NIGHT OF ELVIS: THE CHRISTIANS WHITNEY - QUEEN OF THE NIGHT THU 9 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS GLASSHOUSE STUDIOS hosts Cherokii; The Epstein; Vienna “I’ve got very mixed feelings about the festival coming to an end,” LEE ‘MEMPHIS’ KING FRI 29 ALTERED IMAGES FEATURING CLARE GROGAN its second birthday party this Ditto and Moogieman & the explained Hugh on his decision to pull the plug. “I love great live ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN SAT 30 DR HOOK FEATURING ABSOLUTE HITS THAT MADE THE DECADE DENNIS LOCORRIERE FRI 10 month. The studio, on Denman’s Masochists and runs until the music and it’s a privilege to work with such great bands, but there are Lane in Cumnor, run by The end of July, or see her work at so many festivals, competition is fierce and in all honesty I’ve lost too Family Machine’s Jamie Hyatt, facebook.com/cristinacamillapx. much money. 80s_Generic_40x70.indd 1 20/04/2017 12:18 celebrates its second anniversary “ When I started out in 2004 I’d aimed to do 21 years on the basis with a family-friendly barbecue AS EVER, don’t forget to tune of `will you still love me when I’m 64’ but as a small independent and picnic with live music, from into BBC Oxford Introducing promoter it’s a very scary ride. I’m proud of what we’ve created; it 1-7pm on Saturday 15th July. every Saturday night between really is a village fete with some big bands. I’ve had some great highs Cooling Pearls, Quarter Melon and 8-9pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated but some very low lows.” Wolfs are among the acts providing local music show plays the best With so many years to pick from, Hugh’s favourite Cornbury moment the music for the day. Admission Oxford releases and demos as was an intensely emotional one. “It has to be Elvis Costello in 2005; it is free. Check out the studio at well as featuring interviews and was a few days after the 7/7 London bombings and in the middle of a glasshousestudios.org. sessions with local acts. The show blistering hits show he dedicated `Shipbuilding’ to a fan who’d died in is available to stream or download the tube bomb; we all wept.” K-LACURA AND CRIMSON as a podcast at bbc.co.uk/oxford. While declaring the one act he most wished he could have booked for TUSK have earned themselves Cornbury is the late, great Leonard Cohen, Hugh says he has mixed places at the final of the OXFORD GIGBOT provides a feelings about getting his summers back. Bloodstock: Metal to the Masses regular local gig listing update on “I’ll be spending more time working on my events business providing battle of the bands this month. Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing Lionel Richie for Russian oligarchs’ birthday parties and hopefully The pair will face off with the you new gigs as soon as they go enjoying a bit more time with my daughter, although she’s so furious winners of the second semi-final, live. They also provide a free that `daddy’s big party’ is ending she may not be speaking to me which takes place on the 25th June. weekly listings email. Just contact anymore.” The final takes place on Friday [email protected] to join. For full line-up details and tickets, visit cornburymusicfestival.com

DEATH OF HI-FI release their second album next month. The Witney hip hop outfit, who were among the stars of May’s Common People Festival in South Park, release `Follow’ on Friday 11th August; the album is the follow-up to 2013’s `Anthropocene’, which was hailed by Nightshift as the best hip hop album to come out of Oxford. Andy Hill from the band said, “It’s 13 tracks and is an intensely personal story based around the last five years of my life, almost perfectly coinciding with the release of `Anthropocene’, hence the reason it’s taken so long to follow up the first album. “It’s still a kitchen sink mixture of our influences but is a bit more focussed featuring only Lucy (Cropper) on vocals, Rhymeskeemz on one track and Tiger Mendoza on another. We wanted to have something we could play live without having to corral lots of different people.” Death of Hi-Fi are planning a revamped website to coincide with the album release but find out more atfacebook.com/deathofhifi . * * ATGTICKETS.COM/Oxford BOX OFFICE 0844 871 3020 *Fees apply..Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. A Quiet Word With “My memories are a bit hazy but it much of `Weather Diaries’; do you any, have you taken to over the years? Ride’s legacy has only was my childhood ambition to one feel like that’s a step on from what “I always keep an eye out. I always grown since 1996, how has that day play with a band in the New you were doing previously? read Nightshift! I’ve become a little affected the sort of crowds the band Theatre after going to my first gigs in “We’ve always loved lots of reclusive with the amount of studio have been playing to, particularly Oxford as a teenager in this amazing electronic music so it feels natural to work I’ve been doing; I don’t get in America where there’s been theatre. It’s always a night of high bring in some electronic elements and out to gigs as much as I’d like to generations of new bands come emotion for me as the theatre is so see how they work with the guitars. but I always enjoy when I do. It’s through quoting Ride as an influence. special to me. This is so ‘not just I’m a big fan of Bonobo and Boards my roots. Going out to see Shake Is it all old fans at the shows now, or another gig’, it’s always a special Of Canada and lots of other more Appeal, The Wild Poppies and many are the younger generations coming night there. Those shows in the New contemporary electronica acts as well other great local bands like that back along too? RIDE Theatre back in the day were off the as certain old and new electronic in the day was also a big inspiration “From what we can see from scale!” instruments, so if it helps the mood and motivator to me when I was a stage our audience does span the of the song, adds colour and keeps all teenager to want to be in a band. generations these days. There’s Back when Ride started interesting then all good. Who knows Presently I’ve just finished mixing definitely a lot of younger curious the quartet were united in their love if it’s a step on from where we were the Temper Cartel debut album. I faces along with older, more nostalgic of certain acts – the likes of Sonic or not!” think they have a great chance and fans. That’s great to see.” Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Stone Given the length of time between the talent to be the next big band to The name Ride, of course, is Roses, Spacemen 3 – while by the this album and the last, and knowing emerge from Oxford. I’ve seen them a intrinsically linked with the term time of `Tarantula’ the influences were Mark’s taste for new, particularly few times in Oxford and some of the shoe-gaze, an offhand description stretched. Writing together again for dance-orientated music, was there any other bands that have been playing once used to describe a wave of early- `Weather Diaries’, did Mark, Andy, inclination to make, say, a hip hop- with them on the bill were also very 90s bands linked by their dedication Steve and Loz still find common influenced album or something else good. It makes me realise that Oxford to expansive guitar noise, ethereal ground and which acts in the interim completely different to what people is the town that keeps on giving when atmospherics and heavy-duty FX have most affected the way they want might consider the Ride sound? it comes to great and interesting new pedal abuse. Ride’s old tourmates to write and record music? and fellow shoegazers Slowdive have “We listen to so much music. We still also reformed recently and released think those original influences were “There’s definitely a lot of younger curious their first new album in 20 years, great and timeless. I think it’s about their reputation as pioneers similarly being passionate for music, which has faces along with older more nostalgic fans having grown in the intervening not changed at all for any of us. In in the crowds. That’s great to see.” years; has Mark heard it, and could a way the harder life gets outside of he foresee playing with them again at music the more you cling on to that any point? musical thing as an even more needed “There are elements of Ride that talent and bands. That also keeps me “I’ve heard most of it. I’ve always remedy and therapy to help you will always continue and thread all on my toes, in a good way,” been a fan of Slowdive and continue through when the going gets tough. In together. I see all of our records as How much do you think the Oxford to be and all of the new tracks I’ve some ways we find common ground very honest sonic diaries as to what scene has changed since 1990? heard I think are great. I think we are and in other ways we don’t and that was happening to us along with the “I think the whole industry has playing with them at a French festival “We could have followed Ride’s split the band’s for band and fans alike. It was also “It certainly doesn’t feel like we had makes for interesting input from music and the madness of our world changed massively in many good soon. I could see us playing with communicated better, within the band reputation grew and grew; they a triumph. If the band had aged, the so much time away from the band,” everybody. Then you add Erol Alkan and the world outside at that time and and bad ways. Maybe Oxford reflects them again at some point in the future and the team around us. The reunion became a sonic inspiration to new music hadn’t; those 20 years were says Mark; “it’s so strangely familiar into the mix in the studio and he’s how we were reacting to that. We’ve that in a micro kind of way. It’s as we’re both releasing new quality and better lifestyle choices have generations of bands, in Europe, wiped away in 90 blitzkrieg minutes. in so many ways. Thankfully it was DJing at the weekends and also has a changed and grown and the music much harder for new bands to break material. I speak with Rachel from changed all of that for the better,” says America, even Japan, while fans’ World tours and festival appearances easy to slip back into the chemistry of totally eclectic record collection… as reflects that. Those threads that were through as there are so many of time to time. I’m very happy for them Mark Gardener thoughtfully when enduring hopes fuelled regular followed and at the end of June old and with the benefit of hindsight we all do. Hopefully the new record always there remain but we’ve never them. The talent is still there as it’s and all that’s happening for them.” asked what single thing he would rumours of a reunion. `Weather Diaries’ was released, the on how we worked best together in has many colours which reflect the felt restricted to sound a certain way. always been. I feel like we were more have changed about Ride first time In 2010 a Nightshift cover feature album recapturing much of that early the early years, so that we could apply music range.” We’d quickly get bored if we did. So naive in many ways than some of the Finally, having led Oxford round and whether the band’s reunion marked the 20th anniversary of the magic, the four members once again the better working methods now.” yes the next album will be grime or guys from local bands I meet now, music’s charge out of the city walls all has allowed them to rectify that. `Ride EP’, the band’s debut and hailed reading from the same page while That first gig back in 2015 at what Ah yes, Erol Alkan. The death-metal, no doubt!” who seem more together and on it those years ago; having tasted global it as the most important record ever to bringing their individual experiences was The Zodiac and before that The DJ and producer, known for his than we were… or I was anyway! pop success, seen it all fall apart and The sentiment echoes a come out of Oxford, as much for the and influences to bear. More than Co-Op Hall where you played some remix and mash-up work as well as Back in 2010’s Nightshift Obviously when we started out then come back as big as ever, what line from `Lannoy Point’, the opening way it opened the door for a whole `Carnival of Light’, it feels like the of your earliest Oxford show; what his psychedelic project Beyond the feature to mark the 20th anniversary Oxford didn’t really have a musical one piece of advice would Mark give song on Ride’s new album, `Weather host of fellow local acts to break natural follow-up to `Going Blank were your feelings before you went on Wizard’s Sleeve, was not, maybe, of the `Ride EP’ we called it the most heritage or history whereas it does to a new young Oxford band wanting Diaries’, the quartet’s fifth and their out into the mainstream – including Again’ as huge washes of guitar noise stage? Did it feel like the natural place the most obvious choice to helm important Oxford release ever for the now. Hopefully that does help new to make it now? first in over 20 years: “We’ll be wiser Radiohead and Supergrass – as mingle with questing harmonies and to restart the story? the recording sessions for `Weather way it opened the door to so many local bands to keep on believing and “Don’t think too much about `making when we fall / Like the dinosaurs for the glorious, timeless music it prominent electronic components. “It did feel like a natural place to Diaries’, but it’s a gamble that’s paid other bands. Would Mark agree with Oxford is now taken very seriously as it’. Love and enjoy the music you before.” Perhaps not the finest piece contained. Back then the band – Mark restart the story. It was a night of off handsomely, particularly on the its importance in that respect and how a city that great bands emerge from. play and make together and that of pop poetry but a concise and and Andy, plus bass player Steve On the 10th July Ride will extreme emotion for me. I welled up more electronic-based tracks like All I does he feel about it as a record now? Whichever way you have to play, play could work out and you could end heartfelt realisation, perhaps, that Queralt and drummer Loz Colbert play a homecoming show at The New a good few times during the show. Want’ and `Rocket Silver Symphony’, “I think it was a door opener for other and play. I don’t think that’s changed up making some kind of living from things could have been done better. – expressed an enthusiasm for once Theatre, Oxford’s biggest concert There’s so much release that comes which count among the album’s high great local bands. It was important in since the 90s. that, but if it doesn’t you will still again joining forces, while explaining venue and the location of the band’s up after that time and all we went points. that way but we obviously had no idea “There’s always some luck but have enjoyed the music you’ve made Back then, of course, was that circumstances and timing were triumphant show in 1992 that saw through together and apart. It was “We don’t always do obvious and at the time. It was all about timing always loads of hard work involved and that experience you’ve had in the 1996, the year Ride released their against them. “I’d like to play with them crowned musical kings of the a kind of exorcism in a way and in that’s part of the experiment. Andy and stuff that we have no control and lots of coming back stronger from room with your friends. Like most break-up album `Tarantula’ amid them again sometime, but I can’t put a city. Ahead of that landmark show, another way a total celebration of the and our management had links to Erol over. It was a massively important the many disappointments bands can endeavours in life the more you are much rancour between Mark and date on it,” said Andy at the time. Nightshift chatted to Mark Gardener fact that we could feel that unique and I really liked his Beyond The record for us as our lives were never experience and go through.” prepared to work it and come back co-singer and songwriter Andy Bell. That time, though, did come in 2014 about the long-awaited reunion, the feeling again. We went away but the Wizard’s Sleeve album. the same since that point. It opened Is there anything about that old stronger from adversity – which is The fall-out had brewed for a couple as circumstances changed. With Liam new album and where it all goes from music and songs never went away in “Erol was great at being the fifth the doors for us into a lifetime in Oxford scene you particularly miss: plentiful in the early days of being in of years as Ride lived in each other’s Gallagher’s Beady Eye breaking up, here. our absence. It was great to reconnect member inside the control room for music. We totally respect it and still people or places or something less a band – then you will increase your pockets both on tour and in the studio Andy, who’d played with him since One of the most striking things about with the songs, the guys and audience us so we could be liberated and just play `Drive Blind’ and `Chelsea Girl’, tangible? chances of your music making you while moving away from each other joining Oasis in 1999, was free to Ride’s 1996 split was how quickly again like this in a room and venue play. I’ve done lots of mixing and often to end the set or as an encore. “I miss the wide-eyed naivety I had a living and becoming a lifestyle, if musically. Hostilities didn’t last long pursue a new musical path – or rejoin Mark and Andy made up again – that I have enjoyed so many great production work and with Ride I just It’s hard for me to imagine what my going to gigs back then but I still that’s what you want. Being in a band after the quartet split, but it was that one he’d stepped off years before. the long-time friends aware that nights in.” wanted to feel like the guy back in the life could have been had we not made feel like that when I play music. can be very all consuming and the split that allowed friendships to be circumstances more than personality And now, two years on, you’ve got band, so personally as soon as Erol that EP.” Everything changes so I try not to get more you are prepared to put in then resumed, even if it robbed Oxford of In April 2015 Ride played differences were at the root of their your New Theatre show coming up. got involved that really helped me to Back then there hadn’t been a major too nostalgic about those days and the more you will potentially get out its most pioneering musical heroes – their first live show in two decades in fractious working relationship. All It’ll be 25 years since your last gig feel like that again. We had a good breakout band from Oxford but these that’s why I love hearing and seeing of it. It’s so not an exact science and the first real stars to emerge from the the entirely appropriate setting of the four members have stayed in regular there; what are your memories of that time with him in the studio. He had days people actually move to Oxford great new bands when I can, back in that’s what keeps it all interesting.” local scene. O2 Academy’s upstairs venue – the contact, Mark and Loz still resident night and how do you feel going into a great perspective. He helped with to try and make it musically; how venues like the Jericho, which is still room where they’d first become local in Oxford, Andy and Steve regular the new show – just another gig or track selection and loads of ways.” much of an eye do you keep on the great and was where it all started for Ride play The New Theatre on In the two decades that stars. It was a highly emotional show, visitors to their home town. something special? There’s a strong electronic edge to local scene and which Oxford acts, if Ride. There’s magic in those walls!” Monday 10th July. Sponsored by singer Alix Champ on lead, is a lament for dead table, which tends to puncture the atmosphere. friends. It’s a surprisingly upbeat number if From here we start to get lost. `Oblique World’ perhaps not as elegant as it might want to be, starts off in Eno-ish ambient territory but by the but the EP’s highlights come with the bold, end he’s simply going through the scales on his rootsy `Til They Put Me In The Ground’, mixing piano, the weird knocking sound speeding up RELEASED hoe-down Americana with Pogues-y folk, Alix as he becomes more intense and agitated. By and bandleader Ant Kelly doing a very decent the time we reach `Overrated is the Title of a MOOGIEMAN SALVATION BILL approximation of the old Shane McGowan / Woe Is Me Philanthropist’, we’re into freeform Kirsty MacColl act and the closest The Shapes piano plonking, any sense of cohesion sent to its `Girls and Film’ `Fat Fate’s Formal get to their exuberant live selves. room well before the eleven minutes is up, and Dale Kattack `Boring’ finds him simply hammering the same (Self released) notes repeatedly with no pretence at taking things Moogieman might yet end up enjoying the Handshake’ further. Flickers of hope return on `Neuroharp’, accolade of being the last ever artist to kick off the (Self released) with its insistent industrial rhythm, but again the Oxford Punt and his 2016 opening set at the Purple Ollie Thomas has long been one of Oxford’s more FOCI’S LEFT lead is incoherent and insubstantial. Everything Turtle remains a favourite memory of that May idiosyncratic characters operating in the nominally comes to a close with the icy, atmospheric drone acoustic singer-songwriter sphere. From his early `May Everyone Be Safe evening. The bulk of the intervening year has seen of a remix of Steve Roach’s `The Green Place’, him tinker with the finishing touches to this album. days helming Ute, through the short-lived Old From Harm’ a pointer perhaps for where Foci’s Left might The record is a concept album about analogue Grinding Young, to his long-term Salvation Bill THE SHAPES be better focussing his future efforts. With the photography which, like cassette tapes, arctic incarnation, his voice, a sometimes keening mix (Self released) emphasis on that word focus. The latest album from Foci’s Left, the work of roll and board games is firmly back in fashion of plaintive purity and cracks and splinters can Dale Kattack – just ask the hipsters at Cowley Road’s Bear instantly divide a room. A sometimes macabre `Long Way Home’ Mick Buckingham, follows a similar pattern and the Bean café where a dazzling array of said sense of humour only adds to the appeal for those (Self released) to his previous offerings: minimalist electronic equipment is for sale and on display. That indicates who he counts as fans. Easily the feel-good act of Common People last ambience, drones and pianism that starts off well an album to which much thought has been `Fat Fate’s Formal Handshake’ is Ollie’s first month, The Shapes are best seen live for the enough but ends up going on too long and losing devoted and even the odd flowchart. Thankfully, is another that has real drive to it – while the full-length album and is released at a time when infectious bon homie they bring to the party. any sense of direction until it’s little more than a Old enough and big enough not to care much it’s a release that wears its charm, its tunes and instrumentation is often brilliant. A bold sax solo he’s forsaken Oxford for Bristol and most recently jumble of randomly-ordered noises. about what constitutes cool, they mix and match its inventiveness on its sleeve, a double dozen of from Clare Heaviside of the Balkan Wanderers London. Opening track `Grim Reaper’ is almost Opener `Store the Memories’ is solemn, random musical styles within a broad template that joins pianism but `Stalk the Fool’ condenses his best songs that recall Blur, The Kinks and even early lights up ‘Ektachrome’ and Andy Diagram-style the perfect encapsulation of what he does best: dots between 60s r’n’b, soul, chart pop, new ideas into a subtle weave and drift of drones, Pink Floyd in its particularly English whimsy. trumpet from Kate Bryer on `Summer of 09’ really taking what in lesser hands would be solid, simple wave and folk. although the incongruous, cheap-sounding beats Just as Damon Albarn would pepper his albums elevates that particular track. songs and making merry with the arrangements, Age plays a big part in a couple of the songs towards the end are an unwelcome distraction. with a litany of fictional characters, Moogieman Nor is the piece lacking lyrically. The tall tales in this case mixing almost ghostly spaghetti here: `It’s Bringing Me Down’ – inspired by `Statist Supremo Suicidal Shitpiece’ is not only does the same. So instead of Tracy Jacks and include Moogieman leaving his camera on a roof western incidental music with Tom Waits’ gutter a chance meeting with former footballer Paul a great title, which Ed Sheeran should borrow Ernold Same (whatever happened to Red Ken?), in 1972, thinking of ‘getting into processing’, blues and Nick Cave’s mix of the gothic and the Merson – is a reflection on coming to terms with immediately, but also takes the music to the next we have Octavia and Holga Jen, the former a urging people not to take their disposal cameras mundane, the scrape of fingers across guitar strings seeming refugee from the tableau of personalities life, the demons it can throw up and the dreams level via electronic squiggles and discordant back, and meeting a drunken debutante with a contrasting with the squirming and squelching of it can bring crashing down, that takes the form that starred with Phil Daniels in the ‘Parklife’ intermissions, although the strange knocking voice like Joan Greenwood. The one quibble is a synthesizer. Further in he’ll puncture a languid of a suitably wistful swirl of Gallic-flavoured video; the latter the title character of the album’s sounds throughout suggest he’s recorded the the length, and while it’s necessary to make use of acoustic lullaby with an incongruous kazoo solo folk-pop, while `Crossroads’, with backing stand out track, a putative, insistent indie anthem piece on a keyboard perched on an unsteady studio time, there are almost two albums of good and scatter rhythmic rainfall on windows over a in the style of Martha and the Muffins. music here. farewell lament by way of rhythm. It’s an LP with many highlights – ‘Parallel Lines’ Rob Langham Ten tracks does maybe show up the limitations on Ollie’s voice and ability to change tack: too much these three tracks would fit neatly onto one of the of it is similarly paced, the plaintive blues of `Me Minimal Wave compilations that have surfaced in & My Big Mouth’ and `Captain Flash & Bitch recent times, collecting lost electronic recordings Cassidy’ fuel to the fire of criticism that he’s too from across the continent, and sound like they in thrall to Thom Yorke while unable to capture should be soundtracking lo-budget dystopian sci-fi Yorke’s poetry or invention. movies. There’s a primitiveness about it all that But then he’ll pull something like `This Is gives it an edge that too much modern commercial Actually Happening’ out of the bag, it’s multi- electro-pop lacks and if you’re left contemplating way vocal parts overlapping, pulling the song space stations, concrete underpasses and the works in different directions while retaining the gentle of JG Ballard, that’s almost certainly the idea. reverie at its core until it dissipates into the fog by Welcome to the retro future. way of a splintering crash. Dale Kattack Given the songs here range in age from ten years to six months maybe some quality variation is understandable. When he’s at his best though, Salvation Bill is somehow wrong in all the right MY CROOKED TEETH ways. Sue Foreman `Better Off’ GOLDEN CITIES (Self released) As frontman for the much missed Toliesel, Jack `EP 1’ Olchawski explored an epic form of Americana- (Self released) informed indie rock that made way for a more Tim Day was previously one half of local electro- intimate, self-deprecating acoustic pop once he set pop duo Space Heroes of the People and is the out alone as My Crooked Teeth. For his new single only other person I know who sports a Cats on he’s got a band behind him again and returns to Synthesizers in Space t-shirt. Prior to receiving those wide open spaces, his yearning, earnest this new solo EP I’d bumped into him in the delivery bringing a quiet sense of epic romance to queue for Kraftwerk’s gig at The New Theatre. `Better Off’, which wouldn’t have sounded out of Fair to say that Tim likes his synthesizers. place on one of The Epstein’s earlier albums. His When it comes to synth-pop Tim is very much deft lyrical skill always kept him afloat in his solo old school, Golden Cities is all clean, silicon shows but a bigger sound suits him far better and lines, and austere electronic beats, vocals kept Jack sounds like he’s restarting where Toliesel left to a minimum, like the heavily-treated mantra off, which can only be good news. of “Attack, sustain, release” of `Monitors’, and Ian Chesterton While Adams tops Saturday’s bill, Friday’s headliners are first timers too, indie rock hitmakers KAISER CHIEFS sure to get the entire field singing along to `I Predict A Riot’, even if Poshstock is the last festival where that’s going to happen. Maybe if the Pimm’s bus runs GIG GUIDE out or something. Talking about revolutions, we know for a fact length of Cowley Road and its tributaries taken st that BLACK DYLAN is not a black tribute Saturday 1 over by live music stages, sound systems, dance to Bob and TEX PISTOLS are not a southern displays, food stalls and much, much more. rock tribute to Johnny Rotten and gang, but IRREGULAR FOLKS With 40,000 revellers expected it is, as ever, the we’ll be checking them out anyway, cos you biggest and best free party of the year – see news SUMMER SESSION: never really know what surprises are instore feature for line-up details at a festival that’s earned a reputation for JULY SIMPLE – CARNIVAL AFTER PARTY: Victoria Arms, Old st mainstream appeal but always manages to throw SATURDAY 1 The Bullingdon – House and techno party for a few curveballs into the mix. Marston IRREGULAR FOLKS SUMMER SESSION: Carnival goers. First up, for the uninitiated, forget any Victoria Arms, Old Marston (midday-11pm) – OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms – We’re betting one of the big hits of the weekend ideas of folk music. Irregular Folks began Oxford’s best mini-fest? You’d heard it here – see Weekly open mic session. will be surprise 80s pop sensations RIGHT some years ago attempting to present main preview SAID FRED, as well as Ultravox frontman music inspired by or loosely connected to THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Said Business MONDAY 3rd MIDGE URE, who’ll reprise a selection his traditional musical forms but has moved School Rooftop Ampitheatre (3-11.15pm) – JIM CAUSLEY & JACKIE OATES: band’s greatest hits, hopefully chuck in the odd well beyond even that baseline. The annual The fifth – and final – KAAR fundraiser in aid Nettlebed Folk Club – Folk songs and stories Visage song and avoid his somewhat suspect Summer Session is a genuine highlight of local children’s charities sees a host of local from the West Country from five-times BBC Folk take on `No Regrets’, while ROSE ELINOR of the local music calendar, an invitation bands take to the Said Business School’s rooftop Award nominee Jim Causley alongside Nettlebed Friday 7th – Sunday 9th DOUGALL, LAURA OAKES and KESTON to a world of strange musical invention amphitheatre for a full day of live music. Playing regular Jackie Oates. COBBLERS CLUB are all acts capable of and adventure set in a Bedouin tent. Last for the cause this year are classic soul ensemble OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim – CORNBURY FESTIVAL: winning new fans across the weekend. year’s highlights included the striking, Soul Devotion; Britpop/r’n’b crazies Chasing Weekly open mic session. bizarre Waitress For the Bees and the Daylight; recent Common People stars The Great Tew Country Park As is traditional, The Riverside stage brings a Shapes; darkwoods alt.country duo The August local slant to the event, this year seeing crowd- otherworldly Jessica Sligter as well as th All good thing must come to an end, which pop siren SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR; British the surrealist lunacy of compere PAUL List; harmony-driven Americana crew Loud TUESDAY 4 pleasing return sets from THE ORIGINAL FVNERALS + WREN + INDICA BLUES: The makes us worry the world’s wine supply r’n’b pioneers NINE BELOW ZERO; soul FOOT, who is back on genially insane Mountains; expansive, country-flavoured soul RABBIT FOOT SPASM BAND; 2 TONE Wheatsheaf – To hell with summer, the dark is is about to dry up. Before that catastrophic revue stars STAXS; Hampshire-via-Nashville host duties again this time round and is crew Deadbeat Apostles, and Novak & Good. ALL SKAS (One of the big hits of last year’s rising – see main preview happening, we must bid a very fond farewell to country sisters WARD-THOMAS, and suburban worth the admission alone. Musically the This year’s worthy beneficiaries are Children’s Cornbury); ZURICH; THE EPSTEIN; AIRWAYS: The Cellar – Bolshy indie-rock Cornbury Festival, which will take place for the bluegrass heroes POLICE DOG HOGAN, day kicks off with probably the biggest Ambulatory Care, the John Radcliffe Children’s BRICKWORK LIZARDS; GREAT from the Peterborough quartet, out on a headline fourteenth and final time this month. whose tales of cheap white wine will stay with names on the bill, YORKSTON, THORNE Hospital and All As One. WESTERN TEARS and ALPHABET tour to promote new EP `Starting To Spin’ after Starting life at its original home of Cornbury us even if the magic nectar does one day dry up. BACKWARDS, while the comedy tent AND KHAN melding traditional Scottish THE COOLING PEARLS + BIRDS OF tour supports to The Hunna, Nothing But Thieves Park in 2004, the festival has hosted a slew SCOUTING FOR GIRLS are back too, but best hosts NISH KUMAR, TIM KEY and folk, contemporary jazz, electronica and HELL + PROTECTION SPELLS: Fusion and Sunset Sons. of world-renowned acts over the years, from not to dwell on them too long – this is a family AUSTENTATIOS among others. classical Indian sarangi music. Along Arts – Cooling Pearls play their first show in SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Blondie, Amy Winehouse, The Pretenders and magazine after all. the way you’ll also encounter spooky, two years ahead of the release of new album Street Tavern – Weekly open mic session. Elvis Costello, to Robert Plant, Simple Minds, So, yes, sad to see it go; Cornbury’s been part glitchy American computer game-inspired `The Red Laugh’, their gothic dream pop mixing Bryan Ferry and Tom Jones, as well as myriad Among those making their Cornbury debuts is one of Nightshift’s summer calendar for so long delicate, pretty melodies with a sense of haunted popstrels GO DARK (pictured); the cult heroes from a cross the musical spectrum, of the biggest stars the festival has ever hosted now we can’t remember a time when it wasn’t desolation. Norwich’s Birds of Hell bring th striking, mood-shifting vocal talents of WEDNESDAY 5 from Half Man Half Biscuit and Seth Lakeman – Canadian rocker BRYAN ADAMS, a man around (though in all honesty, given the amount atmospheric electro-pop and shoegaze in support multi-instrumentlist LAURA J MARTIN, JOYCE MANOR + MARTHA + FANCY to Dr John and Osibisa. All of this has been we’ve always had a soft spot for for his ongoing of wine we tend to consume we often struggle alongside dream-folk three-piece Protection veering from burlesque to Kate Bush-like DRESS PARTY + DRAMA KLUB: The driven by festival founder Hugh Phillimore’s fundraising and campaigning for Greenpeace; to recall anything before the last lunchtime). pop experimentation; OLY RALFE’s Spells. Bullingdon – Spiky, melodic emo/pop-punk imperishable love of live music and ability to anyone who loves whales and dolphins is a top Bowing out in style though, doubtless with mellow, stripped-down piano soundtrack to FREERANGE: The Cellar – UK garage, grime outta Torrance, California from Joyce Manor, make stuff happen. That it’s now coming to bloke in our book, and when they have stadium- an A-List celeb guest list and a very British Joanna Kavenna’s `A Field Guide to Reality; and bassline club night, playing the best new making their Oxford debut tonight, the band an end says far more about the difficulty in sized anthems like `Summer of 69’ and `Run to approach to partying. Enjoy your summers off cinematic drone-folk conceptualists DEAD underground sounds. out on tour to promote fourth album `Cody’, running musical festivals in the current climate You’ to their name, we feel like a rather over- from now on, Mr Phillimore; you’ve damned RAT ORCHESTRA; playful indie folk SPARKY’S SPONTANEOUS SHOWCASE and taking an increasingly pop-friendly road, and overcrowded market than it does about the exuberant sing-along coming on. well earned them. with its toes in Sun Ra and Stereolab from AND SPOTLIGHT JAM: The White House having previously been signed to local indie label quality of Cornbury itself. But anyway, off it This is the Kit’s ROZIE PLAIN, and local – Sparky hosts his monthly bands, jam and open Big Scary Monsters. Back in town as support pops, into the sunset, determined to go out on singer-songwriter HANNAH BRUCE’s show at its new home at The White House on after their packed headline show at East Oxford a high. Cat Power and PJ Harvey-inspired acoustic Abingdon Road, tonight with sets from Ras Community Centre last year are Durham’s indie/ folk-pop. Beyond the Bedouin idyll, there’s Brother John, Richard Brotherton, and The Talc punkers Martha, kicking it out in the vein of This last Cornbury has been dubbed the ODDITORIUM, hosted by David Daemons. Ash, Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Spook The Fabulous Finale, with many of the Bramwell, the man behind Singa-along-a- FINSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL: Finstock School, while local newcomers Fancy Dress – acts performing returning after previous Wicker-Man, and featuring unusual talks, Playing Field – Second day of the live sulk-core in the vein of Sunnyday Real Estate appearances. presentations, stories and more, plus a short music festival, with Leicester’s blues rockers from members of Slate Hearts and Too Many Chief among those are Sunday’s headliners film cinema tent, where you’ll also find the headlining, the band having previously played Poets – and ex-Hatemail crew Drama Kids open THE PRETENDERS, who will send the drunken drawing gang. The best day out of with Dr Feelgood, Nine Below Zero and Canned the show. festival off into the long night in style. Joining the summer? It’s got to be up there. Heat. Support from Alex Chapman and Wood JAM & OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Brewery Chrissie Hynde and co. will be the unofficial Green Big Band. Tap, Abingdon – New monthly open mic and Queen of Cornbury, IMELDA MAY, who JUKESTERS: Tap Social, Botley – Jive, swing jam session. has probably racked up more appearances blues and rock. here than any other artist, her elegant update HAIRFORCE 1: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Hair metal THURSDAY 6th on r’n’b-flavoured rockabilly and skiffle covers. THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf – remaining timeless. JOOLS HOLLAND must THE PETE FRYER BAND: Six Bells, Swamp blues, funk, psychedelia and ska from the run May close in the regular return stakes, Headington – Classic blues, r’n’b, rock and madcap local stalwarts, in the Sheaf’s downstairs HIS RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA more from the veteran local singer and guitarist. bar. a mainstay of the main stage, with a host of CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford special guests that’s previously included Marc SUNDAY 2nd Community Centre – Oxford’s longest running Almond and Ruby Turner, cranking out soul and blues classics. Others coming back for more are CARNIVAL: Cowley Road – The Annual open club night continues to showcase singers, gravel-voiced soul man JACK SAVORETTI; celebration of east Oxford life returns, with the musicians, poets, storytellers and performance KLUB KAKOFANNEY with SELF HELP OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms Bookhouse keeping it dark on the decks. dogs return to the UK for their Yellin’ + MONKFISH + THE PINK DIAMOND WATERFAHL: Tap Social, Botley (2.30pm) – SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Degenerates tour to promote debut album REVUE + BROWN GLOVE: The Wheatsheaf Acoustic blues and pop from the local duo. Street Tavern `Full Throttle’, a suitably-titled opus for – This month’s anything-goes mixed bag at Klub a band whose anthemic hard rock recalls Kak featured punk-popsters Self Help; gothic MONDAY 10th WEDNESDAY 12th AC/DC, Guns’n’Roses and Motley Crue. blues from Monkfish, launching a new EP; acid- RIDE + SPECTRES: The New Theatre – THE BILLY WALTON BAND: The Support at tonight’s OxRox show comes fried surf-rock from The Pink Diamond Revue Homecoming show for the reformed local heroes Bullingdon – Blues-rock in the vein of from Liverpool hard rockers Black Cat and dark, Brechtian blues from Brown Glove. as they tour their comeback album, `Weather Hendrix, Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan Bones; local melodic metallers in a Judas BOSSAPHONIK with TASHKEZA: The Diaries’ – see main interview feature from the New Jersey guitarist, who has Priest and Guns’n’Roses style, Hell’s Cellar – Wild and atmospheric retellings of songs JOSIENNE CLARKE & BEN WALKER: played around his local scene since his Gazelles, and Melbourne garage rock and Tuesday 4th from the Middle East, The Balkans and beyond Nettlebed Folk Club – Delicate, autumnal folk early teens, jamming with Springsteen, pop-punk trio Tequila Mockingbyrd, back from seven-piece band Tashkeza at tonight’s balladry from a star turn of the English Folk Gary US Bonds and Double Trouble along over in the UK to plug their album, `Fight FVNERALS / WREN / Bossaphonik, the band mixing Arabic melodies, scene – winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards the way. & Flight’. Turkish and Greek rhythms, Balkan horns, vocal for Best Duo – coming to Nettlebed to play MUSICAL MEDICINE: The Bullingdon harmonies and floor-shaking basslines. – Funk, soul, disco and house club night. INDICA BLUES: songs from their acclaimed album `Overnight’ th CASH: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Tribute to The Man THURSDAY 13 FLUID: The Cellar – Bassline, on Rough Trade Records, Clarke’s pure voice LORDS OF DISCO WONDER: The The Wheatsheaf in Black. drawing comparisons to Sandy Denny, Gillian drum&bass and grime club night with host Yes, it’s summer and yes we’re all supposed Cellar Masp joined by Hamdi, VLVT, Burt Cope Welch and Laura Marling. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford to be outside listening to sweet tropical pop SATURDAY 8th OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ: Harcourt Arms and Wissla for a night of underground while enjoying things like the sun, the sky Community Centre sounds. CORNBURY FESTIVAL: Great Tew Country OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC and the green, green grass, but Nightshift’s Park – Bryan Adams tops the bill at today’s SKITTLE ALLEY CHARITY ALL- darkened soul craves bleakness and things SHOWCASE: The Jericho Tavern DAYER: King’s Head & Bell – Charity farewell fun – see main preview th of a heavy nature. Some kind of stark TUESDAY 11 SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half fundraiser in aid of Yeah Baby, with live DUB FOR THE ELDERS: O2 Academy – A INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial, Moon reminder that winter – and, hey, death – are night of celebration of seven of roots reggae’s music from Franklin’s Tower; Superloose; never too far away. And so we open our ebm, dark wave and more at the Cellar’s SLUNG WHAT YOU BRUNG: The Beard of Destiny; Boon, Mew and Wooster, pivotal figures born in July, with Jamatone; Tom long-running club night, with Doktor Joy and Black Swan – New fortnightly open mic hearts to Glasgow’s glorious doom-core trio Dred; Shumba Youth; Lee Valentine and Unity and Mark Bosley. Fvnerals at tonight’s Buried in Smoke show. night hosted by local musician Spike THE NIGHT WRECKERS: The Tap Sistren giving it up for Desmond Dekker; John Sunday 9th Holifield. Free drink for all performers. The band’s mix of crushing post-metal Holt; Gregory Isaacs; Flabber Holt; Junior Byles; Social, Botley – Rock’n’roll, r’n’b and 60s riffage and black hole ambience is equally ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the pop covers. Tapper Zukie and Black Uhuru’s Michael Rose. THE GORIES / RON Obscure dark, heavy and beautiful, like a meeting THE OTHER DRAMAS + RICHARD FOS BROTHERS + THE MIGHTY point of Earth, Undersmile and Mazzy Star. BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, REDOX: The Black Swan BRABIN: The Library – Melodic garage pop GALLO / TABLE Sandford Having formed in Brighton, the band, led by from recent Uncommon stage stars The Other STEAMROLLER: Sandford Village ethereal singer/bassist Tiffany (really, not Dramas, tonight launching their new single with a Festival SCRAPS: O2 Academy th that Tiffany, although it’d be brilliant if it pay-what-you-like show – see Introducing feature Even in the often murky world of garage FRIDAY 14 was) obviously decided the seaside wasn’t FREEMANTLE + TARPIT + FUJI: The rock The Gories aren’t exactly a household NATHASSIA + SAAL LONDON + SUNDAY 16th their thing and relocated to the generally Wheatsheaf – It’s All About the Music local name. But they should be. Half a decade ORIGINAL PRIMATE: The Bullingdon FLAMENCO MADRID: The Cellar – more cloudy and wet far north, there to bands showcase. before Jon Spencer cut blues, punk and – East-meets-west EDM from Dutch- Authentic Spanish flamenco with dancer make records that sound like thunderstorms, KING BOLETE: The Cellar – Doom’n’blues soul up with a whole heap of amphetamine Indian singer Nathassia, out on her Future Laura Gonzalez, singer Ana Brenes and haunted houses and your darkest thoughts. from the local heavyweights. sulphate, the Detroit trio were taking the Now tour to promote second album `Light guitarist Jero Ferec. Their new album, `Wounds’, sounds like TURF: The Cellar – House club night. influence of Hound Dog Taylor, Captain of the World’, mixing Pussycat Dolls- THE MIGHTY CADILLACS + its title suggests. So frankly, you can stick THE CARPENTERS STORY: The New Beefheart, The Sonics, Velvet Underground, style-pop and house with Bollywood dance MOJO DEMON + PURPLE MAY + your cheery festival vibes and chilled cider Theatre – Big stage telling of the brother/sister Link Wray, Them and The Gun Club and soundtracks. GLENDALE TRAIN: The Wheatsheaf by the river, we’re off to stare into the void. hitmakers story. Spoiler alert: great music but it going hell for leather for the finish line. BLOODSHOT + OCEANS OF APATHY (3.30-8.30pm) – Free live music in the Support comes from London’s oppressive doesn’t end well. Fronted by the rich gravel-blues voice + FORCE OF MORTALITY: The downstairs bar from Giddyup Music. sludge-rock outfit Wren and local stoner- PEATBOG FAERIES: The Cornerstone, of former mod Mick Collins and driven Wheatsheaf – Local rock and metal night OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms blues behemoths Indica Blues. Perfect Didcot – Traditional Scottish folk music gets by Peggy O’Neill’s primitive sexbeat, with Witney’s groove metallers Bloodshot summer tunes all round. abducted and taken raving by Skye’s Peatbog The Gories were raw, stripped-down and alongside metalcore crew Oceans of th Apathy and classic metallers Force of MONDAY 17 Faeries, heading off on a tour of indoor venues ferocious, a 60s garage band transported MEGAN HENWOOD: Nettlebed Folk alongside a festival-filled summer, including into the 80s via the punk revolution. Their Mortality. artists every Thursday. Club – Resident songstress Megan plays a Glastonbury, fiddles, bagpipes and beats mixing 1989 debut `House Rockin’ is a classic of its STEVIE PARKER: Modern Art Oxford THE LORDS OF DISCO WONDER: The hometown show at the legendary Nettlebed up an infectious party cocktail of traditional genre and so obviously it was all but ignored – The latest in a series of free shows Cellar – Rock, disco and 80s hits with King club. Scottish sounds, reggae, funk, African rhythms at the time and after two more albums from Future Perfect at Modern Art brings Terrible. OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal and techno. The Gories split. The enduring love and Bristolian singer-songwriter Stevie Parker IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC Blenheim SHEPHERD’S PIE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rock endorsement of Jack White among others to town as she promotes her new break-up SHOWCASE: The Jericho Tavern – Local covers. led to a reunion in 2009, the original trio album `The Cure’, heartache and reflection bands night. th THE BANKERS: The Brewery Tap, Abingdon back together as their cult status continued meeting vengeful thoughts as the smoky, TUESDAY 18 SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half – Classic rock covers. to cement. If you have any love for the dirt tripped-out atmosphere of Massive Attack DAN OWEN: The Cellar – Gruff, Moon – Weekly open mic session. THE PETE FRYER BAND: Cricketers Arms, and grime and raw thrill of rock’n’roll and blooms around her often idiosyncratic soulful blues in the vein of Tenterhooks ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure – Cowley blues, do not miss this gig. Great support vocals. and Lake Komo from the young singer on Weekly unplugged open night. STEAMROLLER: Chilton Festival from Nashville’s psychedelic blues master WHITESNAKE UK: Fat Lil’s, Witney the rise, back in town touring recent EP BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford Ron Gallo, touring his new album `Heavy – UK tribute to renowned Mongolian `Open Hands & Enemies’, with its single – Open blues jam. th Meta’, and Birmingham’s heavy-duty scuzz- metallers Whitesnake. `Moonlight’. SUNDAY 9 SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James CORNBURY FESTIVAL: Great Tew Country psych rockers Table Scraps, featuring former th th Street Tavern FRIDAY 7 Park – Last day of the last Cornbury – bowing members of The Scholars. SATURDAY 15 CORNBURY FESTIVAL: Great Tew Country out in style with The Pretenders – see main GLASSHOUSE STUDIOS BIRTHDAY Park – First night of the Last Hurrah and a fond th preview PARTY: Glasshouse, Denman’s Lane, WEDNESDAY 19 farewell to Poshstock, today with a headline set THE GORIES + RON GALLO + TABLE Botley (1-7pm) – Second anniversary DEAP VALLY + DEMOB HAPPY: from Kaiser Chiefs – see main preview SCRAPS: O2 Academy – Detroit’s cult garage barbecue and picnic at the local recording The Bullingdon – Double dose of pure BLOODSTOCK – METAL 2 THE MASSES: rock legends keep it raw – see main preview and rehearsal studio, with live music from rock’n’roll – see main preview The Bullingdon – The final of the rock and DAISY + ASH LEWIS + DUDLEY + THE The Cooling Pearls, Wolfs and Quarter metal battle of the bands to win a place at this DEMOISELLES + THE KITES + DUO Melon. th year’s Bloodstock Festival. Metalcore merchants THURSDAY 20 CANIC: The Wheatsheaf (3.30-7pm) – Free MASSIVE + BLACK CAT BONES K-Lacura and stoner-blues beasts Crimson Tusk Q + STATE FUNERAL + GUILT afternoon of live music in the downstairs bar + HELL’S GAZELLES + TEQUILA go up against the winners of the second semi POLICE + COWLEY CHAINSAWS: from Klub Kakofanney. MOCKINBYRD: The Wheatsheaf The Library – More beautiful squalid final, which took place at the end of June. – Melbourne’s Earache-signed road ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure Wild Beasts and Maccabees from Lowws, joined fine vein of musical despair. BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, by Birmingham’s Ed Geater, taking influences Sandford from Bonobo, Boards of Canada and Four-Tet in All this and so far we’ve barely scratched the STONETRIGGER + SYKKO DOLLS + his mix of loops, electronic beats and acoustic surface. Of the local contingent on the main TERMINUS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Glam, sleaze guitar, plus alternatively tender and funky guitar stage WILLIE J HEALEY will undoubtedly and hard rock from Dublin’s Stone Trigger, out popsters Webs & Marionettes. pull the biggest croiwd of the weekend, his on their Sleaze In the City tour after supporting RESTRUCTURE + BEAVER FUEL + DJ genially grungy slacker rock as loveable as the LA Guns in March. FRED UGLY: The Jericho Tavern – Great young man who makes it, while LEADER, who lo-fi hip hop, terrace punk, electro-pop and acid packed out the Uncommon tent at Common st house mash-up from Restructure, somehow FRIDAY 21 People in May, are perfect festival fare – huge sounding like Sleaford Mods, Crass and The th TRUCK FESTIVAL: Hill Farm, Steventon – tunes and a massive stage presence suggest Wednesday 19 Bigger, brighter, better – Truck’s girth continues Shamen trapped in a 1980s rave together. Caustic headline status isn’t beyond them. The Truck to expand – see main preview indie punk from Beaver Fuel in support, while band app has given several up and coming DEEP VALLY / FREDDIE McGREGOR & ALLSTARS Restructure’s Fred Ugly mans the decks. local acts a chance at festival glory, with DEMOB HAPPY: OF REGGAE & LOVERS ROCK: O2 THE SATELLITE VINES + FINISTERRE + SLATE HEARTS; LITTLE BROTHER Academy – Following on from his showing at LINCOLN & LOGAN: The Harcourt Arms - ELI; CATGOD; 31HOURS, AUTUMN the Greensleeves Records 40th anniversary tour Folk rock from the Brighton outfit. SAINTS and Nightshift’s own pick LOUD The Bullingdon JOHNNY’S SEXUAL KITCHEN: The Bell, For a band who met at needlework class, show here in April, Freddy McGregor returns to MOUNTAINS winning through. And it Bicester – Classic rock and blues covers. LA’s Deep Vally are a right noisy bunch. town; a singer and producer with over 50 years wouldn’t be Truck without the Bennett brothers, BEER & MUSIC FEST: The Tree, Iffley – Live Drummer Julie Edwards runs a shop back of music making under his belt, taking in ska, Robin and Joe, on stage, the festival’s founders music from The Mighty Redox and more. home called The Little Knittery, but sit rocksteady and lovers rock as well as dancehall, playing on the main with their DREAMING STEAMROLLER: The White Horse, Bicester her behind her kit and she’ll thrash seven he boasts a monstrous back catalogue. He’s SPIRES band. WATERFAHL: Horse & Harrow, West shades of hell out of it. Singer-guitarist Julie joined by a host of reggae and dancehall stars, Another regular connection comes in the form of Hagbourne (3-5pm) st rd Edwards, meanwhile, compacts all the raw including Peter Hunnigale, Sandra Cross, Ossie Friday 21 – Sunday 23 Alcopop! and BSM Records’ traditional takeover blues and soul venom of Janis Joplin, Karen Gad, Adele Harley and Yashema McLeod. on Sunday, where they welcome former-Reuben rd O and Alison Mosshart into a strident howl BOSSAPHONIK with LAKUTA: The SUNDAY 23 TRUCK FESTIVAL: frontman JAMIE LENMAN alongside the that sings of female empowerment (`Gonna Bullingdon – Upbeat, jazzy tropical soul from TRUCK FESTIVAL: Hill Farm, Steventon likes of Nashville’s hypnotic heavyweights ALL Make My Own Money’) or fires broadsides Brighton’s Lakuta at tonight’s Bossaphonik – The Vaccines and Maximo Park round off the Hill Farm, Steventon THEM WITCHES and Liverpool’s smash-rock Bigger, brighter, better. Truck’s rise and rise in SUNDARA KARMA – there are choice musical at creepy blokes (`Creeplife’). Together the club night, the nine-piece band taking time out weekend – see main preview trio ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY. fortunes since its takeover by Count of Ten in the detours, not least the excellent HOT 8 BRASS pair fire out strident, bluntly feminist bluesy from a summer of festivals and promoting new OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms wake of 2011’s financial woes is evidenced in the BAND, whose sheer exuberance belies their hard rock that pays as much homage to Joan album `Brothers & Sisters’ to play tonight’s more WATERFAHL: The Plough, Wolvercote And now we’re starting to run out of space fact that not only has the three-day format proven sometimes tragic backstory. Or how about MR Jett as it does to Led Zeppelin and distils rock intimate club show, a guaranteed dancefloor and we haven’t even mentioned the late night to be a success, but this year’s festival is the MOTIVATOR to get you up and running first and roll back to its base elements by way of filling act with elements of funk, hip hop and th parties in the market stage, Friday night hosted MONDAY 24 biggest ever – capacity close to 13,000 – and also thing Saturday morning? Okay, maybe not. But some biblically distorted stoner riffage. Such afropop fronted by the big, soulful voice of Siggi by BUTTERZ and featuring TAD (No, not that FOLK ON THE ROCKS: Nettlebed Folk sold out four months in advance. In a crowded then there’s Madrid’s gorgeously garagy rock Tad), ELIJAH & SKILLIAM and SWINDLE; a grunged-up, primal approach to stripped- Mwasote. Bossaphonik host Dan Ofer mans the Club – Folk meets rock with Pete Lincoln and festival market such success deserves a hearty and rollers HINDS; CABBAGE’s splenetic agit- Saturday featuring MISTAJAM, SASASAS down blues rocking has, of course, been done decks to play a globe-spanning mix of jazz dance, members of Feast of Fiddles teaming up for runs round of applause, slap on the back and a raised punk; Kent’s airy, soulful singer WILL JOSEPH and SWITCH DJs, and Sunday rounded off by plenty of times before, from Zep and Sabbath, Latin, Afro, Balkan and more. through `Maggie May’, `Baker Street’ and more. glass or five. COOK, and London’s bright new things THE JAGUAR SKILLS. through to Royal Trux and The White Stripes, THUNDER ON THE LEFT + REBEL OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim As such, you don’t need this preview to BIG MOON, all more than worthy of your time Or all the stuff on the saloon stage, the Veterans but if you’re going to let that spoil your STATION + ORDER#227 + RESOLVE: The persuade you whether to buy a ticket; you’re and attention. & Virgins stage, or the Rockin’ Chair with fun, more fool you. Deep Vally knit. They Wheatsheaf – Nimble, angular and melodic th either going or you’re not. If it’s the former, BLUE RINSE. And we haven’t even mentioned crochet. Most of all though, they bloody well indie-core from London’s Thunder on the Left, TUESDAY 25 THE SAM OUTLAW BAND: The Bullingdon we’ll see you there; if it’s the latter, don’t The potential star turn of the entire weekend some of our favourite bands who’ll be playing, rock. Who can match them in the rock’n’roll coming in somewhere between Fugazi, Veruca – Southern Californian country music and honky expect us to be thinking of you, we’ll be way might come on the nest stage where THE notably THE ORIELLES, DREAM WIFE and ring? How about Brighton’s Demob Happy, Salt and The Breeders on new EP `The Age of tonk from LA singer-songwriter Sam Outlaw, too busy wondering where to head to next as MOONLANDINGZ will be bringing musical HONEYBLOOD, three bands that keep a tight unkempt grunge/garage rockers who are Letting Go’. Support from Oxford/Swindon/ over in the UK to promote his new album Truck continues to be the local festival that most glory and chaotic performance splendour hold of the true spirit of indie: great pop music unapologetically brash in their dedication to Gloucester crew Rebel Station, mixing old-school `Tenderheart’, the follow-up to his Ry Cooder- challenges you to explore and discover new acts following their sold-out show in Oxford earlier played with punk spirit by women who are sludgy, sleazy garage rock which tends to punk and hard rock, plus virulent hardcore beasts produced debut, `Angeleno’, Outlaw having with some nine different stages to pick from and this year. For a band that started out as an abstract helping to dismantle rock’s blokey stronghold. hurtle along at quite a pace, stopping off to Order#227 and prog-core and djent newcomers quite his job in advertising aged 30 to become a well over 100 acts to enjoy. concept in another’s video, the entertainment they We love them all, and we love Truck Festival. pay due respect to The Stooges, Queens of the Resolve. singer. He’s doing pretty well so far – sharing a bring is very, very real. It’s survived everything from floods to financial Stone-Age and even Beck in his more slacker ILLEGAL EAGLES: The New Theatre – Big stage with Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile and Jack This year’s main stage headliners speak for PULLED APART BY HORSES should match meltdown over the past 20 years and it’s come moments. It’s gonna be loud and heavy and stage tribute to The Eagles. Not actually illegal, Ingram at the 2016 tribute concert to Glenn Frey, themselves: big name indie stars in the form of them pound for pound in the rock’n’roll behaviour back stronger than ever. It’s still the most Oxford it’s gonna be hot and sweaty. That’s yer actual though we hope they’re making all the necessary and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in FRANZ FERDINAND; THE LIBERTINES stakes, while ABBATOIR BLUES are not only of all the county’s festivals and we shouldn’t rock’nroll for you. PRS payments. Indio, California. and THE VACCINES can pull in the crowds, named after a great album but mine a similarly ever forget to celebrate its continued presence. MOOGIEMAN & THE MASOCHISTS: Tap WOVEN SKULL + GIFT OF BLINDNESS allowing newer and more esoteric acts to stake Social, Botley – Idiosyncratic lo-fi electro-pop their claim for your ears elsewhere. In fact noise from the lovely Smash Disco people, + OLD ERNIE: The Wheatsheaf – A jolly and classic eccentric English pop in the vein of even below the top line the likes of SLAVES, tonight’s high-octane lo-fi fun comes from summer evening of dark atmospheres and Syd Barrett and The Kinks from Moogieman, MAXIMO PARK and LOYLE CARNER are Missouri’s violent, degenerate hardcore and oppressive ambience with Ireland’s Woven playing songs from his new camera-themed all capable of headline billing. Carner perhaps D-beat wreckers of civilisation Q, over in the Skull’s repetitive minimalism breaching the concept album, `Girls & Film’. should be on the main stage but truth be told his UK to tour their new record `Relaxed Mike’. barriers between post-metal, wyrd-folk and SOUL SESSIONS: The Cellar – Soul, funk and eastern classical music to make for a hypnotic intimate, emotive, poetic style of hip hop will They’re joined by Brighton’s hardcore crew disco club night. soundtrack to a journey into the mind’s eye. probably benefit from the more compact setting State Funeral, raging against “rainy shit-hole, BON GIOVI: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Bon Jovi Monolithic gothic industrial noise from Umair of the market stage. austerity-scorched, nothing-left-to-lose, Thatcher tribute. Chaudhry’s Gift of Blindness, inspired by Similarly JAGWA MA, PUMAROSA and mk2 Britain”; local angular sheet-metal filth Guilt BEER & MUSIC FEST: The Tree, Iffley – Live Godflesh and Swans’ sturm und drang, plus HONEYBLOOD, who all play the unofficial Police, mixing up Discharge-inspired noise with music from The Pete Fryer Band and more. David Kahl’s decidedly strange and often second stage and will pack the place out. Amphetamine Reptile-influenced grit. Whisky wonderful Old Ernie, taking a convoluted path Pumarosa have been one of Nightshift’s favourite and super strength lager-fuelled punk mess from nd through lo-fi, doomy musical landscapes. new bands since we caught them opening for openers Cowley Chainsaws. SATURDAY 22 OSPREY & FRIENDS: St. Aldates – Local Gengahr at the Bullingdon back in 2015, their THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf TRUCK FESTIVAL: Hill Farm, Steventon bluesman Osprey and friends kick out the jams. serpentine goth-pop opus `Priestess’ rarely far – Free show in the downstairs bar. – The Libertines headline the second day of the SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James from our heavily shadowed turntable. OCEANS: The Jericho Tavern sold-out festival – see main preview GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with Street Tavern LORDS OF DISCO WONDER: The Cellar Back to the main stage for a minute though and LOWWS + ED GEATER + WEBS & CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford beyond a wealth of name indie and rock acts – MARIONETTES: The Wheatsheaf – Another th Community Centre WEDNESDAY 26 BRITISH SEA POWER; DEAF HAVANA; goodly mixed bag of acts at this month’s GTI, HAMILTON LOOMIS: The Bullingdon – SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half WOMBATS; NOTHING BUT THIEVES; Moon with groove-led electro-indie in the vein of Mew, Soulful, Texan-flavoured blues from the singer, guitarist and blues harpist back at the Haven show, the band inspired by Lush, The Breeders Club night.. and The Cure. Support from local indie rockers THURSDAY 27th Easter Island Statues and the totally excellent CHORUSGIRL + EASTER ISLAND Schande, harking back to the classic indie noise- STATUES + SCHANDE: The Wheatsheaf – pop of Vivian Girls and Dum Dum Girls mixed Classic indie fuzz and jangle, surf, 60s girl group with Sonic Youth’s wired art-rock. and bubblegum pop from London’s Fortuna Pop!- LORDS OF DISCO WONDER: The Cellar signed Chorusgirl at tonight’s Swiss Concrete CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Community Centre IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC th th SHOWCASE: The Jericho Tavern Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 SLUNG WHAT YOU BRUNG: The Black Swan RIVERSIDE SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half Moon FESTIVAL: Mill, ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford Field, Charlbury th Bookending July with Carnival, Riverside Saturday 29 is one of Oxfordshire’s biggest and best free FRIDAY 28th HALFWAY TO 75: Isis music events, now well into its third decade SKYLARKIN’ SOUNDSYSTEM: The Cellar and firmly established as a local festival for – Count Skylarkin’ hosts his monthly reggae, Farm House, Iffley local people, played almost exlusively by local dub and dancehall party, tonight with roots and Now in its fourth year, Halfway to 75 has bands, and it says a lot about the quality of dub producer Wrongtom returning to The Cellar sold out on every occasion, quickly earning the line-up each and every year that even in a with renowned breakbeat/jungle MCs The Ragga its place in the local music calendar and packed summer of local festivals, thousands Twins, showcasing tracks from their acclaimed carving its own little niche as a low-key, flock to Charlbury for Riverside, its location new LP, Wrongtom, Flinty Badman and Deman annual celebration of Americana and roots next to the river and just five minutes’ walk Rockers taking the sound back to the 80s reggae music, set on the banks of the Thames at the from the railway station an added attraction for and dancehall landscape where they started out. historic Isis Tavern near Iffley Lock. The city-dwelling fans. The album has received praise from Toddla emphasis is on locally-sourced talent with a Over 40 acts across three stages means there’s T, David Rodigan, John Kennedy and Steve smattering of American acts, the star turn in plenty of variety to be had. Saturday’s main Lamacq. the latter camp this year being Texan singer- stage bill is topped by dark, shiny electro- THE BLUETONES: The Bullingdon – For songwriter RACHEL LAVEN, only 23 but indie stars ZURICH and they’re joined by there is nothing certain in life except death and already an experienced performer having party rock covers band THE STANDARD; taxes and another Bluetones tour. played with her parent’s band since the age wonderfully atmospheric alt.country couple MSRY + PROMETHEAN REIGN + OSCA + of five. Inspired by Jason Isbell, Kacey THE AUGUST LIST; spaced-out electro- APE: The Wheatsheaf – Heavyweight bill with Musgrave and Susan Gibson, her traditional prog travellers FLIGHTS OF HELIOS; black/death metallers Promethean Reign. Texan style of country has seen her win the party-hearty ska tribute act TWO TONE KING OF THE JUNGLE: The Bullingdon 2016 Newfolk Songwriters Award and she’s ALL-SKAS; pop-friendly afro-indie crew over in Europe to promoter her new album, BRIGHT WORKS; emotionally fraught emo SATURDAY 29th `Love & Luccheses’. Topping today’s bill, chaps DAISY and grungy punk-pop types RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL: Mill Field, and doubtless in typically party-hearty style, SELF HELP. Sunday is another mixed bill, Charlbury – Oxfordshire’s long-running free are LITTLE BROTHER ELI, the Thames ranging from PROHIBITION SMOKERS music fest returns, with Zurich topping today’s having to take the place of the Mississippi, CLUB’s sleazy, glammed-up P-funk, bill – see main preview where their funked-up blues rock truly Prince-flecked soul revue, to KNIGHTS OF HALFWAY TO 75: Isis Farm House, Iffley – belongs, the band’s mix of Black Keys, White MENTIS’s Americana; BLACK HATS’ Americana, blues and more at the annual roots Stripes, Chili Peppers and White Denim roustabout anthemic indie rock and DEATH festival – see main preview having made them one of Oxford’s favourite OF HI-FI’s electro-heavy hip hop and STREET PARTY & BEER FESTIVAL: The live acts over the last couple of years. trip hop, to WATER PAGEANT’S warm, Rusty Bicycle (midday-late) – Free live music Elsewhere on today’s bill there’s country- ambient electro-folk pop and THE MIGHTY all day from Zaia; Little Brother Eli; Little tinged classic soul and r’n’b from THE REDOX’s goodtime mix of ska, funk, blues, Mammoth; Ran Kan Kan; Jauquin & the Smoke DEADBEAT APOSTLES; world-weary pop and psychedelia. Machine, and Sian Lloyd Jones, plus DJs. Oh, roots storytelling from JONNY PAYNE & Truck Store team up with Future Perfect for and beer and cider. In vast quantities. Vast, we THE THUNDER: rustic Irish and American the second stage, with acts announced at time say. folk from KNIGHTS OF MENTIS and of press including stadium-sized popsters THE NIGHT WRECKERS: The Brewery Tap, Bristol duo THE ROSELLYS with their KANADIA, sunshiney post-riot grrl crew Abingdon mix of bluegrass, Cajun and folk balladry RAINBOW RESERVOIR and this month’s RORKE’S DRIFT: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rock drawing comparisons to Alison Kraus, Gillian Nightshift Demo of the Month winner CHRIS covers. Welch and Emmylou Harris. NICK COPE is BARKER. STEAMROLLER: The Turnpike, Yarnton also on hand with his collection of songs for Plenty more besides, including the acoustic kids (and young at heart adults), as well as Fringe stage and really, there are few better th cookery fun with SOPHIE GRIGSON. places to be on a sunny summer day in SUNDAY 30 Oxfordshire. RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL: Mill Field, Charlbury – Prohibition Smokers Club and OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms Death of Hi-Fi are the stars of Riverside’s second BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) – Open day – see main preview jam session. JESTERS + PURPLE MAY + TWIZZ TWANGLE + MARK SOLLIS: The MONDAY 31st Wheatsheaf (3.30-8.30pm) – Free live music in OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim the downstairs bar from Giddyup Music.

Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Email listings to [email protected]. All listings are copyright Nightshift Magazine. photos: Guy Henstock – plusthemes fromJamesBond andTheAvengers . though disappointingly no‘StandDown Theresa’ be expected,playing allthehitswe’rehopingfor– THE BEAT soundfresherand livelierthanmight weekend ofdancing. and aDJ,facilitatesthefirstshoots ofalong ‘Ain’t Nobody’,accompaniedbylivepercussion particular musicalblend. A full-throatedversion of and soul–notthelasttimewe’llencounter this vibe withsomeearlyhousetunessunggusto HOUSE CHOIRcapturetheearlyafternoon As thecrowddoesbegintoswellTHEGOSPEL bigger audience. sunshine sweetlyautumnalanddeservesafar set iselegantandeveninthebrightbankholiday maybe tooktheshineoff the occasion;theirshort a handfulofearlybirdsandsecuritystaff at11am for People musthaveseemedanexcitingproposition Bank toopenthemainstageatsecondCommon Being handpickedbyfestivalorganiser Robde SATURDAY LIVE CANDY SAYS , buttherealityofplayingto Love’. Underground itchyelectronicathisisn’t. Mac or The Tom Tom Club’s ‘Geniusof fair chanceitwasn’t ‘BigLove’ byFleetwood their DJsetisopentospeculationbut there’s a QuitewhatFoalsfanswereexpecting from fun andacueforevenmoredancing. passed bywithoutinvestigation.Pure,unadulterated the littlestagesandtentsatfestivalsshouldneverbe Kicks’ and‘SevenNation Army’, remindinguswhy PEDRO areplayingMariachiversionsof ‘Teenage a packedPig’s BigRecordClub,whereVOTE A wanderaroundthebusySouthParksitefinds back happymemoriestomany. lot offun,hitslike‘ThreeMinuteHero’ bringing songwriting touchof The Beat; they’restillawhole something similarbutneverhadquitethemagic StraightafterwardsTHESELECTERachieve US. fronts The EnglishBeat,mainlyoperatinginthe Ranking Roger, as previoussingerDave Wakeling they’re technically The NewEnglishBeatfeaturing displays theirpunkandrockcredentials. However a ferociousversionof`MirrorintheBathroom’ 1978 theyaresurelythedefinitionofagelessand Considering theyformedasaskarevivalbandin Cracknell introducing an “Oxford mafia” that Cracknell introducingan“Oxford mafia”that they’re amajority Oxfordaffair, withSarah stalwart, andoften seeninthesepartsnowthat SAINT ETIENNE areanotherveteran festival

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Fältskog, while Barney Morse Brown might be best UNCOMMON STAGE known for his cello skills but matches her vocally in Saturday his understated manner. Sometimes almost hymnal It’s an early start for THE OTHER DRAMAS, in their delicate solemnity, they’re as entrancing as first act on Common People’s dedicated local music The Shapes are infectious. stage, but it’s heartening to see they’re both holding Rhymeskeemz Leader a can of beer. Dedication to the cause, that’s what LEADER pull the biggest Uncommon crowd of the we like. As far as fresh starts go, they’re spot on, entire weekend and it’s all too easy to picture them Maria Ilett and Richie Wildsmith’s neat, not-too- headlining the entire event one day as they match sweet harmonies helping build up bubblegum The Epstein for epic proportion, the surging stadium garage-pop melodies like `Radio’ that they’re then pop of `Chasing You’ made to be sung back at happy to puncture with raw riffage and beats; them by 50,000 devotees. They can get a bit funky they’re straight to the point in a similar way to at times but at their best they pitch Editors’ broad- Fiery Furnaces and where once they seemed to fall canvas indie with Mansun’s taut, anthemic rock, between the pop and noise stools, now they have add a hefty dash of Ultravox’s pop pomp and could the legs to straddle both with ease. pump up each and any crowd they’re faced with. While early afternoon South Park bathes in sunny Crowds that can only get bigger and bigger. intervals, THE PINK DIAMOND REVUE bring Kanadia Vienna Ditto Death of Hi-Fi some subterranean darkness, metronomic beats Anyone who questioned why ZAIA, THE underpinning Tim Lane’s acid-surf guitar squalls BALKAN WANDERERS and VIENNA DITTO and disquieting disembodied narratives about death all got a second booking after playing here last year row final meal requests and incantations about not would only have to have watched and learned to being a rock and roll band. Lane’s casually menacing understand why. demeanour and lack of communication beyond a Vienna Ditto are what punk would have looked thumbs up at the end of each track, as well as a set- and sounded like if it had been invented by long battle with the armless torso on stage alongside rockabillies from the future, learned its trade him makes the duo the most strangely brilliant band playing jazz standards on ancient analogue synths of the weekend, a feeling confirmed by the stage and discovered that Alison Goldfrapp was its long manager’s enthusiastic praise after the show. lost birth mother. Just brilliant. If Vienna Ditto transport to you a disco in outer Desert Storm Darkness of a different kind from LITTLE RED, space, The Balkan Wanderers sweep you up and whose pretty harmonies and folk-pop reveries dump you drunk and dazed in the middle of a gypsy should provide dappled relief after TPDR, and wedding. In fact singer Antica Culina is missing for much of the time they do as Hayley Bell and such a wedding in her native Croatia to be here Ben Gosling play off each other on tracks like today so she’s behaving accordingly and asking the `Chapters’. Yet forest-dwelling spectres haunt their crowd to help her forget; she’s joined onstage by songs, while `Siren Song’ takes their dreamy-eyed an exotic eastern European dancer as the band rip folk into more psychedelic territory, a hypnotic up polkas and ska skanks, sailors’ songs and lovers’ mantra. laments with a playful sensuality that even the most Big stages demand big music and THE EPSTEIN leaden viewers at the back of the tent find hard to snarling, sneering, grunge racket that scrunches pleasingly wavy line between Mazzy Star and Sade. While Oxford’s hip hop contingent begin their is new song `Ghosts’ with its lush Chvrches-like are built for occasions such as this: multi-part resist. Mudhoney and Smashing Pumpkins up into a late Sunday take-over, KANADIA follow in the synths. Andy Hill brings some old-skool rap and the harmonies, soaring choruses and an expansive Zaia are similarly exotic, albeit a more Arcadian tightly-wound ball of excess energy and histrionics. If those girls are just finding their feet,LOW footsteps of The Epstein and Leader in providing trio are joined by Rhymeskeemz for one number lead vocal performance from Olly Wills make sense of exotic as Amy McKown conjures the Utterly fucking fantastic stuff fellas, we salute you. ISLANDS play like they’re already stars big music for the big occasion, ploughing through and it all suggests that their debut album – still the everything they do sound epic, heroic even. The feeling of summer afternoons with her voice and AC/DC salute you. The Devil’s at the door with a today. The band is barely ten gigs old but they Six By Seven’s brooding darkness and back out into best hip hop album to come out of Oxford – is set to more nuanced `Hudson’ displays an intimate side, the eight-strong band bring a steep folk lilt to their record contract in his hand, by the way. have pedigree and some serious class. They’re Coldplay’s pop sunshine via some elaborate but ear- be eclipsed by their imminent second. but `Finally Forgive’ is as big as anything The loping reggae grooves. It’s a laidback, feel-good far denser and heavier live than on record, a wormy Police-styled funk-pop like they were only Waterboys ever did and closer `I Held You Once’ finale to the first day, one that is set to continue into Respite does come in the form of CATGOD, their clamouring blizzard of synths and almost ravey ever meant to play stages this size. So how to round off such a weekend? How about is a glorious finale, an overactive smoke machine Sunday. on stage combined with the stiff breeze lending a easy funked-up electro-pop with a bubbly jazz beats, everything powered along by live drums RHYMESKEEMZ, meanwhile, is putting on by getting one of the most mild mannered, sweetest suitably windswept vibe to the whole show. edge initially taking on an xx-like vibe, before out to the point anyone missing the mighty Maiians a big stage performance, today joined alongside natured men to emerge from the local scene onto Sunday comes a flute, deeper goes the groove and we’re might want to stop missing them immediately regular DJ sidekick Uncle Bungle and producer the stage to tear the roof off the place. After an With the tent now packed it’s time for THE What Oxford needs on a Sunday morning is a off on a laidback Ozric Tentacles trip, wandering and head straight for the next Low Islands show. Astrosnare by fellow MC Booka T and singer Tiece, extended heavyweight build up from DJ Fresh, SHAPES to bring the party, and they more than rude rock and roll awakening, and who better to off on a jazz amble and finally heading out on a Propulsive bass and gnarly synth lines cut through the latter lending a rich soul and ballsy r’n’b feel SHAODOW hits the stage like a whirling dervish, rise to the occasion. If we’ve ever harboured bring that than CHEROKII. Riffs. Beats. Yelping. full-on jazz-rock excursion with a bass and drum the airy, often trippy melodies and delicate vocals, to much of the set while funky beats and some immediately whipping the crowd down the front reservations about their tendency towards The Screams. Swear words. All stripped down, cranked duel that sounds like Weather Report caught up in breaking down the gig/club wall on tracks like playful vocal sparring hark back to Wu Tang’s early into a frenzy, climbing over the barriers to get in Beautiful South side of things, today they launch up and kicked out like Led Zep’s delinquent kid a carnival samba party. new single `That Kind of Love’ and people leave blossoming before they bring the dancehall vibe to their faces with a set seemingly designed for his in with the punchy r’n’b of `Not the Hurting Kind’ brother. It’ll only fuel the fire of those determined the tent convinced they just witnessed Oxford’s what’s a spectacular show, several steps up from the old hometown crowd - `Look Out, There’s A Black before slipping into something more sultry and to moan about Common People on the Oxford One of the most satisfying things about having a next break-out band. Punt show a couple of years ago. Man Coming’ and `R U Stoopid?’ in particular soulful, flying off into a Gallic flourish, touching Mail’s website (seriously, have some people no dedicated Oxford stage is that it allows the likes of – his machine-gun delivery a genuine force of bases with Tom Petty and Van Morrison before sense of fun?), but bollocks to them, they can have THE YOUNG WOMEN’S MUSIC PROJECT Late afternoon and the sky begins to bruise. Storm Picking a personal highlight from two days when nature. He’s a consummate showman, and it’s hard really tearing it up with the Pogues-y `Til They Put a lie-in tomorrow. Good morning St. Clement’s – to bring their invaluable work to a wider audience. clouds threaten to build – a deluge is forecast – but every one of the twenty local acts plays a blinder – to believe it’s the same guy we first saw playing Me In the Ground’. Feelgood band of the summer, it’s time to party! Again! To give girls and young women a chance to build when it does break it’s in rock and roll fashion in no exaggeration – is almost impossible, but maybe rap open mic sessions at the old Market Tavern no contest. And just in case any bleary-eyed denizens of up their confidence in this way is a small but the form of DESERT STORM who, just for the it’s DEATH OF HI-FI by a whisker. The band all those years ago. He may have flown the nest Which might have made JESS HALL & Morrell Avenue had hoped to doze off again once important step along the road to redressing the occasion, are playing the heaviest set their now has changed almost beyond recognition since they but ShaoDow is every inch an Oxford hero and DUOTONE’s joint set something of a comedown, that musical thrashing has finished get a second gender balance that still infects music. Hard to extensive catalogue allows. They sound like a titan started out, but in Lucy Cropper they have a singer the perfect send off to what’s been a triumphant but if they cast a shadow with songs like the lovely rude awaking. Dungarees. Hair. Throat-ripping judge the performances on the same scale as the made of pure granite, wielding a flint axe riding with genuine star quality, adding a soulful human weekend for Oxford music, a celebration of the Boo Hewerdine-flavoured `Our Lands’ it’s welcome roars. More riffs. It must be SLATE HEARTS, more established acts on show here but highlights a dragon into battle on wings of heavy metal voice to the band’s often dystopian sci-fi goth-hop quality and variety of music in the city, of which we shelter. Jess’s a capella `I Gave My Love An Apple’ who refuse to give anyone within a five mile include an eight-strong marching drum ensemble, glory. They sound exactly like their name. Former and electronica, occasionally reminiscent of Death should each and every one of us be proud. is a stark reminder of just what a beautiful voice radius any respite as they play the set of their and a smoky ballad from singer Anna McCrae X-Factor finalist Becky Hill over on the main Grips. `Roses & Guns’ is a minor masterpiece, she has, at times reminiscent of ABBA’s Agnetha lives today, flying full pelt through 30 minutes of and guitarist Molly Taylor that draws a stage doesn’t stand a chance. a song for desolate times, but stand-out number Dale Kattack ing enhanced a Disney film,possiblystarring ateenage Lindsay Lohan,a feeling enhanced overriding feeling acrossthesetisofwatchinganimagined grungebandfrom which equallytreads tooclosetoLevi’s adsoundtrackers Stiltskin.Infactthe pop, whichatitsbest remindsusof The Manics’ earlybruiseandbluster, but pedal astheyracethroughfortyminutes ofbreakneckbubblegumgrunge- play likethey’refacingasold-outstadium, rarelytakingtheirfootoff the support with Amazons, aren’t dispiritedandyouhavetohanditthem, they standing inahot,darkgigvenue,but Dublin’s Otherkin,freshfromatour The arrival ofaheatwavehasobviouslydampenedpeople’s enthusiasm for anything thatcomesafterisgoingto fallflatonitsface. of times,butwhenthecrowdnumbersnomorethanthirtythere’s aworry Coming onstagetothesoundofairraidsirenscanseembombasticat thebest The Cellar OTHERKIN visuals thattakeyoufromthe it’s a3Dspectacularwithimmersive And it’s noordinaryshoweither; Scotland toseetheshow. have travelledfromLancashireand many, includingthosenearuswho far off areligiousexperiencefor their firstvisitheresince1981–isn’t to witnessthemtonightinOxford– of music’s elitegamechangersand contemporary classical;theyareone electro-pop, industrialmusicand extends fromhiphopandtechnoto influence onmusicaroundtheworld their debutalbum,Kraftwerk’s from scratch.47yearson had tobuildtheirownlaunchpad ran withit,RalfHütterandchums the FabFourtookrock’n’rolland Beatles. While than The important For someofusKraftwerkaremore New TheatreThe KRAFTWERK photo: Guy Henstock `Man Machine’, all Nietzschean `Man Machine’,allNietzschean absolute precision:fromtheaustere work theirclean,clinicallineswith closing `MusicNonStop’,Kraftwerk entering theMatrix,throughto expanding outofthegiantscreen,like an undulatinglandscapeofdigits Fromtheopening`Numbers’,with trip ineverysense. incredible showswe’vewitnessed;a but intheendit’s oneofthemost going tobegreatmusicaltheatre computer workstationswasnever looking oldblokesstoodbehind co. realisedfourslightlysevere original memberoftheband–and Tron you feelyou’retrappedinthemovie part ofthe Tour deFrance,thenext you’re ridingthroughthe Alps as autobahn toouterspace;oneminute . PerhapsHütter–nowthesole Dale Kattack for nowtheysound likethey’reworriedaboutmaking toomuchmess. Otherkin ontonight’s evidence:there’s promise ofsomethingspecialhere,but they decidethat’s themomenttofinishsong. Andthatperhapssumsup bluesy garagerockthatpromisesto turn intoarawtakeon`Gloria’,butsadly The bestmomentofthenightcomes asthebandhitapurplepatchofrollicking earlysingle`Aythough Ay’ hasachorushookbigenough tolandagreatwhite. stage withhimforthefinalnumber. Fewsongslingerlonginthememory, and managingtocramalmosttheentire audienceontotheCellar’s intimate crowd tofeverpoint,performingas muchinthefrontfewrowsasonstage energetic masterofceremonies,perpetual motionpersonifiedashecooksthe Butthere’s nodenyingtheycanbefun:singerLukeRileyinparticularisan and seeminglysetfortheedgyrockslotonFridayDownload. carefree ratherthanthreatening,almostpoliteintheirpoppiness,well drilled by thepresenceofafilmcrewcapturingeverymomentset. They’re Talking ofrobots,thefirstencore robotic nature. played live,despiteitsdecidedly music toremindusit’s allbeing occasional humanhiccoughsinthe of affection. There areevenvery its cold,cynicaleyewithfeelings drift, while`TheModel’ tempers positively wistfulinitshazyambient humanity either, `NeonLights’ is They’re notwithoutasenseof internet dating. big data,masssurveillanceand were aheadofthegame,anticipating in theiradmittedlylimitedlyricsthey set myriadnewtemplatesbuteven a farflungfuture.Kraftwerk’s music Love’, thisismusicthatshineslike linear trip,totheplayful`Computer through `Autobahn’’s languorous, imagery andcoldwarparanoia, Dale Kattack modest musicalgamechanger. ovation: afittingsalutetovery Greeted byanecstaticstanding “danke schӧn,”and,yes,asmile. of courseisHütter, averyhuman crowd beforedeparting;lasttogo left individually, acurtbowtothe At theendeachmemberexitsstage fragile fixturesandfittings. synthetic basslinerattlesthevenue’s golden glowofasongwhosedeep, `Radioactivity’ too:amesmerising, to hugecheers. The oppressive New Theatre, outside The landing saucer hoveringoverOxfordbefore which climaxeswithaflying its stunningvisualaccompaniment, perhaps takepeakplaceasmuchfor the warm,airy, euphoric`SpaceLab’ many highlightstonight,although the samename.It’s oneofalmosttoo their cyborg doublesforthesongof sees thefourhumansreplacedby Minus The Bear mightcome ultimate victory. let’s hopethe threegoodonesattain for supremacyover 30minutes; could befourdifferent bandsbattling attention withavariedsoundthat enjoy here,andJoanOf Arc repay more thanenoughgreatstuff to like theDUP, perhaps.Still,there’s being activelyunpleasant. A bit the singingaddslegitimacywhile no matterhowunsuitable.Ifso, vocals tomakethemusicacceptable, if thebandfelttheyneededsome in-a-youth-club gyrating.It’s as even somefranklyworryingvicar- parachute inandruinitall. There’s some clumsysub-Molkovocals starters –andthen,intermittently, of Tomaga’s dub-inflectedchurn,for smidgen ofBardoPondandadash music –thinkParts&Laborwitha wonderfully eclecticandenticing so well.JoanOf Arc setupsome glam. Oh,anditwasallgoing Some floppyoldsecond-tierBritpop drone stasisandsonicwavetherapy. and insistentdrumtattoos.Periodsof West’s laboratory. Insectileloops achieving consciousnessinHerbert bubbling synthsthatcouldbeslowly Bright mathtwiddling. Thick The Bullingdon MINUS THE BEAR/JOANOF ARC and Nicky Wire forhismoves, for inspirationfromKeithRichards Humbersider GregUllyartislooking impression, buttoherleft,be-hatted Sophia Pettitdoeslittletodefraythat Twee.Net andwaif-like frontwoman independent musiccompendium primarily pleasevisitorstoonline True, themoodisagainlikelyto enjoyable setfromNightFlowers. Butfirsttonight,we’retreatedtoan the latteracts. time andplacewasmuchkinderto predecessors, I’vealwaysfeltthat to afford afulsomenodtotheir and KipBermanwouldbethefirst Violins. And whileStuartMurdoch Weather ProphetsandOne Thousand Brides, The June Flatmates, The that wasdeniedtothelikesof The pathway tosuccesshasbeenforged same adecadeorsolater. Hence,a Pennsylvanian fivepiecedidthe fuzz andtheoccasionalberet, wan vocals,chunkyshoes,artful and ranwithit–janglyguitars, host ofindiebandsthe1980s took thetemplatelaiddownbya Heart. JustastheScottishcombo towards The PainsofBeingPureat significant feelingofresentment I’ve alwaysharbouredasmallbut Along withBelleandSebastian, The Cellar HEART / THE NIGHT FLOWERS THE PAINS OF BEINGPURE AT David Murphy they aredeepinside. unfettered, billowy-bloused rockers May off therooftobecome the and abigfuck-off fanandkickBrian buy somepropersmokemachines up thehalf-arsedpost-rockpretence, good, butwewishthey’djustgive magnified, Minus TheBeararevery vocal angst.LikeourownKanadia aside negligentlybytastefullyepic barrier, envelopingtexturesthrown floored byguitarsolosonthecrash walkover, glitchtronicareferences be aclosefightatfirstbecomes At thefinalwhistle,whatlookedto bombast, like`Zooropa’-eraU2. fail tohideunashamedstadium when theirbriefticsandstutters of MaximoPark,andtherearetimes articulate, post-Radioheadbounce slick wide-anglerockresemblesthe solos. There aretimeswhentheir choruses andreverbystar-seeking yearning rockmusic,allimpassioned it theymakebig,old-fashioned punnetfuls ofpedals,butbeneath guitars, staccatokeyboardsandvast post-rock veneerwithsomejerky Oxford musicians. They havea been bredinapetridishtoplease from Seattle,buttheycouldhave Rob Langham would perhapsbeunfairtojudge. hearing formostoftheaudience,it the oldiesdo–butgivenit’s afirst that itdoesn’t hitthespotinway material, thereisininevitablefeeling the lastwordinfey. Ofthatnew from abandthatonceprovided muscular setthanonemightimagine along vimwhileit’s aperhapsmore Raveonettes intheirsheerrace- you wouldexpect,recallingthe Saturday’ areasbarnstorming and theappropriatelynamed‘Come ignored: ‘Heartin Your Heartbreak’ from theirfirsttrioofrecordsare That’s nottosaythatoldclassics set isprimarilydesigned. for thisforthcomingeffort thatthe fourth albumandit’s asashowcase provided butBermanpromisesa the lackofrecentmaterialtheyhave in towndidcomeasasurprisegiven magical summerdays. That theyare culmination ofonethoseendless, charmingly aboutOxfordatthe behind theheadliners,eulogising Berman, thekeycreativeforce the Painstakestage,frontman Indiereticenceisrestoredwhen ballsy. off limpidbecomesmoreand strutting hisstuff asasetthatstarts of European cities are built from of European citiesarebuilt from its messagethatthe splendours into thealbum’s titletrackwith explicit whenJoseph launches with theirpresent. This isatmost their past,includingancestors, roots andtheirhistorybyconnecting Caribbean peoplesreclaiming their Much ofJoseph’s poetryadvocates there issubtletytoo. Joseph andJason Yarde’s saxshows plaintive callandresponsebetween more rawthanthealbum,thougha why muchoftheperformanceis mellow steelpan, whichcouldbe through it,buttonightthereisno of the Trinidadian steelpanrunning Roots’, whichhasthemellowtones Joseph’s sixthalbum‘Caribbean Most oftonight’s setisdrawnfrom singing hiswords. chanting andsometimesalmost blast onawhistleinbetweenreciting, stage, conductingthebandor givinga presence ashestridesaboutthetiny on sax.Josephexudesenergy and from thewonderfulJason Yarde bass guitar, plusacalltoattention underpinned by Andrew John’s heavy the startwithadrivinggroove Bossaphonik. They areonitfrom Joseph andhisbandattonight’s resident poetandlecturer Anthony Trinidadian-born, long-timeBritish There isnoeasingintothesetfrom The Cellar ANTHONY JOSEPH Skids’ stock-in-trade,songslike`The Strongmelodieswerealways The caustically funnyfrontman. much theringmaster, anerudite, proceedings inwhichJobsonisvery Watson, whoslotsseamlesslyinto fellow BigCountryguitaristBruce taken inthecurrentSkidsline-upby life backin2001andhisplaceis Tragically Adamson tookhisown like thick,richtreacle. `Hurry OnBoys’ and`OfOneSkin’ music runningthroughsongslike with theinfluenceoftheirnativefolk a peculiarlyScottishtakeonpunk them chartregularsinthelate70s, songwriter Stuart Adamson, made chiming guitars,courtesyofchief anthemic yobberymarriedtohuge some maybebetter. The Skids’ with plentymoresongsjustasgood, know theband’s armouryisstocked most ofthisimpressivelylarge crowd or twowell-knownsongs. Thankfully times butremainassociatedwithone who’ve beenaroundtheblockafew It’s theeternalcurseofanyband fair fewfolksarehere. biggest hitanddoubtlessthereasona `Into the Valley’ ofcourse, The Skids’ into tonight’s gig.He’s talkingabout play it,”scoldsRichardJobsonearly “If youkeepshoutingforit,wewon’t O2 Academy THE SKIDS

Colin May Colin May come. man, onewhosetime mightjusthave Heron arejustified, heishisown comparisons withthelateGilScott performance showsthatwhilethe night. Hisimpressivelyauthoritative very muchthecharismaticJoseph’s from thisdisappointment,is to makeoutJoseph’s lines. Apart overwhelms, makingitdifficult equals evenifthevibeattimes to poetry;verseandvibeare or unleashingaburstoffreeimprov. compelling, whetherplayinglyrically renowned saxplayerJason Yarde is on kitdrumsarevirtuosic,while African percussionandDavidBitan can forgive themasRichardBakeron the 70swithguitaranddrumsoloswe when theythreatentotakeusback funk andmore.Iftherearemoments calypso, salsa,reggae, Afrobeat, jazz- as thebandmixapotentbrewof west African rhythmsandstyles love thevarietyofCaribbeanand Bridge’. of individualslike`JimmyUponthe there moreobliquelyinsong-stories slavery,” butthemessageisalso history isourstruggleagainst “Our historyisnotslavery, our colonialism andslaveryhow Ian Chesterton even havetoshoutforit. hear `Intothe Valley’, andwedidn’t rather thanelated.But,hell,wegotto new track,whichleavesusbefuddled practice, followedbyanunknown the audienceinvolvedinsomechoir – onlypartlysuccessfullytoget and incongruouswhenJobsontries way tobowout,soitfeelsstrange shout-along `TV Stars’ seemsafitting An encoreof`Charade’ anddaft throng downthefrontgobonkers. main setwith`Intothe Valley’ the moment, butwhenthebandclose Saints Are Coming’ isanearlywow out, suchcaresareforgotten. `The opening barsof`Masquerade’ chime `A Woman in Winter’, butoncethe `Thanatos’ andastrangelyformless Lesssuccessfularetheheavy-handed mind 40yearsago. have beenwrittenyesterday, never fuzz-pop debutsingle`Charles’ could Big Countryguitarsound,whilelo-fi began movingtowardshistrademark place wheretheband’s lateguitarist flies outofthetrapsandpointsto `Working Forthe Yankee Dollar’ decries warmongeringpoliticians. et DecorumEst(ProPatriaMori)’ lead menintobattle,evenas`Dulce Olympian’ soboldyoufelttheycould This is not music as decoration This isnotmusicasdecoration The enthusiasticBossaphonikcrowd

SLOWDIVE / ULRIKA LIVE SPACEK O2 Academy Ulrika Spacek’s first song coalesces out of photo: Marc West photo: Marc synth drones and careful staccato guitar into a melancholic beat-driven crescendo and once over the crest of that wave it gives in to a fuzzy krautrock jam. This sets the tone for the entire set. Every song is a mini set in itself; there are extended instrumental sections, more traditional pop sections and abstract screeches of feedback and noise. They’re often much sweeter and more accessible than similar bands who just offer up a wall of fuzz for 30 minutes and the times when the guitars make way for Rhys Edwards’ calm and ethereal vocals are inviting and an excellent counterpoint to the hypnotic riffs. From the first note Slowdive are exactly what Slowdive should be: a huge, enveloping wash of slowly shifting chords borne along on the minimal rhythm arrangements. Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead’s vocals are almost lost in the texture but that’s no bad thing; they are part of the whole. Is that lilting melody Rachel singing or a guitar? Frankly who cares when it sounds this good. From beginning to end Slowdive are simply fantastic; the setlist includes four tracks from the eponymous new album and several from the band’s early EPs, including their eponymous song, all of which sit well against each other. Without knowing in advance you would never guess that there’s a 20 year gap between the writing of ‘Allison’ and recent single ‘Sugar For The Pill’. For every epic peak of reverb-drenched intensity there is another just around the corner, and just as you get complacent the next song will use that same thing to blow you away; the stand- out drumming on ‘She Calls’ and the post-rock grandeur of the two-part ‘Avalyn’ in particular show that despite very much having a signature sound Slowdive can do a hell of a lot within it. There’s a word I’ve tried to avoid using in this review, but I think the genre name that is easily thrown at bands like Slowdive and their ilk does tonight make sense, not just as a joke at the effect-pedal-focused guitarists’ expense, but also it implies that your sight is not the sense needed for this genre. This is music you get lost in, mesmerised and absorbed by and while that happens, why not check out your footwear? Matt Chapman-Jones

THE COMET IS COMING / FLAMINGODS / WANDERING WIRES O2 Academy Wandering Wires, tonight’s local opener, commence proceedings with light they make more sense as a live experience, a treat for the eyes as much as keyboards, joined by an electronic sax and some vocal snippets from a the ears. backing track. Before long the four-piece venture into Herbie Hancock-style After all this relative looseness The Comet Is Coming are a tight and prog jazz that’s best described as hit-and-miss, though switching to a real focused contrast to their support acts. The London three piece combine sax makes for a more meaty and palatable experience. You can see what drums, sax and electronics into a hypnotic mix of free jazz, cacophonous they’re aiming for, and they’ve set themselves a mighty high bar, but at this percussion and dubstep-inspired keyboards. Saxophonist King Shabaka, stage it’s all a bit aimless and bombastic. the last member to join, in 2013, is the pivotal figure; his urgent, brilliantly Flamingods’ own description of ‘exotic psychedelia’ pretty much says it all: clear licks ensuring the unit never dissolve into self-indulgence. They claim we’re greeted by two drum kits, a five-string bass and a guitar that looks like Sun Ra as a key influence, and Shabaka is an occasional member of the a lute, only with a weird twisty neck. Formed in Bahrain, then partly moving tireless Arkestra, though that seems to be mainly a stepping-off point. The to the UK, they’ve become festival favourites as much for their long, spacy wobbly keyboard noises are very London, while Betamax Killer’s drums songs, collection of curious international instruments as their esoteric neatly straddle jazz and experimental rock, even prog, traditions. More wild clothes. New single ‘Mixed Blessings’ continues their mix of north African, tonight than on the recent ‘Death To The Planet’ EP, they’re one of those rare middle eastern and western pop traditions, only now with a more dancefloor- bands that you simply want to have play all night. Three supremely talented orientated vibe. Unfortunately the sparse crowd upstairs at the O2 makes for musicians who understand each other completely and know how to make a rather echoey mix, so some of the subtlety is lost, though things get more timeless music for the modern age. interesting when they start swapping instruments. Fun though the records are Art Lagun B o u n d a r music y ing & break ar t s

Sat 1st July Host: Paul Foot Go Dark THE Rozi Plain Oly Ralfe Hannah Bruce CELLAR. OXFORD’S FINEST INDEPENDENT MUSIC VENUE the Odditoriim Jules Howard Jack Cheshire Tilly Gregoryr Dr Heste Laura J Martin Daisy Campbell LIVE MUSIC AND DANCE CLUB David Bramwell INDIE, ROCK, HOUSE, GARAGE, TECHNO, DISCO, D&B, DUBSTEP John Higgs Dead Rat Orchestra HIP-HOP, REGGAE, SKA & MORE.... + Mini Cinema Yorkston Thorne & Khan THE CELLAR FREWIN COURT Drunken Drawing OXFORD Tickets: £15adv OX1 3HZ WeGotTickets Truck Store WWW.CELLAROXFORD.CO.UK @ irregularfolk @ irregularfolks MUSIC HISTORY BEGINS UNDERGROUND! www.irregularfolks.co.uk Victoria Arms, Mill Lane, Oxford, OX3 0QA INTRODUCING.... Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under

WhoThe are they? Other Dramas The Other Dramas are a two-piece garage pop band from Cowley formed by Maria Ilett (vocals / guitar) and Richie Wildsmith (drums / vocals). Maria started as a solo performer and was spotted playing at an acoustic night at The Bullingdon by London producer Jim Eliot; they went on to form the band Eliot releasing an album ‘The Small Hours’ and playing at Glastonbury Festival as well as featuring on an Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shower gel advert. Richie, originally from Plymouth, moved to Oxford to join the band Shuffle in the late-90s. The pair met when they both joined ex- Candyskin Mark Cope’s band Ninestone Cowboy. Maria wanted to try out some of her new songs with drums, intending to form a new band but, “the Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: rehearsal went so well we decided to stay as a two piece.” Regular gigging “There are a lot of bands we really love but one artist that has stood out lately locally and in Brighton led to a slot on the Uncommon stage at Common is Willie J Healey: we love his song writing and energy in his live shows and People. They launch new single `Radio’ at The Library on the 8th July. can’t wait for his new album.” What do they sound like? If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: Scuzzy garage-pop, with a neat balance between bubblegum pop melodies “`Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia’ by The Dandy Warhols; it’s like Ride and sweet harmonies and fiery beats and riffage. The stripped-down nature of meets The Rolling Stones.” the line-up keeps songs simple and straightforward, allowing the hooks to get When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? under your skin, while Maria can stamp on the FX pedals to bring the noise. “A launch party for our new single on 8th July at The Library, hosted by What inspires them? Future Perfect. It will be hot and loud but full of cold beer. Free tickets are “Being in a two piece band inspires us. The limitations of the set up actually available in advance from seetickets.com and ‘pay what you like’ on the increase creativity; it really makes us think about our song writing. The door.” ground constantly shifts and we are always learning.” Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: Career highlight so far: “We like: The friends we make through music; PMT moving closer to our “Playing on the Uncommon Stage at this year’s Common People. The house; quality live venues of all sizes. We do not like: trying to get to a support from Nightshift and BBC Introducing Oxford and encouragement soundcheck on time during rush hour when there’s nowhere to load or park.” from the other bands, friends and family was the best feeling in the world.” You might love them if you love: And the lowlight: Elastica; The Gossip; Black Honey; Courtney Barnett; Wolf Alice. “Maria accidently booking a room on the top floor of a hotel that had no lift; Hear them here: it nearly finished us off.” theotherdramas.bandcamp.com

THIS MONTH IN OXFORD Dr SHOTOVER Visits the Horror Channel T H E W H E A T S H E A F [Voice-over: ‘The following column may contain scenes which some viewers may ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY Tuesday 4th July - BURIED IN SMOKE find disturbing’]… Ah, there you are. Welcome to the East Indies Club bar. How kind - mine’s a Very Bloody Mary. No, don’t ask. Bedingfield our cadaverous black- 20 YEARS AGO 10 YEARS AGO 5 YEARS AGO

FVNERALS WREN + INDIGO BLUES 7:45pm clad steward abhors questions about his cocktail ingredients. Meanwhile, that is While Radiohead celebrated their first number 1 As we prepare to enjoy the biggest and most “I feel ashamed. Our set was dreadful; we sucked. Thursday 6th July - THE SPIN JAZZ indeed his glamorous nocturnal friend Nurse Feratu helping out behind the bar. album with `OK Computer’, Oxford music successful ever Truck Festival this month, it’s I would have hated me too if I’d been watching.” As you say, what a lovely – if pointy – smile she has. Mm, quiet in here tonight, increasingly came under the wider spotlight in July easy to forget just how close to going under it was Thus said Fixers frontman Jack Goldstein by way JON SHENOY 8pm isn’t it? Various of the newbies haven’t been heard of since they went to Romania 1997 with a dedicated Radio 1 feature as part of ten years ago. Going under literally as the heaviest of apology for his band’s, ahem, “ramshackle” set th Friday 7 July - KLUB KAKOFANNEY last month. Apparently the young fools thought it would be a good idea to make that station’s build up to Sound City in October. rainfall in decades led to county-wide floods that at Truck Festival in July 2012. Having been the a film in an abandoned asylum which had been built on the site of a mediaeval ITV’s Central News, meanwhile, launched its deluged the Truck site, almost putting paid to Truck star turn at the previous year’s Truck, the local SELF HELP MONKFISH + PINK DIAMOND REVUE + BROWN GLOVE 8pm cemetery. Some ‘found footage’ was posted anonymously to the club last week, th new regular Central Sounds feature, starting off for good. In true blitz spirit the organisers (whose heroes performed in a state of extreme inebriation, Thursday 13 July - THE SPIN JAZZ in rusting film canisters decorated with strange cabalistic symbols. Difficult to with a live performance from Dustball, as well as family house was also flooded) relocated as many to equal amounts amusement and horror. If it’s any make much out due to poor lighting and grainy filtering, but prospects aren’t a nice big plug for “the essential” Nightshift from of the main acts as possible, including The Brian consolation, it’s a set that no-one who saw it has JOHN PARRICELLI 8pm rosy for Timpkins, Sketchy, Harmondsworth and the bevy of American lingerie th Friday 14 July - TWO FACE PROMOTIONS models who accompanied them. Ah well, boys will be boys, I suppose. And, er, presenter Clare Taylor. We still love you, Clare. Jonestown Massacre, Garth & Maud Hudson ever forgotten. American lingerie models will be American lingerie models. RIP Robyn, Shawn In more day-to-day events, Beaker released their and Goldrush, to Brookes University Union This was the first Truck Festival under the new 8pm BLOODSHOT OCEANS OF APATHY + FORCE OF MORTALITY and Sydney. (No, that’s the lingerie models). Reminds me of that time when I was debut single, `Backgarden’, on Shifty Disco’s for two nights of undercover fun, with collection stewardship of Y Not Festival, after 2011’s Saturday 15th July - OXROX a young buck in Swinging London and a few of us decided to hold a séance in a singles club, the record still considered a classic buckets passed round to try and ease the financial financial woes. Mystery Jets; The Temper local release; subscribers’ copies came with a pain, while Frank Turner played an impromptu Trap; Guillemots; British Sea Power; The BLACK CAT BONES + HELL’S GAZELLS deconsecrated East End church. What groovy fun it seemed, as we drove from MASSIVE Chelsea to Stepney in our Mini-Mokes, the wind blowing through our sideburns free bag of sunflower seeds to plant. In their back benefit show at The Port Mahon. Low Anthem; Tim Minchen; Villagers and TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD 7:45pm and Sgt Pepper’s ‘taches, not to mention the Silvikrin-ed locks and Union Jack garden. DYSWTDT? Also out this month was One local band who had expected to join in the 65Daysofstatic among the headline names on Thursday 20th July - THE SPIN JAZZ mini-dresses of the girls. Yes, everything was mini in those days, apart from the `Seasons’, the third album from local flautist celebrations at Hill Farm this month were A Silent show, while the local cast included Dead Jerichos; massive reefers we were smoking as we set up the Ouija board on the ruined and Klub Kakofanney mainstay Frei Zinger, his Film, who were caught mid-leap on the cover of Yellow Fever; Robots With Souls; Kill Murray; THEO TRAVIS 8pm Friday 21st July altar at midnight… The ambient mood piece taking us from spring through July 2007’s Nightshift. Here was a band that took The Old Grinding Young; Poledo and Alphabet music was, I recall, White to winter ina floaty style. Local hardcore beasts books on stage with them. They’d also just played Backwards. Noise’s Black Mass: An THUNDER ON THE LEFT ORDER#227 + RESOLVE 7:45pm Callous, meanwhile, were featured on an album Glastonbury, handpicked by Emily Eavis and Back indoors, Soulfly stopped off in town to Saturday 22nd July - GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES Electric Storm in Hell, on of underground punk sounds around on Lockjaw Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq, and were set to perform wreak rock havoc at the O2 Academy, as did We Bumbo Farquhar’s reel-to- Records, titled `Helping You Back to Work’. at Truck Festival a year on from their set there Are Augustines, although the place to be this MAD LARRY ED GEATER + WEBS & MARIONETTS 8:20pm reel tape-recorder. At this A characteristically quiet July was enlivened by being curtailed by a biblical downpour that blew all month was The Jericho Tavern as Savages made th point a masked Wendy Tuesday 25 July – GET IN THE BOX the visits to town of ska-punk firebrands King the electrics onstage; A Silent Film, Truck Festival their first visit to Oxford, supported by Palma Padbury appeared with Prawn; Ultrasound; The Pastels; Comet Gain and rain were obviously a cursed combination. Violets, while perhaps most unexpected treat of WOVEN SKULL GIFT OF BLINDNESS + OLD ERNIE 7:45pm a goat’s skull full of LSD- th and new Creation Records signings Arnold, all at Cornbury Festival fared rather better with Blondie, the month was Charlotte Church’s show at the Thursday 27 July - SWISS CONCRETE impregnated sugar cubes. What could possibly go The Point. The latter’s show provoked the timeless David Gray, Suzanne Vega, Echo & The Tavern, the former child star, who’d sold over CHORUSGIRL THE EASTER ISLAND STATUES + SCHANDE 7:45pm wrong? [To be continued, put down from reviewer Chris Fish: “Readers Bunnymen and Seth Lakeman all performing. 10million albums and performed for the Queen, Friday 28th July – JAM CITY after the ads] with long, unclouded memories will remember that Nightshift’s reporter on site was slightly perturbed the Pope and Bill Clinton revealed her new rock Next month: ‘L-L-Looks Arnold was the name of Tony Blackburn’s dog. to find himself standing next to an as-yet not prime and roll persona to 150 intrigued fans. And yes, she MSRY PROMETHEAN REIGN + OSCA + APE 7:45pm like we’re in the Land Zoe: ‘Is this the way to the Karnstein estate?’ After this woeful showing, many would suggest it’s minister David Cameron for the Bunnymen’s set and was a great and yes, she was lovely and yes, we did Every Monday ‘The Oxford Imps’ Comedy Club / Every Thursday ‘The Spin’ Jazz Club of the Giants!’ Chloe: ‘I’m SURE Dr S said to pass the port clockwise…’ also the name of Alan McGee’s.” noted that he was actually dancing, albeit badly. want to marry her. Still do. The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford elegantly crafted slice of gleaming stadium- times is sitting sour-faced on the sofa, sipping pop with a more determined feel to it but this a mug of boiled water and listening to old Ian being Soundcloud it was just the algorithm- Paisley speeches on a wax cylinder, are we. selected follow-on song – Kanadia’s new Oh yeah, as you were. Misery. Woo! DEMOS single `Ocean Blue’. Always good to be Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day reminded how good Kanadia are. at Soundworks studio in Oxford, LEST WE FORGET courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit We were beginning to wonder if everyone had forgotten how to rock out for a while www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift A.C. JONES “Tell me where you want to go / Cos I can’t there, but here are this month’s almost drive you anywhere,” offers A.C. Jones obligatory heavyweights to bring the riffs helpfully to the love of his life. Might as and demonic forces, the singer belching and FUJI growling like one of Abaddon’s foot soldiers DEMO OF A very good friend of Nightshift’s, who also well offer her an empty biscuit tin and tell in the best bits of this five-minute metalcore 01865 240250 happens to be something of a local music her to pick her favourite. Maybe Jonesy workout. This being pretty standard legend and has excellent musical taste told here could simply bash said empty biscuit THE MONTH metalcore of course, we also get some clean us he’d seen Fuji a few weeks back and they tin with a mallet repeatedly instead of vocals, as if there’s some quota that has to were pretty decent, like a cross between A trawling sluggishly through colour-by- be adhered to – “sorry madam, the limit is a Certain Ratio and The Kane Gang (please skip numbers acoustic soul-pop like `Club City’ CHRIS BARKER or strumming frantically through cretin- maximum 50% nasty, dirty stuff; don’t want Last time we saw Chris Barker he was over that last bit if you’re under the age of 40 simple busker thrash like `Happy Song’. anyone having too much fun.” So we get opening for Josefin Öhrn and had Willie or don’t have a near encyclopaedic knowledge Despite what decades of demo reviews might half Mr Hellspawn and half Mr Goody Two- J Healey playing bass in his band. No of 80s pop). So, we’re keen to hear this demo suggest, Nightshift isn’t inherently prejudiced Shoes Spoilsport and have to make do. Along surprise then that he has a similarly (and it’s rare we’re ever keen to hear any against emotionally wracked solo singer- it sprints, beats and riffs pitched partway laidback, stoner vibe to Willie about his demo). Let’s just say we’ll wait to see them songwriters, but we do object to things like between the worlds of evil and average. own songs, which come filled up with live to pass full judgement, cos this is as terrible rhyming and monotony of which there But, as Beavis and Butthead once said of lots of dinky stuff that makes them sound close to ACR as Theresa May is to a strong is much to pick from here (“Standing room Radiohead’s `Creep’, “If they didn’t have a like a lot of thought’s gone into their and stable leader. `Night Lover’ is clumsy, only / Never be lonely” an early offender part of the song that sucked, the other part making while remaining relatively simple. unfunky funk-rock that lacks even an iota wouldn’t sound as cool.” in the former camp, while the interminable Initially we’re worried `Genie’ might be of fluidity and sounds like Little Brother Eli wail and drone of `Lennon’ is as far from more post-Sheeran acoustic cod soul, but without the energy, musical ability or songs, the former Beatle’s pop invention as it’s it gradually reveals its roots rocking heart while `Where Are You Going?’ manages to be possible to get without simply being a large with a Mac Demarco slacker edge, before both ponderous and overwrought, wobbling THE DEMO fly buzzing against a window for all eternity). moving into Aerial Pink territory with the awkwardly around the place like a socially `Wait For Me By the Weir’ does at least up dreamy acoustic grunge swirl of `Mac’ inept guest at the wrong wedding reception. TURAN AUDIO.co.uk the ante slightly with some sparse plucked DUMPER that meanders off into bluesy psychedelic `We Fly’ promises something better, with Professional, independent strings, a more convincing vocal performance side roads along its easy ramble. The a nice gnarly guitar churn running through audio mastering and less awkward lyrics but it’s too little woozy `Soulmate’ continues the spaced-out much of it, but ultimately it’s still a bit clunky WILL CARPENTER and too late to rescue this temple to musical Times are tough, we recognise that, the journey, moments of stuttering electro-funk and even at only four minutes, feels too long. Mastered in the studio last month; tedium. Maybe go down that bashing a biscuit world can be a frightening and uncertain providing an unobtrusive counterpoint We’ll go and see them live and hope for GENE LOVES JEZEBEL, JC FENTON, Apple approved tin route next time, old chap, got to be an place but, dear God, some people could do mastering to the general air of Syd Barrett-inspired better, but if we find any of them wearing VARDIS, THE DEADBEAT APOSTLES, improvement. to pull themselves together. For most of this pop whimsy with its easy soul-rock lining. a trilby at a jaunty angle we’re going on a demo we’re not sure if Will is going to cry ART THEEFE, THE VELVETEEN Further into this month’s pile we’ll hear vodka and machete rampage. or die. He sounds on the verge of both. He’s ORKESTRA, SLOW LEARNER, PUPPY, HUMMUS music that sounds like it’s barely got the possessed of a croaky, expiring kind of voice CRISIS, ASTRAL CLOUD ASHES, SADIE ROSANNA, ability to get to the end of a song without I SAID YES Talking of Lennon, John famously fell for that makes Leonard Cohen sound like Katy SHAKER HEIGHTS, ALL IS WORTH. soiling itself. Chris here sounds like he IRON ISLANDS Yoko Ono at one of her exhibitions in which Perry. On `Addicted’ (“I’m addicted to you doesn’t actually need to make any effort to Oh joy, more funk-rock. More lightweight the word “Yes” was written in tiny letters / I just hope you won’t be offended when I 01865 716466 [email protected] get where he’s going. The guy’s probably funk-rock. With a fucking piano. Why go and on an otherwise blank canvas. Lennon say I’ve become dependent”) he sounds like got a magic carpet, or at least, in his sweet call yourselves Iron Islands if you’re not at the loved the positivity inherent in the piece. an overly emotional drunkard leaving his ex herbal haze, imagines he has. very least playing hardcore black metal while dressed as a Viking. You could at least have So we’re expecting any band called I Said a voicemail after several hours down the pub COURTYARD an actual wolf on lead guitar or something. Yes to exude joy de vivre and provide us over a wandering, almost jazzy acoustic blues But no, this a right old longboat full of meh, with the soundtrack to summer now that it’s amble that barely has the energy to cross the RECORDING STUDIO sounding like an amateur Peter Gabriel finally arrived. We didn’t expect the national finish line when it finally gets to the end of the 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: J LIND anthem of Glumland: a song that starts off song, which we swear is at least two weeks NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 So bloody awesome is Oxford’s music impersonator fronting a featherweight Chili with a slowly ticking clock before unfurling long. `I’ll Be In Love With You Tomorrow’ MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb scene and so far does its reputation Peppers tribute band who secretly want to be Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear like a blackened forget-me-not into a piano is even more lethargic, sinking into a slough extend we even have American musicians a pub-level Elton John tribute. What would Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern piece that makes Tindersticks sound like of despond while sounding like Lou Reed’s moving here to make their names. J Lind Yara Greyjoy think? Waste of a good band Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules Vengaboys. But, hey, we’re suckers for a `Coney Island Baby’ performed by a rusty Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. here is all the way from Arizona, now name. bit of sombre soul-searching and a sense of door hinge with severe depression. Elsewhere Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. resident in our fair city. And bizarrely he’s funereal boreboding. The song here, `Run there’s some standard twelve-bar blues and www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk actually called David, so we’ll have to This Town’, maybe lacks the elegance needed a song called `Travelling Home’ that makes In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk guess what the J stands for; hopefully not SEMI URBAN FOX to really work but it’s got a gothic insistency Chris Rea’s `Driving Home For Christmas’ Email: [email protected] Jamiroquai or Jam-master, although given Another good band name – sounds like one about it and the overlapping vocals bring a sound like The London Gospel Choir Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 the nature of this music the latter would be of those self-effacing, deliberately prosaic sort of late Sunday evening in November life performing `Joy to the World’ after dropping preposterously inappropriate. No, this one- monikers that a lot of 80s indie bands went to it all. And if we squint our ears enough you an entire bucket of MDMA. Taken as a whole song offering, `I Don’t Know’, is solemn, for as a statement of wilful underachievement, might imagine it’s Tindersticks bringing every we imagine it’s the soundtrack to Theresa almost stately folk music with an epic pop conjuring an image of a once wild animal party in every town to a desolate conclusion. May’s internal thought processes as she saw edge that could be the result of listening renouncing night time raids on bins and Good work, but come on people, what’s with her election gamble stumble pathetically to to a lot of Snow Patrol while growing up. savaging the local rabbit population and now all the misery; it’s summer! It’s not as if we’re the floor with all the élan of a sickly heifer It starts off as a delicate strum and some settled down to a life of TV dinners in front preparing to spend the next five years living collapsing into a pile of broken deck chairs. hushed, introspective vocals, all romantic of gentle BBC sitcoms. The band’s one song under a government propped up by a handful Which cheers us up no end. As for Will here, imagery and a fair bit of Jeff Buckley-style here, `Doomed From the Start’, is a breathless Rehearsal and Recording studios of killjoy religious lunatics whose idea of wild sadly it seems he’s beyond hope or help. reflection before things gradually build to fuzzy jangle topped off with Pete Doherty- Four state of the art rehearsal rooms almost hymnal levels of intensity. “Just like vocals, sprightly almost to a fault and Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to and a professional recording studio. because we may be losers doesn’t mean untidy in mostly the right kind of way and [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a we can’t be winners,” sings J/David with feels like they can’t wait to get to the end so contact phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. We make For bookings call Jamie on 07917685935 perhaps a touch too much earnestness, but they can get down the pub, which accentuates no pretence to being fair, objective or open-minded and reserve the right to use juvenile insults Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford • glasshousestudios.org on this occasion he’s right. Well, second on its likeable but forgettable blokiness. We while almost completely ignoring your music should we feel like it. Your Facebook friends are the podium anyway, after Chris Barker. thought there was a second song here, an welcome to get all huffy on your behalf, but we’ll laugh at them too. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Wed 21st Jun • £5 adv • 10.30pm Sun 3rd Sep • £7 adv Fri 6th Oct • £29.50 adv • 6.30pm Fri 10th Nov • £22 adv • 6.30pm Fishies Graduation Dance a la Plage Gary Numan Billy Bragg + Victors + Who’s Alice? Fri 23rd Jun • £8 adv + Sam Martin Sat 7th Oct • £13 adv • 6.30pm Tue 14th Nov • £27.50 adv Church of The Heavy The Smyths: Nelly Sat 2nd Sept • £8 adv • 7pm Ft. Mamzer Strangeways Here Fri 17th Nov • £12 adv • 6.30pm + King Bolote + Crimson Tusk The Wholls We Come Tour + Little Brother Eli + Garden Antarctic Monkeys Sat 24th Jun • £18 adv Sat 7th Oct • £14 adv • 6.30pm The Infl atables Amber Run Sat 18th Nov • £12 adv • 6.30pm + Roddy Radiation Defi nitely Mightbe Fri 13th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm & The Skabilly Rebels Sun 19th Nov • £21 adv + King Hammond Wille & The Bandits Airbourne & The Rude Boy Mafi a + Claude Hay + Darren Bennet Fri 24th Nov • £15 adv • 6.30pm Fri 13th Oct • £7 adv • 11pm + Madam Scorcher The Oxford Soul Train Glasville Fri 24th Nov • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm Thu 19th Oct • £18.50 adv Dr John Cooper Lethal Bizzle Clarke Fri 20th Oct • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm Sat 25th Nov • £10 adv • 6.30pm The Alarm Saedly Dorus and Fri 8th Sept • £15 adv • 6.30pm Sat 21st Oct 6pm the Hoolie Band Roddy Woomble Ritual Union Festival Thurs 30th Nov • £22.50 adv Sun 10th Sept • £27.50 adv • 7pm Fri 27th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm Scouting For Girls The Psychedelic Furs Guns 2 Roses - The Singles Tour + Metalica Reloaded Fri 1st Dec • £14 adv • 6.30pm + Cosmosis + Empyre Jagged Little Pill Thu 21st Sep • £22.50 adv A Tribute to New Found Glory Sat 28th Oct • £20 adv • 6.00pm Tue 27th Jun • £15 adv Alanis Morissettes + Roam Roots Manuva Tom Clarke Classic Album Sat 23rd Sep • £10 adv • 6.30pm from The Enemy Sat 2nd Dec • £12.50 adv • 6.30pm Elvana - Elvis The Prince Experience Thurs 29th Jun • £15 adv Fronted Nirvana Jesse Malin + Field Of Giants Fri 8th Dec • £15 adv • 6.30pm + Retroyka Mon 25th Sep • £18 adv Absolute Bowie Sat 8th July • £6 adv • 9pm Mayday Parade - Fri 8th Dec • £21.25 adv Dub For The Elders A Lesson in The Twang + Jamatone, + Tom Dred, Romantics 10th + Lee Valentine + Unity Sistren Anniversary Tour Sun 9th July • £15 adv + With Confi dence The Gories + All Get Out + Ron Gallo + Table Scraps Thurs 28th Sep • £25 adv Fri 4th Aug • £10 adv DJ Shadow Fri 3rd Nov • £23 adv • 6.30pm Lionize Fri 29th Sep • £13 adv • 6.30pm + Kanadia The Velvets: From The Jam + A Way With Words “The Gift” + Matchboy Celebrating 50 Years of The Velvet 35th Anniversary Tues 15th Aug • £17 adv Underground Fri 3rd Nov • £15 adv • 6.00pm Too Many Zooz Ghostpoet + Thabo. Thu 5th Oct • £15 adv • 6.3opm The Dears Sun 5th Nov • £12.50 adv Thurs 21st Dec • £23 adv Sat 19th Aug • £8 adv Intervals Slade Haze Fri 6th Oct • £15 adv • 6.30pm + Birthday Card + Father Demo The Wall Of Floyd Fri 10th Nov • £14 adv • 6pm Fri 22nd Dec • £17.50 adv • 6pm + Milk (Pink Floyd Tribute) Pearl Jam UK -Tribute Dreadzone

o2academyoxford.co.uk 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE • Doors 7pm unless stated Venue box offi ce opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-4pm ticketmaster.co.uk ticketmaster.co.uk.co.uk • wegottickets.com • seetickets.com • gigantic.com