[email protected] nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 215 June Oxford’s Music Magazine 2013 HeadcountHeadcount

“The“The dayday wewe startstart beingbeing nicenice isis thethe timetime toto givegive up.”up.”

Oxford’sOxford’s rockrock firebrandsfirebrands OXFORD DUPLICATION CENTRE [email protected] continuecontinue toto ragerage againstagainst Office: 01865 457000 Mobile: 07917 775477 Supporting Oxfordshire Bands with thethe machinemachine Affordable Professional CD Duplication FANTASTIC BAND RATES Also in this month’s issue: ON ALL SERVICES Professional Thermal Printed CDs Introducing LAC Full Colour/Black & White reviewed Silver or White Discs Oxford Punt Design Work Support Digital Printing All your local music and festival news Packaging Options plus Fulfilment Recommended by Matchbox Recordings Ltd, Poplar Jake, Undersmile, Desert Storm, Turan Audio Ltd, Nick Cope, Prospeckt, Paul Jeffries, Alvin five pages of Oxfordshire gigs. Roy, Pete The Temp, Evolution, Coozes, Blue Moon and many more... 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: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net

like Cut A Shine, The English Folk Dance & Song Society, Global Local, Green Note and Magpie’s Nest. Other acts confirmed for the stage include Ruu Campbell; Abi Wade; Rachael Dadd; Mary Epworth; Emily Barker & The Red HENRY DARTNALL has been talking to Nightshift about Young Clay Halo and Ichi. Knives’ Kickstarter campaign to fund their new album. `Sick Octave’ They join already confirmed is set to be released in September, with the band promising “undiluted ART OF BURNING WATER, headliners Empire of the Sun; Noah Young Knives” and quoting Kraftwerk, Blur, The Fall and 90s computer DETHSCALATOR AND DAVID & The Whale and Rodriguez over games as primary influences. THOMAS BROUGHTON are the weekend of the 9th-11th August Henry claims the Kickstarter campaign will allow Young Knives to among a host of new acts announced at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury. make the album they really want after feeling they compromised too for this year’s Supernormal Festival. Tickets for Wilderness, which mixes much on their last album, `Ornaments From The Silver Arcade’, under The decidedly leftfield three- live music with banquets, masked pressure from outside influences. day festival takes place over the balls, debates, outdoor activities, Fans donating to the campaign will be rewarded with everything from free weekend of the 9th-11th August at theatre and more, are on sale now, downloads to a ten-year guestlist place for all Young Knives gigs. Anyone Brazier’s Park, near Wallingford. priced £139 for adult tickets, from donating £5,000 can have the band come and play a set at their wedding. Other new acts on the bill include www.wildernessfestival.com. “We knew that we had to make this record ourselves,” said Henry, “the The Physics House Band; Dead Sea last record we made cost too much money and had too many outside Apes; Tomaga and Woodpecker BEARD MUSEUM look forward influences, and although we are proud of it we kind of had a band meeting Wooliams. They join the likes to a busy month in June with two and thought about what Young Knives was all about. Turns out we should of Shit & Shine; Hookworms; live shows in local churches, and the be making a racket and trying out everything. So we didn’t want to go cap Mugstar; Michael Chapman and release of the new We Aeronauts in hand to a label, there’s no point these days, we wanted to do it ourselves The Sontaron Experiment already single. The Oxford label/promoter and the Kickstarter idea just means we get fans to buy the album a few announced. Tickets for the event, hosts shows by Spring Offensive months before they normally would and we can sink that money straight priced £75 for adults and £50 for at St John the Evangelist on Iffley into making the record. I really liked the process of coming up with other teenagers, are on sale from www. Road on Saturday 15th June, and stuff to flog; I’ve seen some really cheesy begging projects and I didn’t supernormalfestival.co.uk, along The Epstein at St Alban’s Church want it to be like that so we just tried to make it about the music and a few with full festival line-up. on Thursday 27th. Spring Offensive cool extras that our fans would dig. It also means we own our music and launch their new single, `Speak’, don’t owe someone loads of money, which is nice.” ROB ST. JOHN, THE RALFE on the 15th and are joined over The album is preceded with an EP, `Oh Happiness’, out at the end of June. BAND AND RICHARD two stages by Peter & Kerry, Pixel The band posted a video of a new song, `Reproduction’, on their website Walters are among the names Fix, Salvation Bill, Adam Barnes in May, the track seemingly owing a significant musical debt to New York confirmed for the London Folk and poet The Ruby Kid, while synth pioneers Suicide. Guild stage at this year’s Wilderness Stornoway will be manning the “Yeah, `Reproduction’ was a song we have rewritten four or five times Festival. The Folk Guild stage decks all evening. The show, which in the last four years. In the end we just chucked it all away and brought showcases up and coming roots kicks off at 6pm will also feature a it down to a synth bass line. I knew it was a bit Suicide and we have acts from around the country from barbeque. always been fans, so we thought let’s just try it like that. I kind of saw the choices of folk club promoters The Epstein’s show.... cont’d over it as a homage to Suicide. I thought, well Springsteen did it with `State Trooper’, so we’re allowed to. It’s also the reason we put it on an EP; to Truck, and one day to long-time it kind of is too much of a sound-a-like for us to put on an album, but Truck Fest favourites. The veterans I think it’s okay to use style from someone you love as long as you include Thomas Truax; Luke Smith; bring something to it, which is what we try to do. Reproduction isn’t Fonda 500; Le Emu Tavern and like the rest of the album; it isn’t like the rest of the EP either. We have Edible 5ft Smiths, with the virgins made some very contrasting sounds on the record: some of the tracks yet to be announced. are machine-like and some are almost completely live, which is also Additionally Clubhouse Records will something which we weirdly haven’t done before on an album. be hosting the new Great Western “The real change with `Sick Octave’ has been producing ourselves, it Whisky Saloon & Blues Kitchen just means that no one can tinker with our sound and smooth off the TRUCK FESTIVAL has added stage. Acts announced include edges. If you are going to be a painter you don’t get someone else in new acts and two new stages to its Society; Redlands Palomino Co; The to apply the paint to the canvas. People look to us for our tastes and ever-expanding line-up this year. Epstein; The Dreaming Spires; Huck, we have found a confidence in doing it ourselves that has made this The Subways (pictured) are the and The Yarns. recording process the most fun since we made Nolens Volens, and I think latest band to be added to the main With more acts still to be added, that comes across in the music. stage bill, joining headliners The keep up to date with all the Truck “We’re obviously touring the record for a while at the end of the year Horrors and Spiritualized as well news at truckfestival.com. and into next year. I think we are just going to concentrate on playing th as Gaz Coombes; Dan le Sac Tickets for the 16 Truck, which live for a while, I haven’t thought about much beyond that, it’s not really & Scroobius Pip; Toy; The Joy takes place over the weekend of something we plan. That’s the beauty of this record; there is no plan. I th th Formidable and Rolo Tomassi. the 19 -20 July at Hill Farm in think I’m going to get back into idling again, it’s much better for making The two new stages on site are the Steventon, are on sale now, priced music and general mental health.” Virgins and Veterans stage, which £74 for adult camping tickets, on Visit www.facebook.com/youngknives to watch the `Reproduction’ will feature one day of bands new the festival website. video and find out more about the Kickstarter campaign. WIN TICKETS And while you’re there you can check out some to give away. Free. To you, our dear readers. Oh of the great live music they’ve got going on. This yes we do. year’s headliners are folk-pop hitmakers NOAH & All you need to do to win them is answer the NEWSto launch their new album, THE WHALE, Aussie electro-rockers EMPIRE OF THE following question: `Murmurations’, features supports SUN, playing their only UK festival show of the year, from The Dreaming Spires and and lost Detroit cult hero RODRIGUEZ. They’re RODRIGUEZ WAS THE SUBJECT OF WHICH FILM? Jordan O’Shea. Tickets for both joined by folkstress MARTHA WAINWRIGHT; rootsy events are on sale now from folk singer MICHAEL KIWANUKA; atmospheric Answers on a postcard to Wilderness Competition, wegottickets.com, with more info on rapper, singer and poet GHOSTPOET; soulful Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or both events available on Facebook. summery psych-popsters THE BEES; BBC Sound by email to [email protected] (clearly We Aeronauts, meanwhile, release of 2013 nominee KING KRULE; stadium rockers marked Wilderness Competition). Please include their latest EP, `Don Valley’, on June TRIBES; Parisian multi-instrumentalist MELODY’S your name, address, email and daytime phone 10th as a download or limited edition th BLACKWELL’S MUSIC SHOP ECHO CHAMBER and Mercury Prize-nominated number. Deadline for entries is the 15 of June. CD. Visit www.beardmuseum. The editor’s decision is to eat anything and has relocated to a new site on Broad gypsy folk revivalist SAM LEE. co.uk for more details. everything Yotam Ottolenghi can cook until he’s Street. The dedicated music store is Music is but a part of the Wilderness experience violently sick. now at number 53, next door to its FIXERS’ JACK GOLDSTEIN HUGH CORNWELL AND TANITA TIKARAM are the latest names to though, and away from the stages you’ll find a feast flagship book store, offering “a more follows up his Evening of John Cage be added to this year’s Cornbury Festival line-up. Former Stranglers singer – literally – of food, debate, stargazing, and myriad compact and efficient store”. Back for its third outing in the idyllic setting of show in January with another night Cornwell joins the main stage bill on Sunday afternoon while Tikaram plays outdoor pursuits, from horse riding to foraging, Sales manager Luke Rickett Cornbury Country Park, the award-winning of experimental music on Saturday the Songbird stage on Saturday. Wilderness Festivalhas quickly established itself at with the likes of THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY; YOTAM explained to Nightshift what 27th July. Gesamptkunstwerk The pair complete a line-up that features headline acts Squeeze, Keane, the heart of Oxfordshire’s music calendar. OTTOLENGHI; THE IDLER; SCHOOL OF LIFE and THE Blackwell’s can offer to local music Memetics will feature three separate Van Morrison and Bellowhead. Also on the bill are Echo & The LAKESIDE SPA involved. There are banquets and fans that they might not be aware of. performances from three performers Bunnymen; Imelda May; The Proclaimers; Amy McDonald, Seth Lakeman Wilderness takes place over the weekend of the late-night parties and theatre and talks and… just “There is probably a slight simultaneously on the same stage, and Beverly Knight. 9th-11th August. The event asserts itself as “A bloody loads of stuff, right? misconception about Blackwell’s with each of the acts preparing their The line-up for the Charlbury Riverside stage at Cornbury is now finalised. celebration of the arts and outdoors in the wilds of Music in Oxford, in that we are music in isolation. A venue for the Dance a la Plage; Ben Montague; Alphabet Backwards; The Inflatables; England,” although on last year’s evidence you’re Tickets for this year’s Wilderness are on sale often thought of purely as a event is still to be confirmed, but Swindlestock; Kris Dollimore; Satsangi; The New Forbidden; Black Hats; more likely to encounter a naked swimmer or now through the festival website (www. classical music shop. Although we is likely to be either the OVADA Brickwork Lizards; Samuel Zasada; Knights of Mentis; Ilona; Blair Dunlop someone dressed as a gangster and armed with wildernessfestival.com) as well as local outlets do specialise in classical music warehouse, or the Port Mahon. More and Leddra Chapman are among the bands playing on the festival’s third a splurge gun than a roaming lion or wildebeest. around the county. Adult weekend tickets are recordings, we also stock jazz, blues, info next month… stage. Which is reassuring. In fact Cornbury Park itself is priced £139, with discounts for under-18s and world and folk music recordings, and Cornbury takes place over the weekend of the 5th-7th July at the Great Tew really rather lovely if you haven’t ventured there families available. books and printed music that cover GUNNING FOR TAMAR have Estate in north Oxfordshire. Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now before; it’s got a lake and a deer park and all sorts. all genres of music. The music shop made their track `Another Season’ on 0844 338 0000, or online at www.cornburyfestival.com, priced £190 for Trees, that kind of thing. Go along and see for And guess what? Thanks to the lovely folks what is the only centrally-located music free to download. The song, taken adult weekend camping tickets, with discounts for under-16s and over-70s. yourself. run it all, we have a pair of adult weekend tickets retailer left in the city, so we decided from their `Camera Lucida’ EP, is to increase our range of instruments up for grabs at soundcloud.com/ truck store and instrument accessories. We stock alcopop/03-another-season. The from wegottickets.com. Ian Macintosh; The Pete Fryer Band a range of acoustic guitars, stringed band play at Truck Festival in July. and 1000 Mile Highway. More instruments, brass and woodwind. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT details at www.thamesfest.co.uk The shop stocks strings, drumsticks, SAMUEL ZASADA return from is a charity gig in aid of the JR plectrums, reeds, rosin, stands, and hiatus next month with the release of Children’s Hospital next month. The AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into cables to mention but a few. a new four-song EP, `Winter’s End’, gig takes place in the Amphitheatre BBC Oxford Introducing every “The shop also has a new music on Big Red Sky Records. The band at the Said Business School, near Saturday evening between 8-9pm events programme which includes all are set to spend the summer playing Oxford train station, on Saturday 13th on 95.2fm. The dedicated local kinds of performers and artists from local festivals, including Cornbury, July, from 4-11pm. Acts confirmed music show plays the best Oxford classical vocal ensembles, folk acts Charlbury Riverside, Towersey and are The Dreaming Spires; Co- releases and demos as well as and singer-songwriters. Blackwell’s Battstock. Pilgrim; The Family Machine; Black featuring interviews, studio sessions, Music loves to support local music Hats; Long Insiders; The Shapes and gig reviews and local music news. whenever possible; we are happy CANTERBURY, LOSTALONE Jess Hall. The show is available to stream or to stock recordings by local artists AND EVAROSE headline a download as a podcast at bbc.co.uk/ and encourage people to get in one-day festival at Courtyard Youth THAMESFEST returns over the oxford. contact with us in regard to future Centre in Bicester next month. weekend of the 19th-21st July at Regularly updated local music performances at the shop.” The all-ages Yardfest takes place the Talbot Inn in Eynsham. Acts news is available online at www. Contact the store on 01865 792792 on Saturday 5th July, from 6pm. confirmed include Steamroller; musicinoxford.co.uk. The site also or visit it online at blackwell.co.uk. Tickets, priced £8, are on sale now Missing Persians; Reckless Sleepers; guide, photo gallery and more.

SECRET RIVALS HAVE SPLIT UP. The local indie popstrels called it a day at the beginning of May, saying the band had achieved everything it set out to. Rivals released their debut album, `Just Fall’, last month, funded by fan donations. Talking to Nightshift about the split, guitarist and singer Jamie Corcoran said, “‘It’s with a heavy heart and sad faces all round that we’re splitting up. There’s no secret drama or direction issues, it’s simply the right time for us. We’re so massively proud of the album we made and touched by every scrap of support we received. We did what we wanted to do in terms of musical recorded output, so to carry on half-heartedly would be a disservice to ourselves and those who enjoy the music. Essentially I don’t believe we’d release a better follow-up, so best to leave it as it is and forever be proud.” As well as the album, Secret Rivals released a string of singles and EPs across their lifespan and graced the cover of Nightshift last September. The band’s entire back catalogue is available to hear and download for free at www.soundcloud.com/secretrivals. an quiet angry word with Ripper riff though, `Greed’, love it. It emotional way rather then a ‘lets than theirs by the way. And the Young You’ve always struggled to build a was tricky to get right but, I’m pleased kick your head in’ approach. Mossy Knives copied us! We’re gonna get big local following; is that a problem with that one!” is an emotional guy with an opinion them we are. with Oxford’s attitude to your sort of And then there’s the refrain “Give on bloody everything, and whilst it Rob J: “Marco is an incredibly music, do you think? it up / You just can’t do it anymore” might always have come across as imaginative and intuitive guitarist, Rob M: “London is always better on the fizzing, accusatory `Tortured us bashing the fuck out of songs, which certainly has added a finesse for us. People come out. Oxford Tongue’. Who is the message to here? there was always supposed to be a to some of our recordings that maybe doesn’t like what we do, never has. Rob M: “Many people. People who point. The songs for this album were wouldn’t be there without him. He Just a few enlightened souls and we So then, why a five year I thought were friends; people who written, then played and played so can’t stay awake for more then three thank you. There is a great scene in Headcount I thought had some integrity who they evolved. We recorded them when hours at a time, though. Raven was Oxford but it tends to be very niche, wait for this new album? Rob M: “First, we were promoting showed themselves up. You could take we were happy with the evolution of just a beast. In every sense of the more mannered than Headcount. We (previous album)` To The Point’ but a guess. Plus it’s a bit of flag waving each song, which is partly why it took word. Bigger then us, better than do not fit. If we played a free gig for there were a few issues which affected from us. Kind of, clear off, we’re here so long. It was a new and different us, funnier than us, and I think any anyone who has ever wondered what the band. Our dear friend Paul Raven, now, thankyouverymuch!” approach for us, but we felt we had major star that worked with or met we are like or who had forgotten we who produced our second album `Die By contrast, `Black Dog Days’, feels the time and wanted to make the most him would have said he was a legend still existed – and you’d be forgiven Monkey Die’, passed away suddenly. much more personal, a reflection of having our own studio with no as a man and a musician. He was a – then it would still be a half empty We did a memorial gig for him, with on depression that’s been adopted time constraints. Our next album will massive loss, but it should never be room. And we might just challenge the idea that the profits go to the by the mental health charity Sane probably take two hours to write and forgotten how awful his farts were. you, Oxford! Prove us wrong!” British Heart Foundation. Someone for its Balck Dog campaign to record.” Rock-star excess literally seeping out. Rob J: “Oxford people don’t really who should know better and will raise awareness of the illness. Is Headcount have always been highly I don’t miss that.” ‘get’ us. Not sure why, as we are all remain nameless, demanded £300 that something Rob has particular melodic. Is that something punk bands Losing Paul must have hit you hard. born and bred Oxfordshire boys. on the day to stand in after October experience of? forgot about over time? Rob M: “Like a ton of bricks. London crowds always seem slightly File couldn’t make it. That disgusted “It’s good to see that slowly, mental Rob M: “It depends on what you call Gutted. We spent a lot of time with stunned and in awe of us. Like a me and, coupled with the hellish task health issues are being discussed punk. I loved The Damned and The him and he was family. My kids loved bomb’s just gone off. We like to piss of getting people to even look at the in the open. Depression hits most Stranglers: they haven’t forgotten him; my wife loved him; my mum about on stage, and maybe that’s too album, resulted in taking some time families. We all know someone who how to make catchy tunes. The Pistols thought he was lovely! Paul Raven, much for some people here. We act out to rethink. We started jamming needs a bit of help and these days it’s had melody somewhere underneath bassist of Killing Joke, sitting having the same on stage as we do wherever around some ideas in a different not so taboo to say `help me!’. If you Rotten’s vocals and The Clash could a cup of tea with my mum like a we go, which is probably why we are vein, but they all ended up becoming have diabetes you take medicine; if pen a nice little ditty when they felt meeting of the WI! Everyone loved mates in the first place. Maybe we `Headcounted’ so we thought, `Fuck you have high blood pressure, you inclined but I never really liked them. him. That said, he could be a total should grow up a bit.” it, it sounds like Headcount because take medicine. So you get a visit from But then `punk’ like Discharge and bastard when he wanted. He walked Rob’s comment raises a serious point we are Headcount,’ so we got on with the Black Dog. You might need to GBH came along. Didn’t get them at a fine line. He was very deep and he about Headcount. The band certainly it and felt energised to do it as we take something to get rid of it, or you all. No melody, was there? So yeah, had that sense of knowing about him. have a bit of a reputation for not think that there is a lot to say at the may be able to kick it in the nuts in maybe you’re right. There’s many A delightfully shady character! His taking themselves too seriously, and moment. We live in turbulent times your own way, but to acknowledge a tuneless dirge out there! We have funeral was the best night out I ever woe betide anyone brave or foolish and Headcount is, I think, a good it is not defeat. Marco turned this always tried to be melodic and I’m had! Silly bugger, still miss him.” enough to heckle the band – the barometer. The album took time to one into a Garbage-y type thing glad people have acknowledged that. Is Marco a fully-fledged part of the retorts could floor a charging elephant, make because we have the luxury of with that chorus riff. It’s probably It’s very important to me.” line-up now? – but get past the insults and the piss- our own studio and, let’s face it, the our most commercial track and not Rob: “We have always liked a good Rob M: “No. He’s not fat enough. taking and they are a serious band. A world wasn’t crying out for a new really representative of the Headcount melody. But punk music in general He’s a skinny whippet these days. seriously bloody great band. So, do Headcount album, so we didn’t rush. sound, but we thought it was just too seemed to forget about writing In fact, he can barely lift a guitar let they feel they have to take the piss out good to not work on.” decent songs and just concentrated alone play it. Plus, why would he of themselves? `Lullabies For Dogs’ is on throwing a tantrum. Most ‘punk’ want to be seen in public with us? Rob M: “Not really. I just feel that well worth the wait. As Rob says, On the purely musical bands now are either middle class This man was a punk `face’, he’s been we are three big fellas who can look Headcount remain Headcount, and side of things, `Lullabies…’ is spoiled brats who can’t write songs, on the telly and everything!” intimidating, playing heavy music one thing Headcount have always instantly recognisable as a Headcount hence the tantrum, or American(ised) Rob J: “Marco is our equivalent of with uncompromising lyrics that been is great songsmiths, injecting album. Fourteen years in, they’ve girly whingers. Either way they have Graeme Duffin from Wet Wet Wet; deal with difficult subjects. So we a raw melodic core into their songs, neither softened nor slowed. If no balls and should fuck off quietly.” he plays in the background whilst us do like to inject a bit of humour into which too many of their supposedly anything, the album feels heavier than pretty boys get all the glory.” the evenings. We like banter; we like punk kin neglect. Lyrically too they’re its predecessor, `To The Point’. As mentioned, Headcount’s heckles; we like to have a chat with as astute as they are angry. Alongside Rob M: “I’m surprised you say that career has found them working Fourteen years and four people and make it something more “Levenson exposed these it was when Headcount burst onto the thumb on the scene since the late-90s. `News Corpse’, there’s the slightly actually! I think it’s less heavy than extensively with both Marco Pirroni albums in it’s fair to say Headcount interesting than these bands who disgusting people for what they are local scene like Godzilla in a Tokyo Rob, alongside bassist Rob Jeffrey and more oblique `Greed’. anything we have done before as a and Paul Raven, two genuine legends aren’t fresh young whippersnappers just play and shuffle around. If we and I am delighted to see so many suburb fourteen years ago. drummer Stef Hale were, and remain, “That’s more to do with the people complete piece. Hopefully you can of the punk and post-punk era. What any more, but they remain potent rock lived life like our lyrics, we would be people getting it in the neck. I find it After a five year period of semi- a behemoth of a band, taking Killing who are never satisfied. They always trace an evolution in our sound over were their experiences of both and firebrands, railing at the injusticies of hanging from the rafters in the barn. incredible that businessmen like the hibernation, Headcount release their Joke’s industrial sturm und drang, want to screw that last little bit out of the four albums. The song writing has what did each bring to Headcount? the world with the same severity they I have no desire to be miserablist. Murdochs did not know what was new album, `Lullabies For Dogs’, this giving it added weight via Therapy?’s someone. There is enough to share; changed, so there is more in the way Rob M: “Paul brought a sense of ever did. No pipe and slippers and I was in a hotel in Manchester going on. Sorry, don’t buy it. Their month. Amid its thunderous rhythms, serrated alt.metal and the lithe, everyone deserves a bite of the pie. I of arrangement there now. Before we belief when we needed it and a bit of UKIP membership for them. Do the recently. Marilyn Manson checked empire is built in their image. The cavernous guitar lines and brooding serrated post-punk of early Banshees have no problem with people making relied on pace and volume but we menace. He was a rough diamond of a band think they’ve got more or less in. Miserable fucker. All this affected culture runs down throughout and melodies, cut through with a sense of and Adam & The Ants. In their time money and building business. I work have changed, we have middle eights! person. A little edgy and that came out angry about as they’ve got older? way of walking around like a crippled pollutes and you can be sure that ire that verges on the biblical at times, together they’ve worked with Marco for a living! I work damn hard for it Plus, I don’t want to make the same on `Die Monkey Die’. A fucking gem Rob M: “More angry, but better old man all deathly white and soggy these people knew exactly what was there’s no sign yet of the three-piece Pirroni from the Ants, and Killing and I should have rewards. But ethics album time and time again. There’s of a human being. He just said, `get educated and more articulate. More in looking.” being done. Of course, they are not mellowing one iota. Headcount are Joke’s Paul Raven; released four seems to have been dropped in the more structure these days as we have in there, play it like you mean it and control of responses and emotions. I Stef; “It’s just the way we show the only ones. Conrad Black: what a on a mission. Headcount have always albums, including three on legendary pursuit of profit and that is morally learnt a bit over the years. That said, don’t fuck up!’ am still angry about politics, injustice, affection to each other; the day we piece of work he is. Arrogant beyond been on a mission. indie label Malicious Damage, and reprehensible. You only have to look we haven’t gone all fey; we’re still “Marco is different. He’s a very, greed, war, poverty etc. I’m angry that start being nice is the time to give up.” belief. They want to rewrite the truth Rob’s rant comes in response to beaten a brutal path through the at the awful events in Bangladesh a rambunctious bunch. You won’t very funny man in a twisted way. we are being run down as a nation If you didn’t have this musical outlet to suit them. Well, guess what fellas? Nightshift’s opening gambit that the Oxford and London venue circuit. recently where the sweatshop building find us making any of that soppy Off the wall. Extremely generous because there is no investment in for your ire, do you reckon you’d Some of us are not so dumb that we song `News Corpse’ is `Lullabies For While the band retain a cult collapsed. All so that you pay £1.99 fucking Mumford and Sons bollocks. with his time and talents and he education, healthcare, infrastructure have gone on a murder spree by now? believe you!” Dogs’’s highlight and asking if it was following in London and fans in for a t-shirt and then throw it away? Jeeeez. What’s up with kids these has this ability to just turn a song and manufacturing. But we have ROB M: “What makes you think we a direct response to the complete lack high places, Oxford has never fully We’re all guilty. We do not question days? Settling for that shit. That’s not around with a suggestion or a riff. He money to blow people up.” haven’t?” Rob Moss, singer and of moral rectitude in areas of the press taken Headcount to its heart. Possibly the ethics of the supermarkets and the progress. I have no desire to listen to transformed `Red Mist’ on the first Rob Jeffrey: “We pretty much hate guitarist with Headcount is off. investigated by the Levenson Enquiry. because their particular style of rock – chain stores enough. Because we are music by people who seem to wear album and also `News Corpse’ and everything. Always have, always will. Headcount play the Port Mahon th By his own bandmates’ admission Seems it is. With bells on. some way between punk, metal, post- scrabbling around for the bargains and jumpers made out of pubic hairs. Stick `Black Dog’ on this album. His thing We just have more things to hate now on Saturday 29 June. `Lullabies the singer and guitarist with Oxford’s punk and full-on rock beastliness – has it’s well known that there is plenty them in vats of disinfectant!” is about simplicity I suppose. He as we’ve got older. Like Waldorf and For Dogs’ is out now on Malicious enduring punk-metal titans has an For local music fans ever fitted in with more popular scenes of money in the bottom end of the Rob J: “I think this album is more knows his stuff. I mean, look at his Statler, but there’s three of us. Damage. Visit headcount.bandcamp. opinion on everything and pulls no unfamiliar with the band, Headcount or genres. With `Lullabies…’ out now, markets. Exploiting the poor on both intense rather then heavier. A little pedigree. This man co-wrote `Stand Stef: “Mossy is miserable and angry. com or www.facebook.com/band. punches. His anger is as righteous as have been the monstrous musical sore let’s try and rectify that, people. levels. We could discuss this all day. bit angrier and darker, but in a more and Deliver’! Our version is better I just play drums.” headcount for news and tracks. Sponsored by CANDY SAYS `Favourite Flavour’ (Cool For Cats) As if timed perfectly for the arrival of summer, RELEASED Candy Says’ second single – the follow-up to the similarly summer-themed `Melt Into The HALF DECENT THE EPSTEIN Sun’ – buzzes bumble bee-like out of a west `This Is The Music’ `Murmurations’ coast hideaway where songs are made from cherry bubblegum and lemon bon bons, singers (Quickfix) (Zawinul) Julia Sophie and Eliza Zoot harmonising Having established his reputation with a Named after the collective noun for starlings, and setting up a euphoric nursery rhyme that succession of demos and mixtapes, a strong particularly, we like to think, those vast, borders on a devotional chant, even as we learn showing at last year’s Oxford Punt and his aerobatically choreographed displays you that “Love, it’s like an addiction / Love, it’s like choice cut on Death Of Hi-Fi’s `Anthropocene’ witness above Oxford’s skies in spring, The a stab in the heart”, sparse drums and handclaps album last year, Half Decent now puts in his Epstein’s long-awaited second album musically providing the rhythm while the organ undulates best work yet with this seven-track mini-album. captures that feeling of awe when faced with and swarms around them. It’s simple, repetitive more a childlike pester. Why yes, you can have The man born Chris Martin rarely lets up his nature’s most epic spectacles. SPRING OFFENSIVE and dangerously catchy, a wide-eyed kid sister an ice cream, since you asked so sweetly. stream of words here; even when the music is Just how long-awaited `Murmurations’ is is to The Shangri-La’s, less a nagging insistency, Dale Kattack languidly grooving through easy 70s jazz-soul reflected in the tracklisting, which features `Speak’ as on `How Would You Know’, his flow is six songs that have already been released on (Free download) steely and determined and just a little bolshy. previous EPs, going back over two years. That’s Another pocket-sized sliver of gossamer pop On numbers like `These Are The Days’ and over half the album. blossom from Spring Offensive, offered as a HUCK & THE XANDER BAND `Everything You Want’ he delivers it straight to fuse punky political bile, solid raps, soulful That’s a minor gripe though when you listen free download, the band still simultaneously and rapid-fire and after a while it can feel like chorus (this time courtesy of Grace Williams), through to the songs here. The Epstein believe recognisable as Spring Offensive but hard to `Alexander The Great: A Folk Operatta (Pt.1)’ pin down to any particular style. Like Gunning you’re being battered a bit by a barrage of loping reggae grooves and electro squelch into in big, broad brushstrokes, even their most (Own label) rhymes, while his slightly clipped accent is a rich blend that finely balances urgency and intimate, homespun moments awash with a For Tamar they’ve fully outgrown their similar to many home counties white rappers. languidness, a real rough diamond of a song. sense of cinematic grandeur. Album opener influences and similarly mix a slightly tricksy, A rock opera, in this day and age? Well of a teenage boy, Alex, moved to Texas by his But such criticisms matter little when you Closer `Broken Britain’ might conjure slightly `Morning News’ cruises on swirling keyboards highly rhythmic song structure with bright, Fucked Up did a pretty good job of it with fundamentalist father, who discovers every vice consider the pumping `Party Harder’, a club- overused images of urban decay and societal and fulsome drum salvos, while `Ring On Her optimistic melody, `Speak’ building subtly but `David Comes Alive’, so why not Huck, aka his father despises, not least the love of another friendly mix of trance, house and rap with failings but with its detached Streets-y delivery Finger’ – on the face of it a more wistful piece briskly from its coy, folksy beginnings to a Humphrey Astley, whose musical CV includes boy, Johnny, a half-Caddo Indian. The pair of its strong female backing vocal from Nadine over bleached-out panpipe backing, it captures – comes packed to its gills with banjo and horns steely multi-vocal chant over the prettiest of Sextodecimo, Tamara & The Martyrs and most them go on the run together – the point at which Fisher and a guest electronic drum showing a suitable feeling of ennui, while taking that lend it weight. `Calling Out Your Name’ guitar spangle that you feel could easily carry recently, The Epstein. this first third of the trilogy ends. from local trancer Leftouterjoin, that’s Half Decent’s always promising rapping and is almost symphonic in its reach, but it’s the on rising for another five minutes without `Alexander the Great…’ aims to tell the tale Thematically the story is inspired by the forcefully uplifting. Similarly the album’s production skills to another level. album’s centrepiece `I Held You Once’ that outstaying its welcome. stories of Arthur Rimbaud, Peter Pan and highlight, `Potential Threat’, which manages Dale Kattack really soars, from its lean homesick beginnings, Dale Kattack Huckleberry Finn. The four songs here, though, it rises to a glorious finale like an Atlantic are musically closer to Bob Dylan and The wave that build and builds, while Olly Wills’ Violent Femmes – Humphrey’s high-wired, and get away with it if you’ve got the musical emotional intensity never tips into histrionics. almost hysterical at times, voice, is close to the chops. Sometimes Lee does get away with it, The word euphoric barely does it justice. LAC Femmes’ Gordon Gano, as well as Clap Your as on the squelchy electro-funk of `Catwalk `Murmurations’ wouldn’t work though if it was `Borstal Boy EP’ Hands Say Yeah’s Alec Ounsworth, particularly (The Empire’s New Clothes)’, or `Sidestep’, simply all epic soundscaping. `Sophia Loren’ on the freewheeling opener `Alex’, the tone with its beefed-up electronics, like modern day is more reflective, all chiming steel guitar and (Warners) of the story still relatively carefree. Things r’n’b filtered through 90s industrial rock. The melancholic nostalgia, while `Hudson’ is a When he was fifteen years old Michael Davies become stretched, more tense, as Alex is drawn cheekily-titled `Nu-Life’ captures that period in slight, easy canter, only let down by being a found himself in Feltham Young Offenders into Johnny’s field of gravity and feelings of the late-80s when Gary Numan decided to try good two minutes too long. Institute, where he was encouraged to write. A guilt impinge upon him. and be Janet Jackson (and, erm, Prince), while At their best The Epstein have always balanced friend at Feltham with three weeks left to serve Where the story leads we’ll doubtless find out, `Deep & Low’ could be Barry White in Marilyn bleakness with warmth and a vivid, wide vision committed suicide when he discovered his but there are already echoes of Donna Tartt and Manson’s fishnet and leathers, turning the lewd- with intricacy and ornamental prettiness. While girlfriend had cheated on him. This debut single David Ford’s American gothic on show, and in o-meter up a couple of notches. so much of this album is already familiar, for from his band LAC (Law Abiding Citizens) tells their worlds things rarely end happily. Conversely, `So Many Things’ is too much fans and newcomers alike it is a fully-realised that boy’s story with heartfelt simplicity. It’s Dale Kattack of a clutter with no real funk about it, while document of what they have become over as much a plea to love someone for their faults `Treadmill (The Church Of Capitalism)’ takes the years, elegant, supremely accomplished as it is a story and Davies’ unadorned London a break from the sexy stuff for some sixth songwriters worthy of soundtracking the natural accent (he was born and raised in the capital form sloganeering over an old Depeche Mode wonders around them. before moving to Oxfordshire in 2001) reminds LEE CHRISTIAN backing track, and `My Rocket (Far Far Away Sue Foreman us of Billy Bragg’s earthy, lovelorn balladry as From Earth)’ is a tinny Prince pastiche that even well as Paul Weller’s more considered moments `A New Way’ a guest rap from Half Decent can’t rescue. (notably The Jam’s `Butterfly Collector’). You (Own label download) The album’s best cut is probably its opening get the feeling LAC could easily fill a Libertines- As singer with Smilex, as well as vocalist title track, an extended electro-heavy hip sized hole in the market for bruised, laddish pop on Phill Honey’s Boywithatoy project, Lee hop skitter that finds Lee singing “You’re so poetry, which is why Warners doubtless swooped Christian’s stock in trade has always been to sexual / Yeah, intellectual / You must be extra- to sign the band. exude a sense of sleaziness, something he seems terrestrial,” with what feels like only the merest Davies describes LAC as a punk band, and in no hurry to grow out of with this solo debut. hint of irony. you can see where he’s coming from on the From its S&M chic sleeve, through to Lee’s We probably wouldn’t want Lee to grow up EP’s other two songs, `When I’m Around’ and Prince-via-Marilyn Manson salacious hiss of a too much any time soon; his punk/funk/soul/ `Dead Generation’, both feisty, call-to-arms voice, `A New Way’ wants to do the dirty with rock superstar fantasy is what keeps him going. bar-room romps that follow a straight lineage the ladies, though whether said ladies will be Puncture that and it’s a freefall into acoustic from The Clash and The Jam down to the likes begging for it – to steal an old Smilex song title confessional self-immolation. His lustful of The Enemy. If the music industry don’t eat – or running for the nearest nunnery, is up for musical dream rolls on; there will be a girl out them up, there’s more than enough vim, vigour debate. there ready for this kind of seedy seduction. and everyman market town soul here to suggest Everyone from Prince himself to Har Mar Even if she is from outer space. LAC might just eat the world. Superstar has shown you can perv all you like Dale Kattack Ian Chesterton Crimson, and the return of improv giants Non- on Beard Museum Records. They’re joined by Stop Tango, featuring the cream of the Oxford elegantly wracked folk-pop types Salvation Bill, improv crew and mixing up jazz, electro, prog and spiky pop-punkers Dallas Don’t and Zulu folk more, with references to Henry Cow and This Heat crew Count Drachma. in the mix. MMX: The Jericho Tavern – Local newcomers BETA BLOCKER & THE BODY CLOCK + MMX head off on tour to promote their debut POLEDO + JEFF WODE: The Port Mahon – EP, `Child’, mixing brooding electronics with GIG GUIDE A night of splendid noise from the Tertium Quid polished, sultry pop, reminiscent of Coldplay or folks. Beta Blocker go lo-fi groove mining with Snow Patrol. th st TUESDAY 4 amps turned up to twelve, while recent Punt stars BEAR ON A BICYCLE BIRTHDAY BASH: th SATURDAY 1 Poledo kick out a fine old racket in the vein of The Cellar – Local music and art collective Bear Thursday 6 SENSE FAIL + MARMOZETS + THE SEARCHERS: St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road – Classics 60s hits from the Dinosaur Jr and Superchunk, and Callum from On A Bicycle celebrate their first birthday with HANDGUNS: O2 Academy – The return of Empty White Circles unleashes his noisy side with a night of associated bands. Epic Americana AFRIKA New Jersey’s emo and post-hardcore veterans, Merseybeat legends – see main preview MARVELLOUS MEDICINE: The Wheatsheaf his Withnail & I-referencing Jeff Wode band. and shimmering shoegaze from ToLiesel; stark, following on from last month’s appearance at THROWING UP: The Bullingdon – Raucous, melancholic acoustic pop from Jordan O’Shea, and BAMBAATAA: Slamdunk Festival and now on tour to promote JUNE – Student folk-reggae outfit. JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Free live jazz rough-hewn pop-punk in the vein of Veruca Salt atmospheric electronica from After The Thought. The Cellar new album `Renacer’. Great support from angular, stoner/doom/groove metal crew Moghul, power and Slumber Party from London’s hip three-piece. QUINTA: Modern Art Oxford – Experimental sheet-metal math-core crew Marmozets. metallers Iron Hearse and quirky hardcore types every Tuesday, tonight with The Heavy Dexters, Oxford has welcome a fair few musical playing funked-up contemporary jazz tunes from BREEZE: The Duke’s Cut – Lively party covers. contemporary classical performance from multi- legends to its venues over the years, and Afrika CARAVAN OF WHORES + MOGHUL Barry & The Beachcombers. FUNK IT: The Bullingdon – Club classics, funk instrumentalist Kath Mann at tonight’s OCM + IRON HEARSE + BARRY & THE PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM Gil Scott Heron to Herbie Hancock and Billy Bambaataa is up there with the best of them. Cobham. and r’n’b every Friday. show, Mann having played with Bat For Lashes, The man born Kevin Donovan in the Bronx BEACHCOMBERS: The Wheatsheaf – Buried DJs: O2 Academy – Weekly three-clubs-in DISCO MUTANTE: The Library – Cosmic Patrick Wolf and Phil Selway in recent times, in Smoke open their account for the month in one session with indie and electro tunes at OPEN MIC CLUB: James Street Tavern is a true hip hop Godhead, one of the great funk, disco and acid house session with special in her own right mixing piano compositions musical pioneers of the last 50 years. He was an monolithic style. Rampant stoner-core beasts Propaganda; kitsch pop, glam and 80s at Trashy, guests Salon Acapulco, from Mexico, bringing with myriad acoustic instruments that seen her Caravan of Whores warm up for their support to plus dancefloor faves from Jack FM DJs. WEDNESDAY 5th originator of breakbeat DJing and turntablism; their tropical disco beats to the party. compared to Seaming To and Steve Reich at. arguably invented the whole electro-funk genre; Naam, with support from Birmingham’s sludge/ EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar – Weekly WOLF ALICE: The Jericho Tavern – Great PROPAGANDA with THE VIEW + TRASHY electronic and bass-heavy club night. grunge-inflected electro-indie-pop from Ellie is credited with giving hip hop its name, and SATURDAY 8th + JACK FM DJs: O2 Academy – Dundee’s indie strived for many years to bring a semblance rd THE MIGHTY REDOX + LES Roswell and her band, touring their new single rockers The View play a club night set as part Monday 3 CLOCHARDS: James Street Tavern – Local `Bros’ and coming in somewhere between WE AERONAUTS + SALVATION BILL + of peace and unity to New York’s street gangs DALLAS DON’T + COUNT DRACHMA: of Propaganda tonight, the band plugging their through the power of hip hop and his Zulu swamp-blues and psych-funk faves Mighty Elastica, Mazzy Star and The xx. `Cheeky For A Reason’ album, five years after GHOSTPOET: Redox kick off another busy gigging month in the THE DIESEL SLEEP + DROPOUT: The O2 Academy – EP launch gig for local alt.folk Nation movement. He was an activist as much and jangle-pop sweeties We Aeronauts, their first hitting the Number 1 spot with debut album `Hats as a musician and DJ, campaigning against sweet, Francophile rock’n’roll company of Les Wheatsheaf – Moshka gig night with indie Off To The Buskers’, which spawned hit singles O2 Academy Clochards. newcomers The Diesel Sleep, plus brooding, release in two years, `Don Valley’, coming out apartheid as well as violence closer to home, A Coventry/London-based rapper-cum-singer- `Wasted Little DJs’ (NME’s track of the year in EVOLUTION: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Classic FM billowing eurogoth rockers Dropout. and the block parties he organised burgeoned cum-storyteller of Nigerian and Dominican 2007) and `Same Jeans’. rock hits from the 70s-90s. THE MOODY BLUES: The New Theatre – into the global music style we now take for descent, Obaro Ejimiwe is that rare thing: an th BREAKER 1-9: Fat Lil’s, Witney – 70s American LITTLE BLACK DRESS: The Bullingdon Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge Tuesday 4 granted. As a DJ Bambaataa is renowned for his artist who is nigh on impossible to pigeonhole. trucker hits, from Lynyrd Skynyrd to The Eagles. MORDECIA + KYSHERA + MAN MAKE continue their symphonic soft-rock odyssey. eclectic tastes. He’s the man who was fusing Championed by Mike Skinner early on, he THE MISSING PERSIANS: The Talbot Inn, FIRE + MINIMATA CONVULSION: The SUBVERSE: The Cellar – House, techno, garage THE SEARCHERS: funk and rap with the electronic music of Gary claims his chief inspiration was Badly Drawn Eynsham Cellar - Rock and metal night. and bass from the Subverse Radio crew. Numan and Kraftwerk before anyone else, and Boy; signed to Gilles Peterson’s Bownswood St John the Evangelist ACOUSTIC LOUNGE: Fat Lil’s, Witney his sets take in everything from hip hop, funk label, he has as much in common with John They might have been consigned to the cabaret th nd SUNDAY 9 and soul to rock, salsa and African dance, so Cooper Clarke and Gil Scott Heron as he has SUNDAY 2 circuit for most of the past few decades but you’ll get James Brown alongside remixes of th PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED + THE with Roots Manuva, and he was previously DIESEL KING + WAR WOLF + BERSICKER: THURSDAY 6 The Searchers remain one of the great pop WONDERSTUFF: O2 Academy – The Aretha Franklin and Fela Kuti, plus a whole tour support to Metronomy. A nice little mix The Wheatsheaf – Sludgy downtempo brutalism AFRIKA BAMBAATAA: The Cellar – Wooh, bands of the 60s, fellow Merseybeat scenesters imperiously Machiavellian Mr Lydon returns – see load more. Really, he is the man. of bases for the man not quite pinned down by from London’s Sabbath-inspired Diesel King at yeah. Hip hop legend with few equals mans the alongside The Beatles and Gerry & The main preview Pacemakers and a band with a catalogue of the description of him once as a cross between tonight’s Buried In Smoke show, the band having decks – see main preview MUD MORGANFIELD: The Bullingdon – The and cyberpunk club night. hit singles longer than Mr Tickle’s arm. From Tricky and Dirty Projectors. There’s a lightness previously supported Corrosion of Conformity THE DRIFTERS: The New Theatre – Doo-wop, Haven Club hosts Muddy Waters’ eldest son, Mud OPEN MIC CLUB: James Street Tavern and playfulness to his music that touches on and Karma To Burn as well as playing this year’s r’n’b and soul from the legendary vocal group, their origins as a skiffle band in Liverpool in Morganfield, now a highly respected bluesman in Bloodstock. the late-1950s, guitarist John McNally and co. jazz, but equally the mood of so many of his who have employed some 65 different members in his own right, with a voice similar to his legendary th songs is pensive and anxious, stories often BEARD OF DESTINY + PHIL FREIZINGER their 70-year history. followed neighbours The Beatles along the father and following a similar stylistic path into WEDNESDAY 12 NAAM + CARAVAN OF WHORES + recounted through a fug of morning-after & CHRIS HILL + DANNY KAYE + THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf – Hamburg club route before signing to PYE classic Chicago electric blues. His recent `Son EYES OF EVE: The Wheatsheaf – Buried In confusion and even paranoia. Tracks from his DANGEROUS DAVE + MAX: Donnington Free unplugged set in the Sheaf’s downstairs bar. and releasing a succession of hits, including Of A Seventh Son’ album saw him working with Smoke host Brooklyn’s psychedelic drone-core Mercury-nominated `Peanut Butter Blues & Community Centre (6pm) – Free acoustic live CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford `Sweets For My Sweet’ and a cover of Jackie Waters alumni Rich Kreler, while an appearance behemoths– see main preview Melancholy Jam’ album, like `Cash & Carry, music session. Community Centre – Oxford’s longest-running, De Shannon’s `Needles & Pins’, which broke on Later… is set to take him to a higher level. FREERANGE: The Cellar – Drum&bass, sound like they’re somnambulating through RED CEILIDH: The Bullingdon – Alternative and best, open mic club, showcasing singers, the band in the States. R&B hits like `Love MUTAGENOCIDE + ZAOS + VISION dubstep and hip hop club night with resident DJs. fog, while `Survive It’ was simply gorgeous folk dance. musicians, poets, storytellers and more every Potion No.9’ and `Father John’ followed, along FALL + I CRIED WOLF: The Wheatsheaf – GORDIE MACKEEMAN & HIS RHYTHM in its airy minimalism. Two years after that week. with more atmospheric songs like a cover of Mutagenocide return to gigging action, aiming BOYS: Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, introduction, Ghostpoet releases his follow-up rd OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon The Orlon’s `Don’t Throw Your Love Away’ to show why they’re one of the very best metal MONDAY 3 before their fortunes slowly faded, coinciding Uffington – High-energy bluegrass and folk from album, `Some Say I So I Say Light’, which GHOSTPOET: O2 Academy – Atmospheric, BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston bands in Oxford, fusing elements of thrash, tech- with a move towards a more folk-tinged sound, the Canadian fiddler and his band. is fun to try and say ten times really quickly, leftfield hip hop from the Coventry rapper and metal, doom and NWOBHM and coming on best heard on their take on `What Have They IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC LOCAL possibly while drifting through a narcotic haze singer – see main preview th like a seriously virulent cross between Pantera, FRIDAY 7 Done To The Rain?’. The Searchers stopped BANDS SHOWCASE: The Bullingdon of the sort his songs so often seem to exist in. EDDY BLUE & THE STORMS: The Jericho SKYLARKIN SOUND SYSTEM with LAID Meshuggah and Iron Maiden in the process. making new records in the late-80s but have Tavern – Funky rhythm’n’blues from the Texan BLAK: The Cellar – Count Skylarkin presents Hardcore thrash from Zaos and epic metal from never stopped touring, Mc Nally still helming th saxophonist and his band at tonight’s Famous his monthly reggae, dancehall, hip hop and Vision Fall in support. THURSDAY 13 the band, alongside Frank Allen, singer with Monday Blues show. drum&bass party, welcoming back Bristol’s seven- HIPSHAKIN’!: The Library – Monthly dose THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf the group since the 60s, and all the big hits, VIRGIL & THE ACCELERATORS: The strong party reggae collective Laid Blak for an of 50s and 60s rhythm’n’blues, rock’n’roll, jump CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford alongside plenty of lesser known nuggets from Bullingdon – Hard rocking, riff-heavy blues- intimate show. DJ Bunjy and MC Joe Peng from jive, jazz, boogaloo and early soul. Community Centre their career, should get an airing tonight. rock and classic rock’n’roll from the young band the band then join the Count on the decks for a OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon discovered by Otis Grand when Virgil was only night of fine party tunes. MONDAY 10th BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston 12 years old, and subsequently mentored by Joe KLUB KAKOFANNEY with EMPTY THE MICHAEL KATON BAND: The Jericho th Bonamassa as well as touring with Joanne Shaw- VESSELS + KOMRAD + NON-STOP TANGO: Tavern – Raw roadhouse blues-rock, boogie and FRIDAY 14 Taylor. Inspired by the likes of Led Zep, ZZ Top The Wheatsheaf – Suitably eclectic and wayward r’n’b from the Michigan singer and guitarist, THE ORIGINAL RABBIT FOOT SPASM and Alvin Lee, theirs is a frenetic but cleverly mixed bill at this month’s Klub Kak, with ballsy, renowned for his epic, sometimes five-hour sets. BAND + VIENNA DITTO: The Jericho Tavern textured take on classic sounds. bluesy proto-metallers Empty Vessels kicking – Party time with no prisoners taken as the suited FAIRPORT ACOUSTIC CONVENTION: The it out big and loud in the style of Led Zep, th and booted hot jazz warriors hit the stage again Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot – Unplugged Hendrix and Blue Cheer, with support from prog- TUESDAY 11 to recreate the sounds and spirit of a 1930s New JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Free live jazz set from the local folk-rock royalty as they build core hellbastards Komrad, bringing the noise Orleans speakeasy. Drink and be merry. Great from The New Jazz Collective. up to their annual Cropredy Festival. somewhere twixt Dillinger Escape Plan and King support from retro-futurist electro-rockabilly INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial ebm THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Red Lion, James Street Tavern – Folk rocking in the style show, together playing a selection of Queen IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC LOCAL Eynsham of The Oysterband and Mark Knopfler from numbers and covers some of the pair’s BANDS SHOWCASE: The Bullingdon IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC LOCAL Mundane Sands. favourite songs, all in aid of the Born Free OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon BANDS SHOWCASE: The Bullingdon SYNTHESIS: The Bullingdon foundation. BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston KRISSY MATTHEWS BAND: Fat Lil’s, Witney VOODOO VOODOO: The Library – 50s SUNDAY 16th TUESDAY 18th and 60s vinyl trash, surf, rock’n’roll, mambo th and garage session. SATURDAY 15 OTIS FISCHER + MOON RABBIT + MARK THE INDELICATES + THE SPRING OFFENSIVE + PETE & KERRY + ATHERTON + CHARMS AGAINST THE MECHANISMS: The Cellar – Weimer-era PIXEL FIX + ADAM BARNES + SALVATION EVIL EYE + FIREGAZERS: The Wheatsheaf cabaret, scathing electro-pop, steam punk FRIDAY 21st BILL + THE RUBY KID + STORNOWAY DJs: (2.30pm) – Free afternoon of unplugged musical pirates and general theatricality as Sussex’s THE BIG TEN INCH with THE Sunday 9th St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road (6pm) – The fun courtesy of the Klub Kakofanney crew and Brecht & Weill-inspired songsmiths The SEVERED LIMB: The Cellar – South first of two special Beard Museum-hosted shows chums. Indelicates go head to head with Oxford’s London’s rock’n’roll, ska, Cajun, cumbia, PUBLIC IMAGE Ltd: this month. Spring Offensive launch their new “immortal space pirates” for a night out rockabilly and gypsy dance mash-up crew single, `Speak’, in the suitably rarefied environs MONDAY 17th on the rings of Saturn, or the high seas, return to Count Skylarkin’s jump blues O2 Academy of St John the Evangelist, always keen to provide CHERRY LEE MEWIS: The Jericho Tavern whichever takes their fancy. club night, evoking the sounds and spirit of PiL’s gig here three years ago was nothing a spectacle in their rare hometown shows. The - Wales’ rising blues singer Mewis returns to the ARTFUL: The Cellar – Mark Hill, Lonnie Donegan’s skiffle, 1920s jug bands short of a revelation. John Lydon’s well-earned supporting cast features Tape Club Records’ Pete Famous Monday Blues after her show there late formerly one half of r’n’b and garage and The Clash. THE OXFORD RECORD reputation as a lifelong contrarian meant & Kerry; rich, textural electronica and mathsy pop last year, playing a style of blues akin to a young production crew Artful Dodger, returns in his ULRICH SCHNAUSS: The Bullingdon – anything could have happened, but in the end from Pixel Fix; soulful Americana from Adam Bonnie Raitt, with a powerful old-time blues voice solo guise for a night of garage and 2 step. Blissed-out electronic shoegaze and Musik DVD & CD FAIR the show was a two-hour tour de force with Barnes; intimately melancholic pop from Salvation that sees her doing justice to songs by the likes of JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Free live Kosmiche from the Berlin soundscapist. Lydon an imperious ringmaster as he and his Bill and poetry and spoken word from London’s jazz with The Hugh Turner Band. TOM HINGLEY + MARK COPE + St ALDATES PARISH CENTRE Koko Taylor, Blind Willie McTell and Memphis 40 Pembroke St, St Aldates, OX1 1BP recently resurrected band, including former The Ruby Kid. Additionally Stornoway will be Minnie alongside her own material, while her OPEN MIC CLUB: James Street Tavern REEDS + MAPS: The Wheatsheaf – Pop Group member Bruce Smith, ran through manning the decks and there’ll be an early evening classic sound is mixed with hillbilly boogie, 50s Heartfelt blues from the former Inspiral Saturday 20th July every great moment PiL have created since they barbeque as music takes place over two stages, one skiffle, jazz and soul. WEDNESDAY 19th Carpets singer, plus through-a-glass-darkly inside, the other in the church grounds. acoustic pop from Mark Cope. 10am-4pm emerged from the ashes of The Sex Pistols. The BRIAN MAY & KERRY ELLIS: St John the HAYSEED DIXIE: O2 Academy – By HUGH LAURIE: The New Theatre – House is POLLY & THE BILLETS DOUX: Pistols might have kicked down the statues, Evangelist, Iffley Road – Queen guitarist, wildlife rights a novelty act whose appeal should Rock/pop/jazz/soul/reggae/indie/all other genres back in the house! Hugh returns to Oxford after The Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot – but with PiL, Lydon’s musical legacy reached campaigner and all-round good egg Brian May have waned years ago. Why it hasn’t is his showing at Cornbury Festival last year to Winchester’s twee, smooth-edged country- Accessories/memoriabillia/books. further and into more interesting corners. As teams up with actress and singer Kerry Ellis – who because not only is that novelty as enduring promote new album `Didn’t It Rain’, the follow- folk and jazz outfit Polly & co. return. Brand new and back catalogue/Rare Vinyl Simon Reynolds argues in his superb book Rip was part of the cast of the Queen musical We Will as the music it borrows from, but the band’s up to his acclaimed `Let Them Talk’, featuring FUNK IT: The Bullingdon www.usrfairs.co.uk It Up And Start Again, PiL’s debut album was Rock You – for an intimate candlelit acoustic talent and inventiveness means they’ve interpretations of classic 1930s New Orleans jazz the real year zero for rock music, taking the never rested on any laurels and always standards, and which revealed Laurie as both a nd revolutionary spirit of punk and drawing in th sought new challenges. The novelty as much SATURDAY 22 talented singer and pianist and genuine aficionado disparate strands, from dub to funk to electronic Wednesday 12 as it is a novelty, is the band’s bluegrass UPSTAIRS with AHAB + EMPTY of classic jazz. His new album is a trip into the music and inventing a whole swathe of new take on heavy rock. Originally formed as WHITE CIRCLES + CO-PILGRIM blues, and features a cover of Kansas Joe McCoy’s musical genres. Abetted by some of the most NAAM / CARAVAN a country-folk tribute to AC/DC, tackling + THE AUGUST LIST + JOSHUA `Weedsmoker’s Dream’, as well as takes on WC innovative musicians of the modern age – everyone from Kiss and Queen to Motӧrhead GILBERT: O2 Academy – Country rocking Hardy, Jelly Roll Morton, Dr John and Alan Price. OF WHORES: bassist Jah Wobble, guitarists Keith Levene and and, with delicious irony, Spinal Tap. And and old time American folk from London’s TRIGGER EFFECT + KOMRAD + BEAR John McGeoch, and drummer Martin Atkins while they subsequently stayed the same, Ahab atop tonight’s Upstairs showcase bill. TRAP + AGNESS PIKE: The Wheatsheaf – The Wheatsheaf – Lydon took PiL to places previously unvisited they moved on. They didn’t just play covers, Local supporting cast features rustic folk-pop Rampaging garage-metal and punk in the vein Signed to Tee Pee Records, home to The by a rock band, arguably inventing post-rock as 2008’s `No Covers’ proved; their own chaps Empty White Circles, Black Nielsen/ of The Bronx, Refused and Black Flag from Warlocks and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, along the way. From 1978 to their unofficial bluegrass compositions rank alongside the Dreaming Spires collaboration Co-Pilgrim Montreal’s Trigger Effect, on tour to promote new you can probably start to guess what you’re split in 1992 PiL’s output was inconsistent best contemporary acts of the genre. More and garage porch-song couple The August album, `What’s Left To Eliminate?’. Heavyweight going to get from Brooklyn’s Naam. But take to say the least but the best of it – 1979’s recently they recorded an entire album of List. prog-math-core from Komrad in support, along those expectations, double them, slow them inspirational `Metalbox’ and the more abstract, Norwegian songs in Norwegian, as well X-1 + TENTH LISTEN + STRENGTH with grizzly grunge-punk outfit Bear Trap and down to almost tectonic speed and ramp electronic `Flowers Of Romance’ in particular as covering Rammstein’s `Mein Teil’. The OF THE BEAR: The Wheatsheaf – oddball thrash crew Agness Pike. the volume up til the dial falls off. Theirs is – stand alongside the finest, most challenging band’s latest album, `Nicotine & Alcohol’ Scuzzy, supercharged hardcore from X-1, IRREGULAR FOLK with THE RALFE BAND a very ‘eavy form of modern psychedelia. music ever made. This time round, we go along is another ode to booze, with covers and plus gruff, growly grunge-core noise from + BEN WALKER + COUNT DRACHMA: The Here’s where Black Sabbath take a trip down expecting greatness. On that previous evidence, originals sung in English, German and Tenth Listen. Perch, Binsey – Oly Ralfe’s quirky folk-pop band krautrock’s autobahn with Spiritualized, we shall not be disappointed. Spanish. Sometimes funny, sometimes silly, THIN LIZZY EXPERIENCE: Fat Lil’s, play Irregular Folk’s Bedouin tent, fresh from expansive opuses built on single riffs making for deep, dark trips into the earth’s core. Or into but always seriously good. Witney – Tribute band. soul duo Vienna Ditto, mixing up influences as supporting I Am Kloot on tour and set to release a outer space. Or that corner of your brain that CALLIGRAHPY PRESENTS: The PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM dark and disparate as Suicide, Nina Simone and new single, `Come On Go Wild’. Support comes wanders into the dark to contemplate its own Cellar – Drum&bass, garage, jungle and DJs: O2 Academy Portishead into a decidedly holy brew. from Candy Says’ keyboard wizard Ben Walker insecurities. Drugs may have been involved in dubstep club night with Swings and Spangle, HOUSE & TECHNO CLUB NIGHT: The BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Dancefloor and Rob and Ollie Steadman’s Zulu pop project the making of this music. Beards most certainly Kinjanunt and Danny Wav. Bullingdon www.famousmondayblues.co.uk Latin, afrobeat, Balkan beats, global grooves and Count Drachma. were. Having made their name touring with the SPARKY’S SPOTLIGHT CLUB: The nu-jazz at the monthly club night, tonight featuring HOT HOOVES + LES CLOCHARDS + THE likes of Orange Goblin, Nebula and Atomic James Street Tavern – Open mic and jam rd a live set from London’s Latin-infused nine-piece OTHER DRAMAS + WILL PHIPPS: The SUNDAY 23 THE JERICHO TAVERN Hollybush, Osney – With Wittstock only just Bitchwax, and releasing spiralling acid rock night. band, with their roots in Cuban timba and salsa, BETA BLOCKER & THE BODY 56 Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AE packed away for another year, the build-up to next beasts like `The Ballad Of The Starchild’, OPEN MIC SESSION: Fat Lil’s, Witney and Caribbean dance rhythms and cumbia. CLOCK + YRRS + RADSTEWART: The (next to Phoenix Picturehouse) year’s event begins. Punky power-poppers Hot Naam now release their second full album TUBULAR BELLS FOR TWO: The New White Rabbit – Launching a new live music Jericho Tavern tel: 01865 31775. Promoter tel: 01865 557849 Hooves keep it rocking in the style of Husker Du, and head off on an extensive European trip. th Theatre – Two-man Aussie pocket orchestra take THURSDAY 20 club night, Forever Twitching, dedicated to Guided By Voices and early Teenage Fanclub, With the emphasis on the word trip. And who on the work of thirty as they reinterpret Mike LEWIS WATSON + FRANK lo-fi noise-pop, art-rock, punk and dance while Les Clochards bring a Parisian café vibe to better to join them on this particular stop-off rd Oldfield’s 1973 classic. HAMILTON: O2 Academy – Hometown music, tonight with frenetic noisemongers June 3 EDDIE BLUE & THE STORMS (USA/UK) classic rock’n’roll in the vein of Roy Orbison. on the journey than Oxford’s own monsters of OVADA WAREHOUSE CONCERTS: OVADA, headline show for the local boy made good, Beta Blocker. th MAQAM & CIGDEM ASLON: The Cellar – monolithic stoners rock, Caravan Of Whores? June 10 MICHAEL KATON BAND (USA) Osney Lane – First of two nights of live music coming off the back of an Australian tour. BLAZIN FIDDLES: The Cornerstone Local Mediterranean flavoured folksters Maqam As we say, it will be heavy. th at the Ovada Warehouse, including, over the two From posting covers of Tracy Chapman, Arts Centre, Didcot – First of three shows June 17 CHERRY LEE MEWIS BAND (UK) team up with singer Aslon for a night of Greek, Bombay Bicycle Club and Ben Howard on at the Cornerstone from the Scottish folk shows, sets from acoustic drum and piano duo Turkish and Egyptian folk, pop and classical tunes. June 24th GWYN ASHTON TRIO (Australia) Bambino dell’Oro, melding elements of prog, Youtube, he’s signed to Warners and released fiddle collective, including an afternoon OVADA WAREHOUSE CONCERTS: OVADA, two EPs of original material, drawing on special needs show. jazz, electronica, groove-rock and minimalism; Osney Lane st Zulu Muskandi music band Count Drachma; ex- the emotive singer-songwriter styles of Ed July 1 BAYOU BROTHERS (USA) EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar Sheeran, David Gray and Damien Rice. th Out Of The Blue combo Jack & The Arrows with NO READING ALONE with CHRIS TT: St MONDAY 24 July 8th GRAINNE DUFFY (Eire) their harmony singing and folk songs, and Dead NYCTOPHOBIA’S TRUE SOUND: O2 Michael @ the Northgate THE DAVID RAPHAEL BAND: The th Rat Orchestra, led by Pitts Rivers composer in Academy – Dubstep, drum&bass, glitch- Bullingdon – Rocking blues and r’n’b from July 15 BILL KIRCHEN & TOO MUCH FUN ROMANCE IS BORING: Baby Simple – Indie, hop and house with Nyctophobia and guests residence Nathaniel Mann, with an idiosyncratic electro and Motown club night. the singer and harpist at the Haven Club. (USA) Zophyte, Leech and Kosepia. approach to music making. WAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Ska punk classics. THE GWYN ASHTON TRIO: The CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford STUDENT & LOYALTY CARD DISCOUNTS APPLY FUNK IT: The Bullingdon MUNDANE SANDS + SLIDE’N’BLUES: Jericho Tavern – Rocking blues, with a Community Centre raw, garage-rock edge and hints of 60s and 70s genre-spanning thrash-doom-tech metallers psychedelia from the Australian blues guitarist Mutagenocide and more. and singer, channelling the sounds of Hendrix and GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with GO Jimmy Page through The White Stripes and into ON, DO IT, JUMP + THE RACKET + RED rootsy Delta blues. PANDA: The Wheatsheaf – Solid rocking in the vein of Biffy Clyro or Jimmy Eatworld from TUESDAY 25th Go On, Do It, Jump at tonight’s GTI, alongside JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Live jazz with Swindon’s indie rockers The Racket, and dubby The New Jazz Collective. improvised instrumentals from Red Panda. OPEN MIC CLUB: James Street Tavern HEADCOUNT: The Port Mahon – The local punk-metal behemoths launch their new album, `Lullabies For Dogs’ – see main interview feature th Wednesday 26th WEDNESDAY 26 OCM OPEN YOUTH: The Pegasus Theatre GRETCHEN PETERS: St John the Evangelist, PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM DJs: GRETCHEN PETERS: Iffley Road – Poetic, political song from New O2 Academy York’s country-folk cult heroine – see main preview RICK CHASE: The Old Crown, Faringdon – St John the Evangelist FREERANGE: The Cellar Classic rocking from the veteran local singer and After her last appearance in Oxford, as part of OXFORD ACOUSTIC CLUB: The Bullingdon former frontman of Graffiti and Alibi. the Wine, Women and Song revue alongside EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar Matraca Berg and Suzy Boggus at the th DNA: The Bullingdon – With Serial Killaz. Jacqueline du Pre Building, New York country THURSDAY 27 THE EPSTEIN + THE DREAMING SPIRES songstress Gretchen Peters is back at the + JORDAN O’SHEA: St Albans Church, th equally exotic St John the Evangelist church, SUNDAY 30 Charles Street – Epic country rocking from over in the UK to tour her new album `Hello The Epstein, tonight launching their new Cruel World’. The title of the album sums Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion in album, `Murmurations’, with support from local th up Peters’ melancholic approach, influenced the gig guide is 6pm on the 20 of each month - no Americana and country-folk faves Dreaming by a friend’s suicide, her son’s coming out exceptions. Call 01865 372255 (10am-6pm), or email Spires and melancholic balladeer Jordan O’Shea. as transgender and the ecological calamities listings to [email protected]. Gig listings MK1: O2 Academy – Pop-friendly mix of increasingly affecting her home state. Most of are copyright of Nightshift and may not be repro- dubstep, rap, r’n’b and jazz from the X-Factor duced without permission. all though, Peters, now in her mid-50s seems duo. to be facing up to her own mortality and the CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford futility of worrying about it. So while there’s th Community Centre Thursday 27 downbeat reflection aplenty, there’s also OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon hope, everything delivered in her trademark BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston DEERHOOF: conversational style, lean, poetic, elegant and articulate. Having written hits for the th The Cellar likes of Neil Diamond, Etta James, Faith Hill FRIDAY 28 Obstinately odd and unstintingly brilliant, and Bryan Adams, Peters is best known for OCM OPEN: The Pegasus Theatre – Oxford San Francisco’s Deerhoof have been making her song `Independence Day’, winner of the Contemporary Music’s annual Open showcase strange, jagged avant-pop noises for almost American Country Music Association’s Song of local music talent provides its characteristic two decades now, formed in 1994 by virtuoso Of The Year in 1995, and a song repeatedly mix of new and inventive sounds. Banbury’s drummer Greg Saunier and former bassist misappropriated by rightwing singers and talk rising teenage rapper Jack Bushrod and electronic Rob Fisk, but most notable for crazy Japanese show hosts back in the States. Still, it all earns dreampop outfit Kid Kin are the newer names vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki’s Anglo-Japanese her a dollar, which means she can continue on the bill, while there’s taut, wiry alt.rock from yapping singing style, part coy French ingenue, to write and tour, for which fans of quality Kill Murray; experimental electronics and drones part unhinged Teletubby, whose singsong country music should be most grateful. from Lee Riley, whose previous alter egos have phonetic mewl is as close as the band get to a included Vileswarm and Euhedral, and cutesy anti- concession to pop music as their savage blur folk in the vein of Mouldy Peaches of sonic fur and feathers kicks and scratches and Jeffrey Lewis from singer Angela against the imagined walls of the music rule Space in her Rainbow Reservoir guise. book. Pitched somewhere to the left of Sonic Tomorrow night sees the OCM Youth Youth’s more escapist pieces and arty 80s Open showcasing underage music indie popstrels Young Marble Giants, there’s talents. plenty of room for freeform jazz and some IRREGULAR FOLK: The Perch, stuff that no one’s made up a name for yet, Binsey – The lovely, inventive the only real constant in their career being Irregular Folk people present an a predilection for unpredictability. That and evening of poetry in the grand, an almost pathologically prolific output that picturesque setting of a Bedouin tent includes twelve full albums (the latest of in the garden at the Perch. Oli Thomas which, Breakup Song’ came out last year) and from Salvation Bill and Trophy myriad singles and collaborations (ranging Wife’s Kit Monteith are among those from Yoko Ono to Konono No.1 to Wilco’s Jeff performing. Tweedy). In short, they’re both very sweet and SWEET WILLIAM + THE very strange and this rare visit to town – their DEPUTEES: The Wheatsheaf first since 2005 – as part of Blessing Force’s BLAZIN FIDDLES: The Zenshit club night, is not to be missed. Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot THE PETE FRYER BAND: Woodstock Social Club FUNK IT: The Bullingdon

SATURDAY 29th DESERT STORM + MUTAGENOCIDE + VISIONFALL + DEMASK THYSELF: O2 Academy – Skeletor’s monthly metal extravaganza, with local stoner- rock titans Desert Storm alongside photos: Sam Shepherd; Giulia Biasibetti; Pier Corona; Terri Bonham The Goggenheim drinking to move on to the next venue, and swapping tips and tales with other punters dashing in the opposite denouement, direction, the Punt’s AFTER THE THOUGHT at White Rabbit, which seems to the work perfectly as the final venue of the night, acting as comedown ATT’s The Goggenheim. party after please too many people set won’t looking for something to dance to, as it perpetually threatens to burst crowd-pleaser into a four-to-the-floor without ever quite doing so. If that’s the set’s what you’re looking for, all about denied gratification, but once you get over any expectation of dancing the night away this is one of the real highlights of the night, washes of synth drone and treated guitar bringing to mind Fennesz, Martin Eden and Mountains, while maintaining a healthy personality of The slow-build, shoegaze- its own. inflected final track is an absolute most pleasing is and what’s cracker, it all sounds.how warm and organic and after a difficultLovely stuff, The it seems that bastard child infancy, Punt turned out just fine in the end. Art Lagun; David Murphy; Words: Stuart Fowkes; Simon Minter; Colin May; Mark Wilden.

THE GOGGENHEIM Death Of Hi-Fi Bear Trap Bear missive from a band who we’d enthusiastically described as a racket. POLEDO would have no problems They wearwith such a description. their lo-fi, barely-in-tune fun-grabbing, sherbert dip-frothing racket as a badge of pride, but always leave room for just enough of a melodic edge to remind something special going on you there’s beneath all that… racket. Like a hideous breeding experiment The Peking between Stump and Orchestra, bring some much-needed theatricality to the climax of the Punt. Everything about the band should be grating, from the un-jazz skronk of the sax to striped At C&A the repulsive Man vests, to the shrill declamatory dada vocals, and yet, against all logic, their While songs are glorious pop nuggets. the band nail the wayward blowouts of improvisers Bolide to trashy backbeats and Beefheartian trellises, matriarchal diva Grace Exley wails and coos barely coherent mantras. an otherworldliness about There’s The Goggenheim, as well as a love of the cheap and brash, the sort of thing two-dimensional sci-fi monsters might listen to on their night off. And so we reach, by way of much frantic rushing across town, speed

Duchess Phil McMinn Listing Ships Listing else tonight. We feel a little sorry for We else tonight. them but they seem to revel in their ability to alienate so many people, and their full-on death metal attack cares not a jot for you or your insipid tastes. whims It cares only for the Devil’s bloody fresh and the taste of raw, meat. Preferably yours. SLICKS are THE GRACEFUL unusual because they love the sound seem too of electric guitars, but don’t troubled about playing technique. Perhaps this marks them out as a late- 60s style act far more than any oil wheel projections and hippy lyrics; they seem to inhabit a time when amplifier buzz had been embraced, dubious but long before Clapton’s deity had been written on the walls. HI-FI seem perfectly OF DEATH suited to the Cellar and quickly prove they can be as exciting live as they are Their beats may lack block on record. rocking power but with the film clips and audio samples from their beloved sci-fi movies they weave all the disparate elements together perfectly. Oxford hip hop has always struggled to find its true voice but this may be as raucous Timely close as it has come. contributions from MCs N-Zyme, CJ and Chucky further make the set a triumph. Nightshift once got a rather angry Agness Pike Limbo Kids is odd as when he speaks he betrays his west Oxfordshire home. Normally crime, this might be an unforgivable voice is just so damn good, Ags’ but unhurriedly lolloping along the melodies like a cowpoke taking an easy stroll back from church on a that all is forgiven. glorious day, his music doesn’t Trap, Like Bear looking break new ground, but if it’s to break a few hearts, it might just succeed. heartening always to see While it’s venues packed for new local bands, it does make it hard to actually see the likes of THE AUGUST LIST at Cut. Next year we’ll bring the Duke’s music The couple’s a stepladder. Ags’ is a sweet, smiley balance to lachrymose laments, with unhurried porch-song melodies drifting in from some mythical Deep South farmstead. an unforced connection There’s voices that you between the duo’s only get if the singers are brother or husband and wife. Or and sister, judging by their musical reference points, both. no problem at all seeing what There’s EMPIRE DIVIDED are all about, since they seem to have scared pretty much everyone in the vicinity away. Given the busy crowds for everyone

Candy Says tank-top, impeccably neat moustache, so dense and glasses and a wig that’s on being a busby. verging it’s large is part Anchorman The overall effect part 70s golfer and part character, Spear at the With old-school porn star. helm, delivering his vocals with mock gravitas and dispensing etiquette tips for ladies in between songs, what would be no-nonsense hard rock is the exact opposite – superbly entertaining performance art. OTT new venue on the Punt This year’s White Rabbit, a new circuit is the lease of life for the Gloucester aid Arms. Its physical set-up doesn’t watching bands, particularly when it’s as busy as this. Hard to see LIMBO KIDS then without getting a crick in your neck, which is a shame given their debut gig, and given their it’s Alphabet Backwards, Ute pedigree – look and Minor Coles – they needn’t as nervous as they do. Live the glacial fragments of late-80s chart hits they arrange into delicate towers of song on record threaten to topple like so much icy pop jenga. American, AGS look Trap If Bear half sound it. doesn’t CONNOLLY Not only is his music pure old-school his one-man melancholic country, voice is pure Midwest drawl, which

The August The August List are playing up a storm to a packed an odd mix of a fairly house. It’s typically Oxford poppy post-hardcore sort of thing with an unexpectedly Anansie soulful vocal. Skunk unwarranted, comparisons aren’t share their don’t Traps though simmering rage or their power – not not easy to judge yet, at least. But it’s when the place is so busy that the clearest view you can get of the band is from the bridge outside, even if that back. view is mostly of the drummer’s Rock too up at the Sheaf with BEAR TRAP, a band almost scientifically designed to work well in venues such as these, providing funk rock and 90s skate-punk as viewed through the blades of a broken blender: heavy, daft, enjoyable, well put together and clearly making a connection with a be lying We’d nicely packed room. if we told you their greasy thrashed chords and raw snarls were the sound but we’d also be lying if we of new, sup back that cheap said we didn’t lager at double speed, with a dumbass grin on our silly faces. AGNESS PIKE would be just another metal band – albeit a satisfyingly crunchy one – were it not Tonight for frontman Martin Spear. left the handbag at home and he’s instead plumped for a lilac Pringle

few riffs half-inched from Kyuss, half-inched few riffs stoner- they’re a rural Oxfordshire The bass sound is rock behemoth. not aso enveloping that it matters is Muff Big jot whether the bassist’s and when it drops out for on or off, almosta guitar break, the audience real star of the show, The falls over. though, is the headband-sporting all who splashes singing drummer, havingover the kit while apparently the most fun anyone has ever had in this venue. More sedate pleasures, initially at Cut with least, down at the Duke’s pastoral folk with RAGDOLL’s it sleepy-eyed songs and touches rock and even jazz at of country, times. Rachel Ruscombe-King’s sundrenched voice belies the wintry nature of many of their songs, while sends us back up the road `Dandelion’ with summer of love stars in our eyes. It would be easy to dismiss DUCHESS as the inevitable Vampire consequence of exposure to Africa, and gap years in Weekend for the fact the band if it wasn’t The trio of are so damned good. percussionists lend a delightful Afro- complexity and playfulness to poppy ditties like `Fruit Machine Laser Beam’, its narrative about a bird escaping entrapment in an old church suiting the loose, liberating nature of the music. Duchess might not be local pop royalty yet but on this evidence, and with some more experience, it’s only a matter of time. a strong afro-pop vibe about There’s acts, not least a few of tonight’s FEVER, whose Soweto YELLOW jive-cum-indie disco similarly draws Weekend comparisons to Vampire something of and Foals, but there’s Heads about them too, Talking the the way they’ve come and seriously, on since we last caught them live is little short of astonishing. No wonder Wheatsheaf promoter Joal Shearing, a man who know a few things about talent when he hears it, rates them as soon, Very his favourite band in town. so will you. NAIROBI too, whose mathrobeat is driven along by continuously thunderous drums punctuated by and equally short, stabbing guitar riffs stabbing vocal interjections; heavier- Fever or Duchess, Yellow handed than they seem more cut out for this festival stages than a city summer’s centre dive bar. Cut, TRAPS Back down at Duke’s

LIVE `Holy Mountain’-era Sleep, via a contain their power. Coming on like contain their power. or the string and sellotape PA can or the string and sellotape PA subterranean noisebox acoustics that neither the Purple Turtle’s Turtle’s that neither the Purple ’s sound is so enormous CORONA’s By stark contrast MOTHER situation not of their own making. only a fool would judge them for a but the talent is evident enough that their fresh, continental-flavoured pop, problems, which do little justice to suffer somewhat from the Turtle’s PA PA Turtle’s somewhat from the suffer a few years back. Truth be told they Truth a few years back. that tore a whole in the sky at the Punt bears little resemblance to the band tonight’s (for them) stripped-down set tonight’s . It has mellowed them and SAYS CANDY of Little Fish, now helming CANDY for Julia Sophie and Ben Walker, once Walker, for Julia Sophie and Ben Talking of parenthood, it hasn’t done of parenthood, it hasn’t Talking Tortoise and Explosions in the Sky. Tortoise we can hear ESG in there, along with and New York punk-funk: seriously, punk-funk: seriously, York and New basslines exude the aromas of dub reveal new squelchy qualities and a krautrock goosestep. Keyboard parts cheeky sashay to what was previously compositions enough space to add a a revelation as a trio, giving the departed guitarist but the band is together). No offence to the recently together). No offence than drink, drugs and gate reverb put has probably killed off more bands has probably killed off lost a member to parenthood (which piece for the first time, having just SHIPS take to the stage as a three- next door in the Cellar, as LISTING next door in the Cellar, More veterans stripping things down magical, intimate moment. `Lavender Hill’ purely acoustic, it’s a purely acoustic, it’s `Lavender Hill’ turns his mic away to sing and play him to earth and when he simply but the technical problems can’t pin but the technical problems can’t augmented by simple violin melodies, resting on looped guitar lines, tonight see his outstanding ruby port vocals heartfelt songs, which increasingly is a little too real for his spectral, kicks things off. Maybe the setting kicks things off. Girl and Winchell Riots, gamely Winchell Girl and having played previously in Fell City be one of the Punt’s elder statesmen be one of the Punt’s MCMINN, who can now lay claim to PHIL of. PHIL Things get fixed. Sort around awkwardly. Curses are uttered. around awkwardly. together. Bands and punters stand Bands and punters together. Serjeant gallantly tries to piece itSerjeant gallantly tries to on the floor while soundman Jameson the floor while soundman The Purple Turtle’s PA is in bits PA Turtle’s The Purple Richards. lovechild of Lemmy and Keithlovechild of Lemmy and year’s Oxford Punt is the bastard Oxford year’s of rock and roll then the start of thisof rock and roll then the If wrong is the spirit things going Various venues Various THE OXFORD PUNT THE OXFORD RUDIMENTAL THE SHAPES / SIMPLE MINDS LAURA J MARTIN / PHIL McMINN 02 Academy THE TROPHY CABINET The New Theatre / YOU ARE WOLF Any surprise tonight comes not in relatively intimate surroundings. Sometime around 1984 Simple Minds former camp is the peerless `I Travel’, this being a sellout but more the ‘Right Here’ is drum&bass but The Wheatsheaf fell off a musical cliff into a bog a strobing, pulsing stab of Moroder- The Cellar makeup of the audience, from the with their decidedly non-hardcore Ageism remains rife in the world of They’re equally carefree and of earnest, bloated rock hogwash, inspired new wave disco, and the The fairy lights and foliage that of his old band Winchell Riots’ youngsters moshing at the front to pop sensibility showing through, music, the last seemingly acceptable careworn, a little too well-mannered seemingly never to return. funked-up brilliance of `New Gold adorn the Cellar’s stage for grandeur. Whether he’s haunted by the 50 and 60-somethings grooving and even a guitar solo. ‘Spoons’ is form of discrimination. Of course, at times, particularly when faced But return they have. Last year’s Dream (81-82-83-84)’. In the latter tonight’s Irregular Folk night are the memory of fractured love on away at the back. And it soon pure deep house with big, soulful there’s plenty of evidence around with a busy, good-naturedly boozy `5x5’ tour saw Jim Kerr and Charlie are the stodgy, ponderous `Blood perfect for You Are Wolf, creating a `Wooden Bones’, or lost amid the becomes clear that Hackney’s new vocals from one of a number of why groups of more, ahem, mature crowd, but songs like `Rant’ and Burchill revisiting the songs that Diamonds’ and `This Is Your Land’, magical grotto for her mesmerising twinkle of distant stars on `Glasgow chart sensations are more than just guest vocalists. Further forays into musicians might be best avoided. `Gliding’ feel sweetly timeless, and defined their early post-punk sound, which the band themselves seem modern digital folk. With tonight’s Spaceflight’, each song seems to cry a drum&bass outfit, and the four house, broken beats and reggae Anyone who expresses a love for Eric given that every young hipster in and attention has increasingly turned disinterested in and which threaten to theme being a celebration of loops, out that we are all, essentially, alone. core members are definitely no are more evidence of influences Clapton for example, or anyone who town is currently ransacking charity back to those first five albums. This lose the audience. London-based Kerry Andrew But beautifully so. mere studio wizards. Eight people gathered along the way, including a even vaguely hints they may have shops for old Nik Kershaw and current Greatest Hits tour is a mix A smart move then to follow up makes the most inventive use of Laura J Martin is a far more bounce onstage to greet us, including diversion into Bob Marley’s ‘Sun Is been inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Level 42 albums, they’re a timely and match of such early gems and the immediately with `The American’, her box of tricks, looping miniature physical presence than tonight’s two singers, an MC and a trumpet Shining’. At one point four of them or anyone who distrusts synthesizers. reminder of less embarrassing later bombastic stadium fillers. sung as much by the capacity crowd swarms of vocal clicks, chirrups, other, more ethereal, performers. player. Everyone looks so happy, seem to spontaneously break into a But plenty of young bands have shit sounds from that era. Tonight’s production seems set up as by Kerr himself, and the scouring, purrs, whistle, tuts and even the All skinny limbs and sharp elbows, confident and relaxed that it’s hard synchronized little dance, making us taste and play it too safe, so best The Shapes similarly have history for those stadiums still – a vast light militant `Love Song’, reminders both odd dog bark, which flutter and fizz she performs odd hand gestures, to believe that barely two years wonder if they’re well-rehearsed or never to judge a band by the grey in going back many decades, and show; Mel Gaynor’s expansive drum of Simple Minds’ prescient mix of around her gorgeously pure voice bordering on mime at times, and have passed since the debut single, just totally in tune with each other. their hair or the lines on their brows. feature local blues-rock legend kit, as big as a small town, and Kerr’s Roxy Music glam, steely punk and like musical fireflies. Opening with comes across as a distinctively ‘Deep In The Valley’, was released Either way this it’s a great example of Maybe they’ve just rocked a bit Tony Jezzard on keys, while singer masterful command of stage and sleek synth-pop back in the day. a cover of Dolly Parton’s `Little idiosyncratic character. Which, as to universal disinterest. Five singles, how London has retained its position harder than the rest of us. Tony Kelly was in 80s mod rockers audience, which sees him shimmying `Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ still Sparrow’, she renders the idea of much as her striking voice, is what including two number ones, were at the head of musical innovation. We mention this because tonight’s The Flex. Their soft-centred mix of and shuffling across the boards with sounds like the quintessential 80s a capella redundant. A self-penned reminds us immediately of Kate followed by debut album ‘Home’, The hits are predictably Gappy Tooth Industries gig features blues, country and old-school pub a litheness and energy that defy his pop anthem; a cover of Kraftwerk’s Catalonia-inspired poem becomes Bush. Switching between flute, which hit the shops barely twenty- triumphant. Ella Eyre provides two bands whose members lean rocking should be a turn off, but 53 years. `Neon Lights’ – sung by Brown while a warm afternoon cacophony of piano and singing, there’s something four hours before tonight’s show. faultless vocals all night and towards the experienced side of been- songs like `Baby, You’re Strange’ Opening with recent single `Broken Kerr is offstage – is an unexpected street sounds with her poem its of the burlesque about her restless The LP sounds every inch a debut, reprises her recorded take on the around-a-while. have an easy charm with hints of 60s Glass Park’, Simple Minds remain joy, while `Promised You A Miracle’ melancholic heart. Most of her set set which shifts musical moods at accomplished but not too polished, furious and rousing ‘Waiting All The Trophy Cabinet originally folk-pop and 80s indie jangle. `The a band who like to do things big, chimes triumphantly before they is dedicated to songs about birds, will, distractingly at times it has to at times a touch ragged with a habit Night’ to a rapturous reception, formed back in the 1980s before Heavens Will Be Ours’ is more Van Burchill’s guitar leading the bullish, return for a predictably rousing `Hunting of the Wren’ inspired be said, tipping worryingly close to of changing pace when you don’t while long-time collaborator John studies and jobs got in the way. They Morrison waltz but when they hit glam-tinged attack. The bombastic encore of `Alive & Kicking’. by an old Boxing Day tradition Victoria Wood territory at one point, really want it too. There’s also more Newman is the only possible voice reformed a couple of years back hoedown mode at the end of their `Waterfront’ hammers home the With a set lasting two and half hours and infused with ancient magic, but at her best she’s an otherworldly than a hint of Michael Jackson, if for ‘Feel The Love’, as joyous and and have been politely and gently set you could be in a Nashville blues point, soulful backing singer Sarah and spanning a 30-plus year career, while a medley of cuckoo songs vocal talent who can transcend the only for the multi-layered vocals and uplifting a message as a song can going about being rather good ever bar. It’s all carried off with a resolute Brown adding another layer of excess tonight reveals the disparity between and a glorious finale of `Down To obvious comparisons, on a night that unashamed sentimental references contain. If they retain the ability to since. They hark defiantly back to lack of pretension, and when Tony to what was already a song built like the best and worst of Simple Minds, The River To Pray’ reveal a truly lives up to its Irregular Folk name to family and home. As this tour surf musical styles with such success what must have been their original signs off with “We’re The Shapes, a mountain. From here the band slip but it’s the best we should remember spellbinding talent. and ambition by challenging the very must have been booked before the Rudimental’s future can only stay influences – mid-80s indie acts like we’re from Oxford and we’re old,” it between what they do best and the and savour. Because their best really Phil McMinn has a similarly idea of what constitutes folk music latest chart topper this is probably bright. The Go-Betweens, The House of shows that class is ageless. stuff that alienated their old fans and is up there with the very best. pure voice, revealed all the more in the 21st Century. our last chance to catch them in such Art Lagun Love and The Weather Prophets. Dale Kattack earned them a trillion CD sales. In the Dale Kattack starkly now he’s stripped himself Dale Kattack academy extras

The Cellar EST 1999 Oxfords only truly independent gig and club venue

Frewin Court, Cornmarket St, Oxford, OX13HZ www.cellaroxford.co.uk photo: Giulia Biasibetti Saturday startsinthemorning sun,listening to concert fromOxford’s ownMAGPIELANE , Followinganexcellent Fridaynightopening hear allweekend. of ‘Katrina’ isthebestcontemporary songwe the triobeingcomparedtoLau,and theirversion they showthealldriveandvirtuosity that’s had Thorpe doingagreatjobassubstitute fiddler, contemporary andtraditional. With Daniel penned instrumentalssoundsimultaneously TYDEarealsohighlytalentedandtheirself- touch ofmagic. it’s Algar’s sparklingfiddle playingthatadds it upwithfineguitarandconcertinawork,but unforced evenatmaximumdecibelsandhebacks instant appeal;Russell’s voiceisattractiveand & GREGRUSSELLareveryself-assured,with Young Folk Award winners,CIARANALGAR come upwithgilt-edgedsets.BBCRadio2 Two oftheemerging bandsonthenationalscene success. the weekendisundoubtedlyapopularandartistic this year, withticketsformaineventssellingwell punishment cells,andwithmorenationaltalent various stages,includingOxfordCastle’s there’s lotsgoingon,muchofitforfreeon With fourteenstages,59artistsand73events, Weekend alreadyfeelsestablishedanddurable. Though onlytwoyearsold,theOxfordFolk Various venues FOLK WEEKEND OXFORD excellent Will Poundonharmonica are superb SIMONCARE’S ALL STARS withthe on offer overattheNewmanRoomswhere the At thesametimeaverydifferent experienceis pure liltingvoiceperformingagrim ballad. more songslikethisaswe’repartial toJackie’s Waterson’s bleak‘TheBird’ andwe’dhaveliked which avoidsbecomingtoosugary. ItincludesLal chamber folkskilfullyarrangedand performed `Lullabies’ settoafullOFS. This isexquisite now aSummertownresident,whobringsher SaturdayisheadlinedbyJACKIEOATES, Constant Lovers.’ it, especiallyinherpassionatesingingof‘The bound nottobeeveryone’s tastebutwelove and inyourfaceeventheupperregister. It’s a distinctiveMarmitevoice,it’s gritty, robust between swapentertainingbanter. Bryonyhas rooted firmlyinEnglishfolktraditionand HAMPSON performasetofsongsandtunes GRIFFITHS andmelodeonplayerWILL and wifeduooffiddlersingerBRYONY OverattheOldFireStation Theatre thehusband held bytheirbeautifulharmonies. really) wherewestayfarlongerthanintended, from theyouthfulquartet,THETEACUPS(yes, Ashmolean foratouchofunaccompaniedsinging on GloucesterGreenbeforewedropinthe THE OXFORD VILLAGE BANDplaying Stuart Fowkes Wonderful stuff; ohthatallfolkshouldbesoirregular. he blendstechnicalwizardrywithheartandimagination. veteran runningforthehills,but,aswithharpsongs, enough tosendallbutthemosthardened WOMAD A five-minutemaracainstrumentalwouldusuallybe do withapairofmaracasisn’t worthtalkingabout. And intermsofsheermusicianship,whatthisguycan’t as heisattheharp. rows withtraditionalsongsonthecuatro(asmallguitar) personally, equallycomfortableserenadingthefront everyone herefeelasthoughhe’s performingforthem Ricardoisunpretentiousandengagingenoughtomake Sapiens Dream’ (staywithme)isatourdeforce. particular, aten-minute“wordlesspoem”called‘Homo the harpcanoccasionallyengender. Hisfinalpiecein its warmthandvibrancysetsitapartfromthealoofness and dynamic,inplacesyoucouldalmostdancetoit, That’s blownwideopenbyRicardo’s playing:rhythmic and theubiquitouscutesyplinkingofJoannaNewsom. other SigurRós-liteforthathassle-freeswoonfactor, bit oforchestralmusic;glissandosplonkedontoevery my knowledgeoftheharpprettymuchstopsatodd scene. This piquesmycuriosity:I’llfreelyconcedethat apparently oneofthestarsLatin American harp Tonight’s performer, RicardoGarcía-Curbelo,is What’s onoffer musicallyisnolessimpressive. place tohearmusic. it’s aspectacularsightfromtheinsideandwonderful tent inthePerchgarden.Unassumingfromoutside, shows tobeheldoverthesummerinastunningBedouin attention todetail. Tonight is the firstofaseriesfive combining aknackforunearthingtalentwithrare their nameasoneofthepromoterstowatchinOxford, loop pedaldevotees,IrregularFolkarefastmaking After theirmostrecentshow, astunningdisplayof The Perch CURBELO RICARDO GARCÍA- Colin May delights. off what hasbeenaweekendofmany and varied sends usoutinto thestreetbuzzing,andtopping body percussion.It’s anexhilaratingsetthat Gipsies,’ Mehmetcomesup with improvised non-plussed, whenforhisencore, ‘Raggle Taggle turns alltheway. Buteventheyare momentarily him brilliantly, followinghismany twistsand and Tyde’s Seth Tilsey onguitarcomplement joie devie. The inventiveNikosonpercussion folk standardslike‘PrettyPolly’,andhisgeneral histakeon Cypriot roots,including‘Uskadar’, captivates everyonewithtunesfromhis Turkish- charismatic DOGANMEHMET,who OnSundaythefestivalisclosedby merchandise goesdownwell. about “shittywhitewine”,andtheirteatowel upbeat urbanbluegrass,includingawarning to therecommendedbooks,whereboththeir DOG HOGANinthe Westgate Library, next andfindingPOLICE ‘Black Is The Colour’, scene JONFLETCHER’s bluesversionof OFS Gallery;stalwartoftheOxfordacoustic brings atouchofjazztotheirfolkinthetiny the HENRYQUARTET WEBSTER , who Among otherlikesaretheveryfirstgigof risk ofgettingtrampled. the bandiscertainlyworthlisten,evenat watching somuchenergy andsweatyfun, full ofceilidhdancers. You can’t butsmile playing rumbustioustunesforaroomrammed and Daughter’s two previous concerts and Daughter’s twopreviousconcerts too soon.‘Run’ isdedicatedtoOxford handclaps reachtheirpeakitisover performance, butbythetimeitssynth awe atthenearperfectionof reverent hushofanticipation,in ‘Amsterdam’ isprefacedwitha but contradictedbyitsstrongvocal. shy andself-deprecatingthroughout, frame anddemeanor;pixie-like,she’s echoing groupfounderElena Tonra’s back beat,thefrailtyofwork picking punctuatedwithashuffling Heart EP’ follows,thefineguitar ‘Candles’ from2011’s ‘His Young love andjustdrownwithme”). (“Come out,comeouttotheseamy the ghostlyimagescontainedtherein and we’reimmediatelyhauntedby stirringly duringopener‘Shallows’, Arpeggios ringoutanddrumsecho so tonight;thesoundisperfect. beset withsoundissues,butnot surroundings. Gigshereareoften should beshowcasedinsuchspecial It’s fittingthenthatthealbum for afirstalbum. unique intheirsubjectmatter, atleast muse marksthesongsoutaspretty sentiment isretained,buttheunusual anger. Somehowapositive,hopeful which speakofjealousy, lovelostand Leave’ andfeaturesstarksongs Daughter’s albumistitled‘If You Oxford TownHall DAUGHTER academy extras Mark Taylor such sweetsorrow. recorded, issadlyover. Butpartingis far outweighsanythingtheyhaveyet complete performance,onewhich And soabeautifullychicand Bon IverandHotChiprespectively. ` play thebandresorttoamash-upof precious littleoriginalmaterialleftto that encoresarenewtothem. With apologetically returnandexplain since thesetissoperfect,butthey come backonaftercloser`Home’, Ialmostwanttobegthebandnot not justushavingagoodtime. smiles sogenuinelythatweknowit’s with arushofrollingthunder;Elena the crowdfromtheircollectivereverie matters though,as‘Tomorrow’ wakes There’s littletimetodwellonsuch effectively aspercussion. and woodenclicksthatareusedso precision, likethegentlerimshots that thesetisallaboutsubtletyand and it’s herethatitbecomesapparent before albumopener‘Winter’ follows, into theequallypopular‘Smother’, a sethighlights.It’s quicklysegued driving changeofpaceitbrings,is Secondsingle‘Human’,andthe turn-out andaudienceresponse. overwhelmed bythesurroundings, here; thebandseemgenerally Perth’ and`ReadyfortheFloor ’ by ’ by similar warmth of voice and ear for similar warmthofvoiceandearfor Although notasgrandiosethere’s a Wainwright, minusthecampness. me incertainaspectsofRufus Him’ thatitdawnsJohnreminds It’s during‘ItDoesn’t Matter To familiar totheaudience. things upbywayofbeingmore before ‘I Wanna Go To Marz’ warms ‘You Don’t Have To’ and‘Vietnam’, with lovely, faithfulreadingsof Hestartshissetinalowkeyfashion, thing. the crowdatonepointisawonderful him visiblyshiveratthewarmthof confidence isstillshaky, buttosee his way. Evenafterallthistimehis and gratefulforcomplimentspassed big bearofamanwhoissohumble also createsthewonderfulsightofa has informedhislyricsgreatlybut finding outheisHIV positive. This out, breakupsandmorerecently includes drugaddiction,coming Granthashadadifficultlife,which engages. in adelightfulway, butneverfully and windswept,washesoveryou provides asetthatisratherlovely also theopeningact. Asgeir Trausti just intermsofhisbackingband,but a flavourofthecountrywithhim,not homeland ofIcelandandhasbrought John Grantisoverfromhisadopted O2 Academy JOHN GRANT / ASGEIR TRAUSTI Russell Barker time. best showI’veseeninalong,long not oneforhyperbole,butthisisthe basks intheaudience’s applause.I’m for anotherthreesublimesongs,and climax totheshow, yetGrantreturns This wouldhavebeenafitting show-stopping ‘QueenofDenmark’. Hate This Town’ andawonderful, the Abba-inspired jauntinessof‘I is alleffortless gracebeforeweget disco stomper. Currentsingle‘GMF’ Age Guy’ isaprettymuchfull-on the background,then`SensitiveNew his bodyasthebeatsthumpawayin Belt’ stepsthingsup,Granttwisting is agoodwaytosumitup.`Black to makeyourtesticlesvibrate,which band’s intentionwiththatsongwas At theendGrantdeclaresthat terrorising keyboardstabs. song withsquelchyelectrobeatsand Green Ghosts’,comesfirst,adriving The newalbum’s titletrack,`Pale room tostretchhisvoiceandstyle. feel inplaces,whichleaveshim has leantthenewalbumanelectronic working withBiggi Veira ofGusGus the night.Grant’s timeinIceland that turnsouttobethebestpartof song leadsusnicelytothesegment crescendo andfinalcomedowninthis a sweepingmelody. The swelling photo: Adam Westlake myself up toadropevery thirtysecondsfor at and feelI’llbeunable todoanythingbutbuild Ileavenotquite believing thatthey’vefinished Lion!”, adripping ceiling,confettiandska. soca, crowdsurfing,“A message fromSnoop drops, reggae,throwingshirtsonstage, reggaeton, “Everybody touchtheroof!”,Harlem Shaking, horns, dancehall,dubstep,flags, horns, samples, seconds. This isarampagingmelangeoftoasting, of theact’s namefarlessoften thaneverythree longer tracksthanoneperminuteandreminders I’mprettysurethatDJsetsusedtoconsistof like thenewalbum’s firstsingle,`GetFree’. stuff thatwasoftenoriginallyfarmoremellow, overexcited mixesarecarefullycomposedfrom frenetic activitytohavecaughtthemall. The too, butmyattentionspanistooviolatedbythe lines maywellhavehadmorethanoneairing their othercollectionsofbeatsandsquealytop by Beyoncé,getsatleasttwoairings.Someof theonesampled squealy topline,`PonDeFloor’, Their mostrecognisablecollectionofbeats and booth/set looksprecariousatbest. lookalike Diplo,whoseclamberingovertheDJ the audience,anotherDJ,andJeremyRenner very earlyonbutnotasagoodpartof enthusiastic dancers,anMCwholoseshistop Switch, tonightMajorLazercomprisetwovery Diplo shedhisoriginalpartner, Britishproducer Seeminglyacollectivesince American producer between too. And ends. And it’s prettymuchwhathappensin torso. Repeat.Forme,that’s howtonightstarts. thwunk asIamhitinthefacebyasweatynaked “MAJOR LAZER,MAKESOMENOISE!” A O2 Academy MAJOR LAZER with theinitialincarnationof electronic musicrevolution,firstly Foxxlaidthefoundationsfor is trulyastellarexperience. John Foxx. To witnessbothtogether stars shoneasbrightOMDand In thesynth-popfirmament,few The New TheatreThe OMD /JOHNFOXX Hannah Peelandpercussionist by keyboardplayerandviolinist behind hisbankofgadgetry, flanked from that1979classic,Foxxperched Half oftonight’s supportsetistaken Balladian solodebut,`Metamatic’. Ultravox! andthenwithhisbleak, Kirsten Etheridge exhausted, thanks. “OXFORDHOW YOU FEELING?”Pretty that allmylifealready. It’s hardtotell. least thenextfewdays.OrmaybeI’vebeendoing Nairobi duly deliver. Initiallytheirmath-rock- After suchsoul-bearing, weneedapartyand Minds’. we’ll evenforgive hisspindly takeon`Suspicious he’s notabouttogiveupthe fight justyet,and `Desperation, MyDear’ album,whichsuggests `A HistoryOfSadness&Love’ fromhisrecent away inthslightestbreeze,butthere’s defiancein pure, plaintivefalsetto,soundslike itcouldblow fragile asthatsuggests.Hismusic, toppedbyhis is called`BrokenBones’ andisasskeletal his ownmusic,likeit’s acurse.Hissecondsong in yourhead?”suggestsamanwhoishauntedby line, “Doyouknowwhatit’s liketohaveachoir O’Shea isdedicatedlymelancholic.Hisopening IfKatie&Jessaresweetlychipper, Jordan set isneverlessthanenjoyable. a bitgigglyandveryunassumingbuttheirshort bluegrass familysinginggroups. They’re nervous, comfortable andrathersweet,muchlikethoseold two voicesandanacousticguitar–arehomely, appropriate attirethough,sincetheduo–just Nightshift ismorethanslightlyjealous.It’s honest, iswearingafantasticpussycatt-shirt. Katie, orJess,we’renotsurewho’s whotobe O2 Academy KATIE &JESS / JORDANO’SHEA / TOLIESEL /NAIROBI high tenorwithease,asstrongit switching fromfulsomebaritoneto wonderfully animated,hisvoice, stand out,frontman Andy McClusky clamouring, effervescent `Dresden’ trance-like `Metroland’ andthe Of thenewsongsplayfully cut-up snapsofroboticvoices. melodies withsilicontexturesand similar instyleasitfuseseuphoric since 1983’s `DazzleShips’, `English Electric’,theirbesteffort with songsfromtheirlatestalbum, set islitteredwithhits,interspersed through the80s,tonight’s two-hour pop’s mostconsistentchartstars masterclass inpurepop. As synth- electronic innovation,OMDarea IfFoxx’s setisamasterclassin riff ever. `Friends’ Electric?’ asthebestsynth sounded andequalledonlyby`Are as potentandfuturisticitever while `Underpass’ isjuststunning, startling lifeoverthreedecadesago, future alienationthatFoxxbroughtto `Burning Car’ capturingthenear- most though,`No-OneDriving’ and the classicoldiesthatstillexcite despite itssleek,clinicallines.It’s `Evergreen’ feelsalmostpastoral with android-likeebullience,while musical cityscapes.`Catwalk’ scours voice hoversoverbruising,jagged and otherworldlyashisrobotised old andstillenigmaticallycool Benj, alitheanddapper61years Dale Kattack of. have atouchofmagic thatmostbandsonlydream for allitsearnestness, andevidencethat ToLiesel be aimingfor. It’s triumphant stuff, celebratory that’s asbigtheKansassky thebandseemto like bluster, beforetheyclosewithanumber `Wilderness Blues’ andsomehistrionicEagles- grind, dippingintothemoreintimate, lap-steel-led ballsy CrazyHorse-likerockingof `Bones’ they euphoric withatunetodiefor. Through thebold, superb debut`TheLight’ issimilarlywarmly tempered byanunderlyingrootsiness.Lastyear’s anthem withcinematicscope,it’s grandeur single `Half Asleep’ isatrilling,chiming, elegant the biggerisbestapproachtosongwriting.New country-rockers The Epstein, ToLiesel adhereto there’s nosuchfrivolityhere.Likefellowlocal of `TheLumberjackSong’ isintheoffing,but take thestagewe’reworriedaquickrun-through There’s somuchplaidonshowwhen ToLisel they riskedlosingearlier. Greatstuff. perfect dance-popwiththatlightnessoftouch On A Plane’ andsetcloser`Houses’ arejust anything The Associates produced,while `Snakes misfit post-punkthat’s aswiredandobstinate they hituswith`Sikhism’,astubbornslabof cleverness. Justaswe’relosinginterestthough, party isgettingtangledupintheband’s own heavy-handed approachandthepolyrhythmic they’re weighingthemselvesdownwiththis me,” comesthechantatoncepoint).Mid-set dips intoindieangst(“Everyoneistryingtokill optimism ofthosebandsforanuptightvibeand and Shalawambe,althoughtheyeschewthefluid immersed in The BhunduBoys,FourBrothers summery, nostalgicthoughtsaboutafternoons inflected townshipjivegetsusthinkinghappy, Dale Kattack still shinebrightly. Dazzling stuff; tonightthosestars beamed infromanaliencivilisation. the velvetgloveofpurepopand two politicalpuncheswrappedin of pioneeringgenius,thelatter finale, `Electricity’;threesongs and `EnolaGay’ and,asagrand And anyway, weget`Messages’ electro purists. their bighits,ratherthanusaging then they’reheretopleasefansof brilliance thebandproduced,but slices ofperfectfuturisticpop any oneofthescoresastonishing `Bunker Soldiers’ or`Promise’, The Milky Way’ aheadofsongslike and thefranklyawful`Walking On cheesy laterhitslike`Locomotion’ tonight’s setit’s theinclusionof Ifthere’s faulttobepickedin – dancertoevergraceastage. – certainlythemostunselfconscious who remainseitherthebestorworst strobes blizzardaroundthesinger, hymnal synthstouchingtheskyas Of Arc’ and`MaidOfOrleans’, before McCluskyintroduces`Joan the elegantlymoody`Souvenir’ Humphreys takescentrestagefor reaction fromapackedtheatre.Paul that provokethemostecstatic 1981’s `Architecture&Morality’ It’s atrioofmonsterhitsfrom peak. was duringtheband’s commercial Tickets £15adv•ticketweb.co.uk08444772000hayseed-dixie.com Wednesday 19thJune O 2 AcademyOxford Tickets £22.50adv•ticketweb.co.uk08444772000fatfreddysdrop.com Tuesday 1stOctober O 2 AcademyOxford 23 22 24 9 15 29 2 Sundays 1 Saturdays 7 Early Fridayshows FUNK IT- Every Friday* 4 funkandsouluntil2am Free livejazzplusDJsplayingr’n’b, THE OXFORDJAZZCLUB Every Tuesday 3 THE HAVEN CLUB Mondays 18 16 21 11 th nd st th th rd LITTLEBLACKDRESS10-3am th THEHAVEN CLUBpresentMUDMORGANFIELD THROWINGUP/support HEAVY DEXTERS VIRGIL &THE ACCELERATORS rd th th nd th st th th REDCEILIDH /25 ULRICHSCHNAUSS RACINGMINDS improvisedcomedy DNApresentsSERIAL KILLAZ SYNTHESIS THEHUGHTURNERBAND THEDAVID RAPHAEL BAND Standupcomedy HOUSE&TECHNONIGHT th NEWJAZZCOLLECTIVE

R&B &dancetuneswithJasonColin.11pm-2.30am; £4 Tickets £9adv•ticketweb.co.uk08444772000thestrypes.com O Thursday 25thJuly JUNE 2 AcademyOxford INTRODUCING.... photo: Ruth Shana Luqmani WIN CORNBURY FESTIVAL TICKETS! Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under CORNBURY FESTIVAL! Beyond the musical fun, there’s Sunshine! Beer! Music! General the Absolute Radio Comedy loveliness! Oh yes, they do got it Emporium, with appearances all down in Great Tew. from LEE NELSON, ED LAC GAMBLE and VIKKI STONE, This year Cornbury Festival plus QI’s Festival of Words, Who are they? celebrates its tenth birthday, so with an appetising line-up that LAC – shortened from Law Abiding Citizens – are Michael Davies (vocals / they’re calling it The Glorious includes ALAN DAVIES; guitar); Christopher Thompson (bass) and Andrew Mardle (drums). The band Tenth and have invited back JULIE BURCHILL; ROBERT is very much centred on London-born Michael, who moved to Oxfordshire some of their favourite acts from LLEWLLYN; KATY BRAND in 2001. Michael started writing lyrics while he was in Feltham Young previous years, as well as a fair and JOHN LLOYD. With Offenders Institute as a teenager, the experience of which informs LAC’s few newbies to the bill. Cornbury Festival appealing to a debut single, `Borstal Boy’. The band originally featured Michael’s brother. family audience there’s also plenty Pete Doherty is an avowed fan, while Bez from Happy Mondays mentored And the lowlight: This year’s Cornbury takes place of kids activities, entertainment and and co-manages the band. A demo found its way to Warner Chappell through “My brother leaving the band was something I didn’t see coming. The songs over the weekend of the 5th-7th workshops. a producer friend and LAC signed outside the Houses of Parliament on were always about us and the life we lived and for him to just walk away th July in the picturesque grounds of November 5 last year, with their debut single released this month. from such a massive deal was a kick in the head and put me in limbo and on a the Great Tew Estate. Tickets for the festival are on sale What do they sound like? downhill spiral for a while.” now from the festival website While `Borstal Boy’ is a slice of heartbroken life-on-the-margins Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: Headlining the big one-oh are (www.cornburyfestival.com) as songsmithery about a young offenders institute suicide – a true story – that’s “The Young Knives, and a band from years ago, Sexy Breakfast. SQUEEZE, KEANE and VAN MORRISON, who will be joined by well as the ticket line on 0844 338 0000. Adult weekend camping tickets short, simple and bittersweet – with the emphasis on bitter – the band’s If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: Cornbury queen IMELDA MAY; post-punk legends ECHO & THE are £190, with discounts for under-16s and over-70s. Day tickets are also live sets veer more towards the three-chords-and-the-truth up-for-it punk- “I’ve nailed it down to two and they are always on the top of my CD pile: BUNNYMEN; folk big band party-starters BELLOWHEAD; fiddler available. inspired rock’n’roll that drove everyone from The Clash and Sham 69 to The `Definitely Maybe’ by Oasis and `Nevermind’ by Nirvana.” extraordinaire SETH LAKEMAN; Scottish folk revolutionaries THE Libertines and The Enemy. Expect laddish indie-punk singalongs and girls When is their next gig and what can newcomers expect? PROCLAIMERS; veteran soulstress BEVERLEY KNIGHT; pop-reggae And thanks to our chums at Cornbury, we have a pair of adult weekend weeping at the poetry of it all, in roughly equal measures. “We have a tour being set up at the minute. If you like energy and punchiness sweetie KING CHARLES and Ghanaian afro-pop pioneers OSIBISA. camping tickets to give away! In a competition! To win, simply tell us, What inspires them? with good quality guitar and great singalong songs that’s what you’ll get.” Plus loads more. Blues band; folk acts; X-Factor faves; LAWSON. Shh, “The crushed coke cans in the street; junkies in the phone box; feeding ducks Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: don’t mention Lawson. WHICH ACT HEADLINED THE MAIN STAGE ON SATURDAY in the park with my missus. It’s all about attention to detail: what most people “Least favourite is there’s a lack of raw punk bands. A lot of bands want to be NIGHT AT LAST YEAR’S CORNBURY FESTIVAL? miss I pick up on it and that’s what gives me content in my songs.” the next Radiohead and there will never be another Radiohead. On the other Basically there’s two main stages crammed to the gills with live music Career highlight so far: hand there is so much good music. Truck Festival is a good one for me; I live over three days. Plus the ever-excellent Charbury Riverside Stage, which Answers on a postcard to Cornbury Competition, Nightshift Magazine, “There’s been lots: from having a recording studio with Peter Doherty, to over the road and have been to eight of them.” features a mix of local and new bands, including, this year, BLACK PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or by email, clearly marked Cornbury playing with the Happy Mondays, but the most important was signing to You might love them if you love: HATS; KRIS DOLLIMORE; THE INFLATABLES; BRICKWORK Competition, to [email protected]. Deadline for entries is the 15th Warner’s. I had it really hard up to that point and it was living proof that Billy Bragg; Paul Weller; The Clash; The Libertines; The Enemy. LIZARDS and Lloyd Grossman’s NEW FORBIDDEN. June. Please include your address, email and phone contact. people can turn their lives around if they really want to. It was a very special Hear them here: moment and will stay with me until the day I die.” www.facebook.com/thelawabidingcitizensuk

DR SHOTOVER: Progfinder General THIS MONTH IN OXFORD T H E W H E A T S H E A F Welcome to the East Indies Club bar, squirt-face. Is that a Muse t-shirt ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY SAT 1ST JUNE you’re wearing? Dear God. Buy me a drink and I’ll tell you about when I was Mellotron roadie for ASHRAM MAZE, on our famous tour of the Netherlands 20 YEARS AGO do with him and the next band who called up asking funky, in its original meaning. “It’s an African CARAVAN OF WHORES via Nepal. The keyboard player used to get me to phone for takeaway curries Head On skulked on the front cover of June for a gig there “would get their limbs broken.” word meaning dirty or smelly. Too much of what’s MOGHUL + IRON HEARSE + BARRY & THE BEACHCOMBERS 8pm/£5 to eat onstage during the guitar solos… then, by way of revenge, the guitarist labelled funky now is just soulless because it’s over- SUN 2ND JUNE 1993’s Curfew magazine. They were, we declared, started ordering a sit-down three-course dinner with full silver service to “a smouldering indie volcano,” which even now computerized.” keep him going through the keyboard solos… meanwhile the sound man set 10 YEARS AGO WAR WOLF + BERSIKER 8pm/£5 sounds pretty cool. Two of the band are still kicking DIESEL KING up a film projector in his booth and used to watch the latest Emmanuelle Mark Gardener was seen strumming an acoustic TUE 4TH JUNE it out in Spinner Fall, while one of them tour guitar on the cover of Nightshift’s June 2003 issue, 5 YEARS AGO film during the drum solo. In fact, sometimes the drum solos were so long, manages The Stereophonics. A band who should, he’d watch Sergei Bondarchuk’s War and Peace as well. Everything was longer the great man having been confirmed to play at this “ I like the idea that Fell City Girl was a blip in MARVELLOUS MEDICINE 8pm/£5 arguably, be dropped into a live volcano. year’s Truck Festival. Mark had recently toured people’s lives and maybe made them stop and WED 5TH JUNE then. Summer… hair… the effects of a tab of acid… my pe… now what? Of At a time before local releases were common, we course I want another one. Same again, dunce, now what was I saying? Oh with Truck organisers Goldrush as his backing think, feel, sing, shout and no more. Rip it up had two to celebrate, Fuzzgun releasing their debut band. Joining Mark on the Truck bill would be and start again.” So began Nightshift’s interview DROPOUT 8pm/£5 yes, my penal sentences for aiding and abetting in crimes against music and THE DIESEL SLEEP single, `Wear Me In’, and ambient experimentalists British Sea Power; Youthmovie Soundtrack with Winchell Riots singer Phil McMinn in June FRI 7TH JUNE fashion… The audience would have had to queue for eleven hours to buy B So Global putting out their debut album, the duo Strategies; Dive Dive and Electric Eel Shock. 2008’s Nightshift. Having been stung badly by the tickets, then would have stood rammed shoulder to shoulder in a stinking of Jon Seagroatt and Ian Staples these days better NON STOP TANGO 8pm/£5 In other news, Young Knives released their single music industry, he and his new band were intent EMPTY VESSELS firetrap of a smoky venue for at least six more hours before the ASHRAMs known as stalwarts of the local improv scene and SUN 9TH JUNE condescended to grace the stage. And all this with just a few joss sticks and `Rollerskater Girl’ on Shifty Disco. The band on keeping it indie in its truest sense this time the core of jazz monsters Red Square. apparently hated the song and refused to play it live. round, starting their own label, Andrew The Great, one of those small tins of Long Life lager for sustenance… and only your own Doom-metal behemoths Sevenchurch, meanwhile, MUTAGENOCIDE ZAOS + VISION FALL + I CRIED WOLF 8pm/£5 patch-denim jeans Radiohead released `Hail To The Thief’ this to release their debut EP `Histories’. “The music WED 12TH JUNE had just signed a deal with German label Noise month, with Colin Greenwood telling Nightshift, industry is totally screwed,” he declared. to piss in. Kids today International, for whom they would record their – they wouldn’t “One of the best things about the record for me are Coming to town this month were Bat For Lashes, EYES OF EVE 8pm/£5 now seminal `Bleak Insight’ album. NAAM have the f***ing the words – the bleak humour and the clarity. I’m Black Kids, Glasvegas and Steve Earle at the SAT 15TH JUNE A typically packed gig programme saw The not worried about Americans not buying our records Academy, while Lykke Li was at the Jericho stamina for a good Pastels, Slowdive, The Cranes and Dodgy all old-fashioned prog as a consequence of us being outspoken about Tavern. The biggest event of the month though, TRIGGER EFFECT KOMRAD + BEAR TRAP + AGNESS PIKE 8pm/£5 playing at The Oxford Venue, while the Jericho certain issues. People need to focus on bigger issues was the first – and last – Wakestock Festival in the FRI 21ST JUNE gig! Mind you, that’s Tavern hosted Chuck Prophet – who was back in why punk started. instead of whether George Bush is an idiot or not.” grounds of Blenheim palace. The ill-fated festival Oxford at the Bully only last month – and Jacob’s Also out was Harambe’s debut album `Roots’, featured Groove Armada, Mark Ronson, Funeral TOM HINGLEY MARK COPE + REEDS + MAPS 8pm/£5 Or so it said on that Mouse, as well as one of the greatest unknown ND which also found the local soul-funksters For A Friend, The Streets, Happy Monday SAT 22 JUNE BBC4 documentary I bands of all time, Mad Cow Disease. A little further interviewed in Nightshift, the band a lone beacon and Pendulum, among others, but suffered from saw the other day… afield, British rap pioneer Blade was at Hobson’s TENTH LISTEN + STRENGTH OF THE BEAR 8pm/£5 for such things in town at the time. Their story took poor organisation and ticket sales, never to return. X-1 Next month: Choice in Banbury, supported by local reggae FRI 28TH JUNE Malcolm McLaren in drug busts, stints in jail, a fatal car crash and What Nightshift mostly remembers of the whole heroes Subtrance, who just happened to be this acrimonious splits with singers, but still preaching shebang was paying £4 for a can of Red Stripe, may be dead, but month’s Demo of the Month. The Moonflowers SWEET WILLIAM THE DEPUTEES + LATE NIGHT LIGHTS 8pm/£5 he’s still droning on a message of peace and unity for all mankind. and losing almost an entire day of our memories SAT 29TH JUNE were playing at Minchery Tavern, a new venue “We got soul,” said bassist Karl Clews, “We don’t after bumping into former-Zodiac owner Nick in THAT voice from MATTHEW SHOTKINS: ‘If the witch be found to have a on the scene (now The Priory next to the Kassam), do this for money or bling or fame.” Karl railed Moorbath, who was armed with several boxes of beyond the grave Progge tattoo upon her bodye… BURN HER! GO ON DO IT JUMP THE RACKET + RED PANDA 8pm/£4.50 prompting Jericho Tavern promoter Mac to issue a against over-polished modern soul and r’n’b, while red wine. Something we’re not sure we’ve ever at séances. (But bryngge her to me firste!)’ The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford statement to the effect that the place was nothing to declaring funk needed to get back to being, well, really recovered from. hook in the chorus, sung by a chap with around on neat platters rather than heaps a pleasingly breathless, pleading voice. of strange white powder perched on dwarf It chimes rather than churns or shuffles, slaves’ heads. Oh, it’s sweet and airy and and it’s those little things that make all the pretty and it’s doing no-one any real harm, DEMOS difference. We still reckon Jack would do but fey doesn’t even start to describe it. Demo of the Month wins a free half day at Sponsored by well to down a few pints of strong cider Other than a few swooning harmonies, Silver Street Studios in Reading, courtesy and have a bit of a dance. Maybe he could the only line here is “You remain in the of Trojan Horse Recordings. Visit www. go out on the town with Paul Brennan. party house.” Which isn’t entirely true, trojanhorserecordings.co.uk The twin negative energy forces would since we’re off round to Lemmy’s right surely produce a positive. And even if now. Apparently he’s going to set fire to a certain vintage dance like Morrissey things didn’t go to plan, the pair of them full-sized Messerschmitt. Not sure Lemmy DEMO OF after a few ales – all grand gestures and should be able to come up with a decent could ever come up with the rhyming gem awkward limb movements – and it’s singalong come closing time. that is “Same old story / Misspent glory / 01865 240250 rarely pretty, unlike this bitter-sweet Crosby Stills and / Nash,” mind. THE MONTH mini-anthem that finds Paul crooning “I convince myself I’m God’s gift when I KID KIN dance like Morrissey / But every time Ace detectives what we are, we deduce CABARET RAT you turn your back and walk away from from Kid Kin’s demo that he’s called THE DEMO It’s a good three years since we last heard me,” with a comfortingly lispy voice that Peter and comes from Chipping Norton. from Cabaret Rat and by the sounds of reminds us of both Roddy Woomble and That’s all we know. Oh, except that Kid it he hasn’t changed one iota. Good. We DUMPER Candyskins’ Nick Cope. It’s lovelorn stuff Kin is an instrumental project and this instantly warmed to his lo-if industrial and the vid ends on a suitably bitter note demo is taken from a full-length album punk one-man-band rampage, which as Paul grabs the nice lady’s drink, downs which may or may not already have seen GEM LETTUCE seemed to find a middle ground between Gem Lettuce do at least attempt to furnish it in one and leaves her stranded; a loser the light of day. Luckily the music itself is Ministry and Carter The Unstoppable us with some useful information about in love, but a winner in the songwriting more enlightening. We struggle to enjoy Sex Machine. Cabaret Rat is the work of themselves, to wit, “We are a five piece stakes. utilising the description “dreampop,” one Matt Prosac, who comes to us from but this pretty much fits the biscuit, with band called Gem Lettuce. Like in the the Blackpool, via Banbury. While his set-up echoes of everything from Sigur Ros to lettuce.” No, us neither. More useful pre- might be considered cheap and cheerful, PAUL EMERY Ulrich Schnauss, all swishes and swashes warning comes via the information that there’s little cheer to be had in the songs, Another return visitor to the demo of electronics and heavily-treated guitars; this bunch of tunes is apparently hosted by which are trash’n’thrash slices of personal pages, and another man called Paul who busy but unobtrusive electronic beats and Shit Records, which, however ironically ire and tales from the seedy backstreets. doleful bass lines. `Le Prieur Rockets’ intentioned, seems like a wholly appropriate refuses to look on the bright side of life. TURAN AUDIO.co.uk `Billie Funday’ sounds like Ministry Quoting Brian Eno, Mark Hollis and builds to a blissed-out plateau of euphoria home for such musical excrement. It Professional, independent CD mastering broke into EMF’s recording studio back Depeche Mode as influences, previously to which descriptions like soundscape and doesn’t start off so badly, the rumbling Artists mastered in the studio last month include; in 1991 and replaced the master tapes we described Paul as a marriage between sky touching will inevitably be attached old 50s/60s garage rockabilly of `Do The Gem’ suggesting a jolly if half-baked retro ASIA, ROCK CHALLENGE 2013, THE LEMONHEADS, THE for `Unbelievable’ with something nasty Portishead and Tom Waits, and like before the whole thing subsides elegantly PIXIES, MADNESS, THE STEVE MILLER BAND, TIAMAT, and sticky they found down the back of a someone had transported Depeche Mode and retreats towards the horizon along bit of fun, even if the vocals lack any kind EMPEROR, BURZUM, TED NUGENT, THE RODS, CURVATURE, rotting sofa in the crack den they’d spent to a Mississippi blues hut (something the with an ocean of mixed metaphors. `You, of the necessary resonance to match the JUMPSTART THE JUNGLE, BECKY HOLLOWAY, THE DOOLEYS, CAGEY BEE, CACHORRO GRANDE, PETER MOORE, THE the previous night. We assume the song Mode seem to have done themselves on Me & The Devil Makes Three’ has a bit of guitars. From here it’s straight into the dung is about something unpleasant since Mr a Cocteau Twins spangle about it before heap with `Scream Vom”, with its wacky ANYDAYS, DOOK DOOTSON, AARON KEYLOCK, THE EPSTEIN, parts of new album, `Delta Machine’, so SUN RA, JAMES BROWN, THE JBS, ALTAR OF PLAGUES, JEFF “Scream vom / You know I’m gonna vom Rat sounds on the furious side of cross maybe they’ve been listening in on Mr it settles into a somnambulating sweep, LYNNE, ELO, THIN LIZZY, JAMIE HARRISON, PAUL HANDYSIDE, and we think we catch mention of Mary Emery here). Anyway, seasonable upturn while `Man Tor’ is more contemplative, / In your face,” refrain. Hilarious, right? LOUISE WILLIAMS, HEADCOUNT, DISCLOSURE. Bell, which isn’t a name that tends to in the weather or not (it’s currently pissing almost brooding, with its piano lead. Hur hur, we almost done did a widdle in crop up in One Direction hits. From here down and blowing a force 10), Paul Nice stuff and well textured, but probably our pants when we hearded that. There’s 01865 716466 [email protected] `Good Ol Boy’ is a cyberpunk terrace here remains resolutely downbeat and little you haven’t heard from any of the something else about doing “a silent poo in chant, all sneery and snarly, while `When in fine style, `The Easy Child’ plumbing aforementioned comparisons and assorted your pint” too, which is comedy gold on a The Heart Breaks’ ups the anger levels warm, rich depths of sorrow with a lo-fi others previously. level with any number of student rugby club THE COURTYARD STUDIO another notch as it faces up domestic symphonic feel – all synthetic strings “japes” involving bodily fluids and biscuits. Maybe we just don’t have the necessarily abuse with appropriate righteousness. and stuff, while `Grey Town’ shows his PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/24, He’s getting a bit formulaic by the time DAVID TUDOR advanced sense of humour to appreciate voice at its best, pure and light, not a OTARI MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE MACHINE, we hit closer `The Crem’, but he continues Talking of not giving too much away, such genius, though a quick lobotomy and million miles from his hero Mr Hollis, and 2 TRACKING ROOMS, SUPERB CONTROL ROOM to reside in a pit of contempt for what he accompanied only by a mournful piano. David Tudor simply furnishes us with a subscription to Nuts magazine should sees in humanity and for all its slightly `It’s The Dark That Makes You Stronger’ a brief, “My name is David Tudor. rectify that. Hur hur, we said rectify. That’s, WITH GOOD SELECTION OF MICS & OUTBOARD dated feel and one size fits all approach is a great title but the song doesn’t hit Enjoy the music.” That’s it. Not even like, bum, isn’t it? Dear oh fucking Lor’, it GEAR + MIDI FACILITIES (Inc LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI to songwriting, Cabaret Rat has more hard or deep enough, but `Device’ ups the a cheery, “My name’s Dave and I like gets worse. “You show me your tits and I’ll S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND etc.) gumption and attitude about him than ante slightly with its incessant electro- to spend my weekends baking cup show you my dick,” they cry on `Show Me every other demo this month put together industrial groove, while remaining oddly cakes while listening to Nick Drake at Dreams’, that loosely, and laughably, might Residential facilities included. with a rusty butcher’s hook. laidback. a discreet volume and thinking about try to describe itself as psychedelia and www.courtyardrecordings.com tragic Victorian literature.” Sorry, we’re is as appetising and romantic as watching PHONE PIPPA FOR DETAILS on 01235 845800 not trying to presume as to Mr Tudor’s an overweight farmhand defecating into JACK LITTLE character here, but we’re guessing he a bucket. By the time they’ve got to the PAUL BRENNAN Another one of those pesky one-song doesn’t go a big deal on drinking sixteen “hilariously out of tune” `Declan’s Town’ We fondly remember Paul’s previous demos (probably considered to be a single pints of lager and kicking the fuck out it’s just sad, a hopeless, hapless heap of demo offering, which offered a warmly in this day and age of stick-it-online- of people at the footie of a Saturday aural effluence dragging itself to an overdue booze-soaked outlook on life and its and-call-it-a-release futuristicness) , and afternoon. Even though his first song death. Keep an eye out for Gem Lettuce many, many pitfalls, mostly involving on the face of it another melodically here is called `Party House’. Because it’s then, folks. And feel free to crap in their drinking too much and not having much slender acoustic strum along by some more the sort of party house where they dinner any time. Believe us, they’ll find it luck with the ladies. This new song, bloke who would do better to leave his bring little slivers of home-baked focaccia absolutely hysterical. `Dance Like Morrissey’, comes with a battered guitar and bucket of angst on the video and everything, which features sofa (or even better, in a skip) and pop our hero necking shots by the half-dozen down the pub to meet a nice girl (or boy) Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links before taking to the dancefloor to indeed and actually try to enjoy life for bloody to [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without dance like Moz himself, something he once. But actually, give it a chance and a contact address and phone number; no more than four tracks on a demo please. If you does with admirable attention to detail. `Snowflake’ is a perfectly likeable piece of can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. Let’s be honest, most gentlemen of a folk-pop heartache with a genuinely neat Fri 5th July • £14 adv Fri 18th Oct • £10 adv EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT Rescheduled show • original tickets valid 6.30pm £5 adv / NUS / members, £4 NHS Funeral for a Friend Guns2Roses & 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only + Stem + Marmozets Metallica Reloaded

Sat 13th July • £6 adv Sat 19th Oct • £20 adv 7pm - 11.30pm Upstairs ft. Adian Coker Gathering Festival Multi venue festival in association with BBC Introducing + ShaoDow & Zuby + Death of Hi Fi + Yungstar + BG Record DJ Set Weds 23rd Oct • £20 adv 6.30pm The Cat Empire Thurs 18th July • £12.50 adv Two Gallants Fri 25th Oct • £18.50 adv Blue Sun 21st July • £15 adv Bam Margera from Jackass Thurs 31st Oct • £15 adv is F**kface Unstoppable 6pm Wretch 32 Sun 21st July • £10 adv Sat 1st June • £10 adv Headbangers Balls Fri 8th Nov • £11 adv 7pm - 10pm ft. Aethera, Reign Of Fury, 7pm - 10pm Senses Fail Divine Chaos, Furyborn The Doors Alive + Marmozets + Handguns Thurs 25th July • £9 adv Fri 15th Nov • £25 adv Mon 3rd June • £12 adv The Strypes 6.30pm Ghostpoet Gary Numan Fri 13th Sept • £23 adv Sun 1st Dec • £25 adv Sat 8th June • £5 adv Babyshambles We Aeronauts Ocean Colour Scene Sat 14th Sept • £8.50 adv Sat 8th June • £5 adv 7pm - 10pm • Rescheduled show - original tickets valid Mon 2nd Dec • £22.50 adv 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only Janet Devlin Black Star Riders The View live at Propaganda Sun 22nd Sept • £12.50 adv Thurs 5th Dec • £10 adv Sun 9th June • £26.50 adv James Blake Night Beds Public Image Ltd (PiL) Tues 24th Sept • £11 adv Sat 7th Dec • £12 adv Sat 15th June • £5 adv 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only The 1975 Absolute Bowie Propaganda ft. Swiss Lips Weds 25th Sept • £15 adv Thurs 12th Dec • £18.50 adv Weds 19th June • £15 adv Madina Lake Adrian Edmondson Hayseed Dixie Farewell Tour & The Bad Shepherds + Fearless Vampire Killers + Super Happy Fun Club Fri 13th Dec • £12 adv Thurs 20th June • £8 adv Electric Six Lewis Watson Fri 27th Sept • £8 adv

Fri 21st June • £8 adv Mike Dignam 7pm - 12 midnight Nyctophobia’s True Sound Tues 1st Oct • £22.50 adv 6.30pm ft. Zophyte, Kosepia, Leech, Nyctophobia and Audio-Deck A Fat Freddy’s Drop

Fri 4th Oct • £6 adv Sat 22nd June • £6 adv 6.30pm 7pm - 11.30pm Upstairs ft. Ahab Evarose in association with BBC Introducing Weds 9th Oct • £8 adv + Empty White Circles + Co-Pilgrim 6.30pm + The August List + Joshua Gilbert Nina Nesbitt Thurs 27th June • £10 adv / £25 VIP Sat 12th Oct • £10 adv MK1 UK Foo Fighters (The No.1 Foo Fighters Tribute) Sat 29th June • £7 adv Skeletor Fri 18th Oct • £18 adv ft. Hang The Ba***rd 6.30pm + Desert Storm + Mutagenocide From The Jam + Visionfall + Demask Thyself ‘All Mod Cons’ 35th Anniversary Tour

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

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