[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 288 July Oxford’s Music Magazine 2019

photo: Hazel Rattigan Julia Meijer

“I have a terrible sense of direction, so I’m always a bit lost”

Travel, oceans and chips with the dream-pop siren Also in this issue: AMELIA FLETCHER - the Oxford legend returns Introducing SHAVEN PRIMATES ODDBALL, YOUNG KNIVES & CANDY SAYS reviewed TRUCK & CORNBURY previewed plus All your Oxford music news, previews and reviews, and five pages of local gigs for July. NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshiftmag.co.uk

funds to make the venture happen. The academy, which provides tuition and gig opportunities for young people and people with physical and learning disabilities, CONAN, INGESTED AND TROYEN headline Rabidfest in Oxford. has been running out of the The three-day festival of metal and heavy rock runs over the weekend Witney Music Rooms since it was of the 16th-18th August at The Bullingdon and The Wheatsheaf. turfed out of its Rock Barn home Friday’s show at The Wheatsheaf is a free event with Troyen joined by to make way for new flats last Fahran, Imminent Annihilation and The Crushing. September. From here the festival moves to the Bully with Saturday’s headliners The new centre is situated right Conan joined by Red Method; Confessions of a Traitor; VIG; Outright next door to its current home on Resistance; Hell’s Gazelles; ASCARIS; Damaged Reich; My Diablo; the site of the recently vacated Dirty Casuals and Villainous. CAMERON AG returns to action Wychwood Brewery distribution Ingested top the bill on Sunday, alongside Desert Storm; Papa Shango; this month with an album due in site, a 6,530 square foot barn just Bast; Dog Tired; Gutlocker; Democratus; The Five Hundred; Broken the autumn. The singer released a off the town green. Empire; Bloodshot, and King Bolete. new single, ‘One By One’, at the Jon Berry, chairman of the 7Cs Entry to both Saturday and Sunday’s shows is £15, with weekend end of June on This Is It Records, charity which runs the project passes available for £26. All profits from the festival go to the Oxford his first release since 2016’s said: “Our aim is to create a vivid Soup Kitchen. Tickets are on sale from Seetickets.com. For more ‘Homeward Bound’ EP. Another whole-community space which details visit www.rabidfest.co.uk single, ‘Headlights’, is due to be serves the creative needs of West released on the 2nd August, with Oxfordshire in partnership with the split. “It just wasn’t really fun one-off show as part of theDown a third, as yet untitled, set for many existing charities, businesses anymore,” singer and guitarist At The Abbey festival in Reading release in September before the and venues who service our Luke Allmond told Nightshift; “I later this year. The one-day event, full album, also titled ‘One By thriving arts movement.” think everyone in the band was on held in the grounds of the restored One’, set for release on the 1st The charity is looking to raise different wavelengths about how 12th Century abbey, takes place on November. The album and singles £18,000 to move into the barn. seriously we wanted to take it.” Saturday 7th September. Vienna were recorded in Bristol and New Further funds will be raised to Alongside Daisy, BBC Introducing Ditto officially called it a day after York with Doug Schadt, who has develop the space into a fully in Oxford picked Death of the their farewell show at Ritual Union previously worked with Emmy the functioning arts centre, in a phased Maiden; Theo; Lake Acacia; last year but the duo – Nigel Firth Great. Announcing the new record, approach. To learn more and to KLOÉ; Max Blansjaar; Jen and Hattie Taylor – are back in Cameron said: “It’s a song about donate to this very worthy cause, Berkovich; Brixtons; Keeva and action on a line-up that includes not letting things get the better of visit www.7csfoundation.com. Mairéad to fly the Oxford flag at headliners BC Camplight as well you. Sometimes that’s easier said the festival over the weekend of as Kathryn Joseph, The Wave than done.” DAISY will play their final gig the 26th-28th July. Nightshift chose Pictures and Tom Williams. Fellow together at Truck Festival this Candy Says and The Dollymops, Oxford stars The August List are MUZOAKADEMY is set to find month. The local emo faves were who both appear on the main Truck also on the bill. Tickets, priced a new permanent home as part of a picked by BBC Introducing in stage. £27.50 for adults and £15 for brand new community arts centre Oxford to play Truck but used the under-18s are on sale now from for Witney and is searching for news to announce their imminent VIENNA DITTO reform for a www.heavypop.co.uk.

WONDERLAND, EARINADE AND PREMIUM LEISURE are among the acts confirmed for this month’sRiverside Festival. They join already announced headliners Kanadia over the weekend of the 20th-21st July at Mill Field in Charlbury. Other acts announced include The Knights of Mentis; Brickwork Lizards; Two Tone All Ska’s; The Shapes; Quartermelon; The Deadbeat Apostles and Outer Blue, while the festival’s second stage, hosted by Rapture and Truck Store, features sets from The Great Western Tears; Ciphers; Peerless Pirates; Ghosts in the Photographs; The Cooling Pearls; Knobblehead and Junk Whale, among others, with All Will Be Well Records set for a stage take-over on the Sunday afternoon. One of the biggest free music events in the area, Riverside has been running for 24 years but urgently needs to raise £5,000 to cover losses sustained last year when bad weather affected attendance across the two days. While the event is run by local volunteers, production costs, which are normally covered by bar and merchandise sales, were not met and the future of the festival, at least as a free event, is in doubt. A Gofundme page has been set up. Details of how to contribute are at riversidefestival.charlbury.com. AMELIA FLETCHER has been talking to Nightshift ahead of her band Catenary Wires’ gig at The Bullingdon – the Oxford music legend’s first local show in almost a decade, and her first with Catenary Wires, the band she formed with long-time partner Rob Pursey.

Amelia’s place in the pantheon of Oxford music stars is assured for her part fronting 80s indie pioneers Talulah Gosh and Heavenly, alongside Rob. Talulah Gosh were one of the first ever breakout acts from the local scene and became an inspiration for subsequent generations of indie bands, while Amelia is considered an icon of the riot grrl movement.

Catenary Wires support British Sea Power at a lot of emphasis on bands being well practised Now in her 50s and with children who The Bullingdon on Friday 12th July for Divine and quite rock, so maybe that played a role. I think themselves are starting to go to gigs, Amelia Schism, having just released their second album, women can sometimes be a bit intimidated unless quotes Girl Ray, Keel Her and Pip Blom as ‘Til the Morning’ on Tapete Records, and Amelia, there is a bit more of an amateurish DIY culture.” bands she’s particularly fond of, along with who now lives in Kent, is looking forward to Jetstream Pony, who have gigged regularly with coming back to the city that made her musical Back to the present and The Catenary Wires Catenary Wires. Gigging being something that name. finds Amelia and Rob exploring a softer, more has until very recently been harder with such a “We’ve not been back for ages but we’re really introspective sounds compared to previous acts, young family. looking forward to it. I have no idea how much including Marine Research and Tender Trap. The “For a long time, it has been tricky to tour of a fanbase we have retained here, but we’re band also finds Amelia sharing vocal duties with too much, as we were not only looking after certainly hoping some of our old friends will Rob for the first time. kids but also caring for my mother, who come along to the show; it will be good to see “I think it is definitely a bit softer and needed increasing help. She passed away last them. introspective. In the end it gets a bit embarrassing September, which was obviously very sad, “I’m still friends with a lot of people from the to keep on jumping around and hollering like a but does mean that we are now a bit free-er. Oxford scene on Facebook, so I know roughly teenager. Although I did keep it up for a long time! The kids are in their mid-teens now too, which what everyone’s up to. It’s amazing how many of Also as we’ve got older the things we want to means it is a bit easier to abandon them! So we us are still doing music, in one form or another. write songs about have changed. We used to write are doing a proper tour for this album. We have “In terms of the Oxford scene these days, I have punky pop songs about things like struggling to a full band as well with bass player Andy Lewis, to admit to being a bit out of touch. I do know find the right words or say things or boys behaving who produced the album, Hammond player Fay that Truck is now the cool festival to go to! I wish badly. Now, we are now more focussed on writing Hallam and drummer Ian Button. After lots of it had been around when we lived there.” about fun topics like divorce and terminal illness! gigs where we performed as a duo, having such “The other difference in the Catenary Wires a full live sound is just a total joy!” One of the most influential musicians in Oxford is that Rob has started singing and most of our music history as a leading light of that 80s scene, songs are duets. We decided it would be fun Amelia was awarded an OBE in 2014, although Amelia is keen to play down her status as an icon, to see if we could play at being a 21st Century it was for her work at the Department of Fair though she is disappointed that her success and Johnny Cash & June Carter, or Nancy Sinatra & Trade rather than her pioneering musical influence hasn’t as yet resulted in more female Lee Hazelwood.” life. So, how does the singer, who we first musicians break out of the local scene since. Amelia and Rob’s musical partnership goes back encountered with Talulah Gosh opening for “I’d be truly amazed if I was really viewed as a well over 30 years now, so the chemistry between Primal Scream back in 1987 feel about being the musical icon in Oxford after all these years. But them is immediately apparent. only Oxford music star so far to get a royal seal I do think it is a sad state of affairs if there hasn’t “Well, after 30 years, we do have the ability to of approval? been another seriously successful female-led tell each other honestly what works and what “Ha ha. I actually wouldn’t be so sure that band to come from Oxford. In that case, I guess I doesn’t, without either of us getting into too no other Oxford people have been offered an wish my influence had been stronger! much of a huff. I guess that makes things easier. award. Lots of people turn them down. They are “I do remember that the Oxford scene was quite That said, we are very democratic these days, not exactly rock n roll!” male back then. There were very few women with everything worked out together, whereas I who played instruments, and not even that many used to be more of a dictator in our earlier bands, ‘Til the Morning’ is out now. Follow Catenary singers. It’s quite puzzling as to why. I remember which had its pluses.” Wires at facebook.com/TheCatenaryWires.

May, including recent singles ‘The Depths’ and regular Nightshift lensman and former Fixers Recognizer’. Visit mnsfprdctn.bandcamp.com. bassist Jason Warner. To celebrate the opening, Jason is offering a special deal for Oxford bands. NEWSPHOENIX PICTUREHOUSE hosts a screening Local bands can book themselves a session, and THE BLACK HATS release their first EP since of the documentary The Vinyl Revival, plus a find out more atwww.fyreflystudios.com . 2012 this month. The local rockers launch ‘Bad Q&A with director Pip Piper and contributor and News Telephone’ with an instore set at Truck Radiohead drummer Phil Selway on Wednesday AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into Store on Cowley Road on Thursday 18th July. The 24th July at 8.30pm. The 43-minute film, the BBC Oxford Introducing every Saturday band will also headline The Library on Thursday follow-up to Piper’s acclaimed Last Shop night between 8-9pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated 11th July, with support from recent Nightshift Standing film, about record stores, deals with the local music show plays the best Oxford releases Introducing act Ciphers, as well as appearing re-emergence of vinyl, with contributions from and demos as well as featuring interviews and on the Riverside stage at Cornbury on Saturday Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Portishead’s Adrian sessions with local acts. The show is available to 6th. A live Facebook stream along with a Q&A Utley, and The Orielles among others. The stream or download as a podcast at session is set for the end of the month. More at documentary was originally released on Record bbc.co.uk/oxford. facebook.com/blackhatshome. Store Day as part of an album showcasing acts on the Distiller label. Visit www.picturehouses.com OXFORD GIGBOT provides a regular local gig MEANS OF PRODUCTION have a new for tickets. listing update on Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing EP available on a ‘pay what you like’ basis on you new gigs as soon as they go live. They also Bandcamp. ‘Live at the O2 02.​​05​.​2019’ features FIREFLY STUDIO is a new photography studio provide a free weekly listings email. Just contact five songs, recorded at the O2 Academy in opened in Burford, West Oxfordshire, by [email protected] to join. A Quiet Word With understandably reticent to talk about While Julia had written Guillemots on drums, and then I you are out on a walk, away from “Various things happened in mine and played music back in Sweden, felt that we had achieved the sound everything. Sometimes when I’m and other band members’ personal her arrival in Oxford had a profound that I wanted when I first wrote the in a beautiful place, I feel like I lives that were bigger than playing effect on her songwriting. songs. They have had a big part in have to turn that experience into gigs and recording. It was necessary “I had been writing songs since shaping the sound and the songs. I something, like a song.” to take that time off, and it’s great to I was very young, but never felt changed from acoustic to electric be back again.” that I was able to write something guitar, and we moved away a bit While most of the Julia Meijer that felt like me, I could always from the slightly folky sound we songs on ‘Always Awake’ are With Julia still trace the song back to various had before.” sung in English, Julia writes in “I have a terrible sense photo: Hazel Rattigan relatively unknown on the local artists who influenced me. I think both English and Swedish; being of direction, so I’m always a bit scene, but increasingly picking it was necessary to start over from Recent single ‘Train bi-lingual does she find one easier lost. I guess a good start is thinking up dedicated fans around town, scratch and go somewhere new. I Ticket’ was definitely something of than the other and does she ever about what makes you happy, and Nightshift talks to her about her started to write songs immediately a stylistic change from the dreamier consider before writing a song then go to a place that has a lot of upbringing and what first brought after I moved to England, it felt songs we knew Julia for up til whether it will sound better in one those things. For example, I really her to Oxford, if it wasn’t just the completely different. now – elements of Talking Heads, language or another? love chips.” chips. “I used to write a lot when I was Television and Foals creeping in “I never decide in advance what “I grew up in a city called younger, like poems and stories, perhaps; there’s a tenseness, even language I’m going to write in, and Julia Meijer, with the Norrköping but when I was 13 and I got really inspired by artists funkiness, to the rhythm and guitar sometimes I can get a bit annoyed honed survival skills of a born we moved to Stockholm, where I who wrote really good and different play that wasn’t so apparent before. when I realise it’s going to be a traveller, knows that if in doubt, started to study music. It felt like lyrics, like Patti Smith.” Was there a noticeable switch in song in Swedish, and fewer people locate the nearest food supply. a completely new world where writing style for her? will be able to understand the And what better than that staple of everything was exciting, I went to It didn’t take long for “Well, when I started writing songs lyrics. But some things I just can’t traditional English cuisine? loads of gigs and spent hours in Julia’s talents to get noticed. She it was just for me and my acoustic translate. It feels really personal record shops. My favourite bands earned a place on Nightshift’s guitar, but as I got a full band it for me to write in Swedish, it feels Born and raised in were The Ramones and The White Oxford Punt in 2014, while early was possible to achieve a different like my own secret language, only Sweden, we’re not sure if it was Stripes, and the first song I ever single ‘Ocean’/‘England’ in 2015 sound. I could write with more I share it with 10 million other fried potato treats that first drew performed in school was ‘Poison people! At the same time I can feel Julia to Oxford, but since her arrival Heart’ by The Ramones. It’s such a “I am a very sentimental person, and I really satisfied if I manage to find here back in 2012 she’s made the great song, and I even looked a bit the right words in English. It’s a city, and in particular its music like Joey Ramone back then, ha ha! reflect a lot about things. That combined with luxury to have two languages and I scene, her home, and Oxford has “My original plan was to move do think it gives me more freedom warmly embraced her melancholic to London. I had visited a friend being a massive daydreamer contributes to to play with words a bit.” musical wanderlust. who had moved from Stockholm the searching and longing in my lyrics.” How often do you get back to This month she releases her debut to London and joined a band, and Sweden and are there particular album, ‘Always Awake’, which I was amazed by all the different earned enthusiastic reviews. Soon instruments in mind, for example, things that you miss about it? gathers her handful of singles so venues and bands that were around. after she found herself playing at my guitar part on “Train Ticket” is “I used to go back quite far along with a host of newer There weren’t many gig venues in Truck and Wilderness Festivals as very sparse, because I knew that the frequently, but I don’t anymore, songs into a beguiling record that’s Stockholm at all, and England had well as Nightshift’s Uncommon others could fill out the song with as I’m more established here now. ethereal, glacial, sombre and full always had a special place in my Stage at Cmmon People in 2016. their groovy tunes! I also wanted Apart from my lovely friends and of longing, but equally playful, heart after I visited my aunt and her Did that early appreciation and to write a song that would be really family, I miss the nature and the adventurous and emotionally open. family who used to live in a small acclaim make her feel at home here. fun to play live, which it is. And I cafés.” You’d expect as much from village in Oxfordshire. “I felt so encouraged to see people can never sit still when I listen to How much if at all will Brexit a singer and guitarist from “They had some friends who were showing up to gigs and saying that it.” affect your life and music here? Scandinavia who left her homeland still living there who let me stay they liked the songs.” Then again, there’s still a feel “Hopefully not that much, apart behind to seek new adventures in with them while I was looking for How much was that song of longing in the words, as there from feeling utterly unwanted and new lands. somewhere to live in London. But ‘England’ about your journey and is in so many of your songs. Do unappreciated...” “I have left harbours from every as I started to discover Oxford, I settling in? you think you’re searching for country and followed every tidal quickly felt that it was the right “It’s more about the arrival then something or trying to leave Unwanted and wave,” coos Julia on her album’s place for me. I wasn’t aware of the the journey, so to speak. I had really something behind? unappreciated are two things that first song, ‘Ocean’, setting the scene local music scene at all, but was longed to move and spent a lot of “That’s an interesting point. I am a a musician of Julia Meijer’s talent for a collection of songs inspired very eager to be a part of it.” time daydreaming about what it very sentimental person, and I think should never be. ‘Always Awake’ by her travels and the emotional What were your first impressions would be like. The song is about I reflect a lot about things that have is an album that, in a fair and just distances they can bring. of the city and the music scene how I felt when I was finally here, happened and places where I’ve world, would be heard by millions. here? Where were the first places going for a walk in the countryside lived. That combined with being It’s a record where sadness meets ‘Always Awake’ is quite you visited? in my new home.” a massive daydreamer contributes summer and the result is as pretty simply a gorgeous album. Julia’s “I was surprised to see the large One of Julia’s earliest champions, to the searching and longing in my as a wildflower meadow. voice is soft and sweet, versatile amount of gig venues of different and now long-time musical lyrics, I think.” And in that imagined fair and just and warm hearted for all the longing sizes, and so many open mics! I collaborator was Seb Reynolds, How much does travel, landscape world, what favourite things would in her lyrics. She points to the likes thought the overall standard of the the local musical polymath whose and nature play into your lyrics and Julia bring to Oxford from Sweden of Lykke Li and The Cardigans acts were really high. I also really keyboard skills have seen him music? ‘Ocean’ begins with that that we’re maybe not familiar as influences, but to those you liked the vibe. People seemed very play with myriad bands, from line about leaving every harbour. with? could add Feist, This Mortal Coil, friendly and welcoming, not at all Sexy Breakfast to his current That feels like a metaphor for your “Stronger coffee and saltier food.” Edie Brickell, even Sigur Ros or competitive. Solo Collective project, as well as travels, while your songs often feel And conversely, what aspect of Vashti Bunyan at times, as she “My first favourite place was working as a promoter and music like they have something of the British life would you like to see takes summery, folky melodies Modern Art Oxford; they had really PR. wilderness about them. adopted in Sweden? for chilled-out voyages along the great exhibitions on, and the first “Yeah, I got in touch with Seb “Yes, it’s funny how many times “I think Swedes have a lot to learn Scandinavian coastline, while recent time I went there they played The through a colleague, and he booked water features in my lyrics, and I’m from Brits in terms of being more single ‘Train Ticket’ revealed a 13th July and she is understandably Thought is supporting us, so that same album. Come along and dance White Stripes in the café. It’s such a me my first gig slot at the now sure I will never stop writing about open and sociable. People seem different side to her canon, a taught, excited to finally have the record will be great. It feels great to finally with us!” cool space. closed Albion Beatnik Bookstore it. The lyrics in ‘Ocean’ are actually more chilled out here, and not so almost funky number that recalls out there. release those songs that we have The satisfaction of finally getting “I obviously went to Truck Store in Jericho. After that he offered to a poem by the Icelandic poet Stein scared of each other.” Television and Talking Heads. “Yes! It’s going to be such a great played live so many times. Some to release her debut album is all the too, and was not disappointed. I help me record some demos and Steinarr. I loved the idea of feeling We’ll raise a bag of chips to that! night! We’ll be celebrating the of the songs on the album are over more palpable given the enforced started working at the amazing he introduced me to (guitarist) one with an ocean. Julia launches the release and play some bangers from six years old, and other songs, like lay-off Julia underwent after the shop, Objects of Use, and my Andrew Warne, and suddenly we “I do take a lot of inspiration Julia Meijer plays The album with a headline show at the album, along with a couple ‘Train Ticket’, are newer. It feels release of her early singles for colleagues gave me great tips on were a little band. A bit later on we from nature. I guess because it Wheatsheaf on Saturday 13th July. The Wheatsheaf on Saturday the of little treats perhaps. After the fun to have them all together on the personal reasons – something she’s venues to play and places to go.” were joined by Greig Stewart from helps clearing your mind when Visit www.juliameijermusic.com Sponsored by LOW ISLAND THE OTHER DRAMAS ‘Search Box’ ‘I’ll See You Again’ (Self released) (Self released) RELEASED Following ‘In Person’, Low Island continue As the interested, partisan observer of a local to explore humanity’s relationship with music scene, there’s no greater vicarious JULIA MEIJER OLD ERNIE technology, while simultaneously going the pleasure than witnessing a band who’ve been ‘Always Awake’ ‘Flowers For Hardcastle’ full techno on this new single, a succession of bumbling around in the dark in search of an search engine questions recited over ebullient identity suddenly finding their voice. So it was (Self released) (Self released) housed-up big beat that serves to confirm that superb 2017 single ‘Radio’ catapulted The Travel; longing; adventures in new lands and Obvious isn’t really on David Kahl’s radar. You them as a live rave machine in the mould of Other Dramas to the attention of those of us memories of old ones. Such subjects have been have to take a bit of a guess on the album title Underworld rather than a standard indie band. who’d previously written them off as more hit staples of songwriting since time immemorial, for starters, while the tracklisting is in mirror From “How do I watch game of Thrones?” and miss than a game of Battleships. and it’s that timelessness that makes them forever writing on a board placed on the lap of a man “Why has no-one tried to be a superhero?” Its 2018 follow-up ‘The Future Is A Holiday’ appealing. photographed gagged and bound on a chair and “Does anyone still use Faceparty” to was hardly shoddy either, finishing up a Julia Meijer tells these stories from her own in the middle of the woods. There are four of more existential queries like “Why did I end deserved fourth in Nightshift’s Best Tracks of perspective, the singer having moved from those, listed on the credits as “masochists”. No up alone?” ”Is it okay if I’m not okay?” and love and more of a threat; your online therapist the Year. her native Sweden to the UK in 2012 and both explanation is given. “What happens when there is no sun?” all your is not your friend. And yet you can still have All of which preamble is a way of saying that melancholic memories of her homeland and a Kahl has rarely trodden a clear and direct path Google searches are listed amid the refrain of a good old dance to it. Partying as the world unfortunately ‘I’ll See You Again’ comes across romantic wanderlust infuse every song. “I have musically, either in his Old Ernie guise or with “I know you better than you know you” which, burns. It’s the way we’re all going. as a disappointment: neat enough, but somewhat left harbours from every country” is a line that Brown Glove, his band with Gemma Kahl. in this context, feels less like a declaration of Dale Kattack pedestrian, lacking in punch and hooks, and sets the scene from the very off, ‘Ocean’ – her On the surface the beast-mode metal riffage focused on a chorus that’s not strong enough to debut single, originally released in 2015 –based dextrous fretplay and Foals’ nimble post-punk and downbeat, slowburn grunge of album shoulder the weight of such responsibility. on a poem by Stein Steinarr, sees Julia’s woozy, funk. ‘England’, by contrast, is all about space – pages, before seeming to fall silent. openers ‘Sindrome’ and ‘Milk’ respectively are However, the release is salvaged by b-side mist-shrouded singing style enhancing the lost- the expanse of the oceans, the distance between Mosa supposedly finds him back in a more decent, par for the course rock, treading ground ‘Fools Like Us’, which bobs about with fuzzy far-from-home feeling of the album. Even at her home and here – and best captures all those electronic guise, and the organic acoustic previously well beaten by Smashing Pumpkins abandon like The Joy Formidable gorging most upbeat, as on the sprightly, almost folky feelings, memories and desires, a gorgeously instrumentation here is filled out with fuller and Nirvana. But it’s as the album progresses themselves on E numbers and The Pretenders’ ‘Fall Into Place’ there’s a ghost hanging on the languid and limpid paean to nature and longing. keyboard textures, but it’s still his voice that that things take a turn for the darker and more greatest hits. Had they opted to flip the order of shoulder of the song, reminiscent of some of This ‘When I Give In’ feels hurried, which breaks the holds court, along with the mists of melancholy oblique. David’s vocals on ‘Reason’ start to veer the two tracks, no one would have disputed the Mortal Coil’s later material. spell briefly, but ‘En Liten Fågel’ is both serene that forever hangs around his music. In into hysteria for fleeting moments, the sprawling decision. This isn’t folk music as such, but it harbours and majestic; here Julia sings in Swedish and you particular on lead tracks ‘Losts & Founds’, the folk-grunge rising like a slow-motion flood until Ben Woolhead similar tropes at times, from the wistful yet wish she’d do so more often, if only because it you find yourself waist deep in brackish, angst- most radical progression from his old sound playful melodies, to the warm vocal harmonies, adds an extra layer of mystery to her voice. infested waters. and a remake of an old Samuel Zasada song, its although Julia’s band, including keyboard player This is a genuinely excellent debut album from Khal turns the screw even harder on ‘Love previous almost flamenco flair reconsidered as Seb Reynolds and Guillemots drummer Grieg a still under-appreciated singer and songwriter Is...’, guitars downtuned to an ugly grumble, a full-blooded gothic blues rumble, where Bon CAMERON AG Stewart (as well as that band’s singer Fyfe and a band with the talent and subtlety to add rich beats tumbling in like an inconsistent tide, the Iver meets Mark Lanegan for cake and bourbon ‘One By One’ Dangerfield at one point) add a discreet heaviness textures to every song while letting them breathe. influence of Norwegian noise rocker Arabrot round Dr John’s fireside. to tracks like ‘Sanibel’, never imposing too much A desire to travel and experience a new life is increasingly apparent in the gothic mood that ‘Winter’s End’ is more spacious but no (This Is It/Orchard) on Meijer’s reveries. what brought Julia Meijer here. If that brings with begins to shroud everything. Tension mounts as less earthy, a hymnal rumination solemnly Is it really four years since Cameron AG gave ‘Train Ticket’ stands slightly above and beyond it a sense of longing for what she left behind, the record approaches its climax, but there’s still cresting on a rolling tide of piano, and if the us the gorgeous, lovelorn, cut adrift on an the rest of the album, leaving some of that it only adds to the magic of her music, and room for subtle guitar melodies and clever synth MOSA semi-instrumental ‘Elizabeth’ is meandering endless ocean of sorrow ‘Lost Direction’? folksiness behind for a more steadfastly indie Stockholm’s loss is very definitely Oxford’s gain. parts, so it’s not an all-out bulldozing experience and insubstantial – incongruous drum&bass Apparently so. On the strength of this new single the world sound that recalls Television’s obstinately Dale Kattack and that almost folky feel continues to offer ‘Dawned’ beats coupled with an extended electric guitar has done little to soothe Cameron’s soul in slivers of light however hard they’re snuffed out. (Four Twenny) journey and some haunted “Ooohs” – ‘Who the interim. Still possessed of a quavering, will bubble and melt from their bones. Final track ‘Faults’ is an absolute monster and As Nightshift sits down to listen to this debut Are You’ brings back the blues, harmonica plaintive voice that’s purpose built to recount GIFT OF BLINDNESS Oxford might lack dangerous and extreme sees Old Ernie fully succumb to the dark side. EP from Mosa the news has broken that New and all, Ashbourne sounding like he spent heartache and longing, here he’s once again music right now but we probably don’t need to It takes a while to get its claws into you, Orleans blues legend Dr John has died. It feels the instrumental interval gargling brandy and ‘Hide’ accompanied by piano and cello, which is worry too much when Umair Chaudhry is single and repeated listens and increased volume appropriate as David Ashbourne, the man molasses. basically the holy trinity of musical sorrow, (Blindsight) handedly providing double portions all round. levels all serve to bind the spell more tightly, behind Mosa, has one of the more authentic He’s softened considerably by the finale, ‘Just In his Nightshift Introducing feature last year, the song, a sad-eyed second cousin to Jeff Dale Kattack but ‘Flowers For Hardcastle’ is a bewitching blues voices in Oxfordshire: rough hewn, just Walk’, all simmering shoegaze spangle and Umair Chaudhry (who should by now need no Buckley’s take on ‘Hallelujah’: soothing, and sometimes intensely powerful album. the right side of overwrought, plaintive without rubble-strewn regret, and if there’s a more than a introduction) bemoaned the “lack of dangerous confessional and wide-eyed. We’re blessed Centre stage probably isn’t where it feels sounding desperate. hint of Chris Rea about it, at his best Ashbourne and extreme music coming out of Oxford”. with some fine old singers here in Oxford and most comfortable, preferring the shadows and David was previously known round these parts still sounds pleasingly like a man with the He’s been on a one-man mission to rectify that MY CROOKED TEETH Cameron is up among the best of them. Great unseen corners, but here’s a rock album that under the band name Samuel Zasada, who weight of the world on his shoulders and the situation over the past decade or so with a host to have him back. Still cast adrift, still a very deserves to be heard, preferably as loud as scored a Nightshift Demo of the Month a decade voice to convey it. of solo and collaborative projects, but it’s with ‘The Hardest Task’ rare talent. possible. ago and a host of subsequent praise in these Ian Chesterton Gift of Blindness he really sets the punishment (Self released) Ian Chesterton Dale Kattack dials into the red. This latest single is a fourteen- Likably uplifting melancholy from Jack minute molten battering ram of end-times Olchawski on this ode to the joys and trials of weary shrug, more a four-minute outpouring industrial rock, galley slave beats providing parenthood and being a carer on this new single, I CRIED WOLF of pretty much every negative emotion that Jack backed by a band that includes former the broad shoulders upon which the flames of flits across your consciousness during the Toliesel bandmates Tom Jowett and Rob Taylor ‘Sigh’ punishing guitar abuse burn, Umair’s vocals day, funnelled and spat out in the face of a sounding like the carefully parcelled bellows as well as Message To Bears’ Jerome Alexander. (Crooked Noise) callouslessly unsympathetic world. and screams of the eternally damned. It’s two It’s soft-centred stuff, almost childlike in I Cried Wolf’s new single is about “the I Cried Wolf’s tightly disciplined rhythmic minutes of musical glowing coals ripening your its wide-eyed simplicity, which is probably shortcomings of online dating, how you can style, almost funky at its breakdown point, skin for the flaying that makes up the main body intentional given its subject matter, some jaunty go from the absolute euphoria of making a allows the spittle-flecked belligerence around it of the piece, everything softening to an extended piano towards the end lifting the mood, and connection with someone new, to worrying that coda of gently blistering shoegaze glissando and it should appeal to fans of The Epstein and you’re not enough, to pretending to be exactly a free hand, so come the end any mess left lying eventual heat death. It’s Sunn0)))’s malevolent Stornoway as it mixes pretty folk and steel what you think they might want, and how that about is intentional. And then, doubtless, it’s doom eviscerated by Neurosis’ mania and guitar-led country with lullaby-sweet pop into can spiral into a bout of crippling self doubt.” back into the dating fray, once more to woo the Godflesh’s no-compromise hellscaping. Only something that’s as easy to digest as baby So, a song for the age, and a perfect fit for the girl of your dreams. Just a suggestion, though: Drore in Oxford can come anywhere close to this food but still nourishes that part of your soul that band’s squall’n’scream metalcore, where self- maybe try shouting and screaming less next time kind of musical vehemence and if you play it wishes the world was a gentler, kinder place. hate forever sits atop one shoulder like a black – it’s hardly romantic. loud enough at your next party your guests’ flesh Sue Foreman angel. As you’d expect, then ‘Sigh’ is less a Ian Chesterton SINGLE MOTHERS + WORRY + BASIC th th DICKS: The Port Mahon – Pop-spiked Friday 5 – Sunday 7 hardcore of the old school from Ontario’s Single Mothers (or sometimes SM Worldwide), CORNBURY the loose, revolving door collective centred on singer and bandleader Drew Thomson, an FESTIVAL: Great abrasive one-man storm of snotty, caustic pissed- GIG GUIDE offness, whose more recent sobriety hasn’t Tew Country Park softened his attitude to life any, instead turning “I will survive,” sang Gloria Gaynor in a st Charms Against the Evil Eye. his bile inwards on most recent album ‘Through moment of legendary pop defiance, and MONDAY 1 a Wall’. The band are on their way to play WEEDRAT + GRUB + IRN BRUNETTE: A VISION OF ELVIS: The New Theatre – Cornbury Festival has the right to sing that song we’re excited to see the return of THE TREVOR 2000 Trees festival, stopping of for an Oxford The Library – Shred or Die show with New Spotted working down the chip shop. Swears it’s at the top of its voice as it returns once again to HORN BAND, whose 2015 set here is easily debut courtesy of Snuggle Dice Records. Local Mexico’s lo-fi polemic-punk crew Weedrat himself. turn an idyllic corner of rural Oxfordshire into a one of Cornbury’s most legendary moments, a hardcore house wreckers Worry and anarcho- stopping over in town ahead of their Decolonise DJ ALEECAT vs DISCO DARELL: The Port major music event. supremely talented band, featuring Lol Creme, punk fighters Basic Dicks support Festival appearance. Support from psych/garage/ JULY Mahon – Soul and funky house night. Having endured financial struggles that lead Stewart Copeland and Seal, running through OPEN MIC NIGHT: Harcourt Arms grunge noisemakers Grub and best-named band nd RAIDERS OF THE LOST SCRATCH: Le organiser Hugh Phillimore to announce 2017’s Horn’s peerless production catalogue, from Grace FRANKLIN’S TOWER + TONY AND SAL of the month, IRN Brunette, queer-glam punk TUESDAY 2 Bar – Hip hop, scratch and more at tonight’s event as the final farewell, Cornbury has Jones and Frankie Goes to Hollywood to Buggles HARP OPEN SESSION: The Port Mahon + JULES PENZO: Donnington Community and recent support to Martha. Carnival warm-up with Yaya Jojo, Nico Jo, undergone a new lease of life and this year’s and T.a.t.u. Belting stuff. Centre (6pm) – Free evening of unplugged MARTIN SIMPSON: Nettlebed Folk Club – Eszka and Art. line-up is one of its best yet. And we’ll never not be excited to see ECHO & WEDNESDAY 3rd music with host Jeremy Hughes’ Grateful Dead Masterful traditional folk songsmithery from the THE BUNYMEN, back for a third Cornbury visit HERE LIES TITANIA + FAILURE IS AN tribute act Franklin’s Tower and more. veteran acoustic and slide guitarist. th Gloria Gaynor hasn’t yet played Cornbury but (their first time saw a pre-prime minister David OPTION + TWISTED STATE OF MIND: The SATURDAY 6 OPEN MIC: The Castle – Weekly open night. she seems to be one of a dwindling number of Cameron doing a bit of dad dancing along to Bullingdon – Virulent metalcore and deathcore CORNBURY FESTIVAL: Great Tew Country th living legends yet to put in a showing. Last year’s them but we’re guessing he’s too embarrassed to from Reading’s Here Lies Titania, out on tour Park – Keane headline the second day of the MONDAY 8 show his face in public these days). They qualify HAMILTON LOOMIS: The Bullingdon – festival saw Mavis Staples, PP Arnold and Jimmy th to promote their eponymous debut album. festival, with KT Tunstall, Elkie Brooks and The as legends, even if we’ve ticked them off our list Thursday 4 Soulful, Texan-flavoured blues from the singer, Cliff joining Nightshift’s tick-off list and we’ve Support from Birmingham metallers Failure is Shires – see main preview got a few more in our sights this time round. numerous times. It will never be too many times. an Option, inspired by Bring Me the Horizon, Of SQUID: The Wheatsheaf – Brighton’s fast- guitarist and blues harpist back at the Haven BELLE & Club night. Mice and Men and Asking Alexandra, plus local rising rockers stop off in town in between STEELEYE SPAN and ELKIE BROOKES FRENCH FOLK SESSION: The Port Mahon Chief among those will be Friday headliners THE heavyweights Twisted State of Mind, mixing up festival dates, their angular, angsty and uptight both qualify as legends; the former for their SEBASTIAN: OPEN MIC: The Castle SPECIALS (pictured). The Two-Tone godheads, hard rock and 80s thrash. fusion of punk, krautrock and disco coming pioneering folk-rock revival alongside Fairport LACE TELLINGS: Nettlebed Folk Club – once more led by the inestimably cool Terry Hall over like a meeting point of Mclusky, Fontaines in the 60s and 70s, the latter for the immortal O2 Academy Jackie Oates presents her play about the lace alongside original members Lynval Golding and It’s 22 years to the month since Belle & th DC and LCD Soundsystem on recent radio hit ‘Lilac Wine’, a scratchy 7” version of which still makers of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Horace Panter, signalled a musical and cultural Sebastian last played in Oxford. Back then THURSDAY 4 ‘Houseplants’. nestles in Nightshift’s record box. BELLE & SEBASTIAN: O2 Academy – first Northamptonshire, the result of her 18 month revolution when they emerged back in the late- the O2 Academy was the still The Zodiac and BATSCH + JACKDAW WITH CROWBAR GAZ COOMBES, meanwhile, is a bona visit to Oxford for over 20 years for the Scottish musical residency at the Museum of English 70s with a message of unity and multiculturalism the eight-strong band couldn’t all fit on the + DADA PARADOX: The Jericho Tavern – a fide local legend, and he’s sure to get a hero’s indie stars – see main preview Rural Life, the story accompanied by songs from set against the rise of the far right and the decline stage, so an extra podium was erected in the night of welcome unease and strangeness from reception from the Cornbury crowd. ALGIERS + SHOTGUN SIX: The Bullingdon the renowned folk singer, joined tonight by John of the UK’s inner cities. How times change, eh? middle of the venue to accommodate them. Coventry’s dark-disco, off-piste electro-pop Elsewhere KT TUNSTALL should get the – A righteous storm outta South Georgia Spiers and Jack Rutter, as well as a support set And the band’s new album, ‘Encore’, which Excitement levels were set to biblical for what outfit Batsch, joined tonight by Leamington’s field going with ‘Suddenly I See’ alongside from Algiers, Franklin James Fisher’s raw, from Megan Henwood. went to Number 1, is as radical and relevant as were at the time the buzz band in the land, reformed weirdoes Jackdaw With Crowbar, back declamatory soul fronting his band’s funked- ever, particularly the genius collaboration with her extensive catalogue of hits, while soul barely a year old but already a cult concern. in Oxford with their decidedly offbeat mix of up garage rock, Bad Seeds atmospherics and Saffiyah Khan on a reworking of Prince Buster’s star BEVERLEY KNIGHT will do the same Fast forward two and a bit decades and Stuart post-punk poetry, primitivist synth-rock and art th Suicide-inspired pulse as he takes aim at TUESDAY 9 ‘Ten Commandments Of Man’, the activist, who with the likes of ‘Come As You Are’, ‘Coulda Murdoch’s band of sensitive pop warriors cabaret. Slacker-ish, anti-folk and psych-pop oppression, injustice and power, the band over COMEBACK KID + SVARLBARD + I famously stood up to EDL thugs while wearing Shoulda Woulda’ and ‘Greatest Day’. are veterans of ten albums but excitement from New York ex pats Dada Paradox. in the UK as they follow up 2017’s superb ‘The CRIED WOLF: O2 Academy – Anthemic a Specials t-shirt in 2017, redressing the sexism levels at their arrival are no less intense OFF-KEY feat. WOOKIE: The Bullingdon Underside of Power’, drawing a line from the metalcore from Canadian veterans Comeback of the original song. Alongside songs from the It’s not all veterans at Cornbury of course with tonight’s gig selling out in a matter of – Garage, bassline, trap, drum&bass and grime th Black Panthers to modern day police racism Kid, approaching their 18 year on the road, and new album there’ll be the hits: ‘Ghost Town’; and among the newer acts set to star are THE minutes (first time round, pre-internet fans club night, celebrating their second birthday with and brutality, they’re like a James Brown-led showing no sign of mellowing on the strength ‘A Message To You Rudy’; ‘Too Much Too KOLARS (pictured), who stole the show last had to queue up from dawn to nab a ticket). UK garage stalwart Wookie, plus residents Burt spiritual gospel choir from the Church of the of most recent album ‘Outsider’. They’re joined Young’ and more and who knows, maybe we’ll year with their all-energy rock’n’roll show, Few acts have become such established and Cope, Gilly Gill and Hamdi. Machine Apocalypse. Heavy-duty psych-rock by Bristol’s hardcore/post-hardcore/crust/ see Cornbury manning the barricades and turning featuring drummer and tap dancer Lauren Brown enduring favourites while forever remaining THE CARPENTERS STORY: The New support from Shotgun Six. black-metal crew Svarlbard and local melodic their pitchers of Pimm’s into Molotov cocktails by alongside singer Rob Kolar – the grandson of outsiders. If the band’s most recent album, Theatre – Tribute to late great singer Karen Jaws star Robert Shaw. TOTALLY TINA: The New Theatre – Tina metalcore crew I Cried Wolf, taking inspiration the end of the night. ‘How To Solve Our Human Problems Pts Carpenter and her horror film director brother Turner tribute. from Everytime I Die, Don Broco and Cancer Groundbreaking UK folk duo THE SHIRES 1-3’ (essentially three EPs sewn together) John. should pull one of the weekend’s biggest CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community Bats. If not (and let’s face it, you’re as likely to see a shows how their sonic palate has expanded OXFORD GOSPEL CHOIR: The crowds, while last month’s Nightshift cover stars Centre – Oxford’s longest running open night riot at Cornbury as you are a headline set from over the years, with disco and soul lurking Cornerstone, Didcot – A night of spiritual showcases singers, musicians, poets, storytellers, th Napalm Death), then Sunday brings another LITTLE BROTHER ELI make a deserved on the margins, it also shows how firmly the soul and gospel from the local community WEDNESDAY 10 performance artists and more every Thursday. legendary musical force to the shire in the form main stage show, the band born to play festivals. same Belle & Sebastian has remained since choir, tonight joined by members of the London SEED ENSEMBLE: Tap Social, Botley – SPARKY’S NEW MOON: The Half Moon – of THE BEACH BOYS. Mike Love seems to ‘Tigermilk’ captured the hearts and minds of Community Gospel Choir. Oxford Contemporary Music host London ten- Sparky hosts his open mic session on the first be the sole surviving original in this incarnation, Away from the two main stages there’s a sizeable a small army of superfans. Murdoch’s gentle, STEAMROLLER: Kidlington FC (4pm) piece outfit Seed Ensemble, led by composer and and third Thursday of every month. but on a warm summer’s evening, who’s going local contingent on the Riverside stage, with ska lispy voice and romantic outlook continue to – Heavy duty blues in the vein of Cream and saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi, mixing upbeat jazz to resist singalongs of ‘California Girls’; Good tributes HOPE & GLORY and TWO TONE reveal his inner teenage poet and the elegant Hendrix from the local rock veterans. with West African and Caribbean grooves and Vibrations’; ‘Sloop John B’; Surfin’ USA’ and ALL SKAS set to reprise recent successes here, th jangle is still prettily frayed at the edges. Long FRIDAY 5 A-WATTS: Cowley Workers Club – Classic coated in London grime. ‘God Only Knows’. No-one, that’s who. while THE SHAPES; PANDAPOPALYPSE; may the song remain the same. CORNBURY FESTIVAL: Great Tew 50s and 60s rock’n’roll. JAZZ SESSION: The Port Mahon EASTER ISLAND STATUES; KANADIA; Country Park – First day of the festival with a Saturday’s headliners are KEANE, who don’t PREMIUM LEISURE; THE DEADBEAT headline set from The Specials, plus Echo & the SUNDAY 7th THURSDAY 11th quite fall into the ‘legendary’ bracket. Or the APOSTLES; THE OTHER DRAMAS; Bunnymen, Beverley Knight and Gaz Coombes CORNBURY FESTIVAL: Great Tew Country CLOUD NOTHINGS + DRAHLA: The ‘any good’ bracket either, so moving swiftly on, DOLLY MAVIES and BRICKWORK – see main preview Park – Third and final day of the festival, topped Bullingdon – Brilliantly belligerent indie-punk LIZARDS among a host of Nightshift favourites KLUB KAKOFANNEY with PEERLESS off by The Beach Boys, plus Paul Carrack, from Dylan Baldi’s Cleveland outfit, out on tour on show. PIRATES + MOBIUS + CHARMS AGAINST Steeleye Span and Alfie Boe – see main preview – see main preview THE EVIL EYE: The Wheatsheaf – Peerless CARNIVAL: Cowley Road – East Oxford’s THE BLACK HATS + CIPHERS: The It won’t win awards for radical innovation, but Pirates launch their second album, ‘Banquet annual festival of music, dance, costume and Library – Local indie rockers The Black Hats Cornbury deserves its place at the very heart of For Bandits’, at this month’s Klub Kakofanney, food, with live stages, sound systems and more, return to action to launch their new ‘Bad News the Oxford music calendar. It’s a festival that’s mixing rockabilly, spaghetti western from The Plain to Magdalen Road, plus the Telephone vinyl EP, with support from gothic all about the music, curated with genuine love soundtracks, 80s indie and seafaring shanties centrepiece carnival parade. shoegaze-inspired rockers Ciphers. and possessed of a unique and extremely mellow into their lively musical grog. Joining them up DUB SMUGGLERS: The Bullingdon (11am ARMED FOR THE APOCALYPSE: The atmosphere, and for all the media’s concentration the rock and roll rigging are violin-led gothic & 7pm) – Double dose of dub ahead of and after Port Mahon – Ruthlessly raw-throated and on celeb spotting in its VIP area, it’s a festival rockers Mobius, and Paisley psych-pop crew Carnival from Dub Smugglers. brutal sludge from California’s Armed For utterly lacking in pretentiousness. man and lynchpin of Roots Garden, tonight had a Christmas Number 1 hit with ‘We’re All Centre EDGELARKS: Nettlebed Folk Club – BBC alongside The Field Frequency Sound System, Going To Die’, but mainstream success isn’t in SPARKY’S NEW MOON: The Half Moon Folk Awards winners Phillip Henry and Hannah pumping out roots and dub. his lexicon, preferring to release albums with Martin blend traditional English folk and roots CHALK: The Wheatsheaf – Electro-acoustic titles like ‘A Quarter Past Shite’. His new one is th with Indian classical slide guitars, stomp box rock from London’s Chalk at tonight’s It’s All titled ‘Bananas’, which could refer to the fruit FRIDAY 19 rhythms, harmonica and fiddle as they tour new About the Music show. of his general mental disposition. A star, to those GHUM + LUCY LEAVE + AUF BAU album ‘Feather’. BOSSAPHONIK: East Oxford Community who know what’s good in the world. PRINCIPLE + PET SEMATARY: The OPEN MIC: The Castle Centre – World jazz dance club night, hosted by Wheatsheaf – London’s international indie starlets Ghum make their Oxford debut as they DJ Dan Ofer, tonight with a live set from Global th rd Wave, a samba-jazz act led by vocalist/violinist WEDNESDAY 17 tour new EP ‘The Coldest Fire’, their visceral but TUESDAY 23 Azhaar Saffar of renowned Brazilian band Sirius SHONEN KNIFE: The Bullingdon – Osaka’s slow-burning mix of dark grunge and post-punk THE BVs + JUNK WHALE + ADULTS + Thursday 11th B. punk warriors bring anarchy and flying jelly to taking inspiration from Savages, Joy Division SUGAR RUSH: The Library – Indietracks THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Black Swan The Bully – see main preview and Dum Dum Girls among others. Warped and warm-up show for Cornish-German crew The CLOUD NOTHINGS / – Party-hearty blues, funk, rock, ska and wonderful jazz/grunge/punk/freakpop support BV’s at tonight’s Divine Schism show, the band psychedelia from the local vets. th from Lucy Leave, taking the twisty turny path taking their cue from classic 80s indie jangle THURSDAY 18 to pop’s heart, plus dark-hearted post-punk crew and mixing it up with dreampop and post-grunge DRAHLA: HEADINGTON HILBILLIES: The Tree, THE BLACK HATS + APHRA TAYLOR: Iffley – The local Americana outfit help celebrate Auf Bau Principle, and midnight gothic folk- noise. Big hearted but bolshy pop-punk and Truck Store – Local indie rockers Black Hats blues from Pet Sematary. slacker rock in the vein of The Wonder Years from The Bullingdon The Tree’s beer festival. launch their new EP with an instore set alongside th While all around us is sunshine and summer THE OPERATION: The Bullingdon – New local stars on the rise Junk Whale. Wednesday 17 CHANGESTWOBOWIE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – new local singer/songwriter Aphra. vibes, what we really need, as a reminder garage club night with MC Creed. OPEN MIC SESSION: The Port Mahon – Bowie tribute. 31HOURS + JUNIPER NIGHTS: The that it’s just a sham – the fleetingly pleasant LATIN OPEN SESSION: The Port Mahon Open session hosted by Chris Monger. SHONEN KNIFE: A-WATTS: Blackshead, Bletchington Library – Single launch night for post-grunge/ veneer of climate catastrophe – is some post-punk band Juniper Nights, alongside serious rock and roll noise in a darkened th th The Bullingdon th spangly Radiohead-inspired indie crew 31Hours. pub backroom, so all hail the brilliantly SATURDAY 13 SATURDAY 20 WEDNESDAY 24 Two albums tell newcomers what they need CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL: Mill Field, EASY STAR ALLSTARS: The Bullingdon belligerent indie-punk noisemaking of Dylan JULIA MEIJER + AFTER THE THOUGHT: to know about Shonen Knife: 2011’s ‘Osaka Charlbury – Kanadia headline the first day of the – The dub outfit revisit their Pink Floyd tribute Baldi’s Cleveland outfit Cloud Nothings, out The Wheatsheaf – Album launch show for Ramones’ found the band covering their th annual free festival. ‘Dub Side of the Moon’ alongside reggaefied on tour to promote last year’s ‘Last Building this month’s Nightshift cover star – see main Friday 12 heroes’ songs after almost three decades of THE ROCK PROJECT OXFORD: The takes on Radiohead and The Beatles. Burning’ album, their best record yet, bringing interview feature providing a fun-filled Japanese take on the Bullingdon – Live show from the youth and GALICIAN FOLK SESSION: The Port a more experimental edge to their scuzzy, OUTLOOK FESTIVAL LAUNCH: The BRITISH SEA New Yorkers’ blitzkrieg bop. 1990’s double children’s music project. Mahon – Traditional music from northern Spain. feedback-inflected kick’n’rush, that takes Bullingdon – An Oxford warm-up for Europe’s album ‘Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who PITCH BLACK SUMMER PARTY: The cues from Husker Du, The Replacements leading celebration of soundsystem culture, with POWER / THE Loves Them’, conversely found a whole heap Bullingdon – Summer celebration for the techno and the heavier end of Weezer as it hurtles Riggamortiz Sounds hosting Dub Phizix, New th of American bands covering Shonen Knife, CATENARY WIRES: club night. THURSDAY 25 among them Sonic Youth, Babes in Toyland, headlong for the finish line. The band’s Bass Order, T>I and more. TRUCK FARM: Hill Farm, Steventon – BRITE SPIRES: The Jericho Tavern – Debut Red Kross and L7. A certain Kurt Cobain previous album, ‘Life Without a Sound’, took THE JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW: The Opening evening of the already sold-out festival, The Bullingdon live show from the recent Nightshift Track of was a huge fan of the band and the first time the noise down a notch or two, with Baldi New Theatre – Tribute to The Man In Black. Given that their last gig in Oxfordshire was with an extra portion of fun featuring Slaves and the Month winners, whose glitzy, disco-friendly Nightshift saw Shonen Knife was supporting joking it was his band’s new age album, but GORDON GILTRAP + NICK & JUDITH on the main stage at Truck Festival last year, more – see main preview synth-pop comes inspired by Ladytron, New Nirvana at the Kilburn National back in with ‘Last Building...’ they’re back doing HOOPER: Quaker Meeting House – Intimate it’s fair to say British Sea Power’s visit to The ELVANA: O2 Academy – Return to town for Order and Pet Shop Boys. 1991. The band was formed back in 1982 what they do absolutely best – cranking it up show for the innovative classical, folk and prog Bullingdon is an intimate show. Despite the the Elvis impersonator led Nirvana tribute band, CHINA BOWLS + LIMPET SPACE RACE by sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano, with and out, sounding both jaded and euphoric, guitarist, a contemporary of Bert Jansch, John fact it’s sixteen years since the release of ‘The tongues pressed firmly in cheeks. + OCTAVIA FREUD: Modern Art Oxford – singer/guitarist Naoko remaining at the helm in a crash’n’burn kind of way, the record’s Renbourn and Mike Oldfield, best known for his Decline of British Sea Power’, the band’s cult GREEN HANDS + SWALLOW CAVE + Bristolian singer-songwriter China Bowls follows 37 years and some 20 albums later. During highpoint being the joyous pandemonium of instrumental hit ‘Heartsong’. status has shown no sign of fading; if they’ve ATHABASKA + SYMBOL SOUP: The up shows at Shambala and Boomtown with a low- that time they’ve remained a beloved cult its eleven-minute centrepiece ‘Dissolution’. THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Tree, Iffley never reached the levels of popularity of those Library – Divine Schism hosts laidback, key set in MAO’s courtyard, mixing up a fierce, concern across the world and their template “They won’t remember my name / I’ll be (4-6pm) – Rock and blues covers from the who first inspired them – The Cure, Echo & melancholic indie fuzzsters Green Hands, acrobatic vocal style with a dextrous jazz band, sound – 60s girl groups and Beach Boys surf alone in my shame,” barks/growls Baldi on ‘In veteran local guitarist and his band. the Bunnymen and Arcade Fire among them – alongside woozy jangle crew Swallow Cave and taking in neo soul and hip hop along the way. pop filtered through The Ramones’ high- Shame’, revealing the personal darkness at the NELLY B PAGE: The Port Mahon they’re a national treasure of a sort, not least indie folksters Athabaska. Acid jazz-inflected synth-folk from local faves energy garage rock attack and Buzzcocks’ heart of his songs, he and the rest of the band BRASS EXTRAVAGANZA: The Cornerstone, for their continuing mission to make gigs an LETHBRIDGE OWEN: The Bullingdon – Wantage Band – one of the top brass Limpet Space Race in support. pop-punk – has stayed pretty much in place hammering home the message with extreme Didcot – event, even an adventure, given the unusual Folk-rock from London singer Kelly Lethbridge bands in the world – return for a night of music SUNFLY: Woodstock Social Club – Rare outing while forever sounding fresh and vital. Their prejudice. And if that summer storm wasn’t locations they’ve led fans to over the years. and guitarist Jimmy Owen, out on tour to conducted by Paul Holland. for the local blues and rock veterans. enduring popularity also opened the doors to exciting enough, tonight’s support are Leeds’ Elegance is the watchword, singer Jan Scott promote debut album ‘Mind Over Matter’. A-WATTS: Sandford Fete (4pm) A-WATTS: Brewery Tap, Abingdon subsequent generations of Japanese bands. Drahla, back in town after their headline show Wilkinsn’s breathless delivery coupled with CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community Musically Shonen Knife are simply the sound year in May, with a scuzzy, psyched-up take a pocket orchestra approach to songwriting Centre st of unfettered joy: an exuberant blast of sonic on Sonic Youth, Husker Du and Wire. th making everything epic while retaining a sense REVEREND BLACK’S ACOUSTIC SUNDAY 14 SUNDAY 21 sunshine with razorblade and shrapnel edges of hushed awe and intimacy. The fact that RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL: Mill Field, CABARET: The Half Moon – Acoustic blues, OPEN MIC NIGHT: Harcourt Arms and a hefty dose of silliness; if every band The Apocalypse at tonight’s Buried in Smoke tonight’s gig – hosted by Divine Schism – is Charlbury – Second day of the annual free country, folk and classic rock with Scott Gordon, THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Tree, Iffley (4- has a Shone Knife that loves them, everyone show, the band helmed by former-Will Haven a guaranteed sell-out means that support band festival, with sets from The Mighty Redox and The Jesters and Richard Brotherton. 6pm) should love Shonen Knife. Here is happiness man Cayle Hunter and touring their new album The Catenary Wires will get to play to a bigger many more. in pop form. having previously supported Sepultura, Crowbar KERMES + DANGERS OF LOVE: The th crowd, though they deserve a sold-out show th and 36Crazyfists on tour. MONDAY 15 in their own right, the band made up of bona Library – Snuggle Dice bring Leicester’s chaotic FRIDAY 26 REVEREND BLACK’S ACOUSTIC SCANDINAVIAN FOLK SESSION: The Port fide Oxford legends Amelia Fletcher and Rob angst-core crew Kermes to town, the band touring TRUCK FARM: Hill Farm, Steventon – Wolf “the sound of a cyborg hornet nest at the CABARET: The Half Moon – Acoustic Mahon Pursey, veterans of Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, their ‘We Chose Pretty Names’ album. Alice head up the first day of Truck proper, moment it reaches critical mass.” Extreme. blues, country, folk and classic rock with Caola SHOW OF HANDS: Nettlebed Folk Club – A Marine Research and more over the years, now THE DOLLYMOPS + RILLS + joined by Nothing But Thieves, Lewis Capaldi Brilliant. McMahon, Ben Jacobs and Richard Brotherton. special low-key fundraising show from Steve plying a sweet, harmony-led form of pop that PERSEPHONE IN THE UNDERWORLD: and Public Service Broadcasting – see main preview MANILOW: The Cornerstone, Didcot – Knightley and Phil Beer for Nettlebed Folk still has its roots in classic 80s indie as well as Cirkus – Obstinate, politicised indie inspired by Tribute to Barry. Club’s new lighting system. more contemplative pop. the classic sounds of Fire Engines, Orange Juice LONDON GRAFFITI + MEANS CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community OPEN MIC: The Castle and Josef K from The Dollymops, warming up for OF PRODUCTION: The Grunge and alt.rock Centre their Truckfest show next weekend. Wheatsheaf – from London Graffiti alongside th OPEN MIC NIGHT: Harcourt Arms TUESDAY 16 minimalist post-punk and electro-pop th MALCOLM MIDDLETON: The Jericho duo Means of Production at tonight’s FRIDAY 12 nd BRITISH SEA POWER + THE CATENARY Tavern – Mordant wit, professional grumpiness MONDAY 22 It’s All About the Music show. WIRES: The Bullingdon – Brighton’s nautical and beautiful, sad songs from the Arab Strap LACUNA COMMON: The Port Mahon – JAWLESS: The Bullingdon – pop explorers cruise back into town – see main co-founder and a man who describes his music Spiky, motorik post-punk and indie rock from the Drum&bass and jungle club night. preview as sounding “like a fat child throwing a Casio local crew. UNMAN: The Port Mahon – THE DUB feat. NICK MANASSEH: The keyboard down a flight of stairs and hitting an DEBBIE BOND: The Jericho Tavern – Experimental avant-noise from the Bullingdon – Local reggae mag The Dub host old man at the bottom who’s playing Verve songs Powerful, soulful blues from the veteran Alabama supergroup featuring dronemeister West London’s veteran producer and DJ Nick badly on an over-priced guitar,” which is far singer-guitarist, inspired by Bonnie Raitt and Lee Riley and members of Masiro, Manasseh, the former Sound Iration and Kiss better than anything we could write. He almost Maria Muldaur. previously described by Nightshift as th SATURDAY 27 th th TRUCK FARM: Hill Farm, Steventon – It’s Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 Foals’ big homecoming show atop today’s line-up. The local stars are joined by Johnny Marr, Don TRUCK FESTIVAL: Broco and Shame among a host of others – see main preview Hill Farm, Steventon HALFWAY TO SEVENTY FIVE: Isis Given it sold out over a month ago, we hardly Farmhouse – The annual celebration of need to sell Truck Festival to you. But we will Americana returns to the banks of the Thames, say this: it sold out way in advance because it’s with a headline set from Hannah Johnson and probably the strongest Truck line-up we can the Broken Hearts, who evolved out of The Toy remember. If you’re going, you’re in for a treat Hearts, playing honky tonk, classic country, whatever the weather decides to do. So brace yourself and get in the pit. western swing and blues, mixing original material On a more musically mellow level, but lyrically with authentic standards. They’re joined by A big part of this year’s line-up appeal is having no less vitriolic are SHE DREW THE GUN, Darren Eedens & the Slim Pickin’s; Seafoam FOALS headlining Saturday night. It’s the Merseyside singer/songwriter Louisa Roach Green; Katy Hurt; The Prairie Clams; Jack perfect homecoming for a band whose last taking militant aim at austerity, homelessness Blackman; The Holy Fools and The Scott Gordon Oxford show was over five years ago and who and the destruction of the NHS, but backed by Band. have become global stars in the 12 years since a sunshiney form of grunge-inflected surf-pop GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with they last played Truck. That was 2007’s event, that sugars the pill perfectly. If her band aren’t CARTHORSE + ENJOYABLE LISTENS + originally postponed by the floods that engulfed headlining festivals in the near future, Roach DANDELIONS: The Wheatsheaf – Another the site. Foals’ set back then was no less chaotic would be a decent choice for prime minister. quality mixed bag of new music from GTI, this – the band’s original set in a marquee having month with La’s-style indie newcomers Carthorse to be pulled and moved to the Barn due to the Picking just a few highlights from such an alongside Aylesbury’s retro 80s synth-pop chap huge crowd who were clamouring to see them. impressive and extensive bill is never easy but Enjoyable Listens and expansive guitar pop Given they’ve since headlined Reading and Leeds other acts not to miss would include: PUBLIC inspired by Neil Young, Midlake and Vampire Festivals, you wonder if even the main stage SERVICE BROADCASTING, one of the few Weekend from Dandelions. here can contain them; it’s a real coup for Truck bands to properly mix music and visuals as they SHOWADDYWADDY: The New Theatre – to have them and it’s likely to go down as one explore diverse parts of history (WWII, the space Another return to town for what’s left of the of the all-time great Truck sets. Maybe even the race, coal mining) through cinematic soundscapes 70s teddy boy hitmakers (so basically drummer greatest. and sampled Pathé news footage; legendary Smiths Romeo Challenger), revisiting ‘Under the Moon guitarist and generally nicest bloke in music of Love’, ‘Three Steps to Heaven’ and ‘I Wonder Challenging for that title will be Friday headliners JOHNNY MARR; spiky, all-action, politicised Why’. WOLF ALICE, the 2018 Mercury Prize winning punks SHAME; enduring post-hardcore crew FALLEN ANGELS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Chart band’s headline status all the more welcome for YOU ME AT SIX; resurgent spike-pop stars hits from the 60s to present day. having a female-fronted act atop the bill. ‘Visions THE FUTUREHEADS, back with ‘Powers’, A-WATTS: Red Lion, Marston (4pm) of a Life’ was a worthy winner and as ever it’s their first electric album in a decade; veteran great to see a band rise from playing The Jericho Londoncentric singer/rapper/poet KATE NASH; Tavern a few years back to topping festival bills. rising Dutch indie/post-punk starlets PIP BLOM; th SUNDAY 28 Sunday’s headline act, meanwhile, is TWO electro-pop explorer JAPANESE HOUSE; TRUCK FARM: Hill Farm, Steventon – Final DOOR CINEMA CLUB, who have also paid languidly funky electro-pop quartet CLEAN day of the festival; Bombay Bicycle Club headline their dues on the pub circuit, having been visitors CUT KID; dark-hearted post-punk bruisers THE and are joined by You Me At Six, Hot 8 Brass, to Oxford a number of times over the years. MURDER CAPITAL; Perth’s hirsute, riff-heavy Kate Nash and more – see main preview And because Truck is now sort of a four-day Led Zep-meets-Tame Impala psych rock warriors K-LACURA + VEXED + ORDER#227 + MAN event, with extra music fun on Thursday evening PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS; New MAKE FIRE: The Bullingdon – Metalcore in for early-comers, there’s the bonus of SLAVES Orleans brass collective HOT 8 BRASS; Brighton the vein of Pantera, Lamb of God and Machine bringing the rock back to Steventon after playing DIY punk crew YONAKA, and Berlin pop- Head from local heavyweights K-Lacura at here in 2017. punks GURR. One of the biggest crowds of the tonight’s Dancing Man show. weekend, though, will be for LEWIS CAPALDI, BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) – As ever, the best bit of Truck is exploring the the likably unassuming folk-pop singer whose Monthly open jam session. various stages and discovering newer acts – ones debut album ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish OPEN MIC NIGHT: Harcourt Arms who might end up headliners a couple of years Extent’ earned him a Number 1, as did his single down the line. ‘Someone You Loved’; he’s due to support Ed th IDLES could really be headlining already given Sheeran later this years. Expect singalong fun and MONDAY 29 the status they’ve achieved over the past year, genial banter. And probably a headline slot in the OPEN MIC: The Castle earning a well deserved reputation as one of the not too distant future. best live bands in the world. Their show at the O2 TUESDAY 30th Academy last year was the best gig of 2018 and Beyond the live music stages Truck features SPOOKY MEN’S CHORALE: The New their celebratory message of unity, inclusivity and its usual late-night dance line-up, hosted by Theatre – New South Wales’ male vocal love – set to a violently singalong form of punk – SIMPLE, with MACKY G, MY NU LENG and ensemble bring their chorale tales of power tools is perfect festival fodder. OCEAN WISDOM on the Palm City stage. and Abba covers to town. FONTAINES DC too seem on an unstoppable DEREK GRIPPER: The Jericho Tavern upward trajectory, the Dublin rockers having As ever, there’s a strong Oxford contingent on earned their spurs with non-stop gigging over the show across the various stages, so give a special warm welcome to SELF HELP; CASSELS; st past two years, including superb shows in Oxford, WEDNESDAY 31 and have now reached Academy-headline levels. CANDY SAYS; DEATH OF THE MAIDEN; CRYSTALLITE + LOST DARREN + THE THE DOLLYMOPS; LACUNA COMMON; JESTERS + SAMUEL EDWARDS: The DOLLY MAVIES; MAX BLANSJAAR; Wheatsheaf – Post-grunge rocking from THE EPSTEIN; THE AUGUST LIST; THE Crystallite. SHAPES; THE LONG INSIDERS, and DAISY, who will be playing their final show.

There’s more. Loads more. Too much more. So Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion stop reading and go and discover something new is the 20th of each month, no exceptions. immediately. Unless you didn’t get a ticket, ion Listings are copyright of Nightshift and may not which case; get a shift on earlier next year. be used without permission. Happy Trucking, everyone. photo: GlassHertzz photography level isyet tooverwhelm OX4asthe Academy’s upstairs roomisbarely new album‘InPlain Sight’ hasjust hit theshops,thoughexcitement Nowofficially asoloactsincethedepartureof drummerCatMyers, their sensesexperience somethingclosetoperfection. trattorias inNapleswherepeople queueforhoursintherainjusttolet ‘Babes NeverDie’byHoneyblood isthereforelikeenteringoneofthose even months,withoutexperiencing atrulyoutstandingone.Hearing and theingredientsarenothardto find,yetyoucanstillgoforweeks, In awaysongsarelikepizzas:The basicrecipeisinathousandbooks Life’ iswellworthcatching. lack ofchoiceoutthere,andherunconventionaltakeon‘SpiceUp Your matter andwillappealtothoseseekingsuchthingsout,notthatthere’s a slow, languidvocaldeliverysuitsthepoignant,highlypersonalsubject though therecordisprettysparsestuffevenwithadrummerintow joined byjustanadditionalelectricguitaristtoaccompanyheracoustic, deal withDominoanda10”EP, withanalbumtofollow. Here she’s London singer/guitarist’s dedicationtothegiggingcircuithasleda Arlo Daystrikesapensivetoneastonight’s warm-upact. O2 Academy HONEYBLOOD / ARLO DAY saw himbackin2002. younger thanhedidwhenwefirst Tom/House somehowlooks musical self.Nexttohimbrother the tweedygeekinessofhisearly disco smock,aworldawayfrom beard andbandanasequinned Dartnall, resplendentwithbiker out bytheappearanceofHenry The unhingedbitseemsborne challenging Oxfordhasproduced. of themostinventiveandoften is areminderthatthebandareone that’s stretchingthetruthabit,it “unhinged andexperimental”.If hometown giginsixyearspromises The posterfor Young Knives’ first The Wheatsheaf YOUNG KNIVES LIVE sounds like a song melting in sounds likeasongmeltingin ‘Marble Maze’,whichsomehow of ‘WhiteSands’ andthewoozy Firma’, theuptightDevo-ishmania synth bubblesandstabsof‘Terra in fulleffect.It’s theretoointhe Alien SexFiend;theunhingedis synth pulsewhereSuicidemeets album ‘SickOctave’,allmalevolent ‘Owls of Athens’ fromtheirlast more effectivelythanonsetopener Monaghan towardstheend),never from abriefcameoMike sequencers forthemostpart(apart electronic percussionand departed, theduorelyingon DrummerOlihaslongsince The south . Her (before launchingintoacoverof karaoke versionsoftheirsongs Henry jokingaboutsimplyplaying or anoddlyreworkedoldiethere, a sampledhistoryofNazismhere the rugfromunderyourfeetwith rock, butevenheretheycanpull a littletoofarintopastoralprog There aretimeswhentheywander some deviantsunrise. Gristle regularlyshinesthroughlike pair’s loveofPiL and Throbbing like keyboardshowiness,andthe even passagesofKeithEmerson- ostentatious metalguitarriffageand chants, mutantpsychedelicfunk, the sun. There arehysterical Art Lagun bands do. Time alonewilltellwhere thejourneyleads. Die’ stillhasthepowertothrillbut Honeybloodhavemovedon,as experimentation heardonnewalbumtrackslike ‘Touch’. ‘Babes Never extra guitarandkeyboardtouches butwedon’t getthefullelectronic the listenerthancasualfoottapping. Backing tracksfillinthesound with defies currentindietrends,weaving aroundanddemandingmorefrom the experimentalworkofpeople likeFredFrith. The songwriting also effects waymorecreativethan your averageindieoutfit,almostechoing Stina Tweeddale hasafascinatingguitar style,herwaywithchordsand former line-up. we’re missingtheadrenalinandsenseofabandonthataccompanied the while thebassplayersuppliessomewell-placedbackingvocals, though hands. and drumsline-up,thoughit’s nothardtotellthenewcomersarehired the bandwithdrinksthroughout. A bassistjoins thepreviousguitar intimate performancewithplentyofbanter, theaudiencesupplying a thirdfull,evenonSaturdaynight. The drummer’s contributionmight bebestdescribedasdutiful The upsideisthatwegetavery Dale Kattack don’t deservethem. great tohavethemback;franklywe mangled, brokenandbrilliant.It’s unique: equallymajesticand both. Young Knivesaresomething or atest,wehavetoconcludeitwas overdue comebackwasatriumph at theend,wonderingiftonight’s game buttheirownandwalkingout Autobahn’, they’replayingno-one’s crowd favourite‘Walking onthe Evenastheycloseonlong-time them thefullmachinerock. crooner, while‘Sheep Tick’ takes reincarnated asasleazycruiseship Meat’ couldbeGenesisP Orridge it is The Walker Brothers).‘Fresh is asclosetoButtholeSurfers ‘Make ItEasyon Yourself’ which The Jericho TavernThe CROCODILES Charlotte Banks your heartout. Knebworth. Bridge Thursdays, eat time. It’s Crocodiles’ littlesliceof up, involved,andhavingagood favourites. The wholeroomis as enthusiasticareactionold Gun’ and‘Nuclear Love’ produce New outingslike‘HeartLikea of thelivelyreceptionitreceives. stage presenceisverymuchworthy effortless swaggerandmagnetic were long-lostfriends. Welchez’s have thoughttheaudiencemembers energy andexcitement,youmight Diego outfit.Fromthecrowd’s ever visittoOxfordfromtheSan night soenjoyable. This isthefirst lack ofseriousnessthatmakesthe wave ofadrowningman).Itisthis stained airlikethelastdesperate drum skinflappinginthebooze- thing aboutthegigisbroken almost jarring:themost‘punk-rock’ featuring The PunkPanther’ (it’s Brandon Welchez wearsat-shirt Inasimilardadhumour, frontman ready toletloose. chaperones, threepintsdownand however, Crocodilesmeetwiththe of 100-odddisappointedteenagers, Playing A Year 11 Prom.Instead ago, andmorelike Your Dad’s Mates bigwigs theymighthavebeenyears they comeofflessliketheindustry disco-ball lightoftheJericho Tavern, echoing cocksureNoelrock.Inthe Creation Recordsrejects,sometimes time, sometimessoundinglike classic caseofrightplace,wrong Crocodiles’ careertrajectoryisa pure, unadulteratedfun. integrity, makesupforitintermsof a showthat,whilelackinginartistic nonetheless electricandtheyputon the atmosphereinroomis and unapologeticallyunexciting, Oxford. Fearlesslyunoriginal choice fora Thursday nightin Crocodiles arenotanobvious The firstfewtracksbuilduploopsofviolin edge thantheclassicalstyleofothers. with someofthetrackshavingmoreafolk others hisworkfeaturesvocalsquitestrongly, name). Alex Stolzestarts;incontrasttothe of theothers(henceSoloCollective compositions, joinedattimeswithoneorboth performer takingcentrestagetoplaytheirown The nightissplitintothreeparts,whicheach Helios’ JamesMaund. tonight’s show, someguitarfromFlightsof Müller andviolinist Alex Stolze,andfor musical outlet,togetherwithcellist bands SebastianReynold’s currentmain Choir/Braindead Collective/myriadother Solo CollectiveisexSexyBreakfast/Keyboard St MichaelattheNorthgate THE SOLOCOLLECTIVE Anne niche betweensoundingwell-rehearsedand a greatchemistryandthemusicfindsfine on toperform. The twoofthemtogetherhave tunes aresolo,beforebringingStolzeback is lesslyricalandsongbased. The firstfew still utilisesloopsofthecelloandvoice,but music; amoretraditionallyclassicalinstyleit The secondsetisbasedaroundMuller’s piano. filling outthesoundsomemorewith last coupleoftracksSebjoinsthemonstage, their playingontopofeachother. Forthe another layerofsound,boththemlooping songs heinvitesMulleronstage,whichadds and vocalsoverthetop. After acoupleof with someminorpiecesofelectronicbacking Chris Monger highlight ofthenight. with alltheperformersplayingtogetheris which isfoundonthenewrecords, tracks, includingaversionof‘HolyIsland’, before comingbackforthelastcoupleof it downtojustthepianothenelectronics, couple oftrackstheothersdropout,leaving electronic influencesstronglyshowing.Fora the performersplayandwithpost-rock there’s adefiniteband-likefeeltotheway and whileitstillmaintainstheclassicalroots sound forthissectionisfullerthanbefore, switching betweenpianoandelectronics. The performers onstagetogether, withReynolds starts. The firstfewtracksfeatureallfour After abriefintervalthelastpartofnight planned andwhatisimprovised. spontaneous; it’s hardtotellexactlywhatis photo: GlassHertzz photography pronouncements intoned over the with somesententious metaphysical much justasquelchy synthostinato song “Journey To The East”ispretty and youhaveasethighlight.New pronouncement “Don’t getlost”, chords accompanythedeadpan Victrola whilstrazor-honed guitar playing onaslowlydecelerating a JohnCarpentersoundtrack it’s actuallyotherworldly. Imagine in asetsobleakandunpsychedelic machine prodderStefanoMaioturn Devo, buttodayheanddrum wave, likeRobinIncefronting quirky, scientificallyaccuratenew used toMOOGIEMANmaking comedown beforethetrip? We’re galaxy, howabouthavingthe Spaceship Earththroughtheinky Commander Trumppiloting something astopsy-turvy And whilstwe’reconsidering walk among. even iftheirphysicalhusksstill psychic triptoProximaCentauri, of thecrowdseemtohavetakena eyes revealsthatafairpercentage and by6pm,aglanceintotheir Arkestra’s firstevertriptoOxford, banlieue ofSaturnwiththeSunRa for IffleyLocktobecomeadistant feasible; afterall,we’regearingup maverick cosmologiesstarttoseem Oddball festival,suddenlysuch colourful whirlwindthatisthefirst time, but,spendingadayinthe part ofMars. We laughedatthe world toldusthatthemoonisa This weektheleaderoffree Isis Farmhouse ODDBALL LIVE Nightshift dancing isadvisedto witnessing therare sightof drum andbassclassics; anyone MIXALOT DJingsomelate 90s of pint-pourerswefindCHIEF and thatbehindthebarinstead rechristened the Android Garden, the pubitselfhasbeeninexplicably oddest experienceisfindingthat perplex sonically, perhapsthe Whilst thedayoffersplentyto aerials cut,man? no businessallday. Who wantstheir onsite barber, whomwesawdoing final pint–istheinstallationofan decision –apartfromafewpeople’s on. Infact,thefestival’s onlypoor Beard’s strickenangelvocalspot band’s PinkFloydvistasandChris tonight getthebalancebetween FLIGHTS OF HELIOS,who Oddball 2020),togrief-popheroes Shotgun Six(surelyashoe-infor courtesy ofChrisMongerfrom with leather-clad rockguitarriffs, melding oflysergic hip-hopbeats TIGER MENDOZA’s suet-fried at-night Black Angels grooves,to smoking-is-cool, shades-indoors- ELEPHANTfrom THETRIP’s representation ofOxfordactstoday, There’s anoutstanding festival. CISSOKHO toeaseusintothe cascading koranotesofJALIFILY we’re gladwehadthebeautifully but (ironically)disorienting,and a paranoidGurdjieff.It’s brilliant, to Sapphire &Steelrewrittenby top, andisbasicallytheopening James circa ‘Seven’. This is and tunefulchants evenrecall At somepointsthe blaringtrumpet Massacre, partJefferson Airplane. catchiness, partBrianJonestown vibing withgoodhonestmelodic huge chuggingtunes,mixingwild who turninanoutstandingsetof fetishists psych rockersandtambourine crop, though,areexpansiveindie Perhapsthecreamoflocal actually ratherlovelytoo. a scrapbookjunglecollage,it’s a Bollywoodspectrestartstohaunt enjoyably unpretentious,butwhen the sleekinsistenceofHardfloor. It’s lo-fi chutzpahof AquaRegia,and warmth ofPeteNamlook,theludic euphoric electronicahastheglowing Alice InWonderland. Hismessy, but quietly likehe’s justgotthejokesin of teeteringgadgets,andgiggling cross-legged behindacoffeetable one who’s gnomelike,sitting are gnomic,butNigel’s theonly especially thespokenwordartists, Plenty ofactsontoday’s bill, as OXFORDAUDIOARCHIVE. Ditto scampNigelFirthdebuting hardware technoofex-Vienna as excitingtheold-fashioned synth washesarepleasing,butnot decide howtospellit.Hisamniotic that theevent’s programmecan’t clearly beingsuchanewname during theday, IA(I)NROSS We comeacrosssomenewnames healing tentforaliedown. repair immediatelytothePsy-Care KNOBBLEHEAD, David Murphy back forbreakfast. and smokemea covfefe, I’llbe commander Trump...countdown, outset, readyfortake-off.Start the year, we’llcertainlybethere at the align, andOddballreturnnext mundane world.Shouldtheplanets for amoonlitstumblebacktothe And then,it’s outontothetowpath sure canPleaidestunes. stellar voyageweexpected,they is theplaceholder–anditisn’t the treading wateroccasionally–space daquiris, andiftheyseemtobe Reno casinobandmeltingintotheir the Arkestra makethesoundofa band astheysankunderwater, but to capturethemusicof Titanic’s Paradise’. GavinBryarsoncetried take oncroonclassic‘StrangerIn including asurprisinglystraight but slightlyabstractloungeswing, the backRa-talogueforasmooth synthesised abstractionofmuch eschew thefrenziedfreedomand Betelgeuse). Tonight, theymostly aren’t entirelysurewe’renotfrom Betelgeuse (NBbythispoint,we the fuckhewants,thenwe’refrom hasn’t earnedtherighttodowhat bandleader Marshall Allen, at95, plugging intoaleyline,andif even triedtopoweraMoogby can beravaged,nobodyherehas of festivalwhereexpectations headliner, butifthisisn’t thesort ARKESTRA isanunusual After allthis,THESUNRA onstage simultaneously. first timethey’veallmanagedtofit them play, possiblybecauseit’s the comfortably thebestsetwe’veseen and theOxfordindiescenefor somehow balancingstudentlife Gaby EliseMonaghan,who’s been basement). This isthesoloprojectof formal atmosphereoftheLibrary to afullnamematchthefamously Pet Sematary, presumablyreverting NextupisPatrickCemetary(aka hope itwon’t betheirlast. this istheirfirstgig,webloodywell without compromisinganinch.If music shiftsitscentreofgravity instruments halfwaythrough,the crowd goingandwhentheyswap punk songs.It’s afinewaytogetthe a setoftight,blisteringlyinflected first evergigbeforelaunchinginto casually announcethatit’s their Phone, ariotgrrrltwo-piecewho The nightkicksoffwithDream gold dustintherightconditions. replaced—but alittlechaoscanbe four actsdroppedoutandhadtobe run uptotheevent—twoof through alotofturbulenceinthe Snuggle Dicemighthavegone Divine Schism’s co-promowith The Library DREAM PHONE CEMETARY / HAIR /PATRICK BEST /SPANK PERSONAL of songs,somewhicharemore theme withanemo-tingedbouquet SpankHaircontinuetheretro bookended withpunchyrock. in allit’s awelcomerespiteinnight occasionally swayintokitsch,butall emotional, personalvignettesthatcan strained ormisplaced;thesongsare her voice,whichneversounds mayhem. Gaby’s realstrengthis calm, gothicfoiltoDreamPhone’s four years,andtonightshe’s past the They’re touringtheirnewalbum–a Personal Bestrisetothechallenge. less slacktoclosethenight,and It’s timeforsomethingabit Blansjaar ondrumsstealstheshow. inspired songwriting,whileSilke just aboutrescuessomeoftheless musicianship ondisplay, andit dull butthere’s somecompetent they windupsoundingabit rely ontexturewithoutstructure, successful thanothers. Where they

Tom Kingsley In Oxford.OnaSunday. hint. After all,it’s fuckingBritpop. “your problematicfave”givesusa description ofcloser‘Jennifer’ as how ironicthemusicis,butGatt’s energy. It’s difficulttotellexactly Gatt morethanmakesupforinraw out ofthestudio,leadsingerKatie – andwhattheyloseinsleekness school Britpopandindiepastiche lovable, ifinconsistent,blendofold Personal Best by Helen Messenger Helen by Best Personal Candy Says by Helen Messenger detached vocals. They hark backtoOMD’s earliest experimentsas well synths bubbling and pulsingbeneatharoundPatrycja’s emotionally they’re allabout stark simplicityandstraight,silicon lines,minimalist lang’s Metropolis withPrisfrom Bladerunner intheMariarole. Musically Anna Proniewskaisfabulouslyandroid-like, asifsomeoneremadeFritz like theyshouldhavebeensigned toMuteRecordsbackin1979.Patrycja by synthesizers.Barcelona’s girl/boysuoFatamorgana lookandsound Tonight’s SmashDiscoshowseesguitars,forthemostpart,superseded proper horrormoviesoundtrackstuff. Some serioushoningtodo,atleast live,butoncefullyformedthisis Elizabeth incantsandsighslikeachildren’s choirinsideahauntednursery. fog ofindustrialdronesandclangsoverwhichthegoldlame-clad Shereen radioactive musicalpuddle.Butattheirbestthey’readoomy, dissonant drones andchoralvocalsaregoing,occasionallyendingupfading intoa London duohaveatendencytolosetrackofwheretheiratmospheric It’s only Acacia Spine’s fourthgiganditsometimesshows tonightasthe The Library COMFORT /FATAMORGANA / ACACIA SPINES by drummerSilkeBlansjaar JuliaandBen Walker arejoined travelled somedistancetoseethem. crowd, includingmanywho’ve has drawnapackedandenthusiastic them andtonight’s hometownshow drawn anincrediblespotlighton approved byBushherself,has That Hill’,whichwaspersonally cover ofKateBush’s ‘RunningUp Rapace movieClose,includinga band’s contributiontotheNoomi so Youtube viewsforstarters. The months back? 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Ifhersettendstowander alittlein bar wherethebrokenheartedgoto weepinto voice evokesimagesofsomehaunted 3amblues singer andguitaristJoanaSerat,whose velvetsoft Firstthoughisarealtreatintheform ofSpanish Horses attheO2. tonight, despitethegigclashingwithBandof circles issuchhe’s pulledahealthycrowdhere mantelpiece. 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Promotions, tonight it’s aprivilege to spendtime take forgrantedfrom theexcellentEmptyRoom Allman Brothers-stylejambut,as we’vecometo some moretypicalNashvillesounds andtheodd Springsteen andLittleSteven.Itall endswith soul musicandsharesthebluecollar prideof he takesaimat Trump, butcouchedinsweet Eschewingmanyofthelyricalclich és ofcountry shit andnaturalgas.” military, andhoweverything“smelledofcow choices limitedtofarming,theoilfieldsor buddies andhowmusicsavedhimfromcareer to playguitarbyoneofhisfather’s drinking your ownhead.”Herecallsbeingtaughthow “stood onatunacanyoucouldseethebackof was wherehegrewup,somuchthatifyou upbringing, herecountshowflatthelandscape life entertainingcrowds.Ofhispooritinerant He’s funnytooasbefitsamanwho’s spenthis genre fresh. entertained, onthis,Gappy Tooth’s 17 to leavetheroomwithoutbeingcomprehensively smile somuch,andnobody, butnobody, isgoing vocational happinesstheyradiatethatmakesyou the foundations. It’s thebreathtakingamountof had combinedtobuildskyscrapingstadiaover remaining, butasif The Darknessand A-Ha with plentyofaBiffy/Incubustemplate set, freeofconfrontationandovercompensation, What thisamountstoisacompletestungunof at themajorSanRemoRock& Trend Festival. ‘Living Past’,andrecentlywinningfirstprize UK touroftheirDan Weller-produced album on drums,allherethelastlegofamonth-long guitarist Marco,plustheirbestfriend Tommaso Italy – singer Andrea, bassistFrancescoand band rightnow:threebrothersfromFlorence, one dayyouwillbeproved right.” This isonehot simple: “Rock asifitisyourlastdayaliveand The philosophyofPiquedJacksisstaggeringly whole. The Attractions thatmakesitsuchasatisfying it’s alsothepalpableessenceofElvisCostello& High’ (aboutthejoyofjustbeingwithhiskids) this updatesintothespiritedskipof‘Feeling as aZenphilosophyratherthanregret,andwhen without thewearingBelfastbark.It’s nostalgia Van’s ‘BrownEyedGirl’ didforBloomfieldbut School Wall’ doingfor Temple Cowleywhat Paul Carrera curve. but thebrighteyedstartofaverysteeplearning compared tothepreviouswild Tuscans, thisis the PaulHeaton-likeclearvoiceisabigplus,but showsastreakoforiginality,song, ‘Killer’, and stage andusingitjusttheonce,verybriefly. 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WhatsOn1.indd 1 19/04/2018 22:01:16 TIM TURAN’S SESSION NOTES Part Six They want their music INTRODUCING.... Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under “The Vinyl Frontier” Part 3: dynamics, levels & stereo to sound as loud as the next artist regardless Hello good people. This month I’m going to take a look at three more important of the consequences. factors when mastering for vinyl records: dynamics, levels and stereo width. The consequences Shaven Primates Interestingly, loud records with a large dynamic range make the stylus wiggle unfortunately are that the Who are they? about so furiously that the temperature at the stylus can reach a staggering music will suffer. I have Oxford prog rock band Shaven Primates are: Josh Thomas (keyboard, 240℃. The melting point of record grade vinyl is 248℃. The louder a record cut some of the loudest backing vocals): Tom Clark (guitar); Nick Letellier (bass, backing vocals); is the more movement you get at the stylus. Remember that with a cymbal CDs you will ever hear, Jarod Ganoe (drums), and Mark Elphinstone (vocals).David Bowie’s hit (especially Ride cymbals) you are generating up to 20Khz. That’s 20,000 where the RMS (average death in 2016 inspired Mark to start the band: “I had just started to work backward and forward oscillations per second. This will generate an enormous levels) are louder than through some of my life in therapy, and found solace in Bowie’s work. I amount of heat considering the tiny dimensions of a stylus which is typically the peaks. Believe me, wanted to try something that would connect people to my own history. I 25µm (25 millionths of a metre). So … hey ho, let’s go. I had one request where wrote ten songs which we’ve been preparing for an album to be released the artist stated that “I this November, so I began recruiting musicians.” The band’s debut EP, 1.Dynamic range. This is simply the range of the quietest perceptible sounds wish to see no movement ‘Evolution’ was released in June. very far.” to the loudest. Vinyl has an average dynamic range of about 60dB as opposed on the meters”. Now, What do they sound like? Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: to the CD which has 96dB. I shall refer to it as “DR” from now on. There is cutting lathes don’t really Prog rock, heavy on the electronics and riffs. The band’s debut EP was “Has to be our good friend Umair Chaudhry’s Gift of Blindness and only so much “loudness” you can cut to vinyl and at the opposite end you have like these punishingly loud records. Even if you turn down the gain at the variously described as “Tool cranking out the angriest passages from Pink Abandon work. If we hadn’t met him along the way we wouldn’t be writing the surface noise which will mask the extremely quiet sounds. In a lot of cases analogue stage you’re still left with the punishing sound. So, when providing Floyd’s ‘The Wall” and “Elphinstone’s epic, questing vocals bring a bit of the harder hitting rock tracks we’ve got now.” vinyl is cut from CD masters that have been limited (by a type of compressor cutting engineers with audio destined for the plastic platter keep the levels low: The Who’s ‘Tommy’ to the party, while the band’s darker, almost bluesy If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: known as a limiter) so that the average DR is quite small across the whole album. between -8dB to -4dB. Keep the dynamics intact as much as possible and let side is revealed on more Doors-inspired tracks.” Or, in Mark’s words: “Like “Bowie’s ‘Hunky Dory’ but it’s always ch-ch-ch-changing to be honest.” The masters that I prepare for vinyl have a much larger DR than CD masters the cutting engineer work their magic. Lemmy, Ian Curtis and Kate Bush got really drunk and wrote a prog rock When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? due to the fact that I allow the peaks to reach their fullest extent without over 3. Stereo. If you look lengthways down the groove of a record there will be a V album that wasn’t supposed to be a prog rock album” “At Cirkus on George Street on June 29th and then we’ve another compressing. The width of the groove is on average 40µm to 80µm. Amazingly, shape with the groove walls at 45° from the vertical. The wavy pattern on each What inspires them? headlining alongside Master of None at the O2 Academy at the end of a sine wave at 1Khz cut at 0dB will induce an acceleration in the cutting head wall will be the stereo waveform for left and right channels. With excessive Mark: “Events and things around me, things people go through, justices August.” that can reach 90 G’s: 90 times the force of gravity. DR is also related to the stereo panning and out of phase material this can cause the stylus (and the and injustices... I like to look for an era in music and point it at an event Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: way humans hear sound. A certain amount of masking will occur. For example lathe cutting head) to move in undesirable ways. We want the stylus to be able and try and work around that. I look for a sensation that goes with it; sleazy, “The followers and the sense of community, alongside some of the you won’t be able to detect a whisper during a Motörhead gig. The whisper will to track the waveform without popping out of the groove or skipping into the lurid, warm, painful, and go for that sensation but I try to keep it light ingenuity and diversity we see dotted around places. Least favourite is actually exist but you won’t perceive it. There is a “Dynamic Range Database” previous groove. I quite often narrow the stereo image by about 5% to give the hearted, almost mocking of what’s intended.” people who are performing stuff to please the masses rather than please site that you can visit: dr.loudness-war.info. There are over 130,000 albums cutting head a chance to cut a useable groove. Very hard panned percussion, for Their career highlights so far is: themselves. That and venues shutting down.” rated for DR but in a lot of cases the numbers don’t always relate to the user example, does not bode well for the cutting head as does very phasey (fake “out “Finding the band members and knowing we’d got a great group of people You might like them if you like: experience. DR is a perception rather than a mathematical formula. If it sounds of the speaker” effects) synth sounds. If you have a well balanced mix with who can have a laugh together. That genuinely has been it. We knew we Porcupine Tree; Tool; King Crimson; Black Sabbath; Pink Floyd; dynamic and exciting then it is, regardless of the numbers. nothing too extreme in the panning of L & R signals you shouldn’t run into too were happy together before we hit the road.” Pineapple Thief; The Doors. 2. Levels. As mentioned, many vinyl records are cut from “mastered” CDs. many problems. And the lowlight: Hear them here: The trouble with this is that many modern CDs are mastered very loud. In Next month I’ll look at hacking MiniDiscs … ooops, sorry, I mean lacquers “Slogging through the same five or six songs for a year and not getting Spotify, iTunes, Google music, YouTube. almost all cases where I have mastered CDs loud it is a client or label request. and pressings. THIS MONTH IN OXFORD T H E W H E A T S H E A F Dr SHOTOVER: Hologram Sam ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY th Ah, there you are, Newbie. Just in time for the East Indies Club’s own Friday 5 July – 7:45pm as “a beautiful and feisty girl, “ while YWMP’s ‘Cocktail Safari’. Pull up a pith helmet and get the drinks in. Mine’s a Banana 20 YEARS AGO 10 YEARS AGO If it’s July it must be time for Truck Festival. Even ten years on from its beginnings, there Zahra Tehrani called her “my biggest inspiration Daiquiri with extra 1970s chocolate. In fact if you add a Lion bar, we’ll call it in music.” a Banana DAKTARI. Yes, yes, the Lion bar is the mane ingredient. [Drum roll, T’was ever thus, as back in July 1999, the remained a strong local flavour about Truck, with Steventon festival, which back then did still use a 2009’s featuring a special Oxford Day that saw th slight bow]. So, you’ve heard about this craze for bands performing with Saturday 6 July – 7:45pm digital video projections of their deceased lead singers…? Freddie Mercury, flatbed truck for a main stage, was returning for its The Candyskins reform for an emotional but 5 YEARS AGO Roy Orbison, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Buddy Hollygram… they’ve second outing, bigger and better than the previous celebratory show. Supergrass headlined the day And here we are again, Truck and Cornbury

th year’s inaugural one-day event. which also saw Dive Dive; The Long Insiders; continuing to make the month of July their own. Friday 12 July – 7:35pm all done it. And now it’s my turn. My old band ELFGLADE is set to hit the road, with a projection of Yrs Truly fronting, dressed in silver leotard and Across the weekend there were headline sets for The Epstein; Alphabet Backwards; Jali Fily The former featured headline sets from White King Prawn and Dustball on the main stage Cissokho and The Relationships playing. Lies and The Cribs, who were joined across th Afghan coat, giving it full gargle on some of our old 70s prog-acious hits. The Saturday 13 July 7:45pm March of the Stumbling Unicorns, Figgy Sturgess’s Seventh Secret, Strange and they were joined by The Samurai Seven; The other day of Truck was topped by Ash, the considerably expanded site by the likes of Affinity (in 7/4), Lady Muriel’s Magic Pergola etc etc. Yes, the guys were Wonderland; Arthur Turner’s Lovechild?; although the main stage high point came with the Los Campsesinos!; Blood Red Shoes; Sam ; festival hosts appearance of former Can legend (Always Awake - Album Launch) feeling the pinch, especially after bassist Horatio Fforbes-Mountjoy had his Winnebago Deal Whispering Damo Suzuki Duckworth; Roots Manuva; Gang of Four; ballooning accident – those Moroccan medical bills won’t pay themselves. Bob; The Four Storeys; Canola and Four Way backed by a band featuring Mark Gardener Andrew WK; Jaguar Skills; Peace; Cerebral So it was decided to get the band back together for one last tour. But, guess Trauma among others, while The Barn stage and Loz Colbert from Ride, Tim Turan, Truck Ballzy and Slow Club, while the Oxford end of th Friday 19 July – 7:45pm what? I refused. Largely because if I appear ‘live’ onstage at Guildford Civic featured Black Candy; Full Frontal Assault; founders Robin and Joe Bennett, and The Elysian things was held up by Stornoway; The Original Hall, the Rainbow Theatre and all those other top prog venues, my creditors Kamikaze Kittens; Saloon; Mindsurfer and String Quartet. Over in The Barn, A Place To Rabbit foot Spasm Band; The Goggenheim; will know that I have not after all gone to join my ancestors… and am Callous. Still for the most part a local festival for Bury Strangers played what is still certainly the Flights of Helios; The Ralfe Band; The Family therefore still eligible for my debts. Hence the hologram plan. What’s local bands, names now lost to history include: loudest Truck set ever, managing to reduce a packed Machine and Pixel Fix. th Frigid Vinegar; Skinny Arm; Nebula; Orko; crowd to a few hardy souls across thirty minutes of Friday 26 July – 7:35pm that, Whitstable? I owe Cornbury, meanwhile, hosted Simple Minds, you a fiver from 1973…?? Jacuzzi Fiasco and Abraham Lincoln Dream. outright sonic brutality. It was awesome. Jools Holland and The Gipsy Kings, alongside With compound How far it’s come since then. Across the county Cornbury Festival featured The Feeling; Southside Johnny & the Ashbury interest??? Uh, I don’t, Beyond Truck, The Zodiac was playing host headline sets from Sugababes; The Pretenders; Jukes; Georgie Fame; Suzanne Vega and Kid th uh, feel so good… [Dr S to a couple of bands on the up whose names Magic Numbers; Peter Green; The Lightning Creole & the Coconuts. Saturday 27 July – 8pm drops his drink, rolls his you might recognise: Muse and Coldplay. Seeds; The Damned; Stornoway and Scouting And the festival fun didn’t end there, with Cowley The latter were supported by Toploader, who For Girls. eyes up and falls stiffly Road Carnival; Charlbury Riverside (featuring to the floor, arms folded might still be remembered fondly by people not Tributes were being paid to Kate Garrett The Epstein, Candy Says and The Shapes); generally allowed out in public without sturdy this month who had died at the age of just 37. st on chest]. Alas, I DIE. Wittstock (Peerless Pirates, Superloose, Wednesday 31 July 7:35pm Goodbye cruel world! leather restraints and a care worker. Meanwhile Kate, who’d made her reputation first as part of Reckless Sleepers) and Irregular Folks Summer Th-th-that’s all folks. the same venue hosted a three-night sold-out The Mystics and then as a solo performer, had Session (The Irrepressibles, You Are Wolf, Bury me at sea… with stint by Marillion. Over at Oxford Playhouse succumbed to cancer, but not before leaving Duotone) bolstering the outdoor fun quota. Side 4 of Tales From Marc Almond was performing songs from his behind both some awesome music and The Those who preferred to stay out of the sun could Topographic Oceans new album ‘Open All Night’, while a proposed Oxford Young Women’s Music Project, which see James, Pete Doherty, Parquet Courts and playing. festival in South Park was shelved, as have carries on to this day, providing tuition and support NOFX at the O2 Academy, or maybe go and buy Oxford Imps - Every Monday during term - www.oxfordimps.com / The Spin Jazz - Every Thursday - spinjazz.net www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Next month: Debt ‘Turn up the QUADROPHONIC sound system… We’re many others there since. The place is cursed, we for young female musicians. Mystics bandmate a copy of Rawz’ new album ‘The Difference’, The Wheatsheaf, 129 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4DF Can Dance about to project DR SHOTOVER… times FOUR!’ tell you. Sam Williams lead the tributes, describing Kate released this month.

Dan Clarke, once a regular denizen of the wave of sanctimonious rage and emotional demo review pages with his bands Kazor, incontinence. Carry on you brave little Reactor Mind and Third Order, but he’s warriors, you make we larf and larf as you now resident in Texas where any increased improve the world one Tweet at a time. No, TRACks exposure to stuff like sunshine and wide we save our umbrage and disappointment Sponsored by Track of the Month wins a free remix open spaces has obviously been tempered by for musical inadequacy, lethargy and from Soundworks studio in Oxford, exposure to the general horrorbag that is the torpor. Spill the River are less a flood or a courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit States’ political atmosphere right now, so it’s torrent or a deluge, more a drip, drip, drip www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift dark, dark dark from start to finish, Dan’s of damp musical ingress that sounds like harsh, rasping vocals doing the old cyborg- it’d love to be sadder, darker and more side of hurried at times (as on ‘Secret goblin thing while machinery hums, whirrs, intense than it’s ever likely to be, however TOP Smile’ here), but the likes of ‘John Crow’ pounds and glistens in the desolate factory/ long you distilled it in a bucket of juniper are authentic and authoritative, infused with cave around him. Unsuprisingly Nine Inch berries. They quote Nick Cave, Smog and confidence and no little soul. He switches Nails seem to be the central influence, with PJ Harvey as influences but Timmy the TRACKS between Sizzla, Beanie Man and Shabba Marilyn Manson, Depeche Mode and a hefty Whimpering Weediepot would be a closer Ranks on the one hand and Drake and even dose of Scandi black metal goblin Mortiis comparison. We just made him up, in case KRS One on the other, at his most enjoyable mixed together and scrabbling like rats over you were wondering. He’s a lovelorn singer- MOWVES when keeping it sweet over flamenco guitars As Nightshift sits down with this month’s pile the detritus of a post-apocalyptic wasteland songwriter who exists on a diet of weak tea on ‘Simply Bad’ or singing about Tequila of musical sacrificial offerings, several over- to the last remaining disco in what was and wistfulness. One interesting snippet of Sunrises on ‘So Special’. Armed with this privileged, humanity-free adverts for birth once a town. A quick glance through the info from the band’s biog is that their first soundtrack we’re off for some liming. Call us control are vying to become the new leader lyrics reveals plenty of eyes watching, lies gig was at a wake, which seems appropriate back in when Boris Johnson has fucked off of the Conservative party and thus unelected being spun, walking across fields of dead since we’d happily go to our grave never for good. Or teatime. Whichever comes first. prime minister of the UK. Having exhausted bodies, sin and houses burning down. Pretty hearing this again. every insult and missile within arm’s reach, much the Tory leadership race in a nutshell. and with the conclusion of Russell T Davies’ DROWND That said, we’d contemplate voting for any brilliantly funny/bleak Years and Years fresh politician with the self awareness to come TOILET “Drownd are influenced by NIN, Skinny onstage at party conference to This Death in our minds, we decide perhaps the only Puppy, Ministry, Throbbing Gristle, Youth thing left to do is party til whichever fucker blasting out at full volume. They’re coming Code, Hide.” Yes! Get in! Click on the for your soul, after all. TRACKS wins and his equally appalling mates across link... “This video is unavailable.” Life can the globe finally wipe us all out in order be cruel sometimes. to increase the share value of whichever A ROAD TO corporation they secretly own. And so we LOVELACE “I declare / Baudelaire / I declare / DAMASCUS TURAN AUDIO.co.uk stick this new EP from Mowves on at nuclear ENJOYABLE Baudelaire / Walk around / Around town / A Road To Damascus claim their “aim was Professional, independent explosion volume and cavort around the No judgement / No sound.” And that, you to make songs that are heavier than your audio mastering kitchen with only a litre bottle of cooking LISTENS fucking philistines, is poetry, right there. average pop song, but catchier than your brandy for company. In another life Mowves Back in 1981, with futurism and the New Mastered in the studio last month; Or possible a nonsensical Year 9 existential average rock song.” That’s an admirable Apple approved were called Coloureds, once described by Romantics at their commercial peak, THE RUTS, SMOKE ORANGE LATES, cry for help from beneath a pile of damp goal that. They don’t want to tear down mastering Nightshift as the sound of a closing time music had an odd habit of being fun and HUSKER DU, SAM HARDY, LVRA, THE bedclothes. It’s basically the sum total of the pillars of capitalism, inspire the masses punch up involving a pissed Cyberman. flamboyant while also tending towards DOORS, APIDAE, MIKE OLDFIELD, SAVAK, ERIC Lovelace’s lyrics on this one-song offering to rise up against their oppressors or even As Mowves, they’re slightly more ordered, po-faced over-seriousnessness, something and obviously requires something special get that pretty girl down the road to fall CLAPTON, SEN3, JOSH HOGGETT, TRANSMISSION FROM but still sound like a rave in a dark place, brilliantly satirized in Not the Nine O’Clock musically to make such a philosophical madly in love with them. No, they want to NOWHERE, THE SOAPBOX DERBY, DEMON, LASTELLE, ‘Supernumerary Hunks’ whumping and News’ ‘Nice Video, Shame About the Song’ thunderbolt really hit home. Some ho-hum, be better than average. Like a Sainbury’s MY CROOKED TEETH, ELOQUENT YOUTH, THE OTHER thumping like Leftfield’s goth kid cousin spoof. Which Enjoyable Listens instantly off-the-peg half-speed indie jangle that Taste the Difference ready-made lasagne. DRAMAS, THE TREAT, MSHAÁ, JACK LESTER. after an evening binging on vintage acid reminds us of with their electro-pop rises, just about perceptively, to a middling So, is it heavier than average? Even taking house and Kraftwerk. It’s hardly happy fetishizing – all gleaming synth spangle and 01865 716466 [email protected] plateau of ho-hum, off-the-peg three- a low level idea of average heaviosity, like happy joy joy disco music, but these are dark dramatic, overwrought vocals. We’re hoping quarters-speed indie fuzz, is just what the Foo Fighters or something equally dull, times. A Tiger Mendoza remix of ‘Detonator the band – a classic 80s-style duo as it turns doctor ordered. A masterpiece by anyone’s A Road To Damascus fall hopelessly flat, Organ’ is lighter on beats but darker of mood; out – will be adorned with silk scarves, standards. And talking of doctors, is there since insipid sub-boyband bin leakage that ‘Deeper Hauser’ is almost dubby in its acid Chelsea boots and mascara, but sadly they COURTYARD one in the house? Cos either we need some sounds like a cross between Boyzone and squelch, less pissed-up Cyberman punch- turn out to be a couple of slightly forlorn pills to stop our heart bursting through all Bastille ain’t what even our chum Timmy RECORDING STUDIO up, more android in a K-hole, while ‘Sky student indie types sat on a bench in a 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: this excitement or else Lovelace are going the Whimpering Weediepot would call Fortress’ really gets the sub-bass going, kind graveyard (hey, that’s a decent start at least). NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 to need medical attention once we’ve set heavy. How about catchier than average? MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb of Coil soundtracking Terminator and thus Everything here is extremely SERIOUS Lemmy and Kathleen, the Nightshift guard On a lodged-in-your-head-for-days scale Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear highly fitting for the hellish end times and though. Lyrics are epic and poetic, delivered dogs of rock and roll’s eternal rebel spirit, ranging from Britney’s ‘Toxic’ to, we dunno, Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern japery our Etonian overloads have in store with am-dram verve and passion, or intoned Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules on them. the latest Noel Gallagher’s High Flying for us. with robotic sterility as synths and drum Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. Birds single, this is very much what was Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. machines hum and thump behind them. the question again? The song ‘No Man Is The one exception is a somewhat cheap and www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk SPILL THE RIVER An Island’ here sounds like pop music that In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk cheesy Casiotone Divine Comedy pastiche, All this unseasonal weather’s had serious long ago flatlined and no-one’s tried to hard Email: [email protected] SHAUN MICHAEL which might have done well to stay at home consequences for many around the country to resurrect. It’s like a CIA experiment to Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 If the candidate shortlist for the Tory alone in its bedroom while the rest of the so it’s hugely offensive and problematic for make music so characterless and forgettable leadership is a metaphorical shit shower, EP headed off down the Blitz Club. Overall, a band to call themselves Spill the River it can sneak into secret enemy military bases the actual weather’s not been much better, this is utterly preposterous, but a part of when there are flood survivors bailing undetected and steal vital plans. Problem has it? Rain, rain and more pissing rain. us likes it when new bands are prepared out their kitchens with empty soup cans is, it’s so anonymous it’s forgotten its own Why can’t we be sitting on a sundrenched to be so. Next time, though, we want to even as we furiously type these words purpose or sense of self and never comes Caribbean beach necking coconut-based th see 19 Century cavalry jackets, ruffs and with our fists. Only kidding – if there’s home. No man is an island maybe but a Road cocktails? Something Shaun Michael here maybe a mist-shrouded video featuring – anything we love nearly as much as a To Damascus should be made to go and live seems determined to provide the soundtrack for absolutely no reason whatsoever – a rightwing Tory bellend it’s people who are on the most isolated one on the planet with to. We don’t get much dancehall here at Rehearsal and Recording studios riderless horse. prepared to be monstrously offended and only a casket of highly radioactive waste Nightshift, so we should probably ignore outraged by every. single. fucking. thing for company. For the sake of music, you the battleship grey skies and head out to the Four state of the art rehearsal rooms and stick it up on social media in a tidal understand. and a professional recording studio. park anyway when it does turn up. Based in THIS DEATH Oxford but boasting Jamaican, Cuban and Sort of bringing together elements of both Send tracks for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to For bookings call Jamie on 07917685935 Indian heritage, Shaun’s mix of dancehall, those last two acts (or what they promised), [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford • glasshousestudios.org reggae and hip hop fits into a pretty crowded This Death offer both synth-pop and contact phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. Same goes field, and his rapping can be on the nervy industrial noise. The band is the effort of for your stupid, over-sensitive mates. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Tue 25th Jun Sun 25th Aug Fri 18th Oct • 6.30pm Fri 15th Nov • 6.30pm The Dead South Little Steven & Amber Run The Treatment + Noble Jacks The Disciples Of Soul + Airrace + Lake Acacia Fri 18th Oct • 6.30pm Thur 27th Jun Fri 30th Aug Ferocious Dog Sat 16th Nov • 6.30pm Cat Power Palmist Dub Pistols Sat 19th Oct • 12pm + Be Still + Flintlock Fri 28th Jun • SOLD OUT + Rifles + Redshift Ritual Union Sun 17th Nov The Kooks ft. Teleman, The Comet is Coming & more Black Water County + Eliza and the Bear Fri 6th Sep • 6.30pm Ultimate Coldplay Tue 22nd Oct Tue 19th Nov Fri 28th Jun • 11.00pm Barns Courtney Primal Scream Dancehall Rocks Sat 7th Sep • 6.30pm ft. Spangee British, Deejay Swivo, No Hot Ashes Tue 22nd Oct Thur 21st Nov White Magic Sound, DJ Young Linx Striking Matches A Fri 20th Sep • 6.30pm + Tenille Townes Sat 29th Jun Boyzlife + ‘68 The AC/DC Experience + Katie Kittermaster Thur 24th Oct Fri 22nd Nov • 6.30pm - Who’s Got Big Balls Headie One Tue 24th Sep Half Man Half Biscuit Thur 4th Jul • SOLD OUT New Hope Club Fri 25th Oct • 6.30pm Fri 22nd Nov • 11pm Belle & Sebastian Thur 26th Sep Jake Clemons The Craig Charles + Ben McKelvey Sun 7th Jul • 5pm Submotion Orchestra Funk & Soul Club NOCHE DE Sat 26th Oct • 6.30pm Sat 28th Sep • 6.30pm Sat 23rd Nov • 6.30pm TRAVESURAS Guns 2 Roses Biffy McClyro (Tribute) An Official Carnival After Party Evil Scarecrow + MOTLEY CRUED ft DJ CHRIS DUKES, DJ AMNESIA, + The Grand Mal Tue 26th Nov TUROK DJ + Damaged Reich Sat 2nd Nov • 6pm + Imminent Annihilation Fontaines D.C. Tue 9th Jul Hip Hop Hooray Mon 30th Sep Wed 27th Nov • 6.30pm Comeback Kid Sat 2nd Nov • 6.30pm + Svalbard + I Cried Wolf The Night Café Electric Six + Dreamers + On Video The Dualers Thur 1st Aug + Kioko + Count Skylarkin Thur 28th Nov Victory Lane Thur 3rd Oct + Tony Nanton Rhys Lewis + One State Drive + The White Tips Pierce Brothers Sat 2nd Nov • 11pm + Semper Vera Thur 28th Nov Fri 4th Oct • 6.30pm Mad Cobra Happy Mondays Thur 25th Jul CoCo and the Elvana: Butterfields Sun 3rd Nov - Greatest Hits Tour Bear’s Den + Jon Dasilva Elvis Fronted Nirvana Sun 6th Oct + Cherokii Richard Hawley Mon 4th Nov Fri 29th Nov • 6.30pm Fri 2nd Aug Feeder Mad Dog Mcrea Tue 8th Oct White Denim Sat 30th Nov • 6.30pm Tue 5th Nov + Boy Azooga Easy Life Reel Big Fish Definitely Mightbe Fri 11th Oct • 6.30pm Sat 3rd Aug • 11pm + [spunge] + Lightyear (Oasis tribute) Rory Stone Love King Prawn + Popes of Chillitown Thur 7th Nov Fri 6th Dec • 6.30pm Wed 14th Aug Little Comets Pearl Jam UK Cancer Bats Sat 12th Oct • 6.30pm Sat 7th Dec • 6.30pm + Incite + Crazy Arm + MSRY Antarctic Monkeys Fri 8th Nov • 9pm Absolute Bowie Sat 12th Oct • 6.30pm The Roaring 2.0s Thur 15th Aug - Legacy Tour This Is The Kit The Divine Comedy Sat 9th Nov • 6.30pm Sat 14th Dec • 6.30pm + Rozi Plain Mon 14th Oct Snarky Puppy Little Simz Fri 23rd Aug • 6.30pm Kate Tempest Mon 11th Nov Fri 13th Mar 2020 Peace Wed 16th Oct • 6.30pm Elder Island PRESS TO MECO The SUPERSONIC 70s Fri 23rd Aug • 10.30pm Thur 14th Nov + Chapter and Verse XMAS SHOW Dancehall Artists The Smyths... Teejay and Ding Dong Thur 17th Oct • SOLD OUT A celebration of the Fri 11th Sep 2020 • 6.30pm Live Ninja Sex Party debut L.P. The Dualers

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