email: [email protected] website: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month. NIGHTSHIFT Issue 161 December Oxford’s Music Magazine 2008 Flying Fish! Little Fish on their crazy year inside

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THE ACADEMY will be renamed pub is currently owned by Greene the O2 Academy from 1st January King and they are searching for a 2009 after a partnership deal was new manager but as of yet struck between the mobile network everything is up in the air and the company and Live Nation, the current area manager is said not to majority shareholder company in be keen on live music. the Academy Music Group. The deal Allison Young, who has promoted follows on from Carling’s gigs at the Port, on St Clement’s, YOUNG KNIVES’ HENRY DARTNALL has been talking to Nightshift sponsorship of the venue expiring. for the last three and a half years about the band’s special ‘Homecoming’ gig at the Academy on Sunday A press release documenting the told Nightshift, “Our last night at 21st December, and his pride in the band’s acclaimed ‘Suprerabundance’ new partnership declared that “O2 the Port Mahon is on the 2nd album, released earlier this year. The Oxford show is part of a series of customers will gain priority access December. We are aware that there Academy Homecoming gigs at cities around the UK and will see Young to tickets to all gigs at the venues, is someone interested in the place; Knives taking over the entire venue and picking some of their favourite as well as other Live Nation events they, however, want to change it bands as support. Acts already confirmed are local starlets Tristan & The across the country. In total, O2 into a restaurant and not continue Troubadours and Hreda, plus Manchester’s Beep Seals, Reading’s Pete & customers will gain special access to with the music. This is not 100% the Pirates and Buckinghamshire’s Hollow. as many as 4,000 Live Nation confirmed, though. I would like to “We felt like it was time to do an Oxford show, We have neglected the city so produced shows a year in the UK up say a big thank you to all the far this year and thought it was important to do something special. The to 48 hours before they go on promoters and bands that have Academy said we could have both rooms and put on bands we liked so we general sale.” played here during the last three and thought, awesome, a sort of mini Young Knives-curated festival. We want to AMG PR spokesperson Louise half years. It’s been fun.” make it a bit of a special event; I mean a gig’s a gig, but it’s always nice to Kovacs clarified the press release The Port Mahon has hosted live make loads of effort, that way it feels special for us and that should rub off with, “O2 customers will receive music for many years, including the on the whole evening. Plus, I love Christmas so it will be a bit like the last priority alerts and selected pre-sales long-running Oxford Folk Club, as day of term before the Christmas holiday. We might get drunk at lunchtime. to not just Academy gigs and well as regular club nights by Oxford “This year has been a real turning point for us as a band. We released a events, but Live Nation events as Improvisers, Swiss Concrete and record we felt very proud of and we got something out of our system with it. well.” Quickfix; The Wombats played I think it proved that although we may never achieve the “success” of some Responding to the statement Alan their first Oxford gig there and local bands, we are successful in a much more polite way. We aren’t aiming at Day from TCT Music, which favourites like Stornoway played stadiums, we are aiming at music. Wow, big statement, I’m full of it today. promotes a large percentage of the their earliest shows at the pub. What I mean is that I think we are only inspired by being continuously gigs at the Oxford Academy, said, evolving songwriters, and as long as we can pay the rent and it’s still fun we “The decision on how tickets are ANY HOPE THAT THE X in are happy. Except for the fact that we are never actually happy because we allocated and sold lies with the Cowley might be revived as a live always want to be better. promoter and the band. No phone music venue were finally laid to rest “We did a shit load of festivals this year and now we are writing album company is going to have 48 hrs this month when it was announced number three. It’s got to be completely different, so we aren’t rushing it. pre-sale access to any events I may the pub was to be turned into an We’re going to be doing a bit of messing about with James Rutledge who put on. Priority would go to the Indian restaurant. The X has been House and Ollie know from their HMV days. Who knows what’s going to bands’ mailing list and my mailing in limbo for the best part of a year happen.” list.” now, since landlady Al was declared Tickets for the Homecoming show are on sale now, priced £10, from the bankrupt after a long-running Academy box office or wegottickets.com. THE PORT MAHON looks dispute with the Performing Rights increasingly unlikely to host live Society. A succession of temporary AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into Oxford releases, plus interviews, a music in the future with the current managers has allowed piecemeal gigs BBC Radio Oxford Introducing demo competition and a local gig management team set to leave the to carry on but the venue has every Saturday evening between 6- and club guide. The show is available nd pub on December 2 and no struggled to attract regular 7pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated local to listen to online all week at guarantee that any new licensees promoters or audiences. music show features the best new bbc.co.uk/oxford will support its continuation. The

FOALS are set to become the first Oxford band to sell out two nights at the Academy this month, as they round off an astonishing year in which they released their debut album and embarked on a worldwide tour that took in festivals as far and wide as Brazil and Japan. The band’s show on Friday 12th December is already sold out and an extra show was added for Thursday 11th. Over half the tickets for the extra show have already been sold. Foals have selected fellow local acts Youthmovies and Jonquil to support them on the Friday with Sheffield’s excellent math-core monsters Rolo Tomassi, plus The Invisible supporting them on the Thursday. Speaking to from Foals’ European tour, frontman Yannis Philippakis told Nightshift,“Although we’ve always been wary of Homecoming King type prom shows, we are super-excited about the two shows. Primarily due to the fact they are our last shows of an 18 month tour and that we get to finish them at home. Oxford shows always have a special atmosphere for us and we have called up some of our best friends to play as well. Expect joyous carnage, secret after-shows and drum solos. Maybe some new material! After these shows we are going to start work on the next record. In Oxford somewhere.” Remaining tickets for the Thursday show are on sale now, priced £13.50, from wegottickets.com or the Academy box office. A quiet word with Little Fish “WE’VE JUST COME OFF STAGE haven’t taken a moment to look in Amsterdam. Supergrass are playing back. right now!” “We started the year the same way Nightshift has caught Little Fish at that we ended the last. We played on an inopportune moment, coming New Year’s Eve in a dodgy pub in down from the buzz of opening for London and then continued to play as Supergrass on their European tour. many gigs as we possibly could. Singer Julia Heslop (better known to Record companies showed interest but her mates as Juju) is bursting with photo: Neil Anderson it was after having won ‘Indy Award excitement and enthusiasm, though. Rock Act Of The Year’ and recorded She gleefully informs us that her band a live Session for Radio 1 at Maida have been selling over 100 CDs every Vale Studios, that we were offered a night of the tour so far, going down a record deal. In October we flew out to storm with Supergrass’ fans at shows LA to record our first album and from Oslo to Milan. perform a show at the Viper Room, before Supergrass took us on tour LITTLE FISH WERE with them.” personally chosen for the tour How did Linda Perry first come support by Supergrass after they across you? played two nights with them at JUJU: “In January, Custard’s A&R Oxford Town Hall last Christmas. It man scouted us and played Linda nearly didn’t happen though, since some of our music. On first hearing, Juju thought Gaz Coombes’ phone call she liked what she heard but there was was a joke. also something that she didn’t like JUJU: “I didn’t even know that Gaz about it. Not being able to make up had my telephone number. He just her mind, she flew out from LA to called me out of the blue and asked if watch us play a gig at The we would be up for supporting them Wheatsheaf. Things went on from on their European Tour. At first I there.” thought it was a friend of mine doing NEZ: “We had the best time working a prank phone call because I didn’t with her on the album, both on a recognise the voice but then he personal and working role. She knows insisted, `It’s Gaz Coombes from what she can get out of you. She has Supergrass. Seriously. I just wanted to the most fantastic studio and staff phone you personally’. I was so working with her. It sometimes didn’t embarrassed.” have that studio feel about it which just made the whole process very AFTER ALL THAT’S HAPPENED cool. to Little Fish in the past year, you’d “I guess people know her for writing think they’d be used to getting phone The song encapsulates everything strength of their stunning first demo and producing a lot of pop artists, but calls from the great and good of the that is so great about Oxford’s most and a string of live shows that showed her roots are especially English 60s world of rock music. Prior to their exciting new band. It sounds like The a modest vocal/guitar/drums duo could and 70s rock. This was also a new European jaunt, Juju and Little Fish Pretenders ransacking The Velvet bring down any house they performed experience for her, which made the partner Neil ‘Nez’ Greenaway, had Underground’s ‘Heroin’, but with all in. Back then we learned that Juju and whole thing more exciting. She works been holed up in a Los Angeles the raw passion of a young Patti Nez had, appropriately, met in a local very hard and really pushes you, recording studio with Linda Perry. Smith. Juju’s voice – a voice she came fish and chip shop, were both sometimes 15 hours a day, but still That’s Linda Perry the songwriter so close to losing forever a few years veterans of other Oxford acts (she in finds that balance of having fun. Her responsible for monster hits for Pink, ago – is magnificently powerful: Dolly; he in Vade Mecum) and that a ability to just come out with these Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera, as whooping, screaming, coo-ing and spiral of self-destructive behaviour fantastic ideas within minutes of well as signing James Blunt, and who gently croaking at each turn, an had almost rendered Juju speechless playing a song to her was a joy to was voted the world’s Number 1 A&R untutored force of nature that snares before she coaxed herself back to work with. She’s incredibly talented as person by her industry colleagues. everyone who hears it. Behind her, health. an engineer, producer and as an artist. When she spots talent the world sits Nez is an inspirational powerhouse of And then earlier this year Little Fish We would have a different approach up and takes notice. a drummer – dextrous and won Best Rock Act at the Indy Music to the set up on most of the songs, Perry has just signed Little Fish to uninhibited, thrashing his kit while Awards and things started to go a which made it sound very fresh. Jules her own Custard Records label and has barely seeming to work up a sweat. little crazy. said she got under her skin, which was been mentoring the duo over the past Little Fish reach the end of 2008 on A few nights after that brief true and sometimes quite funny to few months, pushing them to even a high that would be the envy of any Amsterdam conversation, the tour watch, though I did throw a grump on greater heights of creativity. One of young band. Barely 18 months on over, Juju and Nez are free to chat the very last 30 minutes of recording. the results of this collaboration is an from their first gigs they’re not just and Nightshift is able to catch up on We had done two other songs that astonishing song called ‘Darling the toast of Oxford, they’re all set to Little Fish’s year. day. It was the last song and my brain Dear’, which triumphantly heads grab global rock glory by the throat was going through the motions. She Nightshift’s end of year Top 20, a in 2009. JUJU: “IS IT DECEMBER just looked at me and said ‘chill out spectacularly emotive paean to the already? Wow! I can’t quite believe it. dude!’ I re-played the take and that more hellish side of love and bloody WE LAST PUT LITTLE FISH ON I think Nez and I have been so was the one. That’s how she works. It suicide. the front cover a year ago, on the immersed in everything that we was a great experience for us all and one that Jules and myself will look ‘Darling Dear’, another new song, things that you have never Oxford that we look forward to upon in the years ahead.” ‘Heroine Dance’, rarely leaves the experienced as you have nothing to seeing them. Oxford has been Didn’t Linda even miss the MTV Nightshift stereo, exposing Little base it on. We are learning about the absolutely great with us in terms of Awards to spend more time in the Fish’s more tender, but still industry all the time and to be support and encouragement and has studio with you? emotionally naked side. How do they honest, sometimes I struggle with been invaluable to us. For us, it’s like JUJU: “Yeah! She missed going to think they’ve changed as a band the business side of things.” having a party where we get to see an award ceremony where she was to over the last year? NEZ: “We’ve worked really hard familiar faces who have become part receive an award for the ‘Most JUJU: “I’m not sure. I wish that I the last year or so and put our of the Fish Family. I love it and I played song on the radio 2007’. I could be more perfect, do shows efforts into the gigging side. I think can’t wait!” think it was for the song `Candy without making mistakes, record the turning point was at the NEZ: “It’s our home town and I Man’ that she wrote for Christina perfectly in time and sing everything beginning of the year when some guess where Jules and myself started Aguilera. This happened the first I want to hear without any thoughts. interest from labels came about and this whole musical adventure. We time that we went over to the States, Alas, I will never be perfect and Jules and myself realised that there love playing in Oxford and we have in April. We were recording ‘Darling neither will the music that we play. was a possibility of something good always had a great vibe here. The Dear’ for the first time and having It’s hard to judge from the inside. As happening, but no, I don’t think we Wheatsheaf suits who we are as a so much fun that she didn’t want to a songwriter? Having recorded the would have thought that getting band: we’re really into that punky, leave. Music is always her number album I feel relieved to have been signed and recording the album would sweaty atmosphere.” one priority and nothing gets in the able to finally liberate myself from happen this side of Christmas. The And of course ‘Darling Dear’ is way of that. We felt completely some of the songs that I have been Supergrass gig was a fantastic Nightshift’s number 1 of the year. honoured. That day was magical for holding inside me for so long. I feel opportunity, we are so grateful to JUJU: “We’re completely chuffed all of us. For us both, it was one of like where I was holding on to the lads and the chance to tour with about that. Writing a song that the best days of our lives.” emotions, I can now clear myself of the band. To play in those European someone else other than you enjoys The sessions were also very hard them, leaving space for me to write countries was a cracking listening to is all a band could ever work for the band. new songs. Its been very cleansing experience.” want. I think that’s one of the main JUJU: “It took me some time to for me, so I am extremely excited reasons why we do what we do.” understand what Linda was like to about writing new material as I now FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE NEZ: “Yeah, we’re thrilled about work with and also to understand the have room inside of me. though, there is the slightly more that one. We’ve had a really exciting recording process in general. At first “In terms of new songs, the album parochial matter of a hometown gig year in all aspects and this is a top I found it really hard. She made me has a couple of songs that no one at the Wheatsheaf a few days before way to end it all. Thank you!” cry. She shouted at me. She pushed has ever heard as they were written Christmas; will it feel different me to my limits. She got under my literally days before leaving to LA to playing in Oxford again after playing The pleasure is all ours. skin. She stripped me of my ego and record. In the month prior I also at the Viper Rooms and across ripped my songs apart. She doesn’t spent some time writing piano songs Europe? Little Fish play at the Wheatsheaf on accept second best from her artists – these sound very different to the JUJU: “No I don’t think it will be Sunday 21st December. Visit and if she thinks they can do better, Little Fish stuff you will hear us play different; I think it will be great. We www.myspace.com/littlefishmusic to she will push them until she gets the at a gig… but who knows what the have such a great relationship with hear tracks and read Juju’s full best that she can out of them. She future might bring?” those who come to see us play in European tour blog. made me re-write lyrics to songs if When will the album be released? she thought they were lazy and not JUJU: “The record company are let me get away with writing talking about releasing the album anything cheap. It toughened me up around Spring 2009. This process is for sure. all new to us so we have no idea how “To work with her you have to it’s all going to work. We are really work hard and be on the top of your looking forward to it. Songs? Not game all the time but if you do this, telling!” working with her becomes a magical experience where she helps you get THAT WE’RE TALKING TO to the core of everything: the music Little Fish about record deals and LA and yourself. She makes sure that recording session shows how far and everything in the music makes sense. how fast things have moved for She doesn’t cheat the music out of them since our last interview. This any moments. She directs, produces, time last year did they envisage what criticises, praises, tears apart and might happen over the next 12 builds only with the music in mind, months, and have their experiences as first priority, one hundred of the music industry been better, percent. Working with her was worse or just different from what incredible both musically and they imagined? emotionally. It really got the best JUJU: “There is no way that we out of us.” could ever have envisaged what would happen to us. It’s been a very LITTLE FISH’S DEBUT DEMO important and exciting year for us. last year was a spectacular After all the work we put in, we introduction to the band. We made it achieved everything we aimed to Demo Of The Month and its lead achieve; we signed our first record track, ‘Devil’s Eyes’, was Nightshift deal and recorded our first album. As writers’ second favourite song of the a musician you spend years dreaming year, beaten only by Foals’ about these days, so when they ‘Hummer’. Early reviews drew finally come, there is immense comparisons to artists as diverse as relief. It’s hard out there and still, Sinead O’Connor, The Pixies, Janis the battle has only just begun, but we Joplin and Suzi Quatro, bristling with are so happy that we are moving and spiky confidence and garage rock that people have been so supportive stomp. The pair have quickly moved towards us. on though, developing as songwriters “As far as experiences go with the and performers while never losing music industry, I suppose you can that initial raw energy. Along with never prepare yourself fully for Tracks of our Year And so we come to the end of another great year for Oxford music. Foals’ all-conquering success was the 6. ELAPSE-O: icing on the cake of a year that also brought continued success for Young Knives, with their most ambitious album to date, and the emergence of yet more great new bands around the county who continue to prove that ‘Golden Ships’ we have a scene here that is second to none. And so, as is traditional, Nighthsift compiles its Top 20 of songs There’s some kind of irony involved that have made our year. Last year it was Foals who topped the pile with the superb `Hummer’, but it’s last in a band whose mission seems to be year’s runners-up, Little Fish, who triumph this time round. Local gig-goers have been virtually unanimous in to utterly destroy the idea of the their acclaim for the duo who look set to make a massive breakthrough in 2009. Anyway, here’s our essential rock song coming up with a clutch of best of 2008. Don’t argue, you know we’re right. cracking tunes like this condensed bundle of nastiness. ‘Golden Ships’ is the stomach-kicking, frighteningly pleasures to be sure but containing exhilarating sound of Cabaret some of their best songs to date, Voltaire meeting Cocteau Twins including this weird, somnambulantly round at Michael Gira’s house and splendid reach back into childhood deciding to make one last song and an England that only existed in together before huddling together in the minds of acid-fuelled dreamers a funeral pyre. Duo David Roe and like Syd Barrett and Julian Cope. It’s Toby Nevitt sustain the pressure an uncharacteristically airy song that masterfully. It’s as much a distress shows just what a great voice Henry signal as pop music and it’s so utterly Dartnell has. There are sweet nods bloody great it makes us weep tears to acid folk and Floyd’s psychedelic of blood. whimsy and it promises so much more to come from Oxford’s most defiantly idiosyncratic popsters. 7. YOUTHMOVIES: ‘Something For The 4. FOALS: Ghosts’ ‘Olympic Airways’ Youthmovies modestly refute the 2008 saw Foals take the world by the title of most inspirational band in scruff of the neck like no other town but any observer can tell you Oxford band since Supergrass a the acclaim is well deserved; even the decade and a half ago. It was the all-conquering Foals owe them a debt band’s frenetic live shows that made or two. But however much they’re them but their album, ‘Antidotes’, copied, they’re never bettered, as this which went Top 5 in the charts, nine-minute intricate modern-day captured the different sides of their prog-math odyssey, from their ‘Good restless inventiveness. ‘Olympic Nature’ album shows, taking the most 1. LITTLE FISH: ‘Darling Dear’ Airways’ stood at odds to their convoluted path possible from a to b, trademark strident angular disco- via d, n and x, parping horns, guitar The fact that as you read this, Little Fish have just finished recording their rock, a more dreamy trip into feedback, sludgy riffs, jazz rhythms album in LA with Linda Perry (considered the world’s premier A&R person) spaced-out new wave ambience, yet and plaintive vocal cries all thrown and a tour support around Europe with Supergrass tells you a little bit about still balloon-buoyant and fidgety into the pot and stirred just so. how special this duo are. But don’t take or word for it – track down this enough to make the most moribund stunning statement of intent from a band who only made their live debut of feet move to the groove. eighteen months ago. Imagine The Pretenders as they were on their glorious 8. SHARRON first album remaking The Velvet Underground’s ‘Heroin’ as a paranoid tale of frustrated passion and bloody suicide, with all the spirit of a young Patti 5. RICHARD KRAUS: ‘Green Man’ Smith and ending it all in an evil squeal of tortured guitar and primal drums. Surely Oxford’s most under- In another year’s time you’ll be proclaiming them as your favourite band in WALTERS: ‘True appreciated talent, Sharron Kraus has the world and we’ll sit smugly back and tell you we told you so. Go Fishes! Love Will Find You beguiled us for over a decade now with her dark, ancient English and In The End’ Appalachian folk tales. There’s no an admirably concise three and half Cover versions in Nightshift’s Top soft-centred whimsy here, just tales 2. A SILENT FILM: minutes, it could easily stick around 20 are as rare as hens’ teeth, but this of death, incest and more death. ‘You Will Leave A for another five but the sprawling is special enough to be an exception, ‘Green Man’ was the highlight of her piano and Robert Stevenson’s guilt- Rich Walters turning his heavenly most recent ‘The Fox’s Wedding’ Mark’ laden voice say everything perfectly. vocal talents to Daniel Johnston’s album, a stark, piano and flute-led Everything about A Silent Film Bigger, brighter lights surely beckon. moving ballad. The troubled love song involving being pregnant suggested epic ambition. The band’s Californian songsmith’s peculiar with a forest, Sharron’s haunting debut album, ‘The City That Sleeps’, 3. YOUNG KNIVES: twist on American folk is here turned voice dancing over the melody like a sounded not like the debut from a into a gorgeous, ethereal paean to pagan maiden in spring time. It fully young local band but the assured, ‘Mummy Light The love and hope, instilled with such evokes the distant past not as a rustic grandly-proportioned work of a band yearning, dreamlike sadness that you idyll but a truly terrifying place. already steeped in rock glory and Fire’ wonder how music can sound so pure. used to performing on the biggest Cheeky beggars. Just as everyone Richard has been blessed with a voice 9. STORNOWAY: stages the world has to offer. A thinks they’ve got Young Knives beyond that of any other local highlight among highlights was this, pinned down as self-consciously singer, and if songs like this can’t get ‘On The Rocks’ a song so naturally elegant you eccentric post-punkers, they come continents full of grown men They might deliberately set out to wouldn’t be surprised if it came with back at us with an album like weeping, then the world is in a worse irritate po-faced gits like us with a pair of eagle’s wings attached. At ‘Superabundance’, an album of mixed state than we feared. wacky treatises on fish, but thankfully Stornoway – officially 12. THE FAMILY he was joined by producer Offkey, down washing machines dance like the brainiest band in Oxford, and moving into funky electro house and short-circuiting Terminators. there’s some stiff competition for MACHINE: a more dancefloor-friendly sound that title – have a whole other side that didn’t distract from his full- 18. MEEF that we love unreservedly, one that ‘Got It Made’ throttle, lyrically sharp rapping. A conjures gorgeous, Caledonian- Loveable, languid rock hounds that musical step up for the best rhymer CHALOIN & tinged folk-pop of the sort Mike they were, The Family Machine still in town and another reminder that Scott or King Creosote might be had a way with a killer tune or two humour is the best way to dismantle ASHER DUST: proud to call their own, only infused and this multi-part cinematic stand- just about anything. `While You Slept’ with a hazy, bucolic spaciness a la out track from their debut album at Gorky’s Zygtic Mynci. ‘On The the start of the year showed that This little gem would have Rocks’ was the serene highlight of sometimes they can even come up completely passed us by but for a their eco-aware ‘Good Fish Guide’ with three great tunes in one song. heads up from Skylarkin’s Aidan EP and allowed anyone with a heart Shimmering through noir-ish Larkin. The team-up between local and an ounce of good taste to psychedelia and 1950s film scores underground mavericks Meef Chaloin forgive them their every other like the soundtrack to some long- and Asher Dust here creates a indulgence. forgotten spy or superhero flick, haunting, romantic reggae love song, sombre brass, piano swirls and a shimmering guitars and loping 10. XMAS LIGHTS: remorselessly simple beat building a electronic beats underlying Asher’s moody backdrop of black and white 16. TRISTAN & THE soulful, wine-soaked, heartbroken ‘Electric Sheep’ alleyways and seedy whisky bars, vocals. Already a minor hit in dubstep belying its essentially modest TROUBADOURS: circles, it exposes an overlooked side Brutal and confrontational as they to Oxford’s music scene. were, Xmas Lights were also master acoustic nature. ‘Crows & Doves’ craftsmen when it came to creating Bastards that we are, we once moods and epic soundscapes. Their 13. INTERNATIONAL condemned Tristan & the 19. THIS TOWN eponymous debut album was Troubadours to the Demo Dumper NEEDS GUNS: structured like a single epic piece of JETSETTERS: when they were all about 14 years orchestral industrial hardcore, but ‘Never Slows Down’ old. Still, like a spell in boot camp it ‘Baboon’ this monstrous closing number Featuring two current touring gave them the kick up the arse they With October’s debut album, captured the essence of their needed and now they’re one of the ‘Animals’, This Town Needs Guns uncompromising devilry, smoothly members of The Jesus & Mary Chain, one of whom used to drum most promising young bands in left behind the epic emo-tinged pop oppressive guitar and electronics Oxford, as this Demo Of The and convoluted track titles in favour building up a storm of ambient hell with Ride, International Jetsetters’ pedigree is in no doubt. With their Month-winning gem ably of a more introverted math-leaning over which the voices of the damned demonstrates. Piano, flute, violin, a spangle, and a whole album of songs scream their defiance before the musical roots drinking inspiration from everything from The Velvet breathless gasp of a vocal and a named after animals. `Panda’ was whole thing turns on a dime and giddy, clamouring two-and-half- obviously the winner in the cute turns into a switchblade fight to the Underground and Spacemen 3 to Cowboy Junkies and Cocteau Twins, minute mini-epic ensues that beast stakes but ‘Baboon’ showed the death between the devil and the deep squashes more fun pop ideas into its band at their best musically, Tim blue sea. they’re also an indie trainspotter’s dream, but still sound as fresh as a short life than most bands will come Collins’ guitar work twinkling almost meadow of psychedelic sun-drenched up with in their entire career. effortlessly over the easy rhythms 11. JONQUIL: daisies, and here it is singer Fi and Stuart Smith’s voice, full of McFall’s sleepy-eyed vocal soar that 17. SPACE HEROES dreamy resignation. ‘Whistle Low’ steals the show, heading skywards in Having crafted two incredibly a blizzard of shoegazey guitars in a OF THE PEOPLE: 20. MARIA ILETT: accomplished albums from the manner that critics of yore might ‘Motorway To comfort of a bedroom, Jonquil have called a cathedral of sound. ‘Sit On The Sun’ finally entered a proper recording Moscow’ There’s such a sweet, naïve charm studio for their ‘Whistle Low’ EP, Ever wanted to know what Visage about Maria Ilett’s voice that only a continuing to create wonderfully 14. THE WINCHELL might have sounded like trapped in a Dementor could fail to be swept other-wordly pastoral psychedelia. RIOTS: ‘Histories’ cyborg factory in the 22nd Century along in its summery breeze. Here The rinky-dink glimmer of ‘Whistle trying to clone Kraftwerk? she croons like a sad-eyed bushbaby Low’s opening gambit makes way for With an almost biblical sense of Complete with ace retro-futurist and chirrups like a frisky songbird in heroic, seafaring voice and epic, a hollowed-out drum and synth sirens, nasty churning guitar equal measure, the song recalling the accordion, the song full of a sense of serrated guitar sound reminiscent of slurry and the sort of squiggly, wiggly innocence and exuberance of early- rustic escape and separation from Joy Division and Phil McMinn’s techno trance squelch that all the 80s cult stars like Young Marble the modern world. If Jonquil had petulant yelp, Winchell Riots’ debut best raves pump out in fifty-gallon Giants and Jane, whirring and emerged out of The Wicker Man’s single stamped its authority in no barrel loads? Well now you do. And if clicking, humming and buzzing like Summer Isle, we wouldn’t have been uncertain terms, full of abrasive you didn’t ever want to know, why the intricate working of a clock, at all surprised. grandeur, but equally too intimate to head off on some Muse-style space in hell’s name not? It bleeps, it giving vital space for Maria’s voice rock journey. Its graceful turbulence bloops and it’ll make even broken to weave its sweet, pretty magic. hid an inner darkness more akin to Echo & The Bunnymen’s earliest Last year... post-punk days, and there are few 1. FOALS: `Hummer’; 2. LITTLE FISH: `Devil’s Eyes’; 3. things that make us happier. RADIOHEAD: `House Of Cards’; 4. MR SHAODOW: `Look Out, There’s A Black Man Coming’; 5. WITCHES: `Sleep Like The Witch That You Are’; 6. A SILENT FILM: `Chromatic Eyes’; 7. RICHARD 15. MR SHAODOW: WALTERS: `Elephant In The Room’; 8. YOUNG KNIVES: `Terra ‘Grime’ Firma’; 9. GOLDRUSH: `The Story Of The City; 10. STORNOWAY: `Zorbing’; 11. SUNNYVALE NOISE SUB-ELEMENT: `Godzilla vs Having set his bench extremely high Kathleen Hannah; 12. KEYBOARD CHOIR: `In This Situation, with last year’s ‘Look Out, There’s A Thinking Won’t Help’; 13. YOUTHMOVIES & ADAM GNADE: Black Man Coming’, Mr ShaoDow `Honeslides’; 14. BABY GRAVY: `I Hate Your Girlfriend’; 15. THE thankfully lived up to expectations EPSTEIN: `Dance The Night Away’; 16. ALLY CRAIG: `Get What You on his latest single, a sweetly Pays For’; 17. SPACE HEROES OF THE PEOPLE: Grrovy Fucking humorous side-swipe at say-nothing, Dancer’; 18. JONQUIL: `Lions’; 19. WINCHELL RIOTS: `Hymn 24’; image-obsessed grime artists. In this 20. 50ft PANDA: `Flight From Tartarus’ Sponsored RELEASED by VARIOUS straightfaced, piano-led take on ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’, while Witches simply sound like ‘A Quantum Of Covers’ they can’t be bothered on an underwhelming ‘Nobody Does It Better’. (BBC Children In Need) For the most part, though, it’s done well. A bit of fun in a worthy cause. BBC Radio Oxford Stornoway’s take on Tina Turner’s ‘Goldeneye’ is Introducing team Dave Gillyeat and Tim Bearder a typically quirky electro remake that finds a have gathered together eleven local acts to cover middle ground between Pet Shop Boys and Flying various Bond themes in aid of the annual Children Pickets before weirdly wandering into Spike In Need appeal, neatly coinciding with the release Milligan territory. The Family Machine’s of A Quantum Of Solace. underplayed ‘Goldfinger’ is genuinely sweet, while It’s a bit of a thankless task for any band to 50ft Panda add their trademark, tightly-reined tackle a Bond theme since they’re all so well squall and clatter to ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret known, even by those who aren’t Bond Service’. Xmas Light’s decidedly old-school metal aficionados, and by their very nature they’re so take on the Bond theme is as bombastic and OTT to start with, it takes something special to brazen as you’d hope for and The Epstein, too, make a good fist of it. As such we can’t be too come out well from their languid steel guitar-led critical, although there are a few disappointments. version of ‘View To A Kill’. Maria Ilett manages a superb demolition of ‘Living Daylights’ that Chief amongst these is Borderville’s cheesy, to capture much of Nancy Sinatra’s girly guts A-Ha’s original with a nasty electronic honky-tonk take on Wings’ ‘Live & Let Die’, sweetness on her summery ‘You Only Live crunch and lets Eleanor’s operatically soulful since the band’s flamboyant nature should make Twice’. voice soar past the point of decency – seriously, them perfect candidates but they never rise to the But one track justifies a visit to iTunes by itself: she makes Shirley Bassey sound like an asthmatic occasion. Similarly Boywithatoy’s usual playful Banbury industrial grinders Sikorski team up with hamster. Now that takes some doing. sleaziness is missing from their pretty Oxford-based former Miss UK Eleanor Glynn for Dale Kattack

VARIOUS of the sort which was pretty ubiquitous at the mystery given they don’t even feature on the time but it leads neatly into a trio of Anyways family tree, but otherwise, for veteran local gig- ‘Here Comes Everybody’ classics, most notable of which is the gorgeous goers and anyone with an interest in the city’s ‘Wider’, one of the finest songs ever written by rich musical history, this is essential stuff, and its (Own Label) an Oxford band. That The Anyways, in any of subtitle is wholly appropriate given the influence Subtitled “A city fathers collection”, this their four incarnations, never made it beyond these bands have had on the scene over such a compilation CD, put together by former- local cult status is an oversight on the world’s long period of time. Anyways guitarist Mark Price to celebrate his part. Dale Kattack recent 50th birthday, is a fantastic trawl through Razorcuts – named after a line in a Buzzcocks over two decades of a particularly convoluted song – offer a fey, jangly take on their heroes’ strand of Oxford’s music history. Mark has even pop-punk, while Lucky & The Losers – featuring drawn one of those classic rock family trees to the late Hamish Ferguson, plus fellow former MATT KILFORD explain who was who along the way. Anyway Karen Cleave – bring a neat country and His story begins in the mid-80s with Here Comes western distraction to proceedings, replete with ‘House On The Hill’ Everybody, a band that featured soon-to-be pedal steel. members of Talulah Gosh, The Anyway and Post-Anyways split, The Relationships provided (Own Label) Razorcuts, as well as being the band responsible the most obvious follow-on, with Richard Previously the guitarist in local indie hopefuls for inspiring Ride’s Andy Bell to learn guitar. The Ramage’s trademark vocal quaver and downbeat Belarus, Matt Kilford’s solo debut shows that he’s sole HCE track here is a lo-fi, rudimentary jangle romantic outlook best showcased here with the a talented singer too. After his old band’s quietly brilliant ‘English Blues’. Richard’s former expansive pop, Matt’s songs are intimate, airy bandmates Pete Lock, Alan Buckley and Mark and, if not exactly minimalist, stripped to the Price himself, meanwhile, formed Blue Kite, with bare necessities – piano, sparse drumbeats and vocalist Liz Woolley’s sultry vocal delivery acoustic guitar allow his voice to dominate songs swooning over the moody psychedelic trippiness like ‘Zurich’ and EP highlight ‘House On The of their music. Hill’, coming on somewhere between Ryan Adams By now we’re into the late-90s and Borgnine’s and Damien Rice. It’s pretty traditional languid surf-pop-cum-prairie psychedelia, melancholic singer-songwriter fare and the featuring Ian Nixon who would go on to form overly-polished ‘Hindsight’ treads worryingly current Francophile café pop band Les Clochards close to X-Factor-style schmaltz, but unlike a lot (also featured here) with HCE and Talulah Gosh of acoustic troubadours, he studiously avoids self- chap Pete Momtchiloff, and Karen Cleave. This pity, preferring a warm, personable feeling of compendium closes with tracks by The Kate resignation. The title track has echoes of Garrett Band and Moiety, both Blue Kite alumni. ‘Hallelujah’ about it but Matt sounds confident Obviously the chief omission here is any Talulah enough to be his own man and it’s a lovely lament Gosh material, but doubtless copyright problems to a lost love. saw to that, while Easy Tiger’s inclusion is a Ian Chesterton Selected Oxford releases are now available on the ground floor HMV Oxford supports local music Open Sundays 11-5pm & late Thursdays till 7pm. 10% student discount every day

gig guide

st Greek-born guitarist and his cosmopolitan MONDAY 1 quartet. THE SHERMAN ROBERTSON BAND: The DECEMBER LOOSE GRIP + NUMBER9: The Cellar – Bullingdon – Good-time, upbeat blues from Soul, funk and hip hop from Loose Grip. more, plus their own self-penned material in a the Texan guitarist – see main preview EMPTY VESSELS + CAND ELECTRIC + similarly symphonic thrash style. Fellow Finns THE SCRIPT: The Academy – Long-since DIAL F FOR FRANKENSTEIN: The Jericho Swallow The Sun bring their melodic doom sold-out show from Dublin’s polished, Tavern – Blues rocking from Empty Vessels and metal along in support. pathologically cheesy soul-pop trio, riding high Cand Electric, plus grungy noise from Dial F. JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Free weekly on the back of their number 1 debut album, KENAI: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Essex-based live jazz club. Tonight’s band are Alvin Roy & dishing out piano-led ballads with the sinister screamo crew. Reeds Unlimited. cheeriness of Jesus Army recruiting sergeants. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford BOOG + JIM DRISCOLL + JENNY MAY + Community Centre nd TELLING THE BEES: Gardeners Arms, TUESDAY 2 OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Jericho – Acoustic night in aid of the Jericho APOCALYPTICA + SWALLOW THE SUN: Waterfront Appeal, including local trad folkies The Academy – Finnish cello-metallers, th Telling The Bees. FRIDAY 5 featuring three classically-trained cellists RUE THE DAY + MR B, GENTLEMAN DREADZONE: The Regal – Return to town cranking out reinterpretations of songs by RHYMER + VULTURES + SECRET after their Academy show back in March. Metallica, Faith No More, Rammstein and RIVALS: The Jericho Tavern – Thrash metal Dreadzone’s peculiarly British form of reggae, from Rue The Day, indie rock from Vultures fusing roots sounds and dub with a folky feel, Monday 1st and punk-pop from Secret Rivals. Highlight of trance and breakbeats, remains true after 16 the show, though, might be Mr B’s odd Chuck years on the road. Veterans of five albums, six SHERMAN D-meets-Noel Coward music hall hip hop. Peel sessions and countless tours and festival KAPOW: The Cellar – Indie and electro club appearances, Glastonbury surely being their ROBERTSON: night with live set from Totally Enormous spiritual home. Their classic 1995 second Extinct Dinosaurs. album, ‘Second Light’, spawned their only Top The Bullingdon 20 hit, ‘Little Britain’, but their enduring appeal Sherman Robertson has been a regular visitor WEDNESDAY 3 rd rests in their ability to transform any room, or field, into a reggae party. The trippy, spacious, to the Famous Monday Blues nights over JOLIE HOLLAND: The Academy – almost rustic feel of their sound might feel the years, but it’s worth restating the man’s Idiosyncratic old-time folk, jazz and blues almost archaic compared to what’s come since credentials, since he’s been a star of the songstress makes her Oxford debut – see main but it’s following their own path that’s American and European blues scene for preview ultimately kept them on top of their game for night on forty years now. Born in Louisiana, NARCISSISTS: Baby Love – Electro and so long. And it’s weird to think that amongst he was playing in bands in Houston, Texas indie club night with live band. the band’s earliest backing singers were Alison as a teenager in the late-60s before being OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple Goldfrapp and Melanie Blatt. picked to play lead with soul legend Bobby FREE RANGE: The Cellar – Dubstep and THE WILDHEARTS: The Academy – Once Bland and later Junior Parker. The 70s saw drum’n’bass club night. him touring with Zydeco king Clifton more into rock and roll battle for Ginger and the boys, the Newcastle pop-metal cult heroes this Chenier, while Paul Simon selected him to th play on ‘Graceland’. Robertson was also THURSDAY 4 time round promoting an album of cover signed to Atlantic Records for a while by THE WEDDING PRESENT: The Academy – versions, ‘Stop Us If You’ve Heard This One Bluesbreakers producer Mike Vernon, before Troubled indie rock romantic David Gedge Before’, having enjoyed – or endured – a th opting to go independent. Since that time reaches his 50 birthday, still going strong and singularly turbulent history, where the only he’s mostly stuck to playing live, where his set to release a new album, ‘El Rey’, after constant elements, aside from Ginger himself, reputation forever precedes him. Possessed recording with Steve Albini again. A band who have been drugs and alcohol. of the same physical showmanship as Albert pretty much set the benchmark for the past 20 IGLU & HARTLEY: The Academy – Collins, Robertson is an energetic and years of underground indie noise, theirs is never Grotesquely infectious electro-rap-rockers, dynamic guitarist as well as a powerful soul a happy sound, but remains steadfast of spirit. managing to mix up Chili Peppers, OutKast and singer. Stylistically he adds a rock edge to SKYLARKIN’ with INTRODUCING: The MGMT into something that’s simultaneously Zydeco, r’n’b and Texan electric and Academy – A note-by-note live performance of daft, harmless fun and horribly cheesy pap. swampy Louisiana blues, rhythmic and DJ Shadow’s seminal ‘Entroducing’ album at Billion-selling glory awaits. funky and as well suited to the intimate tonight’s Skylarkin’, one of the first times it has KLUB KAKOFANNEY with INSPECTED confines of the Bully as it is to the larger been performed indoors, after a successful BY TEN + THE HALCYONS + VICARS OF festival stages he regularly graces. summer festival tour. Afterwards Jon Kennedy TWIDDLEY: The Wheatsheaf – More is the guest DJ, the Bristol-based dub and musical merriment of an eclectic persuasion electro chap having been mentored by Mr from the KK Krew, tonight featuring ebullient Scruff. synthy soul-rockers Inspected By Ten and MOSHKA with THE EAVESDROPPERS + electro-acoustic folk-rock in a PJ Harvey vein JOE ALLEN & ANGHARAD JENKINS + from The Halcyons. KANGO BILL: The Bullingdon – Spangly, THE THIN LIZZY EXPERIENCE: Fat Lil’s, 80s-styed pop from Eavesdroppers at tonight’s Witney – Tribute to the Irish rock legends. Moshka club, with support from emotive PRISONERS OF KATRINA + RELIK + THE acoustic duo Joe & Angharad. TRAPS + SHE-BEATS: The Jericho Tavern SPIN JAZZ CLUB: The Wheatsheaf – BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon – Tonight’s special guest is the Tassos Classic soul, funk and r’n’b. Spiliotopoulos Group, featuring the avant garde DUGOUT Vs SKYLARKIN’: The Cellar – Soul, rare grooves and funk club night. MONDAY 8th GET DOWN: The Brickworks – Weekly ISIS: The Regal – Monolithic post-metal funk, Latin and disco session. soundscape titans hit town – see main preview THE HOLD STEADY: The Academy – The th SATURDAY 6 Brooklyn rockers return after their planned THE MAGIC NUMBERS + THE PANMAN + September tour was cancelled due to guitarist STORNOWAY: Jacqueline du Pre Building Tad Kubler being hospitalised with pancreatitis. – After their triumphant headline set at Truck’s In thrall to Springsteen on the one hand, they’re Harvest Festival weekend, Romeo and Michele master craftsmen in the world of rootsy, Stodart and Sean and Angela Gannon showcase quintessentially American songwriting, with a songs from their forthcoming third album in the great everyman style of storytelling courtesy of impressive setting of the JDP Building, their Craig Finn, recounting tales of lives crashing and warm, harmony-heavy 60s-inspired brand of burning to drink, drugs or age, and attempts to Wednesday 3rd pop hopefully bringing a little sunshine to a find salvation in religion or love. Gruff, bluesy dark winter evening. Local heroes Stornoway and earthy, The Hold Steady also lean towards JOLIE HOLLAND: continue to impress everyone they play to with the best of 80s alt.rock, from Husker Du to The their idiosyncratic folksy pop. Replacements. Excellent, timeless stuff. The Academy ALABAMA 3: The Academy – Another chance CONNIE LUSH & BLUES SHOUTER: The Born and bred in Texas, now based in to testify with Brixton’s enduringly entertaining Bullingdon – Five-times winner of Best UK Brooklyn, Jolie Holland could only come acid-fired gospel punks. The Rev D Wayne Female Blues Singer, Connie Lush returns to the from America, but at what point in time is a Love and Larry Love lead the band through old Famous Monday Blues with her powerful completely different question. Idiosyncratic favourites as well as tracks from their new singing style taking in blues, rock, jazz and soul. and mannered, her voice in itself is an ‘Monday Don’t Mean Anything’ album. oddity, often as much of an absent-minded JOHNNY TRUANT: The Academy – TUESDAY 9 th drawl as a singing voice, and sometimes Rearranged gig from July from Brighton’s THE SAW DOCTORS: The Academy – sounds like it comes from many decades metalcore monsters, whose hobbies include Commercial rejuvenation of a kind for the cult ago. Initial impressions suggest the influence bellowing, shouting and screaming, out on tour Irish folk-rockers at the moment, over a decade of Billie Holiday or Betty Carter, but the after the release of new album ‘No Tears For after they had the biggest-selling single of all meandering haziness of her songs are as The Creatures’, having previously supported time in their home country with ‘I Useta much testament to her love for Daniel the likes of Killswitch Engage, Alexisonfire and Lover’, a record that still stands. A cover of Johnston. Holland has been something of a As I Lay Dying. Sugababes’ ‘About You Now’ for a dare on a cult star since her collection of home-made TRANSFORMATION with THE charity show has pushed them back into the demos was released as a debut album in FUTUREHEADS: The Academy – Special late limelight and they’re off on tour to remind 2003, and her third album, ‘Springtime Can club night set from Sunderland’s spiky post- people what they’ve been missing these past Kill You’, saw her established as a critics’ punk indie rockers. Transformation, meanwhile, years. That being emotive, rootsy hometown favourite and admired by the likes of Tom spins its usual selection of indie anthems old vignettes and reminisces, as well as some gently Waits and Nick Cave. Her latest album, ‘The and new, plus there’s trash-pop and 80s sounds satirical pops at everything from the catholic Living & The Dead’ sees her collaborating at Trashy and alt.rock, metal and punk at Room church to U2. with M Ward and members of Bright Eyes 101. ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS: The and Elvis Costello’s band and her mix of old- MELTING POT: The Jericho Tavern – Academy – Ambient, even ethereal at times, time country and western, jazz, blues and Mixed bag of bands to be confirmed. gothic electro-rocking from former-Fear Factory folk deserves similar sale figures to Amy HOGGZ: The Red Lion, Witney hands Burton C Bell and John Bechdel, who has Winehouse or Duffy. Her peculiarly UP-ROOTED + LOST CHIHUAHUA + also spent time in Ministry and Killing Joke. individual vocal style, though, will need to DISCOVERED + BRASS ROOTS: BMW JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – With a live get through the Radio 2 playlist filter first. Social Club, Romanway, Cowley – A set from funky jazz pianist Howard Peacock selection of classic soul, funk and rock. and his band. SIMPLE: The Bullingdon – Funky house INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial Don Letts. The film-maker and musician club night with Alex Metric. and darkwave club night. brought dub and reggae to the punk scene with his DJ sets at the Roxy in the 70s before th SUNDAY 7 th documenting that scene in films like The Punk WEDNESDAY 10 Rock Movie and more recently the Clash biopic ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC SESSION: The THE HAMSTERS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – The Red Lion, Kidlington Westway To The World. Along the way he British blues-rock veterans play a two-night inspired The Clash, PiL et al to investigate stint at Fat Lil’s, paying due homage to Hendrix Jamaican music and subsequently formed Big and ZZ Top. Audio Dynamite with Mick Jones. Come along THE MARTIN HANLEY BAND + 100 and pay your respects while skanking yourself THINGS TO DO IN DOVER: The Jericho into a frothy mess. Tavern SPIN JAZZ CLUB: The Wheatsheaf – With OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple tenor sax player Ian Price. ECLECTRICITY: The Cellar – Electro, THIS TOWN NEEDS GUNS + SECOND bassline and fidget house with Portugal-based SMILE + HOUSE OF BROTHERS + CAT Angolan kuduro collective Buraka Som Sistena, MATADOR: The Cellar – Big Scary plus Get Your Geek On and Kartik Poria. Monsters Records Christmas party with TTNG showing off their deft math-rock chops, THURSDAY 11th while fellow local rockers Cat Matador delve FOALS: The Academy – First of a two-night into darker alt.rock waters. homecoming stint from the local stars – see THE HAMSTERS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – main preview Second night of the electric blues-rockers NEVILLE STAPLES: The Academy – The session. former Specials and Fun Boy Three chap CHOKEHOLD + BEARD OF ZEUSS + returns with his new band, playing a few of his MORTILLIAN: The Hobgoblin, Bicester – old classics alongside new material. Metal night at the Hob with local heavyweights SKYLARKIN’: The Academy – The weekly Chokehold bowing out, plus stoner-metallers ska, reggae, soul and rock’n’roll club welcomes Beard of Zeuss and new young rockers a genuine living legend to its decks tonight with Mortillian. BEN OTTEWELL: The Bullingdon – The BARBARELLA + LORD Magpie & the Gomez singer and guitarist heads off on a solo prince of cats: The Wheatsheaf – Dirty acoustic tour. grungy hardcore noise from Mondo Cada, plus SMILEX + SHE SET SAIL + CALI assorted guests including ace local electro-punk- COLLECT: The Wheatsheaf – Ever- pop starlets Baby Gravy. entertaining scuzz-rock noise from Smilex, with SONIC BOOM SIX + NY-LON + emo and grunge-pop support from She Sets Sail MOUTHWASH: The Academy – and Cali Collect. Irrepressibly effervescent pop-friendly ska- PINDROP PERFORMANCE: Holywell punk-hip hop from Manchester’s prolific, ever- Music Room – Return of the ambient live gigging Sonic Boom Six, fronted by the sweetly music sessions, tonight featuring Stravinsky, spirited vocal talents of Laila Khan, out on tour Stockhausen and Golijov from The Chamber to promote new rarities album ‘Play On’ ahead Monday 8th Ensemble, ambient minimalism from Keyboard of a new studio album next year. Choir, twee indie pop from The Mountain ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC SESSION: The ISIS: The Regal Parade and acoustic folk from Fergus Kinglian. Red Lion, Kidlington Time was hardcore was all shouting and BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Jazz dance EYE-CON: The Black Horse, Kidlington maniacal guitar storms. And occasionally in and worldbreaks with live set from Dave Isis’ world it still is. But usually only for Noble’s lush, funky Natureboy, plus DJ sets MONDAY 15th brief spells amid their expansive, crushing from Dan Offer and Gil Karpas. THE EDDIE MARTIN BAND: The sound explorations. Inspired initially by the THE MIGHTY REDOX + THE PETE FRYER Bullingdon – British blues guitarist, twice likes of Neurosis and Godflesh – acts BAND + FILM NOIR + THE ISAMBARDS: nominated for best UK blues guitarist and adept they’ve since had close connections to – The Magdalen – Monthly residency from at acoustic, slide and electric, drawing on all LA’s Isis are now a byword for post-metal psychedelic party funksters Mighty Redox, manner of American blues traditions, from Delta musical ambition, in turn influencing the plus oddball rockers The Pete Fryer Band. and Texan to Chicago and New Orleans. likes of Pelican and Russian Circles. Having CADILLACS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Blues and PRIDE TIGER: The Academy – Assorted started out in the mid-90s as a pretty soul classics from Dave Smith and his band. members of Canadian metallers Three Inches Of standard hardcore drone and sludge-metal PINEAPPLE THIEF + LIGHTBOX + Blood unleash their inner Thin Lizzy. band, they’ve evolved into a monolithic BRASSNECK + SEVEN O’CLOCK force of nature, the sound of encroaching JUNKIES: The Jericho Tavern – Proggy TUESDAY 16th doom and war. Isis defy easy classification indie rock from Yeovil’s Pineapple Thief. THE LEVELLERS + FRANK TURNER: The but frontman Aaron Turner’s description of BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon Academy – Enduringly popular folk-punks “thinking man’s metal” comes close, GET DOWN: The Brickworks continue their seemingly never-ending tour after involving a combination of heavyweight another summer on the festival circuit, currently riffage, elaborate structural progression, SATURDAY 13th promoting new album ‘Letters From elements of ambient noise and, increasingly, WINTER WARMER: The Jericho Tavern – Underground’. Former-Million Dead screamer- electronics. Tracks tend to weigh in at the 10 Eleven-band all-day extravaganza from Gappy turned politico folkie Frank Turner provides or 15 minute end of the scale, vocals mostly Tooth Industries and chums. Continues suitably socially aware support. kept to a middle-distance growl, although tomorrow – see main preview CANTERBURY: The Academy – Farnham- lyrically they explore mystical ideas and WITCHES + BORDERVILLE + based indie-punkers tour in support of their their albums tend to have specific themes. McDOWELL: The Wheatsheaf – Superlative, debut album. They hit their peak with the magnificent and dark-natured rocking from Witches, plus JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Featuring a aptly-titled `Oceanic’, but they continue to flamboyant vaudevillian glam-pop from set from jazz singer Alison Bentley. progress, while retaining their cult status – Borderville. despite tours with Mogwai and Tool, they BLACK STONE CHERRY + SEVENDUST: th shun the trapping of rock stardom as much The Academy – Southern rocking in the WEDNESDAY 17 as they do the clichés of heavy rock itself. tradition of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Crowes PHAT SESSIONS: The Cellar – Live open Tonight’s gig is one of only four UK shows, from Kentucky’s Black Stone Cherry. funk jam session. including an appearance at All Tomorrow’s FLAMBOYANT BELLA: The Academy – OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple Parties, and if you have any love for Hitchin’s electro indie-pop scrappers come on hypnotic, bludgeoning repetition, you will like a cross between Lily Allen and Los THURSDAY 18th be here. Campesinos on disco-fied jangle-pop slices of MOSHKA with THE BLACK HATS + ALLY life like ‘Completely Wankered’. CRAIG + DRUNKENSTEIN + MARY TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY + ROOM BENDY TOY: The Bullingdon – Energetic, STRUNG OUT with GOOD THINGS 101: The Academy spiky melodic new wave pop partway between HAPPEN IN BAD TOWNS + BETHANY GREEN ONIONS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – UK’s The Jam and Young Knives from The Black WEIMERS + JAMES FORDER: Baby premier Blues Brothers tribute band. Hats. Support comes from Jeff Buckley-eaten- Simple – New monthly acoustic club with live HQ: The Cellar – Old skool drum’n’bass club by-Sonic Youth-style songsmith Ally Craig, sets from sweet-natured, warm-hearted night. trashy punk noisemakers Drunkenstein and popstrels GTHIBT and ethereal songstress THE CORSAIRS: The Red Lion, Witney – industrial pop types Mary Bendy Toy. Bethamy Weimers. Rockabilly and rock’n’roll covers and originals. SKYLARKIN’: The Academy – Ska, dub, soul LOST TRANSMISSION + THE THE PETE FRYER BAND: Seacourt Bridge and rock’n’roll with Count Skylarkin, featuring COLOURS: The Jericho Tavern – Epic indie Inn a live set from Louie & The Louies, the new rocking with heavy eastern influences from Lost CHALK + ECHO BOOMER + KING’S surf and garage rock band from Sir Bald Transmission, plus stadium-pop from SHILLING: Folly Bridge Inn – Local indie Diddley, wearing his Link Wray, Pyramids and Reading’s Colours. rock triple bill. Dick Dale influences on his sleeve once again. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford PHISH: The Bullingdon – 90s retro club SPIN JAZZ CLUB: The Wheatsheaf – With Community Centre night. pianist Jonathan Gee. OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon A SILENT FILM + XMAS LIGHTS + th VULTURES: The Cellar – The local epic pop th SUNDAY 14 FRIDAY 12 WINTER WARMER: The Jericho Tavern – heroes round off a great year with support from FOALS: The Academy – Already sold-out Second day of the weekend mini-festival – see malevolent hardcore nutters Xmas Lights and homecoming gig – see main preview main preview indie rockers Vultures. INDUSTRY: The Academy – Free party DJ MONDO CADA + DR MAXIMUM + BABY BRICKWORK LIZARDS + JAY ALICE: The collective Project Storm spin a heavyweight mix GRAVY + CAPTAIN PYRATES + Jericho Tavern – Wee small hours gutter jazz of techno, trance and hard house. from the Lizards. APPLE PIRATE XMAS PARTY: Fat Lil’s, SWISS CONCRETE with MOTOR CITY Witney – Six-band bill with acts to be SHUFFLE + MY FIRST TOOTH + THE announced. RELATIONSHIPS: The Wheatsheaf – More MARIANA MAGNAVITA & VASHTI: Baby jangly fun from Swiss Concrete with jaunty Simple – Acoustic pop from the Anglo- young indie rockers Motor City Shuffle, joyous Brazilian songstress. folk-pop outfit My First Tooth and local CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford tweedy psychedelia legends The Relationships. Community Centre WHEN ALCOHOL MATTERS: Fat Lil’s, OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Witney – Classic ska, Two Tone and punk covers. FRIDAY 19th FRESH OUT THE BOX: The Cellar – THE DAMNED: The Academy – Another run House and breaks club night. through the old punk classics (‘New Rose’, WHISKY BLITZ + BARRY & THE ‘Smash It Up’, ‘Neat Neat Neat’ et al) from BEACHCOMBERS + DIRTY VOICE: The Mssrs Vanian and Sensible. Jericho Tavern – Local punk and metal double bill. BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon GET DOWN: The Brickworks Thursday 11th / Friday 12th Saturday 13th / Sunday 14th SATURDAY 20th FOALS WINTER WARMER: Sunday 21st GEHENNA + FELL SILENT + CHOKEHOLD + VISIONFALL: The The Jericho Tavern YOUNG KNIVES: Academy – A night of hardcore metal with local death and metalcore headliners Gehenna Now as much a fixture of early December as The Academy promoting new EP ‘Guardians’. sleighbells and Santa impersonators, the Winter Warmer moves across town this year Having already sold out their UK tour, TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY + ROOM from the X to the Tavern, still showcasing including this hometown date, Foals have 101: The Academy much that is great, good and decidedly odd now added a second Academy show to cope KANGAROO MOON + ALICE DOYNE: on the local scene, featuring 22 acts over two with the demand. Incredible to think it wasn’t The Wheatsheaf – Misty-eyed acoustic folk- days. The event is organised by the so long ago they were playing to fewer than a rock from the headliners. enduringly eclectic Gappy Tooth Industries hundred converts down the Wheatsheaf. CHEAP THRILLS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – club, along with Swiss Concrete and Coo Testament to their meteoric rise this last Covers of classic alt.rock anthems, from Foo Coo, and alongside emerging local pop eighteen months. ‘Antidotes’, which gave the Fighters to Rage Against The Machine. favourites such as Alphabet Backwards and band a Top 5 debut hit, was an accomplished HUMAN ZOO with INTERNATIONAL The Black Hats (pictured) you’ll discover but fresh album, but it’s live that Foals really JETSETTERS + NIGHT PORTRAITS: The virulent southern gothic blues from shine, a high-octane, sharp-elbowed post- Allendale Centre, Carterton – A new Mephisto Grande, soaring gothic Eurorock punk party machine that belies its monthly live music night for West Oxfordshire’s from Mary’s Garden, idiosyncratic folk-pop inventiveness with an irresistibly infectious last outpost. Tonight sees psych-rock from Cogwheel Dogs, indie-punk from The pop edge. Where they go from here is shoegazers International Jetsetters and goth- Gullivers, Gallic country-tinged café pop anyone’s guess, but the light their success punkers Night Portraits providing the noise. from Les Clochards, expansive orchestral shines on Oxford can only benefit other great CHALK + NICK BREAKSPEAR + folk-rock from Mile High Young Team, local bands, two of whom, Youthmovies and CROOKED SMILE: The Jericho Tavern – sugar-coated lo-fi acoustic pop from The Jonquil, provide support for the Friday gig, Indie rock from Chalk, plus a solo set from Mountain Parade, dark-hearted power-rock while ace Sheffield math-core bruisers Rolo Black Hats frontman Nick. from The Night Portraits, folk-pop from Tomassi support on the Thursday. EVOLUTION: The Red Lion, Witney Aidan Canaday, morose one-man country- Young Knives, meanwhile, return to Oxford ATTACK ATTACK: The Cellar – Electro and blues band Dear Landlord and brassy funk- as part of the Academy chain’s ‘Homecoming’ alternative club night from the Vacuous Pop and rockers Sketchbeat. Plenty more stuff gig series. Having stayed very much ahead of Abort, Retry, Fail? crews. besides and all for the bargain price of £3 per the game with this year’s ‘Superabundance’ OX4: The Bullingdon – Drum&bass club day if you arrive before 3pm. Which is less album, moving deftly but not irretrievably night. than the price of a pint in many venues for away from their early quirk-punk sound into st eleven bands a day. Treat yourself to an more esoteric, even folky, pop, they’ve SUNDAY 21 early budget-price Christmas gift, why not? doubtless done their long-term prospects a LITTLE FISH + THE FAMILY MACHINE + power of good, and with the band selecting a RICHARD WALTERS: The Wheatsheaf – handful of support acts from the local scene Homecoming gig of sorts for local heroes Little debut album, with support from noisy angular as well as some choice favourites from Fish – coinciding with Young Knives’ rockers Von Braun and ambient electro-acoustic around the UK, these shows should be as homecoming gig up the road the same night. drifters Seabuckthorn. much a celebration of Oxford itself as Foals Having recorded their debut album in LA with ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC SESSION: The and Young Knives themselves. Linda Perry recently before touring Europe Red Lion, Kidlington with Supergrass, Joolz and Nez give Oxford fans a taste of their raucous live show in MONDAY 22nd intimate surroundings before the big time FAMOUS MONDAY BLUES CHRISTMAS beckons. Be there and tell your grandchildren all PARTY: The Bullingdon – Assorted guests about it. Excellent support from cinematic celebrate the long-running blues club’s ongoing country-tinged popstrels Family Machine and success. ethereal acoustic pop from Rich Walters. THE YOUNG KNIVES: The Academy – Part TUESDAY 23rd of the Academy chain’s ‘Homecoming’ show season, Henry, House and Ollie headline with a JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – With The supporting cast of local starlets – see main Howard Peacock Quintet. preview th SAMUEL ZASADA + VON BRAUN + WEDNESDAY 24 SEABUCKTHORN: Fat Lil’s, Witney – REGGAE CHRISTMAS with MACKATING Witney acoustic singer-songwriter launches his + RAGGASAURUS: The Academy – Local reggae faves Mackating play their traditional SUNDAY 28th Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for th Christmas Eve show, with support from Arab- ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC SESSION: The inclusion in the gig guide is the 18 of dub band Raggasaurus, plus DJs Count Red Lion, Kidlington December - no exceptions. Call 01865 372255 Skylarkin and Trojan Records’ Wrongtom. BUTTERFLY COLLECTORS: The Black (10am-6pm) or email listings to TRASHY: The Academy Horse, Kidlington [email protected]. All listings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be th THURSDAY 25 MONDAY 29th reproduced without permission Santa Claus is reading his list. Reading it once, Come on, make an effort, someone. reading it twice, to see who has been naughty and who has been nice. We’re okay here – th we’re getting a small island off the coast of TUESDAY 30 Dubai and a medium-sized Premier League club THE BLACKOUT + ATTACK ATTACK + to play with. Sadly your savings are all now SAID MIKE: The Academy – Triple bill of worthless so it’ll be an old sixpence and a Welsh pop-punk. mouldy satsuma for you, and you’ll be living in a damp cardboard box by January. Still, chin WEDNESDAY 31st up, could be worse. You could be Amy ANIMAL MAGIC PARTY: The Academy – VENUE PHONE NUMBERS Winehouse. Zoo-themed NYE party with the traditional Your Song covers extravaganza, Trashy and Oxford Academy: 0844 477 2000 th FRIDAY 26 Skylarkin’s Disco Shed. (ticketweb) SHEPHERD’S PIE + EVERY HIPPIE’S No music, just football and hangovers. That’s The Bullingdon: 01865 244516 the real spirit of Christmas. DREAM + SKULLTHRASH: Fat Lil’s, Witney The Wheatsheaf: 01865 721156 SATURDAY 27th THE MIGHTY REDOX + THE PETE FRYER The Cellar: 01865 244761 BAND + HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES + The Regal: 01865 241261 TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY + ROOM MOON LEOPARD + THE ISAMBARDS: 101: The Academy The Magdalen The New Theatre: 0844 847 1585 THE MIGHTY REDOX + UNIQUE SOUL: STORNOWAY: The Jericho Tavern The Jericho Tavern: 01865 311775 Stocks Bar, Crown & Thistle, Abingdon – QUEEN OF CLUBS CABARET: The Isis The Purple Turtle: 01865 247086 Skittle Alley bands night with local festival funk Farmhouse, Iffley Lock – Live music and cabaret and psychedelia faves The Mighty Redox. with slam poetry-cum-world music crazies The Temple: 01865 243251 BIG HAIR Vs BASSMENTALITY: The Inflatable Buddha and Adverse Camber DJs. East Oxford Community Centre: Cellar – Bands to be confirmed. COVERUPS: The Red Lion, Witney 01865 792168 FOURTUNE: The Red Lion, Witney SOUL & REGGAE PARTY: The Bullingdon of hay fever, drinking Introducing…. overnight and sheer lack of preparation it Nightshift’s new monthly guide to the best local bands bubbling under all sort of…didn’t work.” CAT MATADOR Their favourite other Oxford act is: Who are they? “Hreda. They manage Liam Martin on guitars and vocals; Darren Gillick on bass; Sian Lloyd- to leave you wanting Williams on violin and Christopher Roe-French on drums. It started with more and being an Liam trying to realise some bedroom songs and asking around for other instrumental band musicians. Word spread through friends, which brought in Darren and Sian. that’s pretty hard. Chris answered an advert on a message board and turned up to a practice, They can fit highs having already learned the band’s demo beforehand. Since then it’s lots of and lows into a three gigging around town, including a set at the Oxford Punt in May. They are or four minute track” currently finishing off recording a new set of songs. If they could only What do they sound like? keep one album in Dark, dense, impassioned and pent-up rock that takes in elements of gothic the world, it would pop, new wave, math-rock and simple, angsty indie noise. Sian’s violin adds be: colour and a bit of menace to the band’s introverted hysteria, that at times “`Alligator’ by The touches on Clinic’s wired metronomic groove-rocking, although they can do National. It’s one of melodic too, even hinting at The Police on occasions. In their own words, the most focused and they are “Moving between the sound of quiet personal contemplation and complete albums ever some big aircraft taking off. We tend to use trashy beats, haunting violins, and it was bought on a driving fuzzy bass lines, layered guitar textures and strained vocals making whim, which always quiet, loud, depressing, uplifting, poppy, catchy, proggy and sometimes helps you to see shoegazy tunes.” things for what they are, no hype or reputation at the time. What inspires them? When is their next gig and what can newcomers expect? “When we have a rehearsal in which we are all mentally right there together “The Big Scary Monsters Christmas Party at The Cellar. It’s on the 11th of in the same room, especially since the music can sometimes be a little December with This Town Needs Guns, House of Brothers and Shapes. I unpredictable. Here are some interesting words anyway: Swathes of hope newcomers will get the sense of personality and ups and downs that unpredictable sound, unison and harmony, kraut rock, silly drum beats, come with the songs, I think they can be quite personal if you listen. Also a pedals that might surprise you and songs…most of all good songs inspire us I bit of tension; there’s a fair amount of tension and release.” think, conventional or not.” Their favourite and least favourite thing about Oxford music are: Career highlight so far: “Favourite would be the close network of nice people and their enthusiasm. “The realisation one day that we all really believed in what we were doing, Also the fact that the bar is set high: it pushes all the acts to achieve more. that’s important. The Punt was great too; such a vibe in town is so nice. Least favourite would be the occasional realisation that there are like five The funniest moment was drunkenly playing acoustic under a tarpaulin in good gigs on in one night. That can make things quite difficult, because it the pissing rain at the Cowley Road Carnival with all our mates standing happens every week.” there with newspapers over their heads screaming the words of the songs.” You might love them if you love: And the lowlight: Clinic, Youthmovies, The National, British Sea Power. “Completely jumping the gun and playing at Charlbury Riverside Festival Hear them here: 2007 after like two or three practices together with no drummer. After bouts www.myspace.com.catmatador

DR SHOTOVER: Xmas Box Set Yes, yes, we’re all very excited here about Xmas, and as a result we’ve come up with ... The East Indies Club Festive Quiz. I knew that would put a spring in your step... talking of which, large glass of Chateau Gaviscon for me, there’s a good chap... [urrrp] ... Ah, that’s better. So, without further ado: 1. Who is most likely to jump on the piano at the Xmas Rock Knees-up? a) Bruce Springsteen, b) Meatloaf, c) Lee from Smilex, or d) Don’t care 2. Which of these were Xmas Number Ones? a) The Power of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, b) The Power of Love by Jennifer Rush, c) The Temples of Syrinx by Rush, or d) Don’t care. 3. Xmas Number Twos? (Actually we haven’t got any answers for this, we just wanted to say “Xmas Number Twos” and fall off our bar stools sniggering). 876084 4. “Number Twos”, “Bar stools” - geddit? a) Yes, b) No, c) You are pathetic childish drunks, or d) Don’t care. 5.”For how much longer do we tolerate Xmass murder?” a) The Pop Group, b) Iggy Pop, c) The Countryside Alliance, or d) Don’t give a fox. Answers on a large ROCK-POP-DANCE-GOLDEN OLDIES-INDIE- Stilton to Dr Shotover c/o SOUL-TECHNO-HIP-HOP-JAZZ-LATIN-REGGAE- The East Indies Club. DRUM&BASS-GARAGE—R&B-DISCO-1950s- Cheers! 2000s. Brand new back catalogue CDs £4 - £7 Popsies: “We’re looking forward to a Quality Next month: We Are Street Xmas with Dr S!” All Prostitutes photo: Sam Shepherd LIVE

MERCURY REV The Academy Back in 1998 when Mercury Rev released ‘Deserter Songs’ the band were close to becoming something of a phenomenon. That album, alongside Flaming Lips’ (a band that Mercury Rev’s Jonathan Donahue and Dave Fridmann were very much a part of) ‘Soft Bulletin’ saw Americana taken to a new level and reaching a whole new audience. Fast forward a few years and Flaming Lips have gone on to be one of the most revered bands on the planet, whilst Mercury Rev have become something of a cult concern. Some may point to the somewhat disappointing albums that followed ‘Deserter Songs’, or the fact that Flaming Lips’ live show developed into the best party you’ve ever been to. The big question tonight is whether Mercury Rev still have anything to offer. Recent album ‘Snowflake Midnight’ has seen the layered guitar histrionics and machine-gun snare performance speaks volumes. His impression of a band adopt a slightly more electronic feel, but as rolls. Even the usual soothing piano that dying swan in the centre of the stage would look soon as the band take to the stage, we’re left in no accompanies Donahue on ‘Tonight It Shows’ is so ridiculous in any other circumstance but coupled doubt that in a live setting Mercury Rev are loud that it threatens to shatter your ear-drums. with the sheer emotional power of what’s bolstering their sound to embrace waves of At the centre of it all is Donahue and co- emanating from the stage, it seems to make cathartic noise. Folktronica this is not, and the conspirator Grasshopper, the latter looking perfect sense. Donahue and his band are clearly conversion of ‘Snowflake In A Hot World’ from effortlessly cool as he drives these songs towards revelling in playing these songs live, and on this gentle lilt to cacophonous stomp leaves us sonic combustion. Donahue’s exuberance is performance, you’d have to say that Mercury Rev breathless. All the subtleties of the ‘Deserter infectious, and while he rarely deigns to speak to still have plenty more to offer us yet. Songs’-era material are washed away in swathes of the rapturous crowd the intensity of his Sam Shepherd

Nicholls on double bass, Lakeman has a fine layered depth and strangeness to the sound of the SETH LAKEMAN musician in his band. tuba, even without the electronic treatments. The Exciting but also occasionally disappointing, lowest range of the instrument is exploited in the The Academy then. While many fans say Lakeman’s undoubted cycling of a deep throbbing pulse which sounds Seth Lakeman almost fills the Academy’s talent is best on stage and his studio CDs don’t do something like a didgeridoo, while he also vocalises downstairs venue once again. No problem, then, him justice, on tonight’s showing it is the other into the mouthpiece generating odd fragments of with sustaining the expanded fan base he has way round. speech beneath the main sound. Surreal grown since his Mercury Prize nomination for Colin May performance practice takes over before long as ‘Kitty Jay’ catapulted him beyond the folk scene. Marshall and his tube meld into the semblance of A big part of Lakeman’s appeal is that he is an animal, creeping along the floor and growling comfortable being influenced by rock and and nuzzling up against the front row audience. You probably always has been right from the very MURCOF / OREN don’t get this sort of thing on BBC Young early, very youthful Lakeman Brothers CD, Musician of the Year. More’s the pity. ‘Three Piece Suite’. MARSHALL Unlike Oren Marshall’s set, Mexican composer Tonight he and his band put on a stage show that Murcof’s visuals and performance seem to coalesce would have fitted as well with the Reading Festival Holywell Music Room with an impressive technical efficiency. The three crowd as with the Cambridge Folk Festival. With Oren Marshall has been intriguingly described as acoustic musicians, violinist, cellist and trombone a full light show and his good looks and tenor the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the tuba’, a compliment player are drawn from the Barcelona ensemble voice, it’s easy to see why the ‘poster boy’ label which is bound to excite curiosity, though perhaps Grup Instrumental Bcn216. Murcof himself has stuck. Then there’s the delivery, all relentless also a certain amount of derision. generates and modulates the electronic sounds energy, even when he slows down for the His set begins in high seriousness with near from a console at the back of the stage, also declamatory ‘Greed and Gold’ or when darkness in the Music Room and a slow processing the sounds of the other three accompanying himself solo on the violin and atmospheric introduction played acoustically. musicians. stomping around the stage singing ‘Kitty Jay’. Marshall then brings in effects from a range of Tonight is a suite of five pieces called ‘Océano’. It It’s all very exciting, commercial and very now. pedals and electronic devices. However it soon sounds like very dramatic and high-quality Unless you had prior knowledge it was difficult to becomes clear that the circuitry is misbehaving soundtrack music, though the limitations of that pick which of the songs of solders, sailors, shape- badly with intrusive feedback and buzzing genre are also sometimes exposed. Deep echoing changers and tragedies, real and mythical, are a interference breaking through the loops and whorls sci-fi sound effects punctuate the Murcof century or two old or written by Lakeman a week of electronic sound, and he reluctantly announces soundworld a little too obviously, while fractured ago. They all get the same treatment. the rest of the set will be performed acoustically. dance rhythms alternately sustain and divert your But it becomes too relentless, and even veers This is a huge shame. I’d managed to listen to interest. At other times the textures of the music towards monotonous when Lakeman puts down some of the material on his web-site and the more just get too overloaded, which actually drains the his fiddle and is strumming the tenor guitar. The extreme samples where he multi-layers his own music of atmosphere. The best piece is the last, man is a quality storyteller but this gets obscured playing in performance and also generates which most successfully exploits the tensions and eroded on the night. For instance, the full tilt, dramatic and powerful distortion, are quite between ancient and futuristic musical modes. almost stadium rock diminishes ‘Solomon wonderful Imagine a hybrid of an English viol consort and Browne’, the story of the Penlee lifeboat disaster, However, it’s soon apparent that, away from the early Kraftwerk engaged in a call and answer and Lakeman seems to realise it as he appears a studio effects, Oren Marshall is also technical sequence that builds in intensity to a genuinely dark mite discomforted singing it this way. What master of his instrument, with an imagination and and intense climax and you’re on the right track. doesn’t get obscured though, is that in Ben resources to match. He manages to bring a multi- Steve Thompson NITIN SAWHNEY OXES The Academy The Cellar Nitin Sawhney’s music this evening Nitin himself sits left of stage, “Can you guys give a little back, brought down, the one solitary is like an aural Google Earth. With tugging leading riffs from a Spanish please? We’re playing at up to 120 moment of sobriety of the entire set the flick of the wrist he can swoop guitar, passively overseeing it all, beats per minute here...” Surveying being when a punter gingerly hands on a whim, down to the terracotta and seemingly conducting it with his the apocalyptic scenes unfolding the long strip lightbulb to a member rooftops of Seville or cool his heels mind. On ‘River Pulse’ the complex around me, it’s safe to say that of the bar staff. in the waters of the gypsy interplay between his guitaring, Aref impeccably moustachioed Oxes So, you will know Oxes by the trail Camargue, onward east, hugging Durrvesh on tablas and Ashwin drummer Christopher Freeland has a of destruction, then, but you’ll also either coastline of the Srinvasan on bansuri flute, is eye- decidedly un-American grasp of irony. know them by the scatting interlude Mediterranean, following the path wateringly world class. It’s Ashwin One song into the Baltimore punks’ aimed at loosening us all up (as if of a Turkish sirocco over the who also supplies the dreamy Indian set and the other two-thirds of the that’s needed); the cover of Arabian Plateau, down to greet the vocals on ‘Homelands’ and the band – guitarists Marc Miller and Nirvana’s ‘Drain You’, featuring mauve dawn over the waters of the staccato rap on ‘The Conference’, Natalio Fowler, like Freedland, clad guest vocals from an enthusiastic but Ganges. What’s more he takes us on while Brazilian Tina Grace brings a in de rigeur tight-fitting Oxford Utd anonymous member of the audience this polycultural trip, not like dark, racy Beth Orton feel to ‘Days shirts – have already performed atop and such bright ideas as inverse someone clumsily showing you his Of Fire’ and Luci Jules blisses like their trademark boxes before taking crowdsurfing, by which people are Holiday snaps, but on a laid-back Beverly Knight on the more Buddha full advantage of their wireless pressed to the ground rather than the Club Class magic carpet ride. Beat ‘Sunset’. instruments to meet and mingle with ceiling, thereby helping to clean the On occasions I have found some of The last time I saw Nitin Sawhney, their frenzied public in the midst of floor at the same time. Sawhney’s recordings, with featured he was in a comedy double act called the moshpit. For Oxes, clearly, all This is fast, raw, heartbeat- random vocalists, and politico audio ‘The Secret Asians’ with a pre- the world’s a stage. quickening, ear-mangling punk rock, samplings, to be a mite distracting Goodness Gracious Me, Sanjeev Not content with simply destroying played in the sort of grubby, or disjointed, but tonight, ditching Bhaskar. Watching him here in the fourth wall, though, they seem constrictive venue it should be the sample work, and using an controlled guru serenity, it’s hard intent on inspiring the crowd into played in, accompanied by the intertwining ensemble of musicians now to picture the chuddy jokes, but conducting a rigorous structural flailing limbs and structural damage it and singers, who shine equally as wonderfully satisfying to see how examination of the Cellar – and should be accompanied by. What else bright as his own star, the whole they have both in their separate we’re only too happy to oblige. to do but to rejoice and abandon becomes a breathless global ways built enormous bridges of Crowdsurfers are scraped along the myself to the chaos? symphony, totally enthralling what concord and understanding with low ceiling until a light fitting is Ben Woolhead has to be the widest cross-section of East and West, that one day some Oxford society I’ve ever seen will say was ahead of its time. crammed under a local roof. Paul Carrera BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE / KYTE FUCKED UP The Wheatsheaf The Academy The first time we saw Kyte they heading off in new directions. Mixing Look up the word hardcore in the finally feels brilliantly real. The were supporting the fabulously glum up post-rock and glitchy electronica dictionary and you’ll find a picture Canadian sextet are an odd unit to iLikeTrains, and we were mightily is admittedly not a new thing, but of Fucked Up singer Pink Eyes behold – the band all look about impressed. Their delicate, yet BEF do it well. It’s a pretty hypnotic staring right back at you. At least sixteen – cute, fresh-faced and a colossal soundscapes filled the room affair as we get caught up in elongated that’s the way it should be. The man world apart from their human and we decided that it was no wispy passages of music, and for the is punk rock personified. There he firestorm of a frontman. But the coincidence that there was a little most part we’re happy to join the is, bald, bearded, considerably larger noise they crank out is astonishing – bird gracing the covers of their CDs, band in getting caught up in their than life and with his pants down three guitars and bass create a solid as their music simply soared that world. Mid set things go a little off round his knees, ferociously roaming wall of almost symphonic carnage night. Tonight at the Wheatsheaf, track when some fairly around the crowd, facing down all- over which Pink Eyes rages. It’s Kyte have moved on even further, straightforward indie tracks barge comers, occasionally picking monstrous but incredibly melodic, making good on the early promise of their way in, but come the thrum of someone up and dumping them over like The Ramones’ single- their Sonic Cathedral single ‘Planet’. their final song we’re back with them, his shoulder back onto the floor. mindedness filtered through Band Of Their songs tread the line between rocking in synchronicity on their Sometimes someone from the Susans’ powerhouse psychedelia, wistful and outright bombast sonic voyage. There’s promise here, moshpit falls over and he’ll stoop guitars churning and churning until carefully. Pulling together elements so it’s worth joining British down to pick them up, give them a all you can do is gawp and surrender of post-rock and shoegaze, they Expeditionary Force now as it can huge, sweaty bear hug and move on to it all. draw comparisons to those sounds only lead to great things. to his next victim. Throughout all The intimate confines of the that emanate most strongly from Sam Shepherd this he never stops singing. Okay, Academy’s bar venue perfectly suit Iceland, while shooting the whole singing isn’t the right word. Roaring. the band, containing their thing through with a little added Bellowing. Growling. Those are the performance so it feels even more muscle when it’s needed. With a noises he makes. And afterwards he intense. Bodies clash and one new EP on the way (which genially shakes hands with a crowd particularly wrecked individual is features a stunning version of of eager fans and thanks everyone knocked unconscious. Pink Eyes Peter Gabriel’s ‘Solsbury Hill’) it for enjoying the show as much as he stops the gig and makes sure they’re shouldn’t be long before this Kyte so obviously does. Did we mention carefully carried to safety, before flies even higher. he leaves the gig mid-song at one mayhem is resumed. They play British Expeditionary Force are

point to have a poo and then blames songs from new album ‘The built from the ruins of photo: Sam Shepherd it on eating at Jamie Oliver’s Chemistry Of Common Life’, a Yourcodenameis:milo but you restaurant in town? When did punk contender for album of the year, as would never guess from this forget that this was how it was well as pillaging tracks from ‘Epics performance. YCNIM ground to a meant to be? In Minutes’, and it’s simply the most halt just as things were getting We’d heard stories of Fucked Up’s glorious cacophony we’ve heard all interesting with their `Print Is notorious live shows – of riots on year. Fucked Up: this is hardcore. Dead’ collaborations, but all is not bridges in Texas and trashed venues, Accept no substitutes. lost as British Expeditionary Force but here tonight, in the flesh, it all Dale Kattack are, as their name suggests, DON CABELLERO / HREDA / SECONDSMILE The Regal Tonight’s Audioscope presentation Maybe they owe a debt to Sonic

photo by rphimages offers three bands exhibiting varying Youth and a few others, but no-one’s degrees of angularity, even going to blacklist them for that. awkwardness (in the best meaning of I had high hopes of Don Caballero, the word) and makes the best of the with their impeccable math pedigree excellent acoustics and PA of The (though they hate the term) and a Regal, with its rumoured 31Hz sub- new album with the great title woofers under the floor. ‘Punkgasm’. Bridport’s Secondsmile try to mix On record the Pittsburgh trio are Muse-style rocking out with delicate urgent, focussed and technically acoustic guitar-lines with only limited brilliant, but somehow they can’t success. Whilst great care has clearly reproduce the magic tonight. Maybe gone into their set there’s too much it’s the Regal’s cavernous dimensions going on to be able to stand back and or the fact that they’ve been touring take it in. A triumph of ambition over across Europe without a day off for direction, they get less interesting as several weeks. Everything hinges time goes on. around Damon Che, the only original Local boys Hreda are easily the most member and a truly extraordinary interesting proposition on offer drummer. He looks like he’s tonight. Post-rock instrumental bands deliberately choosing every drum are as common as ticks on sheep but stroke in real time, agonising and rarely have I come across one so continually changing his mind as he consistently engaging, even on this goes along. This makes it hard to first hearing. Melodic phrases are concentrate on guitarists Gene Doyle repeated but always with a subtle and Jason Jouver, who meander variation that keeps the interest from around acting more like fans of Che wavering the whole set long. There’s than bandmates. more than a touch of Godspeed about This style of rock music, with its them, particularly in the cello on constantly changing rhythmic their recorded work, and it’s difficult structure and tonal patterns, is easier to see how vocals could possibly to admire than be moved by. Maybe enhance their work: They’re hopeless the thoughtful appreciation of the as background music because you just modest crowd is confirmation. want to concentrate and take it all in. Art Lagun

THE WEEK THAT WAS / HELIUM SOUL / THE DACOITS / THE RUBY SUNS THE ALFONZ The Academy The Jericho Tavern Auckland, New Zealand boy-girl duo out ‘The Good Life’ – it sounds like The Melting Pot is another of those background, looks nervous and Ruby Suns are a right weird couple. bloody ‘Abacab’!) or Graham Parker, heroic monthly live music club doesn’t seem to have enough to do, Perched behind a bank of electronics while marvelling at what Kate Bush’s nights in the tradition of Klub when she could be adding a whole and assorted percussion, we spend the ‘Hounds Of Love’ might have Kakofanney and Gappy Tooth new dimension to the band with a bit first couple of numbers wondering if sounded like if Peter Gabriel had Industries, that strives to entice of imagination. Initially the band they’re a pair of religious nutters, taken the lead role. From the simple, punters’ gaze away from the glitz of struggle to get a foothold, ‘Holy space cakes or experimental lovely pop of ‘Airport Line’ to more the bigger gigs in town with a mix Man’ only hinting at the panicked Congolese pop cyborgs. As well as pompous indulgences, via the odd bit and match policy of unsigned intensity it needs, while sometimes it creating an almost mediaeval of marimba, they rarely let an idea newcomers, gently stamping its sounds like Cher fronting an electronic psychedelia, they get too comfortable, and even their identity on the venue for the night overblown Eurorock band. But the randomly hit drums, bongos or most vulnerable pop moments are with a homely selection of scented last third of the set finds them fired cowbells and wail and chant like thrust out with strident gusto. And all candles and free snacks. A nice touch. up, ‘Home By Twelve’ edging closer they’re summoning strange gods. the while their set, taken almost Also trying to stamp their identity to PJ Harvey territory, before they Sometimes it’s a bit messy but it’s completely from their eponymous onto proceedings are The Alfonz, a close on a melodramatic garage never less than beguiling. Before we debut album, tells a cyclical tale of a feisty enough Jam-inspired trio from thrash number and really let rip. know it they’re off pretending to be murder and the media frenzy that Swindon. We’ve heard so much We miss the end of Helium Soul’s The Bhundu Boys, then a Caribbean surrounds it. In some ways it’s a retro similarly-styled mod-punk noise set because we’re outside stabbing our steel band, then Kid Creole and the bunfest, but in others, it’s one of the recently it’s hard to get too thrilled ears, eyes and throat out with a Coconuts and finally a lost Phil most ambitious song cycles you’ll but their enthusiastic simplicity, self- screwdriver rather than endure any Spector girl band. Tell us you’d prefer hear these past few years. effacing humour and the singer’s more of their interminably slothful Pigeon Detectives over that. They finish with a decent enough appalling jumper make them hard to pub rock of the sort that makes Reef But if you really want to play pop cover of John Cale’s ‘Fear Is A Man’s dislike. sound like The Stooges jamming trainspotters reference points bingo, Best Friend’ and then they’re off to Faringdon’s Dacoits are a difficult with the Devil himself. When you Sunderland’s The Week That Was are support Stereolab on tour, another one to fathom at times, seemingly glance at your notebook and see your band. Formed from the ashes of band who managed to take some of full of musically-proficient ambition, you’ve scribbled the words Mark Field Music, brothers Peter and David the least likely retro sounds and make they’ve yet to develop real stage Knopfler and Gary Moore next to a Brewis have created a strangely them brilliant again. That Was The presence, singer Carrie Rossiter doodle of a man hanging from a appealing form of machine-prog that Week That Was – soon to become dolled up to the nines and full of gibbet, you know that escape is your at once has you worrying you’re the band that will be. blues-rock emoting, while backing only option. developing a liking for Genesis (check Victoria Waterfield singer Patti Rowe sinks into the Dale Kattack BRITISH SEA POWER / FILM SCHOOL The Regal Film School are doing their thing as The band look comfortable in this I arrive, but I’m too distracted by setting, like it’s not an awkward the majesty of the venue to pay full construct that they’ve found attention. This really is a themselves stuck inside. This helps spectacular room – spacious, tall, their music – which tends towards elegant and glittering with art deco the sweeping, epic-in-intent end of finesse – and it lends itself indie guitar pop – travel from the brilliantly to hosting live music, at stage to the ears quite easily. The least once you’ve dragged your show seems more of an event gawp down towards the stage. This because of the trees and the December is a real venue, that makes me feel environment. This works just fine like I’m on a Night Out rather than for me, as a newcomer to BSP’s just popping down the road to see music, and I’m somewhat transfixed Every Monday what’s going on. Even the by the richness of sound and THE FAMOUS MONDAY NIGHT BLUES mysterious ruling that alcoholic directness of melody that they seem The best in UK, European and US blues. 8-12. to have under their control. drinks cannot be served during live st sets seems acceptable in this However it becomes apparent that 1 SHERMAN ROBERTSON BAND (USA) environment. they don’t do much beyond a 8th CONNIE LUSH & BLUES SHOUTER (UK) Anyway. Film School. They sound relatively slight range of music – 15th THE EDDIE MARTIN BAND (UK) they lack contrast, and quickly fall pretty good. An American take on 22nd FAMOUS MONDAY BLUES CHRISTMAS PARTY chorus-pedal-swathed shoegaze into a repetitive set of similarly- music, with enough bite to recall paced, similarly-constructed tunes Ride in their floppy-haired prime that, individually, aren’t outside the Every Tuesday and enough vigour to remind of grasp of most decent-in-their-field Medicine’s more out-there slices of local bands. THE OXFORD JAZZ CLUB noise music. However, they’re over Combined with a worryingly muddy Free live jazz plus DJs playing r’n’b, funk and soul until 2am before they’ve started, for me: I sound, which makes me question 3rd ALVIN ROY & REEDS UNLIMITED arrived late and I’m still exploring whether a trumpet player and a 9th / 23rd THE HOWARD PEACOCK QUINTET the venue. Must pay more attention violin player are actually doing th to British Sea Power, I tell myself. anything, the set quickly became a 16 ALISON BENTLEY They’ve got people to set up trees drag, and not even the pretty trees onstage for them, and everything. or the spectacular surroundings Thursdays Believe it or not, this stagecraft could stop me from wishing myself th gimmickry works, and casts a elsewhere. 4 MOSHKA presents THE EAVESDROPPERS pleasantly rustic hue onto things. Simon Minter / JOE ALLEN & ANGHARAD JENKINS / KANGO BILL RAGGASAURUS / GTA 18th MOSHKA presents THE BLACK HATS / ALLY CRAIG / DRUNKENSTEIN / MARY The Academy BENDY TOY / PHANTOM THEORY With a few exceptions, rap rarely powerful vocal talent of Jada Pearl makes for a great live spectacle and and her soaring soul voice adds a there are moments tonight when whole new dimension to the disco- Every Friday local duo GTA fall prey to its many fied anthem. BACKROOM BOOGIE clichés: Chima Anya and Ineffable’s Raggasaurus were born for the live Funk, soul and R&B. 10.30pm-3am; £4. chatty introduction ticks the usual arena. An oddly jaunty instrumental boxes of respects paid and a little bit opener – loosely based around ‘No of self-aggrandisement; it’s Woman No Cry’ - suggests a lounge Friday Early Shows personable but makes the set’s start dub jam band, but with the arrival of th feel messy, while the pair often rap gaunt, hirsute frontman Tunsi 12 BEN OTTEWELL (from GOMEZ) over each other on their freestyling they’re off into their own peculiar Includes entry to Backroom Boogie afterwards numbers and odd lyrics and rhymes mutation of reggae and Arabic are close to cringeworthy. chanting. And really that’s it – they Saturdays But when they get it right, there’s barely change pace or style for the th real promise. Chima in particular next forty minutes and it’s 6 SIMPLE – Funky House with ALEX METRIC 9-4am. raps with confidence and natural impossible to understand anything 13th PHISH – 90s club night. 10-3am swagger, while DJ Fu provides a solid, Tunsi sings, but Raggasaurus are so 20th OX4 – Drum’n’bass 9-3am; £6/5 funky soul’n’synth backing while buoyantly insistent they can even th suggesting he’s as adept a toaster as make the empty pint glasses along 27 TBC his two frontmen. Some of the the bar dance lazily along. Tonight is improvised rhymes are witty and the first time we’ve seen the band Sundays inventive and when they click into since the Punt back in May but again th each other’s flow they’re a they feel symptomatic of why 7 KILL FOR A SEAT COMEDY CLUB formidable double act. It’s easy to Oxford’s music scene is so strong – with compere SILKY 7.45pm; £7.50/6.50 see why GTA have found themselves that a band this detached from in both Nightshift’s Demo Dumper anything supposedly cool or and Demo Of The Month spots, and mainstream acceptable exists and New year’s Eve their final number tonight, ‘The thrives alongside everyone else, is SOUL & REGGAE PARTY. 10-4am Way’, which took the demo crown testament to the scene as much as recently shows just what they can the band’s own unique talents. do. They’re joined by the lithe, Ian Chesterton LADYTRON / ASOBI SEKSU The Academy Like a nightingale trapped in a wind clad head to toe in black and resisting tunnel, Yuki Chikudate is always any temptation to display human fighting to make her voice heard emotion, preferring a disdainful above the storm that surrounds her. coquettish stance that never falters, photo by rphimages New York’s Asobi Seksu are a classic even when Mira is chanting shoegazing band reborn, but now exotically in her native Bulgarian on switching their gaze to the stars, of ‘Black Cat’ or Helen is opining that which the fairy lights adorning their she’ll set herself on fire on the microphone stands are a mere gigantic ‘Burning Up’ with its glimpse. Yuki’s voice and the fragile, shameless Numan synth steals. pretty melodies it conveys are the From the Glitterstomping, frosty essence of the band which might soul of ‘Runaway’, through an otherwise become merely a storm of otherworldly ‘International Dateline’ guitar noise with nowhere in to the harsh cyborg snarl of ‘True particular to blow. Like Cocteau Mathematics’, with its knowing nod Twins’ Liz Frazer, she uses her voice to The Normal’s ‘Warm as much as an instrument as a conduit Leatherette’, Ladytron prove that for lyrics, whooping and cooing amid machine-powered pop has as much, if the blizzard of distortion and the not more, spirit than its often more spangling melodies. There are prosaic organic cousin, and when they snatches of The Sundays in the more hit ‘Playgirl’, there’s little doubt that considered numbers but once Asobi it’s one of the single greatest pop Seksu ratchet up the noise levels and songs ever written. Yuki takes to the drum kit to thrash It’s not all sleek, silicon perfection out a primal tattoo, they’re awash tonight, of course. The band’s sound with the spirit of My Bloody engineer does them a disservice on Valentine and a spectacular triumph. ‘Deep Blue’ which becomes a solemn All of which might daunt lesser dirge and the final encore of ‘Destroy headline bands, but Ladytron are too Everything You Touch’ lurches in imperious to concern themselves with with a flat squelch when it should kick such base worries. Despite the like a robot mule. addition of a long-haired bass player That aside, and despite the increasing and chief protagonist Daniel Hunt’s intrusion of traditional live incongruous beard, they’re still the instrumentation into the band’s coolest-looking band on the planet, sound, they remain a pure, detached the austere Helen Marnie and spectacle and a peerless pop group. fabulously chic Mira Aroyo as ever Dale Kattack

WITCHES MISTY’S BIG ADVENTURE / FLIPRON The Cellar The Academy It’s Halloween, so obviously Witches Chylinski who, as much as Dave Make no bones about it, this isn’t that they launch straight into ‘I are playing. Except tonight the band Griffiths’ plaintive vocals or Martin the coolest ticket in town tonight by Can’t Bring The Time Back’, which are dressed variously as ghosts, Newton’s nonchalantly abrasive a long shot. That would probably go marks the appearance of Erotic vampires and slaughtered Victorian guitar fuzz, takes each song to a to the show downstairs featuring Volvo, who is a man in blue face brides. And, hey, check out those song higher level. The Bunnymen-like Mercury Rev and Howling Bells. One paint and a red cloak with inflated titles: ‘Dead As A Ghost’, ‘There’s A scurry of ‘Dead As A Ghost’ upside of this is that because nobody blue hands attached to it and who Darkness’, ‘At Night I Dream Of particularly benefits from his is bothered by cool, there is a will lead us in the dancing. This is a Black Dogs. Mariachi squall. ridiculous amount of unashamed fun key element tonight; the audience all The wonderful thing about Witches Amongst a swathe of new songs aired to be had. ready to let go and eager to copy his is that despite all this, they’re a world tonight from a promised second Take Flipron for instance. They dance movements or to chase him away from gothic pantomime or album to come next year, stand-out have a bass player that looks like a round the floor when he jumps into naval-gazing melancholy; if anything songs are the sludgy, harpsichord-led cross between Herman Munster and the crowd. the costumes detract from the often grunge shimmer of ‘Church Beds’ and Mick Fleetwood, a short ass singer The brass is another key element, genuinely haunting nature of the the horn-drenched ‘Leave’, Witches with Marty Feldman eyes and silver used sparingly and intermittently, music. Given we haven’t caught the climaxing the set with the frenetic shoes, and music that could easily be sometimes in a call and response band live for a year, during which punk blast of ‘Stammer’, frontman described as Borderville for The fashion. Gareth’s laconic vocals they’ve undergone a line-up change, Dave leaping about, maracas aloft as Levellers’ set, but they are great. remind you of an understated Eddie it’s a timely reminder just what a if performing a suitably pagan Misty’s Big Adventure work on Argos from Art Brut and his fantastic band they are. Set opener Halloween ritual. similar principals, so make good storytelling style offsets the music ‘BOK’ is oddly exuberant despite its What makes Witches such a great touring mates. Firstly there are eight perfectly. apparently morose nature, while ‘In band is the carefully controlled of them crammed on stage, including This fantastic show by both bands is The Chaos Of A Friday Night’ is balance between musical intimacy and a dancer, more of whom later, and a result of laughing in the face of fevered, maraca-led splendour; even overwhelming chaos. Songs build and some great brass. Grandmaster adversity, as the promoter has run the more downbeat ‘There’s a erupt, often violently, but within each Gareth, a curious looking man in off with all the money, causing half Darkness’, relatively stripped down is a seductive, soulful melody, without fisherman’s cap and full beard the tour to be cancelled. They say from the band’s typically opulent which none of them would survive. conducts proceedings. They kick off out of these moments comes great sound, manages to soar. It also On a magical night, this is magical with an instrumental that’s an odd art, but now it appears the birth of showcases Witches’ real secret music. cross between calypso and an old great dumb fun also. weapon: trumpeter Bernard Dale Kattack kids TV show theme tune. Following Russell Barker VAGROCK MARTHA The Bullingdon WAINWRIGHT According to misogynist mythology, anyone bad, but simply by being so utterly unremarkable with feminist leanings must perforce be an that it’s almost worse. The music – once more Oxford Town Hall uptight, humourless shrew with a pole up her of the indie-emo school, with a fair dose of To many Martha Wainwright is ‘that woman’ (inevitably female) arse. Vagrock, as the name of Garbage thrown in – is so lacking in attitude that who featured on Snow Patrol’s `Set The Fire To a night aimed at raising the status of women you can picture the school bully waiting to give The Third Bar’, whilst others will undoubtedly within music, at least refutes that stereotype. its bones a damn good drubbing. link her to her prodigal family, which includes Although reducing women to their genitalia is Thank god, then, for Baby Gravy. With parents Loudon Wainwright III and Kate perhaps not doing much to advance the cause. frontwoman Iona having graduated from the McGarrigle and brother Rufus. However, to Nor, in many ways, is the night itself. Events Oxford Young Women’s Band Project, to whom assume either of these represent her vocal like this may draw attention to the under- the proceeds of tonight’s shenanigans go, they calibre would be a bit like comparing a Ford representation of female musicians, but as are a sterling advertisement for the scheme. Fiesta to a Ferrari. Whilst both may be cars, just tokenist one-off specials, also end up Their scuffed-up spazz-rock, featuring shouty as Martha is a Wainwright, like the Ferrari, She reinscribing the problem. vocals riding atop a roller of dingy elecro noise, has an added spark that rests in her multiplicity This Is My Ship valiantly step in for The is exactly what a gig like this should be about. and sees her travel from folk-rock to cabaret- Pheebs at the last minute, and so concern with Iona, tonight affecting a west-coun’ry twang, jazz over the span of her set. Equally, just as how well they fit in with the Vagrock manifesto has excellent stage presence, at once unstudied Martha refuses to be bound by her family ties, may not have been the greatest consideration. and self-conscious. They’ve also got bags more she breaks free of the limits of song, displaying Had it been, they would have seemed an invention than anyone else on the bill, as is her variety within each ensemble than rather eccentric choice, not least on account of being testified by a song on which a moonlighting MC between them, both in terms of style and lyrical three-quarters male. They could probably be filed inserts neat spatches of rap into the mix, and content. under “emo”, though the torturously saccharine they’ve got enough ramshackle vigour and talent So her appearance at the Town Hall seems key-changes that are supposed to signify this to overcome this and to prove once again that somewhat apt, the building itself being bare as much resemblance to genuine raw feeling they’re one of the most invigorating young constrained by its own sense of history. as Parsley the Lion does to your bona-fidé bands Oxford has to offer. Nevertheless Martha never appears unnerved by panthera leo. They play with tight control, but Whilst tonight’s mixed-sex approach does avoid this, her presence filling the stage and her voice their tunes are so generic that they simply merge the trap of creating a ghetto, it’s sad that a bid embraces the acoustics of the high roof, with a undifferentiated slurry of nameless to raise women’s status generally can’t achieve culminating in a celestial feel. While there’s no soundalikes. I guess it’s an indication of how even 50/50 itself. Women are under-represented doubt a venue can enhance an artist’s sound, casually male-privileging attitudes assert in music, but there are several bands in Oxford aptitude like Martha’s transpires regardless of themselves that there’s no better way of which feature the kind of willed, talented female situational factors and there’s little doubt that summing up this complete dearth of guts, grit performers that would give a sense of focus and her abilities would radiate even in venues which and force than with that classic phrase, it’s got meaning to an event like Vagrock. They just dictate a much flatter sound. no bollocks. don’t want to be shoe-horned into the narrow Acoustics and history aside, Martha is The Courtesy Kill are no improvement. specialist-interest slot of “women’s” music. unmistakeably one of few individuals who excels Again, they don’t fail through being daringly Emily Gray in juxtaposing tradition and originality, fusing it together to create a style all of it’s own. Few artists could sing a song entitled ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Arsehole’ whilst maintaining an angelic MEPHISTO GRANDE / SIX BULLET CHAMBER quality and even fewer could ensure both the 60 year old and 16 year old audience members were The Wheatsheaf delighted at its appearance. Young blood: there’s enough of it on the Oxford manage the former while surreptitiously Martha may always be a Wainwright, but she’s music circuit. It’s hard to walk into your local arranging the latter: come to pose, leave aching certified an identity all of her own; One which is and not encounter the next great math-rock/ from abstract headbanging and with a receipt formed by her relatives, enhanced by her variety tech-core/delete or hyphenate as appropriate from Mephistopheles himself. What more could and is much like a Ferrari, necessitating a class band running through sound check. None of your you pray for? of her own. scenester posing for tonight’s headliners, local Liz Dodd Lisa Ward genre-defiant Mephisto Grande. Openers Six Bullet Chamber pound a Clutch- esque Southern rock set into the mix – all the more impressive given that they’re from Banbury. Diving breathlessly into Slipknot riffs, at their strongest they drench metal-core distortion with James Hetfield-style vocals. A circle stomping ground forms for the headliners: tribal pseudo-sacred beats throbbing beneath Tom Waits vocals - who other than Mephisto Grande? The band play a set gloriously disassociated from an audience that writhes all the more for their indifference. Glowing scarlet backlights the band appropriately; from opener ‘John The Relevator’ into ‘Sea Life’, the setlist ascends from abstract cacophony – with added grit from lead singer Liam’s extraordinary dragged-over-tarmac vocals – to magnificent Zappa clarinet squeals and guitar shrieks, all peppered with offbeat situationist poetry. Think riff-heavy Captain Beefheart. It’s a challenging, intoxicating set, enveloping The Wheatsheaf in smoky experimental blues. A decent gig claims your attention; a great gig walks off with your soul. Mephisto Grande DEMOSDEMOS Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day’s recording at Keynote. Call 01189 599944 to claim your prize and get special deals for local bands!

DEMO OF HOLLOW MOON THE MONTH The great thing about the internet is you can check virtually anything you’re told to see if it’s true or not. But sometimes MISFIT MOD you just have to believe what someone With a name like Misfit Mod we were says. And Hollow Moon tell us that the expecting yet another third-rate Jam tribute singer on their demo, Jake Fern, is trapped band in the vein of thrilling rock rioters The inside an iron lung, which accounts for his Rifles. We certainly weren’t expecting mighty voice. Well, without sounding anything as beguiling as this. Misfit Mod is callous, his loss is our gain, cos he has the studio project of Sarah Kelleher, indeed got a lovely voice, a dreamily although any other information about the sonorous gothic crooner with a hushed lady is hard to come by. Perhaps that’s a intensity about him that sounds slightly good thing since we prefer to think of her over dramatic but fits well with the band’s as a strange ghost-like creature who haunts languorous acoustic strum and electronic remote recording studios in the depths of hum, cello and smoky female backing winter nights, laying down her dark-hued vocals all adding to a clutter of sounds electronic minimalism with the lights off that come together as a dense, drifting fog. and shortwave radio static intermittently At they’re best they sound murky but invading the ethereal setting. This is music grand of deportment, filled with misty- to both soothe you to sleep and haunt the eyed romanticism and, on ‘Reichstag’, corners of your dreams. Sarah’s voice is echoes of Bauhaus’ arty lyrical pure and limpid and here she interweaves phraseology and haughty sneer. Cultured herself while also adding distant, stuff, and we wouldn’t mind seeing them disembodied voices to create an eerie, on the same bill as Borderville sometime multi-layered musical spell, accentuated by soon. Although we’re not sure how you the old Human League-style synth hums get an iron lung onstage. Maybe we and lashings of reverb. It’s the sort of thing should call Radiohead and ask them. you would expect to have stumbled across at the tail end of an old John Peel radio show back in the day, like Opal or Mazzy NIGHT PORTRAITS Star playing a gig to no-one in a haunted So anyway we stick the CD in the stereo underground jazz bar. Y’know, cheery and are greeted by an evil dissonant buzz. party music for wacky fun lovers the And it’s only then we read Night Portraits’ world over. letter. “This CD doesn’t work in a CD player”. Well that’s really fucking helpful isn’t it? What next? A Toaster that won’t take bread? Perhaps someone could arrange DEAR CITY for all Kooks CDs to not work in CD Woohoo, more ethereal wooziness, this time players. Anyway, then it takes three goes from a singer called Camille Baziadoly, who to get the blessed thing to work in the for this demo is ably backed up by Phill computer and we’re ready to give it a right Honey, once of The Rock Of Travolta and a old shoeing. But, hey, hey, what’s this? Bit regular demo of the month winner under his of raucous gothic punk rock action? We’re Boywithatoy guise. Here he provides changing our minds already. There are suitably ghost-in-the-machine back-up – all spidery guitar flecks and rabble-rousing, shimmering guitars, theremin and glitchy overly-dramatic vocals and even some big electronic beats – to Camille’s sleepy ghost squelchy electronic intermissions and it all croons and whispers. It’s not quite as sounds a bit like a cross between The effective as Misfit Mod, since her voice Stooges, New Model Army and Dead tends to stay stuck in a semi-decipherable Kennedys, but really not like any of those state of breathlessness throughout when in particular. More just like something perhaps it needs to soar once in a while. The violently ripped from the footnotes of the mood remains gently doomladen, like the early-80s alternative rock underground. private musings of a doomed Bronte-esque There’s plenty of comic potential from heroine contemplating suicide on a bleak some young scamp from Witney screaming moor. Or perhaps a close cousin of obscure “The otters of Beirut!” repeatedly, but the 80s etherealists AC Marias. It really is time clenched-teeth sincerity of it all, added to to crack open the party poppers and dance the meaty metallic riffage, wins us over til dawn. every time. casually reaching a zen-like state despite its TARGET NINE fanciful, flowery fluttering. From busy to “There ain’t arf Been some clever bastards” languid on ‘Return To Regensburg’, with its sang Ian Dury once, but not every band has stargazy disposition and ambient serenity, to try and be clever. Some work far better and we’re entering the world of Mike playing it a bit dumb. Take Target Nine for Oldfield, with delicate, detailed attention to instance. Half the time they’re trying to texture. Best of the lot, though is closer match the likes of Youthmovies in the ‘Cinema Coast’, with just the merest hints wibbly, vaguely math-rocky stakes with of Oriental and African noises brushing up their nice flowery guitar undulations and against the electronic shimmer, coming on keening, emotive vocals; the other half like Jean Michel Jarre’s concerts in China they’re just bashing out a great big grunge whimsies. Definitely better suited to come- racket, all powerchords and militancy. And down chill-out sessions than a live gig you can just guess which makes them sound setting, Grudle Bay Riots manage that most the best. Come on, just scrape off all those difficult of tasks – making ambient music pretensions to musical intellect – they make that stays interesting throughout. you sound awkward like a year 9 fanzine THE COURTYARD STUDIO writer trying to interview Thom Yorke – and PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/ give us the hard, fast stuff, the stuff that THE DEMO 24, OTARI MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE makes you sound like Biffy Clyro or Foo MACHINE, 2 TRACKING ROOMS, SUPERB Fighters. It’s not original by any stretch of DUMPER CONTROL ROOM WITH GOOD SELECTION the imagination but it works a treat here. OF MICS & OUTBOARD GEAR, + MIDI Bish bash bosh. Job done. And the last track DIFFERENT FACILITIES (INC LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI here, `Say What You Want’, sounds almost S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND ETC.) exactly like Reuben, which ain’t such a bad REASONS thing. Are we going soft in our old age or Residential facilities included. Different Reasons have addressed their what? www.courtyardrecordingstudio.com envelope to ‘Nightwank’, but then, in a PHONE PIPPA FOR DETAILS shocking display of cowardice, crossed that ON 01235 845800 THE FINS out and put ‘Nightshift’ instead, like we No, we’re not going soft. It only takes a wouldn’t notice. Or perhaps it’s their idea of sniff of bellicose old bollocks like this to get humour. Still, they’re obviously bitter about us gnawing at our cage bars again. Nominally something (possibly because we called them The Fins are coming from exactly the same a constipated barbers shop quartet last time place as Target Nine but with none of the we reviewed them), because their letter says naivety or feeling of simple fun. Instead they have “diversified our sound which you their overconfident, overbearingly sincere will probably hate as it’s not Rebecca take on anthemic grunge simply grates, Mosley, Ally Craig or Fell City Girl but yes sounding like someone’s tried to polish there are other acts in the county!”. The every ounce of character from Queens Of news of Fell City Girl’s demise a year and a The Stone Age or Foo Fighters in a half ago obviously hasn’t filtered through to desperate attempt to get a major record deal Henley yet. But, yeah, our wall-to-wall or support slot on the next Funeral For A overkill coverage of Rebecca Mosley and Friend tour. They’re all mouth and trousers Ally Craig must be hard for all those other and no substance. And they look like a right local bands to stomach. And probably comes bunch of tits in their photo, especially the as quite a surprise to Ms Mosley and Mr bloke in the pink tie and fedora. “You think Craig, who must have had all of four reviews you’re someone but you’re something else” between them over the last year or so. opines the singer in one chest-beating pearl Anyway, there’s more but you want to of wisdom. Yeah, that’s right. I’m a giraffe know about Different Reasons’ music don’t and him next to me is a stuffed crust pizza. you? Yes you do, don’t lie. Well, it starts And you must be the Dalai fucking Lama. promisingly, for all of the four seconds it takes their wobbly synth intro to descend into what sounds like a discarded first draft GRUDLE BAY RIOTS of the backing music for ‘Do They Know Grudle Bay Riots are a duo made up of It’s Christmas?’. Thereafter it’s a pretty Nathan Allsworth and Tom Hodges, who turgid trawl though standard folk-pop were previously in promising local post- anonymity, the sole highlight of which is a rockers PYE. Despite the new band name strange squeaky female backing vocal on they’re now a far mellower prospect, aiming ‘Better Way’, that sounds like someone more towards the folk, jazz and soft house pretending to do a cute voice for their pet style of things. Mixing up acoustic guitars, hamster under the lead singer’s karoake Elvis shuffling electronic beats and snatches of impersonation. “We await your cello or piano, they adopt a shifting sands ‘witticisms’” announce Different Reasons at dynamic, the trancy Mediterranean-feel folk the end of their letter. And we’re tempted to doodle of the opening track, ‘Using Lift sink to their level and just call them Guilt Trip’, backed up with busy cartoon Different Wank. Except they’re not. They’re alien plumbing noises, the whole thing the same wank as they were last time.

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