[email protected] nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 225 April Oxford’s Music Magazine 2014

GLASS ANIMALS OXFORD DUPLICATION CENTRE Fame, fortune and [email protected] Office: 01865 457000 Mobile: 07917 775477 Supporting Oxfordshire Bands with fragility with Oxford’s Affordable Professional CD Duplication FANTASTIC BAND RATES living ornaments ON ALL SERVICES Professional Thermal Printed CDs Also in this issue: Full Colour/Black & White Introducing AGS CONNOLLY Silver or White Discs Design Work Support Digital Printing plus Packaging Options Fulfilment

Local festival and music news; releases; Recommended by Matchbox Recordings Ltd, Poplar Jake, Undersmile, Desert Storm, Turan Audio Ltd, Nick Cope, Prospeckt, Paul Jeffries, Alvin live reviews and four pages of Oxford gigs Roy, Pete The Temp, Evolution, Coozes, Blue Moon and many more... NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net

THE LINE-UP FOR THIS YEAR’S OXFORD PUNT has been announced. The annual showcase of up and coming local bands takes place on Wednesday 14th May and features 20 acts across five venues in Oxford city centre. The full Punt line-up is: The Purple Turtle: Hot Hooves; Girlpower; Beta Blocker & the Body Clock; Komrad. The Cellar: Trophy Cabinet; The Neon Violets; Flights of Helios; SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR, JOOLS HOLLAND AND 10cc are among Swindlestock. the acts now announced for this year’s Cornbury Festival. They join 80s The Wheatsheaf: The Cooling Pearls; Balloon Ascents; Art Theefe; Huck & hitmakers Simple Minds, soul legend Georgie Fame and Nina Nesbitt, who the Xander Band. were exclusively announced in last month’s Nightshift. Cornbury takes Turl Street Kitchen: Jordan O’Shea; Hannah Bruce; Rawz; Julia Meijer. place over the weekend of the 4th-6th July at Great Tew Country Park. The White Rabbit: Salvation Bill; Lee Riley; Kid Kin; Vienna Ditto. Jools Holland’s Rhym&Blues Orchestra will headline the Friday night The Punt kicks off at 7pm at the Purple Turtle with Hot Hooves and finishes where he’ll be joined by guests singers Marc Almond and former Spice at the White Rabbit at midnight with Vienna Ditto. The bill takes in an Girl Mel C. Simple Minds top the Saturday night bill, with Sunday’s eclectic range of sounds, from indie, metal, hardcore punk; folk, psychedelia, headliner still to be announced. Americana; electronica, rock, hip hop and blues. Somewhere amid all that is Among the weekend’s other highlights is Southside Johnny, featuring a rock opera. Gary US Bonds, with an enviable reputation for their live performances. A limited number (100) all-venue Punt passes are on sale now, priced £8, Suzanne Vega; Arrested Development; Lissie; Kid Creole & the Coconuts; online at oxfordmusic.net, or from the Truck Store on Cowley Road. Entry Sam Bailey; Hudson Taylor; Scouting For Girls and The Feeling are among to individual gigs is a bargain £5, although Turl Street Kitchen and The White a host of acts also confirmed, though don’t let those last two put you off. Rabbit are both free. More acts are set to be added, including the Charlbury Riverside stage. Check out the Oxford Punt 2014 page on Facebook for updated news. As well as the live music, Cornbury hosts its usual array of comedy, including Al Murray; Miles Jupp and Jeremy Hardy, plus workshops, kids activities, the Disco Shed and more. ALCOPOP! AND BIG SCARY Tickets for Truck are on sale, priced Festival organiser Hugh Phillimore, said, “I’m really pleased with the MONSTERS team up to host The £74 for adult camping tickets, from diversity of the line-up; I’m really looking forward to Kacey Musgraves Rio Barnival at this year’s Truck Truck Store or from and Southside Johnny but I’m also very excited about Georgie Fame with a Festival. The two local independent truckfestival.com. big band: his 70th birthday gig at Cheltenham Jazz Festival was one of my record labels will host a full day of 2013 highlights – and I went to 81 ‘must-see’ gigs last year!” music in the festival’s legendary FATBOY SLIM, JAMIE Tickets for Cornbury are on sale from www.cornburyfestival.com. barn on the Saturday as part of CULLUM and KELIS headline this Truck’s Carnival theme this year. year’s Big Feastival. The music and Andrew WK tops the barn bill, and food festival, hosted by Jamie Oliver burst. There are few better ways to second Yard Fest in July. The one- is joined by Gnarwolves; Johnny and Blur bassist Alex James, and go. Visit www.jamieoliver.com/ day festival at the Courtyard Youth Foreigner; Lonely the Brave; Sam held at James’s farm near Kingham thebigfeastival for more line-up and Arts Centre in Bicester, takes place Duckworth; Kevin Devine; Tangle in west Oxfordshire, takes place ticket details. on Friday 11th July. The organisers Hair; Radstewart; Woahnows and over the weekend of the 29th-31st are looking for young local bands Brawlers. August. Joining the headline acts HMV OXFORD looks set to stay to join the bill. Acts interested Truck takes place over the 18th-19th over the weekend will be local heroes open at least until the end of June. can email Jeremy Leggett at July at Hill Far in Steventon. As Stornoway, as well as Jack Savoretti, A post on the store’s Twitter stated [email protected]. The all- announced last month, this year’s Kittie, Norman J, The Cuban the store was staying put for the ages event, organised by teenagers event is headlined by White Lies and Brothers and tribute bands Bjorn next few months and restocking who attend the centre, will raise The Cribs, with Peace; Stornoway; Again and Fleetwood Bac. As well while management looked for an money for children’s charity The Los Campesinos!; Kids in Glass as the live music there will be the alternative site in the city centre. Make A Wish Foundation. Tickets, Houses; Swim Deep; Cerebral Ballzy usual array of food demonstrations priced £10, are on sale now from and Eliza and the Bear among the and markets. Last year Nightshift ate BLITZ KIDS, HYPE THEORY wegottickets.com. More info at other acts playing. so much artisan cheese we nearly and Attention Thieves play the www.bicestercourtyard.org.uk

SWEET BABOO, ALESSI’S ARK AND JACKIE OATES are the headline acts at next month’s WOOD Festival. The award-winning environmentally-friendly festival takes place over the weekend of the 16th-18th May at Braziers Park. This year’s event has been declared The Year of the Badger as WOOD aims to focus on one particular British wild animal each year. Various badger-themed events will be taking place over the weekend and badger masks are recommended. Other acts now confirmed for the weekend include Oliver Wilde; The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band; O’Hooley & Tido; Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou; The Dreaming Spires; Co-pilgrim; Rachael Dadd; Jordan O’Shea; Art Theefe; Nick Cope; Count Drachma and Jali Fily Cissokho. Beyond the music there will be WOOD’s traditional mix of workshops, activities and talks, plus organic food and drink, the renowned compost toilets and a general feeling of getting back to nature. Tickets are on sale now, priced £75, from Truck Store on Cowley Road, and online from www.woodfestival.com. the Pegasus, BBC Introducing and Oxford City panel of judges, including performers Michael Council. The OCM show will take place on an Ball and Rosie Ash, director Rachel Kavanagh, outside stage at Gloucester Green on Sunday 15th choreographer Stephen Mear, Theatre Royal June as part of the Lord Mayor’s Celebration, Stratford East artistic director Kerry Michael and with the Youth Open taking place at the Pegasus playwright Samuel Adamson. on Saturday 14th. Previous acts to feature include Duotone, Seabuckthorn, Laurence Colbert, Jess THE OXFORDSHIRE MUSIC CHARITY Hall and Lee Riley. Visit www.ocmevents.org for FOOTBALL WORLD CUP makes a return on full details. the 5th July. The competition, organised jointly by PinDrop and Audioscope, aims to raise LAI V E PA T TRH E C IE L LL A R STEAMROLLER play a special show at the money for homeless charities Shelter and The TIN ANGEL PRESENTS GNOD, ESBEN & THE WITCH AND Cellar on Sunday 13th April to celebrate the 40th Gatehouse. The competition will take place from THE IRREPRESSIBLES + OPAL ONYX JOANNA GRUESOME are among a host of acts anniversary of being the first band to ever play at 12-4pm at the Oxford City FC 3G pitches, Court THURS 3RD confirmed for this year’s Supernormal Festival. the venue – then called The Corn Dolly. The local Place Farm. Bands are invited to enter teams by The artist-curated, decidedly leftfield music and blues-rock veterans, who reformed back in 2010, emailing [email protected] with a SKYLARKIN’ SOUND SYSTEM PRESENTS art festival returns to Braziers Park over the were big local favourites back in the 1970s. Visit list of names. Entry is £5 per person for six-a-side MIGHTY LEAP + MR BENN th th FRI 4TH weekend of the 8 -10 August. Last year’s event, www.steamroller.moonfruit.com for more news teams. Teams must have a minimum of five past featuring the likes of Hookworms, Evil Blizzard, and gigs from the band. or present local musicians/promoters/journalists DHP PRESENTS Comanechi and Mugstar, was Nightshift’s musical etc. Teams can be composites of various bands/ RHODES highlight of the year. THAMESFEST returns over the weekend of the promoters etc and entry will be at the discretion of SUN 6TH Other acts so far confirmed include Death 18th-20th July, offering three days of free live blues the organisers. Last year’s tournament was won by Shanties; Sly & the Family Drone; Teeth of the and rock at the Rock of Gibraltar pub in Enslow. a team led by Sam King from BBC Introducing. CELLAR MUSIC PRESENTS Sea; Thought Forms; Speak Galactic; Henry THE FAUNS + TOLIESEL Among acts already booked are Debbie Bond; THURS 10TH Blacker; Barberos; Palehorse and Flamingods, Sean Taylor; Voodoo Stripe; The Backbone Blues AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into BBC Oxford while one of the art installations announced so far Band; Nik Barrell; Telephone Bill & the Smooth Introducing every Saturday night between 8-9pm BOSSAPHONIK PRESENTS is called “Part wild horses mane on both sides: Operators; Missing Persians; Steamroller; Twizz on 95.2fm. The dedicated local music show plays MANTECA + DJ’S Conduit of the bottomless submundane”, which is Twangle and more. As well as the music there will the best Oxford releases and demos as well as FRI 11TH surely not to be missed. be a beer festival all weekend. For a small fee you featuring interviews and sessions with local acts. Tickets for the not-for-profit festival are on sale can camp. Visit www.thamesfest.co.uk for details. The show is available to stream or download as a NIGHTWORKERS + GRACEFUL SLICKS SAT 12TH from www.supernormalfestival.co.uk, along with podcast at bbc.co.uk/oxford. plenty of other info and line-up announcements. LOCAL MUSICIAN MATT WINKWORTH Regularly updated local music news is available STEAM ROLLER has won £12,000 in the inaugural Pitch Perfect online at www.musicinoxford.co.uk. The site also SUN 13TH Award. Matt, a regular on the Oxford gig circuit in features interactive reviews, a photo gallery and OXFORD CONTEMPORARY MUSIC team up years past with his band The Winkworthers, shares gig guide. CELLAR MUSIC PRESENTS with The Pegasus Theatre again this year for the the prize with songwriter Chris Bush. The money The latest issue of Oxfordshire Music Scene STEADY HANDS + FREADA OCM Open and OCM Youth Open shows. The will enable them to complete a full draft of a new magazine is out now, featuring interviews with TUES 15TH annual concerts aim to showcase the best new musical, entitled `Odd’, and receive mentorship Flights of Helios and Listing Ships, as well as the IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC PRESENTS contemporary artists in Oxford. Musicians must from industry professionals. The pair were usual features by BBC Introducing producer Liz RUSHIL + THE STRING PROJECT + CLAIRE LEMASTER + submit demos, MP3s or online links to info@ chosen as the winner following an event at the St Green and roots and riddim writer Leo Bowder, MOMENTO + TIM MAYO ocmevents.org by Friday 18th April. The winners James Theatre in London, where finalists in the plus reviews, news and more. Available from usual THURS 17TH will be selected by a panel made up of OCM, competition pitched ideas for a new musical to a outlets around the county. CELLAR MUSIC PRESENTS FLIES + FLIES, + MUTES TRUCK STORE AND RAPTURE With the potential demise of HMV in the city, FRI 18TH CELEBRATE RECORD STORE DAY THIS Truck may soon be the only record store left in MONTH, joining in with celebrating the nation’s Oxford; how will that affect things? IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC PRESENTS UNDERSMILE + GOD SPEED + CROWS’ REIGN + GIRL independent music shops and proving that “At this stage exactly what is happening with POWER however bleak things sometimes look for the HMV in Oxford is a little unclear. It’s always a SAT 19TH retail sector, and music retail in particular, small real shame to see staff face the prospect of losing shops with strong identities can thrive. their jobs, especially when they are working in DEEP COVER PRESENTS Record Store Day takes place on Saturday 19th a similar field to us and most likely share our THE DUBLINGS April, a month after Truck Store celebrated its enthusiasm. We know that die-hard music fans SUN 20TH third birthday on the Cowley Road, and features will keep buying physical product no matter IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC PRESENTS a day of live music instore as well as a series of what developments in technology there are; we HOT HOOVES + THE DEPUTEES limited-edition releases by big name acts. also know that with enthusiasm and personal THURS 24TH Nightshift spoke to Truck Store manager Carl recommendations you can turn a lapsed music Smithson ahead of the event and asked first how buyer into an enthusiastic music-lover all over IDIOT KING PRESENTS stores like Truck, and its sister store Rapture in again. SALVATION BILL + GUESTS Witney, can survive in this day and age. “If we do end up as the only record store left in FRI 25TH “While it’s been three years for Truck Store it’s Oxford it will speak volumes about the changing IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC PRESENTS been ten years now since we opened Rapture in available, so it’s up to shops like us to provide tide in music retail. It may be a shrinking market NORTHEAST CORRIDOR + VIENNA DITTO + CHARMS Witney so we’ve got a lot of experience within customers with the right kind of products on the but there is more than enough great music being AGAINST THE EVIL EYE + THE BAD AND THE VULGAR the company. The music industry has been formats they want. made to keep those who want to hear it coming SAT 26TH changing dramatically all the time we’ve been “Some of our best moments since we opened back through our doors.” open so adapting to huge changes has become have been seeing bands we’ve supported with gigs As for Record Store Day itself, the line-up for OCC PRESENTS something of a key skill we’ve all acquired, and instore and selling hand-made CDs step up and Truck’s instore live music has yet to be finalised, DON’T GO PLASTIC + THE KITES to be honest it’s what has kept us going. It’s release albums to a wider audience. Just this year but will likely feature four or five bands on in TUES 29TH interesting to note that in the those ten years most we’ve seen Jess Hall, Ags Connolly and Spring both Rapture and Truck. Last year The Wedding of the large chains have gone, with only HMV Offensive put out brilliant, fully-realised albums Present were surprise headliners at Truck, and and their very public problems remaining, while which I’d hope we’ve played some small part local music fans can expect a similar mix of THE CELLAR things like the resurgence in vinyl sales and along the way in helping them get to that postion. national and local acts this time round – visit FREWIN COURT Record Store Day have seen a core of indie stores We’ve had over 160 acts play on our stage, a truckmusicstore.co.uk for updated news. ride out the storm and actually emerge stronger. healthy mixture of well known and local; there are Most important though is to remember to OXFORD Many of our customers buy a mixture of CDs so many acts in Oxfordshire and we’re proud to be support local independent stores and venues like OX1 3HZ and vinyl and make use of the fact that most LPs able to provide opportunities for local bands which Truck and Rapture. They’re not just businesses WWW.CELLAROXFORD.CO.UK come with a download code as well. Music lovers can help legitimise what they do and give them but an essential part of the local community. WWW.TWITTER.COM/CELLAROXFORD are engaging with albums in all the formats confidence to take it to the next stage.” Once they’re gone they’re gone. WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/THECELLAR.OXFORD A quiet word with on Myspace and pretty much just `Merriweather Post Pavilion’ and excited talking about bands we and writing, and not just for Glass told us that we were in the band; Pink Floyd’s `Dark Side of the liked and music making and synths Animals. That’s probably to blame we all went with it. It got quite Moon’ are good examples. and other geek things, so Wolf Tone for the lack of social-ness. We’re serious quite fast; a couple weeks You’ve said before that nature seemed like the perfect place for us really supportive of the local later we had a heap of emails from plays a big part in the way you to set up camp.” music scene as our teen years were labels, lawyers etc. in our inbox. make music. Joe: “He definitely helped us to spent inside it, and more recently GLASS ANIMALS After we got signed Dave dropped Joe: “We spend most our time break out of our shells and push the Jericho Tavern gave us the out, but the rest of us finished up rehearsing in the forest in an old boundaries in the studio. He made opportunity to do our first live our degrees.” horse stable we converted into a us feel confident in experimenting, shows. But in the grand scheme of little studio. That probably seeps and I think that is evident in the things we’ve only just gotten back Glass Animals’ music is into the music in quite a few ways. way the album sounds. It’s bolder from years of uni in other cities so a delicate thing. Like a cold mist, There’s a weasel under the rock and harder than what has come I think we’re still finding our place it can send a shiver up your spine outside the front door – I spotted before, and some of that was down here in Oxford.” while seeming utterly intangible. him a few weeks ago. He’s on the to Paul pushing us. His approach On the local band front Radiohead Theirs is a subtle blending of album credits. Slap bass.” was quite hands off, though. He appear to be an influence; how ghostly electro-pop, hazy, shifting Was that early Demo of the Month would show up for an hour a day, much did them being an Oxford psychedelia, and slick, sultry r’n’b, a surprise, or a spur to take things chuck a grenade into the room, band inspire you, musically and all wrapped up in an atmosphere further? and leave us to pick up the pieces, how far you could go being in a of unease and uncertainty – Dave: “Well, we were really hoping which would make us think about band? songs unravel slowly but rarely for the Demo Dumper… that is still the songs in ways we otherwise Joe: “Yeah, for sure, we are big predictably. our first port of call in Nightshift; wouldn’t have.” fans. Oxfords musical heritage Nightshift’s first encounter with the people care about that much more Dave previously produced the is great, and we are proud to be band – that original demo – found than Demo of the Month, don’t band, what does Paul bring to the from here. I dunno if we took any us drawing admiring comparisons direct influence from them though, with Radiohead, Tricky and more of a background theme to our Pink Floyd and declaring them growing up round these parts.” “a welcome breath of fresh air,” “We were really hoping for the Demo Colin Greenwood picked you to although their sound has blossomed Dumper… that is still our first port of call in play the inaugural Independent and become more ambitious over Venue Week. the intervening years. Nightshift; people care about that much more Dave: “It was neat; we had a chat Dave: “When we first started I had than Demo of the Month, don’t they?” with him before the show, and really gotten into people like Joy hung out a bit after. He gave us Orbison, Burial, and Four Tet… some good advice actually; he just lots of dance music as I was DJing said, go out and try and have fun at Fabric back then. I was also they? No, it was very cool as we all recording process? every time you play, that’s the only listening to things on the opposite grew up with Nightshift. We were Joe: “Dave still produced the way to do it.” end of the musical spectrum, and pretty surprised to be honest!” record; Paul was there as a mentor Radiohead were another Oxford learning to play things on guitar and helped guide the process. band who grew up as friends but and keys: stuff like Nina Simone, It wasn’t long before He also managed to create an started taking their band more Otis Redding, lots of old soul and Glass Animals found themselves atmosphere in the studio that was seriously after going away to some Motown. That progressed into signed to Kaya Kaya for whom they really conducive to being creative, university. Glass Animals now join “South By Southwest While the studio seems enthusiastically received `Psylla’. So says singer Dave fiddling round on Garageband, and released their debut EP, `Leaflings’. which I think is his biggest asset as a host of fellow local music stars was wicked. We played eight shows like the natural environment for Bayley, the band’s nervy, spectre- writing beats, which then turned Joe: “I think our music got played a producer.” armed not just with musical talent in six days. Two of them were an a band whose sound can often `ZABA’; `Gooey’; `Psylla’. voiced frontman who is currently into Glass Animals. to the girls at Kaya Kaya, and they As far as the album itself goes, but academic achievements beyond hour apart, which was obviously feel as fragile as the ornaments Those titles (along with others leaving a degree in neuroscience “We listen to r’n’b, electro-pop were looking for a first band to sign. how do you feel it’s turned out? the call of duty. How high do they something we haven’t ever done they’re named after, the buzz like `Intrux’, `Wyrd’ and `Walla behind as he pursues rock and roll and indie, as well as a lot of hip We got to work with all the guys at Dave: “It’s almost entirely new think they rank in the Oxford before, so it was quite mental. But surrounding the quartet means Walla’)perfectly reflect a band fame and fortune. hop, like Madlib, Dr Dre, Flying XL who are amazing. It was a brand material. We are really proud of Academically Over-Qualified Austin is a neat town: lots of meat. they’re increasingly finding who appear to be a byword for Dave formed Glass Animals with Lotus, and krautrock stuff like Can, new label, really set up by XL to it, and excited to share it with the stakes? We also saw some great bands, and themselves on the live stage, enigmatic on the local scene. school friends Drew MacFarlane, but melding them together isn’t release EPs rather than LPs, so after world. The songs are certainly Joe: “Ummm… Ed really likes actually spent a bit of time in the winning new fans and critical To many Oxford music fans Glass Edmund Irwin-Singer and Joe something we’d do consciously. `Leaflings’ we started looking for different, quite a bit wilder, rawer, trains, and birds, so if you have any studio working with some dudes. acclaim in equal measure. Already Animals are a new name in town, Seaward while the four were We don’t about genres when we a home that would be better suited and more untamed. Early on we questions on them he can probably Hopefully the fruits of that will the likes of Q, The Guardian and a band who seem to have achieved back in Oxford during university make music. What comes out just… to an album. It was great though, kept things subtle and understated. answer them. I can tell you about come to light at some point soon.” Clashmusic have sat up and taken a remarkable amount in a very holidays. comes out.” we had a blast with them, and they We’ve shaken those shackles. It’s where is best to go out in Berlin, notice. Last month they supported short time, almost completely Dave: “We met when we were Listening to an advance copy of helped us out loads.” still very much Glass Animals. and Dave likes cereal a lot. We Glass Animals are, in St Vincent on tour across Europe, under the radar of local scrutiny. thirteen or fourteen, at school in `ZABA’, the album seems to carry a With barely a pause for breath, the Lots of bass.” have about four bases covered their own words, “a bit visiting Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam Their debut release was on cool Oxford; we all became friends nocturnal atmosphere about it, with band became the first act signed adequately.” overwhelmed” right now. They’ve and Brussels along the way. They London label Kaya Kaya and through music, we all had similar an almost sub-aquatic vibe about to Wolf Tone, the label set up by While very much an And if you each had to be an just returned to Oxford after finished March with a hometown they seem to be surrounded by tastes, and used to sneak out of some of tracks. How important is Paul Epworth, whose frighteningly Oxford band, born and raised, animal what would you be, and making the most of SXSW, the show supporting Metronomy at all the trappings of the modern school and go see shows in London atmosphere in your music? extensive production credits formed and honed here, Glass who would win in a fight? annual music industry bunfight the O2 Academy – their biggest music industry machine, from or at the Zodiac. We were all into Dave: “Atmospherics are really features Adele, Florence and the Animals’ rise and rise appears to Joe: “Ed would be a meerkat for that consumes the entirety of Oxford gig to date – following on management to production and Foals, Maximo Park and Arctic important to us. I love listening to Machine, CeeLo Green, Bruno have occurred sort of beyond the sure; Dave an anteater; I would Austin, Texas for a week and sees from a sold-out headline set at the press team. But dig a little deeper Monkeys, so we’d sneak out of music that transports you to another Mars and Bloc Party, among a host traditional local gig circuit route of be a Koala Bear apparently, and everything from global megastars Jericho Tavern in February as part and the band are hardly unknowns school and go see them. There was world; it’s a way to just put reality of other global names. most of Oxford’s success stories. Drew would be a Praying Mantis. performing in ridiculously tiny of the inaugural Independent Venue in town. never a pipe dream of starting a behind you for a little while. The Dave: “Yeah, we met Paul after They seem to be a band who keep He is insanely Zen. Drew would venues, to the world’s bright young Week, handpicked to play by For a start their first set of band back then though.” album is really meant to be listened a show we played in London. He themselves to themselves as far as win. He’s a badass, the rest of us things looking to make their name. Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood. recordings earned them a Nightshift “Dave started writing songs in to from start to finish, and is meant is a really serious dude. He was the local scene is concerned. Do are pretty peaceful… Drew likes In the course of the week Glass In June Glass Animals will release Demo of the Month exactly the middle of the night when to hold you in an alternate realm for basically responsible for us being they feel part or apart from it at all? martial arts and stuff; he has a Animals played alongside the likes their debut album, `ZABA’, on four years ago this month, while he couldn’t sleep, while he was its entirety. Each track on the record friends as he soundtracked most of Are they all, maybe, just a bit shy? black belt. Watch out.” of Gruff Rhys, Warpaint, Meursault Wolf Tone Records, the label set they’ve sporadically cropped up living in London,” continues Joe, is meant to take you on a little our youth with his productions, like Dave: “Maybe we’re a little shy, and Melt Yourself Down, as well as up by renowned producer Paul on the local gig circuit, including “we were all back in Oxford for journey within that realm; they’re the first Bloc Party record and the but we’re also mad busy and `Gooey’ is out now on Wolf Tone. playing the requisite media game Epworth, while this month they a packed show at Gathering in Christmas in our second year, and all linked by certain themes. There Rapture’s stuff. We went to a pool haven’t had the opportunity to get `ZABA’ is released on the 9th June. and even finding time to hit the release a new single, `Gooey’, 2012. It’s just that for the most part he sheepishly showed us a few are some records that do that so hall after the show and had some involved. We spend a lot of time Visit glass-animals.tumblr.com for studio to record some new songs. the follow-up to last year’s they’ve “been busy”. songs. He ended up putting them well – I think Animal Collective’s beers with him and we all got nuts touring, collaborating or producing songs, gig dates and news. Sponsored by RELEASED R.O.W.A.N FAR // DUST `Social Anxiety’ `Far // Dust’ (Self-released) (Moving Hand) The rapid expansion of Oxford’s hip hop scene The problem with prolific artists is their quality continues as Johannesburg-born and raised, control can sometimes malfunction in their haste to now Oxford resident rapper Rowan Groom, get the next new thing out there. Billy Childish and performing – often busking – under the name Mark E Smith are prime examples. Oxford’s own R.O.W.A.N, releases his debut album. restlessly mercurial music maker is Andrew Jones, His accent comes to the fore from the off, aka Asher Dust, whose output, including myriad giving him a clipped, abrupt edge even as collaborations and guest slots, makes him look album opener `My Motivation’ aims for a like a one-man song factory. Thing is, a couple of laidback vibe with its 70s porn-funk back-up. misfiring demos some time ago now, the more he His flow is almost effortlessly rapid-fire, like makes, the better he seems to get. Practise makes a stoned machine gun at times, and such is the perfect, right? (undeniably flawless) speed of his delivery it’s This new album is his second in the space of a sometimes hard to keep up with the message. few months in collaboration with producer Farjedi. That’s a shame as more often than not what 15 tracks and 50 minutes, could do with a bit of This eponymous follow-up carries on where the he’s rapping about is both serious and important a trim. Where he does falter is, as mentioned, the other left off, AJ bringing his own slightly off-kilter – notably `Proudly South African’, which takes apparent hurry to get through as many words as slant on soul, hip hop and trip hop, his voice a hazy aim at everything from the Apartheid and ANC possible where more lyrical space might benefit stream of consciousness amid a light night-time governments, to poverty, corruption and AIDS both the message and listener’s ability to catch fog of electronic beats and synth curlicues. Tracks in his native country over a strident march of it, and a lack of rapping range over a full album. like `Be Strong’ seem tailor-made to accompany tribal beats, handclaps and vuvuzelas. A couple of guest slots here and there would ambient movie scenes of depopulated neon-lit city Here’s where Rowan is at his best – venting do wonders as far as keeping your attention streets as the protagonist contemplates some moral a righteous ire, barely pausing for breath over throughout. conundrum behind the wheel of a car as the whole mostly minimalist backing that gives the album It’s not unusual to look back over an album like thing shifts slightly woozily in and out of focus. a distinctly bedroom-made air. The confident, this and wonder whether it might have made a Such a deliberate lack of clarity persists throughout accomplished `An Ax Out Of A Grave’ and the more effective EP, but as far as vocal confidence the album – aside from the jarring, defiant `FWYH’ more downbeat `No-one Will Change the Vibe’, and lyrical intelligence go, it’s a promising – adding to the night-time ambience, the sleeping just him and a desultory piano refrain, are starting point. machinery vibe of much of the production giving further high points of an album that, at over Dale Kattack it all an almost sci-fi feel at times. If it occasionally meanders it only adds to the general sense of disorientation, like on the dubby clang and wobble of `Man Overboard’ and the undulating orchestral FOCI’S LEFT `X-Friend’. As it winds its way to a hazy sunrise, it touches base with everyone from Ceelo Green and `Life in a Less Southern Town’ Tricky to the Upsetters and The Streets, although (Omni Music) more unexpected influences seem to include Nine Inch Nails and even Leftfield’s progressive house There are two sorts of ambient music. One gets real sonic depth, with a lush textural variety, on the hypnotic album highlight `King Of Self you relaxed, and one makes you uneasy; one’s from the pitched-up honks at the opening (that Pity’. a warm duvet and one’s a chill breeze; one’s a remind us of `Galleons Of Stone’ by The Art While AJ’s pairing with Farjedi is a coming forgiving hug, and one’s a suspicious glance. Of Noise) to `In Our Lives, There Have Been together of obviously compatible talents, you Although the second album by Oxford Many Terrors’, in which distant metallic clanks know their music is probably too rooted in the musician Mick Buckingham covers both are borne on zephyrs through crumbling ruins. underground to reach the wider audience it richly ambient strains, it’s definitely better when Occasionally the sounds are just too well deserves, but that equally shields them from forces leaning towards the latter. The most satisfying worn, and the ear can’t help but associate who’d strive to brighten or smooth and thus lessen element of this record is its density – where echoey piano with lachrymose US soaps, their sound. Practise makes perfect? No, but it’s the many ambient composers are happy to let and sawtooth synth hums with encroaching faults and the glitches that give the music its soul. things run, Buckingham has created a CD of Silurians, but in general this is a well- Dale Kattack constructed thoughtful slice of musical atmospherica. Perhaps `Transistory Stringency’ – yes, the titles are best ignored, frankly – is thin and meandering, but in general this record marries the amicable bubbling of early Global Communication with the elegant austerity of Tim Hecker or Leyland Kirby. The record ends with some unexpected drum&bass action, and if the breakbeat tweaking is a little ham-fisted, the mournful Aphex horns underneath embody the record’s true, dark heart. Good stuff, in short, but more misery next time, please, Mick; perhaps we should have written a bad review, to get the ball rolling. David Murphy rising teenage blues star returns to the Haven Club, fronted by renowned Colombian vocalist Martha having played alongside The Strypes and Nine Acosta, bringing a contemporary urban edge to Latin Below Zero in recent times. funk, salsa, cumbia and boogaloo. FEAST OF FIDDLES: Nettlebed Folk Club – MEGAN HENWOOD + LAZIBIRD + BEARD Pete Knight’s fiddle-playing all-stars play the first of OF DESTINY: The Art Bar – Acoustic folk from a two-night stand at the south Oxfordshire folk club. local singer Megan Henwood, plus one-man blues machine Beard of Destiny. GIG GUIDE TUESDAY 8th HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES: James Street Tavern – Local bluesgrass and Americana regulars. SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR: O2 Academy – The NANGTNS HOUSE NIGHT: The Art Bar st – The Breaking Glass star and 80s hitmaker returns, one time queen of nu-disco has shed her “posh TUESDAY 1 TIM SAYS NO: Castle House, Banbury touring her new album, as well as playing tracks dance diva” persona for a more soulful and emotive JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Weekly free live BON GIOVI: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Tribute band. rd jazz in the Backroom, tonight with club regulars from her 20+ album career. style on her fifth album, `Wanderlust’, and the Thursday 3 BUSHFIELDSMITH + BEARD OF DESTINY gamble has paid off, moving into sweeping piano The New Jazz Collective and their groove-led th funky jazz. + JACK LITTLE + ROB LANYON: St John the and string arrangements with producer Ed Harcourt SATURDAY 12 POLAR BEAR: St APRIL Baptist, Bodicote at the helm, and inspired by her numerous tours of UPSTAIRS with THE ORIGINAL RABBIT SIMON ROSE & PAUL STAPLETON: Old Fire rd Station – Free improv from Bonsai Soundsystem THURSDAY 3 AARON KEYLOCK + STEAMROLLER: Fat Russia and eastern Europe. You’ll still get `Murder FOOT SPASM BAND + DUCHESS + John the Evangelist With the demise of Acoustic Ladyland, man Stapleton and baritone and alto saxophonist THE IRREPRESSIBLES + OPAL ONYX Lil’s, Witney – Teenage bluesman Aaron Keylock on the Dancefloor’ and `Groovejet’ but the new, BRICKWORK LIZARDS + THE TEMPLE heroically hirsute bandleader and drummer Rose. + BARNEY MORSE-BROWN: The Cellar comes to Witney, recent support to The Strypes and reinvented Sophie E-B is, against all odds, a bigger FUNK COLLECTIVE: O2 Academy – The Seb Rochford is free to concentrate ever more OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit – Baroquesy Music from the theatrical pocket Nine Below Zero, plus veteran local blues-rockers star now than she’s ever been. Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band bring the party on Polar Bear (though he is also involved in OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern orchestra – see main preview Steamroller, kicking it out loud and proud in the FEAST OF FIDDLES: Nettlebed Folk Club new Orleans style once again as they top this POLAR BEAR: St John the Evangelist – The tradition of Cream and Hendrix. INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial, ebm, month’s Upstairs showcase, their fun, raucous blend Sons of Kemet), bringing some of his outside Brit-jazz champs tour their fifth album – see main darkwave and 80s club night. of classic swing, New Orleans hot jazz and r’n’b projects’ melodic inclinations to bear more nd WEDNESDAY 2 preview th OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit the brightest dance sound in town. They’re joined heavily in Polar Bear, while retaining the COASTS + DANCE A LA PLAGE + BLUE ZOO + PLEXIPHONES + DANIEL SATURDAY 5 OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern by Afro-pop fun bunnies Duchess; Arabic-hip hop group’s creative restlessness. With the release THE RELATIONSHIPS + MARY BENDYTOY: VAGUEWORLD: The Art Bar – An all-ages ZAPPI: The Art Bar – The reformed 80s synth- Turkobilly crew Brickwork Lizards and eight-piece of fifth album, `In Each and Every One’, Polar The Wheatsheaf – Oxford’s pop godfathers launch show from the reliably quality Daisy Rodgers pop/new wavers, best known for minor hit `Cry Boy th horn and percussion ensemble The Temple Funk Bear continue to find the relationship between their fourth album, `Phase’, awash with classy WEDNESDAY 9 Music tonight with Bristol’s tropical popsters Cry’, continue the comeback trail. Collective, giving the likes of Stevie Wonder and melody, groove and rhythm in inventively 60s-inspired psychedelic pop, wistful and full of HANNAH & THE LADS + VAGUEWORLD Coasts touring their new single, `A Rush of Blood’, RODNEY QUAKES + MATT CARTER + The Eurythmics some serious funky brass treatment. uneasy flux. The prominent guitar of 2010’s romantic regret. Lovely. Dramatic industrial goth + BRONWYN & SASCH + CARDBOARD coming in somewhere between Foals and Friendly SIMON DAVIES: The Jericho Tavern – Rodney NIGHTWORKERS + THE GRACEFUL `Peepers’ is replaced by heavier, denser rocking from Mary Bendytoy in support. CASTLE + KRYPTTIK: The Art Bar – It’s All Fires. They’re joined by Banbury’s fidgety funky Quakes. But why does Rodney quake? Because he SLICKS: The Cellar – Swaggering 60s-styled rock electronic textures, courtesy of Leafcutter SPIRO + MEGAN HENWOOD: The North About the Music bands showcase. popstrels Dance a la Plage and Abingdon’s soft- stole the king’s snuff and is about to be executed. in the vein of The Stones, Small Faces and Primal John, while saxophonists Mark Lockheart Wall, Summertown – Innovative, experimental centred rockers Vagueworld. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Community Scream from Brighton’s Nightworkers, supported by and Pete Wareham continue to defy easy jazz acoustic folk-dance from the Bristolian quartet, th Centre – Oxford’s longest-running and still best THURSDAY 10 local 60s-inspired psych-rock and garage faves The boundaries. The new album moves from almost drawing inspiration from the likes of Penguin Café rd open mic club continues to showcase singers, CANDY SAYS + CRYSTA BELL: The Holywell Graceful Slicks. ethereal ambience, all mournful sax drones, Thursday 3 Orchestra, Steve Reich and Lau as they bring an musicians, poets, storytellers, performance artists Music Room – Candy Says play a special launch 13 BURNING + DROPOUT + ARMCHAIR into more jolting, experimental percussive experimental edge to traditional folk, and back in and more as it builds up to its twentieth anniversary show for their debut album, `No Kings’, following COMMITTEE: The Art Bar – Rock and metal pieces, culminating in synthesized feedback THE town after selling out the Holywell Music Room last later this year. on from sold-out gigs at St Barnabus Church and the night. and raw percussion, never threatening to get time round. OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Albion Beatnik bookstore; a band always willing OFF THE RADAR: The Wheatsheaf – Oxford- too comfortable – fittingly obstinate stuff from IRREPRESSIBLES: COUNT DRACHMA + FREADA + JULIA OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston and able to do something unusual in a live setting, Reading rockers. MEIJER + CLARE EWAN: Fusion Arts Centre a band who ever since their 2005 Mercury they’re joined by chanteuse Crysta Bell, whose PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy The Cellar – Zulu folk music from the brothers Steadman’s prize nomination have striven to remain distant Rotating stages; giant mirror walls; eight-piece th unearthly, ethereal voice has seen her recording EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar from the mainstreams of any genre. FRIDAY 4 Count Drachma at tonight’s show, along with with both David Lynch and Klaus Schulze. Candy orchestras and towering torch songs. Not things LOST ALONE: O2 Academy – Bombastic, hook- MIDAS TOUCH: The Art Bar – Soul and r’n’b sweet, harmony-heavy acoustic folk from Jess and says are supporting her on her European tour but for you usually associate with The Cellar, but the heavy stadium-rocking from former-Intentions of club night with Solar Radio’s Ash Selecter. intimate instore show, with tea, cakes and scones as Ness’s Freada band, and recent arrival in town from tonight’s hometown show, they top the bill. wholly unexpected arrival of The Irrepressibles an Asteroid chap Steve Battelle and crew, leaning RECKLESS SLEEPERS + LAIMA BITE: well as Jess’s sweet, romantic strain of acoustic folk Sweden, Julia Meijer. LARRY MILLER: The Art Bar– Rocking blues to such an intimate venue has had us dreaming towards the epic way of things, somewhere between The Jolly Postboys, Florence Park – Summery music. GAWKEY + OXFORD JESTERS + DEAR from the UK guitarist at tonight’s Haven Club show, of just how they can carry their elaborate, often Muse, Green Day and Aerosmith as they tour third psychedelic folk-pop from the Sleepers, plus darkly BEARD OF DESTINY + TONY BATEY + SOMEONE: The Swan, Ascott-under-Wychwood inspired by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and spellbinding live show off. For the uninitiated, album, `Shapes of Screams’ emotive acoustic pop from Laima. MOON LEOPARD + MARK BOSLEY & PETE – Wychwood folk club’s first outing of the month. Gary Moore, and currently stating his claim to be The Irrepressibles are an ensemble formed SWITCH with GORGON CITY: O2 Academy STEAMROLLER: Kidlington Football Club Lock + JOELY: Donnington Community Centre PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy – one of the biggest draws on the blues circuit. by singer Jamie McDermott, a fantastically – The O2’s weekly electro club night hosts north HALF DECENT + PUNCHDRUNK MONKEY (6pm) – Free acoustic session with bluesman Beard Indie anthems at Propaganda every Saturday, with THE FAUNS + TOLIESEL: The Cellar – preening crooner with a neat line in desolate, London production duo Gorgon City, the pair’s CLUB + CHARLIE LEAVY: Castle House, of Destiny; veteran multi-instrumentalist Tony kitsch pop, glam and 80s at Trashy. Brooding, breathy shoegaze pop and cinematic torridly romantic torch songs and who appears smooth, soulful deep house anthem `Ready For Your Banbury – Inventive, lo-fi hip hop from Witney’s Batey; folkster Moon Leopard and Moiety chaps EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar – Weekly ambience from Bristol’s rather lovely Fauns, out to be an imperious hybrid of Elvis, Bryan Love’ having gone Top 5. Half Decent, plus Banbury’s teenage rockers Mark Bosley and Pete Lock. techno, house and bass club night. on tour to promote their second album, `Lights’, Ferry, Anthony Hegarty, Marc Almond and MUTAGENOCIDE + BONG CAULDRON Punchdrunk Monkeyclub. STEAMROLLER & GUESTS: The Cellar – The SIMPLE: The Art Bar – House and techno club released on Geoff Barrow’s Invada label. Having fairy queen Titania. He has surrounded himself + PIST + WELCOME BACK DELTA: The SONGS & SUPPERROOMS + ROSIE reformed blues-rockers celebrate the 40th anniversary night with PBR Streetgang. played alongside Savages, Durrutti Column and with a pocket orchestra that takes in a string Wheatsheaf – All the best bits of metal in one big, SUMMERS: Abingdon British Legion – Skittle of being the first band ever to play what was then THE REVELATORS: James Street Tavern – The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, they’ve been quartet, woodwind section, percussion and nasty beast of a band from Mutagenocide, the local Alley bands night. known as The Corndolly and remains Oxford’s Live blues and boogie. championed by Steve Lamacq and Clint Mansell, to keyboards, the perfectly choreographed nine- faves returning to live action and fusing elements longest-serving live music venue. The band kick it BEARD OF DESTINY: The Crown & Thistle, whom their sound owes no small debt. Somewhere piece swooning, swaying and jerking in intense of deathcore, tech-metal, Pantera-style thrash and th out in the style of Cream and Hendrix, with an array Abingdon – Blues from B.O.D at tonight’s Skittle between The Sundays, Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and SUNDAY 13 unity with McDermott’s alternately imperious classic NWOBHM into one mighty whole. They’re DEAF HAVANA + THE MAIN + THE PEOPLE of friends on hand to help out. Alley show. M83 you’ll find their lovely, lovely songs. and intimate songs. Yes it’s all highly camp, joined at tonight’s Buried in Smoke show by Leeds’ THE POET: O2 Academy – Pop-friendly stadium SANCTUM: Varsity Club – Metal club night CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community Centre a bit daft even, but equally it’s ambitious on a doomsters Bong Cauldron and Cheltenham’s rocking from Norfolk’s Deaf Havana, whose staying th playing heavyweight classics and new releases from OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon MONDAY 14 level that so many far more championed acts Clutch and Alice In Chains-inspired blues-grungers power sees them approaching veteran status as they across the genre. OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston MADDY PRIOR, GILES LEWIN & HANNAH can only dream about. Tonight’s show is part of Welcome Back Delta. BREEZE: Fat Lil’s, Witney release their new `Old Souls’ album, having recently JAMES: Nettlebed Folk Club – English folk a tour for new EP, `Nude: Viscera’, and chances SKYLARKIN SOUNDSYSTEM with MIGHTY supported both Muse and Springsteen. th legend Prior teams up with Giles Lewin and Hannah are you won’t see anything quite like this in LEAP + MR BENN + COUNT SKYLARKIN: th FRIDAY 11 MATT CARDLE: O2 Academy – Where to go and James for an intimate show at Nettlebed’s weekly Oxford for the rest of the year. The Cellar – Count Skylarkin hosts his monthly SUNDAY 6 MARTYR DE MONA + LEST WE FORGET + what to do for Matt Cardle, who seems to have spent RHODES: The Cellar – Sparse, plaintive acoustic folk session, following another worldwide Steeleye roots, dancehall, rocksteady and ska party in the DEAD MESA + ICON: O2 Academy – Anthemic his entire post-X-Factor pop career trying to escape pop from London singer-songwriter Rhodes, touring Span tour. company of Desta Zion Wilson’s six-piece reggae heavy rocking from the Midlands outfit out on tour. the epic schmaltz of `When We Collide’ and try to his new EP, `Raise Your Love’, recorded with Noah crew Mighty Leap, recent support to The Wailers KLUB KAKOFANNEY with FUZZY LOGIC + recapture the authenticity of his days as a singer in & the Whale’s Charlie Fink, following on from tour th and Susan Cadogan with their blend of deep VIENNA DITTO + THE AUGUST LIST: The a metal band. If he follows his heart, he’ll lose his TUESDAY 15 supports to Rufus Wainwright and Laura Marling. basslines, soulful melodies, sweet harmonies and Wheatsheaf – Klub Kak plays host to London’s audience. If he follows his audience, his soul will ALKALINE TRIO + BAYSIDER: O2 Academy HOWLING BELLS: The Jericho Tavern – Pop lively dancehall. Bristol’s bass bin botherer Mr dance mash-up party-starters Fuzzy Logic, alongside be the Devil’s for the taking. Poor Matt. Be careful – Coming up to 20 years together, Chicago’s pop- made by gloomy kittens. Gotta be good, right? – see Benn joins the Count on the decks for reggae party soulful synthesists Vienna Ditto and porch-folk duo what you wish for, kids. punk heroes come to Europe to tour new album main preview anthems into the wee small hours. The August List. JESS HALL: Albion Beatnik Bookstore (5pm) – `My Shame Is True’, keeping it both uplifting and DEXTERS: The Art Bar – Ballsy indie rocking BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Dancefloor Latin, Following on from her sold-out album launch show anthemic and lyrically dark and finding a musical from the London outfit on tour. MONDAY 7th Afrobeat, Balkan beats, global grooves and nu-jazz at the Holywell Music Room, local folkstress Jess middle ground between The Ramones, Still Little HAZEL O’CONNOR: The Cornerstone, Didcot AARON KEYLOCK: The Art Bar – Oxford’s club night, tonight featuring a live set from Manteca, Hall offers fans the chance of cream tea and and Fingers and Green Day. intimate instore with chamber-folk troubadour Owen REIGN + GIRLPOWER: The Cellar – Darker STEAMROLLER: The Plough, East Hendred FRIDAY 25th Tromans equally wry and reflective on his new than a black sun at midnight, slower than the REPLICA: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rock classics. LA CHIVA GANTIVA: O2 Academy – Afro- `Golden Margins’ album. Former-Witches frontman passing of time and heavier than all the world’s Colombian rhythms, funk, jazz and rock from the Dave Griffith reads from his poetry and music oceans, the mighty Undersmile fuse Earth, Swans, SUNDAY 20th multinational band, on tour to promote second Melvins and something evil from the Devil’s own works. DEEP COVER: The Cellar – Hip hop, r’n’b and album `Vivo’. doll’s house and make it metal. None more metal. SPARKY’S JAM NIGHT: James Street Tavern – reggae club night with a live set from local dub, SALVATION BILL + LIMBO KIDS: The Cellar Supreme hardcore violence from Girlpower, coming Open mic and jam night. roots and pop crew, Dublings. – Wry, emotive acoustic pop, soul and blues from FREERANGE: The Cellar – Drum&bass, hip hop in between Discharge, Halo of Flies and Nashville Salvation Bill, alongside the returning Limbo Kids, and dubstep club night. Pussy. st whose airy, fidget-pop is marking them out as ones THE SUN EXPLODES + VERA GRACE: The MONDAY 21 to watch locally, notably the excellent `Heartshots’, THURSDAY 17th Wheatsheaf – Double bill of riff mangling rock RAGLANS: O2 Academy – Laddish, anthemic a pop anthem in waiting. with Carlisle’s The Sun Explodes going up against rocking from the recent Strypes tour support, out LIES OF ELIZABETH + TOO MANY POETS NANGTNS HOUSE NIGHT: The Art Bar th Witney’s splenetic hardcore crew Vera Grace. on their first major headline tour to promote their Wednesday 30 th + BLUE SHIFT: The Art Bar – Blues and jazz- MISSING PERSIANS: Castle House, Banbury PUPPET MECHANIC + TONY BATEY + eponymous debut album having opened for HAIM Sunday 6 tinged rock from Lies of Elizabeth. SNOWBLIND: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Black Sabbath KOMRAD: The Art Bar – One Gig Closer to and The Courtenners. PULLED APART BY RUSHIL + THE STRING PROJECT + CLAIRE tribute. Wittstock fundraiser for July’s charity festival, HOWLING BELLS: LEMASTER + MEMENTO + TIM MAYO: tonight with monstrous prog-core-math-rock nd HORSES: The Art Bar The Cellar – It’s All About the Music local bands TUESDAY 22 th In the days before TV talent shows and the The Jericho Tavern monsters Komrad mixing brutality with quicksilver SATURDAY 26 showcase. MAGNUM: O2 Academy – The reformed British internet, bands would try and achieve a level of Having made their reputation with their technicality. Veteran local bluesman Tony Batey and A KILLER AMONGST US + FALLEN FROM HOLY FRIDAY: The Library – Count Skylarkin hard rockers hit the road again, reviving their 80s success on the back of hard work – getting in excellent eponymous debut album on Bella acoustic soulsters Puppet Mechanic support. GRACE + SANITY LOSS + CONTEK + rewinds to the middle of last decade as he returns to heyday, playing songs from Top 10 albums `Wings the back of a van and touring til they dropped. Union back in 2006 and subsequently PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy GODSBANE + NEVER FOUND: O2 Academy – The Library (The Brickworks as was) to relive his Of Heaven’, `Storyteller’s Night’ and `Vigilante’ Some bands still do this. Leeds’ Pulled Apart supported the likes of Coldplay, Snow Patrol, EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar Skeletor’s third New Breed showcase of rising metal early sound system party nights, playing a goodly as well as tracks from their latest `Escape From the By Horses are one of them and the packed Placebo, Editors, Mercury Rev and The Killers, NIKKI LLOYD: The Marsh Harrier, Cowley – and hardcore bands. mix of ska, reggae, dancehall, soul and more. Shadow Garden’ album. venues they now grace, and the riotous festival it seems slightly strange that Howling Bells Acoustic jazz, soul and folk balladry from the local GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with BLOOD CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community Centre YOUNG KATO: O2 Academy – Anthemic indie appearances that they put in, are testament to aren’t a bigger proposition than they are eight songstress. RED STARS + MONTMARTRE + BALLOON OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon rocking from Gloucestershire’s teen starlets, set for hard graft and an adherence to pure, unfettered years on. Having relocated to London from WHITE MAGIC: The Art Bar – Reggae night. ASCENTS: The Wheatsheaf – Another quality OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston arena-size success with their radio-friendly hybrid rock showmanship. Their Oxford debut, down their native Sydney, the long, cold English THE LINDA WATKINS BAND + THREE mixed bill of new bands at this month’s GTI, a of Coldplay, Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club, at the Wheatsheaf well over half a decade winters left their mark on the band, becoming PRESSED MEN: The Swan, Ascott-under- regular live music club far more of you should make th following on from hitting the Twittersphere big time ago, was witnessed by just eight people, but increasingly brooding as they melded country FRIDAY 18 Wychwood the effort to frequent if you know what’s good for when new single `Drink Dance Play’ was featured found Pulled Apart By Horses drenching the and the gloomier end of the indie spectrum, SWITCH with SKREAM: O2 Academy – The RANDOM HAND + GREAT BIG BARGAIN + you. Tonight sees a return to Oxford for Joe Allen on Made in Chelsea. venue in their own sweat and climbing every Juanita Stein’s breathy, kittenish vocals Magnetic Man man mans the decks at this week’s SOUND OF SWAMI: Castle House, Banbury – with his new band Montmartre, a glitch, uneasy JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Free live jazz from mix of folky melodies and jarring electronics. He’s scalable surface in the room. All the while lending the band a sound that found them Switch, man – see main preview Yorkshire’s frenetic ska-punk / metalcore veterans The Hugh Turner Band. compared to The Velvet Underground and FRACTURE + ONE WING LEFT + THE head out on tour in support of their new album. joined by rising young indie types Balloon Ascents, sounding like Nation of Ulysses updated for OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit and Abingdon’s fuzzy/baggy-pop newcomers Blood the 21st Century, or The Jesus Lizard wired to a Mazzy Star early on. Prone to label hopping, KITES + BALLOON ASCENTS: O2 Academy – OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern their second album for Independiente was It’s All About the Music takes to the big stage with Friday 18th Red Stars. perpetual motion machine – frenzied frontman tonight’s showcase of new local bands, including NORTHEAST CORRIDOR + VIENNA DITTO Tom Hudson certainly has a bit of the David more polished and synthetic, which is where rd the criticism started. Their third, `The Loudest rocking blues from Fracture; electro-tinged indie- SWITCH with WEDNESDAY 23 + CHARMS AGAINST THE EVIL EYE + THE Yow about him as he cavorts on-, and often off- Engine’, this time for Cooking Vinyl, was a folk from The Kites, and Radiohead-inspired indie NEW MODEL ARMY: O2 Academy – Justin BAD & THE VULGAR: The Cellar – Local rock stage, his band are an awesome fusion of art- return to form in some ways, leaning towards from Balloon Ascents. SKREAM: Sullivan’s enduring agit-punk warriors return newcomers Northeast Corridor head up tonight’s It’s metal, tightly-wound hardcore and belligerent, a more psychedelic pop sound, but still awash THOMAS TRUAX + THE AUGUST LIST + to town for the first time in many years, still not All About the Music show, alongside blues’n’synth angular punk fury. Explosive but tightly with uplifting misery, and with a new album HUCK: The Art Bar – Thomas Truax is once again O2 Academy backing down from their militant, anthemic rock duo Vienna Ditto and more. focussed, they’re consummate noise-rock due, a return to early form and an upturn in the guest of Pindrop Performances, the eccentric Switch, the Academy’s weekly electro club sound and earnest adherence to anti-war and counter EZIO: The Jericho Tavern – Ezio describe entertainers. They also have a neat line in song fortunes are surely due. singer and musician well known round these parts night, has pulled in some serious names since culture message, playing songs from new album themselves as “deep, honest, emotional songs that titles; who couldn’t love a band with songs for his array of bizarre, self-created instruments, it started just over a year ago, notably an early `Between Wolf and Dog’, as well as long-time live hit a raw nerve,” which makes them sound like a trip called `E=MC Hammer’, `I Punched a Lion In favourites `Vagabonds’, `51st State’ and `No Rest’. to the dentist, rather than the bluesy Americana they FORTUNES + TOM DIBB: O2 Academy – like the hornicator, and richly poetic roots-pop. He’s appearance from Disclosure, but tonight’s set the Throat’, or `Back To The Fuck Yeah’? Get yer clogs on. seem to peddle. Hmm, not sure about this one. This isn’t veteran 60s joined tonight by backwoods porch-folk duo The from Skream is up among the best of them. STORYTELLER: The Wheatsheaf RICHARD DIGANCE: The Swan, Ascott-under- harmony group The Fortunes, and it’s not Texan August List, and poetic bluesman Huck, playing a Croydon’s Oliver Jones is one of the original th solo set. Wychwood – Wychwood Folk Club hosts the TUESDAY 29 metallers Fortunes and there’s nothing online to dubsteppers, part of Magnetic Man with Benga YES: The New Theatre – Best known for their SCARLET VIXENS + GEMMA MOSS: The th veteran folk singer, comedian and Cropredy Festival hear as far as we can detect, but apparently they’ve and Artwork, and with 2005’s `Midnight THURSDAY 24 epic, symphonic prog-rock opuses of the 70s, Yes Wheatsheaf – Burlesque dance from Reading’s host, touring songs from his long career, including supported Olly Murs, Jessie Jay and Lawson in Request Line’, created one of the genre’s RODDY WOOMBLE: The Art Bar – While for continue to tour, original members coming and Scarlet Vixens, plus theatrical electro-pop and recent albums `This Is Great Britain’ and `The Toast recent times, so chances are they’re utterly bloody defining early records. It was his stunning many Roddy will forever be him out of Idlewild, going, seemingly at will, Chris Squire currently the performance art from Gemma Moss. of Christmas Past’. brilliant, right? remix of La Roux’s `In For The Kill’ that since going solo he’s carved out a completely only founder still in the line-up, where he’s joined SOUTHERN BLUES FIASCO + VIRGIL & PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy STEADY HANDS + FREADA: The Cellar – threatened to take him into the mainstream, transformed image for himself as a folk troubadour. by fellow veterans Steve Howe and Alan White, as THE ACCELERATORS + MEAN MONTAGE: EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar Chamber folk-pop from Steady Hands, alongside gutting the retro electro-pop original and taking Even back when he was fronting Idlewild he was well as new singer Jon Davison, who at least shares The Jericho Tavern – Classic southern blues, RECKLESS SLEEPERS + PURPLE MAY: The acoustic folk trio Freada. it somewhere fantastically dark. She returned prone to delving into his Scottish folk heritage and a first name with the band’s definitive vocalist. `Fly southern rock, boogie and country from Allman James Street Tavern JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Free live jazz with the favour, adding vocals to his second album, his warm, welcoming voice is perfect for a brand of From Here’ came out last year so expect plenty of Brothers-influenced local rockers Southern Blues SHEPHERD’S PIE: Fat Lil’s, Witney - Heavy The New Jazz Collective. `Outside of the Box’, which showed Skream’s Highland and Island music that recalls roaring fires material from that alongside pieces from across their Fiasco, plus hard rocking, riff-heavy blues-rock and rock covers. OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit desire to escape dubstep’s cool confines for a in Hebridean taverns, where endless whisky and extensive career. classic rock’n’roll from Virgil & the Accelerators, OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern more melodic edge and taking in everything desolation sit hand in hand. DON’T GO PLASTIC + THE KITES + JAMIE the young band discovered by Otis Grand when th from hip hop and garage to pop and ambient HOT HOOVES + DEPUTEES: The Cellar – SUNDAY 27 CRUICKSHANK: The Cellar – Local bands Virgil was only 12 years old and subsequently WEDNESDAY 16th electronica. Such a push for commercial Melodic fuzz-pop from the mighty Hot Hooves, PUNCH DRUNK MONKEY CLUB + EYES OF showcase. mentored by Joe Bonamassa as well as touring with success is usually frowned on by purists but mixing arch songsmithery with a whole barrel of VERONA + FIRE ANTS: The Art Bar – Local PAUL THOMAS SAUNDERS: The Art Bar – JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar Joanne Shaw-Taylor. Inspired by the likes of Led while mainstream radio has studiously avoided noise in the vein of Husker Du, Guided By Voices unsigned bands showcase. Graceful, almost ethereal psychedelic melancholy Zep, ZZ Top and Alvin Lee, theirs is a frenetic but most dubstep, he’s helped make inroads that and Teenage Fanclub. from Leeds’ Paul Thomas Saunders, recalling the th cleverly textured take on classic sounds. few others have managed, and even the likes HEIDI TALBOT: The Cornerstone, Didcot th WEDNESDAY 30 otherworldly pleasures of Mew and Geneva as well MONDAY 28 FLIES+FLIES + MUTES: The Cellar – Arty alt. – The County Kildare folk singer returns to the PULLED APART BY HORSES: The Art Bar – as the misty-eyed pop of Fleet Foxes at times. of Britney Spears were soon pricking up their BUDDY WHITTINGTON: The Art Bar– Electric rocking and dark electronic soundscaping from Cornerstone with new album `Angels Without Out of their van, out of their cage, and ready to rock. HEADCOUNT + SPACE HEROES OF THE ears. blues rocking from Texan guitarist Whittington, London’s Flies+Flies, with support from recent One Wings’, the former-Cherish the Ladies vocalist, who Like bastards – see main preview PEOPLE + ZEE ZEE BA BA: The Wheatsheaf previously part of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers for Note Forever singings Mutes. has collaborated with the likes of Idlewild, Kris WHISKEY MOONFACE + GREEN – Moshka club night with punk-metal heavyweights 15 years, before heading out as a bandleader in his PROGRESSIVELY LESS ELEPHANT: The Art Drever, Eddie Reader and husband John McCusker, CHILDREN OF THE WOLF PIT: The Cellar – Headcount kicking out a brutish but tuneful mix of own right. Bar – Indie, electro-pop, Motown and more. drawing comparisons to such disparate influences as Gypsy folk-flavoured chamber pop from Whiskey Killing Joke, Therapy? and the Banshees, drawing PAUL DOWNES & PHIL BEER: Nettlebed Bjork, Kirsty MacColl and Nora Jones. Moonface, plus trad folk from Green Children. from a deep well of personal/political rage. They’re Folk Club – Traditional English folk tunes from the th TESS OF THE CIRCLE: The Jericho Tavern – SIMPLE: The Art Bar – Mayday Eve house party joined by excellent acid-house/electro-pop duo SATURDAY 19 longstanding compadres. Elegant folk-rock from the local newcomers based with Trevino and Pariah. Space Heroes and lo-fi newcomers Zee Zee Ba Ba. PATTIE RUSSO: O2 Academy – Giant-lunged soul, rock and epic balladry from Meatloaf’s regular around singer/songwriter Tess Jones. OWEN TROMANS + DAVE GRIFFITHS + Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion in the gig guide is 6pm on the 20th of each month - no vocal foil and tour support, who has also sung for SMASH DISCO: The Library – Free live punk, LUCKYFINGER + JAMES SUMMERFIELD: exceptions. Call 01865 372255 (10am-6pm), or email listings to [email protected]. Gig list- Queen and Cher. hardcore and noise-rock. Bands to be announced. Albion Beatnik Bookstore – Pindrop presents an ings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be reproduced without permission. UNDERSMILE + GOD SPEED + CROWS CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community Centre BONOBO / CATCHING FLIES LET SPIN LIVE O2 Academy The Art Bar Let Spin are a relatively new band, the catchiest tune of the night, while We have to feel sorry for tonight’s quality that grabs the attention of photo: Jo Cox formed in 2012 to fill a gap when `The Change is Coming’ includes opener Catching Flies. Not only does the crowd completely. There’s very another band had to withdraw from a a delightful middle-eastern riff he have to warm the crowd up for the little showmanship in tonight’s show and on the evidence of this gig and `Deezer’ carries an Ethiopian undeniably impressive Bonobo stage performance, but it’s unnecessary; their coming together was a happy groove. `How To Woo a Dolphin’ show with nothing but a Macbook watching Bonobo mastermind Simon accident indeed. (we’re glad someone knows), is and a mixing desk, someone has also Green take control of the stage, All the members have or are playing influenced by Americana and shows decided to keep his set extremely using both live bass and a sample in other bands from the genre, the band’s excellent ensemble playing quiet. As a result, the crowd pays pad, whilst other musicians flood on crossing the rockier, punkier end of at its best, while `Buy our CD’ him little attention, milling about and and off, painstakingly recrafting his the UK jazz scene. Lead guitarist has sax lines that veer from lyrical chatting with occasional, disinterested downtempo, glitchy trip-hop for a Moss Helm is joined by electric supplication to a shrieking demand. glances at the stage, as if to check the live audience, is spectacle enough. bassist Ruth Goller, alto saxophonist It’s very different from the Art Bar’s venue hasn’t just slung a pre-recorded A simple but extensive light show Chris Williams and drummer Finlay usual Tuesday Jazz where good local mix up on the PA. Such apathy isn’t and generous amounts of dry ice Painter in a collective enterprise in musicians play pleasing versions entirely unjustified; although we create the perfect environment for an which all four compose. of Miles Davis, Antonio Jobim, can appreciate the power of a good effervescent, visceral performance, With their history it’s no surprise Sonny Rollins and other jazz masters hypnotic beat, and Catching Flies’ effortlessly adding layer upon layer that they play plenty of joyously tunes. The student crowd arriving music has a great, chilled vibe, the to build complex, interesting textures raucous music and at times it seems in numbers after eleven are initially first half hour of the set revolves that are supremely danceable. we’re listening to an experimental bemused, but Let Spin’s verve wins entirely around the same single idea. Szjerdene Fox joins the band on rock band over which Williams lays them over and with the band also Things step up towards the end when stage to fulfill her vocal duties on anarchic sax lines. But there are also enjoying playing a rock venue, they some variation is added to the mix, much of Bonobo’s recent album, ‘The more delicate phrases and melodies feed of each other. but there simply isn’t enough depth to North Borders’. A particular highlight and other diverse influences The closing number, the hold anyone’s attention. of the night comes with the addition alongside the riotous sounds. appropriately titled, heavily rock- There’s something decidedly of songwriter Grey Reverend, who Tonight’s opener is a fast-paced influenced `Up and At Them’ has unexciting about watching a producer, orchestrates a stripped-back version heavy groove with angular guitar terrific drumming and guitar and no matter how good, standing in of his own collaboration with Green, lines, some uncompromising sax sax in paint-stripper mode, and front of his laptop twiddling knobs. ‘First Fires’, centering around a and a surprisingly gentle ending. the crowd calling for an encore. That’s why it’s so great to see soulful acoustic guitar and vocal Such a blast of an opening gambit The acclaim is deserved. Visceral Bonobo transcending this stereotype performance. All in all it’s hard is followed by the more meditative yet subtle, energetic, diverse yet and surrounding himself with a full not to be captivated by tonight’s but still intense `Castle Sea Ferry’, coherent, and accessible, all apply to band of stellar musicians, bringing performance. Watching Bonobo is a with drums and bass guitar to this very alive performance from an his music to life with lush strings, thoroughly different live experience, the fore. `102 Hill Street’ has an exciting band. closes the show with a reworking of brass, flute and saxophone. The an impressive spectacle and a breath irresistible bass line as a hook and is LISSIE / NORMA JEAN MARTINE Danzig’s ‘Mother’ it demonstrates live drums are particularly striking, of fresh air. Colin May O2 Academy that Lissie is not only able to release lending tracks a dynamic, expressive Tal Fineman her own stand out tracks, but also to It seems odd that Lissie has failed its album counterpart. Whether she’s belting out the reimagine those of others, moving a to make her way up the charts Still, it’s `Record Collector’ which uptempo numbers, or delivering metal number to a powerful pop-rock as predicted. Despite moderate really sees the band come in to its something far more heartfelt sound. SONS OF BILL / THE DREAMING success with her albums, it seems own, the start slowed down before like ‘Back To Forever’ her vocals Nevertheless, while I’d once have the singles have failed to reach culminating in a frenzied ending; this never falter. argued Lissie’s vocal force was an SPIRES the heights that Sony might have is coupled with the almost grinding Interestingly it’s also this song which unrivalled sound to be reckoned The Art Bar expected. The solution it seems is guitar accompaniment to `When sees the guy who’s been talking at with tonight she might have met her Stripped down to a three-piece due to drifting into view like sea fog, lap an independent release, and this I’m Alone’, highlighting Lissie’s full volume throughout the gig finally match in the form of her support, economies of touring, The Dreaming steel hovering just out of view like opens up tonight’s set to feature musical prowess. Elsewhere, rocky switch his chatter for singing. Though Norma Jean Martine. While ‘No Spires get to air their rockier side at a hawk. Very soon though they’re songs from earlier in her catalogue b-side `Shroud’ further confirms her his vocal harmonies leave a lot to Gold’ carries a more bluesy style, her times tonight, Joe Bennett flailing pumping out big blue-collar country- rather than just focussing on latest musical capacity, while `Love In The be desired, it does indicate Lissie’s ability to tear into the vocals at the at his bass with a Pete Townsend- rock anthems like `River of Jordan’ LP `Back To Forever’. The result City’ serves to remind the crowd of ability to delight a mixed crowd. end suggests a more pop styling, and like flourish, while the band strip that Springsteen would be proud to is a show which opens with a her vocal power. In fact, Lissie makes Tonight the venue is packed with this is apparent in the guitar-led ‘Only back their airy alt.country to basics call his own, the three brothers, Sam, cover of Hank Williams’ `Wedding the whole thing seem so simple it’s children and adults alike, who all In My Mind’. A name to watch; it to the point they sometimes sound Abe and James Wilson (Bill’s sons) Bells’ before moving into the easy to lose sight of this vocal ability, seem to hang on to different parts of might not be long before Norma is like a slick, simple 60s beat group. switching lead roles to make the atmospheric `Bully’, a version that which is the very thing which makes the set. This diversity is also seen in rivalling Lissie for the headline spot. Some things never change of course: most of their different voices, which bears only a minimal resemblance to the set so noteworthy. her song choices and as she Lisa Ward brother Robin is still possessed of various suit the pathos-filled ballads a voice that is reedy, plaintive and or rollicking barroom roustabouts, guitarist Mike Bingham described Listing Ships’s husky by turns, wringing just the which can get you to thinking about LISTING SHIPS / MAIIANS / BIG TROPICS new material as having ‘a bit of Sabbath thrown right amount of emotion from songs Tom Petty and REM one minute, in for good measure’ and this is very much in like `Everything All the Time’, while Wilco the next. The slower, hushed The Cellar evidence tonight as the post-rockers deliver a name-checking Teenage Fanclub pieces are best, filled with a sense Days of studiously ignoring support acts, contempt spin-off Maiians – twin drummers propelling an coruscating sequence of songs, far heavier than in his lyrics before Joe unleashes of epic melancholy, though James’s written over audiences’ faces, are long behind us absolute corker of a set, almost-Ibiza like in its we’ve seen from them before. Hence, the reverb his inner Roy Orbison on new song between song stories and musings, in this perhaps overly polite new century. That recall of the 90s and the forgotten likes of Banco from ‘Alba Adriatica’ rips through the room, `When the Magic Comes’. If they delivered with a rich drawl, reveal said, when the bands themselves are this good, de Gaia and The Drum Club, while there are recalling the swell of a heavy tide, most apt given do occasionally get bogged down in a band with rich humour to match lofty hauteur is even less of an option. Big Tropics occasional hints of the drum&bass of LTJ Bukem, the tendency the band have to record in nautical earnest country-rock jamming, as on their songwriting. They’re very are a brand new name playing their first gig and a a blissed-out soundscape with added sax that gets environments, about to be in evidence on the `Not Every Song From the 60s is a much a cult concern in the UK so far, pulsatingly original slot it turns out to be, lolloping the audience truly bopping. With the magnificent upcoming release,`The Flat Holm Island Sessions’. Classic’, they’re always capable of barely known beyond in-the-know synths vaguely recalling the indie-dance of the Aeronauts perhaps overly prone to indulge in It’s an authoritative, confident performance which rescuing themselves with a song like Americana aficionados, but with a early 90s as well as the hipster eclecticism of line-up changes, could these guys supersede their inevitably recalls Mogwai and Godspeed You! `We Used To Have Parties’, a sombre, new EP specifically released for the James Murphy. Opener ‘Streetlight’ is perhaps parent group? Showpiece track ‘Lemon’ has little Black Emperor at their most weighty, providing tender set highlight right at the end. European market just out, hopefully heading for Nightshift’s tracks of the year list to do with the U2 ditty of the same name, recalling a darker twist on old favourites such as ‘Then The hush that descends as Sons of set to make a reputation that will already, while the curiously named ‘Sylvester’s Fuck Buttons at their best – and that’s no mean Venice Sank’ and ‘American Steam Company’ – Bill start their set is almost tangible. make their dear old dad very proud Stores’ helps maintain the tempo until the end. feat. but this is Maiians’ night. Not just from the crowd but from the indeed. That’s a pace that is maintained by We Aeronauts In a recent edition of Oxfordshire Music Scene, Robert Langham band themselves, their opening song Dale Kattack BETA BLOCKER & THE BODY photo: Johnny Moto LIVE CLOCK / BLACK CASINO & THE GHOST / POLEDO photo: Marc West photo: Marc Jericho Tavern Controlled intensity is the secret of plying their unique bluesy, neurotic a good band. Couple it to a talent for fairground waltzes at the Port Mahon. songwriting and you’ve got yourself a Now bolstered by Gary Kilminster ticket to ride. on bass and Kula Shaker drummer Poledo passionately gutsy up The Paul Winter-Hart, the same off- Cribs’ melodic vibe with a man- kilter elements remain but given sized portion of Washington state a bombastic epicness in songs like slacker, and are quite rightly causing `Boogeyman’, while they still retain a drooling stir among local promoters the supernatural knack of becoming and gig-goers alike. Everything they ethereal in `Ballad of a Ghost’. do seems weirdly famous already, BC&TG have spent years perfecting it like the calling intro to `Loser’; once all, and on this, their first tour, it shows. heard, you’ll never get it out of your Beneath a striking projection of head, with its guarantee to provoke geometric perspective, Beta Blocker festival moshpits given a chance, & The Body Clock present what while `King of Cool’ is an exquisite they say is a set of new material, a piece of structured lyricism glittering hazy, disconnected, psycho-delia that among the almost throwaway rock- makes me feel I’m laid in a sunny, partying. peopled park, drifting in a lysergic Black Casino & the Ghost too have reverie between two distant transistor mastered all the ingredients to go a radios, one playing trancey west long way. If a voice can possibly be African music, the other the Stone HD then Elisa Zoot has it. Like a kung Roses’ `I Wanna Be Adored’. The fu short punch, it seems effortless, yet resulting mash up, far from being floors you with its power because it is random in the skilled hands of the two delivered from deep within, without singers, shows a great deal of thought all the usual arm waving, hollering, and focus, as they take us eight miles athletics. It’s many years since Elisa high while staking a mighty good and her partner, Ariel Lerner, played claim to being the soundtrack of the together in the city. Back in 2008 summer. they were a simple duo, Reverse E, Paul Carrera

Royal Blood having been deemed WE ARE SCIENTISTS / THE DIAMOND FAMILY ARCHIVE / ROYAL BLOOD / TIGERCUB Ones To Watch In 2014, there’s a sizeable and enthusiastic crowd SUPERFOOD THE AUGUST LIST / JULIA MEIJER The Art Bar present (here in Oxford we’re The problem with the recent crop of along for the ride from Brighton Its predecessor, ‘Out Of The Black’, nothing if not obedient) and in O2 Academy Port Mahon grunge revivalists is that they seem by headliners Royal Blood, who was an equally accomplished feeling disappointed I freely admit Birmingham’s Superfood are an Naturally delivering quick, funny It’s a mix of contemporary and alt- Town Crow’. They accessorise to have all of the signifiers but none have in turn enjoyed the influential pastiche of Muse and Rage Against to being in a minority, perhaps energetic four-piece. Latest single patter, We Are Scientists could have folk that brings us unfashionably throughout: harmonica, bass and of the substance. Tigercub are a case patronage of Arctic Monkeys – Alex The Machine. of one. The hype has left the duo `TV’ is a deceptively organised clatter been comedians if they hadn’t been early to the Port Mahon, calling tambourine pedals; we’re less sold in point. Frontman Jamie Hall has Turner and company apparently Unfortunately, tonight it transpires perched precariously on a pedestal, of guitars and vocals that sounds so good at creating infectious indie a conspicuously absent friend, with the melodica (more or less ever, the Cobain rasp, the ‘Goo’ T-shirt not content with merely styling that ‘Little Monster’, casually lobbed there to be shot at from grassy like a lost Blur anthem with its hooks. Murray plays the straight man, convinced that he’d love Swedish so that might just be a personal thing), and the curtain of hair to hide behind themselves on Queens Of The Stone into the middle of the too-short knolls (or the darkened corners of catchy, stop-and-start refrain. Singer allowing Cain to bounce spontaneous import Julia Meijer. Her solo demos but it’s a thankfully brief appearance (not that it works very convincingly, Age but determined to find and encore-less set, and closer ‘Out Of small gig venues) by snide snipers Dom Ganderton’s delivery gives monologues off him. Their self- are awesome, but it’s an unexpected and doesn’t detract from an uplifting given that he’s about eight feet champion other bands with similar The Black’, tower over everything like myself – unfairly so, really. their upbeat songs a healthy dose deprecating humour belies their rock trio on stage tonight in their first gig performance. tall), but his band’s material is as aspirations. Given that the muted ‘... else in their repertoire like, well, There’s plenty of promise, but they of cynicism, rolling his eyes as he star stage presence. Murray wields together. Julia delivers simple but The Diamond Family Archive are unremarkable and pedestrian as he Like Clockwork’ suggested QOTSA Jamie Hall did over the front row. need time and space to be able to complains “You wear yourself out” his guitar dangerously, jumping heartfelt lyrics over acoustic guitar, two men hunched over drum-kit and is eager to express gratitude for the had forgotten their way around a The rest – ‘Hole’, ‘Figure It Out’, develop and grow organically – time on the otherwise bright and jangly around like he’s fighting a fairly even her vocals soulful, haunting, and guitar, the prolific Laurence Collyer opportunity to go on tour. At least rock song, the chunky riffage of ‘Come On Over’, ‘Loose Change’ – and space that, sadly, they’re now `Bubbles’. With such a catalogue of competition with gravity. Their set hugely endearing. Andrew Warne on on the edge of his seat, glorious beard The Vines had a couple of songs. Royal Blood’s recent single ‘Little are little more than a blur of leaden- unlikely to be granted. fun, yet sophisticated indie rock, it’s seems effortless and their performance guitar and Seb Reynolds (of Flights almost tangled in his strings. Their Tigercub have been brought Monster’ was very welcome indeed. footed blues-metal. Ben Woolhead highly unlikely Superfood will be the lends more to the songs than you of Helios) on keys and dials add appearance belies the grand sound they are capable of, encompassing post- bridesmaids of touring much longer. can get from listening to their music depth; the reverb peaks on `Sanibel’ are a nice addition. There’s a little rock style soundscapes with firmly Kicking off their world tour tonight, recorded. They play a generous mix of electromagnetic sounds emitted by our nervousness, having apparently only rooted trad-folk sensibilities. Collyer’s We Are Scientists incite the crowd songs from loved hits to material from AUDIOGRAFT FESTIVAL surroundings. The best of the exhibitions and rehearsed their short set a handful of voice pitched high and searching, he with `After Hours’. Even ex- latest album `TV en Francais’, which performances alike here share an infectious times, but plenty of potential. Judging meanders through abstract narrative Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows they promoted in Truck Store a few Various venues curiosity and determination to explore both sound by the praise coming Julia’s way with a careful lethargy on tracks like is grinning widely as though playing hours earlier with an acoustic set for an Despite being a week of people sawing bits off marginally upsetting recreation of what I imagine and place – here, enthusiasm trumps esotericism. afterwards, the nerves are unfounded. `Ye Poor & Maimed’. With frantic the song is a pleasant surprise to him. audience seemingly playing sardines. saxophones, miking up saucepans and wandering Jan Svankmajer’s kitchen must look like, and a And all of that’s before you even get to the The August List are local hill- finger-picking and punctuated rhythms After the strong start singer Keith Doomsayer Cain introduces around the city like headphone-clad haunted genuinely warm and almost moving experience sound art pub quiz, sonic bingo games, musical dwellers who are having a great time they craft crescendos over drone Murray turns to reprove bassist Chris cheerfully: “During this song an Cybermen across nine venues, Audiograft has created by Dawn Scarfe using sine waves, wine looms constructed from Lego bricks and the making foot-stomping frontier country notes, reverb, loops and a wonderful Cain: “Well that was a dramatic airplane could crash into this building still managed to fly under the radar somewhat. To glasses and a couple of turntables. musical cookery of the Sonic Catering Band (no songs. Starting out strong with `Forty moment of tremolo with a violin introduction cut short by… what are and we could all die. So if you like delve into its programme is to discover a striking Mixed in with the sine waves, tape loops and doubt available to perform a double catering and Rod of Lightning’, the husband-and- bow. It’s captivating stuff, with little repertoire of musicians and artists approaching electronics is a charming part of the festival keen entertainment function for the more adventurous you testing?” he tuts. “I have a lot of this song, really get into it. If you wife duo, Martin and Kerraleigh talk between songs (Collyer has to sound from every angle and consistently, restlessly to pay tribute to the city it calls home. Liminal’s wedding planners out there). pedals!” Cain replies helplessly, “and don’t, throw someone else’s shoe at Child, are inescapably energetic. The be reminded to thank the audience for wondering what’s possible. recordings of four sound walks from Christchurch An absolute treasure of a festival that Oxford’s I don’t remember what most of them us.” With that, they launch into `It’s pace is set by his driving guitar and coming out). The crowd-requested Among the boundary-pushing highlights are Lynn cathedral played through four spaced pairs of more adventurous music lovers – and those with are”. The opening riff of `Nobody A Hit’. They’re spared the shoes as journeyman drawl, which sounds `Close To The Grave’ is a nicely Loo & Guy Sherwin’s audiovisual projection speakers is the spirit of Oxford transported into the even a passing interest in the sounds of the world Move, Nobody Get Hurt’ starts a sing- everyone is too busy dancing like great with her high notes, showcased circumspect finisher to an atmospheric crossover, coming across like Merzbow scoring Holywell Music Room, while Christina Kubisch’s around us – should hold close to their hearts. along so powerful that Murray might there’s no tomorrow. perfectly, along with some excellent set. BBC schools programmes; Rie Nakajima’s Electrical Walks invites us to tune into the hidden Stuart Fowkes as well sneak off for a drink. Celina Macdonald storytelling, on set highlight `High Sean O’Reilly have the unenviable task of following directly on from Girl DUB MAFIA FOXES Power, which is not something any The Cellar O2 Academy band would gladly contemplate. Beyond the Cellar (and occasionally the Foxes has spent quite a while getting to a Whether it’s the fact that they’re Academy), there’s precious little by way place that feels as if it doesn’t exactly fit her. following a behemoth on stage, of reggae, dub or breakbeat in the indie- This very week `Let Go For Tonight’ has or just that they’re jittery, and folk haven that is Oxford’s venue circuit. It given Louisa Rose Allen her first solo top ten their songs are a little flimsy and makes appearances like that of Dub Mafia single, two years after her first release; she’s lightweight is hard to ascertain. It all the more surprising, but certainly more spent the intervening time floating around the is fair to say that they don’t really memorable. blogosphere, warbling with – among others make too much of an impression. Tonight’s gig is heralded by eponymous club – Fall Out Boy and collaborators du jour Girlpower photo: Sam Shepherd Back at the start of the evening, The host Count Skylarkin appearing out of the Disclosure, winning a Best Dance Recording Neon Violets set about returning the ether (or the DJ box, either one) pouring slugs Grammy with Zedd for the soaring `Clarity’, venue to a time when immersive of rum into the mouths of the front row like explaining her fashion style on Vevo and acid-fried rock ruled the land some benevolent alcoholic deity. presumably being groomed to within an inch with a velvet glove and matching Mere seconds later the crowd are packed like of her life by Sony. pantaloons. Committing themselves twitchy sardines, trying to remove the paint Tonight the Southampton chanteuse entirely to the sound is where The from the ceiling with their foreheads. Dub pirouettes around with neither nerves nor THE OXFORD RECORD Neon Violets succeed; this is no Mafia – the former represented by turntables arrogance; the rumbling drums and piano DVD & CD FAIR homage or pastiche, it is purely and synth, the latter by three brothers on of her two musicians remind me of Bastille, about revelling in the ability of drum, bass and guitar – are a live six-piece, and for all I know they might actually be in St ALDATES PARISH CENTRE drone and walls of sound to create rounded off by spectacular frontwoman Eva Bastille, for all that band’s radio-friendly 40 Pembroke St, St Aldates, OX1 1BP changes in the mind. Get swept Lazarus. Tight, energetic, and brash in the pleasant-indie-by-numbers sterility. th away in the tide of reverb, delay and best possible way, they throw out breakbeat Her better-known songs are the anthemic Saturday 26 April desert-baked guitars and it’s just rhythms: drum&bass to jungle and as many exhilaration of `Let Go For Tonight’ and the 10am-4pm possible that by the end of the set, a other reggae sub-genres as they feel like – advertiser’s dream, `Youth’, but it’s her less moment of clarity will be achieved. bass that threatens to bust the amp stacks, showy ones – the isn’t-the-world-a-difficult- Rock/pop/jazz/soul/reggae/indie/all other genres Also committing themselves to an and fuzzy low-end synth cut up with staccato place-to-believe-in-yourself winsome Accessories/memoriabillia/books. aesthetic is Girl Power. Featuring samples. Lazarus’ vocals run from soul to electro-pop of stuff like `Beauty Queen’ Brand new and back catalogue/Rare Vinyl not a single girl (but members of MC, and upcoming single `Hero’ has the and `Holding Onto Heaven’ – that seem to www.usrfairs.co.uk Agness Pike and Sextodecimo), vocal hook of a future floor-filler. `Selecta’ reveal the truer, more contemplative her. Her they’ve taken on the pseudonyms brings dancehall off-beats and dubstep-like forthcoming album’s title track, `Glorious’, Brother Theresa, Olivia Neutron dropout midway, and over a gravelly vox- is, she explains, about not giving up, and Flash Harry Sound Systems Bomb, and Stephen Nicks, which mod, the relentless pace of `Under the Radar’ believing there’s beauty in the world; it could keeps the whole crowd bouncing under the be banal, but she’s not pretending it’s deeper Compact & potent PA systems, at least shows willing. Where The ranging from 1.5k to 5.5k Neon Violets were dreamy and lights of the Cellar sweatbox. than it is. inclusive, Girl Power are aggressive In an era of one-man choon-factory DJs, Dub The Swaythling songstress is Cath Kidston Bose Speakers, Chevin amplifiers, and confrontational. Mafia’s live presence is gratifying. They are a to Katy Perry’s Topshop, and her “people” Midas Gold mixing desk. Taking their lead primarily from six-person challenge to try and stand still. need to be unashamed about it. The All the graphics, gates & compressors Afterwards, amid the breathless adoration marketing image gives her a Charli XCX MOLOTOV SEXBOMB / A RELUCTANT ARROW / US hardcore, it would be easy to necessary to make your band dismiss them as being in thrall to of the sweaty throng, Lazarus explains or Sky Ferreira vibe, but it’s stripped her how the energy from the band throws her of Marina-style quirk; even if this is the or event sound delicious. their heroes, but that simply isn’t the GIRL POWER / THE NEON VIOLETS headlong into such a massive stage presence. way she’s naturally musically developing, Please contact James Serjeant case. So there’s elements of Black In this, their first show of their tour, she is the whole currently somewhat mismatched The Wheatsheaf Flag, early Amphetamine Reptile, on 079 1914 7350 unstoppable on stage, a human feedback-loop package feels commercial for commercial’s If an old football cliché can be was entirely upside down. odds with their name. It suggests and sludgier fare like Flipper on or [email protected] between band, song and crowd that keeps sake, a last-ditch attempt to thrust a talent allowed for just one moment – Closing the show are Molotov fire, explosive power, revolution, show, but they combine to create everyone moving like there is quite possibly into a bloated market. It’s what it’s taken to tonight was certainly a game of two Sexbomb, a band that indulges in something that is more than a mere and sex (obviously), but that’s not no reason to need the use of your legs on get her to a wider audience but also might be halves, Clive. To go further, and perfectly reasonable, if slightly facsimile. It’s ripped, brutal, and, what they provide. It’s more of a Saturday. As it happens, mercifully, we didn’t. what leaves her stranded. Musicians wanted drop the football angle, it wasn’t just unambitious rock. What they importantly, damn good fun. post-pub fumble in a phonebox. Sean O’Reilly Kirsten Etheridge two halves, but the running order create sonically is entirely at A Reluctant Arrow, meanwhile, Sam Shepherd Pro-level drummer who can also play Cajon required for Oxfordshire acoustic/electric rock act. Previous and upcoming national airplay and BBC sessions. Age 25- OXFORD IMPROVISERS / 45, male/female [email protected]. MAXIMO PARK Information’, as Smith feels duty-bound to insist repeatedly, then it seems the same can’t be said HELVED DRUMS Established drums and bass unit with experience of indie/ of its predecessors, 2009’s ‘Quicken The Heart’ O2 Academy rock originals and covers bands looking for new projects, In our gig preview, Nightshift branded Maximo pioneering leftfield electronic/dance label Warp, and 2012’s ‘The National Health’, judging by how The Old Fire Station possibly singer/songwriter (m/f) with original material Park as “survivors”. And indeed they are, though for instance, Maximo Park are now at home on poorly represented they are in the lengthy setlist. The Old Fire Station’s tiny, packed loft contains a piano, a drum kit, a laptop stand and two contact [email protected] perhaps “walking wounded” would be even more major label offshoot V2 and on Radio 2 playlists. Instead, perennial favourites from ‘A Certain tables filled with lamp lighting and instruments. French touring duo Helved Drums are on apt, given that drummer Tom English has had a Bassist Archis Tiku no longer tours with the band, Trigger’ and second album ‘Our Earthly Pleasures’ first. Starting with bowed scraping percussion, laptop drones and drum brushes, the improv fever and singer Paul Smith recently underwent replaced on the road by Paul Rafferty of Hot Club dominate, with ‘Graffiti’, ‘Our Velocity’, soon explodes into violent cymbal crashes and a bubbling electronic drone disguised as Banbury based Blues Band wants staff. Guitar, vocals emergency eye surgery. That, he explains, is de Paris (“Our tour bus stinks, so I don’t blame ‘Books In Boxes’ and ‘Apply Some Pressure’ all a guitar. The piece sounds like Godspeed You! Black Emperor on crystal meth. Narcotic and drums. Think Cream/Rory Gallagher/Free type why he has a pair of sunglasses glued to his face him”, laughs Smith). Their fans remain the same, exemplifying their knack with a smart, spiky indie power electronics populate for the most part, little pulses building to big, dissonant rumbles. stuff. Original set with more coming. Email me for throughout – not through any clichéd attempt at though, growing older with the band – a brief disco floor-filler. Darkness is the order of the day, yet Helved Drums become inviting in their own shadow. more info at [email protected]. rock star cool. survey of the room reveals they’ve certainly lost At the heart of it all is the consummate showman Paul Medley on tenor sax and vocalist Caron are next, joined by a third instrumentalist on a The Newcastle-based quintet first set out their their youth appeal. Smith, a lightning conductor for the audience’s melodica. A medley contrasts Caron’s Ella Fitzgerald melisma with short flurries of puff, and Rock-Metal band seek a singer/vocalist to perform stall in 2005 with debut album ‘A Certain Trigger’ New album ‘Too Much Information’, their fifth, attention. He might no longer scissor-kick his the violin of long time Oxford Improviser Malcolm Atkins adds an excited, sustained edge to original material - Line up includes members of – a collection of amphetamine-spiked, taut, wired finds them straying tentatively into new territory way through sets with his tie, blazer and side- proceedings. The melodica later encourages itself, being tapped satisfyingly like a strobe. previously established Oxford bands with years of (Wire-d?) songs which drew upon post-punk, new and flirting coquettishly with electronics – perhaps parting, like Alan Partridge possessed by the The solo piano improvisation by Decote in the second half of tonight’s gig is well timed, touring and recording experience. Contact Jonny_ok@ wave and Smith’s romantic entanglements, and under the influence of Field Music’s David and spirit of John Lydon, but you still suspect that the starting off jazzy then becoming playfully plinky plonky. Short clusters of notes give way to hotmail.co.uk. which revelled in their regionalism. If there was a Peter Brewis, in whose studio some of it was eye surgeon who advised him not to do anything chord changes like a large helping of ice cream: gooey and consistent, tasteful and poised. whiff of pretension about Smith’s literary leanings, recorded. ‘Leave This Island’ chases the coat-tails involving physical exertion would be tearing his After a short interval synthesist Martin Hackett, Decote in more discordant mode, and they were nevertheless instantly preferable to of the vogue for 80s synth-pop and is typical in hair out. tonight’s concert organiser on cello man the deck in an improv that sounds like a lament at knuckledragging contemporaries like Kasabian that it’s muted and rather within itself, suiting ‘Going Missing’ may conclude the encore, but sea, all musicians contributing to a gelled whole that often threatens to break the mast. A fine Musicians wanted ads are free. Email ads to and The Enemy. neither the usually extrovert Smith nor the live on this evidence it’s good to know that Maximo evening ends with a rampant racket of chaotic noise as all instrumentalists push to find their [email protected]. 30 words max. Since then, a few things have changed. Once environment particularly well. Park aren’t going to desert us anytime soon. voice. feted as the first rock band to be signed up by If they’re “really proud” of ‘Too Much Ben Woolhead Mick Buckingham 18th THOMAS TRUAX / THE His favourite other Mondays Oxfordshire act is: 7th AARON KEYLOCK AUGUEST LIST / HUCK 7.30 INTRODUCING.... Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under “Sweet William. He 8pm / £8adv reminds me of a young 28th BUDDY WHITTINGTON Friday club nights Loudon Wainwright 8pm / £8adv 4th INDIE NIGHT 11-3am III, who’s probably my 11th NANGTNS HOUSE NIGHT AGS CONNOLLY favourite songwriter. He Tuesdays 11-3am Who is he? can do everything and 18th PROGRESSIVELY LESS he’s totally fearless.” THE OXFORD JAZZ CLUB Ags Connolly is an Ameripolitan (a genre designed to separate itself from ELEPHANT 11-3am If he could only keep 1st / 15th / 29th THE NEW JAZZ what commercial country has become) singer-songwriter from Finstock. 25th NANGTNS HOUSE NIGHT He started off playing cover versions in local pubs a few years ago, before one album in the COLLECTIVE 11-3am starting to write his own material (“which is what I’d always intended”). He world, it would be: 22nd HUGH TURNER BAND played around Oxford and London for a good while, including last year’s “‘The Real Mr. Saturday early gigs Oxford Punt, before getting involved with Drumfire Records. Through them Heartache: The Little he played at the first Country2Country festival at the O2 Arena and also Darlin’ Years’ collection Wednesdays 12th 13 BURNING / DROPOUT / 2nd DAISY RODGERS MUSIC met Scottish artist Dean Owens, who eventually produced his debut album, by Johnny Paycheck. ARMCHAIR COMMITTEE presents COASTS / DANCE A LA `How About Now’, which was released in February. It’s as hardcore as PLAGE / VAGUEWORLD 7.30 / What does he sound like? country gets. Paycheck £6adv Saturday club nights Country of the old school. None of yer polished Nashville rubbish, nor had a voice like George 9th HANNAH & THE LADS / 5th SIMPLE – House & techno tainted by indie modernism. “My sound is traditional, straight and honest Jones only with menace behind it.” VAGUEWORLD / BRONWYN & with PBR STREETGANG 11- - somewhere between early Willie Nelson and mid-career Steve Earle in When is his next local SASCH / CARDBOARD CASTLE 4am style. Whether it’s authentic or not is for others to say,” he says of himself. th Nightshift has regularly praised his earthy authenticity, with “a voice of gig and what can / KRYPTTIK 12 MIDAS TOUCH – Grown-up extraordinary power, capable of transporting you from a dank open mic pub newcomers expect? 16th PAUL THOMAS SAUNDERS soul and r’n’b with Solar Radio’s in Witney to the Grand Ol’Oprey. His songs are deeply rooted in country, “Next one at time of rd ASH SELECTER £5 b4 11pm 23 CIRCUIT – Brookes Music writing is opening for Australian country singer Nicki Gillis at a warm-up 19th WHITE MAGIC – reggae full of hardened wisdom and and homespun turns of phrase.” Society night with live bands 7.30 What inspires him? show for her UK tour at The Railway Inn, Culham on 16th May. Newcomers 30th PULLED APART BY HORSES APRIL night th “Honest and simple music. Nobody has ever bettered what you can do with can expect real, stripped-down, old-school stuff from when country had an ‘o’ th 26 TRIFLE 7pm / £10adv 17 LIES OF ELIZABETH / TOO MANY three chords.” in it. Oh and Frank Ifield will be there, apparently…” 30th SIMPLE – Mayday Eve special with POETS / BLUE SHIFT Career highlight so far: His favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: Trevino and Pariah 24th RODDY WOOMBLE 7.30 / £16adv Sundays “Releasing a debut album that I’m proud of on a label that understands “Favourite thing is that there’s so much going on; there’s a real music ‘side 6th HUMOUR TUMOUR – live stand- what I’m doing and fully supports it.” of town’. Least favourite is that the scene is quite insular unless you spend a Thursdays Friday early gigs up comedy And the lowlight: lot of time on Cowley Road. Maybe that’s to be expected.” th “Apart from virtually every single covers gig I ever did, a bad gig that 3rd BLUE ZOO / PLEXIPHONES / DANIEL 4th DEXTERS 7pm / £7adv 27 PUNCHDRUNK MONKEY You might love him if you love: stands out was a Gappy Tooth one I did at The Wheatsheaf. I broke a string Johnny Cash; David Allan Coe; Dale Watson; Johnny Paycheck; Willie ZAPPI 8pm / £8adv 11th MEGAN HENWOOD / LAZIBIRD / CLUB / EYES OF VERONA / FIRE halfway through my set and it put the guitar irretrievably out of tune. Nelson: Swindlestock. 10th LARRY MILLER 8pm / £8adv BEARD OF DESTINY ANTS I struggled through a couple of songs then just had to do the last one a Hear him here: capella. I started using hard-wearing strings after that.” agsconnolly.com

DR SHOTOVER – Ask Pauline Murray Evening all. Welcome to Ageing Punks Night at the East Indies Club bar. Pull up a graffiti- THIS MONTH IN OXFORD THE WHEATSHEAF covered stool and get the Ind Coope Long Life lagers in. Yes, yes, the 3oz stubby size will do rd Thu 3 April – THE SPIN fine – mix one up in a pint glass with a tin of Top Deck shandy, add a measure of Wavy Line ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY Family Cyder, stub a Player’s No 6 out in it, and it will be almost drinkable. Now, strange THEO TRAVIS 8pm/£10 as this may sound, I appear to have a reputation for being a surly old git who wouldn’t Zappa-inspired pre-punk anarchist bands who were As well as the YMSS album, this month saw th 20 YEARS AGO Fri 4 April – BURIED IN SMOKE releases from metallers Outofinto; gothic blues help his own granny off a moving bus. (You’ll need to work harder on that expression of It has gone down in legend that every time regularly removed from venues for upsetting the stunned disbelief, Seaforth…). But, the fact of the matter is, I have set up a new facility punters. Good to know none of them has mellowed sirens Ivy’s Itch and grungy rockers Red Star MUTAGENOCIDE which will surely be hailed by future generations as an undying monument to the heights Sevenchurch played in Oxford there was a th to this day. Cycle, while highlights of the gigging month of philanthropic endeavour. Viz and to whit, the Post-Punk Help-Line! [Dr S adopts a heroic thunderstorm. Friday 8 April 1994 was no different. BONG CAULDRON + PIST + BLACK SUNRISE 7:30pm/£5 In a particularly fertile month for local music, The included shows at the Zodiac for Million Dead; th expression and puts on a special voice, a bit like Eddie Waring crossed with Joe Strummer]… We vividly remember walking up Walton Street to Sat 5 April – MOSHKA Amen; The Futureheads and Backyard Babies, “Kids! Got a problem? Sweating over some Banshees lyrics? Wrestling with a philosophical The Jericho Tavern and witnessing a line of crows Mystics released their now seminal debut single, while The Wheatsheaf played host to Young THE RELATIONSHIPS conundrum? Parents/teachers/Pink Floyd really pissing you off? Weep no more! Now you sat ominously atop the railings of Oxford University `Happy’ b/w `Dead’ on Backbeat Records, the band can get answers to all your life questions HERE - in the East Indies Club telephone box! Just featuring both Sam Williams, who would go on to Knives, Dive Dive and The Workhouse. MARY BENDY TOY 8pm/£5 Press as the first rumbles of the approaching storm th bring your favourite glue-bag and/or some Lady Esquire shoe spray, plus a pile of 10p bits produce Supergrass’ classic debut album, and the Thu 10 April – THE SPIN to feed into the slot, and you can ask Pauline Murray (of top County Durham New Wave made their presence felt. It was an appropriate much missed Kate Garrett, who ran the Oxford band Penetration) what to do!” Ok, just between ourselves, here’s a list of some of Pauline’s portent of doom, not just for the local metal legends 8pm/£10 5 YEARS AGO JULIAN COSTELLO answers: Young Women’s Music project. `Dead’ went on to th but for the breaking news that Kurt Cobain’s Kate Garrett and Barney Morse-Brown gazed Fri 11 April – KLUB KAKOFANNEY top Curfew’s end of year Top 20. Don’t let them win, don’t let them drag you in – shout above the noise body had been found that day. Talk at the gig was from the cover of April 2009’s Nightshift, the pair, There’s a lot of freedom but not enough choice dominated by the death of the then biggest rock star FUZZY LOGIC Let them go, set them free, let them dubbed “the first couple of Oxford music,” having on the planet and Sevenchurch’s musical onslaught formed their own Garrett-Brown Music label VIENNA DITTO + THE AUGUST LIST 8pm/£5 be who they wanna be 10 YEARS AGO th was only fitting. Main support that night? A bunch Sat 12 April Life’s a gamble (uh-uh-huuhhh) Nightshift once called Youthmovies “the most together, releasing EPs by each of them. Kate’s of feisty young newcomers called Supergrass, their Now, I think that should cover it. influential band in Oxford,” and we weren’t `King of the Birds’ was her finest recording since 8pm/£5 What do you mean, it’s a fraudulent musical lives just beginning back then. OFF THE RADAR wrong. Back in April 2004 they were still called The Mystics’ debut single, and her last ever release, Wed 16th April – MOSHKA money-making scheme worthy of On the cover of Curfew this month were sonic the influential singer and guiding light of the local late punk entrepreneur and shyster Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies and were on the experimentalists Aquabats – not the fiendishly young women’s music project succumbing to cancer Malcolm McLaren? You really think cover of the magazine, expounding on the death or HEADCOUNT irritating costumed Californian comedy rockers at a tragically young age. Cellist Barney continues that I’d connect up the East Indies otherwise of rock music as they steered it into new SPACE HEROES OF THE PEOPLE + ZEE ZEE BA BA 8pm/£5 Club phone booth to an old reel-to- but a trio consisting of sound maestro Tim Turan to create enigmatically inventive music under his th and interesting shapes. The quartet, who would Fri 18 April – SPRING TEASE BURLESQUE SPECIAL reel in the next-door cupboard playing alongside Klub Kakofanney couple Phil Freizinger Duotone moniker and produced Jess Hall’s recent inspire Foals, had garnered a Demo of the Month selected clips from Penetration and Sue Smith. Together they’d just released an debut album. THE SCARLET VIXENS with their debut recording, now they were set to records?? And that only I would be extraordinary album, `Magiko’, created using field The inaugural Indie Guitar Company Festival GEMMA MOSS 8pm able to access the coinbox??? Heh release their `Let’s Get Going… You’re Fracturing recordings of everything from thunderstorms to was announced, to take place at Acott Under Sat 19th April – BB LIVE heh. You’re absolutely right of course! Me With This Misery’ album on Quickfix, while flute to Sue’s often unearthly voice. “It’s not world Wychwood, with British Sea Power, Mungo Jerry Have a Caramac and some Smiths earning praise from Kerrang! and The Times as VERA GRACE crisps with that, why don’t you? There music; it’s earth music,” claimed Tim; “utterly and Pigeon Detectives set to headline. The festival you go. CHEERS! unclassifiable,” we chimed. The trio made for one well as fashion mag The Face and The Guardian’s never happened though, the company going into THE SUN EXPLODES + EMBODIMENT + ZAOS 8pm Style supplement. “We only formed to alleviate the Sat 26th April – GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES of the most fun and engaging interviewees we’ve liquidation soon after. NB Future Post-Punk Help-Line ever encountered, with Tim, even then a veteran of drudgery of living in Wycombe,” claimed singer and David Byrne was at The New Theatre this month promotions may include: ‘Punk BALLOON ASCENTS twenty years of playing and producing music, full of guitarist Andrew Mears, while guitarist Al English and PJ Harvey and John Parish were together up Emergency? Dial 999’, ‘Beki Bondage’s claimed, “we don’t start with the intention of making MONTMARTRE + BLOOD RED STARS 8pm/£4.50 Advice Squad’, ‘Sham 69 - Tell Us The anecdotes about playing in a blues band with Bob at Brookes Union, while a double dose of Jamaican Truth’, ‘The Damned’s You Just CAN Pauline Murray: ‘Why-aye, Dr S, this is a canny Hoskins, who “could down twenty cans of Special things sinister or frightening, but if something’s reggae legends in a week found both Horace Andy The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Be Happy Today’ etc etc cranny, but ah can’t find the light switch, pet…’ Brew in a single session,” while Phil had played in going that way we make the most of it.” and The Wailers playing the O2 Academy. a second thought. But for now this is just craziness or Paul Leary’s bug-eyed guitar the happiest, catchiest song we’ve heard invention. Instead, it starts sedately enough all spring, and we’re going to jump up and before, after a couple of minutes, cutting down on the sofa til we’re sick. Go Lev! loose and splurging into a psychedelic DEMOS Go work! Go summer! wig-out, scouring guitar cresting atop Sponsored by relentlessly gloomy drum machine. Great Demo of the Month wins a free half day at stuff. But then it carries on churning and Silver Street Studios in Reading, courtesy CLEA DE SEBROCK sizzling along its set path. On and on. And of Umair Chaudhry. Another one-song demo from the on. And on. From crazed stoner jam to Visit www.silverstreetstudios.co.uk/ sometime Refugees of Culture singer incessant musical water torture in just under nightshift-demo-of-the-month/ (that band now renamed Ghosus), and a half an hour. Maybe that bong just wasn’t far harsher take on edm than last time. packed full enough. Or maybe Leon’s so off Blueprint’, which similarly hangs It’s all jarring warning-signal synth stabs his gourde he thinks he’s Carlos Santana. 01865 240250 DEMO OF around, glowering darkly, for a good and abrasively serrated bass rumbles over As a footnote, Leon asks us why he needs to five minutes underneath some decidedly which Clea minimalist vocals get looped supply us with his address when submitting cod-philosophical narrative that’s less like a strident robot disco chanteuse. Kind a demo for a review and wonders if it’s THE MONTH Adam Gnade, more `Stonehenge’ by of somewhere between Daft Punk before so we can send him a Christmas present. Spinal Tap, finally flowering bleakly they went shit, and `Black Cherry’-era Maybe old chap, but actually it’s so we BETARIS’ BOX and noisily amid a sea of feedback and Goldfrapp, it’s one of those songs you feel can come round while you’re whacked out Here’s a real mini gem of a demo to open distortion. It’s something of a lesson in is probably just a good radio plugger away of mind one night and rearrange all your up this month’s much-better-than-normal denied gratification, and maybe not fully from hit status. furniture and ornaments and paint your cat pile. Betari’s Box are an Oxford-Sheffield formed just yet, but it sounds bloody great purple. Just to aid with the creative process, band featuring Dallas Don’t guitarist Jenny whacked up proper loud and hopefully you understand. You can never be too crazy in their compact ranks. Quality assured more frequent local gigs are coming soon. BEN HAMMERSLEY when it comes to making music. Just ask The world isn’t exactly short of breathy, even before they boast Pere Ubu, Talking GG Allin. lovelorn young chaps armed with acoustic Heads and Kate Bush as influences. Not guitars and a songbook full of poetry and that you’d notice too much of any of ELOISE REES sorrow, but here’s Ben Hammersley in those amid the sunshiny clutter of late-70s A two-song encounter with Eloise Rees at case there’s anyone left who hasn’t had synth-pop and post-punk idiosyncrasy last November’s Oxjam Takeover turned THE DEMO their fill yet. There’s nothing particularly here. Opener `Whip’, for instance, sounds out to be a too-brief pleasure, possessed offensive about these four songs – unless like someone’s tried breeding Suicide’s as she was of a quite lovely sleepy-eyed you consider sounding like a cross between DUMPER `Ghostrider’ with a fluffy kitten and some voice that took her sweet, simply acoustic Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran offensive TURAN AUDIO.co.uk early Stereolab demos over which a barely songs to another level. Since then she’s (actually, don’t answer that) – but what it Professional, independent CD mastering decipherable monologue plays out (okay, played in Nashville at the behest of Bob ORANGE VISION Harris and BBC Introducing, and this track adds to an overcrowded island of lost souls At what point did Arctic Monkeys become the words “dogshit” and “drip, drip, drip” Artists mastered in the studio last month include; here, `Fragments’, is taken from a full EP is debatable. Ben here has a softly soulful, some sort of fountainhead for rock are discernible but don’t let that put you NO SECOND CHANCE, YOUNG KNIVES, BADE, RUSH, husky voice that should get the Radio 2 revolution? No denying they’re a decent off). It’s all hypnotic wow and flutter and she’s recorded with her band The Giants. FLIGHTS OF HELIOS, DEAD AT ELEVEN, BOB DYLAN, massive a swooning into their afternoon band but they seem to have become a pulsing bass and lively as a baby Tigger. It’s all swooning, sundrenched vocals and BATHORY, ALEXANDER THE GREAT, PLANTAGENET 3, THE cuppas, heartstring-tugging strings ramping go-to guide for every cack-handed pub `Crooked Lines’ is lighter still, unfettered woozily laidback acoustic wandering, FIRST, THE UNTROLLABLES, OWEN TROMANS, THE NICE, up the romantic sense of loss and longing rocker around in how to make anthemic, indie-pop bounce, while `The Note’ casts Eloise’s voice carrying a slight quaver that JJ CALE, JEFF BUCKLEY, JOE WALSH, JAMES TAYLOR, another notch on the understatedly epic trillion-selling stadium pop. And breaking more awkward shapes while retaining that gets us to thinking about Dolly Parton at THE DAMNED, ANDERSON BRUFORD WAKEMAN HOWE, `Pantomime’, while `Illusory’ sounds like a microphone at an awards ceremony pure pop heart, whirring merrily along one point. She’s too mannered, and too THE FALL, THE TREAT, PETE McDONOUGH, JESS HALL, an elongated attempt at seduction by way hardly makes you The Sex Pistols, neither. SCOTT BOWLEY, MUTAGENOCIDE. on the back of some great vintage synth English sounding for that comparison to of whispering sweet nothings in someone’s Anyway, Orange Vision. We’re just lines. Best of the lot though is the sultry, stick though. Occasionally coquettish but ear, replete with flowery string flourishes. guessing here but we think they might 01865 716466 [email protected] slow-burning `Torment of Martha’, singer mostly dreamily reflective, she contrasts It’s all very nice and tasteful and soulful have the odd Arctic Monkeys album in Loretta’s voice finally showing signs of sweetly with the plangent strings that and neatly-constructed and romantic and their collection. Along with `Squeeze’s emotional hurt. The last track is called carry the tunes, and if the whole thing earnest, but when you look back along that Greatest Hits’. And not much else besides. `Gormless Bastards’ which would be good tends towards the smooth, it’s the sort of THE COURTYARD list you’re either going to be all breathless This offering is entitled `Dead in a enough to get them Demo of the Month warm, wistful kind of folky pop you could and spellbound and reaching for another Flowerbed’, which conjures up images by itself, but by then they’ve already run happily melt into. RECORDING STUDIO chunk of Cadbury’s Caramel bar, or feeling of junkies OD’ing in Florence Park, or away with the title. very slightly queasy and wishing Evil some kind of horticultural homicide in PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/24, OTARI LEV SAMSON Blizzard would burst into the room and Midsomer Murders, but opener `Trouble MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE MACHINE, 2 TRACKING It’s sunny at last; visions of JG Ballard’s start maiming everyone in sight. Some in Paradise’ merely makes us think about a ROOMS, SUPERB CONTROL ROOM WITH GOOD SELEC- `The Drowned World’ becoming reality music, dear reader, just isn’t made for us. Friday night down the Dog & Cauliflower TION OF MICS & OUTBOARD GEAR + MIDI FACILITIES (Inc THE DIESEL SLEEP watching a bunch of old blues-rock hands From Wooden Shjips to The Lucid Dream, are slowly fading, it’s time for a bit of Different strokes and all that, right? Ah, sod LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND etc.) stretching the three chords they know to narcotic psychedelic-drone hasn’t had it positivity. And here’s Lev Samson with a it, where’s the cleaver… a two-hour set and dreaming of Wembley, so good since the heady (literally) days song called `Sunday Night Riot’. Which Residential facilities included. forced rhymes and ladled-on harmonies of Spacemen 3 and Loop back in the late- isn’t really about riots at all. It’s about www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk scrapping with the eternal bash-bash- 80s. Local newcomers The Diesel Sleep – loving going to work. “I can’t wait to go LEON REID Phone RICHARD WALSH on 01235 845800 There is such a thing as stretching a good bash balletic elegance of the whole sorry they’ve only played one Oxford show but back to work tomorrow,” he hollers as idea too far, you know. Leon Reid here affair. They attempt to punk things up a have supported Caretaker up in London some kind of Employee of the Month war proffers a one-track, 25-minute demo bit on `He’s Too Good’, which manifests – follow a strict lineage from those bands, cry. There’s verses about how he and his called `How To Recognise Pornographic itself as hitting everything a bit harder quoting Spacemen 3 alongside Slint and colleagues are all highly valued by their Music’, that turns out to be an elongated and shouting a bit. It’s not exactly `White Swans as influences, and leaning heavily boss, how they all get regular pay-rises psychedelic goth freakout of the sort Riot’. Turns out that the thing lying dead on distorted drones, guitars squalls and and he’s got so much annual leave accrued Butthole Surfers once indulged in at the in the flowerbed is in fact any semblance feedback to create a thick ambient tar because he’d rather be in the office. And height of their acid-drenched lunacy. Except of subtlety. Why don’t Fucked Up ever win that retains a pensive atmosphere rather it sounds like what Damon Albarn might without Gibby Haynes’ pitch-bent vocal any BRIT awards? than resolving into anything too cathartic. have come up with if he’d hung out with `Dunedin’ is all middle-distance jet Sham 69 or The Angelic Upstarts. And engine guitars and seemingly random bass it’s probably all a complete piss-take clang that forever feels like it’s building and actually Lev is a downtrodden, de- Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links for something grander but simply fades motivated call centre drone who’d happily to [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without out before it can achieve take-off. More stick a barbecue fork in his supervisor a contact address and phone number; no more than four tracks on a demo please. If you resolute is the eleven-minute `American (sorry, “team leader”)’s eye with barely can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Sat 19th Apr • £16 adv Sun 11th May • £8 adv Fri 18th July • £9 adv / £25 VIP EVERY SATURDAY 6.30pm - 10pm 6pm - 10pm £5 adv / NUS / members, £4 NHS Catfish and 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only Patti Russo the Bottlemen Mike Dignam Mon 21st Apr • £6 adv Fri 8th Aug • £20 adv Raglans Mon 12th May • £10 adv NOFX Augustines Only UK Club show this year Tues 22nd Apr • £20 adv Tues 13th May • £8 adv Fri 15th Aug • £10 adv Magnum 6pm - 11pm Fri 4th Apr • £7 adv Wolf Alice 6.30pm - 10pm Tues 22nd Apr • £8 adv Skeletor presents LostAlone Young Kato Weds 14th May • £6 adv Karma To Burn + Pixel Fix Drowners + Desert Storm Fri 4th Apr • £10 adv / £8 NUS + Hatemail 10pm - 3am • over 18s only Weds 23rd Apr • £20 adv Thurs 15th May • £16.50 adv Switch 7.30pm - 11pm Pentatonix Thurs 9th Sept • £10 adv ft. Gorgon City New Model Army Cate Le Bon Fri 16th May • £12.50 adv Tues 8th Apr • £20 adv Fri 25th Apr • £10/£15 adv 9pm - 3am • over 18s only Sat 13th Sept • £10 adv Sophie Ellis-Bextor 7.30pm - 11pm • show starts 8pm Mr Scruff 6.30pm - 10pm La Chiva Gantiva The Doors Alive Fri 11th Apr • £8 adv Mon 19th May • £15 adv 6.30pm - 10pm Sat 26th Apr • £7 adv Jimi Goodwin Sat 21st Sept • £15 adv Black Bullet Live Presents 6pm - 11pm The Magic Skeletor – Martyr de Mona Tues 20th May • £15 adv Numbers + Lest We Forget The New Breed 3 + Dead Mesa + Icon Hot 8 Brass Band ft. A Killer Amongst Us Fri 3rd Oct • £20 adv + Fallen From Grace 7pm - 10pm Weds 21st May • £9 adv Sat 12th Apr • £6 adv + Sanity Loss 7pm - 11.30pm + Contek + Godsbane From The Jam Jungle ‘Setting Sons’ Upstairs ft. Rabbit + All We Are 35th Anniversary Concert Weds 30th Apr • £8 adv Foot Spasm Band 10pm - 4am • over 18s only In association with BBC Introducing Thurs 22nd May Sat 4th Oct • £13 adv + Duchess Itchy Feet Tame Impala 6.30pm - 10pm • Show starts 7pm + Brickwork Lizards Ultimate Genesis Thurs 1st May • £11 adv + The Dublings Sat 24th May • £19 adv + Temple Funk Collective The Temperance 6.30pm - 10pm Thurs 16th Oct • £15 adv Movement The Undertones The Orb Sun 13th Apr • £20 adv + The Nightingales Matt Cardle Fri 2nd May • £12 adv Fri 17th Oct • £11 adv 6pm - 10pm Weds 28th May • £10 adv 6.30pm - 10pm Sun 13th Apr • £15 adv Boot Led Zeppelin Bury Tomorrow Guns2Roses & Deaf Havana + Napoleon + Demoraliser Metallica Reloaded + The Maine Sat 3rd May • £10 adv + The People The Poet 6pm - 10pm Fri 30th May • £12 adv / £8 NUS Mon 20th Oct • £22 adv Feed The Rhino 11pm - 3am • over 18s only Tues 15th Apr • £20 adv + The Howling + Zoax Switch and Heather Peace Alkaline Trio + Crows’ Reign + God Speed Simple ft. + Bayside Sun 26th Oct • £14 adv Fri 9th May • £12.50 adv Eats Everything 6pm - 10pm Kids In Tues 15th Apr • £7.50 adv Glass Houses Jar Music Live Presents… Albert Sat 31st May • £22.50 adv 7pm - 10.30pm Ones to Watch Hammond Jr Sat 6th Dec • £10 adv ft. Farra, Tom Dibb + Yeallow Chas & Dave 6.30pm - 10pm • on stage 8pm + The Aureate Act + Will Lawford Sat 10th May • £26.50 adv Back By Popular Demand UK Foo Fighters Echo & Fri 18th Apr • £10 adv / £8 NUS Fri 13th June • £18 adv 10pm - 3am • over 18s only The Bunnymen Fri 19th Dec • £7.50 adv + Black Submarine Inspiral Carpets 8pm - midnight Switch ft. Skream ft. Si Jones & Nick McCabe The Original Rabbit from the Verve Sat 14th June • £8 adv Fri 18th Apr • £7 adv 7pm - 10pm Foot Spasm Band 6pm - 10pm Sat 10th May • £6 adv Andy Jordan Knees Up 2014 7pm - 10pm It’s All About The ft. The Original Rabbit Music Presents… Alex Lanyon Thurs 26th June • £12.50 adv Foot Spasm Band 6pm - 10pm Fracture + One Wing Left + Empty White Circles + The Long Insiders + The Kites + Balloon Ascents + Ella Martini Parquet Courts + Special Guests

o2academyoxford.co.uk Tickets for Saturday night shows include free entry to Propaganda 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE • Doors 7pm unless stated (or £6, £5 NUS / members, Venue box office opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5.30pm £4 NHS on the door) ticketweb.co.uk • wegottickets.com • seetickets.com • gigantic.com