[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 275 June Oxford’s Music Magazine 2018

“I take ages to get ready and at the end of it I don’t look any different. Richie takes no time at all and ends up looking perfectly styled.” photo: A.J. Knight

Oxford’s first couple of garage rock talk hair care, local music history and the patterns of life. Also in this issue Introducing PREMIUM LEISURE WIN! Cornbury Festival tickets The Demo World Cup plus All your Oxford music news, reviews and gigs for the month ahead. NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshiftmag.co.uk

Candy Says later in the year. Follow them at www.facebook.com/ beanietapes.

THE O2 ACADEMY hosts a Zodiac reunion party this month. UNDERSMILE are set to reform for a one-off show to remember Eleven years after it closed to photographer and music fan Pier Corona this month. become an Academy venue, The The local doom band split in 2016 after the release of their widely Zodiac is celebrated with a party acclaimed second album `Anhedonia but will reconvene for PREMIUM LEISURE launch on Friday 22nd June, featuring Pieranormal, an all-day show at The Bullingdon on Sunday 24th June. their debut EP with a three week bands and club nights from that Singer and guitarist Taz Corona-Brown is Pier’s daughter and he became residency at The Library this era. DJs from lounge night Disques their biggest supporter, as well as on-tour driver over the years. month. The band, fronted by Vogue; 80s, trash and glam night Pier, whose superb photos capturing some of the most eclectic and singer-songwriter Chris Barker Trashy; reggae, dancehall and esoteric music to come to and from Oxford frequently appeared in and featuring Willie J Healey as ska night Skylarkin’; indie night Nightshift’s pages, passed away from cancer in 2017, followed by an well as renowned local drummer Transformation and old-school acid outpouring of love from local musicians who he had helped, encouraged Mike Monaghan, release `Plug The house night Audacity come together and photographed over the years. The concert, which will raise money Leads In’ on the 29th June on new for two rooms of nostalgic club for the Upper GI Unit at The Royal Marsden Hospital, features many of cassette label Beanie Tapes. The fun, while local post-punk heroes Pier’s favourite artists, including a rare Oxford show for The Original quartet, who played on Nightshift’s Earinade, Audacity Live and Osprey Rabbit Foot Spasm Band. They are joined by Robert Ridley- Uncommon Stage at Common & the OX4 Allstars play live. The Shackleton; The Brickwork Lizards; Sandro G Masoni; Macarena People at the end of May, will play reunion party continues into the Ortuzar & Lee Riley; Brown Glove; Von Braun; Basic Dicks – a set at Truck Store on Thursday 7th early hours with an after-party at featuring daughters Taz and Loz – and LC:TG. June, the same night as they play The Bullingdon from 11.30pm. Undersmile bassist Olly Corona-Brown, who is organising the show, the first of three weekly shows at Tickets from The O2 box office and told Nightshift: “Pier had such an impact on our lives and the scene in The Library ahead of the new EP. Wegottickets.com. Oxford; it’s only right that we celebrate his life with some of his favourite They’re back at the Cowley Road bands and performers. All the acts were friends of his. His childhood venue on the 14th and 21st. Tickets CHARLBURY RIVERSDE friend Sandro is flying over from Italy specially to play, and The Original for each show are £5, or you can do FESTIVAL returns over the Rabbit Foot Spasm Band are playing a rare Oxford show. This will be all three for a tenner. Tickets are on weekend of the 28th – 29th July. Undersmile’s first show in two years. Pier was an instrumental part of sale from Truck Store or through The annual two-day free festival is Undersmile and the band couldn’t have functioned without him. He was Wegottickets.com. set to feature over 30 acts across also our biggest fan, so we couldn’t have put together a memorial gig Meanwhile, Beanie Tapes have two stages as well as an acoustic without Undersmile playing. It’s going to be an emotional day, but a fun more cassette releases lined up for and open mic stage. No line-up one – a room full of Pier’s family and friends, his photos and loads of 2018, with a debut EP from Michael details as yet, but visit www. weird music. Fox in July, followed by releases for riversidefestival.charlbury.com Tickets, priced £10 in advance (£12 on the door), are on sale now from Max Blansjaar, Jordan O’Shea and for updates. Wegottickets.com. ROY YOUNG 1934 - 2018 Roy Young, the Oxford musician who played with The Beatles and David Bowie, and famously declined an invitation to join The Fab Four, has died; he was 83. Young, best known as a keyboard player, was born in London, the son of a pub pianist, Lily, moved to Oxford during World War II when his family was evacuated during the Blitz. He began playing local pubs in the 50s, notably The Carpenters Arms in Cowley. He auditioned for TV show Oh Boy! And later became a regular on teatime shows on the BBC and ITV. He toured with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released his debut single, `Just Keep It Up’ in 1959 and shortly after began playing the club circuit in Germany, including Hamburg’s The Top Ten and The Star Club. Here he formed The Beat Brothers with Ringo Starr and Tony Sheridan and played keys and sang backing vocals with The Beatles. He was invited to join the band by Brian Epstein but declined, though he later played on `Got To Get You Into My Life’. He also played piano on three tracks on Bowie’s seminal `Low’ album, recorded in France. In 1995 he was invited back to The Star Club to mark its anniversary. Later in life Roy managed Long John Baldrey and toured with Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson. After spending most of the 80s and 90s living and playing in The USA and Canada, Roy returned to Oxfordshire in 2007 and in recent years could be seen performing at the fortnightly Blues Jam in Marston. Roger Warner from the band Steamroller knew Roy almost his entire life and said, “It was a bit of a shock and we’re still getting over it. I was with Roy a lot towards the end. I met him when he first came to Oxford as an evacuee. Steamroller backed him up 40 years ago and we backed him up again in the last ten years before he sadly had to give up playing. He was a genuinely lovely man. His own song `Beautiful Man’ sums him up perfectly.” Roy is survived by his wife Carol and three children. DON BROCO’S show at The O2 Academy has GLASSHOUSE STUDIOS host their annual been rescheduled for the 6th June. The original open day party this month. Easter Island Statues, show at the end of April had to be abandoned Self Help and We Aeronauts will be playing NEWS after a sewage pipe burst, flooding the live in one of the studios while Remade Guitars THE YOUNG WOMEN’S MUSIC PROJECT downstairs venue with, well, you can imagine. provide a pop-up guitar repair shop and a musical are set to launch a crowdfunding project this All tickets for the original date remain valid, or instrument bring and buy sale. The family- month. The education charity, which helps young refunds are available from point of purchase. friendly open day also features a barbecue and women and girls develop their musical skills as Meanwhile Strange Bones’ show at The Cellar the studio’s traditional “large but disappointing” well as building self confidence, has faced an in May, which was postponed due to injury to crisp buffet. The day runs from 1-6pm on uncertain future in recent years and is about to the band’s lead singer, has been rescheduled Saturday 30th June. Entry is free though there’ll lose its long-term home at Fusion Arts. A new for Tuesday 29th May if you read this in time. be a collection in aid of Parkinson’s UK. Bring home has been found, in Jericho, but funds are Support comes from local post-punk crew your own sausages. Check glasshousestudios.org needed to bring the place up to the necessary Spinner Fall. for more info. standard. Project leader Zahra Tehrani said, “We need to raise the cash to build the space up to a OXJAM will return to Oxford this autumn. THE DOLLYMOPS head out on a short tour high standard: soundproofing walls, having the The nationwide network of fundraising gigs of Oxfordshire this month ahead of their debut right shelving, painting etc. We want to involve for anti-poverty charity Oxfam hosts an all- release. The Oxford-based indie rockers release the young women and create work for them every day takeover of venues on and around Cowley `Fields of Wheat’ on the 8th June and play The step of the way. We have written a budget and it Road on Saturday 27th October. After a series Jericho Tavern on the 7th; Banbury’s Rock the looks like we need to raise £15k, so on the 2nd June of successful takeovers in recent years, last Atic on the 9th and Bicester’s Atic bar on the 16th. we are going to launch a crowdfunder on BBC year’s local Oxjam was a show at Tap Social in Follow them at twitter.com/TheDollyMops, or Introducing in Oxford. We have already pencilled in Botley, organised by 14-year-old musician Max try finding them on Facebook without getting fundraising events with Sofar Sounds, Truck Store Blansjaar. loads of cleaning services. and Fusion Arts and are working with other local Bands and volunteers keen to help out in any promoters.” Visit them at www.ywmp.org.uk. way should get in touch via Facebook or Twitter AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into BBC Oxford – OxjamOxford for both. Introducing every Saturday night between OM & BASS returns to Braziers Park this 8-9pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated local music summer. The reggae and wellbeing festival THE ROCK BARN in Witney is under threat show plays the best Oxford releases and demos runs over the weekend of the 6th – 8th July at as the local council have plans to demolish it to as well as featuring interviews and sessions with Braziers Park in Ipsden. As well as live reggae make room for flats. The barn hosts The Muzo local acts. The show is available to stream or and soundsystems, the three-day event hosts over Akademy, which as well as nurturing Witney’s download as a podcast at bbc.co.uk/oxford. 120 workshops, featuring yoga, dance, martial aspiring musicians, helps young people and arts, meditation and crafts. All food on site is people with mental health problems develop OXFORD GIGBOT provides a regular local gig vegan, with a no-plastic rule. Tickets, priced £165, life skills through the medium of music. There’s listing update on Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing including camping and showers, are on sale now a petition up to try and persuade the council you new gigs as soon as they go live. They also at www.omandbass.co.uk. Day tickets are also to keep the barn. Find out more and sign up at provide a free weekly listings email. Just contact available with under 12s going free. www.facebook.com/muzoakademy. [email protected] to join. WIN CORNBURY FESTIVAL TICKETS! Some people were in a field, they thought it bands; the comedy tent; kids activities; the was all over… it isn’t now. legendary Disco Shed, and, in what’s being billed as a world exclusive, a festival feast No, after last year’s celebratory, sold-out hosted by The Hairy Bikers. We assume farewell, Cornbury Festival has slipped off its they won’t be playing music too, although retirement pyjamas and made the swiftest of given Loyd Grossman has been a Cornbury comebacks. And hurray for that, we say. Here’s regular with his band The New Forbidden, we one festival that still has some fight in it. And wouldn’t rule anything out. anyway, where else was Nightshift going to spend a weekend doubling our bodyweight with Tickets for Cornbury Festival are on sale now pints of Pimm’s and Prosecco. at cornburyfestival.com, with adult weekend tickets priced from £180, with day tickets Yes, once again Great Tew Country Park will available and discounts for over-70s, teens and ring to the sound of music and a steady parade kids. of celebrities – from prime ministers to TV And thanks, as ever, to our chums at Cornbury, presenters, via the occasional Hollywood we have two pairs of weekend adult camping A-lister – as the sun shines down (it will, it will). tickets to give away, for free, in a competition. This year’s Cornbury takes place over the Oh yes. weekend of the 13th-15th July, featuring its UB40 top the bill on Friday, joined across the two To be in with a chance of winning, just answer trademark mix of big name acts, cult heroes main stages by Jimmy Cliff; Zucchero; Stereo the following question: and rising stars. Headlining this year are Alanis MCs; Lucas Nelson & the Promise of the Real; Morissette, Squeeze and UB40. Danny & the Champions of the World; The Tall Which of the following was not a headline act Poppies and Irit. at Cornbury 2017? Morissette tops a Saturday line-up that is entirely No strangers to Cornbury over the years, female. For a festival often derided for being Squeeze close proceedings on Sunday, joined A. Bryan Adams B. Kaiser Chiefs C. Bryan Ferry. conservative, it’s a typically pioneering piece of across the day by Caro Emerald; Deacon Blue; programming from organiser Hugh Phillimore as Marc Cohen; Andy Fairweather Low; Mari Email answers, clearly marked Cornbury well as a lesson to other events to think about Wilson & the New Wilsations; Lissie; Catherine Competition, to [email protected], the mix of people playing their stages. McGrath, and The Mighty John Street Ska or on a postcard to Cornbury Competition, So, also playing on Saturday are legendary Orchestra. Nightshift Magazine, PO Box 312, Kidlington, gospel singer Mavis Staples; Nina Nesbitt; OX5 1ZU. Please include full name, address Pixie Lott; PP Arnold; Grainne Duffy; Megan Plenty more besides, plus of course the and daytime telephone number. Deadline for McKenna; Southern Avenue Kolars; Ten Riverside stage, featuring a host of local and inclusion is the 25th June. The editor’s decision Millennia, and The Adelaides. up and coming acts, tribute bands and school is to be cool for cats. A Quiet Word With experienced close calls with the music industry undergone an enforced semi-hiatus while they recently. Their first single ‘Seether’ is a great and commercial success around the same time. endured some legal problems, The Other Dramas example of female vocals, sweet harmonies and Maria, playing solo and acoustic at open mic really began to click a couple of years back and grungy guitars. And lately bands like Honeyblood, sessions, met Jim Eliot (who has worked with in 2017 Nightshift invited the duo to play on the Blood Red Shoes and Black Honey. I’ve always Foxes, Ellie Goulding, Will Young, Kylie Uncommon Stage at Common People, a gig that been into bands that are melodic but heavy.” Minogue, and Olly Murs) and they formed a was set to be a major turning point for the band. Nightshift said in a recent review of The Other band together – Eliot – who signed to Critical Maria: “It just came at the perfect time for us. Dramas that one of the big differences between like last year’s `Radio’ did. Mass Records, played at Glastonbury and were For the first time in years we were in the right them and a lot of two-piece bands of late is that The instant earworm that was `Radio’ earned the championed by Rob da Bank, who was set to sign headspace and had just started working with Kit they create space within their songs rather than try pair a Top 10 place in Nightshift’s end of year Top them to his Sunday Best label before they split. and Mike from Safehouse Studios; it focussed and fill it with noise via effects etc. We wonder if 25 and the woozily powerful, harmony-heavy Maria: “Working with Jim so early on was a us at just the right time. About two weeks before that’s a conscious thing. `The Future is a Holiday’, with its summery, blessing; I have such incredible memories. We the date I had this freak out where I rewrote Maria: “I’m influenced by art and design where swoon-along chorus is sure to have an equal formed the band, and I was there at the very our whole set… I just knew I could do better. It the space can be just as important. When we first photo: A.J. Knight impact, finding a sweet spot between 60s girl beginning and to see it through from recording was a lot more stressful on Richie I think, a real started playing together my idea for the band was groups; The Lovely Eggs’ sharp-edged pop-punk demos to finishing our album and playing at gamble, plus we had to learn all this new music! that the sound should only be created live by us at and The White Stripes’ stripped-down grunge. Glastonbury on the Radio 1 stage was the best I wouldn’t recommend it but it worked for us and that moment, with the natural sounds of the two It’s a rainbow-coloured chocolate bar of a song, experience. He helped me so much and he sometimes it’s good to live dangerously! We got instruments – no effects. I liked the fact that that one studded with ground glass and laced with really got my voice – much better than I did! He to meet so many people that weekend and see a pushed me to explore different ways of playing something lysergic. inspired me to go on to study music technology; lot of other local bands that we’d been wanting the guitar and use song arrangements; it also gives his enthusiasm for production was definitely to catch live; it was an inspiring time. We met the Rich space making his playing more central to The Other Dramas have been a infectious.” guys from All Will Be Well Records and signed the sound. Since then I’ve relaxed the rules! I fixture on the local gig circuit since 2013; they As part of Shuffle, meanwhile, Richie came close to them shortly after. BBC Introducing were very use different guitar pedals but still try to keep the formed after meeting while playing in former- to signing to ZTT. kind and interviewed us.” basis of my original idea. Whenever we write a Candyskins guitarist Mark Cope’s band Ninestone “I think we did think things were happening new song we rehearse it acoustically first it has to Cowboy, but they both have musical history going for us,” he recalls, “we had what we thought The pair also recorded an be able to work that way.” back to the 1990s. was a good look and good songs; maybe less acoustic version of `Radio’ for BBC Radio Maria – daughter of renowned local jazz musician time partying and more work might have paid Oxford, the single that would become a bit of a Oxford seems to do couple bands Denny Ilett – grew up with her dad’s record off. Supergrass asked us to support them when particularly well at the moment. Alongside The collection and began playing at an early age. they played at The Zodiac, which was massive “We played at a jumble Other Dramas we have The August List and “My Dad’s massively influential. I adore his for us as a whole new audience got to hear us. Candy Says; what, we wonder, are the best and playing and all the music he’s introduced me ZTT started taking an interest and coming to our sale once. I do love a worst things about being in a band with your too. I get my love of Elvis, Louis Armstrong, rehearsals and we started recording for them, but partner and no-one else? Little Richard and Shirley Bassey from him. He’s it was never completed and things just faded. Of good jumble sale.” Maria: “I am so lucky to be able to do this with a professional musician and still travels a lot, course I was gutted when it ended but when I Richie; we experience all the highs and lows playing abroad regularly. Our house was always look back at that time I’ve got nothing but good breakthrough success for them. together and support each other. I also enjoy full of music and instruments when I was growing memories.” Maria: “We were amazed by the response it got. working spontaneously; I can show ideas to up. I went to all the jazz clubs with my parents Songwriting for me is about communication: I’m Rich straight away. It’s fun when we play out of when I was little, seeing artists like Wild Bill With separate careers running in learning all the time what is the best way to get Oxford; we like a road trip and can fit everything Davidson and Humphrey Lyttelton. something like parallel, the pair finally met when ideas across and there’s something about that song in the one car. We often book somewhere to stay “I wrote my first song on keyboard when I was at they joined Ninestone Cowboy. that reached people. It’s about longing to feel more and turn it into a mini break. The down side is we primary school, then later on picked up my mum’s Richie: “I had heard of Maria but hadn’t bumped connected to someone. Broadcasting a radio both get nerves at the same time and everything is guitar and taught myself, making up the chords into her at any point, although I used to go and see signal that may never be received. The new single more expensive as it’s only split two ways!” as I went along! My mum played organ in soul her brother Denny play at the Bullingdon, so we is an extension of that feeling, wanting to reach Have you ever written a song about each other? bands in the 60s; in fact that’s how my mum and must have been out at the same time quite a lot.” out further. Maria: “I write about life in general and dad met: their bands were booked to play on the Maria: “Every weekend I’d drink in the New Inn Ah yes, `The Future is a Holiday’, a song that’s Richie is central to that, so yes, he does make same bill one night. then go to the Zodiac to see the bands and the club about being optimistic about the future while an appearance! Often as a presence or feeling. “My dad played in soul bands who played with afterwards then end up in the Kari King as that’s feeling low. It’s a bright, sunshiney piece that There’s a song, ‘Break My Heart’, that I wrote Jimi Hendrix, The Small Faces, The Who and where all the local bands hung out after their gigs; seems to brim with optimism. when we first got together about the idea of Cream, and mum played the brass parts on her it was a meeting place and had a real buzz about Maria: “‘Radio’ was about signals, ‘The Future feeling it was all too good to be true. “Now organ in her bands. She still has the Farfisa she it. I remember seeing Richie for the first time and is a Holiday’ is about cycles and patterns. I was you’ve got me, I’m never home / You’re going to used to play from the 60s. She’s a real inspiration just thinking he was the coolest looking dude I’d inspired by a conversation I had with my dad; break my heart and I’ll be all alone” Thankfully too: she was a female musician at a time when ever seen. From then on, I went to all Shuffle’s we were talking about seeing patterns in things. that didn’t happen!” that didn’t really happen. I think they should both gigs – I was a total fan girl! I was far too shy to There’s a lyric on the b-side ‘Money’ that’s also write a book!” speak to him though so it wasn’t until years later inspired by that conversation: “Every high has a If the future for The Other when I joined Mark’s band that I actually got to low, every ebb has a flow, the tide goes out but it Dramas isn’t exactly going to be a holiday, the For his part, Richie moved to meet him. Shuffle and The Candyskins were my always comes back in again’. I thought it would next few months look like being the best yet for Oxford from his native Plymouth in the mid-90s, favourite bands back then so to be in a band with be cool to really simplify that idea; the verses the highly personable couple whose enthusiasm where he helped form booze-fuelled faves on the Richie and Mark was so exciting for me. While mention Summer/Winter, Night-time/Daytime for music, and for writing and performing it, scene at the time, Shuffle. we were in Ninestone I wrote some new songs; I patterns that repeat and how this is comforting hasn’t dimmed one jot after well over two decades “I take ages to get ready and at hair in Oxford. Unsurprising given the impressive “It was such a great time for me when I first was looking for a different approach to my music when you think about it. When we’re in the playing separately and together. Hopefully their the end of it I don’t look any different. Richie – and contrasting – manes they sport. They have moved here. I got to know the members of Ride, but wasn’t quite sure how to go about it, so I middle of winter we can cheer ourselves up by hard work will be properly rewarded. Before they takes no time at all and ends up looking perfectly their own follically-flushed faves though, Maria and started hanging out with an up and coming asked Rich if he would rehearse with me to try dreaming of spring.” go though, Nightshift wonders, given their long styled; that’s just the way it goes!” admiring local songstress Laima Bite (“She really band called Supergrass. I became good mates with out some ideas. There was one song, ‘This Way’, Musically the song also captures that great experience of the Oxford music scene, what their So says Maria Ilett, singer and guitarist with The rocks the Joan Jett look”), while Richie points The Candyskins, which of course is how I first that clicked straight away: his playing made me balance the couple have between sweet favourite memories are from the past 20 years. Other Dramas when Nightshift asks her who out to Chris Barker’s Premium Leisure (“definitely met Mark Cope and through him Maria. There play guitar differently; it upped the tempo and his bubblegum pop and grungy garage rock. Richie: “Seeing The White Stripes at The Point of her and bandmate and partner Richie Wildsmith one of my current favourites and they’ve got cool were so many cool bands around and some great drum rolls gave it a momentum that it hadn’t had Maria: I’d done a lot of pop and electronic back in 2001 was a highlight. I remember going is the most high maintenance. haircuts too”). places to hang out with each other after gigs. before. I realised then that I wanted to write more music before and I wanted to make heavier for a cigarette and Jack and Meg were outside “Maria doesn’t take ages getting ready, she takes “I had never done a gig back home in Plymouth songs that were rhythm influenced. Before the guitar music, like the music I listen to, but chilling after a hot and sweaty gig. It was funny ages deciding what to wear,” replies Richie; “do Maria and Richie may be two of so when I joined Shuffle and we got our first gig rehearsal I intended to form a more standard four- without compromising my voice. We thought if seeing them at a little pub down Cowley Road.” I need gloves; is it going to rain; do I take an the most recognisable figures on the Oxford music at The Dolly I was so excited and nervous, which piece band, but we were buzzing afterwards so we we combined the two styles it might sound kind Maria “We played at a jumble sale once, that was umbrella?’ etc.” scene – both as performers and as regulars at maybe was why we partied so hard before we thought it’d be exciting to see how far we could of cool. This has presented problems when we funny! I do love a good jumble sale.” gigs across the city – but it’s for their music the played! But we did have a great couple of years go with just the two of us.” try to figure out how to work it live but I love We only asked the question pair now attract so much attention, and their new together in that band.” it, it makes me listen to music differently and `The Future Is A Holiday’ is released on the because the duo, who release their new single single will only increase that attention, fusing The Having played around town for explore different ways of playing and writing.” 29th June. The Other Dramas play at The Cellar `The Future is a Holiday’ this month, have twice Other Drama’s fine balance between psychedelic While all this happened some a while, earning some decent reviews without Richie: “I’ve always loved Veruca Salt and on the 28th June, supporting LA Witch. Visit recently been described as the band with the best bubblegum pop and grunged-up garage rock much years before they even met, both Maria and Richie generating too much excitement, and having we’ve been listening to a lot of their stuff again theotherdramas.bandcamp.com Sponsored by free Millennial professionalism, à la Washed Out, Tame Impala, latter-day Grandaddy, and KEVIN JENKINS any number of interchangeable dreamy pop ‘Spider Mind Safari’ acts. It’s good-natured, slick indie rock that’s been (Self released) RELEASED buffed to such a level of finish that it’s in Artistic self control and a sense of adventure danger of eroding any sense of edge, tension or aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive as local CATGOD YEAR OF THE KITE urgency. Not that these things are necessities, of singer-songwriter Kevin Jenkins’ new album ‘Heartbeat In My Hand’ ‘With Sparks Flying’ course: ‘Water Pistol’, ‘Gold Tunes’, ‘Crystal’ clearly demonstrates. and ‘Plug The Leads In’ have a pleasant core, Alarm bells ring as soon as we notice the album’s (Self released) (Diversion) with a delicate, skittering rhythm section twelve tracks clock in at 76 minutes and by the It’s often difficult, listening to this five-song There are songs that, when you first hear them, that gently backs warmly overdriven guitar time we finally get to that far-off finishing line EP, to reconcile the swish, atmospheric grab you firmly by the lapels, or maybe even lines, and a vocal style (in terms of sonics and we’re wondering what we, and he, could have accomplishment and adventurousness of Catgod the throat, and bluntly demand your attention; production) that has the playful quirkiness of done with some of those precious minutes. now with the sometimes timid band that emerged conversely, there are songs that make no such Marc Bolan. ‘Daydream Drive’ is the slow song No, a sense of brevity isn’t seemingly in Jenkins’ from the ruins of Neverlnd a couple of years forcefully direct request but that nevertheless – every band must have a slow song – and it lexicon, with most songs here nudging the five back. Back then there was a sense they were seem to subtly compel you to return to them seems heartfelt and touching; it builds to a rich or six minute mark, with a few closer to ten. It uncomfortable being lumped into any single time and again. ‘The Upper Reaches’ is a prime finale and is the high point of the EP. takes a wild sense of imagination, not to say some genre, but this set of songs, while gentle and example of the latter; one listen was all it took to PREMIUM LEISURE Overall, it’s like an extended hug from a musical virtuosity to make that work and we’re genteel, oozes the easy confidence of musicians convince me that its creators, Year Of The Kite, stranger who’s a bit too easy with giving out not sure Kevin has enough of either. The Album, who’ve found a sweet spot between but also had the definite potential to become my new ‘Plug The Leads In’ hugs. I was tempted to say it’s forgettable, though, isn’t a complete trawl. For one thing beyond their influences. favourite Oxfordshire band. The fear, though, (Beanie Tapes) until I found its melodies popping up in my Jenkins isn’t afraid to shake things up stylistically, In this Catgod are ably abetted by guest was that their debut LP would turn out to be a The first release from the trend-surfing cassette mind several hours later. So maybe, instead, or head off down different paths: from the contributions from drummer Caspar Jacobs `Keep My Promises’ is as close as they get to letdown, ‘The Upper Reaches’ the indisputable label Beanie Tapes – run by Candy Says – it’s artful: the trick pulled off being to sound switch between folk to funk to flamenco, to odd (Coldredlight / Le Feye) and guitarist Chris rocking out, the epic stadium-rock build shutting standout. I needn’t have worried; on `With which aims to provide ongoing musical output rather inconsequential and MOR while in fact diversions into musical hall and fairground organ. Barker (Premium Leisure), but really this is all down before it can pass the overwrought mark. Sparks Flying it’s in almost universally excellent in this bizarre, daft format. I’ve seen the burrowing into your brain. I like a little more For another he has a very decent voice when he about brother and sister team Robin Christensen- The EP’s title track – released and reviewed company. psychedelic tag applied to Premium Leisure in fire and chaos in my music, but it’s hard to uses it well: a clear, slightly overwrought croon Marriott and Catherine Marriott, whose dewy- last month as a lead single – finds Cat fully in Whether or not that track is a sad ode to the various places, but on the evidence presented argue with decent examples of the craft of with a hefty lining of drama that gets you to eyed duets often sound more like lovers’ laments. the spotlight, one she revels in, the dappled hotel of the same name that stands abandoned in five-track debut this is psychedelia as filtered songwriting. thinking of Scott Walker at times. Certainly such a Their voices are precise and complementary minimalism of the piano-led music letting her on the banks of the Thames in Abingdon, it fits through an ordered, considered, psychoactives- Simon Minter voice deserves something more ambitious to carry while each bringing their own idiosyncrasies plaintive but neatly restrained voice to shine. the overall mood: contemplative, verging on it than the rudimentary acoustic thrum of album to the music. Cat can be almost Bjӧrk-ish at Only closer `Owing You’ disappoints – it’s mournful. There’s a beauty throughout the album opener `Made In Wales’, with its clumsy social times, while elsewhere possessing a similar muddied and mumbled, possessed of none of the – in the starkest moments (the piano chords THE OTHER DRAMAS by a kitchen sink production `My Protocol’ commentary. purity to Karen Carpenter or Eva Cassidy, or other tracks’ gilt or glister. You also wonder how that open ‘Somewhere After Sunday’) as well struggles to bring its chorus to the surface but He can be portentous, solemn and wistful the silky jazz lounge tones of Nora Jones, while music like this is expected to be at its best in a as when the instrumentation swells to a slow, ‘The Future is a Holiday’ builds to a tower of strength via cascading (`Small Town Minds’); mix up 50s crooning Robin unearths his inner Anohni at one point, to hot, sweaty pub venue rather than some more modest majesty – though it’s frequently of the drums, heroic, effects-laden guitars and Adrian with something akin to The Goon Show (`What provide a cracked counterpoint. rarefied concert hall, but intimacy is the key to bleakest kind. It came as no surprise to learn that / ‘Money’ Banks’ passionate baritone. It doesn’t stand Did I Do To You?’), and funk it all up when so `Compare Me’ has the feel of a big stage its success and if the chattering barflies give it they rehearse in an old church. (Self released) on ceremony, wearing its bombast as a badge inclined (`Infinity’). But he can also do ungainly musical piece – probably the bit where the lovers the respect it deserves, it’s music well worth The somnolent pace recalls `Low’, while on The band that once seemed to forever fall of honour and demanding to be heard on the acoustic mithering (`Looking Through Windows’) become separated and sing to each other across getting up close and personal with. the wonderful ‘Distance’ in particular singer/ between two stools – pure pop and garage rock – biggest stages and radio stations forthwith; on and hamfisted folk-rock thump (`Fucked Up the void, and is perhaps a tad saccharine, while Dale Kattack guitarist Matt Walsh delivers his lyrics (choicest now comfortably straddle the divide, no so much this evidence, those demands don’t seem so Fairytale’), although even here he’s capable of just example: “I wouldn’t say I’m a loser / But there like a colossus but like a particularly fluffy cat: unreasonable. about rescuing himself with an unrestrained vocal Ian Chesterton the same way a bewitched robot production line are things I have lost”) in a voice not unlike feisty and no nonsense but still cute. performance and a bold melodic hook. BURT COPE might be and, I’ll confess, attempting to critically a muted Mark Lanegan with access to throat If last year’s `Radio’ proved to be the duo’s The record’s twin highlights come towards the ‘Warlord’ dissect it makes me feel like a badger that’s been lozenges. Musically speaking, the titular nod pivotal moment, proving they have the melodies MEANS OF end: the almost motorik `Only Seven Days’, with asked to explain dark matter. We’ll call that 1-0 to to A Silver Mt Zion’s 2001 record `Born Into to match the moves, `The Future is a Holiday’ its human beatbox opening, squelchy electronics (Project Allout) Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upward’ seems and Spanish flair, although it probably doesn’t the kids. is another step up, all warm, woozy harmonies PRODUCTION Like Xanax and Fortnite UK bassline is Dale Kattack unnecessary and a bit clumsy; the songs are love and Maria Ilett’s purred vocals spread like have enough ideas to warrant its eleven minute something few people over the age of 25 are letter enough to the Canadians. languorous lacquer over a simple fuzzgun pop ‘EP2’ duration; and closer `Dance Til Daylight’s Dawn’, meant to understand. The house sub-genre that While the steadfast refusal to deal in the clichéd tune. For a band whose natural home has always which carousels like an end of pier Hoegaarden grew out of UK garage just over a decade ago post-rock currency of crescendos is admirable, been darkened gig venues it’s a little like musical (Self released) hoedown, which throws any sense of self never enjoyed quite the levels of tabloid hysteria LITTLE BROTHER ELI the listener might have wished for a few more summer, a sunny interval that’s done and dusted Obsessions with first-wave synth-pop, post- consciousness into the sea as its climbs aboard afforded grime and drill but the deeply visceral fireworks, and the three sub-two-minute tracks in in under three minutes before the clouds that punk and brutalist architecture come together the nearest merry-go-round. Again though it’s too impact of its 4x4 beats, cavernous bass and what ‘Our Kind of Love’ the second half unhelpfully fragment the album’s infect its lyrics roll back over. Genuinely lovely. in suitably stark and atmospheric fashion on long, still waltzing into the night past the fifteen might well be the theme tune to Rhubarb and (Self released) flow. But overall `With Sparks Flying’ is hugely B-side `Money’ kicks a little harder, not as Means of Production’s new EP. It’s the first minute mark, symptomatic of an artist, like a Custard re-imagined by a chronic speedfreak The follow-up to February’s `Tooth’ single, impressive, a work of quiet but thoroughly dark as The Kills but brattier and with more under the name, although they released a drinker, who maybe needs someone to let them is generally enough to get Generation X’ers which apparently saw the birth of Little Brother justified self-assurance. serrated edges, like The Jesus & Mary Chain previous one last year under the name Golden know when they’ve had enough. scrabbling for their old trance mixtapes and Eli Mk.II, now with syncopated beats and a Ben Woolhead persuading The Lovely Eggs’ Holly Ross to pop Cities. The new moniker serves them well, Dale Kattack wondering how the hell you’re meant to move nu-disco vibe, `Our Kind of Love’ does more to round and jam out some old Runaways tunes. A capturing the monochrome, almost militant, to this. back up the band’s claim to have moved on from concept that is more fun than this world probably minimalism of early-70s Kraftwerk, Cold Nights like Fluid and Freerange have provided their bluesy roots, with its chopped-out guitar deserves. War-era underground electro-goth and Ballard- fertile ground for local producers and DJs and lines, catching that late-70s disco/funk feel and Dale Kattack ian dystopia. This pulsing, motorik machine chief among these is Burt Cope. His dad was the tightened-up electronic beats trying to move music may have cold, sleek lines but they’re the singer in local legends The Candyskins and the party on from the banks of the Mississippi to the cold, sleek lines of nuclear bunkers rather is now an acclaimed kids songwriter, so Burt’s Studio 54. ZURICH than brightly lit starliners. Tim Day’s hollow- hardly following in the family footsteps style- Singer Alex Grew is no Sylvester though and eyed vocals take the uncaring factory rhythms wise. `Warlord’, his second EP after last year’s his rounded vowels and earthy approach keeps ‘My Protocol’ of `100 Days Before the Rain’ and layer them `Call My Name’ on Project Allout, continues his LBE within rock’s corner, one foot twitching to (Self released) with dispassionate gloom, reminiscent of trademark mix of old school bassline and UKG, get out and strut its funky thing under the mirror Hot on the heels of their recent collaboration Dutch dark-rock cult heroes Clan of Xymox. fractured beats and bass wobbles layered with big, balls, the other wanting to stomp on the nearest with Dolly Mavies, Zurich release a second It’s music for battleship grey skies, acid rain bold synth wows and queasy flutters, fleeting dub monitor; it’s sort of where Aerosmith meets The single, more in keeping with the bold, black- and some intangible dread lurking beyond the intermissions and ragga vocal samples to make for Trammps, with the former currently holding the sun spirit of their live sound: heroic, stadium- horizon. Music from a pessimistic past that is a sometimes dizzying dancefloor experience. upper hand. By the end of the year we’re hoping ready electro-tinged indie rock cut from a rapidly becoming a tense, claustrophobic near It’s dance music that sounds almost lab-made to they might have gone the full Moroder. similar cloth to Interpol and Editors but equally future. confuse older clubbers; it’s enjoyably mental in Victoria Waterfield at home mixing it with New Order. Backed Victoria Waterfield from Leeds’ rising DIY stars – see main preview New local indie rockers launch their debut EP. BRASSICA: The Cellar – Balearic house, LISA KNAPP: The North Wall, Italo-disco, new wave, rave and techno club Summertown – A return to town for the south night with Feel My Bicep’s Brassica guesting. London folk songstress, last seen round here THE WEDDING PRESENT: O2 Academy playing as part of the Broadside ballads tour. – David Gedge’s enduring indie heroes head Her passionate, tremulous voice has seen her out on the road again, this time celebrating the described as “the sexiest voice in modern folk GIG GUIDE 30th anniversary of `Tommy’, the compilation music”. As well as being nominated multiple that collected the band’s earliest releases in one times in the Radio 2 Folk Wards. She’s out on st rd FRIDAY 1 SUNDAY 3 album, so expect old-time faves `This Boy Can tour to promote last year’s `Till April is Dead – CARCER CITY + PERCEPTION + MSRY MONKEYFISTS + TONY BATEY & SAL Wait’; `Go Out & Get ‘Em Boy’; `Felicity’ and A Garland for May’ album. th + THE HOROLOGIST: O2 Academy – MOORE + GOOD CANARY + SEBASTIAN of course `My Favourite Dress’. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Saturday 9 Liverpool’s metalcore heroes come to town as JAMES + GLENDA HUISH: The TONY CHRISTIE: O2 Academy – The Community Centre – Oxford’s longest running LOMA: The Cellar part of their UK tour to promote fourth album JUNE Wheatsheaf (3.30pm) – Klub Kakofanney host veteran Sheffield singer makes an unexpected open night showcases singers, musicians, Oh my days, what a treat this should `Infinite/Unknown’, the influence of bands like DANCE FACTION + THE MIGHTY an afternoon of free live music in the Sheaf’s visit to the O2. Having made his name with poets, storytellers and performance artists every be. Loma are a band formed by happy Architects, Bury Tomorrow and Bring Me The REDOX + SUMMIT 7: The Wheatsheaf downstairs bar. million-selling early-70s hits with `Is This The Thursday. happenstance, but one whose music is a long Horizon apparent in their technically inventive – Monthly live music club night Klub Kak LARRY REDDINGTON + MARK Way To Amarillo’ and `I Did What I Did For ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure way from happy. The trio came together hardcore sound. Among the supporting cast welcomes free festival veterans RDF to town, ATHERTON & FRIENDS + FRANKLIN’S Maria’, he continued to enjoy success across – Unplugged open mic night. when Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg are local hardcore dervishes MSRY, fresh from the political punk/dub/ska outfit still helmed TOWER + BEARD OF DESTINY: Europe before Peter Kaye’s use of `Amarillo’ BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, was introduced to Emily Cross and Dan playing Common People and kicking it out with by founder and frontman Chris Bowsher over Donnington Community Centre (6pm) – revamped his popularity back in the UK. Sandford – Open blues jam. Duszynski of Cross Records by Badabing! maximum misanthropic force. 30 years after they formed (having split and Free early evening of acoustic music, tonight THE SPIN with PAUL McCANDLESS & SPARKY’S NEW MOON: The Half Moon BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Latin Records’ Ben Goldberg (responsible for reformed in the interim). KK hosts The Mighty with 60s r’n’b guitarist and singer Larry, plus CHARGED PARTICLES: The Wheatsheaf – Sparky hosts his open mic session on the first dancefloor, global grooves, Afrobeat, Balkan launching the careers of Sharon Van Etten Redox join them onstage for what will be a Grateful Dead tribute Franklin’s Tower and – The longstanding weekly jazz club welcomes and third Thursday of every month. beats and nu-jazz club night. and Tune-Yards). They got on so well the proper old hoedown. Delta blues from Beard of Destiny. Californian oboe player McCandless to town. THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf – KLUB KAKOFANNEY with RADICAL two bands went on tour together. In the MELT DUNES + FREEMANTLE + THE OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms – THE DOLLYMOPS: The Jericho Tavern – Free show in the downstairs bar from the local back of the van shared ideas became shared st ELEPHANT TRIP: The Library – Prepare for Weekly open session. swamp blues, funk, ska and rock faves. Friday 1 the psych/doom/fuzz storm – see main preview FOLK SESSION: The Half Moon – Weekly writing and jam sessions, which became th a series of full-on recording sessions ABSOLUTE BOWIE: The Bullingdon – open folk jam. Thursday 7 th MELT DUNES: Tribute to the late, great Mr B. FRIDAY 8 in Meiburg’s Austin, Texas studio. The OUT OF THE BLUE: O2 Academy – Oh, resulting songs – given added tension by the CATGOD + TOM HYATT: Magoo’s, Henley- th DRAHLA: The Cellar The Library MONDAY 4 good. break-up of Cross and Duszynski’s marriage These are good times for psychedelia with on-Thames – Elegant, starlit balladry and Not fitting in is the driving force behind JIM MORAY: Nettlebed Folk Club – SEAN McGOWAN: The Cellar – Return to at the time – became the band’s eponymous the likes of Hookworms, Goat, Jane Weaver, electro-pop from Catgod. Leeds’ Drahla. They didn’t fit in in their Updated trad folk from longstanding champion town for the Southampton troubadour after debut album, released earlier this year on Josefin Öhrn and Flamingods all putting DOG OF TWO HEAD: Fat Lil’s, Witney – native Wakefield, so moved to south of English indie and folktronica Moray at supporting Billy Bragg at the O2 last year, the SubPop and it’s already being talked about their individual stamp on tripped-out music, Tribute to early-70s Status Quo. London, where they failed to fit in. So Nettlebed’s legendary club, the singer and singer’s folk/rap taking influence from Mike as one of the underground records of 2018. while labels like Strong Island and Fuzz they moved back north and found a home multi-instrumentalist’s `Upcetera’ nominated Skinner, Kate Tempest and Bragg himself. It’s a saturnine set of tunes that range from Club have become kite marks of quality for nd in Leeds’ burgeoning DIY music scene, SATURDAY 2 for the 2017 BBC Folk Awards Album of the finally fitting in to an extent while making WOI FM: The Cellar – Funky, hip hop and ghostly and ephemeral to starkly rhythmic, the genre. Portsmouth’s Melt Dunes have OMYO: O2 Academy – London/Oxford Year. music that fails to fit into conventional song bashment club night with DJ Fabes, Woi FM 60s acid folk, spaced-out Americana and released EPs on both those labels and shared “acoustic urban pop,” or, alternatively, “the structures or current musical trends. The and Honeyy. spectral psychedelia drifting and huddling stages with some of those acts mentioned sound of dribble.” th trio, led by singer/bassist Luciel Brown RYAN McGARVEY: The Bullingdon – Delta around Cross’s breathlessly haunted voice. (including supporting Flamingods at their MILES KANE: O2 Academy – First Oxford TUESDAY 5 and singer/guitarist Rob Riggs, take an slide blues and heavy rocking from guitarist With one track titled `Dark Oscillations’ it’s sold-out show at The Cellar earlier this show since 2011 for the former-Rascals HOUSE SWEET HOUSE: The Cellar – Deep oblique approach to post-punk and grunge, Ryan McGarvey at the Haven Club tonight, not surprisingly to hear echoes of electro/ year), so what better time to get them singer and Last Shadow Puppets co-frontman, house, jazz and soul grooves and techno club inspired by Wire and The Fall as well as McGarvey having been voted best new talent psych pioneers Silver Apples in the mix. back to Oxford for a headline show in alongside Alex Turner. He’s back out on tour in night. Sonic Youth’s exploratory art-rock. Brown’s by Guitar Player Magazine and out on a Fans of Shearwater’s elegant melancholy the suitably subterranean confines of The his own right to promote new album `Coup de SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: James Street somnambulating, stream-of-consciousness headline tour of the UK having previously won’t be disappointed either but really it’s Library where their fuzz-fuelled grooves Grace’, the follow-up to 2013’s Top 10 `Don’t Tavern – Weekly open mic night. spoken/sung vocals and cryptic lyrics are played alongside Eric Clapton, BB King and just a beautiful, subtly constructed album can wreak the most damage. The band’s Forget Who You Are’. immediately reminiscent of Kim Gordon, Jeff Beck. that sounds like it was conceived in a new `Flesh’ EP mixes dense, rhythmic METAL 2 THE MASSES SEMI FINAL: The th WEDNESDAY 6 while Rigg’s guitar sound owes something TOKA + MADCAP + THE deserted forest glade or a spooky haunted attack with dark, dreamy kosmische; at Wheatsheaf – The heavyweight battle of the ROBOCOBRA QUARTET + LUCY to Wire circa-`154’, but they’re not in thrall PREACHERMAN + TERAO: The house rather than the back of a musty old their lightest and brightest they recall Syd- bands to win a slot at this summer’s Bloodstock LEAVE + DEATH OF THE MAIDEN + to their influences, possessed of strong Wheatsheaf – Roots reggae and dub from tour van. era Pink Floyd, while their heavier, more reaches the semi-final stage, tonight with LEATHERHEAD: The Library – Intense, melodic edge as on tracks like `Fictional former Dublings fella Toca, alongside Bristol’s motorik pieces fuse Hawkwind’s space-rock Imminent Annihilation, 13Burning, Damaged abstract jazz-infused post-punk and no-wave Decision’ and the superb `Silk Spirit’, high-energy rapper Madcap, local conscious with Neu! and Can’s Krautrock journeys Reich and Violence is Golden. from Belfast’s nebulous collective Robocobra which earned them a whole new set of hip hop MC The Preacherman and Inner Peace and a pint or two of The Stooges’ garage OLD SKOOL OXFORD with DJ RATTY: at tonight’s Pulling Sickies gig night, the band fans. Unsurprising given their ethos and Records chap Terao. raucousness, at their best the whole thing The Bullingdon – Star of 90s hardcore mixing Fugazi’s post-hardcore with Charlie location, they hooked up with Hookworms’ reminiscent of Hookworm’s earliest shows, club nights like Fantazia, Fibre Optic and Mingus, John Zorn and NYNW acts like Mars MJ, who produced their `Third Article’ EP th while sometimes prone to heading off on Dreamscape, Ratty pops into Old Skool Oxford SATURDAY 9 and James Chance. Top drawer local support and they’ve been out on tour with Subpop’s wigged-out jams or flights of lysergic fancy. for some retro dancefloor fun. LOMA: The Cellar – Ghostly psych-folk from from weird and wonderful jazz-rock/post-punk/ METZ as well as Ought. As they release Feed your head and get your ticket early – FREERANGE: The Cellar – UK garage, the Austin supergroup – see main preview skitter-pop crew Lucy Leave and drama-laden a cassette-only compilation, `A Compact there’s only room for 50 in The Library. bassline and grime club night playing the best TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD + AT THE Brechtian baroque popsters Death of the Cassette’, they’re off on a full headline UK new underground tunes. SUN + SPYDER BYTE + TRAUMA UK: Maiden. tour, deservedly championed by 6Music and SPARKY’S SPONTANEOUS SHOWCASE The Wheatsheaf – Melbourne garage rock any indie blog with its salt. Finally they fit & SPOTLIGHT JAM: The White House – and pop-punk trio Tequila Mockingbyrd return th in. Even though they really don’t. Sparky hosts his monthly bands and open mic THURSDAY 7 to OxRox, back over in the UK to plug their night, tonight with sets from Jem Kid Company, PREMIUM LEISURE: Truck Store (6pm) album `Fight & Flight’. Firegazers and Storyteller. – Chris Barker’s slack-pop band launch their A BAND CALLED MALICE: O2 Academy JAYWALKERS + TERRY PAGE: Tiddy three-show residency at The Library this month – Tribute to The Jam. Hall, Ascott-under-Wychwood – Acoustic with a low-key instore at Truck as they prepare MUSICAL MEDICINE with DAN SHAKE Americana at tonight’s Wychwood Folk Club to release debut EP `Plug the Leads In’ on new B2B MAGNIER: The Bullingdon – All- show, ranging from old time, bluegrass and folk cassette label Beanie Tapes. night B2B party set from Lumberjacks in Hell to country and western swing. PREMIUM LEISURE: The Library – First and Mahogany Music selector Dan Shake DAMN GOOD REASON: The Brewery Tap, of the three weekly shows from Chris and – responsible for 2014 floor killer `3am Jazz Abingdon – Classic rock covers. heavy friends – see Introducing feature. Club’ – and House of Disco’s Magnier, back at DRAHLA: The Cellar – Leftfield post-punk Musical Medicine. SUNDAY 10th songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has CANDY SAYS: Modern Art Oxford – Free Here’ production, telling the stories of women THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Tree, Iffley collaborated with Fairport as well as playing in gig from the atmospheric local electro-pop duo. from the First World War, including spy OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms Iota with Sally Barker. PUPPET MECHANIC + PORT ERIN + Louise de Bettingniers and journalist Dorothy FOLK SESSION: The Half Moon CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford ZERO UK: The Bullingdon – Thoughtful, Lawrence, via original songs and recorded Community Centre downbeat indie in the vein of Tindersticks and sounds, in conjunction with theatre director ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure Radiohead from Puppet Mechanic. Lizzie Crarer and sound designer Jules Bushell. th MONDAY 11 BLUES JAM: Catherine Wheel, Sandford DR FEELGOOD: The Bullingdon – Disco, OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ: The Harcourt afrobeat and house club night.. FOLK SESSION: The Half Moon Arms – Classic jazz and ragtime from the local FRIDAY 15th SOUL SESSIONS: The Cellar – Classic 60s, ensemble, playing Jellyroll Morton, Louis 70s and 80s funk, soul and disco classics. th NICK HEYWARD: O2 Academy – The Armstrong, Fats Domino and more. K-LACURA + SLEEPER UK: The MONDAY 18 former-Haircut 100 singer tours his new album, GRANNY’S ATTIC: Nettlebed Folk Club JAZZ RIOTS: The Bullingdon – Free Wheatsheaf – Church of the Heavy with `Woodland Echoes’ – his first release in over – Lively English, Irish and Scottish folk songs th live jazz in the front bar with veteran local super heavyweight thrash and metalcore crew Thursday 14 a decade, plus songs from his 80s pop career - and dances from the fast-rising young trio, trumpeter Denny Ilett, joined by Other Dramas K-Lacura. `Love plus One’, `Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets nominated for the BBC Folk Awards Horizon duo Maria Ilett and Richie Wildsmith. JOHN OTWAY: The Newlands, Eynsham – DAVID BYRNE: Girl)’, Fantastic Day’ etc. Award. DANCE KAPITAL: The Cellar – Hip hop The Clown Prince of Pop brings his one and a The New Theatre club night with OULC DJ s. half hits to the Shire. Saturday 16th Purely and simply as frontman of Talking CHRIS & KELLIE WHILE: Nettlebed Folk Thursday 14th – Sunday 17th 31HOURS + JOEL GARDNER: Magoo’s, TUESDAY 19th Heads, David Byrne has earned his Club – St Agnes Fountain singer Chris While Henley-on-Thames – Twinkly electro-pop and THE SUBWAYS: The Bullingdon – Welwyn FLOFEST / GLOFEST: status as bona fide musical legend, but teams up with daughter Kellie for a night of NOCTURNE LIVE: intricate psychedelia from rising local starlets Garden City’s enduring pop-punk trio The his talents have spread well beyond even traditional folk tunes. 31Hours. Subways return to town, set to release their fifth Florence Park Initially run as a free, small-scale, family- that sublimely inspirational band, most Blenheim Palace THE FACTORY LIGHTS + WATERFAHL album – the follow-up to 2015’s eponymous Well ain’t we a posh bunch here in Oxford. friendly daytime get-together in the Cowley notably his collaborations with Brian Eno. TUESDAY 12th + THE LEVY: Woodstock Acoustic Club – release. Together the pair created 1981’s epoch- Our festivals take place in idyllic country Unplugged night with soulful pop storytellers Park, Flofest has expanded a fair bit since SISTERS OF FUNK + DOT’S FUNKY GRADUATION: The Bullingdon making `My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts’, parks and this series of summer shows is The Factory Lights and folk-pop duo Waterfahl. 2013 and this year takes an extra step up ODYSSEY: The Bullingdon – Funk, soul and SUMMIT 7: The Bullingdon – Free live funk an album well ahead of its time in its use held in the grounds of an actual palace. towards becoming one of the main summer disco party. in the front bar. of sampling and electronics as well as its Taking a break from horse shows and music events in Oxford with the introducing INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial, th SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: James Street world music influences and found sounds. serving cream teas, Blenheim gets it’s SATURDAY 16 of Glofest, a ticketed evening event that ebm and death rock club night, with Doktor Joy Tavern Eno, unsurprisingly, pops up on Byrne’s groove on, cranks up the volume and pours FLOFEST / GLOFEST: Florence Park keeps the party going a bit longer. From and Bookhouse keeping it dark on the decks. new album, `American Utopia’, the follow- itself a beer to the strains of funk and disco (11-5pm / 6.30-11pm) – Free family festival 11am til 5, Flofest does its thing, proving a SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: James Street th up to his excellent 2012 collaboration with legend Nile Rodgers & Chic (Thursday); followed by ticketed evening show at the WEDNESDAY 20 mix of live music, kids activites, educational Tavern St Vincent, `Love This Giant’. One of pop Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds community-run park festival – see main preview ROB TOGNONI: The Bullingdon – The lectures and world food for a family music’s great thinkers, Byrne continues to (Friday); Elvis Costello & the Imposters SIMPLE with YOUNG MARCO: The Tasmanian blues devil returns to the Haven audience. Up on stage during the day will find poetry in anxiety, quirkiness and the WEDNESDAY 13th (Saturday), and Gary Barlow (Sunday). Bullingdon – An eclectic blend of tropical Club, displaying the powerful and versatile be Larkrise Samba Band; Collision Theory; rhythms, Afrobeats, Middle Eastern disco, banal, the new album managing to bring HUMMINGBIRD + THE PINK DIAMOND Nile Rodgers’ contribution to music is electric style that’s served him well in his 30- Whale; The Heavy Dexters; Art Theefe; house, techno and jack from Amsterdam’s cult philosophical discourse to the idea of dogs REVUE + BEAVERFUEL: The Wheatsheaf hard to measure, from his pioneering plus years on the road, his powerful electric Nick Cope; Band of Hope; Papa Nui and a hero Young Marco at tonight’s Simple club not being able to drive cars, what chickens – Serene harp-led pop from Hummingbird plus hitmaking with Chic, to his in-demand style owing much to Hendrix and Stevie Ray closing set from Count Skylarkin, while the night. think about and a love song written through psychedelic acid-surf rocking from the sublime guitar playing, to a production career Vaughan. variety tent provides a mix of poetry, dance, THE HERETIC ORDER + FLEISCH + the prism of a bullet shot from a gun. The Pink Diamond Revue and acerbic pop-punk that reads like an A-Z of music from the CREATURES + MOLLY DAVIES: The singalongs and storytelling. Come half six FYRESKY + MUX: The Cellar – Old school man is one of music’s great collaborators from Beaverfuel. 70s onwards. Expect all the Chic greats - Wheatsheaf – It’s All About the Music things get going in earnst on the music front horror metal from London’s The Heretic too, whether it’s Eno, St Vincent or Fat BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The `Dance, Dance, Dance’, `Le Freak’, I Want showcase. with the inaugural Glofest, aimed at being a Order at tonight’s OxRox show, the band Boy Slim, his palate extending into a whole Cellar – 80s hits, new wave, disco, glam and Your Love’, `Good Times et al. alongside laidback but upbeat gig party. Cuban rumba taking inspiration from King Diamond, Black world of music, which began back in his synth-pop club night. songs from his myriad collaborators. And st ensemble Ran Kan Kan open the evening if that isn’t temptin enough, Soul II Soul Sabbath and Angel Witch. Support comes from THURSDAY 21 bill and are joined by country-soul crew The Talking Heads days. He still manages to PREMIUM LEISURE: The Library – provide support. The following night Noel Oxfordshire industrial/gothic metallers Fleisch Deadbeat Apostles; psychedelic electro- squeeze a few of those old classics into th Third and final night of the band’s EP launch THURSDAY 14 Gallagher brings the rock, surprising even and Essex’s gothic hard rockers Fyresky. rockers Flights of Helios; cheesetastic his live set, plus the occasional unexpected residency. DAVID BYRNE: The New Theatre – Sold out Nightshift with a decent recent new album. FLUID: The Cellar – The Bassline, rave covers band Audacity Live; soulful, cover (he’s been doing Janelle Monáe’s `Hell THE SPIN with CHRIS ALLARD: The show from the ex Talking Head honcho – see Throw in a sizeable handful of old Oasis drum&bass and UK garage club night pop-friendly reggae faves Zaia (pictured), You Talmbout’ recently), and he remains Wheatsheaf – Jazz guitarist Allard returns main preview numbers and a support from The Coral and celebrates it seventh birthday with a night of plus dance tunes from DJ James Ussher one of the most adventurous and influential to the Spin Club having previously played in ISRAEL NASH: The Bullingdon – Gritty, you’re sorted. Elvis Costello is the star turn underground tunes from resident DJs. accompanied by a late-night light show. musicians around. No wonder tonight’s show Russell Watson’s band on tour. melancholy Americana and Laurel Canyon on the Saturday, his vast back catalogue ANDA UNION: St. Barnabas Church, All that for a fiver, with kids going free. sold out in a matter of minutes. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford grooves inspired by Neil Young and Crosby, providing ample room to please loyalists Jericho – spectacular display of ancient Everything is community organised with all Community Centre Stills and Nash from the Texan songsmith, out and them what want the big hits on a bill Mongolian music, collected and reinterpreted proceeds going to local community projects ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure on a solo UK tour ahead of the release of his that’s bolstered by The Waterboys, back in by Anda Union – last seen in the UK at and back into next year’s event. Grassroots THE TOM IVEY BAND: The Harcourt BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, fifth album. the Shire after playing the New Theatre last WOMAD festival – combining massed strings festival going at its best. Arms – Blues and rock covers and originals Sandford THE SPIN with JULIAN NICHOLAS: The month, and Britrock veteran Nick Lowe. and percussion to evoke the traditions of their from the local singer and guitarist. SPARKY’S NEW MOON: The Half Moon HAVANA RUMBA: The Old Fire Station Wheatsheaf – Tenor saxophonist Nicholas And in case you thought it was all going homeland. – Eleven years after it closed to become an – Night of Cuban dance in the company of returns to the weekly jazz club night. so well, Sunday brings an already sold-out GENESIS CONNECTED: The Cornerstone, Academy venue, The Zodiac is celebrated nd Havana’s Gerado y Su Rumbacho, plus a rumba CARNIVAL FUNDRAISER: Truck Store show from Gary Barlow, who has at least Didcot – Genesis should probably have been FRIDAY 22 with a party featuring bands and club nights dance class from Ariel Rios and Cuban big band (6pm) – Fundraising instore show for this year’s agreed to donate his fee to HMRC. Only connected to the mains. Might have saved us a ZODIAC REUNION PARTY: O2 Academy from that era. DJs from lounge night Disques dance tunes from local ensemble Ran Kan Kan. Cowley Road Carnival, with Deadbeat Apostles kidding – he has a man to sort that kind of lot of suffering. CHARLES HOWL: Fusion Arts – Tripped- and more. stuff for him. Expect the big Take That hits WINTER/WILSON: The Swann Inn, Ascott- out, modish mix of psychedelia, shoegaze and PREMIUM LEISURE: The Library and the big Barlow face. under-Wychwood – Wychwood Folk Club pop from south London’s quirky songwriter and MINOR SCIENCE: The Cellar – Leftfield host acoustic duo Winter/Wilson, touring their Marc Riley favourite, out on tour to promote his techno from Minor Science alongside Peach. new album `Ashes & Dust’. second album, `My Idol Family’. KRIS DOLLIMORE: The Rose & Crown, MISSING PERSIANS: The Brewery Tap, MOVE: The Cellar – Drum&bass, hip hop, Charlbury – John Lee Hooker-inspired blues Abingdon – Live blues and rock. garage and house club night, playing UK bass from the founding member of The Godfathers, music and tonight featuring Sound Affect & D former member of The Damned and current th guitarist of Del Amitri. SUNDAY 17 Raw, plus Stinkin’ Beats showcase and Slippery LOUISE JORDAN: Holywell Music Room ANNA RYDER + WATERFAHL: The Slopes Collective. – Gig/theatre experience from acclaimed folk Unicorn, Abingdon – Traditional and THE NIGHT WRECKERS: The White singer, guitarist and pianist Louise Jordan, on contemporary English folk from the singer- House tour to play songs from her new `No Petticoats Vogue; 80s, trash and glam night Trashy; reggae, SATURDAY 23rd almost the epitome of enduring BIKINI DEATHRACE + THE dancehall and ska night Skylarkin’; indie night CATGOD: The Cellar – A free gig from the heroic underachievement as well OTHER DRAMAS + JACK Transformation and old-school acid house cinematic local pop crew, fusing dreamy electro- as consistent quality, notably recent LITTLE: The Bell, Bicester – night Audacity come together for two rooms of pop with jazz, funk and experimentalism for a album `Bamboo Diner in the Rain’, Electroclash and punked-up synth- THE CELLAR nostalgic club fun, while local post-punk heroes sound that touches base with Bat For Lashes and channelling the 70s sounds of Lou pop from bemasked boy/girl duo Earinade, and Osprey & the OX4 Allstars play Kate Bush at times. Reed, Tom Verlaine and Jonathan Bikini Deathrace, with support from live. GROOVE: The Cellar – Disco, funk and house Richman, a band with “cult this month’s Nightshift cover stars WHAT’S ON IN JUNE ZODIAC REUNION AFTER-PARTY: The club night with Mac White, Only Child, Ess Gee favourites” stamped all over them, The Other Dramas. Bullingdon – The reunion party continues into and Cuba Jacobs though as is so often the case, they GARY STEWART’S Sat 2nd Tues 12th Sat 23rd Future Perfect the early hours as veterans of the old venue NIGHTSLUGS: The Bullingdon should be more widely loved. New GRACELAND: The Cornerstone, FREERANGE INTRUSION attempt to stay awake after midnight. album `Brushes With Happiness’ is Didcot – Paul Simon’s classic UKG / Grime / Bassline Goth / EBM / Industrial CATGOD + GUESTS URBAN FOLK QUARTET: The North Wall, • 7.30pm–10.15pm CHEROKII: The Cellar – Heavy duty out this week. album in its entirety. 11pm–3am £5 DJS DOKTOR JOY Summertown – Lively folk and roots from the + BOOKHOUSE • FREE / 16+ riffs’n’beats from the garage rock duo. DIGIT4: The Cellar – Bass, acclaimed quartet, out on another mammoth STEAMROLLER: Cowley Tues 5th + GUESTS THE JIVE ACES: The Cornerstone, Didcot UK tour ahead of festival season, fusing global drum&bass and tech house launch Workers Social Club HOUSE SWEET 8.30pm–2am • £4 otd Sat 23rd th – Livewire jive classics – including `Mack the sounds, from traditional English and Celtic, to Thursday 28 night with Wavy D, Burt Cope, BIG AZZA & THE HOUSE • Alt Dress Code GROOVE Knife’; `Sing, Sing, Sing,’ and `When You’re Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Afrobeat, Xodos and Joca JUKESTERS: Prince of Wales, Soulful / Jazz/ Disco / Funk / House Smiling’, plus originals from the ever-gigging LA WITCH / THE SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: Shippon – Live r’n’b, jump jive DeepTech House Wed 13th MAC WHITE + ONLY Indian, Cuban, bluegrass and funk into their jigs, • CHILD + ESS GEE + sextet and BGT finalists. James Street Tavern and swing classics. 11pm–3am £6 BURNING DOWN THE reels and songs. HOUSE CUBA JACOBS EVENLODE JAZZ: The Rose & Crown, OTHER DRAMAS: FRACTURE + FUJI + KHAMSINA + Thurs 7th 80s / New Wave / 11pm–3am Charlbury – Live swing, Latin jazz and blues. OVERLOAD: The Wheatsheaf – It’s All About The Cellar WEDNESDAY 27th SATURDAY 30th Future Perfect Disco • £4 adv • £5 otd the Music local bands showcase. DRAHLA + GUESTS 11pm–3am • £5 The flipside to LA’s sunset boulevards has KARMA TO BURN + DESERT BLACK SKIES BURN + MY 7.30pm–10.15pm Tues 26th th THE SHAPES + PEERLESS PIRATES Wednesday 27 always been its seedy underground rock STORM + BAD BLOOD DIABLO + LAST RITES + • £6 adv / 16+ Thurs 14th DIGIT4 - LAUNCH + BEARETHISBOY + THE FACTORY clubs and LA Witch aren’t about to up-end RECOVERY: The Cellar – The HYMN TO APOLLO: O2 GOODNESS PARTY KARMA TO BURN LIGHTS: Waterperry Gardens, Wheatley too many clichés on that score. Black-clad, riffs! The riffs! – see main preview Academy – Church of the Heavy Thurs 7th MINOR SCIENCE + Bass / Dnb / Tech Rascal present... – Benefit show for Helen & Douglas House drenched in reverb and fuzz and singing GALICIAN MUSIC SESSION: hosts another night of heavyweight PEACH House BRASSICA + / DESERT STORM hospice with party-starting r’n’b, roots rock, about death, faded glamour and bad lovin’, James Street Tavern – Traditional rock and metal local action, tonight 11pm–3am WAVY D + BURT folk and new wave faves The Shapes alongside GUESTS • £5 • motd COPE + XODOS + they studiedly position themselves between music from northern Spain. with extreme black/death and 11pm–3am • £5 adv / BAD BLOOD indie and rockabilly-flavoured pirate pop crew JOCA LA rock chick glam and scuzzy goth/punk grindcore monsters Black Skies Fri 15th 11pm–3am Peerless Pirates; political trad-folk storytellers chic. And really, who can resist some good th Burn, raging in between Extreme Fri 8th SOUL SESSIONS • £4 adv • £6 otd RECOVERY: Future Perfect Bewarethisboy, and soulful, reflective roots-pop old fashioned subterranean death-surf-rock THURSDAY 28 Noise Terror, Dying Fetus and Disco / Soul / Funk YWMP TAKEOVER: Truck SEAN MCGOWAN nostalgists The Factory Lights, all performing in dished out with a sizeable chunk of bad-ass Cannibal Corpse, and whose travels 11pm–3am Wed 27th The Cellar Store (6pm) – Young Women’s + ANN’S ANCHOR Beards. Hair. Marshall stacks. Riffs. These the Waterperry Gardens amphitheatre. attitude. And so Sade Sanchez, Irita Pai and have seen them supporting Napalm • £5 all night BURIED IN SMOKE Music Project take over the decks + LOST DARREN + Stoner rock / rock / are the building blocks of West Virginia’s BÖTLEY CRÜE: Tap Social, Botley – Indie, Ellie English ramraid their local record store Death and Sepultura. Among the as they launch their crowdfunding RESTRUCTION Sat 16th heavy metal grizzled stoner rockers Karma To Burn. No new wave and Britpop covers from the local for The Kills, The Raveonettes, The Cramps support are grime-coated, volume- 7.30pm–10.15pm campaign for their new base. FLUID’S 7TH BIRTH- KARMA TO BURN frills, no prisoners, just… riffs. The band outfit. and a whole lot of Mazzy Star, strip it down heavy groove-metal duo My • £7 adv LA WITCH + THE OTHER DAY + DESERT STORM have been around as long as the mountains THE BITE: The Brewery Tap, Abingdon – 60s girl group style, crank up the reverb to Diablo, mixing up Sabbath, Led Bassline / Drum & + BAD BLOOD Classic rock covers. max and play it simple, loose and decidedly DRAMAS: The Cellar – Fri 8th RECOVERY from which their instrumental opuses seem Zep and Smashing Pumpkins. WOI FM Presents: Bass / UKG JOHNNY’S SEXUAL KITCHEN: The Bell, Californian sunshine pop, without 11–3am • £6 7pm–10.30 to be carved it seems, certainly since the rough-hewn. Result? Great fuzztone songs KANADIA + QUARTERMELON: NO LONG TALK the sunshine from the LA goth- • • mid- 90s, though there were a few years Bicester – Classic rock covers. like `Drive Your Car’, a highlight of the The Cellar – Stadium-ready rock £12 adv £15 rockers – see main preview Funky / Hip Hop / Mon 18th off in the middle while everyone seemingly THE MIGHTY REDOX: The White Hart, trio’s 2017 eponymous debut. As much as and pop from Abingdon’s Kanadia, Bashment Eynsham OFF KEY: The Cellar CINEMA UNDER THE Thurs 28th went off to play for someone else. The anything they remind us of San Francisco’s taking in U2, Radiohead and INXS DJ FABES + DJ WOI STAIRS Future Perfect GAZM + CELL + GUILT FM + HONEYY trio’s granite-like sound is based on the hugely underrated grunge heroes Frightwig as they mix nervous intensity with Oxford's / LA WITCH + GUESTS POLICE: The Library – Riff- 11pm–3am • £5 otd steady bedrocks of Black Sabbath and Led th and we don’t dish out compliments like that grand anthems. Underground / Cinema 7.30pm–10pm SUNDAY 24 heavy, splenetic hardcore punk Zeppelin and they share plenty of ground every day. Stripped-down, simple, fuzzy GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES TERMINATOR • £12 adv / 16+ PIERANORMAL: The Bullingdon (2-11pm) from Montreal’s Gazm at tonight’s Sat 9th with Kyuss, with whom they have extensive and with a dark pop heart? Who else could with OAKLAND ROAD + Future Perfect 7.30pm for 8.30pm – Special memorial show for the late and much pay-what-you-can Smash Disco start • £4 Sat 30th connections (Scott Reeder produced their missed photographer and music fan Pier Corona provide support than this month’s Nightshift MANAKING + SEMI-URBAN LOMA + ADAM PALADIN PROMOTIONS show. They’re on tour with near TORRES `Appalachian Incantation’ album, while cover stars The Other Dramas. They got hair FOX: The Wheatsheaf – GTI’s Fri 22nd KANADIA + GUESTS who passed away last year. A gathering of neighbours Cell, mixing up hardcore 7.30pm–10.30pm John Garcia guested on vocals). Their last worthy of Sunset Strip and great garage-pop monthly live music club mixes it PALADIN PROMOTIONS 7.30pm–10pm his favourite bands and artists includes a rare and metal, plus local Am-Rep / crust • £9 adv / 16+ visit to Oxford was a suitably monolithic tunes to match. Helluva double feature show. up again, tonight hosting indie- present ... • £6 adv hometown show from The Original Rabbit Foot beasts Guilt Police. set at the O2 Academy back in 2014 and soul newcomers Oakland Road PUNK N’ ROLL Spasm Band and a one-off reunion set from CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Sat 9th CHEROKII + GUESTS Sat 30th tonight’s Buried In Smoke show should be Undersmile. Basically a fantastic day of leftfield CHARLIE DRORE + MEGAN HENWOOD: alongside Bradford’s funky rap-rock MOVE 7.30pm–10pm PITCH BLACK: Sum- Oxford Community Centre SOUND AFFECT & cut from equally heavy-duty cloth. Great and experimental music in memory of a very Nettlebed Folk Club – Two of the leading ladies act Manaking, mixing up Beastie • £6 adv mer Techno Party ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude D RAW + STINKIN' heavyweight stoner support from Oxford’s splendid gentleman – see main news story of trad folk share tonight’s bill at Nettlebed, with Boys, Eminem and Tupac with RORTINGAH + the Obscure BEATS SHOWCASE KAMIL MACZEWA + leading metal warriors Desert Storm, whose veteran, multi-award-winning singer-songwriter RATM and Nine Inch Nails. Local Fri 22nd WATERFAHL: Tap Social (5-7pm) – Album + SLIPPERY SLOPES JOHN SWEDE recent `Sentinels’ album is by far their Libertine and Arctic Monkeys- TOTAL LIFE FOR- launch gig from the acoustic folk-pop duo. Charlie Drore teaming up with Steeleye Span’s COLLECTIVE 11pm–3am • £5 otd heaviest to date and has seen them win th leaning rockers Semi Urban Fox EVER OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms Julian Littman to play songs from her new album FRIDAY 29 11pm–3am • £6 Indie Hits All Night widespread national and international press THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Bell, `Dark Matter’. The pair are joined by Nettlebed METAL 2 THE MASSES open the show. Long Mon 11th praise, alongside an opening set from Bad Wantage – Rock and blues covers from the regular Megan Henwood, also playing songs FINAL: The Bullingdon – The DIRTY WORK + DADA 11pm–3am • £4 adv DANCE KAPITAL Blood Recovery, formed by former members veteran local singer and his band. from her new album, `River’. Competition to win a slot at this PARADOX: The Harcourt Arms • £5 otd of Suitable Case For Treatment and The summer’s Bloodstock reaches its – Classic r’n’b and rock’n’roll Dance / Hip Hop / FOLK SESSION: The Half Moon STEAMROLLER & FRIENDS: Red Lion, much more Domes of Silence and thus with heaviosity BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) Cassington – Bikers night with classic heavy- finale, with four local rock and covers from local quartet Dirty OULC DJS + GUESTS guaranteed. duty r’n’b from veterans Steamroller, kicking it metal bands going head to head. Work. 11pm–3am • £5 otd th out in the style of Cream and Hendrix. STRIKE ONE + ALBOA + VOLUME DNB: The Bullingdon MONDAY 25 BLUE ORCHID + FULL – Drum&bass club night. KIEFER SUTHERLAND: O2 Academy – Bit th CIRCLE + FOLLIANTS + PITCH BLACK: The Cellar of bona fide Hollywood A-list action tonight TUESDAY 26 JONNY RACE: O2 Academy – – Techno summer party with with Keifer Sutherland bringing his grizzled and TRAVIS: The New Theatre – The crisis of It’s All About the Music showcase Rortingah, Kamil Maczewa and gravelly, whisky-soaked country to town, his antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues. night. John Swede. The Cellar, Frewin Court, Oxford, OX1 3HZ `Down a Hole’ album proving to be a superior THE WAVE PICTURES: Jericho Tavern – @CellarOxford TheCellar.Oxford cousin to other Hollywood hobby band efforts, David Tattersall’s seedily romantic, elegantly Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20th of each month, www.cellaroxford.co.uk his rough-hewn rumble of a voice taking him dour and scarily prolific rockers return to town no exceptions. Listings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be used into Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings territory. after their show at The Cellar last year, the band without permission. RADIATOR HOSPITAL / SWEDISH DEATH CANDY / LIVE RESPECTFULCHILD / THE JUNIPER NIGHTS / BLUSHES COOLING PEARLS The Cellar First impressions can’t always be restrained aspects of their set. The Wheatsheaf trusted. As we amble down the stairs Swedish Death Candy’s name is Three bands in possession of good easy to overlook in a busy city. The into The Cellar, Blushes are just oddly appropriate. There’s something photo: Helen Messenger names tonight for a change. result bears comparisons with the launching into their set, and it would distinctly unsettling about their songs, Tonight’s local presence comes ambient electronics of the likes of appear that they’ve have taken Foals in the way that they lurch from taut in the form of The Cooling Pearls, Pete Namlook and Petar Dundov, and spidery, icy-cold riffs and added a restraint to unbridled explosions of among whose line-up are tonight’s the room is held in respectful silence sheen of poptastic glitter to them. noise and pass it through a filter of promoters, Divine Schism. Touted as they hold us in a delicate web of As their set progresses, however, sweetness and light. At times they as alt-folk there’s inevitably nothing sonic intricacy. the intricate guitar patterns quickly sound as if they’ve been plucked particularly alt about them, except for Headliners Radiator Hospital’s become supplanted with rather from 1960s America at the height their youth, and only two sport beards. origins lie in Grand Rapids, Michigan, ordinary and occasionally out of tune of Flower Power, only to have their Most endearing are the male/female though now based in Philadelphia indie-pop fare. It’s a shame, because love and peace approach completely call and response parts, which helps where they’ve crossed paths with clearly at some point, they were onto subverted. A quick check establishes us immerse ourselves in the woozy, Swearin’, Waxahatchee and other something quite interesting, and if that Charles Manson isn’t amongst seductive, almost narcotic blend of bands of that scene. Unpretentious they can harness those more unusual their ranks, which is a blessed relief. violin, accordion, acoustic guitar indie punk-pop in the vein of a ideas, then Blushes could blossom. On paper they sound like a complete and the most gentle of drums. ‘Pablo lightweight Dinosaur Jr, they make Another band that bears a passing mess as elements of the Misfits horror Picasso, You Helped Me Paint My up for a dearth of variety with a resemblance to Foals are Juniper punk mix with stoner riffs, swirling Life’ is a perfect title in that, like the decent singer and an excellent bassist, Nights, but their taut riffing also psychedelics, driven motorik beats band, it makes sense in a way we only skilfully keeping matters tight, light bears the ambition of the more and classic rock riffs. Louis Perry’s vaguely understand. and bouncy. “This is ‘Ghosts’, which prog aspects of Radiohead. Their vocals are surprisingly dainty and Respectfulchild is the solo project you must have a lot of round here, instrumental `Black Skies’ ambles light considering that they’re floating of Melissa Ginger Gan, the title ‘cos this place is old as fuck,” declares into discordant territory although on top of a soundtrack that wilfully being the literal translation of their main man Sam Cook-Parrott (another it’s hard to tell whether it’s entirely veers from `Pretty Woman’-style (Melissa’s preferred term) Mandarin great name), before disappointing intentional. Just as they sound as riffing, through Bootsy Collins name. Notes are picked out by us by not launching into the Japan if they’re going to explode in that rubber bass expositions and at least plucking a violin, which are then classic. classic post-rock manner, they grind one section that SUNNO))) might looped and built up into textured The three acts tonight are very much to a halt, which is nothing if not consider a bit too loud. Yet somehow soundscapes, which make more sense products of their home environments original. At times chaotic and with it all combines to create a celebration occasional dip into angsty overkill, as on `Take when you learn they were brought and all respect to Divine Schism for the ambition of a prog-band, Juniper of music in all its forms. Genres? WITCH FEVER / DEATH OF THE MAIDEN / Me’, can’t detract from the fact Death of the up on the Canadian Prairies. The bringing them together in the kind of Nights could well be worth keeping Where Swedish Death Candy are RAINBOW RESERVOIR Maiden are one of the most striking and essential music is all about space and the void night this city does so well. an eye on, particularly if they develop going, they don’t need genres. bands in Oxford right now. between sounds, something it’s too Art Lagun their occasional forays into the more Sam Shepherd The Jericho Tavern They have invited Manchester’s Witch Fever to Oxford as a show of solidarity after both bands Barely two months after the release of her debut statement of intent, a militant march from Jaques experienced depressingly predictable sexism at album Angela Space has seen another Rainbow Brel to The Mekons via Marc & the Mambas, recent shows, and the visitors repay the invitation Reservoir line-up dissolve around her, so the new Tamara Parsons Baker’s ice-cold, crystal cut voice with a show of seriously malevolent punk/metal incarnation of her band sees her playing drums picking over the bones of the emotional toll of firepower. Singer Amy is an alternately cheery and as well as singing as part of a straight-up duo. It fighting against injustice. It’s an absolute picnic splenetic pocket battleship, firing out lines like doesn’t detract too much from her songs though, compared to `Horses’ though, a song inspired by a “Keep crawling from me and I’ll break your fucking simple and straightforward as they are, like the nightmare that comes laced with foreboding and a jaw” over panzer-heavy riffage, her rich Lancastrian exuberant thrash-pop of `Forest Fire’ and the sense of drama that reminds us of Aldous Harding. accent making the band sound like a cacophonous bubblegum cynicism of `Gold Star Girl’. Things While Tamara’s songs generally find her baring her coming together of The Lovely Eggs and Black are less fun when guitarist Ian Hargest takes vocal soul in the starkest of fashions, there’s humour even Sabbath. `Flesh Casket’ is bulldozing and spiteful duties, a messy Mouldy Peaches-like thrash, but set in the bleaker moments, Hannah Bruce’s litany of and there’s a hefty shot of Babes in Toyland-like closer `Brenda’ is what Rainbow Reservoir do best: profanities that provide the harmonies in `Shut Up’ venom in their grunged-up garage-noise cocktail. four-to-the-floor beats and a hurry and flurry of provoking laughs both on and off stage. For a band who were catcalled onstage in Bristol for exuberant Ramones-y garage pop all wrapped up in But it’s those dark corners where Death of the not being proper punk, they’re near as dammit the three rapidfire minutes. Maiden are at their very best: “I had a baby and epitome of its sound and attitude. So, to paraphrase Any good cheer left in the room is quickly I named him sorrow” sings Tamara at one point, another great punk band: get outta their way or banished to the venue’s darkest corners by Death sounding like Anna Calvi unearthing one of they’re gonna shove. of the Maiden. Opener `Soldier’ is a stunning Dolly Parton’s most traumatic tales, and even the Dale Kattack

rhythmic furrow, such as the stoner grunge of Shotgun Six. They make a huge, UNDERGROUND YOUTH / satisfying noise for a trio (though the giant gong should possibly count as a band member): seismic at the bottom end and psychedelically shimmering at SHOTGUN SIX / CIPHERS the top. Our single criticism is that the set is back to front, starting with the two The Cellar heaviest, most hypnotic tracks. Scrub that, they should have only played the first two tracks, for 15 minutes each. The groove abides. We say it again and again: turn up for the first acts on the bill. Not to “support At Nightshift, we don’t believe in style over substance; we believe in the scene”, just to ensure you don’t miss a great band you’ve not heard of. honesty, quality, talent and – wait… Underground Youth look really cool. Those who arrive early tonight get a real treat, an opportunity to tour Ciphers’ Black leather, floppy hair, stand-up drummer bashing out elemental Mo charred cathedral of dark-hearted pop. Their first number moves from the Tucker/Phil Spector beats, insouciant stares, the lot. The music is good, brooding menace of `Mezzanine’-era Massive Attack to the melodic ire of too: impassioned yet unruffled scuzz pop with an Andrew Eldritch baritone, Skunk Anansie, and the set blossoms like les fleurs du mal from thereon. The that’s not far from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club doing Joy Division. Their sound is vast, but there’s still space for intricately interlocking guitars and songs start brilliantly, but do tend to stumble to an end when you want them chunky unfunk bass a la 23 Skidoo. A new but deeply intriguing band. to explode (or go on forever). The last two numbers, perfectly balanced and “Just because a record has a groove, don’t make it in the groove”, sang Stevie building to an inverse stage invasion crescendo, are so good you almost begin Wonder, and how right he was (as well as presciently predicting a time when to suspect they were fumbling on purpose earlier to ensure a big finish.That’s Truck Store would stock more vinyl than CDs). It’s not just funk and soul a dangerous game, but, on this evidence, one they’re winning. that ride on the mighty groove, though; many genres benefit from a deep David Murphy LIVE photo: Rich Mazonowicz

and proves himself to be the better URBAN VOODOO MACHINE / THE LONG INSIDERS of Angel. The Bullingdon It’s all good unselfconscious fun. But we wonder if maybe it should Appearance is paramount tonight. If there’s a bit of Elvis pastiche equally flamboyant band include be more fun. All the ingredients Long Insiders frontman Nick Kenny in the “thang-yoo-very-much” a man mountain of a drummer are here, but tonight at least, Urban is looking decidedly dapper in his acknowledgements at the end, The whose huge beard and green mask Voodoo Machine hoist the reins black patterned shirt and slicked- Long Insiders continue to prove that make him look like something on their own party by breaking back quiff, like a young Johnny you can do unabashed retro rocking out of Pirates of the Caribbean. the set up too much. Instead of Cash. He probably wishes he had and still sound like the freshest band As you’d expect, the band exist building from gutter blues laments as much control over his guitar on the block. Long may their train to put on a show and get a party to a rousing polka finale they keep amp which packs up during the first rattle down those old tracks. started, Angel’s Tom Waits-like rasp taking the mood back down again, number, but it doesn’t really slow the Making their Oxford debut a mere leading the band through frantic losing momentum at each stage. It’s band down as they rattle through half 15 years after forming, London’s polka, gypsy swing, flamenco a shame because, as Gogol Bordello an hour of freight train rockabilly Urban Voodoo Machine are equally flourishes, gothic rockabilly, the and even Oxford’s own Balkan and midnight-hued surf-rock, Kenny as much a visual experience as a odd Tarantella, a bit of klezmer Wanderers show, there’s no party all snake-hipped shape cutting, musical one, all togged up in red and a whole lot of Vaudevillian like a gypsy party. Urban Voodoo while discreet star of the show Dan satin and black, frontman Paul- theatricality. Nick Kenny joins the Machine are a very good party Godard powers everything along Ronney Angel looking like a cross band on guitar for a few numbers – band, but they’ve got it in them to with fearsome intent while looking between a Mexican bandit and the position in the band vacant since be a great one. like he’s barely making an effort. Boy George, while around him his the tragic death of Nick Marsh – Dale Kattack

about them. Bright and crisp chords organically EYRE LLEW / KID KIN / GHOSTS IN THE shift and morph into walls of noise that then PHOTOGRAPHS decay and crumble into effected guitar drones that then pull away to reveal melancholic piano The Cellar underpinning the whole thing. The sparse Ghosts In The Photographs start their set with a is new material traversing more introspective moments of vocals add another texture to the tune that is imbued with a kind of verse-chorus- guitar-led numbers and a final track that is “a bit mix, though their content is a little lost to the verse accessibility, which is often something dancey”, but resolves into guitar-washed joy. Set ether. One new track adds Icelandic expanse to post-rock lacks, and could do with more of. highlight ‘You Are’ starts with the two word title what in another life could have been a stadium Each song is bridged with pre-recorded loops looped and layered into a mesmeric vocal drone rock anthem and it’s confounding how well it and drones to cover the necessary guitar tuning evoking Yndi Hilda and American Football only works. but sometimes you feel you’d like to hear then to be overthrown by fuzzy chords and bone- We’d never heard Eyre Llew before tonight, them develop into the next song, not cut a little shaking synth bass; we feel we could listen to but the quality of their arrangement and harshly as the band move on. That said, when that song for hours. delivery leaves us with that warm feeling that the trio embrace a broader scope in longer It’s always encouraging when a pedalboard comes from your favourite band playing a songs it gives their ideas more space to mature comes out with a cello bow laid across it, and set of all your favourite songs. Any post-rock and evolve and that’s when GITP are at their that initial raising of expectations is not just met, fans out there who haven’t heard them yet, best. but sailed over. Eyre Llew embrace ambience are definitely missing out and should rectify It’s been a while since I’ve seen Kid Kin live, and power to wash you away into a beautiful the situation as soon as possible but really, everyone should go and see Eyre Llew, because and his more optimistic and uplifting electronica/ haze of reverb and catharsis. | | | great music like this transcends taste and BERK’S NEST COMEDY STAGE THE MAYFLOWER TENT RIVERSIDE STAGE COMPLETE CHILDREN’S ZONE post-rock has matured, evolved and even There are clear touch-points in their sound EXTENSIVE FAIRGROUND | GOURMET CATERERS AND VILLAGE TEA TENT | BEAUTIFUL CAMPING | GORGEOUS GLAMPING developed a vocal section, which is impressive within the post-rock canon, but such academic pigeon-holing. for a (generally) one-man band. Most of his set analysis would remove what is most enjoyable Matt Chapman-Jones THE SIRENS, a duo whose self deprecating humour makes their LIVE gig fun, plus they are pretty good singers and instrumentalists. As well as co-leading False Lights, SAM CARTER plays a solo set in which he deploys his warm tenor as well as his baritone voice, shows he is a top class finger-picking guitarist and, big surprise this, a very political singer. The instrumental duo of ROSS COUPER’s fiddle and TOM OAKES’ distinctive guitar sound

Furrow Collective photo: GlassHertzzPhoto Furrow seem to breath as one. Couper plays in Peatbog Fairies and the duo are impressively dynamic and fiery but it’s their melancholy tunes which linger longest in the memory.

Anglo French instrumental outfit TOPETTE specialise in the dance music of a specific region of France, which might sound a recipe for tedium, but with award winning melodeon player Andy Cutting and a virtuoso bagpipe player in the line-up, it’s the quite opposite.

Welsh trio ELFEN takes us on an atmospheric tour, mainly of Celtic countries. Their secret weapon is OXFORD FOLK WEEKEND the dazzling double bass playing of Jordan Price Williams, a man who Various Venues makes the big beast sing and who, For two and half days the Folk louder band in the Wesley Memorial nights’ headliners but command no in a high quality field, would get Weekend once again brings more Church – but they’re subtle too as less attention. Each band member our instrumentalist of the weekend enjoyment than there are bells on a they sing of pirates who end on leads a song and the others provide award if we had one to give. Morris dancer’s ankles as it spills the gallows. Though one number sparse, subtle accompaniment with out from the city centre venues and sounds very Fairport Convention Alasdair Roberts playing minimalist Picking the winner for most pubs onto the streets. Born out of like, they are more post-rock than electric guitar. The foursome spin a emotional moment is much easier. adversity when a few enthusiasts folk-rock with Moray’s tenor and seductive web of poignant laments, JENKINSON’S FOLLY’s version decided that the city would continue Carter’s baritone creating harmonies supernatural ballads and a quirky of the epic Rye Lifeboat (the Mary to have a weekend celebrating the to die for. While the highlight in a song about an ailing horse. Stanford) Disaster song completely broad church that is folk after the set of highlights is the whole band transforms what until then is an Oxford Folk Festival folded, the singing an a capella encore, this is So strong is the main programme ordinary set, and leaves all who event started in the lower reaches a band that would be at home in any that we have hardly a moment hear it in tatters. They perform at of the Evo-stick League of festivals of the city’s rock venues. to visit to any of the free stages. the Quaker Meeting House, our but just seven years later it is However, we make it to Blackwell’s favourite venue, with a beautiful established in the Premier League. After that we think Folk early on Saturday and catch garden where we take tea and a few This is all the more amazing as the Weekend may have peaked SGREPANE, the never-heard- minutes timeout in the sunshine. event is run entirely by volunteers. early; happily, we’re very wrong. of-them-before family trio of two Saturday’s headliner is Eliza sisters and a brother from an Italian For a couple of hours also it’s the If trying do the whole weekend Carthy, MBE and twice Alpine valley who are only are venue for stalwarts of the local folk can be exhausting – at the end Mercury nominated, who gives a here as one of them happens to scene OWL LIGHT TRIO, all of of Sunday there’s a “Survivors’ performance to match her status work in Oxford. They blow our whom were in the much missed Session” – it’s also great fun. as folk royalty. It’s a rare solo proverbial socks off with their Telling The Bees and who entertain There are ceilidhs; dances; Morris appearance – only her second ever, superbly expressive unaccompanied with tunes mainly from Ireland and sides galore; sessions in pubs; the other being at Towersey Festival singing, telling of the impact of two Brittany. Two of them then join workshops; unusual venues, and way back when she was starting world wars on their valley. Plus JON FLETCHER for his pleasing accessibility for people with special out, she informs us. The rarity they are totally charming and we set of blues and jazz influenced folk educational needs. of the situation might be why she are so taken we make sure to be in and original material. starts tentatively, but in the second Westgate Library for their second The music tends towards half she comes into her own both performance of the day, and are There are a one or two acts that do mainstream folk in all its variety own musically and by filling the annoyed when their set is cut short disappoint, but overall this year the but there are acts who push the hall with her large personality, and by the library closing. They are the organisers and artists manage to boundaries, like Jim Moray’s it all builds to an absorbing climax. surprise hit of the weekend. raise the bar yet again. Cat and her outstanding solo set last year. He’s team are going to take a well earned back this year again headlining Sunday’s headliners THE It’s certainly a weekend of difficult sabbatical from putting on the Folk Friday night, but this time with FURROW COLLECTIVE, choices and we regret we cannot Weekend next year but when they FALSE LIGHTS, the electric are another major folk act. clone ourselves to see either Harri bring it back in 2020 we know it guitar and electronica-driven band Formed by four notable soloists, Endersby or Kim Lowerings, both will continue to hit the heights of he fronts with fellow award winner including Emily Portman and of whom may become big stars the Premier League. Sam Carter. They play big and Alasdair Roberts, they are more of the folk firmament shortly. loud – there can’t ever have been a understated than both previous But we are there for SOUND OF Colin May band with a successful debut under their arm. album, certainly addresses the current political Black Honey At a festival (they’re playing Truck this year), climate and our reaction to it. EASTER ISLAND STATUES / LIFEINC. / O2 Academy their set would probably work a lot better. But Frank’s back catalogue of his loves and failings BREEZEWAX / AUDACITY LIVE / ZURICH Like Pale Waves a couple of months ago, Black upstairs at the O2, it’s just not it. still fill a good part of the set. Now happily in Honey’s audience is mainly teenage. The crowd Caspar Jacobs a relationship, he states he can now move on O2 Academy a band attracts doesn’t always say something from writing songs about his own romantic Picked from almost 100 entries, tonight’s technological failure, Breezewax is forced about their music, but tonight’s crowd is cooler ineptitude. This is evident by tonight’s blistering final of the I Want to Play at Common to cancel his entire set when his laptop fails and rowdier than usual. Before Black Honey FRANK TURNER performance of ‘Make America Great People suggests quality is assured from the to fire up. He later manages to play one song take the stage, a tall pimply guy is taken & THE SLEEPING Again’, with the valiant urge to, “Make off and none of the acts disappoints, even at the end, with a far funkier vibe than his away by security for clearly being too drunk, America great again, by making racists ashamed if Breezewax suffers the sort of technical recent chill-hop EP, and you can only feel while during the gig the moshpits are sweaty SOULS / ARKELLS / again.” A little naive perhaps, but the sentiment horrors all artists have nightmares about. for the poor fella; he deserved to be dealt a whirlpools of 17-year-olds smelling of illicit is admirable. Beefed up from the recorded Zurich’s elegant, dark-hearted electro/indie better hand. beer and excitement. THE HOMELESS version,‘1933’ is a state-of-the-nation anthem of rock is black clad and polished and comes It’s left to Easter Island Statues and Lifeinc. They do love the band, though. There are outrage that goes straight for the jugular. shrouded in a sense of epic gloom akin to to go head to head for the prize; the latter are no stage times, but we’ve been waiting for a GOSPEL CHOIR Of the other new material aired, ‘There She Interpol. Their experience is obvious with newcomers to the scene but already looking while when they finally come on stage near Is’ flips things completely, being a straight a big sound and production that suggests and sounding impressively assured, three 10pm. Black Honey, fronted by Izzy Baxter, O2 Academy up love song to Frank’s new partner. It has a festivals and arenas are in their sights, while guitars combining for a sense of uptight who tonight is wearing a pink glitter dress The phrase ‘it’s not a cult’ is used by Frank hint of ‘Underdog’ by Imagine Dragons about songs like `Alone’, which closes their short euphoria and a stadium-friendly sound that with cowboy hat and boots, is like an indie Turner devotees to justify their zealous it, which brings forth the old adage “targeting set, could easily bridge the gap between goes the full U2 at the end, stopping off at rock version of Lana Del Rey, and to be appreciation of the man and his music: tongue- the commercial market”: but Frank has never 6Music and Radio 2. Nirvana, INXS and Echo & the Bunnymen honest, I’m not entirely convinced. It’s not that in-cheek I’m sure, but certainly warranted been one to pander to trends and has only ever Nothing gloomy about Audacity Live who along the way. Easter Island Statues, though, they’re doing it by numbers – Black Honey and glaringly apparent this evening. Fast- ploughed his own furrow. Always one to break bring the cheese and a sense of silliness to pip them to the post, the most adventurous are definitely giving what they have, and so is forwarding a few hours before the faithful lose the barrier between artist and audience, the the show. What they do is a simple, effective and dramatic of the acts here tonight and the crowd. But neither is it exactly original, their collective inhibitions, the lone folk-punk punk-at-heart Frank crowdsurfs and does his trick: take a bunch of 70s and 80s hits and with the sharpest sense of melody, occasional and were it not for Baxter’s distinctive voice guitarslinger Derek Zanetti (aka The Homeless now customary dance with a female member give them a rave makeover – acid-okie if trumpet intermissions brightening bold, I suspect most songs would lose their shine. Gospel Choir) commands the stage with mic, of the audience during the blistering fan you will. So `Sweet Dreams’, `Born to Be groove-heavy guitar workouts that take Exceptions are the excellent ‘Somebody Better’, guitar and songs chiefly of a political and favourite ‘Four Simple Words’. A sublime Wild’ and `She Sells Sanctuary’ are belted The Wedding Present’s repetition through which is the night’s favourite, and new track mental health nature. Canadians The Arkells’ rendition of ‘Polaroid Picture’ seals the deal on out via four-to-the-floor trance beats and Maximo Park’s abrasive pop and onto ‘Bad Friends’, which shows a different and pop sheen, use of beats and plain lyrics are as this most wondrous performance. some unselfconscious stadium rock guitar something almost bluesy at times. They perhaps more interesting side of the band. saccharine as they are uplifting and provide the Just like a Polaroid picture, a moment is bombast. That the vocals don’t always hit get the judges’ vote and the chance to open And although they’ve dressed up nicely, there’s perfect introduction to the main attraction. captured and revelled in, before we move on to the right note doesn’t matter much and we Common People, but it’s obvious from every also not much genuine audience interaction. Handpicked by Frank, both supports went some the next. Now, with solo show 2168 (yep, Frank can even just about forgive their butchery of set tonight that there could and should be HARCOURT ARMS Izzy Baxter goes through the motions – way to influencing the sound and direction counts ’em) in the bag and the touring road Blondie’s `Atomic’; they’re simply the best room for all five acts on the Uncommon “Oxford, you look amazing!”, “Are you having of his new LP. A departure of sorts from the beneath his feet, Frank Turner’s journey is as kind of daft fun. stage next year. fun?” et cetera – but there’s no spark. It’s clear usual guitar-driven folk/punk, synth heavy unknown as it is endless. If Audacity Live suffer a brief moment of Ian Chesterton Saturday June 9th that Black Honey are now a professional touring ‘Be More Kind’, while not strictly a political Gary Davidson Tom Ivey THE ACADEMIC / SEA GIRLS The Cellar Band In amongst a seemingly never ending sea of the fresh air and having no concept of the Monday June 11th chirpy indie bands with chirpy choruses and abattoir that waits around the corner. chirpy hairdo’s come two more pretenders You can’t help but feel this indie quicksand Oxford Classic to a most coveted and fought over throne. we currently seem to be sinking into needs From Sundara Karma through to The Hunna to reach a conclusion as soon as possible. Jazz via The Magic Gang, Fickle Friends and Like all movements it started with a clever The Night Cafe, the personnel is the only amalgamation of a few different ideas and Saturday June 30th Specialist practical and emotional real change in an endless barrage of happy for a year or two sounded vaguely passable: go lucky personas and non threatening watered down math rock guitar work mixed Dirty Work support for women and girls who chorus lines. The Academic and Sea Girls with super sugary choruses and an upbeat, have both found their foothold on this well- dance-friendly rhythm section became a Dada Paradox have experienced sexual violence oiled pole of radio-friendly unit shifting foolproof (literally) way of making coherent and begin their formal ascent this year, both pop songs for the masses. Plus Support at any time in their lives. tipped for greatness by the very people who Skip forward a few short years and we thrive off their success. are still stuck in this cyclic monotone, the Telephone helpline First up are Sea Girls, a band whose record labels only just rediscovering how Open Mic Every Sunday vessel has clearly hit rocks, the four piece to eek their pound of flesh out of these live music at the heart of jericho 01865 726295 or Freephone 0800 783 6294 seemingly marooned on a desert island, young groups so unwilling to take risks on desperately searching for a USP. The fresh ideology just yet. Its predictability is Cranham Terrace Jericho Oxford ox2 6dg • Monday 6.30pm – 9pm formulaic and unimaginative nature of their nauseating at times. 01865 556669 • Thursday 6.30pm – 9pm compositions and their refusal to take any But it’s also important to remember that • Sunday 6pm – 8.30pm risks is quickly tiresome, the band sounding when you pick up a guitar, a microphone like a collage of their contemporaries, the or a paint brush you are becoming an artist We have a 24-hour answerphone, and if you leave us cheeky little guitar licks of Fickle Friends and art should challenge its audience, a message we can call you back the next time we are open. and the chipper hooks of The Magic Gang, never mimic and absolutely always attempt and it all starts to feel like going to the fifth to show fresh and invigorating concepts Email support sequel of a film that was never that good in which allow us to escape ourselves and the first place. our personal world views. Call me a purist, [email protected] Step forward The Academic, who do have pretentious or pathetic but for me the a little more craft to their boppy, shiny current glut of bands on this colourless www.osarcc.org.uk songs. There’s a little depth in places and conveyor belt have no notion of their roles they generally have more backbone, but the as artists and instead gone for the easy Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales No: 6835605.Registered Charity No: 1131054. overall tonality is the same and stylistically option, the brainless shadow puppetry of there’s little to call idiosyncratic. It leaps their predecessors. along like a baby lamb, enjoying its time in Richard Brabin INTRODUCING.... A REAL SHIT SHOW Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under Fans kick up a stink about musical poo A rock concert at Oxford’s O2 Academy music scene observers noted it wasn’t the Premium Leisure had to be abandoned last month when only venue with a musical muck issue. Who are they? gig-goers realised they were listening to a “Being underground you expect to Oxfordshire quartet Premium Leisure are: Chris Barker (vocals/guitar/keys); load of shit. experience the occasional pooey pong Mike Monaghan (drums); Willie J Healey (bass/vocals), and Ash Cooke Fans had to be evacuated from Don at The Cellar, like when The Academic (guitar/keys/vocals). The band came together around songwriter Chris 18 Broco’s show at the end of April when played in April; it’s called the toilet circuit months ago, initially playing under his name and playing their first show venue staff noticed the sound coming out for a reason,” pondered Nightshift editor supporting Jonny Payne & the Thunder at The Cellar. The first set of songs of the PA system was pure, unrefined aural Roland Cyberman; “but even supposedly won Nightshift’s Demo of the Month in June last year. Chris’s band has been effluence. more upmarket venues aren’t immune. recruited from the cream of the local crop, including in-demand drummer “The band were two songs into their The New Theatre have just had 2000 Mike and bassist Willie, who’s enjoyed significant success in his own right. set when there was this overwhelming brand new seats fitted and now they’ve got This month they release a new EP `Plug the Leads In’ on cassette label Beanie Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: stench of faeces, mixed with the odour Travis playing there this month. The place Tapes, and play a residency at The Library throughout June. “Quartermelon from Witney. I saw them headline the Jericho Tavern in April of desperation,” said sound engineer will be swimming in shite. It won’t have What do they sound like? and I couldn’t stop smiling. They have brilliantly crafted songs with great James Nasty; “it was clearly a health experienced a stink like it since `Riverdance’ Airy, dreamy, occasionally funky psychedelic slacker pop in the vein of lyrics. The amazing chemistry they have is very apparent on stage, which risk: prolonged exposure to this kind came to town.” Mac Demarco and Tame Impala; the band’s virtuoso moving parts make gives you a feel for their fun-loving attitude.” of sonic sewage can lead to long-term for deceptively simple songs that conjure a herbal haze alongside some Syd If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: health problems like getting terrible cod- Although hopes remain high that venues Barrett-inspired whimsy, but elsewhere they can be rootsy and soulful and get “David Bowie: `Hunky Dory’. Every time we listen to it we discover new philosophical tattoos or, in extreme cases, and gig goers will learn from previous a groove on. Or, in their own words, “guitar based music with a sprinkle of riffs and hidden melodies. The intricate piano parts are very pleasing too.” imagining Mayday Parade are in some experiences, the music industry’s business 70s psychedelic rock that’s never afraid of a guitar or drum solo.” When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? way, shape or form, a punk band.” model is based on the idea that, like West What inspires them? “We play three dates at the Library on June 7th, 14th and 21st for the release of Ham supporters, fans will simply forget “Going to gigs, watching other players really gets me motivated with music. our EP – a good old fashioned residency. Expect high guitar straps, a warm While the venue was quick to apologise previous shit performances and keep coming Occasionally a new bit of gear inspires me too.” room and potentially a slut drop from behind the drum kit.” for hosting such an ordeal of ordure and back for more. A spokesperson for the Career highlight so far: Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: promised gig goers free tickets for Killing Academy said, “Come on, these are people “Playing the Ritual Union after-party last year, supporting our friends Low “Favourite: the collaborative scene in Oxford; our band is made up of Joke’s show in November, fans pointed who voluntarily pay a fiver for a pint of Island. I spent the whole day watching some great bands, hanging out with musicians from other bands, it’s great. Least favourite: the fact that The Cellar out this isn’t the first time the Academy’s stage “Only last year they had Peace playing,” added Tuborg; they’re asking to be shat on. We’re going great people, then to top it off with a set to one of the most beautiful and nearly closed down. Which in turn presents a great thing about Oxford music: has been covered in crap. “They’ve had 5 Seconds another venue regular; “I still get occasional egg- the full cesspit this month with Out of the Blue. I’d receptive crowds I’ve ever played to.” The Cellar was saved. Yay!” of Summer there at least three times now,” said scented flashbacks.” advise everyone to wear waders and maybe bring a And the lowlight: You might love them if you love: one traumatised teenager; “My jeans were ruined clothes peg to stick on your nose.” “We have been very lucky and not yet experienced a significant lowlight. The Tame Impala; White Denim; Elliott Smith; Mac Demarco; Steely Dan. after that – we were knee-deep in sickly-smelling While the state of the O2’s booking policy Are The Bluetones back soon? It’s been so long,” worst I can think of involve weather or guitar strings, so probably not worth Hear them here: watered-down silage.” plumbing has been called into question, local someone might have said. the ink.” premiumleisure.bandcamp.com

Dr SHOTOVER: The Man From U.N.C.O.O.L. THIS MONTH IN OXFORD T H E W H E A T S H E A F [Brief intro from Lord Yuppington]: Ciao, guys, CIAO, and welcome to the ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY st Friday 1 June – KLUB KAKOFANNEY 7:45pm / £5 East Indies Club Wine Bar! Pull up a leather sofa or two and let’s all drink the Toshi Station plan for now,” they declared with some Frascati, yuh? Hey, YOU there, underachieving bar steward bloke, 20 YEARS AGO 5 YEARS AGO both self awareness and prescience. Where are they are you some kind of leftie? Turn up the Spandau Ballet cassette, for In the days before every weekend over the summer “The day we start being nice is the time to give now? Well, let’s just say that Tim Bearder and Thatcher’s sake [nods head frantically to the music while dialling randomly saw another festival somewhere in Oxfordshire, the up” boasted Headcount from the cover of June nd Dave Gilyeat from the band have made a more Saturday 2 June – METAL 2 THE MASSES SEMI FINAL 2 7:45pm / £7 on a huge mobile phone]… That Tony ‘Tory’ Hadley is such a great singer, announcement that Cutteslowe Park would host 2013’s Nightshift. The band, photographed memorable mark on the local scene in recent years. isn’t he? Whoa, nice power shoulders on that suit, Lord Dow-Jones – you a one-day event called Oxstock provoked no little glowering beefily in front of a shipping container, must fax me the address of your tailor, yuh? [At this point Dr Shotover excitement. Hurricane #1, Unbelievable Truth, released their new album `Lullabies For Dogs’ appears, tight-lipped, from the Gents, and pushes Lord Yuppington off The Candyskins, The Animalhouse, Beaker, this month, their first release in five years, and that Tumbleweed and Dustball were confirmed to 10 YEARS AGO was a lot of pent-up anger to vent, with frontman his barstool, bundling him and his Motorola unceremoniously through “I like the idea that Fell City Girl was a blip in play at the festival, organised by local crew 2K Rob Moss raging against the Murdoch empire as th the glass doors, with a mighty late 80s CRASHHH]. Dr S: AND STAY OUT! people’s lives and maybe made them stop and Friday 8 June – JAM CITY 7:45pm / £5 Promotions on the 25th July, with tickets on sale at well as remembering his late friend Paul Raven Now, where was I? Oh yes, the early 90s. Were they or were they not think, feel, sing, shout and no more. Rip it up £15 from Chalky’s Records in Oxford, Bicester from Killing Joke who had helped the band in the EVEN WORSE than the late 80s? Nirvana [groannn]. Gangsta rap [gayyyy]. and start again.” So began Nightshift’s interview th and Banbury. Blimey, Chalky’s Records – them past. “Rob has an opinion on everything” said his Saturday 9 June – OXROX 7:45pm / £10 Tracksuits. Railtrack. Railtrack tracksuits. Currie and Major, sitting in a tree, were t’days. with Winchell Riots singer Phil McMinn in June bandmates. How we wish more rock bands did. K.I.S.S.I.N.G [ewww]. Luke Duvet and his Fun Lovin’ Auteurs [shudder]. Oxstock wasn’t completely alone, mind, since 2008’s Nightshift. Having been stung badly by the Up and coming but quickly gone and forgotten “Intelligent jungle” [confused shrug]. Grungy indies pretending to like a quick hot air balloon ride over to the west of music industry, he and his new band were intent on this month were LAC (Law Abinding Citizens) Metallica [snigger]. MANAGEMENT C(ONS)U(LTA)NTS [dry heave]… Need keeping it indie this time round, starting their own th the county saw Charlbury host its own mini-fest. who released their debut single `Borstal Boy’ Wednesday 13 June 7:45pm / £5 I go on? At least the late 80s are funny in retrospect. Well, sort of. Oh all Canola, Holy Roman Empire, Floosie, Quiver label, Andrew The Great, to release their debut EP this month, the band, fronted by locally-based right, they were shit too. Get us all a drink – put mine in my STILL HATE and Outsider were among the acts playing at `Histories’. “The music industry is totally screwed,” singer Michael Davies’ were feted by everyone

THATCHER the event, hosted by local gig club The Lock-In, he declared, not without basis. from The Guardian to Louder Than War and had Coming to town this month were Bat For Lashes, th mug - and alongside Charlbury Arts Festival. worked with Pete Doherty. They were Nightshift’s Friday 15 June 7:45pm / £7 let’s start In a month that saw the World Cup cut a swathe Black Kids, Glasvegas and Steve Earle at the Introducing act for the month, but we’ve not heard planning a through the gig calendar, The Divine Comedy and Academy, while Lykke Li was at The Jericho from them since. th Tavern. The biggest event of the month though, Wednesday 20 June – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC 7:45pm / £7 70s disco James were in town, both bands warming up for Some genuine legends in town this month, was the first – and last – Wakestock Festival in the night. Yes, Glastonbury at The Zodiac and Brookes Union including hip hop godhead Afrika Bambaataa, grounds of Blenheim Palace. The ill-fated festival rd another respectively. John Robb’s Goldblade were at The who was playing at The Cellar; John Lydon Saturday 23 June – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC 7:45pm / £7 Point, as were Snuff, The Young Offenders and featured Groove Armada, Mark Ronson, Funeral with Public Image Ltd at the O2 Academy, one. Cheers! For A Friend, The Streets, Happy Monday and Down the Girlfriendo, while Embrace, Lodger and Six By and Queen guitarist and badger champion th Pendulum, among others, but suffered from poor 7:45pm / £7 Seven were also in town. Brian May who played a solo show at St John Friday 29 June – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC Swatch! In a such a quiet month we could have a glance organisation and ticket sales, never to return. What the Evangelist, while looking to the future, Next month: at the demo reviews and see a band called Toshi Nightshift mostly remembers of the whole shebang Ghostpoet was in town at The O2 and Wolf Sipping was paying £4 for a can of Red Stripe, and losing Station once again featured. Among the “ponderous Alice were starting along the road to fame with th chilled acoustic gruel” the choice line “I saw a girl take almost an entire day of our memories after bumping a gig at The Jericho Tavern. San Francisco’ Saturday 30 June – GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES 8pm / £4.50 Chardonnay a shower / And put it in her car” stood out as a into former-Zodiac owner Nick Moorbath, who weirdo geniuses Deerhoof were also at The with Sade ‘Damn RIGHT we’re looking forward to the early 90s. We’re was armed with several boxes of red wine. We’re bridge between genius and outright godawfulness. Cellar, which will doubtless make Lucy Leave Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford and Pinochet gonna start up our own firm of Management Consultants’. “Being serious, becoming famous isn’t really in not sure we’ve ever really recovered. excited if they’re reading this.

that carries this lo-fi offering over the GROUP B lines, his voice stuck through a distortion Due to a bizarre administrative error pedal so he sounds like Jeffrey Lewis and a dodgy Wi-Fi set-up, somehow the trying to be Frank Sidebottom, the jangly tiny, remote Pacific island of American DEMOS thrash of the one song here, `Stage 1’, a Sponsored by Samoa has qualified for the World Demo of the Month wins a free half day genial kiddie cousin of Courtney Barnett Cup finals, despite a tendency to leak at Soundworks studio in Oxford, or Graham Coxon’s solo stuff. Against 20 goals or thereabouts every game. courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit the odds, he blindsights the opposition, That’s how it feels listening to BILL www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift scores a few goals, sneaks a win here FRIZZELL’s new song, his first demo and an honourable draw there and goes offering since his likeably ramshackle home head held high: a heroic underdog fundraiser/awareness raiser for testicular It’s June! Or maybe still May if you’re always prefer hearing what’s going on performance that, with a bit more cancer back in 2013. This time round reading this early! It’s the bloody World further down the pyramid, away from the experience and technical prowess might the heavily-bearded, ukulele-wielding Cup! But you knew that already since media circus of bigger stars, so if Milver see a higher seeding next time round. eccentric presents `Crossing Warneford there is and will be no escape from it has more in common with The Streets’ Instead the group winner comes from Meadow – Three Years in Three Minutes’ from now til the middle of July, even after reserve team than Kanye or Drake, he’s a more considered, if equally unlikely (actually two minutes, forty seconds), England get unceremoniously dumped out got more blokey charm. And he’s got a source, FRANCES SALTER, a new which is exactly that: a video cut-up of it by two pub teams and a bus queue. harp and mentions tackling, which fits young local singer/songwriter whose of the meadow in question taken from Until then, prepare to be sick to your into this entire construct. This is already piano-led songs come from the Regina the same spot through the seasons with very marrow from wall-to-wall exposure looking tight. Spektor academy of quirky midfield some rudimentary acoustic strumming to trailers portraying vain, overpaid That said there’ll always been a whipping approach play, the slight hesitancy of accompaniment and Bill’s occasional humanity vacuums as heroic gladiators, boy and DISLIKABLE PEOPLE her one song here, `Endgame’, belying narrative interjections. Oh, and some and adverts shoehorning football themes never stand a chance, barely getting out a melodic sense of purpose. Its careful tractor footage, for them what like into sales pitches for fabric softener. of second gear on their sole track here, construction might not appeal to kick- that kind of thing. It’s the sort of thing But hey, football, yeah? And Nightshift `Asthma’. Football is hardly short of and-rush thrillseekers, but it’s the end that might have appeared on a kids TV has never been one to shirk from using dislikable people, be they John Terry, result that matters and if neat pop ideas programme back in the 1980s, before such occasions to mess with the demo Pete Winkleman or a sizeable chunk of count as goals, Frances finds the back of kids got sophisticated, to show the reviewing format, even if it means you England’s travelling support, but too often the net with ease. don’t get to go straight to the Demo they still prevail, while Bradley Wiggins passing of the seasons. It’s amiable and Dumper bit like you always do. Here we proves that asthma is no block to sporting well intentioned but it’s also six goals go, two groups of four, brought to you by prowess if you can get the right meds down in the first fifteen minutes and FIFA THE FINAL .co.uk Nightshift: the official parochial music delivered to your door and you have a officials are desperately trying to pretend Fans and commentators alike are likely TURAN AUDIO it isn’t happening. Professional, independent magazine partner of Russia 2018. Winner decent lawyer to hand. That said this lot to be seduced by FRANCES SALTER’s audio mastering gets a can of Carling. Loser gets an entire sound like they’d struggle to make it to Which should make THE SHRIVES understatedly passionate piano pop, case. the top of a flight of stairs, never mind clear favourites to win this group. After and the more you listen to her the more Mastered in the studio last month; all, they’re professional, proficient Apple approved cycle across the Alps or hold out for 90 the elegance in her music makes itself CIRCUS VIII, FIA, FLATLANDS, JACK mastering minutes against a rampant German side and polished: attributes you might apparent, but she’s up against MILVER, FRANKS-FANE, 1877, MARCUS CORBETT, GROUP A as they bobble along on starry-eyed guitar look for in a goalkeeper, or maybe an artist whose inconsistency last time CHRIS BARKER & THE PREMIUM LEISURE, NIKKI In a potentially compromising situation spangle, some overwrought Pink Floyd flatpack furniture, if not an inspirational round has solidified into something to be PETHERICK, BIRDS OF BRITAIN, DESERT SHIPS, that could rival Qatar’s corrupt World Cup histrionics, clackety beats, and a vocalist rock band. They’ve got a rather more reckoned with. And don’t forget he’s also CYGNE NOIR, FALIMALALA ANDRIANTAHINA, QAFSIEL, hosting bid, STOLBY’s latest recording whose mumbled delivery makes Young sophisticated accompanying video than got a harp, albeit a sampled one. Like SLOW LEARNER, LUKE THOMSON, DAN RAWLE, SEAN session was financed by winning Demo of Thug sound like Freddy Mercury. It’s like Bill could manage too. They play with Frances he’s also got a sense of purpose; POWER, CONFAYA JAMMER. the Month previously. Maybe the referee sitting through a 0-0 draw between Bury an almost infectious sense of exuberance his is a heads down, steady rap flow that (that’ll be us) and TV commentators and Newport County on a Tuesday night and a summery vibe and you can just comes backed up with some cheerily 01865 716466 [email protected] (us, again) will be biased in their favour. in November. Right at the death it looks picture them opening for Catfish & funky backing vocals on `Bohemian They start badly though, their new song like some kind of action might happen the Bottlemen or being cranked out by Sickness’ for that authentic 90s hip hop `Just One More’ starts in pedestrian but by then the ref’s got the whistle in Steve Lamacq mid afternoon on 6Music. vibe. There’s also a bit of Latin flair in COURTYARD fashion, pretty much like we expect from their mouth and it’s all over and we’ve Hard to dislike but equally difficult to the Flamenco-flavoured guitar back line early group stage games, all innocuous actually remember, like Peterborough and the rapid-fire but conversational rap RECORDING STUDIO forgotten what, if anything, happened 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: electronic bubbles and twinkling acoustic before we even get back to the car park. United. The sort of team who’ll never style of `Touching Up the Place’ makes NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 guitar, and they only just make it to half By contrast THE MOTIVE are all be champions, never pack out Wembley for a likeable lope. Given their respective MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb time on level terms. Sounds like they blood, sweat and tears. Listening to their and yet conversely rarely end up getting playing styles it was never going to be a Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear get the hairdryer treatment at half time relegated. The sort of team you might get blood and thunder final, but both teams Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern music is like watching a team made up Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules as they up the ante considerably second entirely of eleven sturdy, reliable National behind if they’re drawn against Chelsea show plenty of cultured touches and a Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. half, building a bit of moody folktronica League North centre halves who can in the cup before immediately forgetting keen eye for goal. It’s a close-run thing Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. atmosphere and singer Xenia Kotyusheva put in a decent tackle and hoof the ball their continued existence. The musical but in the end Milver has more music in www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk adding a bit of bite to her sweet Harriet upfield, but think tika taka is a curry equivalent of pre-season optimism, and his armoury to fall back on and takes the In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk Wheeler-like croon. They keep it pretty sauce and a nutmeg is something that we know how that tends to pan out. title. Both acts get to do a lap of honour Email: [email protected] Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 but bring a bit of tension to their game as might go on with a football groupie in a This group is wide open then, with no and Nightshift pours itself a large glass they seek a wgoal, eventually winning it provincial Travelodge. They’re all solid, clear favourite and MAX BLANSJAAR of exotic samba rhythms and slumps on with a deceptive, softly floated curler into chunky riffage, sometimes a bit funky, further upsets the bookies’ predictions by the sofa to watch Morocco v Iran. Music the top corner. occasionally jangly, once in a while a bit being the Demo World Cup equivalent and football are just the best. Maybe next Their chief competition for group stadium-indie sneery, but mostly several of Iceland at Euro 2016, albeit without month we’ll do the demo reviews as if it winner comes from MILVER, who shades of insubstantial. Like Switzerland the Viking chants. He does, though have was a cat show. presented us with a sporadically decent or Paraguay, they’re the sort of team the exotic surname and limited resources Actually, scrap that: we like all cats, debut back in January. He’s thankfully who always seem to make it to the finals at his disposal as well as a go-get’em which is something we could never say Rehearsal and Recording studios ditched the cod-philosophical ramblings but leaves little or no impression, score attitude (last year, aged just 14, Max about demos. Same old same old next time and unfunny skits of that offering with or style wise. They sound a bit like The organised Oxford’s only Oxjam gig) then, pop pickers. Four state of the art rehearsal rooms three more succinct slices of simple, lo- Black Keys and a bit like Red Hot Chili and a professional recording studio. fi conversational rap that’s as likeably Peppers at various points. They are the Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to edi- laddish as any lower league journeyman, very definition of mid-table obscurity. For bookings call Jamie on 07917685935 if lacking the slick skills of its Premier [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a contact Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford glasshousestudios.org MILVER takes the group on goal • League contemporaries. Nightshift will phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. Same goes for difference from STOLBY. your stupid, over-sensitive mates. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Fri 18th May • 7.00pm Fri 22nd Jun • 7.00pm Thur 18th Oct • 7.00pm Uprising – BBC Introducing Zodiac Reunion Party The Daniel Wakeford In Oxford (Biggest ft Disques Voge, Sky Larkin, Experience Transformation, Osprey Fri 19th Oct • 6.30pm Weekend Fringe event) Mon 25th Jun • 7.00pm ft. Flights of Helios, Theo, Self Boyzlife Help, Lake Acacia, Lacuna Common Kiefer Sutherland Sat 27th Oct • 6.00pm Sat 30th Jun • 7.00pm Fri 18th May • 11.00pm Luisa Omielan Parka Monkeys Black Skies Burn ft Diablo, Last Rites, Hymn To Apollo Sat 27th Oct • 6.30pm ft. Ross Millard (The Futureheads) DJ Set Fri 6th Jul • 7.00pm Guns 2 Roses Sat 19th May • 11.00pm Super Hans Tue 30th Oct • 7.00pm Road To Badda Dan Fri 3rd Aug • 7.00pm Superorganism Soundclash UK Edition One State Drive Thur 1st Nov • 7.00pm ft. White Magic Sound, J N R international, The Feeling Soulja Syndicate, Lovebridge, Silverfox Thur 6th Sep • 7.00pm Ben Miller Band Fri 2nd Nov • 7.00pm Mon 21st May • 7.00pm Neil Hilborn Close The Gates Night 1 Fri 14th Sep • 6.00pm Molotov Jukebox Thur 8th Nov • 7.00pm Tue 22nd May • 7.00pm + Huw Eddy & the Carnival Police Dog Hogan Close The Gates Night 2 Sat 29th Sep • 6.30pm Sat 10th Nov • 6.30pm Wed 23rd May • 6.30pm Teleman Dubioza Kolektiv Coco and the Butterfields Fri 5th Oct • 6.00pm Fri 16th Nov • 6.30pm Sun 27th May • 6.30pm Imperial Leisure Killing Joke + New Town Kings Cocaine Piss Sat 17th Nov • 6.30pm Fri 1st Jun • 7.00pm Fri 5th Oct • 6.30pm Definitely Mightbe Carcer City The Magic Gang Oasis tribute + Perception + MSRY + The Horologist Sat 6th Oct • 6.30pm Sat 24th Nov • 6.30pm Sat 2nd Jun • 7.00pm The Smyths Blur2 / Pulp’d OMYO + Hydrocele + Ash Adams Unite and Take Over Tour 2018 Tributes to Blur & Pulp + Jon Hunt Sat 2nd Jun • 7.00pm Tue 27th Nov • 7.00pm Miles Kane Tue 9th Oct • 7.00pm Shame Wed 6th Jun • 7.00pm Joanne Shaw Taylor Thur 29th Nov • 7.00pm Don Broco Fri 12th Oct • 6.30pm Cast - The Greatest Hits Tour + The LaFontaines + Yungblud Hollie Cook Sat 1st Dec • 6.30pm Thur 7th Jun • 7.00pm Fri 12th Oct • 6.30pm The Damned The Wedding Present Antarctic Monkeys Sun 2nd Dec • 7.00pm “Tommy” 30th Anniversary Tour Sat 13th Oct • 6.30pm Bjorn Again Thur 7th Jun • 7.00pm The Carpet Crawlers Fri 7th Dec • 6.30pm Tony Christie Performing ‘Selling Foxtrot Pearl Jam UK Fri 8th Jun • 7.00pm By The Pound’ Sat 22nd Dec • 6.30pm Out of the Blue Sat 13th Oct • 6.30pm Faith End of Year Show Britpop Boys – The George Michael Legacy

Fri 15th Jun • 6.30pm Thur 18th Oct • 7.00pm Sat 6th Apr 2019 • 6.30pm Nick Heyward + Pugwash Tom Grennan The Dualers

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