[email protected] nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 226 May Oxford’s Music Magazine 2014

OXFORDOXFORD PUNTPUNT 20142014 The annual showcase of Oxford’s best new music returns

OXFORD DUPLICATION CENTRE [email protected] Office: 01865 457000 Mobile: 07917 775477 Supporting Oxfordshire Bands with Affordable Professional CD Duplication

FANTASTIC BAND RATES Full Punt preview inside ON ALL SERVICES Also in this issue: Professional Thermal Printed CDs Full Colour/Black & White Introducing HUCK & THE XANDER BAND Silver or White Discs plus Design Work Support Digital Printing Packaging Options all the latest local festival news Fulfilment

WIN CORNBURY FESTIVAL TICKETS! Recommended by Matchbox Recordings Ltd, Poplar Jake, Undersmile, Desert Storm, Turan Audio Ltd, Nick Cope, Prospeckt, Paul Jeffries, Alvin Gig reviews and previews and comprehensive Gig Guide Roy, Pete The Temp, Evolution, Coozes, Blue Moon and many more... NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net

Australian Pink Floyd; Marillion; Steve Hackett; Chas & Dave; The Wonderstuff and Al Stewart will all be bringing exciting new musical sounds to the party. No, really. Other acts confirmed for the event include Capercaille; The Travelling Band; Cara Dillon; Behemoth and Treetop Flyers. Tickets (from £110) and more info TOWERSEY FESTIVAL is at www.fairportconvention. celebrates its 50th anniversary com. this summer with an all-star cast of folk music and more. The IRREGULAR FOLK returns five-day festival takes place in with another season of summer the Oxfordshire village from sessions. The sessions, in the st th exotic setting of a Bedouin tent the 21 -25 August. Richard CATE LE BON heads the list of new acts added to the bill for this nd in the grounds of The Perch in Thompson (Fri 22 ); Seth year’s Wilderness Festival. The singer-songwriter, and Nightshift’s rd Binsey, were one of the big hits Lakeman (pictured, Sat 23 ); favourite Welsh person ever, ahead of even Aneurin Bevan, joins Burt of last summer. An all-day event, Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy Bacharach; Metronomy and London Grammar at the music and rd rd featuring a dozen acts, takes (Sat 23 ); Lau (Sat 23 ); The arts festival, which takes place from the 7th-10th August at Cornbury st place on Saturday 12th July, from Bootleg Beatles (Thu 21 ); Dick Country Park. nd 2-11.30pm. Acts confirmed so far Gaughan (Fri 22 ) and Michael Other recent additions to the bill include Joan As Policewoman, are Salvation Bill; The May Birds; McGoldrick and John MucCusker Slow Club; Chet Faker; Jack Savoretti; Teleman; Hozier and Josh th Ben Champion; Duotone; Jess (Mon 25 ) are among a host of Record, with the likes of Sam Smith; Jessie Ware, Mount Kimble and Hall; Rachael Gladwin; You Are acts performing. Other names Connor Mockasin already confirmed. Wolf, and Steph West, with three include Nancy Kerr and James Renowned for its eclectic array of entertainment, Wilderness also more, including the headline act, Fagan; Urban Folk Quartet; John features banquets hosted by big-named chefs; theatre and cinema; talks to be confirmed. Tickets, priced Smith; The Chipolatas; Roy and debates, plus various outdoor activities and spa treats. £12, go on sale from Truck Store Bailer and John Kirkpatrick. Adult Tickets for Wilderness are on sale now, with adult weekend camping and online at Wegottickets.com, weekend tickets are £120, with tickets at £143.50,and kids under 10 getting in for just £5, from from the 4th May. Visit kids weekend tickets £55, though www.wildernessfestival.com. day tickets and tickets for specific www.irregularfolk.co.uk for shows are available. Visit more info and news updates. www.towerseyfestival.com for for Pets As Therapy, and Young takes place at The North Wall th full line-up and ticket details. WITTFEST takes place over Dementia. A limited amount of in Summertown on Friday 16 the weekend of the 13th-15th on-site camping is available. Visit May. Composer and producer FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY June at the Plough Inn in Long www.wittfest.org.uk for more Herbert has previously worked CONVENTION returns over the Wittenham. The festival – not to details. with Bjork, Dizzee Rascal and 7th-9th August in its traditional be confused with Wittstock, which Quincy Jones, and was recently setting of Cropredy village, takes place at the same venue over OXFORD CONTEMPORARY appointed Creative Director of just north of Banbury. As well the weekend of the 19th-20th July MUSIC hosts the world premiere the reformed BBC Radiophonic as Fairport’s Saturday night – is a free three-day live music of Matthew Herbert’s `20 Pianos’ Workshop. `20 Pianos’ aims to tell headline set, The Waterboys; The event which aims to raise money piece this month. The concert the story of pianos from around

DEAP VALLY are among a swathe of new names added to this year’s Truck Festival line-up. The LA garage-rock duo are joined by house producer Julio Bashmore, who will be heading up the late night revelry at the event, which takes place over the weekend of the 18th-19th July at Hill Farm in Steventon. Other new names on the bill include Slow Club; Dan Croll; Catfish & the Bottlemen; Canterbury; Saint Raymond; Dodgy; Superfood; Chris TT & the Hoodrats, and Danny & the Champions of the World. Additionally a slew of local acts, including The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band; The Dreaming Spires; Pixel Fix; Ralfe Band and Empty White Circles have been added to the line-up. As previously announced White Lies and The Cribs will headline Truck on a bill that also features Peace; Stornoway; Andrew WK; Kids in Glass Houses; Swim Deep and Cerebral Ballzy. More info, and tickets are available at truckfestival.com. NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net

the world through acoustic and PIERCE ARTISTS release electric performance, samples and their debut album, ‘Raking Dead found sound. Among the artists Leaves In Autumn’, this month. performing are Sarah Nicolls and The Oxford/London/Liverpool Same Beste, who was part of Amy hip hop collective comprises Winehouse’s band. Tickets are on Darren Ijada (Deeq from local sale, priced £15, from hip hop collective Flooded www.ocmevents.org. Hallways) alongside Elliot Fresh and Rack Mode. Full review next issue, but you can buy it now at boombappro.com or on iTunes.

AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into BBC Oxford Introducing every Saturday night between 8-9pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated local music show plays the best Oxford releases and demos as well as featuring interviews and DB BAND headline this year’s sessions with local acts. The show D-Fest. The band, fronted by is available to stream or download former Supergrass chap Mick as a podcast at bbc.co.uk/oxford. Quinn, play the one-day festival, Regularly updated local music at the Red Lion in Drayton news is available online at www. on Saturday 26th July. Joining musicinoxford.co.uk. The site them for the fifth D-Fest are also features interactive reviews, a THE ORIGINAL RABBIT FOOT SPASM BAND, DUBWISER NudyBronque; Balloon Ascents photo gallery and gig guide. AND BLACK HATS are among a host of local acts confirmed to play and Orange Vision, with more acts Local musicians and promoter on the Riverside Stage at this year’s Cornbury Festival. to be announced. Mark `Osprey’ O’Brien returns to The Riverside Stage traditionally gives local and emerging acts the Destiny 105fm from this month, chance to share a festival bill with big name acts. Jools Holland & His HUCK & THE XANDER playing local music on the local Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with Melanie C and Marc Almond; Simple BAND present their rock opera, station ever week day from 1.30- Minds; Sophie Ellis-Bextor; Arrested Development; 10cc; Kid Creole `Alexander the Great’, in its 3pm. The show will also feature & the Coconuts; Scouting For Girls and Sam Bailey are among the entirety next month. The band will regular live sessions from local acts playing on the two main stages at this year’s event, which takes play all three acts of the piece for bands. Oxford acts wanting their place over the weekend of the 4th-6th July at Great Tew Estate. the first time at the Old Fire Station music played should contact Mark Other local acts confirmed for the Riverside Stage are Brickwork on Thursday 12th June. The musical via Facebook. Lizards; Hope & Glory; Grudle Bay; Knights of Mentis; ToLiesel and story, inspired by everything from Nightshift’s online form is open to Mariana Magnavita. Paradise Lost and Catcher in the all local music fans and musicians Tickets for Cornbury Festival are on sale now from the festival Rye, to Nick Cave, tells the tale at nightshift.oxfordmusic.net website – www.cornburyfestival.com, or on 0844 338 0000. of two runaways in the American south, escaping from prejudice and OXFORD BANDS looking for The first few acts for this year’s Charlbury Riverside Festival have religious bigotry. You can catch members or musicians looking also been announced. The Epstein will headline the Staurday night of the band playing the first two acts for bands can advertise for free the free festival, which takes place over the weekend of the 26th-27th at the Wheatsheaf as part of the in Nightshift. Simply email July at Mill Field, next to Charlbury station. The Standard; Knights of Oxford Punt on Wednesday 14th your needs in up to 30 words, to Mentis; The Mighty Redox and Brickwork Lizards are also confirmed. May. [email protected]. More news and names at www.riversidefestival.charlbury.com.

PART CHIMP have reformed to play at this summer’s Supernormal Festival. The band, one of the loudest and most brutal Nightshift has ever witnessed, and therefore absolutely brilliant, split in 2011 but are reconvening to bring a hefty dose of musical shock and awe to the leftfield festival, which takes place atBraziers Park over the weekend of the 8th-10th August. They join Gnod, Esben & the Witch; Joanna Gruesome; Bong; Death Shanties; Sly & the Family Drone; Teeth of the Sea and myriad other strange and wonderful acts at what has become Nightshift’s favourite festival of the year. The artist-curated, not-for-profit event also features plenty of musical improvisation and experimental art among its ever-challenging attractions. Get more information and tickets at www.supernormalfestival.co.uk. Sponsored by RELEASED CANDY SAYS LISTING SHIPS `Not Kings’ `The Flat Holm Island (Self-released) The self-inflicted implosion of what was once Sessions’ the music industry and the all-consuming power (Self-released) of the internet means that homemade mini In the world of instrumental post-rock, context masterpieces are hardly the stuff of fantasy is everything, lack of lyrics making what any more, but they’re still a rare and precious little explicit information you get all the more commodity. And here’s one from just up the important. For the nautically-minded Listing street. Ships, this extends well beyond sleeve notes and Candy Says are, among many things, a triumph complicated song titles. Following on from 2012’s of ambition and imagination over resources as `The Hayling Island Sessions’, recorded at a life `Not Kings’, their debut album, recorded in a boat station, `The Flat Holm Island Sessions’ was garage, self-produced, self-released, and self- recorded in a Victorian barracks on the titular financed, joins the likes of Spring Offensive’s island, five miles out from Cardiff, surrounded by equally impressive `Young Animal Hearts’ on each other, each as fresh as the other but neatly its lighthouse and wartime gun pits. Released in a the leader board for what is rapidly turning into contrasted. limited edition “album in a bottle”, complete with a vintage year for local albums. Highlights? Here’s just a few: the simply documentary of the recording process, it manages Candy Says have so many strings to their gorgeous pure musical sunshine of `Favourite to feel expressive without being gimmicky. musical bow it’s difficult to know which ones Flavour’; the introverted, confessional reverie The opening tracks start out as strong as the guns to highlight, but obviously Julia-Sophie’s voice that is `Hummingbird’; the Patti Smith- of Flat Holm Island itself, `Drop The Anchors’ is chief among them, and her interaction with does r’n’b poetry of `Dreamers’; the sultry, cultivating a serious groove with currents of guitar the (sadly now departed) Eliza Zoot makes autumnal `Dead on Arrival’, and the wowzy reverb and buzzing synth, while `Fireship’ plays pretty much every song here irresistible. Then AlunaGeorge-like electro-pop of `Cool with dynamic in a far more dramatic way, some there’s their ability to cram so many toys and Sensation’. Only the disjointed, slightly trite lovely melancholic guitar touches making way for a trinkets and tricks into each song while making opening of `C’est Pas Comme Ca’ in any way squall of thudding drums and distortion. After being everything sound dead simple. And their finds them faltering, and that’s soon washed buffeted about from the opening, `The Wolves’ ability to avoid each and every comparison and away by a strident marching melody. offers a sea change, a quieter track that is arguably pigeonhole you care to throw at them. Oh yeah, If Juju was always one of Oxford’s finest the standout on the record. Intricate and subtle, and a hatful and a half of great pop songs. Most ever singers, her versatility has increased in with shoreline samples and tidal synth washes, it bands are lucky to have one or two decent ones. proportion to the band’s stylistic expansion, works beautifully as a counterpoint to some of the Candy Says have the luxury of even being able switching from sultry French torch song to EP’s more driving rhythms. Below clean guitar, to leave their last single, `Kiss Kill’ off `Not puppy dog yelp in a split second; partner Ben drone-like bass is a nod to the cluster of rocks off- kings’ because it doesn’t quite fit the narrative. Walker’s deceptively elaborate arrangements shore that the song is named for. `The Lighthouse’ From the breezy opening handclaps and making it all sound like a minor riot in a toy is a few minutes of field recordings sampled from twinkling r’n’b of the album’s title track opener shop at times – playful even in its rare autumnal within (surprise!) the lighthouse, Both atmospheric to the dark, chanson of `Understand the Night’, moments. and a little suffocating, it’s the last stretch of calm every corner is filled with wows and flutters, the “I’m not your candy girl,” chants Juju during water. `All Aboard the MS Stockholm’ begins with tinkle of bells and the buzz of synthesizers as `The Lord’s Mistake’. Oh yes she is. a discordant amble into a slow jam, luring you Juju and Eliza’s voices shadow and bounce off Dale Kattack closer with whisper-quiet bass before pushing you overboard into an almighty riff. Far from the often soundscape-y nature of many MY CROOKED TEETH post-rock tracks, this is a record that feels site- specific: atmospheric and claustrophobic in a way `Watch The Darkness Stumble Home’ that suggests island mentality rather than open (Bear on a Bicycle) ocean. If context is everything, this is almost an As the frontman of country-folk-pop types of opaque without slipping into mawkishness. installation piece rather than an album, and Listing Toliesel, Jack Olchawski is a confident, The self-confidence mentioned earlier remains, Ships most ambitious voyage to date. assured individual, and while his solo persona albeit in more subtle form – with moments Sean O’Reilly My Crooked Teeth doesn’t see him baring all of pure silence in ‘Call It Off’, with lyrics of his hidden anguish in a strangled yowl of skirting away from cliché on ‘A Better Edit’, emotion, it’s a pleasing counterpoint to the a broken-hearted song described through layered sheen of the full band’s music. cinematic terminology. The five tracks of `Watch The Darkness It’s difficult to criticise an EP such as this, as Stumble Home’ place Olchawski’s voice in it’s so personal in its sound. It may be that at a stark context: plain recordings of just him times the vocal style seems slightly flat and and his guitar, free of processing, effects and unmoving, or that the super-simple recordings clutter. really lay everything out for all to see. But This, in effect, makes for a set of songs that these are minor details; this is a debut EP and have something of an impromptu, ‘coffee it benefits from not being too considered or shop folk’ feel; an attractive quality. The ‘developed’. Indeed, it might be the lack of guitar playing is reined in to define each such premature forced evolution that lends tune in a simple framework; the vocals are `Watch The Darkness Stumble Home’ a straightforward and largely free of forced particular charm. inflection; the lyrics are just on the right side Simon Minter POSITIVE VIBES CREW: The Cellar – FRIDAY 9th Reggae, jungle and dancehall party as Positive ALBERT HAMMOND Jr: O2 Academy – The Vibes Crew launch their `Around the World’ Strokes guitarist continues to keep himself busy in EP, with support from The Dublings, Zaia and between the prolonged gaps between that band’s Jaatone. albums, his solo career so far including two studio BEARD OF DESTINY + THE FIREGAZERS albums with another surely due imminently on the + MOON LEOPARD + OXFORD UKULELES back of his `AHJ’ EP, Hammond Jr treading into GIG GUIDE + CELESTE: Donnington Community Centre reggae, folk and psychedelic pop along the way, (6pm) – Free evening of acoustic music hosted by while keeping one foot in the garage rock of The Moon Leopard’s Jeremy Hughes, and featuring st their new `The Sorrow and Sound’ album. Strokes. THURSDAY 1 one-man blues machine Beard of Destiny among Hanging onto their coattails are east London’s REDLANDS PALOMINO COMPANY + THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf others. adrenalized synth-core rockers The Howling; CASE HARDIN: The Art Bar – Double bill (6.30am) – The local psychedelic swamp-blues THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Dolphin, hardcore types Zoax and local thrash/metalcore of homegrown Americana courtesy of Empty favourites greet May Morning with an extra early Wallingford show. crew Crows Reign. Room Promotions, with country-rockers Redlands MAY Palomino Company evoking memories of Gram THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT: O2 ceilidh. LISTING SHIPS + GRUDLE BAY + THE th Parsons and Emmylou Harris, while Case Hardin Academy – Hoary, hairy blues-rocking inspired CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford WORKHOUSE: The Jericho Tavern – Electro- MONDAY 5 tour their new album, `PM’. by Free, The Faces and The Stones from the Community Centre – Oxford’s longest-running heavy instrumental post-rockers Listing Ships MARMOZETS: O2 Academy – Splenetic post- HAMMERLOCK + RATTLESHACK + London-Glasgow outfit. open mic club marches on towards its twentieth launch their new ` Flat Holm Island Sessions’ EP. hardcore from West Yorkshire’s sibling-heavy MOTHER CORONA: The Wheatsheaf – RED CEILIDH: The Art Bar – May Day anniversary, showcasing local singers, musicians, They’re joined by airy indie-funkers Grudle Bay, creamers, out on tour to promote new single `Why Country and roadhouse rocking by way of 80s poets, performance artists and more every week. while post-rock pioneers The Workhouse make Do You Hate Me?’ after being nominated for Best hardcore from Californian veterans Hammerlock th IRON KNIGHTS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Metal a rare return to Oxford with their dark spangled Newcomers at last year’s Kerrang! awards. Saturday 10 nd at tonight’s Buried in Smoke show. Support from Friday 2 from the recently revamped rockers. soundscaping. RAE MORRIS: The Art Bar – Blackpool’s dirty hillbilly rockers Rattleshack, bringing that OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon THE MIGHTY REDOX + OSPREY’S rising blues and jazz songstress returns to town, ECHO & THE ol’ country rock to town via Black Sabbath and THE JACE EVERETT OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston ALLSTARS: The Art Bar – Swampy her smooth, emotive piano-based balladry psychedelic blues-rockers The Mighty Redox recalling Joss Stone and Edie Brickell at times. the Pistols. Didcot’s super-heavyweight groove BUNNYMEN / BLACK BAND: The Art Bar continue a typically hectic gigging month in the rockers Mother Corona open. More quality Americana courtesy of Empty nd FRIDAY 2 company of veteran local songsmith Osprey’s th SAM LEE: St John the Evangelist – Having SUBMARINE: Room Promotions tonight, with the first TUESDAY 6 BOOTLED ZEPPELIN: O2 Academy – Tribute Allstars. previewed his new album of forgotten wartime showing in Oxford for Indiana’s Jace Everett. MATT CARTER + CRAYON + VIENNA band. ORANGE VISION: The Wheatsheaf – Arctic songs, `Forever England’, at Cogges Farm in O2 Academy He’s best known for `Bad Things’, his cover DITTO: The Old Fire Station – Local folk Like a comet, Echo & the Bunnymen come KLUB KAKOFANNEY with EMPTY Monkeys-styled rocking. Witney a couple of months back, song collector of The Radiacs song which is used as the singer Carter joins indie rockers Crayon and back round every couple of years or so VESSELS + FRACTURE + MASIRO: The FRESH OUT THE BOX: The Cellar – Disco, Smith heads off on tour properly, bringing WWII- theme tune to HBO’s True Blood, which as voodoo blues duo Vienna Ditto. to remind us of how majestic music can Wheatsheaf – Heavy-duty blues-rocking and house, breaks and more, with breakbeat and bass era folk songs back to life in conjunction with the well as a slew of awards has earned him hits NEON SOUL: The Cellar – Funk, soul, occasionally sound. Last time round they proto-metal in the vein of Led Zep and Blue maestro Lee Coombes alongside Kostas G and Ed Imperial War Museum’s Centenary Partnership. in Norway, Sweden and the UK. Everett also house and disco from south London’s Neon played the whole of their first two albums, Cheer from Empty Vessels at tonight’s Klub Steele. BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Dancefloor co-wrote Josh Turner’s Country Chart number Soul, mixing up live performance and DJing, `Crocodiles’ and `Heaven Up Here’, in their Kakofanney. They’re joined by rocking blues SELECTA: The Art Bar – Drum&bass club Latin, afrobeat, Balkan beats, global grooves and 1 `Your Man’, which further added to the with James Massiah, Hill&Heath, Pedlar, and entirety, a treat for hardcore fans; this time crew Fracture and tempestuous math-core night with Hospital Records’ S.P.Y, plus Serial nu-jazz club night, tonight with a live set from trophies cluttering is mantelpiece. Not bad for Hudnall. round there’s a new album, `Meteorites’, monsters Masiro. Killaz and MC Lowqui. Afrospot Allstars, with their West African hi-life. a chap who looks like he spends not just his JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar to plug, their first new release since 2009. JACE EVERETT BAND + POLLY & THE PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy – THE MELODIC + COUNT DRACHMA: spare time but his every working hour starting OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit Emerging out of Liverpool’s astonishingly BILLETS DOUX: The Art Bar – Bad Things Indie anthems every week at Propaganda, with William Osler House – Airy, melancholic, Latin- fights in truck stops and roadhouse bars. With OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern fertile post-punk scene, The Bunnymen’s dark sounding good from Indiana’s country rocker – kitsch pop, glam and 80s at Trashy. tinged folk-roots from London’s The Melodic, in a husky vocal style and an occasional surf take on alternative pop, cloaked in a heavy- see main preview EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar – House, the vein of The Decemberists and Stornoway, at twang to his guitar work, Everett sits partway th duty overcoat, inspired as much by Scott SKYLARKIN SOUND SYSTEM with LAID techno and bass tunes every Saturday. WEDNESDAY 7 tonight’s TIGig night, with support from Zulu folk between Steve Earle and Chris Isaak at times, Walker’s sweeping gothic portent as punk’s BLAK: The Cellar – Count Skylarkin’s monthly PALMERSTON + MARIA WEDLEY + MEANSTEED + JABRONI SANDWICH ensemble Count Drachma. his atmospheric country rocking and dark- spirit of rock revolution, always had a vision reggae, dancehall and bashment night out, tonight JAMES BELL: The Swan, Ascott-under- + EMPIRE DIVIDED: The Wheatsheaf – THE MIGHTY REDOX + PETE MOORE: edged rock’n’roll perfect for soundtracking and ambition beyond most of their peers, one with regulars Laid Blak, the Bristolian collective Wychwood – Wychwood Folk Club session. University Rocksoc bands night. The James Street Tavern nocturnal films and TV shows. Despite singing that has helped core members Ian McCulloch bringing their livewire reggae party to the stage. THE STANDARD: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Pop CIRCUIT: The Art Bar – Brookes band night. ONE WING LEFT: The Jericho Tavern and playing in church as a child, he came and Will Sergeant survive the deaths of two The band’s DJ Bunjy and MC Joe Peng will join covers. SUBVERSE: The Cellar – House, garage, BLACK DOGZ: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Led Zep into the music business late, releasing his Count Skylarkin on the decks, spinning reggae, techno and bass club night with Johannesburg’s tribute. of their bandmates in motorcycle crashes and eponymous debut album in 2006 at the age of remain the epitomes of rock cool for three dancehall, hip hop and more. th Adam Johnson, plus Midnight Mary and Harry HOUSE FOUNDATIONS: The Art Bar – 35. He’s over in the UK to promote his fourth THE BEUTONS + RUSHIL + THE SUNDAY 4 Scholes. House club night. decades. Even a truncated list of their classic album, `Terra Rosa’. BAD’N’VULGAR: The Jericho Tavern – BLACK HATS: Truck Store – Single launch moments should inspire awe: `The Cutter’; show from the local post-punk popstrels. `Seven Seas’; `Over the Wall’; `The Killing Reggae, folk and rock from Cornwall’s Beutons at THURSDAY 8th SATURDAY 10th tonight’s It’s All About the Music showcase. FATHOMS + BLACK DOGS + Moon’; `Pictures on My Wall’; `Rescue’. WE AERONAUTS + MAIIANS + SHH! ALEX LANYON + EMPTY WHITE TEST RUN: Modern Art Oxford – Chad Valley BRICKS&MORTAR + I CRIED WOLF: These and many more will doubtless get an TDHA!: The Cellar – Gorgeous, sweet-natured CIRCLES + ELLA MARTINI: O2 Academy – plays a DJ set alongside the ODC Drumline at The Wheatsheaf – A night of serious hard outing amid the new songs. Well worth getting indie-folk and electro-pop from local faves We Soulful acoustic rocking from Birmingham’s Alex tonight’s live music and art event. Support comes rocking courtesy of Black Bullet, with Brighton’s along early for support band Black Submarine, Aeronauts, alongside Aeronauts spin-off Maiians, Lanyon, launching his `Lions’ EP, with support from psychedelic noise-pop crew Beta Blocker malevolent hategroove brigade Fathoms going featuring former-Verve chaps Si Jones and recalling the sounds of 90s Ibiza in the vein of from local country-rockers Empty White Circles. & the Body Clock, and rising local songsmith up against metalcore monsters Black Dogs, Nick McCabe. Banco de Gaia and The Drum Club, as well as the ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN + BLACK Charlie Cunningham. who not inaccurately describe themselves as drum&bass of LTJ Bukem and electro noise of SUBMARINE: O2 Academy – The kings JESS GLYLNNE: Also Known As, Banbury “an unstoppable pack of northern bastards”. Fuck Buttons. of darkly elegant post-punk return – see main faves from Free and The Doobie Brothers to – A low-key show from double chart topper Jess Banbury’s I Cried Wolf open the show with their CHRIS ALLARD BAND: The Wheatsheaf – preview Lynyrd Skynyrd. Glynne, the powerfully soulful voice of both Dillinger and Bring Me the Horizon-inspired Jazz guitarist Allard comes to the Spin Club off THE INFLATABLES: The Art Bar – Classic MUDSLIDE MORRIS: James Street Tavern – Clean Bandit’s `Rather B’ and Route 94’s `My metal. the back of playing in Russell Watson’s band on ska and Two Tone. One-man blues and boogie machine. Love’. DAVID RODIGAN: The Art Bar – Return tour. LAST RITES + 13 BURNING + EVYLTYDE + ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?: Fat Lil’s, to town for the undisputed king of reggae and THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf – MATT EDWARDS: The Wheatsheaf – Double th Witney – Jimi Hendrix tribute. dancehall, the recently MBE’d Mr Rodigan, SUNDAY 11 Free unplugged show in the downstairs bar from dose of old-school metal and hard rocking from DISCO MUTANTES: The Library – Disco, the former-Kidlington schoolboy who is now CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN: O2 the local blues-rock faves. Last Rites and 13 Burning. funk, boogie and house session. widely recognised as one of the chief authorities Academy – Llandudno’s rockers return to the O2 on reggae, as well as one of the finest and most ROBOT SWANS + OP21 + RUEBEN’S PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy after their show in September, sounding like a ROCKET + CHARLIE LEAVY: The Art Bar – WHAT YOU CALL IT GARAGE?: The Cellar rd respected reggae DJs in the UK, having toured cross between Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks. SATURDAY 3 with Shinehead and been name-checked in song Lo-fi indie and electro-pop from local newcomers – Garage, house and grime club night. LEIGH ALEXANDER + LAIMA BITE + FEED THE RHINO + THE HOWLING + by The Beastie Boys along the way. Robot Swans. SANCTUM: The Varsity Club – Monthly metal POPLAR JAKE + MARK SOLLIS + GREEN ZOAX + CROWS REIGN + PERCEPTION: IAN ANDERSON: The New Theatre – The CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford club night, with classic and new tunes from across CHILDREN OF THE WOLF PIT + MARK O2 Academy – A night not for the fainthearted Jethro Tull frontman plays songs from his new Community Centre the heavyweight spectrum. Tonight is Vikings vs ATHERTON & FRIENDS: The Wheatsheaf as Kent’s prolific, ever-touring virulent hardcore album, `Homo Erraticus’, along with material OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon Pirates fancy dress. (2.30pm) – Klub Kakofanney hosts a free brutes Feed the Rhino rampage into town, touring from his solo and band career. OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston BREAKER 1-9: Fat Lil’s, Witney – 70s trucker afternoon of unplugged live music in the Sheaf’s WEDNESDAY 14th Winehouse’s band. east Oxfordshire backwoods porch folk duo The of the green weekender – see main preview THE OXFORD PUNT – See main pull-out NORTHEAST CORRIDOR + BALKAN August List, and recent Billy Bragg support Wes ARCH GARRISON: Truck Store – North Sea feature WANDERER + IONEYE: The Wheatsheaf Finch. Radio Orchestra’s Craig Fortnam sings songs HOT HOOVES + GIRLPOWER + BETA – It’s All About the Music gig with uni band FIELD TEST: Cogges Farm, Witney – Light about Roman roads, ditches and mounds. BLOCKER & THE BODY CLOCK + Northeast Corridor. and sound installation from artist Alex Bradbury, KOMRAD – The Purple Turtle THE DUBLINGS: The Art Bar – Dub and plus acoustic music from Jess Hall and harpist MONDAY 19th TROPHY CABINET + THE NEON reggae from the promising local newcomers. Steph West at Cogges’ Field Test evening, in JIMI GOODWIN: O2 Academy – With Doves VIOLETS + FLIGHTS OF HELIOS + SHEDONISM: The Cellar – Hip hop and funk conjunction with OCM. seemingly off on a permanent hiatus, there’s SWINDLESTOCK: The Cellar party with Scratch Perverts’ Prime Cuts on the WHITE MAGIC REGGAE NIGHT: The Art room for frontman Jimi Goodwin to do his JORDAN O’SHEA + HANNAH BRUCE + decks, alongside Count Skylarkin. Bar own thing for a while. The result is his solo RAWZ + JULIA MEIJER: Turl Street Kitchen LES CLOCHARDS + THE SPARROWS th debut `Odludek’, which takes his band’s big- Monday 12 THE COOLING PEARLS + BALLOON OF PARIS: The Jericho Tavern – Intimate SATURDAY 17th hearted indie rock sound out into the worlds of Tuesday 20th ASCENTS + ART THEEFE + HUCK & THE Parisian-style café folk and classic rock’n’roll WOOD FESTIVAL: Braziers Park – Second northern soul, Krautrock and elegantly sad-eyed AUGUSTINES: XANDER BAND: The Wheatsheaf from Les Clochards. day of the award-winning eco-friendly folk, orchestral pop. THE HOT 8 BRASS SALVATION BILL + LEE RILEY + KID KIN LISA KNAPP + THE AUGUST LIST +WES roots and world music festival – see main DEEP COVER: The Cellar – Hip hop club O2 Academy + VIENNA DITTO: The White Rabbit FINCH: Fat Lil’s, Witney – South London BAND: O2 Academy They might have ditched the We Are from preview night, with a 90s golden era special theme. DROWNERS: O2 Academy – Strokes-lite indie folk songstress Lisa Knapp tours her acclaimed Formed in 1995, New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass their band name, but Brooklyn’s Augustines ZENSHIT with PET MOON + EYE & NO rocking from the New Yorkers who have opened `Hidden Seam’ album, fresh from being Band earned their reputation playing the have lost none of their rock power if their EYES: The Art Bar – Local electro/r’n’b stars th for Foals, Arctic Monkeys and The Vaccines. nominated in three categories at the BBC Radio TUESDAY 20 jazz clubs and festivals of their native city, new eponymous album is anything to go Pet Moon headline their bi-monthly Zenshit club THE HOT 8 BRASS BAND: O2 Academy – MOIETY + THE KNEECAPS + SUNDAY 2 Folk Awards, winning the Best Non Traditional as well as local jazz funerals, but it was in on. Here’s a band unhindered by notions of night, mixing the rarefied early-80s sounds of Hip hop and funk-infused New Orleans’ tragedy- KIDS: The Art Bar – 60s-inspired folk-pop Composition, her passionate, tremulous voice the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that they what’s cool and how to cut swooning shapes, Japan and Scritti Politti with D’Angelo’s modern struck marching band – see main preview and psychedelia from Moiety at tonight’s It’s All seeing her described as “the sexiest voice in achieved worldwide recognition, featuring concerned only with the power of the rock r’n’b. London’s pensive indie-folksters Eyes and JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar About the Music show. modern folk music”. She’s joined by the superb in Spike Lee’s documentary When the Levee show as their sold-out gig here two years ago No Eyes support. OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit EZRA FURMAN: Truck Store – Chicago’s Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts. As a result proved. Rarely have we seen an audience JEFF BECK: The New Theatre – Jeff Beck OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern punk-fired rock’n’roller plugs his `Day of the they became the first American act signed to so completely spellbound by a simple rock th th is a guitar legend, we’re told. He was in The Dog’ album with an instore show, channelling Friday 16 – Sunday 18 Tru Thoughts, their fusion of New Orleans band. Much of this is down to singer-guitarist Yardbirds after all, and always comes near the the spirits of Black Francis and Bruce WEDNESDAY 21st marching brass and jazz with hip hop and Billy McCarthy, a true rock and roll preacher top of those `100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time’ Springsteen alongside the classic r’n’b of early WOOD FESTIVAL: JUNGLE + ALL WE ARE: O2 Academy – funk spicing up a traditional style. Their and an intensely emotive performer, driven lists, usually just below Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Stones. 1970s New York-style disco and liquid funk endurance and increasing success, though, by demons that have informed his music and Braziers Park Page. He can do fancy stuff with a fretboard for from west London’s publicity-shy duo T and J, hasn’t been without tragedy. No fewer than lyrics since debut album `Rise Ye Sunken Before every festival and his wife started sure – complex solos and stuff that fuses blues, th making a name for them via viral videos and three of the group have suffered violent Ships’, a raw, emotionally wracked affair THURSDAY 15 boasting about their eco credentials, there was jazz, rock and eastern music. But we still reckon earning a place in the BBC Sound of 2014 list. deaths: trumpet Jacob Johnson shot dead based on McCarthy’s tragic family history PENTATONIX: O2 Academy – A cappella WOOD. Started in 2008 by Truck Festival Steve Albini is better. And there’s nothing you Liverpool’s fidgety indie-funk and electro types aged just 17; 22-year-old trombonist Joseph which saw first his mother, then his brother die performances of everything from Ellie Goulding organisers Robin and Joe Bennett as a reaction can do to change our minds, so put the green ink All We Are support. Williams gunned down by the police and from schizophrenia and drug abuse. The ghosts and Jessie Ware to Daft Punk and Swedish to the catastrophic floods of 2007, the festival back in the cupboard and have another sip of BIG TROPICS + CARDBOARD CASTLE: drummer Dinerral Shavers killed in a gang of both continue to haunt his songs, which, House Mafia from the Texan TV talent show in the intimate outdoor surroundings of your Horlicks, Mr Angry Pants. The Art Bar – Synth-y indie-dance from local shooting when his stepson was the intended sound-wise, channel Bruce Springsteen at his winners. Braziers Park has always walked it like it UPSTAIRS with MEADOWLARK: O2 newcomers Big Tropics, plus Bicester’s acoustic target. Such tragedies might have brought most emotive, through the epic, orchestral pop SNAKE DAVIS & THE SPIN TRIO: The talked it: from the wooden stages, compost Academy – The Academy’s monthly showcase pop trio Cardboard castle. an end to lesser groups but last year The Hot of Arcade Fire and The Gaslight Anthem. The Wheatsheaf – Eurythmics and M-People toilets and organic food and drink, to solar, night of up and coming and local acts celebrates SPARKY’S JAM NIGHT: The James Street 8 released their second album, `The Life & result is quite brilliant and manages to conjure saxophonist Davis joins the in-house band at cycle and cooking fat powered sound systems its third anniversary tonight in the company of Tavern – Jam and open mic session. Times of the Hot 8 Brass Band’, which takes something uplifting out of highly personal tonight’s Spin Club session. and discos, getting back to nature is as much Meadowlark, a band celebrating exactly one year SUBVERSE: The Cellar their roots yet further into new territories, the THE URBAN FOLK QUARTET: The Jericho what WOOD is about as the music. But the together with the release of their debut `365’ EP, grief. A genuinely stunning band. brass backing up commentaries of injustice Tavern – Traditional folk music gets a jazz and music is still at its core. This year’s headliners with a sweetly sombre, airy form of chamber pop. nd and violence in New Orleans and adding a downstairs bar, with Beaver Fuel main man dance makeover. are wistfully idiosyncratic Welsh songsmith THURSDAY 22 THE EPSTEIN + IN ZANADU + new twist on The Specials’ `Ghost Town’ and Leigh Alexander bringing his potty-mouthed CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Sweet Baboo; loveably twee Hammersmith TAME IMPALA: O2 Academy – Kevin TENTERHOOKS: The Jericho Tavern Basement Jaxx’s `Bingo Bango’. observational pop along, with darkly emotive Community Centre singer Alessi Laurent-Marke’s Alessi’s Ark, Parker’s electro-pyschedelia worldstorm hits – Daisy Rodgers Music celebrate their fifth songstress Laima Bite, and trad folkies Green THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf (pictured) whose whimsical, childish sense town – see main preview to Restore’s café off Cowley Road. Salvation birthday with cinematic local alt.country faves Children among the others playing. – Free gig in the downstairs bar from the veteran of wonder and psychedelic lullabies marks PHIL PESKETT & THE SPIN TRIO: The Bill brings his soulful murder ballads along The Epstein. They’re joined by rock, blues and WILL SAMSON: Truck Store – Instore show local bluesman. her out as a kooky female Syd Barrett; BBC Wheatsheaf – Pianist Peskett joins the Spin jazz for the ride, and he’s joined by angel-voiced funk act In Zanadu, plus London’s Tenterhooks, from Tibetan singer-songwriter Samson, OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon Sound of 2014 nominee Luke Sital-Singh, club’s in-house band. folkstress Jess Hall and backwoods porch-folk mixing Tom Odell and Passengers influences. mixing rootsy acoustic folk with hushed OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston and Jackie Oates, originally a member of SILVERSPARK + NOISESCAPE duo The August List, the evening compèred, as SWORN AMONGST + EMPIRE DIVIDED electronics. Rachel Unthank and the Winterset. A bill that DISTURBANCE: The Art Bar usual, by the ever-brilliant George Chopping. + CROWS REIGN + LAST EXIT: The FRIDAY 16th leans towards the folkier and organic side of ELVIS ON STAGE: The New Theatre – Elvis! HAZE: The Art Bar things also includes Bella Union signings My Wheatsheaf – Death and thrash night with On a stage! But not actual Elvis! Obviously! th WOOD FESTIVAL: Braziers Park – Opening LATIN SALSA NIGHT: The Art Bar MONDAY 12 Sad Captains; Oliver Wilde; The Original Hull’s Sworn Against, plus local death-metallers CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford day of the annual eco-friendly festival – see ULTRA PLAID TURBO SHIRT: The Cellar – AUGUSTINES + NEON WALTZ: O2 Rabbit Foot Spasm Band; O’Hooley & Empire Divided. Community Centre main preview Indie club night. Academy – No We Are, but they still are. Tidow; Nick Cope; The Dreaming Spires; PUNKOLYMPIA: The Cellar – Punk and noise LIMEHOUSE LIZZY: Fat Lil’s, Witney – MR SCRUFF: O2 Academy – A CASH: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Johnny Cash tribute. Awesome, that is – see main preview Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou; Rachael with bruising heavyweights Headcount, mixing Thin Lizzy tribute. characteristically marathon five-hour set from THE BREW: The Art Bar – Rock’n’soul from Dadd; Jali Fily Cissokho, and a solo set up equal parts Killing Joke, Therapy? and OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon the tea-drinking master of eclecticism and th Grimsby’s The Brew at tonight’s Haven Club from Stornoway’s Brian Briggs. Plenty more Queens of the Stone-Age. They’re joined by The OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston SATURDAY 24 quirky mixology Andy Carthy, touring his new show. besides, including workshops, talks and kids Snags; Die In Vain; Headstone Horrors; Don’t THE UNDERTONES + THE bass-heavy studio album, `Friendly Bacteria’, WE WERE EVERGREEN: The Cellar activities, and this year has been designated as Go Plastic, Beaver Fuel and Molotov Sexbomb. NIGHTINGALES: O2 Academy – Two sides blending deep house, electro-funk, afrobeat, FRIDAY 23rd – Sweetly whimsical electro-pop with toy The Year of the Badger, so there’ll be plenty PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy of the post-punk coin in perfect union – see main soul, hip hop, dubstep and whatever else takes ANNERO + DRIVEN + K-LACURA + instruments and kazoo from the Parisian trio, out of badger-related stuff going on – you can EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar preview his fancy. SECOND RATE ANGELS: The Wheatsheaf on tour to promote debut album `Towards’. even dress as one for the weekend if you like. DRUM&BASS NIGHT: The Art Bar – Club CURVATURE + GEMMA MOSS: The Art MATTHEW HERBERT’S 20 PIANOS: – Old school metal, thrash, grindcore and Hopefully an effigy of prize twit Owen Paterson night with Dillinja Valve Recordings and DJ Bar – Gothic synth-metal from Aylesbury’s The North Wall, Summertown – Oxford hardcore punk from Annero at tonight’s Black th will be burned at the climax of the festival. Loxy. Curvature at tonight’s It’s All About the Music TUESDAY 13 Bullet show, alongside London’s metal-funk- Contemporary Music host the world premiere of THE CARRIVICK SISTERS + BRUCE show, plus burlesque electro-folk/blues singer WOLF ALICE: O2 Academy – Grungy, grunge-hip hop fusioneers Driven, hardcore Matthew Herbert’s `20 Pianos’ composition, the GOMERSALL: Tiddy Hall, Ascott-under- Gemma Moss. ethereal pop somewhere between Hole and thrash crew K-Lacura, and Hemel Hempstead’s composer, recently appointed Creative Director Wychwood – Devon twin sisters Laura and TOM HINGLEY + ONE WING LEFT: The Mazzy Star from the London outfit, on tour to heavyweights Second Rate Angels. of the reformed BBC Radiophonic Workshop Charlotte Carrivick visit the Wychwood Folk Cellar – Bluesy rocking from the Inspiral promote the follow-up to their debut `Blush’ EP. ALL TAMARA’S PARTIES with and who has previously worked with Bjӧrk Club, playing their rootsy mix of traditional Carpets singer. JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar and Dizzee Rascal, aiming to tell the story of SALVATION BILL + JESS HALL + THE INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, ebm, English folk and bluegrass. PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy pianos from around the world through acoustic AUGUST LIST + GEORGE CHOPPING: SUPERLOOSE + MOON LEOPARD: industrial and darkwave club night. and electric performance, samples and found Restore Garden Café – The latest edition of OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit th Donnington Community Centre – Folk, blues sound. Among the artists performing are Sarah SUNDAY 18 Tamara Parsons-Baker’s intimate music and and Americana. OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern WOOD FESTIVAL: Braziers Park – Final day Nicolls and Same Beste, who was part of Amy poetry shows in unusual venues brings the show EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar HOUSEWURKS: The Art Bar – House club THURSDAY 29th night with Lance Morgan. CANDY SAYS: Truck Store – The local chic- ROURKE’S DRIFT: Fat Lil’s, Witney pop faves launch their debut album, `Not Kings’ NIGHTSHIFT presents with an intimate instore show. SUNDAY 25th GUILTY PARENTS + GIRL POWER + SIMPLE: The Art Bar – House club night with HALBER MENSCH: The Library – Angular Waifs and Strays. post-punk and hardcore from Guilty Parents at BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) tonight’s free Smash Disco gig. Hardcore punk and Amphetamine Reptile-inspired hardcore th from Girl Power, and violin and loops-based MONDAY 26 deathcore from Halber Mensch in support. Grrr. THE RACKET + ADAM McMILLAN: The th TUESDAY 27th Art Bar Saturday 24 Oxford Punt JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar DEEP COVER: The Cellar OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford THE UNDERTONES / OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern Community Centre OPEN MIC CLUB: The Half Moon THE NIGHTINGALES: WEDNESDAY 28th OPEN BLUES JAM: Jack Russell, Marston O2 Academy BURY TOMORROW + CHUNK! NO, Two rather contrasting faces of the post-punk CAPTAIN CHUNK! + NAPOLEON: O2 FRIDAY 30th period’s invention tonight. The Undertones Academy – Southampton’s melodic metalcore SWITCH featuring EATS EVERYTHING: barely need an introduction. Singer Fearghal warriors head back on tour to promote third O2 Academy – The O2’s weekly electro club Sharkey may have wanted no part in the Derry album `Runes’, promising a more technical edge welcomes Bristol producer and DJ Daniel band’s reunion back in 1999 but the band have 2014 in the style of Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Pearce, mixing up bass, house and techno. carried on without him, Paul McLoone taking Dying. Paris pop-punkers Chunk! No, Captain THE KNIGHTS OF MENTIS: The Art Bar on what might have seemed like an impossible Chunk! Support. – Country-folk and Americana from the local job. He’s gone on to record two new albums WEDNESDAY WOLF: The Art Bar regulars. with the core of the original line-up, but it’s th VAGUEWORLD + OP21 + THE KNEECAPS SINKING WITCHES: The Wheatsheaf those classic – and we mean classic – old + MEGAN JOSEPHY: The Wheatsheaf – – Prog-tinged grunge rocking from Sinking hits that will get the hearts of hardcore fans Wednesday 14 May Indie-rock from Abingdon’s Vagueworld at Witches, launching their debut album, `Inhale / beating that little bit faster - `My Perfect tonight’s It’s All About the Music showcase. Exhale’. Cousin’; `Jimmy Jimmy’; `Here Comes the FREERANGE: The Cellar – Drum&bass, hip TEMPLE FUNK COLLECTIVE: The Cellar Summer; `Wednesday Week’, and of course hop and dubstep club night. – Brass-heavy funk from the local collective. the song that kicked it all off - `Teenage Twenty acts - five venues - one night THE MIGHTY REDOX: James Street Tavern Kicks’, as perfect a musical encapsulation SCARLET VIXENS: The Jericho Tavern – of adolescent infatuation as has ever been nd Thursday 22 Burlesque night. written, a song that reduced the late, great BOOTLEG BOSS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Bruce John Peel to tears when he first heard it and The year’s best showcase of new Oxford music TAME IMPALA: Springsteen tribute. provided the inscription on his headstone. O2 Academy They came out of punk but The Undertones SATURDAY 31st were always a brilliant pop band. Contrast As with all the best psychedelic music, Tame them with the cerebral-caustic blast of CHAS & DAVE: O2 Academy – The critical Impala have one foot in the future, the other Birmingham’s Nightingales, a band who never THE PURPLE TURTLE THE WHEATSHEAF THE WHITE RABBIT reappraisal of norf Laarndan duo Charles in the past, rather, as it too often the case, both achieved such commercial success but remain Hodges and David Peacock continues apace with The Tony Jezzard Stage 8pm THE COOLING 8.30 SALVATION in the latter. Perth auteur Kevin Parker – who an angry thorn in the side of music to this suggestions in respectable quarters that if Blur is, to all intents and purposes Tame Impala all day, founder and leader John Lloyd splitting had written the likes of `Ain’t No Pleasing You’, 7pm HOT HOOVES PEARLS BILL by himself – channels the spirit of the late- the band in 1986 before reforming it in 2004, it’d be considered a pop masterpiece. Whatever, 60s, in particular early Pink Floyd and `White a prolific, obstinate figure that typifies the you can bet pretty much anyone you meet over 8pm GIRL POWER 9pm BALLOON ASCENTS 9.30 LEE RILEY Album’-era Beatles, and employs so many intelligence and inventiveness of post-punk as the age of about 20 can sing most of one of their tropes of psychedelia – heavy on the phaser, well as its refusal to compromise. 9pm BETA BLOCKER & 9.45 ART THEEFE 10.30 KID KIN flange and distortion, as well as a love for hits, from `Gertcha’ to `Margate’ to `Rabbit’, vocal panning – but in his hands such things their mix of cheery, beery pub singalong, boogie THE BODY CLOCK 10.30 HUCK & 11.30 VIENNA avoid any semblance of hippy idealism and woogie and music hall – dubbed rockney – has GTI again this month, with classic thrash carry a synthetic feel, from the electronic proved remarkably timeless and if they pledged and NWOBHM from local crew Back Pocket 10pm KOMRAD THE XANDER BAND DITTO drums to fake harpsichord, while lyrically his back in 2011 that they were off on their farewell Prophet, alongside Fall-esque rockers The tales of isolation and loneliness have little in tour, that seems to have no end date either. Scribers from Birmingham and Witney-based common with preconceptions of the genre. PROSPEKT + BRUTAI + JABRONI indie-electro types Who Put Bella in the Witch But then, the best psychedelia was always SANDWICH + IGNITE THE SKY + Elm. THE CELLAR Turl Street Kitchen The Oxford Punt runs from 7pm slightly dark – from `White Rabbit’ to `Arnold MUTAGENOCIDE: O2 Academy – Another EMILY SCOTT + JULIA MEIJER + through to midnight, starting WISDEN: The Old Fire Station – Pindrop 7.30 TROPHY CABINET 8pm JORDAN O’SHEA Layne’ and Nick Nicely’s `Hilly Fields’. On mighty mixed bill of heaviosity from Skeletor, at the Purple Turtle and tonight featuring local prog-rockers Prospekt, show with Edinburgh’s folk singer Emily Scott; the back of 2012’s much heralded `Lonerism’ finishing at the White Rabbit. album, Parker has gone from bedroom recluse inspired by Dream Theatre and Opeth. London’s Swedish-Oxfordian singer-songwriter Julia 8.15 THE NEON VIOLETS 9pm HANNAH BRUCE Entry to each venue is £5, to globally recognised rising star, a Grammy progsters Brutai; stoner-metallers Jabroni Meijer and local folk collective Wisden. 9pm FLIGHTS OF HELIOS 10pm RAWZ nomination topping off an ocean of critical Sandwich; death/grind nasties Ignite the Sky, PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy except Turl Street Kitchen and acclaim. Little wonder tonight’s show is and eclectic tech/thrash metallers Mutagenocide EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar – With a 9.45 SWINDLESTOCK 11pm JULIA MEIJER White Rabbit, which are free. already sold out. Hopefully success won’t provide amply brutal support. live set from Alpines, touring their debut `Oasis’ polish away that vital edge of darkness. GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with BACK album. POCKET PROPHET + THE SCRIBERS + SYNTRONIX: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Classic 80s WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WITCH ELM? synth-pop covers. The Wheatsheaf – Mixed bill of bands from ALL-VENUE PUNT PASSES ON SALE NOW Only 100 available. £8 (+ booking fee) from oxfordmusic.net or Truck Store

Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion in the gig guide is 6pm on the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Call 01865 372255 (10am-6pm), or email listings to [email protected]. Gig list- ings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be reproduced without permission. nightshift.oxfordmusic.net The Oxford Punt 2014 - the who, what and where of it THE PURPLE TURTLE TURL STREET KITCHEN (The Tony Jezzard Stage) This is the Turl Street Kitchen’s Punt debut but the venue is used to hosting intimate shows, including The Purple Turtle is where we traditionally kick off Punt proceedings. This year we have named it the Tony the annual Oxjam event, which is why we were keen to have them on board. Hey, you could even go Jezzard Stage. Why? Tony Jezzard was a legendary local sound engineer and guitarist as well as a mentor to and have dinner downstairs before heading up to hear the music. Which is free. But also priceless, as local young musicians. Tony did the sound for us at pretty much every Punt since it started in 1997. Sadly he is all good music. Which is why we love it so. You’ll love JORDAN O’SHEA; he sings sad songs passed away last year and we wanted to remember his presence at the Punt. Tony was a huge fan of volume – songs as sad as the ocean. He called his album `Desperation, My Dear’ and poetically revels in abuse; he liked to play loud and get others to play loud. So in his honour we’ve gathered four of the very resignation and romance of the ill-fated kind. And yet his songs are really rather beautiful, full of an noisiest bands on this year’s Punt bill. Opening this celebration of sound are HOT HOOVES, themselves almost heroic defiance. And to hear Jordan’s voice is to love it. HANNAH BRUCE’s recent debut EP made up of assorted bona fide local music legends. Combining the melodic brilliance and capacity for had Nightshift drawing admiring comparisons with Tricky, Kate Bush and Bat For Lashes, which is booze of Guided By Voices with the dreamy fuzz of Husker Du and the sweet simplicity of early Teenage near as dammit perfect in our little book of sorrow. Trippy, washed-out, lo-fi and enchanting, Hannah Fanclub, they’re pop-punk brilliance incarnate. Nothing sweet about GIRL POWER. Nasty, brutish and surrounds her voice with sparse, somnambulating textures that give the whole thing the feeling of being short, wrote Thomas Hobbes back in 1651, long before Girlpower formed, but it’s a fair description of a lost in the mist. Lovely. Hannah was joined on that EP by rapper/poet RAWZ, and they’re reunited on band whose cornerstones are Discharge’s hardcore punk and Amphetamine Reptile’s uncompromising roster tonight’s bill as the rising star of the burgeoning local hip hop scene brings his narrative-heavy style of noisy bastards. Don’t stand in their way; you’ll get hurt. BETA BLOCKER & THE BODY CLOCK to play, his downbeat style recalling Ghostpoet, RZA and MF Doom at times, with the emphasis on do have an irresistible melodic sweetness at their core, but they coat it in enough buzz and fuzz to disguise intelligent, poetic wordplay. JULIA MEIJER may be Swedish but she’s Oxford’s now, and we’re their soft centre. Chuck in some trancey West African vibes and some lysergic Stone Roses-like psychedelia proud to call her on of our own. Her soulful, haunting voice is undercut with an endearing nervousness and you’ve got a wonderfully shrapnel-coated choc-fudge-mallow delight of a band. Rounding off a riotous that merely accentuates her class; soon the whole world will want to claim her as theirs. session are prog-core behemoths KOMRAD, a technically-gifted storm of complex riffage and time Jordan O’Shea – 8pm; Hannah Bruce -9pm; Rawz – 10pm; Julia Meijer – 11pm signatures and pure, unadulterated rock rage. Like Shellac, King Crimson and Dillinger Escape Plan locked in a battle to the death in a fight cage. It will be mighty. Hope you can hear it up there, Tony. Hot Hooves - 7pm; Girlpower- 8pm; Beta Blocker & the Body Clock - 9pm; Komrad - 10pm

THE CELLAR 5 The Cellar celebrated forty years of hosting live music 4 last month. Forty years! That makes Nightshift look like a newborn kitten by comparison. As such, the venue 12 has rock and roll locked into its very brickwork, where it can never be diluted or killed. Perfect for the Punt then. THE TROPHY CABINET’s history doesn’t 3 go back quite that far but it’s not so far behind. The THE WHITE RABBIT band formed in Birmingham back in 1989 at university Last year The White Rabbit, situated in Friar’s Entry just off Gloucester before re-emerging in Oxford a few years ago, as pure Green, was a Punt virgin, but everyone agreed it was one of the best additions and fresh as if it’d been locked in an air-tight time to the Punt circuit in years with an intimate gig space that made for a great atmosphere as the event built to its climax. With assorted local musicians capsule. Harking back to the gilded indie-pop of acts 1 - The Purple Turtle 4 - Turl Street Kitchen like The Go-Betweens and The House of Love, The involved in its running the pub is as welcoming as you can hope for. Trophy Cabinet often sound like they’re light enough 2 - The Cellar 5 - The White Rabbit SALVATION BILL will know exactly how welcoming since he played here to float on air, but their songs are as sharp as a bee sting 3 - The Wheatsheaf last year as part of the excellent Limbo Kids. In fact Ollie Thomas, the man and as pretty as apple blossom. Are we overdoing the who is Salvation Bill, is making his fourth Punt appearance, having been here nature metaphors now? Who cares, we’re happy and before with previous bands Ute and The Old Grinding Young too. Which we so should you be. And your happiness will increase think might be a record – although Seb Reynolds from Flights of Helios could THE WHEATSHEAF dispute that particular title. So anyway, another welcome back to Ollie, even tenfold when you hear THE NEON VIOLETS, a band If Nightshift has a home from home it is The Wheatsheaf. Whether it’s promoter Joal’s though it’ll feel like he’s never been away. And we’ll always be happy of his whose subterranean hypno-psych rock is tailor-made enduringly cheery demeanour and willingness to indulge in the consumption of cider, or the company as he blends dark murder ballads with an uneasy soulfulness and a for these surroundings. Think all things black: Black seemingly endless supply of great new music, we forever seem to find ourselves draped over gentle humour, coming in somewhere between Nick Cave and Otis Redding. Rebel Motorcycle Club; Black Angels; Black Mountain; or leaning against one of the venue’s many surfaces – walls, bar, stage, occasionally the floor Flying the flag for electronic music at the White Rabbit is LEE RILEY, a Black Sabbath. They got riffs. Riffs as big as the sun. A if it’s been a particularly good night. Tonight will be a particularly good one, we’ve no doubt. man who made his local reputation with the groundbreaking Euhedral a few place you could expect to find FLIGHTS OF HELIOS How could it not be with the likes of THE COOLING PEARLS playing? Like a small years back and specialises in highly textured improvised instrumental music, hanging out. In fact they’ve got big wowzy stellar back part of the dark, windswept Orkneys has landed in sedate Oxfordshire, their often beautiful, best heard on his recent `Deeper Steps Into the New Path’ album, recorded projections that make it look like they’re playing in trippy folk-pop is as warming as a large dram of fine malt by a roaring fireside. BALLOON live at the Pegasus Theatre. His sound veers from the almost imperceptible space. Which is just about right since their ambient ASCENTS are the newest and youngest band on this year’s Punt bill and their inclusion is to terrifying. Be warned. Solo instrumental electro-dominated soundscaping electro-drone pop is well spaced-out. Did you see what testament to the high regard they’re already held, a highly promising quintet who have been of a very different type from KID KIN, whose guitar-meets-synths sound we did there? We don’t just make this stuff up for no drawing admiring comparisons to both Radiohead and Stornoway for their fresh, intelligent rises from its shoegaze roots into ethereal heights that will consume you like reason. Someone suggested Flights of Helios were blending of electronica, rock and almost folky melodies. By contrast Matt Sage is a proper local a blizzard of cherry blossom. And so to the final act on tonight’s Punt bill, and Oxford’s very own Pink Floyd. In a way they might scene veteran, not just the man behind the long-running, much celebrated Catweazle Club, but what a class act it is: VIENNA DITTO, the voodoo blues, synthabilly soul be right, but you could mix in a little Spiritualized, a singer and musician with a love for classic 60s tunes. His new band, ART THEEFE, with train that has seduced local gig goers round these parts over the last couple Radiohead and Elbow, and then buy a small condo on a slight surf shimmer and an edge of darkness, come from that grand lineage of acts like The of years, singer and synthist Hattie Taylor and guitarist/synthist Nigel Firth Saturn. Back down to earth with SWINDLESTOCK. Kinks, The Zombies and even Donovan, and prove that good songwriting will never go out conjuring something magical from a dark, dark well of soul and blues and just For earthy is their thing – a rootsy Americana hoedown of fashion. Nor great storytelling. Which is what HUCK & THE XANDER BAND excel at. perfect for sending us all out into that dark, dark night with a spring in our where the blues and the booze mingle on the banks of If we mentioned rock operas you’d be excused for heading straight for the exit, but stay and steps and a shadow lurking in the corner of our minds. Happy Punting, people. the Mississippi, BB and Albert King pop round for a immerse yourself in Humphrey Astley’s ongoing tale of two runaways in the southern states, Salvation Bill – 8.30; Lee Riley – 9.30; Kid Kin – 10.30; Vienna Ditto – few jars; out comes the slide guitar and in the morning it escaping from religious zeal into hedonism and something unholy. It’s a tale informed as much 11.30. wakes up with a whole heapa dirt under its fingernails. by Paradise Lost and Donna Tartt as it is by the musical likes of Nick Cave, Patti Smith and Which means you know you had a good time. The Violent Femmes, and we can’t wait to see how it all ends. Unhappily, we’re guessing. Trophy Cabinet – 7.30; The Neon Violets – 8.15; The Cooling Pearls – 8pm; Balloon Ascents – 9pm; Art Theefe – 9.45; Flights of Helios – 9pm; Swindlestock – 9.45. Huck and the Xander Band – 10.30. To hear every Punt act, visit OXFORD PUNT 2014 on FACEBOOK Hello and welcome to this year’s Oxford Punt. Ah yes, the venues. Some on the Punt circuit are old favourites – step forward The Wheatsheaf, This is the bit where we try to explain what it’s all about to those of you what haven’t been to a The Cellar and The Purple Turtle – others are more recent additions to the circuit, like the Turl Punt before. If you have, and we know some of you have been coming back for years and even Street Kitchen, and the White Rabbit, but each brings something unique to proceedings and look forward to it, then please skip this bit: you’ll only start getting a sense of déjà vu, when what each hosts an eclectic mix of live music over the evening. you should be getting is a nice, cold pint of something dangerous from the bar before you poddle The best way to get the most out of the Punt is to get yourself an all-venue Punt Pass. There off round town having the time of your life. We’ll have two large gins and two pints of cider, ice are only 100 of these available and they’re a mere £8 (plus a quid or so booking fee), which is in the cider, since you’re asking. a bargain when you consider just how many acts you could potentially see (a word of warning: For those of you less familiar with the concept, the Oxford Punt started off in 1997 as a way of please do not attempt to see all twenty acts; it is impossible in the same way that it’s impossible showcasing the best up and coming unsigned acts in Oxfordshire in one night. Because we know for Santa to deliver presents to every house in one night, and we don’t want to be sweeping it’s hard sometimes to keep up with everything. Just looking at the gig guide every month can innards off the pavement after you’ve combusted trying to get to two places at once. Anyway, make you feel dizzy – so much to see, so little time. So we have the Punt, so you don’t have to Punt passes: you can get one from Truck Store on Cowley Road, or online from turn up at half seven every time you go to a gig in the hope of catching the next big thing in town. oxfordmusic.net. Support local independent businesses while you’re about it. They’re all here in one handy one-night, five-venue package. It’s like a feast. Of music. If you don’t get a pass, don’t worry, you can pay on the door at any of the venues. It’s only a In the past the Punt has played host to early gigs from so many future Oxford music stars, fiver each, while Turl Street Kitchen and The White Rabbit are free. This here handy pullout from Stornoway, Young Knives, Candy Says and Spring Offensive, to future members of Foals, guide can be your friend for the evening, guiding you through the myriad musical styles on Jonquil and Chad Valley. Some of the acts you’ll catch on the Punt sound like they’re destined offer. Please don’t buy your Punt guide a pint though – we know from experience it can’t take for greatness; others are simply a bloody great barrel of fun. There are twenty acts crammed its drink. After the into tonight’s event, so there’s bound to be something in there for everyone. Unless you’re a Think that’s all. Let’s be off shall we – lots of music to hear, stuff to discover and newThought favourite brass band purist, in which case sorry, we’ll try harder next year, and find a bigger venue to bands to love. Plus there’s already a queue for the bar and all this enthusing is making us thirsty. accommodate one. Have a fantastic Punt, may all your musical dreams come true.

11pm 7pm 8pm 9pm 10pm

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C ABINET E Y L AIN + L A R METRONOMY / GLASS ANIMALS CANDY SAYS / CHRYSTA BELL LIVE O2 Academy Holywell Music Room Bold isn’t a word you’d naturally associate with Glass Animals’ music, If David Lynch had decided to film his enthusiasm and energy as Ben Walker but there’s no doubting their recent flurry of live activity – from touring collaborator Chrysta Bell’s live show he plays electric keyboards via an accordion, photo: Marc West photo: Marc with St Vincent to eight shows in six days at SXSW, as well as working couldn’t have chosen a better location the remaining two members contributing with producer Paul Epworth – has brought a new steeliness. Tonight than this, somewhere that could easily percussion, more keyboards and layers of is their biggest hometown gig yet and they’re rewarded by a sizeable be set from one of his films. The Texan harmonies. ‘Favourite Flavour’ continues early evening crowd who in turn are treated to a set that unfurls slowly emerges to join her black-clad band its journey of development but remains and meticulously, an understated grace forever undercut by a feeling of looking like a chanteuse from a smoky the finest song to emerge from the city in nervy unease that brings the songs into sharper focus. Dave Bayley’s Berlin nightclub. Her set combines a long time, ridiculously catchy yet chock whispery, soulful voice sounds like Prince if he was made of feathers passion with an undercurrent of darkness, full of hidden complexity. Unexpected and a light breeze, while the icicle and bamboo textures of the music her extraordinary voice reaching into chord changes come from all directions, remind us of early-80s art-pop stars Japan. If its component parts sound every corner of the ancient building as such as on the slightly sinister ‘Dead fragile, tonight Glass Animals sound unbreakable. the keyboards contribute a 60s sci-fi On Arrival’ and the dancefloor-oriented Metronomy have changed a lot since we first encountered them, flavour. It works best when she allows ‘Camilla’. The Little Fish songs they supporting Foals at this same venue back in 2007, and not for the the band to rock out a bit, with finale have retained, like ‘Lord’s Mistake’, THE OXFORD RECORD better. Back then they were playful, edgy and inventive. Tonight they ‘Swim With Me’ the most satisfying have been entirely successfully migrated sound slick and successful and maybe a little soulless. New album DVD & CD FAIR moment of the set. and updated, though they do bring back `Love Letter’, which went Top 10 a couple of weeks before tonight’s No-one could accuse Candy Says of memories of that intense, sweaty set at St ALDATES PARISH CENTRE gig, sees the Devonians slipping into an easier 80s funk groove – less playing things safe. The most restless The Punt a few years back. Juju’s half 40 Pembroke St, St Aldates, OX1 1BP Human League, more Hall & Oates. Joseph Mount is sporting white and un-Oxford of Oxford bands, they French background has led to two new th trousers; never a good sign. Too often tonight we wonder if they’ve Saturday 24 May constantly reinvent themselves and songs sung in the language, further got one eye on a slot at Rewind Festival, such is their adherence reinterpret songs, making every gig a evidence of their growing confidence and 10am-4pm to an early-mid-80s sound that variously recalls The Buggles and unique and unpredictable experience. playfulness. Another danceable number Imagination. Rock/pop/jazz/soul/reggae/indie/all other genres Years of experience in the music is dedicated to Oxford poets, and they’re Not that they’ve lost their sense of a good pop song. Opener Accessories/memoriabillia/books. industry, many in the uncompromising always quick to acknowledge their debt `Monstrous’ is underwhelming but `Love Letters’ is fun and brassy, Brand new and back catalogue/Rare Vinyl rock duo Little Fish, have given them to their home town, choosing venues drummer Anna Prior’s bubblegum backing vocals adding that sheen of www.usrfairs.co.uk an understanding of the visual aspects for performances as carefully as they magic to the effervescent melody. They’re at their best when Anna is of being a band as well as how to craft construct their music. either singing to the fore or hammering her kit with metronomic glee, a great pop song. At Gathering festival The only question remaining is where to a stark contrast to the weaker electronic beats. `She Wants’ is dark and last October they played a dance-leaning go from here. Chrysta Bell and her band Flash Harry Sound Systems sultry, while `Everything Goes My Way’ is a fresh spring breeze of set dressed as air stewards, but tonight’s have fallen in love with them; they’ve Compact & potent PA systems, a song, though possibly the highlight of the set is the fidgety `Radio pre-launch of new album ‘Not Kings’, toured China and could easily win over ranging from 1.5k to 5.5k Ladio’, taking them back to their early, more electro roots. Too much is more about vintage clothes and lots of Japan. We can only hope they continue to Bose Speakers, Chevin amplifiers, of the new album, though, like `The Upsetter’, lacks both a strong percussion. reward us with treats like this. groove or the sort of singalong tunes they’re more than capable of. Midas Gold mixing desk. Singer Juju is her usual ball of restless Art Lagun Hardly a disaster by any means, then, more mild disappointment that All the graphics, gates & compressors a band who once sounded like the future seem content to recline in a necessary to make your band part of pop’s past maybe best forgotten. or event sound delicious. Dale Kattack POLAR BEAR / SHIVER Please contact James Serjeant on 079 1914 7350 St John the Evangelist or [email protected] KATY B BEEHOOVER / UNDERSMILE / Power trio Shiver’s guitarist Chris Sharkey central, but also other band members using and bass guitarist Andy Champion should effects, Polar Bear’s current music is both O2 Academy CARAVAN OF WHORES have badges proclaiming “No Nurdling densely textured and spacey while being Not much is accidental about Katy Mission’, but the earlier party-going Here”, as they have no truck with the rhythmically restless. B’s success, but everything about stuff (such as `Katy On A Mission’ The Wheatsheaf electric guitar being smoothed out in jazz. Their melodic hooks emerge organically her demeanour suggests she still and `Lights On’) is musically as self- Propping up tonight’s bill are two twist around each other in beguiling With Joost Henderickx on drums and from this mix, often as fragments on one struggles to believe it and has assured as the later heartbreak stuff. more bands that provide yet more shapes. The audience appears to be drum pad, they use swathes of pedals to or other of the saxes, Pete Wareham and no intention of taking anything She should be far bigger than, say, evidence that Oxford possesses more stuck in a haze of shock and awe bend notes and create effects to the max. Mark Lockheart both in top form whether for granted. The Brit School and Emeli Sandé by now; `Still’ would than a few monumental metal bands. and with good reason. Undersmile, Their opener, ‘Hammerhead Blues’, goes staccato honking or playing lyrically. With Goldsmiths pop music graduate, be a far bigger hit for Emeli had she First up are Caravan Of Whores, a as challenging as they might be, are straight for the jugular, jagged guitar Leafcutter’s beats and pulses driving the whose association with London got her mitts on it first, though credit band that have come a long way in arguably the best band in Oxford at peals washing over a churning bass and rhythm, leader and drummer Seb Rochford community radio station Rinse FM to Katy for not wearing the public recent years, becoming more assured the moment. a frenetic rhythm on the drum pad before is freed up to deftly embellish the music and its head – her producer and co- out through Emeli-esque ubiquity. and confident with every gig. In thrall Germany’s Beehoover are a peculiar a searing crescendo. It sets the theme of at will and skilful improvisation is very manager Geeneus – will no doubt The beauty of Katy’s music is the to the riffs of Black Sabbath and the proposition. Bassist/vocalist Ingmar free jazz improv meeting trash metal and much the game for the whole band as always place her at the cooler end way that her seemingly delicate, drawn-out monolithic stoner slabs of Peterson sits barefoot, bass slung to electronic effects head on, and is very, they expanded on the recorded versions of the pop naffness scale, is quick soulful and r’n’b-flavoured voice Sleep, COW know how to work a riff one side, an array of pedals under very loud for a venue that usually hosts of tracks from recent album, ‘In Each and to mention, with genuine gratitude, floats dynamically and majestically to the point where repetition becomes his toes, while his fingers throw out classical piano recitals. No wonder there’s Every One’. that tonight’s venue was the location over all sorts of dubstep-, grime- hypnotic. It’s tempting to suggest that an array of mindboggling riffs and a nervous shiver discernable among the ‘Be Free’, whose edgy meditative Musicians wanted of her first headline gig. Even a and house-rooted arrangements, sometimes their songs could do with licks. Beehoover’s music however SJE staff before the gig. ambiance resolves into a celebratory peal collaboration with Guy Chambers – moulding an electronic dance sound a little judicious clipping here and does not sit still. One moment they’re The set is not completely visceral, though. of melody, typifies the whole set, both in Experienced guitarist (15yrs) seeks band/local jams to rock out resulting in the exquisite `5am’ (her that feels well-established yet is there, but to do so is probably missing rattling through spiky post-punk, the ‘Quickstep’ includes some gentler eerie its structure, and its song title. Yet Polar some rock/blues/funk. Based in Cowley Road area but can travel. second song tonight – no faffing unique to her. Even when it gets a bit the point. next they’re exploring cosmic-rock effects and later a segment of slow elegiac Bear are also tight and cohesive, their soundcloud.com/lectrotek around here) and `Crying With No grandiose – as in the Kanye-like `All Undersmile make a welcome return territory. As the set progresses they guitar is set against an irresistible four- new denser style creating a satisfying Female vocalist wanted for a new electronic pop/rock project based Reason’, her performance of which My Lovin’’ – you can forgive her. tonight having been out of action for touch on elements of jazz, low- note bass riff from Champion. It’s back sense of continuity for however long it is in Oxford. We are in the process of professionally recording new is nuanced and captivating – has Tonight Katy B proves proper pop nearly six months. They’ve lost none slung stoner riffs and classic metal. to the inner metal head for set closer they play. material. Age 18-30. Email Vincent at [email protected]. slotted in perfectly next to the Route stars needn’t be distant, mystical of their power in that time though, Ultimately no turn is left unstoned `Rudderless’, which Shiver’s terrific and While omitting some of the spikier tracks 94 and M.J. Cole productions on her creatures; sometimes someone and tonight’s set is an exercise as Peterson and the drummer Claus- committed playing certainly isn’t. If only on the CD like ‘WW’ might have made Singer-songwriter seeks musicians (drummer, bass player, pedal steel) to develop new project with alt.country/lo-fi indie tinge. Lots second album, `Little Red’. you genuinely suspect you could in slow, relentless bludgeoning. Peter Hamisch hammer through a set they had gone easier on using the drum them a little less edgy than anticipated, of original songs. Email [email protected] The new album’s lyrical matter is be friends with makes the most Ridiculously heavy sludgy riffs that manages to be dextrous, direct pad though. their live performance is still thoroughly naturally more mature and reflective effective music. With the vast palette of Leafcutter John’s absorbing. fill the venue, whilst the vocals of and spellbinding. Musicians wanted ads are free. Email ads to nightshift@oxfoirdmusic. than that of debut album `On a Kirsten Etheridge Taz Corona-Brown and Hel Sterne Sam Shepherd electronic beeps, burps and loops now Colin May net. 30 words max. to have appeared on the musical radar almost out of thin air, having BANKS LIVE released their debut EP late last year. O2 Academy Their grunge-soaked indie rock The catalyst for the emotional keyboard. A stripped down version has seen them support the likes of connection between artist and of `Warm Water proves that the nearly-boy-band The 1975 but for all audience takes many forms. Jillian darkness is nuanced in her voice, the “ones to watch” hype tonight’s Banks connects with her music by tunes and form as much as in the gig is one of only four dates on their making her listeners feel unsettled, lyrics and arrangements. In the late- photo:Celina MacDonald current UK tour and draws a modest rendering them uncomfortable, then night slinky ballad `Bedroom Wall’, crowd. intrigued – and ultimately hooked. a collaboration with Oxford’s own Darlia have a controlled energy Tonight she opens with `Before TEED, delicately emotional and which makes for an intense set, I Ever Met You’, in which her repetitive vocals make desperation deafening the majority of Cellar slightly untuned voice drifts over and isolation palpable. dwellers. `Napalm’ is the best a menacing, Massive Attack-y Tonight’s thirteen-song set three minutes of the show, with crunchy trip-hop backing, with includes two covers. She was so frenzied drums and dirty guitar cymbals creating dissonance. In nervous when she played her first underscoring Nathan Day’s growling `This Is What It Feels Like’, her festival that she played covers vocals; having drawn a few Kurt double-tracked octave vocals take backstage to relax her – and “it Cobain comparisons – you could a vacant nasal tone and quiver felt like butter”, so she replays blame the bleached hair as well melismatically over a creaking bass Aaliyah’s `Are You That Somebody’ as Nirvana’s obvious influence on and deep orchestral stabs, which, tonight. Her first time ever touring the band – latest release `Blood combined with the back lighting on was in support of The Weeknd, Money’ has Day sounding more stage and her aloof demeanour, give whose sparse and discordant `What like a male Courtney Love. With an air of spookiness. You Need’ suits and concludes the his guitar switching from trembling She does get more chatty, night’s mood perfectly. frailly to crunching out chords, revealing the dark place and In terms of lugubrious synthy the track grows on the dynamic of insecurities behind the writing r’n’b, The xx and London Grammar `Napalm’ and takes it to new heights. of `Goddess’ – a somewhat might have got there before and Elsewhere `Candyman’, from confrontational plea via the medium Lorde might have broken through DARLIA / SUN MACHINE their current EP, and `Choke On of low-rumbling r’n’b for every earlier, but Banks is more sinister Bones’ – already introduced by the woman to feel like the goddess they than all three; if you’ll let her, she’ll The Cellar young band as “an old track” – are are, she says – and how most of get under your skin – and stay there. warmly recognised. Most exciting her songs start with just voice and Kirsten Etheridge With the kind of bad haircuts the bassist’s band tee – they sport nice stroppy drums set up a conversation is an upbeat new song which races that don’t currently happen to be vocal harmonies with psychedelic between the high riffing guitar and from start to finish, leaving behind fashionable Sun Machine may look guitars in concise rock tracks. They synthesiser, bringing to mind a a feeling somewhere between GIRL POWER / HALBER MENSCH like a bunch of scrappy teenagers also manage to subtly incorporate sprightlier version of Toy. Not afraid déjà vu and premonition, the sort but their music is more mature than trashy synth lines and alternate vocals to let a simple song run its course, of intangible quality that will no / SEBASTIAN MELMOTH you’d guess. With a Led Zeppelin between members to good effect. they slowly build the intensity into a doubt see it sound tracking peoples’ influence that could be observed from They finish with a slow, substantial fun, crashing finale. summers. The Wheatsheaf a mile off – without even looking at track; a simple stubborn bass line and Fresh out of Blackpool, Darlia seem Celina Macdonald Gappy Tooth Industries’ monthly gigs pop chickens compared to Halber always carry the fun unpredictability Mensch, though. The recent of a good lucky dip, but tonight’s Nightshift Demo of the Month Hours’ is like a nightingale solemnly but defiantly murmurs, a primitive Lascaux painting in sonic show feels like winning the jackpot winner is one man, a loop pedal, THE FAUNS / resisting the oncoming storm, a storm than on form, an ochre mammoth sketched in sludgy with every turn. electric violin, percussion and an softer songs, like the aptly-named `Fragile’, sounds blues changes. We fall in the latter camp, and FLIGHTS OF HELIOS / Naming themselves after one of entire suitcase of rage to let out. like it’s made from a trillion cherry blossom petals especially love `Bulbul Tarang’, not so much Oscar Wilde’s pseudonyms and With each number he loops plucked that spiral around you until you’re blinded and a composition as a peaty aroma of sound, cut TOLIESEL sporting vintage Gay Pride armbands strings and bass before lashing out disorientated by their infiniteness. Yep, that good. through with sheet aluminium slashes from the in honour of the legalisation of at his basic drumkit and screaming The band – signed to Geoff Barrow’s Invada label bowed guitar. It’s timeless, transcendent and The Cellar same-sex marriage this week, into the void. He’s a blur of nervous – are steeped in the late-80s/early-90s sounds of hypnotic. But, you know, they could still do with ToLiesel feel like an oddly rock and roll opener Sebastian Melmoth are a breath of intensity and his set carries an air Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, Bang Bang Machine and for a band like The Fauns. While the headliners fluffing up the endings a bit less. fantastically foul air in the face of of impending chaos that holds your Lush’s first flowing, but no less thrilling for being are a delicately ferocious snowstorm of noise A tune or two into their set, the headliners rock’s increasing sterility. Powered attention throughout. Maybe things so obvious. Here’s a band to get completely and around the soft songbird tones of singer Alison announce, “We’re not wankers from Brighton”. by a drummer possessed by the spirit become a little formulaic towards utterly lost in. Garner, ToLiesel are bold, bordering on heroic, Yes, we can see how you’d wish to clarify of Mo Tucker, with a dedication the end but if he can expand on these Sue Foreman cutting shapes while singer Jack Olchawski near that, seeing as it can appear as like Nathan- to economical, metronomic ideas Robby Halbermensch could be enough rips his throat to shreds. They’re best when Barley-On-Sea. A few bars later, the tired mind relentlessness, theirs is a swill and something genuinely special. they play it pretty, as on the sweetly shimmering decodes the stage drawl: “We’re Nightworkers, swirl of distorted drones and freaked- Thomas Hobbes probably didn’t `Whispered Half To Sleep’, and the full-on country NIGHTWORKERS/ from Brighton”. And work they do, throwing out stream-of-consciousness vocals have Girl Power in mind when he slope of set-closer `Wilderness Blues’. Their themselves wildly into a set composed primarily (“I think about you all the time” wrote the words “nasty, brutish more histrionic moments would be better suited THE GRACEFUL of sweat and wildly waggled outdated haircuts. they chant in disconcerting unity and short,” but it’s a perfectly apt supporting someone like Augustines. The music leans towards classic rock with a for the duration of their opening description of their no-holds-barred Any rocking tendencies Flights of Helios possess SLICKS laddish swagger and a lightly narcotic haze – song), churning back to The Velvet old-school hardcore punk. Made up come enveloped in gothic atmospherics, so they think Brian Jonestown Massacre meets Cast – and Underground by way of 1970s of former members of Sextodecimo, appear like fleeting shadows across the collective’s The Cellar is highly entertaining, even if it never reaches New York No-Wave. They lose it Suitable Case For Treatment and slow-build, sci-fi prog-pop, which hits its zenith The only bad thing about The Graceful Slicks’ the ignition point the songs crave. The vocals a bit in the middle, becoming more Bersicker they were never going to with the warmly flowering `Factory’, and there’s first number is that it has to finish. Because, you are strong, yet malleable enough to offer some normal and edging into surf-rock at be soft or subtle but their speedfreak plenty of evidence to suggest they might well be see, not only does their music have an ahistorical variation, and the keys are excellent, finding one point, before rescuing it all at onslaught is uncompromising in the Oxford’s answer to Pink Floyd. simplicity and atavistic two-chord punch that is unexpected space in the songs to fill with cheeky the end with a viciously distorted extreme, Discharge via Halo of Flies If Flights of Helios are adrift in the firmament, less a collection of music, and more a glimpse synth lines or vintage thriller Rhodes. In fact, dirge. Play Sebastian Melmoth to a and Nashville Pussy, everything Bristol’s Fauns are pure shoegaze heaven. Pretty into the universal anima mundi, but they tend to the whole band are very good, but we still find cross-section of the population and turned up to the max and played at and ethereal but astonishingly noisy, they’re fluff the endings up. To some ears tonight’s set our attention wandering before the gig is over. chances are 99% would declare them 150mph all the time. Down the front a spangle and a sparkle and a rush and a hush will be a generic string of psychedelic grooves Nightworkers: they’re not wankers, not by any a horrendous racket and not even a lively moshpit is turning into a and an unstoppable build of torrential, effects- and garage buzz that never seems to quite get as means, but they’re not our new favourite band proper music. Because 99% of people raucous mass bundle. Music like this saturated guitar glissando that, in songs like `The far as an actual song, whereas to others it will be quite yet, either. are fucking idiots. is meant to hurt, after all. Sun Is Cruising’, and mesmeric set-closer `Seven a whirlwind of wordless howls and mysterious David Murphy They’re sprightly springtime Dale Kattack Mondays Saturday early gigs LIVE 5th RAE MORRIS 7.30-10.30pm 3rd OX4 ALLSTARS / THE MIGHTY 12th HAVEN CLUB presents THE REDOX / MARK ATHERTON BAND BREW 7.30-10.30pm 7.30-10.30pm 10th THE INFLATABLES – live ska Every Tuesday 7.30-10.30pm

photo:Celina MacDonald th THE OXFORD JAZZ CLUB 17 ZENSHIT with PET MOON / Free live jazz bands 10pm – 1am EYES & NO EYES / more tbc 7.30-10.30pm 24th CURVATURE / GEMMA MOSS Wednesdays st 21 BIG TROPICS / Saturday club nights CARDBOARD CASTLE 3rd SELECTA – Drum’n’bass club night with S.P.Y (Hospital Records) Thursdays / SERIAL KILLAZ / MC LOWQUI / st 1 RED CEILIDH’s MAYDAY more 11pm-4am CEILIDH 7-10pm 17th DRUM’N’BASS NIGHT – with 8th ROBOT SWANS / OP21 / DILLINJA VALVE RECORDINGS DJ RUEBEN’S ROCKET / CHARLIE LOXY 11pm-3am LEAVY 7.30-10.30pm 24th HOUSEWURKS – House 22nd SILVERSPARK / NOISESCAPE club night with LANCE MORGAN DISTURBANCE MAY 10.30pm-3am Friday early gigs Sundays 2nd JACE EVERETT BAND / POLLY & THE Friday club nights 4th DAVID RODIGAN MBE - Bank Holiday BILLETS DOUX 7.30-11pm 9th HOUSE FOUNDATIONS – House & special club night with the king of reggae th 9 REDLANDS PALOMINO CO. / CASE electro club night 11pm-3am 10pm-3am HARDIN 7.30-10.30pm 16th WHITE MAGIC SOUND presents 25th HUMOUR TUMOUR – live stand-up th 16 THE DUBLINGS REGGAE, HIP HOP, R’N’B & DANCEHALL comedy 6.30-9pm BIPOLAR SUNSHINE / INDIANA merge with squealing guitars and impressive rd 23 HAZE CLUB NIGHT 11pm-3am 25th SIMPLE – House club night with drums to create radio-friendly indie pop. th rd The Art Bar A short musical interlude shows that the band 30 THE KNIGHTS OF MENTIS 7.30-10.30pm 23 LATIN SALSA CLUB NIGHT 10.30-3am WAIFS & STRAYS 10.30pm-3am Setting up, tonight’s support Indiana seems to a microphone he could provide backing himself, clearly rehearses together a lot and the outfit be an indie cliché; but as Indiana herself takes to just to make things a little more real, if less perfect. translates well live, especially the drums that the stage it becomes clear that these vintage-clad It is rare that an act preaches the message “Love give the set an extra element of drive which is boys are merely the “lovely band” supporting More, Worry Less” and attracts a crowd who seem sometimes inevitably polished out in the recording her vocal performance. Heavy with 80s-style to have a matching attitude. I get this impression process. As the show nears its close Bipolar synth and drum pad, Indiana’s music is at once as a girl spills half a beer on me before apologising Sunshine play ‘Fire,’ one of the first tracks they fresh and reminiscent. This is pop without the profusely and, despite my immediate and very released. It’s a quietly moving track, mixing world- often associated soul-crushing emptiness as British acceptance, trying to dry me with her wary spoken word, an innocently hopeful-sounding gloomy lyrics and organ keys prelude bright sleeve. Bipolar Sunshine’s Adio Marchant teaches chorus and samples from cinematic romance The moving choruses. A band keen to contest gender his audience the backing vocals and asks for their Notebook. Because apparently there’s nothing assumptions, her backing band are multitasking co-operation. They don’t need cajoling to join in Ryan Gosling’s voice can’t improve. Marchant to the limits, playing at least two instruments at at every opportunity. To use the word preach is not tells us that the song still means a lot to him. His once while Indiana sticks with the singing, which to suggest a force-feeding of morals but a whole- enjoyment of playing his own songs is apparent, is aided with a pre-recorded backing provided by hearted faith in his own philosophy that shines which is important as he will surely be in demand one of the guys on keys. The Apple Mac player is through his songs. There are gospel elements to to play them for a long while. singing along, and if only someone would give him some of their rousing choruses that somehow Celina Macdonald THE IRREPRESSIBLES The Cellar There’s a little bit of the Billy Elliot about Jamie McDermott, the man behind variously stubborn, awkward, graceful and fragile, a quavering, soaring bird of The Irrepressibles. Hailing from a council estate in Scarborough, he knew a voice. It can be fantastically understated, barely there but for a soft hum, but he was gay from an early age and was bullied because of it. A sympathetic on a sixpence it turns into a piercing shriek that could shatter every glass in the teacher saw the potential in him to become a dancer but, infatuated by venue. If he’d taken different turns in his life he could have become an opera Kate Bush and David Bowie, he always wanted to be a rock star and bring singer; if he’d been born a few years earlier he would have fitted neatly into some flamboyance back to the genre. He’s subsequently spent most of his This Mortal Coil’s ethereal fold. You look at him on stage though, and it’s hard adult life trying to do exactly that, constructing his own elaborate stage sets sometimes to piece his imposing, if sleepy-eyed, figure together with such a and employing a nine-strong mini-orchestra to perform his ambitiously delicate instrument. He’s a big lad, and when he speaks – softly – between choreographed shows. And if the world hasn’t sat bolt upright and hailed his songs it’s with an incongruously strong northern accent. genius, he’s carried on as if it has. As such he’s more of a star than so many far Occasionally, notably when his cellist switches to electric bass and the band more commercially successful artists. rock out a bit, the songs misfire and sound hamfisted, but when McDermott Tonight’s show is part of a tour for his latest series of EPs, and a chance to sits behind the piano and plays solo it’s mesmerising, while set climax strip back some of the stage show and let the songs breathe. As such there `Nuclear Skies’ is astonishing in its ambition and sheer scale. He tells us are a mere five in his band who squeeze onto a stage that neither rotates proudly that the band played at one of the first gay weddings in the UK earlier nor comes surrounded by mirror walls or glass screens, as has become his in the week; a lucky couple to enjoy such a class act at an event as intimate as norm. Cello and violin combine to bring the requisite maudlin elegance to their nuptials. Yet you hope The Irrepressibles will one day play regularly at McDermott’s songs but it’s his voice that’s central to everything, and a thing events more in keeping with the grandeur of Jamie McDermott’s dreams. of real wonder. Somewhere between Bryan Ferry and Anthony Hegarty, it’s Dale Kattack INTRODUCING.... WIN CORNBURY FESTIVAL TICKETS Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under CORNBURY FESTIVAL! Sunshine! Beer! Brickwork Lizards, and Hope & Glory. Music! Loveliness! More music! Oh yes, they do got it all down in Great Tew. Beyond the music there’s Cornbury’s usual array Huck & the Xander Band of entertainment, including a hefty comedy Festival season is our favourite bit of the gig bill that features Al Murray; Miles Jupp, and Who are they? calendar and Cornbury is one of the towering Jeremy Hardy, as well as workshops; kids Huck is Humphrey Astley whose musical CV includes Sextodecimo, Tamara peaks of that busy outdoor gig metropolis. Last activities; the legendary Disco Shed and more. & the Martyrs and The Epstein. He has been playing as Huck for the past year it celebrated its tenth birthday with The six years but The Xander Band formed 18 months old and features Jamie Glorious Tenth celebrations, and it continues Tickets for Cornbury Festival are on sale Cooper (guitar); Billy Quarterman (bass); Seb Reynolds (keyboards), and to go from strength to strength, back again this now from the festival website (www. Tommy Longfellow (soon to be replaced by ex-Suitable Case For Treatment year with a line-up that features big-name stars, cornburyfestival.com) as well as the ticket and Guillemots man Greig Stewart) on drums. The name comes from Huck’s cult legends, regular favourites and rising pop line (0844 338 0000). Adult weekend camping three-part album and forthcoming stage show `Alexander the Great: a Folk starlets. tickets are £170, with discounts for oldies and Operetta’, which he describes as “a queer runaway myth about two young friends and their fall from grace in Dixie.” Huck and Seb were awarded PRS young’uns. Day tickets are also available. funding in 2012 and have been using it to develop the stage show with the This year’s Cornbury Festival takes place And the lowlight: Cambridge Junction; it debuts in Oxford at the Old Fire Station on June 12th. over the weekend of the 4th-6th July in the And thanks to our good chums at Cornbury “I recently headlined at AKA in Banbury (great venue) and had to stop What do they sound like? halfway through a 40-minute set when I lost my voice - that was a first, and picturesque grounds of the Great Tew Estate. we’ve got a pair of adult weekend camping Americana is the catch-all phrase for anything rooted in traditional American embarrassing to say the least. I still took the money though.” tickets to give away! Free! In a competition! folk, blues and country music, but The Xander Band sit neatly in the bluesier Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: Headlining this year’s event are Jools Holland Right here! To win, simply tell us, end of that spectrum, exploring the American Gothic tradition with the “We’re big fans of our bass player’s band Billy T’Rivers & The Wild West and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, who emphasis on storytelling and a poetic lyrical leaning. `Alexander the Great…’ Retirement Home, who do a kind of pastoral post-grunge indie-folk. Seriously.” top Friday’s bill and feature guest vocal WHO HEADLINED THE FRIDAY NIGHT is a rock opera but not in the traditional sense, informed as much by Donna If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: appearances from Marc Almond and former OF CORNBURY’S GLORIOUS TENTH Tartt and JD Salinger as it is by Nick Cave and The Violent Femmes. “We all love The Doors so perhaps we’d go with `LA Woman’. It’s dark, it’s Spice Girl Melanie B. On Saturday night LAST YEAR? What inspires them? dreamy, it’s groovy... it ticks a lot of boxes!” Simple Minds close the show, while Sunday’s “I’m a writer and student of poetry and I would hope that that shows in When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? headline act is still to be announced. Enough to fill two stages over three days anyway. Email answers, clearly marked Cornbury my songwriting; in fact, the creation of `Alexander…’ was my first serious “We’re headlining The Wheatsheaf for The Oxford Punt on May 14th, where Joining them will be pop queen Sophie Ellis In the sunshine! With beer! Competition, to [email protected], attempt at combining literature with music, taking the big themes of classic we’ll be playing highlights from the first two Acts of `Alexander the Great’.” Bextor; Southside Johnny featuring Gary Except there’s more than that. There’s another or on a postcard to Cornbury Competition, texts like Paradise Lost and Peter Pan (yes, Peter Pan has big themes!) and Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music: US Bonds; Suzanne Vega; 10cc; Arrested music stage – The Riverside Festival Stage, Nightshift Magazine, PO Box 312, reproducing them in the style of the Beats and James Baldwin, for whom “Favourite: so many cool young people around. Least favourite: I’m not sure Development; Lissie; Kid Creole & the which hosts both local acts and a few emerging Kidlington, OX5 2DY. Deadline for entries language, rhythm and melody were all part of the same toolkit.” I’m one of them.” th Coconuts; The Feeling; Sam Bailey; Hudson talents. Among those this year are Dubwiser; is the 25 May. Please include your address, Career highlight so far: You might like them if you like: Taylor; Kacey Musgraves, and plenty more The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band; email and daytime phone number. The editor’s “I was honoured to be the sole support act for Candy Says at their ‘coming Nick Cave; Richmond Fontaine; Patti Smith; The Violent Femmes; The besides. Did we mention Scouting For Girls? Grudle Bay; Black Hats; Knights of Mentis; decision is to go to the Falkland Arms while out’ show at St Barnabas Church last year. They’re a great band and lovely Felice Bros. No, and probably best to keep it that way. ToLiesel; Jim Scott & the Find; Ilona; Scouting For Girls are playing. people and it was an excellent night. I’ve played at quite a few churches over Hear them here: the past couple of years, which is fairly ironic if you read my lyrics.” huckandxander.bandcamp.com.

DR SHOTOVER: Tubular Balls THIS MONTH IN OXFORD THE WHEATSHEAF Ah, there you are, oh egg-faced one. You want to partake of some pearls of nd Shotoverian wisdom? Pull up a pew, then, and buy me drinks until I tell you to Fri 2 May – KLUB KAKOFANNEY ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY stop. While we’re on the subject of – and in the bar of - Oxford’s famous East EMPTY VESSELS FRACTURE + MASIRO 8pm/£5 rd Indies Club… has it ever occurred to you that Kidlington’s own Richard Branson Sat 3 May 20 YEARS AGO before leaving us with a legacy of perfect jangle- buildings vibrate,” we surmised. They quintet used to run one of the first ‘indie’ labels in the world? How young, happening and pop gems. were set to release their debut EP, `The Banshee ORANGE VISION 8pm/£5 “Although a mere ten gigs old, Supergrass is th underground Virgin Records seemed in the early 70s, with its mail-order business Acts coming to town this month included The Screams For Buffalo Meat’, on Hanging Out With Sun 4 May – BB LIVE in the back pages of Melody Maker (alongside the ads for loon pants and ginseng a name everyone in London know,” announced FATHOMS Curfew magazine by way of introduction to Inspiral Carpets, Roachford, Buzzcocks and the Cool Kids. Produced by Sevenchurch axeman legal highs), and its scruffy-denim-suited board of directors. Those were the days, The UK Subs at the Oxford Venue; John Otway Dave Smart, it came as close to their molten BLACK DOGS + BRICKS & MORTAR + I CRIED WOLF + KORSAKOFFS 7pm/£5 eh… when us urchins would club together to buy copies of The Faust Tapes in the young cover stars of the May 1994 issue. th and Jacob’s Mouse at the Jericho Tavern, and live sound as they’d so far managed. Were they Wed 7 May – ROCKSOC Taphouses for 49p, then throw them off Magdalen Bridge after a few chillums Formed from the wreckage of earlier Curfew Jethro Tull at the Apollo. The cross-over with morbid people we wondered. “Ha ha ha. Yes.” MEANSTEED JABRONI SANDWICH + EMPIRE DIVIDED 8pm/£5 on Angel Meadow. Branson may have been sporting a stupid manicured beard, favourites The Jennifers, who had released And did they smoke more drugs than any other Fri 9th May – BURIED IN SMOKE but he still seemed vaguely credible a few years later when he moved away from their debut EP on Nude Records and toured with some of this year’s gigs is frightening. Oxford band? “Is that a challenge? We’ll have a MOTHER CORONA + RATTLESHACK 8pm/£5 arty prog and Krautrock to sign the Sex Pistols, the Ruts and Penetration… then, The Wedding Present, at this point in time HAMMERLOCK damn good go.” Sat 10th May before we knew it, he was suddenly a synonym for Super-Corporate Man, and the nascent stars were set to release their first Virgin had become the unacceptable face of 80s Nanny Thatcher capitalism. Just 10 YEARS AGO LAST RIGHTS single, `Strange Ones’ / `Caught By The Fuzz’ on A decade after they first featured on the cover of imagine if some of the later indies had followed Branson into transport and all 13 BURNING + EVYLTYDE + MATT EDWARDS 8pm/£5 local label Backbeat, and Gaz, Danny and Mick Curfew, Supergrass were back home, playing 5 YEARS AGO th those other markets… Rough Trade Trains, anyone? Mute Mobile? Kitchenware Wed 14 May – THE PUNT were chatting to Curfew about what made them a Greatest Hits set at a sold-out New Theatre, Desert Storm, We Aeronauts, Black Hats and Air? Cherry Red Cola? 4AD Comics? Factory Hotels? Postcard Holidays? Actually, different to Gaz and Danny’s previous band. “Me HUCK & THE XANDER BAND apparently one coinciding with the release of their `Supergrass Is Winchell Riots were among the acts playing the and Danny were still at school when we were in ART THEEFE + BALLOON ASCENTS of Oxford’s top 10’ album. It was a triumphant return to Oxford Oxford Punt in May 2009. The annual showcase the Jennifers,” explained Gaz, “so the band was for the band who had outlived their Britpop roots of local talent was topped by The Original COOLING PEARLS 7.30pm/£5 or free with punt pass independent bound to be more pretty and melodic. We’ve had Fri 16th May – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC labels might to become one of the most enduring hitmakers of Rabbit Foot Spasm Band whose riotous, NORTHEAST CORRIDOR soon be more life experiences since then. Our lives are the last 20 years. drunken set has gone down in local legend as diversifying more intense. In a nice way.” Also out this month in May 2004 was `Want one of the great Punt sets of all time. Other acts THE BALKAN WANDERERS + IONEYE 8pm/£6 th into Big Red Sky Interviewer Chris Mugan pointed to Mick’s playing that night included Mary’s Garden, Dial Sat 17 May More’, the debut album from local synth-pop SWORN AMONGST Balloon Trips. wailing, yelping backing vocals as one of the favourites Trademark, singing like robots and F For Frankenstein, Bethany Weimers, Spiral Stop simpering, magic ingredients in Supergrass’ sound. “That recalling the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Human 25, Matt Kilford and From Here We Run. Dial EMPIRE DIVEDED + CROWS REIGN + THE LAST EXIT 8pm/£5 rd Harmondsworth, comes from practise sessions when he shouts F were also that month’s Nightshift Demo of the Fri 23 May – BB LIVE League and Depeche Mode, while enduring punk- and keep those `Danny, don’t do that!’” pointed out Gaz. metal titans Headcount released their single `Die Month, while Black Hats were the Introducing ANNERO DRIVEN + K-LAKURA + SECOND RATE ANGELS 8pm /£5 drinks coming. th Not long after the band would release their Monkey Die’. band. Sat 24 May Make mine a classic `I Should Coco’ album and become one of The front cover band in Nightshift back then was Other gigs this month included shows by La ELVAN DEATH OF THE COSMIC KING + GHOSUS 8pm /£5 pint of foaming the biggest selling bands of the era. “We’re total the mighty (that’s MIGHTY in capital letters, Roux, Holy Fuck, Gallows and Patrick Wolf, th Beggar’s Banquet Fri 30 May lunch-outs,” concluded Danny. all at the O2 Academy, though local music news Ale with some bold type and underlined twice if we’re being SINKING WITCHES 8pm/£5 1972: ‘Tell you what, Mick… if I grow a groovy beard and give Elsewhere this month local legends The accurate), Sextodecimo, the heaviest band ever to this month was dominated by festival line-up Sat 31st May – GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES Small Wonder c risps on the side. you this super-modern portable cassette recorder, will you sign to Anyways announced their split. The band, come out of Oxford, and described as “rampaging announcement. Supergrass and Ash were set to BACK POCKET PROPHET Next month: Virgin?’ who had spearheaded Oxford’s first wave of Norsemen whose music can make buildings top the Truck Festival bill, while Stornoway had THE SCRIBERS + WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WITCH ELM 8pm/£4.50 Staring at the ‘Awwwlrighhht, Mr B… let’s start with the beard and then we’ll nationally-recognised acts alongside Talulah vibrate” in both looks and sound. “Not enough been selected to play Glastonbury, winning the The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Rude Noise seeee in about twenty yeears’ time, yeahh…?’ Gosh, bowed out with a rare 5-Star demo review bands look like rampaging Norsemen and make Emerging Talent competition. by an actual human being. BOON, MEW & WOOSTER DON’T GO PLASTIC The impending summer seems to have Talking of herbal tea, calling your song DEMOS infected the minds and moods of at least `I’m Too Vanilla’ might conjure images of Sponsored by one of this month’s demo pile. This lot floaty-clothed hippy dipshits cavorting in Demo of the Month wins a free half day at seem to have the carefree air of happy fields and thinking about bunnies, but Don’t Silver Street Studios in Reading, courtesy campers with the swinging, swaying massed Go Plastic are a bunch of spiky, effervescent of Umair Chaudhry. campfire singalong of `The Sun’, which garage-punk scrappers more inclined to Visit www.silverstreetstudios.co.uk/ seems to nab half its tune at least from roll the contents of said herbal teabag into a nightshift-demo-of-the-month/ `On Top of Old Smoky’ and carousels giant spliff and see just how munted it can along on the back of a jovial harmonica get them before dispensing with it, swilling melody and some upbeat close harmony 01865 240250 but falling flat on the mournful, lifeless a four-litre bottle of industrial cider and singing. `Lightning Strike’ is, on the strumbledown ballad that is `Somewhere trying to eat the aforementioned rabbit. The DEMO OF face of it, a turn for the darker, a real We Can Both Talk’, which delivers the singer’s got a bit of the Jello Biafra about old-school rockabilly rumble, partway knuckle-bitingly awful lines “You say no him as he wails with slightly hysterical between a young Elvis, Eddie Cochran and THE MONTH man is an island / Like you got your degree excess, while the song barrels along with Springsteen’s `State Trooper’, but even this / In advanced geography.” Back to that first good-natured boisterousness, climaxing with canters along with a sense of positivity, track again then, and a reminder that they a massed choruses of “Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!” like it’s chuffed that Jake Bugg has made PAUL EMERY can do things so much better. and some screaming. It’s all a wee bit silly, it popular with the other kids in the Sod summer, sod sunshine and be off but when the sensible alternative is detox and playground at last. Add in the scrappy but with optimism, this month we’re going self-denial, we’re all for unwise life choices. to wallow in MISERY. So, a radical CLEVEDON lively skiffle of `Only Uke N Save Me’ and change their for the Nightshift massive. Jeff Wode celebrated being Nightshift’s we can even forgive the soppy 60s soft- This is the fourth demo Paul Emery has Demo of the Month not long ago by K-LACURA rock shite of `What Did You Do To Me?’, sent us, which he now seems to have splitting up minutes after. Or possibly Still, you can be serious and still sound which could be something Mungo Jerry collected into an album-sized chunk, and beforehand. Something to do with the nasty and loud and like you’re having some or Cat Stevens forgot to flush away in the these three songs are by far and away guitarist not being arsed or something. A semblance of fun as the reliably solid (solid studio toilets. Just this once, mind. his best, fulfilling much of the promise sad state of affairs really given they looked as in “can drive through brick walls without he’s thus far shown. Increasingly he’s like becoming heirs to The Cellar Family’s pausing for breath” rather than solid in the moving away from his mostly electronic warped punk throne. While they (hopefully) turgidly reliable kind of way) K-Lacura sound into something more organic and regroup, here’s something some of them did unleash (of course they do) a new track, THE DEMO TURAN AUDIO.co.uk bluesy. `Berlin’ is an underwhelming with some members of local indie-folksters ominously titled `Counterfeit Freedom’. Professional, independent CD mastering start, a maudlin shuffle that mournfully Sweet William. The result sounds little like Because, like, you only imagine you’re DUMPER Artists mastered in the studio last month include; documents David Bowie’s Berlin years either band and is a deliberately glum affair, free. In reality, as in The Matrix, The Man GINGER BAKER, PHIL OCHS, FLIGHTS OF HELIOS, MARILYN over a hazy wash of synths and acoustic `Rockwell MFG’ a somnambulant stumble has you right where he wants you and is MANSON, FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, THE DAMNED, DR through a fog of mumbled blues-folk that’s guitar picking. But moving on we find a probably sucking the life force from you THOMAS JAMES FEELGOOD, BAD COMPANY, BOSTON, FORMES, JAMIE HYATT, far deeper, darker mine of gothic blues, occasionally punctured by incongruous Our forgiving mood can’t last of course. even as you slumber in your amniotic fluid MAIRI G, BE GOOD, THE SELECTER, CACHORRO GRANDE, LA FETE notably on the excellent `Polyphemus’, lumps of distorted electric guitar. We try Thomas James describes himself as “a tank. So it’s time to wake up and go to TRIESTE, THE HARROW, BADE, UK SUBS, WARDENS, SIGIRIYA, Paul’s voice moving from almost keening and resist the temptation to shout at them genre-defying performer,” blissfully war. And the war will sound a lot like this: ANCIENT ASCENDANT, PET SLIMMERS OF THE YEAR, THE ASH AND to a gravelly growl that’s close enough to to speak up and form proper words, but unaware that he sounds an awful lot like battering ram blast beats; super-shredded THE OAK, RUTH PLATT, APOLOGIES I HAVE NONE, VENICE TRIP, UK Mark Lanegan to make us get really quite we know they’d just shrug and mutter David Gray much of the time. Is David Gray guitars and gnarly ogre vocals. Fast, loud, ROCK CHALLENGE, MATCHBOX, DRUNKEN RAMBLINGS. excited. The nasty grumbling guitar and something along the lines of “whatever, ferocious and sounding a lot like a cross a genre all by himself, or does he fit into the lazy beat add to the casually eerie menace granddad,” so we allow them to keep between Pantera and Lamb of God as the “insipid, soulless utter bollocks” category? 01865 716466 [email protected] of it all and at last Mark’s voice seems to mumbling and drifting through `Severn singer bellows “Make some fucking noise!” A category shared with the likes of Simply match the desolation of his music. And Sound’, which vaguely promises to at least over and over again. Don’t try and tell us Red, whom Thomas also resembles at right now we feel transported to a cold, possess half a melody and has one line that’s some kind of bad thing. BECAUSE times. Christ, we’re really selling him THE COURTYARD lonely desert at midnight with just a bottle of recognisable lyrics: “I stole a camping WE CAN’T HEAR YOU! here, aren’t we. How about we throw in a of sourmash and the ghosts of all our past stove”. But just in case you’re tempted casual “a cross between sub-Van Morrison RECORDING STUDIO sins for company. Good work, fella. Don’t to drift off to the land of nod, they stick a bollocks and tenth-rate Stevie Wonder arse wait up. nasty burst of scrambled noise in the middle CARRION DECAY seepage. With a side order of four-day-old PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/24, OTARI and again at the end. Kids today; no bloody Just in case you think Nighthsift will give boiled onions.” Chances are The Wanted MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE MACHINE, 2 TRACKING would laugh `In Love & War’ out of the manners. any old heavy metal bollocks a good review ROOMS, SUPERB CONTROL ROOM WITH GOOD SELEC- room for being just a bit too insipid and as long as it’s loud and fast and about TION OF MICS & OUTBOARD GEAR + MIDI FACILITIES (Inc bloody warfare and decapitated priests or manufactured, while `1989’ would get its AUCTIONEERS LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND etc.) We think this is Auctioneers’ third demo STEPHANIE KONG something, here’s some that isn’t very good. sorry arse kicked by Scouting For Girls in we’ve reviewed and we’re showing no Stephanie Kong – or Stephaniethelyricist Despite having a moniker that sounds like a Who’s the Most Punk Rock competition. Residential facilities included. sign of getting sick of the sound of them as she’s billed on her Bandcamp page – it was culled from a Random Death Metal This is music that doesn’t so much blast out www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk any time soon. The duo of Tom Ashton doesn’t actually sing “Hello trees, hello Bandname Generator, Carrion Decay, from of the speakers as leak like thin, fetid bin Phone RICHARD WALSH on 01235 845800 and Rob Stringer – plus an un-credited birds, hello flowers,” on her one-song Banbury, are a bunch of soft shites when it juice, enchanting menopausal simpletons female backing singer – sound like a much offering, but she might as well, such is its comes to the crunch - or lack of. Abysmal with its sickly pheromones. It is music that more English take on The August List’s fluffy nature. Actually, maybe she does recording quality is no excuse for riffs that deserves to be killed. Whether that is done rough-hewn backwoods folk music, punk sing that line; in what appears to be a trend Stryper would consider beneath them and painlessly or with a ferocity its perpetrator –informed folk music with just enough dirt this month it’s near enough impossible to vocals that want to be a rampaging Uruk-Hai couldn’t even comprehend is unimportant. under its nails to keep it real. Opener `The decipher any lyrics since poor old Stephanie but sound more like a toddler choking on All that matters is that it dies, preferably Sound & The Fury’ is easily their best track, sounds like she’s been rudely dragged from a rusk. Back to playing Halo chaps, don’t before it breeds, or before we vomit kind of like Seth Lakeman having a go at an her slumber to record her vocal part over bother us again, else it’ll be your rotting copiously and uncontrollably all over our old Billy Bragg track, though it also reminds a computer-generated herbal tea advert corpses the crows are pecking at next time. computer keyboard. us a bit of 80s folk-punks The Men They jingle while still mostly asleep and wearing Couldn’t Hang; it’s vocally and lyrically her pyjamas. It’s pretty and pleasant and bold and comes armed with a great chorus dreamy enough in its barely-there kind of dusted with a little bit of magic by those way, like Edie Brickell on a hefty course Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links backing vocals. From here the pair become of tranquilisers, but we’d like to her what to [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without more downbeat and considered, working Stephanie can come up with when she’s a contact address and phone number; no more than four tracks on a demo please. If you best on the earthy, driving `You Win Again’, fully awake and performing a song written can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Sat 10th May • £6 adv Tues 3rd June • £7.50 adv Thurs 9th Sept • £10 adv EVERY SATURDAY 7pm - 10pm £5 adv / NUS / members, £4 NHS East India Youth Cate Le Bon 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only Alex Lanyon + Empty White Circles Weds 4th June • £10 adv Sat 13th Sept • £10 adv + Ella Martini 6.30pm - 10pm Drenge The Doors Alive Sun 11th May • £8 adv Sat 7th June • £8 adv Catfish and 6pm - 10pm Sat 21st Sept • £15 adv the Bottlemen It’s All About The Magic Numbers The Music Presents… Mon 12th May • £10 adv Fri 3rd Oct • £20 adv Mon 21st Apr • £6 adv Ultrasound 7pm - 10pm Raglans Augustines + Sinking Witches + Neon Waltz + Peerless Pirates From The Jam ‘Setting Sons’ Tues 22nd Apr • £20 adv Tues 13th May • £8 adv Thurs 12th June • £13.50 adv 35th Anniversary Tour Magnum + Neon Fly Wolf Alice Starsailor Sat 4th Oct • £13 adv Tues 22nd Apr • £8 adv + Superfood + Gengahr 6.30pm - 10pm • Show starts 7pm Fri 13th June • £18 adv Ultimate Genesis Young Kato Weds 14th May • £6 adv + Pixel Fix + Stroke of Luck Inspiral Carpets Drowners Thurs 9th Oct • £15 adv Weds 23rd Apr • £20 adv Fri 13th June • £7 adv Nine Below Zero 7.30pm - 11pm Thurs 15th May It’s All About New Model Army Pentatonix The Music Presents… Thurs 16th Oct • £15 adv + The Simpletone North East Corridor The Orb Fri 16th May • £12.50 adv + Rushill 9pm - 3am • over 18s only Fri 25th Apr • £10/£15 adv + Lies of Elizabeth Fri 17th Oct • £11 adv 7.30pm - 11pm • show starts 8pm Mr Scruff + Adam McMillan 6.30pm - 10pm La Chiva Gantiva Guns2Roses & Sat 17th May • £6 adv Sat 14th June • £8 adv Sat 26th Apr • £7 adv 6pm - 11.30pm 7pm - 10pm Metallica Reloaded 6pm - 11pm Upstairs 3rd Birthday Andy Jordan Mon 20th Oct • £22 adv Skeletor – Party ft. Meadowlark The New Breed 3 Fri 20th June • £7 adv Heather Peace In Association with BBC Introducing 6pm - 10pm ft. A Killer Amongst Us Sun 26th Oct • £14 adv + Fallen From Grace + Sanity Loss Mon 19th May • £15 adv It’s All About + Contek + Godsbane Jimi Goodwin The Music Presents… Kids In + Jake Evans The Mechanisms Glass Houses Weds 30th Apr • £8 adv + Megan Henwood 10pm - 4am • over 18s only Tues 20th May • £15 adv + Vienna Ditto Sat 1st Nov • £11 adv Itchy Feet + The Other Dramas 6.30pm - 10pm Hot 8 Brass Band The Smyths Thurs 1st May • £11 adv Thurs 26th June • £12.50 adv ‘Hatful of Hollow’ 30th Anniversary The Temperance Weds 21st May • £9 adv 6pm - 10pm Jungle + All We Are Parquet Courts Fri 7th Nov • £17.50 adv Movement 6pm - 10pm + Brother & Bones Thurs 22nd May Sat 28th June • £7 adv 6.30pm - 11pm Band Of Skulls Fri 2nd May • £12 adv Tame Impala 6pm - 10pm + D.D. Dumbo Skeletor ft. Salvage Sat 15th Nov • £8.50 adv Boot Led Zeppelin + The One Hundred 6.30pm - 10pm Sat 24th May • £19 adv + Dead Mesa Saedly Dorus and 6.30pm - 10pm + K-Lacura + Retribution Fri 2nd May • £10 adv / £7 NUS 11pm - 3am • over 18s only the Hoolie Band The Undertones Weds 9th July • £15 adv Switch ft. EZ + The Nightingales The Dandy Warhols Sun 16th Nov • £10 adv Sat 3rd May • £10 adv Weds 28th May • £10 adv Boy & Bear 6pm - 10pm Thurs 10th July Bury Tomorrow Sat 6th Dec • £10 adv Feed The Rhino + Napoleon + Demoraliser James 6.30pm - 10pm • on stage 8pm + The Howling + Zoax UK Foo Fighters + Crows’ Reign + Perception Fri 30th May • £12 adv / £8 NUS Fri 18th July • £9 adv / £25 VIP 11pm - 3am • over 18s only 6pm - 10pm Fri 12th Dec • £26 adv Mon 5th May • £8 adv Switch and Simple Mike Dignam 6pm - 10pm Marmozets ft. Eats Everything Fri 8th Aug • £20 adv Saxon + Boy Jumps Ship 35th Anniversary Tour Sat 31st May • £22.50 adv NOFX Fri 9th May • £12.50 adv 7pm - 10.30pm Only UK Club show this year Fri 19th Dec • £7.50 adv 6pm - 10pm Chas & Dave 8pm - midnight Albert Hammond Jr Fri 15th Aug • £10 adv Back By Popular Demand 6pm - 11pm The Original Rabbit + Nightbox Foot Spasm Band Sat 31st May • £7 adv Skeletor ft. Sat 10th May • £26.50 adv 6.30pm - 11pm Karma To Burn Knees Up 2014 Echo & The Bunnymen Skeletor ft. Prospekt + Desert Storm ft. The Original Rabbit Foot + Black Submarine ft. Si Jones + Brutai + Jabroni Sandwich + Hatemail Spasm Band + The Long Insiders & Nick McCabe from the Verve + Ignite the Sky + Mutagenocide + Evavoid + Overlord + Special Guests

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