Nightshift Magazine

[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 261 April Oxford’s Music Magazine 2017 The August List

“The idea of disappearing or living in absolute isolation photo:Ian Wallman is a rejection of the world and I find that fascinating.”

Oxford’s first couple of country on hermits and the power of drones. Also in this issue: Introducing LOWWS STORNOWAY bow out plus Oxford music news, reviews, previews, and seven pages of local gigs NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshiftmag.co.uk

Barnabas Church; The Pitt Rivers Museum and St Aldates Tavern. The Folk Weekend line-up also features sets from Leverett; The Melrose Quartet; Ange Hardy; Jim Moray; Jackie Oates & Megan Henwood; John Spiers; Dan Walsh; Dipper Malkin; Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith and The Emily Askew Band, while the local folk contingent is represented by Coldharbour; Edward Pope, White IDRIS ELBA is the latest star name added to the line-up for Truck Horse Whisperers and Shivelight, Festival. The star of The Wire and Luther will play a DJ set at the among others. As well as concerts festival over the weekend of the 21st-23rd July at Hill Farm in there will be the traditional round Steventon. The event, headlined by The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand of ceilidhs, dance displays, Morris KT TUNSTALL, JON BODEN and The Vaccines, is close to selling out in advance with no general dancers and workshops, while and ELIZA CARTHY head weekend camping tickets left. Saturday features a Makaton-signed an all-star line-up at this year’s Other new names added to the bill include Pumarosa; The performance of folk songs and Towersey Festival. Oxfordshire’s Moonlandingz; Pulled Apart By Horses; Hinds; Deaf Havana; Jamie a ceilidh for people with special longest-running festival takes place Lenman; The Big Moon; Honeyblood; Zak Abel; Arcane Roots; Girl needs. at Thame Sports Ground over the Ray; Kagoule; Palm Honey; Kamikaze Girls and Dream Wife, while Weekend tickets for the Oxford August Bank Holiday weekend Switch will again host late night dace parties, including sets from bass th Folk Festival are on sale now, (Friday 25-Monday 28 ). Other big powerhouse TQD; drum&bass act SaSaSaS and grime from Elijah & pried £67, with day passes starting names confirmed include Newton Skillian, Swindle and Champion & MC Serious. at £30 and tickets for individual Faulkner, Show of Hands, The Full line-up details and news on any remaining tickets at events also available. Full details, Blockheads, Lindisfarne and Ed www.truckfestival.com Sheeran co-writer Foy Vance. including how to volunteer at Weekend and day tickets are www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk on sale now, with concessions Tickets and full line-up details are join The Shires and Ward Thomas available, and full line-up details at THE OTHER DRAMAS and at oxford.commonpeople.net. at the leading edge of home- www.towerseyfestival.com CHEROKII have been added to grown Americana, and Clubhouse the line-up for the Uncommon HALFWAY TO 75 returns in Records signings The Rosellys. NANCY KERR & JAMES stage at this year’s Common July for its annual celebration of Joining them will be local acts The FAGAN headline the Oxford Folk People. The Uncommon stage local and international Americana. Knights of Mentis, Jonny Payne Weekend this month. Now in its features 20 local acts across This year’s one-day festival takes & the Thunder and The Deadbeat sixth year, the event runs over the two days on the weekend of the place at The Isis Farmhouse on Apostles. Kids will be entertained weekend of the 21st-23rd April 27th-28th May in South Park. Saturday 29th July. Headlining by singer Nick Cope and chef across various venues around the Additionally, two more local acts, will be Oxfordshire roots band Sophie Grigson. city centre, including the Oxford Coldredlight and Lucy Leave, Little Brother Eli, who are joined Tickets for the event are on sale Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre; will perform on the main stage, by Texan bluegrass singer Rachel now from Wegottickets.com, The Quaker Meeting House; The alongside headliners Sean Paul and Haven; UK country-pop singer priced £13.50 for adults and £7 for Wesley Memorial Church; St The Pete Tong Heritage Orchestra. Devon Mayson, currently tipped to under-13s, with under-5s free.

THE MAGIC NUMBERS, CC SMUGGLERS AND BRENT COBB headline this year’s WOOD Festival. The eco-friendly festival takes place at Braziers Park in Ipsden over the weekend of the 19th-21st May. Started in 2008 by Truck Festival founders Robin and Joe Bennett, with the aim of creating a wholly environmentally-friendly festival in the wake of 2007’s floods, WOOD has become a leader in eco-conscious festivals, with each year’s event themed to highlight a native animal. This year’s WOOD will celebrate The Year of The Hedgehog. Other acts confirmed so far include travelling troubadour Blue Rose Cod; Cornish bluegrass, folk and country outfit Flats & Sharps; indie- folksters Worry Dolls, who have just supported Joan Armatrading on tour, and local stars Jackie Oates & Megan Henwood; Co-Pilgrim; The Epstein, and Nick Cope. As well as the live music WOOD hosts its usual array of workshops, talks and kids activities. Weekend tickets are on sale now, priced £85, with teen tickets £20 and under-12s free. Visit www.woodfestival.com for more details. GRACE JONES, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB AND BONOBO will years to come. We shall campaign SOUNDWORKS STUDIOS headline this year’s Wilderness Festival. vigorously to reverse this unfair has teamed up with The Music The annual celebration of food, music, self-consciously eccentric stuff ruling.” Warehouse to offer Oxford acts the and more food takes place at Cornbury Park over the weekend of the chance to been seen by major labels 3rd-6th August. via video auditions. Music videos First Aid Kit, Michael Kiwanuka, Toots & the Maytals, Ray Blk, and a virtual reality experience Hudson Taylor and Aurora are among the acts set to join the headliners are among prizes up for grabs APRIL at the annual festival aimed specifically at people with more money than in a series of competitions and sense. auditions. Find out more at WHAT’S ON AT THE CELLAR Wilderness, organised by Thee Grande Order of Naked Horseback www.soundworks-oxford.co.uk Sat 1st Fri 14th Sat 22nd Mushroom Foragers, offers festival goers the chance to enjoy naked FREERANGE FUTURE PERFECT PITCH BLACK swimming in Cornbury Park’s lake; take part in a naked cricket match OXJAM are looking for volunteers 11pm–3am • £5 HAPPYNESS JAY CLARKE + to help co-ordinate the Oxford + GUESTS KATIUSHA and indulge in a banquet hosted by The Naked Chef for the price of a Mon 3rd leg of the national music festival. 7.30pm–10pm 11pm–3am family holiday in Spain. Revellers will also be invited to take part in a DON LETTS and LAID BLAK CINEMA UNDER £9 adv / more otd • 16+ £5–£6 adv / £7 otd hunt for the music stage, which last year was discovered hidden between are among acts paying tribute to DJ Over the past 10 years Oxjam has THE STAIRS the crystal healing tent and a stall selling ironic retro knitwear. Derek at a special party this month. raised over £2.7million for Oxfam, THEY LIVE Fri 14th Tues 25th Tickets, priced £168.50 (plus booking fee), as well as several other Count Skylarkin hosts the tribute with the annual Oxford Oxjam 7.30pm for 8.30pm start FRAU DJS GOOD FUTURE PERFECT to the legendary Bristolian DJ who takeover now an integral part of £4 FRIDAY TAKEOVER! HANNAH LOU CLARK pricing tiers, are on sale now, at www.wildernessfestival.com. Tickets 10:30pm–3am + GUESTS Wed 5th give festival goers the opportunity to purchase artisan pies for fifty quid died in 2015, having regularly the local music calendar. Anyone £4 adv / £6 otd 7.30pm–10pm • £7 played in Oxford over the years. DJ interested in helping run a part GET LIT and camp next to a crowd of braying London yahoos who can afford • Sat 15th Tues 25th Derek Sweet Memory Sounds takes of the show, from production to 11pm–3am Free entry to buy bottles of actual champagne from the festival bar. Alternative FUTURE PERFECT Staircase 11 present: Thurs 6th boutique camping options are available, including a two-person summer place at The Bullingdon on Sunday marketing to fundraising, can email TRUDY AND THE DISCOGRAPHY th KING TERRIBLE lodge for just £3,480, which allows you to sleep among other people who 16 April from 10pm through to [email protected]. ROMANCE KEEP ON + ISKANDER PRESENTS + GUESTS + MONOTREME / have been declared clinically insane. 4am. Tickets are £10 in advance or THE LORDS OF £12 on the door. AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into 7pm–10pm REAL VITA DISCO WONDER • BBC Oxford Introducing every £6 adv /more otd 16+ 11pm–3am Disco,Rock / 80’s / £4 adv / £5 otd Saturday night between 8-9pm on All Time Classics Sat 15th SOUL DEVOTION will play £10,000 for children’s charities advance from Truck Store and year. Mixing traditional Indian COWLEY ROAD CARNIVAL returns on Sunday 2nd July. The 95.2fm. The dedicated local music 11pm–3am • Free entry FLUID Wed 26th their final ever show as part of over the past four years. Wegottickets.com, or £12 on the folk music with western blues and NADINE (MURKY FUTURE PERFECT show plays the best Oxford releases Fri 7th this year’s The Kids Are Alright. Joining the headliners will be door. rock, the band previously featured annual celebration of east Oxford RECORDS), + MASP SPECTRES + GUESTS and demos as well as featuring BOSSAPHONIK The classic soul band will bow out Chasing Daylight; The Shapes; members of Duotone and Little life will once again take over & FRIENDS 7pm–10pm the length of the Cowley Road, interviews and sessions with local KONGO DIA NTOTILA 11pm–3am • £6 otd £6 adv / motd • 16+ with a headline set at the annual Loud Mountains; Gentleman Jim; ZAIA headline Om & Bass Brother Eli in their ranks. The (LIVE!) + RESIDENT DJ acts. The show is available to fundraising event at the Said The Deadbeat Apostles; The August Festival this summer. The local show will act as a benefit for the hosting myriad live music stages DAN OFER Sun 16th Wed 26th stream or download as a podcast at Business School on Saturday 1st List; Les Clochards and The MBA reggae favourites, who headline Oxford University Music Faculty. and soundsystems as well as 10pm–3am DBA X LIVITY SOUND ISIS its traditional carnival parade. bbc.co.uk/oxford. £7 adv / £8 otd PEV & KOWTON + 11pm–3am • £TBC July. Band. The show runs from 3pm the Uncommon stage at Common Support comes from Rahat Fateh KAREN GWYER (LIVE) A fundraising gig for the event Thurs 27th This will also be the final The Kids through to 11.15pm in the rooftop People in May, will play the Ali Khan, nephew of Indian music Sat 8th + HODGE + SEMTEK takes place at The O2 Academy OXFORD GIGBOT provides a TREMOR Are Alright, which has raised over amphitheatre. Tickets are £10 in inaugural reggae and yoga festival, godfather Nusrat. Tickets, priced Church Of The + AMII LITTLE th regular local gig listing update on Heavy Presents RETROGRADE which takes place over the weekend £20, are on sale from Tigmus.com. on Thursday 27 April with local 11pm • £8 adv / £10 otd Cubanista big band Ran Kan Kan Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing AUDIO CHEMISTRY 10.30pm–3am • £5 of the 23rd-25th June at Braziers Wed 19th playing. Tickets, priced £9 in you new gigs as soon as they go + STRIKE ONE + Fri 28th RAISED BY ZAHED SULTAN Park in Ipsden. They are joined TRUCK STORE hosts its annual DUTTY MOONSHINE + advance, are available from the live. They also provide a free + GUEST by The Storytellers and 1210Zen, Record Store Day party on HYPOCRITES CATJAM + ROB WHY? venue box office. Visit weekly listings email. Just contact • 8pm–10.30pm WILD WILLY BARRETT’S plus a cast of reggae DJs at the Saturday 22nd April. There will be 7pm–10.30pm £7 10pm–3am [email protected] to join. £10 adv event, which mixes music with live music instore, with acts to be www.cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk. Sat 8th £6 adv / £8 otd Wed 12th yoga, dance, martial arts, crafts and announced, plus limited edition TURF Sat 29th • GET LIT 11pm–3am £5 MOVE FRENCH CONNECTION a bajilion workshops. Earlybird releases from the likes of David 11pm–3am • Free entry tickets are £85 until the 1st May Bowie; Pink Floyd; Jason Isbell; Tues 11th 11pm–3am SATURDAY APRIL 22. OLD FIRE STATION. OXFORD. DOORS 7pm CHRIS ROE-FRENCH (1982-2017) INTRUSION Thurs 20th £6 all night and £125 after that. Kids go free Maximo Park; The Smiths; The Fall; FUTURE PERFECT Nightshift was saddened to hear number of EPs for Beard Resident DJs Sun 30th with onsite camping included in the Elastica; Cabbage; The Flaming DAN OWEN + GUESTS of the death of Chris Roe-French. Museum Records. The band’s DOKTOR JOY CINEMA UNDER ticket price. More details at Lips; Popol Vuh and Prince. 7pm–10pm Chris, who was the drummer singer, Liam Martin, said of + BOOKHOUSE THE STAIRS www.wildhuman.co.uk Maximo Park, meanwhile, play + GUESTS £8 adv • 16+ with local band Cat Matador, his friend, “It’s a cliché to SHALLOW GRAVE an acoustic show in the shop on 8.30pm–2am • £4 otd Thurs 20th 7.30pm for 8.30pm died unexpectedly in February; go on about how well loved NICK COPE is among a host of Monday 24th April. Blaenavon Wed 12th King Terrible Presents start • £4 he was 34. Cat Matador were big people were but in his case it’s THE LORDS OF local musicians playing a benefit play an album launch gig instore on FUTURE PERFECT Sun 30th DISCO WONDER gig for Donnington Doorstep this Wednesday 12th. Fans are advised to favourites on the Oxford scene absolutely true and I’m sure THE ORIELLES MAY DAY… 11pm–3am • Free entry from 2008 until their split in there will be many people who + GUESTS Calling All Ravers!!! month. The centre has been forced pre-order the album at Truck Store 7pm–10pm to cut its family drop-in sessions to ensure they can get it. 2013, playing The Oxford Punt in remember him from the Oxford Fri 21st LUV*JAM + ED £7 adv / more otd • 16+ NEW STREET STEELE + SPECIAL due to funding cuts. An all-day Blackwell’s Music Shop have 2008 as well as releasing a scene. Anyone who was around the scene during Cat Matador’s Wed 12th ADVENTURE + GUEST (SUPER gig at Donnington Community surprisingly been left off the list of GET LIT SUPPORT SHARP SUITED) th lifetime might recall his endless Centre on Saturday 8 April runs shops participating in Record Store 11pm–3am • Free entry 7pm–10pm • £10 adv 11pm–5am and infectious enthusiasm, £6 adv / motd from 2-10pm and features sets Day after organisers deemed they Fri 21st disarmingly quick wit and Thurs 13th from Osprey; The String Project; were part of a chain. Blackwell’s King Terrible Presents SOUL SESSIONS Country For Old Men; Delnavaz; has three shops in the country. ludicrous pink sparkly drum kit. THE LORDS OF 11pm–3am • £5 Chris was universally liked and Beard of Destiny; Mark Atherton; A spokesman for the shop said, DISCO WONDER Sat 22nd The Jesters; Elena Harris and “Previously Blackwell’s has enjoyed whether he was ‘trying out a new 11pm–3am • Free entry TIGMUS Franklin’s Tower. Entry is free with successful Record Store Days drum face’, dropping his car keys RUSTY SHACKLE + money raised through donations, and has steadily built up a wide down a London drain or popping SUPPORT home after a soundcheck to put 7.30pm–10pm raffles and food sales. selection of music for all tastes – £8 early / £10 otd everything from classical and opera potatoes in the oven, he was THE STRING PROJECT play a to metal and pop, as well as an always a pleasure to be around show at The Sheldonian Theatre in expanding range of instruments and and a great friend. He will be The Cellar, Frewin Court, Oxford, OX1 3HZ sorely missed.” @CellarOxford TheCellar.Oxford Imagine stumbling across a smoky back street bar, late night jam. Django Reinhardt & the May. The local Anglo-Indian fusion accessories. We wish Truck records Pouges. Robert Johnson accompanies Edith Piaf. Bob Marley’s jammin with Stephanie collective return to the Sheldonian all the very best and shall continue Nightshift’s deepest sympathies www.cellaroxford.co.uk Grappeli. Tom waits to join in. This is French Connection. on Thursday 25th May, after a sold- to cater to the needs of musicians go out to all Chris’s friends and family. …an independently owned family run venue TICKETS | 01865263990 | WWW.OLDFIRESTATION.ORG out concert there in November last and music lovers alike for many A Quiet Word With Such vocal performances for this album. After seeing Sharon and disappeared. Still no one knows acts we were going on about.” are integral to the atmosphere the Van Etten use one, I went on the what became of her. Then in recent pair conjure across `Ramshackle hunt and managed to get hold of one years artists rediscovered her record One of the most Tabernacle’, one that is haunted and in great condition on Gumtree. It’s and all the songs that she wrote but exciting results of those friendships oppressive at times, particularly on an electronic harp from the 80s in a never recorded have been covered on was the tour of the Netherlands the `Petrified Forest’, one of so many wonderful shade of brown. One day a tribute album.” pair went on with The Epstein. Was it stand-out songs on the record. we’ll use the inbuilt drum machine Martin: “Both with that song and comforting to travel in the company The August List Martin: “Atmosphere was treated that sounds like a Casio keyboard `Old Rip’, it’s taking a story, whether of people they knew? as an instrument for the new songs. having a bad day...” it’s fact or fiction, as in the case of Rip Kerraleigh: “It was certainly cosy We’ve played with the Diamond Another moment of magic comes Van Winkle, and combining it in with in the van! It was really cool to go Family Archive a few times now and right at the end of the album and the our own existential woes. They’re like with a band who knew the lay of the way they create noise or drones track `The Ballad of James Lucas a framework that sets the theme of the land for our first trip. Olly was for their songs to live in was inspiring and Betty Dupree’, a Lee Hazlewood the song that we can then sing about really gracious it letting us tag along and not something we’d though about & Nancy Sinatra-style duet which what’s on our minds!” and use half his band for our own much for the last record. In fact we manages to capture a fine balance of With isolation being a central theme nefarious needs! Tommy and Billy

photo: Ian Wallman had recorded `Petrified Forest’ for the desolation and euphoria of the sort of the album, if the pair had to be are and will always be honorary last album, but in the end it just didn’t you might get at a late night barroom exiled to some wilderness, where members of The August List. We cut it. It wasn’t until that weird vocal lock in; the laughter of the crowd would they most want to be? love playing with them and they’ll be loop was created that it transformed during and after the song sounds Kerraleigh: “I would need to be on board for the launch shows, along the whole feeling of the song. The almost ghostly. near the sea. I grew up in Dorset and with Ben and Richard. The future atmosphere reinforces the sentiment Martin: “We wanted this song to be a always get fidgety if I go a while will depend on circumstances; we’ll in quite an intense way. We loved it so kind of relief at the end of the album, without seeing the ocean. So, maybe continue to do duo shows and full much that we used atmosphere loops an expel of energy after what proceeds an island with a good forest.” band shows depending on vibes and on a few of the tracks.” it. We had The Great Western Tears Martin: “Yeah, a small island would timetables.” singing and yelling with us and be good cos it would have the sea, a You’ve also broken into the London Much as we loved `O Richard recorded our conversations beach, a forest and maybe a mountain, gig scene with Folkroom Records Hinterland’ – and we really loved in and around takes and the laughing so it would be varied. Though I’d stay and Folklore promotions. it – `Ramshackle Tabernacle’ is a big Martin: “It’s quite daunting when step up for The August List, produced you start looking for gigs in London by renowned local engineer Richard “Ramshackle is a favourite word that we’ve because there are so many promoters Neuberg, who has also recorded The never worked into a song and it does sum up and so many venues and it’s trying to Epstein’s and Kanadia’s albums, and find the ones that suite you and your featuring guest appearances from an our style to a certain extent,” music. Also it’s about trying to avoid array of the local musicians they’ve the pay-to-play thing that still exists befriended over the past few years, was mostly from a story Fern from up the mountain, as I hate the water in places. Folklore and Folkroom including a mass vocal contribution the band told us, the subject of which and Kerraleigh would want to stay by have been great; they’re in it for all from The Great Western Tears. cannot be repeated…” the sea, so we’d have to meet for sing the right reasons and encompass all Kerraleigh: “We knew we wanted If The Great Western Tears are songs and coconuts in the forest, if the styles we love, from folk and more of a band sound on this record an example of local Americana that’s allowed in this scenario.” Americana to more alt.rock. They’re and called in Tommy and Billy to at its most rustic and rootsy, also cross-pollinating communities play drums and bass. We worked on their adventurous use of exotic When we last interviewed where the promoters and artists all “A lot of the songs on album to come out of Oxford this Nightshift, which earned them Demo so it worked.” “It’s always interesting the tracks before recording to beat instrumentation takes The August List The August List, back in 2014, they help each other out.” this record are concerned with hermits year. of the Month, and after a few fruitless to see how other couples act on them into shape and find a style that well beyond their acoustic origins. were still finding their feet in Oxford, or absenteeism and a lot seem to Seriously, we don’t throw a claim that months trying to get themselves stage,” adds Kerraleigh; “The Lovely mirrored what we had in our heads. The middle bit of `Connie Converse’ getting to know people, having If isolation is the be sung from the outside looking out loosely. `Ramshackle Tabernacle’, gigs in town, they’ve become firm Eggs are the same as us in that they We love collaborating and want sounds like the main riff from `Enola initially struggled to find a home for abiding theme of their new album, in,” says Martin Childs, one half of the follow-up to The August List’s favourites among gig goers, while don’t sing love songs into each other’s musicians to come in and bring their Gay’ by OMD. Are they just a couple their music on the local gig circuit; it seems that increasingly The husband and wife duo The August 2014 debut `O Hinterland’, is an expanding their sphere of influence eyes. They just rock out, and so do own ideas to the table. The same with of closet synth pop kids at heart? things, though, have long since August List are making more and List, explaining to Nightshift the main absolute feast of musical wonder, beyond the county, including regular we. In a folk way.”) the production; we wanted Richard Kerraleigh: “Ha ha! We were trying changed for the better and many local more connections with the wider theme of the couple’s second album, one that starts with a backwards shows in London and a tour of Neuberg to throw whatever he liked to get our Grandaddy vibe on there! musicians and journalists would point musical world. However far they get, `Ramshackle Tabernacle’, released at vocal chant and ends with ghostly the Netherlands with friends The Kerraleigh and Martin’s at it and we’d either love it or perhaps It’s actually a Stylophone 2 making to them as their favourite local act. Do however many records they sell, they the beginning of May. “I have always laughter and in between conjures Epstein, two of whom, drummer musical chemistry is most evident in tell him to reign it in.” that noise. We used the original they feel part of the musical furniture more than deserve it. Here is a truly felt like that to a certain extent and an atmosphere of isolation, sorrow, Tommy Longfellow and bassist Billy their vocal interaction; Kerraleigh’s Martin: “We put the acoustic guitars Stylophone on some of our previous here now, and what have been the best special band, one who have created so the idea of disappearing or living exploration and hope via the medium Quartermain, now play as part of The striking singing voice, akin to a through amps to give the louder recordings, so we thought we’d up things and people they’ve encountered an almost magical musical world for in absolute isolation if you actively of two perfectly aligned voices and an August List’s live set-up. young Loretta Lynn or Dolly Parton, tracks more guts and dirt and used the ante on this one. Turns out that locally? you to explore, but who still regard choose to, is a kind of statement of array of often unusual instruments. is the heart and soul of The August more effects, but that still fitted with the Stylophone 2 is basically a full Martin: “Oxford is great; everything themselves as “ramshackle.” rejection of the world and I find those Even the album title is a joy. That expanded live band List, a variously sprightly, spectral our style without us becoming a analogue synth and not really a toy at seems to be structured so well, One final question about the new that can do it fascinating. I could “Ramshackle is a favourite word that will launch `Ramshackle Tabernacle’ or dolorous foil to Martin’s deeper, fully electric rock band. Ben Heaney all like the original!” whether that’s by design or accident. record. In `Connie Converse’ an old never do it, no matter how terrible we’ve never worked into a song and with a headline show at The Cellar in more rustic vocal style. Listen to her came in to play violin on two tracks. From Truck Store to Nightshift, the filing cabinet acts as a metaphor for the world gets; there is always hope it does sum up our style to a certain May, a suitably cosy and atmospheric sublime backing vocals on `Old Rip’, On `Half Light’ he did a beautiful, As much as the venues to the promoters and BBC the subject’s past, while previously, on in connecting with people or art or extent,” explains Kerraleigh. “Thrown setting for a band who capture the which opens the album, to get a sense uplifting folk part, and then on instrumentation, the voices and the Introducing, there is a whole network `Wooden Trunk Blues’, The August whatever. The other, more tragic side together with Tabernacle, you’ve got warmth of a log cabin porch and the of just how in tune with each other `Where Has All The Fire Gone?’ we production, the riches in `Ramshackle of support and we do feel really lucky List used a wooden trunk as a vessel are hermits who have just ended up two great sounding words that conjure bitter sting of the dustbowl, and, with they are. “I’ve been told I sound like pushed him to go full Warren Ellis Tabernacle’ come from the stories the to be a part of that. We were nervous for ridding themselves of all the junk alone by circumstance and geography up a wonderful image in your mind, if the new album, the complex darkness Mary Poppins when I speak, so I’m with his electric Fender violin, which band tell. The core theme of the album when we first dipped our toe, but it of the past; if they could lock up three and don’t know how to escape. We you try to imagine what a ramshackle of the human spirit. glad I don’t sing that way!” exclaims sounds amazing. Richard plays the is isolation, inspired by accounts of has been seriously rewarding and things in the world and throw them in tried to look at all sides of this on tabernacle might be like. Hopefully Personable and unpresuming, Kerraleigh when we ask about the musical saw; it sounds both old timey hermits they read about, both real and inspiring.” the ocean, what would they be? the record and mix in our feelings. we’d be the house band.” Kerraleigh and Martin Childs exist in contrast between her singing voice and like a theremin from space all at fictional, and these cast glorious light Kerraleigh: “For us getting started it “Donald Trump, Mrs Brown’s Boys `The Ballad Of James Lucas & Betty a long and proud lineage of husband and her considerably more reserved the same time.” and shadow on characters like Connie was Nightshift, Carl and Matt at Truck and violent seagulls.” Dupree’ ends with us basically saying A ramshackle tabernacle and wife acts, some of whom – The speaking voice. “I guess it’s a mixture The use of drones to enhance Converse and Old Rip. Store, Seb Reynolds at Pindrop and More room in the world for all the no matter how bad it is, just embrace is exactly the sort of place we Handsome Family; Low; Shovels & of the artists who’ve influenced me and the atmosphere on tracks like Kerraleigh: “Connie Converse was a Tamara Parsons Baker who does All good things, then. Like The August those you’re with.” imagine The August List living in. Rope – they share musical ground a stylistic fit with the music, which is `Wilderness’ is one of the keys to the singer/songwriter from the 1950s, but Tamara’s Parties who all pushed us List. Make room for them in your life. In fact the reality isn’t too far off, the with; others, like The wonderful unconscious. I had to sing show tunes album’s appeal. she was way ahead of her time. When to the fore. Now the list includes a If that last bit reads like couple inhabiting a converted barn Lovely Eggs, ones they’ve shared a in college, which I hated and didn’t Kerraleigh: “That’s a layered it was all the rage to sing protest lot of local musicians who we’ve met `Ramshackle Tabernacle’ is released th a statement of love for his partner on a hill on the eastern outskirts of stage with (“That was a fun gig; they feel confident with at all. It was only Harmonium that Richard pitch shifted folk songs, she was singing about through gigs; Simon Bailey at Future on the 5 May. The August List in marriage and music, Kerraleigh, Oxfordshire, where they moved after were great,” remembers Martin; “their when I started listening to stuff like and then a harmonized vocal loop. It bumble bees, but she was a really Perfect, who’s starting to put local play at The Cellar on Saturday th then we’ll ride with it. Here are a relocating here from Dorset in 2012. crowd were nice to us and we stole a Jenny Lewis that I felt inspired to ramps up the progression of the song great writer. She released one album artists on as support for bigger touring 13 May with Vienna Ditto and couple whose musical chemistry has One of the band’s first acts after few fans. I think that musically we’re find my own voice and sing about the without overcrowding it with other that was ignored and then she just acts, and meeting Richard Neuberg Loud Mountains. Hear them at produced what is likely to be the best moving here was to send a demo to different, but the attitude was similar, things that I wanted to.” instruments. The Omnichord is new became disillusioned with everything who knew all the obscure alt.country theaugustlist.bandcamp.com Sponsored by ORDER#227 HALF DECENT METAL HORSES `There’s No Rules’ `Still Getting By’ / `By Darker (Rivet Gun) My Side’ (Self released) RELEASED Order#227 don’t go big on irony, preferring An album called `Darker’ that contains tracks splenetic rage to get their message across, but (Self released) with names like `Harm’, `Dirty World’ and GHOSTS IN THE something of the chaos of the events. `Work Our the title of this new three-song EP’s outright Like a rap take on Child of Our Time, Half `Fear’, is unlikely to be a 100%-Non-Stop- Bones To Dust’ initially attempts to calm things refusal to obey the rules of grammar does raise Decent’s new single `Still Getting By’ is Party-Jamz kind of experience. PHOTOGRAPHS down with its precise and delicate clean guitar a chuckle. something of a concept song that was started Such is life for Metal Horses, aka songwriter/ lines; it’s beautifully executed and sets up the Chuckles are otherwise hard to find here, when he was 21, revisited with a new verse when vocalist/producer Paul Emery, here with `A Murmur, A Charm, explosion of noise that follows perfectly. Although although refusal is writ large. “Gonna kill he hit 25 and finally finished this year when he associate Jon Hawes. This twelve-track it fits the quiet-loud-quiet norms of the genre, the you because you’re different to me,” bellows celebrated his 30th. Hence the “21, 25, 30” chant collection of generally downtempo, largely A Murder’ band always hits the button at exactly the right singer Rabid (oh yes) on opener `Generation at its core and the “Life begins at 30, or so they moody synth-pop brings to mind late-80s time for maximum impact. (Self released) Genocide’ with racism firmly in his sights and a say” contemplation towards the end, which is Depeche Mode, a smattering of the more sedate It’s on `WITNESS ME’ where they really hit both a self-affirming clarion call and a moment of To stand out as a truly inventive and impressive loaded barrel of rolling punk guitar noise in his side of Nine Inch Nails, a scattering of early their stride, however. A real slow burner that never self doubt. post-rock band is a hard task. It’s all very well battle-hardened hands. “The internet is a paedo Human League or Talk Talk’s refined electronic really ignites, it gets its power from simply being playground,” he rages on `Paedo Playground’ The opening salvo is a look back at his birth and soundscapery, and a brief sojourn around the having a mass of reverb and delay pedals and allowed to shimmer and morph throughout its alternating between quiet and loud every so as the band pillage Discharge, The Exploited early life and the unlikely scenario of him being cassette-based electronica of early-80s minimal seven and a half minute duration. With no release and GBH (whose `City Baby Attacked By a rapper, while the middle third finds him making pioneers like Marc Barreca and Steve Roach. often, but unless there’s some substance to valve deployed the pressure built up is palpable the songwriting it’s easy to sound as if it’s all Rats’ seems to be the musical blueprint here), his name on the local scene. Finally he hits the Quite a slick selection of sounds to draw on, and thrilling. They close with `Song For Gene’, and, barely pausing for breath, we’re off fist big 3-0, realises here maybe isn’t the place to and although `Darker’ tends more towards the being done to a template. While Ghosts In The which for some reason heads off into jangling fighting our way through `Technolojihad’, subtle make it. Having grown up and made his name in mainstream – Dave Gahan-esque vocal styles Photographs do liberally apply all the usual indie territory. They pull it back with an interlude political discourse left in the box in favour of Oxfordshire, Half Decent now lives in London, and largely traditional song structures – there signifiers, they also have a strong sense of in the shape of a spoken word eulogy for Gene, hectoring sloganeering and straight-to-the-point where he obviously feels this kind of music is are also moments of experiment that’ll tweak narrative to their compositions. More importantly peculiar mix of calm and menace. Coupling the who was “not of this world” and suddenly shift hardcore punk belligerence. better accepted. the diodes of fans of minimal electronica and they know when to cut it short and not wander off cries of crows (that’d be the murder of the EP’s through the gears with a riff that absolutely roars. Fight fire with fire, though; when we have an As ever his rap style is an abrupt machine gun ambient music. In particular, the closer ‘.’ into indulgent dead ends. Utilising news reports title) with news reports from the Columbine There’s an array of emotions at play on this short American president whose idea of policy rollout delivery that fits as many words as possible into – yes, just a full stop – is a short, enveloping and field recordings they carefully sculpt emotive School shootings (that’d be more murder) it’s a but effective EP. There’s some murder some is tweeting a pack of ill thought out lies, a UK every line and then adds a few more for good arrangement of floating tones; `Prey’, and impactful songs that resonate long after the simple but effective opening, that segues into the murmurs, and there’s plenty of charm too. Ghosts government whose chief foreign representative measure. Such a delivery can leave you a bit meanwhile, has a stuttering electronic backdrop final notes of this EP ring out. much more open and direct thrum of `Emergency In The Photographs might well be a post-rock is a culturally ignorant oaf and a billionaire- breathless at times but he never loses his flow and that brings to mind Cabaret Voltaire. `04201999 South Pierce Street’ is a subtle but Friend’. If `South Pierce Street’ reflects the cool band, but they’re definitely not just another post- owned media presenting outright prejudice as along with the well-orchestrated beats and back- `Darker’ is largely out of step with the effective opening. The music itself is barely and deliberate actions of Eric Harris and Dylan rock band. fact, maybe the best way forward isn’t reasoned up, it sounds like The Streets if they necked some contemporary music scene, but that’s not there, undulating in the background with a Klebold, `Emergency Friend’ encapsulates Sam Shepherd debate but a fucking good metaphorical smack serious amphetamines. Hopefully Oxfordshire’s important. Stuck in an earlier time of electronic in the teeth. In which case, we’re more than loss can be London’s gain and the next verse pop it may be, but it exists there with an happy to hold Order#227’s coat while they finds him sat in a gold-plated swimming pool as uncomfortable approachability and a clear sense NIKKI LOY LOWWS HOLLY REDFORD administer it. his mid-thirties loom. of self. `Pivotal’ `Lowws’ JONES Ian Chesterton Sue Foreman Simon Minter (Self released) (Self released) Nikki Loy’s Facebook status’s say things like “… Formed in 2014 out of the ashes of The Sea The `The Future’ dreaming of being a famous singer/songwriter,” Sea, Lowws have been diligently working away (Self released) but in reality, over the last few years, she’s more for several years. After sharing stages with Tall In her accompanying email Holly Redford Jones than done something about it, and as you read this Ships and Happyness, and releasing their first says she agrees wholeheartedly with Nightshift’s she is out there tonight, and every night, in her single, the band relocated to the Oxfordshire preview piece for the recent Laura Marling gig, self-made camper van, stealth camping, literally countryside in 2016 to set up their own studio, and the crux of which was Marling is a far superior being a target for morons with BB guns or finish the song writing for this EP; and the result is singer to the likes of Adele due to her ability and sold out! terrifyingly attempting to break in, after playing a vibrant, multi-faceted offering. willingness to do understatement so well. Which packed houses as a support to the likes of X Factor The sextet has created a release full of lush is a little ironic given Holly’s tendency to go off winner Sam Bailey and Westlife’s Shane Filan. tapestries of swirling riffs and jittering syncopated on one at some point in most of the songs on It’s this you have to bear in mind when you guitars. `Lowws’ is crammed with atmospheric this debut EP, her band hammering it out as she listen to `Pivotal’, Loy’s third album, produced soundscapes, crunchy chord progressions exercises her tonsils by way of some acrobatic and recorded by George Shilling; that it’s and intelligent songwriting; a product of its “Woah woos” which are as understated as a going to be something she can cart around solo environment, the band has successfully managed heavily armed Graham Norton riding a rainbow and fly on a rainy midweek night in front of to capture contemporary frictions with an coloured unicorn into the middle of a New an all-ages crowd in Aberdeen or Dartford or undercurrent of hope. It’s no surprise that first Year’s Eve firework display. the wombats • slaves • maximo park Swansea. Consequently songs here like `Under single and EP opener `Okami’ has begun to be It’s also unnecessary, since when she The Lightning’, `Closer’, and `Do That Again’ picked up by radio and press; it’s a gargantuan downplays her songs they’re so much more nothing but thieves • twin atlantic • loyle carner • deaf havana are labelled, unthreateningly, as soft rock and slice of dark guitar pop, which gallops away appealing, Holly possessed of a smoky, soulful deal brilliantly in the feminine core of worded into its soaring chorus. Throughout the EP the voice that, on `Trainspotting’ leans towards hinds • jagwar ma • sundara karma • hot 8 brass band •idris elba feelings, rather than any sky-punching falsetto band’s subtle, moody ambiance is interspersed Billie Holiday before she decides to take flight. hollering egotism, but equally there is an with charming vocal lines and tropical bass lines, EP title track `The Future’ and `One of The british sea power• The Moonlandingz• Pulled Apart By Horses• Jamie Lenman underlying strength to her take on every facet of particularly in ‘Pit of Ghosts’, where the sparkling Things’ take things down a more rockabilly and love that, in the event of an all-in cage fight with guitar lines lift the smoky instrumentals. old-time r’n’b route, revealing a rich voice that Truck x Switch Presents contemporaries like Sharleen Spitari, Andrea Corr `Lowws’ is slightly off-kilter and offbeat, with the could hold its own against Imelda May. The or Rumer, my money would be on Nikki to be the band taking simple pop melodies and combining latter is the best cut here since Holly keeps a butterz takeover: TQD • Elijah & Skilliam •Swindle • Champion & MC Serious | SASASAS last one standing. them with caravanning rhythms and interweaving lid on the histrionics, proving restraint works Pivotal is a quality item that gets its point across instrumental lines. Although sometimes it feels so much better, while allowing enough grit and vant • cabbage • palace • yak • the magic gang • the big moon tom• grennan • honeyblood without frightening the horses, dispatches from the like the EP stalls to an abrupt stop before the dirt into the song to get us thinking of Amy and many more! solitary frontline of hard-knock showbiz, and as key is put back in the ignition and start up again, Winehouse. such will sell shoebox loads to departing crowds once each track gets started you almost forget the Alongside Marling, she quote Leonard Cohen from Alhambras, cliff-top pavilions, concert halls, lurching transitions. among her influences, another master of www.truckfestival.com #truck2017 provincial theatres and corn exchanges across the Elegant production and dirty guitars, coalesced understatement, and maybe Holly could take a island. Sometimes in life, as on Facebook, being with rich, confident writing and subtle swagger leaf out of both their books when it comes to well liked is better than being famous. means that `Lowws’ is a stellar offering. refusing to, in X Factor parlance, smash it. Paul Carrera Hannah Mylrea Hemmings Dale Kattack branch of the global pop-up gig movement host JONES + SEMI URBAN FOX: The Jericho another night of surprise sounds in a secret Tavern – It’s All About the Music showcase with location. Join their mailing list to buy tickets and soulful, melodic rockers Demoiselles alongside find out what’s in store two days beforehand. acoustic jazz, rockabilly and blues singer Holly THE TRISH ELPHINSTONE QUINTET Redford Jones. with MIKE WILKINS: The White Hart, KING TERRIBLE PRESENTS: The Cellar Wolvercote – Monthly residency from eclectic – Disco, rock, 80s, everything and anything else GIG GUIDE jazz saxophonist Trish Elphinstone and her band, from the bag of the turntable terrors. the alto and soprano sax player’s much-travelled CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford SATURDAY 1st pop in petrol and dance to the flames – see main career bringing elements of pop, blues, hip hop Community Centre – Oxford’s longest running SWITCH feat. CHASE’N’STATUS: O2 preview and more to her music. open session continues to showcase singers, Academy – The barons of breakbeat hit town – BLOODSTOCK – METAL 2 THE MASSES: musicians, poets, storytellers and performance Monday 3rd see main preview The Bullingdon – Latest heat of the battle of th artists every week. the bands competition to win a place at this THURSDAY 6 JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE + INDICA BLUES + K-LACURA + SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half ALEJANDRO BULLETPROOF ROSE + HELL’S APRIL summer’s Bloodstock, tonight with Black Candy; CHRONICLE + ROCK SOLID: The Moon – Weekly open mic session. GAZELLES + BLACK BULLETS: The by Cumbria’s classic hard rockers Bulletproof Mamzer; Violence is Golden; The Karybirds and Bullingdon – Super-heavyweight stoner blues/ ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure – ESCOVEDO: Bullingdon – OxRox host a rare visit the shire Rose and local melodic metal crew Hell’s The Guardian. metal from Indica Blues at Church of the Heavy, Weekly acoustic open session. for ill-starred 90s hard rockers Love/Hate, still Gazelles. OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms – with monstrous thrash metal support from BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford The Bullingdon helmed by sole remaining original member, MARCH THE DESERT + CRIMSON TUSK: Weekly open session. The world of music is awash with “cult K-Lacura. – Open blues jam. singer Jizzy Pearl, the band’s almost Spinal The Wheatsheaf – Heavy-duty psychedelic STRIPPED DOWN CADILLACS: The artists”, the majority of whom are unlikely to, DEMOISELLES + NORTHERN Tap-like story including a mock crucifixion of stoner-metal in the vein of Sabbath, Clutch, Led Brewery Tap, Abingdon (5-7pm) – Blues th or simply undeserving of, selling more than SCARECROWS + HOLLY REDFORD Pearl on the Hollywood sign. At their early-90s Zep and Mastadon from Reading/Brighton crew covers. FRIDAY 7 TIGERTAILZ + TERMINUS + NASTY a few hundred records in their time. But then peak they toured with Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC March the Desert, with support from local stoner/ there are the likes of San Antonio’s Alejandro and Skid Row, but a volatile line-up and myriad blues beasts Crimson Tusk. HIGH: O2 Academy – Cardiff’s veteran glam- rd nd Escovedo, who, you feel, has forever been one record company fall-outs stymied any chance of MAKING A SCENE: The Oxford Centre For MONDAY 3 Sunday 2 rockers return to town in their latest incarnation, FEEDER: O2 Academy – Grant Nicholas’ pop- singer Jay Pepper now the only original member big breakthrough single away from becoming wider commercial success. They’re joined tonight The Deaf & Hard Of Hearing – Catweazle’s a major-league rock star. If nothing, else judge new monthly live music showcase hosts folk friendly post-grunge rockers return to town on THE JESUS & MARY in the line-up after the death of bassist Pepsi Tate the back of their ninth studio album, `All Bright from cancer in 2007 and drummer Ace Finchum’s his reputation by those who contributed to Saturday 1st singer Megan Henwood; 60s-styled pop act Art a benefit album for him when, in 2003, he Theefe; alt.country wizard Richard Neuberg; Electric’. CHAIN: O2 Academy departure in 2013. Having enjoyed chart success ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO: The Bullingdon The mid-1980s were possibly pop music’s in the late-80s and early 90s, notably with Top 40 nearly died from Hepatitis-C: Steve Earl, SWITCH feat. folk-pop singer Rosie Caldecott; traditional Zulu Son Volt, Lucinda Williams, John Cale, Ian folk song crew Count Drachma and performance – The Tex-Mex troubadour keeps on keeping on lowest ebb: safe, cynical, over-produced and album `Bezerk’, they split in 1996, reforming in – see main preview dominated by a post-Band Aid hegemony. 2005 and subsequently releasing a slew of new Hunter and The Jayhawks. Or the fact that CHASE’N’STATUS: poet Alan Buckley. Bruce Springsteen was only too keen to WINTER MOUNTAIN: The Jericho Tavern SPEEDBUGGY USA: The Library – And then The Jesus & Mary Chain happened. albums as well as supporting Kiss’s Ace Frehyley California’s hard-gigging country rockers return In a blizzard of feedback, honeydripping on tour. join Escovedo onstage for a few numbers O2 Academy – Intimate, reflective folk-pop and Americana at the Austin Music Awards. Like sometime And you shall know them by the trail of to town for a low-key gig after their showing melody and nihilism they helped BOSSAPHONIK with KONGO DIA from Cornish singer Joe Francis, in his Winter co-writer Chuck Prophet, Escovedo, son of collaborators… In the case of Chase & Status, at last summer’s Halfway to 75 Festival, their reinvigorated the UK indie scene, inspired NTOTILA: The Cellar – Dancefloor Latin, Mountain guise, touring his second album, Mexican immigrants, started off playing in it’s a list long enough to fill this entire feature southern states country inspired by Merle a new generation of kids too young to have Afrobeat, global grooves, Balkan beats and nu `I Swear I Flew’, following supports to Cara punk bands before moving into rootsier folk- and spans the spectrum of credibility from Haggard and Buck Owens, with its roots firmly in lived through punk to pick up instruments jazz club night, hosted by DJ Dan Ofer and Dillon, Guy Garvey, Richard Thompson and rock and alt.country territory, starting with Cee Lo, Kano and Rihanna to Alexandra the Bakersfield Sound. and they caused the odd riot along the way. tonight featuring a live set from Kinshasa’s Seth Lakeman, who contributes fiddle to the new 1992’s solo debut, `Gravity’, through to his Burke, taking in Tinie Tempah, Plan B, OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim – Formed by brothers Jim and William Reid in Mulele Matondo, whose group Kongo Dia album. recent twelfth studio album, `Burn Something Rita Ora and more recently Tom Grennan, Weekly open session. East Kilbride, and early on featuring Bobby Ntotila bring the dance sounds of The Democratic FREERANGE: The Cellar – UK garage, grime Beautiful’, co-written with REM’s Peter Novelist and, erm, Slaves, with whom they Gillespie on a very basic drum kit, they Republic of Congo to town, rumba, soukous, and bassline club night with an emphasis on new Buck and Minus 5’s Scott McCaughley and recorded the excellent, hard-edged `Control’ th took Phil Spector’s pop vision and slashed zouk and sakade infused by African jazz and underground tunes. TUESDAY 4 featuring guest turns from Sleater Kinney’s last year. Having set out in 2003 with the it to ribbons with The Velvet Underground’s some serious beats. STICK IN THE WHEEL + JOHN SPIERS: MALLORY KNOX + LONELY THE BRAVE Corin Tucker and The Decemberists’ John aim of introducing dubstep influences into drone noise and The Ramones’ all-out guitar OXPHWOARD – THE SELF LOVE SHOW: Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington – + FATHERSON: O2 Academy – Big-boned alt. Moen. He was named Artist Of The 90s by nu-skool breakbeats, Saul Milton and Will blitz. No-one’s bettered them in the battered The Bullingdon – Burlesque and drag night with Punk-charged, politically-spurred traditional folk rocking from Cambridge’s Mallory Knox, out alt.country bible No Depression and along Kennard have slowly but surely moved into and bruised pop stakes to this day. They had Morning Star, Carmen Mon Oxide, Crystal Beth from the true working class East End from Stick on tour to promote third album `Wired’. Support the way has also worked with everyone from the mainstream, selling rather more than the great tunes too, from `Never Understand’ and more. in the Wheel, on a mission to reclaim folk music from their Cambridge neighbours Lonely the Tony Visconti to Whiskeytown without ever few hundred records they originally hoped to `Some Candy Talking’, `April Skies’ and THROWING SHAPES: The Bullingdon – from the cosy real ale crowd, injecting it with Brave, whose epic, urgent rock recalls Pearl breaking through into the mainstream. It’s for. 2010’s `No More Idols’ went platinum, beyond and as they mellowed (slightly), New house and disco club night. an abrasive cockney attitude. They’re joined by Jam and Glasvegas at times and previous tour unlikely that will ever happen but, now aged while 2013 follow-up `Brand New Machine’ their melodic side came more to the fore. KLUB KAKOFANNEY with PAPA NUI + local folk hero Spiers, now back to going it alone support to Lower Than Atlantis, Marmozets 66, Escovedo simply keeps on doing what he similarly hit the Top 5, the album something `Psychocandy’ remains one of the most FISHWIVES BROADSIDE + EARINADE + in the wake of Bellowhead’s split, and a master and Deaf Havana, plus heartfelt indie rockers does best, rocking every bar that will host him, of a tribute to 90s dance, particularly trip hop, important indie records of the post-punk era STEEVO NUISSIER: The Wheatsheaf – Klub of English folk song. Fatherson. and living on the enduring love of that select UK garage, jungle and commercial house, and while the brothers’ personal relationship Kak host their monthly mixed party bag of music. ROGER McGOUGH & LITTLE MACHINE: SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James group who recognise his talents. stopping off for the odd diversion into hip The Cornerstone, Didcot – The veteran poet, Street Tavern – Weekly open mic session. was as turbulent as those early singles and There’s funk-pop from Papa Nui, plus Bedford’s hop, including a turn by Pusha T. The pair gigs, eventually causing the band to split in folk-punks Fishwives’ Broadsides and caustic broadcaster and playwright brings his poetry to OSPREY & FRIENDS: St Aldates Tavern – set from Nick Cope. He’s joined by Osprey; The still talk up their underground credentials, but musical life in the company of rock band Little Local bluesman Osprey hosts a fortnightly song 1999, they made up and reformed in 2007, punk and guitar pop from Earinade providing the they can’t seem to stop making hits, either for subsequently recruiting Ride’s Loz Colbert soundtrack for the night. String Project; Country For Old Men; Delnavaz; Machine, renowned for providing soundtracks to and jam session. Beard of Destiny; Mark Atherton & Friends; The themselves or for others, while also providing the spoken word, McGough’s witty, surreal and and fellow Oxford lad Mark Crozer into the SPARKY’S SPONTANEOUS SHOWCASE band. Mark’s still there and the years have Jesters; Franklin’s Tower and more. remixes for a similarly stellar cast of stars. As melancholic beat-inspired verses, including his th AND SPOTLIGHT JAM: James Street Tavern such it’s quite a coup for long-running local WEDNESDAY 5 seen the Mary Chain’s legend remain solid. – Sparky hosts his monthly bands and jam night, FREERANGE ROOTS with ADDIS ABABA + classic `Let Me Die a Youngman’s Death’ having GHOSTS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS + KID club night Switch to get them in and a sell out A new album, `Damage & Joy’, is a long tonight with Glastonbury singer-songwriter Sean FIELD FREQUENCE SOUND SYSTEM: The seen him dubbed the godfather of modern British KIN + TIGER MENDOZA + LEE RILEY: is guaranteed. way off those pop-noise explosions but a first Miller, blues and boogie band Mudslide Morris & Bullingdon – Roots reggae and dub club night poetry. The Wheatsheaf – Cinematic instrumental post- with one of Oxford’s oldest soundsystems, Addis BÖTLEY CRÜE: Tap Social Movement – New ever chance to see the band in Oxford isn’t the Revelators, and The Talc Daemons. rock in the vein of Mogwai, The Workhouse something to pass up. EVERYDAY BANTER: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Ababa. wave, Britpop and indie covers and Explosions in the Sky from Ghosts in the AUDIOCHEMISTRY + STRIKE ONE + SYNTRONIX: Fat Lil’s, Witney – 80s synth- Rock covers, from AC/DC and Thin Lizzy to Foo Photographs as they release their debut EP Fighters and Green Day. RAISED BY HYPOCRITES + FIELD OF pop hits, from Numan and Depeche Mode to this month. They’re joined by post-rock and GIANTS: The Cellar – Church of the Heavy Human League, Ultravox and OMD. electronica wunderkind Kid Kin, dark, ambient th show with Banbury rockers Audiochemistry THE WIRE BIRDS: The Brewery Tap, industrial electronica and hip hop from Tiger SATURDAY 8 alongside Didcot punk crew Strike One and Abingdon – Classic blues covers and original Mendoza and ominous drones from Lee Riley. DONNINGTON DOORSTEP FUNDRAISER: Witney heavyweights Raised By Hypocrites. tunes. GET LIT: The Cellar – Bass-centric dance night Donnington Community Centre (2-10pm) AUDACITY LIVE + MANZER + SWITCH from the crew behind Deep Cover, with sets from – All-day fundraising gig for the Donnington OUT + FOUNTAINS: The Wheatsheaf SUNDAY 2nd Mai Gai, Zyklin Sound, Beanhead, Effi Brooks Doorstep family centre, which is having its TURF: The Cellar – House, disco, funk and soul THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN O2 Academy – and more. funding cut. A host of unplugged local acts club night. Brothers Jim and William Reid continue to douse SOFAR SOUNDS: Venue TBC – The Oxford perform across the day, including an afternoon BARE KNUCKLE PARADE + PEERLESS TOM IVEY: The Brewery Tap, Abingdon (5- rockers. of The Yardbirds and early Stones from The IDESTROY + HAXAN: The Wheatsheaf 7pm) – Blues and rock covers and originals. TASH LAKE + SUNBRUISE + NICK Shades. – OxRox host a quartet of all-female rock ORMROD + FASHION PROOF: The Jericho HAPPYNESS: The Cellar – Daydreamy bands under the banner Let’s Hear It For SUNDAY 9th Tavern – Acoustic folk and atmospheric slacker rock from Bermondsey’s The Girls. London’s The Kut top the bill TIGER MENDOZA + KID KIN + electronics from Falmouth singer-songwriter Tash Happyness, a charmingly ramshackle, with their scuzzy grunge, very much in BREEZEWAX: The Jericho Tavern – Dark, Lake alongside psych-rock Cornish neighbours romantic mix and match of Eels, Pavement, the vein of Hole, L7 and Deftones; the industrial hip hop and electronic soundscaping Sunbruise. Yo la Tengo and Built to Spill, signed to band recently released new single `Bad from Tiger Mendoza, back in action after the CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Moshi Moshi on the back of their debut Man’, having played at Download and release of their excellent `The Shadow’ album Community Centre album, `Weird Little Birthday’. Strummercamp festivals. They’re joined last year. Epic, elaborate instrumental post-rock SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half THE BALKAN WANDERERS + THE by anthemic rockers JoanovArc, fronted by from Kid Kin and electro-heavy hip hop from Moon SHAPES + GENEVIEVE MILES: The sisters Sam and Sheller Walker, currently Breezewax in support. ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure Bullingdon – Get yer dancing shoes on and touring their debut album `Ride of Your th Tuesday 11 THE DOMESTICS + GP + SCUMBAG: The BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford a some gypsy fire in your bloodstream for Life’, having been championed by Alice Library – Free punk from Smash Disco, with Oxford’s finest eastern European folk-ska- Cooper on his Planet Rock show. There’s LAETITIA a visit to town for Suffolk’s raging hardcore FRIDAY 14th pop party starters ahead of their headlining also grunge-pop from Bristol’s Idestroy, and crew The Domestics, taking brutish inspiration GREENSLEEVES 40th ANNIVERSARY set on the Uncommon stage at Common classic hard rock from Cardiff’s Haxan. SADIER SOURCE from Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Discharge and TOUR with FREDDIE McGREGOR + KING People in May. They’ll be joined there by LAST RITES + ECHO4FOUR + ENSEMBLE: Subhumans. Suitably furious d-beat support from JAMMY + YELLOWMAN: O2 Academy tonight’s support act, The Shapes, whose CRYSTALLITE + RATS EAT RATS: GP – the soon to be renamed Girl Power – plus – The legendary reggae and dancehall label feelgood blend of 60s r’n’b, new wave O2 Academy – Heavyweight local crust and sludge noise from Dore and Too Many brings a stellar cast of roster stars along for its and pop has drawn comparisons to Van bands showcase from It’s All About the The Bullingdon Morrison, Tom Petty and The Beautiful Music, with Sabbath-flavoured metallers One of the most consistently exotic voices Poets offshoot project Scumbag. anniversary tour – see main preview South. Echo4Four, grungy stadium-rockers and constantly inventive personalities on OSPREY + MOJO DEMON + MONKFISH SELF HELP + EASTER ISLAND STATUES P.Y.T.: The Bullingdon – Disco, funk and Crystallite and grunge newcomers Rats Eat the British music scene over the past 25 or + MAEVE BAYTON + PURPLE MAY: The + ASH LEWIS + THE SHADES: O2 Academy soul club night. Rats. so years, Laetitier Sadier will always be Wheatsheaf (3:30-8:30pm) – Free afternoon of – It’s All About the Music local bands showcase STORYTELLER + COUNTRY FOR BIRDEATSBABY + CALLOW SAINTS best known as lead singer with Stereolab, unplugged music in the downstairs bar hosted by at the O2 with trashy garage-rock and pop-punk OLD MEN + MAD LARRY: The + BROSEPHINE: The Jericho Tavern with whom she forged some of the most Giddyup Music. people Self Help, plus 60s-style r’n’b in the vein Wheatsheaf – Funk, rock and reggae – Soulful, orchestral stadium rock from hypnotically beautiful music of the 90s and OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms fusion from local act Storyteller at tonight’s London/Brighton collective Birdeatsbaby, beyond – fusing Krautrock, French chanson th Wednesday 12 It’s All About the Music show. Support out on tour to promote their fourth album and Velvet Underground drones – but th MONDAY 10 from bluesy country rockers Country For `Tanta Furia’. she took her music to other new places in GILES ROBSON: The Bullingdon – Haven THE ORIELLES: Old Men and classic r’n’b from Mad Larry. Monade, the band she formed with Pram’s Club return for the UK bluesman, discovered HERRY & THE GONDOLAS: The th Rosie Cuckston, and since Sterolab’s demise The Cellar SUNDAY 16 playing back-up to Muddy Waters’ son Mud Jericho Tavern – Lively folk-rock in the in 2009, four solo albums with various Halifax’s Orielles started to make a name DJ DEREK SWEET MEMORY Morganfield and rated as the best harmonica vein of Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard collaborators. Her most recent is `Finding for themselves with sets at Dot 2 Dot and SOUNDS with DON LETTS + LAID player on the European circuit, bringing a soulful and Bear’s Den from Bristol three-piece Me Finding You’ with Source Ensemble, Carefully Planned festivals, and a debut BLAK: The Bullingdon – A special tribute blend of blues and r’n’b to town. Harry & the Gondolas at tonight’s Tigmus an album apparently inspired by “a mind’s release on Oxford’s own Alcopop! label, but night to the late, great DJ Derek, Bristol’s OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim show, the band starting to make a name for eye envisaging geometric forms and their the indie underground really went wild for legendary reggae DJ who died in 2015, a ZAPPATIKIA + ACTION ZAPPA: Fat Lil’s, themselves on the UK folk club and festival possible permutations,” which coming from them last year when they released their debut regular visitor to Oxford over the years, Witney – Double dose of Zappa tribute acts. circuit. most musicians would sound like pretentious EP `Jobin’ as a flexidisc with accompanying usually as a guest of Count Skylarkin, who How much more Zappa? None more Zappa! FRAU DJs: The Cellar – Good Friday toss, but from Sadier sounds par for her colouring book on the excellent Art Is Hard hosts tonight’s show. The equally legendary club night celebrating female voices in questing course. Featuring a duet with Hot label. It was like the last 20 years of polished DJ, musician and film maker Don Letts is on th r’n’b, soul and pop from the 90s onwards, Chip’s Alexis Taylor, the album’s a stately, TUESDAY 11 corporatism and homogenisation of indie hand to man the decks, the man responsible LAETICIA SADIER’S SOURCE playing everything from Aaliyah to restless shifting scenery of electronics, jazz pop had never happened, a playful DIY spirit more than most for bringing reggae to a ENSEMBLE: The Bullingdon – Former Whitney Houston, via Grimes, J-Lo, Lauryn stylings, prog-pop, maths wobbliness and was back. The record was a hazy, ramshackle wider UK audience, originally with his Stereolab chanteuse brings her new band to town Hill and Sugababes. chanson, that finds inspiration in Steve Reich tribute to Spector-esque 60s pop, 80s indie DJ sets at punk gigs in the 1970s and ever – see main preview HELL’S GAZELLES + THE BLACK and Penguin Café Orchestra among myriad and 90s slacker rock, particularly Pavement since, including his current stint as a 6Music (HED)P.E.: O2 Academy – California’s G-Punk BULLETS + TRAUMA UK + others and at the heart of which is Laetitia’s and Steve Malkmus’s drawly, daydreamy presenter. There’s also a live set from survivors hit town as part of a tour to promote MOLOTOV SEXBOMB: Fat Lil’s, warm, rich Gallic voice, a constant presence idiosyncrasy, all wrapped up in sugary vocal Bristolian reggae, dancehall and hip hop last year’s `Forever’ album, their twelfth, singer Witney – High-octane hard rocking from in everything she does. This is woven into harmonies, guitar fuzz and surf twang. Those collective Laid Blak. Skylarkin conducts Jahred Gomez now the only remaining original local stars Hell’s Gazelles, mixing up Judas complex choral performances based on vocal harmonies come courtesy of sisters proceedings and it’s a fitting tribute to his member. Priest, Guns’n’Roses and Led Zep into arrangements for strings, while the catalogue Esme and Sid Hand-Halford who sound old friend. INTRUSION: The Cellar – Monthly goth, a heady brew at tonight’s OxRox show. of instrumentation ranges from cornet and like they were born and raised on the West DON’T BE AFRAID X LIVITY industrial, ebm and darkwave club night with They’re joined by Basingstoke’s tattoo- flute to synths and treated guitars. It’s a Coast rather than West Yorkshire and have SOUND: The Cellar – Livity Sound’s Doktor Joy and Bookhouse keeping it dark on the heavy rock’n’roll, punk and biker rock crew characteristically sumptuous and immersive brought the sunshine to God’s own county via Pev & Cowtown and Karen Gwyer play decks. Black Bullets, and Witney punks Trauma record; too wayward to suddenly springboard their music, which, as well as The Shangri- experimental techno alongside DBS boss SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James UK. Sadier into the mainstream, but one that La’s and Ronettes, touches base with The Semtek, plus Hodge and Amii Little. Street Tavern further confirms her place as one of the Flatmates, The Breeders and The Raveonettes OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt th enduring stars of the musical underground. at times. Tonight’s gig is part of their first SATURDAY 15 Arms WEDNESDAY 12th major UK headline tour, which precedes a TRUDY & THE ROMANCE: The Cellar PIRATES: The Old Fire Station – Rousing, PINS: The Bullingdon – Manchester’s Iggy- summer of festivals, including Green Man, – Bluesy 50s pop, swampy r’n’b, surf-rock MONDAY 17th rootsy drinking songs from Bath’s Bare Knuckle collaborating girl gang return to town – see main and for everyone sick of how the word indie and rockabilly from Liverpool trio on the OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ: The Parade, inspired by Gaslight Anthem and preview has been corrupted and rendered meaningless rise Trudy & the Romance, recent tour Harcourt Arms Augustines, plus local grogabilly indie faves THE ORIELLES: The Cellar – Indie like what over the years, here’s a sweet, sweet reminder support to The New Moon and championed OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Peerless Pirates, mixing Smiths-y guitar pop, they used to make from the Halifax sisters – see of how it should be done. by Steve Lamacq, who made them his artist Blenheim rockabilly, spaghetti western soundtracks and main preview of the week. romantic lyricism into a potent brew. GET LIT: The Cellar – Bass-heavy club night. FLUID: The Cellar – Bassline, garage th GEORGIE FAME: The Cornerstone, Didcot – and grime club night with Murky Records’ TUESDAY 18 LAURENCE JONES: The Bullingdon The jazz and r’n’b legend’s first visit to the Shire th Nadine, plus Masp and more. THURSDAY 13 – Stratford’s rising young blues guitarist since his 2014 showing at Cornbury Festival OLD SKOOL OXFORD with 2 BAD STOLBY + CHALK + ROSE SEGAL + Laurence Jones returns town at the Haven finds the veteran singer and pianist performing MICE: The Bullingdon – Old skool club JUNIPER NIGHTS: The Bullingdon – Airy Club, likened to Peter Green and Joe songs from his extensive, fifty-year career, night with veteran hardcore/breakbeat crew folk-pop from Stolby at tonight’s It’s All About Bonamassa. including Number 1 hits `Yeh Yeh’, `Get Away’ 2 Bad Mice, instrumental in the genre’s the Music showcase. BILLY OCEAN: The New Theatre – Back and `The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde’. eventual mutation into jungle in the 90s. FLIGHTS OF HELIOS: The Cellar – Spaced- in town after his sold out show at the O2 HI-ON MAIDEN: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Maiden LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS out griefcore from the prog-tinged electro last year, the veteran pop and soul hitmaker tribute. with THE KUT + JOANOVARC + THURSDAY 20th highly varied and characterised by a quality he Lou at tonight’s rescheduled show from last exhilarating shoegaze blizzard through Viet DAN OWEN: The Cellar – Gruff, soulful blues rarely gets credit for: he’s recorded with Sly November, the singer and multi-instrumentalist Cong’s white noise scree and into A Place To from the young singer on the rise, touring recent & Robbie and Ralph McTell and Bert Jansch; layering her pure, plaintive voice over inventive, Bury Strangers’ all-out sonic warfare. Their new EP `Open Hands & Enemies’, with its single toured with U2, The Police and Madness and dissonant electronics and note-bending guitars single is a called `Threshing Machine’ and it’s `Moonlight’. once turned down the chance to join The Rolling on new EP, `The Heart and All Its Sins’. gonna hurt. Heavy-duty psych-rock from The LOUNGE KITTENS: The Bullingdon – Stones. With his latest band he explores an STAIRCASE 11 presents DISCOGRAPHY: Shotgun Six in support. Kitschy three-part harmony takes on heavy exotic world of styles, mixing French chanson; The Cellar – World disco and Italo house club HODAD + HOLY MOMENTS + WOLFS: rock tunes from Southampton’s Lounge Kittens. Irish folk; New Orleans Cajun and gypsy dance, night with Keep On, Iskander and Monotreme/ The Wheatsheaf – Raw, propulsive alt.rock Imagine The Andrews Sisters covering System taking inspiration from The Pogues; Edith Piaf; Real Vita launching the new night. and punk from Cardiff’s Hodad, plus melodic of a Down, AC/DC, Marilyn Manson, Toto Django Reinhardt; Stephane Grappelli and Tom SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James post-hardcore from Holy Moments and grungy and Andrew WK? Well, now you don’t have to Waits among others, backed by a band that Street Tavern garage rock from Wolfs. Wednesday 12th imagine anymore. features cellist and wife Mary Holland; uillean OXFORD JAZZ KITCHEN JAM SESSION: MY DIABLO + QUARTER MELON + pipe player John Devine, who’s performed for WEDNESDAY 26th The White Hart, Wolvercote PINS: The Bullingdon FIREGAZERS: The Jericho Tavern – Titanic The Queen, and French singer Mary Holland. SPECTRES + THE SHOTGUN SIX + YEAR We’d imagine plenty of aspiring young rock stoner metal from My Diablo, formed from They’re touring new album `A Mange Tout Far’, OF THE KITE: The Cellar – Cathartic dark- THURSDAY 27th things grow up wanting to be Iggy Pop. But the ashes of Mother Corona at tonight’s It’s Barrett’s exuberant humour never too far from psych and noise rock from Devon’s musically WHILE SHE SLEEPS + IN HEARTS WAKE the surface. while none of us can fill those particular boots, All About the Music show, with support from scabrous guitar destroyers, taking shoegaze on + FIZZY BLOOD: O2 Academy – Sheffield’s Wednesday 19th there’s always the possibility you might end spangly indie act Quartermelon and rockers ELECTRIC SIX + NIGHTMARES FROM a dangerous, possibly destructive journey from velocity metalcore crew hit the road again after up collaborating with the living legend. Which Firegazers. THE DISCOTEQUE: O2 Academy – Another Beta Band’s spaced-out harmony pop and Ride’s a joint headline tour with Cancer Bats, touring VODUN / MASIRO is what’s happened to Pins on their new single KING TERRIBLE: The Cellar year, another Electric Six tour, Dick Valentine’s their third full-length album `You Are We’, `Aggrophobe’, which finds the Manchester garage-glam crew still doing the rounds over CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford th the band, who won Best Newcomers at the / 1000 CHAINS / band’s old school indie noise backing those Community Centre a decade on from hits `Gay Bar’ and `Danger! Friday 14 Kerrang! Awards in 2012, making up for lost none-more-lived-in gravelly tones. Pins are SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half High Voltage’, playing it deliberately dumb with time on the touring front, having undergone CRIMSON TUSK: as old school indie pop as old school indie Moon their tongue-in-cheek rock disco bombast. GREENSLEEVES an enforced lay-off previously when singer pop gets, but when what passes for indie ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure RUSTY SHACKLE: The Cellar – Lively th Lawrence Taylor underwent throat surgery. The Wheatsheaf rd 40 ANNIVERSARY these days tends towards the 3 rate Oasis BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, roots’n’roll from south Wales folk-rockers Rusty RAN KAN KAN: O2 Academy – Benefit gig If spectacle and theatre in rock music is in boy-gang scheme of things, the old ways Sandford Shackle, touring third album `Dusk’ and back in for this year’s Cowley Road Carnival with local short supply these days, no-one told Vodun. Oxfordshire after playing last year’s Towersey TOUR: O2 Academy Last year’s album `Possession’, was a heady increasingly seem like the best way forward. Started by friends Chris Cracknell and Chris Cubanista big band Ran Kan Kan playing Son Festival. mix of psychedelic groove rock, sludge, Afro- Pins could never be accused of being a boy FRIDAY 21st Sedgewick in an independent record shop in Montuno and mambo classics. gang. They’re a girl gang for starters, schooled PITCHBLACK presents JAY CLARKE: The futurism and a whole lotta soul. Basing their OXFORD FOLK WEEKEND: Various Ealing back in 1975, Greensleeves is arguably JAWS: The Bullingdon – Back in the in the mid-80s ways of Velvet Underground Cellar – Techno club night with Klockworks’ entire existence on the ancient west African venues – The sixth Oxford Folk Weekend kicks the most successful reggae and dancehall label neighbourhood after their showing at Truck last and Phil Spector-inspired fuzz, drone and pop rising techno star Jay Clarke, whose made religion of the same name Vodun go the whole off, with live music, dance displays, ceilidhs, ever. Over its 40 year existence the label has summer, Birmingham’s now slimmed-down purity. The band’s early songs sounded like his name over the last year playing Berghain, concept album hog on `Possession’ while workshops and more around the city centre, released pioneering records by Barrington Jaws temper their Madchester grooves with a generation-melding blend of Spacemen 3 Fabric, The Warehouse Project and Doornroosje. sounding something like Aretha Franklin including the Oxford Deaf & Hard of Hearing Levy; Dennis Brown; Eek-a-Mouse; Gregory considered shoegaze and Foals-y fidget-pop. and Dum Dum Girls, but on second album OXFORD FOLK WEEKEND: Various fronting a tribal Royal Blood on a mescaline Centre; The Quaker Meeting House; The Wesley Isaacs; Shabba Ranks; Shaggy and Beenie ERRATICA: REMNANTS: The Old Fire `Wild Nights’ they roped in Queens of the venues – The folk weekend continues across the trip, or maybe Slayer fused with Black Box Memorial Church; St Barnabas Church; The Man, while its 2002 release `Diwali’ helped Station – Complex, harrowing folk/electronica Stone Age producer Dave Catching, who city, including today a special needs ceilidh. at that point where 90s rave met thrash metal. Pitt Rivers Museum and St Aldates Tavern. launch a resurgence in dancehall, featuring multi-media opera from director Patrick Eakin sharpened up the pop side of their sound, the WOLFBAIT: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Covers. Warrior priestess singer Chantal Brown has Headliners this year are Nancy Kerr and James global hits by Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder. Young and based on the story The Stone Fields 60s-styled garage rock subsumed to pin-tight STEAMROLLER: Bletchingdon Sports & one hell of a set of pipes on her, and anyone Fagan, and they’ll be joined over the three days Greensleeves now boasts the largest catalogue by Courtney Angela Brkic about one woman’s melodies, Faith Holgate’s vocals brought more Social Club who remembers her fronting expansive soul- by Leverett; The Melrose Quartet; Ange Hardy; of reggae music in the world. How to experience of the aftermath of the Srebrenica to the fore, rather than sounding like they rock crew Do Me Bad Things back in the Jim Moray; Jackie Oates & Megan Henwood; celebrate it’s big four-O? Host a tour featuring war crimes, mixing traditional Balkan folk were coming at you from a mist-shrouded rd mid-noughties, as well as providing backing John Spiers; Dan Walsh; Dipper Malkin; Jimmy SUNDAY 23 some of Jamaica’s biggest reggae, dancehall music with electronic music, vocal narratives dream. They remain glumly exuberant though, vocals for chamber arkestra Chrome Hoof, Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith and The Emily OXFORD FOLK WEEKEND: Various and dub stars, including the irrepressible and documentary footage. Presented by Oxford and slightly lost in musical time, relying on will remember just how powerful a soul Askew Band, while the local folk contingent venues – Third and final day of the folk Yellowman, one of the first global dancehall Contemporary Music. simplicity, both musically and lyrically, rather voice she has. Local heavyweight support is represented by Coldharbour; Edward Pope, weekender. stars, making his name in the 80s playing JORDAN HERBERT: The Jericho Tavern – than cutting edge technology or slick genre- at tonight’s Buried in Smoke show comes White Horse Whisperers and Shivelight, among BLOODSTOCK – METAL 2 THE MASSES: his local soundsystems and becoming one of Hip hop-influenced soul-pop from Northampton blending. No, this is great, classic indie pop, from visceral math-core merchants Masiro, others. Full details at www.folkweekendoxford. The Bullingdon – The battle of the bands the first Jamaican stars to crossover into the singer Jordan Herbert at tonight’s Tigmus gig, perfect for fans of Best Coast, Allo Darlin’ or eclectic melodic metallers 1000 Chains, co.uk. competition to win a place at Bloodstock hip hop crowd, his rhythms used by KRS-1, out on tour to promote new EP `Just Recently’. Vivian Girls. The best kind of pop, basically. mixing NWOBH, classic thrash, tech-metal PALACE: The Bullingdon – Brooding, rootsy reaches the quarterfinal stage – among those Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. among others. RETROGRADE: The Cellar – House, techno, If you don’t believe us, just ask Iggy. and good old fashioned hard rock, plus bluesy blues-rock from London’s Palace, out on tour to who’ve made it this far are teenage melodic Becoming more conscious in the 90s, he’s dub and disco club night. stoner rockers Crimson Tusk, very much in the promote debut album `So Long Forever’. thrash crew The Reaper; malevolent thrash and become a philosophical touchstone for the PAUL McCLURE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Clutch/Desert Storm mould. heads out on tour, reliving hits like `Caribbean COAST 2 COAST + BETTER THAN hardcore beats K-Lacura and Chaos Theory. genre, denouncing violence, homophobia and Traditional folk and Americana from Rutland Queen’; `Get Out of My Car and Into My NEVER: O2 Academy – Not, sadly, the cheesy SLATE HEARTS + RATS EAT RATS + sexism, while remaining a cult hero. He’s troubadour McClure, back in the Shire Dreams’, and `When the Going Gets Tough, The early-80s `Do the Hucklebuck’ hitmakers, but a HOLY MOMENTS + WOLFS: Fat Lils joined by Freddy McGregor, a singer and after shows with Police Dog Hogan and at EP, the band’s fidgety electro-pop drawing Tough Get Going’. Birmingham pop-punk outfit, on tour to promote Witney – Goodly four-pack of grunge and punk producer with over 50 years of music making Wychwood Folk Club. comparisons with Foals, Everything Everything SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James their new EP `The Length of a Smile’. Go along noise at Fat Lil’s tonight with super shredded under his belt, taking in ska, rocksteady and CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford and Wild Beasts. They’re joined for tonight’s Street Tavern and shout for `Hucklebuck’ anyway. Bet they’ll riffs and beats from Slate Hearts; grunge lovers rock as well as dancehall and boasts a Community Centre Daisy Rodgers show by stark, understated post- OSPREY & FRIENDS: St Aldates Tavern bloody love that. rocking from Rats Eat Rats, post-hardcore and monstrous back catalogue, plus King Jammy, SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half punk people Kone, and atmospheric electro- NEW STREET ADVENTURES: The Cellar pop-punk from Holy Moments and grungy dub remixer and record producer who was Moon indie outfit 31Hours. garage rocking from Wolfs. ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure WEDNESDAY 19th – Soulful 80s-style pop from London’s New responsible for Black Uhuru’s 1977 debut TROPICAL POPSICLE: The Bullingdon – Street Adventures in a Blow Monkeys and Style OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms and more recently records for Sizzla. That’s BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Tropical house club night. THE MOONLANDINGZ: The Bullingdon – Council vein, touring their new album `Stubborn a serious A-List cast there, and there’s more Sandford ELECTRO SWING with DUTTY Imaginary band from other band’s video become Sons’ on Acid Jazz Records. th names to be added. Gonna be the best reggae MOONSHINE: The Cellar – Big band swing, real and eclipse band who imagined them – see MONDAY 24 SOUL SESSIONS: The Cellar – Classic soul, party Oxford will see this year. th bass and 1930s dance with Bristol/Oxford main preview BEN POOLE: The Bullingdon – A return to FRIDAY 28 funk and disco club night. act Dutty Moonshine, helmed by DJ and VODUN + MASIRO + 1000 CHAINS + town for the rising UK blues-rock guitarist, TINARIWEN + ART THEEFE: O2 TERMINUS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rock covers. producer Michael Rack, mixing classic swing CRIMSON TUSK: The Wheatsheaf – Voodoo drawing comparisons to Joe Satriani and Joe Academy – Mali’s warrior musicians bring their STEAMROLLER: The Queen’s Head, and Vaudeville with garage, grime, funk and rocking from the warrior priestesses – see main Bonamassa, winning fans in Bernie Torme and psychedelic Tuareg trip back to town – see main Horspath drum&bass. preview the late Gary Moore along the way. preview RESTRUCTURE + DAISY + JUNIPER JOSH DOYLE: O2 Academy – Soulful OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim FABIO & GROOVERIDER: O2 Academy nd NIGHTS: The Wheatsheaf – Rap, rave and acoustic blues from the Kent-born, Nashville- SATURDAY 22 – Celebrating 25 years of drum&bass with the punk mash-up from Restructure, taking golden resident songsmith, out on tour. WILD WILLY BARRETT’S FRENCH th veteran Radio 1 DJ team. TUESDAY 25 age hip hop into 90s acid house and street punk ZAHED SULTAN: The Cellar – Atmospheric CONNECTION: The Old Fire Station – DAISY RODGERS MUSIC with LOWWS HANNAH LOU CLARKE: The Cellar – in a lo-fi style. Emo-ish pop-punk from Daisy in electronica, hip hop, trip hop and Arabic folk Although best known as long-term musical foil + KONE + 31HOURS: The Bullingdon – Gorgeously introverted and downbeat garage support. from Kuwaiti multi-media artist Sultan. to John Otway, Willy Barrett’s career has been Launch gig for local indie starlets Lowws’ new folk-pop from former FOE frontwoman Hannah KADIA + THE WHITE HORSE SATURDAY 29th Calgary’s Chrongoblin, over in the UK to RATBOY: O2 Academy – Back in town promote third album `Backwater’. after last September’s sold out show here, MARK ATHERTON & FRIENDS + ADAM Chelmsford lad Jordan Candy’s rise and rise & ELVIS + TONY BATEY & SAL MOORE continues as he document teenage Essex life in a + MARK SOLLIS + MIKE HYDER: The post-Libertines hip hop style. There’s something Wheatsheaf (3.30-7pm) – Klub Kakofanney irresistible about his blokey, bullish, cheeky- host an afternoon of free unplugged live music scally pop/punk/rap mash-up and say-it-as-you- in the Sheaf’s downstairs bar. see-it stories (typical title: `Fake ID’) that career SIMPLE MAY MORNING PARTY: The off the stage like a playground bundle involving Bullingdon – May Eve house party from the EMF, Arctic Monkeys and The Beastie Boys, long running club night. but provoked in the first place by Jamie T. MAYDAY RAVE: The Cellar – Disco, house CHASING DAYLIGHT + EARINADE and jungle into May morning with Luv*Jam, + BEN CHAMPION + CORA PEARL: Ed Steele and more. O2 Academy – Local Britpoppers Chasing MAYDAY FOR THE PEOPLE: The Jam Daylight, inspired by The Beatles and Kinks Factory – Count Skylarkin and Tony ‘Naked’ Wednesday 19th as well as The Blockheads, Dr Feelgood and Nanton join forces to ring in May Morning with Oasis, and, so far as we know, the only Oxford marathon feast of soul, funk, reggae and disco. band with their own brand of marmalade, play THE HARRY PANE: The Mad Hatter – their biggest hometown headline show to date, Northamptonshire folk/blues/soul singer- with support from Earinade – the new band MOONLANDINGZ: songwriter Harry Pane tours new EP `The Wild fronted by former ATL? man Mac and joined Winds’ The Bullingdon by assorted members and ex-members of The When is a band not a band but then becomes Candyskins, The Daisies, Les Clochards and OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms a band and the band outgrows the story that more. saw them come into being? When the band GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with RATS is The Moonlandingz. Who are they? Well, EAT RATS + MANU LOUIS + DEATH Friday 28th they were, originally, an imagined band OF THE MAIDEN: The Wheatsheaf – being stalked by Maxine Peake in a video Characteristically mixed bag of sounds at this TINARIWEN / ART by Sheffield electro band The Eccentronic month’s GTI with local grunge newcomers Research Council for an album called `Johnny Rats Eat Rats taking Nirvana and Smashing THEEFE: O2 Academy Rocket, Narcissist & Music Machine… Pumpkins for a breakneck ride through the Plenty of rock bands might think they’re I’m Your Biggest Fan’, about a smalltown punk and metal suburbs. Quality contrasting hard, but they’d fall to the floor weeping like Yorkshire glam rocker, who was played by music from prolific Berlin-based composer and babies if they had to face the hardships Mali’s Lias Saoudi from Fat White Family for the performer Manu Louis, whose mix of pop, jazz, Tinariwen have gone through to get to their purpose of the video. Keeping up? Turns electronica and 20th Century classical music current level of global recognition. They are out the imaginary Moonlandingz’ music makes for an eclectic form of experimental a collective – not really a band – born out (described as “cosmic synth krautabilly meets instrumental music. Tamara Parsons-Baker’s of the nomadic Tuareg people’s battle for Joe Meek-style pop”) was actually bloody self-described gothy burlesque folk band independence and come from the deserts that great and got picked up by various 6Music Death of the Maiden open the show in style. are ruled by rebel warlords. They’re tough DJs. And now they’re a real band, who go THE CORSAIRS + GHOUL + VIOLENT old cookies for sure. Their music, by contrast, on real tours and record real albums – their CHIMES + COMPULSORY PRIMAL is a warm, psychedelic mix of ancient desert latest, `Interplanetary Class Champions’, RESPONSE: The Cellar – Punkolympia roots music and western blues and rock, with was produced by Sean Lennon and features show with psychobilly and punk crew The nods to Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Santana contributions from Yoko Ono, Slow Club’s Corsairs, plus death-rockers Ghoul. and King Tubby. Having attracted attention Rebecca Taylor and, erm, the bloke who MOVE: The Cellar – UK bass, grime and from the outside world with their appearances was the cowboy in Village People. It’s all a at the Mali desert festival, they released bit meta, and proves that not only does real garage club night. RAWDIO NATTY DUB TAKEOVER: The their debut album proper, `Radio Tisdas life imitate art, but truth can be stranger than Sessions’ in 2001 and played at WOMAD Bullingdon – Drum&bass club night Rawdio fiction. So, anyway, live they’re as louche and Festival. Over the years the collective’s music hands over the decks to dubmeister Natty Dub. feral as you imagine any band featuring two has leaned further and further into classic KID CALICO & THE ASTRAL PONIES members of the Fat Whites could be (Bully British and American blues, until 2009’s + LINN JOHANNSSON & FRIENDS + staff might remember that band’s last visit `Imidi: Companions’, where they returned to to the venue while going into a cold sweat), HELEN & CEDRIC: The Harcourt Arms their roots, all spaced-out grooves, drones, somewhere between The Cramps, Iggy Pop, – Roots rocking, blues and honky tonk in the chants and ululations that capture the eerie Suicide, The Velvet Underground and Willie vein of The E Street Band, Dr John, Jonathan atmosphere of their homeland. Given the Nelson. The story is great, but you don’t have Richman and Tom Waits from Wessex’s Kid nebulous state of the group, what you see on to understand it; all you need to understand is Calico at tonight’s free show. the night dictates what you here, although The Moonlandingz are way, way better than THE PETE FRYER BAND: The with founder Ibrahim Ag Alhabib (who made most `real’ bands you’ll see this year. Whitehouse – Lively rocking blues from the his first guitar out of a tin can, a stick and local veteran. bicycle brake wire) present, they’ll hopefully WHISPERERS: The Cornerstone, Didcot – THE STANDARD: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Party be at their psychedelic best. Support comes Traditional English folk from the Dorset trio. covers. from local 60s-inspired trio Art Theefe, led by THE PONDEROSA ACES + AGS STEAMROLLER: Millennium Hall, Catweazle Club host Matt Sage. CONNOLLY: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Californian Horton-cum-Studley honky tonk and outlaw country from The Ponderosa Aces, over for their first ever UK tour SUNDAY 30th and ably supported tonight by recent Nightshift CHRON GOBLIN + QUEASY: The cover star Ags Connolly. Wheatsheaf – Southern and desert rock from

Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Email listings to [email protected]. All listings are copyright Nightshift Magazine. photo: Helen Messenger Banbury’s The HopeBurden continuetheinstrumental wall-of-sound attack, atmospheric music isperfectlysuitedto. to alow-budgetzombie movieapparently. It’s thekindofthingtheir power, eleganceandintricacy tospare. They’ve justrecordedthe soundtrack overdriven guitars. When theyhittheheightsthey’recapableof,GITP have their purposeandthesetbecomesa tumultuoustidalwaveofdrumsand everything getsrampedupseveral notches, thebandhitagroove,discover not helpedbyapparentonstagesound issues.Butthenthebasskicksin, The spangledguitarrecalls The Sunday’s starlitpopbutit’s allabit disjointed, accompaniment, GhostsinthePhotographs makeatentativestarttotheirset. Playing theirfirstshowinawhileandwithouttrademarkvideo Jericho TavernThe GHOSTS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS MASIRO / THE HOPEBURDEN/ by anemotionalaudiencewhocan’t of theirgame,stillfriends,adored biggest venueinOxford,stillontop bow outwithasold-outshowatthe past firstbase. Tonight Stornoway of interest,andthat’s iftheyevengot fall apartinacrimonyorduetolack be saidofbands;barselectfew, most saying, endsinfailure. The samecan Everypoliticalcareer, goestheold any otherOxfordact. hometown crowdperhapsmorethan band whohavebeenlovedbytheir so completelyfittingafinalefor that issoun-Stornoway-like,but mass, celebratorystageinvasion let’s startattheveryendanda the lastevershowforStornoway, a reviewlikethis,but,sincethisis It’s hardtoknowwherestartwith New TheatreThe STORNOWAY LIVE of the music seems superfluous, but of themusicseemssuperfluous,but Onsuchanoccasions,anydissection Nights likethisareso,sorare. display ofemotionaloutpouring. others, andit’s awhollyjustified now she’s joinedbyhundredsof Nightshift wasalreadysobbing,but young womentwoseatsalongfrom `The ColdharbourRoad’,andthe rapturous cheersandtheopening that heraldedStornowayonstageto begun withahauntingviolinsolo tonight’s partinggift. The sethad lyrics at the end of `Fuel Up’ to reflect not leastwhenBrianchangesthe aplenty, bothonandoffstage tonight, party, notawake,therearetears proclamation thatthisshouldbea Ohyes,despiteBrianBriggs’ early quite believethisreallyistheend. Dale Kattack musical journey. Onewhoseendcomes fartoosoon. two previousacts evokeanoncomingstorm,Masiro genuinelytakeyouona zero excitementin theaudience,theypickuppace againand,whilethe machine, andiftheirmid-setannouncement to“gomellow”elicitsabsolutely bits ofpost-hardcore. Their longevitymeansthetrioworklikeawell-oiled they fusefunkandpost-hardcorewith math-rockandthemoreexploratory previously unimaginedmeetingpoint betweenShellacandLivingColouras the wallbetweenPinkFloydandKing Crimsonearlieronand,later,a find Masiroareamoreangularproposition, forsakingMogwai’s altartobreach added menacetothemusic,notfarfromDeafheaven’s gloriousnoise. to getpeopleclappingmightfallflatbuthishowlsanddeathraspsbringan the frontofstagetosingonfinalnumberwefearworst.Hisattempt solid insistencyquicklybecomesirresistiblebutwhentheyintroducea mate to elements ofpost-metal,whichtakethemclosertoPelicanorIsisattimes. Their their stately, superfuzzeddebttoMogwaiandExplosions intheSkyrivenby the roomcompletely, thefour-way silence fromthecrowdmeansitfills in avenuethissize,buttherapt Low’ withoutevenamicrophone It’s abravemovetoperform`Get the warmthatheartoftheirsongs. out onalimb,whileforeverretaining musicians whoarealwayskeentogo a collectionofsupremelytalented most untraditionalfolk-rockband, Stornoway havealwaysbeena completely unplugged`Josephine’, of `Lost Youth’, totheintimacyofa Appalachia’, totherousingflourish Saltmarsh andtheSea’ and`Farewell the romanticlongingof`Between just whytheygarnersuchlove.From acts feartotread,Stornowayshow magical shows,ofteninvenuesother at theendofadecadegenuinely Dale Kattack and thanksforthemusic. so. Thanks forthememories,fellas, last, andit’s beenourprivilegetodo live review, nowwegivethemtheir surely audibleacrossthecity. goodbye andanovationthatwas dancing fansuponstage,onefinal Are theBatteryHuman’,ahundred And then,attheveryend,weget`We the crowd,droppedfrombalcony. scores ofminizorbsbounceabove audience, asone,doitforthemwhile the firsthalfof`Zorbing’,since tonight. 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(“surely it’s not timetogoyet”)asadramatic the argument between`Death andtheLady’ to thedarksidewith LisaKnapppresenting labour cheap”and inevitablytherearevisits sigh andweep,there’s nonebut poorman’s We hearhow“Inthese hardtimes,timesto present. for pullingtheballadsfrompast tothe the powerofhisvoiceperhapsametaphor pro-Napoleonic) `Bonny BunchofRoses’, cuts, singingthewellknown(supposedly sounds throughwhichSamLee’s baritone screen; disparateghostlymusicaljangling an accountofsellingballadsprojectedon a balladaswellbeingusedpercussion; which duringthegigisusedtoprintcopiesof start withafacsimileprintingpressonstage the ManchesterBalladscollection. Edward II’s reinvigorationofbroadsidesfrom excellent rocksteadyandrootsreggaeoutfit there wasanot dissimilarinitiativewiththe and comeupwithaperformance.Lastyear the Bodleian’s archiveof30,000broadsides Mann, andhavethemspendtimeamong 2014, andDeadRatOrchestra’s Nathaniel Folk Award winnerforbestoriginalsongin collector andsingerLee;LisaKnapp,BBC artists of thecontemporaryfolkscene:song the firsttimethreeofmoreinnovative simple butboldone:tobringtogetherfor apparently aslatethe1950s. Holywell MusicRoom BROADSIDE BALLADS The Cellar BOSSAPHONIK with YAABA FUNK Tonight’s performance hasamulti-media The ideabehindBroadsideBalladsisa Nightshift’s Oxford is a better th century until century until

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photo: Marc West The Bullingdon JOSEFIN ÖHRN+ THE LIBERATION /CHRISBARKER battle between Stereolab and Spacemen 3, while new single `Sister Green battle between Stereolaband Spacemen3, while newsingle `Sister Green album, opener`The State(I’mIn)’ aroiling,droning, pure-phasesonic in. Mostoftheset isastraightrunthroughlastyear’s superb`Mirage’ wholly immersive audio-visualexperiencethatit’s easytoloseyourmind tonight’s showhas the feelofanExplodingPlasticInevitablehappening,a Backed byanexpansivefive-piece bandandsomeseriouslytrippyvisuals, This isaserioustripandno-one’s gettingoff untilit’s completed itsorbit. There’s nothingeasy, dolefulorarchaboutJosefinÖhrnandherband. Grant’s dolefulbut slightlyarchapproachtorootsrocking. for asetthatleansclosertoElliotSmith andatitsbest,remindsusofJohn easy-going approachtosongwriting,anearlyfunk-rocklopemaking way bass. The stripped-backset-uprevealsasingerwhoshares withHealeyan travelled localdrummerMikeMonaghan,plusacertain Willie JHealeyon much ofhismusic’s intensityaway, buthe’s ablyabettedtonightbywell- Chris Barkeriswithouthiskeyboardplayertonight,whichapparently takes gently liltingguitarrefrainin `The opener `Soothing’ singers. The sultrybasslineof a four-piece bandandbacking and fullerduetothebackingof presented verbatim–thoughbroader in fulltonight,thefirstfivesongs Femina’: ‘alwayswoman’. more empoweringassertion`Semper original pejorativeintent,tothe Takes itandtwistsit,fromits takes thetitleofhersixthalbum. quote, fromwhichLauraMarling always,” reads thetranslated Virgil “A shifty, fickleobjectiswoman, O2 Academy LAURA MARLING And thealbumappearsalmost LIVE blends intoa Unaccompanied, hervoicespills more tentative,lesssteady. Speak BecauseICan’;itsounds to play `WhatHe Wrote’, from `I she breakstherunofnewtracks up tobroodingensemble. of `Don’t PassMeBy’ folky roots,untilthelazyascent something ofaglancebacktoher its slow acousticpreambleoffering launching, solo,into `Wild Fire’, name isLaura,areyouhot?”before briefly introduceherself;“Hello,my distant ‘she’.Marlingstopshereto Valley’ – ayearningpaeanto There’s astarkcontrastwhen climbs back Dale Kattack you knowyou’ve justbeentakentosomewherevery specialindeed. and dissipatesinto theetherasswirling,flickering visualsfadetoblack, songs becomemore urgent, butas`Dunes’ pulsesominouslytowards itsclose album `HorseDance’,thesetbecomes abattletokeeptheintensityupas the bandmoveawayfrom`Mirage’ andintoaclutchoftracksfromprevious but it’s hardlysurprising whenshe’s sointentlywrappedupinthemusic. As Öhrnherselfisanintensepresence andrarelycommunicatesbetweensongs, vast anddenseenoughtoswallow galaxies. drowned inpsychedelicvisuals,becoming mereconduitsforasoundthat’s scouring `RainbowLollipop’ thatprovidesthenight’s highestpoint,theband, Moon’, butit’s thatpointwherethetripped-out`InMadrid’ morphsintothe `Endless Ocean’ couldbeaPortisheadreimaginingof`DarkSide ofthe `All Tomorrow’s Parties’ forawanderthroughdeep,darknarcotichaze. Eyes’ isasumptuous,motoriklullabythattakes The Velvet Underground’s return tothestage,layering Movie’ `Daisy’ conceivably, herself. sings tothefictionalNouel,and, you’ll beanythingyouchoose,”she well, athousandartists’ muse,but vocals moreresonant:“You sitso guitar soundsmorerounded,the on `Nouel’ –anothernewonethe continues soloforawhile,though for aman,standsunstable.She about women,thisone,written in thecontextofasetsongs her bandhasvacated.Perhaps self-consciously intothespace sees herbackingsingers from 2015’s `Short Caroline Corke her identitythaneverbefore. composed andresolutelyconfidentin come acrossthiseveningasmore don’t wanttobe,”shesings,having you don’t desire,assomeoneyou hard toacceptyourselfassomeone at oddswithhercurrentrhetoric.“It’s cacophony, butthelyricssojarringly music buildingtoaperfectclosing somehow bothfitsanddoesn’t, the rendition of`RamblingMan’,which Shefinisheswitharousing walking bassline. of a12-stringguitarandprominent twang accentuatedbytheaddition `Sophia’, thesong’s slightcountry rest ofthebandcomebackfor Marling’s drivingvocal,andthe incremental harmoniesunderneath

tracks soundasenergetic asever life heavyweights.Regardless,the played secondfiddletosuchthug being aleadingsongwriter, always “Princess ofHip-Hop”anddespite Rule cementedherstatusasthe and `Alwayson Time’ withJa Numberonehits`What’s Luv’ atmosphere. storm amidstthebizarrehennight the smashhit`Foolish’ godowna like `Happy’,`Rock Wit U’ and supporting hereverymove. Tracks aesthetically pleasingdancers Grammy-winning album,with up fromhereponymous2002 We aretreatedtoamedleymash the songsthatweheartonight. `Ain’t ItFunny’ aswellmanyof the writerbehindhitssuchasJLo’s songs sinceshewas13,and Murder Inc.Shehadbeenwriting at agedjust16thatshesignedto ill-fated dealwithP Diddy, itwas images ofherlongcareer. After an amidst abackdropofGoogle with aMacBook, Ashanti appears, After asketchywarmupbyDJ the queenbeing Ashanti herself. princess ofhiphopheaven,with indie nod-alonglandtowannabe tonight, fromserious,po-faced The O2 Academy istransformed O2 Academy ASHANTI Karlyn King role inthecurrenthiphopworld. great toseeherplayamorecentral themselves tonight,anditwouldbe of Oxfordhavecertainlyenjoyed and NotoriousBIG. The ladies surrounding collaboratorsJaRule overshadowed bythedrama voice withatalentsomewhat The Beatles,sheisanimportant accomplished previouslyby the Billboardcharts,afeatonly chart entriesinthetoptenof artist evertohaveherfirstthree Considering Ashanti isthesecond Minaj record. be onacurrentBeyoncéorNicki in undeniable.`Count’ couldeasily audience loveitandherpresence odds. The predominantlyfemale of arelationshipagainstall power anthemaboutthesurvival a homagetoMelGibson,but `Braveheart’ isthankfully, not The titletrackfrom2014’s flashy stageshowanddodgysound. somewhat detractedfrombythe capable vocalacrobatics,whichare Woman You Love’,highlighther Way That ILove You’ and`The nostalgics. Newersongs,`The of stagecraftamongaseadrunk tonight andsheisclearlyamaster evidence buttheguitarsareangular that familiarshufflingbeatisin Tonight they’realesssubtleaffair; that veerstowardspsychedelia. bass andmulti-layeredvocals on analogue-styleelectronic single, ‘DoubleDutch’,heavy year seesthemdroppinganew Super Furry-likesongs. 60s harmoniesandshuffling over manyat Truck withtheir killer songs. they neednowaresomereally right amountofbigcityedge;all style vocaldeliverylendsjustthe singer’s endearingPhilDaniels- entirely satisfyingexperience. high-end motifsthatmakeforan grungy runsmeetingscreeching race upanddownscales,low relentless energy whiletheguitars his cymbalsandfloortomwith to expect. Jr andyou’renotfarfromwhat younger, lessdisciplinedDinosaur guitar-fuelled abandon.Imaginea eighteen secondsofmanicteenage exposure withitstwominutesand granted themsomewell-deserved fun. Last November’s ‘Tulip’ single wild, spikyandgenerallyalotof Youthful LondonersKingNunare O2 Academy SUPERFOOD /KINGNUN Three yearsagoSuperfoodwon The drummerattacks This The

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TALL SHIPS / WAYLOR IDLES / LICE The Bullingdon The Bullingdon Lice’s singer looks like he should be his mood turn, it’s obvious he and Last time I saw Waylor it was just tonight is high tempo, verse- captaining a University Challenge the rest of the Bristol quintet are Dry The River’s Matt Taylor on chorus-verse rock, with almost no team, while their bassist could be having the time of their lives up his own, opening for an acoustic instrumental sections. pumping gas on a Kansas freeway on stage, fully aware their time has act. In that context I wasn’t quite Without wishing to sound or humping gear for Ted Nugent and come (last time in town they played sold. Tonight, though, is a much disparaging I feel caught off guard. we wonder how on earth they ever to 30 people; tonight the venue is changed affair; Taylor is now A band has seemingly reinvented met. We’re glad they did because packed and new album `Brutalism’ accompanied by a full band which itself, or at least taken a drastic once the studious frontman casts off is set to feature in every end of gives much needed context to the change in direction without his sweater and becomes a sullen, year chart going) and that it might arrangements I struggled with when sending me some kind of prior steely-eyed dervish and the bassist just as quickly go again so best unaccompanied. warning; was there not a pamphlet, casts off his Stetson and strips to make the most of it. While recent A mixture of Talking Heads, 80s or a polite notice in Math Music the waist, Lice are a juddering, singles `Well Done’ and `Stendhal power-pop, and Mac Demarco Monthly? squalling treat, all Bo Diddley riffs, Syndrome’ are almost nonsense slacker indie with noisy guitar, ‘Ode to Ancestors’ – the heart surf twang and tightly-wound chaos, punk singalongs, much of the slick r’n’b rhythms, and heavily wrenching centrepiece of their like an early-80s incarnation of time Idles are a far heavier, darker effected vocals pepper most of their previous album – seems now to The Fall locked in nervous, mortal proposition, cancer and depression songs. This broadness of influence be the launching pad for their new combat with Gallon Drunk. Exactly infecting songs like `1049 Gotho’ is what I found jarring without a material; there are traits of Bon the kind of mangled mess we love. while set highlight `Divide & proper rhythm section, and written Iver and recent Biffy Clyro shining There’s nothing as impotent as Conquer’, a stunning, brutish tribal down it might sound pretty through; they’re seeking a bigger a bellicose blowhard, which is dirge worthy of Killing Joke at scattershot, but with the energy of a audience, one that will sing along why the best angry music is either their most muscular, is a lyrically live band it’s surprisingly cohesive to a catchy chorus, and if this is brilliantly clever (like Fucked Up) minimalist growl of disgust at the and compelling. All the ideas get their opening salvo they certainly or comes with a healthy dose of dismantling of the NHS. enough breathing space so as to deserve to find that crowd. humour. No-one could accuse Idles There’s a genuine frisson about not detract from the core hooks, Older songs ‘T=0’ and ‘Plate of being po-faced as they joke with tonight’s gig, as if it could descend but add enough to make Waylor a Tectonics’ do come towards the end the lively throng in front of the into real violence at any moment, pretty damn good indie pop act in of their set, but they feel more like stage, passing a bottle of Buckfast but Idles revel in that edge-of-chaos the making. appeasement than truly connected around the crowd and trading atmosphere, spitting venom at selfies Brighton alt.rockersTall Ships parts of a whole set. Tall Ships barbed insults with each other, while while namechecking Mary Berry seem to have embraced their were a great band and they still are. puncturing artistic pretension on the as the set tumbles to a tumultuous upbeat, enthusiastic side and put I don’t know if I shall follow them riotous `Stendhal Syndrome’ (“Did climax and the band exit the stage aside the layered mathy influences as closely but I’m sure plenty of you see that painting what Rothko amid a mosh of invading bodies, that punctuated debut album others now will. did? Looks like it was painted by a smiles as wide as the river Avon. This `Everything Touching’. Everything Matthew Chapman Jones two year old kid”), and if heavily- is their moment and in the moment tattooed, potty-mouthed frontman is where they’re living. Punk’s not Joe Talbot often looks and sounds dead; it’s very much alive, drunk and like he’s ready and willing to tear having an absolute riot. some unfortunate to shreds should Dale Kattack DUTCH UNCLES The Cellar A ‘Dutch Uncle’ is apparently oblique lyrics overlaying the North American slang for a person whole. From the description so far, giving firm but benevolent advice you’ll probably think they’ll be and the band of that name were awful – but that’s emphatically not clearly visited by such a muse in the case as they race through a set advance of their advertised concert of intelligent, literate pop. at the O2, suddenly announcing New album ‘Big Balloon’ is a switch to the much homelier naturally prominent and it’s a confines of the Cellar a few days record that has maintained their before the gig. high standards. The title track It’s a decision that is fully stomps along, while each song vindicated as the quintet emerge to is permeated by the irresistible a packed house following sets from rhythm of their trademark Her’s and promising local baggie glockenspiel, ‘Overton’ and revivalists, 31Hours, singer Duncan ‘Streetlight’ standing out especially Wallis not scared to recreate the well on this outing while previous slick dance moves of another classics, including career high point musical denizen of the English ‘Fester’, get the audience jiving. Northwest’s suburbs, Rick Astley ‘Flexxin’’ is another cracker, a and engaging the audience in good rich electronic pulse driving the natured discussion between songs tune as Wallis admits to ripping plucked from across their five off David Sylvian having earlier album career. promised that the gig would be Nor are the late 1980s parallels “more digestible” from now on absent when it comes to the music. after a double album track salvo The band occasionally funk out in gets proceedings underway. Not the style of Hall & Oates or Red a bit of it – for this is a group that Box, percussion and lush keyboards deserve to be far better known and central tenets of their musical successful. world view, Wallis’s falsetto and Rob Langham A NEW VIEW PROMOTIONS & OXROX PRESENT INTRODUCING.... Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under LOWWS PLUS GUESTS Who are they? Oxford indie/electro-pop band Lowws – previously known as The Sea The Sea – are Danny Crane-Brewery (guitar); Dave Freeman (guitar); Matthew Clarkson (vocals); Marcus Breese (bass); Simon Talbot (drums), and Tim Roberts (keys). Danny and Dave used to play in Vixens, while Tim has played with Witches and Polysoul. The band has gigged in Oxford, Bristol and FRIDAY 7TH APRIL 2017 London and filmed two music videos. Their debut release `Captives’ was put out by Plastic Fish Records in 2014, while new EP `Okami’ is available from O2 ACADEMY2 OXFORD their Bandcamp page as a “pay what you like” download. What do they sound like? Variously twinkling, pensive, atmospheric and danceable electro-indie funk- pop, light on its pins, airy and melodic, machine driven and highly rhythmic but vocally emotive. Lowws sit in suitably fidgety fashion alongside the likes of Everything Everything and The Maccabees, with a shiny gloss pop coat. “Maiians are on hiatus at the moment, but we’re hoping they return..” What inspires them? If they could only keep one album it would be: “The music we hear, the people we meet, and the world around us. We’re “`Two Dancers’ by Wild Beasts. fortunate to be friends with a number of creative types in Oxford and it’s a When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? really supportive place for people who are attempting to create something new.” April 28th at the Bullingdon. It’s our EP launch. Hopefully it’ll be an intense Career highlight so far: and energetic evening. We’re also working on a Lowws goody bag for the first “Oxjam 2016. Playing with so many other great bands and musicians was thirty people, but we keep getting distracted with joke inclusions.” awesome. We got a great response from the crowd and played to a packed Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: room. Tim couldn’t make the show and no one seemed to notice our stand- “Favourite is the concentration of talented musicians and songwriters for in keyboardist drop a large pack of condoms while his laptop rebelled and such a small place, which makes the city feel especially vibrant. There’s installed software updates, delaying the start of our set.” also a surprising number of scenes if you scratch the surface. Least And the lowlight: favourite is there are too many bands who are good at football; they gave us “A show in London during the Euros. The England v Wales game was on in a bit of a beating in the Oxford Bands 6-a-side Football Tournament. the bar. We were amazed at the turnout until we realized they were here to You might love them if you love: DOORS 7PM | CURFEW 11PM watch the game, and we were playing downstairs in the baking-hot basement. Wild Beasts; Mew; The Maccabees; Everything Everything; Foals. TICKETS £15 ADV | TICKETWEB.CO.UK Not only did our crowd not materialize, but we also missed the match.” Hear them here: Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: www.soundcloud.com/lowwshq / www.lowwshq.bandcamp.com

Dr SHOTOVER: Breakfast of Champs THIS MONTH IN OXFORD [Dr Shotover is slumped over his ‘breakfast table’, aka the East Indies Club ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY T H E W H E A T S H E A F bar, surrounded by half-empty beer bottles, shot glasses and schooners of st Fuggle’s Monday Blues club. or Helianthus Eveningstar? Probably not even Saturday 1 April – TWO FACE PROMOTIONS sherry… a bowl of Cheerios in full-fat milk sits untouched on the counter, 20 YEARS AGO Down in the Demo Dumper was a band called themselves. gently congealing… a transistor radio is blaring nearby…] Transistor radio: All institutions start somewhere and in April Toshi Station. A hapless bunch who addressed MARCH THE DESERT 7:45pm ‘This is BBC Vradio Oxford’. Dr Shotover: ‘Stop saying “BBC Vradio Oxford”, 1997 local music fans got their first experience th their letter to the wrong magazine and featured in Wednesday 5 April – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC damn you! It’s not Vradiohead, is it? Just say it properly!’ Transistor radio: of The Oxford Punt. Intended as a taster for the 5 YEARS AGO their ranks a pair of Bicester youngsters called Tim ‘And the traffic has got really, really bad since Brexit, the NHS is packing up, forthcoming BBC Sound City extravaganza, Mention of Thurman back then brings us to The Bearder and Dave Gilyeat, who would go on to GHOSTS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS and all your favourite popstars have just died… but now we’re going to play The Punt featured a modest 13 acts across five Long Insiders who, in April 2007, were gracing start BBC Oxford Introducing. They’ve forgiven TIGER MENDOZA + KID KIN + LEE RILEY 7:30pm you a medley of Ed Sheeran hits from 2016… here on BBC Vradio Oxford.’ Dr venues on one night. The Dolly; The Point; The the cover of Nightshift, guitarist Nick Kenny and th us for the review; we’re not sure we’ve forgiven Friday 7 April – KLUB KAKOFANNEY Shotover: ‘NOOOOO!’ [Enter various of the East Indies Club membership, as Elm Tree; The Fuggle & Firkin and Po Na Na (at the time) singer Sarah Dodds taking to a guitar them for mistaking us for Orbit magazine. Dr S knocks the transistor radio off the bar with a riding crop]. Ah, there you played host to Dubwiser; Dustball; The Daisies; with an oxyacetylene torch, while Nick is quoted PAPA NUI FISHWIFE’S BROADSIDE + EARINADE 7:45pm are, chaps. But why are you all dressed as monkeys? Don’t tell me – this is an Tumbleweed; Thurman; Earth Machine; as saying “It’s really boring when rock bands start Saturday 8th April “internet meme” based on the new King Kong film, isn’t it? No sniggering, Nought; Bubbleman; Charleystreet; Cab; Dive; 10 YEARS AGO saving the planet; it makes me want to pull my eyes Tompkinson – I do know what a f***ing internet meme is. I studied Ancient Soma and Lynda Edwards. Of the venues, only The story of Oxford music is often the story of out.” The band are still going, without Sarah, Nick AUDACITY LIVE MAMZER + SWITCH OUT + FOUNTAINS 7:45pm Greek, I’ll have you know, at St Podcast’s Academy for Young Gentlemen… The Dolly still exists, now known as The Cellar venues in peril. So it was again in April 2007 with (who does his bit to save the world by campaigning Friday 14th April – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC ah, happy days. The head beak used to flog us to within an inch of our young while Nought and Dubwiser are the only survivors the news that The X in Cowley would be forced to against shark fishing among other marine issues) lives if we failed to achieve 100% perfection. This is what makes me such an among the bands, although members of Dustball; close if a £3,400 PRS bill wasn’t paid. Landlady having taken over vocal duties. Back then they were STORYTELLER COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN + MAD LARRY 7:45pm all-round balanced individual. [Pausing only to beat the transistor radio into The Daisies; Thurman and Bubbleman are still Alison argued that the majority of acts performing launching their debut album `Cat Gut & Engine Oil’ Saturday 15th April – OXROX tiny, shiny pieces with his riding active in local music. at the popular pub venue were not PRS registered – a quote taken from an early Nightshift review. crop]. So, is it actually true that There was a similar musical novelty at The Oxford and played their own material, but the PRS argued Looking back at the gig guide from five years THE KUT JOANOVARC + IDESTROY + HAXAN 7:45pm you’d agreed to commemorate Playhouse this month as 60s pop legend Marianne rules is rules and the issue finally proved to be the ago sees some familiar names, with Ladyhawke; Wednesday 19th April – BURIED IN SMOKE Mickey Dolenz’s 95th birthday Faithfull played two nights of songs from the death knell for the venue, which hosted some of the Lanterns on the Lake; Chuck Prophet and by dressing as The Monkees, Weimer Republic. early gigs by Stornoway among others. Mystery Jets all having popped back to town VODUN MASIRO + 1000 CHAINS + CRIMSON TUSK 7:45pm but some dyslexic numpty sent While Supergrass released their second album, `In The music could never die though, and elsewhere in recent months. Over at The Jericho Tavern, Wednesday 26th April the wrong text? I. Am. Looking. It For The Money’ this month, Impossible Music this month Oxford hostsed shows by The Fall; meanwhile, were a bunch of fresh-faced newcomers At. You. Tompkinson. Tell you Force, fronted by Supergrass producer and former Bring Me the Horizon; Clutch; Midlake; called Bastille, yet to become world-conquering HODAD HOLY MOMENTS + WOLFS 7:45pm what, we’ll draw a veil over the Mystics singer Sam Williams, released their one 65daysofstatic; Hatebreed; The Skatalites and pop stars and a byword for insipid tedium. Friday 28th April whole unfortunate business if and only single, `Blah Na Na’, on the Shifty Disco Acoustic Ladyland, while Cradle of Filth were Wander over to the demo pages and there are a you buy us all a round. What singles club. providing students with an education of a different few still familiar names: regular local busker Lewis RESTRUCTURE DAISY + JUNIPER NIGHTS 7:45pm time is it? 9:00 am? Ah, cocktail On the gig front there was a return to town for kind at Brookes Union and Bryan Ferry was being Newcombe was top of the pile, while Swindlestock Saturday 29th April – GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES hour. Make mine a Tranny On Prolapse, still quite probably the best live band suave if a bit lazy at The New Theatre. were close behind, the band having morphed The Beach with extra suntan Nightshift has ever witnessed, the band playing at You want local release memories? How about into The Great Western Tears since then. My RATS EAT RATS MANU LOUIS + DEATH OF THE MAIDEN 7:45pm lotion on the side. And turn up The Point with local electro-indie starlets Cody. Trademark; David K Frampton; Andensum; Crooked Teeth also featured, while down in the Sunday 30th April – BURIED IN SMOKE the TV. It’s time for Tee and Mo Elsewhere on the local gig calendar were Jon Tonic and The Anydays? How quickly the wheels Dumper were Sceniclife, described rather poetically on CBeebies. Cheers! Robb’s Goldblade, also at The Point, and Kenickie, of fame, fashion and fortune turn. Demos? Who as “as appetising as fart-flavoured Monster Munch.” CHRON GOBLIN QUEASY 7:45pm Next month: Breakfast of ‘This is Ed Sheeran Hour, here on BBC Vradio Geneva and My Life Story at The Zodiac, while remembers Piexo; Babelhorn; Mike Finley; They don’t seem to have come back, so the review The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Chimps Oxford…’ San Fran blues crew Preacherman were at The Lonely Joe Parker & the Mega Hairy Men obviously worked. prog teen sensations The Aureate Act and carbolic soap and it’s not going to change its now heading down a far less convoluted, or ways just because we’ve had punk, synth- interesting, road. Opener `One Major, One pop or Beyoncé in the interim. “I’ve been Minor’ flies in with fast and feisty intent, looking for my mojo / I’ve been looking all DEMOS but quickly dips into a slightly sorrowful night long / I’ve been looking for my mojo Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day tale of failing a driving test and seeing an / I think I’ve found it in this song,” growls at Soundworks studio in Oxford, ex girlfriend’s face in the steering wheel; the big beady bear of a singer. Music always courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit it continues in sprightly but ultimately needs more testosterone, right, ladies? characterless fashion until, bish, bash, bosh, www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift it’s all done and dusted in a perfect three minutes. `Truth Be Told’ is similarly jaunty THE DEMO but, hey, sensitive too, aiming for what exotic. Turns out it must have been during fans of Bastille might consider anthemic, some 5am comedown moment of self 01865 240250 DEMO OF while `Ghosts’ is the compulsory downbeat DUMPER reflection as the slinky, smoky r’n’b unfurls number, but nothing that’s going to trouble over spooked bamboo beats that remind us Nick Cave’s `Skeleton Tree’ for the hearts, of Japan’s `Tin Drum’ a bit. Lovely voice KENAN THE MONTH minds and turntables of the emotionally too – almost playful in its sleepy-eyed wracked masses anytime soon. It’s all very soulfulness. It sounds like a lighter take on KHAZENDAR MORNING polished and professionally executed and Bless Kenan, he’s a tryer, we’ll give him Tricky’s work with Martina Topley Bird, or quite possibly they’ll be able to point and that. Twice now he’s sent us his songs and maybe a downbeat, more tripped-out Foxes. EXECUTE VEHICLE laugh at us in years to come as they drive twice we’ve left him lying in a puddle of We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Less a wild Glastonbury party, more a past in their limousine to another arena show ridicule. But back he comes, with his resolute dark times require dark music, and here’s sweet Sunday morning chill-out piece, then. or awards ceremony, but deep down we’ll inability to grasp lyrical metre or write songs some proper gothic blues noise to bury Fear not, young Orchid, karma may yet get know we were right and deep down, so will that don’t make him sound like some kind yourself deep beneath. Appropriately enough you, but for now, we’ll protect you from its they. of stalker. He’s almost becoming lovable, it’s music made by a guy called Calvin vengeful talons. like a pet hamster that keeps falling off its Butcher and as his gravelly voice hovers wheel. But not, we’ll soon discover, for raptor-like over these songs you can almost long, as it all gets rather grim this time. `On picture him wielding a cleaver in a casually BILLY YFANTIS R-KIVE Then again, sometimes supposedly A Cloud’ is a poetic gem: “Somehow I saw brutish manner. Possibly while wearing a There’s a similarly crepuscular vibe experimental music isn’t as weird, wired this coming / He spat you out like chewing full-length trench coat and battered fedora. about this demo from local rapper and or wonderful as it’d like to imagine. Take gum / While I stood there not saying a He might not be Mark Lanegan, or even producer R-Kive, who, like Uncle Monty this short, single track piece entitled `Dust word / And I couldn’t do anything about it Andrew Eldritch, but when the other in Withnail & I, we are preparing ourselves Not Found’, which promises to unleash that / You slowly pushed me out of your life / supposedly blues-orientated demo in this to forgive for that moniker. Oxford doesn’t TURAN AUDIO.co.uk previously uncelebrated sub genre of vacuum When the only thing I’d done was be your month’s pile is a soulless heap of macho really do rap bravado, preferring a more Professional, independent CD mastering cleaner-core on the world. “The whole result friend,” it begins in a breathless flurry of inconsequentiality, this actually does feel thoughtful approach (see also Rawz and sounds like a psychedelic trip into Krautrock tuneless, lo-fi, electronic lounge pop. So far, Artists mastered in the studio last month include; like the Devil’s music. The Devil featuring Rhymeskeemz), and R-Kive’s opening and John Cage’s controversial music,” boasts so sweet in an unrequited love kind of way. prominently in opening track `One Ton monologue against fake gangsta wordology LAURA GRANDY, ZYKLON, MICHAEL JOHNSON, the accompanying blurb. Interest is piqued, “Until eventually he left you for a man / I Monkey’ (“It’s a one ton monkey riding is telling. From here he meanders, if not in WILLIE J HEALEY, Q THE MUSIC SHOW, excitement levels are hovering just below the feel nothing but vindication,” it goes. So, on your back / He’s clawing at your eyes a dope smoke haze, then maybe a fug of KISS, MOJO DEMON, THE LOVE LETTERS, red zone, rising very slightly when the stark, essentially, “Ha, ha / Told you he was gay!” and he’s never gonna slack” is probably reflective rhyming, stopping off for a more almost industrial synth clang heralds the “Why don’t we go out for dinner? / I hope STEPBROTHER, THE SOAPBOX DERBY, ALICE the most cheery message we get from the brittle, machine-like instrumental with a start of the journey into the sonic unknown. this question doesn’t throw you off / Take a IN CHAINS, AC/DC, PRINCE, VERA GRACE, lyrics; the rest of it’s a bit more pessimistic, doctored, distorted passage of dialogue Then someone turns on a vacuum cleaner. shower and rinse your shock away / By no THE REVISIONIST, BOB DYLAN, THE BYRDS, although “There’s a darkness in your eyes from Human Traffic (“Peter fucking Then it finishes. 90 seconds of crushing means am I trying to sound flippant / Or take AEROSMITH. and a demon in your stride” was obviously Andre”) layered over the top. Woozy, anticlimax. It’s like Gary Numan was in the advantage of your broken heart,” goes the written with the Nightshift demo reviewer piano passages, dotted with sax skronks process of recording his new album when closing verse. You blummin well are, mate. 01865 716466 [email protected] in mind), which rumbles and grinds, guitars and glitchy beats skitter by, and it becomes the cleaners ambled into the studio and told Poor lass has just been dumped and you’re slashing and drums brooding menacingly more and more like a filmscore – one for him time was up. “look at this mess,” they trying to coax her to Nando’s so you can rub in the middle distance. `Anymore’ rides its a movie doubtlessly featuring existential scolded, “crisp packets, empty coke cans her nose in the fact you knew her boyfriend pale horse out into more Americana territory, scenes set in deserted urban parks. His and dog-eared dystopian sci-fi all over the was gay, even though you hadn’t mentioned COURTYARD but with a bluesy heart that’s black as Hell’s vocal delivery is precise and smooth and place. Bloody rock stars.” Next month: it until it happened. Classy. But then things own sun. It’s borderline pastiche but its reminds us, particularly on `We Were RECORDING STUDIO Jean Michelle Jarre’s attempt to hold a really go down hill on `Soho’, with its 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: determination not to go half measures on the Blessed’, of fellow local rhymer ShaoDow. spectacular cityscape concert in London’s opening lines, “Last week she got really mad NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 gothic imagery is what makes it such a treat, It works well with the slightly dark mood of docklands is thwarted when BT Openreach at me / And threw her mocha latte / At my MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb especially as Calvin growls “It’s a vampire the five-track mix and if anything we’d like Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear start digging up the pavement in front of his new Benetton shirt / So I splashed my coffee empire, and they’re hunting you” without to hear more of his instrumental work in Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern laser theremin. in her face / And walked out without an iota Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules a hint of irony. Final track `Lion’ is a total future, as he conjures sparse, atmospheric of shame.” So you’ve just chucked a hot Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. sounds that belie the encroaching spring mess, an overwrought blues rock workout, drink in some poor woman’s face and walked Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. outside, especially since the remix of Nas’s but Calvin himself says some of it needs off without feeling guilty? Nice one, bro. www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk `Life’s a Bitch’ at the end detracts from the UNCLE FRANK work. Hopefully that work will be carried A droning vacuum cleaner probably has You’re some catch. How you going to make In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk mood of what’s gone before. out at midnight, in the local graveyard, and more nuance and soul than this. Solid, it up to her now? Oh, here we go: “Today Email: [email protected] to hell with the neighbours’ sensibilities. funky blues rock played by a bunch of I’m gonna pay her a visit / Maybe I’ll buy Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 blokes over a video that features an illegal her flowers / And a bottle of Bordeaux / But FLATLANDS boxing match; cars; beer; a bull terrier; There’s a very, very fine line between, say, if she does anything stupid again / I’ll try not tattoos; muscles and blood. There’s a Catfish & the Bottlemen or The View on one to break the wine over her head.” No, sorry, ORCHID pretty lady in it too but only briefly and we can’t even joke about this anymore. He’s Orchid (Vishkaiy, a British-born Iranian hand and The Wanted and Union J on the probably only to divert attention from any going to smash a bottle of wine over her singer and producer from Abingdon, now other. One lot might wield guitars and make element of homo-eroticism in the film. Not stupid female head if she opens her mouth to living in London, according to her biog) claims for authenticity (whatever that means sure what you can say about this kind of him out of turn. We are genuinely speechless. admits she’s a bit scared of sending this in in musical terms), but when you boil them music anymore; it’s older than hills, war or Misogynist lounge-core is a thing now, is it? for review since she’s spent the last few down (and by God, that’s a tempting idea) Three state of the art rehearsal rooms. years laughing at the misfortunes of others they’re all just aiming for primetime hum- For bookings. who dared to ask our critical opinions and along simplicity while trying their hardest Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to Call Jamie on 07917685935 is thus due some karmic comeback. She not to offend playlist decision makers or [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a also says she wrote this track, `Body’, anyone who’s idea of adventure is to wander contact phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. We make Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford at Glastonbury, so we’re hoping it was beyond daytime Radio 2. This easy middle no pretence to being fair, objective or open-minded and reserve the right to use juvenile insults glasshousestudios.org conceived during a spectacular acid trip in ground is where we find Flatlands, a band while almost completely ignoring your music should we feel like it. Your Facebook friends are the Rabbit Hole bar or somewhere similarly formed from the break-up of local electro- welcome to get all huffy on your behalf, but we’ll laugh at them too. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Mon 20th Mar • £24.50 adv • 7pm Fri 31st Mar • £10 adv • 11pm Thu 27th Apr • £15 adv • 7pm Sat 13th May • £17 adv • 11pm Goldfrapp White Magic Sound While She Sleeps The Oxford Soul Train Birthday Bash + In Hearts Wake Tue 21st Mar • £8.50 adv • 7pm featuring: Seani B + Fizzy Blood Tue 16th May • £13.50 adv • 7pm Declan McKenna + Selector Hype The Comet Fri 28th Apr • £10 adv • 10pm + 2Xclusive Is Coming Tue 21st Mar • £21 adv • 7pm + Party Shot Movements Fabio & Grooverider + Flamingods The Wailers 25 Years of Drum + Wandering Wires Sat 1st Apr • £12 adv • 10pm and Bass Wed 22nd Mar • £27.50 adv • 6pm Switch Ft. Thu 18th May • £27.50 adv • 7pm Scott Bradlee’s Chase & Status Fri 28th Apr • £23.50 adv • 7pm The Mission Postmodern (DJ Set) Tinariwen + The Skeletal Family + Art Theefe + Pauline Murray Jukebox + 1991 Sat 29th Apr • £8 adv • 6.30pm Sat 20th May • £10 adv • 6.30pm Thu 23rd Mar • SOLD OUT Sun 2nd Apr • £27.50 adv • 7pm Bear’s Den Chasing Daylight The Verve The Jesus + Earinade Experience: + Ben Champion Fri 24th Mar • £8.50 adv • 6.30pm and Mary Chain Celebrating Sonic Boom Six + Willow Robinson + Spinal Dad The Twentieth + Ghouls Mon 3rd Apr • £22.50 adv • 7pm Sat 29th Apr • £13 adv • 6.30pm Anniversary of Urban + Black Candy Feeder Rat Boy Hymns + Jack Little Tue 4th Apr • £16 adv • 7pm Thu 4th May • £28 adv • 6pm Sat 27th May • £11 adv • 6.30pm Sat 25th Mar • SOLD OUT • 6.30pm Mallory Knox Morgan Heritage Novana - A Tribute to Circa Waves + Lonely The Brave & Etana Nirvana + Fatherson + J Boog Sat 25th Mar • £8 adv • 6pm Fri 2nd June • £20 adv • 7pm Church of the Heavy Fri 7th Apr • £15 adv • 7pm Sat 6th May • £16 adv • 6.30pm Slowdive Ft. Tigertailz Ward Thomas Fri 9th Jun • £25 adv • 7pm + 1000 Chains + Terminus + Bad Blood Recovery + Nasty High Sat 6th May • £12 adv • 6pm The Skids - + My Diablo Bigfoot 40th Anniversary + Audiochemistry Tue 11th Apr • £14 adv • 7pm + Regulus Show (hed)p.e. + New Generation Superstars Fri 16th Jun • £11 adv • 6.30pm Mon 27th Mar • £20 adv • 7pm + Hell’s Gazelles Blackberry Smoke Fri 14th Apr • £25 adv • 9pm Hunter & The Bear + Biters Greensleeves 40th Tue 9th May • £10 adv • 7pm The Japanese House Sat 24th Jun • £18.50 adv • 7pm Anniversary starring The Infl atables Mon 27th Mar • £12 adv • 7pm Freddie McGregor, Pulled Apart By Tue 9th May • £15 adv • 7pm + Roddy Radiation & The King Jammy and J Hus Skabilly Rebels Horses + King Hammond & The Rude + Tigercub Yellowman + Capital Letters Wed 10th May • £10 adv • 6pm Boy Mafi a + Thee MVPs + The Big Ship Band The Magic Gang + Madan Scorcher Tue 28th Mar • £19.50 adv • 7pm Wed 19st Apr • £10 adv Friday 12th May • £6 adv • 7pm Tue 27th Jun • £15 adv • 7pm Warpaint Josh Doyle End Of An Era Tom Clarke from The + Shame + Dave and the Ravers Enemy Fri 21st Apr • £8 adv • 6.30pm + Five Quarters of a Quartet Thu 30th Mar • £13 adv • 7pm Coast To Coast & + We Only Play Theme Tunes Thu 21st Sep • £22.50 adv • 7pm The AC/DC Better Than Never + Ivory New Found Glory Experience + One State Drive + Chole Chesney Mon 25th Sep • £18 adv • 7pm Fri 31st Mar • £10 adv • 6pm Sat 22nd Apr • £15 adv • 7pm Sat 13th May • £7 adv • 6pm Mayday Parade - A It’s All About The Electric Six Skeletor Ft. Lesson in Romantics Music Ft. + Nightmares from the + Desert Storm 10th Anniversary + The Temper Cartel Discotheque + Contek Tour + The Tom Ivey Band + The Reaper + The Outside Tue 25th Apr • £15 adv • 7pm + Shattered Compass Fri 29th Sep • £13 adv • 6.30pm + Freemantle Frankie Ballard + A Nightmare Upon Us The Velvets

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