[email protected] nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 220 November Oxford’s Music Magazine 2013

“Ultimately we’re an indie pop band”

ToLiesel

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by legendary South African + Life in fiLm trumpeter Hugh Masekela and + Dexters pianist Larry Willis at St John T th - the Evangelist on Sunday 10 T ick ETS November, the arts organisation teams up with The Pitt Rivers Museum on Friday 22nd for a torch- .co.uk lit sound installation, while the following night, Saturday 23rd, they SPRING OFFENSIVE have host the Christmas Light Festival launched a Pledgemusic campaign stage in St Giles, which will feature to finance the release of their new sets from Welsh folk band The , `Young Animal Hearts’. The Gower All Stars; French chanson album is already recorded but the devotees Ensemble Azut, and band are trying to raise money to Colombian funk, rock and afrobeat pay for its manufacture, distribution band La Chiva Gantiva. There’s STORNOWAY SINGER BRIAN BRIGGS has been talking to Nightshift and PR. Fans can pledge at www. more details on all the events and about the band’s new self-released mini-album, `You Don’t Know O2 AcAdemy OxfOrd pledgemusic.com/projects/ bands at www.ocmevents.org. Anything’. The album features six songs written and recorded at the same springoffensive where different time as the album `Tales From Terra Firma’, but which, according to the donation can earn you anything band, didn’t fit the style of the main album. ThursdAy 28Th from a signed CD copy of the Currently living on the Gower in Wales, writing songs for Stornoway’s O2 AcAdemy2 OxfOrd album, gig tickets and artwork, up to third album, Brian explained the release of the new song collection. nOvember a day writing with the band, or for “`You Don’t Know Anything’ is songs written in the same period as the a cool £5,000 they will arrange for gigsinoxforD.co.uk second album, with the exception of `You Don’t Know Anything’ itself, TuesdAy 12 NOvember you to be kidnapped. There’s also a which is an older tune which we always wanted to put on a release. So in a pretty neat video on the site where sense they are album out-takes, but they were real contenders for the album, you can watch them get their arses which to our ears didn’t quite fit in for various reasons. So not necessarily kicked by a girl. any weaker, but overall perhaps a bit less serious! “As you will remember from our early days we have always enjoyed THE BULLINGDON has been dabbling in other styles and more light-hearted moments, like `Good Fish renamed The Art Bar. The pub/ Thursday 24th october Saturday 9th November Thursday 28th November Guide’ and `Jonathan’s Mullet’, and these songs are generally a bit more venue was taken over earlier this towards that oddball end of our songwriting spectrum. There is one about year and has undergone a major lanterns on the lake rUarri JosePh Palma Violets mass extinction (`The 6th Wave’), and the usual sprinkling of Oxford refurbishment, while retaining its references: South Park, Jericho Cafe, Covered Market etc; birdsong - the buLLingDon the buLLingDon o2 AcADemy commitment to live music. The `Tumbling Bay’ features wren and nuthatch recorded from the door of the backroom venue hosts The Haven PHIL McMINN releases a new EP, storno-garage, and a couple of big brass arrangements which we had fun Sunday 27th october Sunday 10th November Thursday 5th December rock and club on Mondays; `The Space Has A Meaning’, on recording, especially `Clockwatching’, which also features a recording of a jazz and Spanish live music on th December 9 . The new EP features farmyard soundscape towards the end. alUnaGeorGe brother & bones niGht beds Tuesdays, plus gigs by DHP, three songs, ‘Wooden Bones’, “It’s a collection of songs from the wider extremes of our songwriting and Backroom Promotions and It’s o2 AcADemy the buLLingDon o2 AcADemy2 ‘Barrowlands’ and ‘The Space Has arranging spectrum. You might spot the influence of artists as wide-ranging All About The Music, as well as A Meaning’, all recorded live at St as the Flaming Lips, Ray Charles, The Specials, Tom Waits, Gorillaz, assorted club nights. Wednesday 30th october Sunday 10th November Saturday 22nd february Alban’s Church in east Oxford. As Juluka, Beck, Teenage Fanclub… They are songs which we are very proud well as a download, the EP will be of, and which we dearly wanted to include on `Tales From Terra Firma’, CORNBURY FESTIVAL is selling beans on toast VillaGers laUren aQUilina available as a limited run of 100 but which didn’t quite fit in with the mood or ‘journey’ of that collection. reduced priced earlybird tickets for CDs. Visit pmcminn.tumblr.com They are more collaborative than our previous releases, with most of the the buLLingDon o2 AcADemy o2 AcADemy2 next year’s event from November for more details. th songs being co-writes, and for the first time they feature some Steadman

.co.uk 8 . The eleventh Cornbury Festival song-writing. We have included a song Oli wrote a while back which we takes place at Great Tew Country Saturday 2nd November Tuesday 12th November SMILEX are set to release their played as a band in a previous incarnation, called Yo Sushi!, and which I Park over the weekend of the 4th-6th For more inFo Visit: second album this month. `La Petite reworked as ‘Waiting On The Clock’. And we had one example of a three- ick ETS T the Growlers the riFles July 2014. Adult weekend camping - Mort’ features ten tracks, recorded way collaborative process which resulted in `Tumbling Bay’, when Oli T tickets are £150, with children’s www.GiGsinoxFord.co.Uk at Propagation House studios in reworked one of Jon’s demos, which then inspired me to write some lyrics the buLLingDon o2 AcADemy2 camping tickets just £10. Tickets are Cornwall, with part of the album and a chorus for it.” available from the festival website mixed by Ace from Skunk Anansie. You Don’t Know Anything’ is released on Monday 11th November. Sunday 3rd November Thursday 21st November – www.cornburyfestival.com – or The album will be available as a Visit www.stornoway.eu for more details. mad doG mcrea moUlettes the credit card hotline – 0844 338 CD and download through Quickfix book.com/al 0000. This year’s Cornbury Festival Records - www.quickfixrecordings. E the buLLingDon the jericho featured headline sets from Keane, co.uk. As Nightshift was going to press this month we heard the sad news that Squeeze and Van Morrison and Smilex play their last Oxford show Stuart Meads from the band Trademark had died, along with his partner — fac raised over £25,000 for Helen & th Wednesday 6th November Thursday 21st November for some months on Saturday 30 Gavin, in what is believed to have been an accident. Stuart formed synth- Douglas House hospice. November at the Jericho Tavern, popsters Trademark with his cousin Oli Horton and the band released a as part of the Oxford City Music number of and EPs, as well as being regular favourites at Truck .co.uk wille & the bandits tUrin brakes OXFORD CONTEMPORARY festival. They’re joined by The Festival; the band had recently finished recording a new album. We the buLLingDon o2 AcADemy2 MUSIC continue to host a varied Relationships, OX4 Allstars, The will carry a fuller tribute to Stuart in next month’s issue, but for now

ick ETS selection of events this month. As Other Dramas, Art Theefe and Mark Nightshift’s thoughts go out to Oli and Paul from the band and all of T -

T well as an already sold-out show Cope. Stuart’s friends and family. al alT-TickETS.co.uk — facEbook.com/alT-TickETS.co.uk

Nightshift_Novemeber.indd 1 17/10/2013 16:39 photo:Johnny Moto COMING SOON TO THE NEW THEATRE

NEWSsmash them up in the video for their forthcoming single, `Write For The Radio’, due to be released next February. Hats singer Nick Brakespear explained the song is “a dig at the music industry trying to get bands to write catchy ‘Mumford’ style songs.” Anyone happy to part with their old trannie can email the GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES band at [email protected]. WITH WILL YOUNG SCOUTING FOR GIRLS host their annual Winter Warmer Meanwhile, Black Hats play the TUE 5 - SAT 9 NOV MON 11 NOV TUE 12 NOV weekend next month. The Witney Winter Festival at Fat Lil’s longstanding monthly club night, on Sunday 22nd December. Other acts known for their highly eclectic line- confirmed so far include Scholars, ups, host two nights of live music Deer Chicago and Nudybronque, at the Wheatsheaf over the weekend with more to be added. of the 13th and 14th December. Saturday night features Flights THE YOUNG WOMEN’S of Helios (pictured), The Mighty MUSIC PROJECT hosts an all-day Redox, Vote Statham and Lewis music, discussion and information Newcombe, while Sunday sees sets event on Saturday 9th November. from The Empty Vessels, Peerless Womanity takes place at East Oxford Pirates, Grant Sharkey and Bethany Community Centre and aims to Weimers. Admission is £5 on the provide a forum for discussion for door for each night, or cheaper in young people of all genders. As advance from Wegottickets.com. well as live music from a variety LUDOVICO EINAUDI WITH MELANIE C Visit www.gappytooth.com for of female musicians, there will be THU 14 NOV FRI 15 NOV SAT 16 NOV more details. lectures, workshops and panels on everything from women in hip hop, CATWEAZLE launches two new vocal looping and blogging, to sexual live music nights this month. The violence and self defence. Check renowned open mic club, which out the Womanity event page on celebrated its nineteenth birthday last Facebook for more news on what’s month, brings its new “baby sibling” going on. THE OXFORD CITY FESTIVAL takes place this month, running from open night Hatweazle to the Mad Monday 25th – Saturday 30th November, taking in fourteen venues and over Hatter pub on Iffley Road (previously WITNEY RADIO are looking for 80 bands, solo artists and DJs across the week. the Cricketer’s Arms) every Monday, local bands and musicians to submit The festival has been organised by It’s All About The Music promoter Mark featuring local singers, musicians, music for broadcast. The station `Osprey’ O’Brien and features everything from dedicated punk, metal, jazz poets and storytellers. And then on currently has some 7,000 listeners and reggae shows, to showcases of local unsigned bands and solo artists. the first Wednesday of each month it online, but is seeking an FM licence Venues participating across the week are the O2 Academy, the Jericho launches Wednesday Matters at the for 2014. Bands can email MP3s Tavern, the Wheatsheaf, the Cellar, the Holywell Music Room, the Art Bar, SHOW OF HANDS same venue, hosted by Catweazle to [email protected]. The Head of the River, the Bear, James Street Tavern, the Marsh Harrier, Clems TEXAS FEATURING MIRANDA SYKES mainstay Matt Sage’s new band Art station aims to play at least one nightclub, the Corridor, the Duke’s Cut and the White Hart in Headington. SUN 17 NOV WED 20 NOV FRI 22 NOV Theefe and guests. The first outing local act ever 30 minutes. Listen Many of the events are free, with the Head of the River hosting daily jazz th is on Wednesday 6 November, and to them here: www.witneyradio. and sessions and the Bear holding acoustic solo sets every day. features sets from Count Drachma co.uk. The Cellar features special reggae, metal and punk nights, while legendary and Magnam. December’s show local easy listening club night Disques Vogue makes a comeback at Clems. th takes place on the 4 , when Art AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into Local favourites The Goggenheim (pictured) headline a show at the Academy Theefe are joined by Wild Swim BBC Oxford Introducing every on Friday night, joined by Knights of Mentis, The Mighty Redox and The and Megan Henwood. Visit www. Saturday evening between 8-9pm on Great Big Bargain. mattsage.com for more details. 95.2fm. The dedicated local music For a full line-up of the festival, see this month’s gig guide, and check out show plays the best Oxford releases Oxford City Festival on Facebook. BLACK HATS are after people’s and demos as well as featuring unwanted radios, so they can interviews, studio sessions, gig reviews and local music news. around the county. The show is available to stream or download as a podcast at .co.uk/ NIGHTSHIFT is currently oxford. inundated by local releases. Which DEACON BLUE THE WATERBOYS Regularly updated local music is great, but it does mean we don’t TUE 26 - THU 28 NOV SAT 7 DEC SUN 15 DEC news is available online at www. always have room to review all musicinoxford.co.uk. The site also of them straight away. Sadly our features interactive reviews, a gig printers don’t take fresh air and ATG THEATRE CARD MEMBERS: PRIORITY TICKETS, GREAT SAVINGS. guide, photo gallery and more. buttons as payment. So basically, MORE INFORMATION - ATGTICKETS.COM/THEATRECARD The latest issue of Oxfordshire the earlier you get your stuff in, the (SELECTED PERFORMANCES, TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY) Music Scene magazine is out now, sooner we can review it, but you may * CANDY SAYS follow up their showing at Gathering Festival with a brace featuring an interview with Richard have to wait a bit. We also reserve 0844 871 3020 of intimate shows at the Albion Beatnik bookstore next month. The band – Walters, as well as a features on the right to consider a couple of * Scan here to see full listings last month’s Nightshift cover stars – play the bookshop on Walton Street on Beta Blocker & The Body Clock; DJ tracks stuck up on Soundcloud as a the 6th and 7th December. Tickets for the shows are available from the band’s Wrongtom and Brickwork Lizards. demo rather than a release. Yes we atgtickets.com/oxford website – candysays.it. The mag is available at outlets do. facebook.com/oxfordnewtheatre | twitter.com/NewTheatreOx *SUBJECT TO BOOKING/TRANSACTION FEE

Nightshift_A4_BW_OCT.indd 1 08/10/2013 11:04 A quiet word with Phantom Theory and Robots With could tour, make albums and gain With songs like `Whispered over fans – and reviewers. Who, Souls. fans completely on your own terms. Half Asleep’ there seems to be a we wonder, are the band’s idols Co-founder Rob moved abroad last They basically turned up and blasted balancing act between creating and inspirations when it comes to year but, according to Jack, is still noise for an hour, and people loved something elegant and cinematic, songwriting? an integral part of ToLiesel it. I think any musician can respect and retaining a rootsiness to the Jack: “Firstly, that’s very kind. I “He is and will always be a big a band who make a real go of it with sound. feel classic, straight-up songwriting part of this band. He contributes zero compromise.” Jack: “That absolutely sounds is something that’s often ToLiesel opinions to pretty much anything we Tom: “I particularly liked the fair. It works in direct correlation to overlooked by younger musicians, do, to mixes of recordings, which Dawes support because the our desire to create something far or even seen as a weak art form, but new songs he likes etc. I value his crowd was perfect for us. Mike reaching, adventurous and beautiful, to me, it’s always been fascinating opinion hugely. The way we see it, Trottman, who runs Empty Rooms while forever being encased in pop. and hugely entertaining to hear a he’s welcome back anytime; he’s the Promotions, always does a great That balancing act is what we’re song that exists completely in itself, Pat Smear of Toliesel.” job of getting authentic Americana all about really. We usually make where all the parts work towards artists into the Bully, and that’s why the effort to begin any new track a bigger picture and resolve. It’s After years of honing he gets such loyal and passionate with a song that stands on an something that is always top their sound and undergoing audiences. The crowd really tapped acoustic guitar; that way we know priority to us when we’re writing. photo:Johnny Moto personnel changes, last year’s debut into the country-rock, Crazy the melody needs to be great, and My personal heroes are Benjamin single `The Light’ was the song that Horse aspects of our sound and we the structure cohesive and focused. Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie, really got people to sit up and take couldn’t have dreamed for a better After that, we pick it apart, expand Nick Lowe, Neil Young, and John notice of ToLiesel, earning them reaction.” on certain things, or tighten other K Samson, of the Weakerthans.” both a place in Nightshift’s end of Gabs: “The crowd’s reaction was things up and see what we can throw Tom: “Neil Young is pretty year Top 25 songs and a slot on incredible that night. I learnt that into it. It’s worked great for us much a God to me. I just love the this year’s Oxford Punt, as well as middle-age people like our music a because it means the song is never way he always treads that line an appearance at Truck Festival. lot! Which in turn made us realise lost, even as we start to take it to between commercial success and Were the band aware the song was a the importance of having a good new places.” experimentalism like no other tipping point? radio presence, since that type of Adam: “One of our main aims artist can. It doesn’t surprise me Jack: “I remember thinking that it to hear people still walk out of his was the first time we felt completely shows, failing to understand just happy with a recording, and that for how leftfield he can be and that the first time, we could be judged, “There is a real pastoral folk tradition that he isn’t just going to show up and completely on our own merits. For still thrives in Oxford, and I think aspects play the hits. That said, the hits are us, it felt like after several years as pretty damn impressive. Seeing him a band, that we’d actually taken our of our music scene feeds off of that.” headline at Glastonbury 2009 was a first step forward.” real honour.” Adam: “It was an important song Gabs: “Deerhunter deserve a for us for a few reasons. It was the audience is less likely to use social is to combine both the influence special mention for being the band first song Jack came up with that not networks to discover new bands.” of modern and classic artists and that, in my personal opinion, has only sounded like it really needed also the influence of pop and the best balance between great a full band behind it to bring it to With `Contours’ ToLiesel experimental artists. Another songwriting and mind-blowing, life, but also had enough space in have proved that `The Light’ was no intention is to make strongly experimental sounds. We were the song to allow us to come up with one-off. The song is included on the written modern with pop lucky to see them live for three musical hooks and counter melodies new EP, but it’s surrounded by new sensibilities but always keeping a nights in a row at the ATP festival to enhance the overall composition. songs of equal, if not great quality, grounding in more rootsy artists, curated by them and they were just It was also the first time me and like the warmly epic `Whispered especially those in the country, unbelievable.” “The whole reason Currently though it’s ToLiesel that “Oxford is a city which really ToLiesel’s tune-heavy Tom worked on a song together Half Asleep’, and the more Americana and folk genres. This behind Toliesel, at first at least, are turning heads and winning hearts lives in the dusty corners of its own blending of country-folk earthiness and did our two guitar interweaving atmospheric `Brothers’. Do they feel kind of balance also comes quite For all their pop- was to basically rip off Band Of with their bold, cinematic take on history,” adds guitarist Tom Jowett, with a wide-screen pop scope and melody parts that tend to be a it’s a step up? naturally to us when simply putting friendly charm, can ToLiesel, Horses whenever possible. It’s hard country, coating huge, questing warming to the former theory. that almost ephemeral indie spangle mainstay of our sound now. ‘The Jack “It certainly feels like a us all in the same room together given their collective tastes, see to say why is such a melodies with shoegaze shimmer “You only need to walk around the marks them out as one of the Light’ was the song that properly document of our time together so and combining our varied personal themselves doing a Deerhunter and big part of the Oxfordshire music on songs like `The Light’ and city centre to see the beautiful old brightest young bands in Oxford and started the phase of Toliesel moving far, a postcard from the last four musical styles. We all have wide going right off at a new tangent? scene; maybe because it has strong `Whispered Half Asleep’, the lead buildings, cobbled pathways and they’ve had few problems winning from an acoustic singer- years. We’re all certainly very proud and quite varied musical passions Jack: “I guess the answer would ties to poetic lyrics, and a natural, track from their new `Contours’ EP. narrow alleys to get a sense of the themselves an ever-growing army project to being a full band project, of the EP, but it’s exciting to know but are all very open minded and be yes, and no. As Tom says, we’re rustic sound, which just seems to City’s pride in its heritage. There of fans, but without ever being this which has set in gear any progress that we have so much more to share enjoy creating whatever is for the passionate about left-field music, fit the beautiful surroundings of As that opening is a real pastoral folk tradition that week’s, or month’s, or even year’s we have since made.” with everyone. It’s an insight into greater good of the song.” and it’s always fun to make a huge Oxfordshire.” admission from singer Jack still thrives in Oxford, and I think big new thing. Their story is six our band, if not the whole picture.” Gabs: “We usually have a fairly noise, but we’re ultimately an Olchawski suggests, Toliesel aren’t aspects of the music scene feeds years in the making, and began Having made their Adam: “We are definitely proud of definite process when writing indie-pop band. I think our newer Oxfordshire has always a band much inclined to blow their off of that. There has also been a when Jack moved to Oxford to presence felt, ToLiesel have built it. The first three songs reflect that songs. Before working on sounds, material treads that line even more provided a welcome home for own trumpet, even while discussing Western resurgence in this kind study at Brookes, where he met their reputation with a succession we are capable of some well written the song has to have a good carefully, some of it gets pretty music that owes a debt to traditional the band’s central part in the local of mentality; it’s no coincidence keyboard player Rob Taylor and of support sets locally, notably with and crafted songs with one foot in structure. Basically it has to sound far out, but there’s still tons of American country and folk sounds, rise and rise of Americana. that bands like Fleet Foxes, who formed the band. The Twilight Sad, Dawes and Sweet Americana and the other in classic good even when it’s just one guy melodies, and choruses that you perhaps because they overlap so “I used to pore over the lyrics of personify this `olde worlde’ style, Myriad line-up changes later, Baboo, vital experiences for any indie with strong pop sensibilities. playing it with a cheap guitar in can sing along to.” well with the traditional English Nick Lowe and John Hiatt, so for can thrive in a society which seems ToLiesel consist of guitarist Adam young band hoping to learn and get ‘Brothers’, the last song, shows we the park. From there, we start Gabs: “We really only just started roots sound that seems to be part of me personally it was in place as generally disgruntled with urban James, also a former Brookes on. also have a noisier, heavier, epic layering like crazy stonemasons defining our sound, so I don’t think the very fabric of local life. soon as the band were together; I living. There seems a strong desire student, who came to the band via Jack: “Supporting The Twilight and more instrumental side to our on acid. Relying on sounds too there are the premises for a radical Recent years in particular have seen guess there’s an element of existing for a return to a more simple way of chamber-pop combo Message To Sad was amazing, because not sound which is definitely something much is a dangerous game, but we change yet!” such influences mushroom as local local bands feeding newer bands life; you only need to see the recent Bears, and guitarist Tom, originally only are they an incredible band, we will be showing more of in the found it to be safe enough when the Tom: “As much as I would love bands like Dreaming Spires and The with inspiration,” continues Jack as up-trend in rustic cooking shows, from Wolverhampton, and again but we had watched them support future. `Contours’ is still our first foundations of the song are solid. to disappear down the rabbit-hole Epstein have added romantic indie we ponder whether it’s something and crafts-making programmes Brookes alumni; Italian bassist Gabs Mogwai just a couple of months proper release and companion piece As a producer, I also appreciate of psychedelic art-rock, I also love elements to their country influences; in the landscape, water or access to currently on television. Although Catalano, who came in to replace before. The other highlight was to our first single, so although it the fact that we are getting more the fact that Toliesel are basically a The August List have fused a raw the open countryside that makes the it’s idealistic, this desire for a Jonny Payne when he decided supporting Dawes. They were right shows we have moved up a level, and more accustomed to the studio pop band.” garage-rock edge to backwoods county so predisposed to country pastoral life is not something that to concentrate on his other band, in the middle of a long stretch I feel this is just the beginning of environment, and that gives us the porch songs, while the likes of music influences, or whether the particularly appeals to us. It’s far Deer Chicago, and drummer Nick with Mumford & Sons, and it was what we are going to do and what power to carefully mix all of the `Contours’ is out now, available at Knights of Mentis and Swindlestock early popularity of bands like too insular and isolationist. We’d Seagrave, the band’s most recent exciting to flirt with the mainstream we have potential to be capable of as features of our sound.” toliesel.bandcamp.com. ToLiesel have offered more unreconstructed Goldrush have simply fed down to a rather explore all kinds of different recruit, replacing Steve Wilson, in our own little way. The Twilight opposed to showing the full picture It’s quite simply the quality of play The Jericho Tavern on Friday th rustic Americana. younger generation of bands. territories.” who had previous local history with Sad show was a reminder that you just yet.” ToLiesel’s songwriting that’s won 8 November. Sponsored by to fog the moment they’ve left his lips, like The Ink Spots might have sounded had they grown up informed by modern electro-pop and r’n’b. It’s the sort of rarefied mantra you can imagine was made by romantic robot ghosts in a future world where everything is shiny and everyone drives sleek hover RELEASED cars, but there’s something dark and wrong lurking YOUNG KNIVES STORNOWAY beneath the idyllic surface, like in Minority Report or something. Sci-fi soul. Yup, that’s what it is. `Sick Octave’ `You Don’t Know B-side `Woozy’, meanwhile, features Chicago rapper Jean Deaux, whose laidback delivery (Gadzook) perfectly complements Glass Animals’ sound; the “You can’t win anything with kids,” claimed Alan Anything’ track title is entirely appropriate as minimalist Hansen, so are Young Knives making life harder (Own label download) music and lazily fluid words trickle through a haze for themselves as they venture forth with their Rather than waiting two years or so to follow up of bongsmoke, like something might have new, Kickstarter-funded album? For starters the `Tales From Terra Firma’, Stornoway return to the conjured if he allowed himself to see sunlight once band peer forlornly out from the sleeve, muddied fray mere months after the album with this six- in a while. and bloodied and accompanied by their own song EP of material that didn’t fit into the narrative It’s pure coincidence that Glass Animals emerged children (Henry’s added to his own brood since of that collection. This, we’re told, is Stornoway GLASS ANIMALS the photo was taken). And then it’s left to those stretching their muscles and showing off more on the local scene at pretty much the same time as THE AUGUST LIST kids to introduce the album with the 30-second eclectic influences, from Gorillaz to Flaming Lips `Psylla’ Wild Swim, but the pair seem to share similar pop chant, `12345’. Further in, the reflective `Preset and Ray Charles, as well as giving room for the DNA and you feel they could enter an arms race `High Town Crow EP Columns/Default Comets’ comes with the sound Steadman brothers to air some of their songs. (Wolf Tone) to see who can produce the most spectral piece of (Own label) Having signed to Paul Epworth’s Wolf Tone label, music. With both bands due to release their debut of a baby crying. Kids are a major feature of `Sick The EP opens with `When You Touch Down Of all the very great country-influenced bands around Glass Animals release this, their second single, albums early next year, 2014 is already shaping up Octave’, then. From Outer Space’, which local fans might Oxfordshire, none sound so authentically backwoods showing signs of a more soulful sound, Dave to be something special. And you could almost view the new album as deadpan delivery, and the repeated “Blood!” remember being debuted at the band’s show at the American as husband and wife duo The August List. Bayley’s smooth, seductive chants seeming to turn Dale Kattack Young Knives’ middle-age crisis record. After the backing harmonies adding a slightly unnerving Regal a couple of years back. At first glance it’s a Like The Handsome Family – unsurprisingly, another fantastically poppy `Ornaments From The Silver edge, like Throbbing Gristle playing easy listening characteristically warm-hearted invitation to show married couple – Kerraleigh and Martin Child Arcade’, they’re both label-less and disillusioned doo-wop, to the frantic, almost tribal `White a (metaphorical) alien around the splendour of We’ve not heard much from Zahra musically create deep, rich, almost otherworldly atmospheres with playing to other people’s tunes to gain Sands’, with its trademark lyrical whimsy (“The Oxfordshire, from the Covered Market and South since that band split, but Despicable Zee finds with their songs that get you to thinking about commercial appeal. `Sick Octave’, we’ve been western world is a walk-in wardrobe”) and jarring Park, to the “cyborg pylons” and “alien lifeforms of her taking a central production role, aided, by giant redwoods shedding their leaves, or long-dead promised, is the album Young Knives really mix of softness and serrated noise, as it rises to a the open country”, as ever awash with Brian Briggs’ a selection of vocalists. Chief among these is memories haunting deserted shacks. wanted to make, a return to the often avant garde peak via a steal on `Holiday In Cambodia’. rich imagery, and bolstered by big, bold harmonies, singer Stray Dog, who joins her for two Together their voices dovetail neatly – Martin’s influences they first brought to bear on their PiL’s `Metal Box’ seems to inform the strung- although it actually reflects Brian’s fear and tracks here: the rumbling, atmospheric dubstep doleful lead on `Song For Any State’ here perfectly twisted but buoyant post-punk sound. So… `Sick out `Something Awful’, and `Marble Maze’ finds excitement about becoming a dad for the first time. clarion call of `You’re Mean, Ya Can’t’, and the complemented by Kerraleigh’s honeyed harmonies. Octave’: infernal self-indulgence, or really, more Henry uptight, bordering on hysteria in decidedly While the accompanying press release boasts of sultry, trippy, noir-ish `Give Up’, displaying a But it’s when Kerraleigh takes the lead that they of the same. The truth is neither, but a little bit of Lydon-esque style, while flip the coin and `Score’ the band exploring new musical lands, there’s little darkly soulful voice that could freeze a room full burn with a warm campfire magic. `All To Break’ both. could be Robert Wyatt at his most obtuse. But here that will shock fans. Even the frantic, near of male bravado at fifty paces as she marries Ms finds her voice cracked ever so slightly, touching There’s little doubt that this is their best album Young Knives’ innate pop sensibility simply can’t hysterical `Clockwatching’ fits pretty neatly into the Dynamite’s sass with Zola Jesus’ gothic cool, her on suppressed hysteria even, which instantly gets since `Stories of Animals & Men’. It’s less a be buried and left to rot. `All Tied Up’ sums up more outgoing end of their catalogue, rising on the steely, strident style wholly at ease with Zahra’s you to thinking of Dolly Parton at her bluesy best. “fuck you,” as an invitation: “this is our party.” the band’s frequent, uneasy battle between warm- back of buzzing organ and flamboyant, almost jazzy atmospheric, almost gothic arrangements. Darker It’s those tiny cracks that make a voice special The kiddie intro aside, it comes bookended by its hearted poppiness and something more esoteric, horns, it feels like a spirited flight for freedom; still, if maybe less imposing is singer Casus, rather than drearily perfect in that X-Factor kind of twin highlights: the aggressively pulsing `Owls Of while the line “On the count of three, we’re going maybe those aliens weren’t so friendly after all. whose `Glass’ is edgy and emotionally taut, full-on way. So anyway, the song sounds like Dolly Parton Athens’, named after a Bagpuss story but sounding to fuck you up,” seems to be a warning to their In between these we get the slender, twinkling gothic soul. singing Sabbath’s `Paranoid’ backed up by a misfit more like Alien Sex Fiend’s machine-goth classic own songs. `Waiting on The Clock’, which is throwaway by By contrast `Take It Easy’ brings in a whole raft gang of backwoods country-folk musos, which `Ignore the Machine’ punctured by giddy horn So, severed from even the tenuous safety net of a their high standards, but they quickly recover with of local MCs, including scene veteran Asher Dust, sounds fantastic, don’t it? And indeed it is. stabs and a waywardness that borders on the record deal, and with kids to feed, in an age where the more dramatic `The Sixth Wave’, all heroic DESPICABLE ZEE alongside Chuckie, Lisa Fitzgibbon and N-Zyme, `Bloody Harmony’ is a darker lament, centred macabre. At the album’s close is `Maureen’, a too few people feel it’s appropriate to actually pay brass and epic electric guitar, which, strip away each taking a turn on the mic for a staccato clatter on an accordion dirge that’s punctured by wailing deviously twisted love letter-cum-lullaby infected for the music they consume, Young Knives face Brian’s instantly recognisable voice, genuinely `Despicable Zee’ of minimalist machine-hop that stands at odds harmonica, Kerraleigh sounding equally bitter and by synth-pop mischief and a simply irresistible an ocean of uncertainty. `Sick Octave’, though, is doesn’t sound anything like the band we know. (BG) mood-wise to the rest of the EP without losing genuinely vulnerable, while the EP’s title track is hook. `Tumbling Bay’ and `You Don’t Know Anything’ the sound of a band more certain of themselves In her twin roles of helming the Ark T project and direction too much. another duet, this time over an almost wraith-like In between, invention, intrigue and simple fun are are more typical Stornoway fare, all autumn than they have done for years. Kids or not, it’s a the Oxford Young Women’s Music Project, and At the end of last year we declared Death of Hi- acoustic strum that’s pure southern gothic, at least in plentiful supply, from the euphoric serenity of sunshine and rustic romanticism. winner, straight knock-out. running BG Records and its associated gig nights, Fi’s `Anthropocene’, also on DB, as possibly the until its bubble bursts amid a well-pitch acoustic `We Could Be Blood’, with Henry’s almost angelic Overall this feels like an odds and sods collection Dale Kattack Zahra Tehrani is the pivotal figure in Oxford hip best hip hop album to come out of Oxford. At guitar thrash. aimed at keeping the faithful happy while we hop, mentoring young local rappers and singers as its best Despicable Zee is equal to that peak, an A hillside cottage in west Oxfordshire might be await the next album proper, rather than any grand from Vienna Ditto’s latest EP, `Ugly’, evokes well as facilitating all manner of collaborations. accomplished and inventive debut from an artist several thousand miles from a Louisiana shack, but adventure, but it’s well worth getting for `When Prior to all this she was drummer in the band Baby who is increasingly making her mark as one of the listen to The August List and you’d swear it’s the a glorious red velvet-draped, dusky cavern of We Touch Down’ and `Clockwatching’ alone. And Gravy, whose collective love for hip hop only most important characters in local music. same magic at work. deception and intrigue, with space-age synths anyway, Stornoway’s odds and sods are better than lightly infected their fight-friendly electro-pop. Victoria Waterfield Dale Kattack redolent of Jean Michel Jarre in his 70s prime most bands’ supposed finest hours. and crunchy drums framing seductive slide guitar Dale Kattack twangs. By contrast the slower and measured of charm. `By Way Of Apology’ is reminiscent of the MONDAY MORNING SUN The issue seems to sit with this album’s unrelenting claustrophobic electro-blues of some of Depeche monotony of tone, texture and style; based around Mode’s and their main songwriter Martin `Boundaries’ often highly repetitive electronic drum patterns and Gore’s albums of covers, not least by way of Hatty (Blindsight) super-reverbed guitar swathes, most tracks walk a Taylor’s voice, whose vibrato-soaked insouciance While it may not have ever been designed to be tightrope that straddles an awkward middle-ground here creates an unconvincing testimony. In `Stop’, a super-happy-fun-times collection of jaunty pop between the hypnotically patterned and, well, the a seemingly defiant tale of a parting, sinister songs, Monday Morning Sun’s `Boundaries’ can slightly boring. It’s not all bad, though; far from spaghetti western jangly chords, spooky half tones feel rather more of a hard slog for the listener than it, if the mood of the listener fits with that of the and unusual percussive experiments convey a Twin may be comfortable (or may have been planned). musician. There are periodic glimmers of a neo- Peaks level of festering distrust. Over its eight tracks – the shortest of which clocks Seefeel-like take on dub, and a misanthropic yowl With this collection, the “voodoo sci-fi blues” duo in at over six minutes – the mood never shifts from of anguish at the human condition, that can create VIENNA DITTO conjure up a more effective image of Westworld- a dour, moody and serious type of introspection. interest, and the sound of the album can be rich, esque double-crossing robot duels than that term In itself, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and warm and enveloping. For this listener, however, at `Ugly EP’ could in itself; there’s some malicious intent going indeed many bands that this album’s sound reflects over an hour in length, there’s just too much of the (Own label) on, and all the better for it. – Scorn, Godflesh, even Nine Inch Nails – transmit same in `Boundaries’ for it to be sustainable listen. The atmospheric slinky drama of the lead song Kirsten Etheridge their own brand of bad vibes with a peculiar kind Simon Minter Sponsored by RELEASED PROSPEKT THE KNIGHTS OF `The Colourless Sunrise’ MENTIS (Own label) It’s all too common to see modern progressive `The Knights Of Mentis’ metal becoming clinically devoid of energy and (Own label) drive in a single-minded quest for technicality. With a name like the Knights Of Mentis, you’d However, it’s clear this pitfall has been avoided be forgiven for thinking that the band are some from the very first notes of the opening track kind of beardy, sword-wielding black metal band from Prospekt’s debut album; complicated, given to fits of theatricality. After all, their name syncopated and dissonant they may be, but is only a hop, skip and jump away from the Goat Prospekt still know how to worship at the altar Of Mendes. of the riff, as they demonstrate time and time As soon as the album starts, however, it’s clear again with songs that should be accessible to any that this nine-strong collective are unlikely to common headbanger, from ‘Shroud’ to ‘Shutter be burning churches or indulging in recreational Asylum’. murder anytime soon. This is a solid set of rustic However, this album really isn’t all about big listener through key changes and including much- folk that grabs its influences from a fairly wide riffs; Prospekt’s sound is far more intricate than needed dynamic variation to ensure that even range of sources, although there’s a strong sense that. The band consistently errs to the melodic 12- or 13-minute prog epics like the album’s title of Irish and American influence and nary a sniff side of prog metal, with a strong Dream Theatre track don’t drag. of the fjords. influence. It’s refreshing to see that despite nods Good progressive music necessitates exceptional They open strongly with `New Pound Coin’, to more modern prog bands like Meshuggah and musicianship, and Prospekt are no exception, a song that bears a significant similarity to The Periphery, the ‘djent’ cliché that brings down particularly in the case of guitarist Lee Luland, Pogues’ `Dirty Old Town’. No bad thing, but as many new so-called progressive bands has been whose frequent and intelligent solos are an opening shot, it perhaps doesn’t establish the completely avoided here. absolutely superlative, balancing technical ability band’s identity straight away. Instead it’s `Red Prospekt have incorporated synthesized strings with a real knowledge and understanding of the Boards’ that kicks things up a notch and is a and voices into their sound with the addition instrument. proper spit and sawdust hoe-down, the kind of of keyboard player and new vocalist Richard Prospekt have pulled in some big guns in thing that might be used to soundtrack animations Marshall, emulating bands like Symphony X. the prog world for ‘The Colourless Sunrise’, of chickens, barroom brawls and Scotch tapes Although it does add an exciting, original texture recruiting the legendary Jens Bogren on that allow you to re-record not fade away. It’s to some heavy riffs, in general this approach feels production, and Periphery’s Adam ‘Nolly’ like a cotton-picking version of `Black Betty’, a just a little too cheesy for our tastes; likewise, Getgood to mix and master the album. The result surefire floor filler. the soaring, reverb-drenched vocals, while is a polished album that definitely doesn’t sound Elsewhere there are some heart-twanging virtuosic and impressive, are just a little too like a ‘local’ release, and, coupled with a set of moments, not least on the gorgeous ache of `Your perfect and lacking in guts, but neither of these heavy, exciting, technical and even surprisingly Man’, which somehow retains a danceable swing are by any means deal breakers. In fact, the band catchy progressive metal songs, it could really despite clearly being dead set on inducing a fug more than make up for them with their coherent, take the band a long way. of misery. Sat alongside the equally sad `Maria’ well-crafted song writing, carefully guiding the Tal Fineman in the middle of the album, there’s a danger that suicide might prevent anyone reaching the second half. Fortunately it is worth hanging around for bleak demos over the years, Abandon should the immaculate vocal harmonies, sweeping cello, maybe come with the suffix All Hope Who Enter and perfectly judged violins. `Red Diesel’ picks Here. This is a desolate journey into Umair’s the pace up again and is more than capable of heart and soul. Reflective of the season, it’s an drying the eyes and inspiring a knees-up. `It Ain’t autumnal walk – trench coat wrapped tightly About You’ wraps the album up with a confident around hunch shoulders – through red and gold- swing despite doubts about the future tied up in leafed forests, rather than the crushing white-out its lyrics. of Xmas Light’s most brutal, bitter assaults. A solid country album then; it’s immaculately Somnolent beats and acoustic guitars shroud performed and is certainly another significant Umair’s introverted vocals, like Nick Drake addition to Oxford’s enduringly rich roots scene. trapped in Joy Division’s unending melancholy, Sam Shepherd approaching Brendan Perry’s sombre baritone at times. At times the starlit spangle and shimmer recalls Cocteau Twins. At no point does the mood lighten one iota. And this is possibly Abandon’s one minor failing. They never set out to write joyous singalongs, but so relentless is the darkness here, even in its ABANDON gently funereal stride, that it’s sometimes in danger of becoming mere misery musak. Album opener `Abandon’ `Wonder’, for example, threatens to blossom (Blindsight) just at the moment its life force is stolen away. It is autumn. Nights are drawing in. Things are Umair would doubtless wear such dedication to dying. Here is Abandon’s debut album. It belongs desolation as a badge of honour, and the day he to this time of year. pens a life-affirming pop ditty is the day the sun Centred around Umair Chaudhry, formerly rises in the west. For now though, the sun remains of eviscerating electro-metallers Xmas Lights determinedly below the horizon. as well as perpetrator of assorted wonderfully Dale Kattack Tavern – Stratford’s teenage guitarist Laurence WEDNESDAY 6th Jones returns to the Famous Monday Blues, likened WILLE & THE BANDITS: The Art Bar – Epic, to Peter Green and Joe Bonamassa. intricate prog-roots rocking from Plymouth’s Wille KRISTOPH: The Cellar – Off-kilter, chaotic self- & The Bandits, out on tour to coincide with new styled “devotional ghost pop and power slop” from album `Grow’, the band having variously been the Austin noisemakers, over in the UK. compared to Led Zeppelin, and Santana HATWEAZLE: The Mad Hatter – Catweazle’s as they mix up rootsy rocking and blues with GIG GUIDE baby sibling sets out into the world, offering songs, electronics and convoluted song structures. poems and stories every Monday. TOSELAND: O2 Academy – Former Superbike FRIDAY 1st and 80s at Trashy, and dancefloor faves from Jack champion James Toseland, who was forced to retire th from motorcycle racing after a wrist injury, brings SUSAN CADOGAN + DJ DEREK FM DJs. TUESDAY 5 th his band to town ahead of an album release, mixing Sunday 10 + SIDEWALK DOCTOR + COUNT NOVEMBER EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar – House, RUNDFUNK: The Cellar – Berlin-style house hard rock and power ballads and having previously SKYLARKIN: O2 Academy – Classic Jamaican tonight’s Empty Room Promotion show, playing and bass club night, ever Saturday. club night with DJs Ilghazi, Kamil Maczewi, collaborated with Little Angels’ Toby Jepson. HUGH MASEKELA reggae from 70s hitmaker Cadogan – see main material from their new `Rendezvous in Rhythm’ ANOTHER US: The Rotunda, Iffley – Knightrider and Varcotic playing German imports. FREERANGE: The Cellar – Drum&bass, hip hop preview album, an acoustic collection of gypsy songs and Multi-media mix of electronic music and art MIKE COOPER: The Old Fire Station – and dubstep club night. & LARRY WILLIS / HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN: The Art Bar – standards from the American songbook, paying at the Rotunda. Among the acts doing their Experimental acoustic guitar music from the WEDNESDAY MATTERS: The Mad Hatter , bluegrass, hot jazz and country tribute to the likes of Stephane Grappelli and things or collaborating are Wiard synthesiser veteran slide and lap steel player whose genre- – Catweazle’s second new club night launch, the ZENA EDWARDS: St rocking from the festival faves, back in town for Django Reinhardt. manufacturer and vocalist Cary Grace; Gonzo crossing career has seen him move from folk and monthly Wednesday Matters hosted by Matt Sage’s KLUB KAKOFANNEY with HEADCOUNT and Lowdjo, creating collages of spoken words blues into jazz and soundtrack writing to electronic Art Theefe band, playing tonight alongside Zulu John the Evangelist + JANE LIKES BOOKS + MONKFISH: and environmental sounds; local dub and techno experimentation. Along with Fela Kuti, with whom he has st folk popsters Count Drachma and Arabic music Friday 1 The Wheatsheaf – Klub Kak get back down to artist Glossata; modular synth player Mono Poly; JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Live jazz from The collaborated, and Miriam Makeba, to whom makers Magnam. earth (as much as they ever do) after their 22nd haunting vocal-like dronemeister Umcorps and Hugh Turner Band, plus acoustic Spanish-flavoured he was once married and with whom he DON’T GO PLASTIC + MOLOTOV SUSAN CADOGAN anniversary celebrations last month with their visual artist Vesica Pisces. music in the front bar, every week. also played and recorded, trumpeter Hugh SEXBOMB + MEGAN JOSPEHY + JACK regular monthly club night, tonight featuring REGGAE NIGHT: The Art Bar OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit Masekela is one of Africa’s most influential / DJ DEREK LITTLE: The Jericho Tavern heavyweight punk warriors Headcount, RECKLESS SLEEPERS: The Old Bookbinders, OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern musicians, so a chance to see him perform ACOUSTIC LOUNGE: Fat Lil’s, Witney / SIDEWALK channelling Killing Joke, early Adam & The Jericho – Free gig from the local 60s-styled in such intimate surroundings, courtesy of Ants and Therapy? into concise nuggets of rage. psychedelic jangle-pop act. Oxford Contemporary Music, isn’t one to be DOCTORS / COUNT They’re joined by punky and classic BREAKER: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Southern fried Sunday 3rd THURSDAY 7th missed. Tonight he’s playing alongside his rock’n’roll crew Jane Likes Books. rock, from Free to Lynyrd Skynyrd to ZZ Top. ZANDER SHARP + DOT’S FUNK long-term friend and collaborator Larry Willis, SKYLARKIN: THREE MINUTE TEASE: The Jericho Tavern : ODYSSEY + THE MANATEES + NOE & the pianist he first met while at college in New – Psychedelic pop troubadour Anton Barbeau SUNDAY 3rd THE PASTEL FRONTIER + GARFUNKEL York back in the 1960s and with whom he’s O2 Academy teams up with former Soft Boys Andy Metcalfe BRYAN FERRY: The New Theatre – The former The New Theatre + MARVELLOUS MEDICINE: The Cellar recently released the album `Friends’, already Plenty of opportunity for some reggae-fuelled and Morris Windsor for a journey into psychedelic crooner reinterprets his finest moments Bryan Ferry’s last two shows in Oxford have – University magazine Isis hosts a night of live considered a masterpiece of chamber jazz. nostalgia tonight as Jamaican singing star whimsy and , inspired by the classic in a 1920 jazz style – see main preview hardly been classics – an aborted showing in music, with London singer-songwriter Zander Having been mentored by Louis Armstrong Susan Cadogan comes to town as part of her sounds of Ray Davies, Syd Barrett and Nuggets. MAD DOG McREA + PEERLESS PIRATES: Cutteslowe Park when he was patently unable Sharp drawing comparisons to Villagers and Simon and Dizzy Gillespie, Masekela’s talent was in latest return to music. Since the librarian-turn- THE SEA, THE SEA + SWEET WILLIAM + The Art Bar – Folk-rock, bluegrass and gypsy jazz to sing, and a set of Bob Dylan covers at this & Garfunkel, plus former-Brookes rockers Noe & briging African rather than American influences singer scored a brace of hits singles in the FREADA: The Port Mahon – Airy indie-pop from Plymouth’s Mad Dog McRea, championed same venue back in 2007, but heck, Ferry is The Pastel Frontier; Wadham College funksters to bear most heavily on his jazz playing, fusing mid-70s, she’s sporadically released music trilling in the vein of Foals and Maccabees from by Mike Harding and chums with Seth Lakeman. a genuine musical legend and one of the most Garfunkel; student brass-heavy funk, soul and Latin hi-life and afrobeat onto jazz traditions, soul and toured. She opened her account with local newcomers The Sea, The Sea at tonight’s Rollicking indie rockabilly fun from Smiths- distinctive singers of the past 30 years. From collective Dot’s Funk Odyssey, and reggae-pop and funk, and in doing so inspiring everyone `Love My Life’, the recording session for Tertium Quid gig. They’re joined by gentle- inspired local crew Peerless Pirates. his beginnings at the helm of Roxy Music, who fusion crew Marvellous Medicine. from Paul Simon (another collaborator) and which introduced her to Lee Scratch Perry. natured acoustic popsters Sweet William, and Jess FOETAL JUICE + BLACK SKIES BURN revolutionised alongside David SUPERHAND: The Jericho Tavern – Blues and Vampire Weekend. Now at the still tender He produced a cover of Millie Jackson’s & Ness’s new Freada folk-pop incarnation. + EMPIRE DIVIDED + CONFRONT THE Bowie, through to his suave balladeering days, soul-tinged experimental electronic pop from the age of 74, he’s a veteran of apartheid and the `Hurt So Good’, which went Top 5 in the SANCTUM: The Varsity Club – Metal club CARNAGE: The Wheatsheaf – Slave To The he’s always exuded a sense of natural glamour local newcomers. campaign against it, but still a lively entertainer UK and was followed into the charts by the night, mixing classic heavy noise with the best Grind host another night of extreme metal with and sophistication beyond the reach of mere CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Community who belies his years, prone to some fantastic Pete Waterman-produced `Love Me Baby’. new metal sounds. Tonight’s a Halloween special Bury’s serial killer and necrophilia-obsessed death- mortal pop stars. As well as being a great Centre – Weekly showcase of singers, musicians, dad dancing as well as some seriously surreal Commercial success subsequently eluded her so expect an extra dollop of rock horror with your metallers Foetal Juice, who’ve previously supported songwriter (come on, we could fill this preview poets, storytellers and more at Oxford’s longest- anecdote telling. Bit of a legend, you might say. until she scored a succession of hits back in riffage. Cannibal Corpse, Exhumed and Anaal Nathrakh. with the titles of every genius Roxy Music running open mic club. Support comes from poet and musician Zena Jamaica, while her reputation and influence DISCO MUTANTES: The Library – Disco, They’re joined by local death-metal stalwarts Black track), our Bryan is also a great reinterpreter OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Edwards, performing songs commissioned by has continued to grow. Bristolian legend DJ boogie and old school house club night. Skies Burn and Empire Divided. of old classics, be it John Lennon or Wilson BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston the PRS’s Women Make Music fund. Derek, now well into his seventies, is also on GREENISH DAY: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Tribute PURPLE MAY + RICHARD BROTHERTON Pickett, so it’s no surprise that his last release, HEADINGTON HILLBILIES: The Wheatsheaf hand for some classic reggae and ska tuneage, band. + BEARD OF DESTINY + MOON LEOPARD `The Age’, was an album of his own greatest – Free gig in the downstairs bar from the local folk reggae into a hearty party cocktail, while renowned his set made all the more unmissable as it will + CELESTE: Donnington Community Centre hits, from `Avalon’ and `Do The Strand’, and Americana crew. veteran DJ Lubi brings the Latin dance tunes to the be his last ever in Oxford, as he plans to retire. SATURDAY 2nd (6pm) – Free evening of acoustic folk, blues to `The Bogus Man’ and `’ decks. A regular visitor to Oxford for Skylarkin’s club reinterpreted in the style of a 1920s jazz band. FLIGHTS OF HELIOS + MOTHER CORONA 36 CRAZYFISTS + ARMED FOR and more with Jeremy Hughes’ Moon Leopard, FRIDAY 8th nights, the man’s dedication to his music has Whether you should ever tamper with such + THE HALF RABBITS + AFTER THE APOCALYPSE + VERA GRACE: O2 Academy bluesman Beard of Destiny and more. DOORS ALIVE: O2 Academy – Doors tribute. seen him featuring in videos for Dizzee Rascal perfectly imperfect pop is open to debate, but THOUGHT: The Port Mahon – Audioscope – Alaska’s uncompromising metalcore veterans SWITCH featuring KARMA KID: O2 Academy as well as receiving the Lord Mayor’s Medal even mention of those titles is enough to get warm-up show in aid of homeless charity Shelter head back to Europe, potentially ahead of the th – The O2’s weekly electro club welcome rising in his native Bristol. Count Skylarkin will be MONDAY 4 fans of great music salivating. To appropriate with spaced-out psych-popsters Flights of Helios, release of a new album – a follow-up to 2010’s teenage producer Sam Knowles, aka Karma Kid, warming the crowd up for tonight’s show, which HAWKWIND: O2 Academy – Dave Brock’s the old football chant, he’s Bryan Ferry, he super-heavyweight groove metallers Mother `Collisions & Castaways’. riding high on the back of recent single `Try As is completed by The Sidewalk Doctors, formed space-rock eternals soldier on in the multiverse, this does what he wants. Corona, dramatic goth-rockers Half Rabbits and THE GROWLERS + TOMORROW’S TULIPS You May’ and `It’s Always’, adding a soulful, funk by Pama International’s Lenny Bignell, paying time round performing the album `Warriors On The ambient techno chap After The Thought. + THE GRACEFUL SLICKS: The Art Bar – punch to his house. authentic tribute to classic Jamaican rocksteady, Edge of Time’ in its entirety, the epic 1975 opus was MOIETY + PUPPET MECHANIC: Folly Self-styled `beach goth’ from California’s Growlers, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS: O2 Academy – Jake having previously worked with Prince Buster, based on Michael Moorcock’s `Eternal Champion’ Bridge Restaurant – Free gig in aid of the Mike over in the UK to promote new album `Hung At Burns’ enduring Belfast punk rockers come back for The Skatalites and Toots & The Maytals. and featured lyrics from the writer. It was also the Goodwin Trust from acoustic pop crew Moiety. Heart’, purveying a reverb-drenched brand of surf- another outing of classic hits `Alternative Ulster’, final album to feature Lemmy on bass. GLAMSTER: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Glam covers, rock and west coast psychedelia that’s seen them `Suspect Device’ and more, these days rejoined by TONY JEZZARD BIRTHDAY MEMORIAL from T-Rex to The Sweet. playing alongside Julian Casablancas, Devendra GIG: The Art Bar – The Haven Club pays tribute original bass player Ali McMordie. Banhart and The Black Keys as well as hosting their TOLIESEL: The Jericho Tavern – Alt.country- to the man who helped found it – the one and only, th own Beach Goth festival. Local psych-garage faves the very mighty Tony Jezzard, who passed away in tinged shoegaze from this month’s Nightshift cover SATURDAY 9 The Graceful Slicks open the show. June. To mark his birthday Gwyn Ashton, Johnny’s stars – see main interview feature BOY GEORGE: O2 Academy – The former ROBBIE BOYD: The Jericho Tavern – Genially Sexual Kitchen and Loose Blues kick out the blues CLARK WISEMAN + THE METHOD + Culture Club singer, club DJ, actor and enduring feelgood folk-pop from the London-based one- – hopefully with scant regard to volume levels, BALLOON ASCENT + GLENDA HUISH: The tabloid punch bag continues his musical revival time busker in the style of Paul Simon, Noah & the while Tony’s old band Reservoir Cats play their first Wheatsheaf – Local bands night with Moshka. with the release of `This Is What I Do’, his first Whale and Damien Rice. show since he died, Johnny Berry taking over the BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Dancefloor Latin, album of original material in 18 years and a return PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM DJs: lead role. Raise a glass and set the controls to heart Afrobeat, Balkan beats, global grooves and nu- to the fusion of soul, reggae and r’n’b that first O2 Academy – Weekly three-clubs-in-one session, of deafening. jazz club night, featuring a live set from Spain’s made is name. Expect a few classic hits along the with indie classics at Propaganda; kitsch pop, glam THE LAURENCE JONES BAND: The Jericho Mamanollora, mixing up rumba, swing, ska and way, a reminder that above and beyond a personal love. Dark-minded rock’n’roller Tom Williams `It’s Never Too Late’ showed the creative spark still THE BIG TEN INCH: The Cellar – Count classic rock’n’roll stalwarts. among others. Led by singer, guitarist and cellist does the opening night honours, playing a solo set, burns brightly. Great local support tonight from Skylarkin’s monthly celebration of jump blues, DAN HAYWOOD + WE AERONAUTS + Hannah Miller and singer, bassoonist and autoharp alongside synth-popstress Lyla Foy; Zulu folk-pop teenage bluesman Aaron Keylock, recent support rockabilly, ska, surf, calypso, swing and vintage RAINBOW RESERVOIR + JODY PREWETT: player Ruth Skipper, their playful, unpredictable combo Count Drachmas and acoustic folk-popsters to , and a guitarist in the mould of Rory vinyl. Tonight sees the return of sausage fetishists Albion Beatnik Bookstore – Highly rustic folk- vocal harmonies and instrumentation has drawn Sweet William. Gallagher and Eric Clapton. His drummer is the son King Salami & The Cumberland Three and their pop from Lancastrian songsmith and ornithologist comparisons to everyone from Pentangle and Jethro BRIGHTWORKS: The Wheatsheaf – Afro- of Dennis Greaves too, so rocking blues good vibes gonzoid r’n’b. Skylarkin and Jason King are on the Dan Haywood, penning love letters to rural Tull to , and they’re indisputably one of pop-flavoured indie from the local rising starlets, all round at tonight’s Haven show. decks via the Scottish Highlands and Byrds-inspired West the brightest young bands on the British folk scene launching their new EP. ED TULLET + SCRIBER + JORDAN O’SHEA: ORANGE VISION + BLOOD RED STARS + Coast psychedelia. He’s joined by local orchestral right now. PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM DJs: Truck Store – Bear On A Bicycle host this COLUMBA: The Wheatsheaf – Local indie rock folk-pop people We Aeronauts; whimsical anti-folk THE DAVE MORGAN BAND: The Art Bar – O2 Academy evening’s instore show for Brighton’s melancholic night. singer Rainbow Reservoir and erstwhile Trophy We’re not completely sure, but we think this might SIMPLE: The Art Bar – House night with teenage troubadour Ed Tullet, launching his sparse, WHOLE LOTTA DC: Fat Lil’s, Witney Wife chap Jody Prewett. be the former ELO bassist. Sorry, it’s late and that’s Boddika. desolate new single `Oxblood’. BOAB mainstay the first thing we found on the internet about any EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar Jordan O’Shea matches Ed in the downbeat th th musicians called Dave Morgan. Might be him, might Friday 15th SATURDAY 16 MONDAY 18 ALVIN STARDUST + LIVING THE DREAM: acoustic pop stakes. JOOLS HOLLAND & HIS RHYTHM&BLUES MATT SCHOFIELD: The Bullingdon– The not be. If it is, he used to be in Magnum too. We like GARY NUMAN: Langdale Hall, Witney – 70s glam survivor Alvin AYNSLEY LISTER: The Jericho Tavern – ORCHESTRA: The New Theatre – Later... host Haven blues club hosts the acclaimed guitarist who Magnums. Especially the dark chocolate ones. Not comes to Witney to play 70s hits like `My Coo Ca Heavy-duty blues-rock from the acclaimed British and irrepressibly cheery ivory tinkler Holland started his career playing with Lee Sankey and really ice cream weather now though, is it? Choo’ and `Jealous Mind’ in aid of breast cancer guitarist, equally at home playing it raw and heads back on tour with his expansive r’n’b Dana Gillespie, as well as The Lester Butler Tribute SONIC: The Art Bar – House club night. O2 Academy charities. acoustic, or pumping it up Hendrix style on the CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Community How many rock stars have risen so high, fallen band, regularly featuring big-name guest singers Band, before going out on the road with his own THE MIGHTY CADILLACS: Red Lion, electric. Centre so low and been so completely reborn as Gary – including Sam Brown and most recently Marc band, mixing traditional electric blues with New Marston HATWEAZLE: The Mad Hatter OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Numan? Back in the late 70s the self- Almond – for big-band renditions of r’n’b classics, Orleans funk and soul. Amid a slew of awards, he’s MATELOAF: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Meatloaf BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston confessed accidental pioneer of synth-pop with a little boogie-woogie magic and plenty of been hailed as one of the ten greatest UK blues tribute. th cheeky banter. guitarists of all time, alongside Eric Clapton and was just about the biggest star around, but TUESDAY 12 rd simultaneously reviled by a music press still SCOUTING FOR GIRLS: The New Theatre – If BOOTLED ZEPPELIN: O2 Academy – Led Zep Peter Green, and his eclectic style incorporates Saturday 23 th stuck on post-punk’s political posturing. When SUNDAY 10 you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything, our tribute, you may be astonished to discover. influences from The Meters and Box Tops alongside Numan’s musical magic began to fade, he VILLAGERS: O2 Academy – Songmeister Conor dear old grandma used to say. But she never had LATE NIGHT LIGHTS: The Wheatsheaf – more traditional blues innovators like Freddie and AUDIOSCOPE: The became a laughing stock of unprecedented O’Brien celebrates his second Mercury nomination to fucking listen to Scouting For Girls and would Trashy punk-pop from the local newcomers. Albert King. proportions, artistically and commercially for new album `{}’, the follow-up to undoubtedly have considered them asinine musical TANDEM + HENRY WEBSTER: The Old DEBBIE BOND: The Jericho Tavern – Soulful Jericho Tavern As it reaches its thirteenth year, Audioscope bankrupt, sustained only by the most fanatical acclaimed debut `’, the title effluence too. Fire Station – Electro-tinged trad folk from recent country-blues from Alabama’s veteran guitarist remains one of Oxford’s most understated but fanbase in pop. Fast forward to 2013 and track of which earned him an Ivor Novello award. THE RIFLES + LIFE IN FILM + DEXTERS: Oxford Folk Weekend stars Tandem, plus fiddler Bond, who’s previously backed Eddie Kirkland, musically ambitious annual events. Previous the release of the man’s 21st studio album, The new album finds him partially casting off any O2 Academy – East London’s laddish rockers Henry Webster, best known for his work with Jerry McCain and Willie King before fronting her years have seen underground stars like Wire, `Splinter, Songs From A Broken Mind’, lingering sensitive-folky-singer-songwriter tag with return, still sounding a bit like . harmonica player Will Pound. own band. 30 years playing the blues have led to Four-Tet, Deerhoof, Rother & Moebius and and he’s finally, and rightfully ensconced a mix of soul, cabaret and -informed pop JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Live jazz from Alvin WOLFBAIT: Fat Lil’s, Witney her founding the Alabama Blues Project, to help Luke Vibert grace the bill, while 2007’s set by as national treasure, a universally respected that owes as much to , REM and Del Roy & Reeds Unlimited, plus acoustic Spanish- PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM DJs: preserve the traditional music of the state that’s Shit & Shine remains one of the greatest gigs pioneer and an enduring onstage star with few Shannon as it does Nick Drake or Prefab Sprout. flavoured music in the front bar O2 Academy inspired her own music. Nightshift has ever witnessed. And all the while equals. Everyone from Trent Reznor, Beck, He remains as literary as ever, with strangely poetic INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial, EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar HATWEAZLE: The Mad Hatter Audioscope has raised thousands of pounds Damon Albarn and Lady Gaga to Bowie, lines like “Naked on the toilet with a toothbrush cyberpunk, ebm and darkwave club night. THESE DAYS: The Art Bar – House club night. for homeless charity Shelter. This year’s bill is Prince, Dr Dre and Afrikaa Bambaataa has in his mouth, when he suddenly acquired an OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit th TUESDAY 19 characteristically devoid of household names, clamoured to hail his electronic genius. His overwhelming sense of doubt” introducing his OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern th SUNDAY 17 JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Live jazz from but it remains a full day of music that’s often musical rebirth dates back to the md-90s when wistful, witty, worldly tales. TEXAS: The New Theatre – Back in touring The New Jazz Collective, plus acoustic Spanish- challenging, occasionally confrontational but he ditched all attempts to be commercial and BROTHER & BONES: The Art Bar – Rustic th WEDNESDAY 13 action and with a new album, `The Conversation’, flavoured music in the front bar always rewarding and for anyone wanting their headed down a particularly dark electronic rock folk-rock somewhere between Ben Howard, DEEP COVER: The Cellar – Hip hop, r’n’b and following the recovery of founding guitarist Ally RUNDFUNK: The Cellar ears opened to new and exciting sounds, while path, the dystopian sci-fi paranoia and robotic Mumford and Sons and Dry The River from reggae club night. McErlaine from a brain aneurysm in 2010, Sharleen OPEN MIC SESSION: The White Rabbit benefitting a very worthwhile cause, it’s an pop of `Replicas’ and `The Pleasure Principle’ Brother & Bones, back in Oxford after their sold- Spiteri’s pop/rock hitmakers play the big hits from OPEN MIC SESSION: James Street Tavern event not to be missed. This year’s headliners replaced by an iconoclastic lyrical theme and out show at the Jericho Tavern earlier this year to th their 80s/90s commercial peak, including `I Don’t are Chicago’s cult heroes Califone, whose promote new EP `To Be Alive’. THURSDAY 14 a move into industrial gothic rock territory. Want A Lover’, `Summer Son’, `Say What You th MY LIFE STORY: O2 Academy – Jake WEDNESDAY 20 prolific output over the past 15 years includes What’s unchanged and undiminished, though, HUGH MASEKELA & LARRY WILLIS: St Want’ and `In Our Lifetime’, as well as songs from Shillingford reassembles his orchestral 90s Britpop HONKY + DESERT STORM + PROSPERINA several inventive concept albums, including the is the power Numan manages to summon John the Evangelist – Rare, intimate concert from the new album. band for a first full tour since they split in 2000. Full + BARRY & THE BEACHCOMBERS: The superb `All My Friends Are Funeral Singers’. from electronic music, as well as remaining a the undisputed afro-jazz master – see main preview THE FAMILY RAIN: O2 Academy – Bath’s one-off reunion shows have taken place in London Wheatsheaf – Hard-rocking blues and boogie from A happy bunch of souls, they are not. They’re peerless rock entertainer with a keen sense of CRIPPLER LBU + BRICKSANDMORTAR beardy blues brothers come to town, promising hip previously but now Shillingford has paired the band Austin, Texas’ Honky, featuring Butthole Surfers’ joined by Brighton’s tribal-gothic folk-pop theatre, and with `Splinter’ receiving the sort + OUTTA LUCK + CROWS REIGN: The hop-infused heavy rock but sounding like a mix of down for a run-through of the band’s 1997 album DJ Pinkus, back over in the UK after playing crew Esben & The Witch, who are far more of reviews his classic hits never enjoyed, he’s a Wheatsheaf – Sludgy hardcore punk and hip hop Kings of Leon, Kasabian and Maroon 5. `The Golden Mile’, featuring hits `12 Reasons Stateside with the likes of Down, Fu Manchu, intense and scary than that description suggests; star very much back on the rise. from London’s Crippler LBU. MAN WITHOUT COUNTRY: O2 Academy – Why I Love Her’, `Strumpet’, `Sparkle’ and `King Karma To Burn and Nashville Pussy. Support at drums’n’electronics Krautrockers Eat Lights THE AUGUST LIST + DIAMOND FAMILY Atmospheric, glacial electro-shoegaze from south Of Kissingdom’, hopefully still with that old tonight’s Buried In Smoke show comes from local Become Lights; Thrill Jockey’s psychedelic ARCHIVE + MY CROOKED TEETH + Wales duo Man Without Country, out on tour to life that’s been as colourful as any of his costumes, flamboyance and showman’s flair. stoner/blues heavyweights Desert Storm, plus a electro types The Grumbling Fur; riotous ANDY NICE: Albion Beatnik Bookstore – First promote their album `Foe’, which was mixed by the man’s a singer and songwriter to match his GLASS ANIMALS + HOCKEY SMITH: The rare outing for oddball hardcore crew Barry & The punk band Sauna Youth; improvised noise of two low-key bookstore shows from Pindrop legendary producer Ken Thomas, whose previous larger-than-life character. Jericho Tavern – Spectral electro-pop, r’n’b Beachcombers. from Shit & Shit / Oscillation side project Performances with garagy backwoods porch song credits include M83 and Sigur Ros, undisputed KODALINE + HUDSON TAYLOR + JAMES and soundscapism from the local stars on the SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR: The New Theatre Tomaga and ambient experimentalists Pye duo The August List launching their excellent new influences on MWC’s chilled pop sound. BAY: O2 Academy – Alternatively, swap the rise, launching their new single, `Psylla’ on Paul – Grammy-winning gospel and traditional spiritual Corner Audio. A strong local contingent is led `High Town Crow’ EP. DOUBLE TROUBLE: The North Wall, rainbow colours and emotional turbulence of Boy Epworth’s Wolf Tones label. song from South Africa’s 30-strong choir. by electro-r’n’b popstrels Pet Moon, formed THE MECHANISMS: The Cellar – Steampunk Summertown – One of Europe’s most respected George for the eternal grey undulations of Coldpla... CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford Community FREERANGE: The Cellar by Blessing Force founder Andrew Mears, soap/space operas from the theatrical local rock old jazz bands goes head to head with one of sorry, Kodaline, Dublin’s inexplicably popular Centre SPARKY’S JAM SESSION: James Street and they’re joined by sparse, acoustic blues crew. the rising stars of the genre at tonight’s Oxford purveyors of epic melancholy. Actually, there’s OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Tavern – Open jam night. act Salvation Bill and alternately intricate Contemporary Music show. Pianist and bandleader nothing inexplicable about their popularity is there? BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston and brutal post-rock instrumentalists Listing th Alexander von Schlippenbach has been forging his Lots of people quite simply love a bit of musical MONDAY 11 st Ships. Get there early, stay all day and discover NINE BELOW ZERO + AARON KEYLOCK: own jazz path since the 1970s, abetted by world- THURSDAY 21 mediocrity with their Saturday night pizza. th something strange, terrifying and wonderful. RUARRI JOSEPH: The Art Bar – Husky, The Bullingdon – The near-legendary r’n’b FRIDAY 15 renowned saxophonist Evan Parker and drummer TURIN BRAKES: O2 Academy – Olly Knights heartfelt acoustic soul and jazz-inflected pop from pioneers return to Oxford for the first time in many GARY NUMAN: O2 Academy – The Dark Lord Paul Lovens, who played in an early incarnation and Gale Paridjanian return with more earnest folk- the Cornish singer-songwriter in the vein of Cat years, founding singer and guitarist Dennis Greaves of industrial gothic rock returns with his new of Kraftwerk. Together they bring a classical rock emoting in aid of new album `We Were Here’. Stevens and David Gray, touring the follow-up to still leading the band’s high-energy blues charge album, `Splinter’. Nightshift is forming an orderly sensibility to jazz music. They’re up against MOULETTES: The Jericho Tavern – Traditional last year’s `Brother’ album. alongside fellow 9BZ veterans and queue even as you read this – see main preview Noszferatu’s world music-inspired tango-heavy English folk given an inventively orchestral, almost MIXTAPE with TOM WILLIAMS + LYLA Brian Bethall. Having hit a creative and commercial PROSPEKT: O2 Academy – The local prog- take on jazz. The bands will be playing separate sets prog makeover from Glastonbury’s Moulettes, FOY + COUNT DRACHMA + SWEET peak in the early-80s with albums `Live At The metallers launch their full debut album, `The before coming together to perform pieces by Polish previously part of ’ Eel Pie Island set WILLIAM: The Cellar – Launching the Cellar’s Marquee’ and `Don’t Point Your Finger’, it’s always Colourless Sunrise’, technical guitar virtuoso Lee composer Hanna Kulenty, Oxfordshire’s Joe Cutler, and whose members have gone on to join Mumford new monthly live music club night where a special been live, and in particular in intimate venues like Luland and co joined by new singer and keyboard and Hans Koller. & Sons, Laura Marling and , while guest musician with strong Oxford connections is this, that the band have made their reputation, player Richard Marshall and inspired by the likes of LES CLOCHARDS: Truck Store (5pm) – Instore the band themselves have played alongside The invited to host and curate an evening of bands they though their Glen Tilbrook-produced 2009 album Opeth, Dream Theatre, Rush and Symphony X. album launch for the local French café pop-cum- Mumfords, John Paul Jones and , scene. Diamonds back in the States. The pair are in the UK DANNY & THE CHAMPIONS OF THE GREAT BIG BARGAIN: O2 Academy – SWITCH with RAM RECORDS & ANDY C: to promote debut album `Secondhand Rapture’. WORLD: The Art Bar – Rocking roadhouse jams Centrepiece gig of the Oxford City Festival with O2 Academy - Andy C’s RAM Records, home to AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE + RSJ + and anthems from Danny George Wilson’s Champs, psychedelic disco pop jazz crew The Chase & Status, DC Breaks and Sub Focus, take MAPLE RUN: The Art Bar – Industrial-metal coming on like a Home Counties E Street Band. Goggenheim continuing to defy classification and time out from their Fabric residency for a night veterans return from drug-fuelled wilderness for KATHRYN TICKELL: The North Wall, invent new genres as they head spaceward. Rootsy of dubstep and drum&bass at the O2’s weekly their first Oxford show in over a decade – see main Summertown – Lively, intimate folk from the country-folk ensemble Knights of Mentis keep electronic dance night. preview acclaimed virtuoso Northumbrian player, things earthy, alongside swamp-blues faves The THE SEA, THE SEA + THE BLACK ROB TOGNONI: The Jericho Tavern – The fiddler and storyteller, recently awarded Musician Mighty Redox. TAMOURINES + HAPPYNESS: The Jericho Tasmanian blues devil returns to the Famous of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, FRACTURE + PEERLESS PIRATES + THE Tavern – Daisy Rodgers Music night with Foals Monday Blues club, displaying the powerful and and who has just released her nineteenth album, OMNIVIBES + MR TOM: The Wheatsheaf – and Maccabees-inspired local indie rockers The versatile electric style that’s served him well in his `Northumbrian Voices’, almost 30 years after her Local bands showcase. Sea The Sea, alongside Cornwall’s shimmering 30 plus years on the road, his style owing much to debut outing, `On Kielder Side’ at the age of 16. SHURMAN: The Art Bar – Sweaty, soul- Monday 25th surf-rockers / 60s-inspired indie crew The Black Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. HIDDEN ORCHESTRA: The Cellar – drenched country rocking in the vein of Black Tambourines, and newcomers Happyness. MARACUTAYA: Head of the River – Live jazz Cinematic, percussive fusion of jazz, classical, Crowes from Texan outfit Shurman at tonight’s AMERICAN HEAD INSIDE SOUND: Pitt Rivers Museum – Oxford as part of the Oxford City Festival. drum&bass, rock and hip hop from Edinburgh’s Empty Room Promotions show. Contemporary Music teams up with the Pitt Rivers KATE JEAN BRUNWIN: The Bear – Kicking Hidden Orchestra. CHURCH OF THE HEAVY: The Cellar – Metal, for a torch lit interactive sound installation. off a week of performances in the HEADINGTON HILLBILIES: The Wheatsheaf hardcore and prog from Komrad, Annero, Masiro CHARGE: The Art Bar th Plenty of bands end their careers in rehab, SURREAL PANTHER: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Bear as part of Oxford City Festival. DENNY ILETT Jr: Head of the River and Crows Reign. Saturday 30 but that’s where American Head Charge Tribute to LA comedy rockers Steel Panther. HATWEAZLE: The Mad Hatter LEWIS NEWCOMBE JONES: The Bear HEAVY DEXTERS: Head of the River – Live began theirs, guitarist Chad Hanks and singer MISSING PERSIANS: Talbot Inn, Eynsham TOM HINGLEY: The Marsh Harrier – Solo jazz as part of the Oxford City Festival. THE NAKED & Martin Heacock earning their release from a TUESDAY 26th show from the frontman. THE GEES + SINKING WITCHES + EMPTY rd BEARD OF DESTINY + SCOTT COOPER + VESSELS + BLACK FEATHERS: Jericho Tavern FAMOUS: Minneapolis drug project dependent on the SATURDAY 23 THE VIEW + THE VELVETEEN SAINTS: CLAIRE LEMASTER: James Street Tavern POPLAR JAKE: The Bear band going off and doing some proper work. AUDIOSCOPE: The Jericho Tavern – Califone, O2 Academy – Dundee’s indie rockers The View Which they bloody well did for a good few TIM FRIERS & THE MERCINARIES + RED BLACKTHORN: James Street Tavern O2 Academy Esben & The Witch and Pet Moon head up the return to the O2 after their recent Propaganda show, It seems a long while ago that New Zealand years. Worshipping at the uber-rock altars CROW + RIGHT HOOKS + GLENDA HUISH: BLACK DOGZ: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Led Zep tribute. annual celebration of leftfield music in aid of the band plugging their `’ quintet The Naked & Famous were the hottest of Ministry, Slayer and Faith No More, The Jericho Tavern IONEYE + MATTHEW TANSINI: Duke’s Cut Shelter – see main preview album, five years after hitting the Number 1 spot new electro-pop starlets on the block, nimbly AHC’s sound married hardcore, nu-metal and CATWEAZLE: East Oxford Community Centre THE EPSTEIN + HUCK & THE XANDER with debut album `’, which stepping into the void left by MGMT’s industrial noise and found them supporting OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon th BAND + VIENNA DITTO + EMPTY VESSELS spawned hit singles `Wasted Little DJs’ (NME’s SATURDAY 30 indulgent second album, but it was only back Fear Factory, System of a Down and Slipknot BLUES JAM: The Jack Russell, Marston + TRULY FORD: O2 Academy – Another great track of the year in 2007) and `’. THE NAKED & FAMOUS: O2 Academy – in 2011, when they were nominated for the in the late-90s / early-noughties, as well as line-up of local talent at the O2’s Upstairs showcase MACKATING + THE DUBLINGS + DANNY Synth-pop euphoria by the lorry load from the Kiwi BBC Sound Of… award and claimed the recording their album `The Art Of War’ with th in conjunction with BBC Oxford Introducing. MAC + DESTINATION SOUNDSYSTEM: The FRIDAY 29 hitmakers – see main preview airwaves as their own. Having become the first Rick Rubin. Dirty, apocalyptic aural carnage Alt.country heroes The Epstein should need little Cellar – Dub and roots reggae special as part of THE GOGGENHEIM + THE KNIGHTS OF BREED 77 + SALVAGE + native band to enter the NZ charts at Number was very much order of the day, with their introduction to local music fans, their widescreen Oxford City Festival, with local veterans Mackating MENTIS + THE MIGHTY REDOX + THE BRICKSANDMORTAR + BLACK SUNRISE 1 in 16 years with single `Young Blood’, Stateside gigs often involving pigs heads, roots-rock both epic and romantic but equally alongside newcomers The Dublings. + EVAVOID: O2 Academy – Skeletor’s the Auckland quintet easily made the jump blood and shotguns, until alcohol and chemical th campfire intimate. They’re joined by Huck’s MARVELLOUS MEDICINE: The Wheatsheaf Thursday 28 monthly metal shindig attracts Gibraltar/Brit from native success to something far bigger dependency fully took hold, culminating in Xander Band, plotting rock operas about runaway – Reggae fusion pop from the university band. metal scene veterans Breed 77 to town, fusing with their euphoric psychedelic electro-pop the death of guitarist Bryan Ottoson, and not gay teenagers by way of Violent Femmes. The JAZZ CLUB: The Art Bar – Live jazz from The PALMA VIOLETS: flamenco flourishes with furious riffage and perfectly suited to big festival singalong status; long after what was essentially the husk of a ever-morphing Vienna Ditto fuse subterranean blues Hugh Turner Band, plus acoustic Spanish-flavoured dark rock atmospherics. They’re out on tour to big, meaty synth hooks, fun boy-girl vocal band split, citing Heacock’s inability to write with electro-pop brilliantly, coming in somewhere music in the front bar O2 Academy promote new album `The Evil Inside’. The local Things have moved on more than a tad since we duelling, massive dancefloor potential and a or perform. Still, come 2011 and Heacock was between Portishead, Nina Simone, Jean Michel SWINDLESTOCK + AGS CONNOLLY: The supporting cast includes Trivium and Lamb of first caught Palma Violets supporting Savages simple approach to giant pop tunes was the back with Hanks and a new band and ready Jarre and an imagined spaghetti western soundtrack, Jericho Tavern – Country blues and Americana God-inspired metallers Salvage, metalcore thrashers at the Jericho Tavern in the summer of 2012. order of the day and they didn’t disappoint. to tour. A new EP has already been released, while Empty Vessel bring tonight’s rock quota, from Swindlestock as part of Oxford City Festival. Bricks&mortar, and groove-metallers Black Sunrise. They’ve eclipsed even that band’s fast-rising Formed by music college chums Thom Powers with an album to follow, and if it doesn’t all go kicking it out big and ballsy in the tradition of Blue BRICKWORK LIZARDS: Holywell Music GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with fortunes, topping NME’s song of the year poll and Alisa Yayalith, and named after an old horribly wrong for them again, tonight’s Buried Cheer, Led Zep and Hendrix. Room – Turkobilly fusion of classic rock’n’roll and STRENGTH OF THE BEAR + YA OK YEAH with their rabble-rousing thrash-pop anthem Tricky lyric, The Naked & Famous weren’t In Smoke show should hopefully prove there’s BABY GODZILLA + WOUNDS: The eastern from the local faves as part of + JEFF WODE: The Wheatsheaf – An unusually `Best Of Friends’, and seemingly being an averse to cutting into their own pure pop with life in the old war dogs yet. Wheatsheaf – Maniacal, angular hardcore in the Oxford City Festival. cohesive triple bill of bands from the typically object of desire for every surviving A&R scout serrated metallic electro noise but mostly epic vein of Dillinger Escape Plan from Nottingham’s ALL THAT JAZZ: Head of the River – Live jazz. diverse GTI this month. Heading up the bill are nd in the country until they signed on the line for power-pop choruses are the order of the day, FRIDAY 22 Baby Godzilla. OSPREY + ADY DAVEY + MARIA ILETT + post-punk crew Strength of the Bear, drawing something they continue on new album `In IRREGULAR FOLK presents LITTLE Rough Trade. They also managed to sell out THE GOWER ALLSTARS + ENSEMBLE MARCUS BUTLER: The Bear inspiration from Biffy Clyro, Refused and Rivals Rolling Waves’, recorded last year in LA after ARROW + RACHAEL DADD + EMMA this same venue back in March and there’s AZUT + LA CHIVA GANTIVA: St Giles Schools. They’re joined by bluesy Anglo-French the band settled down following 200-odd gigs GATRILL: The Cellar – Back at the Cellar after nothing to suggest they won’t again. Why Christmas Light Festival – OCM host a live music th garage rockers Ya OK Yeah, and abrasive local lo-fi WEDNESDAY 27 was there such a frenzy of excitement about a across two dozen countries in under two years. a summer season in a Bedouin tent in Binsey stage at the Christmas light festival, with Welsh folk noise-rockers Jeff Wode. VUVUVULTURES: O2 Academy – guitar band at a time when such things were Yes they can be cheesy, but that’s the nature and a trip to the UPP for a Wickerman singalong, ensemble The Gower All Stars; French chanson SMILEX + OX4 ALLSTARS + THE Melodramatic , gothic art-rock, indie- again being predicted to be going the way of of the pop beast, and this particular beast has Irregular Folk continues to put a neat twist on devotees Ensemble Azut, and Colombian funk, rock RELATIONSHIPS + THE OTHER DRAMAS metal and doomtronica from London’s genre- woolly mammoths and dodos? Maybe record bloody big teeth. Nice shiny white ones; so eat what constitutes folk music, again presenting three and afrobeat band La Chiva Gantiva. + ART THEEFE + MARK COPE: The Jericho crossing starlets on the rise, the band’s debut album, companies spied the new /Carl up before it eats you. acts who sort of fit into the genre without ever PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + JACK FM DJs: Tavern – All-action rocking from Smilex as getting too comfortable. Pembrokeshire’s Little `Push/Pull’ drawing admiring comparisons to Barrett in Palma Violet’s Chilli Jesson and Sam O2 Academy the play their final gig for the foreseeable future THE PETE FRYER BAND: Jolly Postboys Arrow make an edgy, grungy kind of beachcomber , Crystal Castles, Zola Jesus and The Fryer, or maybe it was the band’s decidedly EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar ahead of the release of their second album, `La PROPAGANDA + TRASHY: O2 Academy acoustic folk-pop. They’re joined by globetrotting Yeah Yeah Yeahs, among others. old-school post-punk/indie rock sound, which FUSED: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Alt.rock covers, from Petit Mort’. They’re joined for tonight’s leg of the EXTRA CURRICULAR: The Cellar singer Rachael Dadd, who draws inspiration from SUBVERSE presents ETHYL: The Cellar – recalls everyone from Jonathan Richmond and Chili Peppers and RATM to Foo Fighters. Oxford City Festival by Osprey’s OX4 Allstars; ALL THAT JAZZ: Head of the River the likes of Sufjan Stevens and Regina Spektor, and House, garage, techno and bass club night with DJ The Strokes to Bauhaus, Teardrop Explodes MISSING PERSIANS: Rock of Gibraltar, Enslow tweedie psych-pop janglers The Relationships; RACHEL RUSCOMBE JONES: The Bear singer and harpist Emma Gatrill, back after playing Tim Hopgood, aka Ethyl, tonight’s special guest and Adam & The Ants at various points in acoustic pop duo The Other Dramas; Matt Sage’s SUPERLOOSE + MEAN MONTAGE + THE one of IF’s summer sessions, nodding towards on the decks, exploring the deeper ends of techno proceedings. Debut album `180’ might have th Art Theefe and melancholic singer-songwriter Mark HOWLIN TAILDRAGGERS + PAUL MORRIS Bjork and Joni Mitchell with her delicate, gently SUNDAY 24 and house. Residents Skins, Harry Scholes, James exposed a few cracks in the band’s songwriting Cope. & THE REVALATORS: James Street Tavern experimental sound. THE KNIGHTS OF MENTIS: Truck Store Shirley and Midnight Mary keep the party going. armour, but live it’s a different story, a HEADCOUNT + BLACK POWDER + JANE THE HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES: The SHOW OF HANDS: The New Theatre – Steve (5pm) – Local nine-piece country/folk roots crew TRIBUTE TO LED ZEP: The Wheatsheaf ramshackle rampage for sure, but a rampage LIKES BOOKS + BARMY ARMY TWAT White Hart, Headington Knightley and Phil Beer continue to sing about launch their debut album instore. ARTCLASSSINK + LEST WE FORGET + nonetheless, and who can resist one of those? DADDIES + DON’T GO PLASTIC: THE SOUTHERN BLUES FIASCO: Marsh Harrier the realities of rural – particularly west country BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) – Open LATE NIGHT LIGHTS: The Jericho Tavern CELLAR – Punkolympic leg of Oxford Music 14TEN + DROPOUT + MONKFISH: The – life over twenty years since they formed. They blues jam with The Mighty Cadillacs and more. – Moody, post-punk and indie rocking from Festival. Duke’s Cut may have outgrown the intimate village halls and Artclasssink at the Oxford City Festival. SWINDLESTOCK + THE OH SO MANY + BE READY: The Art Bar – House club night. folk clubs where they first made their name, but th FLAMENCO GYPSY JAZZ: Head of the River MONDAY 25 HUCK: The Port Mahon – Rootsy blues and THE MIGHTY CADILLACS: King & Queen, musically their roots remain firmly planted in the MOOGIE MAN: The Bear MS MR: O2 Academy – Bold, colourful electro- Americana from Swindlestock, alongside bluesy Wheatley traditional English folk soil. To think, this is a duo pop from New York duo Ms Mr, formed by Neon pop storyteller Huck. EVOLUTION: Fat Lil’s, Witney who, fed up not being able to get a London gig Gold Records co-founder Lizzy Plapinger. Their THURSDAY 28th booking, booked out the Royal Albert Hall and epic sense of gloom has drawn comparisons with PALMA VIOLETS: O2 Academy – Pleasingly Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion in the gig guide is 6pm on the 20th of each month - no promptly filled the place. And two decades in, they Lana Del Ray, Florence and the Machine and Zola chaotic post-punk guitar noise from the still-rising exceptions. Call 01865 372255 (10am-6pm), or email listings to [email protected]. Gig list- sit, deservedly, among the leading lights of the folk Jesus, while they’ve toured with Marina & The indie starlets – see main preview ings are copyright of Nightshift and may not be reproduced without permission. All photos: Chris Blizzard Local Natives Temples Candy Says LIVE GATHERING Various venues The bill for this year’s Gathering has been hosting gigs for a while reads like a gauntlet thrown now and is a superb addition to down by the organisers: can you Gathering’s roster of venues. successfully pick a path to musical And, in MT WOLF, it has a band enlightenment twixt the twin traps capable of the impressive feat of singer- suffering of filling its cavernous interior from the delusion that Ben Howard with intricately crafted songs and Ed Sheeran are deities to be that, while not quite the celestial worshipped, and shallow popstrels music to which it’s accustomed, who believe singing with an accent nevertheless possess grace and and wearing Doc Martens makes power in abundance. The foursome them somehow different and have labelled their style “dream alternative? folk” but that hardly does justice London Grammar to the drama of these suitably Spring Offensive It’s a challenge Nightshift accepts, vespertine hymns. if nervously, and with JJ ROSA we worry we’ll fall at the very Back at The Bully JAKE HART’s first hurdle. She talks so much delicate and personal songs, with you wish she’d play a song. And elements of Four Tet and jazz then when she plays a song, apparent in the drumming, are you wish she’d stop and start struggling to rise above a chatty talking again. ‘Last Night A DJ crowd. His remix of Lana Del Saved My Life’ and Hendrix’s Ray’s ‘Born To Die’ earned him ‘Little Wing’ are both covered considerable interest but he’s left (badly) as if to demonstrate the his electronics at home and brought influences that have fed into her a stripped back four-piece band cringeworthy soul-funk, and a set- that deserves more attention than closer that sounds transparently anyone seems willing to grant him. like Amy Winehouse performing Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’ SPRING OFFENSIVE might is infinitely worse than that be expected to look a bit dazed description might suggest. and confused, finding themselves finally back in the live environment But amends are made instantly. after time spent holed up recording PAWWS – not to be confused with debut album ‘Young Animal surely bring them the success that on to new obsessions. their delicate xx-style songs and DRENGE, are indisputably great, acts on the bill, the Americans are being far more single-minded Paws, the Scottish grungers who Hearts’, but it’s like they’ve never has so far eluded them. Dressed Hannah Reid’s deep and powerful though. The Arctic Monkeys undisputedly fun. Indeed, the only in their approach. Some have played last year’s event – are (is?) been away. Given that Oxford’s as majorettes and with their While much of the itinerary voice are completely impossible to comparisons are valid only insofar offensive thing about Swearin’ is suggested they’re a ‘Stars in Their Lucy Taylor, a chum of MGMT biggest recent exports have been trademark mannequin on display, thus far has been determined appreciate. It seems people want to as they hail from within a twenty the sparsity of the late-night crowd Eyes’ Velvet Underground - indeed, and ’s , Foals and Stornoway, any band ‘Favourite Flavour’ would melt the largely by taking wild stabs be here more than actually engage mile radius of Sheffield. Likewise, here to witness their debut UK when a banana is lobbed onstage though don’t hold that against her. that naturally and without cynicism hardest heart, Juju’s extraordinary in the semi-dark, Wichita’s with the music. the description “blues rock” doesn’t gig, which includes Waxahatchee’s Charlie affects mock offence: She has a voice to die for but also, manages to imagine a bridge voice adapting perfectly to its new WAXAHATCHEE come with come close to capturing the full-on Katie Crutchfield, who spends the “What are you trying to say?!”, rather unusually, the good sense between the two must surely be surroundings. A triumph. enthusiastic recommendations LOCAL NATIVES sound initially ferocity of the misanthropic duo’s set exchanging smiles and knowing but their label Heavenly are more not to over-emote. While there are primed for similar success. “I will from two separate acquaintances like the worst bits of Mumford and assault on the ears, one which glances with twin sister Allison, accurate in alluding to Television some similarities with Chvrches, be blamed for this”, they declare PORT ISLA are also obsessed of Nightshift. Katie Crutchfield’s Sons, and that’s a lot of bits, with threatens to quite literally bring the playing guitar onstage. and the Modern Lovers, albeit the vocals, the synth sound in unison in ‘Not Drowning But with culpability, leading an end- second solo album under that an Americana element reflecting roof down by stirring members of with a touch of glam thrown in. and particularly the live drums Waving’; what “this” is is unclear, of-set singalong of “Nobody else’s moniker, ‘Cerulean Salt’, has their Californian origins. But a a rabid audience to hang from the TROUMACA boast both The clothing is regulation black, call to mind the pop perfection though the song renders pretty fault but mine” that seems more struck a chord with the critics, who few songs in they come up with a Bully’s overhead pipework. At the Brummie provenance at a time though you do wonder whether of prime mid-80s Madonna, much anything excusable, even triumphant than self-flagellating. appear to be in general agreement number that’s rousing in a pleasing end of the set guitarist Eoin waves when Peace have drawn attention bassist Danny Stead will face albeit shrinkwrapped in a cool the adoption of Mumford chic and By comparison with Mt Wolf, that its superficial simplicity masks way, with strong multi-part his instrument around above his to the long-overlooked Second Charlie’s wrath for his choice of a detachment that is thoroughly despite the makeover they still theirs is a homely, heart-on-sleeve a lyrical richness that reveals itself harmonies working well, and we head as though he’s dusting for City and the support of Gilles Def Jam T-shirt. Most importantly, contemporary. sound as Oxford as Mayday on perfect for an autumnal over time. That would explain start to forgive them. cobwebs - unnecessary, as they’ve Petersen’s label Brownswood, they have the substance to go with Magdalen Bridge, and enjoyably evening, though the vocalist would why the songs seem like little long been blown away. as well as what has apparently the impeccable style, and bring Also suffering from a surplus of so. be well advised to rein in his more than unremarkable, listless Temples look fantastic with become an essential marketing the day’s proceedings to a classy consonants are PYYRAMIDS, apparent inclination to mimic Chris strumming - though not why the their 60s hair and impossibly Swearing is of course cool, as are tool: their own logo. Their city of conclusion. who feature OK Go’s Tim Oxford’s other chief contribution Martin. overall performance is so flat and skinny frames but that doesn’t SWEARIN’, purveyors of a punk origin is undoubtedly reflected in So, the gauntlet was successfully Nordwind, so their videos are to today’s bill are CANDY SAYS. Canadians GOLD & YOUTH unengaging. make them T Rex. It doesn’t even pop that thankfully has closer the catholic fusion of indie, reggae, run. Next year it might be nice to likely to be more memorable Back in May at the Punt the band have a moody edge with a retro make them The Glitter Band, affinities with Guided By Voices soul and so-called urban styles, see more local acts, but as a means than their music. That’s not seemed like they were struggling to touch of Death In Vegas, maybe LONDON GRAMMAR are who they’re musically closer to. and what used to be referred to as but, commendable though their of promoting the new and up- saying much, though, given Drea find their identity after the demise it’s those big empty spaces and the other disappointment of the The psychedelic four-piece from “emo” long before My Chemical open-mindedness is, the results are and-coming, Gathering 2013 can Smith’s flat vocals and the band’s of Little Fish. Tonight they blow endless highways. Playing their day, if for no real fault of their Kettering show promise but would Romance (think Get Up Kids unconvincing. nevertheless be hailed a triumph. uninspiring sub-Pixes dirge. everyone on the bill clean away first UK gig, their danceable side own. Despite the long queue to be a more attractive prospect and The Promise Ring) than with with a joyous set of ridiculously provides a welcome contrast, even get in everyone natters away so without the hint of Kasabian the clean-cut, glossy, Californian By contrast, CHARLIE BOYER Words: Ben Woolhead and Art St John the Evangelist Church catchy but mature songs that will if the fickle UK scene has moved loudly, even near the front, that lingering in the air. variety. Almost uniquely of all the & THE VOYEURS profit by Lagun

we’re just too damned chipper to songs on new album `Colours’, a songwriting that there are trendy types all over the shop Evil Blizzard wish ill on anyone). From township DEVON SPROULE / collaboration with fellow Canadian Mike O’Neil, offering essentially the same fare and garnering jive to Calypso party vibe, Duchess from the Inbreds. With O’Neil’s vocal parts plaudits from every angle. exude pure, unfettered joy, all BERNICE fleshed out tonight by Gill, they mark a side step Never trust a restaurant where the main menu is sunshine and smiles, hitting a peak The Cellar for Devon, away from her vintage country of yore, more than two pages. Chefs should be celebrating

photo:Marc West photo:Marc with `Oven Time’ and afterwards into a more mainstream folk-pop, while retaining what they do best, not offering everything in a Devon Sproul’s “alternative upbringing” by even this cynical old Nightshift sod her trademark, sharp lyricism. It’s almost dangerous desperate attempt to please the world. Artclasssink polyamorous parents in the sprawling Twin Oaks finds his face aching from grinning to suggest what follows is a comfortable show, but approach music like a beered-up posse at such an Community in Virginia shines through the moment so damn hard throughout the entire its compelling mix of languid James Taylor-esque establishment, ordering willy-nilly, and suggesting you enter The Cellar, leaving behind a dark, rain- set. Put on Duchess on prescription vibe crossed with a Janis Ian-style poignancy hugs “just put it all in the middle, mate, and we’ll mix filled Monday night for what feels like a friendly, in every GP surgery across the land; you tightly from the start. and match”. And so Joy Division portentousness intimate house party. how the world would heal. Songs like `Heidi-Hi’ (“Heidi, I know I’m no light scratches against glistening Cocteaus guitar, whilst A more diminutive and slight figure than she After which Co-Pilgrim are a show”) and stand-out number `You Can’t Help Mansun choruses straddle mall-rock thumping. appears on TV, the much travelled Canadian huge comedown. On record their It’ (“How does it feel to carry so much light? / You That it makes no sense is its charm, but when the troubadour hangs out by the main door, like a understated Americana can be pretty can’t help it, you can’t help that you’re so good”), band lose their rhythm or let their composure slip consummate hostess, chatting with fans and and nicely textured, but coming are all interlinked with comical readings from it’s as if that dining party were passing out one by friends who’ve travelled far and wide to attend after Duchess, they just sound what appears to be a Ladybird book of British one. tonight’s show. The cosiness continues as her dreary in the extreme. Throughout wildlife. The whole thing calms the senses like a Birmingham’s Superfood are an up-and-coming backing musicians this evening are band their entire set you struggle to find pair of slippers, yet still leaves you energised and band. You can tell because the tracks on their Bernice, who in a nifty move also act as the a hook to hang a hat on, just earnest hungry for more, high quality musicianship as a Soundcloud have so many celebratory comments support, with Devon on backing vocals. muso rambling; something that’s all way of life, where all you have to do was take a that listening to them creates a pop-up strobe In essence there’s not a huge musical difference the more disappointing given the deep breath and count to Zen. effect that burns the word “sick” onto your retinas. between the sets; Bernice’s strong rhythm section involvement of Bennett brothers Paul Carrera Sadly, this online fever has not translated to a large underpins Thom Gill’s superb guitar work and Robin and Joe, whose Goldrush and turnout, which is a shame, as it feels as though harmonic vocals, while Robin Dann’s singing is Dreaming Spires bands offer so much the band would thrive on a vibrant crowd. Their the revelation of the night. They open with an a more in a similar musical style. SUPERFOOD / rhythms are insistent, but lithe and bouncy, and capella piece called “Is Anyone Going To New the vocals are approachable and warm, and they Things spring back to life somewhat York?”, a refrain so heartrendingly repeated that look as though they’re just waiting for the next with Empty White Circles, whose ARTCLASSSINK by the end I’m biting my tongue in an effort not good time to catalyse. The songs sound like Ride own take on American country-folk to break the pindrop moment by yelling out “Yes! without the pedals mixed with first album Blur, comes wrapped in big, bold colours – The Art Bar I’ll take you”. I don’t think I’ve heard a smoother Kill Murray are unable to perform because of which is fine, even if they also resemble The closer to the likes of The Waterboys voice anywhere, not even a glottal stop to mar illness, so vocalist Gus Rogers fills in solo, Bluetones with alarming regularity. It would be or James at times than any Stateside what seems to be just breath with words on it. strumming a fuzzy guitar over what could be supercilious to claim that a young band can’t find heroes. Three-guitar build-ups After a halftime switch around involving yet more A-Ha backing tracks, and singing in a high, inspiration from the music of the mid-90s, but flower into airy anthems before they EMPTY WHITE CIRCLES / CO-PILGRIM / audience bon homie, Devon steps up to the plate delicate slur, like the ghost of a tramp. Gig it would be nice to see these decent musicians dissipate into more tender reveries, in her own right, the image of an Andrew Wyeth cancellation is pandemic in this town, so we stretching themselves. After all, a quick glance at DUCHESS / CHRIS RYDER and if they sometimes lack any great painting, accentuated by the projections of rural applaud Gus’ decision to perform under straitened the O2 listings most months shows that Britpop character they can call their own, America behind her. circumstances. It’s impressive that one track even clearly hasn’t yet finished eating itself. O2 Academy the richness of their sound carries This current UK tour is essentially to air the sounds quite spell-binding, even as it’s depressing David Murphy The bloke-with-acoustic-guitar act `North Country Girl’ sounds pretty sense of summer that defies the them through. The bar for such remains a hard one to pull off with sweet. encroaching autumn outside. roots rocking is set incredibly high any real sense of style but Chris It’s encouraging to see the O2 Singer Katie-Louise Herring has a in Oxford, from Stornoway to The Ryder makes a decent stab at it. so packed for tonight’s Upstairs warmly soulful sing-song voice that Epstein and ToLiesel, and it’ll be Crop-haired, tattooed and unafraid to showcase of local acts, and a sizeable positively dances over the assembled interesting how Empty White Circles crack a smile, he avoids the self-pity contingent seem to be here for percussionists arranged behind her carve their own identity amid such clichés while retaining the necessary Duchess, making their Academy (we’d normally walk five hundred company, but early signs are at least sensitivity on songs like `Ghosts’, debut. Their reward is a set awash miles to butcher a bongo player with promising. while even his cover of Bob Dylan’s with natural exuberance and a a rusty meat cleaver, but in this case, Dale Kattack

OXJAM TAKEOVER Various venues It’s raining. Properly raining. The temptation to stay snug and warm in a ever sounding bombastic. They’re effortlessly epic, notably on the superb `Just single venue for the night is highly tempting, but forty acts strung across six Fall’, sounding like U2 might have if they’d kept that early stadium pop kick venues demands braving the elements. It doesn’t help that the Cellar seems and hung out with The Jam instead of becoming insufferably pompous. to be running so far behind schedule that we spend most of Caandides’ Poor old Toliesel fare less well against the sound system, enduring four truncated set convinced they’re someone else entirely. They only get three false starts to their set, which pretty much demolishes their bold, but delicate songs, which is probably enough to be honest: their Foals-y indie-funk is countrified pop. decent enough but can’t match their impressive visuals, the whole band Up at the Wheatsheaf I Cried Wolf’s velocity metalcore sticks close to the bathed in shifting patterns like a 1980s sci-fi special effects overload. genre’s blueprint but is fun nonetheless, while Mutagenocide’s vomit-flecked A fellow Nightshift scribe is cheerfully nodding along to Stroke Of tech-metal onslaught feels less like a gig, more like a case of musical assault Luck down at the Purple Turtle, but initially at least we’re baffled by his and battery, for better rather than worse, we hasten to add. Desert Storm, enthusiasm as the band appear to be trying to play an old INXS song in the though, remain the local rock band by which all others should be judged. style of , the end result closer to the sound of dying cattle. Familiarity can’t dampen the force of their sludgy blues-core assault. Gravel- They do get better though, like a heavier, rockier take on an old 1950s prom gargling venom and simply monstrous riffage meld with a technical precision band. Extra bonus points for having a guitarist who is a deadringer for Tobey that comes from incessant gigging. Surely they’re one lucky break away from MaGuire’s Peter Parker. far, far bigger things. Contenders for band of the night are Cooling Pearls at St Michael’s church, Attempting to give the Purple Turtle one last chance, we findDeer Chicago a suitable setting for their exotic but rootsy brand of folk-pop. Armed with all but inaudible, either through lack of PA power or the constant chatter of an unusual array of instruments, their first number carries an Orcadian swing the gathered throng, so we seek weather-busting solace with Dubwiser at the about it and frontman Aiden Canaday seems to be singing in Gaelic. Second Cellar, a band whose eternal quest to spread good vibes into any and every song `The Galloping Major’ is just gorgeous, equally mournful and rousing, situation makes them the perfect way to end a night dedicated to tackling and if Aiden forever looks like he’d rather be anywhere other than in front of an global poverty and when dodging the downpours makes venue-hopping audience, he sings with an easy power that sounds like a folk Ian Curtis. more of a trial than a joy. Reggae can work when it’s raining, apparently, and A brief visit to Turl Street Kitchen is rewarded by Eloise Rees’ lovely warm, Dubwiser’s one-world sense of optimism shines a little light and warmth into sleepy-eyed acoustic pop, while back at the Turtle, Black Hats are battling the even the darkest, wettest corners of the night. temperamental PA gamely, managing the neat trick of being anthemic without Ian Chesterton GRAPHIC SCORES JAMES BLAKE NO AGE / JEFF WODE St John the Evangelist 02 Academy The Jericho Tavern Graphic Scores is a tour showcasing and never gets caught up in shoe This is the year James Blake tapped expanse seemed to counter the way First up, Jeff Wode. A band named after a unnerving record, consisting of songs that scores by experimental composers gazing. It’s particularly good on into something that’s taken him from his music can get right inside your 317lb shot-putter referenced in Withnail & feel like pencil sketches rather than washes who (sometimes) use ways other avant garde jazz trumpeter Wadada a former dubstep DJ and producer to head in a manner that’s not always I. A dapper guitarist who jerks around as of watercolour. One reviewer was moved than standard musical notation to Smith’s ‘Luminous Axis,’ dovetailing a real-life pop star, with most of this comfortable, or even welcome. But though he’s being electrocuted. A growling to comment that as a guitar and drums duo, express ideas. And with the selected elegantly with the oddly appropriate tour sold out weeks in advance. when it works, like the perfectly bassist who dons a gold lame jacket to they appeared to be attempting to phase out scores scrolling across a screen as the boop, burp and grumble (a volcano Accompanied by a drummer and realised digital minimalism of ‘The deliver a thrash-punk-cum-dub-reggae-cum- the guitar and drums - you don’t get much musicians perform, it offers the bonus with indigestion, perhaps) of Isambard guitarist, plus an elaborate light Wilhelm Scream’, the results are lounge number called ‘David Sushi’. A song more ambitious or experimental than that. Or of seeing what they look like. Khroustaliov’s electronics. show, he holds the audience in the simply peerless. they made up last night (‘Dear David Rose’). more foolhardy and potentially alienating, The most visually beautiful score is We’re not told if Oliver Coates kind of rapture that has become The undercurrent of loneliness Another that carries the take-home message depending on how you look at it. Wadada Leo Smith’s series of delicate follows Jennifer Walshe’s directions increasingly rare to witness. is confirmed by the album’s two ‘Ian Brown Is Not Your Dad’. A five-second- So it’s something of a conciliatory gesture abstract paintings. Cornelius Cardew’s commencing, “1. Learn to skateboard, Maybe it’s because his music is so most successful tracks being long cover of Backstreet Boys’ ‘Everybody’ to the audience that tonight’s show opens ‘Treatise’ looks like architectural plans; however primitively”, but the way his fragile and portentous, frequently collaborations: ‘Take A Fall For to close the set. Against all the odds, The with the album’s two most conventional Fred Frith uses photos of scrubland and disquieting cello solo drills into the disappearing into cavernous holes Me’ with RZA, and ‘Digital Lion’ Cellar Family may have a worthy successor punk songs, the single ‘C’mon, Stimmung’ a brick wall, while Jennifer Walshe brain perfectly matches her title, ‘This of near-silence and abandoning with , and it would have as Oxford’s most entertaining oddballs. and ‘Lock Box’. The latter is reminiscent THE OXFORD RECORD makes heavy use of text fringed with Is Why People OD on Pills’. rhythm and conventional song been a real treat to see one of them No Age are also non-conformists, punks partly of Fugazi but particularly of Wire, and photos of skateboarders, and Tom Other highlights of tonight’s OCM- structures. Where his first album wander out tonight. The reality is in the purest sense, who refuse to play the a sense of the sonic and ideological parallels DVD & CD FAIR Phillips’ ‘Ormamentik’ is reminiscent curated concert are the joy and sounded at times like an odd mix of that his material requires a clarity of record industry’s games, unafraid to bite the with Colin Newman’s iconic post-punkers St ALDATES PARISH CENTRE of Egyptian hieroglyphics. gusto of Elaine Mitchener’s solo Curtis Mayfield and The reproduction that a live PA mostly hand that feeds out of a fierce determination has helped me to make more sense of ‘An John Cage’s `Water’ is a set of voice performing the thuds, stomps, the recent `Overgrown’ LP sees him fails to attain, not that the audience to maintain their own independence. This is Object’ than most. 40 Pembroke St, St Aldates, OX1 1BP precisely-timed written directives that ratatats and other onomatopoeic moving towards a more accessible seem too troubled. But the encore a band who last year interrupted a Converse- Mid-set we get ‘No Ground’, ‘Defector/ed’ Saturday 23rd November has genre-hopping classical pianist cartoon sounds of Cathy Barbarian’s sound, with tracks you could even is a glorious ‘Measurements’ that sponsored set in Barcelona with a 15-minute- and ‘Circling With Dizzy’ back to back, for Joanna MacGregor, stopwatch in hand, ‘Stripsody’, and the tight ensemble dance to. He’s talked about the joy handsomely trumps the recorded long video criticising the ethics of the which Spunt steps out from behind his kit, 10am-4pm of his relationship with Warpaint amusingly scurrying from one action to playing of the five performers in version. He sings its repeated phrases company’s manufacturing practices. playing bass on two of them. Performing the Rock/pop/jazz/soul/reggae/indie/all other genres the next: “6.05 Duck whistle gradually their tense free-jazz-influenced guitarist Theresa Wayman inspiring over two recorded versions of his own The title of their new album, `An Object’, three tracks sequentially is clearly a tactic Accessories/memoriabillia/books. into water”. Her shuffling of a deck of response to Frith’s ‘Bricks for Six’, its creation, evidenced on songs like vocal, almost producing a modern-day is both a critical comment on the debasing to ensure he doesn’t have to be continually Brand new and back catalogue/Rare Vinyl cards is Las Vegas standard but even and also in the finale, an extract from ‘Life Round Here’, and he’s received Gregorian chant. When you learn that corporate commoditisation of art and a standing up and sitting down, but the absence www.usrfairs.co.uk more impressive is her wonderfully Cardew’s ‘Treatise’, which builds to a advice from Kanye West and Joni his dad played in 70s prog rockers celebration of the album as a real physical of his propulsive drumming is more keenly sensitive playing of George Crumb’s celebratory crescendo. Mitchell as his US profile grows. Colosseum this makes some sense. artefact. When Dean Spunt and Randy felt, momentum is temporarily lost and ‘Crusifixus’ and ‘Spiral Galaxy’, With performances this good, thoughts Yet tonight’s show has an Rarely does a musician instil Randall decided they wanted to literally audience interest starts to wane before the conventional notation shaped as a cross about what the scores look like and unexpectedly itchy and such an unusual sense of hyper- make the record, the follow-up to 2010’s pair pull it back around with an old favourite. and a spiral. the extent they’re actually influencing claustrophobic feel. Previous sets awareness, but as technology makes ‘Everything In Between’, their label, Sub And therein lies the rub. The older material It is, however, the un-showy, luminous what performers are playing fade into witnessed at open-air festival us re-evaluate our relationship with Pop, was exasperated by the duo’s apparent – especially the superb ‘Eraser’ and ‘Teen tone of Tom Arthur’s muted trumpet irrelevance; ultimately it is all about the stages, one only two months ago, machines James Blake seems to be determination to make things difficult for Creeps’ from ‘Nouns’ – lends itself much which steals the show. His meditative music they make. saw his music floating free over the well ahead of the game. themselves, but sufficiently understanding to more naturally to the live environment, phrasing is always moving forward Colin May English countryside. The physical Art Lagun indulge them, and the pair duly packaged and where it doesn’t matter if any subtleties are shipped 10,000 records and CDs personally. obliterated with sheer volume. The omission That wilful attitude is evident in the album’s of two-note classic `Everybody’s Down’ content too. ‘Everything In Between’ and in favour of jaded newie `I Won’t Be Your predecessor ‘Nouns’, both superlative Generator’, for instance, signals that No Age records, had established a style widely are growing up. Time will tell if `An Object’ branded dream-punk, a label that did some proves to be a stepping stone to better things justice to No Age’s filtering of hardcore (or even a great album in its own right) rather through a mesh of effects and samples and than a baffling misstep, but in a gig context at embellishing it with lush ambient interludes. least I’d prefer they remained punk Peter Pans. In that context, ‘An Object’ is a deeply Ben Woolhead Flash Harry Sound Systems Compact & potent PA systems, COUNT DRACHMA / JALI FILY CISSOKO ranging from 1.5k to 5.5k Bose Speakers, Chevin amplifiers, with NATURE BOY Midas Gold mixing desk. All the graphics, gates & compressors necessary Florence Park Community Centre to make your band With songs in Mandenka (I think) inflected guitar accompaniment adding or event sound delicious. followed by a set in Zulu, it feels like the that little extra. Their set deservedly ends Please contact James Serjeant global village had arrived at the first of a with warm applause and happy faces all new season of monthly Sunday afternoon around. on 079 1914 7350 sessions put on by the ever enterprising The relaxed Sunday afternoon vibe or [email protected] Matt Sage at Florence Park Community continues with Count Drachma, the Centre, in partnership with fellow local band formed by Stornaway’s South Musicians wanted musician Nature Boy. African-born Oli Steadman to play Zulu Ex-Mindsurfer/Black Candy/NLE members need versatile singer/ The perma-smiling Jali Fily, from Maskandi folk music. Though without shouter m/fm to complete rock/metal band. Influences; Sabbath/ southern Senegal, now resident in Witney, their violinist, their set is also thoroughly Mastadon/Tool/Metallica. Call Jonny 07845 878606 can get people dancing but this is a more enjoyable. With brother Rob’s cajon and a chilled, early-Sunday afternoon set. Alex Badamchi-Zadeh’s understated bass Dirty Sweet Lies are looking for a male lead singer, to practice weekly Watching his fingers fly over his 21-string blending subtly with Oli’s fine vocals in Bicester, gig regularly & have a good time. Original Rock Music. Contact via fb or www.dirtysweetlies.com African kora is as mesmerising as ever and acoustic guitar, they make the gently though, and his playing and singing, undulating repetitive Maskandi rhythm Pianist / guitarist looking for able musicians and lyricists to write even if the song is one of his and not beguiling. Oli’s amusing introductions are songs with. Influences include Radiohead’s `Kid A’ and `Amnesiac’, traditional, retains a satisfyingly timeless a particular bonus, and you have to love a Steve Reich, Oceansize, Cinematic Orchestra. Contact:jamie@ quality. For today’s set he and Nature band that sings a folk nursery rhyme about jimaudio.com / 07766 100 435 Boy resume their occasional partnership, a shape-shifting, milk-stealing lizard. Musicians wanted ads are free. Email ads to nightshift@oxfoirdmusic. with Nature Boy’s sympathetic jazz- Colin May net. 30 words max. Every Tuesday And the lowlight “I’ve done some INTRODUCING.... THE OXFORD JAZZ CLUB Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under collaborations I’m not Live Spanish-flavoured music. 8-10pm proud of. I used to just 5th / 26th THE HUGH TURNER BAND 12th ALVIN ROY & REEDS make tracks with anyone UNLIMITED 19th THE NEW JAZZ COLLECTIVE who asked, sometimes RAWZ without even bothering Wednesdays Who is he? to listen to their stuff 6th WILLE & THE BANDITS Rawz is a rapper from Greater Leys who has been recording and performing first. I suppose I just wanted to get myself out 13th / 27th BROOKES MUSIC SOCIETY BIG NIGHT OUT 7.30pm since he was 15, originally inspired by the likes of Tupac, Biggie, Eminem, Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes, before becoming increasingly influenced by The there.” Wu Tang Clan, , The Doors and Bob Marley. He was one of His favourite other Thursdays the first members of a group of local MCs called The G Block Family but Oxfordshire act is: 21st DAVE MORGAN BAND 7pm now mostly works as a solo rap and spoken word artist. Since leaving G “It’s got to be Flooded 21st SONIC HOUSE NIGHT 10.30-3am Block he has released two albums, a solo debut, ‘Spoken’, and last month Hallways. There’s a a collaboration with Nemrot of Flooded Hallways, called ‘Live From track on their album Fridays The Pantheon’. He also runs his own business called The Urban Music `One Variable’, ‘A Foundation, running lyric writing and poetry workshops in schools, colleges THREAD AT A TIME’ CLUB NIGHTS 10.30-3am and youth groups. He also works at The Ark T Centre’s recording studio, that I’m a bit obsessed with at the moment, I’ll quite happily listen to it two or The Kate Garrett Studio, as music project leader and as a youth worker with three times in a row.” Early Friday gigs ‘Positive Futures’. If he could only keep one album in the world, it would be: 1st HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN 7pm 29th SHURMAN 7pm What does he sound like? “That’s a killer but I’d have to say The Beatles’ `White Album’; cliché but As much a spoken word artist and poet as a rapper, the emphasis is on the true.” words and the rhymes more than the production on Rawz’s two releases so When is his next local gig and what can newcomers expect? Saturday early shows “Not sure what I’ll be doing in Oxfordshire in November as I’m going to be nd far. Cultural references abound, there’s obvious relish in the wordplay, and 2 THE GROWLERS / TOMORROW’S TULIPS 7pm recording my next solo project but got a few things in the pipeline so we’ll th his delivery is both natural and unaffected, tending towards a narrative style 9 RUARRI JOSEPH 7pm with an often downbeat feel. Or, in his own words, “It’s music that’s an see. I always let people know when I’ve got gigs coming up via my Facebook expression of myself. I talk about issues that I care about and ask questions of pages: Facebook.com/RawzMusic, Facebook.com/realRawz and Twitter: @ NOVEMBER Saturdays my audience.” realRawz.” Mondays 2nd REGGAE NIGHT 9th SIMPLE 16th THESE DAYS What inspires him? His favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: 23rd HOUSE NIGHT 30th BE READY “I think about humans all the time: the struggle to survive and the “There’s loads of musical talent in Oxford, but I feel that the hip hop scene THE HAVEN CLUB inequalities and contradictions of reality. I also really like words that rhyme, doesn’t get enough exposure. Partly because a lot of people have a distorted th 4 TONY JEZZARD’S BIRTHDAY MEMORIAL SHOW and good beats.” perception of what it’s about. I think more promoters need to put faith into the th 11 NINE BELOW ZERO / AARON KEYLOCK Sundays Career highlight so far: genre.” rd 18th MATT SCHOFIELD 3 MAD DOG McREA “Sharing a stage with Skinnyman a few years ago was great. He’s still one of You might love him if you love: th 25th Buried in Smoke presents AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE / RSJ / 10 BROTHER & BONES my favourite British MCs, so getting to meet him and have a chat was cool. Ghostpoet; RZA; Earl Sweatshirt; Tupac; MF Doom. th MAPLE RUN 24 HUMOUR TUMOUR – comedy night 8pm Also, releasing my first solo album, ‘Spoken’, was uniquely satisfying, and Hear him here: making ‘Live From The Pantheon’ was great fun.” www.rawz.bandcamp.com DR SHOTOVER: Early Adopter T H E W H E A T S H E A F Ah, there you are, Newbie - pull up a child-sized pew, kick off your school THIS MONTH IN OXFORD st sandals, and enjoy the ‘grown-up’ ambience of the East Indies Club Bar. Or Fri 1 November ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY indeed Bra, if you are dyslexic. (Stop sniggering, Timberlake). So, we were were among the local acts treading the boards. HEADCOUNTJANE LIKES BOOKS + MONKFISH 8pm/£5 just exchanging a few primo-quality jokes, and you may join us, Newbie – on 20 YEARS AGO 5 YEARS AGO Sun 3rd November condition that you unclip your Toys-R-Us plastic wallet, take out your pocket These days you can’t move in Oxford without If twenty years ago we were happily interviewing money and spring for a round. [Glasses of foaming ale – plus one alcopop tripping over a local alt.country band, but back in Hamish Ferguson in his role with Lucky & The BLACK SKIES BURN + EMPIRE DIVIDED + CONFRONT THE CARNAGE 7pm 10 YEARS AGO FOETAL JUICE - are paid for and passed across the bar]. Very good. Ok, here’s one for November 1993, the only one worth talking about th Losers, November 2008 found Nightshift paying Fri 8th November Nightshift marked its 100 issue not only with you. I say, I say I say, what do you call a Rastafarian mobile? An i&iPhone, were Lucky & The Losers. Who in turn were a series of local gigs (mentioned in last month’s tribute to the singer who had passed away after CLARK WISEMAN THE METHOD + BALLOON ASCENT + GLENDA HUISH 8pm/£5 obviously… [Collapse of various stout parties around the bar]. All right, talking to Curfew magazine to coincide with the retrospective) but a run-down of the 100 high and battling cancer, aged just 45. Local music legends Sat 9th November Timberlake, it wasn’t that funny, you can stop sniggering now. TIMBERLAKE! release of their debut album `The Rest Of Lucky low points of the mag’s lifetime. Among the former Richard Ramage and Mac were among those SHEE-UT IT! You are dribbling like an infant, you have snot coming out of & The Losers’. The band, formed from the ashes were the opening of the Zodiac; the birth of Shifty who remembered Hamish, who played with The BRIGHTWORKS 8pm/£5 your nose, and you are sporting ONE OF THOSE BEARDS. Go off and f*** of myriad other local acts, including The Hulas, Anyways and The Hulas over the years. “A lovely th Disco; Radiohead’s incredible South Park show; Sun 10 November up another online social networking site, why don’t you? Now, where were The Anyways and The Iron Clowns, drawn accidentally stepping on Gillian Anderson’s toes fella and a top player,” said Mac. we? Ah yes, dog-rock crossover jokes. Where did we get to? The Labra- together by a love for pioneers like Buck Owens at the South Park aftershow party but getting a In happier news, A Silent Film released their new CRIPPLER LBU BRICKS & MORTAR + OUTTA’LUCK + CROWS REIGN 7pm/£4 Fri 15th November Doors, The Up-Setters, The Pointer Sisters, Canine Inch Nails, Mastiff Attack, (“where do you think George Harrison got that smile off her anyway, and getting a kiss off Cerys album, `The City That Sleeps’ on Xtra Mile, the Danielle Dachsund, Steeleye Spaniel… What’s that, Newbie? What do you twang hicak twang guitar style of his?” asked singer Matthews when Catatonia played at the Point. band talking at length to Nightshift about touring ORANGE VISION BLOOD RED STARS + COLUMBA 8pm/£5 mean, you don’t think this is very funny? I suppose you’d rather watch some Hamish Ferguson, before going on to decry the In the latter camp were such joys at the closure of the States with multi-million-selling rockers One Sat 16th November Young Person’s Comedy starring Jack Shitehall on BBC3? Or check a ‘viral’ “fake authenticity – the Nashville Syndrome” of the Point and the Fuggle & Firkin; Fox FM’s Republic, the release of their album, and singer Rob (whatever the f*** that is) on your iSpaz?? [Dr S, incandescent with rage, most country music. These days the band would be `Party In The Park’ (“30,000 quarterwits munching Stevenson’s attempt to pick a fight with an entire LATE NIGHT LIGHTS 8pm/£5 throws his pint glass at Newbie, misses, and shatters the East Indies Club beloved members of a large local sub-scene. Back chicken wings, drinking free Dr Pepper and gurning venue of Glaswegians one night. Wed 20th November Bar TV screen]. Magaluf??? Never heard of it. then, though, they were leaders of an army of one. along to a endless succession of soul-selling In other local news, the fast-rising Foals had Similarly unique were Death By Crimpers, who’d shitehawks”), and Kings of Leon’s UK debut at the added a second night at the Oxford Academy HONKYDESERT STORM + PROSPERINA + BARRY & THE BEACHCOMBERS 8pm Next month: MAGMALUF Prog Weekender. Sat 23rd November just signed to German Sonic this Zodiac (“pig-ugly hicks playing bad 70s rock from to their UK tour, while long-term chums month and were set to release their debut single, the worst excesses of The Old Grey Whistle Test”). Youthmovies released `Polyp’ on Blast First - “a BABY GODZILLA WOUNDS 8pm `Obsessive’ (on luscious pink vinyl), before that Aside from such nostalgic indulgence, there was an typically atypical outing,” claimed Nightshift’s Tue 26th November same label’s machinations caused the band’s split interview with the very mighty Rock Of Travolta, review, “their continued musical mutations are just as bigger things beckoned. who had just released their second album, `Uluru’. admirable compared to the easy rut that too many MARVELLOUS MEDICINE 8pm/£5 Coming to Oxford in November 93 were seminal The band, having formed in Oxford, now found bands sink into.” th Wed 27 November – OXFORD CITY FESTIVAL shoegazers Slowdive and techno crazies Eat Static, themselves scattered geographically, something that A great month for gigs saw visits to town for both at the Oxford Venue; enduring psych-pop cult would precipitate a major line-up upheaval shortly Fucked Up, Built To Spill, Ladytron, Mercury LED ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE FEATURING DENNY ILETT & ADY DAVEY 8pm Fri 29th November – OXFORD CITY FESTIVAL hero Robyn Hitchcock and folk-punks Tansads, after. Also released this month were albums by The Rev, Don Caballero and Alphabeat, while at the Jericho Tavern, while also at the Tavern Workhouse, A Suitable Case For Treatment and bringing some kind of karmic balance The Foxes FRACTURE PEERLESS PIRATES + THE OMNIVIBES + MR TOM + DAMIAN FRANKLIN 7pm a band called Fin were being supported by some Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies, while aside were in the Demo Dumper, for their “undergraduate Sat 30th November chirpy young newcomers called Supergrass. Who from Nightshift’s celebration gigs, highlights of essay on misanthropy, delivered over the top of are possibly better remembered these days than the the month included Million Dead at the Zodiac, some third-rate pop-punk”. The band described STRENGTH OF THE BEAR YA OK YEAH + JEFF WODE 8pm/£4.50 likes of Sonic Sound Reaction; Root-de-Toot; featuring a very young Frank Turner on vocals. themselves as gritty; the review suggested they The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford MAGMA have fun on the beach Stitched; The Haze, or September Gurls, who They were, from what we remember, bloody great. were something that rhymed with gritty. finds out the cute boy she fancies at school since Phil and Sue are too nice to dislike is snogging the bitchy cheerleader. Talking of any music at all, it seems. The very memory which, the other song here is called `Sleeping of the band Tin Tin Tin is testament to the With The Enemy’ and is a more resilient couple’s tolerance levels being way too high. DEMOS beast, sort of `Born To Be Wild’ re-imagined Sadly though, Nightshift isn’t blessed with Sponsored by through the filter of a daydream by Hannah such a good natured view of humanity and Demo of the Month wins a free half Montana. Which isn’t nearly as bad as that its musical outpourings and two songs into day at Silver Street Studios in Read- might sound. So, no beatings, critical or this demo we’re thinking bad thoughts about physical. Everyone’s happy. Did we mention worthless as Richie pumps through ing, courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. pandas? some heroically hamfisted pub-rock, notable Visit umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift mainly for the strain it seems to be exerting on his poor old voice box as he attempts to hit the voice flushing out lyrical whimsy nineteen DEVOTION top notes. A sense of anthemic blues-rocking 01865 240250 Talking of pandas, or cute things in general, to the dozen. Mostly it seems to be wistful is aimed for and turgidly missed by a country DEMO OF one of Devotion is called Rosie, which is one nostalgia – memories of riding a skateboard mile. Then, just as we’re contemplating of those great names you usually only get as a kid, or listening to JJ Cale – but there’s using an entire urban dictionary’s-worth of in old fashioned kids stories about talking THE MONTH little emotional or musical depth and it feels profanities in one single review, or at least dollies and stuff, so we’re definitely not hacked out, like something to do on an wandering off to look at LOLcats, Richie expecting rampaging black-metal. People in otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon instead of takes a startling change of tack and turns BETA BLOCKER & black-metal bands are called Igor or Tyrant mowing the lawn. The one exception is the into a mournful electronic drone beast, like (real name, Tim). Nor do we get it. Instead THE BODY CLOCK more autumnal `The Conversation’, which a doomladen, almost Gregorian take on Joy the one song here, `Start Something New’, is High-end production values are overrated. might just about have passed muster amid Division’s `Ceremony’ revisited via some a highly pleasing fuzzy-wuzzy, swirly-whirly As is happiness. So let’s hear it for bands The Anyways’ peerless jangle-pop. Maybe in primitive acid house exploration. It’s a bit journey into post-My Bloody Valentine who sound as miserable as sin AND sound lesser hands we’d let such things go, but once scattershot but a world away, and above, what guitar noisemongery, a dreamy rising fog of like they recorded their demo at the bottom you’ve had greatness from a musician, you preceded it. Phil and Sue might well look shoegaze whimsy that could be The Verve’s of a well full of muddy water, piranhas and a expect more of the same each and every time. for the best in everyone’s music but even we `Bittersweet Symphony’ filtered in fractured detuned . Let’s hear it for Beta Blocker “I never took LSD’ croons Pete gently on occasionally see the worth and goodness in the soft focus through Slowdive’s effects-heavy & The Body Clock. A band who we last `Politics of Ecstasy’. Bet he bloody did too, most unexpected places. We just need a little soundscaping. Which might not be the encountered down at Modern Art Oxford and maybe a sly tab before the next recording time to come round. We’re not cynics; we’re last word in originality, but is still pretty sounding like a lorryload of cutlery hurling session wouldn’t go amiss, eh. just cautious. itself off the top of Mount Everest while blummin’ good, right? Hell, just cos there’s getting stoned and listening to My Bloody been pandas before, doesn’t make new pandas any less ace to look at, does it? Valentine. It’s murky, morose and maybe even NEW MANTRA THE DEMO TURAN AUDIO.co.uk a bit muddled, but the almost atonal keyboard A one-track demo from New Mantra, the Professional, independent CD mastering droplets that come sprinkled over the top of work of producer Sam Cooper, entitled `Sad Artists mastered in the studio last month include; demo opener `Pickle Jar’ sound like a heady Panda’, which is, like, just too cute to even BILL FRIZZELL DUMPER Among the extensive list of things that are cocktail of love and rain compared to the comprehend. Even the thought of a sad panda RUTH (THE MUSICAL), OWEN TROMANS, JONATHAN far less appealing than pandas is testicular carefully crafted shitcakes we sometimes get makes us want to cry. The track itself is a cancer, but it’s a serious business. So serious FRANCE, THE SEA THE SEA, TOSHES, BAKA BEYOND, sent. `Mystikal’, by comparison, positively woozy electronic dream-pop waft – not so SCENICLIFE that every November thousands of blokes When submitting a demo for review to dances along, a flurry of peppermint joy much a song as an intangible piece of aural grow moustaches to draw attention to the Nightshift, you could maybe write some HAWKWIND, MATTHEW LEE AND THE OCTAVES, EIGHTEEN surrounded by an untidy minor blizzard of mist topped by floaty disembodied female subject. One of those is Bill Frizzell, who songs, go into a recording studio, or get guitar fuzz that’s lost its map and compass vocals. It does very little and goes precisely SEVENTY SEVEN, JONNY HALIFAX AND THE HOWLING declares that he’s “not a musician and at yourself some home recording equipment, and doesn’t really care. By `Ascaphus Truei nowhere but it is quite pretty and serene. Very the age of 56 isn’t setting off on a musical lay down a few tracks, tweek a couple of TRUTH, THE YARNS. Love’ the band seem to have abandoned any much like a panda, then. Sometimes things career.” He is, however, a member of things, possibly mix it all so it sounds right semblance of adherence to actual tunes, just don’t have to have a purpose to make their Oxford Ukuleles and he’s furnished us with proper and generally give the air of giving a 01865 716466 [email protected] making a right old fuzzy racket instead, one existence worthwhile, folks. a great photo of him standing next to the flying fuck. Alternatively you could just wait that gets inside your head and messes with elephant topiary he sculptured. He’s also til most of the band is on holiday then video the bits that help you balance and not fall into written a song about growing a moustache the singer playing an acoustic guitar and walls, but they bring it back, albeit by way THE COURTYARD DIRTY SWEET LIES for testicular cancer awareness. It’s called shouting in a vague approximation of Noel of some seriously smoldering guitar fizz, on Sometimes it’s good to see a photo of a Moustache On The Tip Of My Tongue’, and Gallagher practising one of his least inspired `Graduation’, which sounds like Sebadoh’s band before you review them to get an idea RECORDING STUDIO it’s half jocular nursery rhyme, half b-sides in his living room, then send a link restless, treble-obsessed kid brother. Did we of whether they could kick your skull to public information message. There’s plenty to the Youtube footage in and prepare to be mention happiness being overrated? Scrap shrapnel if you dissed them in any way (oh PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/24, OTARI of rhyming fun to be had with the words royally indignant at the resultant review. Bish that; Nightshift’s feeling happy right now come on, why do you think we’re always MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE MACHINE, 2 TRACKING balls, plums and well hung. There’s also bash, job done. Back down the pub. Fair after listening to this, and feeling happy feels so nice about Stornoway? Brian `Bruiser’ ROOMS, SUPERB CONTROL ROOM WITH GOOD SELEC- a rather neat video of Bill cycling around to say, `Save a Place’ here makes a typical strangely pleasant. We could get used to it. Briggs is a bloody maniac). It’s fair to say TION OF MICS & OUTBOARD GEAR + MIDI FACILITIES (Inc Oxford while singing and playing his ukulele High Flying Birds off-cut sound like The Alternatively, we could just listen to the rest that Dirty Sweet Lies’ accompanying snap LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND etc.) (that certainly takes some balls…). And, Beatles’ `A Day In the Life’. There’s also an of the demos and have any sense of wellbeing suggests they’d struggle to overcome an quite aside from this song, another video acoustic cover of Stereophonics’ `Graffiti on royally sucked out of us. Hell, duty calls. At injured butterfly in an arm wrestling contest. Residential facilities included. of him burying a time capsule in his house the Train’, perhaps in a heroically oblivious least there’s wine at the end of it for us. And Hell, at least two of them look like they renovation, including a copy of Nightshift. attempt to endear said singer to Nightshift’s www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk some more of this noise. This lovely noise. might be vegans, and if one of them isn’t a well-documented Stereophonics fan club Phone RICHARD WALSH on 01235 845800 librarian we’ll run naked through Radcliffe He really does have a quite fantastic ‘tashe, clique. What more can we tell you, dear Square singing Scouting For Girls songs. it has to be said. Silly song, serious message. reader? Singy-shouty chap is wearing his But that aside, should Dirty Sweet Lies be Good bloke is Bill, damn good bloke. leather jacket all buttoned up to the very top, worried about the nasty stuff we’ve got lined SLOW LEARNER even while he’s stood inside; he bleats mostly As an integral part of genuine local legends up to say about their music? Probably not. through his nose, and he sings the word Here Comes Everybody and The Anyways, It’s way too cuddly to provoke an ounce of RICHIE STIX Richie here sends us three songs, which he “shine” in that same wretched Sheeeeiiine” Pete Lock’s place at Oxford music’s top table ire. It’s even got us thinking about pandas says are “part of the beloved `Dressing Up way that Liam Gallagher does. Guy’s a is assured. Since those heady days Pete’s again, which is guaranteed to put us in a Box’ demo,” before clarifying that by telling fucking genius. Save A Place? Damn right. A made some other great music – notably cheery mood. `Mama’ is grungy, but in us “well, Phil and Sue from Klub Kakofanney very special place in the warmest corner of with Blue Kite – and some other stuff that’s a slow-motion, don’t-want-to-upset-the- like it,” which maybe ain’t saying much Hell is duly reserved for you, dear boy. perhaps a little less inspired. This solo demo neighbours kind of way, with the singer’s falls fairly firmly into the latter camp, sadly. slightly flat but unaffectedly pretty voice It’s amiable enough, mostly lively acoustic keeping the whole thing just about buoyant. Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links rambles through urgent, busy indie-folk It sounds like it should be the soundtrack to [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without and vaguely psychedelic country-rock to a lo-fi coming-of-age indie-flick, for the a contact address and phone number; no more than four tracks on a demo please. If you with Pete’s characteristically high-pitched scene where the quirky but intense heroine can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. Fri 15th Nov • £25 adv Sat 30th Nov • £15 adv Fri 20th Dec • £10 adv EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT 6.30pm 6pm 6.30pm - 10pm £5 adv / NUS / members, £4 NHS 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only Gary Numan The Naked and Famous Dionne Bromfield + Sons and Lovers Fri 15th Nov • £8 adv Sat 21st Dec • £7 adv 7pm - 10pm Sat 30th Nov • £10 adv 6.30pm - 11pm Prospekt 6.30pm - 11pm Skeletor The Colourless Sunrise Album Launch Breed 77 ft. God Speed + Bricks&Mortar + Invocation + I Cried Wolf Fri 15th Nov • £7 adv / £5 NUS + Salvage + Visionfall + Overlord 11pm - 3am • over 18s only + Black Sunrise Switch + Evavoid Tues 24th Dec • £6 (early) / £8 adv ft. Hannah Wants 9pm - 2am • over 18s only Sun 1st Dec • £25 adv A Reggae Christmas Sat 16th Nov • £12 adv Ocean Colour Scene 6.30pm Marchin’ Already Tour ft. 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Ray Foxx The Family Rain Go Kart Mozart Scroobius Pip & My Nu Leng Weds 5th Feb 2014 • £13.50 adv Thurs 21st Nov • £20 adv Thurs 5th Dec • £13.50 adv 6.30pm - 11pm Sat 2nd Nov • £12.50 adv Turin Brakes Peace Mayday Parade 36 Crazy Fists + Kevin Pearce + Man Overboard + Divided By Friday + Armed for Apocalypse Thurs 5th Dec • £10 adv Fri 22nd Nov • £12 adv / £8 NUS Tues 11th Feb 2014 • £18.50 adv 11pm - 3am • over 18s only Night Beds Mon 4th Nov • £20 adv Switch / Ram Less Than Jake Hawkwind Sat 7th Dec • £12 adv & Reel Big Fish playing the classic album ft. Andy C & more Absolute Bowie + Zebrahead “Warrior on the Edge of Time” Sat 23rd Nov • £6 / £5 NUS Weds 11th Dec • £17.50 adv 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only Thurs 13th Feb 2014 • £10 adv Weds 6th Nov • £8 adv 6pm 7pm - 10pm Propaganda Airbourne Cash Toseland Gus alt-j DJ tour Payin’ Tribute to the Man In Black in association with NME Thurs 12th Dec • £18.50 adv Fri 8th Nov • £18.50 adv Sat 15th Feb 2014 • £6 adv Adrian Edmondson 7pm - 11.30pm 6.30pm - 10pm Sat 23rd Nov • £6 adv Stiff Little Fingers 7pm - 11.30pm & The Bad Shepherds Upstairs ft. Black Hats Upstairs In association with BBC Introducing Fri 8th Nov • £11 adv Thurs 12th Dec • £25 adv 7pm - 10pm ft. The Epstein Sun 16th Feb 2014 • £12.50 adv In association with BBC Introducing The Darkness + Lostalone The Doors Alive + Huck & The Xander Band Mike Peters + Swindlestock + Christian & Craig McCabe of Scottish + Vienna Ditto Declaration Tour 2014 classic rock five-piece River 68s + Empty Vessels + Truly Ford Fri 8th Nov • £7 adv / £5 NUS Tues 18th Feb 2014 • £10 adv 11pm - 3am • over 18s only Fri 13th Dec • £12 adv Mon 25th Nov • £11 adv Twenty One Pilots Switch ft. Karma Kid 7.30pm Electric Six Ms Mr + Stroke Of Luck Sat 22nd Feb 2014 • £8 adv Sat 9th Nov 7pm - 10pm 6pm - 10pm Tues 26th Nov • £13.50 adv Fri 13th Dec • £28 adv Lauren Aquilina Boy George (Live) Happy Mondays This Is What I Do Tour The View Sat 1st Mar 2014 • £8 adv + The Velveteen Saints ‘Bummed’ 25th Anniversary 6pm - 10pm Sat 9th Nov + The Shimmer Band + The Sunshine Underground 6.30pm - 10pm + Sulk Room 94 Weds 27th Nov • £9 adv Kodaline 6pm Fri 13th Dec • £5 adv Thurs 6th Mar 2014 • £15 adv 11pm - 3am • over 18s only Sat 9th Nov • £6 / £5 NUS Vuvuvultures We Are Scientists 10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only Happy Mondays Kodaline DJ set Thurs 28th Nov • £11 adv Aftershow Party Sun 9th Mar 2014 • £16.50 adv Palma Violets ft. DJ Set from BEZ and Special Guests The Selecter @ Propaganda “35 Years of The Selecter” Fri 29th Nov • £12 adv / £8 NUS Sun 10th Nov • £12 adv Sat 14th Dec • £6 adv 11pm - 3am • over 18s only 7pm - 11.30pm Sat 15th Mar 2014 • £10 adv Villagers Switch ft. Upstairs ft. 7pm - 10pm + We Were Evergreen The Dualers Rudimental DJ Set Gunning for Tamar Tues 12th Nov • £15 adv Mon 17th Mar 2014 • £23 adv Fri 29th Nov • £7.50 adv In association with BBC Introducing The Rifles 6pm - 10pm + Life in Film Oxford City Festival Present Thurs 19th Dec • £8 adv 7pm - 12am 40th Anniversary Tour + Dexters The Goggenheim + The Knights Of Mentis Nyctophobia’s Fri 2nd May 2014 • £15 adv Rescheduled show • original tickets valid Thurs 14th Nov • £12 adv + The Mighty Redox True Sound My Life Story + The Great Big Bargain ft. Koven, Subnox and Moize Wretch 32

Tickets for Saturday night shows INCLUDE FREE ENTRY to Propaganda (or £6, £5 NUS / members, £4 NHS on the door)

facebook.com/o2academyoxford 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE • Doors 7pm unless stated twitter.com/o2academyoxford Venue box office opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5.30pm youtube.com/o2academytv ticketweb.co.uk • wegottickets.com • seetickets.com • gigantic.com