[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 267 October Oxford’s Music Magazine 2017 “Don’t expect us to write any breezy summer photo: Chris Blizzard bangers anytime soon.”

CASSELS Chippy’s rock agitators talk politics, punk and avoiding predictability. Also in this issue SAVE THE CELLAR! Legendary venue under threat. Introducing DRORE LOW ISLAND talk plans and parties TOWERSEY reviewed plus All your Oxford music news, reviews, previews and seven pages of local gigs for October NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255 NEWS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshiftmag.co.uk

six-month hiatus – visit www.substancerecords.uk – for details. Send them your demos at [email protected]. THE CELLAR will be fighting for its future when plans to turn the venue Substance’s Joe Truby is also into retail space in 2018 go to a council planning meeting in early October. teaming up with Andy Hill from However, there is real cause for optimism with a well-informed source Death of Hi-Fi for a fortnightly telling Nightshift the plans are likely to be rejected as they breach the City Sunday chill-out show on Witney Council’s planning policy on protecting music venues. Radio, focussing on chillout, The announcement at the beginning of September that Lush, who own downtempo hip hop, trip hop and the current leasehold on the building, will be relocating to the new electronica. The shows go out on the Westgate centre and the building’s owners, the St Michael & All Saints th nd th th 8 and 22 October and 5 and 19 charities, were looking to increase revenue by redeveloping the basement November. Again, demos welcome. space which has been a pub and venue since 1979, drew immediate condemnation by local musicians, promoters and DJs, who were quickly KLUB KAKOFANNEY celebrates joined by a host of other acts, including The Chemical Brothers; The th its 26 birthday this month. They Music Venue Trust; Oxford’s MPs Layla Moran and Anneliese Dodds, and host three days of live music over a host of Oxford City Council councillors. The venue’s plight was featured th th YOUTHMOVIES have made their the weekend of the 6 -8 October on both BBC South and ITV Meridian news as well as the BBC’s website entire back catalogue available on a at The Wheatsheaf. Friday night and The Oxford Mail. pay-what-you-like basis, prompting sees sets from The Epstein; Country An online petition calling for The Cellar to remain as a live music and speculation they might be about For Old Men; Juliet & the Raging club venue, started by Fluid promoter Matt Aspell, attracted almost 14,000 to reform, even just for a one-off Romeos, and Adam & Elvis, while signatures. show. The pioneering math- and Saturday night features Self Help; Originally called The Corndolly, later shortened to The Dolly and renamed post-rock band, led by former-Foals The Mighty Redox; Callow Saints; The Cellar in 1999, the venue has earned a reputation for its eclectic guitarist Andrew Mears, who later Fracture, and Restructure. Sunday’s and adventurous attitude to live music and clubs. Foals, Glass Animals, went on to form Pet Moon, split up show is a free afternoon session Stornoway and Young Knives are among the local acts who played their in 2010 after eight years together. in the Wheatsheaf’s downstairs earliest shows at the venue, while club nights like Bossaphonik, Skylarkin They were once described by bar, running from 3.30-7pm, Soundsystem, Fluid and Freerange all bring unique nights to Oxford’s Nightshift as the most influential with sets from Puppet Mechanic; music scene. Over the years the venue has played host to the likes of The band in Oxford, inspiring a new Demoiselles; Firegazers; Twizz Cure, The National and Frank Turner. generation of local bands. Among Twangle, and Glenda Huish. Cellar manager Tim Hopkins, who took over the running of the venue the other bands to come out of The enduring monthly gig night, run from his dad Adrian in 1999, has been consulting with his solicitor as well the split were Kone, featuring by Phil Freizinger, Sue Smith and as the Music Venue Trust in an attempt to block the plans, while Oxford Youthmovies drummer Graeme Ainan Addison, began in October City Council executive board member for planning, Alex Hollingsworth, Murray. 1991 with the aim of recreating the publically stated he would fight the application. The extensive catalogue, including spirit of free festivals in Oxford Music fans were also able to file objections to the planning application at 2008 album `Good Nature’, venues, and has proudly continued public.oxford.gov.uk. Almost 500 objections have so far been raised, most released on Drowned in Sound, its open-minded, anything-goes focussing on The Cellar’s cultural value and vital contribution to local and the elaborately titled `Hurrah! policy ever since. The monthly not- music. Another Year, Surely This One for-profit club has been forced to With the official announcement due in the first week of October, people Will Be Better Than the Last; The move venues a couple of times in its can keep up to speed on developments on the Save The Cellar Facebook Inexorable March of Progress Will long history but has found a stable, page. Lead Us All to Happiness’ EP, loving home at The Wheatsheaf for If our sources are correct, this might simply be the first hurdle in the battle released on Fierce Panda in 2004, the past 16 years. Klub Kakofanney to keep a treasured local institution and vital cog in the Oxford music are all available at runs on the first Friday of every scene. The best way to help any venue survive is to use it. If everyone who ymss.bandcamp.com. month at The Wheatsheaf. signed the petition makes just one visit to The Cellar, its long-term future will less precarious when market forces again come knocking. SUBSTANCE RECORDS EARLYBIRD tickets for next release a brace of singles in the year’s WOOD FESTIVAL next month. The local dance label have already sold out. General OXFORD BEARD FESTIVAL beard after eating, and women’s release euphoric progressive trance weekend tickets are now on sale returns this month. The fourth and kids’ beard competitions. A banger `Together Forever’ by for the pioneering eco-conscious annual celebration of facial hair festival after-party features further EnCord on the 13th October. The music fest, which takes place takes place at Tap Social in Botley live music from Giant Elf Fist, eight-minute track is a collaboration over the weekend of the 18th-20th on Saturday 7th October, from Beard of Destiny and Cherokii, plus between label bosses en-Trance May at Braziers Park. Adult midday. There will be live music burlesque troupe Scarlet Vixen. The and MiCord. They follow this weekend tickets cost £89 (or £85 from Superloose, Franklin’s Tower, festival will also be raising money with `Serenity’ by TJ on the 10th if you’re coming by bike or bus). Daisy West and Country For Old for the Oxford Food Bank. Check November, an alter-ego of en- This year’s sold-out event was Men, as well as competitions out the Facebook event page for Trance. headlined by The Magic Numbers including biggest and bushiest more details. By pure coincidence The Substance Sessions podcast and CC Smugglers. Visit www. beards, straightest and curliest Jacob Rees Mogg doesn’t have a also returns from this month after a woodfestival.com for more details. moustaches, least mess left in a beard. Or a soul. NEWS FIRST-CLASS LIVE MUSIC folk and roots music starting this month. The series of shows, organised by long-time local gig AND ENTERTAINMENT goer George Reade, kicks off on Thursday 19th October with a return to Oxfordshire for Prince Edward island trio The East Pointers. This ON YOUR DOORSTEP is followed on Saturday 21st by a concert from Celtic-Cajun fusion trio Vishten, while on Wednesday 1st November Ten Strings & a Goatskin ON SALE NOW! OCTOBER NOVEMBER start their UK tour. More info at SUZANNE VEGA MON 2 ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SAT 4 www.thmh.co.uk. ORCHESTRA LOW ISLAND release the first song from their new EP this month. `The TOTALLY TINA SAT 7 THE OXFORD BEATLES Lines’ starts a run of track releases over the next few months, building to a JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS SUN 5 MARC ALMOND SUN 15 RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA celebrate the 50th anniversary of the full seven-song EP, their third, following `Just About Somewhere’ and `In release of `Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely This Room’, which between them have racked up over two million Spotify MIDGE URE, THE CHRISTIANS, TUE 17 COLLABRO MON 6 Hearts Club Band’ with a five- plays. The band, who played Nightshift’s Uncommon stage at Common ALTERED IMAGES IRREGULAR FOLKS host their TUE 7 night run of shows at Simpkins People back in May as well as Truck Festival in July, also embark on a ALISON MOYET annual Christmas Special on Friday THE PRETENDERS WED 18 8th December in conjunction with Lee Theatre in Lady Margaret Hall UK-wide Low Island & Friends tour, including a special Ritual Union JOHN MAYALL IN CONCERT WED 8 th th st Oxford Contemporary Music. from the 14 -18 November (not after-party at The Bullingdon on Saturday 21 October. ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA THE AUSTRALIAN PINK THU 19 THU 9 Together they present a concert September as stated in last month’s Singer Jamie Jay spoke to Nightshift about the new release and the Oxford SAT 4 NOV FLOYD SHOW WHITNEY - QUEEN OF THE NIGHT show. featuring American folk singer, Nightshift). The show, part of a SON OF A PREACHER MAN TUE 24 - violinist and activist Gaelynn play based on the life of Beatles “We’ve just done our first ever festival season, which has been really A NEW MUSICAL FEATURING THE SAT 28 DR HOOK FEATURING FRI 10 Lee, making a rare trip to the UK, manager Brian Epstein, written by great. Latitude and Reading were particularly fun, not least as we really SONGS OF DUSTY SPRINGFIELD DENNIS LOCORRIERE local playwright Wayne Brown, will didn’t expect to be playing them in our first year as a band. Truck was alongside Canada’s Waitress For MAMMA MIA! TUE 14 - The Bees, (pictured) the solo project feature the band playing alongside also really special; we had such an up-for-it crowd who just danced the THE SMASH-HIT MUSICAL SAT 25 of singer and viola player Emma a ten-piece orchestra as well as floor into mulch in the pouring rain. During all of this, we spent June to BASED ON THE SONGS OF ABBA Indian musicians and guests. They’ll September writing, recording and finishing the new EP. Hooper, whose dinosaur and insect- themed avant-pop songs made her be playing the seminal album in “It’s got seven tracks on it, all of which we’re really proud of. We want the highlight of Irregular Folks’ its entirety alongside `Strawberry to make sure none of them are overlooked, so we’re hoping to release one Summer Session last year. Fields’, `Penny Lane’ and `All You or two tracks at a time over the coming months. We’ve had lots of people DECEMBER G4 THU 1 MAR Tickets for the show, at St Barnabas Need is Love’. Tickets and more asking us about the possibilities of a physical release. We’ve got no plans BANANARAMA MON 4 church in Jericho, are on sale information on the Sgt Pepper Show for that as of yet but might consider it sometime next year.” now, priced £9 in advance, from Facebook page. Low Island’s appearance at Ritual Union, which takes over six venues THE SENSATIONAL FRI 8 st 60s EXPERIENCE Wegottickets.com. along the Cowley Road on the 21 and features sets from Peace, Bo NATUREBOY officially launches Ningen, Josefin Öhrn and Pinkshinyultrablast among others, will see them CHRIS REA SAT 9 his latest album, `Setting of the Sun’, take over the Bullingdon for a full band live set alongside DJ sets. THE JERICHO TAVERN closes with a show at The Mad Hatter on “The Bullingdon is such a great club night space, so we couldn’t pass for refurbishment on the 23rd Iffley Road on Monday 9th October. up the opportunity to throw a party there. We’ve got the PYT resident October. It will re-open on the Reviewed in June’s Nightshift, the DJs bringing the funk and disco and we’ll be playing some tunes as well, 15th November. Post-refurb, the JANUARY album features contributions from probably more techno than disco. We’ve got a flight to a gig at Primavera venue is looking to work with new Duotone and Megan Henwood. Barcelona a few hours after the afterparty, so we’ll have to keep it together! ICONS OF THE 80s THU 18 gig promoters and those in other Tickets, £8 in advance, are on sale at “Weirdly enough, this will actually be our first Oxford venue gig with creative fields to create a diverse THE CHICAGO FRI 26 www.tigmus.com. the full band line-up, so we’re super excited. Ritual Union is a great calendar of programming. Email: BLUES BROTHERS example of Oxford’s kick-ass music scene, and we’re stoked to be part [email protected] for more AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into of it. These sort of events really help support independent music venues information. BBC Oxford Introducing every like The Bullingdon, where we all grew up going to gigs. Unfortunately, Saturday night between 8-9pm on these venues are coming under threat, like The Cellar recently, so it’s really LITTLE RED build up to the MARCH 95.2fm. The dedicated local music important that they are seen to thrive as a considerable cultural asset of the release of their new album in early THU 1 show plays the best Oxford releases community, before they get turned into an air-conditioned estate agents’ G4 2018 with another single this month. and demos as well as featuring office where you can peruse some delightful 2-up-and-2-downs with The SAT 10 `Diamond Black’ is released on the PAUL CARRACK interviews and sessions with local Lighthouse Family playing in the background.” 2nd October on All Will Be Well acts. The show is available to Hear `The Lines’ on Spotify and follow the band at OUR HOUSE MON 12 - Records and follows the release SAT 17 stream or download as a podcast at facebook.com/lowislandmusic THE MADNESS MUSICAL of `Siren Song’ in September, bbc.co.uk/oxford. Tickets for Ritual Union are on sale at seetickets.com with a further new song due out in A VISION OF ELVIS FRI 30 November. Read a full interview with the band in next month’s Nightshift. SHAODOW won Hardest Working Artist at the 2017 AIM Awards last month. The rapper, who began his career on the Oxford scene, 31HOURS release a new single this was rewarded by the judges for his relentless gigging and busking, month ahead of their debut album. which has earned him over 25,000 record sales. The rap and grime The video for `Castile’ is on Youtube star returned to Oxford in May when he headlined the Uncommon now. The band release their album stage at Common People in South Park. He said, “It's an honour `Tell Me What You See’ on the 17th to have won such a prestigious award that recognises not only my November. hard work but also my consistency over the years; I'll have plenty more music to come in the next year.” The Association of Inde- THOMAS HUGHES pendent Music was set up to recognise artists, promoters, festivals * * MEMORIAL HALL in Uffington and labels operating outside of the mainstream music industry. BOX OFFICE 0844 871 3020 | ATGTICKETS.COM/Oxford hosts a short season of east Canadian Head to www.diygang.co.uk for more Shaodow news and shows. *Booking fees apply. Calls cost up to 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

134207 Nightshift Aug FP.indd 1 22/08/2017 16:44 A Quiet Word With by French film maker Rodrique quote from the brothers’ mother when situation? shit. Growing up I always said to Huart, who followed the band for a she’s filmed listening to the band’s JIM: “Yeah, though obviously myself that if we could get signed to year, recording not just live footage new single; punk as a description of it’s tangential to the small venues a good indie label and release some and life on the road but also the Cassels’ music doesn’t hold much situation. In London it’s mad: so music I’d be happy, which we’ve Beck family home, with interviews water for the band, though. many good venues have gone even done, so I try to remind myself of with their parents and even their “I can see why it’s applied to in the short time I’ve lived there. that. Avoiding social media and grandparents, which give a far more our music as a descriptor,” admits The Buffalo Bar and Powerlunches remembering to have a life outside unique picture of the people behind Jim, “because people have a need in particular spring to mind. The of the band also helps. In regards to the music than most “behind the to compartmentalise and label areas of London which used to those bands you’ve mentioned, I’d scenes” documentaries. everything, but music is so subjective be a bit bohemian and interesting argue that they’re coming from a CASSELSmellowed any, although Jim is at “We met Rodrique completely by I personally think it’s a bit pointless. have been completely sterilised by place of having fun; they’re writing pains to emphasise `Epithet’ isn’t an chance,” explains Jim, “he was For example, if I say I’m in a punk rich tenants moving in. Ironically, music for people to have a good time out and out political record. over in London for a meeting and band, one person might immediately many move to these areas because to, whereas we’re throwing all of the “I think I probably reacted in happened to wander upstairs in assume we sound like Green Day, they’re interesting and exciting, but horrible shit that has affected us into the same way a lot of people did: The Old Blue Last when we were another might think The Sex Pistols, then complain about the noise from our songs as a way of dealing with despair, followed by rage, followed playing. I guess he must have liked and another may think Minor Threat. venues until they’re forced to close. it. They’re fundamentally different by desperation, followed by what he saw, but we remember it as If people want to call our band It’s bullshit. approaches to writing music, and the begrudging acceptance bordering being a pretty shit show to be honest. ‘punk’, fine, I’ve got no problem with former is always going to be more photo: Helen Messenger on wilful ignorance. ‘Let’ was Anyway, yeah, then he just sent us it. But I’d rather they just listened to Another part of Is It Punk popular for obvious reasons. Also written the morning of the result this long message on Facebook in the music without trying to box it into Music? Focuses on Jim working in Slaves and The Fat White Family – very much in the rage phase broken English saying he wanted to a genre.” his day job shows, which basically have choruses and repeated phrases – and ‘Coup’ was written in the follow us around for a year and we just goes to pay recording costs and in most of their songs, which makes lead up. Apart from those first thought ‘fuck it, why not’. Turns out Earlier this year Cassels making it possible to go on tour. Can them catchy, which people like. We two track it’s a pretty politics-free he’s actually an amazing filmmaker toured with London’s Meat Wave he see a point where the band pays don’t really do choruses.” record. I suppose the symbolism so it turned out to be lovely slice of (“so, so good; we had a blast I was for itself? of the result; the move toward a serendipity.” worried that they were going to be “Nah. I just don’t think our music, Musically at least the more isolationist, segregated, and What was it like being trailed by a complete arseholes or they were in its current form anyway, will crux of the film sees Jim stating how essentially unfriendly society, has film maker for a year? going to think we were complete appeal to enough people to make important it is for Cassels to “avoid also reinforced my cynicism and “It was obviously super strange at the clichés of being in a band”; their misanthropy. So don’t expect us to first, but Rod has an uncanny ability wired, often unpredictable music write any breezy summer bangers to blend in the background and you “I went home to Chipping Norton for four or certainly walks the walk on that score anytime soon.” quickly forget he’s there. He actually but asked what would be the worst only came over to the UK to film us five days and even in that time lost my mind clichés to fall into, Jim’s response is More than anything, four or five times too, so it wasn’t like and sense of identity little bit. I can never characteristically to the point. what exercises Jim’s lyrical ire is his he was literally there every minute JIM: “Boring ‘intro, verse, chorus, life growing up in Chipping Norton, of the day. Fuck knows what viewers escape the eerie feeling that when you’re verse, chorus, middle eight, chorus, a place he escaped two years ago “Being cynical is such an had been playing music together paid customer service jobs with no will think of it; it’s too close to home end’ song structures. Just singing to live in London. Loz similarly standing in the middle of a deserted field, no intrinsic part of who I am now that since they were 12 and 8. The last chance of progression, or often all of for me to have any real perspective. ‘woah’ or ‘ooh’ in a song because made the break last year, moving to it’s hard for me to imagine what life three years has seen them release a the above. When you’re faced with Hopefully we don’t come across as one would be able to hear you scream...” you can’t be arsed to write any more Hertfordshire to study. Has leaving would be like if I was of a sunny string of singles and EPs and tour those circumstances it’s completely complete pricks.” words, and because people can easily the place that fuelled so much of disposition. It’s not like I choose to the UK as they built up to their first understandable that you’d see no Any moments you wish you could arseholes, but luckily we got on us anywhere near enough money. join in with ‘woahs’ and ‘oohs’. their musical fire tempered their find no enjoyment in the things most full album. Their gigs are intense, point in engaging with certain things, edit out? really well and now have matching Also there’s just not the budget or Singing in an American accent when feelings? Does absence make the people care about; it’s just the way explosive affairs, myriad complex particularly politics, as it must feel “He included an old song called spoons tattoos as a memento: we opportunities available in music for you’re actually from a provincial heart grow finder at all? No chance. I am. Quite a lot of the time I’m emotions shaken up in a bottle and like there’s nothing to engage with. ‘Seasick’ which we can’t stand, so visited Wetherspoons at least once bands anymore that there used to be. town in the south east of England “I fucking hated the place growing bummed out, anxious and gloomy.” sprayed into the crowd amid a storm So many young people must feel would have preferred if he’d left a day, sometimes twice a day,” “The past 20 years has seen the or wherever. Saying things like ‘IS up and spent my whole childhood of riffs, beats and limbs. completely powerless, voiceless and that out… otherwise I actually wish remembers Jim), and later this year gradual devaluation of music as EVERYBODY HAVING A GOOD and teenage years wanting to leave, So says Jim Beck, singer, The first, immensely satisfying infantilised, and unfortunately they he’d fit more in. He only filmed three they’ll head off around the UK again a product, to the point where one TIME?!’ followed by, ‘YOU CAN guitarist and, alongside drumming thing to take from `Epithet’ is how seem to have accepted this as their so I’m in no hurry to go back,” says shows and we played some way as tour support to Single Mothers. stream is now worth 0.08p or DO BETTER THAN THAT!!’ at brother Loz, one half of Cassels, well it traps that live energy. It’s a lot in life. That said, I was heartened Jim, “I went home for Christmas last better ones that year, so it’s a shame Before then though they play a something ridiculous. Also I think shows. Trying to get people to clap when Nightshift asks him if cynicism finely structured set of songs, but by the result of the general election, year and stayed for four or five days he didn’t come to more. Also looking hometown show at The Cellar this guitar music in general is receding along to your songs. In more recent is what drives him through life. it’s a world away from being an easy particularly the youth turn out, but and even in that time lost my mind back at some of the early footage month; the venue is at threat of into a niche interest again, akin to times, posting cryptic shit on social It certainly drives his band’s music listen. now I’m fearful that those young and sense of identity little bit. I can it’s kind of embarrassing seeing how closure. Living in London now, Jim jazz or classical but to a smaller media to try and make yourself seem and lyrics as evidenced on the duo’s people who voted for the first time never escape the eerie feeling that little we knew back then. We were has seen this sort of thing a lot. What degree. The indie boom of the mid- interesting. There’s more, but I’ll debut album `Epithet’, released this The opening line of the will be completely turned off again when you’re standing in the middle definitely still finding our feet when does he think can be done to save noughties ended long ago, and now stop there. I feel like all of that has month on Big Scary Monsters. Jim album, `We form an army of waifs now they see nothing has changed. of a deserted field, no one would be he started filming, but it feels more grassroots venues from the various things like grime are starting to been done to death and now it just mixes the personal and political and strays”, sounds like a great call “The group I’ve just described able to hear you scream...” like a proper band now.” forces that are bulldozing them? enter the mainstream, which, while I sounds and looks lazy, predictable with highly articulate ire and tightly- to arms to society’s marginalised, above encompasses all communities, Loz, by contrast, does have some The film had its premiere in Paris “Beyond petitioning and lobbying don’t really listen to grime, I think is and embarrassing. It’s not hard to reined rage, whether it’s a generation but Jim, the considerably more vocal nationalities and ethnicities, and fondness for his childhood home and over 200 people come out to see owners and councils, not much. great. Whatever I might think about avoid them; just try and be honest and of people trapped in debt and low of the pair, is quick to refute such to say I’m a voice for all of them town. “Jim has far stronger views on it. Not bad for a band barely known You can always try and make the an artist like Stormzy’s music, you sincere, instead of pretending to be wages, or the frustrations of growing an idea. would be vastly overstating my Chippy than me. He is right in that in their own country yet, never mind case for the significance of small have to respect the fact he’s making something you’re not.” up in a place like Chipping Norton, “To call myself marginalised would own importance and my ability to it’s very mundane, however I’ve got France. music venues in terms of both their something new and exciting and with its small-town attitudes. be immensely insulting to hell of a comprehend the complexity of such some very close mates that are still “It was fucking surreal. When the contribution to culture and their has pretty much done it all himself Cassels have no His biting words are played out over lot of people. I guess I was talking varied experiences. All I’ve offered living there so on the whole I still film ended they made us stand at the importance to so many people, but without the help of a major label.” shortage of honesty. It seeps and spiky, spangled noise-pop that will about, for want of a better word, in ‘Coup’ is a cynical slice of social enjoy visiting. I will admit it’s a very front and asked us what we thought when you’re faced with a greedy You seem resigned to the fact you’ll seethes and explodes out of their switch on a sixpence, from nervy, millennials in that song. Both taking commentary; I’m under no illusion odd place, though. On the surface and I was pretty much lost for words. landlord whose favourite band is never cross over enough to make it music at every turn. If that can make ruminative calm to ferocious, battle- a swipe at the completely apathetic, that it’s going to galvanise anyone it seems like a nice quaint market If you’re ever forced to watch a Status Quo or some shit I think big; how do you stay focussed and for uncomfortable listening for ready garage punk, an unwillingness materialistic and disengaged into doing anything.” town, but in reality there’s a seedy 50-minute film about yourself on you’re always fighting an uphill motivated believing that, and doesn’t anyone caught in Jim Beck’s aim, it to conform to set song structures just attitudes I’ve encountered in so underbelly filled with complete a huge screen surrounded by 200 battle. I really hope for Oxford’s the relative success of bands like also guarantees a thrilling musical one of the elements that has made many people my own age, but also It’s fair to say Jim has fuckheads.” French people you’ll see what I sake that the Cellar somehow finds Slaves and Fat White Family give ride – whether you call it punk or Cassels one of the most exciting saying I completely understand why strong opinions on things and both mean; it’s not a situation many would a way to stay open though; losing it you hope? whatever. Sometimes the truth hurts, young bands to emerge from those attitudes exist. So many people lyrically and in person articulates Chipping Norton and be equipped to deal with. Most would be such a blow to the city.” JIM: “Sometimes it can be but Cassels deserve to be heard. the duo’s antipathy towards it is people seemed to really like it though, There’s a bit in the documentary hard, mainly because I’m such a Oxfordshire I recent times. my age – and I’m talking late teens those feelings meticulously. The last th up to early 30s here – have found time Nightshift interviewed Cassels documented in Is It Punk Music? a and we sold out of records, so I guess where Cassels talk about about the pessimistic person. I tend to flip `Epithets’ is released on the 6 Brothers Jim and Loz, themselves either saddled with was in the wake of the Brexit vote new 50-minute film about Cassels they must have liked the music as old mill in Chipping Norton and how between being grateful for all the October on Big Scary Monsters. that’s released this month to coincide well as the film.” it’s been turned into luxury flats; cool shit we’ve done/are doing and Cassels play The Cellar on now 22 and 18 respectively, played crippling debt, still living at home last summer, which animated both th their debut gig in London 2013 but with their parents, working in low brothers a lot. Their opinions haven’t with the new album. It was made The title of the film comes from a do they see parallels with the venue feeling like no one really gives a Saturday 7 October. Sponsored by THE SHAKER HEIGHTS RELEASED `Collapses’ (Skag Harry) CASSELS CAPTAIN KUPPA T The Shaker Heights’ reinvention from country- tinged indie rockers to synth-fed robo-popsters `Epithet’ AND THE ZEPPELIN has been well documented in reviews of the (Big Scary Monsters) band’s recent singles, so let’s just say `Collapses’ is the band’s first album since 2007’s `Magna The vinyl edition of `Epithet’ comes in a limited CREW Doors’ and for the most they’re a very different, red, white and blue colourway. This is, no doubt, `Crumbs (From the more fun prospect now than they were when they a sarcastic two fingers to sweeping nationalist mania, about which this nine-track debut album Captain’s Table’ started out. seethes. Album opener `Body’, released as a single back in Built around chunky, noisy, melodic guitar squall, (Self released) 2015 just after they became The Shaker Heights the likes of which Big Scary Monsters has long Each to their own and all that; live and let live; 2.0, sets the scene well, all harsh, squirming championed, it’s certainly a statement of angry if it’s not hurting anyone, etc. etc… DRORE Numan-esque synthetics, moody bass and stark, THE STATIC HAND intent, although at times it teeters awkwardly Chap-hop has been a surprisingly enduring metronomic beats that sounds like a down-at-heart between righteous indignation and unfocussed fad, given it’s essentially a self-consciously `Tape Two: Life Regrets’ cousin to Teleman. `Out of the Blue’ is lighter in ‘Lemsip Days’ millennial angst. Cassels’ vocal style takes some eccentric opportunity for grown men and (Rad Nauseam Records) mood but with an epic 80s pop edge that recalls (High Strung Young) getting used to – a wordy waterfall of lyrics women to dress up like characters from an H. And, welcome back to the Home Spending Pet Shop Boys and Future Islands. When BBC Introducing recently aired the delivered in a petulant, Sleaford Mods-on-caffeine Rider Haggard adaptation of Jeeves & Wooster Network. As promised, we’re here to take a One of `Collapses’’ strengths is its variety; `Baby opening and title track of The Static Hand’s debut splurge – but it’s inarguable that this is a band with home of the ignorant, arrogant bastard” (’Let’) and pretend to be Straight Outta Peas Pottage. look at Gleem Inframatic, the best stain remover Put the Devil’ finds Robyn Coope taking over album, it came as a revelation that such musical a lot to say. and the poetically abrupt “Proof once and for Oxford’s champions of the cause are Captain on the market. Now, you won’t find this in from Vincent Coole on lead vocals and the result experimentation is alive and well in Oxfordshire. Blur once claimed that ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’, all that slaughter is the most miraculous cure for Kuppa T And the Zeppelin Crew, who host the shops, not even the sort of shops that sell is a dark, disco power ballad that could be from `Lemsip Days’’ core keyboard refrain might recall during a previous wave of Union Jack-waving chronic erectile dysfunction” (‘Where Baseball regular steampunk nights in town, and this highly limited edition cassettes to which you Madonna’s should-have-been goth phase, while the lament of a cat sat outside on a wall as the ‘national pride’, and `Epithet’ seems similarly Was Invented’) are delivered with impressive mini-album (released on what increasingly should go on 22nd September. But, just take a the nervy, stuttering `Now You Try’ touches base composer lies suffering in bed with a heavy cold themed. Overall, the message is that young authenticity. Aside from the relentless political seems appropriately anachronistic compact disc) look at this, we’ve applied Gleem to two of the with 90s Warp Records and 70s synth noodling. watching Jeremy Kyle, but the metronomic vocals and poor people today really have it hard, and and social commentary – not that there’s anything doesn’t stray too far from the blueprint laid worst, most stubborn dirty stains we could find: `Echoes Apart’ is widescreen soul-pop with are beautiful and melancholy. that the country is being run by selfish, racist, wrong with that, of course – Cassels are musically down by chap-hop’s chief exemplifiers, Mr B greasy chip fat, and Life Regrets, the new EP a machine beat heart that aims for the more There’s a variety to Gary Charles’ output too. uncaring suits. While at times their message intense and controlled, and impressively complex- the Gentleman Rhymer and Professor Elemental, from Drore. See, just a quick application will polished end of mid-80s electro-pop, and that Second cut, ‘The Jaunt’, recalls ‘Kid A’-era is abrasively simplistic – for example, opener sounding for a two-piece. `Epithet’ is a robust mostly featuring faux-posh homages to / evaporate the chip-pan grease like that, and on bridge between mechanical clicks and whirrs and Radiohead, Factory Floor and the artist whose ‘Coup’ stating “we enter a new form of Huxleyan and inventive series of thuggish art rock pieces, pisstakes of hip hop by way of doo wop, human the Oxford sludge you can see it...well, it takes emotionally stretched vocals continues on `Hug influence looms largest over the album, The nightmare” – there are times of definite power delivered with a nod to melody and grace. beatboxing and barbershop quartet harmonies, a little more rubbing but... okay, this is quite a the Bear’. Aphex Twin, while ‘Time Moves in All Directions and believable anger. Lyrics such as “Britain, Simon Minter knowingly name-checking Anthrax, Mary Berry thick sonic residue, but Gleem can cut through Where the album falters is when The Shaker (Hillary)’ is a reminder of those mid-90s `Trance and Gentleman’s Relish along the way. even the blackest, most abstract post-grunge... Heights’ drop back into old habits, like the Europe Express’ compilations featuring bands Kelis’s `Milkshake’ is remade as `Fruitcake’, err...right, just a small hitch, folks...what? I’m overly-earnest `Guillotine’, with its simple such as LFO, Finitribe, Bandulu and µ-Ziq. because waiting round the corner is `Natural Beat’, while `Zeppelin Boogie’ is basically The Andrew trying, Steve! I thought it would be alright. After plucked acoustic guitar; the leaden, overwrought ‘Brother, to the Border’ is a nod to boffin- featuring Asher Dust, whose manic vocal attack Sisters taken for an airship ride to The Lost all, the opener `Novelty Tattoo Sleeve’ has that `People Are Going to Blame Me’ and the generated German systems music, while adds an extra nervy intensity to the metallic pulse World. The a capella parts are neatly orchestrated Melvinsy chug, I figured I could deal with it... understated and underwhelming `Everything ‘Hauntological Crossings’ is a low-level stomp of De Quadros’ music. The mood lifts just a notch and it’s equal to its obvious influences. It’s also Sure, but then `Old Egg’ renders the bones of Ends’, which provides an unsatisfying conclusion with wobbly keyboards that could soundtrack a or two for `Missing You’, with Half Decent’s highly irritating: it’s all so terribly wacky, it a `Bleach’ song into a stagnant rock jelly and... to an otherwise enjoyable album. parade of hooded partygoers making their way machine gun delivery getting up in your face as knows it is and it revels in its own zaniness. The Jeez, it’s growing! Steve, I swear this got bigger, Best, instead, to concentrate on the real high through some woods in a search for an illegal rave tripped-out electronics create a swooning, shifting double-entendre-riddled `Up the Garden Path’ just after the part where it slowed down like a points – the cascading strings, swooning vocals circa 1991,the drugs beginning to play a slightly bed to soothe your thoughts. Daisy’s contribution is a student footlights piss take that doesn’t take black, exhausted lung...Aargh! `Happy Accident’ and Steve Reich-like insistency of the album’s unwanted role, tips of fingers feeling the chill. to `Process’ takes things in a rockier direction, the piss nearly enough, and the constant posh is a mutated atonal molasses trudge, it’s too much title track, and the sublime `Brunski’, again ‘Lemsip Days’ is a venture supported by Brookes emo-ish vocals set against Deftones-styled guitar chap interruptions are crying out to be punched – turn the cameras off! Steve – the cameraman’s with Robyn Coope on lead vocals, her sad-eyed University’s Sonic Art Research Unit, a forum churn, while Pierquinn’s return for `Unconscious’ into silence. `War of the Worlds’ is a step up, been swallowed by the hideous thick guitar on delivery accentuating the shadowy nature of the for dialogue between the fields of Experimental is the EP’s closest tie with what you’d expect sounding like Jeffrey Lewis attempting a George `New Skids On The Block’... no, I can’t reach tune, where Weimar cabaret meets Blitz Club and Composition and Sound Art and at times, The from underground hip hop generally but retaining Formby-themed concept album, but it takes a the camera, I can’t move!... hearing this music, a big pop chorus to die for. Static Hand’s work veers towards the highbrow. the dark, dense atmospherics that make Tiger lot of patience to make it to the end without it’s like doing the macarena in a vat of molten Maybe a more uneven collection than the last It’s cerebral for sure and not suitable if you are in Mendoza one of the most consistently engaging succumbing to the urge to reach for your fighting cheese... Wait... it’s expanding... The rage!... The few singles suggested, but you’ll struggle to find the mood for punch-in-the-gut, synapse-attacking artists in local electronic music. trousers and dish out some pugilistic punishment a better straight-up pop album from an Oxford Dale Kattack distortion!... can’t... the thick post-hardcore, it’s simplicity. What it is though is a wonderfully to everyone responsible. Still, at least we can on me... it’s... it’s... my God, it’s full of starch... band this year. crafted set of tunes from a new and distinct voice. be grateful that wizard rock never took off in David Murphy Dale Kattack Rob Langham TIGER MENDOZA Oxford. 31HOURS Dale Kattack `Old Ideas 1’ THE BECKONING FAIR ONES sidekick Isla St. Clair who has taken up residence (Self released) `Castile’ in the north Oxfordshire town. It’s a possible Death of Hi-Fi’s superb new album aside, we were (Self released) ‘TBFO’ career high point to place alongside early track ‘Billy’ as it showcases best the considerable talents starting to wonder where all the local hip hop had The first single from their forthcoming debut (Self released) gone this year, then this turns up like a brilliantly album, `Castile’ sort of shudders in like a of all four band members. bad-tempered bad penny, Ian de Quadros teaming malfunctioning robot that’s been left out in the `TBFO’ looks like being the final offering from and they will be much missed now Kennedy has Elsewhere, opener ‘Divider’ will get you pogoing up with an array of local rappers and singers – snow without even a scarf to keep its circuits one of Oxford’s most impressive bands of the past headed north to live in Yorkshire. around your bedroom in the manner of Car Seat including Death of Hi-Fi themselves – to make warm. It sounds like they’ve been listening to couple of years, the spawn of punky combo Dallas ‘TBFO’ is a fine self-generated epitaph, most of Headrest, Kennedy lamenting that “we can’t keep a six-track EP of industrial-heavy hip hop that Death Grips a bit since we last heard them and the Don’t and one of the stand out acts from the 2016 all in the growled vocals of ‘NVRNR’, Harris’s it together”; regretful words as the band go their ranges from imposing to militant, via brooding. mildly disorientating blend of lysergic wooziness Oxford Punt. synth pulses reminiscent of the oeuvre of Death separate ways while ‘Dry Swimming Pool’ is a Yeah, there’s no spliff-happy party bangers here. and spasming electronics here is a step up even Front man Niall Kennedy hails from Scotland’s from Above records at the time LCD Soundsystem slower number that showcases some shimmering Stand-out track is opener `Dark’, featuring from their promising early demos. Radiohead’s Moray coast but has starred on the local scene have re-emerged to wow us once again. Kennedy guitar work in the manner of Terry Bickers and Pierquinn, which sounds like a gothic-industrial more recent glitched-out gloom-pop is another for a few years, his second outfit an expertly directs his caustic remarks at a varied range of ‘Emily’s Army’ recalls the singer’s activities with inversion of Arab Strap’s `The First Big Weekend’ undeniable influence but if this song is an assembled dream team featuring keyboard expert targets including trust funds, conservatories, Dallas Don’t. Rumour has it that the extant Oxford by Burial after a weekend bingeing on Throbbing indication of what we can expect from the album, Peter Harris, talented bassist Lindsey Hall and stolen set lists and artists from Bicester singing members of the band may re-emerge soon but in Gristle and mephedrone. It’s grimy and heavy and 31Hours are dead certs for ones to watch in 2018. energetic drumming veteran Sam King. It’s been a songs about Brooklyn – probably not a dig at the meantime, this is a fitting send off indeed. coming your way, but there’s no point running Zoe Herriot project that has always delivered, particularly live, the vocalist’s fellow Scot, former Bruce Forsyth Rob Langham featuring a live set from eight-piece brass band SATURDAY 7th Brass Funkeys, fresh from playing Glastonbury CASSELS + FANCY DRESS: The Cellar and Secret Garden Party over the summer after – Spindly, spiky and spiteful pop-flavoured previous shows supporting Dr John and The punk from this month’s cover stars – see main Hit 8 Brass Band and now touring debut album interview feature `Rabble Rousers’, drawing on the classic New FREERANGE: The Cellar – UK garage, Orleans street jazz tradition, plus local blues, grime and bassline club night playing the best GIG GUIDE funk, ska and reggae crew Papa Nui. new underground sounds. KLUB KAKOFANNEY with THE EPSTEIN st from east London’s Skints, back in Oxford for THE SMYTHS: O2 Academy – The Smiths SUNDAY 1 + COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN + JULIET the first time since supporting Reel Big Fish here tribute band play `Strangeways, Here I Come’ COASTS: The Bullingdon – Stadium-friendly & THE RAGING ROMEOS + ADAM & in 2011. They’ve also supported Sonic Boom in its entirety, plus more classic songs. tropical pop in the vein of Foals and Friendly OCTOBER ELVIS: The Wheatsheaf – Klub Kakofanney Six, You Me At Six and Less Than Jake along AMBER RUN: O2 Academy – The Home Fires from Bristol’s Coasts, out on tour to celebrates its 26th birthday with a typically influences of The Beatles and Hoosiers along the way, while scoring success in the American Secretary brings her anthemic/emotive soft rock promote their new album, `This Life’. eclectic bill of live music, featuring alt.country the way. Local supports from tripped-out reggae charts with most recent album `FM’. band to town, promoting new single `Alaska’, a th FLYTE + CATGOD + 31HOURS: The and folk-rock faves The Epstein alongside Friday 6 electro/jazz outfit Catgod and starlit electro-pop DISTRICT: The Bullingdon – Launch night place as cold and inhospitable as her treatment Cellar – Epic, soulful acoustic rock and piano- Reading’s pop-friendly punkers Juliet & the crew 31Hours. for national club night District’s move into of asylum seekers. led pop from the London band, mixing up Raging Romeos. GARY NUMAN: SONG & SUPPER ROOMS + MARK Oxford, playing a mix of rock, pop-punk, indie, KLUB KAKOFANNEY with SELF HELP DIPPER MALKIN: The White House – Folk nd BOSLEY & PETE LOCK + JULES grunge and alternative sounds across two rooms + THE MIGHTY REDOX + CALLOW Monday 2 music and dance from acoustic guitar and viola O2 Academy PENZO + JEREMY HUGHES: Donnington every Wednesday. SAINTS + FRACTURE + RESTRUCTURE: Gary Numan’s last album, 2013’s `Splinter’, Community Centre (6pm) – Free evening of duo Dipper Malkin at the Oxford Folk Club, the The Wheatsheaf – Second night of Klub was subtitled `Songs From a Broken Mind’ SUZANNE VEGA: pair back in Oxford after their showing at The live, unplugged music. th Kakofanney’s birthday weekender, tonight and detailed his depression, near break-down The New Theatre OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms – THURSDAY 5 Oxford Folk Weekend in April and currently with rising local pop-punk starlets Self Help of his marriage and the contemplation of TIGER MENDOZA: Truck Store (6pm) Vega returns to Oxford for the first time Weekly open mic session. enjoying a creative artists’ residency at Cecil alongside KK hosts The Mighty Redox, mortality. Its follow-up, `Savage’, comes – Electro/hip hop producer Tiger Mendoza since her 2014 showing at Cornbuy Sharp House for the English Folk Dance & Aylesbury rockers Callow Saints, punk-rap-rave with the appendage `Songs From a Broken launches his new `Old Ideas’ EP with an instore Festival, and thirty years on from her nd Song Society. hoolies Restructure and more. World’ and finds Numan, who relocated to MONDAY 2 set. first Oxford show in this same venue. WHOLE LOTTA DC: Fat Lil’s, Witney – TOTALLY TINA: The New Theatre – Big California during the writing of `Splinter’, th SUZANNE VEGA: The New Theatre – The THE DEARS: O2 Academy – Enduring epic Appropriately she’s celebrating the 30 AC/DC tribute. stage, career-spanning tribute revue to Tina looking out rather than in, spurred on by veteran songstress plays her classic `Solitude misery and melodrama from Montreal’s finest – anniversary of `Solitude Standing’, her Turner. Trump’s devastating environmental policies Standing’ and `99.9F’ albums in full – see main see main preview th second album and the one that made her a Thursday 5 MUSICAL MEDICINE: The Bullingdon and writing about a post-apocalyptic world preview THIS IS OXFORD LAUNCH: The multi-million selling, Grammy-nominated SPARKY’S SPONTANEOUS SHOWCASE and the psychological traumas and religious TOUTS + VISTAS: The Cellar – Effervescent Bullingdon – Launch gig for the new Oxford THE DEARS: global star, the album spawning the hits AND SPOTLIGHT JAM: The White House violence that comes in its wake. Numan has melodic punk in the vein of Stiff Little Fingers music showcase compilation. `Luka’ and `Tom’s Diner’. She’s playing – Sparky’s monthly bands and jam night, always looked on the dark side of life, from and The Skids from Derry’s Touts, out on a THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf O2 Academy the album in its entirety along with the Thirteen years on from being voted Best tonight featuring Waterfahl, The Porker Band his earliest recordings as Tubeway Army, joint headline tour with Edinburgh’s Arctic – Free show in the downstairs bar from the whole of 1992’s “techno-folk” album New Band at South By Southwest, which and The Night Wreckers. inspired by JG Ballard and Philip K Dick; Monkeys and Twin Atlantic-influenced rockers veteran local swamp-blues, psychedelia, `99.9F’, which turns 25 this year. The New catapulted them to the precipice of success, OXFORD BEARD FESTIVAL: Tap Social, paranoia, betrayal, dystopian futures and Vistas. funk and ska faves in the run up to their Klub York-born songstress emerged out of the The Dears remain a cult concern, while Botley – Return of the annual celebration of militant atheism have long been fuel to his OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim Kakaofanney anniversary party. same Greenwich Village folk scene in the near neighbours The Arcade Fire enjoy the facial hair. Beard and moustache-related fun, creative fire, while musically his form of – Weekly open session. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford mid-80s that had spawned Bob Dylan and global stardom that could, maybe should, including live sets from Superloose, Franklin’s electronic music has always veered towards STRUM WHAT YA BRUNG: The Black Community Club – Oxford’s longest running Joan Baez in the 60s, and initially at least have been theirs. It’s not like they did Tower, Daisy West, Country For Old Men and stark and bleak. Few rock stars have risen so Swan – Fortnightly open mic session. and most eclectic open club night continues to she followed a similarly political lyrical anything wrong. The band, led by Murray more. high, fallen so low and been so completely FAUSTUS: Nettlebed Folk Club – Folk showcase singers, musicians, poets, storytellers path, albeit with a strangely skewed and Lightburn’s windswept baritone, which TEAS & TREES: Friends Meeting House, reborn as Numan. Back in the late 70s the fun from the award-winning trio featuring and performance artists every Thursday. personal perspective. Hits like `Marlene regularly saw him compared to Morrissey, St. Giles – Four-piece female harmony singers self-confessed accidental pioneer of synth- Bellowhead’s Benji Kirkpatrick and Paul Sartin, SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half On The Wall’ and `Luka’ dealt with bedsit continued to make the epic, string-laden play a free concert. pop was just about the biggest star around, alongside Waterson-Carthy collaborator Saul Moon – Sparky hosts his weekly open mic isolation and child abuse respectively, soul-tinged pop that made breakthrough THE INFLATABLES: Fat Lil’s, Witney but simultaneously reviled by a music press Rose. session. while songs like `Men In A War’ detailed album `No Cities Left’ such a joy. Finding – Classic ska and Two Tone covers from the still stuck on post-punk’s political posturing. ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure the experiences of military amputees. Her a sweet spot where Marvin Gaye and Isaac longstanding local tribute band. When Numan’s musical magic began to rd – Weekly unplugged open mic night. career received an added boost in 1990 with TUESDAY 3 Hayes met The Smiths and Blur by way OCTANE SPRING: The Brewery Tap, fade, he was sustained only by the most KRAUTWERK: The Bullingdon – Harald BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, DNA’s remix of `Tom’s Diner’. `Solitude of Burt Bacharach and Serge Gainsbourg, Abingdon – Classic rock covers. fanatical fanbase in pop. Now though he Grosskopf and Eberhard Kranemann, two Sandford – Open blues jam. Standing’ was Vega’s commercial high The Dears have drama, pathos, gravity is a universally respected pioneer with few veterans of the early-70s Krautrock movement, point but she remains a crowd-puller and and swagger in equal measure, but maybe th equals. Everyone from Trent Reznor, Beck, join forces for an evening of motorik electronic th SUNDAY 8 an influence on subsequent generations of FRIDAY 6 Lightburn’s perennially tortured soul was KLUB KAKOFANNEY: The Wheatsheaf Damon Albarn and Lady Gaga to Bowie, adventuring and kosmiche, Grosskopf a pioneer artists. If her lyrical subject matter moved GARY NUMAN: O2 Academy – Return of the a little too alienating for mainstream pop (3.30-7pm) – Free afternoon of live music in Prince, Dr Dre and Afrikaa Bambaataa in electronic percussion with Synthesist and into more straightforward romantic territory synth-pop / industrial rock godhead – see main audiences. New album `Times Infinity the downstairs bar to round off the KK birthday has clamoured to hail his electronic genius later Ash Ra Tempel, while Kranemann briefly over the years and she’s often perceived as preview Volume 2’ doesn’t find him cheering up weekend, with sets from Puppet Mechanic; over the years and his brooding, anthemic played bass in both Kraftwerk and Neu! a mellow pop presence, her contribution THE WALL: O2 Academy – Pink Floyd any. Having got through a hefty roster of Demoiselles; Firegazers; Twizz Twangle, and industrial rock is a suitably bruising BREAKFAST MUFF + RAINBOW to David Lynch and Dangermouse’s `Dark tribute. bandmates over the years, Murray’s only Glenda Huish. soundtrack to the apocalyptic landscapes RESERVOIR + HOLY MOMENTS: The Night Of The Soul’ project showed she POLICE DOG HOGAN: The Bullingdon – permanent colleague now is wife Natalia PERFECT: O2 Academy – Bluesy rock from he’s singing about. Library – Righteous, raucous and witty DIY still commands respect where it counts and Upbeat urban bluegrass, suburban country, West Yanchak, although live they’re boosted Poland’s veteran crew. punk, riot grrl and chant-along noise-pop from revisiting those old records here is reminder Country folk, fun drinking songs, tales of failed by a full backing band, as such epically- night playing new tunes from the US and UK. Glasgow’s Breakfast Muff at tonight’s Divine of her at her most potent. barbecues and souvenir tea towels at tonight’s proportioned pop demands. th NATUREBOY: The Mad Hatter – Dave Schism show, the band, featuring members of MONDAY 9 Empty Room show from the ever-touring octet, Noble officially launches his latest album, Joanna Gruesome and Spinning Coin, out on YAK: The Bullingdon – Raw and raucous back in town after last year’s sold-out show `Setting of the Sun’, released in the summer tour to promote third album `Eugh!’ Great riot garage rocking from London trio Yak, back in and their showing at this summer’s Cornbury and featuring contributions from a raft of grrl-inspired support from Reservoir, mixing up town as part of a tour to promote last year’s Festival, the band featuring Guardian columnist local musicians, including Duotone and Le Tigre, B52s and Moldy Peaches, and spiky, debut album `Alas Salvation’ – produced by Tim Dowling on banjo, their inclusive, feelgood Megan Henwood, his languorous mix of pop, spindly pop-punk from Holy Moments. Pulp’s Steve Mackey – following on from tour onstage vibes a neat counterpoint to his dry, psychedelia, folk and jazz drawing comparisons SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James supports to Last Shadow Puppets and Peace. hangdog humour. to The Beatles, Steely Dan, Donovan and Pink Street Tavern – Weekly open mic night. BOSSAPHONIK with THE BRASS ISAAC GRACIE + WILDES: The Cellar – Minor key melancholy in the vein of Jeff Floyd. FUNKEYS + PAPA NUI: The Cellar – Latin KARA GRAINGER + JODY WYATT: The WEDNESDAY 4th dancefloor, Balkan beats, global grooves, Buckley and Ryan Adams from London sing- songwriter Gracie, playing songs from his Jericho Tavern – Soulful blues and roots THE SKINTS: The Bullingdon – A heady Afrobeat and nu-jazz club night hosted by Dan recent `Songs in Black & White’ EP. rocking from the LA-based Australian singer blend of ska, reggae, hip hop, dub and punk Ofer, tonight celebrating its 13th birthday and NEW WAVE: The Cellar – New hip hop club and guitarist at tonight’s Monday Blues show. INTRUSION: The Cellar – Monthly goth, compared to Led Zeppelin, Cream and Santana his set at Common People in May and, almost a anthemic songs like `Bitter Town’, `Baby’s industrial, ebm and cyberpunk club night with as they mix up rootsy rocking and blues with decade on from his seminal `Hyph Mngo’ single, Alright’ and `All There Is’, revealing a band that residents Doktor Joy and Bookhouse keeping it electronics and convoluted song structures. providing something of a condensed history falls somewhere between The Jesus & Mary dark on the decks. THE OXFORD SOUL TRAIN: O2 Academy of the past twenty years of UK dance culture, Chain, Big Country and REM, mixing guitar SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James – Classic soul, funk, disco and Motown tune mixing in house, dubstep, UK funky and garage, fuzz and spangle with big-hearted choruses. Street Tavern across two rooms at the quarterly extravaganza. old school jungle and grime into his slickly THE MIGHTY CADILLACS + TONY JEFFREY LEWIS & LOS BOLTS + LUCY uplifting sets. BATEY & SAL MOORE + PURPLE MAY WEDNESDAY 11th LEAVE: The Wheatsheaf – Continuing to be TARPIT + THE OTHER ONES + + MONKFISH + PETE LOCK & MARK REDFACES: The Cellar – Sheffield’s a beacon of genuine wit and humour in music, WATERCOLOURS: The Wheatsheaf – Local BOSLEY: The Wheatsheaf (3:30-8:30pm) – harmony-heavy 60s r’n’b-influenced indie New York’s Jeffrey Lewis returns to town with bands night. Free afternoon of live music in the downstairs rockers head out on a headline tour following his new band, his sleight of hand as a lyricist bar, hosted by Giddyup Music. th Saturday 14th supports to Courteeners and Strypes and an matched by his talent as an artist, and his way SUNDAY 15th PRETTY GIRLS LIKE TRAP MUSIC: The Tuesday 17 appearance at this summer’s Truck Festival. with a story that marks him out as a genuinely MARC ALMOND: The New Theatre Cellar – Hip hop, r’n’b and trap club night. DESPERATE DOCTOR FEELGOOD: The Cellar – Not funny entertainer, his songs tread a fine line – Orchestral greatest hits show from the THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Prince of MIDGE URE / THE the classic 70s r’n’b band, but a new disco, between melancholic introspection and jaunty flamboyant former-Soft Cell singer – see main Wales, Iffley (3-6pm) JOURNALIST / afrobeat and house club night. whimsy, like a young Paul Simon. Last year’s preview OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms CHRISTIANS / OCTOBER DRIFT: DISTRICT: The Bullingdon sold out show here found him updating The INHEAVEN: The Bullingdon – South ALTERED IMAGES: GREEN ONIONS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Blues Velvet Underground’s `Heroin’ as a hymn to London’s epic indie rockers return to town, MONDAY 16th The Cellar Brothers tribute. the internet (“It’s my wi-fi and it’s my hi-fi”); DREAM WIFE: The Bullingdon – Fresh from The New Theatre These are good times for classic female- stylistically he can flit from grunge to skiffle Sunday 15th slaying Truckfest, Brighton’s Anglo-Icelandic These retro package tours can be a treat fronted indie bands. Alongside recent THURSDAY 12th with ease, unconstrained by style or the anti- trio return to Oxford. Originally formed as or a horror show, or sometimes both at the folk tag that forever dogs him. He’s out on tour Truck Festival show-stealers The Orielles THE DEADBEAT APOSTLES: Truck Store MARC ALMOND: a fictional project for a mockumentary at art same time, depending who signs up. There’s to promote last year’s `…Did Not Choose the and Honeyblood, the likes of Alvvays (6pm) – EP launch set from the local soul and school, they went down so well they came to nothing completely horrendous here, though Tracks’ – something like his 25th studio album, and Dream Wife are making like the Americana outfit ahead of their show at the The New Theatre life, their mix of 60s girl groups, 70s NY punk, The Christians’ lightweight soul-pop, but frankly it’s impossible to keep up. Great, Oasis-inspired death of proper indie never Bully tomorrow night. Say what you like about Marc Almond, he’s riot grrl, bubblegum cheerleader pop and disco which earned them multi-million sales and wonky post-punk/jazz-rock/psych support from happened. You might expect a band named THE HOOSIERS: O2 Academy – Too had a far more interesting life than most of pitching them in at a very neat point between hits with `Ideal World’, `Hooverville’ and after an obscure Cure lyric taking the piss chirpy by half soft rock and 80s-styled pop Lucy leave. us and he’s one of music’s most unlikely Blondie, Sleater Kinney, Grimes and Le Tigre. a cover of The Isley Brothers’ `Harvest out of pretentious music journo Paul Morley from the fifth member of the Horsemen of the THE ORIGINAL RABBIT FOOT SPASM and enduring stars. There were the early New single `Somebody’ is out now. For the World’ are hardly the stuff of pop to be a bit knowing but north London’s Apocalypse team. Come on Pyongyang, fire BAND + PEERLESS PIRATES: The Jericho hits with Soft Cell of course, including STRUM WHAT YA BRUNG: The Black legend. And, as his acoustic set at Cornbury Desperate Journalist sound completely that missile, save us all. Tavern – Local jump blues, swing and r’n’b perennial favourite `Tainted Love’, a cover Swan proved, even without Ultravox behind him, heartfelt in their graceful, romantic post- TIGER MENDOZA: The Library – EP faves The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band of Gloria Jones’s hit which summed up OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim Midge Ure’s both a great songwriter and punk and jangle-pop journeys, even a bit launch show from Ian de Quadros’ dark-hearted return to Oxford action with a night of their the duo’s perfect blend of northern soul MADDY PRIOR with GILES LEWIN & an engaging, genuinely funny presence unabashed and unironic goth (well hey, electro/industrial/hip hop project, finding a own hot jazz hits alongside covers of Dean and electro-pop. Later there would be Top HANNAH JAMES: Nettlebed Folk Club – and knows his audience want the big hits, as we say, the name comes from a Cure meeting point between Burial, Nine Inch Nails Martin, Lou Monte, Louis Prima and more. 10 hits with `Something’s Gotten Hold of Steeleye Span singer and Brit-folk legend Prior so you’ll get `Vienna’, `Dancing With lyric, plus they’ve supported Chameleons and Deftones as he’s joined by a series of guest They’re joined by heroic rockabilly romantics My Heart’ (a duet with Gene Pitney) and returns to Nettlebed’s legendary folk club. Tears in My Eyes’ and `Hymn’ along the Vox on tour and even played the Whitby singers and rappers. Peerless Pirates, also mixing up their own songs `Days of Pearly Spencer’, while Almond’s way. But it’s Altered Images Nightshift is Goth Weekender). Singer Jo Bevan is KRIEF: The Jericho Tavern – Former-Dears with suitably swashbuckling covers. flamboyant personality and endless stream TUESDAY 17th getting giddy about. We almost saw them of anecdotes has sustained his star status possessed of a similar mix of stridency and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Krief heads out on THE OXFORD BEATLES + RORY EVANS: MIDGE URE + THE CHRISTIANS + live at their commercial peak in the early through all manner of dark times. Away vulnerability as Savages’ Jehnny Beth and the solo trail in support of emotively epic new The Cellar – Local Beatles tribute show ALTERED IMAGES: The New Theatre – 80s before illness meant the show was from the big hits though have come the real also Morrissey’s introverted poetic flourish album `Automatic’, dealing with death and lost ahead of the band’s `St Pepper’ residency in Midge Ure – Yeah! The Christians – Uh-uh. cancelled. We were in love with singer musical highlights – his sublime Marc & the and singles like `Control’ and `Christine’ love. November. Altered Images – Bloody hell, yes! – see main Clare Grogan from the moment we caught Mambas albums, the excoriating `Vermin in come with some of The Smiths’, Siouxsie’s CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford THE HISTORY OF JUNGLE: The Cellar – preview her singing `Happy Birthday’ on Top of the Ermine’, and collaborations with the likes and New Order’s DNA in their blood, Community Club Classic jungle anthems and rare classics. CLEAN CUT KID: The Bullingdon – Pops and we’re still in love with her. In fact of Coil, Jim Thirwell and Psychic TV which managing to be simultaneously uplifting and SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half KATHRYN ROBERTS & SEAN Languidly funky electro-pop in a Vampire there is a signed photo of her on the wall allowed him to fully explore the dark side of a bit gloomy. Completing a superb double Moon LAKEMAN: The Cornerstone, Didcot – Weekend style from the Liverpudlian quartet, of the Nightshift office. It says “with love his life and art. Having had to relearn how bill tonight are Somerset’s October Drift, ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure Husband and wife duo Kathryn and Sean return out on their biggest tour to date to promote debut from Clare,” so we know our feelings are to sing after a near-fatal motorbike crash one of the most intense and entertaining live BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, to the Shire, fresh from winning Best Duo at the album `Felt’. reciprocated. And Altered Images were an in 2004, he’s remained prolific, both as a acts Nightshift has witnessed in recent times, Sandford BBC Folk Awards off the back of the acclaim SANE SESSION 1: The Cellar – 90s and awesome pop band, from their first, Steve composer and interpreter of others’ songs, taking Icicle Works and Comsat Angels’ BLACK FORGE + THE REAPER + accorded their `Hidden People’ album, mixing noughties dance hits. Severin-produced album to the glossy, mixing camp, cabaret and crooning with anthemic 80s alternative pop and shoving it HELLION RISING + 1000 CHAINS + tender folk ballads with stomping acoustic rock, SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James exuberant joy of `Pinky Blue’ and all the more outré explorations. Tonight’s show is through My Bloody Valentine and Smashing KNAVE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – OxRox brings the couple having previously formed Equation Street Tavern perfect pop moments contained within. Pumpkins’ rock mangle. It’s a glorious the riffs to Witney with Somerset power trio with Kate Rusby and Sean’s brother Seth. part of a tour with a full orchestra revisiting Seriously, if they play `Goodnight and I his biggest hits – `Stories of Johnny’; racket, made better by the singer’s big show Black Forge channelling Sepultura, Doom and THE BLACK FEATHERS: Friends Meeting th Wish’ you will see a grown man swoon and off theatrics. What used to be called in the House, St. Giles – Gentle, harmony-heavy `Bedsitter’; Tears Run Rings’; `Torch’ and WEDNESDAY 18 faint clean away. Motorhead, alongside local classic rock and THE PRETENDERS: The New Theatre olden days, a bloody great night out. Americana and folk from Cirencester duo The `What!’ among them – alongside tracks metal faves The Reaper, Newcastle’s stoner/ – Back in the Shire after headlining the final Black Feathers, touring their new `Holy Water’ from lush, characteristically melodramatic supports to Royal Blood and Black Peaks. groove metallers Hellion Rising and eclectic Cornbury Festival in July, Chrissie Hynde and OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim single. new covers album `Shadows & Reflections’ BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Cellar local heavyweights 1000 Chains. the gang kick out the hits - `Brass In Pocket’; OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ: Harcourt Arms REVEREND BLACK: Tap Social, Botley – and more, the man still very much a star in – 80s pop, new wave, disco, synth-pop and glam `Stop Your Sobbing’; `Back on the Chain Gang’; THE SHEE: Nettlebed Folk Club – All- Classic rock covers. every sense. club night, from The Smiths and Madonna to FRIDAY 13th `2000 Miles’; `Don’t Get Me Wrong’ et al, plus female harmony folk at Nettlebed tonight Talking Heads and Kate Bush and beyond. THE DEADBEAT APOSTLES + THE songs from last year’s `Alone’ album. Still one of from the award-winning trio, featuring harp th DISTRICT: The Bullingdon SHAPES: The Bullingdon – Excellent double SATURDAY 14 the coolest people in rock. player Rachel Newton, 2017 BBC Folk Awards bill of two of Oxford’s best party-starting bands DESPERATE JOURNALIST + OCTOBER THE BIG MOON: The Bullingdon – musician of the year. th with expansive, country-tinged soul and r’n’b LIST: The Cellar – Gothic post-punk pop Exuberant grunged-up indie from The Big THURSDAY 19 crew Deadbeat Apostles going head to head exuberance from the rising London stars – see Moon, last seen round these parts at Truck 2016, LETHAL BIZZLE: O2 Academy – Return th TUESDAY 10 with last month’s Nightshift cover stars The main preview the band touring Mercury-nominated debut to town for the veteran MC, something of an TOM McRAE: O2 Academy – Chelmsford’s Shapes, mixing 60s r’n’b, folk, new wave and FRESH OUT THE BOX presents CENSUS album `Love in the 4th Dimension’, their fuzzgun elder statesman of grime, although over his master of mirth returns to town to promote his feelgood pop into a heady brew. SOUNDS: The Cellar – Progressive house tales of boys, romance and smalltown escapism extensive and varied career he’s veered off new album, continuing to plumb the depths WILLIE & THE BANDITS + CLAUDE and techno club night with DJs Ed Steele B2B partway between Pixies and Sleeper. into pop-friendly rap, funky house, electro and of musical sorrow and melancholy in rather HAY: O2 Academy – Epic, intricate prog- Kostas G, Alan Cross, Ettica and Alna TIGERCUB: The Cellar – Raw and raucous more. His early willingness to collaborate with splendid style and with a feather-light vocal roots rocking and blues from Plymouth’s Willie SIMPLE with JOY ORBISON: The nu-grunge from Brighton’s Tigercub, heavily acts like Gallows made him the rock scene’s touch that leavens his tales of gloom and lost & The Bandits, out on tour to promote new Bullingdon – Oxford’s long-running house club inspired by Nirvana and Queens of the Stone- favourite rapper and he appeared at Reading and love. album `Steal’, the band having variously been night hosts the mighty Joy Orbison, following Age and back in town for a headline show after Leeds Festivals as well as an ill-fated foray into Download. Latterly he’s worked with Wiley, Tempa T and Stormzy, keeping up the hit rate, notably on Top 20 single `Fester Skank’, his goofy rhymes and eclectic style taking him from the UK hip hop underground to household name, where he’s still comfortably positioned. THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD: The New Theatre – Bruce Waters, Bruce Gilmour and Bruce Mason pay tribute to the prog behemoths in typically Aussie style, including `A Saucerful of Fosters’, `Comfortably Numb (After Twelve Pints of Fosters)’, and `Wish You Were A Pint of Fosters’. GOOD LIFE featuring ONEMAN: The Bullingdon – Oxford launch for the bass, grime and garage club night, with Rinse FM’s Oneman. GOODNESS: The Cellar – House, techno and disco club night. Saturday 21st TOM MILLAR: Keble College – Groove-led piano jazz from composer and bandleader Millar RITUAL UNION: and his quartet. THE EAST POINTERS: Thomas Hughes Cowley Road Memorial Hall, Uffington – Kicking off a trio Having upped Oxford’s gigging game over BLACK HONEY’s grunged-up soul, surf of concerts from Canadian folk-roots acts at the past 18 months promoters Future Perfect rock and Morricone-inspired soundtracking the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall over the host their most ambitious event to date with comes fronted by Izzy Fraser’s deliciously next couple of weeks are Prince Edward Island an all-day mini-festival taking in some 35 acts ethereal Nancy Sinatra-meets-Dusty trio The East Pointers, back in the shire after across five venues along the Cowley Road. Springfield vocals, whileTRUDY & THE supporting near neighbours Gordie MacKeema The day starts off at Truck Store with some ROMANCE’s own take on surf sounds come & His Rhythm Boys here last year, the band early acoustic sets before moving along to The mixed with an eclectic mix of r’n’b, bluesy – whose family music roots go back seven Library and The Bullingdon then taking over 50s pop and rockabilly. generations – draw on traditional Scottish and both floors of the O2 Academy, culminating in Among the less well known faces on show, Irish traditions as they mix banjo and fiddle a headline set from PEACE. you can pick from Canterbury’s funky, melodies with stomp box rhythms. While the Birmingham’s indie-funk stars psych-tined folk rockers Syd Arthur; THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf provide the pop-friendly face of the festival, Bristol’s indie garage rockers VAN ZELLER; – Free show in the downstairs bar from the the emphasis is on the more psychedelic side MAGIQUE’s euphoric one-man electro-pop; veteran rocker and band. of things for much of the day, with Japanese MELLOW GANG’s swoonesome breeze-pop, CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford noise overlords BO NINGEN taking the and HER’S’ hazy dreampop thrum. Community Club most extreme trip spaceward, sounding like There’s a strong Oxford showing too, with SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half Lemmy from Motorhead and Sadako from local star on the rise WILLIE J HEALEY Moon Ring spawned a brood of skinny, demonic making his main Academy room debut, ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure imps, raised them on a diet of Hawkwind and where he’s joined by gothic drone-infected BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, let them loose on the world. Watching them Americana duo THE AUGUST LIST and Sandford live can feel like being caught in the path of a intimate synth-popsters CANDY SAYS. BIGFOOT + DEAD MAN’S WHISKEY force-5 hurricane. Garage rock duo THE OTHER DRAMAS, + THE MOTIVE + BLACK TREE By contrast Russia’s symphonic one-man post-rock fave KID KIN VULTURES: Fat Lil’s, Witney – OxRox rock PINKSHINYULTRABLAST’s surging and elaborate slacker-soul trouper CHRIS and metal night. shoegaze storm feels more like a blizzard of BARKER also fly the local flag, while rave- cherry blossom as they take inspiration from friendly electro-pop starlets LOW ISLAND FRIDAY 20th Cocteau Twins and Lush and make them soar, play the main part of the festival before BAD BREEDING: The Cellar – Pure unrefined with singer Lyubov Soloveva’s enchanting hosting their own after-show party at the punk rock fury from Stevenage’s anarcho- glossolalia at its heart. Bully. political street beasts, raging against the machine JOSEFIN OHRN + THE LIBERATION All that’s only half the picture though, and in fine style, reminiscent of militant early are just one of a dozen contenders for what as with any great festival, much of the fun is anarcho-punk bands like Crass, Subhumans and could be highlight of the day, back in town wandering between stages discovering new particularly Flux of Pink Indians. after last year’s stupendous show at the sounds amid the more familiar stars. THE ALARM + DAVE SHARP: O2 Academy Bullingdon, the Swedish songstress’ pure- With festival season now an increasingly – Mike Peters continues to reimagine his band’s phase sonic battle wandering into sumptuous, distant memory, Ritual Union takes the action early albums, and having done `Declaration’ motorik lullabies and dark, narcotic haze, indoors, neatly avoids any risk of mud and and `Strength’, the 30th anniversary of `Eye of partway between The Velvet Underground, looks like its come up with a line-up to better the Hurricane’ might provide the opportunity Stereolab and Portishead. She’ll be pushed any outdoor festival this year. to do the same again, while he continues to pen all the way by Sheffield’s seriously tripped- anthemic, folk-inspired punk and power pop on out shamanic rockers BABA NAGA, new records alongside big hits like `68 Guns’ Copenhagen’s glorious black-hole dirge/doom and `Where Were You Hiding’. rockers BABY IN VAIN and TRAAMS’ SHY FX SOUNDSYSTEM: O2 Academy intense, uptight post-punk jamming. – Drum&bass and jungle maestro Andre Motorik psych/drone/Krautrock/electropop Williams, aka Shy FX, returns to the shire for crew TOYS, spaced-out groove rockers the first time since hosting Truck Festival’s VRYLL SOCIETY and harmony-heavy fuzz- dance barn in the 2015. core people ULRIKA SPACEK will keep RYDERS CREED + SILK ROAD + things lysergic and hypnotic, while drifting SWITCHBLADE CITY: The Wheatsheaf out of the psychedelic haze for a while, – OxRox gig night with Staffordshire’s hard Gorguts and Onslaught on tour, plus local vibes going on the decks. `We Came Here To Work’. encounters, self-loathing, murderous intentions death/grind heroes Black Skies Burn, recent SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James FOOTNOTE: The Cellar – Disco, house and and asphyxiwanking,” plus noisy bastard rock tour support to Napalm Death; crust/grind/ Street Tavern techno club night. newcomers Mamzer powerviolence outfit Negative Thought Process, SWING TIME: The Cornerstone, Didcot BETTER THAN NEVER + ONE STATE and heavy-duty stoner-metal and sludge blues WEDNESDAY 25th – Classics from Glenn Miller, Sinatra, Ella DRIVE + THE KAOS: The Cellar – Pop-punk from Crimson Tusk H_NGM_N + HAVELOCK + DAISY + Fitzgerald, Count Basie and more from the jazz in a Blink 182 / Good Charlotte vein from the FLUID: The Cellar – Bassline, UK garage and WORRY: The Wheatsheaf – Emo-pop from band, featured on Children in Need. local rockers. drum&bass from rising bass star Deadbeat UK Brighton duo H_ngm_n. CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford PITCH BLACK HALLOWEEN: The Cellar and Fluid residents. DISTRICT: The Bullingdon Community Club – Techno Halloween club night as Pitch Black HUGO’S COVERS BAND: Harcourt Arms SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half celebrate their second birthday with underground th Saturday 28 VISHTEN: Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, th Moon techno hero Regis, aka Karl O’Connor from Uffington – Gorgeously darkwoods tales from THURSDAY 26 ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure influential label Downwards. Prince Edward Island trio Vishten, combining SLØTFACE: The Cellar – Exuberantly spiky BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, RAWDIO: The Bullingdon – Drum&bass club ROOTS MANUVA: st the folk traditions of their native Canada with indie-grunge in the vein of Pixies and Wolf Alice Sandford night. Tuesday 31 O2 Academy Scottish and Cajun sounds. from Norway’s Slotface, out on tour to promote GHOUL TAMARA’S PARTIES: The Bear Good news, if Rodney Smith is touring new album `Try Not To Freak Out’. SLOWCOACHES: REVEREND BLACK: The Brewery Tap, FRIDAY 27th & the Bean – All Tamara’s Parties hosts a again it must mean there’s a new Roots Abingdon – Classic rock covers. MILES HUNT & ERICA NOCKALLS: The Halloween special, with sets from London- Manuva album on its way and given the Bullingdon – Wonderstuff singer Hunt and GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB: The The Cellar Bullingdon – Leeds’ livewire nine-strong based American singer Kate Ellis, whose According to Slowcoaches’ biog they undisputed godfather of UK hip hop has nd violinist Nockalls tour their third album together, reflective, emotive take on folk and country has been getting stranger and more experimental SUNDAY 22 roots reggae, ska, rock and dub collective bring once caused a bloke down the front of one FRANCOBOLLO: The Cellar – Heady mix the party back to town after their show at the been compared to Nanci Griffith and Lucinda of their gigs to headbang so vigorously as he gets older and younger generations Sunday 29th Williams and has seen her playing guitar with of rappers have taken over his chart hit of punk, prog, psychedelia and synth-pop from Academy last year, the band having spent the he heatbutted a monitor and promptly London-based Swedes Francobollo, on tour to summer doing the European festival circuit and Hank Williams; tonight she’ll be playing songs projectile vomited all over the stage. Not mantle, this must be cause for celebration. JANE WEAVER: from her debut album `Care Me Out’. She’s Part funky party starter, part sombre street promote debut album `Long Live Life’ after their having previously played alongside Madness, sure Nightshift would ever do anything quite recent showing at Truck Festival. Roots Manuva, The Streets and The Wailers. joined by Hannah Bruce’s gentle, romantic so daft but we can see how Slowcoaches philosopher, Smith has always been his The Bullingdon acoustic confessionals and poet and raconteur own man, from the very start making his OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms Much of the best music in recent years SKYLARKIN’ SOUNDSYSTEM with cause people to lose themselves to wild DADDY G: The Cellar – Deep, dubby reggae, George Chopping’s idiosyncratic compering, abandon. This is punk. And pop. But not US rap influences a more British affair with has been made by women using electronic plus a Halloween fancy dress competition. elements of dub, trip hop and dancehall MONDAY 23rd instruments: Lonelady; Gwenno; Josefin hip hop, garage, drum&bass and bock party punk-pop like all those terrible So.Cal bands classics from the Massive Attack man, back at THE TOM IVEY BAND: Harcourt Arms – make. It’s riotous and messy and gloriously and a laconic delivery that was inspired by HOWIE PAYNE: The Bullingdon – The Öhrn; Gazelle Twin; I Speak Machine, Live blues. Rakim but could only be homegrown. The former Stands frontman returns to town after and Oxford’s own Esther Joy Lane among Skylarkin’ Soundsystem’s monthly party night unrestrained, but comes with bloody big after previous sold-out shows, the Bristolian BEN MEETS BENNY: St Giles Parish Hall – shiny pop songs slapped all over it like feelgood party mood of his music, with his show here earlier in the year, out on tour them. As we head into October it’s looking Jazz violin virtuoso Ben Holder pays tribute to its Barry White samples and all, is often to premiere songs from `Mountain’, his first likely Nightshift’s favourite album of the pioneer and former-Wild Bunch lynchpin giant pink lipstick kisses. The London trio, hearing about the Cellar’s potential demise and King of the Swing Benny Goodman at tonight’s led by singer/bassist Heather Perkins, hark at odds with Roots Manuva’s poignant album in eight years, following the release of a year will be `Modern Kosmology’ by Jane Jazz at St. Giles show, Holder joined by rising world outlook and often bleak lyricism comprehensive Stands retrospective box set, the Weaver, written and performed on her array demanding to be able to play one of his favourite back to great girl-led 80s bands like The venues again. Dancehall don Skylarkin joins young clarinettist Julian Stringle. Shop Assistants, The Flatmates and We Are and that rare thing, rap existentialism. It’s 90s band big favourites of Noel Gallagher and of homemade analogue synthesizers. It’s MITCHFEST: Fat Lil’s, Witney (midday – his perceptiveness and ability to turn it tour support to Paul Weller, Gomez, The Coral looking likely to be Weaver’s breakthrough him on the decks, alongside Tru Thoughts’ MC Going To Eat You, as well as their more Deemas J 11.30pm) - All-day tribute concert in memory recent American cousins like Slumber Party, into such powerful rhymes, though, that and Richard Ashcroft back in their heyday. album, which is incredible given it’s her of Michelle Jackson who died last year, with an put him on top of the pile and make him OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim ninth solo release and she’s been playing GUNS2ROSES + METALLICA RELOADED Vyvian Girls and Dum Dum Girls, all bands + COSMOSIS + EMPYRE: O2 Academy – extensive cast of rock, metal and more. Among more concerned with giant pop hooks, a real contender as the best British rapper HEIDI TALBOT: Nettlebed Folk Club – The since the mid-90s, first with indie hopefuls those playing are Terminus, K-Lacura, My ever. Well over 20 years into his career County Kildare folk singer launches new album Kill Laura and then ill-fated folktronia Double dose of heavyweight tributism, plus local infectious melodies and keeping it fuzzed- rock supports. Diablo, Raised by Hypocrites, Ghoul, Counting up, frenetic and fun. Throw comparisons he’s worked with everyone from Leftfield, `Kith & Kin’, the former Cherish the Ladies project Misty Dixon. Having spent much of Cards, Trauma UK, Osprey and The Motive. U.N.K.L.E and Gorillaz to Mica Paris, vocalist, who has collaborated with the likes of her solo career flitting inventively between ART THEEFE: The Mad Hatter – Launch gig like No Age, The Germs and The Nerves for the local trio’s new single `Lover’s Lane’. THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Dolphin, into the blender, give it all a good shake Mr Scruff and FourTet and quite possibly, Idlewild, Kris Drever, Eddie Reader and husband acoustic balladry, avant garde electronica Wallingford somewhere along the line, he invented John McCusker, drawing comparisons to such and improv experimentation Weaver’s LEGEND – A TRIBUTE TO BOB MARLEY: and spray the resulting rainbow mix into The Cornerstone, Didcot – Does what it says DAMN GOOD REASON: The Brewery Tap, the crowd and you’ve got what gigs are grime. Stormzy might outsell him now and disparate influences as Bjork, Kirsty MacColl sound began to cohere with 2014’s `The Abingdon – Blues and rock covers. Ghostpoet is close to being his equal in the and Nora Jones. Silver Globe and its follow-up `The Amber on the tin. all about. Another thing gigs should be all about is fun for everyone, so Slowcoaches trippier outreaches of hip hop but Roots Light’. `Modern Kosmology’, though, is th th Manuva is still the king. th her best yet, fast earning her a new army SATURDAY 28 SUNDAY 29 have promised each show on this tour to TUESDAY 24 JANE WEAVER: The Bullingdon – Sublime promote debut album `Nothing Gives’ will SKINNY MOLLY: The Bullingdon – Good ol’ of fans for its exotic mix of Krautrock ULRICH SCHNAUSS: Modern Art Oxford rock and stoner crew Ryder’s Creed, alongside psych-kraut-electro-pop from the mercurial be a safe space, so no being a macho dick in southern rock from Nashville’s Skinny Molly at (particularly Can, whose Malcolm – Electrogaze and indietronica from composer swaggering hard rock and blues crew Silk Crew synthesist – see main preview the moshpit. If you have to inflict damage tonight’s Haven Club show, the band formed by Mooney crops us briefly on one track), 80s Schnauss, and sometime member of Tangerine and Northampton rockers Switchblade City. MARK ATHERTON & FRIENDS + on anyone, follow that other guy’s example former Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot guitarist synth-pop and psychedelia, her swirling Dream, back in town with his hypnotic mix SOUL SESSIONS: The Cellar – Classic 60s, EASTER ISLAND STATUES + TONY and do it to yourself. Mike Estes, and originally featuring Molly synthscapes, motorik rhythms and fragile, of dream-pop, synth soundscapes, oceanic 70s and 80s funk, soul and disco club night. BATEY & SAL MOORE + ASTEROX: The Hatchet’s Dave Hlubek. otherworldly vocals joining dots between ambience and washes of electronic noise and BREEZE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rock and indie Wheatsheaf (3.30-7pm) – Klub Kakofanney folk, out on tour to promote their tenth album TIFT MERRITT: St. Barnabas Church, early Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane and Balearic beats. covers. Neu! on one hand and Stereolab, Broadcast ROOTS MANUVA: O2 Academy – The host an afternoon of free live music in the together, `Shoulder To Shoulder’. Jericho – North Carolina country/folk singer- Sheaf’s downstairs bar. OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim songwriter Merritt makes her first visit to Oxford and Goldfrapp on the other. Lyrically it’s Godfather of UK hip hop returns – see main st all occult themes and spirituality while preview OPEN MIC SESSION: Harcourt Arms STRUM WHAT YA BRUNG: The Black Swan SATURDAY 21 since 2013, touring her recent `Stitch of the HEADINGTON HILLBILLIES: Prince of RITUAL UNION: Various venues, Cowley musically it’s just gorgeous, gorgeous pop KATCHAFIRE: O2 Academy – Classic roots World’ album, following time spent playing Wales, Iffley – Bluegrass and Americana from st Road – Future Perfect’s Cowley Road-spanning music that is unlikely to be bettered before reggae, dancehall and reggae-flavoured pop TUESDAY 31 guitar for Andrew Bird, her heartfelt, poignant the local stalwarts. all-dayer provides a superb line-up of music, songs, about heartache, nature and life on the we get to Christmas. So stick it on your list from New Zealand’s long-standing live faves, SLOWCOACHES: The Cellar – Riotously th BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3-7pm) – from headliners Peace to Black Honey, Josefin for Santa and make sure you get down to see over for a European tour to celebrate their 20 messy, melodically-sweet punk-pop from the road, in the storytelling tradition of Emmylou Open jam session. Ohrn and Pinshinyultrablast – see main preview Harris, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. her live tonight. anniversary. London fuzzsters – see main preview LOW ISLAND & FRIENDS: The Bullingdon GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with RESOLVE + BLOODSHOT + BAD 4x4: The Cellar – New tech-house, bassline and th – The local ravey electro-pop stars host their own jump up club night, with opening night guest CHASING DAYLIGHT + DEATHSEX MONDAY 30 ROACH: The Wheatsheaf – Jam City post-Ritual Union party, with a live performance Wittyboy alongside Kudo and Morelli. BLOODBATH + MAMZER: The Wheatsheaf CHRIS WHILE & JULIE MATTHEWS: Halloween show with djent newcomers Resolve as well as DJ sets. MADE IN CUBA with RAN KAN KAN & – Characteristically mix bag of sounds at this Nettlebed Folk Club – Powerful harmony and deathcore merchants Bloodshot. SEPREVATION + BLACK SKIES BURN YELFIR VALDES: The Old Fire Station – A month’s GTI with Chasing Daylight taking The singing from the Albion Band and St Agnes SOFAR SOUNDS: Venue TBC – Pop-up gig + NEGATIVE THOUGHT PROCESS + celebration of Cuban dance music with local Blockheads’ eccentric r’n’b and The Kinks’ Fountain duo and leading ladies of English with venue to be announced to ticketholders. CRIMSON TUSK: The Wheatsheaf – A night party faves Ran Kan teaming up with virtuoso quirkier moments into full-on John Otway of wanton noise violence with Bristol’s thrash/ Cuban trumpeter Valdes for a run through of Son madcap territory. They’re joined by Coventry’s Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Email death monsters Seprevation taking inspiration Montuno and mambo classics, preceded by a pop degenerates Deathsex Bloodbath who listings to [email protected]. All listings are copyright Nightshift Magazine and may not from Death and Possessed and having supported Cuban dance class, with DJ Badger keeping the promise “music inspired by meaningless sexual be reporoduced without permission. with some imaginative kit work that lifts the whole thing up another NADIA REID LIVE level – and that’s before you even The Cellar mention the kazoo-based audience Almost half of the UK’s small voice/ By the kitchen in the mirror” participation section. venues have closed in the past instantly engages. ‘Hanson Pt.2’, Cardiff’s ROUGH MUSIC decade, and The Cellar is facing she tells us, was written in a village go head to head with DEATH the same fate. We’re here tonight near Wellington after a breakup. PEDALS from London for the most after what will probably end up In this sense, Reid is unafraid of brutal band of the day in a fight being the last day of the summer, simplicity. “Who’s ever been in that leaves both sides bruised and tight-skinned and a little sleepy love?” she asks genuinely, while battered. Death Pedals take it on from the afternoon’s cider. Nadia plucking her guitar. The songs points, bringing all kinds of pleasant Reid is touring her second album, themselves, however, are more memories of the Jesus Lizard and `Preservation’. The album comes complex. A knack for coupling Slate Hearts photo: Helen Messenger the Amphetamine Reptile catalogue as a follow up to 2015’s `Listen To the concrete with metaphor, she with an undercurrent of sleaze to Formation, Look For The Signs’ pushes at the “arrow of time” their heads-down and basic (and I and has brought her increased after noting Richard’s quirks. In mean that as a compliment) riffing. worldwide attention. ‘Reach My Destination’ she tells ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY Tonight she stands before us in us “There is one main street in this are the archetypal Big Scary her signature round spectacles and town” and follows it with “There Monsters band, complementing turtleneck, having approached the are two straight lines in my head.” some impressively-tight math-rock stage as casually as one might turn This act, of following the narrative acrobatics with between-song banter up to a bus stop. Her soft “hello” trail of her stories and having her that matches the tone of their song cuts through the post-August List reflections interspersed among titles (sample: `You Eat Houmous, murmur – who were the perfect them, is an edifying one. Lines Of Course You Listen To Genesis’). support act – and she begins from single release ‘Arrow And Technically impressive, but rooted ‘Seasons Change’ as softly as the The Aim’ and ‘Right On Time’ IF NOT NOW, WHEN? in the post-Don Caballero world of first drops of a rain shower. come over with such conviction 2002 when every other band was Tonight shows small music venues we feel part of the emotional East Oxford Community Centre/Fusion Arts Centre prone to stuffing their songs with at their best; with a capacity of 150, landscape. And, with boats bobbing It feels somewhat like missing the bands with indie-pop names like could take his impressive layer- similarly fiddly flourishes. we’re able to connect with Nadia’s on the river, she sets the scene of point to leap into an event like If SPOOK SCHOOL, the festival and-build instrumental dynamics, Sensibly, after such a glut of music, performance from the offset. Her her home country well too. Not Now, When? and immediately branches out into tortuous guitar and KONE, whose tight, sparse the best is undeniably saved until voice is deep and silky, and as she After bowing in tandem with start reviewing bands. What you instrumentals, heads-down thug- post-punk improves every time last – GALLOPS are operating continues into the album’s title Sam, Reid returns to the stage should really know is that this is an rock and a smattering of highlights we see them. SLATE HEARTS a different level, and are frankly track with guitarist Sam, we hear for her encore solo and plays the event with real heart, purpose and from the Oxford scene. The stages continue their upward trajectory as an astonishing prospect as a live her ability to pleat notes seamlessly delicate ‘Ain’t Got You’. Modest personality that’s an absolute joy are so close together (there are one of the best live bands in the city, band. A victory of invention over into one another. and sincere, her songs really do to attend from start to finish. When three across the tiny East Oxford channelling Mudhoney and Sebadoh technical ostentatiousness, they With most of the tracks on speak for themselves. And The a group of friends and promoters Community Centre complex) through some cast-iron slabs of build from a breathtaking array of `Preservation’ little preamble is Cellar is exactly the sort of intimate recognise that no one else is putting that it’s easy to absorb a head- guitar work and refreshingly full-on tech-nerd gear music that blends needed; the narrative of ‘Richard’ environment to best hear them. on the kind of shows they want spinningly large amount of music stage presence. the intertwining melodies of Do who “Liked the sound of his own Eva Hibbs to see, and then come together from today’s 27 artists: props too Elsewhere, PROTECTION Make Say Think with a bit of the to do something about it – from to the organisers for keeping three SPELLS are a nice mid-afternoon muscle of Russian Circles and layer home-made stage banners to local stages running pretty much exactly surprise with their part-Grouper, in a stack of soundtrack influences. ALVVAYS artists working on the event posters to time across ten hours. No mean part-Bat For Lashes delicacy. Ultimately, they sound like Maserati – a proper DIY event like this is a feat. SALVATION BILL’s return soundtracking Stranger Things, The Bullingdon treasure. Holding up the Oxford end are KID to Oxford scores highly for the which in our book is a pretty great Alvvays arrive on stage in front best songs, like the sultry, soulful Musically, it’s a pleasingly mixed KIN, whose first performance with accompaniment from a lively and end to any day. When is the next If of a packed house to the strains `Dreams Tonite’, but it never stops bag: ostensibly basing itself around a drummer showcases any number inventive drummer who matches the Not Now, When? please? Now. of ABBA’s `Arrival’. It’s entirely them being playful and pretty, like a clutch of classic indie-pop of different directions in which he anything-goes nature of the songs Stuart Fowkes appropriate; both bands know a on freewheeling early single `Adult thing or two about perfect pop. If Diversion’. the Toronto quintet are unlikely Even amid a set that carries you THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS to surpass Sweden’s finest in the along on a breeze Alvvays hit their multi-million sale stakes, the polite peak with `Archie, Marry Me’, O2 Academy fervency of tonight’s crowd is a simply one of the best songs of Like Simple Minds, The Psychedelic Furs’ early output is a glorious Global breakthrough hit `Pretty In Pink’ is dispensed with early on and an reflection of their smaller scale the past ten years and a simple, mix and meld of post-punk attitude and invention with great pop tunes, early high point comes with the epic, freewheeling `Run & Run’, which magic. So packed and so hot does unsentimental love song that can and just like Simple Minds, their later work, when they broke into the bears its teeth at the world while sounding like a call to arms. `Until She it eventually get that two fans have make even this superannuated American arena market, sounds hollow and soulless. Both bands have Comes’ by contrast is muddy, but immediately followed by the achingly fainted and been carried outside in cynic swoon. near enough acknowledged as much in recent times, but given tonight’s beautiful `The Ghost in You’, which finds the middle aged couple stood in as many minutes. If there’s a disappointment tonight show is a run through of the Furs’ singles, from their beginnings in 1979 front of Nightshift gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes as if it’s the first Current single `Plimsoll Punks’ it’s the lack of encore – the band to the turn of the Millennium, we know we’re going to get both sides of dance of their wedding night all over again. is an early shiny bauble of a are knackered after a long stretch the band. Then we get a lull as the band trawl through those later releases: the tune, a fluttering, skittish slice of of shows and they’d been up Richard Butler, in de rigueur sunglasses after dark, bounces onstage in bombastic `Heartbreak Beat’, the dreary, dirgy `Don’t Be A Girl’ and jangle-pop, while `In Undertow’ early recording a live session for exaggerated debonair fashion as the band launches into `Dumb Waiters’ the band’s unabashed U2 moment `House’, which finds Butler with his is simultaneously sad-eyed and Lauren Laverne’s 6Music show – and it’s immediately apparent his voice has lost none of its old edge, arm around brother and bassist Tim, feet up on monitors. Here’s how euphoric, a kissing cousin of particularly given previous nights sounding like it’s been rubbed rough by the elements (and no little good bands go bad when mass markets and the music industry demands Camera Obscura’s `Let’s Get Out had seen them covering `Trying To indulgence). The snarling, sneering `We Love You’ grates in just the revenue over invention. of This Country’. Singer Molly Be Kind’ by The Motorcycle Boy – right way while `Mr Jones’ completes a near perfect opening, the band’s It’s a temporary dip though, the gloriously chiming `Heaven’ closes the Rankin has a gorgeously honeyed one of the great lost 80s bands and stadium-sized misanthropy writ large, Mars Williams, replacing founding set before they return for `Sister Europe’, with its belligerently wandering voice that you can simply melt an obvious influence on Alvvays. member Duncan Kilburn on sax, often leading the charge in a way that sax, and a super-flanged `India’, that sounds like nothing and no-one into, while the band’s music has It’s hard to be churlish on the face always made the band stand out even from other adventurous early-80s else and has dour, aging old goths like us grinning from ear to ear. If The a carefree naivety tinged with of such unfettered pop joy though. bands. They often sounded like a band who were doing their damndest to Psychedelic Furs sound slightly battered and bruised, they always did: it’s melancholy about it that sounds These are songs to keep close to break their songs even as they played them but unable to dent the sheen of perfectly imperfect pop; the very best sort. like the last days of summer. That your heart – alvvays and forever. gloriously wayward tunes like `Love My Way’. Ian Chesterton sadness is at the heart of their Sue Foreman BRIGHTWORKS / PFAFF / SUPERGLU / BAD POP MOOGIEMAN The Cellar Sounding a little like a very brief list bravado to carry itself over the line. The Wheatsheaf of things ingested by children that SuperGlu take to the stage with a As early doors stand-ins at tonight’s imperative of bands like Adebisi lead to intestinal maladies, Bad Pop little confusion, arriving late to the Gappy Tooth Industries show, Shan Shank or Giraffe? Giraffe! but with and SuperGlu are two bands currently party like an embarrassed brother- Sriharan’s Moogieman are pared its tongue poking out. attempting to climb the well-oiled in-law with lukewarm quiche to a trio with Vincent Lynch on Talking of Goons, Bright and seductive pole of rock’n’roll and overcooked vol-au-vent, but bass and Stefano Maio on drum Works’ stellar front man Liam recognition like overweight teenagers quickly plug in guitars and with no machine. Without the two Claires Amies conjures up visions of in a tasteless Japanese gameshow. soundcheck, play a quite phenomenal (Le Masters and Heavyside), they Spike Milligan channelling And both, it must be said, are having forty minutes of shambolic but are less spacey B52s and more a Morrissey while freeing himself a certain amount of success; Bad captivating music. Their ability to choppy Talking Heads, with debut from a straitjacket through every Pop appearing keen to be the new invigorate a slightly flagging crowd is album `Girls And Film’ providing song. Back in the day, as nascent New Pornographers and SuperGlu quite astounding as is their seemingly a host of photography-themed band Nairobi, they gave Foals cause having a charming Pixies meets-that- chaotic but wholly precise work. songs like `Disposable’,`I Left to look back nervously over their band-you-were-in-when-you-were- SuperGlu’s lead guitarist Ben Brown My Camera On The Moon’ and shoulders, with their mafrobeat seventeen-and-listening-to-way-too- seems to be directly channelling `Polly Polaroid’ (“Polly Polaroid / sharpness challenging Yannis’s cool much-Ash-1977 vibe. Frank Black as the abrasive four She’s addicted to Alkaloid / She’ll tricks. But eventually morphing First up Bad Pop and what with piece smash through thrashy pop- take a picture of you and throw into Bright Works their own eyes them being Canadian and all, you inflected three-minute wonders in it away”) all demonstrating why were always more on the barking instinctively expect a certain level an unrelenting set where every track they are so very good at writing Beefheart angles of life, with of musical competency. In the wake seems twice the speed of the radio enjoyable two-minute pop gems. Pete Hughes solid twinkling riffs ofl Arcade Fire, Broken Social edit. You’ll struggle to find a more Manchester’s Pfaff make their and Charl E Green’s spot-perfect Scene, Viet Cong, if you’re from the ballsy, aggressive group of musicians music enjoyable too. drumming stopping the whole thing Lumberjacking capital of the world, currently working the circuit. Their fugues of mazy pink becoming completely unhinged. you automatically make the honorary Even though this doesn’t create an noise drag math-rock from its That said Amies is no fool, playlist for the world’s speciality overly accurate picture of events, sometimes snore-worthy limpet and despite his endearing and coffee houses. With impressive there feels a necessity to tie this all hold by gooning with the audience recalcitrant shambling, he knows energy and an unashamed propensity up in a tiresome but pithy soundbite. and having actual fun with its exactly where he is in songs like for big choruses, Bad Pop’s set is as So… Bad Pop are just about time signature punch points `Houses’ and `If You Have Any infectious as it is engaging, the three bubbly enough to give a sparkling by alternately lulling you onto Sweet Nothings, Say Them Now’, piece finding big hooks and chunky performance whereas SuperGlu never a peaceful blue lagoon lilo and and with their renewed gig work melodies in amongst a slightly come unstuck and keep our attention then setting sharks of wired, ethic once again taking hold, maybe haphazard barrage of furry, distorted fastened, if perhaps a little sloppy in thrashing jazz on you to turn the their time has finally come. chord progressions. It’s chirpy places. God I hate myself. water red. It has all the moral Paul Carrera but never cloying and has enough Richard Brabin

ONE OF Oxford’s last independent music and arts venueS is under serious threat of closure. A place where people come together and get inspired. To show your support visit cellaroxford.co.uk #SAVETHECELLAR finish their set with heartwarming tributes Ignorance and Greed’ and other songs KT Tunstall Eliza Carthy to Bowie and Leonard Cohen. remains as powerful and relevant as ever. For folk royalty Eliza Carthy, Towersey is a homecoming. Way back Blackbeard’s Tea Party, who when she played her first ever solo gig we’ve wanted to see playing a gig since here but now it’s the main stage for her being bowled over by them as a ceilidh and her Wayward Band, the eleven- band, unfortunately disappoint. Having strong outfit she calls “my pride and joy.” two drummers is not yet working for them; They’re all dressed strikingly in white, the two sound like one playing a basic and are a band in their own right rather not rhythm very loudly and it becomes boring just a vehicle for Eliza; they make a big and does little for the group’s sound, but sound but have clever arrangements too they’ve got so much talent we expect them with lots of interplay right across the line- to come good soon. up, including with the two drummers and Eliza’s pleasingly rough-edged vocals. It’s On Monday there’s spectacular a pity the balance is out and some lyrics Appalachian clog dancing to the tune are submerged, but what’s happening `Making Whoopee’, and The Jim on stage and with the crowd response is Causley Trio, who are a treat as Jim Andy Cutting exciting, and it looks like Eliza, who is rightly is thought by many to have one of Newton Faulkner completely in the moment, has created the best voices on the folk scene. The a band to match her passion and big Sweet Water Warblers, making personality. their UK debut, charm the afternoon main The no longer dreadlocked hitmaker stage crowd with their varied Americana, and all-round good guy Newton and are startlingly good when they sing the Faulkner is impressive in an entirely blues. different way. He’s designed his brand Much of the rest of the day is about the new album to be performed solo and to new and the old. The new is Northern stretch his voice and he does both with Company, who we’ve no plan to see only some electronics and his trusty guitar. but whose sound draws us into the concert Sometimes he seems to be improvising, tent. They make clever use of the classical and while he does eventually move onto and the jazz background of some of their safe ground by bringing out the hits, numbers, while sustaining a folk vibe, massive credit to him for experimenting. and they’re our discovery of the weekend, along with singer-songwriter Vera Van The Blockheads put on a Heeringen for her guitar playing, performance that shows it was never a which is on a par with that of Kris TOWERSEY FESTIVAL waste to play the fool in a six piece band. Drever. Indeed their hit songs with patter-style Thame Showground lyrics (an Essex folk tradition, perhaps), The much loved and much more rd This year Towersey Festival, celebrating its 53 Bellowhead numbers that ignite the audience a great song about the pain of supporting a punkish r’n’b riffs and Gilad Atzmon, a experienced close harmony folk group year, is blessed with great weather, which could and whose singing of `New York Girls’ would relegation threatened football team that Crystal man familiar to Oxford jazz fans, blazing Coope, Boyes & Simpson are the weather gods way of showing appreciation raise the roof if Thame Showground had one. Palace fans are doubtless learning right now. away on sax, surely make The Blockheads making their last Towersey appearance for the efforts of the crew who’ve performed one of the reasons to be cheerful today. as a trio at the festival where one of them heroics to get the event set up after the site was KT Tunstall is every inch the star in We’re back at the main stage for The Eskies first appeared as a street circus performer, left in no fit state for a festival the week before. a spangly dress. Backed by a band who are but for some reason they don’t do it for us. So Come Sunday the weather is still great, The setting fire to himself. It’s clear they are exceptionally tight after weeks of touring, and a instead we end Friday night with Oxford’s own Frumptarn Guggenband continue to pop up retiring this line-up while still at the top of The Epstein are the only Oxford band full-on light show, she powers through her set, dynamic jump jive and vintage jazz band The with their fun brass and percussion carnival their game and the Towersey audience give appearing on the main stage across the four-day turning her biggest hit `Suddenly I See’ into a Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, sounds and The Spooky Men continue to them a warm and emotional send off. weekend. With Olly Wills’ vocals as expressive full-blown rock anthem. who take playing in what up to now has been entertain, organising a flash mob of 100- The audience is just as warm and as ever, the band turn in a characteristically the ceilidh venue in their stride, and the festival plus singing festival goers to surprise the emotional for the annual gig by festival consummate performance; this despite a lurgy Away from the main stage the festival zumba goers appreciate this is one more chance to bar. A touch of musical and physical fatigue patron, 83 year old Roy Bailey. He striking down guitarist Billy Quarterman just 24 session with its folk soundtrack is popular but dance and do so well past the midnight hour. though necessitates time out from the main does an unconvincing, slightly irascible hours before, and the band being on the point of instead we head to the concert venues to hear stages to visit the storytelling tent and then self-effacing act (“Do you really want to cancelling until Joe Bennett stepped in to save Andy Cutting’s solo melodeon playing There’s a cider tasting session first thing to listen to Andy Kershaw giving a hear this stuff?”) but he still has the voice the day. step dances, waltzes and polkas, and later Saturday morning but our day begins with the delightfully rambling account of his life in and, flanked by multiple BBC Folk Award Folk rock outfit Mawkin were last seen at Alastair Anderson’s solo concertina, massed brass and percussion of Frumptarn music, while only getting as far as 1986 and winners Martin Simpson and Andy Oxford Town Hall as support for Bellowhead’s playing tunes from Northumberland. Cutting Guggenband in their Day of the Dead- The Bhundu Boys. Cutting, and with a guest appearance from farewell show. Now, as then, they put in a sits composed on The Big Club stage, whereas style costumes, blasting out The Beach Boys’ Overall the music today and on Monday The Spooky Men, it goes down very well; high energy shift with echoes of The Pogues, Anderson stands tall, whirling his concertina `Barbara Ann’ in carnival style. Guggen bands isn’t up to that of the first two days. There when Bailey sings a song sent to him though the highlight is a medieval French in circles at the end of his long arms, and originated in Switzerland and caught on in parts some gems and much to our surprise the about the plight of refugees plenty in the tune showcasing the talents of violinist James suddenly performs a traditional Northumbrian of Germany but this one is from Barnsley, and shiniest is folk rockers Lindisfarne audience are fighting back tears. Delarre and melodeon player Nick Cook. rap dance round the intimate Den venue. they pop up several times over the weekend, making their Towersey debut in their fifth It’s as extraordinary and mesmerizing as his one of Towersey’s surprise hits. decade together. They put on an outstanding Four days might been a bit of a marathon, Talking of Bellowhead, Jon Boden appears playing; both he and Cutting conjure up tones show on Sunday, playing `Fog on the Tyne’ yet it still seems too soon when the time solo here, putting in probably the loudest and colours that transform folk tunes into mini The festival is sold out today and there’s a and all their other hits with freshness and comes for the Towersey tradition of performance of the festival in front of a lively symphonies without losing the tunes’ essential huge crowd for regular Towersey favourites, verve; there’s a great atmosphere and it’s a everyone singing `Hey Jude’ to bring down audience. It’s a bold performance, including an earthiness, and it is a privilege to hear two such the black clad Australians The Spooky fantastic feel-good gig. the curtain. Having a ticket for Towersey unaccompanied song with phrasing that’s more master musicians perform. Men’s Chorale. They are a wonderful is the probably the nearest thing to being Bartók than Vaughan Williams, and a 28-verse In between everything else we catch close-harmony a capella ensemble known Back by popular demand, Show of handed a guarantee of a good time at a ballad which inevitably ends badly for the Megson; they’re not the most famous of for humour, hats and facial hair and all these Hands deliver yet again. Steve Knightly festival, so make sure you get yours for hero. Boden switches the vibe with his cover the contemporary folk duos on the bill but elements are evident today. They subvert and Phil Beer, along with Miranda Sykes, next year. of `I Just Want To Dance With Somebody’, they’re the one whose gritty lyrics we end their tongue-in-cheek image with a beautiful make a big sound for an acoustic trio but it’s his powerful, stripped-back versions of up particularly liking, especially `Longshot’, unsentimental song about facing death, and and the social comment of ‘Arrogance, Colin May INTRODUCING.... HARCOURT ARMS Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under Saturday October 28th Drore Who are they? West Oxfordshire noise band Drore are: Taz Corona Brown (vocals/guitar); TOM IVEY BAND Tom Greenway (guitar/vocals); Olly Corona-Brown (bass), and Tom Plus Supports McKibbin (drums). The band formed in 2015 “out of a mutual desire to make a truly horrible noise,” originally with ex-Girl Power drummer Stephen Frame, who left earlier this year to be replaced by Tom McKibbin. He, along with Taz and Ollie were previously in local doom titans Undersmile, while Saturday October 14th Tom Greenway has served time with Sow and Mutagenocide as well as being a current member of Crippled Black Phoenix. The quartet released `TapeOne’ Sounds of the last year and follow it up this month with `TapeTwo – Life Regrets’ on Rad all playing completely different sections simultaneously. In front of some of Nauseum Records. They’ve played live with the likes of Snob, Guilt Police; our favourite bands. That was just embarrassing.” Groak; No Form; Cattle; Hex; Molasses, and Fickle Twin, among others. Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: 60's to 80's Disco What do they sound like? “Guilt Police, because they are totes ‘ardcore and Bethan rules at drums.” A gloriously hellish blend of doom, sludge, punk, fuzz and grunge fuelled If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: by rage and disgust. Drore’s music comes without respite, mercy, or “`Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice’ by French black metallers Saturday October 21st compromise: it’s a supercharged torrent of guitars battling with Taz’s cracked, Deathspell Omega; it’s feverish, ravenous and deep: an almost perfect album.” demonic growl/scream, not so much music as an onward tide of magnificent When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? Hugo's Covers Band all-consuming raw noise. Or, as Terrorizer once had it, “King Buzzo kicking “Nothing confirmed but hopefully a Smash Disco show in the next month or the shit out of Pissed Jeans,” of which Taz says, “we couldn’t really top that: so. Newcomers are welcome but advised to bring a change of underwear and two of our favourite bands embroiled in bloody fisticuffs? Yes please!” a spare soul.” Monday October 9th What inspires them? Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: “A strange blend of the silly – athlete’s foot, glib sayings, out of date food – “The scene has some of the most diverse acts around with new and oxford classic jazz the more grotesque elements of life, and anxieties. Plus some of the incredible interesting ones always popping up; there are some honest and decent folks bands in the UK at the moment, like the ones listed above, and being around too, but then there are some right shits, and some mega cliques, and if surrounded by such talented friends is a constant inspiration.” The Cellar closes we are down another amazing venue. Culture is not for sale; Open Mic Every Sunday Career highlight so far: it is priceless. Fight all that negative shit.” “Playing the Cosmic Carnage/Sonic Grave all-dayer with the blistering Cattle You might love them if you love: live music at the heart of jericho and other great bands a few weeks ago. It was a heck of a line-up and Cosmic Fudge Tunnel; Harvey Milk; Babes in Toyland; The Jesus Lizard; Pissed Carnage always put on such awesome bands.” Jeans; Malsain; Melvins. Cranham Terrace Jericho Oxford ox2 6dg And the lowlight: Hear them here: 01865 556669 “The first time we played one of our new songs, `Old Egg’, live and we were drorebandcamp.com

Dr SHOTOVER: Shandy Supernova THIS MONTH IN OXFORD T H E W H E A T S H E A F Ah, at LAST, there you are, Newbie. We’re gasping here, man! Time to ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY Friday 6th October – KLUB KAKOFANNEY unscrew your armour-plated wallet and buy us all a drink. What’s our Dolly and more, with names like Wonderland, – an influence they still exert on Oxford acts of poison? Did no-one tell you? It’s only Champagne Super-Friday here at the 20 YEARS AGO Mackating, Harambe, Charley Street, a more esoteric nature. Back then they’d just COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN East Indies Club bar. Bedingfield, I say BEDINGFIELD – another bottle of Radio 1 Sound City finally made it to Oxford after High’n’Mighty, Camp Blackfoot, Tumbleweed, played All Tomorrow’s Parties, signed an album THE EPSTEIN + JULIET & THE RAGING ROMEOS the ’58. And some of those caviar-and-salad-cream-flavoured crisps while six months of build up, with a host of celebrities Saturday 7th October – KLUB KAKOFANNEY Dr Didg, B So Global, Holy Roman Empire and deal with Drowned In Sound and appeared at the you’re at it. Lord Newbington here will pay – yes, yes, put it on his account. and record industry high flyers descending on the Full Frontal Assault just a few for local nostalgists Carling Weekend Festivals. A five-week UK tour What? Well, START ONE UP for him! Now, where were we? Ah yes, I was city for a week of gigs. Among highlights of a SELF HELP THE MIGHTY REDOX + CALLOW SAINTS to savour. A series of workshops and panels hosted due to kick off and plans were in the pipeline for a about to unwrap some more tasty anecdotes from my high times in the series of sold-out shows which were broadcast live FRACTURE + RESTRUCTURE on Radio 1 each evening was a guest appearance by Lamacq and others included a fantasy band Japanese tour. Sunday 8th October – KLUB KAKOFANNEY Hindu Kush with the King’s Own Mahavishnu Rifles. Did I tell you about the by Zoe Ball with Sleeper at Brookes University; session, with The Samurai Seven picked as the occasion when Blinky Blightman and his platoon got out of their tiny minds band put through their industry paces. PUPPET MECHANIC on primo-quality Afghan Black and streaked starkers across a particularly Prolapse’s characteristically maniacal set at The 5 YEARS AGO Zodiac and Ultrasound making the most of their And when it was all over, we ended up with flu THE DEMOISELLES + THE FIREGRAZERS + TWIZZ TWANGLE rickety rope bridge? They were, quite literally, a thousand foot up. ‘Steady, because we had spent the entire week drinking Alphabet Backwards made their second front Wednesday 11th October – MOSHKA In-the-Buffs!’ shouted I. Quite a catch-phrase at regimental dinners that 30 minutes of radio fame by playing an entire set of cover appearance in October 2012’s Nightshift but feedback and noise as they opened for Embrace. Guinness and forgetting to eat. Happy days. LIAMA BITE turned into. Or the time our dyslexic adjutant and his batman decided to it was the month’s Introducing act that catches the BEAVER FUEL The Lightning Seeds performed a greatest hits set eye in retrospect, Glass Animals following up their Friday 13th October – DIVINE SCHISM entertain the Colonel’s wife and daughters with a rendition of the Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann? ‘BRA-BRA-BRA’ they began, and were promptly put in while Bentley Rhythm Ace, DJ Shadow, Gene, 10 YEARS AGO Demo of the Month in April 2010 with their first Dubstar, Echobelly and Spiritualized were among JEFFREY LEWIS & LOS BOLTS LUCY LEAVE jankers for the rest of the tour. Or the time when… what’s that, Newbie? In what has now become something of a tradition, full feature in any magazine. “We love nature,” they Saturday 14th October – DIN TWINS You think it’s MY turn to buy a round? How DARE YOU, you little toe-rag?!? the other big names performing. The one and only Radiohead surprised everyone in October 2007 said, asked what inspired them. “Having a studio Dr Shotover NEVER buys a round. NEVER. For that you will be ‘sconced’ disappointment of the week was a poorly-attended by releasing their new album – in this case `In surrounded by squirrels and field mice is great; we TARPIT THE OTHER ONES + WATERCOLOURS rave at the Ice Rink in Oxpens hosted by Pete Rainbows’ – with no fanfare and no pre-release walk past their homes every morning. They’re very Friday 20th October – OXROX using the alcoholic beverage of my choice. Bedingfield, I say BEDINGFIELD… bring Lord Tong. High ticket prices and the cancellation of DJ review copies, the album made available as a friendly neighbours. There’s also a very handsome RYDER’S CREED SILK ROAD + SWITCHBLADE CITY Newbington a sets by the likes of Boy George were blamed. download only on a pay-what-you-want basis. It fox who lives in the hedge next door; he’s eyeing up Saturday 21st October full decanter of On the local side of the coin, Spice Girls manager was yet another epoch-making move from the band, the chickens round the corner.” Simon Fuller was in town to check out rising Chateau Pot- laying the groundwork for many more big name While Glass Animals were just starting out on the BLACK SKIES BURN young stars The Full Monty (who would go on SEPREVATION Noodle, a plastic acts to copy in later years. road to fame and fortune, Supergrass were awarded to become Hester Thrale and later Psychid), NEGATIVE THOUGHT PROCESS + CRIMSON TUSK straw and an Elsewhere Youthmovies glowered moodily with a blue plaque to commemorate their first ever Wednesday 25th October – PALADIN PROMOTIONS while Dustball, Unbelievable Truth, Beaker and egg-timer. And, from the cover of the month’s Nightshift, the gig, on the front wall of The Jericho Tavern. It was The Bigger the God played a special local acts I need hardly second time they had graced the cover. The band, a lovely ceremony, and we were loathe to point out H_NGM_N HAVELOCKE + DAISY + WORRY showcase, to the delight of Radio 1 host Steve Saturday 28th October – GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES say… put it on his prolific as ever, had numerous releases coming the organisers had got the wrong date. Should’ve Lamacq. Unbelievable Truth also played a sold-out account… along out, notably a collaboration with American poet asked someone who was actually there. show at Po Na Na along with The Egg, while The CHASING DAYLIGHT with some more Adam Gnade, who was set to join them at their Someone else who we managed not to argue with Secret, Remould and OOOD hosted a sold-out DEATHSEX BLOODBATH + MAMZER of the ’58 for the headline show at the Zodiac this month. With was Azealia Banks, who was playing at the O2 st rave at East Oxford Community Centre. Tuesday 31 October – JAM CITY HALLOWEEN SPECIAL rest of us! typical modesty Youthmovies denied they were Academy, the bellicose rapper having already fallen Over 100 local acts played as part of Sound City Next month: Oxford’s most influential band, despite having out with her record label by this stage in her career. RESOLVE BLOODSHOT + RAD ROACH Fringe at The Fuggle & Firkin, The Bullingdon Cup-a-Soup-a- ‘FLOREAT SHOTOVER!’: the King’s Own Mahavishnu helped inspire everyone from Foals and Jonquil to As of last week there are now only seven people on Every Monday ‘The Oxford Imps’ Comedy Club / Every Thursday ‘The Spin’ Jazz Club Arms, The Point, The Old Fire Station, The The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford Nova Rifles regimental reunion This Town Needs Guns and plenty more besides the planet she doesn’t have a beef with. so atrocious. It’s like going to a job interview couple of their songs in the past, but every armed with a foolproof plan to double the record they make sounds like the last one and company’s profits within six months, but they seem to have been invented to provide a first you’re going to have a shit on the CEO’s sort of unimposing dad-rock bed for 6Music DEMOS chair. You’re a strange fella Garient, but to have on when they can’t find something Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day we’ve decided we like you after all. Keep more interesting to play. The Steady Letters’ at Soundworks studio in Oxford, this up and we’ll forget all about that earlier singer reminds us of Guy Garvey (a perfectly courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit unpleasantness. lovely bloke and all that, but… y’know) and www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift the band’s name gives the game away far too much: they’re steady. Dependable. Reliable. Deceiver’ adds to that morbid (angel) feel. INLAND TAIPAN A safe pair of hands. Poison Pen Letters or Sticking with the theme of all things Of course, as with all good black/death Hatemail are far better band names, because DEMO OF unpleasant, Inland Taipan here name metal, it’s all monstrously OTT, from the they convey some of rock and roll’s wild, 01865 240250 themselves after the world’s most venomous ominous Emperor-like overture that opens unpredictable spirit, its primal aggression. snake (the venom in one bite could kill 100 THE MONTH the demo, to the singer’s almost flamboyant This tame, well-trained bluesy chugaboogie people). What’s more their first song is called intensity as he conjures growls and screams won’t crap on your carpet, bite your gran’s `Trazadone’, an anti-depressant, so we’re not from his gut and the drummer pummels face off or lead you astray after nicking a litre MSRY straying too far from the old misery theme. The world, or at least that part of it we live his kit like Old Nick himself has a pistol to bottle of vodka from behind the bar, but if you Problem is, as any herpetologist will tell you, in, read about, watch on the news and listen his temple and has told him to keep going want music that can offer you solid, blokey the Inland Taipan might have a bugger of a to at extreme volume in musical form is full or else. It’s unrelenting and it’s brutish but advice or knows how to correctly assemble bite and a precision strike, but it’s actually a of misery. We’re taking a wild guess here it’s got character and a sense of adventure flat-pack furniture, maybe you’ve come to pretty shy and retiring creature, its nickname but Msry are basically misery with all the within its own boundaries: `Titanomachy’ is the wrong party. And hey, don’t sit down, cos `the fierce snake’ coming not from its attitude vowels removed, for that special condensed almost hymnal in its delivery and there’s a we’ve moved your chair.* towards anyone who strays too close but experience of all the harrowing horror of bit at the end of `The Great Deceiver’ where (* - actually Msry smashed it with a rock but merely the strength of its venom, and more life (imagine Hurricane Irma with Nigel everything slows down and it sounds like don’t sit down anyway, you’ll get splinters in often than not it’ll slither off and hide if Farage’s face and a slab of marzipan in its some vile behemoth expelling its last breath. your arse). anyone comes anywhere near it. So we hand and you’ll start to get the idea). We There’s a track here called `Dead Gods and shouldn’t be too disappointed when the band think Msry here might have accidentally Excrement’; it sounds like hell on earth. Take aren’t quite the demonic sonic slayers we first dropped all those lost vowels into their lyrics, that as a compliment of the highest order. hoped, instead a ramshackle rumble with a which mainly consist of bellows, roars, THE DEMO chaotic approach to anything resembling a screams and vomiting, the only vaguely tune, plus a singer with a propensity to almost intelligible line we’re able to make out being DAN RAWLE operatic shrillness when things get anywhere DUMPER TURAN AUDIO.co.uk “Hwoooaaar! Where’s my pyjamas?” but And after all that metal mayhem, what we near intense. Probably doesn’t help that this is Professional, independent that might be a mistake on our part. Anyway, need is some acoustic whimsy. Actually, a live demo, which saps some of its structure BLACKHILL audio mastering talking of force 5 hurricanes, Msry sound what we need is some more metal mayhem, and intricacy, but they have a way with a a bit like one as they pile drive full-throttle but we’ll indulge Dan here as in his own Not many artists Doors-y atmosphere on `Easter Rising’, PIONEERS Apple approved through seven tracks of what they almost sweet, simple way, he’s a one-man antidote Misery takes many forms, from “starving to mastered in although a bit more precision and venom mastering laughably call melodic hardcore but is to all the misery in the world, cheerily death in a refugee camp having escaped the the studio might be in order. It’s a great band name; we really high-octane metalcore, thrash and a recounting how “My payslip’s A5 / Below horror of war where home once was” at 10 last month; genuinely hope they can do it justice. touch of death without a solitary break for average size / But I’m chuffed”, before to “not having a girlfriend and being a bit IHSAHN, BE GOOD, SEAN any of that weakling cry baby clean stuff wandering gaily off to contemplate whether sad about it” at 1. Somewhere around the 6 POWER, LLOYD ..... we were metalcore often falls prey to. There are well- he should be worrying about pensions, or 7 mark is “consumptive Victorian child” preoccupied with the USA total becoming a parent or earning more, but VIOLENT CHIMES drilled blast beats, there is much shredding, Last time round we found ourselves which is a bit like what the singer of Blackhill solar eclipse concluding “I’m building my life at my scree and what might be laser-blast squeals comparing Violent Chimes to Opeth and Pioneers sounds like for the first half of this own pace / It’s hardly a race,” and “I have 01865 716466 [email protected] from the guitars and there are even air raid Peter Gabriel, which isn’t a combination you one-song offering, meekly emoting “We’re enough.” All a bit happy-clappy and hippy- sirens. They take Pantera as a starting point, come across every day, but this new song under covers / Walking a way behind / dippy? Maybe but, dear reader, when you’ve drag them kicking and screaming through finds them dispensing with any semblance Walking against the tide” and threatening sat through several thousand dolorous young Lamb of God and even pop into Abaddon of musical guile in favour of a leaden slab to faint clean away as the music swoons men bemoaning the unfairness of their lot COURTYARD Incarnate for a cup of tea and some ritual of grungy thrash and sullenly overwrought tastefully behind him like the soothing in love and life, it’s rather refreshing to hear slaughter. The epic sprawl of `Home’ is singing that’s so far out of tune with the soundtrack to an aromatherapy session. At RECORDING STUDIO someone who’s more than happy with what 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: the high point but all of it works well as a rest of the band it might as well be the least until it gets a bit of gumption about it he’s got or might get in the future. “I have NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 soundtrack to rearranging the furniture with a mournful bellowing of heifers as they watch and thrashes off towards some heroic far enough,” sings Dan with a sparkle in his eye MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb sledgehammer and some Semtex. If you can’t their newborn calves loaded into the veal horizon, windswept and bound for death or Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear and we make a note to go and enjoy a drink comprehend how a band like Msry make the crates. There are brief traces of the proggy glory. It’s epic! It’s bland! It’s… really, really Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern or five with him at the first opportunity. misery of life that much more bearable, you tendencies of last time and the guitarist bland. Even when we turn it right up – to a Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules Because Dan Rawle is going to mend the Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. are no friend of ours. attempts some kind of heroic song rescue point well beyond we dared have with Msry world and all its woes. in case the neighbours called the police or Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. with an epic solo but mostly this is fuzz and www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk died of thrill overload – it sounds like it’s bluster that sounds like it’s died without ever In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk lurking unobtrusively in the middle distance. GARIENT living. Misery indeed. Email: [email protected] PROMETHEAN Possibly on a deserted autumnal beach, Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 Readers with an attention span marginally waiting for a beloved pet dog to return with REIGN longer than an average Buzzfeed-reading THE STEADY the stick they threw to it. Oblivious to the fact Any tall buildings still standing after that? goldfish might recall that Garient here was the dog fucked off down the pub an hour ago Good, cos we reckon Promethean Reign last month’s Demo Dumper for his ball- LETTERS where it begged Promethean Reign to adopt would be disappointed if there was nothing achingly earnest acoustic cover of `Sex We’re going to make ourselves extremely it and buy it a big black spiky collar, feed left to wreck with what they call their On Fire’. He’s straight back in the saddle unpopular here (hey, what’s new) but we’ve it raw buffalo innards and rename it Misery, “blackened metal”. Blackened rather than with one of his own songs called – ta da! – never really understood the intense love Destroyer of Worlds. Never mind fellas, simply black, since the band don’t fall `Misery’. And it’s a little cracker, in complete afforded Elbow. Nothing intrinsically terrible here’s your stick back at least. Maybe you into a lot of the genre traps of black metal, contrast to his previous effort, a slinky, sleazy about them: we’ve even nodded along to a could build a pathetically small fire out of it. Rehearsal and Recording studios which, with a very few arch practitioners, sliver of gothic post-punk electronica that drove itself willingly into a cul-de-sac might be a John Lydon wannabe teaming Four state of the art rehearsal rooms Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to many years ago. Instead of monochrome up with Alien Sex Fiend and heading down and a professional recording studio. [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a The Batcave to see if they can make the grind there’s an almost panto theatricality contact phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. We make For bookings call Jamie on 07917685935 and Hammer Horror vibe about opener place a bit gloomier. All of which begs the no pretence to being fair, objective or open-minded and reserve the right to use juvenile insults Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford • glasshousestudios.org `By the Ashen Light of Dawn’, while the question: if you’re capable of stuff like this, while almost completely ignoring your music should we feel like it. Your Facebook friends are breathless shiver that opens `The Great why make your opening gambit something welcome to get all huffy on your behalf, but we’ll laugh at them too. facebook.com/o2academyoxford twitter.com/o2academyoxford instagram.com/o2academyoxford youtube.com/o2academytv

Sat 30th Sep • £10 adv • 11pm Thu 19th Oct • £18 adv • 9.30pm Tue 7th Nov • £15 adv Wed 29th Nov • £5 adv • 9.30pm DJ Q - All Night Long Lethal Bizzle Bury Tomorrow Fishies - Week 10 + Loathe Wed 4th Oct • £5 adv • 9.30pm Thu 19th Oct • £18.50 adv Thurs 30th Nov • £23 adv Fishies - Week 2 Hot 8 Brass Band Wed 8th Nov • £5 adv • 9.30pm Scouting For Girls Fri 20th Oct • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm Fishies - Week 7 Fri 1st Dec • £14 adv • 6.30pm Thu 5th Oct • £15 adv • 6.30pm The Alarm Fri 10th Nov • £14 adv • 6pm Jagged Little Pill The Dears + Dave Sharp Pearl Jam UK-Tribute A Tribute to + Old Swing + Annie Hart (Au Revoir Fri 20th Oct • £12 adv • 11pm Fri 10th Nov • SOLD OUT • 6.30pm Alanis Morissette’s Simone) Shy FX Billy Bragg Classic Album Sat 2nd Dec • £12.50 adv • 6.30pm Thu 5th Oct • SOLD OUT Sat 21st Oct • 6pm Sat 11th Nov • £10 • 6.30pm Mo Gilligan AKA Mo Ritual Union Festival Viper - The Sound Of The Prince Experience the Comedian + Peace + Black Honey Drum & Bass Wed 6th Dec • £5 adv • 9.30pm + Willie J Healey + Brookes Brothers + Cyantifi c, Fishies - Week 11 Fri 6th Oct • £29.50 adv • 6.30pm + Pinkshinyultrablast + Koven + Majistrate + IC3 Gary Numan + The Vryll Society + TOY Fri 8th Dec • £15 adv • 6.30pm Sat 11th Nov • £10 • 11pm + Jayce Lewis Absolute Bowie Wed 25th Oct • £5 adv • 9.30pm Crucast - Skepsis Fri 8th Dec • £21.25 adv Fri 6th Oct • £10 adv • 11pm Fishies - Week 5 + Darkzy + Notion + Mr Virgo The Twang Charlie Sloth - The Fri 27th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm Tue 14th Nov • £27.50 adv Sat 9th Dec • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm Plug Tour Guns 2 Roses Nelly + Yungen + Abra Cadabra + Metallica Reloaded + Empyre Mark Lanegan Band + Not3s + Sir The Baptist + Tenebrous Liar Sat 28th Oct • £20 adv • 6pm Wed 15th Nov • £5 adv • 9.30pm + Joe Cardamone Sat 7th Oct • £13 adv • 6.30pm Roots Manuva The Smyths Fishies - Week 8 Wed 13th Dec • £5 adv • 9.30pm + Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) Fishies - Week 12 Sat 7th Oct • £14 adv • 6.30pm + Krafty Kuts Fri 17th Nov • £12 adv • 6.30pm Amber Run + Oscar Wolrdpeace Antarctic Monkeys Thu 14th Dec • 15 adv + Seafret Sat 28th Oct • £16.50 adv • 6pm + Ash Adams (With full band) Doc Brown and The + Sprung From cages Sat 7th Oct • £10 adv • 11pm Katchafi re Haggis Horns Fri 17th Nov • £12.50 adv • 10pm + Dr Erbz Solardo Sat 28th Oct • £7 adv •11pm Kurupt FM - The lost Wed 20th Dec • £5 adv • 9.30pm Sun 8th Oct • £32 adv • 6pm Garage Nation Tape Tour Perfect Wed 1st Nov • £5 adv • 9.30pm Fishies - Week 13 Sat 18th Nov • £12 adv • 6.30pm Fishies - Week 6 Thurs 21st Dec • £23 adv Tue 10th Oct • £18.50 adv Defi nitely Mightbe Slade Tom McRae Fri 3rd Nov • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm + The White Tips Fri 22nd Dec • £17.50 adv • 6pm + Lowri Evans From The Jam Sat 18th Nov • £22 adv • 6.30pm “The Gift” Dreadzone Wed 11th Oct • £5 adv • 9.30pm Newton Faulkner 35th Anniversary Sat 10th Feb • £12 adv • 6.30pm Fishies - Week 3 Sun 19th Nov • £21 adv Fri 3rd Nov • £15 adv • 6pm Cash - A Tribute To Thu 12th Oct • £12.50 adv Airbourne The Man in Black The Hoosiers: The Ghostpoet + Phil Campbell And The Trick To Life (10th Sat 4th Nov • £8 adv • 6pm Bastard Sons Thu 15th Feb • £17.50 adv Anniversary Tour) Autobahn + The Wild Hayseed Dixie + Leader + Who’s Alice? + Rock Solid Wed 22nd Nov • £5 adv • 9.30pm Sat 3rd Mar • £20 adv • 6pm + Sam martin Fri 13th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm Fishies - Week 9 The Blockheads + Chasing Daylight Wille & The Bandits Sun 5th Nov • £12.50 adv Fri 24th Nov • £15 adv • 6.30pm + Claude Hay Intervals Glasville Wed 7th Mar • £17.50 ad • 6.30pm + Polyphia + Nick Johnston Paul Draper Fri 13th Oct • £7 adv • 11pm Fri 24th Nov • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm The Oxford Soul Train Mon 6th Nov • £25 adv Dr John Cooper Sun 18th Mar • £13 adv Akon with Konvict The AC/DC Sat 14th Oct • £12 adv • 11pm Clarke Kartel + Mike Garry + Toria Garbutt Experience Holy Goof UK Tour + Tre Carter + OG Boo Dirty + Bassboy + Standfast + MASP + Tone Tone Sat 25th Nov • £10 adv • 6.30pm Fri 27th Mar • £28.50 adv • 6.30pm Heather Small - The Wed 18th Oct • £5 adv • 9.30pm Tue 7th Nov • £18.50 adv Saedly Dorus and Fishies - Week 4 Cradle of Filth the Hoolie Band voice of M People o2academyoxford.co.uk 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE • Doors 7pm unless stated Venue box offi ce opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-4pm ticketmaster.co.uk ticketmaster.co.uk.co.uk • wegottickets.com • seetickets.com • gigantic.com