[email protected] @NightshiftMag NightshiftMag nightshiftmag.co.uk Free every month NIGHTSHIFT Issue 262 May Oxford’s Music Magazine 2017

“Nothing beats reggae in the sunshine, they were meant for each other.”

ZAIA

Oxford’s reggae stars bring the summer. Also in this issue: Introducing LOWZ ISLANDAIA COMMON PEOPLE previewed plus All your Oxford music news, reviews and gig listings for May 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

IRREGULAR FOLKS Summer their new `Live at the O2’ EP. On Session returns in July. The one- the 11th Little Brother Eli preview day celebration of music taking their headline show at the O2 an unusual twist on folk music, Academy on the 19th, while singer- takes place at The Victoria Arms songwriter Natureboy launches his RIDE play their biggest hometown show in 25 years this summer. The in Old Marston on Saturday 1st new album instore on Sunday 14th. reformed Oxford pop heroes will play at The New Theatre on Monday July. The event, sponsored by The On Thursday 25th Australian singer 10th July, a quarter of a century on from their sold-out show there in Arts Council, will take place in a Emily Barker will play a set of February 1992. bedoiun tent in the pub grounds songs from her new album `Sweet Tickets for the gig went on sale on the 21st April and are likely to have and again be hosted by comedian Kind of Blue’, while on the 18th sold out within a few days. The gig is part of a UK tour to promote Paul Foot. Last year’s festival Jon Spira will be reading extracts the band’s new album, `Weather Diaries’, on Wichita on the 16th June. featured sets by Stealing Sheep, from his new book about the rise Produced by Erol Alkan it is Ride’s first studio album since 1996’s Bastardgeist, Jessica Sligter and and fall of video rental in the UK. `Tarantula’, and their first Oxford show since they announced their Waitress For the Bees. Find out Jon, who directed the Oxford music comeback with a sold-out gig at the O2 Academy in April 2015. Ticket more at www.irregularfolk.co.uk. film, Anyone Can Play Guitar, details at www.atgtickets.com previously ran Videosyncratic, WITTSTOCK returns this month. which became Truck Store on The annual free festival took 2016 Cowley Road. Timings and more 95.2fm. The dedicated local music OXFORD GIGBOT provides a off but is back over the weekend info at truckmusicstore.co.uk. show plays the best Oxford releases regular local gig listing update on of the 20th-21st May, this time at and demos as well as featuring Twitter (@oxgigbot), bringing Oxford Harlequins Rugby Club on IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC interviews and sessions with local you new gigs as soon as they go Marston Ferry Road. The festival is looking for Oxfordshire acts to acts. The show is available to live. They also provide a free features two full days of local acts, appear on a compilation album stream or download. as a podcast at weekly listings email. Just contact with donations and a raffle set to of local music later this year. The bbc.co.uk/oxford. [email protected] to join raise money for the Headways and live music promotion, run by Rosy charities. musician Mark `Osprey’ O’Brien, Saturday runs from 1pm til 11pm is inviting acts of any genre and features sets from Penzo; Von to submit up to three tracks at Braun; OX4 Allstars; Beaverfuel; [email protected], The Mark Bosley Band; Trevor with one track per act picked. Williams; The Shapes; Skeptica; Mark is also inviting acts to Mad Larry and Order #227. Sunday apply to play at the fifth Oxford runs from midday til 10pm and City Music festival in November. features Bright Works; Cosmosis; Message him via the festival site on Jinj’oranj; The Phat Cardinals; John Facebook. Poet; The Ponderosa; Freddy le Cragg; Otto; Mermaid Noises; Sam THE OXFORD / UK MUSIC & Sarah Jane, and Country For Old CENSUS remains open until the Men. end of May, with musicians and More info on the Wittstock 2017 gig goers invited to contribute Facebook page. information and opinions towards what has been described as ZURICH, The Standard and Springwatch for live music. HOO Has are the first names to Coordinated by researchers be confirmed for this summer’s at universities in Newcastle, Riverside Festival in Charlbury. Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Now in its 23rd year, Riverside runs census hopes to measure live over the weekend of the 29th-30th music’s cultural and economic July at Mill Field. Alongside live value, discover what challenges music from 40 different acts, this the industry is facing, and inform year’s event will be themed around policy to help it flourish. The bees and the decline in the UK’s project is being run in partnership bee population. Find out more at with the Musicians’ Union, Music riversidefestival.charlbury.com Venue Trust and UK Music, and is funded by the Arts and Humanities TRUCK STORE follows Record Research Council. Visit Store Day with another month www.uklivemusiccensus.org. of instore shows and signings throughout May. Chasing Daylight AS EVER, don’t forget to tune into kick off a series of sets from local BBC Oxford Introducing every acts on Thursday 4th, launching Saturday night between 8-9pm on WIN cornbury TICKETS! All good things must come to an the last ever Cornbury Festival, rain end, but it’s important to go out in has been banned. style, right? And so it is, this summer MUSIC. ARTS. COMMUNITY will see the final CORNBURY Given the significance of the event, FESTIVAL after 14 years at this year’s Cornbury is set for a the heart of Oxfordshire’s music sell-out over the weekend of the calendar. The festival has enjoyed 7th-9th July at Great Tew Country and endured its ups and downs in Park. Tickets are on sale from that time, earning itself the nickname www.cornburyfestival.com along Poshstock for its regular roster of with full line-up details, with VIP VIP guests, ranging from prime options, concessions and posh toilets ministers to Hollywood film stars, available. but at its core is a dedication to live But thanks to our very good chums music that comes from founder and at Cornbury (and they have become organiser Hugh Phillimore, which good chums over the years), we’ve SATURDAY SUNDAY makes it a far superior event to the got two pairs of adult weekend assorted celebrity chef fests and over the years. Like Queen of and ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL. camping tickets to give away. For lifestyle extravaganzas that have Cornbury IMELDA MAY, who’s free. In a competition. You too could sprung up like bitter fungi across the played here more than anyone Plenty more besides on the two main be there to celebrate the fabulous SEAN PAUL PETE TONG county in recent years. (there was even a tribute act to her stages, plus an assortment of local finale. A host of stars have graced last year when she couldn’t make and national acts on the Riverside GROOVE PRESENTS IBIZA CLASSICS Cornbury’s stages since its inception, it), plus the inimitable JOOLS stage; comedy; the Disco Shed; a To win, just tell us the name of one ARMADA (DJ SET) PERFORMED BY THE HERITAGE ORCHESTRA from Amy Winehouse, Bryan Ferry HOLLAND AND HIS RHYTHM kids area and the campfire stage for of last year’s Cornbury Festival CONDUCTED BY JULES BUCKLEY WILD BEASTS / FOALS (DJ SET) and Robert Plant, to Simple Minds, & BLUES ORCHESTRA; JACK some afterhours music and drinking. headline acts. RAG’N’BONE MAN Bellowhead and Van Morrison, while SAVORETTI; WARD THOMAS; Email answers, clearly marked THE SELECTER + THE BEAT this year’s farewell will see headline SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR; Did we mention drinking yet? Cornbury Competition, to editor@ BECKY HILL sets from BRYAN ADAMS, THE SCOUTING FOR GIRLS; NINE Drinking. In a field. While listening nightshiftmag.co.uk, or on a AMY MACDONALD THE CUBAN BROTHERS PRETENDERS and KAISER BELOW ZERO; POLICE DOG to music. Seriously there is nothing postcard to Cornbury Competition, CHIEFS. HOGAN and TOM CHAPLIN on earth that is more fun than those Nightshift Magazine, PO Box SAINT ETIENNE DUTTY MOONSHINE BIG BAND from Keane. three things combined. Not even 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Please HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR ELVANA: ELVIS FRONTED NIRVANA In fact if there’s an air of familiarity Alongside these returnees will be jabbing Michael Gove repeatedly in include full name, email address LUCY LEAVE TOM WILLIAMS / COLDREDLIGHT about much of the line-up it’s the likes of RIGHT SAID FRED; the eye with a sharp stick. Although and a daytime telephone number. down to Hugh wanting to bow MIDGE URE; ST PAUL & THE that would come a close second. Deadline for entries if the 26th May. UNCONTAINED STAGE UNCONTAINED STAGE out in the company of some of his BROKEN BONES; MAX JURY; But yeah, music and drinking in a The editor’s decision is to be too favourite acts to grace Cornbury BLACK DYLAN; TEX PISTOLS field. In the sun. Because this being sexy for his shirt. MY NU LENG & M8S MOXIE PRES. ON LOOP GOLDIE VERY SPECIAL GUEST JOY ORBISON / MIDLAND NOVELIST / REDLIGHT KORNÉL KOVÁCS GOTSOME / KLOSE ONE FELIX DICKINSON / OR:LA UNCOMMON STAGE SHAODOW / ZAIA / THE BALKAN WANDERERS / JESS HALL & DUOTONE KANADIA / VIENNA DITTO / LEADER / DEATH OF HI-FI / YOUNG WOMEN’S MUSIC PROJECT RHYMESKEEMZ / THE SHAPES / LOW ISLAND / DESERT STORM / THE EPSTEIN / LITTLE RED THE PINK DIAMOND REVUE / CATGOD / SLATE HEARTS & MORE NEW MUSIC IN ASSOCIATION WITH NIGHTSHIFT PIGS BIG RECORD CLUB REDFOOT / SARA SPADE & THE NOISY BOYS / SCHRÖDINGER’S STRINGS DATUM PLANE / VOTE PEDRO / THE HENRY BROTHERS / DOLLY MAVIES & MORE HOSTED BY THE SHELLAC COLLECTIVE 78S DJS PLUS ACROSS THE WEEKEND SHEPDOG (NICE UP!) / DEL GAZEEBO / COUNT SKYLARKIN / KERRY & CASIO VS HARVEY K-TEL DJ BINGE / PEEPSHOW PADDY / HOUSEWURK / BACK FOR GOOD / DAPPER DAN / DANNY.WAV ELLA FANTAZIA / TROL23 / DASHER + WAZZY / BUSTMASTA BARRYDARK DJ CIRCLES VS NELLY B PAGE / NICK MOORBATH / REGGAE BINGO / MICK SWAGGER GENESIS REVISITED MISS SPLINTERS / JASON KING / ALEX FROM WIGAN WITH CLASSIC HACKETT 2017 COMMON PEOPLE ANTICS & FAMILY FUN DISCO SHED / VINTAGE FUNFAIR RIDES / POP-UP PERFORMANCES SUNDAY 30 APRIL HORNS OF PLENTY / SCRUMPTIOUS STREET FOOD / JAM JAR COCKTAIL BAR READINGSOLD OUT Hexagon KIDS AREA FEATURING CIRCUS, FACE PAINTING & CRAZY INFLATABLES & MORE SATURDAY 13 MAY FULL LINE-UP OXFORD New Theatre & TICKETS COMMONPEOPLE.NET

MYTICKET.CO.UK / SEETICKETS.COM HACKETTSONGS.COM A Quiet Word With totally unexpected ways. The chief Oxford reggae solo for a while until take inspiration from a genre but and it’s a great sense of achievement obstacle was balancing what each we see new bands get established.” do something different with it, being where we all grew up.” member wanted from the album. which is true to their own unique Paul: “One of my favourite ever Seven people meant seven different Zaia’s position is all the musical roots. I’m sure some people gigs was playing as Raggasaurus at perspectives on creating music; that’s more unusual given the continued might listen to our music with a Carnival behind the old PMT site. the beauty of this band but also the rude health of the local reggae club preconception of what reggae should We were playing 6-7pm – that’s how challenge. I’m really pleased with the scene and the genre’s place as a sound like and be put off by what late carnival should go on until! We finished album though, it represents unifying force on any scene, with we’re doing, but equally I’ve had walked on and the heavens opened; the variety styles we can bring to the its tentacles making themselves people come up to me after shows all of a sudden umbrellas popped genre.” present in so many other musical and say things like `I don’t normally open and soon we were playing to James: “The actual recording fields. These days the likes of Count like reggae, but I loved that’. So it 500 bouncing brollies! I will never ZAIAAs you might imagine process took about a year. It’s been Skylarkin’ and Natty Mark – who cuts both ways.” forget that sight. We have played from a disparate array of musicians, long and laborious, that can’t be helms the quarterly Dub zine, Paddy: “I definitely agree. Rather for the last three years at the Tesco getting a full album written, denied! Because there are so many covering local rots an reggae, help than a `reggae’ band, I think we Carpark and have watched that area rehearsed and recorded has been of us, when we got the first mixes keep the scene alive, with a ready could best be described as a band grow; over the years we have tested a prolonged process, but it’s been back it was really difficult to get any and willing audience regularly whose biggest influence is reggae. songs on this stage and felt the love well worth the wait; `Butterflies’ kind of consensus over how it should queuing round the block for the For me, the best thing about this band back. This year we are so excited to is a sweet, soulful burst of musical sound. We had some pretty bitter Skylarkin Sound System night at is how well it absorbs other styles. be launching the Carnival Live stage sunshine, nine songs of buoyant arguments over it. I don’t think it’s the end of each month. How do Zaia I like to think that this will help us on Manzil Way; the whole area has dub infused with an easy pop spirit exaggerating to say that we came themselves see the local scene that build a really diverse following, not been redesigned and we can’t wait and a folky edge that reminds us of close to splitting up over this album, spawned them? just traditional reggae fans. For me, to see everyone there.” Dreadzone at times, led by Amy’s but in the long run it was definitely Paul: “Reggae itself is so diverse it’s better to create your own product warm, rich voice, which brings good to have these disagreements you see it across every area of the rather than replicate the Jamaican Before that the band that hefty soul element to the party. and get it out in the open. It also headline the Uncommon stage at Nightshift’s review of `Simple took a long time arranging all the Common People in South Park Song’, the lead track from the album, additional recording sessions for “Carnival has been massively important at the end of May; what can declared her to be the heart and brass and vocals. Paddy arranged to our spiritual development. To play in newcomers expect from their set, soul of Zaia and her voice really is most of these with Amy and Matt who are the band most looking a stand-out element of the sound, a King, the producer. That was a slow the sunshine on the street you grew up forward to seeing over the weekend superbly fortuitous find for the band. and incremental process and at times and what do they think Common “I’ve always been singing since it felt like the album would never be on, and wrote your music on, to your People brings to Oxford that other I was a little girl, putting on done. At the end though I really feel home crowd. The best.” festivals don’t? performances with friends,” explains like we’re more cohesive than ever Paddy: “Newcomers can expect Amy, talking about her musical and I’m really pleased with how the to hear a unique mix of musical roots; “I think I formed my first girl songs have come out, so it was well city. The last Thursday of every sound, and many people have told influences over a backdrop of bass band at 13. We actually played at the worth all the effort and frustration. month at the Zodiac years ago was me that’s why they love our music. heavy reggae. I’m really looking Zodiac! It was all through a youth It’s always a learning curve making Skylarkin and DJ Derek; that’s where In terms of other styles we best bring forward to Coldredlight on the main summer project at Blackbird Leys a recording, and this is the first time we had our education in reggae: to the reggae party I’d say definitely stage – massive congratulations to Community Centre, which developed we’ve made a full length album, so everyone went to that night, families folk; Dave originally wrote some of them. Another great example of a over the years to become what is stumbling blocks were inevitable. were made there! These days Matt my favourite Zaia tunes on the harp. wonderful Oxford act sticking to “It’s a logistical In their teens James, Josh, Dave band’s original trumpeter] left in now known as the CDI Project. I also Hopefully now we’re more and Pringle of White Magic Sound Sounds crazy but we think it works!” their own unique sound. Common nightmare. My hippocampus has and Paul were formerly in local 2014 to go to Gamelan school in studied a Diploma in Performing experienced the next one will be a are packing dancehalls; Robb from There’s a sense of exuberance People is amazing because it tripled in size since this started.” Arabic folk/dub band Raggasaurus Indonesia. Fortunately we found the Arts (Song) at the Liverpool Institute smoother process, although I said Free Range Roots is showcasing that runs through the entire album; has something for all Oxford who earned an enviable reputation brilliant Leo, who was a friend of for Performing Arts when I was 17, that after we made our EP, and this international sound system culture how important is it for you to bring music lovers: dance music, more Drummer and vocalist for their pioneering fusion sound Paddy and James’s cousin, to replace where I really came into my own as has been much worse! And now there on a monthly basis and the Count everyone together and get everyone internationally renowned acts, and James Bolton is the man tasked with with Tunisian vocalist Khaled. her. In 2016 we changed the line-up a vocalist. I sang a unique cover of are nine of us! Seriously though, I’m has the best monthly party in town! having a good time? a massive emphasis on local music. co-ordinating the nine-headed hydra “He was a classic Cowley Road again, adding Matt on another guitar Bob Marley’s `Three Little Birds’ incredibly excited about seeing what The scene is alive and as exciting as Paddy: “It means everything to me We absolutely loved it last year that is Oxford’s leading reggae band, character,” reflects James; “we were and Charlie on the saxophone. Leo and really found my own sound. we can do for the next record now ever.” that our music can do that.” because you could tell the crowd Zaia. an instrumental band, then one night knew Matt from school and Charlie “In my early 20s I guess I was also there are nine of us!” James: “Natty Mark gave us some James: “It’s really important to us. In were really listening to what you It’s a task that brings myriad Khaled came up to us at a gig and from Temple Funk Collective. the muse of Soundworks Studio’s of our first gigs when we started out my view the power of music to bring do as a band. We love that about logistical headaches when it comes to said he wanted to sing for us in They’ve taken our sound to another aspiring sound tech at the time. As well as a near perfect in Raggasaurus. His enthusiasm for people together is its greatest asset.” Oxford. Plus, the setting!” rehearsing, gigging and recording, but Arabic, and we thought, `why not?’ level. So we’ve evolved quite a bit Alongside the late local legend David summer album, `Butterflies’ is an all things reggae and his willingness James: “Yeah, really looking also one that brings great rewards as He’d been singing in various bands since we began but now we all feel Norland (founder of Soundworks important local release right now. to give new reggae artists a chance Bringing people together forward to Coldredlight; Alice in the band’s debut album, `Butterflies’, for thirty years and one day felt it like we have the ultimate line up for Studio and local reggae faves Oxford has a long and proud reggae means there’s always opportunity is what Zaia will now aim to spend Chains are one of my favourite released this month, amply proves. was time to hang up the mic, so we what we want to achieve musically in Mackating) it was my involvement tradition, going back to the original for new bands and acts to play to a their summer doing. July sees them bands so any band that’s influenced At a time when reggae in Oxford, formed Zaia from the ashes, recruited the future.” with the studio which turned my sound systems in the 60s but at the audience and break into the scene.” back at Carnival, possibly the band’s by them gets my vote. Desert Storm as far as live bands in concerned, is Paddy and started jamming”. head and interests to the local reggae moment the band scene at least is spiritual home. are always great and I can’t deny undergoing an uncharacteristically Zaia’s reputation locally scene. pretty moribund; with longstanding All that said, Zaia are Paddy: “It’s been massively I’m pretty keen for Sean Paul too.” quiet period, Zaia are flying its flag That was back in 2013. has been made with regular “I didn’t need persuading to join scene godfathers Dubwiser more of hardly a straight-up reggae band; in important to our spiritual high and proud. With a summer Zaia began gigging as a purely appearances at Carnival (this year Zaia, it was a natural progression; an occasional concern these days addition to the strong soul element development as much as anything. And before even that, of outdoor shows ahead of them, instrumental band, occasionally will be their third showing there), as Dave asked me to join and I and Mackating on indefinite hiatus in the sound, folk and pop get a good To play outdoors in the sunshine on Zaia will officially launch including Carnival in July, and utilising a guest vocalist, until they well as gigs supporting the likes of had heard wonderful stuff from following the death of Dave Norland look in, while producer Matt King the very street you all grew up on, `Butterflies’ with a headline show at Common People this month, preceded met Amy. “One of Amy’s friends Gentleman’s Dub Club (“They taught Raggasaurus and knew it would be in 2014, Zaia stand as almost sole brings his own drum&bass roots to and wrote your music on, to your The Bullingdon. Reggae is so often by an album launch show at The knew Dave’s girlfriend Milly and us about live energy, they’re masters a great project. The love and vibes keepers of the Oxford reggae flame. the mix. home crowd. The best.” thought of as an outsoor, summer Bullingdon, their reputation as one of kept telling Amy that she’d really of it,” says Paddy) and Jamaican have blossomed ever since.” Amy: “The sad passing of David has James: “There’s definitely a Amy: “I think Zaia would have kind of music, but which do they the most uplifting, fun and unifying get on with Dave as he loved reggae dub legend Lee `Scratch’ Perry certainly left a hole in the scene; he strong soul element in the sound; evolved just as successfully without prefer playing: sun-kissed festival acts in town, is only set to increase. as well, explains James; “Then (“As crazy as his outfit and stage Now nine strong, it was was truly the glue and inspiration for that’s mainly down to Amy. We’re carnival, playing a variety of stage or dark, sweaty basement bar? when they finally met Amy and persona was, when I bumped into the core seven of Zaia that put the many local reggae acts, a lot of those definitely not trying to replicate the festivals and local clubs, though it Amy: “Both are amazing and offer James is joined in Zaia’s Dave realised they knew each other him back stage he was a very humble album together, while the full nine bands having used his studio for its Jamaican reggae sound. I absolutely is a favourite event of ours as it’s totally different experiences, but expansive line-up by lead singer Amy from school. Eventually we all got man, recalls Amy, fondly; “When I will bring it to life on stages over the amazing analogue sound and David’s love Jamaican reggae and it’s the a great time of year for celebration nothing beats reggae in the sunshine, MacKown; bassist Dave Tomlinson; together for a jam and her voice was stumbled over my clumsy greeting, summer. own incredible skills in reggae central inspiration for our music of culture and music combined, and they were meant for each other.” keyboard player Patrick Bolton; just perfect for our sound, so we all he took my hand, smiled at me and Paddy: “In terms of writing, a lot of production and mastering.” but at the end of the day we’re not jamming and playing among our saxophonist Charlie Cruickshank; decided to focus on working with her softly uttered `bless man’!”), while the material has been in the pipeline James: “There are some signs Jamaican. There just seem to be local peers is a great feeling. We Zaia play The Bullingdon on Friday trumpeter Leo Petrokofsky; live FX, as our permanent singer.” veteran British reggae champion for years: ever since we started of recovery. Tom Flint from The so many non-Jamaican acts just have felt very humbled to have been 26th May, Common People on Saturday samples and DJ man Paul Williams, The Zaia we know now grew out of David Rodigan – himself an Oxford jamming together. We try all sorts of Dublings has just started a new replicating the clichéd image and invited to play as the penultimate 27th May and Carnival on Sunday and guitarists Josh Hughes and Matt assorted departures and recruitments boy – has played the band’s early little hooks or ideas, and many have project since that band went on sound with their false patois etc. act on one of the main stages three 2nd July. Pre-order `Butterflies’ now Cox. since, as James explains. “Kate [the tracks. ended up manifesting themselves in hiatus. We’re happy to fly the flag for “I’ve always loved bands that years running. It has a great vibe at www.zaiaband.com. Sponsored by generation’s rules, and some get inspired by breaking them, and that’s fine; what’s weird is KRISSY MATTHEWS those who do one thing whilst being sure they’re `Live at Freak Valley’ doing the other. Take Get Loose’s press release, which claims their album ranges “from R&B you (Proper) RELEASED can dance to through to darker pychedelia”, when The opening track of this album is called `Feeling For the Blues’ and serves as a rebuttal what it ranges from is mid-tempo blues rocking to critics (“blues purists”) who have told Krissy THE AUGUST LIST VERNA HARK to the end of the record. Matthews he can’t play the blues unless he’s On the plus side, it’s pretty decent mid-tempo old and has lived a life of hardship. By the end Ramshackle Tabernacle `Sparkling Blue EP’ blues rocking. The opening pair of tracks offer of this album Nightshift feels very old and like (Self released) (Self released) chunky-knit `Immigrant Song’-style cantering in we’ve endured hardship beyond measure. The There have been plenty of good albums to come Call me old fashioned but presenting your `Forgive Me’ and Chuck Berry-flavoured… err... album clocks in at almost 70 minutes; the first from Oxford over the years, but the truly great music on Youtube is considerably far down the cantering in `Ride It Out’. The riffs and rhythms guitar solo arrives before the first minute is up records tend to come from bands who have evolutionary scale of ‘releases’ that has Tony kick along nicely, the vocals are understated and and lasts for over half the length of the song. completely mastered their sound and immersed Visconti paid a million quid to produce your pleasingly free of pantomime mid-west growls, There are many, many more along the way. This themselves in the music that inspires them and that album at one end and shouting doggerel into a and the solos are fluent yet concise. The lyrics might be a long journey. they themselves create. The last local band that dictaphone on a street corner at the other; but won’t win any awards, but they’re far from the No genre demands authenticity more than absolutely nailed what they were about on record take nothing away from Verna Hark who continue GET LOOSE most egregious examples of priapic platitude in blues, particularly blues-rock; every month sees was Undersmile and their doom-laden classic their impressive run with a sequence of tunes rock’s canon, and may have a little sly inversion a slew of blues-rock bands coming to town, `Anhedonia’, but with `Ramshackle Tabernacle’, that recall the oeuvre of defiantly contemporary `Get Loose’ of sexual boasting in `King Bee’ (if not it means each quoting the same handful of untouchables The August List might just have made the most scenesters London Grammar and The xx. (Self released) the claim they are “able to buzz all night long” is as inspiration, one in particular, Stevie Ray assured release to come from Oxford in some time. EP opener ‘Kingdom’ commences with What does it mean to play within accepted meant seriously, and that the boys need to learn a Vaughan inadvertently responsible for more Those familiar with band will be used to Martin bombastic synth bursts, recreating that feeling stylistic boundaries, and is there a difference little more about apian sexual hierarchies). tedious fret-botherers than any single artist, and Kerraleigh Child performing affecting folk of moving aimlessly from room to room in a between working in a tradition and embracing a Best to ignore that stuff and just nod your head people who merit technique over feeling every songs as a duo, but on `Ramshackle Tabernacle’ with almost hoe-down vigour, but it also conveys club after the night has gone awry due to some genre? For everyone who respects improvisations to the incessant cowbell crunch of `Bullet’, time. The two best blues acts in Oxford right they’ve expanded their sound with the addition of the true story of a burnt-out singer-songwriter who emotional mishap, the vocalist lost in a haze of on established carnatic ragas but thinks trad jazz our favourite track. `Get Loose’ is a very solid, now are Coldredlight and Vienna Ditto, both Tommy Longfellow and Billy Quartermain from disappeared from her home and family, leaving her own thoughts, peppered by explosions of bands are dead-eyed rehashers, there’s another reliable heavy blues album. That is both its of whom are fronted by young women and The Epstein. them and a body of work behind. This need to aural fireworks reminiscent of a hands in the air who bigs up old skool hip hop revivals whilst victory and its curse, depending on where you’re neither of whom seem fussed about guitar Kicking off with a retooling of the tale of Rip Van be alone and let be is countered by the expansive anthem, but getting up to strut her stuff the last sniggering at morris dancers. The truth is, some standing. solos, preferring to take the spirit of that old Winkle on `Old Rip’ this oddly muscular version and quite gorgeous denouement to `Wilderness’ thing on her mind. Better still are the beats that musicians get inspired by playing to a previous David Murphy music into new places and to hell with whatever of The August List possesses more bite than we’ve that finds the pair singing “I’d cross any frontier underlie everything, evoking comparisons to the authenticity may or may not entail. come to expect. Addressing existential dread while that led to you…I found a tenderness in this keyboard tinkerings of Jamie xx – a constantly `Live at Freak Valley’ is a textbook lesson in channelling Neil Young in “light miff” mode is wilderness”. inventive back palate that marks each track out as THE LONG INSIDERS rock solid authenticity, in tradition, in doing no mean feat but they pull it off convincingly. It is of course the vocal interplay between Martin subtly different. things The Right Way (ie the way they’ve Importantly, they’ve been careful not to fill out and Kerraleigh that makes The August List such a On ‘I Will Let You Go Unadorned’ , staccato `Love Tortured Blue’ always been done). One song here, `The Soul their sound too dramatically, so while this is an spine-tingling proposition, and there are numerous pulses like bullet fire are accompanied by (Self released) Will Never Die’, is about meeting the late, album made with a band, what really grabs the moments across `Ramshackle Tabernacle’ where what could be vocoder mangled vocals but Playing such a classic form of music and with a great BB King once, while elsewhere Matthews attention is the sheer space that is present in these their more familiar duo form takes hold where they are probably just a few previously neglected strict adherence to its heritage can paint a band covers Blind Willie McTell’s `Searching the songs. Even when the chanted chorus refrain of seem to be operating on an almost psychic level. buttons being pressed, while co-title track into a ghetto corner of its own making, but The Desert for the Blues’ and Hendrix’s `Freedom’ `The Ballad Of James Lucas & Betty Dupree’ Never overplaying the dramatic elements of their ‘Sparkling Blue’ is a woozy refrain that Long Insiders slip past tribute band accusations and with several years of solid gigging under kicks in, there is room for the song to breathe and songs, they just let the melodies breathe, so when reappears in different form as the album closes, with plenty of energy, a solid modern production his belt, this live recording from a gig in for the band to establish an atmosphere that sounds Kerraleigh hits a note that requires considerable via the ‘Snow Bow remix’, the three piece and a feel for the songs that inspired them Germany covers every modern day blues-rock as if a bunch of ghosts are having a knees up in the vocal gymnastics (such as on the close of the straying into These New Puritans territory that gives them a life of their own. The trio’s base, from the transatlantic vocal style to the last chance saloon. The addition of Ben Heaney’s `Wilderness’) it stands out as remarkable. For good with the deployment of a saxophone at the rockabilly and surf rock rests on the classic regular extended guitar solo showboating which, violin on `Where Has All The Fire Gone’ and measure they throw in `Palace In The Rocks’, death. Personally, I’d prefer a remix to mark a rhythms of Carl Perkins and Johnny Burnette however much the perpetrators might protest, `Half Light’ takes the band away from considered which combines folk authenticity with pop nous distinctive change of pace – that doesn’t happen and the heavy twang of Dick Dale, but with is less about showing you how much they’re bombast and with his utilisation of Cale-ish drones and a vocal from Kerraleigh that Cindy Wilson – but there’s still creative intent. some of Jim Jones’ punk-inspired bite adding feeling this than making sure you know how and discordance he moves them into haunted, would be proud of. Verna Hark divide their time between Helsinki enough contemporary oomph to keep the train clever they are. For an album recorded in a soulful territory. An eclectic mix of songs then, but don’t let and Oxford; the shimmering keyboards recall rolling along its steadfast tracks. more Johnny Cash-style rockabilly blues and the place called Freak Valley, it’s depressingly free With the themes of loneliness, rejection of the the title fool you, The August List are far from the weak sun glinting off the myriad lakes Lead track on this new EP, `My Love’ leans whole thing, while steeped in a part of musical of freakishness. world and also the need to communicate being ramshackle. This is a finely honed album that of the Finnish interior and as stand out song more towards the languid surf style, but the history that was long gone by the time any of There’s a lot of energy expended and the at the heart of the album, these shifts in style fit should go down as one of the best to ever come ‘August 06’ continues with the theme of feeling band are always at their best when they play it the band were born, sounds fresher and more regular whoops of the crowd suggest there’s with the sense of cognitive dissonance that runs from an Oxford band. dislocated and rudderless by the excesses of darker, as on `True Blue’, a tribute to brothers alive than most supposedly more contemporary plenty of people happy to lap this kind of stuff throughout. `Connie Converse’ might rattle along Sam Shepherd a night out on the tiles, we are reminded of Nick and Simon Kenny’s late father, coming guitar bands. up, but we prefer our blues on the dark side and ‘Heartbeats’-era The Knife. In all though, this on like a gothic Roy Orbison. `Womankind’ is Ian Chesterton not stomped all over by rock excess. Music’s is an EP that very much reflects the musical journey should always be forward and outward, ADAM FRANKLIN directions of the current decade. never round in ever decreasing circles. Rob Langham BEWARE THIS BOY Dale Kattack `Iron Horse/Born To Lose `Tommy & Jack’ / Into the Light of the Day’ (Club AC30) Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin’s Record beast that displays both Adam’s invention and (Self released) Store Day release is a cover of Motorhead’s `Iron lightness of touch and Lemmy’s deceptively Oxfordshire’s rural hinterlands remain English than boys – who “stood tall for England” so “we Horse/Born To Lose’, one of the earliest and sensitive songwriting ability up in the brightest folk music’s heartland with Cropredy as its could be free”, but with Sue Mallett’s mournful more understated songs in Lemmy’s vast rock of colours. nominal capital. You can just picture Beware fiddle and Simon Meakin’s plaintive, almost arsenal (though check out his beautiful, moving The b-side of this single is a cover of Bowie’s This Boy playing at Fairport Convention’s annual frail, vocals, it’s a lament for the lost rather than ode to the fallen of WWI, `1916’, which will `Thursday’s Child’, again a less than obvious gathering or one of the myriad taverns that dot a chest-thumping display of patriotism and all make you see the legendary hellraiser in a whole pick, from 1999’s `Hours’, and something of a the area, with a sound that’s barely changed since the more affecting for that. `Into the Light of the new light). precursor for his farewell `Black Star’, revealing the English Civil War. Even the band’s claim Day’ feels more upbeat, the fiddle lead livelier, On the face of it an unusual choice, but it an impending frailty. Adam’s cover stays close on their website to be a mix of Fairport and The almost playful, but it’s less emotionally engaging proves inspired as Adam takes the song down to the original, as with the a-side, coating it Clash misses the point that the sort of protest even if an air of melancholy still lingers. Like several notches more, bringing an almost folky in a midgy cloud of clicks, wows and whirrs, song they peddle was around for centuries before `Tommy & Jack’, though, it sounds like music psychedelic haze down to bear on the song, his but vocally perhaps lacking Bowie’s cracked Joe Strummer strapped on a guitar. `Tommy & from any time from the last century, and their voice fractured and fuzzy, the instrumentation elegance. Stick `Iron Horse’ on again – it’s that Jack’ is a tribute to the men who fought for their remains a small corner of England that is forever like the buzz and clicks of insects, a sombre rare thing, a genuinely worthwhile cover version. country on land and at sea, Tommy and Jack this kind of time-lost folk music. reflective remodelling of the original blues Dale Kattack representing every young man – barely more Ian Chesterton date after performances at Cornbury Festival and Arms Halfway To 75 in recent times, Hampshire-born, OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim Nashville-based twin sisters Ward Thomas come THE RHEINGANS SISTERS: Nettlebed to the O2 continuing to promote 2016 album Folk Club – Sisters Rowan and Anna Rheingans `Cartwheels’, the follow-up to their acclaimed come to Nettlebed’s legendary folk club; Rowan debut, `From Where We Stand’, recorded with has previously been best known for her work country music mainstay Vince Gill. as part of Lady Maisery and with Eliza Carthy GIG GUIDE BIGFOOT + REGULUS + NEW and Karine Polwart in Songs of Separation. The GENERATION SUPERSTARS + HELL’S sisters have recorded two albums together, fusing MONDAY 1st Moon – Weekly open session. GAZELLES: O2 Academy – Long-haired, the folk sounds of their native Peak District with JOHN OTWAY: The Bear (6am) – The Clown ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure – leather-clad heavy rocking out of Wigan from traditional influences from Scandinavia and Prince of Pop plays his traditional May Morning Weekly unplugged open mic session. Bigfoot, the band off on a headline tour after France (where Anna lives and is an in-demand Tuesday 9th show in the historic Bear. BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford supporting Black Spiders on their farewell tour, fiddle play); expect multi-instrumental virtuosity THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Wheatsheaf – Open blues jam. the band rocking it in the style of Led Zep, AC/ and close harmonies. THE JAPANESE MAY GLUE: The Cellar – Techno and house club (6.30am) – May Morning show in the Sheaf’s DC and Judas Priest. Support from Sheffield’s nd downstairs bar from local blues/ska/funk/swamp TUESDAY 2 night. stoner stalwarts Regulus; Nottingham’s punk- th HOUSE: O2 Academy THE NIGHT CAFÉ + SAFE TO SWIM TUESDAY 9 A semi regular visitor to Oxford over the last rock veterans The Mighty Redox. infused hard rockers New Generation Superstars, JAPANESE HOUSE: O2 Academy – Sweet, THE SKAMEISTERS: The Bear (4pm) – Free + BLOXX: The Bullingdon – Exuberantly th and Oxford’s own rock heavyweights Hell’s couple of years, Amber Bain – who is The FRIDAY 5 sweet sorrow from the ambient house – see main Japanese House – is back tonight playing afternoon of live ska for May Day. funky indie jangle from Liverpool’s fast-rising BOSSAPHONIK with GRUPO X: The Gazelles, kicking it out in a Guns’n’Roses-meets- preview her biggest local show yet, but prior to this TRIONYS: The White House – Experimental youngsters, back in town after recent supports to Cellar – Latin dance, global grooves, Afropop, Judas Priest fashion.. INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial, headline tour ahead of the release of her debut improv, taking in jazz, avant garde rock and The Hunna and Sundara Karma. Balkan beats and nu-jazz club night with a live YONAKA + GURR: The Cellar – Epic dark ebm and darkwave club night. album she’d been playing arena-sized venues more from the German collective. SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James set from Latin jazz-soul-bugalu fusion outfit indie noise from Brighton’s Yonaka, back in SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James as support to long time chums and labelmates OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim – Street Tavern – Weekly open mic session with Grupo X, regulars at the Camden Jazz Café and town, out on a joint headline tour with Berlin’s Street Tavern The 1975. They produced The Japanese Weekly open session. host Sparky. collaborators with Latin soul king Joe Bataan. excellent garage-pop duo Gurr, mixing 80s indie House’s debut EP, `Pools To Bathe In’, which OSPREY: St Aldates Tavern – Upbeat funky Plus world jazz dance sounds on the decks from jangle and surf-pop with sleepy-eyed alt.pop th a lot of people thought was singer Matt Healy, blues from the local stalwart and chums. host Dan Ofer. in the vein of Life Without Buildings and Best WEDNESDAY 10 th THE MAGIC GANG: O2 Academy – he and Bain sharing a similarly dreamy vocal Thursday 4 WILLIE J HEALEY: Modern Art Oxford – A Coast. Brighton’s pop-friendly slacker-grunge gang quality. But anyway, with a little help from WEDNESDAY 3rd free headline show – already sold out – from MOLOTV SEXBOMB: The Wheatsheaf – return to town after their sold-out show here her friends, she’s starting to enjoy the success SHAME: The Cellar THE ANDREWS COMBS BAND: The local rising slacker rock star Willie, the prolific Punk-infused rocking from the local regulars. Fat White Family didn’t so much open the in September and their set at last summer’s she deserves as she drifts sad-eyed through Bullingdon – Elegantly downbeat alt.country songsmith having just come off tour with Palace FREERANGE: The Cellar – UK garage, grime door as push the sewer cover off and in their Truckfest, building up to the release of their sparse, ethereal synth-pop, all barely-there in the vein of Leonard Cohen, Harry Nilsson and rock and strolling it out in the vein of Mac and bassline club night. wake have come a wave of bands fuelled by debut album following a string of singles and beats, breathless, heavily-effected vocals and and Glen Campbell from Nashville troubadour Demarco, Ariel Pink and War On Drugs. EYECON + W.A.M: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Mod disgust and contempt and in their small way EPs, managing to find that sweet spot meeting introspective, atmospheric melodies that have Combs at tonight’s Empty Room show, the singer KLUB KAKOFANNEY with BEAVER FUEL classics from Eyecon, plus ska-punk faves from at least trying to shout about what’s wrong point between Brian Wilson, Weezer and Mac drawn comparisons to London Grammar, The and guitarist touring his new album, `Canyons of + SPINNER FALL + LAKE OF KINGS + W.A.M. with this country right now. Among those Demarco. xx and Grimes at various points and wouldn’t My Mind’, the follow-up to his acclaimed 2014 LAIMA: The Wheatsheaf – Local indie/punkers are fellow south Londoners Shame who have THE TUTS + RAINBOW RESERVOIR + sound out of place alongside our own Esther debut, `All These Dreams’. Beaver Fuel celebrate their tenth anniversary of th toured with Fat Whites as well as Slaves SUNDAY 7 HAPPY ACCIDENTS: The Cellar – Indie- Joy Lane. She also earned herself a place on BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Cellar innuendo, irreverence and bolshy pop noise with and, most recently, Warpaint. The quintet BLOODSTOCK – METAL TO THE pop, punk and attitude from the west London the BBC Sound of 2017 long list, a measure – 80s hits, glam, synth-pop and disco club night. a headline show for Klub Kakofanney, joined wouldn’t ever claim responsibility for MASSES: The Bullingdon – Quarter-final of trio, fresh from tour supports to The Selecter and as much of her rising commercial potential as tonight by 80s hardcore-inspired noisemakers Sadiq Khan’s victory in last year’s London the battle of the bands competition to win a slot Feeder – see main preview her musical quality, reflected in her move up th Spinner Fall and singer-songwriter Laima Bite. mayoral elections but they were one of a THURSDAY 4 at this summer’s Bloodstock Festival, tonight IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC to the O2 from earlier shows at The Cellar. SHOWADDYWADDY: The New Theatre very few bands to stand up and be counted MORGAN HERITAGE & ETANA: O2 with Bloodshot, Echo4four, 1000 Chains and Silk SHOWCASE: The Wheatsheaf The overriding bleakness in her songs might – True story: last time Nightshift saw in support of him against lying Tory posh Academy – Rock, pop, hip hop and country- Road, plus more. QUERCUS: St. John the Evangelist – Oxford not ring with impending summer, but a little Showaddywaddy live (okay, the only time lad Zac Goldsmith. They also wrote a love tinged reggae from New York’s enduring all- DR ROBERT + MATT DEIGHTON: The Contemporary Music host an evening with June chill in the air is always welcome. we’ve ever seen them live) they were supporting song to Theresa May before she became brother band, out on a European tour to promote Cellar – A joint tour from former Blow Monkeys Tabor’s folk-jazz collaboration with pianist Huw Einsterzende Neubaten, surviving an early hail of frontman Dr Robert alongside guitarist Matt prime minister, but it’s probably unfit for their eleventh studio album, `Avrakedabra’, Warren and saxophonist Ian Ballamy. WILL JOSEPH COOK: The Bullingdon – pint glasses to near enough blow their Teutonic Deighton, originally of Acid Jazz faves Mother publication here; suffice to say they’re featuring Ziggy and Stephen Marley among a star Airy pop in the vein of Phoenix and Vampire drill-core chums off stage. So we’ve always Earth and subsequently guitarist for Paul Weller not fans. Militant in lyrics and action, cast of contributors, and riding high on the back th Weekend from the Kent singer-songwriter, of a Grammy award for 2015’s `Strictly Roots’ had a serious amount of respect for the retro and, for a while, Oasis. THURSDAY 11 musically Shame share some DNA with LITTLE BROTHER ELI: Truck Store – The touring debut album `Sweet Dreamer’. Followed album. rockabilly fellas from Leicester, and anyway, MAD LARRY + SUPERLOOSE + MARK Fat White Family – particularly the sleazy, local funk-blues-rock faves warm up for their O2 by an indie disco with Will taking a turn on the SHAME: The Cellar – Barricade-storming post- `Under the Moon of Love’ is a corker, ain’t it? BOSLEY BAND + PURPLE MAY + SPOON crawling scuzzbucket single `The Lick’, headline show on the 19th with an instore set. decks. punk from south London’s pop warriors – see In fact we’ve got out pastel-coloured Teddy Boy THEORY: The Wheatsheaf (3.30-8.30pm) with its tale of a man addicted to visiting STEVE RODGERS: The Bullingdon – Soulful TOM WALKER: The Cellar – We blame Ed main preview suits on already. – Free live music in the downstairs bar from a gynaecologist, but there are also trace blues-rocking in the vein of Jeff Buckley, Ray Sheeran. Or maybe Sam Smith. THE TROY REDFERN BAND: The HOLLY REDFORD-JONES + CHALK + Giddyup Music, with classic r’n’b man Mad elements of Drenge, The Fall, Sonic Youth Lamontagne and Scott Matthews from former DEMOISELLES + THE AUTUMN SAINTS: Bullingdon – Blues rocking from Herefordshire JUNIPER NIGHTS + SEMI URBAN FOX + Larry, rootsy rockers Superloose and gothic and even New Fast Automatic Daffodils in Bôa frontman Steve Rodgers and son of Free and The Wheatsheaf – It’s All About the Music guitarist and singer Troy Redfern, back at the FUJI: O2 Academy – It’s All About the Music troubadour Mark Bosley. among the grubby post-punk pavement-level Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers. showcase with local rockers Demoiselles, plus Haven Club after supporting Gwyn Ashton here showcase night with smoky jazz, r’n’b and FRANKLIN’S TOWER + ANNELI + songs. Their live shows are earning them FREEMANTLE: Jericho Tavern – Psychedelia atmospheric Americana from The Autumn Saints. last year, his groove-led style inspired by Johnny rockabilly singer Holly Redford Jones, coming in SAM POPE + ECLECTICA: Donnington rave reviews, with nakedness and broken and shoegaze from the local pop dreamers. HOLY MOLY & THE CRACKERS + Winter, Hound Dog Taylor and Dave Hole, somewhere between Billie Holiday and Imelda Community Centre (6pm) – Free early evening things often the order of the day and if they CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford DEADBEAT APOSTLES: Old Fire Station – among others. May, plus fidgety electro-pop from London trio of live acoustic music, with Grateful Dead tribute won’t ever change the world it’s increasingly Community Centre Gypsy folk-rock from well-travelled septet Holy CHASING DAYLIGHT: Truck Store (6pm) Chalk. Acoustic rock from Juniper Nights and act Franklin’s Tower and more. refreshing to see bands who not only adhere SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The – Instore launch show for their new `Live At the Libertines-y indie rocking from Semi Urban Fox. THE MIGHTY REDOX: Harry’s Bar to rock’s primal urges but aren’t afraid to Half Moon O2’ 7”, the band mixing up Kinks, Blockheads SPARKY’S SPONTANEOUS SHOWCASE (3.30pm) nail their colours firmly to a political mast. ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the and Dr Feelgood in their r’n’b-flavoured Britpop. & SPOTLIGHT JAM: James Street Tavern OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms Obscure THE PETE FRYER BAND: The Wheatsheaf – Bands and open mic session hosted by Sparky, BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, – Free gig in the downstairs bar from the veteran tonight with Chicago funsters Monk 9, plus th Hurricane and The Mighty Reverend Black MONDAY 8 Sandford local blues-rocker. SAM BROOKES: The Cellar – Intimate JOHN COGHLAN’S QUO: Kidlington SELF HELP + PORT ERIN + CATGOD + electro-folk-pop inspired by Nick Drake, Bon Football Club – Status Quo’s original drummer th BEN AVISON: The Jericho Tavern – It’s All Iver and Tim Buckley from the London singer FRIDAY 12 brings Quo classics to the Shire. About the Music local bands showcase. and former chorister to the Queen, out on a AN END OF AN ERA: O2 Academy THE MIGHTY DISCO BISCUITS: Fat Lil’s, CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford headline tour ahead of the release of his new – Funky rocking and electronica Witney – Classic soul, funk and disco hits. Community Centre – Oxford’s longest running album, having previously supported Newton from Dave & the Ravers at tonight’s open club night continues to showcase singers, Faulkner and featured on Basement Jaxx’s `What Brookes bash, also featuring Five th musicians, poets, storytellers and performance SATURDAY 6 A Difference Your Love Makes’. Quarters of a Quartet, We Only artists every week. WARD THOMAS: O2 Academy – Back in OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ: The Harcourt Play Theme Tunes, Ivory and Chloe SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half town as part of their biggest headline tour to Chesney & Friends. brothers Sean and Kevin Duggan bring their riot-grrl pop from Rainbow Reservoir and messy extended hiatus, out on tour to celebrate year, the singer enthusiastically compared rootsy country-rock to the party. As far as local bedroom synth-pop from Cheap Date. a vinyl release of his debut solo album to Bert Jansch, Tim Buckley, John Fahey gigs goes, tonight’s is unmissable. SELF HELP + THE FIREGAZERS + `Bright Light Ballads’ and the release of a and Van Morrison for his mix of jazz DESERT STORM + CONTEK + THE JESTERS + DAVE TOMLINSON + MARIO comprehensive Stands retrospective box looseness, rustic picking, full-blooded blues REAPER + SHATTERED COMPASS + A & ROBERTO: The Wheatsheaf (2.30pm) set, the 90s band big favourites of Noel and lysergic leanings. His recent album NIGHTMARE UPON US: O2 Academy – – Klub Kakofanney host a free afternoon of Gallagher and tour support to Paul Weller, `Primrose Green’, is named after a strain Skeletor host a seriously heavyweight local bill unplugged music in the Sheaf’s downstairs bar. Gomez, The Coral and Richard Ashcroft of hash, but reflects the lush, verdant rustic with Oxford’s leading heavy rock crew Desert WITH LOVE & REVOLUTION: The Jam back in their heyday. idyll of olde England, and carries a suitably Storm coming off the back of another European Factory – A free night of live music, poetry THE PHIL BEER BAND: Nettlebed Folk hazy vibe about it. tour, bringing blues and psychedelic elements to and comedy in aid of anti sexual harassment Club – A return to Nettlebed for the former DJ FORMAT & ABDOMINAL: The play on their raw, monolithic blues/stoner-metal movement Hollabach, with music from singer Albion Band and Show of Hands folk Cellar – Funky, upbeat hip hop and savvy Wednesday 10th sound. They’re joined by ambient post-hardcore and pianist Frances Salter and poetry from Ilhan veteran, the singer and multi-instrumentalist rhymes from the long-standing DJ and types Contek; melodic thrash and NWOBHM Dahir. backed by a new band. rapper duo, back on tour to promote new THE TUTS / from The Reaper; metalcore merchants Shattered OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal album `Still Hungry’. Compass, and epic gothic metal from A STEAM ROLLER: The Bell, Bicester (5-8pm) Blenheim SEBASTIAN REYNOLDS & GUESTS RAINBOW Nightmare Upon Us. – 60s-style blues rock in the vein of Hendrix and + SERGIO BEERCOCK + AFTER THE RESERVOIR: OXFORD SOUL TRAIN: O2 Academy – Cream from the veteran local rockers. TUESDAY 16th THOUGHT: Albion Beatnik Bookshop Classic soul, funk, disco and Motown tunes THE COMET IS COMING + – An intimate evening of piano music from The Cellar across two rooms at the quarterly extravaganza. MONDAY 15th FLAMINGODS + WANDERING veteran local keyboard man and Pindrop There are, famously, three sides to every STEVE HACKETT: The New Theatre – The HOWIE PAYNE: The Bullingdon – The former WIRES: O2 Academy – Cosmic jazz promoter Seb, playing music from his story: my side, your side and the truth. As Genesis guitarist brings his new band to town, Stands frontman returns to gigging after an explorations from the Mercury-nominated forthcoming solo albums, alongside Sicilian such we’ll probably never know the real playing a selection of classic Genesis tracks, funk astronauts – see main preview singer-songwriter Sergio Beercock and local ins and outs of The Tuts being kicked out including songs from `Wind & Wuthering’, Tuesday 16th THE COATHANGERS: The Bullingdon electro soundscapist After the Thought. of Brighton’s Undercover Festival last year which is 40 years old this year, plus rarely – Former garage-pop jokers keep getting THE MIGHTY REDOX: The while trying to join The Selecter onstage, but performed tracks like `The Music Box’, `Inside & THE COMET better but never lose their sense of fun – see Wheatsheaf – Free show in the downstairs the incident left a sour taste in everyone’s Out’ and `Anyway’, as well as material from his main preview bar from the funk-ska-blues-rock faves. mouth and overshadowed the release of their new solo album and across his expansive back IS COMING / MAMA FEELGOOD: The Cellar – ASH LEWIS + BLESS THIS MESS + excellent debut album, `Update Your Brain’, catalogue. Afrobeat , disco, funk, soul, Chicago House JAE: Jericho Tavern – It’s All About the crowdfunded on Pledgemusic, reaching SELF HELP + THE OUTSIDE + ONE FLAMINGODS and hip hop club night Music local bands showcase. its target in under a week and a record that COLOUR SHORT + BEL & JACK: The SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford runs a big red motorbike through punk, 80s Wheatsheaf – Local bands showcase, with new / WANDERING Street Tavern Community Centre indie and riot grrl, with X Ray Spex as its wave and garage pop from Self Help. WIRES: O2 Academy OSPREY & FRIENDS: St Aldates SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half starting point and ending up at the finish STRAIGHT OUTTA COWLEY: The Tavern Moon Bullingdon – Hip hop club night. Shabaka Hutchings is a busy man, playing ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the line alongside Martha having stopped off at saxophone with Melt Yourself Down and COOPE, BOYES & SIMPSON: Talulah Gosh and The Julie Ruin along the THE MIGHTY REDOX: The Black Swan Nettlebed Folk Club – Celebrating Obscure MAD LARRY: Tap Social Movement, Botley – Sons of Kemet as well as being a part-time BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, way. Formed at school in west London by members of The Arkestra. He’s also at the the centenary of the death in WWI of friends Nadia Javed and Beverley Ishmael, Classic 60s r’n’b covers and originals. Nettlebed Village Club founder Valentine Sandford TURF: The Cellar – house club night. core of The Comet is Coming where he they recruited bassist Harriet Doveton from becomes King Shabaka, channelling the Fleming (also father of Bond writer Ian), Colour Me Wednesday and since their first DAMN GOOD REASON: Fat Lil’s, Witney – with South Yorkshire/Derbyshire vocal FRIDAY 19th Classic rock covers. cosmic jazz spirit of Sun Ra, whose legacy gig in 2011 they’ve supported Kate Nash, he spends much of his musical life keeping trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson, calling WOOD FESTIVAL: Braziers Park, The Selecter, Sonic Boom Six and latterly MUDSLIDE MORRIS & THE it a day with one last album and tour after Ipsden – The pioneering eco-fest returns for REVELATORS: The Dolphin, Wallingford – alive. That spirit of Egyptian Kemeticism Feeder, as well as playing Indietracks and, runs through each of his bands, particularly 24 years on the road together, singing its ninth outing, with sets from The Magic at the invitation of Billy Bragg, the Leftfield Blues and boogie in the vein of Seasick Steve and close-harmony songs of social comment, Numbers, CC Smugglers, Ben Ottewell and Rory Gallagher. The Comet Is Coming – a band formed stage at Glastonbury, mixing pure pop with when he simply decided to join electronica and tonight featuring a selection of songs many, many more, alongside hedgehog- spiky punk spirit and feminist politics; it’s from the early 20th Century, and joined by themed activities – see main preview th duo Soccer96 onstage one night and things simple, direct DIY music that deserves to rise SUNDAY 14 spiralled quickly into outer space, or at least fellow Nettlebed regulars Steve Knightley UPRISING with LITTLE BROTHER above any rancour. Suitably ebullient support NATUREBOY: Truck Store (4pm) – Album as far as a deserved Mercury nomination and Megan Henwood. All proceeds will go ELI + LUCY LEAVE + HARRY PANE from local pop-punkers Rainbow Reservoir launch show from the local singer-songwriter, for last year’s `Channel the Spirits’ album. to the Village Club Roof Fund. + GHOSTS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS whose mix of Mouldy Peaches, Ben Folds and playing songs from `Setting of the Sun’, his first Together the trio (drummer Max `Betamax + SLEEPERS DOME: O2 Academy – Le Tigre always brings the musical sunshine. album in eight years. Killer’ Hallett and synth player Dan WEDNESDAY 17th The O2 teams up with BBC Introducing PAUL RODGERS: The New Theatre – Just `Danalogue the Conquerer’ Leaves alongside NORTHTOWN SCARECROWS: The in Oxford again for a showcase of up and Moly & the Crackers, taking in klezmer, Balkan three nights after his Son Steve plays the Bully, Hutchings) fuse Sun Ra’s exploratory jazz Wheatsheaf coming local and local-ish acts. Headlining folk, ska and reggae in their world fusion sound. the former Free, Bad Company and Queen singer with electronics, acid house, psychedelia BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The tonight are regular live favourites and Great local support from Americana-tinged comes to town, his trademark aggressive vocal and afrobeat for a trippy jazz-funk journey Cellar previous Nightshift cover stars Little classic soul ensemble The Deadbeat Apostles. style a major influence on the likes of Bruce that’s aimed equally at expanded minds Brother Eli, mixing up livewire funky SOFA SOUNDS: University of Natural Dickinson, David Coverdale, Steve Walsh and rock with blues and soul, coming on like a and dancing feet. Track titles like `Space THURSDAY 18th History – The Oxford arm of the global pop-up Joe Bonamassa and earning him an Ivor Novello Carnival’, `Slam Dunk in a Black Hole’ hard-to-resist mix of White Denim, Black THE MISSION + SKELETAL FAMILY gig movement hosts an acoustic stage as part of award for Outstanding Contribution to British and `Star Furnace’ are a good indicator of Keys, White Stripes and Red Hot Chili + PAULINE MURRAY: O2 Academy – the Museum of Natural History’s Neuro Night, Music in 2011. Although he’s been back gigging where they’re headed. Off to Saturn to join Peppers. Great support from oddball punk- 80s goth heroes The Mission celebrate 30 with a night of talks and activities focussing on with Bad Company in recent years tonight’s show the grand master. Great support tonight from prog-jazz-pop sound manglers Lucy Leave; years of keeping it darkly flamboyant with music and the brain. is part of a solo tour, but expect numbers from Bahrain-via-Brixton crew Flamingods, who Northampton folk-soul-blues songsmith Craig Adams back in the fold alongside across his extensive career. mix African rhythms and feverish electro- Harry Pane; cinematic instrumental post- frontman Wayne Hussey, the band playing th THREEPENNY BIT + XOGARA + THE pop to strange effect, and local electro-jazz rockers Ghosts in the Photographs, and SATURDAY 13 tracks from 2016’s `Another Fall From RIVERS: The Bullingdon – Energetic trad tunes explorers Wandering Wires, taking in dub, electro-prog from former Aureate Act THE AUGUST LIST + VIENNA DITTO + Grace’ as well as songs from their 80s LOUD MOUNTAINS: The Cellar – Superb from Southampton’s folk-dance big band, mixing discordant rock experimentation and more. people Sleepers’ Dome. in elements of jazz and classical music into their heyday, including `Serpent’s Kiss’, `Tower SMOOVE & TURRELL + WITNEY local triple bill, with last month’s Nightshift cover of Strength’ and `Wasteland’. Gothtastic stars The August List launching their brilliant traditional and original material; support from SOUL CLUB: The Bullingdon – North- Anglo-Welsh-Galician folk trio Xogara. support from fellow Yorkshire cult faves East duo Smoove & Turrell bring their new album, `Ramshackle Tabernacle’, bringing Skeletal Family, fronted by Anne-Marie atmospheric drones to bear on their rustic folk THE SPOOK SCHOOL + BAD MOVES + “northern funk” to tonight’s Glovebox show, RAINBOW RESERVOIR + CHEAP DATE: Hurst, and former Penetration singer mixing up northern soul, jazz and hip hop, and Americana as they bring stories of hermits Pauline Murray. and isolation to music life. They’re joined by The Library – More high-quality, lo-fidelity the band originally championed by Craig th RYLEY WALKER: The Bullingdon elegantly mayhemic synthabilly jazz-blues-pop fun from Smash Disco, celebrating their 50 gig Charles. Summer supports to the likes of in style with Scotland’s queercore indie-punks, – The rising young star of English folk Chic and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas duo Vienna Ditto, taking Nina Simone into the music returns to Oxford having played 25th Century, while Connecticut-born and raised signed to Fortuna Pop, plus power pop from have broadened their fanbase and they’re Washington DC’s Bad Moves; effervescent post- a show with Danny Thompson here last on tour to promote fourth album `Crown plays Latin jazz, Balkan beats, nu jazz, Afrobeat touring his acclaimed `Highway Bound’ album, in October last year, the Pakistani Sufi musician, The Library – Atmospheric, gothic synth-pop Melody team up with the world’s last living and more on the decks. and local country roots champion and recent nephew of the legendary Nusrat and son of from Canada’s Avulsions at tonight’s Divine pirate of the high seas, Johnny Orlando, as BRICKWORK LIZARDS: The Cellar – Nightshift cover star Ags Connolly. Farrukh, headlines at the historic concert venue, Schism show, the band’s dark, serpentine sound they tour their new album, a grime remake of Oxford’s self-styled Turkobilly ensemble return playing in the Qawwali tradition of devotional in the vein of 4AD’s 80s output, particularly Throbbing Gristle’s `Second Annual Report’. to live action, fusing rock, hip hop, jazz and SUNDAY 21st music. Xmal Deutschland. Indie rock from local SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James traditional Arabic music into a summery pop WOOD FESTIVAL: Braziers Park, Ipsden – EMILY BARKER: Truck Store – An intimate supergroup Egrets in support, plus grungy Street Tavern pilaff. Third and final day of the eco-friendly festival instore show from the Australian singer, playing garage-rock in the mould of Hole and The SOUL SESSIONS: The Cellar – Classic soul, – see main preview songs from her new solo album, `Sweet Kind of Runaways from Wolfs. WEDNESDAY 31st funk and disco. WITTSTOCK: Oxford Saracens RFC (midday Blue’. SN DUBSTATION: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Reggae, LONDON GRAFFITTI + FASHION PROOF FERAL SUN + BETH BLADE & THE – 10pm) – Second day of the free charity festival, THE RIFLES UNPLUGGED: The Bullingdon ska and dub from Swindon’s eight-piece fusion + STEEVO NOISSIER: The Wheatsheaf – BEAUTIFUL DISASTERS + BROKEN today with sets from Bright Works; Cosmosis; – East London’s Jam-inspired mod-rockers strip crew. It’s All About the Music bands showcase. DEVICE: The Wheatsheaf – Epic, emotive down to their acoustic undies. Tuesday 16th Jinj’oranj; The Phat Cardinals; John Poet; The BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE: The Cellar melodic soft rock in the vein of Alter Bridge Ponderosa; Freddy le Cragg; Otto; Mermaid OTHERKIN: The Cellar – Free show from SATURDAY 27th – 80s hits, glam, synth-pop and disco club night. THE COATHANGERS: and Stone Sour from London’s Feral Sun at Noises; Sam & Sarah Jane, and Country For Old Dublin’s grungy indie rockers, back in town after COMMON PEOPLE: South Park – Sean Paul tonight’s OxRox show, with support from Men. supporting Amazons at their sold-out show in heads the line-up at the second Common People Cardiff’s heavyweights Beth Blade, touring their March. You’ll still need to get a ticket, and they’ll The Bullingdon BLOODSTOCK – METAL TO THE extravaganza – see main preview th st If you wanted to form a band purely and debut album `Bad Habit’ after supporting Ricky MASSES: The Bullingdon – Quarter-final of the go fast, so off you pop. NOVANA: O2 Academy – The tricksily Friday 19 – Sunday 21 simply to piss off blokes with expensive Warwick on tour. battle of the bands competition to win a slot at SOFAR SOUNDS DOES COMMON monikered tribute band defy all odds by actually equipment and the idea that technique, GOAT GIRL: Modern Art Oxford – Already this summer’s Bloodstock Festival, tonight with PEOPLE: Venue TBC – The pop-up gig being Yesvana – playing all your favourite 90s WOOD FESTIVAL: tightness and all due reverence for the rock sold-out free gig from south London’s slow- Twisted State of Mind, Cherokii, Crimson Tusk, network hosts a pre-Common People show at a self-hate anthems. Braziers Park greats are the holy trinity of music making burning grunge/garage rockers Goat Girl, coming Burning Horizon and Promethean Reign. venue to be disclosed to ticket holders ahead of TWIN WILD: The Cellar – Grungy alt.rocking on like a smouldering, surfed-up mix of Courtney the show, featuring sets from acts due to play the Started in 2008 by brothers Robin and you couldn’t make one better then The OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms from Twin Wild, touring their new `My Heart’ EP Joe Bennett in the wake of the floods that Coathangers already are and have been for ten Barnett, Tanya Donnelly and Thee Headcoatees South Park festival. See their website for ticket after supports to You Me At Six and Nothing But on recent Rough Trade debut `Country Sleaze’, details. devastated Truck Festival in 2007, Oxford’s years now. Formed in Atlanta as a joke, named MONDAY 22nd Thieves. pioneering eco-festival is still in a league in grotesquely irreverent homage to backstreet and named in honour of Bill Hicks alter-ego Goat ARMOIRES + PLASTIC SOUL + HUXLEY MOVE: The Cellar – UK bassline, garage and Boy. BELIEFS + THE BECKONING FAIR ONES RITTMAN & THE RUSTY HITMEN + of its own when it comes to genuine abortions to annoy “pro-lifers” and armed + FANCY DRESS PARTY: The Cellar – grime club night. commitment to environmental responsibility with songs with titles like `Nestle in My LISA SINGS STREISAND: The Cornerstone, CHARMS AGAINST THE EVIL EYE: The OLD ERNIE + BROWN GLOVE: The Didcot – The songs of Barbara Streisand. Blissed-out shoegaze in a My Bloody Valentine Jericho Tavern – It’s All About the Music local – from the solar, wind, cycle and chip fat- Boobies’, `Don’t Touch My Shit’ and `Shut vein from Toronto’s Beliefs at tonight’s Divine Wheatsheaf – Atmospheric noise exploration powered sound systems, to the organic food the Fuck Up’, they gone from a ramshackle, THE CORSAIRS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Live bands showcase. from Old Ernie alongside Gemma Moss’s dark rockabilly, punk and psychobilly. Schism show, with jagged, angular post-hardcore DAPHNE’S FLIGHT: The Cornerstone, and beer and compost toilets, WOOD refuses lo-fi garage-rock mess who could give The from TBFO in support. cabaret band Brown Glove. to just pay lip service to green concerns. Shaggs a run for their money, to a rather more Didcot – Back in action after 21 years off after NO HORSES + JOHN BENNETT + th FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Nettlebed Folk the release of their one and only album, the all- This year’s festival has been designated The honed lo-fi garage-pop unit in the vein of The SATURDAY 20 Club – The Godfathers of English folk-rock DOMINIC WILKINSON DUO + STEVE OR Year of the hedgehog, continuing to focus Delta 5, The Au Pairs and Shopping, whose WOOD FESTIVAL: Braziers Park, Ipsden female harmony group, featuring Chris While, SAM: The Harcourt Arms – Blues rocking return to the intimate setting of Nettlebed’s Christine Collister, Helen Watson, Melanie on local wildlife, so feel free to dig out that deliberately disjointed, off-kilter approach to WITTSTOCK: Oxford Saracens RFC (1- historic folk club. from No Horses, playing the songs of Muddy spiky frock and get down to headliners THE songwriting has seen them release five studio 11pm) – After a year off, the free festival returns Harrold and Julie Matthews, mix up jazz, blues, Waters, Charlie Musselwhite, The Allman OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim folk and pop on a range of original songs and MAGIC NUMBERS, whose harmony- albums and support the likes of Refused with a new home, this year raising money for the Brothers and more. driven 60s-styled pop headlines the weekend. and Black Lips. The most recent of those Headways and Rosy charities. Today’s line-up covers of Elvis Costello and The Beach Boys JOHN OTWAY: The Cornerstone, Didcot rd among others. Joining them are rough’n’ready roots albums, `Nosebleed Weekend’, contains their features Jules Penzo; Von Braun; OX4 Allstars; TUESDAY 23 – The Clown Prince of Pop returns once again ramblers CC SMUGGLERS with their BARCELONA FLAMENCO: The Cellar CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford catchiest pop songs yet while never losing Beaverfuel; The Mark Bosley Band; Trevor to the Shire. Expect all the hits, and non hits – old-time Texan folk and swing-inspired – Live flamenco with dancer Ariadna Molina, Community Centre touch with the simple, exuberant punk spirit Williams; The Shapes; Skeptica; Mad Larry `Really Free’, `Beware of the Flowers Cause I’m bluesy bluegrass; Edinburgh-born troubadour guitarist Jero Ferec and singer Angel Marquez. SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS: The Half that’s defined them since the start. Its high and Order #227. Entry is free but donations are Sure They’re Going to Get You Yeah’, `Bunsen BLUES ROSE CODE; Cornwall’s bluegrass, SPARK’S SIDE OF THE MOON: James Moon point comes with `Squeeki Tiki’, whose welcome. Burner’ etc. One of a kind. folk, country and pop quintet FLATS & chorus is played on a squeaky rubber duck, THE VERVE EXPERIENCE: O2 Academy Street Tavern ACOUSTIC THURSDAY: Jude the Obscure THE WIREBIRDS: Tap Social Movement, BLUES JAM: The Catherine Wheel, Sandford SHARPS; Georgia’s Americana songsmith which is unlikely to win them an army of – The experience of being trapped in 1997 Botley – Blues and rock covers. BRENT COBB; indie folksters WORRY new fans among people who think Stevie Ray surrounded by people who look like Noel th WEDNESDAY 24 th DOLLS; Gomez singer and guitarist BEN Vaughan is a pinnacle of creativity. They’re Gallagher. AOIFE O’DONOVAN + BLAIR DUNLOP: FRIDAY 26 SUNDAY 28th OTTEWELL, doing his bluesy roots silly, they’re spiky, they write daftly catchy GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with UNMAN The Bullingdon – A welcome return to Oxford ZAIA + DOCUMENT ONE + SHUMBA COMMON PEOPLE: South Park – Pete solo thing; former Big Star drummer Jody noise-pop songs and they upset musos and + LITTLE DEATH MACHINE + LA courtesy of Empty Room promotions for country/ YOUTH + MULTIFARI: The Bullingdon Tong’s Heritage Orchestra bring the Ibiza hits to Stephens’ team-up with Freewheelers moralists in equal measures. Of course we PHOOKA: The Wheatsheaf – Searing drones, folk/bluegrass artist Aoife O’Donovan, the singer – This month’s Nightshift cover stars launch South Park – see main preview leader Luther Russell, THESE PRETTY love them. battering ram math-rock rhythms, screams having become a regular in town over the last their debut album ahead of a headline set on the SIMPLE with PEGGY GOU: The Bullingdon WRONGS, plus a host of locally-sourced and skronking sax, from Unman at tonight’s few years, having made her name as lead singer Uncommon stage at Common People – see main – House, techno and electro club night with talent like genius songs-for-kids chap NICK Gappy Tooth Industries, the group made up of with progressive bluegrass band Crooked Still, interview feature Korean-born, Berlin resident producer and COPE; trad folk singers JACKIE OATES Posade’. dronemeister Lee Riley, members of Masiro and her musical reach extending far and wide, with TWISTED STATE OF MIND + K LACURA selector Peggy Gou, rising star of electronic & MEGAN HENWOOD; cello’n’loops BOSSAPHONIK with GRUPO LOKITO: The improv sax destroyer John Grieve and sounding myriad collaborations under her belt – including + THE HOPE BURDEN + OVERDOG + music, having just released her new EP on Ninja maestro DUOTONE; expansive country- Bullingdon – World jazz dance club night with like a cyborg hornets nest moments before it with Goat Rodeo Sessions and Punch Brothers, OCEAN OF APATHY + CRYSTALLITE: Tune’s Technicolour imprint. rockers THE EPSTEIN; kora master JALI exuberant Congolese soukous and Afro-Cuban reaches critical mass and explodes. Dark, gothic as well as with Sarah Jarosz and Nickel Creek’s O2 Academy – Church of the Heavy with high- OPEN MIC SESSION: The Harcourt Arms FILY CISSOKHO and gorgeously downbeat dance from Grupo Lokito, recent winners of the industrial sci-fi pop inspired by Depeche Mode, Sara Watkins, as well as writing a hit single, `Lay octane thrash and melodic metal from TSOM, SYN CITY ROCKERS: The Brewery Tap, electro duo CANDY SAYS. Add in the usual Lucas UK Award for best tropical act of the year, Nine Inch Nails and Massive Attack from My Burden Down’, for Alison Krauss – a neat hardcore thrash from K-Lacura and instrumental Abingdon – AC/DC and Thin Lizzy tribute. discos, workshops, and kids stuff and WOOD fronted by livewire singer/dancer duo Eugene London’s Little Death Machine in support, plus turnaround given Krauss’s influence on Aoife’s post-metal from The Hope Burden. THE VINCENT WHITE BAND: ROKEFEST, remains a festival steeped in the original spirit Makuta and Iddo Donnatella. Host Dan Ofer some rousing folk-pop from openers Le Phooka own music. Her mellow, almost ethereal vocal PRIMITAI + GUNS OF ANARCHY + Benson (4pm) – Blues rock in the style of Jeff of Glastonbury and the free festivals of the by way of light relief. style in her recent solo work has taken her down CHEROKII: The Wheatsheaf – Classic Healey et al. 60s and beyond – no logos, no pretentions and FELLA, IT’S GERALD + a different road from Crooked Still, steeped in the NWOBHM and 80s thrash from Berkshire’s BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney (3pm) – Open no waste. Long may it flourish. STEPHEN HERO + ROSS KING: southern blues and folk traditions. Primitai at tonight’s OxRox show, the band blues jam. The Cellar – Student bands night with BABEHEAVEN: The Cellar – Woozy, ethereal out on tour to promote their new album `Night blues rocker Fella, It’s Gerald, standing indie pop from London’s Babeheaven, back in Brings Insanity’, having previously supported th in because Billie was on holiday. town after supporting Beach Baby last year. Saxon, Grand Magus and more. Support comes MONDAY 29 FLUID: The Cellar – Bassline, GUNFINGERS: The Cellar – Grime, r’n’b from Watford’s melodic hard rockers Guns of OPEN MIC SESSION: The Royal Blenheim drum&bass and grime club night with and bassline club night with DJs Femi 2 Strings Anarchy, previous support to Gun’n’Roses Masp hosting a line-up featuring Sound featuring MC Mike, Don Lou Lou, and SE10’s and Meenstead, plus local beats’n’riff beasts TUESDAY 30th Affect, VLVT, Wissla and Cryptic Ozzie and Nick. Cherokii. BARS & MELODY + JOHNNY ORLANDO: PAT REEDY + AGS CONNOLLY: THE AVULSIONS + EGRETS + WOLFS: O2 Academy – Cuthbert Bars and Hector Fat Lil’s, Witney – The final night of th a joint headline UK and Ireland tour THURSDAY 25 RAHAT FATEH ALI KHAN: The Sheldonian for Nashville’s broken-hearted, soul- Nightshift listings are free. Deadline for inclusion is the 20th of each month - no exceptions. Email – After performing with The Fusion Project here searching country singer Pat Reedy, listings to [email protected]. All listings are copyright Nightshift Magazine. A Loop travelling club night to South Park with sets from JOY ORBISON; MIDLAND: CORNEL KOVACS, and FELIX DICKINSON. FIRST-CLASS LIVE MUSIC AND Beyond this there’s myriad DJ sets from the likes of SHEPDOG; COUNT SKYLARKIN’; KERRY & CASIO vs ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR DOORSTEP HARVEY K-TEL; PEEPSHOW PADDY and HOUSEWURK, among others.

The Uncommon Stage is once again hosted by your friendly neighbourhood Nightshift, with 20 local acts representing The Shire. Saturday is headed by this month’s cover stars ZAIA, who are joined by Balkan folk, ska and indie fusion partystarters THE BALKAN WANDERERS; sci-fi voodoo blues duo VIENNA DITTO; melodic stadium-pop stars LEADER; a joint set from folkstress JESS HALL and loops’n’cello maestro DUOTONE; 60s r’n’b and new wave storytellers THE SHAPES; long- Saturday 27th – Sunday 28th time local folk-rock and alt.country heroes THE EPSTEIN; darkwoods indie-folksters COMMON PEOPLE: South Park LITTLE RED; psychedelic acid-surf MADELEINE PEYROUX TEXAS weirdoes THE PINK DIAMOND REVUE, SATURDAY 3 JUNE WEDNESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER After last year’s successful inaugural event, Moving onto Sunday and the headline act and poptastic garage-rock duo THE OTHER which saw 15,000 enjoying a sun-baked South is PETE TONG with THE HERITAGE DRAMAS. Park for a line-up topped by Duran Duran, ORCHESTRA, conducted by Jules Buckley Sunday sees a very welcome return to Oxford Primal Scream, Public Enemy and Craig and playing an orchestral set of Ibiza club for SHAODOW, the much-travelled rapper David, Common People makes a return trip, classics in what should be a spectacular finale who made his name on the local scene and the two-day festival, organised by the team to the weekend, a mass dance-along if not is a seasoned festival star, having packed out behind Bestival, once again twinned with singalong climax. tents at Truck and beyond. Joining him will Southampton for the weekend. Before that on the main stage will be excellent be fast-rising epic indie rockers KANADIA; blues’n’soul singer (and renowned cat lover) tripped-out hip hop and electro crew After last year’s heritage pop headliners, this RAG’N’BONE MAN, whose brace of BRIT DEATH OF HI-FI; inventive rhyme master year’s star names lean more towards dance Awards (for best British Breakthrough Act and RHYMESKEEMZ; stoner-blues behemoths and pop, with Jamaican dancehall star SEAN Critics Choice), alongside a Number 1 debut DESERT STORM; ethereal electro-pop PAUL making a comeback and his Oxford album, `Human’, have made the former care starlets LOW ISLAND; a medley of acts of debut having enjoyed global success through worker possibly the most unlikely star of recent all styles from THE YOUNG WOMEN’S the noughties, with his multi-platinum, multi- times, and a deserved one at that. There’s also MUSIC PROJECT; funky jazzy-inflected award-winning 2002 album `Dutty Rock’ former The Voice semi-finalist BECKY HILL; electro-pop from CATGOD, and a double not only making him a household name but funtime – if not exactly family-friendly – dose of proper guitar noise and serious kickstarting a major dancehall revival with cabaret rappers THE CUBAN BROTHERS, THE PRETENDERS ALISON MOYET beats to get the day awake from grungers WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER TUESDAY 7 NOVEMBER its influence still being felt. 2005 follow-up and quite probably the world’s only Elvis SLATE HEARTS and bluesy garage rockers `The Trinity’ continued the success and if impersonator-fronted Nirvana tribute band, CHEROKII. Paul’s been a less obvious face in recent years ELVANA. Today’s Oxford stars on a big stage TM collaborations with the likes of Sia and Little are COLDREDLIGHT, whose darker shade As with any event organised by Bestival, Mix, and in particular Clean Bandit, whose hit of post-grunge blues, a midnight-shade mix of Common People places an emphasis on `Rockabye’ he graced, have kept him at the Mazzy Star, Alice in Chains and Ry Cooder, has variety, so beyond the live music stages and top of the musical game. had local music fans in raptures. DJs, there’s all manner of stuff going on, from Starring Paul headlines the main stage on the Saturday circus and funfair stuff to street jazz. If last and he’s joined by GROOVE ARMADA and Away from the main stage, Common People year’s success can be built on, hopefully it DENNIS LOCORRIERE TM FOALS, who both play DJ sets, keeping the offers a great mix of drum&bass, house, reggae will become a permanent fixture in the local TIMELESS WORLD TOUR overall dance vibe going. WILD BEASTS and more as well as two full days of local calendar – the city centre festival Oxford has bring their funky ethereal electro-indie music. always deserved. alongside ST. ETIENNE’s retro-futurist The Uncontained Stage on Saturday finds synth-pop and a double dose of classic Two Bristol’s drum&bass, UK garage, grime and Tickets and info: oxford.commonpeople.net Tone in the form of THE SELECTER and dubstep duo THE BEAT, revisiting timeless ska hits MY NU-LENG from `On My Radio’ and `Missing Words’ to playing alongside `Mirror in the Bathroom’ and `Too Nice to a host of guests, JOHN MAYALL IN CONCERT DR HOOK featuring DENNIS LOCORRIERE Talk To’; anyone who says such songs aren’t including WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER FRIDAY 10 NOVEMBER exactly what summer festivals are made for drum&bass is a fool. legend GOLDIE, The main stage line-up is completed by NOVELIST and multi-million selling Scottish popster AMY REDLIGHT, * MCDONALD plus our very own post-punk while Sunday BOX OFFICE 0844 871 3020 oddballs LUCY LEAVE whose unkempt, is a MOXIE * lopsided and utterly brilliant fusion of, well, takeover, the ATGTICKETS.COM/Oxford whatever they find lying around, has made Rinse and them Oxford’s most unlikely stars over the Radio 1 DJ /Oxfordnewtheatre /Newtheatreox past year. Their place in the sun will last far and tastemaker *Fees apply. Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. longer than their opening set this weekend. bringing her On

132691 Nightshift Magazine Ad_V4.indd 1 19/04/2017 12:55 LIVE photo: Miles Walkden

THE MOONLANDINGZ / ALEX SHEBLEY / unleashes his inner Gibby Haynes, a wiry dervish of a performer. Everything lurches into pulsing COLDREDLIGHT gothic rockabilly, Suicide meets The Cramps, only taking a break for recent single `Strangle The Bullingdon of Anna’, a bleak inversion of some lost Lee The night starts normally enough, as if on. And on. And on. It’s partway between LL Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra duet, or perhaps Coldredlight can ever be described as normal. Cool J piss-take and local commercial radio ad a demonic vision of how The B52s might have Their ever-changing line-up now features a jingle and, frankly, it’s utter fucking shit, a crap turned out if they’d replaced all that jollity with a guitarist and bass player who seem to have been joke taken way too far. If this were Glasgow or bag of smack and misanthropy. recruited on the basis they look exactly like Newcastle rather than bookish little Oxford he’d There are moments when the band’s innate sense drummer Caspar Miles from a distance. As a have been lynched long before he ambles offstage. of chaos threatens to tip the set into directionless four-piece the band lean towards the grungier Then something approaching all hell breaks garage thrash, but then we get lean electro-pop side of their blues sound, at their best when loose. Lias Saoudi, last seen on the Bully’s stage and no wave noise in one, or dark, ugly blues on sculpturing jagged shapes out of bitter, balletic stripped naked and covered in baby oil and flour `IDS’, the set eventually burning up in a euphoric songs like `Orpheus’. with The Fat White Family, emerges topless climax and a frantic moshpit, the capacity crowd Alex Shebley is mates with The Moonlandingz and spindly, his face painted into a grotesque left with the buzz that while The Moonlandingz and they’ve insisted he gets his turn onstage. His approximation of a boot polish beard-cum- will always exist on music’s gutter level, they’re self-consciously ironic hipster take on mumbled gasmask, slices of bread clingfilmed to his torso, bringing genuine excitement to live music and 80s karaoke might be vaguely amusing for one the band kicking out a Glitter Band stomp as Lias Saoudi is possibly the finest frontman of his song, and we’re convinced he’s just there to reimagined by Throbbing Gristle, guitars and generation. herald the main attraction onstage. But he goes synths becoming a cacophonous skree as Saoudi Dale Kattack GOLDFRAPP O2 Academy Goldfrapp are not a band of extremes. The velvety comfort of their Goldfrapp’s sound, has taken me away to somewhere warm and fuzzy. pulsing, trippy electro dance beats, overlaid by Alison Goldfrapp’s The subject of the songs is very often at odds with its upbeat tone; for sensuous and silky voice, is tightly controlled; they never give too much example, they start with `Utopia’, about genetic engineering, and finish away. This restraint is also apparent live; Alison first appears backlit, and with `Strict Machine’, about lab rats, but they are communicated by lyrics we don’t really get a good view of her for a few tracks; in fact, I can’t see sung so mellifluously and breathily that you can be forgiven for being the full four-piece backing band until about half way through. swept away by the beauty of the song rather than the despair it forewarns. Tonight is basically a showcase for Goldfrapp’s most recent album, `Silver I know I should pay more attention – I had been humming `Strict Eye’ – their seventh. `Ocean’ is a gorgeous reverby Depeche Mode-esque Machine’ to myself for a good fifteen years before I found out what it was stomp, and `Moon in Your Mouth’ is a sumptuous juxtaposition of ethereal about – but it’s hard not to miss the point entirely. chords and a muffled, primitive-sounding drum machine, but the highlight is The new material played tonight proves that there’s enough variation in `Become the One’, a charmingly repetitive and hypnotic chugging number Goldfrapp’s formula for their output to be easily ascribable but not bore about becoming the one you know you are – or something; it doesn’t really their fans, and that’s all you can ask for, really. matter, because Alison’s voice, as essential as the synths and beats are to Kirsten Etheridge SONIC BOOM SIX / BLACK CANDY / A RELUCTANT ARROW LIVE JACK LITTLE / SELF HELP / SAMUEL O2 Academy EDWARDS While Sonic Boom Six singer Laila Khan ska-rock-pop masterpieces. And that’s prowls the stage as tonight’s headliners dive no hyperbole on my part. Last year’s The Wheatsheaf th photo:Rachel Poulton headlong into ‘Virus’, after heeding the PledgeMusic release ‘The F-Bomb’ leaned Tonight is Gappy Tooth Industries’ 175 show. Nearly fifteen audience’s calls for its inclusion, the final more towards ska-pop than their previous years of the monthly music club picking up rough diamonds song of a blistering set, Jack Little opens the self-titled punk-rock album. Whichever from the local dirt and letting them sparkle on stage. evening on an altogether different note. A genre they embrace (mashing them together With a no-show from Coventry’s Deathsex Bloodbath, it lone man on stage; acoustic guitar in hand, more often than not) the political content was left for Samuel Edwards to come off the bench, his his cautionary tales evoke Frank Turner is always paramount. Though Laila has previous serviceable acoustic set now rewired for some serious and, dare we say it, Ed Sheeran. Despite gone down as saying she’s happy for transubstantiation from a Novation station. He’s halfway there, that seemingly backhanded praise, the local people to just dig the rhythm of the music walking the line between lounge player and Soft Cell. There’s singer is one to watch. and dance, as opposed to drawing from a bit of Pet Shop Boys on `One Step Ahead’ and another song Reformed veterans of the Oxford metal the many relevant lyrics, a combination of that’s a close cousin to Tears For Fears’ `Mad World’; there scene, Black Candy are as far removed from these elements enhances the impact of the is gaucheness and enthusiasm a go go, though his occasional Jack’s tender tones as one could possibly live experience. Dropped early in the set, Future Island-like dad dance moves could find him up against get. Time certainly hasn’t lessened their ‘For the Kids of the Multiculture’’s theme the wall and shot come the revolution. thirst for a meaty riff melded with infectious couldn’t be more fitting what with Brexit, Formerly known as the Din Twins before adding bassist rapping. Singer Joe Hill cracks jokes and Cowley Road’s diverse population being Lizzie Couves to their line-up, Self Help have, in shaggy between songs before returning to his role so prominent. `No Man No Right’, lifted haired front man Daniel Jefferies, someone of real charisma of a compelling frontman. Rage Against The from ‘The F-Bomb’, unites everyone on the that you immediately warm to and want to watch. In songs Machine will always be a reference point, subject of showing respect to women. Rapper like `Won’t You’ and `Gooey’ they crank out a wacky garage while late-90s Londoners Sona Fariq are in Barney trades bars with Laila, on ‘Bigger pop of the highest lo-fi calibre, as if Plastic Bertrand and Jilted the right ball park too. ‘Downfall’, Black Than Punk Rock’, their calling card and John had a love child that was brought up by The Modern Candy’s ‘could have been huge’ moment message of musical genres splicing together. Lovers. At the end they do a corking `Roll Over Beethoven’ to really does show why they were so revered The set’s most laidback moment comes mark the passing of Chuck Berry and suddenly you realise we back in the day. in the form of the bittersweet homage to haven’t really come that far at all. There’s an initial temptation to expect more from Reluctant After previous support slots here, Sonic their home town Manchester, ‘Sunny Side Arrow with all the talent on stage, bassist Shan Sriharan, fresh Boom Six headlining the 02 is long overdue. Of The Street’, which is simply gorgeous. from his vibrant Moogieman, and guitarist Wilbur Sears and Bursting onto the Manchester underground Sonic Boom Six then; not just a band but a singer Claire Le Masters tripping over each other’s music punk scene in 2002, over the last fifteen philosophy and way of life. degrees. With such a formal and classical sounding voice years they’ve crafted five albums of punk- Gary Davidson they find it difficult not to stray into tepid female-fronted pub rock territory, but sticking with it you sense an off-kilter re- the band to flex their musical DEATH OF THE MAIDEN / CANDY SAYS / CATGOD tilling of the whole of power folk-rock underway, and by the muscle, tonight fortified by stand- AMERICAN AQUARIUM time you get to the lupine chorus of `Howl’ it’s as if Imelda in drummer Zahra Tehrani, whose The Cellar May is fronting Al Kooper’s Blood Sweat & Tears in one of tom-heavy style perfectly augments The Bullingdon The description “ambient electro- an undulating ambience from which beds of woozy synthetic whirrs and those cheese dreams where everything seems normal but is Death of the Maiden’s dark moods. “This is a song about shit not working out,” until he died a bitter, broken man (`The jazz” should strike fear into any Robin’s sister Cat’s voice emerges as clicks, at one point sounding like absolutely not normal after you wake up. Maybe it’s a new announces American Aquarium singer BJ American Tobacco Company’). Most songs sane person but Catgod somehow the defining element. Sinead O’Connor if she’d grown When Tamara sings you sometimes genre: cheese dream music. After all, Gappy Tooth Industries Barham ahead of another song about sorrow are more personal, Barham exposing a life manage to carry it off. If their After an extended hiatus other up listening to Grimes. `Butterflies’ feel you’re entering a very personal continue to do more than most to create a genre-free zone and regret. “If you like songs about shit not of personal failings over unstrained rootsy excellent debut album earlier this than scoring the film Burn, Burn, is a stark, hymnal ode to a former emotional hell, such is the raw for that sort of febrile and entertaining In Vivo to come about. working out we have seven albums of them country rock, bluegrass and occasional year featured an expansive cast Burn, Candy Says return to action, Colombian presidential candidate, honesty of her lyrics, while her voice Paul Carrera of musicians and singers tonight reduced to a duo, having dispensed but it’s `Whatever Comes’, equal can dance like Cait O’Riordan or on sale over there.” skiffle, declaring “Everything I loved I sees the band – formed around with all their old songs. Bad news? parts desolate and hopeful, that strike out like Patti Smith – notably Just one of a score self-deprecating lost / Everything I lost, I had an excuse,” ex-Neverlnd guitarists Robin Not a bit of it. It takes about ten proves to be the highlight of a set on the bluesy `You’re So Fucked’. moments of dry wit from the North Carolina recounting the years when he and the band, HARCOURT Christensen-Marriott and Henry seconds for Julia Walker to remind that is, quite simply, stunning. They finish on a turbulent high with singer across two hours of anecdotal hilarity all tattoos and plaid shirts, played and Soothill – stripped down to a trio, us she’s possibly the best singer Following that seems an impossible `Tess’, a wracked, defiant shanty and lyrical desolation tonight. partied and went round in ever decreasing ARMS which means we get moments of in Oxford, a magnificent balance task but in Tamara Parsons-Baker that could go toe to toe with Jacques Barham is a consummate performer, and so circles. Set opener `Man I’m Supposed To uncertainty early on, but the three- of strength and vulnerability, and Death of the Maiden have one of Brel’s `Amsterdam’ and if you he should be: he’s been dragging his band Be’ balances all that regret and self doubt way harmonies bring each song as she and husband Ben nestle the few local singers who can match emerge from a Death of the Maiden around the American bar circuit for over on a gorgeously heartbroken pedal-steel- Saturday May 27th to life, at one point sounding like into a short set of downbeat, Julia Walker. Like Julia her voice show feeing bruised and scarred, it’s a decade now (“300 gigs a year, mostly led lullaby, before promising, “That was No Ho rses a bizarre mash-up of Opus III and atmospheric electronic pop they reveals a shifting war between a journey into the very darkest night to no-one,” he observes) with little or no the most cheerful song we’re gonna play Manhattan Transfer, before they reveal themselves as something new harrowing, emotional turmoil and of the soul that’s worth taking again recognition, and even less commercial all night,” to cheers and laughter. He’s + properly hit a groove, get funkier, and genuinely wonderful, Julia’s steely defiance, the power behind and again. success, until now. Back in 2012 the band not wrong though, and his solo acoustic Jon Bennett & edge almost into afro-pop and create voice soaring effortlessly over Ben’s opening number `Soldier’ allowing Dale Kattack decided to release one more album then segment partway through the set, which call it a day; musical glory was not to be takes everything down several notches Dominic wilkinson duo their story. Except the album in question, more, provides a stark, powerful high point WARPAINT / SHAME undergone changes); the records have a solid groove but decent tunes are a `Burn. Flicker. Die’, which recounted in raw, of an exceptional show. + little thin on the ground, and they’re best experienced live. While this is all emotive terms, just what it is to fail and fail Away from such heartbreak though he’s "Steve or Sam" O2 Academy hard to challenge, they’re also a puzzle you can never quite solve. The songs again, was so well received it catapulted joking about jellied eels and his enduring New-ish London band Shame deserve points for not calling themselves consist mainly of intricate guitar and bass interplay over rock-solid drum American Aquarium into a spotlight they’d embarrassment of not having a proper job, Shaym, but there’s plenty more to recommend them. The bags of attitude, motifs, with complex harmonies, often employing all four members, creating only previously dreamed off. Calling it a even though the years of hard slog have Monday May 8th mainly radiated by singer Charlie Steen, are evident from the off, with quips a mesmerising, hypnotic experience. They’ve spoken of admiring UK bands day was postponed. The album’s follow-up, brought him more contentment than any like “so this is what it’s like playing to a sober audience”. The music mixes like Wire, who must sound quite exotic if you live in LA, and the band are `Wolves’, was even better, and here they are, 9-5 could. “I might never be a millionaire oxford classic jazz up early-80s Fall with the bouncy quality of early Strokes, played with much more popular here than at home. Their dancing is an essential part of touring across Europe, playing to a crowd but that’s alright by me / Because I’ve done energy and panache and clearly well rehearsed. Keynote song ‘The Lick’, the experience; each member has a distinct expressive style, again seeming who hang on Barham’s every word. things I wanted to and said the things I with its spoken, or rather intoned, vocal has a pleasing air of menace, but to offer clues to what’s going on in the songs while adding to the mystery. His words are worth hanging on to. needed to and seen the things I wanted to Open Mic Every Sunday listening to the lyrics later they reveal themselves as vacuous nonsense. ‘One ‘New Song’ bucks the trend as a straightforward catchy pop tune, but Delivered in a low, rich voice not a million see” sings Barham on the autobiographical Enjoy free live music Rizla’ works much better, with its catchy guitar-led hook and driving bass there’s often more satisfaction to be gleaned from the denser, less accessible miles from Steve Earle, he sings of people `Losing Side of 25’, and it sums up and drums. If the stories of record companies chasing them with rabid eyes numbers. What could be really fun would be letting Ricardo Villalobos loose and places the American dream never American Aquarium’s heroic story. The at the heart of jericho is true then you should probably catch them at the Cellar on May 4th. to create one of his forty minute remixes, but that would surely bring us no touched. Like his grandfather, who fought in good guys won in the end. Here’s hoping Cranham Terrace Jericho Oxford ox2 6dg There appears to be a general consensus of opinion regarding Warpaint closer to understanding the essence of this unique band. the Pacific in WWII only to end up slaving they keep on winning. 01865 556669 as follows: respect is due for lasting ten years (though the line-up has Art Lagun on a cigarette production line for 40 years Dale Kattack Man’ Barrett – he of the timeless basslines, who remains seated LIVE throughout, impenetrably cool, shades on and next to a Lion of Judah flag – is well named. It is his son, Carlton Jnr, on the drums, and

photo: Leo Bowder cousin Josh Barrett on vox. Even though the dreadlocked frontman lapses into the occasional Bobism, he is a veritable dynamo, propelling this band of honed roots specialists forward. When they hit their stride it’s clear why they are still one of the longest running, tightest and most powerful live reggae experiences since the inception of the genre in the mid 60s. They stick fairly closely to the blueprints of their creations. However, they are at their most interesting and engaging when they branch out, as they do when recreating an early ska tune, or dropping into a dubby midsection during ‘Exodus’. Some more risks would have been THE WAILERS welcome (and they play only one new track, a slightly formulaic O2 Academy Rasta hymn to the downfall of “It’s the Wailers, Jim, but not as `Bobs’ even though there will, of metaphysical tomfoolery (or finally Babylon), but they know what we know it!” That was the thought course only ever really be one Bob getting Bunny Wailer to re-join). most people are here for, and that in our mind, the last few times Marley) deemed it necessary to do Guitarist Junior Marvin (who steps is to see them do `Legend’, which we’ve seen them. It was sometimes a Bob impression. in for vocals on the Peter Tosh lines contains all their hits. The biggest hard to shake the notion that we There have been numerous in ‘Get Up Stand Up’), lead Donald selling reggae album ever (over were watching a covers band. This personal changes (including Kinsey and keyboardist Tyrone 30 million) it represents the first idea was reinforced because these a mass…er…exodus to the Downey all played with Bob as did exposure of reggae to many an songs are so deeply familiar – and ‘Original’ Wailers at one point) the bassist (who Marley poached impressionable wee scallywag. If it well covered – and that whoever but tonight the band is as authentic from Lee Scratch Perry’s Upsetters ain’t broke, why try to fix it? was ‘Bob’ (and there’s been a few as it’s going to get without any during recording). Aston ‘Family Leo Bowder

FEEDER LAETITIA SADIER SOURCE O2 Academy ENSEMBLE I first saw Feeder in 2001, when recognisable. they had already produced Given that I last saw them sixteen The Bullingdon three albums, including 2001’s years ago, they sound just as Laetitia Sadier: proper avant-garde been lifted straight from `Chemical breakthrough `Echo Park’, featuring charged now as they did back then. pop royalty, Stereolab’s goddess of Chords’), wide-eyed ingénues alternative lad anthems for the guitar The consistently strong songwriting Gallic loungecore. And here she is, of songs that somehow manage band-oriented consumer looking for is what really sets them apart from back at the Bullingdon. In terms of effortless sophistication at the same something slightly edgier than Oasis contemporaries like Stereophonics small venue hero worship, it’s right time, through to wondrous synth- and co. Compared to Smashing and Athlete. Songs like `Feeling a up there with the time we saw Babes powered Radiophonic Workshop Pumpkins, The Pixies and even Moment’ are head and shoulders in Toyland legend Kat Bjelland burblings like `Committed’. Nirvana, they provided accessible above the likes of Snow Patrol necking red wine out of the bottle at She may well sing that “like so rock for audiences around the UK, and Coldplay in terms of authentic this very bar, albeit somewhat more many other things, love has to supported by the flurry of guitar songsmithery and lowest possible refined in approach. be reinvented”, but her musical bands of the time such as My Vitriol cheese factor. New song `Infrared- Sadier’s latest venture, the Source template is flexible enough to and Ash. Ultraviolet’ is less four-chord Ensemble, is one of those glorious remain interesting without any need This month they return from a four anthem and more ambitious, bands who look as if they’ve just for reinvention itself. year hiatus with album number layered piano experiment, with met during soundcheck, but play But it’s a slow burner. Much like nine, `All Bright Electric’. Tonight’s light touches of Thom Yorke. The like they’ve been together for new album `Find Me Finding set is for the nineties/noughties keyboard player’s strong backing supporters though, with favourites vocals overpower Grant Nicholas ten years. As well as providing You’, the set’s charm reveals itself like `High’, `Shatter’ and `Just the for most of the track though, briefly three-way backing vocals, they flit slowly and coyly, starting off Way I’m Feeling’ taking pride of bringing a different vibe to the between samplers, synths, drums and as an interesting but somewhat place in the set list, much to the show. New single `Paperweight’, undefined effects units mid-song, lightweight diversion with `Undying delight of the crowd. One inebriated brings us right back into familiar displaying an inventive spirit that Love For Humanity’ but filling the lady is enjoying it so much, she opts territory, and wouldn’t be out of sets the band up as a fine exploratory room with life-affirming joy 45 to urinate in the corner of the O2 place on 1997 album `Polythene’ accompaniment to Sadier’s velvet minutes later with `The Woman Academy, rather than queue for the with its play-along guitar lines and tones. With The Invisible Necklace’. loo. Make of that what you will. hard edges. If you’ve ever heard Monade, or By the end, all that’s missing is a The band’s extensive back It’s a strong return for arguably any of Sadier’s other solo work, ten-minute run-through of `Golden catalogue has no fillers, with `Lost one of the UK’s best guitar bands there is little that will come as a Ball’, you know, just for old time’s THE OTHER STAGE | RIVERSIDE STAGE | COMPLETE CHILDREN’S ZONE | EXTENSIVE FAIRGROUND & Found’ and `Insomnia’ going amidst a plethora of EDM and auto- surprise here. The songs flit from sake. But then you can’t really GOURMET CATERERS & VILLAGE TEA TENT | BEAUTIFUL CAMPING | GORGEOUS GLAMPING down a storm and of course, `Just tuned pop; long may it continue. the louche exotica of late-period heckle royalty, can you? a Day’ and `Buck Rogers’ instantly Karlyn King Stereolab (`Reflectors’ could have Stuart Fowkes photo: Marc West tentativeness behind there is a marked contrast between the concentrated tentativeness behind thereisamarkedcontrastbetween theconcentrated from MortonFeldman andLaurenceCrane.OnceGuastalla leaveshisinitial performing two hoursofcontemporary classicalmusic,including gems audience tocome andgo,bringapillow, chillout,andevenliedownwhile the transitionalstatebetweenwakefulness andsleep”. They encouragethe Guastalla’s late-nightalternative toconventionalrecitals,“Hypnagogia… Then it istimeforBrazilianpianistKésiaDecotéandcellistBruno with onlythree-day-oldwaterforrefreshment? matter. What mightitbeliketoexperience“thespeakers”in,say, afactory being theretooeasily, which onreflectionisuncomfortablegiventhesubject up inapleasantenvironment,withmintteaontapandweslipintoenjoying week againstcorruptioninRomaniaemanatingfromonespeaker. It’s allset project isimpressivelyuptodatewith voicesfromprotestshappeningthat repression orresistingitissuefrom“thespeakers”hanging trees;the Over theroadvoicesofdifferent peoplefrom different landsallsuffering channels. audio Laurence Colbertimprovisesaperformanceusingthebuilding’s windows as recordings ofcoffee cups,theambianceof roomsetc.fromwhichRide’s sound art,experimentalmusicandkineticinstallations. to beanindispensableguidesamplingthisyear’s internationalfestivalof is theprogrammebooklet.Socreditto Audiograft forproducingwhatproves One ofthemanyfactorsthatmakesafestival,but onenotmuchtalkedabout, Various Venues AUDIOGRAFT 2017 band firedbydisgustforthesafe Jesus &MaryChain?Herewasa great noise-popiconoclasts, The caricatures. Sowhatofthe1980s’ young aredestinedtobecomecuddly rock androllrebelswhodon’t die sells carinsurance.Itseemsthose Lydon advertisesbutterandIggy Jagger hangsoutwithroyalty; O2 Academy THE JESUS&MARY CHAIN We startatBrookes, whichisnotonlythevenuebutsourceoffield LIVE music’s nostalgiawheel,ordoesa simply becomemoregristforrock Waltons kids.Hastheirnihilism Gallaghers lookslikeapairof amid siblingrivalrytomakethe into riotsandwhoeventuallysplit whose gigsroutinelydegenerated The Velvet Underground’s art-noise, sterility ofthatera’s pop,fuelledby first evervisittoOxford,soit’s Tonight’s showistheMaryChain’s middle age? die beforeIgettooold”wellinto before him,croakingout“IhopeI it, orishejustlikeRogerDaltrey on `Reverence’,doeshestillmean “I wannadieonabedofspikes” fire stillburn? WhenJimReidhowls Colin May vinyl andisthesort ofcreativitythatis Audiograft atitsbest. because thisiscreated byrolereversal:arecordplayer revolvingaroundstatic Our favouriteis‘Test Tone’, notsomuchfor its1000hzfrequencysoundbut fun, despitethemagnificentlooking Audiograftjukeboxboxnotfunctioning. we findbaffling. Visitingthevarious installationsat OVADA your body, anapproach whichhasbeenaroundforthirtyyearsapparentlybut requested tofeedback yourexperienceofattemptingcapture soundwith Fromthemanyothereventsonoffer, wetryasound walkwereyouare particularly oftheriverwhichsurrounds threesidesofthefields. This sortofthingcanbecometerminallyboringbutthisishighlyevocative, not conventionallyplaying,theirinstruments,tohitdifferent frequencies. before cominginonebyone,plucking,jiggling,breathingthrough,but fields inruralDevonperformedbyeightplayers. Theystartwithsilence The night’s finalperformance,`SomewhereaField’,issoundscapeof just themandtheirclarinets. that hadyoulookingfortheelectronicatheymustbeusing. There isn’t any, music. There areextraordinarylongnotes, extraordinaryhighnotesandeffects influenced byMortenFeldman,asintheirironicthree-minutetakeonpop duo fromBerlinwhoareequallyateaseinalongpiecewithdarkedge the firstpieceonbill,followedbyanimpressivelyvirtuosicclarinet from thefarreachesofourgalaxyandbeyond,generatingsoundsin`Pulsars’, the nexteveningat The Holywellweexperiencepre-recordedradiowaves Having, throughmusic,beenputintouchwithourinnercircadianrhythms, those whoadoptahorizontalposition. intensity oftheperformersandlaidbacknesslisteners,particularly Dale Kattack there isafireherethatstillburns. to burneverythingthegroundbut indulging in. They nolongerwant Chain have,it’s nostalgiaworth songs asgreat The Jesus&Mary complacency, andwhenyouhave at work,there’s littlebywayof if nostalgiaisthedominantforce reception astheoldnumbers,and `Always Sad’ getasenthusiastica encouragingly –newsongslike Interestingly–andmaybe core melodiestothefore. feedback temperedalittle,thesongs’ drawled `A Taste ofCindy’,the `You Trip MeUp’ andaglowering, `Psychocandy’, includingapeerless tracks from1985’s classicdebut airing tonight,whilewegetfive The newalbumonlygetsacursory have awholearsenalofsuperbsongs. excitable reviewsoftheband–they was oftenoverlookedinthemore abundantly clearisthethingthat dark lights,butwhatquicklybecomes sullen presenceonstage,shroudedin still there,theReidbrothersremaina That oldchainsawguitarbuzzis early shows. way speakerstacksusedtobeatthose are outthewindowinmuchsame suddenly itseemslikeanymisgivings malevolence of`HeadOn’ and Skies’ andthebroodingmelodic honey-dipped melancholyof`April But thentheyfollowitwiththe like apoorman’s Dandy Warhols. and wecan’t helpthinkitsounds their firstalbuminalmost20years, `Amputation’ from`Damage&Joy’, band. They kickinwithrecentsingle boy MarkCrozeronbassforthe special bytheinclusionofOxford occasion madejustthatbitmore excitement andanticipation,the the atmosphereoneofgenuine no surprisethevenueispacked, is much more is muchmore fact, eclecticism is very much the fact, eclecticismis verymuchthe is arealmashup extravaganza. In General Levy’s ‘Incredible’.Hisslot version ofhyperactive junglist feature intheset,asdoeshisreggae Mavuva andDeemasJay, which he’s previouslyworkedwith Roots album featurestheRagga Twins, reggae/ragga set.Infact,hislatest a veryupbeathiphop/banghra/ with DJ/producer Wrongtom with compere role,andthenightopens Count Skylarkin’ isinhistraditional Tonight isverymuchajointeffort. were fansofhis. – inthebestpossiblewayandthey attendance. Hewasafanoftheyoots the goodlynumberofyoungstersin the festivenatureofthisevent,and of fun.Hewouldhaveapproved once) andwasstruckbyhissense visited eachoneintheUKatleast Wetherspoons pubs(legendhasithe interview himatoneofhisbeloved We hadthegoodfortuneto was aregularvisitor. Bullingdon, hereinOxford,wherehe spirit isverymuchinevidenceatthe searching andfalsesightings,buthis after manymonthsofanguished in awoodnearhishomeBristol, remains ofDJDerekwerediscovered It isaroundayearsincethemortal The Bullingdon SOUNDS DJ DEREKSWEET MEMORY rendition of‘Anna,LisaCalls’ from kick off theirsetwithablistering However, fromthemomentthey arse-end oftheNMEhypemachine. another bandsoontobeshatoutthe fear thatwe’reabouttowitness of glowingendorsementmakesus American accents),althoughaseries (even goingsofarastosingin American indiebandsofthe90s compared tothemostrevered London bandhaverepeatedlybeen prospect onpaper;theyoung Happyness areaninteresting machine malfunctionsandall. and affable stagepresence,drum be wonoverbytheircatchytunes time they’redoneyoucan’t help and MacDemarco,bythe a combinationofJulianCasablancas Fitzpatrick croonsandmumbleslike like The Smiths,singerStephen tropical ‘Marcel’,theguitarschime the driving,bass-led‘Dorothy’ tothe by Drake’s ‘HotlineBling’.From chilled-out indiebandsastheyare by thecurrentwaveofdecidedly seemingly asmuchinfluenced with asetofdreamypopsongs, Liverpool’s Her’s openthenight world’s mostrambunctiousbassist, drum machine,andpossiblythe Comprised ofaguitarist/singer, a The Cellar HAPPYNESS /HER’S Leo Bowder funky memorialfor atrueoneoff. favourites thrown in. A sweetand new classicswith someofDerek’s takes tothedecksforasetofoldand dubstep. FinallyCountSkylarkin’ and itsannoying,littlemutantcousin Jackson track,plussomedubreggae Japanese reggaeversionofaMichael Dubmatix’s ‘IsthisLove?’ anda reimagining ofBatman’s theme, a versionexcursion,includingska pulse. Hisquirkysettakesinmany still hashisfingeronthemusical BBC radioprogram.Heclearly The Establishmentwitharegular long sincebeenmadewelcomeby Aidan reminsusofthis).Lettshas (Don visiblysquirmswhencompere and sellingweedtoBobMarley Audio DynamitewithMickJones films with TheClash,settingupBig selector intheRoxyclub,tomaking introducing thepunkstoreggaeasa had longandvariedcareer, from himself, superstarDJLettshas Don Letts. The originalrebeldread their livereggaevibe,followedby a welcomeadditiontotheDJs,with well named‘About Time’) whoare Blak (withabrandnewalbum;the by genre-bendingBristoliansLaid flavour ofthenight;heisfollowed Tom McKibbin and minds,onehookatatime. the slackersarebacktowinhearts own, tonightisanaffirmationthat influences andcomingintotheir signs ofabandoutgrowingtheir with asecondalbumthatshows it’s justgenuineawkwardness,but that’s too-cool-for-school, orperhaps disinterest onstagesmacksofaband Somethingabouttheiraffected Mark Linkous. which channelstheintimatespiritof ‘Weird LittleBirthdayGirl’,asong Somewhere’, tothetenderencoreof serene ‘MontrealRockBand ballad ‘Through Windows’, the really shine,fromthelushpiano quieter momentsthatHappyness though, andit’s insomeofthe Yo La Tengo. It’s notallbombast bass andambience–recallsvintage Patients’ –withitsmotorikrhythm, lost Pavementsingle,while‘Naked joyous ‘It’s On You’ soundslikea Wilcoand Teenage Fanclub. The based onaheavyfoundationof belying somesolidsongwriting gloriously wonkyleadguitarparts peppered throughouttheirset,with business. The 90sinfluencesare `Write In’,Happynessclearlymean their recentlyreleasedsecondrecord £6 adv 8.30pm –2am Goth /EBMIndustrial INTRUSION Tues 9th 11pm –3am UKG /GrimeBassline FREERANGE 6th Sat 7.30pm –10.00pm SHAME +GUESTS FUTURE PERFECT Thurs 4th 11pm before 10pm –3am THE HOUSE BURNING DOWN Wed 3rd 7.30pm + HAPPYACCIDENTS RAINBOW RESERVOIR THE TUTS+ VOTING FOR! SOMETHING WORTH Wed 10th 7pm + MATT DEIGHTON DR. ROBERT AGMP Sun 7th 11pm –3am Acid House ISIS Wed 10th 7.30pm YONAKA &GURR FUTURE PERFECT 6th Sat £7 adv 10pm –3am DJ DAN OFER + RESIDENT X(LIVE!) GRUPO BOSSAPHONIK Fri 5th 11pm –3am Techno /ElectroHouse GLUE Thurs 4th £8 otd 7.30pm + GUEST SAM BROOKES FUTURE PERFECT Mon 8th …an independently owned venue familyrun The Cellar, FrewinCourt, Oxford, OX13HZ 10pm –3am 90s Fancy DressParty! Brookes ACS Oxford Tues 2nd WHAT’S ONINMAY THE www.cellaroxford.co.uk @CellarOxford @CellarOxford • £13.75adv • • • 16+ • • • £9otd 16+ £6adv £8adv £7adv • • • • £5 £5 £5 £5 • £4otd • • • • 16+ 16+ £3 £7 •

TheCellar.Oxford 11pm –3am RESIDENT DJS MAMA FEELGOOD’S Tues 16th 11pm –3am House TURF 13th Sat £9 otd 7pm –10.30pm + TOOMANYT’S ABDOMINAL DJ FORMAT & AGMP Thurs 18th 11 –3am Bassline /DnBGrime FLUID 20th Sat 8pm + CLARKWISEMAN BRICKWORK LIZARDS Fri 19th £5 allnight 11pm –3am House /Disco Afrobeat INDUSTRY: ALKALI Thurs 18th £12.50 adv 11pm –3am SOUL SESSIONS Fri 19th Sat 20th Sat 10pm –3am THE HOUSE BURNING DOWN Wed 17th 7.30pm + LOUDMOUNTAINS + VIENNADITTO AUGUST LIST FUTURE PERFECT 13th Sat 7.00pm GUESTS TOM WALKER + MJR GROUP Fri 12th 11pm –3am &BRYANSERUM GEE 9TH BIRTHDAY TERRAFORMS Fri 12th 7pm –10.30pm + ROSSKING + STEPHENHERO FELLA, IT’SGERALD PEMBROKE ARTS FEST £6 Adv 11pm –3am Disco /House Techno JON K FOOTNOTE Thurs 11th CELLAR • £5adv • 16+ • • • £7otd £7adv £8adv • £6otd • • • • • £5 £3 £5otd £8adv £7otd • • • • £3 • 16+ £5 11pm –3am UK Bass MOVE 27th Sat 11pm –3am Grime /DnBBassline GUN FINGERS Wed 24th start 8.30pm 7.30pm for KINGPIN STAIRS CINEMA UNDERTHE Sun 28th 7.30pm TWIN WILD+GUESTS FUTURE PERFECT 27th Sat 7.30pm OTHERKIN +GUESTS FUTURE PERFECT Thurs 25th 7.30pm + GUESTS BABEHEAVEN FUTURE PERFECT Wed 24th 10pm –3am THE HOUSE BURNING DOWN Wed 31st 11pm –3am + KATIUSHA TERMOR DJ’S WEEK GROOVES PAN: FIFTH Thurs 25th • 11pm –3am Funk /Disco ISIS PRESENTS Tues 23rd £15 adv 8pm –10.30pm JERO FEREC ANGEL MARQUEZ+ ARIADNA MOLINA+ FLAMENCO BARCELONA Tues 23rd 7.30pm –11pm DRESS PARTY ONES +FANCY BECKONING FAIR BELIEFS +THE DIVINE SCHISM Mon 22nd 16+ • £4 • • • £6adv FREEENTRY £7adv • • • • • £5 £6 £5 £5 £5 • • £6adv • 16+ • 16+ £3

for Iggy on the spoken word. The band convey a real air of mystery; LIVE film noir meets Warhol’s Factory, with lead singer Faith Holgate like a reincarnated Edie Sedgewick crossed with Siouxie Sioux, prowling around photo: Mike Hill the stage, much to the delight of the girls in the front row. The most vital thing about PINS is their confidence; they’ve come a long way since 2011, and they know it. Stand out tracks tonight include `Molly’, with Holgate channelling a cat-like presence and Nico in abundance. `Young Girls’ could easily be on a Yeah Yeah Yeahs album whereas `All Hail is closer to recent Sleater Kinney efforts, a band that PINS have toured with. `Trouble’ is the song the older gents in the audience are waiting for, with Holgate unafraid to show a more sensual side to the band, something that a lot of all female bands are afraid of, in a misguided effort to be taken seriously. A cover of Joy Division’s `Dead Souls’ is a real surprise, albeit a good one, with synths and chorus effects aplenty. A bold choice that they carry off really well. This is a band who have toured relentlessly to get to this level and exert full control over their releases via self-founded label Haus of PINS. They definitely translate much stronger live than on record, and the encore is well received, with `Dazed by You’ bringing a jangly Best Coast vibe, completely devoid of their PINS Manchester roots. With Iggy already a fan, it will be The Bullingdon interesting to see how far PINS can When PINS last played the Bully in with young girls and plenty of older featuring Mr Iggy Pop; major kudos. go, amidst the generic shallower pond 2016, it wasn’t half as busy as this. gents. Since that last gig, the band They open with that track tonight, of guitar bands in the UK today. Tonight, the room is packed have released `Aggrophobe’, with bassist Anna Donigan filling in Karlyn King PULLED APART BY HORSES TRUDY AND THE ROMANCE O2 Academy The Cellar Somewhat unexpectedly, we find maintain a stupidly high level of As Victor Frankenstein hacked the frenetic energy the band create and ourselves with one foot planted in ROCK ANTICS at all times. limbs and extremities off countless the evening’s entertainment has a lilt rock’s hoary past tonight, as Pulled So it is admittedly slightly unfair corpses, he must have at one stage and a swing to it which keeps things Apart By Horses’ new album `The that when a ring rusty tour-opening thought “Yes, I can do this… but ticking over momentum wise. Haze’ takes a firm step into the 70s, performance isn’t a ‘flames are should I?” Although theoretically However, their harmonies – a vital to a time before rock twisted itself shooting out of my eyes’ best- very possible, does that necessitate component of such a style – are into fractured and angular shapes, show-ever, a great show by anyone the plan being brought to fruition? painfully, unskilfully sung, feeling when all that mattered was how fat else’s standards actually feels quite Trudy & the Romance may perhaps more like Millwall fans attempting your riffs were, and possibly how unremarkable. have had the very same conversation, an a cappella version of `Moon much corduroy you could get away Less sharp than usual, the band their coarsely sewn together creature River’ than anything authentically with wearing at once. From the aren’t helped by a subdued and comprising of the brain of bebop, musical. The ability to nail these band’s new 13th Floor Elevators- sleepy Monday night crowd, and a limbs of alt rock and torso of a without sounding like a drunk and style logo to a liberal spattering of handful of new songs lack a little postmodern barber shop quartet. disorientated sperm whale will be spring reverb and a run-through live polish, giving parts of the night The answer at present is a unanimous the band’s make or break from a live of `Helter Skelter’, their latest that woolly feeling of shaking off a maybe. At times, Trudy truly make performance perspective. iteration is less aggressive and hangover. this unholy union sing like the most All in all there’s a hell of a lot to be altogether groovier, their inner Led Luckily, the likes of `V.E.N.OM.’ beauteous of fat and sexless castratos positive about and one can only hope Zep married to pure Queens of the and `I Punched a Lion in the and you feel they have absolutely that Trudy & the Romance continue Stone Age rhythmic stomp. Throat’ have lost none of their bite found a niche that is well worth a along their obscure and unfamiliar As for the show, it’s unfortunate (sorry), and their regular ace card full cavity search. The rapid pace pathway as it is very much worth that sometimes when a band is just of flinging themselves headlong of their music allows their multi- exploring. Perhaps though, time in the too damn good at what they do, into the audience during `High genre methodology to breathe and practice room should outweigh time they can make a rod for their own Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive’ pulls the audience is carried along for the on the road for fear of this band going back. By setting the gold standard it around at the death. They never ride in a throng of tasteful arpeggios the way of most romances and ending for what any self-respecting rock really looked all that comfortable and rigid rhythm section work. The with an incoherent tangle of hopes, band’s live performance should with stage barriers anyway. untamed, abrasive nature of lead man dreams and a total loss of identity. look like, they’re compelled to Stuart Fowkes Oliver Taylor’s delivery adds to the Richard Brabin INTRODUCING.... Nightshift’s monthly guide to the best local music bubbling under LOW ISLAND Who are they? Oxford electro-pop/indie/r’n’b band Low Island are Jamie Jay (vocals; keyboards; electronics); Carlos Posada (vocals; keys; electronics; guitar); Jacob Lively (bass) and Felix Higginbottom (drums). Long time friends Carlos, Jacob and Jamie were in local favourites Wild Swim and Low Island grew out of a set of music Jamie and Carlos wrote and performed for a play called Fast Track at The North Wall Theatre: “we stumbled upon this electronic and ambient sound world that laid a lot of the groundwork for the band.” Gigs so far have been thin on the ground, split between Oxford and London but the band have released a clutch of singles. Debut `Anywhere’ was And the lowlight: a Nightshift Demo of the Month. This month they release `Holding It Down’, “Setting a living room on fire for our video in a densely wooded area after picking up plays on Radio 1, 6Music and BBC Oxford Introducing. They play being awake for 28 hours and realising we had only one fire extinguisher.” The Uncommon Stage at Common People on Sunday 28th May. Their favourite other Oxfordshire act is: What do they sound like? “It was Orange Vision: massive shame that they’ve split up.” Low Island create, woozy, haunting, atmospheric electro-pop, underpinning If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: comforting, starlit washes of synths with a slightly disorientating lysergic “Fleet Foxes: `Helplessness Blues’”. feel. Nightshift’s review of debut single `Anywhere’ described it as “like a When is their next local gig and what can newcomers expect? midnight train across icy tundra”; the band describe themselves as sounding “We’re really excited to be playing The Uncommon Stage at Common like “late night drives on motorway.” There’s a definitely a late night vibe People on the Sunday. We don’t really try to replicate our recordings onstage, going on here. so we often just go real hard instead.” What inspires them? Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music are: “Arthur Russell’s lyrics, drive to always push boundaries and ability to be “Our favourite things are BBC Introducing in Oxford, Nightshift, Truck experimental and accessible at the same time is a constant source of inspiration.” Store, and all of the other brilliant people who support local music here. Our Career highlight so far: least favourite thing is that there aren’t more shops like Truck Store and PMT “Making the first two videos was a really intense and exhilarating where you can go to buy music and gear. They’re great places to learn about experience for us, as we were heavily involved in the whole process, from music and meet like-minded people.” conceptualising to running the shoots. We’re all really proud of how they You might love them if you love: both came out and had so much fun throughout. Also, hearing the lead single Arthur Russell; Caribou; Grizzly Bear; Wild Beasts; Radiohead. from our new EP `Holding It Down’ on Huw Stephens’ and Lauren Laverne’s Hear them here: shows was a mega vibe.” facebook.com/lowislandmusic and Spotify. Dr SHOTOVER: Grime Suspect THIS MONTH IN OXFORD Ah, there you are. Welcome to the East Indies Club bar, where happy thoughts ALL OUR YESTERDAYS MUSIC HISTORY T H E W H E A T S H E A F are king. Pull up a pew and get some drinks in, Spillers, but do not attempt to join th in with the big kids’ chat until you have been a member for two years and bought Friday 5 May exactly 2,000 rounds. Mine’s a pint of crème de menthe with a Star Bar and a 20 YEARS AGO 10 YEARS AGO 5 YEARS AGO Caramac on the side, by the way. Now, where had the rest of us got to? Ah yes, An epoch-making mark in Oxford – and global It being May, it was Punt month and back in Five years on The Punt was still showcasing what BEAVER FUEL SPINNER FALL + LAKE OF KINGS + LAIMA discussing the latest telly programmes. My personal favourite is Primal Scream – music history this month with the release of 2007 we found Smilex closing off the annual was new and exciting in Oxford music. Tamara th Saturday 6 May 1973, popular prequel to iconic 1990s-set dance-rock detective drama Morse- Radiohead’s now classic `Paranoid Android’ celebration of new local music in fine, feral style Parsons-Baker opened the show and Manacles adelica. In it PC Bobby Gillespie learns his trade on the rough, drug-filled estates single, a sprawling, seven-and-a-half-minute epic at The Cellar. Joining them on the night were of Acid closed it in a shower of mangled techno of Glasgow and Manchester, uncovering some dark police secrets along the way… journey that raised the stakes for every band on the Mephisto Grande; Space Heroes of the People; and confetti cannons and in between we saw MOLOTOV SEXBOMB like, uh, they’re all TOTALLY CORRUPT [wheezy laugh]. Obviously the writers make Friday 12th May planet in one fell swoop and preceded third album Borderville; Mr Shaodow; Brickwork Lizards, Undersmile; Jess Hall; The Long Insiders; much of the fact that the hero is a Police Constable called hnyuk, hnyuk ‘Bobby’. `OK Computer’ the following month. Presented and a bunch of young striplings going under the Half Decent; Tiger Mendoza; Gunning For And – just as obviously – the soundtrack is full of T.Rex, Slade, Bowie and um, with an advance copy of the song on cassette name Stornoway. We know what happened to Tamar; Dallas Don’t; ToLiesel; Mutagenocide; AUTUMN SAINTS Lieutenant Pigeon. In fact the sequence featuring Mouldy Old Dough, as PC Bobby THE DEMOISELLES (they’re back in fashion, apparently) in time for them, but what of Thirty Two; Mondo Cada; Kill Murray and the much missed Cellar Saturday 13th May finds a suitcase of dodgy cash left for one of his colleagues in a skip round the back of a bookie’s, is probably one of the most critically praised in the series. It’s not press deadline, Nightshift described it as “shifting The Gullivers; Mile High Young Team and Ape Family, while Leftouterjoin managed to fill all over the shop, from skulking acoustic mantra Has Killed Ape these days? The Wheatsheaf with so much smoke the alarms long before our hero has gone undercover and joined a Rolling Stones tribute band, SELF HELP THE OUTSIDE + ONE COLOUR SHORT + BEL & JACK Primal Scream 1973 to wiry, wigged-out entropy in the time it takes If The Punt was the future, the past was being went off and they had to open all the windows th called, yes, you guessed it, Primal Scream. Series One of ends Wednesday 17 May with a massive slo-mo explosion intercut with footage of the band rehearsing their to flick on a light to see what the blazes is going celebrated at The Zodiac, which bowed out with in the venue. Veterans of the local scene who’d Stones hommage on. The first time you hear it you think, `eh?’; the a spectacular, emotional blow-out featuring sets made the Sheaf their second home for many years NORTHTOWN SCARECROWS Rocks, as PC second time round you think maybe they’re testing from reformed local heroes The Candyskins; were shocked to discover the place actually had Friday 19th May Bobby struggles how far they can push it; by the fifth play you’re The Nubiles; Dustball and Unbelievable Truth, windows. We’ve not seen them since. with an agonizing captivated, it keeps dragging you back for more.” as well as Winnebago Deal; The Relationships In other news Gappy Tooth Industries decision: should Rather more straightforward, if less memorable, and The Epstein. The night was to go down in celebrated its tenth anniversary, the monthly live FERAL SUN BETH BLADE & THE BEAUTIFUL DISASTERS he or should he th was Hurricane #1’s debut single, `Step Into My local music history and provided the impetus for music club renowned for its eclectic line-ups Saturday 20 May not arrest his World’, on Creation Records, Andy Bell’s post- Jon Spira’s Anyone Can Play Guitar film. and policy of never booking the same act twice. colleague and Ride project latching onto the prevailing Britpop A glance at the month’s gig guide revealed Peerless Pirates headlined the anniversary party, UNMAN LITTLE DEATH MACHINE + LA PHOOKA main squeeze mood, but destined not to leave a mark like his The Waterboys; A Silver Mount Zion; joined by Leeds’ Galaxies and laptop popster Friday 26th May WPC ‘Ginger’ previous band, now thankfully reformed. Simian Mobile Disco and Biffy Clyro as Gert Lassitude. Good to see the club still going McGee for drugs- Hurricane #1 launched the single with a show chief highlights, while over in the demo pages strong – almost the epitome of grassroots music related corruption at The Zodiac on the 1st of the month, while the Kidlington’s one-man electro warrior The championing. GUNS OF ANARCHY CHEROKII + FALL FROM PERFECTION offences? Or th same night The Bigger the God launched their Nichole Steal topped the pile with his “morass Fixers made their second appearance on Saturday 27 May just drop some MDMA own `When Martin Met Martine’ up at Brookes of guitars that churn like an android’s stomach Nightshift’s front cover, talking about debut Students Union. Elsewhere The Nubiles; The on a rough ferry crossing,” though Phil Honey, album `We’ll Be The Moon’, the long overdue BROWN GLOVE and discover indie PC PLODD: “’Ello, ‘ello, ‘ello… which one of you long-‘aired OLD ERNIE dance music? What student dropouts is undercover agent PC Bobby Gillespie?” Changelings; Tumbleweed; Beaker; Callous chief protagonist behind such Nightshift faves follow-up to which is recorded and ready to go Wednesday 31st May a choice, PC Bobby, ALL: “Got any spare drugs, officer?” and Dustball were flying the flag for local music. as The Rock of Travolta, Boywithatoy and at some point, while Gaz Coombes released his what a choice. PC PLODD [chuckling]: “You young rascals… next you’ll be Bands in town included Feeder at The Point – the The Delta Frequency was dumped for his solo solo debut, `Presents: Here Comes the Bombs’; LONDON GRAFFITI FASHIONPROOF + STEEVO NUISSIER Next month: Me telling me you just wanna be free to do what you wanna do!” band back in town last month – Kenickie and acoustic demo, which was “a barely coherent the man would be gracing next month’s issue, of The Wheatsheaf 129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF / www.facebook.com/wheatsheaf.oxford and Bobby McGee [Synth-y trumpet-y intro to Loaded starts up] Carter USM, both at The Zodiac. somnambulant dirge.” which more next time… of The Shamen. It’s yobbish, cleverer than it lets on, often tuneless (except a synth DAISY Not sure if this is a blessed relief or bit that sounds like it’s been nicked from a crushing disappointment after that the soundtrack to Miami Vice) and could mentalism, but it is both soothing and have arrived in a crumpled heap from DEMOS melodic, two things djfknjknkf aren’t. Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day 1983 after a skinhead, a casual and a new Daisy is the band formed by Luke Allmond at Soundworks studio in Oxford, romantic got into a brawl over ownership of former Demo of the Month winners of a Roland TR- 808 in a Laundromat and courtesy of Umair Chaudhry. Visit Vagueworld (who subsequently sent us a fell into a tumble dryer that was actually www.umairchaudhry.co.uk/nightshift song with the line “fuck off Nightshift” in a time machine. We think we were meant it, which endeared us to them immensely to review the studio versions of the if only for having the guts to do it). Did we borders and horizons? Interesting stuff demos they sent us but the live at Klub say soothing? It’s all relative really since happens, that’s what. Kakofanney recording is more entertaining, DEMO OF the first song here, `Baby’, is a creepy love 01865 240250 bringing both the punk and hip hop side song about cutting people’s throats and of the band to the fore. “We shouldn’t take licking wounds, a machine beat emo style THE MONTH any more / We should be banging down stalker lullaby to self harm and (possibly) JUNK WHALE Number 10’s door” shouts Mark Webb Ah, joy. Spring has sprung and a newly Then again maybe you savour the taste bloodstained snuggles in front of Netflix. over Fred Toon’s thumping laptop beats; liberated Britain is claiming back its Great. of powdered egg, spam and condensed But, yeah, it’s soothing in that Luke’s got a if nothing really has changed between Spitfires are nesting in the hedges; a flotilla milk, because it reminds you of Britain’s sweet serenity about his voice (like all the Thatcher and May’s leaderships, maybe we of maiden aunts is cycling past Nightshift heroic defiance of Nazism, or because best psychopaths), particularly on the wispy, shouldn’t expect music to have moved on Towers on their way to church; there’s you’re a bit weird. In which case here’s shimmering `My Baby’s Blood’ (which too much either. cricket and cream teas on every village the musical equivalent of that exotic feast. again seem to involve an inordinate amount green and anyone with a surname ending in Junk Whale is the work of two members of of viscera and possibly vampirism), up to the `i’ or `v’ is being herded onto a P&O ferry Four Thousand Dollar Ham Napkin, who FIREMAN CUTE & point all kinds of carnage breaks out and he’s at Dover. Time to celebrate by listening to got a rather positive review in these pages screaming his throat raw. Then we end on some good old British demos! Let’s hope a couple of months back, and we feel bad GANGSTER STUPID `Baby Loves You’, which is kind of Richard they all sound like Elgar, eh readers. knocking a project set up with the intent of Walters gene spliced with Francis Dollarhyde. raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society, / DJFKNJKNKF / THE He does shoegazey seduction pretty well but while there are moments when they does Luke, but we’re not going to fall for his JAMIE GILLETT come close to replicating their superfuzzed charms. Not if we want to wake up tomorrow Oh sorry, did we mention Elgar was THE CLUCKING Dinosaur Jr/Smashing Pumpkins noise, morning with all our internal organs intact. influenced heavily by Handel, Dvořák and they come interspersed with prosaic indie CLUCKING TROUT Brahms? Damned foreign types coming TURAN AUDIO.co.uk rock that sounds like it’s done a two-minute over here spreading musical innovation. Professional, independent CD mastering trolley dash through the grunge supermarket TROUT What we need is some good old fashioned and only later wondered how it was going If you thought untangling the UK’s THE DEMO stoner metal, forged in the foundries of Artists mastered in the studio last month include; to stick all the disparate body parts together EU membership was a headache, try Birmingham by Lord Tony of Iommi back SILVER VOID, STEVE FORDE, THE SURF RATS, to form a coherent song. For the most part unscrambling this. The email comes from when Britain built empires and warships DUMPER WILLIE J HEALEY, JOEYTHIN, FRANK BASTOW, the pair rarely get out of second gear with a bloke called Ross McIntosh, is signed rather than went shopping and ate pizza. THE LOVE LETTERS, DR DRE, JONATHAN tracks like `Flooded’, which sounds like a “Fireman Cute and Gangster Stupid” while Jamie Gillett used to be drummer in HICKMAN, THREE PRESSED MEN, KHAIDIAN, Cotswold pub folk band having an epiphany the Soundcloud is credited to djfknjknkf, DECOVO Caravan of Whores, one of Oxford’s finest DAVID BOWIE & IGGY POP, NEIL YOUNG, after hearing Feeder on the jukebox and when we email him back to ask which Given all this musical lunacy, murder, self stoner bands; talented lad that he is, he also CROSBY STILLS NASH & YOUNG, PRINCE, then failing miserably to replicate the name we should use he says it’s The The harm, anarchic yobbery and Paxman on acid, invented something called a neuroharp, energy of that band. `Not My Problem’, Clucking Clucking Trout Trout. And if is it any wonder people crave the security of GRATEFUL DEAD, AC/DC, OMNIUM GATHERUM. which harnessed brainwaves to make meanwhile sounds like they picked up too that’s confusing it’s nothing compared to a safe, solid pop tune played on a guitar with music. We expect great things and by and many detuned middle-eights and sensitive the music, which is a one-track demo called no fancy pretentions. Well just for them here’s 01865 716466 [email protected] large we get them here with his new solo interludes on that trolley dash and now feel `Jeremy Paxman State of Mind’ that sounds Decovo, a band who’ve not had the warmest demo, which strays some way beyond his compelled to make an entire song out them like Coil or Nurse With Wound at their most reception in these pages in the past and aren’t metal roots and into far more experimental while whining angrily about their poor dissonant, or maybe the incidental music going to have the welcome mat rolled out territory, while retaining a grimy sense COURTYARD decision making. Look, here’s a suggestion: from Eraserhead with a female Siri talking for them this time either, unless we’re doing of menace and an oppressive ambience. Junk Whale is a way better band name than nonsensical non sequiturs, punctuated by it just so we can them pull it out from under Opener here `Well You Go Out There RECORDING STUDIO Four Thousand Dollar Ham Napkin, while some bloke rambling about PJ Harvey, their feet and leave them sprawled on the 2 Tracking Rooms. Superb Control Room with: And Die, Then’ typifies his fine sense of NEVE 5106 32 Channel Console. ProTools HD3 the Napkins, as we shall call them for the going to hospital, and beetroot farmers floor like fat labradors on wet lino. Their musical balance, the ambient synthetics and MTR 90 2” 24 Track Tape Machine. Vintage EMT Plate Reverb sake of brevity, have far better songs, so (possibly) while other interjections involve Facebook profile claims they’re “an alt rock guitar reverie contrasting with a sample of band with various influences spanning prog, Loads of Brilliant Outboard Gear why not combine the good bits of each and someone declaring “I’m posher than Prince Loads of Great Mics, Vintage and Modern Tony Benn’s righteous opposition to the pretend the rest of all this unpleasantness William, he’s a c***” and it concludes with jazz, funk and metal,” none of which seem to Old School Akai/Roland Synth Modules Iraq war in Parliament. Further in, on the never happened. the repeated soothing/sinister robot voice be in evidence on this latest set of recordings, Upright Piano, Fender Rhodes, Amps and great vibes. splendidly titled `The Conscious Radar Is intoning “For many years now Jeremy which stretch from slightly angsty laborious Residential recording studio in Sutton Courtenay. A Troubleshooter’, the elegance provided Paxman has been concerned his television soft rock to overwrought indie balladry and www.courtyardrecordingstudio.co.uk by the layered middle-distance fuzz goes persona does not show the true breadth of onward into, erm, more angsty laborious In-house producer: Ian Davenport www.ian-davenport.co.uk RESTRUCTURE Email: [email protected] up against a wilful lo-fi clumsiness in the Talking of all things unpleasant, the rise his character” followed by a minute of test soft rock and overwrought indie balladry. Phone: Kate on 01235 845800 acoustic guitar playing while sampled and rise of nationalism in recent years has tone. It’s a weird, doomladen industrial If Restructure are ten pints of Stella and a narrative delves into serious philosophical gone hand in hand with a resurgence in bad acid trip and it should be played at top kebab; djfknjknkf/Trout thing are a tab of territory. It’d be lazy to class it as post- football violence with Russia’s finest set to volume to politicians across the world until acid and a bag of ghost chillies and Daisy are rock, though there’s more of that genre’s go toe to toe with England’s top boys at the they break down in tears and agree to stop your dearly beloved baked in a pie, Decovo pure roots here than many of the countless next World Cup in a dress rehearsal for the wars, save the planet and give everyone a are a lukewarm can of Fosters and an early Mogwai copyists in the world will ever full-scale cyber/nuclear pitched battle to kitten to play with. For our part we’re going bedtime. Put them all to the popular vote and have, and there’s some post-metal influence follow. Which is a rambling way of getting to break into our local pharmacy tonight and we know who’d win, just like the upcoming at work in the almost symphonic build round to saying Restructure here claim see if we can steal enough pills to be able to election. Maybe humanity isn’t worth saving and build of discreet noise, but there are to be inspired by 80s terrace culture, acid dance to this. after all. Three state of the art rehearsal rooms. also elements of folktronica, psychedelia house and “anarchist mischief”, which in and contemporary classical music at play musical terms seems to equate to sounding For bookings. – particularly `I Don’t Know What To Do’ Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU, or email links to like Sleaford Mods if you replaced the [email protected], clearly marked Demos. IMPORTANT: no review without a Call Jamie on 07917685935 with its echoes of Steve Reich’s `Music for genially contemptuous Jason Williamson contact phone number. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo. We make 18 Musicians’. It’s never cosy or easy but Glasshouse studios, Cumnor, Oxford with the more maniacal ranting of Don no pretence to being fair, objective or open-minded and reserve the right to use juvenile insults it’s outward looking and subtly adventurous. glasshousestudios.org Logan from Sexy Beast, or maybe got Steve while almost completely ignoring your music should we feel like it. Your Facebook friends are See what happens when you open your Ignorant from Crass to front a lo-fi version 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

Fri 21st Apr • £8 adv • 6.30pm Tue 9th May • £15 adv Tue 30th May • £25 adv • 7.30pm Sat 7th Oct • £14 adv • 6.30pm Coast To Coast & J Hus Bars and Melody / Amber Run Better Than Never Johnny Orlando Fri 13th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm + One State Drive Wed 10th May • £10 adv • 6pm Co-headline Tour + The Last To Leave The Magic Gang Wille & The Bandits Fri 2nd June • £20 adv + Claude Hay Sat 22nd Apr • £15 adv Friday 12th May • £6 adv Slowdive Electric Six End Of An Era Fri 27th Oct • £12 adv • 6.30pm + Nightmares from the + Dave and the Ravers Wed 7th June • £19.50 adv Guns 2 Roses Discotheque + Five Quarters of a Quartet Starsailor + We Only Play Theme Tunes Fri 3rd Nov • £23 adv • 6.30pm +Cherokii + Ivory Fri 9th Jun • £25 adv From The Jam Tue 25th Apr • £15 adv + Chloe Chesney The Skids - “The Gift” 35th Anniversary Frankie Ballard Sat 13th May • £7 adv • 6pm 40th Anniversary Show Fri 10th Nov • £14 adv • 6pm Thu 27th Apr • £15 adv Skeletor Ft. While She Sleeps + Desert Storm Fri 9th Jun • £14 adv Pearl Jam UK + Contek King Prawn (Pearl Jam Tribute) + In Hearts Wake + The Reaper + Shattered Compass Sat 10th Jun • £19.50 adv Fri 10th Nov • £22 adv • 6.30pm Thu 27th Apr • £9 adv Billy Bragg Ran Kan Kan and Sol + A Nightmare Upon Us P30 Memorial Mash Up Part II Ft. DJ Guv Samba Sat 13th May • £17 adv • 11pm Fri 17th Nov • £12 adv • 6.30pm + Logan D Antarctic Monkeys Fri 28th Apr • £10 adv • 11pm The Oxford Soul Train + TNA Fabio & Grooverider Sat 18th Nov • £12 adv • 6.30pm Tue 16th May • £13.50 adv Fri 16th Jun • £11 adv • 6.30pm Defi nitely Mightbe 25 Years of Drum The Comet Hunter & The Bear and Bass Is Coming Fri 24th Nov • £22.50 adv • 6.30pm + Flamingods Sat 24th Jun • £18.50 adv Fri 28th Apr • £23.50 adv Dr John Cooper + Wandering Wires The Infl atables Clarke Tinariwen + Roddy Radiation & The + Art Theefe Thu 18th May • £27.50 adv Skabilly Rebels Fri 1st Dec • £14 adv • 6.30pm + King Hammond & The Rude Jagged Little Pill Sat 29th Apr • £12 adv The Mission + The Skeletal Family Boy Mafi a A Tribute to Alanis Chasing Daylight + Pauline Murray + Earinade Tue 27th Jun • £15 adv Morissettes Classic + Ben Champion Thu 19th May • £8 adv Tom Clarke from The Album + Spinal Dad Uprising - Enemy Sat 2nd Dec • £12.50 adv • 6.30pm Sat 29th Apr • £13 adv BBC Introducing Thu 21st Sep • £22.50 adv The Prince + Little Brother Eli Rat Boy + Lucy Leave New Found Glory Experience Sun 30th Apr • SOLD OUT • 11pm + Harry Pane Sar 23rd Sep • £10 adv • 6.30pm + Ghosts In The Photographs This is May Day + Sleepers Dome Elvana - Elvis Fronted Ft. Bicep Nirvana Fri 8th Dec • £15 adv • 6.30pm Sat 20th May • £10 adv • 6.30pm Absolute Bowie Thu 4th May • £28 adv • 6pm The Verve Mon 25th Sep • £18 adv Morgan Heritage Experience: Mayday Parade - A & Etana Celebrating Lesson in Romantics + J Boog The Twentieth 10th Anniversary Tour Sat 6th May • £16 adv • 6.30pm Anniversary of Urban Ward Thomas Hymns Fri 29th Sep • £13 adv • 6.30pm The Velvets: Sat 6th May • £12 adv • 6pm Fri 31st May • £10 adv • 11pm Celebrating 50 Bigfoot Offi cial Oxford Years of The Velvet + Regulus Outlook Festival Underground + New Generation Superstars Launch Party + Hell’s Gazelles Sat 7th Oct • £13 adv • 6.30pm Sat 27th May • £11 adv • 6.30pm The Smyths: Tue 9th May • £10 adv Novana - A Tribute to Strangeways Here The Japanese House Nirvana We Come Tour

o2academyoxford.co.uk 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE • Doors 7pm unless stated Venue box offi ce opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-4pm ticketweb.co.uk • wegottickets.com • seetickets.com • gigantic.com