This review is a little out of the ordinary. Our roving reporter Mark Wilden did his utmost to make it to every venue, and sneak a peek at every band playing at this year’s Nightshift punt, and in fancy modern social media style tweeted his way from one to the other, garnering him the title of “undisputed official match day commentator” from one onlooker.
We present here the full, unexpurgated content of his Twitter stream for the night. Feel free to add your own thoughts about who you saw and enjoyed at this year’s Punt in the comments!
In preparation…
15.52 pm: Tonight is Punt Night. 20 bands in 5 venues in central Oxford. I am heartily looking forward to it.
17.22 pm: Back at home getting changed for the night. Making sure to wear comfortable shoes.
17.43 pm: Punt pass, schedule, earplugs, wallet, phone, suit, hat, shoes: check. Won’t need anything else tonight.
17.44 pm: Walking in with pre-punt playlist. So far Secret Rivals, Gunning For Tamar, Tiger Mendoza, Cellar Family. All great stuff.
Purple Turtle
19.33 pm: First up, Tamara Parsons-Baker at the PT. Lots are liking her voice, sounds a bit cold to me. Quite Sarah McLachlan.
19.36 pm: Ballads of romantic bitterness. Feels a bit like eavesdropping on a breakup. A fairly standard, minor key breakup.
The Cellar
19.38 pm: Secret Rivals at Clr. Used to be awful. Now rather great! Shouty perky punky pop. Very likeable. Will buy their CD!
19.45 pm: It was fun-ish when SR used to fight on stage. Really nice to see them as a solid band though. Tight but not slick, thankfully.
Purple Turtle
20.07 pm: Undersmile at PT. Tattooed goths in dresses playing sludgy doom metal. A little goes a long way, but it made me grin a lot.
20.08 pm: Had to leave, as it’s not really my thing and Decision O’Clock has struck: venue clashes from here until 11. To the wheaty!
The Wheatsheaf
20.21 pm: Jess Hall is flat-out lovely. Beautiful voice, pretty songs, bright acoustic guit. Bit hipster-folk but still grand.
20.24 pm: James WeAeronaut joins on accordion. Looks like he thinks it’ll bite him, but it still sounds ace. Whimsy-folk. Will see again.
Duke’s Cut
20.34 pm: Being overtaken by runners on New Road heading to Toliesel at DC. Can see why – the place is rammed, can’t see a thing.
20.35 pm: Better view outside through the window. Decent sound too. Ish. Doesn’t seem unmissable, but it’s very hard to tell.
20.36 pm: Nice harmony-led country-influenced indie rock. Impossible to say more from here. #Toliesel Back to the cellar!
The Cellar
20.45 pm: Cellar Family: uncompromising oddball punk noise thrash with wonderfully eccentric lyrics. Not a surprise, but still a treat.
21.02 pm: Von Braun at Clr: beardy slow rock with harmony vox. Ok, better than last time I saw them, but the schedule is a cruel mistress
Purple Turtle
21.10 pm: Gunning For Tamar, PT: better than when I last saw them, again! That’s the #Punt2012 mantra. Were always slick but have songs now. Feisty!
The Wheatsheaf
21.12 pm: Caravan of Whores, wshf. Metal! Who’d’ve thought! Oh, I know my own mind well enough now to know this ain’t for me
21.14 pm: Good drummer, but the sludgy unison guit/bass is a bit… oh, actually I’m quite liking it now. Easily wooed by show-off drums, me.
The Junction
21.23 pm: And now, The Junction. First time in the venue. Surprisingly nice! Cavernous sound, would be better if full.
21.26 pm: Band of Hope: Country rock via Oxford; pretty good. Six piece, fun instruments, smooth. Fleeting glimpse, not v sharp but nice.
Duke’s Cut
21.32 pm: Deer Chicago: channelling spirit of Fell City Girl; emotive power-indie. Got some really nice songs, even if they do tend to sound the same…
21.37 pm: That’s a bit unfair, in honesty, but there is a morrissey-esque limit of vocal range, and a clear vocab of guit/drums interaction.
21.54 pm: But -10 punt points to Deer Chicago for finishing 10mins late! If this means I miss Old Grinding Young I will be most miffed.
The Wheatsheaf
21.56 pm: Kill Murray: remind of Dial F For Frankenstein, unsurprisingly, but slower. Quite liking but I’m guessing they’re a grower.
21.58 pm: Tight, punchy, rock punk pop sort of stuff. But with melodies and shit. Yes, worth further investigation, if not instant joy.
The Cellar
22.03 pm: Tiger Mendoza: laptop breaks and thrash guitar. The 65dos tshirt is a bit of a giveaway. But great show so far.
22.07 pm: V glad to see Asher Dust on stage! TM is kicking. Great programming. Beats are tearing the place a new one. Punt highlight!
Purple Turtle
22.16 pm: Mutagenocide: for the hardcore metallers, clearly. Not me. They’re good, but, well, me and metal…
Duke’s Cut
22.17 pm: Old Grinding Young: like Ute merged with Winchell Riots. Grand, euphoric, confident, delightful. Which means I like them.
22.19 pm: Duke’s Cut is easily the sweatiness venue here. Doesn’t help I’ve got to stand on a chair to see anything.
22.21 pm: OGY are going blues-rock. Ute were a beautifully concise 3piece; these are broader, steadier, fuller; have more momentum.
The Junction
22.29 pm: Long Insiders: rockabilly swing, quiffs aplenty. Really good! Great rhythm, dual lead vocals, whole 50s thing pulled off a treat.
22.31 pm: Perhaps I’m just addled by punt fever but I’m loving this. Doubt I’d want it on record but it’s a load of fun. Quite David Lynch.
The Wheatsheaf
22.43 pm: Leftouterjoin: Lasers! V drums! Hands in the air! Acieeeed! At the Wheatsheaf! My first thought is fuck yeah, I’m having this!
22.47 pm: 2nd thought is it’s wonderful rave with vdrums excitedly and a little out of time. Would be awkward if the music wasn’t so joyful!
22.49 pm: Sheaf punters are unperturbed by fire alarm. Must think its part of the show. They’ve even opened the window! Didn’t think it had windows.
Duke’s Cut
23.01 pm: Back to sweaty DCut for Dallas Don’t. Busiest venue of the night, easily. Helps that it’s free in?
23.03 pm: Didn’t go for Dallas Don’t but now I’m loving it. Spiky Scottish vox over squalling rock. Laid back and fierce simultaneously.
The Junction
23.17 pm: In the Junction for the duration now. Half Decent is happily exceeding the quality his name suggests. Lacking stage presence tho.
23.19 pm: But then Tiger Mendoza used to be a bit rubbish live, and now they’re incredible. So who knows! HD certainly confident and keen.
23.24 pm: Boywithatoy production is punchy – would be great to see him gig. HD needs more spit and polish but has got balls. And words.
23.30 pm: Half Decent: “Don’t be scared to dance!” Have you seen me dance? I’m scared for good reasons. Nobody needs to see it.
00.04 am: Last up, Manacles of Acid. Two tables of synths and he’s wearing an original TB-303. Old skool acid, done like a true pro.
00.10 am: Glowsticks, confetti cannons and a dancefloor full of Oxford promoters dancing slightly awkwardly. Man, this is great.
00.13 am: Venue is unexpectedly empty, and it’s a shame not to be in the cellar, trad end point of punt. But the music and people are ace.
00.14 am: Manacles of Acid is supporting Luke Vibert and 808State soon. Really chuffed for him; it’ll be an amazing show.
00.16 am: All in it’s been a fantastic #Punt2012. Some discoveries, but mostly known bands hugely improved. Tiger Mendoza were stellar. Goodnight!