The Old Fire Station in Oxford presents the latest of its ‘Listening Room’ local band showcases on Tuesday 6 May. The sublime Vienna Ditto will be joined by poppy types Crayon and folky-singer-type Matt Carter, for an evening of fun’n’frolics in a really nice venue.
Haven’t seen We Aeronauts playing live around these parts for a little while now, so it’s good to see that they’re playing The Cellar, Oxford on Thursday 8 May. As they’re finishing up their debut album, there may be some new tracks being aired; and there’ll be strong support from new energetic melodicists Maiians and the spectacularly badly-named Shhhh! The Deaf Have Aids!
Seems like the event on Friday 9 May at St John the Evangelist Church, Oxford will be a special one. Mercury nominee Sam Lee mixes up many strands of folk music old and new, and The Magic Lantern are described as “deceptively spare and starkly beautiful”. Sounds like a keeper.
Dive into some classic band times on Saturday 10 May at O2 Academy Oxford: Echo & The Bunnymen will be doing their increasingly-influential moody indie rock thang, supported by Black Submarine, who are noteworthy for featuring two members of The Verve.
The annual Oxford Punt, run by Nightshift magazine, takes place on Wednesday 14 May. It’s a multi-venue evening showcasing the best in new Oxford music, and it’s something that you should be at. The line-up includes Komrad, Swindlestock, Julia Meijer, Huck And The Xander Band, Vienna Ditto and a ton more, across five venues in Oxford: The Purple Turtle, The Cellar, Turl Street Kitchen, The Wheatsheaf and The White Rabbit. A ‘Punt pass’ will get you into all of the venues.
Festival season grinds into life on the weekend of Friday 16 May to Sunday 18 May as Wood festival takes place at Braziers Park, Ipsden. The ‘festival of music and nature’ has a huge line-up including Sweet Baboo, Nick Cope, Co-pilgrim and Boat To Row, and as well as the music there is also workshops, kid-friendly fun and lots of good food.
If you’re not at Wood festival there are many options on Friday 16 May… Option one: Cogges After Dark with Steph West and Jess Hall at Cogges, Witney (a light and sound installation accompanied by storytelling and acoustic music). Option two: 20 Pianos at The North Wall, Oxford (Matthew Herbert’s experimental piece telling the story of pianos from around the world). Option three: Flights Of Helios playing live in response to The Adventures of Prince Achmed (a live soundtrack to this 1920s animated feature film). What’s it gonna be?
More options to choose from on Saturday 17 May. The Epstein play The Jericho Tavern in Oxford, at the fifth birthday party gig for local promoter Daisy Rodgers Music Promotions; Pet Moon play The Art Bar (or The Bullingdon, as it’s hard to stop calling it), Oxford along with Eyes And No Eyes and Halber Mensch. Take yer pick!
Full details of these and loads more gigs can be found in the events calendar.