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(Image: The Leisure Society playing in London) Ahead of their gig at The Bullingdon on 20th September, I caught up with The Leisure Society’s frontman Nick Hemming to discuss their latest album, Arrivals and Departures, his biggest influences, and the creative process that shapes his songwriting. Currently on the second leg of their biggest tour, […]
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Sunflower Bean arrived in Oxford following the release of their second full length album Twenty-Two in Blue. Hailing from Brooklyn NY they brought effortless cool to the Bullingdon stage, with glam rock and punk décor. I arrived post-Christmas Gaudy, jumping from a very different mood of carol singers to the pumped-up energy of their first […]
Continue ReadingThose who know the Jazz Society’s concerts at The Mad Hatter will know they’re always a good experience, but the 22nd of January was a particular treat. The evening’s guests were the Tori Freestone Trio, an internationally acclaimed group consisting of three of the UK’s finest jazz musicians. I caught wind there was some worry […]
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With less than 6 months to go until Britain’s supposed exit from the EU many of us are looking fondly over to the shores of Europe, dreaming of adventure. Well good news Oxstu readers, there is one more vacation between us and March 29th 2019. So why not use your freedom of movement to visit […]
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Despite my mum singing the hits of ABBA to me from an early age I am still not a fan (actually the singing might have something to do with this, sorry mum). Yet I couldn’t help be excited at Abba’s latest announcement. This wasn’t because they are reuniting, or even because they are releasing two […]
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Once upon a time, the Oxford University Brass Band (OUBB) and the Oxford University Wind Orchestra (OUWO) combined forces to deliver an evening of music based on fantasy and make-believe. The performance featured a varied repertoire of old and new, light-hearted and serious, understated and ornate – and the results were magical indeed. The Once […]
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Simon Bailey, the Oxford-based music promoter behind Future Perfect, is causing something of a sensation: “I think we did 79 gigs in Oxford last year, this year we’re on course to double that”, he tells me nonchalantly. Future Perfect was founded only two years ago, yet this term alone, Simon has repeatedly sold out Oxford’s […]
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When Chicago-natives Jack Dolan (bassist/vocalist), Cadien Lake James (guitarist/vocalist), Clay Frankel (guitarist/vocalist), and Connor Brodner (drummer) first formed Twin Peaks in high school and went on their first tour senior year, they could most likely be found in the basements and backyards of any locals or friends that were willing to lend them a space. […]
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When Ezra Furman laughs that the crowd is ‘starting to get the hang of it’ three songs into his frenetic, marathon set, the crowd understand exactly what he’s talking about. Resplendent in a pink shirt, skirt, red lipstick and pearls, Ezra Furman is by no means a typical rockstar. Raising money on Kickstarter for his […]
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Take your eyes away from the Oxford bubble for a moment, and let’s transport ourselves to the exotic paradise of Norwich. A local venue, the Owl Sanctuary, has been bought without the knowledge of its owner and is closing its doors on the 31st of January. It has become a great DIY venue that has […]
Continue ReadingNasim Asl Oxford’s O2 Academy has housed some amazing live acts over the past couple of years, with the rest of 2014 looking equally as impressive and promising – the line-up includes American duo We Are Scientists, Tame Impala, the X-Factor’s Matt Cardle, and Katy B. Part of the charm of O2 venues is that […]
Continue ReadingI’m sitting in a room in the music faculty watching the Oxford University Sinfonietta in rehearsal listening to the folk-like melody of an oboe over a bed of hushed strings, gradually the music swells to an expressive outburst of colour before dying back to leave behind a lonely reminiscence on the horn. The effect is […]
Continue ReadingLast week, upcoming student band Rainbow Shark played a gig at the Wheatsheaf to launch their debut self-titled EP. Jack Levy sings, plays the keys, and crafts the electronics, whilst Bill Wright plays the guitar. The duo’s set showcased the breadth of their material and marked them out as an Oxford group set to rival […]
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