Ocelot102 december 2014 final artwork

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OXFORD NEWBURY

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SWINDON

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READING

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SALISBURY

l MARLBOROUGH l WITNEY l DEVIZES l WANTAGE l HUNGERFORD l BASSETT RIVERS

FOOD AND DRINK / THEATRE / ART / COMEDY / LIVE MUSIC

OCELOT THE

ISSUE NO: 102 DECEMBER 2014

FREE

Return to Forbidden Planet comes to Oxford p28

The Goat rants a bit p6

Tom Wrigglesworth p32

Dave for all Seasons p18

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What’s in your Ocelot?

Jamie Hill

For Starters p4

Michael Bosley; The Goat

Food and Drink p15

Brewery Bird, Pan of Mystery; Bitten Oxford

Arts and Culture p25 Return to Forbidden Planet

The Music section p37

Arts & Culture

Remember an Ocelot is not just for Christmas it’s for the entire month!

feature on Rise Foundation’s Buy a Blanket Campaign to help the disaffected in Iraq keep warm this winter. Or if you feel generous and want to make a difference closer to home I would recommend the homeless charities Shelter and Crisis. ‘Tis the season to be generous after all.

Food and Drink

bankrupt and eat some more and kiss under mistletoe and have Noddy Holder shouting ‘It’s Christmas’ as loud as he can in your ear, and decorate trees and have a snowball fight and eat some more and buy some more and watch It’s a Wonderful Life and wear knitted jumpers and sing Christmas carols and eat.

No, it’s not as if the country is ramming that message down our throats. It’d be silly if it did as by January 2 we’d all end up obese and bankrupt That’s not really a sensible message is it?

But don’t get me wrong, I actually quite like Christmas. I like the giving aspect.

That is why we’ve got a special

For Starters

It’s Christmas time!

I know that because everywhere I go I’m hearing that Band Aid song on a loop. Over and over. If it wasn’t for that song I probably would not know it’s Christmas. What date is it again?

It’s not as if the whole country seems to go mad from early November onwards until January 2, constantly telling us to be happy and give to one another and eat and consume and eat some more and buy some stuff and play football in No Mans Land during the First World War and pretend your toy penguin is alive and go shopping with Ant and Dec or Peter Andre and maybe buy some more stuff and maybe go

Groovers on Manouevres, Gig Monkey

The List p44

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What is an Ocelot? An Ocelot is a big

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For Starters

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You can’t handle the tooth!

“Now here’s a diagram of a tooth being cleaned properly with this product which I’m in no way affiliated with or being paid to promote.”

“Thanks, totally impartial dentist who is not an actor!” says grinning harpy.

One of these toothpastes has “Cooling Crystals” in it. I couldn’t even make an educated guess as to what that is or how it could improve my life. Do they physically cool me down, and if so, what dental benefit does this have? And are they made out of actual crystals?

Why not just chuck some glass shards in there and call them Refreshment Flakes? It’ll exfoliate your gums and cheeks leaving your mouth feeling sliced and bloody.

Without a doubt dental hygiene is an important matter, don’t get me wrong. Dental health has even been linked to the prevention of more serious conditions like heart disease for example, so it’s no bad thing to keep your choppers in tip top order.

But can we not just have one kind of tooth paste? A paste to rule them all? It seems absurd that there are some days I can walk into the supermarket and can’t even find a loaf of bread, but yet toothpaste is virtually pouring from the shelves in abundance.

We must curtail this trend; start a grassroots movement. Burn down the toothpaste aisle and start again from ground zero.

We owe it to ourselves to thwart this mild irritation!

The Nerd’s Last Word with Michael Bosley

Did you know that my local supermarket has over a dozen variants of Colgate toothpaste? Over a dozen! Each one with a different name and box design, specialising in some form of whitening, strengthening, breath-freshening or protecting.

Why they couldn’t just shove all the ingredients of these numerous pastes into one tube and call it Super Colgate, I don’t know. All I do know is, standing in the toothpaste aisle scratching your chin is one of those moments you reflect on when you lie on your deathbed, regretting the time you wasted choosing between Colgate Total Whitening or Colgate Total Advanced Clean.

It angers me that we allowed toothpaste to go this far. The ceaseless pseudo-scientific adverts featuring a chisel-jawed actor in a white coat pertaining to be a “dentist” have become so engrained in our psyche, that we no longer question how naff and completely homogenous they have been since the dawn of toothpaste.

“Here’s a dentist to explain how teeth work” says one grinning harpy.

“I’m a totally impartial dentist and not an actor at all” *puts on white coat so you know*“and this is a computerised diagram of a tooth not being cleaned properly.”

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The Goat

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

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For Starters

The Goat is our resident grumpy gruff. He’s always bloody moaning. So what has got on The Goat’s ..urm. goat this month?

Misogyny Okay. I better make this clear. I’m a male goat. A goat of the male persuasion. But, as a goat, I’m also a feminist or whatever label you want to put on me because I believe in equality for all humankind (or goatkind).

At the moment though, we seem engulfed by misogyny. By a male’s entitlement that they are somehow better and superior to womankind.

A tide of mildly sexist banter has floated up like an unwanted turd on the beach of our sensibilities.

Maybe, this has been accentuated by certain sections of the media’s hysteria about so-called ‘pickup artists’ like Julien Blanc or Dapper Laughs and how they depict women as objects. Both of these men, who have become God-like in the laddish ‘wahey’ community, have now faced censorship more brutal than that time Charlie Chaplin tried to get his film ‘The Great Dictator’ shown in Nazi Germany in 1940.

Personally, I don’t believe censorship of these two neanderthalic personas was the right way to go about it. In a country where freedom of speech means every opinion has a right to be heard, we shouldn’t be stopping these two thoroughly unpleasant voices being heard. We might find them offensive but to shut them up entirely rather than shouting louder at them that they are wrong means that the Loaded reading, objectifying masses of lads out there who are just looking for another opportunity to shout ‘wahey’ at an innocent woman passing by, will never hear the debate as to why their actions are wrong and why their behaviour is not as welcome any more as it was 20 years ago when ‘wahey’ was all the rage.

In a way, the one that has been the victim of media hysteria was Dapper Laughs, who like Ali G before him, was a comedian putting on an exaggerated persona often to laugh at the stupidity and misogyny of men in the first place. But some of what he said was pretty damn offensive all the same especially if you didn’t get the joke. Wrong time.

Wrong place. No-one would have batted an eyelid ten years ago.

For a while now, men in general have been a bit lost. For as long as they remember they were brought up in a patriarchal society where women were predominantly seen as a lesser being. Drip-fed throughout their childhood that women have their place and to grow up to find that that really is no longer the case must be a tad confusing.

If a woman complains about a man’s laddish behaviour she is instantly dismissed as ‘frigid’, ‘a leftie politically correct lesbian’ or ‘ugly’. All language used

Dapper Laughs

in a way to show male dominance and that a woman’s opinion doesn’t really matter when in fact, it really does.

Okay. Fair enough. There are still a lot of women out there as well who are quite accepting of this behaviour and dismissive themselves. Giving tacit consent that sexist remarks reducing women solely down to their body shape or sexuality is somehow an alright thing to do.

Case in point - there was an internet meme doing the rounds the other week titled ‘The Most Incredible Break-up text you will ever read!’ According to the story this text was received by a woman who had only been dating this man for seven weeks and these were his reasons for breaking up with her....

1. You refuse to update your relationship status on Facebook.

2. You won’t include me in things like the wedding this weekend. I should have been the one to escort you.

3. You are rude to my cat and that makes me feel uncomfortable.

4. You do not share your time equally and by now your boyfriend should be taking priority.

5. Your swearing is very unladylike.

6. You won’t disclose how many sexual partners you have had which makes me think it is upwards of 3 and anything more than that is unacceptable.

Wow. Everything here is just downright sexist except for the bit about the cat which is fair enough!

Sadly this kind of thing is too common when it comes to men's presumption of ownership of a woman.

This presumption that women are only there for the man's pleasure and that this ownership even stretches to a woman's past sexual history and the assumption that socially this woman and her time now belongs to him.

Until this guy learns that women are his equal and should be treated as such he's going to be on the road to nowhere unless he meets a partner who will be subservient to his level of control. This was only a throw-away story but it is also a sad reflection of many men's very sexist views on how women should be treated.

All it takes is a bit of respect fellas!

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

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For Starters

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It’s time to give a little back this Christmas On August 3 this year, Mariam and her brother and sisters woke to the terrifying sound of ISIS entering their village. Her parents grabbed their children and fled to nearby Mount Sinjar.

For six days, Mariam and tens of thousands of others cowered on the barren mountain, shivering through the cold of the night and sheltering from the fierce desert sun in the day. When their small bag of rice finally ran out, Mariam’s father made the hard choice to face ISIS, rather than starvation.

With hundreds of other families, they made the run from Mount Sinjar to the Syrian border, jumping over dead bodies and praying that the ISIS bullets would miss their mark.

Once in Syria they found their way to the north and then into the Kurdish region of Iraq. Now Mariam shares a tent with her parents and five siblings in a refugee camp sheltering over 120,000 victims of the ISIS advance.

More than 1.3 million victims of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq have fled to the relative safety of Iraq’s Kurdish north. The western region of Dohuk, normally home to 1.3 million citizens, is particularly hard hit and now supports at least 820,000 displaced Syrians and Iraqis, and is expected to increase as the victims of Kobani begin to arrive in the region.

The skeletons of unfinished buildings in towns and cities bulge with hundreds of homeless families, and informal camps spring up outside nearly every town and along every roadside. Mariam’s tent is in one of around 20 camps housing hundreds of thousands of people in the most basic tented

accommodation.

Local government officials and concerned citizens are doing their best to keep these families alive, often cooking meals for hundreds of citizens a day, but as winter approaches a far more sinister challenge is raised.

Temperatures in the Kurdish north of Iraq drop well below freezing in winter, with snow common in many places. Mariam’s father told us his greatest fear is that he will not be able to keep his children warm this winter, especially his baby son. “All we have are the clothes we were wearing when we fled”, he said. “My children will die this winter if I can’t keep them warm” 8

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For Starters

Off The Grid with Luke Coleman (Our Man in Iraq) www.lukecoleman.co.uk

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The List

months, it's amazing to find a diamond, even more so when I was half-leaving an NGO party. She called me 'so annoying' in her Quebecois accent, and I fell hard.

It's on the down-low at the moment, so you know, mum's the word.

A final word. The devastating news about AbdulRahman (Peter) Kassig has rocked Erbil. Although I never met the man, I know a few people who knew him very well. He was universally admired and respected, and it's no clichĂŠ to say the world is worse off without him.

In memory of Abdul-Rahman Kassig this month www.sams-usa.net/foundation

Music

It's been a big month. Naturally the fuckers are still doing their vile shit around and about, but allow me to be vain, to stand at the centre of my universe as only I can.

Much as moving to Iraq was a roll of the dice three and a half years ago, so have been my actions of the last couple of weeks; I've started the process of quitting teaching and moving full time to the business of writing, recording and begging for people's eyes and ears. I'll be poor(er) for a while, but I'm confident of making things happen; the news agency I copy-edit for are in the process of launching a TV station (remember the drone? I shall dust it off) and an English language newspaper (I'll reach an audience of maybe 10).

Also, and say it ever so quietly, I've met someone.

Within the endless coal-dark days of the last few

Arts & Culture

Foundation has built upon its ability to be innovative and flexible throughout the developing nature of the humanitarian issues unfolding in the region.

The charity has now launched its Buy a Blanket campaign. For just ÂŁ6.50 you can buy a thick, double blanket and help keep a vulnerable family warm.

Please visit rise-foundation.org/buyablanket to donate and to find out more information.

Food and Drink

Every refugee family you speak to will say the same.

And you can help.

Rise Foundation is a registered NGO providing tailored support to the most vulnerable and recreational projects for the refugee and internally displaced people populations within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Established in response to the Syrian conflict and the resulting influx of refugees, Rise

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with Brewery Bird

The region’s favourite beer writer

Music The List

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Arts & Culture

And with the risk of sounding old, how in the name of Silenus did we get to December again soooo quickly? Twasn’t but a year ago Brewery Bird was slaving away over the Ocelot Big Beery Quiz. Literally!

Anyway, on with the beer. A festive/winter review of just some of the lip-smackingly lovely beers on offer from our even lovlier brewers in and around the Ocelot readership area – so in no particular order…

Loose Cannon (Abingdon) – Loose Cannon II (Cask) Another cracker from Will and Co - A properly dark copper premium bitter, slightly sweet and moderately bitter finish, spiced with fresh ginger root for added bite. Available in cask and bright via the Brewery shop.

Shotover Brewery (Horspath, Oxford) – Oxford Porter 5% ABV (Cask) Hot on the heels of picking up Champion Beer of Oxfordshire earlier last month for Trinity; Brewer/owner Ed Murray has hopped to the Dark Side for his winter offering. Oxford Porter is a dark, rich, smooth porter with hints of coffee and chocolate. Available in cask and Bottle Conditioned at the Brewery.

West Berkshire Brewery (Yattenden) – Yule Fuel (Bottled) 5.0% ABV / (Cask) 4.3% ABV Yuel Fuel is a gloriously rich Christmas pudding like

beer with raisin, liquorice and wild berry fruit overtones. Deep red in colour with a warm hop/malt finish. The ideal tipple to leave out with a mince pie for Santa on Christmas Eve! Plain Ales (Warminster) - Wreck The Halls ESB 5% (Cask) A Rich, creamy, malt-driven brew with a good balance of earthy hop resins and tart fruit with a long deep finish. (And if that wasn’t enough festive cheer, Rudolphs Ruin 4.5% Chocolate Stout & Stocking Filler 4% Golden beer are also available, in cask)!

Shed Ales (Pewsey) – Shed-Yule 4.6% Spicy Red Ale (Cask) Conditioning as you read this! No tasting notes available as yet, but if Mrs Shed has had anything to do with it, I’m sure this will be the perfect companion to a big slab of Christmas cake or a cold turkey sandwich!

Kennet & Avon – Bruce 4.8% Porter (Cask) Named after the Bruce tunnel that takes the Kennet & Avon canal under the Savernake forest. A rich, dark porter with a mild bitterness. Aromas of chocolate and liquorice are echoed in the taste.

Siren Craft Brew(Finchampstead, Berks) – Fortuna 9% ABV English Strong Ale (75cl champagne Bottle) And now for something rather special! The guys at Siren are not known for holding back when it comes to brewing and this baby has not only been aged in cognac barrels for a year, it’s then been left to rest in cranberries, orange peel, cinnamon and pineapple sage! Limited to 700 bottles and ready around mid-December. Available from the Brewery only. Form an orderly queue please……

Food and Drink

Winter Warmers!

For Starters

‘Tis The Season For

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Cocktail heaven

Arts & Culture Music The List

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Food and Drink

A lot of my eating out is done in a slightly rushed fashion: grabbing a quick bite after work, when neither of us can be bothered cooking. But when I have a proper evening out, I do like to start with a cocktail: it someone makes the whole dining out experience feel a bit more special. So where should you eat to get the best pre-dinner drinks?

My first mention goes jointly to two of the Mogford venues, Gees, 61 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PE, and Quod, 92-94 High St, Oxford OX1 4BJ. Quod, in particular, is built for leisurely evenings, with a separate bar area staffed by charming young things.

Their cocktail menu changes regularly but the bartenders are always well trained, able to advise you on which drink to choose before doing an excellent job of mixing it. They’ll provide you with nibbles and water without being asked, and even have a bar snacks menu if you’re not quite sure what to order for your main meal but are already starving hungry. After that, the main restaurant food will probably be a bit of a let down, but stick to the most simple sounding dishes and you should be fine.

I recently returned to Gees after a long absence, and it’s had quite the makeover in the meantime, making it now quite a relaxing venue to linger away an

OX4 1HP, was only a cocktail bar: I didn’t realise it did any food, let alone excellent food. The atmosphere is so relaxed that you’d feel quite comfortable coming just for drinks, or for drinks and an occasional nibble, or for drinks and a full meal (or just food, but I’ve never tried that…). The sangria is traditional, and good, but they also do a range of more interesting cocktails. The tapas are mostly Spanish with a few Moroccan influences, and ideal for producing a leisurely meal with friends.

With the entire front half of the restaurant dedicated as a cocktail bar, Moya, had to make it onto this list. You can sit at the bar and have nibbles served to you there, or you can go for the main restaurant space and have drinks at your table. They’ve got the usual range of classics, plus some fairly appalling-looking variations on Long Island Iced Tea, but their “contemporary house specials” and fizzy concoctions are where you’ll find the best stuff, like the champagne-topped Russian Spring Punch or the Walnut (brandy) Alexander. The food is robust enough to soak up a couple of drinks, so go for one of their excellently-priced bottles of wine once you’re done.

And finally, a slightly odd choice: Atomic Burgers, 96 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1JE. Not famed for their elegance, these guys nonetheless produce one of the finest cocktails in Oxford: the Vincent Vega Shotgun Shake. This is a peanut butter ice cream shake with a cherry on top, already an awesome thing, but with added bourbon. Genius. The only downside is that, after drinking one, I’m often too full to eat anything at all, let alone one of their generously topped burgers. But then, when the drink is this good, who needs food?

For Starters

A column by Bitten Oxford

By Katy Routh

evening in. Their cocktail list is short and classic, but it’s the unfussiness of the staff which really impressed me: they were quite happy for me and my companion to sit for a good half hour or more before we ordered any actual food. The food here is certainly more interesting than at Quod – we had artichokes, soft shell crab, guinea fowl and wild sea trout – and the prices aren’t too excessive. They also serve a wide variety of wines by the carafe (or glass), in case you overdid it on the cocktails earlier.

Let’s be frank: the cocktail bar at Jamie’s, 24-26 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AE, and the staff’s habit of referring everyone there for five minutes even when you have a reservation, exist solely for money-making purposes, encouraging people to spend on the drinks items with the biggest mark-ups. But once you’ve accepted that fact, you can happily sit at the bar, watch other customers come and go, and drink one of their cocktails. This is one of a few places in Oxford to serve my current favourite, the Aperol Spritz, which makes a great aperitif to Italian food, but they also mix a good Negroni.

Branca, 111 Walton St, Oxford OX2 6AJ, are another mostlyItalian restaurant which recognises the importance of the aperitif. Their Prosecco-based offerings are particularly strong, and they have a changing “cocktail of the month”, so regular visitors need never be bored. Almost all their wines are available by the glass or “pot” (carafe), an even better offering than Gees manage. The food is classic Italian with some excellent sourcing - their antipasti are superb - and the atmosphere buzzes with people enjoying themselves.

Definitely one for date night.

For a long time I thought that Kazbar, 25-27 Cowley Rd, Oxford

Dave for all Seasons

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Christmas and New Year Party Special

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

with Dave Stewart

Bloody Mary Prawn Cocktail

All the good things about a prawn cocktail but with a much more zingy dressing. Makes a great starter for 4 people, or can do even more if scooped into shot glasses. First of all, make the dressing – mix 300ml tomato juice, a generous dash of Tobasco sauce and an even more generous splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Add 2-3 tbsp lime juice, ½ tbsp of ketchup, a pinch of sugar, and 3 tbsp vodka. Taste, and adjust Tobasco, Worcestershire as appropriate. You want it to have a good spicy kick, and the lime juice coming through quite strongly. In a salad bowl, toss 300g cooked prawns with 1 shredded head of little gem lettuce, a few halved cherry tomatoes, a little diced avocado if you’re feeling luxurious and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

Smoked Mackerel, Chive and Cream Cheese Crostini

I don’t know why these flavours work so well together, but they just do. Take a baguette, slice into rounds, and lightly toast both sides under a hot grill.

Once toasted, remove and generously spread each one with some good quality garlicky cream cheese (anything but Philadelphia basically– Boursin is perfect and holds the toppings firmly like a cheesy cement!). Add a sprinkling of finely sliced spring onion or chives and a few halved cherry tomatoes.

Top the rounds with a proportionately-sized piece of peppery smoked mackerel (skin removed), and add a light grind of black pepper to taste.

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All this month’s recipes are a selection of seasonal(ish) simple canapés and/or starters that can be made well ahead of time, and are a cinch to make. Just what I find I need at this busy time of year!

For Starters Music The List

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Arts & Culture

Mini Chipolatas in sticky honey, wine and mustard sauce

Take 400g or so, of good-quality mini sausages (sometimes called ‘cocktail’ sausages – don’t be tempted to use rubbish ones as this recipe is so simple its success really depends on the quality of the sausage) and mix in a baking tray with a dressing made of 1 heaped tbsp of Dijon or wholegrain mustard, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, a crushed garlic clove, 1 heaped tbsp honey, and a splash of red wine or port. Bake in the oven at 200°C for around 20-30 minutes, until the glaze is reduced, sticky and bubbly. Arrange the sausages and sauce in a serving bowl (each one pierced with a cocktail stick if it’s to be a canapé), scatter over a little finely chopped parsley and lightly toasted sesame seeds, and serve hot or cold as desired.

Food and Drink

Bhel Puri

This is one of the most famous Indian snack ‘Chaat’ dishes, and everyone always loves it. As the base is a crispy-rice mixture, it makes sense to have the ingredients prepared, yet to refrain from tossing together until the very last minute before serving. Having said that, it’s not essential, and still tastes great even when it goes a bit soggy. To save even more time – the chutneys can be purchased ready-made from Indian specialists or most large supermarkets these days, and leftover chutneys will of course pair happily with any other Indian food. First, make your ‘green’ chutney. Take a large handful of grated coconut, and blitz in a blender with the juice of ½ lemon, a small handful of fresh coriander and mint, a green chilli, and a 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Add water or more lemon juice if necessary, you want it relatively thick but there needs to be enough liquid to grind the coconut effectively. Secondly, make your Tamarind chutney – take a golf-ball sized lump of tamarind pulp, soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out all the juice you can. Discard the pulp, and heat the juices in a frying pan with 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and a pinch of chilli powder. Reduce a little, if particularly watery, but the end result should be fairly runny. Toss in a little fresh chopped coriander. In a salad bowl, mix 150g of Sev Mamra (or any other ‘Bombay Mix’ style snack, ideally one with crispy vermicelli and puffed rice in it), with a handful roughly diced tomatoes, 1 small grated carrot, ½ finely chopped onion, and a little more finely chopped fresh coriander. Toss everything together with a little Chaat Masala (if you have it –else mix a pinch of Black Rock Salt ‘Kala Namak’ with a pinch Garam Masala) and then dress to taste with the two dressings.

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International Pan of Mystery

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

Turning up the heat on some familiar and not so familiar ingredients from around the world.

Salt Cod

Portuguese in origin, Bacalhau (sometimes spelled Bacalhao) is dried, salt cod and something of a revered delicacy not only in the Iberian peninsula but all over South America, for obvious historical reasons. Somewhat hard when you first buy a fillet – the cod, once soaked in several changes of water for at least 12 hours, becomes something quite sublime. Salty, of course, but succulent and just dying to be paired with all manner of sauces, which of course you won’t need to season.

It was originally invented to help preserve fish for longer periods, but is now enjoyed purely for its taste, though sadly depleting north atlantic cod stocks means it now needs to be enjoyed much more sparingly.

Commonly, it’s served up in Bacalhau à Brás with potatoes,

onions and eggs, or in a creamy, gratin-like dish known as Bacaulhau com natas. It’s closely associated with Christmas and Easter time in most of the countries it’s consumed, and nowhere more so than Mexico, where it is typically stewed in a rich tomato and garlic sauce, and garnished with toasted almonds and green olives, served with crusty bread and enjoyed with the family before or after Midnight Mass.

Getting some: Although rare in supermarkets, specialist fishmongers will carry it, and of course speciality Spanish/Portuguese stores.

Usually in stock at the excellent Smelly Alley Fish Company in Reading, from where you can also order online, and Haymans Fisheries in the Oxford Covered Market.

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Vinho di Montho

Louis Delaunay Champagne Brut Non Vintage

Okay. It’s that time of year when the bubbles come out whether it’s a Christmas do or a New Year rave. So we thought we’d pick an actual Champagne for you guys to sup on this month. This delightful and elegant Champagne is made from 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Meunier and 15% Chardonnay grapes. The result is a lemony fresh wine with white peach flavours and citrus zing. A fine and delicate fizz, which is perfect for celebrating those special moments. You can grab a bottle from Tesco for half price at the moment at £12.99.

NATIONAL WEEKS OF WHATEVER

US National Pumpkin Pie Day

December 25

For most of us, December 25 has a tendency to bring out the turkey lovers amongst us but in the US it is actually National Pumpkin Pie Day. This is definitely something that we should do instead of all that mince pie, sherry and eating bird stuff going on. The traditional method involves the use of a "pie pumpkin" which is about six to eight inches in diameter, which is smaller than a "jack o'lantern" sized pumpkin. The pumpkin is sliced in half, and the seeds removed. The two halves are heated until soft. At this point the pulp is scooped out and pureed in a blender, to ensure its consistency. This pulp is then mixed with eggs, milk, sugar, nutmeg, and other spices, then baked in a pie shell.

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agne Brut Non

ose special moments. You

al Pumpkin Pie Day

Jon Walsh

Sunday 7th December

Friday night music and Thursday Comedy is back in the Cellar Bar!

Moonrakers Comedy - Thursday 4th December - Doors open at 8pm Show starts 8.30pm with : Omar Hamdi, Njambi McGrath & Headliner: Andrew Watts Tickets available in advance or on door ÂŁ10.00 Friday 19th December - Benji Clements Band - Doors 8pm Music 9pm Entry ÂŁ5.00 Cellar Bar is available for private hire.

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Monday December 1 Fancy a laugh?

Four Comedians and a compere all for free! with Headliner Matt Green

As well as Opening act Sy Thomas and Compere Archie Maddocks + Stuart Newport + Tim O’ Connor

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“You talkin’ to me?”

A film column with Jamie Hill

For Starters The List

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is corrected of his left-leaning ways by three conservative angels, including Kelsey Grammar as General Patton. The filmmaker is taken to a future Los Angeles controlled by Islamic radicals. This much right-wing bile is impossible to sweeten and leaves a worse taste in your mouth than slightly off mulled wine.

From the next one’s title you might get a little tingle but when you realise that Hercules Saves Christmas is actually about a dog called Hercules I can understand your disappointment.

Here’s another title that might get you excited - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. But rather than recasting Santa as a sexpest going around kissing mums this story is actually resolved when the kids find out Santa is actually their dad dressed up. One to watch with the youngsters if you haven’t got the heart to tell them Santa isn’t real.

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sentence.

So first off, let’s look at the downright weird!

Oh, you haven’t seen the great 1964 Christmas classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians? Well you’re not missing much as it’s seen as one of the worst films of all time. The story, or what we think might pass as a story, involves the martians kidnapping Santa as they don’t have anyone to give presents to their Martian kids.

If that wasn’t weird enough for you there’s also Santa Claws about a pschyo killer dressed as Santa hunting women whose clothes keep mysteriously falling off! Nothing says Merry Christmas more than being clawed to death in a substandard B-movie!

Then there’s tripe like An American Carol which was marketed as a Christmas movie but was actually set on July 4. In it a Michael Moore-style filmmaker

Arts & Culture

Hello and welcome to a very special festive edition of this film column.

To get yourself in the spirit of the season, grab yourself a mince pie, a glass of mulled wine, your copy of Michael Buble Does Christmas and sit back and relax trying to imagine that each word is covered with some imaginary tinsel.

As you’ve probably guessed this month I will be going on about Christmas films. The downright odd, the scary and the ones that are just simply bad.

For all you Christmas film fans who are looking forward to some classics like Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Nightmare Before Christmas or even Muppet’s Christmas Carol, I’m sorry to upset you but this column isn’t actually going to go on about them at all apart from the mention that they were just given earlier in this

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Santa on film

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The cast of this year’s Swindon Wyvern panto Dick Whittington

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Love them or loath them, you can’t think about going to the theatre at Christmas without thinking about Pantomimes. You’ll find plenty of pun filled family fun in your area. Here are a few to watch out for.

For some Disney themed magic, the Oxford Playhouse is putting on Beauty and the Beast, the Newbury Corn Exchange is showing Aladdin and The Watermill is putting on Peter Pan. The familiar stories are brought to life with plenty of camp panto cheer. You can catch Beauty and the Beast up until 18th January, and Aladdin and Peter Pan are on until the 4th January.

Another old favourite, Cinderella, is coming to The Hexagon in Reading. It’s got TV star Liza Goddard playing the Fairy Godmother, Hairy Biker Dave Myers as Baron Hardup and TV presenter and Splash star Anna Williamson playing the title role of Cinderella alongside Britain's Got Talent

finalist Jon Clegg. You can see it between 6th December and 4th January.

If you’re near Salisbury, the Salisbury Playhouse is showing Mother Goose, staring Kieran Buckeridge. You can see Mother Goose as her dreams of being rich and beautiful are threatened by the village squire who wants to throw her out of her cottage. That’s until a magic goose which lays golden eggs arrives. It’s on until the 10th of January.

If you’re closer to Swindon why not check out the Wyvern Theatre’s Dick Wittington. Coronation Street’s Nigel Havers stars as Dick Wittington. He’s joined by Pantomime favourite David Ashley who returns to Swindon as Sarah the Cook. Catch it from 6th of December until 4th January.

For those looking to give panto a wide berth this year, but still want an evening out with the kids, Oxford’s North Wall Arts Centre are putting on a festive Wind in the Willows. Creation Theatre are coming to the North Wall to transform it into the banks of the bubbling Thames, country inns and the open road as they bring Kenneth Grahame’s timeless family classic to life with music, fun and laughter. You can see it until 10th January.

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Breaking a Leg with John Palmgren

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Panto Christmas crackers

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Fresh from singing about badgers, Brian May, of some band called Queen is set to make a show at Oxford’s New Theatre really lift off. He will be appearing as The Newscaster in a new 25th anniversary tour of Return To The Forbidden Planet which will be staged from March 30 to April 4.

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Return to Forbidden Pla

Twenty Five years after Captain Tempest and his crew first journeyed into hyperspace, and 14 years after the last UK tour, Olivier Award-winning rock spectacular Return to the Forbidden Planet is back and exploding onto stage in a major new 25th Anniversary production.

It will be playing at the New Theatre Oxford from March 30 to April 4, 2015 (7.30pm with 2.30pm matinees on Wednesday and Saturday).

Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and packed with rock n’ roll classics including Great Balls of Fire, This is a Man’s World, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Who’s Sorry Now, Teenager in Love, Young Girl, Heard It

Through the Grapevine, Johnny B. Goode and Born To Be Wild, Return to the Forbidden Planet is a musical of meteoric proportions that will be remembered for light years to come.

With stunning special effects, a brilliant cast of actor-musicians, a mad scientist, a huge greententacled monster and a rock ’n’ roller-skating robot, your in-flight entertainment is guaranteed! So fasten your seatbelts, set your ray guns to stun and prepare for blast off!

Founding member of Queen and a world-renowned guitarist Brian May will appear via video projection as the Newscaster.

Over four decades, Queen amassed a staggering list of

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awards and to this day remain the most successful albums act in UK chart history.

Brian penned 22 Queen top 20 hit singles including We Will Rock You, namesake to the Queen/Ben Elton hit musical which enjoyed an unprecedented 12 year run at London’s Dominion Theatre.

More recently, Brian has enjoyed writing and touring with Kerry Ellis, as well as returning to Queen in 2012 with guest vocalist Adam Lambert. A highly anticipated 2014 North American tour followed with further dates announced to encompass 21 European cities in 2015.

The cast features Steve

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bidden Planet in Oxford For Starters Food and Drink Arts & Culture

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cult success.

“I can’t wait to bring it back 25 years later, to introduce it to a whole new generation and to reunite with original fans of the show. I’m thrilled to be able to return to the Forbidden Planet, along with the original design team, and get reacquainted with Captain Tempest and his crew once more!”

Return to the Forbidden Planet is directed by Bob Carlton and choreographed by Frederick ‘Frido’ Ruth, with musical direction by Greg Last. It is designed by Rodney Ford with lighting design by Mark Dymock and sound design by Ben Harrison.

Tickets can be purchased from the New Theatre box office on George Street, by ringing 0844 871 3020 or by visiting our website at www.atgtickets.com/oxford

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Simmonds as Bosun, Sean Needham as Captain Tempest, Christine Holman as Science Officer, Greg Last, as Navigation Officer, Mark Newnham as Cookie, Jonathan Markwood as Prospero, Frido Ruth as Ariel, Sarah Scowen as Miranda, Georgina Field as Anne Droid, Callum Hughes as Phil McCavity, Joseph Mann as Ewan Watami and Hannah Howcroft as Young Miranda.

Return to the Forbidden Planet opened at the West End’s Cambridge Theatre in September 1989, where it ran for over 1500 performances and won the 1990 Olivier Award for Best Musical (sorry Miss Saigon, spaceships trump helicopters!).

The original design team return to recreate their award-winning original production, helmed by creator Bob Carton, who directed the West End production and now returns to direct this 25th Anniversary tour, his final production as artistic director of the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch.

Bob Carlton said: “It was an incredible time when Return to the Forbidden Planet landed in West End, in what was a vintage year alongside shows such as Miss Saigon and Buddy. And it’s thanks to the audiences, who took it to their hearts and rocked out every night, that it became such a

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Book Now for our delicious Sunday Roasts Christmas Menu now available

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Pegasus’ first ever home-grown Christmas show The Snow Queen For Starters

Pegasus presents its first Christmas production created entirely in-house under the guidance of Pegasus Artistic Director/CEO Jonathan Lloyd.

The Snow Queen, written by award winning playwright Mike Kenny, is a magical, memorable adventure for ages 7 and up. The entire Christmas experience from the designs on-stage to the frontof-house areas, is made by a first-rate creative team alongside the venue’s professional staff and features Pegasus Youth Theatre members.

When a splinter from an evil magic mirror lodges in young Kai’s eye, everything that is good suddenly seems bad. The Snow Queen has been waiting for this moment and steals Kai away to her frozen palace in the far, far north. It is only his best friend Gerda, in a test of true friendship, who can save him.

The creative team behind the show includes designer Liz Cooke, who was involved in the opening exhibition at Oxford’s Story Museum. Her simple playground concept is transformed into the tightly packed streets where Kai and Gerda live, a river, a witch’s garden, a robbers’ camp and an igloo in the far north. Her design breaks out of the auditorium and into the front of house areas where icy shards of broken mirror are scattered. In these shards are trapped images of the Snow Queen’s young captives, all played by Pegasus Youth Theatre members.

The Snow Queen herself appears as a spooky presence conjured in many ways: a swarm of

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Expect elegant flourishes of language, twisted logic and whimsical storytelling, courtesy of one of the finest and most original comics in the UK. www.cornexchangenew.com

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adulthood, exploring the poignant and profound relationship with his granddad.

The two frequently taped themselves interviewing each other and it is in these early conversations that Tom comes to fully understand the influence this man has had on his own life and explores the fantasy of being able to make ‘one final interview’.

Music

Award-winning comedian Tom Wrigglesworth, takes to the road this autumn with his show Utterly at Odds With the Universe.

He will be appearing at New Greenham Arts in Newbury on Friday December 5.

In turns heart-wrenching and hilarious, this exquisite show takes Tom on an emotional journey from childhood to

Arts & Culture

Tom Wrigglesworth in Newbury

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snowflakes; a face at the window; a shadow on the wall; whispered voices behind you. The technical wizardry of the Snow Queen, created by award winning Lighting Designer and Animator Arnim Friess, and the music and innovative sound design from composer Julian Butler, keeps the audience ensnared by the magic and mystery of this compelling, timeless adventure story.

The cast is: Oxford School of Drama trained Abi Hood (Gerda) who has appeared at Pegasus before as a member of Kepow Theatre; Oliver Wellington (Kai) also from Oxford School of Drama in his first professional role; Géhane Strehler (Robber Girl) and Jeremy Barlow (Crow) who recently appeared at the Old Fire Station with in Don Q. The Snow Queen takes place from December 5 to January 4 with tickets from £5 to £18 from 01865 812150 or www.pegasustheatre.org.uk

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Mon 1st

Thurs 4th Fri 5th Sat 6th

DECEMBER LISTINGS

The Ocelot Comedy Night 8pm free

Songs of Praise presents The August List + Kitchen Sink Dramas + Cook & The Case 8pm £3

Monkey Dolls + The Cover Addicts + Albatross Landing Uplands & Alzheimer’s Society Fundraiser 8pm £3 Who’s Next The ultimate Who tribute 8pm £6adv £7dr

Thurs 11th

Absolva + Die No More + Control The Storm 8pm £3

Sat 13th

Reggae Night featuring Urban Lions + DJ Robbie Edwards 8pm £3

Fri 12th

Sun 14th

Thurs 18th Fri 19th

Sat 20th

Sun 21st

Tues 23rd Weds 24th Sat 27th

Weds 31st

Metalhead 8pm free

Songs of Praise and Sheer Music presents The Retrospective Soundtrack Players + Oxygen Thief + Coasters + Charlie Bath 8pm £7adv £10dr Songs of Praise presents End of Year Shindig 8pm £3 Oasish + Stereotonics 8pm £10 12 Bands of Christmas 8pm £5 Interlight 8pm free

Hot Flex + Vynal Matt (Screaming heavy metal and parody band) Free Entry 8pm Christmas Eve Disco 8pm free Penfold 8pm free

NYE with Shepherds Pie 8pm £5adv £6dr

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Band Profile For Starters Arts & Culture

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Earlier in the year they smashed at the inaugural Sausagefest and for 'Sausage 2015' will bee a staple part of again in its second year.

They can next be spotted at Salisbury Arts Centre on January 24 for a gig promoting the festival called ‘Road to Sausage’ and will be a part of the festival when it takes place on July 25. For more details about it visit www.sausagefestival.co.uk You can find out more about the band at www.lyricalmonsoon.net or find them on Facebook, Twitter or Soundcloud.

Music

Formed in approximately 2006, Lyrical Monsoon originated as two MC's and a laptop in city of Salisbury.

Since then they have grown into a full blown 6 piece outfit who play almost any genre they can get their hands on.

Experimenting with the likes of funk, rock, hip hop, disco and blues they constantly push the boundaries and never fail to get every head nodding in the place. They use unique and interesting lyrical content and flows over original, quirky riffs to create a sound that was once described as "Beastie Boys meets One Hot Minute".

Formed from Gav and Carl on the mics, Giles and Jordan on guitars, Merv the wizard on bass and Ian on drums, Lyrical Monsoon have played locally and nationally, recently winning "Best Band" and "Best Live Act" at the annual Salisbury Music Awards 2014.

The whole band were shocked at winning and didn't expect it at all. "It was a pleasant surprise!" says Gav, "!e've been going for what seems like ages and to win such an award from our home town was absolutely brilliant.”

"It was refreshing, something we didn't see coming and something very much welcome." added Carl.

The rest of the band were also very happy with the awards and all of the guys would like to thank all the heads of the Salisbury scene who have believed in them and most of all the grand public of Salisbury for voting for them.

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Lyrical Monsoon

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This is New Music with Mark Muggeridge

This is Gedeon Luke and The People

If you caught Gedeon Luke and his amazing band on Jools Holland in October then you’ll know they are a perfect for any party playlist and that’s just what we need at this time of year.

Their first single, Live Free comes from the debut album Live Free & Love, which set for release early next year. This line up of more than accomplished musicians bring that vintage Memphis soul sound bang up to date. Front and centre, Luke's cool vocal delivery, full of passion and gospel influences reminds me of Curtis Mayfield, Lenny Kravitz or even Terence Trent D'Arby. Backing him up, the tight punchy rhythm and horn sections grooving away create a fantastic positive party vibe.

Take a listen and get ready to feel invigorated by the almostspiritual power of timeless soul and its ability to transport you from modern life's everyday stresses. For Playlists: Live Free and Standing On Top Of The World (gedeonluke.com)

This is Jimi Goodwin

It seems odd writing about the front man of much loved Manchester band Doves as if he were a new artist.

However when Jimi Goodwin released his debut solo album ‘Odludek’ in March of this year that’s pretty much what he became.

For those of you who still value the album as an expression of a musicians art, Odludek is a gem. The songwriting shines as does Goodwin’s playing. If anything Jimi has grown as an artist and this set of new music has him looking forward to what he is now capable of as a solo artist rather than looking back on any glory days. To kick off the new year Goodwin is releasing ‘Lonely at the Drop’ as a single and whilst that might not mean much in an age of unbundled iTunes releases one can only hope that it signals that Goodwin and Co are getting out on the road early in 2015 to give audiences the kind of thrill that his new live show has a growing reputation for. For Playlists: Lonely at the Drop and Live Like a River (jimigoodwin.com)

This is Alex Hart

The quality and quantity of UK country-roots music is growing so much so that some of the bigwigs in places like Nashville are really starting to sit up and take notice of UK artists. 23 year-old Alex Hart from Devon is one of those and although quite new to mainstream audiences Alex has been writing songs and playing her unique combination of guitar and rhythm stomp box since she was 14. She was inspired to take up the guitar after seeing KT Tunstall perform and if her current single, ‘Run’ is anything to go by she is well on her way to following in her hero’s footsteps and becoming a country audience favourite. Now with a US label deal secured, BBC Introducing and Radio 2 support in place and respected country music magazine Maverick tipping her for mainstream crossover success, expect her beautifully-crafted songs and smooth, passionate vocals to lodge deep in your head and your heart. Alex describes her sound as. ‘West Country, County’ and you can hear it on her new album On This Day which is out now.

For Playlists: Run and Tired Too Much (alexhart.com) 38

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Fri 5th - Lay it on the Line + Pariso + Foxpunch Fri 12th - Signals. + Support Fri 19th - K#nt and the Gang + Lump + Polly (Tickets ÂŁ5 adv/8pm) Sat 27th - Xmas All Dayer feat. SN Dubstation + Willowen + The I's + Mighty Magic Animal + Robb Blake + Much More TBA (3pm)

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The Gig Mon key

Gig Monkey, AKA Ed Dyer, is a primate on a mission to discover as muc be out and about as well as reviewing as much stuff as you can send h

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Buswell, Last Box of Sparklers & Matt Adey live at The Vic, Swindon Apologies, but it is back into Wiltshire I dive this month, although only because a show cropped up that was too good to miss. Any chance to see Buswell play has to be grabbed, for many reasons, and not just musical ones either as I shall endeavour to explain.

But firstly, the other acts need due consideration.

Opener Matt Adey had managed to draw a pretty partisan crowd for his performance, not bad considering he had never played the venue before and has been a West London resident for the best part of 20 years. But, having grown up in a village down the road, he brought out a lot of nostalgic folk curious to see what the intervening period had done to his music. The answer is a bit of a trite statement, but it had matured nicely, developing complex layers and flavours, much like a fine wine. Emotive and heartfelt lyrics were the foundations of his mellow acoustica, and once he had overcome initial nerves at playing this prodigal homecoming show the power of his delivery enabled them to shine through, lifting a set that was dynamic and fluid.

Last Box Of Sparklers is touring Swedish musician Erik Nyberg, playing his last UK show of a two week tour. A formerly familiar face on the circuit thanks to his stint in The Flaming Moes he is an artist who has managed to become the physical embodiment of his music – laid back, hypnotic and serene, even down to removal of his shoes to properly relax into his set. His electric dream pop for this tour was stripped down to acoustic guitar and piano for practical considerations (not having an electric guitar mainly) but the songs were more than strong enough to still work in this format, and the beautiful and spellbinding nature of the music soon silenced the boisterous Saturday night crowd into a rapt appreciation of the artistry on show. Right up until the final track, a hilarious version of rubbish Hungarian rapper Speak’s track Stop The War, with a brilliantly dry, BBC English delivery from headliner Shaun Buswell guesting the rap parts to great comic effect, at which point the audience erupted into a combination of hysterics and joining in. A superb if unexpected full stop to the set.

The reason I was so excited to attend this show was headliner Buswell. The musical vehicle for the songs of Shaun Buswell, I have seen the collective range from Shaun playing solo all the way through to a full band with 30 piece symphony Orchestra. For Shaun is a man who doesn’t like to keep things simple and rarely likes to play two shows the same. In fact, he seems hell bent on making everything as hard as possible, following a devotion to

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challenging himself as much as he can. So having already formed an orchestra by meeting strangers on the London Underground over the course of 12 months, played on the London Eye, reformed the orchestra from more strangers met during a 2 week Endinburgh Fringe stint and touring a spoken word show based on the experiences, he decided to re-score all his songs for all possible instruments (without being able to read music) so that whoever he picked up on this ostensibly solo trek round the country with Last Box Of Sparklers (who had produced his last two records) could join him on stage to play. Oh, and the audience would choose the set by calling out numbers relating to the songs in a game of set-list bingo. Meaning, as Shaun pointed out, that each gig was going to be a totally unique combination of musicians, instruments and songs.

And the results, as unlikely as this should have been, were stunning. Helped that this was a home town show so the audience were mostly friendly and there was a core of familiar musicians (although some were brand new and several had apparently come out of “retirement” for this event so were not necessarily gig-fit) it all came together in a musical perfect storm. But whilst the sweeping strings, elegant clarinet and piano and tight rhythm section were a fabulous framework, it was Shaun and his songs that were the real star of the show. Highly underrated as both a singer and a songwriter (I often feel the challenges he puts himself through detract from this), the songs have a grace and atmosphere all of their own, delicious melodies sparkling over considered and meaningful lyrics, which, when added to an impressive array of sarcastic heckle come-backs, had the large crowd eating out of his hand and lapping up every twist and turn of the show.

I was left with the realisation that Buswell doesn’t just play gigs, he puts on events, something bigger, better and infinitely more impressive than your average workaday covers act rumbling through another mediocre version of Sex On Fire. This was what live music is all about, that exciting feeling of being part of something special, something different and something meaningful, a moving of the musical goalposts into areas yet uncharted. Sure, the “challenges” detract from the musical genius that is the root of the projects, but they also add veracity to them, giving them an additional layer of artistic merit that you otherwise rarely see. It is a fine line to walk though, this creative virtue could easily slip into circus stunt territory, but it does appear that Buswell has perfect balance.

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ate on a mission to discover as much quality original music playing as possible. He will ng as much stuff as you can send him to ed@theocelot.co.uk Picture by Paj

For Starters

Buswell – An Irish Wristwatch (EP)

Channeling the same ghosts as the likes of Chuck Regan / Hot Water Music, The Bronx and Springsteen at his most boisterous this is proper punk rock without the pop. Built around the startling razorblade vocals of song writer Simon Hall this is a collection of anthemic, fist-in-the-air songs that work best when the band is properly letting go, amping up the grit, determination and energy. The recording has robbed the songs of a little of the explosive power they possess live, but as a first out of the door recording this is a damn fine start.

A Moral Compass – Write Drunk, Record Drunk, Listen Drunk (EP)

With a title that is just asking for trouble from reviewers this is a brave band indeed. And whilst I am not going to be churlish and fall into that obvious trap, it is oh so tempting. I often get criticised for being overly positive in my reviews (I like lots of stuff, can’t help that) but I feel creativity and musical adventure needs encouraging. So I am going to try and do the same here. There is the promise of a half decent idea at work here so I hope they keep plugging away at it, although I really won’t be listening to this particular recording again.

Amateurish, clumsy and a bit of a dirge. Sorry guys.

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Highly polished melodic pop-rock built around Matt’s emotive lyrics and vocals. This is some very confident and hooky material, with a strong pop sensibility that should serve him very well indeed. Some of this really soars – Abigail sweeps and dips around like migrating starlings whilst Black Flowers is a choppier affair. Closing track Sparks even has hints of early

Coasters – The Shape of our Words (EP)

Music

Matt Adey – Eden (EP)

Cult running through it and a real swagger to the rhythm. Classy stuff that is aiming for the arena circuit.

Arts & Culture

Record of the month!

Just over a year on from the first half of this twopart release making record of the month, Buswell does it again. This is another slice of sublime “folkestra” - intelligent, serious and considered lyrics that punch through graceful, fluid music that raises the indie-folk bar to new levels with delicious layers of strings, woodwind, horns, keys and percussion washing over the central vocal and guitar melodies.

The delicate balance of the male-female vocal is stunning and executed perfectly, especially on the standout track Lebanon, which is perhaps Buswells finest moment to date. A hauntingly beautiful song of longing that keeps building up and up before swooping back down again in a lovely metaphor of the passage of love and relationships. Incredible, enlightening and educational, giving the listener a lesson in dynamics and the depth of feeling that music can generate.

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Gig Monkey’s big fat jukebox

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Groovers on Manouevres

The Good Times - Jimmy Moore

By Dave Franklin Although well known and highly regarded on the acoustic and open mic. circuit as a mainly solo player, what becomes immediately obvious upon hearing Good Times is that Jimmy has totally embraced the scope that the recording studio has to offer.

Not only is everything you expect from his sound present, the inclusion of a host of additional studio layering really enables him to explore his own songs fully. It is Moore only more so.

The trademark guitar dexterity is still the starting point but now cellos sweep through below the melody, tabla drums emphasis the groove, bass lines ground the songs and kit drums lock the whole thing together. The songs have always been there, now though it is as if someone has

flung open the curtains, flooding the room with light and warmth and a beam of light has illuminated their potential.

The central point of the album for me is, ironically enough, Anchor where the combination of beats, more direct guitar work, great use of dynamics plus a killer melody mesh to present something that we haven’t seen before, Jimmy Moore as a chart option, if that song appeared before the record buying masses with the name Bugg or Sheeran attached it would undoubtedly sell by the shedload.

Similarly Heaviest Heart is Frank Turner without the politics, another sure fire sell.

The danger of first ventures into the studio is that child in a sweetshop feeling and the desire to delve into every jar and try every option available. Thankfully

By Sid Siddle of Club Velocity Reading based POP punks Launch Control .

Think MXPX having a pillow fight with Blink 182,whilst Lagwagon are in the corner having a beer.

They have been causing quite a stir, round Berkshire for the last two years Their live shows are great and a lot of fun.

Last year they released a charity Christmas single called "The RSPCA Took My Reindeer Away" which was very loosely musically based on 'The KKK Too My Baby Away' by the Ramones. It was great and raised a fair bit of money for the

RSCPA This year they are giving us a Christmas present of a song called 'The Christmas Films That Forgot Santa' This does not borrow musically from Joey and the boys.

It is however a catchy four (not three) cord pop-punk song, in which Santa is upset at being left out of a lot of popular films that are set at Christmas.Such as Home Alone and Gremlins to name two.

The charity this year is Shelterall monies will be donated to said charity.

'The Christmas Films That Forgot Santa' will be released on December 1st, and it will be available to buy from iTunes.

it is something that Jimmy has wised up too and avoided and what you have with Good Times is still essentially a solo effort but with just the right amount of musical addition and studio exploration. That said suddenly the prospect of Jimmy Moore as a full band is a tempting thought.

Pop punk is for life not just for Christmas

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Launch Control headline the Queens Arms in Great Knollys Street, Reading on Friday December 19. Tickets are £5 on the door or £4 in advance from www.wegottickets.com

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John McCullagh and The Escorts John McCullagh & The Escorts have been announced as the main support act on the forthcoming Cast tour and they will be coming to Reading’s Sub89 on Tuesday December 16.

The teenage troubadour from Doncaster and his new entourage will be hitting the road to support the legendary 90s Britpop band for 11 UK dates in total.

However, this will not be the first time the two act's paths have crossed. Over the past year, Cast front-man John Power has both collaborated in the studio and offered his production services on a number of tracks that are set to feature on McCullagh's second album, Newborn Cry, scheduled for release in early 2015. Offering a taster of the new material to come, the band have shared ' Box of Tricks ' as the first single to be lifted from the follow-up LP. John McCullagh was signed at the age of 15 to Alan McGee's coveted 359 Music label and

released his début, North South Divide, as a solo artist in October 2013. In the last year, he has recruited his new backing band, The Escorts, and built up a formidable live reputation supporting the likes of The Strypes, Richard Hawley, The Enemy, Babyshambles, John Power, Alabama 3, Paul Heaton and Reverend & The Makers.

Boasting a much fuller sound than before, with some catchy Byrds-styled guitars, John’s new single ‘Box Of Tricks’ was released as a download in October and as a 7” edition on 20th October. The vinyl version boasts an exclusive B-side, a version of Richie Havens’ classic ‘We Belong Together’, recorded late last year in Belgium.

Influenced by the likes of Donovan, Marc Bolan, Paul Weller and Johnny Cash, McCullagh has been playing guitar and writing songs since he was twelve, and his latent talent for his beloved sixstring was soon followed by mastery of the harmonica.

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COMEDY Friday December 5 New Greenham Arts TOM WRIGGLESWORTH 8pm Star of Radio 4 and BBC 2 brings his new show to Newbury.

READING

Thursday December 4 Jongleurs Comedy Club WINDSOR + NICK PAGE + WAYNE DEAKIN + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm Jongleurs Comedy Club WINDSOR + NICK PAGE + WAYNE DEAKIN + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm

Saturday December 6 Jongleurs Comedy Club WINDSOR + NICK PAGE + TREVOR CROOK + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm South Street Arts Centre ANDY ZALTZMAN - SATIRIST FOR HIRE - The British-based half of the global hit topical podcast The Bugle. 8pm

Thursday December 11 Jongleurs Comedy Club DAMIAN CLARK + BRYAN LACEY + STEVE GRIBBIN + IAN MOORE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm Friday December 12

Sat December 13 and Sun December 14 South Street Arts Centre KATHERINE RYAN: GLAM ROLE MODEL 8pm Wednesday December 17

Jongleurs Comedy Club BENNETT ARRON + LUISA OMIELAN + THE

Saturday December 20 Jongleurs Comedy Club JONATHAN MAYOR + NICK PAGE + DANA ALEXANDER + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE - Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm South Street Arts Centre Scoundrels Comedy Club with PHIL NICHOL + MATT REES + PATRICK MORRIS + MC (TBC) 8pm Wednesday December 31 Jongleurs Comedy Club ROGER MONKHOUSE + ADDY VAN DER BORGH + TREVOR CROOK + TOPPING & BUTCH Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:30 pm DANCE

NEWBURY

Friday December 5 Liberty Newbury BALLROOM BLACK & WHITE BALL with Zoey Price - £10otd– 7pm-11pm Saturday December 6 Liberty Newbury CEROC MASQUERADE BALL – 7pm-2am

Friday December 19 to Sunday December 21 Arlington Arts Centre BTUK SWAN LAKE 7:30pm with 2.30pm matinee on Saturday and Sunday and no Sunday evening performance Wednesday December 24 Liberty Newbury Ceroc Xmas Eve Freestyle – 7pm-2am

Saturday December 27 Liberty Newbury CEROC BLACK & WHITE BALL – 7pm-2am Monday December 29 Liberty Newbury LINE DANCING SOCIAL WITH CAROLINE DEWSBURY- £6otd– 7pm-11pm

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Friday December 5 Oakford Social Club MUSIC IS MY BOYFRIEND 8pm - 2 am | Entry DJ Zoe-Anne Sub89 RAM RECORDS W/ ANDY C, CALYX & TEEBEE, LOADSTAR, FRANKEE, DJ PRESSURE + MORE (2 FLOOR EVENT) 10:30pm £15 Saturday December 6

Oakford Social Club FAB FISH FRY + SUNDARA KARMA AFTER PARTY TAKEOVER 8pm - 2 am | Entry Jack Hollywood/ Sundara Karma DJsSo, the old swing dapper chap, Jack Hollywood

Friday December 12 Oakford Social Club DISCO NOUVEAU 8pm - 2 am | Entry DJ Solid Gold Death StarPutting a new spin on disco Saturday December 13 Oakford Social Club POP MODERNISM 8pm - 2 am | Entry DJS Andre Fu and That Other Guy Friday December 19

Oakford Social Club HELLO YOU 8pm - 2 am | Hello You DJs will take you on a journey through time and bass.

Saturday December 20 South Street Arts Centre DARKLANDS CLUB NIGHT playing post-punk, fuzz, C86, Goth, Electronic, Indie pop and Industrial 8pm Oakford Social Club CRAFTY GLANCES 8pm - 2 am | Eclectic party tunes from Hugh Darby and guests.

Friday December 26 Oakford Social Club

The List

Saturday December 13 Jongleurs Comedy Club DAMIAN CLARK + BRYAN LACEY + STEVE GRIBBIN + IAN MOORE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm

Every Saturday The Abbot Cook DJ NIGHT 8pm

Every Friday Face Bar RELOADED CLUB NIGHT 9pm

Music

Jongleurs Comedy Club DAMIAN CLARK + BRYAN LACEY + STEVE GRIBBIN + IAN MOORE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm

Jongleurs Comedy Club JONATHAN MAYOR + NICK PAGE + DANA ALEXANDER + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE Doors 6:45pm Show 8:30pm

Friday December 19

Every Thursday Oakford Social Club REMIX CLUB NIGHT 8pm to 1am Sub89 PROPAGANDA CLUB NIGHT 10.30pm

Arts & Culture

Wednesday December 10 Jongleurs Comedy Club BENNETT ARRON + ALISTAIR BARRIE + NICK PAGE + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm South Street Arts Centre THE Z LIST DEAD LIST WITH COMEDIAN ISZI LAWRENCE 8pm

READING

Food and Drink

Friday December 5

DJ NIGHTS

Thursday December 18 Jongleurs Comedy Club JONATHAN MAYOR + NICK PAGE + DANA ALEXANDER + THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm Olympia COMEDY AND CURRY doors 7pm, curry served at 7.30pm, last admission at 8pm

For Starters

NEWBURY

RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS REVUE Doors 6:45 pm | Show 8:30 pm

Wednesday December 24 Oakford Social Club JINGLE BELL ROCKS 8pm - Late | Entry DJ James Winney

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For Starters

SUCKER PUNCH 8pm - 2 am | Entry DJ ZoeAnne Saturday December 27 Oakford Social Club WALKING IN THE AIR 8pm - 2 am Oakford DJs..

Wednesday December 31 Oakford Social Club NYE KNEES UP! 8pm - 2 am | Entry Oakford DJs FAMILY EVENTS

NEWBURY

Food and Drink

Sunday December 14

Corn Exchange FESTIVAL OF LIGHT: LANTERN PROCESSION Northbrook Street, Newbury Festival of Light: Lantern Procession gathers the community together to share in this stunning winter outdoor event.

READING

Saturday December 6 to Sunday January 4 The Hexagon CINDERELLA - This year's spectacular family panto!

Arts & Culture

FILM

NEWBURY

Friday November 28 to Thurs December 4 Corn Exchange INTERSTELLAR (12A) Corn Exchange Cinema

Friday November 28 to Thurs December 11 Corn Exchange MY OLD LADY (12A) Corn Exchange Cinema

Friday December 5 to Thurs December 11 Corn Exchange THE HOMESMAN (15) Corn Exchange Cinema

Music

Friday December 12 to Tues December 16 Corn Exchange WINTER SLEEP (TBC) Corn Exchange Cinema

Friday December 12 to Weds December 24 Corn Exchange THE IMITATION GAME (12A) Corn Exchange Cinema Friday December 19 to Weds December 31 Corn Exchange PADDINGTON (TBC) Corn Exchange Cinema Tuesday December 23

The List

Corn Exchange IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (U) Corn Exchange Cinema Friday December 26 to Thurs January 1

Corn Exchange THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES

(TBC) Corn Exchange Cinema GIGS AND CONCERTS

HUNGERFORD

Saturday December 13 St. Lawrence's Church DEREK PARAVICINI CONCERT Another chance to see and hear the amazing, born blind pianist - Derek Paravicini.

NEWBURY

Saturday December 6 New Greenham Arts CHRISTMAS NO.1 SINGALONG! 8pm Clap your hands, stamp your feet and laugh along as comedian Rainer Hersch conducts and hosts a brand new Yuletide treat: a jamboree of classic UK Singles Chart Christmas number ones.

Wednesday December 17 Arlington Arts Centre MANDOLINQUENTS: CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA 8pm

Friday December 19 New Greenham Arts BARB JUNGR - A WOMAN TO WOMAN CHRISTMAS - A Christmas treat starring Barb Jungr and Mari Wilson READING

Wednesdays Pavlov’s Dog OPEN MIC 8pm free

The Junction UP THE JUNCTION Acoustic night with 4 artists every week, free entry, 8pm start.

Thursdays The Walkabout OPEN MIC 8pm free - all styles welcome

Tuesday December 2 Sub89 SABATON + KORPIKLAANI + TYR 7pm £16 Purple Turtle FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS + MELLOR + SHOALS 8.30pm

Wednesday December 3 Oakford Social Club BBC Introducing LIVE presents DEATH RATTLE + CAPTIVVES+ ELECTRONIC NOIR 8pm - Late Thursday December 4

Jazz Café AN EVENING WITH PHIL AARON AND DJ £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 Friday December 5

Jazz Café FUNKLINE WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00

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South Street Arts Centre SPIRO 'This is soulful music, passionate music and I love it.' Peter Gabriel 8pm South Street Arts Centre SWEET BABOO & THE PICTISH TRAIL CoHeadline Christmas Tour from Moshi Moshi lablemates + 'Here Are The Young Men & Uncle Peanut' 8pm Saturday December 6

Sub89 THIRSTY! W/ SUNDARA KARMA / FEBUEDER / THE AMAZONS @ The Bowery District 7pm £5 Jazz Café EVOLUTION BAND WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 Rising Sun Arts Centre CLAYSON SINGS CHANSON Doors open 7.30 pm Sunday December 7 Risc and Global Cafe Readifolk presents DOLLY & THE CLOTHESPEGS 8pm £6 Tuesday December 9

Jazz Café BUBLE AND ROBBIE TRIBUTE BY JAMIE TRICK Dinner Including Entry : £32.00 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 South Street Arts Centre MICHAEL CHAPMAN & JAMES BLACKSHAW Double header UK tour with two acclaimed guitarists + support from Sun Skeletons. 8pm

Purple Turtle ADAM & ELVIS + OFF THE RADAR + MELLOR DJ SET 8.30pm Wednesday December 10 Jazz Café LIVE MUSIC EVENING WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £35.00 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 Oakford Social Club BBC Introducing LIVE presents HELGHYER + KHAMSINA + BRUCE NEIL 8pm - Late Thursday December 11 Jazz Café FUNKLAB BAND WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00

Friday December 12 Sub89 MARTIN SMITH (DELERIOUS?) 7pm @ The Bowery District £12 Jazz Café SHOWCASE MADISON HEIGHTS WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 South Street Arts Centre FLOYDIAN DOORS - Tribute to the Doors and Pink Floyd doors 8pm

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Greyfriars Church MESSIAH by George Frideric Handel 7.30 pm Jazz Café SIR DUKE WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 Queens Arms Club Velocity/Malfunction/TBC presents A VERY DEEP HOLE + NOISE TRADE + TAPE IT SHUT + NOT FIT FOR HUMANS 8pm 18 plus £5 (door) £4 (advance) www.wegottickets.co.uk Oakford Social Club SPEAK EASY OPEN MIC 7pm - 10pm Risc and Global Cafe Readifolk presents JOHN KIRKPATRICK ‘CAROLLING & CRUMPETS’ 8pm £6 (www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk) Monday December 15 Sub89 FISH 7:30pm £22.50

Wednesday December 17 Jazz Café LIVE MUSIC WITH BAND AND DJ Dinner Including Entry : £35 Entry Only Tickets : £12

Oakford Social Club BBC Introducing LIVE presents DONKEY & THE TULIP + TALULAH + KILLSONE DAY 8pm Late

Sunday December 21 Risc and Global Cafe READIFOLK CHRISTMAS PARTY 8pm £2 The celebrations continue here. Come and enjoy the music and the festive fare.

Monday December 22

Sub89 BBC Introducing Xmas Party w/ THE PARADES, SALTWATER SUN, JACK ROBERT HARDMAN, LA TRAPPISTINE, PALM HONEY, & AREA 52 *FREE ENTRY!* 7pm Tuesday December 23 Sub89 BAD MANNERS (Xmas show!) 7:30pm £15 Sunday December 28 Risc and Global Cafe READIFOLK SINGERS NIGHt 8pm £2

Wednesday December 31 Jazz Café NEW YEARS EVE PARTY WITH THE ORIGINALS AND DJ Doors open from 9pm Dinner Including Entry : £35.00 Entry Only Tickets : £25.00 QUIZ NIGHT

READING

Mondays Oakford Social Club THE OAKFORD SOCIAL PUB QUIZ 8pm - Late | Entry £1 per person to playA quiz designed to flex your brain and give one lucky...

TALKS AND POETRY

THEATRE

Thurs November 20 to Sun January 4 The Watermill Theatre PETER PAN the Watermill’s annual Christmas show. Check with venue for times and prices.

Friday December 5 and Sat December 6 Arlington Arts Centre WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND 7:30pm with Saturday matinee at 2.30pm READING

Thursday December 4 South Street Arts Centre TOOT - BE HERE NOW - New theatre show from the creators of 'Ten out of Ten' 8pm

Thursday December 11 South Street Arts Centre Reading Fringe Festival and Out of the Box Productions present ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A RADIO PLAY’ by Antony E. Palermo. doors open at 7pm; show at 7.45pm Weds December 17 to Sat January 3 Reading Repertory Theatre 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS THEATRICAL SCREENINGS

NEWBURY

Sunday December 7

Corn Exchange BOLSHOI ENCORE: LA BAYADÈRE - SOLD OUT

Tuesday December 9 Corn Exchange NT LIVE: JOHN Corn Exchange Cinema Internationally renowned DV8 Physical Theatre bring their powerful new production to the National Theatre.

Sunday December 21 Corn Exchange BOLSHOI LIVE: THE NUTCRACKER - SOLD OUT

VINTAGE FAIRS AND CRAFT MARKETS

READING

Saturday December 13 South Street Arts Centre A.F.HARROLD & ELVIS MCGONAGALL: TALK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE - A rare opportunity to see two of this generation’s finest poetic talents waste your time live on stage! 8pm

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READING

Saturday December 6

Oakford Social Club HELLO MARGARET'S POP UP EMPORIUM 12pm- 5pm

The List

Friday December 19 South Street Arts Centre READIPOP CHRISTMAS HOOTENANNY doors 7.30pm Jazz Café KEY NOTE BLUE BAND WITH DJ - Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets :

NEWBURY

Music

Thursday December 18 Jazz Café THE ORIGINALS + DJ - Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 South Street Arts Centre THIRDSDAY BLUES - SERIOUS BLUES: SAM KELLY WITH FRANKIE CONNOLLY & ANDY HODGE Monthly Blues Night 8pm

Jazz Café SHOWCASE - CHAIN GANG WITH DJ Dinner Including Entry : £44.50 Entry Only Tickets : £12.00 Rising Sun Arts Centre Club Velocity/Bandoramma presents BEAR & THE WOODS + BURNT TOMORROW + DAMIEN A PASSMORE AND THE LOVEABLE FRAUDSTERS 8pm All Ages £5 (door) £4 (advance) www.wegottickets.co.uk

Saturday December 20

Arts & Culture

Tuesday December 16 Sub89 CAST W/ JOHN MCULLAGH & VIOLET CLASS 7:30pm £17.50 Concert Hall THE SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA PRESENTS MISTLETOE AND MILLER 7.30pm Purple Turtle MELLOR + TIBET 8.30pm

Friday December 19 South Street Arts Centre Poets' Cafe - SUSAN UTTING, CLAIRE DYER & LESLEY SAUNDERS - Monthly poetry night hosted by A F Harrold doors 8pm

Food and Drink

Sunday December 14

£12.00 Queens Arms LAUNCH CONTROL + THE COTTONETTES + TERRICS + HORSE ROCL Doors 8pm 18 plus £5 (door) £4 (advance) www.wegottickets.co.uk

For Starters

Saturday December 13 Concert Hall THE SIXTEEN & HARRY CHRISTOPHERS Classical Music Alive 7.30pm

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

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Marmozets at the O2

The story of Marmozets is the story of how two sets of siblings battled together to fully deserve their reputation as one of Britain’s brightest new hopes.

Already being tipped for the top, the band’s growing reputation was underlined by their recent closing night headline set on the Glastonbury BBC Introducing stage. The next landmark wasvthe release of the band’s long-awaited debut album ‘THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL MARMOZETS’ which in September through Roadrunner Records Produced by former Hundred Reasons guitarist Larry Hibbitt, the album emphasises Marmozets’ growing skill in developing a broad range of styles, including the punk rock assault of ‘Cover Up’, and ‘Born Young And Free’, the brooding dynamic contrasts which feature on ‘Captivate You’, the visceral aggression of ‘Why Do You Hate Me?’ and the soaring progressive epic ‘Cry’. In essence the album captures the riotous energy of their live show

with complex melodies, compelling vocals and massive riffs.

They comprise of Becca MacIntyre (vocals), her siblings Sam (guitar) and Josh (drums), as well as the Bottomley brothers Jack and Will (on guitar and bass respectively).

“The only way you’re going to go up is to keep training yourselves, both individually and as a band,” says Sam with the steely determination that has allowed Marmozets to grow from selfconfessed “crazy, cheeky kids” to a band who really matter to a growing army of devotees. “We haven’t come from out of nowhere, we’re not messing about: this is our lives.”

Having played Reading You will be able to catch Marmozets at Oxford’s O2 Academy on Sunday December 14 along with Lonely The Brave.

Get tickets now.

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ART EXHIBITION AND CRAFTS Tues December 2 and Weds December 3 Oxford Business Park WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOPS free CABARET OXFORD

Every Thursday East Oxford Community Centre, Cowley Rd CATWEAZLE CLUB 8pm to 11pm the city’s longest running and best cabaret show OXFORD

Tues December 2 to Sat December 6 Bonn Square GUIDE DOGS CHARITY PROMOTION 9am to 5pm.

Sat December 13 Bonn Square CHARITY ROW TO THE NORTH POLE 9am to 6 pm. Charitable “rowing machine” row for athletes of Hinksey Sculling School. www.hinkseysculling.org.uk COMEDY

OXFORD

Saturday December 6 Glee Club The Best In Live Stand-up Comedy featuring SOL BERNSTEIN + JIM TAVARE + ANDY ROBINSON + CAREY MARX 8pm

Friday December 19 Glee Club Christmas Party Night: Comedy Show + After Party featuring JIMMY MCGHIE + LLOYD LANGFORD + MARLON DAVIS 8pm This show is now sold out. Cancellation tickets may be bought on the door until the last entry time below, subject to availability.

Saturday December 20 Glee Club The Best In Live Stand-up Comedy presents JIMMY MCGHIE + LLOYD LANGFORD + MARLON DAVIS + JOJO SMITH 8pm Saturday December 27 Glee Club The Best In Live Stand-up Comedy presents COMIC TO BE CONFIRMED + COMIC TO BE CONFIRMED + SIMON CLAYTON + JOJO SMITH 8pm Wednesday December 31 Glee Club New Year's Eve Show - The Best In Live Stand-Up Comedy ANDREW BIRD + CHARLIE BAKER + TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + JIM TAVARE 8pm

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DJ NIGHTS/DISCO OXFORD

Every Wednesday O2 Academy, Cowley Road 0844 4772000 BROOKES BIG NIGHT OUT w/ Dub Focus - Students only 10.30pm to 2am O2 Academy 2, Cowley Road 190 CLUB NIGHT 10pm to 2am Over 18s Every Friday O2 Academy, Cowley Road 0844 4772000 SWITCH DJ NIGHT 11pm

Every Saturday O2 Academy, Cowley Road Tel - 0844 4772000 PROPAGANDA + TRASHY + ROOM 101 + JACK FM Oxford’s biggest indie night. 18+ 10:30pm £5-£6 The Cellar, Frewin Court EXTRA CURRICULAR weekly electronic and bass-heavy music night FREE B4 11pm £5after Tuesday December 2 Cellar Bar, Frewin Court BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE 10:30pm3am / £5/£3 before 11pm or with flyer

Friday December 5 O2 Academy Oxford SWITCH FEATURING HANNAH WANTS + EZ 11:00 pm - 4:00 am £13

Saturday December 6 O2 Academy Oxford SOCIETY FT. ZANE LOWE 10:30 pm - 3:00 am £11 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) SIMPLE: PANGAEA (HESSLE AUDIO) 11:00 pm - 2:00 am Cellar Bar, Frewin Court LATE SLOT: WHAT YOU CALL IT, GARAGE?!

11pm-3am / £5 with CHARRIS & B-ILL, NAUGHTY NATH, RAMSAY, ELEMENTS

The List

Thursday December 11 Old Fire Station SARA PASCOE VS HISTORY 7.30pm Glee Club Christmas Party Night: Comedy Show + After Party featuring IAN MOORE + PAUL MCCAFFREY + MICKEY D 8pm This show is

Thursday December 18 Glee Club Christmas Party Night: Comedy Show + After Party featuring JIMMY MCGHIE + LLOYD LANGFORD + MARLON DAVIS 8pm

Tuesday December 2 New Theatre OXFORDSHIRE SCHOOLS DANCE FESTIVAL 7.30pm

Music

Friday December 5 New Theatre JIMMY CARR 8pm Glee Club Christmas Party Night: Comedy Show + After Party featuring SOL BERNSTEIN + JIM TAVARE + ANDY ROBINSON 8pm

Wednesday December 17 Glee Club Christmas Party Night: Comedy Show + After Party featuring JIMMY MCGHIE + JOHN FOTHERGILL + MARLON DAVIS 8pm

DANCE

OXFORD

Arts & Culture

Sunday December 7 Across Oxford SANTA FUN RUN starting in Catte Street, from 8.30 am to 10.15 am. Participants in this 2 mile fun run around the city centre will be dressed as Santa. www.helenanddouglas.org.uk

Saturday December 13 Glee Club The Best In Live Stand-up Comedy featuring IAN MOORE + PAUL MCCAFFREY + MICKEY D + PAUL THORNE 8pm

Wednesday December 10 Fat Lil's MONTHLY COMEDY SHOW 7.30pm Adv: £8 / Door: £10

Food and Drink

CHARITY EVENTS

Friday December 12 Old Fire Station The END OF THE WORLD Science Cabaret 7.30pm Science Oxford presents Glee Club Christmas Party Night: Comedy Show + After Party featuring IAN MOORE + PAUL MCCAFFREY + MICKEY D 8pm This show is now sold out. Cancellation tickets may be bought on the door until the last entry time below, subject to availability.

WITNEY

For Starters

OXFORD

now sold out. Cancellation tickets may be bought on the door until the last entry time below, subject to availability.

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

Ocelot102 25/11/2014 01:17 Page 52

Tuesday December 9 Cellar Bar, Frewin Court INTRUSION with Resident DJs DOKTOR JOY + BOOKHOUSE + Guests 8.30pm2am / £4 otd Goth / EBM / Industrial

Friday December 12 Cellar Bar, Frewin Court BOSSAPHONIK 10pm - 3am, band on at 11pm / £6 adv (+ 60p booking fee) / £7 otd Live: JALI FILI CISSOKHO + BOSSAPHONIK RESIDENT DJ DAN OFER AND GUEST DJ VOLTA 45 (THE GOLDEN STOOL PROJECT) Saturday December 13 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) BEDROCK ROCK CLUB 11:00 pm - 2:00 am

Friday December 19 O2 Academy Oxford THE CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB + TEMPLE FUNK COLLECTIVE (LIVE) + COUNT SKYLARKIN + TONY ‘NAKED’ NANTON + FAJITA FUNK 9:00 pm - 3:00 am £16 / £13 (early bird) Cellar Bar, Frewin Court FLUID’S CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 10pm-3am / £5 adv £7 otd DJ Q ALL NIGHT LONG Bass / Garage / House 10pm-11pm.

Saturday December 20 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) SIMPLE & HOUSEWURK: GRANT NELSON 11:00 pm - 2:00 am

Saturday December 27 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) A NITE OF MUSIC: WHITE MAGIC SOUND + HOUSE OF ROOTS 11:00 pm - 2:00 am

Wednesday December 31 Cellar Bar, Frewin Court NYE with SKYLARKIN' SOUNDSYSTEM Details tbc O2 Academy Oxford SWITCH NYE WITH WILKINSON 9:30 pm - 4:00 am£12 (early bird) / £15 (advance) WITNEY Fat Lil's FAT LIL'S NEW YEAR PARTY 8pm £15 FAMILY EVENTS

DIDCOT

The List

Sunday December 7 Cornerstone Arts HANSEL AND GRETEL 2:00pm £8/£6

Mon December 15 to Weds December 24 Cornerstone Arts THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA

CLAUS £12/£9

OXFORD

Friday December 5 to Sunday January 4 Pegasus Theatre THE SNOW QUEEN by Mike Kenny £ 6 £18 The Pegasus Christmas show. A frozen adventure.

Fri December 5 to Sun January 18 Oxford Playhouse BEAUTY & THE BEAST various times Fri December 5 to Sat January 10 North Wall Arts Centre THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS with CREATION THEATRE Various times

Saturday December 6 Rose Hill ROSE HILL CHRISTMAS PARTY. The Christmas tree lights will be switched on, and there will be music and singing around the tree dependant on weather conditions. www.greensquare.com

Sunday December 7 Pegasus Theatre Funday Sundays: Puppets Go Wild present THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN £ 5 Adult, £3 child 11 am & 2 pm

Thurs December 11 to Sun January 4 Burton Taylor Studio HURRY UP, FATHER CHRISTMAS! -The sleigh isn’t polished and the reindeer aren’t fed, Father Christmas has lost his keys and now the magic dust has run out – oh no! Hurry up, Father Christmas! There’s lots to do and it’s time to go!

GIGS AND CONCERTS

ABINGDON

Mondays Old Anchor Inn MONDAY NIGHT MUSIC GROUP (folk singing, poetry reading etc). 8:30pm and all welcome Tuesdays Old Anchor Inn OPEN MIC NIGHT 8:30pm all welcome Saturdays Old Anchor Inn LIVE BANDS 9pm free DIDCOT

Saturday December 6 Cornerstone Arts BELLA HARDY (Winner BBC Radio 2 Folk Award’s Folk Singer of The Year 2014) Show 8pm Tickets £14.50/£13 conc. Tel. 01235 515144 www.cornerstone-arts.org

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Friday December 12 Cornerstone Arts COOPE, SIMPSON, FRASER AND FREYA: HARK HARK 8pm £14.50/£13

Saturday December 13 Cornerstone Arts WHAT A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS 2:00pm Christmas sing-along gorgeousness £14.50 /£13

OXFORD

Every Sunday The Crown, Cornmarket Street JAZZ AT THE CROWN with OXFORD JAZZ KITCHEN 4pm to 6pm free The Harcourt Arms, Jericho HOAM OPEN MIC 8pm Free The Old Bookbinders Arms, Victor Street BOOKIE’S OPEN MIC hosted by Chris Padmore 8pm Free Monday December 1 Purple Turtle Union Bar FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS 7:00 pm 11:00 pm £2 (crazy early bird) / £4 (early bird) / £6 New Theatre RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC 7.30pm The Retreat BLUE MONDAY WITH JASON MANNERS! 8.30pm – 11pm Open Blues session.

Perform, jam along or just listen.

Jericho Tavern Famous Monday Blues Club presents THE DELLA GRANTS (UK) 9pm £10

Tuesday December 2 Old Fire Station MYCELIUM 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm £8 / £6 (concessions) The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) STUART HENDERSON QUARTET 8:30 pm 10:30 pm Free Wednesday December 3 St John the Evangelist Church SIMPLY GERSHWIN 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm £16.50 (advance) / £18 (door) / £5.50 (students, advance) / £6 (students, door) Thursday December 4 New Theatre THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN 7.30pm The Retreat LEWIS COHEN & LEANNE THOROSE 8.30pm – 11pm Brilliant Blues.

Friday December 5 O2 Academy 2 The Wall Of Floyd (Pink Floyd tribute band) 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm £18

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Tuesday December 9 Old Fire Station THIRD BIRTHDAY BASH - Where have three years gone? Help us celebrate our third birthday at our Birthday Bash!

The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) ALVIN ROY’S REEDS UNLIMITED 8:30 pm 10:30 pm Free

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Tuesday December 16 O2 Academy 2 THE WONDER STUFF (ACOUSTIC) + MARK MORRISS 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £15 O2 Academy Oxford HOZIER 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £14 St John the Evangelist Church MADDY PRIOR AND THE CARNIVAL BAND: CAROLS AND CAPERS 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm £20 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) HUGH TURNER BAND 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm Free

Wednesday December 17 O2 Academy 2 ’68 + TROPHY SCARS 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £9

Thursday December 18 St John the Evangelist Church THE SIXTEEN – A CHRISTMAS CAROL 7:45 pm - 10:30 pm £40 - £10, student concessions Cellar Bar, Frewin Court IDIOT KING CHRISTMAS PARTY: SALVATION BILL + KANCHO 8:00 pm 11:00 pm The Retreat DOLLY AND T’ CLOTHESPEGS 8.30pm – 11pm Tunes from Alan Lomax & Richard Lucas. Muz’s ugly stick. Dolly’s sultry voice.

Yee Ha!

Friday December 19 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) CROWS 7:00 pm - 10:30 pm O2 Academy 2 THE ORIGINAL RABBIT FOOT SPASM BAND + THE LONG INSIDERS + THE SHELLAC COLLECTIVE + THE SHAPES 8:00 pm - 12:00am £7.50 Saturday December 20 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) THE BEAT 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm £18 (advance)

The List

Wednesday December 10 O2 Academy Oxford THE ENEMY + THE TWANG + JAWS 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £20 O2 Academy 2

Saturday December 13 O2 Academy Oxford METHOD MAN & REDMAN + M.O.P. 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm £26.50 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) AUTUMN SAINTS 7:00 pm - 10:30 pm East Oxford Community Centre IRREGULAR FOLK’S VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH WOODEN ARMS + MAGIC LANTERN + FLIGHTS OF HELIOS 7:30 pm - 12:00 am £8 (advance, mailing list members) / £10 (advance) / £12 (door) Old Fire Station MAMBO, MAMBO, MAMBO 7.30pm - An all-star 9 piece latin soul and Barrio funk band, Manchester-based Bugalu

Monday December 15 Jericho Tavern Famous Monday Blues XMAS PARTY with 24 PESO’S, STEAMROLLER & GUESTS 8.30pm £10

Music

Monday December 8 O2 Academy 2 CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN 7:00 pm 11:00 pm £9 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) OLI BROWN’S RAVENEYE 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Cellar Bar, Frewin Court BURIED IN SMOKE LONG XMAS WEEKENDER WITH CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX 8pm - 11pm

Friday December 12 O2 Academy Oxford SAXON (WARRIORS OF THE ROAD 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR) + HELL + BEYOND THE BLACK 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm £26 O2 Academy 2 It's All About The Music: IAATM XMAS PARTY & AWARDS CEREMONY WITH FRACTURE + STROKE OF LUCK + STORYTELLER + ROCKY VALLEY, RAYZO 6.00pm The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) THE LOST ARTS + SEA STACKS 7:00 pm 10:30pm Wheatsheaf, High Street Gappy Tooth Industries presents VOLKENFUNK + GEMMA MOSS + NONSTOP TANGO +THE SHAPES £4.50 on the door

Sunday December 14 O2 Academy Oxford Taking Back Sunday featuring MARMOZETS + BLITZ KIDS 7:00 pm 11:00 pm £18.50

Arts & Culture

Sunday December 7 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) BURIED IN SMOKE LONG XMAS WEEKENDER WITH WAR WOLF + MINE AND MORE 3pm - 11pm O2 Academy Oxford ALABAMA 3 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £18.50

Thursday December 11 O2 Academy Oxford FOXES 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £12 Jacqueline de Pre Music Building BEETHOVEN VIOLIN SONATAS II – OSOSTOWICZ (VIOLIN), TONG (PIANO) 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm £20 (gallery) / £15 (stalls) / £5 (student) The Retreat FLEUR STEVENSON & HUGH TURNER 8.30pm – 11pm

Foundation, The Retreat JASON MANNERS & 3 BUCK SHIRT 8.30pm – 11pm Fantastic blues!

Food and Drink

Saturday December 6 Wheatsheaf, High Street BURIED IN SMOKE LONG XMAS WEEKENDER WITH HARK + SLABDRAGGER AND MORE 3:00 pm 11:00 pm O2 Academy 2 UK FOO FIGHTERS 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm £10 New Theatre BUDDY HOLLY AND THE CRICKETERS 7.30pm Cellar Bar, Frewin Court ADAM BARNES + WILLIE J HEALEY + JESS HALL 7.30pm / £6 in adv / £7otd

BOB LOG III 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £10 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) STEAMROLLER 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Jacqueline de Pre Music Building BEETHOVEN VIOLIN SONATAS I – OSOSTOWICZ (VIOLIN), TONG (PIANO) 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm £20 (gallery) / £15 (stalls) / £5 (student) Wheatsheaf, High Street MOSHKA’S XMAS BALL WITH MONKFISH + SPACE HEROES OF THE PEOPLE AND MORE 7:45 pm - 11:00 pm

For Starters

O2 Academy Oxford EMBRACE + NGOD 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm £19.50 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) DREADZONE 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm £16 (advance) Cellar Bar, Frewin Court JEWELS + JAMIE JOSEPH + DIRTY DUBSTERS + COUNT SKYLARKIN 9:00 pm - 3:00 am £5 (early bird advance) / £6 (advance) / £7 (door)

Food and Drink

For Starters

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Cellar Bar, Frewin Court OXROX CHRISTMAS PARTY (DOLLY REUNION) TERMINUS + DJ KRUSHER JOULE 7pm / £6 adv more on the door

Tuesday December 23 The Retreat THE RETREAT SINGERS – XMAS CAROLS 8pm-11pm The spirit of Xmas comes to The Retreat. Carol sheets provided if you want to join in.

The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) STUART HENDERSON QUARTET 8:30 pm 10:30 pm Free Sunday December 28 The Retreat SIMON PRICE & HIS BAND 3-5pm

Monday December 29 O2 Academy ALEXANDER O’NEAL 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £25 Tuesday December 30 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) GUITAR SUMMIT 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm Free

Arts & Culture

WITNEY

Wednesday December 3 Fat Lil's MONTHLY ACOUSTIC LOUNGE 8pm. Free Saturday December 6 Fat Lil's HAIRFORCE 5 8pm £6

Thursday December 11 Fat Lil's THE GLOVEBOX / RAPTURE CHRISTMAS PARTY 7.30pm £6

Music

Friday December 12 Cogges Manor Farm CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT 7pm Fat Lil's BON GIOVI 8pm £10 Saturday December 13 Fat Lil's W.A.M. 8pm £4

Friday December 19 Fat Lil's DIRTY EARTH BAND XMAS SPECIAL 8pm £7

The List

Saturday December 20 Fat Lil's FUSED 8pm £5

Sunday December 28 Fat Lil's MONTHLY BLUES JAM 3pm Free

SPORTING EVENTS OXFORD

Saturday December 13 Venues across Oxford SEAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP in Horspath and Shotover Parks from 11.30am. Secondary schools cross country event.

THEATRE

OXFORD

Fri December 5 to Sat December 6 Old Fire Station FARAWAY, SO CLOSE - Three young friends, three national identities – Israeli, Palestinian, British – reconnect after ten years...

Tues December 9 to Sat January 3 New Theatre DIRTY DANCING (7.30pm Tuesday – Thursday & Saturday / 5pm & 8.30pm Fridays / 2.30pm on Christmas Eve / 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Boxing Day / 2.30pm & 7.30pm on January 2)

Tues December 16 to Sat December 20 Old Fire Station HAY FEVER - This December, Oxford Theatre Guild brings Summer to Oxford with a classic Coward romp

VINTAGE FAIRS AND CRAFT MARKETS

OXFORD

Sat December 6 to Sun December 7 Broad Street OXFORD ARTS MARKET from 9am-5pm.

This Street Market features local artists, designers and craft makers supporting small scale creative industries from Oxfordshire. www.boffyartsandevents.com Thurs December 11 to Sun December 21 Broad Street OXFORD CHRISTMAS MARKET from 10am to 7pm. Oxford's Christmas market will have nearly 50 vendors selling Christmas gifts, seasonal treats, and entertainment, giving the city centre an atmosphere of Christmas. www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk WITNEY

Sunday December 7 Cogges Manor Farm COGGES WINTER FAYRE AND MARKET 10.30am - 4pm. Meet Father Christmas in the back kitchen with an open fire and present for every child.The Christmas market in the barns will host stalls from

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local businesses, crafters and makers offering hand made gifts, festive decor, garlands made to order as well as local produce, speciality local beers and ciders, gift bags and hampers from local breweries. £1 entry to farm and grounds, manor house and market in the barns.

(Father Christmas will be extra).

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Europe in Photographs

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

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The work of four contemporary photographers will form the first photography exhibition to be staged at the Vaults Arts Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, Friday 5th December – Sunday 7th December.

Rene Daru, Matt Lavigne Smith, Georgia Foreman and Dave Garwood will show images that include monochrome shots of Eastern Europe in the nineteen-nineties and lively Parisian city scenes captured this year, at times presented in unusual and challenging formats. The show is sponsored by Ruby Red Wines, the independent wine merchant based in Bradford-on-Avon.

Renee Daru will be showcasing a collection of black and white photographs taken in Poland and Hungary between 1996-1998 which she processed and printed herself. She studied photography in New Zealand in the early nineties, and has previously exhibited in Norwich and London, including a show at the prestigious Michael Hoppen Gallery in Chelsea.

Matt Lavigne Smith graduated from the University of Creative Arts, Farnham this year. He will be exhibiting a collection of photographs taken using double exposure, which layers two photographs into one image. This effective technique unifies his

collection in a unique style which challenges traditional photography.

Georgia Foreman is a recent graduate from Norwich Arts University and is now establishing herself as a professional photographer. Taken on an analogue Olympus OM-1N film camera, Georgia's collection juxtaposes photographs of busy city scenes in Paris, Florence and Venice with photographs of rural and coastal landscapes in Norfolk.

Dave Garwood is part of the Bradford-on-Avon Photography Group and has previously exhibited work at the Tithe Barn Workshops, Bradford-onAvon. He will be showcasing a collection of unseen photographs taken in Venice.

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ART EXHIBITIONS & CRAFTS Friday November 14 Salisbury Arts Centre VIRTUAL WORLDS - Free - A digital exhibition uniting three artists who connect real and virtual worlds.

SWINDON

Wednesdays Riffs Bar, Greatfield ART CLASSES WITH MIKE YORK 6.30pm Fridays

CABARET

SWINDON

Monday December 1

Wyvern Theatre MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC 7PM in the Wyvern Restaurant

Friday December 19 Swindon Arts Centre CABARET- LADIES NIGHT 7.30pm

Saturday December 27 Wyvern Theatre CHRISTMAS CABARET 7.30pm in Wyvern Restaurant COMEDY

CHIPPENHAM

First Sunday of every month Old Road Tavern COMEDY CLUB 8pm Thursday December 4

Bear Hotel, Market Place MOONRAKERS COMEDY CLUB £20adv/£25 on the door - 8.30pm - 2am – Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Comedy 8.30pm - £10 in advance or on door with OMAR HAMDI, NJAMBI MCGRATH & HEADLINER: ANDREW WATTS SALISBURY

Thursday December 4 Swindon Arts Centre SARA PASCOE 8pm DANCE

SALISBURY

Saturday December 6 Salisbury Arts Centre SALSA AND LA RUEDA WITH KEEN DANCE Couples Salsa and group La Rueda with Keen Dance.

DJ NIGHTS

BRADFORD ON AVON

Sunday December 21 Three Horseshoes DJ GRAHAM 8.30pm free CORSHAM

Thursday December 18

Royal Oak of Corsham XMAS PARTY NIGHT Floor spots. FREE entry.

8pm MARLBOROUGH

FAMILY EVENTS

MARLBOROUGH

Thurs December 11 and Fri December 12 Theatre on the Hill ALICE IN WONDERLAND- the Pantomime - St John’s Sixth Form production at 7pm - Tickets are £6 for Adults and £4 for concessions SALISBURY

Weds December 3 to Sat January 10 2015 Salisbury Playhouse MOTHER GOOSE - Check times with venue

Saturday December 13 Salisbury Arts Centre HOODWINK'S WINTER WONDERLAND - An evening of snow, dancing, snow, games and more snow with resident theatre company Hoodwink.

Sunday December 21 Salisbury Arts Centre CINDER-ELLA - Check times - A witty reworking of Cinderella for four to eight year olds and grown ups too.

SWINDON

Sat December 6 to Sun January 4 Wyvern Theatre DICK WHITTINGTON check times

Monday December 22 to Sun December 28 Swindon Arts Centre DEAR SANTA check times with venue FILM

MARLBOROUGH

Fridays

AZUZA, Hughendon Yard Tel - 01672 513380 TOP DJS 11pm to 2.30am only £2 all night. Drink promos...

Saturdays

AZUZA, Hughendon Yard Tel - 01672 513380 TOP DJS 11pm to 3am £3 before midnight £4 after SALISBURY

Saturday December 13 Salisbury City Hall ENJOY YOURSELF – TERRY HALL DJ SET 8pm

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Thursday December 4

Marlborough Town Hall Marlborough Downs Movies present THE INVISIBLE WOMAN (12A) 7.30pm £5 in advance £6 on door, are available from The White Horse Bookshop Sound Knowledge or www.kvat.co.uk Friday December 12 Marlborough Town Hall MAMMA MIA! FILM NIGHT 7pm for 7.30 £5 SALISBURY Thursday December 4

The List

Saturday December 6 Salisbury Arts Centre Christmas Cheer - An entertaining and humurous look at what Christmas is all about featuring Carols, Christmas music and sketches

Monday December 1 The Vic THE OCELOT COMEDY NIGHT WITH MATT GREEN + SY THOMAS + ARCHIE MADDOCKS + STUART NEWPORT + TIM O'CONNOR 8pm free

Friday December 26 The Vic CHRISTMAS DISCO SPECIAL 8pm free

Music

DEVIZES

SWINDON

Wednesday December 24 The Vic CHRISTMAS EVE DISCO 8pm free

Arts & Culture

Thursday December 18 Swindon Arts Centre A NIGHT OF BURLESQUE 7.30pm

Sunday December 21 Salisbury City Hall FRANK SKINNER – MAN IN A SUIT 7.30pm £27.50

SWINDON

Food and Drink

Riffs Bar, Greatfield CAFE @ RIFFS 10am - 2pm - Crafty Coffee morning

Friday December 12 Salisbury Arts Centre MATT PARKER: 'NOW IN 4D' - The Number Ninja returns, this time in 4D, with lively standup and mind-boggling maths.

£10 Limited Edition, £16 in advance and £18 on the door. Strictly 18+ only. 4

For Starters

SALISBURY

Salisbury City Hall OMID DJALILI - IRANALAMADINGDONG 8pm £23

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Food and Drink

For Starters

Salisbury Arts Centre OMAR - A tense and gripping story of love and war in the Occupied territories.

Wednesday December 10 Salisbury Arts Centre Community Films: 'AN OLD SARUM ODYSSEY' AND 'BEMERTON HEARTH ARTIFICIAL THINGS' Salisbury Arts Centre LILTING - A powerful tale of culture clash, miscommunication and connection against all odds.

Saturday December 20 Salisbury Arts Centre HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 - A mythical animated tale of burly Vikings and wild dragons, based on the book by Cressida Cowell.

SWINDON

Wednesday December 3 Swindon Arts Centre SWINDON FILM SOCIETY-THE GREAT BEAUTY 7:45 PM Wednesday December 17 Swindon Arts Centre SWINDON FILM SOCIETY-THE LUNCHBOX 7:45 PM

Arts & Culture

Tuesday December 9

The Swan THE CLEVERLY BROTHERS - the farntarstic duo from Radstock return! Floor spots. Free entry.

8pm.

Saturday December 13

Rising Sun BLUES SESSION 8.30pm free Three Horseshoes DIRTY PUBLIC 8.30pm free

Sunday December 14 Three Horseshoes JAMES HOLLINGSWORTH 8.30pm free

Tuesday December 16 The Swan BRADFORD ON AVON FOLK CLUB SINGAROUND AND XMAS PARTY - Bring & share. Floor spots. Free entry. 8pm.

Monday December 1 The Lamb Inn, Devizes DEVIZES FOLK CLUB ALL WELCOME NIGHT Lots of floor spots. Raffle. £4. 8pm.

Friday December 5 Bear Hotel, Market Place WILL BLAKE – Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm - £5 Sunday December 7 Bear Hotel, Market Place JAZZ SUNDAY LUNCH WITH JON WALSH – Bear Grills Bistro & Bar – Noon – 2.30pmbook your table with Reception Monday December 8

The Lamb Inn, Devizes DEVIZES FOLK CLUB LOCAL GUEST NIGHT Lots of floor spots. Raffle. £6. 8pm.

Friday December 12 Bear Hotel, Market Place BLUES REVIEWED – Cellar Bar– Doors 8pm – Music 9pm - £5.00

Thursday December 18

Wednesday December 24 Bear Hotel, Market Place CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER IN LAMBTONS £55

Friday December 19 Three Horseshoes FAR-CUE 8.30pm free

Friday December 19

Wednesday December 10 Wyvern Theatre REAL ALE TASTING in the Wyvern Restaurant

CHIPPENHAM

DEVIZES

SWINDON

Monday December 15 Wyvern Theatre WINE TASTING in Wyvern Restaurant

The Swan BLUES NIGHT 8.30pm free

Saturday December 20 Three Horseshoes FRENZY 8.30pm free

Second Sunday of the month Old Road Tavern FRENCH OPEN FOLK SESSION 8pm free

ASHTON KEYNES

Third Sunday of the month Old Road Tavern OPEN FOLK SESSION 8pm free

BRADFORD ON AVON

CORSHAM

The Swan Bradford on Avon Folk Club SINGAROUND – Floor spots. Free entry. 8pm

Royal Oak of Corsham Acoustic Oak presents SINGERS NIGHT - Floor spots. £2 entry. 8pm

GIGS AND CONCERTS

Music

Sunday December 7 Three Horseshoes THE MIKE HODDINOTT BLUES ALL-STARS 8.30pm free

DEVIZES

Monday December 15 The Lamb Inn, Devizes DEVIZES FOLK CLUB END OF YEAR PARTY NIGHT – Lots of floor spots. Raffle. £4. 8pm.

FOOD AND DRINK EVENTS

The List

Saturday December 6 Three Horseshoes BROKEN SILENCE 8.30pm free

First Sunday of the month White Hart OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm free

Fourth Sunday of the month Old Road Tavern OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm free

Tuesday December 2

Thursday December 4

Friday December 5

Thursday December 11

Three Horseshoes 50 SHADES OF PUNK 8.30pm free

Royal Oak of Corsham Acoustic Oak presents SINGERS NIGHT - Floor spots. £2 entry. 8pm

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Thursday December 18 Bear Hotel, Market Place OPEN MIC NIGHT – Cellar Bar – Doors 7.30pm – Free entry

Bear Hotel, Market Place BENJI CLEMENTS BAND – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm – Tickets in advance and on the door £5.00

Friday December 26 Bear Hotel, Market Place BOXING DAY BRUNCH WITH SWEET SWING TRIO – Doors 10am – 4pm. Lunch from 11.30am – Tickets £25.00 Wednesday December 31 Bear Hotel, Market Place NEW YEARS EVE DINNER IN BEAR GRILLS BISTRO FOLLOWED BY TEDDY WHITE BAND in Cellar Bar Music from 9.30pm – 1am £45.00 Music only £15.00 MARLBOROUGH

Saturday December 6 Green Dragon MISSIN' ROSIE 8.30pm free A MIX OF FOLK, ROCK, POP, JAZZ AND MORE Saturday December 20

Marlborough Rugby Club THE VOOZ 8.30pm free

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Saturday December 27 Marlborough Rugby Club LOG OFF 8.30pm free

Marlborough Rugby Club NEW YEARS EVE PARTY 8pm SALISBURY

Friday December 5 Salisbury Arts Centre THE WURZELS CHRISTMAS SHOW - The Legends of the West Country bring their Combine Harvester to Salisbury for a gurt big Christmas shindig.

Sunday December 7 Salisbury Arts Centre BIG BAND BRUNCH - Enjoy music from the Girls Only Jazz Orchestra. Performing Swing classics and fresh new hits, this group will blow you away with its Big Band sound.

Salisbury City Hall OYSTERBAND 8pm £19 reserved seating and £18 unreserved standing

Friday December 12

Winchester Gate SIGNALS. + SUPPORT 8.30pm free Sunday December 14 Salisbury City Hall STARS OF SALISBURY 7:00 pm

Saturday December 20 Salisbury Arts Centre THE DELOREONS One of the UK's finest party bands present their 'Farewell Gig'.

Salisbury City Hall Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band – Carols and Capers 8pm £18.50 Salisbury Arts Centre Live Lunch: ALL THINGS CONSIDERED Midday free

Wednesday December 17

Seend Acoustic Club THE CLEVERLEY BROTHERS – hilarious singing comedy duo, support from TBA. £4. Floor singers welcome. 8pm SWINDON

Wednesdays The Vic WACKY WEDNESDAY 8.30pm free Riffs Bar, Greatfield BLUEGRASS JAM Free entry. starts at 7:30pm.

Thursdays Riffs Bar, Greatfield CROONER NIGHT WITH STEVEN COLEMAN bringing the Rat Pack to Riffs! 8pm Fridays

Riffs Bar, Greatfield THE ACOUSTIC SESSIONS with featured artists and Open Mic, starts at 19:30. Free Tuesday December 2

Baker Street SWING FROM PARIS 8.30pm Two guitars, double bass and violin, this gypsy jazz and vintage swing quartet will transport your ears to the chic cafes of Paris . Expect classics from Edith Piaf, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker Thursday December 4 The Vic Songs of Praise presents THE AUGUST LIST + THE KITCHEN SINK DRAMAS + COOK AND THE CASE 8pm £3

Friday December 5 Swindon Arts Centre JOHNNY COPPIN - ALL ON A WINTER'S NIGHT 7.30pm The Vic MONKEY DOLLS - Get down to this gig where the band will be raising money for Uplands

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The Abbeymead HUMDINGERS 9pm

Sunday December 7 The Plough, Devizes Road DAVE NEWTON TRIO 3pm free

M.E.C.A THE RAT PACK CHRISTMAS SWINGING SHOW 7:30pm Tickets £18 (Concessions £16) Tuesday December 9 Baker Street ART THEMEN & ROB TERRY TRIO 8.30pm - A long awaited return of legendary saxophonist Art Themen. Backed by the exquisitely talented trio of Rob Terry ( keys) Paul Jeffries ( bass) and Charlie Stratford ( drums) Weds December 10 to Sun December 14 Swindon Arts Centre WHITE CHRISTMAS PRESENTED BY RAY DANCE AND JUDITH SHARP Thursday December 11

The Vic ABSOLVA + DIE NO MORE + CONTROL THE STORM 8pm £3 Friday December 12 The Vic METALHEAD 8pm free Windmill Pub ACOUSTIC JUNKIES 9pm free

Rolleston FIRST RAITT BAND 9pm free TRIBUTE TO BONNIE RAITT The Messenger CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE 9pm free POP,ROCK,INDIE COVERS

Saturday December 13 The Vic REGGAE NIGHT + URBAN LIONS + DJ ROBBIE EDWARDS 8pm £3 The Abbeymead DARREN HUNT 9pm Rolleston ROUGHNECKS (Rockabilly/RocknRoll/RnB) FREE- ENTRY, 9pm, 18+ Sunday December 14

The List

Sunday December 21

Wednesday December 3 Seend Acoustic Club WILDWOOD KIN - Devon-based all-girl trio , support from new local band Is You Is. £5.

Floor singers welcome. 8pm

Music

Thursday December 18 Salisbury City Hall THE SOUTH 8pm £22 Friday December 19 Salisbury City Hall THAT’LL BE THE DAY – CHRISTMAS SHOW 7.30pm £24.50 and £22.50 Winchester Gate K#NT AND THE GANG + LUMP + POLLY (Tickets £5 adv/8pm)

SEEND

Arts & Culture

Thursday December 11 Salisbury Arts Centre TROPICAL CHRISTMAS PARTY - A hot evening of Reggae, Flamenco and Caribbean grooves.

Salisbury Arts Centre NEW YEARS EVE ALTAR CLUB W/GECKO, LAS PISTOLAS, STONE DONKEY PILOTS, CORRIDORS, DIRTY SKANKIN LOVE HORNETS + NUDYBRONQUE 7.30pm

Saturday December 6 The Vic WHO'S NEXT- THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2013 8PM £6 (adv) £7 (door) Rolleston WORRIED MEN 9pm free BLUES ROCK Brookhouse Farm ANDY MARGRETT 9pm free ROCK COVERS

Food and Drink

Winchester Gate LAY IT ON THE LINE + PARISO + FOXPUNCH 8.30pm free

Wednesday December 31

Special Needs School. 8pm £3 Rolleston STRICTLY DAN 9pm free TRIBUTE TO STEELY DAN

For Starters

Wednesday December 31

Saturday December 27 Winchester Gate XMAS ALL DAYER FEAT. SN DUBSTATION + WILLOWEN + THE I'S + MIGHTY MAGIC ANIMAL + ROBB BLAKE + MUCH MORE TBA 3pm

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

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The Plough, Devizes Road MIKE COLLINS TRIO 3pm free The Vic OXYGEN THIEF + COASTERS + RETROSPECTIVE SOUNDTRACK PLAYERS Doors 7.30pm. £7 adv. £10 otd Tuesday December 16

Baker Street KICK ASS BRASS 8.30pm - The Biggest Jazz Club to date, featuring a whopping TEN piece all star band. Expect funk, soul and Jazz classics from Ray Charles, James Brown, Earth Wind and Fire and much more ! Featuring Ian Bateman and the amazing vocals of Maggie Reeday.

Thursday December 18 The Vic SONGS OF PRAISE CHRISTMAS SHINDIG 8pm free Friday December 19 The Vic OASISH + STEREOTONICS 8pm £10

Rolleston MISSIN’ ROSIE (Celtic inspired Folk/Rock) FREE- ENTRY, 9pm, 18+

Saturday December 20 Swindon Arts Centre KENTWOOD KIDS 7.30pm The Vic 12 BANDS OF CHRISTMAS 8pm £5 Castle, Prospect Place HAMSTERS FROM HELL 9pm free Rolleston SHEPHERDS PIE (Classic Rock) FREE- ENTRY, 9pm, 18+

Sunday December 21 The Plough, Devizes Road HAMMOND LATIN JAZZ TRIO 3pm free Swindon Arts Centre LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH MR LOVE & JUSTICE AND FRIENDS 3pm-5pm with guests tbc The Vic INTERLIGHT 8pm free

Tuesday December 23 The Vic HOT FLEX + VYNAL MATT (Screaming heavy metal and parody band) Free Entry 8pm Baker Street DAVE NEWTON TRIO 8.30pm The undisputed King of the Jazz piano, leading a session of classic standards, featuring the rhythm talents of Clive Morton and Terry Howard.

Friday December 26 Rolleston JOSIE AND THE OUTLAW (RocknRoll Christmas Party) FREE- ENTRY, 9pm, 18+

Saturday December 27 The Vic PENFOLD 8pm free The Abbeymead COVER UP 9pm free Rolleston SHADES OF BLUE (Blues/Rock/Rhythm&Blues) FREE- ENTRY, 9pm, 18+ Sunday December 28 The Plough, Devizes Road ADAM BIGGS TRIO 3pm free

Wednesday December 31 The Vic NYE WITH SHEPHERDS PIE 8pm £5 (adv) £6 (door) Rolleston THE KILLERTONES NEW YEARS EVE SKA/REGGAE PARTY - FREE- ENTRY, 9pm, 18+ SINGLES NIGHT

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (Wednesday 3 to Saturday 6 and Tuesday 9 to Saturday 13) (matinee 6th at 2.30 pm) 7.30pm £10/£8 Weds December 17 to Sat January 17 Salisbury Playhouse COME FLY WITH ME - CHRISTMAS IN THE SALBERG SWINDON

Saturday December 6 Swindon Arts Centre GENERATION GAP CHRISTMAS SHOW 7.30pm

Thurs December 11 to Sat December 13

Wyvern Theatre MURDER MYSTERY DINNER in the Wyvern Restaurant

Tues December 16 to Sat December 20 Wyvern Theatre FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING EXPERIENCE in the Wyvern Restaurant Wednesday December 31

DEVIZES

Monday December 15 Bear Hotel, Market Place WILTSHIRE SINGLES AT THE BEAR – Cellar Bar- Doors 8pm - £5 or free to members.

Includes a glass of mulled wine on arrival TALKS AND POETRY

BRADFORD ON AVON

Thursday December 11 The Swan Bradford on Avon's PETER FOREMAN reads extracts from his innovative new novel 'Pisuktuk the Wanderer' 7.00pm in the Cellar Bar entry free.

SALISBURY

Wednesday December 3 Salisbury Arts Centre IMECH LECTURE - The Institution of Mechanical Engineers Arnold Banks Memorial Lecture by Dame Wendy Hall DBE frs FREng. SWINDON

Tuesday December 30 Wyvern Theatre FROM DAVID TO DAME Wyvern Theatre in The Place THEATRE

SALISBURY

Monday December 1

Salisbury Arts Centre RIBA Presents: THE FOUNTAINHEAD

Weds December 3 to Sat December 13 Studio Theatre

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Wyvern Theatre A GATSBY NEW YEAR 7.30pm in the Wyvern Restaurant THEATRICAL SCREENINGS

MARLBOROUGH

Tuesday December 2

Marlborough Town Hall Marlborough Downs Live present REMBRANDT, FROM THE NATIONAL GALLERY LONDON AND RIJKSMUSEUM AMSTERDAM 7pm £13 in advance £15 on door Tuesday December 16 Marlborough Town Hall Marlborough Downs Live present ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND (12A) 7.15pm £15 in advance £17.50 on door and concessions for students Thursday December 18 Marlborough Town Hall Marlborough Downs Live present JOHN (18) recorded from The National Theatre a DV8 production, contains adult themes, strong language and nudity 8pm Tickets, £13 in advance £15 on door SALISBURY

Wednesday December 17 Salisbury Arts Centre WAGNER'S DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG (Encore Screening) Johan Reuter, Johan Botha and Annette Dasch star in Wagner's epic comedy.

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Agony Girl

Everybody’s favourite advice columnist!

Seven-year-old Agony Girl is really looking forward to Christmas but she still has time to help with your problems. We read her the questions and these are her answers. Honest!

DEAR ANNABEL I’m in a bit of a quandary. I’m meant to be getting married in the morning but I’ve come to the conclusion that my fiance and I are simply not compatible. He’s lovely but I can’t see myself spending the rest of my life with him. I also don’t want to let down all the guests. What should I do?

Beth, Kidlington Get a different boy before the morning and marry them instead.

That way you’re not letting down the guests.

DEAR ANNABEL Global warming is a real problem. The polar ice caps are melting, weather is becoming more and more extreme and we really have a time limit on our hands as

to how long humanity will be able to survive on this planet that we’re destroying. Anyway, my question is, should I wear the red dress or the black dress to go out tonight?

Clive, Woolhampton Black. Because it’s nicer. Because if there’s a bright light there then you’d really stand out.

DEAR ANNABEL Do monsters exist? Only the other day I was walking down the road and suddenly this creature swooped down from the sky took me up in its talons and laid me to rest in a giant nest on the side of the mountain. The nest was then raided by this huge hairy behemoth of a monster nearly as big as the mountain who threw me up in the air and swallowed me

Twisted Peel (www.twistedpeel.com)

Next month’s issue..

whole. I’m now living in the monster’s stomach. But if monsters don’t exist I can relax a bit as its acidic stomach juices slowly digest me. What do you think?

Jeripodtome, Chippenham How did you even write this? How come you’ve got a computer in a monster’s stomach. No. I don’t believe in monsters anyway because then some would come up from the ground and some from the air but I think the monster you mean is an eagle and I bet you’re telling a lie.

DEAR ANNABEL What’s the time?

Annabel, Marlborough Six O Clock.

Send your questions to stuff@theocelot.co.uk

by Peter Roy

is out on Ja

nuary 1st

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