Lifestyle and Culture Magazine Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire
No: 156 June 2019
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Something’s a bit Offbeat in Oxford p17
What's on Ocelot 156 June edition.indd 1
/ STYLE / EATS / BREWS / SCREEN / COMMENT 22/05/2019 16:24
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Minety Festival is the name of the game this summer p20 Magazine highlights 04 Luke Coleman 06 Encyclopaedia Ocelotica 12 Hop and Grapes 17 Offbeat Festival 28 For the Song
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The Editorial Team EDITOR - Jamie Hill - jamie@theocelot.co.uk DEPUTY EDITOR - Ben Fitzgerald - ben@theocelot.co.uk THE SCRIBBLER - Claire Dukes - claire@theocelot.co.uk The Sales Team Dave Stewart dave@theocelot.co.uk - 07872 176999 Rosy Presley rosy@positive-media.co.uk - 07717 501790 Kay Wainwright kay@positive-media.co.uk - 07769 978823 Main Number - 01793 320043 Positive Media Group, Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Swindon SN1 4BJ PRINTED BY - Deltor, Saltash, Cornwall
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It’s time to come home
I may no longer be your man in Iraq. But I will be your man in a van.
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Regular readers will know that I’ve been harking on about leaving Iraq for a couple of years. It’s not as simple as you’d think. I switched careers here, from English language teacher to journalist/ filmmaker. A cloud of uncertainty passed across the United Kingdom almost three years ago, and how that collective decision impacts my home country made me dither. I wanted to see ISIS defeated. Eventually though, I must delay no longer. Your man in Iraq is coming home. The last eight years have been extraordinary. What was meant to be a six month CV-building lay over, likely good for an anecdote or two, morphed into a significant chunk of my life, professionally and personally. I helped scores of students get their language to a level which has seen them study for masters and PhDs in UK institutions. I leapt, as I’ve wanted to my entire working life, into full time journalism: learning, bluffing, chancing and sweating my way through complicated events. I’ve worked with kids in Halabja and appreciated the city’s tragic recent history, and then travelled with Kurdish
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By Luke Coleman
Peshmerga as they drove to diffuse a legacy chemical weapon in the same place. In August 2014 I sat in a newsroom as the ISIS extremists tore through areas in and around Sinjar. The information that day came through the commanders that left the Yazidis to their fate. It sickens me that I worked for a rag belonging to a political party that not only refuses to acknowledge its cowardice, but arrogantly claims responsibility for liberating Sinjar. I hope the subsequent reporting I did with Yazidis was respectful, ethical and helped to balance the scale, even though full redress is impossible. I paraglided from one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world two months before ISIS took Mosul, the city I could see in the distance that day. And I did it again, five years and a day later, with the same pilot. I learned about Islam, Yazidism, Kakai, Baha’I, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Mandaeism and the other faiths that colour this country. Iraq is too often regarded from the outside as being only riven by the two sects of Islam, rather than a land which more often than not celebrates its
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diversity. I learned never to listen to others without looking deeper, without taking time to try to comprehend. I’ve fallen in love and in lust, I’ve made the dearest of friends. I’ve no doubt there are those pleased to see the back of me, but where possible I’ve tried not to be too much of a prick. My ‘brother’ Kamaran remains missing, since his kidnap by ISIS five years ago. My hope has shrivelled to a kernel so small it can harden no more. It is now resolute and immovable – for as long as he is not found, I will hold out for him to return. Arabic poetry and music often express the binary of love, the joy and the pain. Maybe deep in my heart there is a stanza or tune which will express my feelings for Iraq, and the Kurdistan region in particular, in time. I’m going to take time to walk and reflect when I land back in Stroud. I’m going to live my life on four wheels. I will continue to make films which celebrate unity and denigrate those that would divide us. I may no longer be your man in Iraq. But I will be your man in a van.
www.theocelot.co.uk
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By Ben Fitzgerald
Encyclopedia Ocelotica: bespoke bacteria
Tucked away at the back of the science pages of a handful of broadsheet newspapers last month was a nice little story about how scientists have created the world’s first living organism that has a fully synthetic and radically altered DNA code... Wait... what the what now? Yes, that’s right, scientists at Cambridge University have quietly worked out how to create a new form of life - incredible. Almost as incredible is the fact that this has been eclipsed by the front page coverage of the demise of the Jeremy Kyle Show. In a two-year effort, researchers at the laboratory of molecular biology have redesigned the entire DNA of E.Coli bacteria - to create a synthetic living organism - an achievement of staggering proportions. The DNA coiled up inside a cell holds the instructions it needs to function. But scientists have found that much of the information is superfluous (as far as they can tell). After geneticists made 18,000 edits to the E.Coli’s existing code,
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the rehashed biological code was then chemically synthesised and used to replace the organism’s natural genome - resulting in a microbe with a completely synthetic DNA code. Known as Syn61, the new bacteria is a little longer and grows more slowly than normal but is able to survive. The new bacteria shares many similarities to other E.Coli but it survives on a smaller set of genetic instructions. Amazing and of course very clever - but what’s the point of it all? Well, such designer lifeforms could create virus-resistant organisms - because their DNA is different and more difficult for invading viruses to spread inside them. And the advancement could also pave the way for the creation for further organisms that could be used to produce useful enzymes, proteins and drugs. This is, on the face of it, great news isn’t it? Well yes, and no. Because viruses are notoriously annoying and refuse to play along
with the rules. A highly virus resistant organism could just as likely act as an unwitting training programme for the creation of a new super virus - as it adapts and evolves to overcome the resistant designer organism. Designer DNA also presents huge ethical considerations. What happens when the same bio-technology is applied to more complex life forms...? Crops or even farm animals with entirely redrawn genetic make up to improve yeald and disease resistance? Or how about designer pets... or ‘God’ forbid human babies. Critics would argue that it’s a short step from ‘designing’ out genetically inherited conditions to tweaking cosmetic features... And what if unscrupulous agencies wanted to take it a step further and design a ‘super’ human? Would that be a genuine form of evolution? I don’t know the answer, you’re going to have to ask a chillingly intelligent genetically redesigned child. But then we know what they would say...
www.theocelot.co.uk
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JUNE 2019 SAT 1st REMINISCE - JUNGLE VS OLD SKOOL - JUNGLE VS OLD SKOOL RAVE 9pm-3am £8 SUN 2nd ERIC BELL - THIN LIZZY - THIN LIZZY CO-FOUNDER AND GUITARIST - 7.30pm-11pm £12 adv/£15 otd THURS 6th SHEER MUSIC PRESENTS - MODERN ERROR & LOTUS EATER UK TOUR - ALT-ROCK ORIGINALS - 7pm-11pm £7 adv FRI 7th RYAN MCCOOMBS ACCOUSTIC SHOW - AMERICAN VOCALIST OF SOIL & DROWNING POOL - 8.30pm-11.30pm £13.50 adv SAT 8th ONE EIGHT TWO VS JIMMY ATE THE WORLD - POP-PUNK DOUBLE-HEADER - 8.30pm-11.30pm £18 FRI 14th LEVS ALTERNATIVE CLUB NIGHT - CLUB NIGHT 10pm-3am SAT 15th NO MOTIVE DNB-SARAH TITCOMBE’S BIRTHDAY WITH DJ LIMITED & IC3 - DRUM & BASS 10pm-3am Early bird price of £5/£5 thereafter THURS 27th THE ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION - ORIGINAL ALT-ROCK - 8pm-11pm £5 FRI 28TH BOHEMIAN GROVE + SPECIAL GUESTS - DEATHCORE/ELECTRONIC - 8.30pm-11.30pm SAT 29th 70s NIGHT - CLUB NIGHT - 9pm-3am
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SAT 1st METAL GODS - HEAVY METAL BAND FORGED ON ANVILS OF STEEL - 9pm-11.30pm FRI 7th EVOLUTION - ROCK COVERS AND ORIGINALS - 9pm-11.30pm SAT 8th TOXIC - POPULAR COVERS 9pm-11.30pm TUES 11th VEGAN MEXICAN NIGHT - MEXICAN FOOD & TEQUILA - 7pm-10pm FRI 14th BONES - COOL AMERICANA, BLUES, CLASSIC ROCK AND BEYOND - 9pm-11.30pm SAT 15th RAVE AGAINST THE REGIME - SWINDON BASED BAND PLAYING DANCE HITS FROM THE 90’s TO NOW - 9pm-11.30pm FRI 21st AUDIO ASYLUM - ALT-ROCK COVERS - 9pm-11.30pm SAT 22nd BLACKROSE - CLASSIC ROCK/80’s ROCK AND METAL - 9pm-11.30pm FRI 28th BACKSTREET NOISE - POP-PUNK COVERS - 9pm-11.30pm
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The Toxic Avengers
By Jamie Hill
I’m a bit scared. I really am. As a self-proclaimed geek I’ve always found the community to be a reasonably nice bunch who have succumbed to the escapist worlds of sci-fi and fantasy with reckless abandon building up encyclopaedic knowledge of their chosen subjects. But there was always a small sub-section of the geek community who had turned too fanatical. Luckily they were in the minority. Fringe elements that you could safely ignore. These are the ones that would fight you to the deah if you so much as uttered that Han didn’t shoot first or that you quite liked the rebooted version of Total Recall. Unfortunately though, and it was bound to happen eventually especially with geekdom celebrating a golden age with nearly every current film and TV series either being based on comics or sci fi and fantasy books, these fanatical angry geeks are no longer hidden they are there for all to see. And people are now listening when before they would have been brushed aside as just a bit of annoying background noise. These are the ones who railed
against the new Ghostbusters films from their mother’s basements because they had dared to cast women. These are the ones who targeted Kelly Marie Tran in a massive spate of cyber bullying because they did not like her character Rose in Star Wars - The Last Jedi. Talking of The Last Jedi, these are also the ones who started up an online petition to get the entire movie remade because they didn’t like the way it turned out. They are an angry subset of geekdom that’s giving all of us quite fun-loving geeks a bit of a bad name as they seem to want to rain down fire and fury on anyone, even the writers, if the story doesn’t go the way they wanted it to in their heads. As I’m sitting here, the internet is still on fire after the conclusion of Game of Thrones, which did a pretty spectacular job of rounding off such an epic tale over ten years although they could have stretched it out over a couple of more episodes to really do it justice. (This is an opnion I wouldn’t be allowed online as I would find a cross burning outside of my house if I did). So what did Game of Thrones
do to attract such ire? Well in short, the anger seems to be because one of the characters went in a direction that they didn’t want that character to. (I’m keeping it vague so as not to spoil anything). These are the same lot who recently got upset by an all female scene in Avengers. And they are angry. Really angry. Like UKIPPERS but with brains. They’ve even turned to their trusty online petitions to get the entire series remade. And to top it all they’ve only gone and named Twilight’s Robert Pattinson as the new Batman which has set them all off again. I expect his social media people are now bracing for death threats. This toxic fandom is pretty damn ugly and seems to take on the worst traits of humankind from homophobia to misogyny to racism. In short, if you’re going to get that seriously angry about how the creators of a show choose to write the story or who to cast you really need to take a proper look at your real life. You know the life that is real and not just entertainment. It’s fine to be passionate. It’s fine to be critical. But fuming and threatening! Life’s too short for that shizzle.
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By Darren Willmott of vinesight.me
Is climate change worth wining about?
Climate change is a subject that’s been high on the public agenda over the last few months, especially if you’ve been trying to navigate around London during the protests. According to NASA we’ve seen 17 of the warmest 18 years on record since 2001. Following the unseasonably warm weather in April and May I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy at the prospect of a long hot summer, but in all seriousness, things are really heating up. Alongside industries such as energy, fishing and even skiing, the production of agricultural crops, including the grapes destined to be turned into wine, is poised to change dramatically, potentially to the point where we need to re-write the book. Vines thrive the world-over where the climate meets their individual varietal characteristics. A good example of the scale of change can be found in the revered French wine region of Burgundy. At a northerly latitude once deemed to be at the top end for successful grape production, the
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cool inland climate allows the thin-skinned Pinot Noir grape to perfectly ripen throughout the long warm summers without being scorched. Even though the French don’t tend to varietally label their wines, it’s well known that the Pinot Noir grape is the heart and soul of the world-famous Burgundy. What though if the climate gets too hot for this delicate grape? Suddenly the entire profile of the wine would change as the vines were pulled up. Hardier grapes from the warmer south of France would potentially need to be moved northwards as the temperature rises. Could we be seeing Burgundy made from the spicier Grenache or Syrah varieties in the future? It seems unbelievable, but that’s what some experts have said may happen in as little as 20 years time. Alongside the warmer temperatures we are also seeing more and more evidence of volatile weather conditions hitting the vineyards. The US has suffered devastating wildfires, sudden hailstorms have decimated the years-worth of
work in minutes across France, Germany and Italy, whilst South Africa and Australia have suffered from severe droughts. As something of a silver lining to the doom and gloom, we’re now seeing new wine regions appear in the land where it was once too cold to successfully produce well-ripened grapes. The most obvious of these is our own home-grown wine industry which, thanks to rising temperatures, has turned from little more than a hobbyist activity to a serious world contender in roughly 25 years. English wines have been served to royalty and heads of state, have taken off in the US, and go from strength to strength in wine competitions year after year. If our world leaders continue to stall on addressing and tackling the seriousness of climate change, given that we now successfully compete with the quality of the Champagne region some 250 miles south of London, how long will it be before the south of England becomes the new Burgundy? Cheers!
www.theocelot.co.uk
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Pub news and moves Words by Claire Dukes
The Hop
The Grapes
8 Devizes Road, Swindon
7 George Street, Oxford
www.hopinnswindon.co.uk
www.grapesoxford.co.uk
After opening its doors on Devizes Road nearly seven years ago, The Hop quickly established itself as one of Old Town’s goto spots for premium cask and keg beers. It’s part of the reason the pub’s owner, Jason Putt, and his wife Karen, decided to make the move next door. Since the move, back in March, the management team, Jason and son-turned bar manager, Ben Putt, say that it’s been “buzzing”. Jason said: “It’s been really successful – it’s exceeded expectations.” Ben added: “In this area we’re definitely
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the premier cask destination in Old Town. But we’re huge supporters of Old Town in general – we want this place to become a destination. “Our aim has never been to take business away from elsewhere - it’s to produce more business for the area.” As well as settling in to their new residence, The Hop team will soon be welcoming new neighbours and starting a new collaboration with Bristol’s Arbor Brewery. Jason and Ben believe their new neighbour will carry the same ethos that makes Old Town’s night time economy a flourishing community.
One of Oxford’s most historic boozers has been given a £70k revamp. In April West Berkshire Brewery officially took over ownership of the long-standing pub, unveiling a brandnew look - inside and out. The Grapes also offers a generous food menu from hearty plates and bar snacks. Ahead of the launch a spokesperson for West Berkshire Brewery said: “We love pubs and The Grapes is a cracker we have carried out a lovely refurb and will be serving WBB beers and other local breweries from 7 cask lines and 13 keg taps.”
The recently revamped pub, which first opened its doors in 1820, has been given a modern finish whilst maintaining some of its original features in an effort to keep loyal regulars but also attract the city’s younger punters. Romy Hewitt, 25, is the General Manager of The Grapes. She said: “We are delighted to be open and we really want to welcome everyone. “There’s a ‘tradition with ambition’ vibe, combining old-school casks, with craft beers. We want everyone to feel welcome here young and old - you can even bring your dog.”
www.theocelot.co.uk
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Theatre: the month ahead Speaky Blinder, Swindon Arts Centre - 2nd June A brand new stand-up show following a stonking set on Live at the Apollo and a sell-out Fringe, one of the UK’s top stand-ups, Chris McCausland, is on tour. Sunday Times Best of the Edinburgh Fringe 2018. He’s blind. He’s a dad. He’s a husband. He’s third in command. He’ll speak about all of that, and loads more. www.swindontheatres.co.uk
Bill Bailey: Oasis Leisure Centre, Swindon- 4th June Larks in Transit is a compendium of travelers’ tales and the general shenanigans of twenty years as a travelling comedian. With musical virtuosity, surreal tangents and trademark intelligence, Bill Bailey tackles politics, philosophy and the pursuit of happiness. Plus, he fashions a symphony from a ringtone, tells the real story of Old McDonald, and re-imagines the Stars and Stripes. Two decades of touring larks from a comic described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘the brainiest comic of his generation’. www.swindontheatres.co.uk
Ricky Gervais: New Theatre, Oxford - 10-11th June SuperNature looks at the absurdity of superstition, magic and all unsubstantiated beliefs, and celebrates the conclusion that nature is already super enough. Stand-up comedian, author, writer, film and tv actor, Ricky Gervais achieved popular fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with Stephen Merchant. www.swindontheatres.co.uk
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By Ben Fitzgerald
Henry V: Barn Theatre, Cirencester - 13th June Set in modern surroundings, this timeless Shakespeare classic is cleverly brought up to date and explores the conflict between tradition and modernity in Britain through the lens of a nation at war. A clash of traditional and modern, the performance optimises atmospheric neon scenography to place the audience in the current moment whilst maintaining the beauty
of Shakespeare’s language. The play cleverly preserves Shakespeare’s questioning of the symbolism of monarchy whilst investigating current British Nationalism and explores what it means to be a great leader. A beautiful original score transforms Shakespeare’s work into a modern, mesmerising spectacle of tension and excitement. www.barntheatre.org.uk
James Acaster: Wyvern Theatre, Swindon - 13th June “One time I bought a lasagne from the supermarket, heated it up in the oven and ate a bit of it and it wasn’t very nice so I put it in the fridge because it felt wrong to dump a whole lasagne in the bin and then later on I ate a spoonful of the cold lasagne because I was drunk and it was absolutely delicious. It was 4am. I then changed the name of a WhatsApp I was a part of to COLD LASAGNE HATE MYSELF 1999. The next day I was asked to name my new show. Come along.” www.swindontheatres.co.uk
Chekhov’s First Play: Oxford Playhouse - 26-28th June During the turmoil of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Maria Chekhov, Anton’s sister, placed many of her late brother’s manuscripts and papers in a safety deposit box in Moscow. In 1921 Soviet scholars opened the box and discovered a play. The title page was missing. The play they found has too many characters, too many themes, too much action. All in all, it’s generally dismissed as unstageable. Like life. Award-winning Irish Theatre Company Dead Centre do injustice to a great playwright. Chekhov before he was Chekhov. www.oxfordplayhouse.com www.theocelot.co.uk Ocelot 156 June edition.indd 15
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Offbeat Festival Award-winning acts and fringe favourites invade Oxford www.offbeatoxford.co.uk
Words by Claire Dukes
Offbeat 2019 sees more than 50 shows and events over 13 days, spanning theatre, comedy, spoken word, music, family-friendly events and dance. This month it’s back from June 17 to 29. Now in its fourth year, the festival returns with acts including 2017 BBC New Comedy Award finalist Aaron Simmonds’ latest show, awardwinning Irish theatre company Dead Centre, award-winning comedy duo Nathan & Ida, free theatre for families and three evenings of performances from the best bands, Ashanti Wheeler-Artwell’s first one-woman show British Vogue, and acoustic artists from Oxford and beyond in association with BBC Introducing. For the first time, Offbeat is delighted to offer a programme of support for six artists all at early stages of their careers. Each artist has been given mentoring in dramaturgy, marketing, logistics and technical theatre, and each will have three
performances at the festival to develop audiences and work on their show. Jeremy Spafford, Director at the Old Fire Station, said: “We love working with our friends from The Playhouse to bring Offbeat to Oxford and offer our audiences a feast of new work. And what a feast it will be. “Offbeat has become that moment when Oxford gets a chance to experience the amazing creativity of performing artists from across the UK in one mad week. What a treat.” Louise Chantal, Director at the Oxford Playhouse, added: “Working with the Old Fire Station on Offbeat is one of the highlights of our year; we love bringing a taste of the Edinburgh Fringe to the city and I urge people to try something new, see as much as possible and immerse themselves in 10 days of amazing performances.”
#Hypocrisy
Disabled Coconut
Doug Crossley
Where: BT Studio When: Monday 24, 7pm
Where: The Studio When: Saturday 29, 7pm
Where: BT Studio When: Tuesday 18, 7pm
Trpoez!
British Vogue
Blue
Where: The Theatre When: Saturday 22, 2pm
Where: BT Studio When: Thursday 27, 8pm
Where: The Studio When: Saturday 22, 4.30pm
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Music: the month ahead Albert Lee: Wyvern Theatre - Monday 3rd June
Albert Lee is one of the world’s finest guitarists, as well as an accomplished piano player with a soulful voice. Co-writer of Country Boy and writer of many other great songs and always in great demand by other artistes, Albert has played on countless sessions worldwide. He has appeared and recorded with many of the finest performers in the music industry, including Glen Campbell, Dave Edmunds, Dolly Parton, Bobby Bare, Joan Armatrading, Ricky Scaggs and Joe Cocker. Albert was a member of The Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings bands and toured extensively with them. www.swindontheatres.co.uk
Olly Murs: Kingholm Stadium, Gloucester - Friday 7th June Olly Murs is set to wow the crowds at Gloucester’s Kingsholm Stadium on Friday June 7. The performer, who rose to public attention after coming second in the X-Factor in 2009, used the opportunity as a springboard to showcase his talent. Stephen Vaughan CEO of Gloucester Rugby said, “Since we went on sale just a few days ago, ticket sales for the Olly Murs concert have exceeded all levels of expectation. We have less than a quarter of our extended capacity left and are down to limited availability in some areas already. “Another special night and sell out concert at Kingsholm awaits us and we can’t wait to see Olly next summer.” Following the release of his swaggering new single ‘Moves’ featuring Snoop Dogg, Olly Murs returns with his dazzling new album ‘You Know I Know’, out November 9th on RCA Records. Now firmly established in his red chair as a judge on The Voice, Olly has five multi-platinum albums under his belt, 4 #1 UK albums, 4#1 UK singles and 6 #1 airplay tracks. He has over 17.5m followers across his socials and without doubt is the X Factor’s most successful male artist ever. Tickets are priced at £37.50 standing / from £42.50 seating / £140 boxes, lounge and hospitality access. 10% booking fee applies. Tickets: www.tickets.gloucesterrugby.co.uk
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By Ben Fitzgerald
Cat Power: O2 Academy, Oxford - Thursday 20th June Cat Power brings the dreamy, alt-folk sounds of her latest album, Wanderer, to O2 Academy Oxford where she’ll woo you with her honesty and deep, emotional lyrics. www.academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyoxford
Band of Horses: O2 Academy, Oxford - Thursday 27th June Band Of Horses have been a mainstay of indie rock for a decade, with five studio albums, including the Grammy-nominated Infinite Arms, to their name. This summer will see the band reign supreme at festivals across the globe, whilst also taking some time to play a few headline dates throughout the UK. www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford
Belle & Sebastian: O2 Academy, Oxford - Thursday 4th July Belle & Sebastian are one of the most cherished and celebrated UK acts of recent decades. They have released 11 critically acclaimed albums including the epoch defining Tigermilk, If You’re Feeling Sinister and The Boy With The Arab Strap and many classic EPs and singles, including most recently the How To Solve Our Human Problems trilogy. Triumphing against the odds to win best newcomer at the 1999 BRIT awards, being one of the first bands to curate their own festival,
having their songs strewn across the landscape of popular culture everywhere from High Fidelity to Gilmore Girls and The Devil Wears Prada, and instigating a Twitter petition to get their drummer to a gig after accidentally leaving him in his pyjamas in a Walmart in North Dakota – Belle & Sebastian have defined the spirit of DIY in a career where the only constant has been innovation and individuality. www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford
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It’s the Mighty Minety
M
inety Music Festival burst onto the festival circuit in 2017 and in a short space of time has become one of the ”go to” festivals in the calendar. They’re back for 2019 with the best line up yet as well as their trade mark features: - a huge, free Kidszone (including FREE slacklining, FREE indoor caving, FREE circus skills workshops, FREE inflatables , bouncy castles, slides, assault courses), great food and local stalls. This year the family ethos has, once again been at the forefront of planning with the addition of the Treehouse Teen tent – a teen only zone with chill out space, instruments for jamming and computer and video equipment, as well as the all-important WiFi! Music lovers will be well served with nearly 60 acts on this
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year’s line-up and the addition of an acoustic stage. With so much local music talent, bands from all across Wiltshire and surrounding areas will play alongside headline acts including the mighty Toploader and the iconic Republica as well as ABBA versus Elvis Friday night mayhem (fancy dress warmly encouraged) and the hugely popular silent disco! The stages are all undercover, so you’ll stay dry whatever the weather. One of the key things that makes Minety special is the atmosphere, which is helped by knowledge that all the profits from the festival are distributed between local charities Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Naomi House Hospice and Jacksplace and supporting local causes – Minety Primary School and Minety Pre-
School. The whole festival is run by around 140 awesome volunteers, who give up their time for free. The bar is always well stocked with local beers and ciders, and for the more refined pallet, there is a Cocktail Tiki Bar and a Gin and Prosecco waggon! There is also top quality coffee for the morning after the night before! Onsite camping is FREE too, so you can really get into the festival spirit There is a breakfast bar and on site shop too if the coffee isn’t going to cut it! Camping and camper vans are FREE and with on-site showers, there’s no excuse not to let your hair down for the weekend. With the absence of Fieldview and Boondocks Festivals this year, local festival goers won’t be disappointed with all Minety has to offer!
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M
Music Festival!
Ticket Information
Tickets are available from: www.minetyfestival.co.uk/ tickets £55 Adult Weekend Ticket
£140 Family Weekend Ticket £30 Youth Weekend Ticket (13-17 yrs)
£25 Child Weekend Ticket (3-12 yrs) FREE Baby & Toddler (0-2 yrs) Day Tickets also available (see website for details)
Oce Disco lot Read unt! ers ca n
p Early urchase tic bird p k rices ets at Adult : Week Prom end Cam o Cod p e: ‘OC ing Ticket ELO (only T’ £50) Fami ly We ekend Prom Ca o Cod e: ‘O mping Tic (only CELOTF ket AM’ £130)
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Swindon Shuffle Swindon’s musical street crawl announces its line-up for 2019! www.swindonshuffle.org.uk
Words by Claire Dukes
Swindon Shuffle returns next month (11 to 14 July) for its thirteenth year of supporting the town’s live music scene - and the line-up is out! The Shuffle is, without a doubt, a highlight in the town’s cultural calendar - a musical marathon, if you will - showcasing the best local talent Swindon, and the surrounding areas, has to offer. Since its
inception the line-up consistently illustrates Swindon’s ability to generate original music that disperses over a variety of genres – something that many outsiders will argue against. But it’s having acts such as Gaz Brookfield, Flour Babies, Wyldest, The Oxymora and The Astral Ponies on the line-up which is case in point that Swindon’s music scene is alive and well indeed.
Gaz Brookfield
Wyldest
Raze*Rebuild
Where: The Victoria When: Thursday 11, 10.15pm
Where: The Hop When: Friday 12, 10.15pm
Where: The Victoria When: Friday 12, 10.45pm
The Oxymora
Flour Babies
The Astral Ponies
Where: The Victoria When: Friday 12, 10pm
Where: The Hop When: Saturday 13, 10.15pm
Where: The Beehive When: Sunday 14, 8.15pm
Tamsin Quin Band
Jol Rose
Callum McLean
Where: The Beehive When: Sunday 14, 4.30pm
Where: The Tuppenny When: Sunday 14, 2pm
Where: The Tuppenny When: Saturday 13, 4.15pm
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Forest Live When: June 13 to June 16 Where: Westonbirt, The National Arboretum www.forestryengland.uk This month the Forestry Commission England welcomes back Forest Live to Gloucestershire. More than 1.75 million people have attended a forest gig in the last eighteen years. This yeat performing at Westonbirt will be Paul Weller, Stereophonics, Jack Savoretti and Haçienda Classiçal. Paul Weller made his Forest Live debut in 2004. Commenting on the Forest Live dates, Paul said: “The Forest shows are always
great gigs for us, and it’s been a while since I last did them so I’m really looking forward to them.” Graeme Park, Haçienda Classiçal’s DJ curator, added: “I’m particularly looking forward to Forest Live in Gloucestershire where the glorious outdoor surroundings promise to complement our exciting new show.” Money from ticket sales goes towards looking after the UK’s forests sustainably.
Cornbury Festival When: July 5 to July 7 Where: The Great Tew Park, Oxfordshire www.cornburyfestival.com
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This year will mark Cornbury’s sixteenth run of incredible music and entertainment. Headlining the event will be The Beach Boys, The Specials and Keane. Cornbury organiser, Hugh Phillimore, said: “There are certain legacy artists that we’ve been after for many years. Finally our number got called by The Beach Boys. We’re completely thrilled to welcome them to Oxfordshire.” Other acts include
Echo & The Bunnyment, KT Tunstall, Paul Carrack, Beverley Knight and Gaz Coombes. In food news the award-winning culinary duo the Hairy Bikers will be returning to the festival. They’ll be bringing their ‘Festival Feast’ to the line-up, serving gourmet food from a pop-up woodfired restaurant. Cornbury is also a family affair, with The Kids’ Zone in sight of the main stage.
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Danger! Danger! It’s Electric Six
@ Swindon’s Level 3 16th May If the six members of disturbing Detroit rockers Electric Six were dwarves in the Disney classic Snow White, they would be called Sleazy, Sleazy, Sleazy, Sleazy, Sleazy and Sleazy. Taking to the subterranean stage of Swindon’s Level 3, the Six were splendidly decked out in road worn morning-afterthe-night-before chiq - a bit of shabby gold lame here, a tatty alligator shoe there. Frontman Dick Valentine, his hair slicked back like a wall street trader, revealed that this was his first trip to Swindon having passed the jewel of Wiltshire on
the M4 numerous times on the Oxford to Bristol corridor over the past 15 years since Electric Six found mainstream success with their 2003 release of Danger! High Voltage. And he spoke fondly of the delights of Chieveley services before launching into ‘Down at McDonaldz’. For a Thursday night in Swindon there was a decent turnout, just a shade under packed out.. They ranged from those who fully committed to the Electric Six lifestyle some years ago right up there on the front row,
By Ben Fitzgerald hanging on every word - to the more flaky fans quietly, and mostly incorrectly, mouthing along to ‘Gay Bar’ like politicians trying to bluff their way through the national anthem at the Conservative Party conference. With Electric Six, you see a band climbing back down after having conquered the mountain of success, weary yet happy. They seem comfortable with the idea - and genuinely thankful towards their fans, patiently lingering and mingling after the show. Unhinged, unnerving, and unexpectedly superb.
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Music reviews Artist: allusinlove Album: It’s Ok To Talk
“unashamedly indie pop... drenched in summer vibes”
Words by James Queralt www.soundcloud.com/allusinlove
It’s Ok To Talk, the debut album from Yorkshire up-and-comers allusinlove, harks back to an era in the not-so-distant past when upbeat indie pop was all the rage and, at its strongest moments, draws from an even older musical well. Frontman Jason Moules’ lyrics, generally concerned with familiar themes such as love and loss, find themselves encased within a plethora of styles that draw inspiration from various indie sub-genres. Album opener All
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My Love is introduced by swirling psychedelic riffs, and is one of a number of tracks on the album that wears its 90s influence on its sleeve. Lucky You, for example, favours distorted vocals and a more ethereal sound. A strong My Bloody Valentine influence is unmistakeable here. Elsewhere, tracks like I’m Your Man and the album’s lead single, All Good People, are unashamedly indie pop, both drenched in summer vibes that tie in perfectly with
the album’s June 7 release date. A decade ago, All Good People would’ve taken the charts by storm, while I’m Your Man’s punchy guitar riffs are amongst the catchiest on the album. There are encouraging signs here, with the polished production and strong instrumental harmony suggesting these Leeds boys have the talent and infrastructure to go far, though on this evidence the band have yet to truly nail down their own musical identity.
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Artist: Flour Babies Single: Landlocked
“wild and arcane” Words by Claire Dukes Photography by Sam Cashmore www.flourbabies.bandcamp.com
There was a time when Flour Babies were a directionless racket – but something was there, something nascent. Now they’re releasing tracks like Landlocked: a cultivated and metaphysical antidote to indie boy bands chanting about break-ups. From the first chime of the synth the single creates the beguiling
romanticism of an 80s love song, entwined with a tormented vocal delivery – think Chris Issak’s Wicked Games with the sensibility of the Pixies. It feels hauntingly isolating and yet it is embedded with perplexing comfort, combining elements of tragedy with relentless hope. It is both wild and arcane. Unlike most of their tracks
Landlocked rings in a chorus which evokes a mental or emotional state of being stuck in a position of unlimited space, and yet you’re tortured by the confinements of it a perpetual state of disorientation. It’s no wonder Flour Babies have been donned as ‘nightmare-pop’ as Landlocked is instrumentally ethereal, and lyrically haunting.
Artist: The Oxymora Single: Queen
“full of heart and groove” Words by Claire Dukes Photography by Shot By Brock www.soundcloud.com/theoxymora
Queen is the first taste of what is to be expected from newly formed five-piece, The Oxymora. And, it’s a compelling introduction from this funk-rock outfit. The debut single feels liberating, but it’s wrapped in melancholic nascency – a detrimental, yet pivotal, journey has been laid bare. Destination: a place of redemption.
Even at the most explosive moment Queen remains melodic and polished, and it does well not to turn chaotic - most notably during the lead guitarist’s striking solo. The arrangements have been orchestrated well to align with the motifs evoked from the lyrics. And whilst lyrically it’s a straightforward journey, it’s backed by emotive
instrumentals which conceptually and sonically provides depth – brought home by slick guitar twangs, funky bass lines and jazzy keys. If this is the road The Oxymora are going down it’d be safe to expect songs full of heart and groove, Chili Peppers smoothness and grungy soul searching.
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INTERVIEW
“My whole life went upside down” a new song competition is breaking the barriers of the music world
Words by Claire Dukes Photography by Jennifer Berry www.jennifermjberry.com www.earstudio.co.uk
“I was using a salt shaker, and I was playing drums on pillows” 28
I have passed up so many opportunities and whether that’s because I didn’t have the confidence, or thought I hadn’t got what it takes, it always led me to the same conclusion that ‘those things don’t happen to me’ – and it’s a subject I discussed at length with Paul Lappin and Jon Buckett. As a music producer, and the owner of Earthworm Recording Studio, Jon Buckett has worked with musicians of all ages, backgrounds and abilities – many of which are, or have been, unsigned. He says it’s “bizarre” having witnessed the amount of talent walk into his studio not knowing what they’re capable of - or getting the backing they need. It was with this that last year Jon launched a free competition, For the Song, aimed at giving unsigned artists and bands the opportunity to record and release an original song they’ve written. It was in January, whilst on his way to an open mic night in Bristol, that Paul Lappin got the call to say that his song Life Was Good won the judges over. “My mum saw the ad, cut it out and posted it to me in France. She said, ‘What have you got to lose?’ My whole life went upside down,” says Paul. And, as we’re sat chatting over a pint, it soon became clear why. Paul, 48, bought his first instrument – an electric guitar – just five years ago. Although having been a self-taught musician since his early years Paul’s life went off in a series of other directions from Bristol, - as a graphic designer - then Canada, - hitting the slopes as a snowboard instructor for eight years - to living in the South of France as an artist for the last three years. Until now Paul had never stepped foot inside a recording studio, and since February he and Jon have been in the studio working with the likes of Simple Minds’ Rob Brian, getting ready to officially release Life Was Good in July. Paul tells me, “I never owned an instrument until five years ago. I didn’t have a tambourine, so I was using a salt shaker, and I was playing drums on pillows. It sounds ridiculous now [laughs]! I sent the demo off and I didn’t really think anything of it. It’s a confidence thing, isn’t it? You don’t want to push your songs on people. “The great thing about living in France is that I’ve been so focused on song-writing, walking through the hills, and it’s been nice to have that isolation because it means I’ve been so focused on doing what I want. But, the one thing I’ve missed is collaborating, – it’s nice to have other
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Above: C
Below: Ar
About For the Song For the Song was launched in October last year by music producer Jon Buckett. His intentions were simple: unearth a genuinely brilliant, new and original song and give it the treatment it deserves. After submission the songs are judged by a panel of industry experts - last year included Jon Buckett, Gaz Brookfield, Lee Alder and Marland Music Management. The winning song will then be recorded and produced at Earthworm Recording Studio for free. The winner of the competition will also receive professional photo shots, a video, a live show date, an interview, and a review of the song. As well as supporting unsigned artists Jon also had the aim to bring together a collective of creatives to not only support the winner but to also pull in a network of talent to build relationships between industries including photography, filmmaking, music promotion and journalism. And, so far, his vision for the project is panning out quite nicely. The next date for entries is yet to be set but anyone wanting to enter For the Song are simply required to send a demo of an original song to Earthworm that’s it!
Above: Claire Dukes and Paul Lappin Below: Artwork by Paul
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opinions – and since working with Jon at Earthworm that’s been on tap. We’ve had amazing musicians come in and say, ‘Why don’t you try this?’ I’ve absolutely loved that. “It’s been a really nice working relationship – Jon gets where I’m coming from, he understands the tone and feel of the song and he’s able to take it in a direction sympathetic to that. It still feels like very much my song, but Jon’s given it the push that it needed. Also, he’s got access to some absolutely fantastic musicians – all these people, who are way beyond anything that I could do, are suddenly able to give the song some really good edge. The whole thing has been brilliant, and it’s just gone up and up ever since.” Paul always had it in his mind that he would one day record and release his music but never had the technology or support system around him to make it happen. Much to his own surprise the singer-songwriter is now ready to release his first single. He tells me, “It was one of the first songs I ever wrote - I’m so excited for people to hear it! As it’s gone on, I’ve become more excited because you hear it being built professionally and suddenly this little idea that I had in my living room is sounding amazing. I’ve always wanted this song to sound big, – I like that big sound that many bands are able to get – and I could never do it at home so I couldn’t quite get the idea I had in my head out. “It’s got quite a catchy chorus, I think [laughs]! It’s a nice uplifting and positive song - a summery song that people can sing-along to. I think it’s an instantly accessible pop song, so I hope that people latch onto that and get it on their playlist – or buy a CD!” Jon adds, “It’s not something that anybody’s doing well at the moment. There are comparable things around that are there to make people feel good, but Paul’s music doesn’t ask anything of you - his music is very generous in that way.” It’s both extraordinary and uplifting listening to Paul and Jon - a few months ago they were complete strangers, and Paul was sauntering around Saint-Chinian not knowing that a song he wrote more than a decade ago would be something remarkable to the ears of a music producer. Jon says, “It feels like it’s part of something bigger. I’m really excited about it – I think it’s a great song. You can spend years hunting for the right song, and it turns out it was the first one.” The music industry, or any industry for that matter, can often feel so inaccessible, - you don’t have the right connections, the right technology or the confidence - and it took 48 years for Paul to get his break. Unfortunately, this is the reason some people will stop pursuing their aspirations - some people think ‘those things don’t happen to me’. “You don’t have to be a virtuoso to do something cool,” Jon says. “People think that they’ve missed their opportunity to explore creative outlets, - like learning an instrument – but some people write their first novels in their 70s. If you feel like you want to do something, and you feel like you’ve got something to say just do it!” Since hitting Earthworm Recording Studio Paul has moved back to his hometown, Swindon, and is now working on two albums. Next month, thanks to For the Song, Paul will be releasing his debut single Life Was Good. www.theocelot.co.uk 29 22/05/2019 16:25
Tandem Music Festival:
New music, big ideas, small footprint Tandem Music Festival is returning for a fifth year. The three-day event, running from 21-23 June, brings together music, art, dance, workshops, food and ecofriendliness for an unmissable experience. Taking place in the idyllic surroundings of Lower Farm in Oxfordshire the volunteerpowered festival promises a huge line-up of talented musicians, from funk to a full size orchestra, balkan beats to late night DJs, plus resident musicians from around the globe sharing the sounds of their cultures. The festival will also be packed with dance, storytelling, crafts and workshops to introduce
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you to everything from yoga to bitcoin to feminism for dads. Family groups are also catered for with a host of new things to do this year with arts, activities and unamplified stages for little ears. Eco-friendliness and inclusivity are at the heart of
the festival, with organisers encouraging low-carbon transport to the festival. Every attempt has been made to avoid non-recyclable waste, upcycle as much as possible and only serve veggie/vegan ethically and locally sourced food. The site is step-free and family-friendly with unisex and accessible toilets. Tandem Festival is part of Tandem Collective, a notfor-profit Community Interest Company that engages and empowers new audiences to tackle environmental and social issues through music and the arts. Weekend, camping and day tickets on sale now at: www. tandemfestival.com Under 12s go free
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