Wood Festival braziers park

wood braziers park

Truck’s Wood off shoot pitches itself as an eco-friendly festival and it is predominantly aimed at, and attracts, families. Many people got in the environmental spirit of the weekend and biked to the festival, but still, a full car park and overflow with a standby taxi means that not everyone can be awarded a green star... Mama Rosin, Uiscedwr, KhaïraArby, Zeus and Willy Mason all provided great, exotic music from Canada to France, USA to Timbuktu, as did London roots/rock outfit Treetop Flyers, who are Glastonbury EmergingTalent winners this year, and one of only a few local acts on the bill, The Epstein. Katy Rose & The Cavalry Parade, the new project from re-named KTB, was pleasingly optimistic in sound, ending in the characteristic group singalong “I don’t want to lose my friend” they went.

The efforts the organisers make to provide solar-powered stages, rubbish recycling and compostable toilets – recycled tractor tyres as seats – and a cycle powered stage are all great initiatives, but there is certainly an underlying feeling that more local acts would go a long way to reducing their carbon footprint. There does also seem to be a gap for a local singer/songwriter type stage in the day as the workshops were predominantly aimed at families. 


My main highlights were, powering Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou’s encore set by bicycle–great close harmony acoustic music from this Heavenly couple, both singing into one microphone, and also the main headline act Eliza Carthy Band, who were superb. She promoted her new album Neptune, boasting a lovely, soulful voice and a mix of upbeat and intimate numbers – she came across humbly as if she was ‘Mother Wood’. The concept behind Wood is a worthy one, and it’s an enjoyable festival especially, it looked like, for people with young families. 

(TW) published OMS 14

dive dive, winchell riots, minor coles o2 academy

dive dive, winchell riots, minor coles o2 academy

For such a hot, sweaty day, Oxford truly turned out in force for this gig. Opening in shorts and t-shirts and adding some real passion to their set, Minor Coles have truly raised their game since I last saw them. More confident, rhythmically tight and energetic, songs ‘Black Hole’ and ‘Fortune Teller’ go down well. A more bass riff-driven sound, which is pleasingly similar to Foals, gives an optimistic preview of their June EP release.

Winchell Riots followed, and although I’m a fan, I didn’t really enjoy tonight’s set – it was too loud and lacked subtlety. They didn’t engage with the audience either, which resulted in it seeming like a practice session.‘RedSquare’,forme,was one of only a few which stood out from the noise.
Dive Dive have been around for years, and are probably better known as being Frank Turner’s backing band these days, but they haven’t yet gained the recognition they deserve in their own right.Tonight, reminding Oxford what rock music is, they play some blistering songs from recent album Potential as well as some old classics. Nigel Powell is one of the best drummers I have seen and the other members do their bit to drive the rhythm home. I watch with memories of moshing at Truck festival, and hear sounds truly in the same league as Foo Fighters and Green Day. ‘Liar’ is the best of their new set–Jamie Stuart’s vocal is in good form, and a hundred sweaty people leave the venue encouraged that rock music, thankfully, isn’t dead.

(TW) Published OMS 14

very nice harry #reformat (self-release)

very nice harry
#reformat (self-release)

VNH have been increasing the profile of their gigs, the latest of which was an
appearance at Oxfringefestival, and having not caught them live it was good to get their new‘#Reformat’ EP to get a feel for whatImightexpect.Hailingfrom Didcot, they build on the now familiar ‘Dead Jerichos sound’, particularlywiththeirfirsttwo tracks. Delayed guitar loops and effectsandambitiousdrumming aremuchondisplay–it’seclectic at times but it gels together to make a good little EP. ‘Among Whispers’ismyfavouritetrack, where Sam’s vocal is definitely initselement.‘Undisclosure’and ‘Vegas’ have a big sound and epic lengths and although the long instrumental sections may work well in a live situation, they don’t provoke the most insightful nuggets over my morning coffee! Certainly the energetic sound makesmewanttocatchalive set–I’msuretheywilldowellif they can recreate this sound at their shows.

Trev Williams
published OMS 14