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OXFORD NEWBURY

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

OCELOT THE

Fancy busting a move chaps?

It’s Chap Hop pioneer and Wychwood Festival act

Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer p46

ISSUE NO: 94

APRIL 2014

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Reading Beer Festival The Racket Oxford Punt Art Weeks

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What’s in your Ocelot?

For Starters p4

Michael Bosley; The Goat; Oxford Castle

Food and Drink p17 Reading Beer Festival; Brewery Bird

Arts and Culture p31 Adam Crosland; Story Museum

The Music section p45

Arts & Culture

Swindon tearaways The Racket return to the scene with a bang p57

Museum. Find out what I’m going on about on page 36.

Told you it’s been busy!

Jamie Hill

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let’s just say that I am now a lot more versed in how to be a chap than I was before.

Those anarchic rockers The Racket also showed up to tell us the news about their massive comeback. Check out what they’ve got to say on page 57.

That Gig Monkey was a bit uncontrollable this month as well as he’s got himself all worked up about The Oxford Punt that’s happening in May. You can find out why on page 52.

I’m not the only one to be dressing up as a children’s character incidentally as loads of authors from Terry Pratchett to Neil Gaiman have also got in costume for a new exhibition at The Story

For Starters

I was sent the best thing ever this month by a PR. It came in the form of a small suitcase and it had loads of goodies inside. Shrek goodies.

Including facepaint and Shrek ears, which I couldn’t resist.

Just look at me. I think I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

This was to promote Shrek: The Musical which is coming to The Oxford New Theatre in November.

Well apart from me pratting about as Shrek it’s been an exciting time at Ocelot Towers recently.

We had our cover star Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, the chap hop superstar, pop in for a visit.

The interview is on page 46 but

Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer;The Racket

The List p59

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Editor: Jamie Hill jamie@theocelot.co.uk Contributors: Brewery Bird, John Palmgren, Ed Dyer, Dave Franklin, Agony Girl, David Murphy, Sid Siddle, Mark Muggeridge, Dave Stewart, Michael Bosley Printers: Advent Colour

What is an Ocelot? An Ocelot is a big

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Holiday Hell?

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The Nerd’s Last Word with Michael Bosley

It’s at this time of year when Britain blooms and our famous verdant countryside is at its most beautiful that we decide it’s the best time of year to spend a vast amount of money to travel hundreds of miles to somewhere that’s slightly warmer and a bit sunnier instead.

Holidays are a misnomer to me. They’ve always promised the ideal of tranquillity, relaxation and fun in a luxurious and scenic setting where you are the boss and your every boundless, excessive indulgence is satisfied.

That is, just so long as you are prepared for the hair-pulling preparation and organisation that’s involved and are more than happy to wait around in sparsely furnished departure lounges waiting for flights or hire cars.

Until recent years, I’ve never really been a holiday person. As a child, our family’s idea of a holiday was a camping trip to a windswept field strewn liberally with dried sheep dung where we then spent the best part of a day arguing about how to put up a tent and then spending the next few days honing our camping stove operating skills, feeling all the more smug having avoided blowing ourselves into meaty pieces with an errant gas canister.

The whole thing was an exhausting and mildly traumatic experience, sending a shockwave of hostility throughout the family unit which would then take weeks to settle back to its usual milieu, by

Feeling sheepish?

which time we were back at school, having flashbacks of scrub grass and bleating sheep.

My theory about fun is that it can’t be forced.

Fun has to come naturally; it can’t be bought or planned. There is no price tag on fun. I think perhaps because we tell ourselves that we’re going to enjoy ourselves, the uncontrolled holiday spending and the realisation that you’ve spent far too long in the sun and will suffer greatly for it tomorrow morning all fade into the ether as your sun-stroked brain anesthetises your usually level headed judgment with a cloud of holiday delusion. “€4.50 for a can of Tango you say? If I were back home I’d probably broach this gross over inflation to the consumer watchdog shortly after jamming my car key up the barman’s nose, but hey!

Why worry? I’m on holiday! I’ll buy five!”

“Eating outside with a thousand swarming flies and a wind that threatens to blow all the outside furniture into the neighbouring town? If I were back home I’d call this madness, but I’m on holiday, hitherto I must spend every waking hour outdoors for fear I’m missing something.” Happy holidays!

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The Goat

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The Goat is our resident grumpy gruff. He’s always bloody moaning. So what has got on The Goat’s ..urm. goat this month? intolerant. Religions should be preaching tolerance not causing minorities to be singled out and persecuted. That seems to go against what they’re for.

Oh, and just because someone doesn’t believe in the same belief system as you does not make them any worse than yourself. Star Wars is better than Star Trek to some people and the other way round for others.

It’s just your view.

I’m not going to single out any single religion here as they’re nearly all as bad as each other but they really need to wake up and take a leaf out of the book of those great philosophers Bill and Ted and ‘Be Excellent To Each Other’ and stop being hateful. Or in other words - the religious should stop being religiophobic.

Off The Grid with Luke Coleman (Our Man in Iraq)

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Turkish delight on the dog front

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than that time Bobby Ewing showed up in the shower and it had been a dream. Many of the mainstream religions are pretty damn intolerant themselves and I don’t like intolerance.

But does that make me religiously intolerant myself?

It all makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

Religion should be benign. It should be a doctrine that teaches us how to live our life in a way that is good leading to a society that is giving and caring.

But it’s not. Bombing abortion clinics? Urm, that’s not exactly being good to each other is it?

Genocide in the name of religion? No thanks. I’ll have a cup of tea instead.

Religions need to get a grip. They’ve got to stop being sexist, racist, homophobic and

For Starters

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE There is one thing that annoys me more than anything. It gets so far up my nose that you’d need industrial sized pliers to get it out and not the tweezers I use for normal annoyances that get stuck up my nose. Anyway, it is intolerance. I hate intolerance.

Ironically you could even say that I can’t tolerate intolerance. As a goat I can’t tolerate homophobes, racists, sexists or even nihilists (as what have they got against nothing?).

Here’s a bit of intolerance that is a life-long bugbear religious intolerance. I’m not even going to pretend to understand the intricacies of other people’s religions. Everybody’s entitled to their own beliefs. Except this has presented me with a problem that leaves me more confused

www.lukecoleman.co.uk

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Another trip home, and my ceaseless quest for both cheaper travel and massive dogs continues.

This time, right across the breadth and length of Turkey, stopping in the central town of Kangal, to finally see pure bred Kangals. Through a mix of naive planning and language-free communication, I found myself cuddling the Turkish equivalent of a Crufts champion. Finally, after a year, mission accomplished.

And on to the meat of my holiday. I came home for a combination of reasons, but chose this time so I could re-establish my love affair with the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Every year a core group of school and university chums descend on Gloucestershire to lose shirts, dignity and inhibitions - to such an extent that there is now an annual "8th 7

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Race". This involves lining up five or six 'hurdles' (benches) up the hill running parallel with the finishing straight. Yours truly was always going to face a tough task against a fitter opposition, but to take in the English air has been magical.

Next stop - Newroz (Kurdish New Year) in the local pub to raise a few pennies for the refugees.

Newroz Pirozbe!

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The fantastic free Ocelot Comedy Night!

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and there’s also a marquee set up in Rye Field Meadow where a BBQ with local organic meat is served, with fresh bread rolls that get delivered to the field that morning. They also serve teas, coffees and cakes all day long, and after 11am they have beer on sale supplied from the local Loose Cannon Brewery.

There will also be a performance by the local Abingdon Morris Dancers.

For more details visit head.abingdonrc.org.uk

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That there Thames liked to spread it about a bit over the winter but this month you’ll be able to see humans once again conquering the river.

That’s right. It’s the annual Head of the River Race organised by Abingdon Rowing Club. This year, the 2,000 metre rowing race which finishes near St Helen’s Church, takes place on Sunday April 6.

The popular event always has plenty of spectators watching from the river bank

On Sunday June 8 in University Parks, Oxford and on Sunday June 22 in Prospect Park, Reading, Oxfordshire and Berkshire’s first ‘Rainbow Runs’ will take place from 11am to raise money for the local children’s hospice, Helen & Douglas House.

These unique fun runs are just 3km long, suitable for families or individuals aged from two to 80. You’ll also be showered with powdered paint which will be all the colours of a rainbow during the run. People of all different speeds, ages, shapes, fitness levels and sizes can take part. Entry fees are just £7.50 for a child under 16 and £12 for an adult. For more info www.helenanddouglas.org.uk

Arts & Culture

Who will be Abingdon’s Head of the River?

The Rainbow Runs

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praised for his originality and his quality of performance. Martin's hundreds of performances internationally put him right at the top of his game. From headlining and mcing shows in the top venue's in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Seychelles, Bahrain, Dubai, Spain, Belgium to countless performances across South Africa.

Martin’s support comes in the form of Garrett Millerick, the night’s opener, followed by Laura McClenaghan and Matt Banks in the open spots.

The compere for the evening will be Donald Mack described as “Six foot one and a big black bundle of comedy fun”.

For Starters

April’s headliner at the free Ocelot Comedy Night at The Vic in Swindon is Martin Evans, who has just recently won back to back "Standard Bank Ovation Awards" for his solo show "FBPK" and his partnership in "Pants on Fire" at the 2012 "South African National Arts Festival" in Grahamstown.

The night takes place on Monday April 7 and we’d recommend getting there early to get a seat. The doors open at 8pm with the comedians coming on the stage at 9pm.

Martin Evans is described as having one of the finest comedy minds in the business, with a sense of humour that is intelligent and sophisticated. He has long been

Welcome to summer at

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Oxford Castle Quarter is the place to be as it plays host to everything includ

Oxford Castle Quarter was once home to the Norman Oxford Castle and then the infamous Oxford Prison. Part of these historic buildings remain, and have shaped the development of the quarter as it stands today, including St George’s Tower and the Castle Mound. The secrets of the quarter’s history can be discovered at the visitor attraction Oxford Castle - Unlocked. The rest of the quarter is now home to a hub of bars and restaurants including the Malmaison Hotel and The Big Bang. It also boasts the wonderful O3 Gallery with its dynamic programme of exhibitions all year round. During the next few months it will become a cultural hub with the quarter playing host to a huge mix of events from music to theatre and art to film.

One Thousand Cranes - An Exhibtion of contemporary paper making – April 5 to April 27 One Thousand Cranes will feature the work of a selection of the UK’s leading artists currently working in the medium of paper in a group exhibition showcasing some of the very best contemporary paper-cutting, origami and kirigami.

The exhibition will take place at the O3 Gallery.

The Return of The Beach - Saturday May 24 Last year, the beach came to Oxford Castle Quarter with 32 tonne of sand brought in with deck chairs and palm fronds nodding in the 10

ummer at Oxford Castle Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:16 Page 11

ays host to everything including art, music, film, theatre and even a beach

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Busker's Quarter contact 01865 201657 or oc@topgroup.co.uk Alice’s Day - Saturday July 5 This annual event celebrates everything Lewis Carroll and turns Oxford Castle Quarter, as well as plenty of other locations throughout Oxford, into a veritable wonderland. The exact plans are still under wraps but expect unorthodox tea parties, a plethora of hatters and some white rabbits. This is definitely your opportunity to dig out your Alice in Wonderland outfit from the back of the wardrobe and get into the spirit of things.

Six Summer Sundays – July 27 to August 31 Live music at the Quarter for the six summer holiday Sundays is the order of the day. Acts will be announced in the next few months.

To keep up to date and for more details on events visit www.oxfordcastlequarter.com

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summer breezes through the barmiest summer we've recently experienced. The Oxford beach was open daily for cocktails, BBQs, beach games and general basking in the sun. The beach will be reopening on Saturday May 24.

A summer of open air cinema and theatre - June and July With a full programme of open air cinema and productions like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Canterbury Tales, Oxford Castle Quarter turns itself into a summer cultural hub.

Busker’s Quarter – First Saturday of every month On the first Saturday of every month Oxford Castle Quarter becomes 'Busker's Quarter'. A haven for buskers, musicians, bands, street performers, artists and dancers. Between 1pm-4pm come down to the Quarter to enjoy the true talent that Oxford has to offer. If you'd like to perform at

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The O3 Gallery

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The region’s favourite beer writer

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So for the second time in as many years, the Chancellor this month announced not just another freeze on beer duty, but a WHOLE 1p cut to boot!

Woop, Woop!

You may wonder what all the fuss is about, considering the same thing occurred last year and it wasn’t as if we paid any less for a pint; but for the brewing industry the move will not only protect around 7,000 jobs over the next couple of years, but will enable the industry to hopefully continue on the long road to recovery.

Mike Benner, Chief Executive of CAMRA sums it up: “Keeping the price of a pint affordable is vital for the long-term health of the pub sector and CAMRA would hope this latest vote of confidence in British pubs will go some way to slowing the rate of closures, by encouraging more people to make use of their local this summer. CAMRA cares greatly about the future of the Great British pub and it is clear from this budget announcement that the Government do too.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this small reprieve has attracted some negativity from the health contingency. Katherine Brown, director of the Institute for Alcohol Studies responded thus to the

news, “The announcement to scrap the alcohol duty escalator is staggering. With alcohol costing the country £21billion a year, and alcohol-related hospital admissions more than doubling over the past 10 years, it comes as a shock to learn that the Chancellor believes that is it right to further incentivise drinking by making alcohol cheaper”.

Clearly she hasn’t bought a round (of beer) in a while.

In no way making light of the huge problem alcohol-related illness and disease has impacted on our already stretched NHS; on the other side of the coin: n The beer industry is a major tax contributor, with brewing and pubs contributing £22bn to UK production, generating £11bn in tax revenue. n The beer and pub sector supports over 9000,000 jobs. n Pubs boost local economies by and average £80,000 per year. n Nearly 90 % of pubs are rural/community establishments bringing employment to otherwise remote areas.

So if you were among the 6,700 CAMRA members who petitioned for a freeze in duty again this year, pat yourself on the back and have a beer. You deserve it.

If you weren’t, just by visiting your local pub or club, you are contributing to a vital community asset, without which we would all be the poorer for.

So give yourself a pat on the back anyway.

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with Brewery bird

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Penny off the pint a welcome vote of confidence

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Reading Beer Festival

The CAMRA Reading Beer and Cider Festival returns to Kings Meadow, Reading from Thursday May 1 to Sunday May 4. This year the event will be showcasing an impressive selection of over 550 real ales, 150 cider and perries and an excellent selection of foreign beer and British wine. www.readingbeerfestival.org.uk

Reading Beer and Cider Festival celebrates two decades this year.

That’s 20 years of giving real ale enthusiasts a mindboggling choice of beer to choose from.

There’s going to be a stupendous amount of real ales on offer at this year’s with more than 550 local and national varieties.

It takes place from Thursday May 1 to Sunday May 4.

Cider and perry will be well represented with over 150 ciders including local producers.

There will also be a large range of foreign beers including Fruit, Lambics, Pilsners, Trappist and the medieval king's social lubricant of choice - mead.

There’s also a Great British wine bar with red and whites including locally produced Stanlake Park and that’s not to mention a range of fruit wines and port.

Opening times and prices for the 2014 festival are :Thursday: 4.30pm to 11pm (£7.50 door, £14.30 advance) Friday: 11am to 11pm (£10 door, £17.30 advance) Saturday: 11am to 4.30pm (£10 door, £17.30 advance) and 6pm to 11pm (£10 door and £17.30

advance) Sunday: 12pm to 8pm (£7 door, £18.80 advance) In case you were wondering why the advance tickets cost more, it’s because it’s a special package available through the website. It includes tokens for two pints of beer or cider redeemable for any drink up to 6% ABV, guaranteed fast entry to the event, a complimentary glass and a festival programme.

On the Friday and Saturday there will also be live music with a fantastic line-up.

On the Friday the music will be compered by the always great Damien A Passmore and will include Newtowners, Jodie O’Callaghan, Richard Green, Chris Beales, Paula Curtis, Reading Ukulele, Dolly and the Clothes Pegs, Zarand, Mort Subite, Edd Keene, 45rpm and Leatherat.

On the Saturday during the day there will be Raff Achour, who is from Boot Led Zeppelin, Rebecca Lambert, Paula Riordan, Steve Nicholls, Tom Attah and Small String Ukulele.

That evening there will be Robert Sowden compering as well as Little Twist, 3 Buck Shirt 18

and Swallow.

There will also be a pub quiz with prizes on Thursday May 1.

Festival games and the Tombola stall will be running throughout the duration of the festival.

Hot and cold food will also be available throughout the festival and on the Sunday there will be a special family day with free entry and entertainment for children provided through the “half pints” club. Children will have free entry on this day.

For more details and to keep an eye on what ales, ciders and perries will be available visit readingbeerfestival.org.uk

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Wychwood Go With The Quo

Status Quo have swapped rock n’ roll for rhythm and booze by getting together with Wychwood Brewery in Oxfordshire to produce their own beer called Piledriver.

For the band who have been rockin’ all over the world for nearly half a century a move into brewing is a dream come true.

Francis Rossi said: "Music and beer go well together! Anyone denying that has never been to a gig - and certainly not a Quo show. We wanted to create something special for the fans, and us of course, to enjoy. Piledriver is it."

Rick Parfitt added: "Piledriver is renowned as one of those albums where it all went right: the chemistry

was perfect and the fun flowed.

Wychwood Brewery has helped us create a beer with the same ethos; and a huge blue gorilla as a truly arresting logo!"

Jeff Drew, head brewer at Wychwood Brewery, said: “It has been great to work with Status Quo on this. We wanted to create something interesting that had a malty, hoppy bitter flavour, but wasn’t too strong or too sweet. The result is Piledriver - a classic English beer for a classic English band.”

The 4.3% malty amber ale, which was launched exclusively into J D Wetherspoon pubs in February, will be available on wider distribution in the ‘on trade’ this month.

Pub lets off steam with Brunel bash

The Inn at Freshford is celebrating Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s birthday on Saturday April 12 with its inaugural ‘Let Off Steam Beer Festival’.

The historic village inn owned by Wiltshire-based Brunel-inspired Box Steam Brewery - will play host to antique steam engines, the Holt Morris Men and world-renowned Brunel impersonator and expert Martin Williamson.

Bar staff dressed in traditional Victorian attire will serve up a specially designed steam age food menu, as well as a range of Brunel-inspired beers and guest ales. Aptly named tipples will range from Tunnel Vision to Derail Ale. The day’s celebrations will culminate in a beer tasting session from Box Steam Brewery’s Master Brewer Tom Downes at 4pm. Tickets for

this session cost £10 and includes a beer gift box. The rest of the festival which starts at midday is free entry.

The festival marks Brunel’s 208th birthday and the respective 150th and 160th anniversaries of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Paddington Station – two of his most acclaimed projects.

“Trains from the Great Western Railway stop at Freshford on a daily basis and Box Tunnel-inspired beers run through our pumps, so it’s only right we raise a glass to Isambard on his birthday,” said landlord Mike Parkin. “While the kids step back in time and discover how the great man influenced local engineering and architecture, parents can get a taste of how Brunel inspired local beer brewers. It’s going to be an 20

interesting and thirst quenching day of Brunel celebrations, with top hats galore."

For more details or to book a beer tasting place call 01225 722250.

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Dave for all Se

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with Dave Stewart

Asparagus is back, and early British lettuce, cucumbers, greens and the first decent tomatoes are starting to come back in –at this time of year I can’t help but make use of these ingredients I’ve been denying myself for the past few wintery months.

Asparagus with Feta, Mint and Walnut oil

Blanch the trimmed asparagus in salted water for about 3-4 minutes, until cooked but still bright green. Drain, and place them in a bowl of iced water so they stop cooking straight away. Once cooled, remove them and chop them into bitesized pieces, and toss in bowl with around 100g diced feta, and a small handful of chopped mint. Make a dressing out of 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp walnut oil, the juice of half a lemon, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, salt (the tiniest pinch as the feta is quite salty), ground black pepper, and 1 tsp dried oregano. Mix well, and toss with all the salad ingredients.

Taste, and add more mint or walnut oil as required. Serve with additional walnut oil and a crusty baguette for a light lunch.

Spring onion and basil mushroom Persian-style omelette

This is loosely based on the Persian classic, called Kuku (or sometimes spelled Kookoo) Sabzi, a bright green, herbfilled egg dish that is sliced up much like a spanish omelette and served alongside garlicky dips, sesame flatbreads and grilled meats. This is taking similar elements to that, but adding a little more richness thanks to the mushroom, enough to make a substantial main meal, particularly when paired with a yogurt-tahini dressing (5 heaped tbsp greek yogurt, 1 heaped tbsp tahini, 1 large clove crushed garlic, salt, juice of half a lemon) and a green salad of some kind (either the asparagus or rocket dishes mentioned in this month’s column would work well, too). First of all, slice 250g chestnut mushrooms thinly, and add 3 finely sliced garlic cloves and 3 finely chopped spring onions. Season the mix well with salt and pepper and then fry in a med-hot frying pan with 2 tbsp melted butter. Whilst they’re cooking, mix 3 heaped tbsp flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp dried mint, 1 tsp ground tarragon in a large bowl. Add water to this and mix well, until you have a thick batter. Crack 4-6 eggs into this (4 for large or duck eggs, 6 small hens) and mix well.

Remove the mushrooms from the frying pan and allow to cool. Then add to the batter, along with 2 large handfuls of finely chopped mixed herbs – any mixture of basil, parsley, tarragon or coriander will work.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and cook the mixture on a low heat until the eggs are almost set. Then place the pan under a hot grill until the top is cooked, slice into wedges and serve with the dressing and, if you’re feeling flash, a few scattered pomegranate seeds.

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ALSO IN SEASON: Asparagus, Broccoli, Beetroot, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chives, Crab, Cucumber, Kale, Mint, New Potatoes, Radish, Rhubarb, Shrimp, Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Sorrel, Swede, Watercress, Whitebait

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Based on the Lyonnaise classic served at Brasseries Georges, this puy lentil salad is traditionally cooked with Calve’s feet, which are stewed right down, and diced finely, pairing excellently with the earthy puy lentils and dressed with a gutsy mustard-andchive dressing. I was determined to share the experience with a friend of mine, so this vegetarian-friendly version was born.

Take 250g of dried green lentils (or ideally, puy as they hold their shape a bit better) and cook in salted water (no, it won’t make the lentils tough) with 2 bay leaves, 1 large, floury potato and 2 whole carrots, cut into several large sections. The idea here is to cook the veg in the lentil stock, so that the flavours mingle, but remove the veg as soon as they are done, so keep the sections large enough to easily remove. Once cooked (the potato will be done first most likely – you want the carrot to be very soft), dice the carrots and potatoes into small pieces roughly the size of the lentils and add to a large bowl, with the drained lentils, and allow everything to cool. Meanwhile, boil 2 eggs until hard boiled. Peel, and dice into similar size pieces to the veg. Now, take a large bunch of chopped chives and add a good handful to the lentil-veg mixture, along with a good handful of finely chopped parsley. Mix well, season with salt and pepper and then make your dressing. In a blender, mix a raw egg yolk with 3 tsp Dijon mustard, and with the blade running, slowly drizzle in 180 ml of groundnut oil, until you’ve made a basic mayonnaise. Season with salt, pepper, 4 tbsp crème fraiche, ½ tsp white wine vinegar and 3tsp Worcestershire sauce. Taste the dressing, adding more mustard and/or crème fraiche to your preference. Now add roughly 4 heaped tbsp of your dressing to your lentil bowl and toss well. Taste, and add more chives or dressing if it needs it. Fill a ramekin or small bowl with enough mixture to fill, and turn out, upside down onto a plate. The mixture should hold together to form a neat stack on the plate. Garnish with additional chives, 2-3 finely sliced red onion rings, and scatter around a couple of pieces of sundried tomatoes in oil, or fresh, halved cherry tomatoes if you have any.

Serve with the dressing on the side (any leftovers will go great with cold meats, fish or Caesar-style salads)

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Vegetarian ‘Pied A Veau’ with new potato, egg and chives

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Rocket, balsamic and parmesan salad

If there’s a better way to serve rocket, I haven’t found it yet. This simple salad makes the most of some very simple ingredients, yet never fails to delight, and pairs brilliantly with everything from omelettes to pizzas. The most important thing is to use good quality balsamic vinegar (the cheaper stuff can be overly harsh). If you have some stale bread knocking around, then this recipe is also handy for using it up –simply tear or cut 2-3 thick slices of stale bread into bitesize cubs and fry in olive oil until golden and crunchy, adding 1-2 crushed garlic cloves towards the end of cooking, so they don’t burn. Add these croutons to a large salad bowl and toss with a large bunch of washed rocket and a good scattering of parmesan shavings. Make a dressing by mixing 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp of good-quality balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp caster sugar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper in an old jam jar, and shake until emulsified. Add about half the dressing to the salad, toss well, taste, and add more if needed. Any leftover dressing will keep.

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Come and try the Carvery at the Crown Bookings now being taken for Easter Sunday on April 20

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International Pan of Mystery

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

Fenugreek

Dried or fresh, this is one of the most pungent flavours in the admittedly already-strong Indian arsenal of spices.

Known as ‘methi’ in Hindi, it’s a green, aromatic leafy herb and, as with coriander, its leaves are used as well as its seeds. The leaf form is available in two varieties – fresh and dried – where it forms a major flavour component in a number of Indian and Persian dishes, particularly in the creamier, northern Indian dishes such as Methi Muttar Malai (fenugreek, peas and cream), and even makes occasional appearances in salad, though the dried leaf form is more often used, crumbled up with the fingers and added to

dishes midway through cooking, to add that unmistakably exotic aroma. In its whole seed form, fenugreek is one of the essential ingredients in the popular East Indian/Bangladeshi spice mix ‘panch phoran’ (other spellings are available), a mix of five whole spices that are tempered in oil until they ‘pop’ and added to dhals, meat and fish curry dishes just before serving, to add an extra layer of spice. When the seeds are ground, they form a yellowwhiteish powder that adds a pungent depth to curried dishes and garam masala mixes, with an unmistakable aroma reminiscent somewhat of old-fashioned English curry powders.

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Vinho di Montho

Black Tower Rosé

Unless we’ve suddenly been hit by another deluge of rain by the time you read this we’re all hopefully enjoying a balmy spring with the sun shining. You might even be considering getting the BBQ out of the shed. If you do that, we would highly recommend this deliciously fruity and refreshing number as the perfect accompaniment.

Germany’s Black Tower always produces good wine.

This mouthwatering Rosé is cool fermented to capture the delicate strawberry and raspberry flavours provided by the red grapes in this cuvée. And using the word fruity is an understatement as this is the perfect wine to drink to enjoy the first of 2014’s spring evenings. It’s available from Tesco for a bargain £5.99.

NATIONAL WEEKS OF WHATEVER National Bread Week April 16 to April 22

Prepare for a week of PAIN. That’s French for bread. In France the term ‘pain in the arse’ has an altogether different meaning and involves a baguette. Anyway, I digress. Bread isn’t exactly some rare commodity that needs a week of celebration as we stuff it in our mouths most days but maybe you could use this week to discover some speciality breads like Stollen. As if you needed the excuse.

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Tower RosĂŠ

al Bread Week

ome rare commodity that

you needed the excuse.

Chef Talk

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

We have a quick chat with Chef Chris White of The Red Lion in Cricklade about his innovative hop-smoked salmon.

As a top destination for food and micro-brew lovers alike, it was only a matter of time before the ever-creative Red Lion at Cricklade decided to combine the two on its menu.

Far beyond mere beer-battering, head chef Chris White has stripped one of their signature ales right back to one of its core ingredients – in this case, cascade hops – and combined it with top quality fish to create something unique to the pub; hop-smoked salmon.

“I’m always keen to try new things in the kitchen” explains Chris, “and this is one dish I’m very proud of. Apparently the idea has been around a while – we found some very old cookbooks from the early 20th century with similar ideas, but it still took a lot of trial and error to get it to a level we were happy with. The initial problem was the flavour of the hops wasn’t coming through enough, so we decided to not only smoke the fish over burning hops in our cold smoker, but also to grind some of the cascade hops in the initial salt-sugar curing stage. Only with this two-stage process did the aromatic, citrusy flavour of the brilliant Cascade hops finally come through and get the chance to shine on the palette”.

What you’re left with is something truly mouthwatering –deeply flavoured, delicious smoked salmon slices that have all the wonderful qualities of the cascade hops, but without any of the unwanted bitterness. The flavour comes through so it’s noticeable, but not so that it overpowers the fish, which remains the star. The salmon is paired with another one of Chris’ inventions – his creamy dill, caviar and pomegranate dressing, which offers yet another level of spectacular flavour to the finished dish. But this is far from a one-off -it joins other wonderfully imaginative menu items such

as Chris’ ‘red cabbage spaghetti’, which involves juicing the red cabbage, and mixing it with agaragar until it forms a jelly. This is then syringed into tubes, pickled and presented as an alternative to standard braised cabbage. “The funny thing is”, adds Chris, “the customer has no idea of all the work that’s gone into it – to them it’s just a great tasting red cabbage dish to perfectly complement their Sunday roast, and that’s all I want it to be”.

If you’re thinking this all sounds vaguely reminiscent of Heston Blumenthal, you wouldn’t be far off the mark. Although all the dishes are Chris’ own, he does certainly pay credit to his former mentor, “I learned a lot from the kitchen at the Hind’s Head [one of Heston’s Berkshire-based pubs] and have definitely tried to take that into what I do now. Working at such a place, with such energy, it’s bound to fire up the creative juices, and I hope I now bring that to the customers at Red Lion – great food, cooked with care, but that still retains its pub heart – as that’s what we are first and foremost”.

The Red Lion, 74 High Street, Cricklade, Wiltshire, SN6 6DD Tel: 01793 750776 www.redlioncricklade.co.uk

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“You talkin’ to me?”

A film column with Jamie Hill

Music The List

31

Then there’s the always excellent Michael Fassbender championing the film of Assassin’s Creed, another game with massively epic scope. This is in preproduction as we speak with a 2015 release date slated.

There’s also a film of Naughty Dog’s other major title Uncharted which follows the exploits of Tomb Raider-like adventurer Nathan Drake, in the works.

And if that’s not enough there’s the behemoth of the gaming industry Grand Theft Auto, unfairly maligned and dismissed by the press as ultra violent and mysoginistic, when in fact it is one of the wittiest and subtlly left wing games out there making pops at right wing America at every opportunity. This is one franchise that is itching to stretch its legs away from the gaming universe if ever there was one as it plays like one big movie and owes a lot of its influences to directors like Coppola and Michael Mann. It’s only a matter of time.

Hollywood, where no original idea seems to exist, is on a neverending quest for source material and games have a lot of potential.

And if The Last of Us is made with the same passion and creativity as the game it will be a fantastic film that will make people wake up to the gaming world.

Fingers crossed.

Arts & Culture

Naughty Dog to write it.

For me, that’s pretty damn exciting. But, at the same time, it also fills me with dread as films from games haven’t exactly set the world on fire so far.

We’ve had Uwe Boll, officially one of the worst directors in the world, systematically ruin Alone in the Dark, Dungeon Seige, Bloodrayne, Far Cry and House of the Dead. This man has made it as difficult as hell for gaming films to be taken seriously. Then there was Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Silent Hill, all of which weren’t exactly that well received on release. And please don’t mention Prince of Persia, Tomb Raider and Doom.

For whatever reason these films were failures. Their source material was either not adhered to or not taken seriously resulting in messed up scripts, shonky dialogue and not much else.

The only franchise that has seen a modicum of success on the screen is Resident Evil - but not from a critical point of view.

But there is hope for the video game to movie adaptation.

Duncan Jones is currently adapting World of Warcraft.

Other than being David Bowie’s son he is also a fantastic director with Moon especially being a film that needs to be revisited again and again.

Food and Drink

Something weird happened to me last year. I was playing a Playstation game and I found myself in tears.

These were not tears of frustration as I once again failed to get the blocks in the right place in Tetris. No, these were tears of real emotion as the game took me through a particularly poignant moment. This had never happened to me whilst gaming before.

But then again there’s never been a game like Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. You might have heard of it.

This is a game with heart. With real characters who you end up caring about and a fantastic script.

It is at once terrifying and lifeaffirming, taking its characters and us on both a physical and emotional journey.

The plot centres around a postapocalyptic America where groups of infected ‘zombie’ like creatures roam alongside cannibals and bandits. The main characters are Joel and Ellie who might have the key to cure the infection.

This was gaming on an epic scale unlike anything we had seen before and you are probably wondering why the billy heck I’m going on about it in a film column.

Well, Sam Raimi, of Evil Dead and Spider-man fame, wants to make it into a film and he has brought in the same creative team from

For Starters

Is it game on for The Last of Us?

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Monday April 7 Fancy a laugh?

Four Comedians and a compere all for free!

From page to stage...

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For Starters

Breaking a Leg with John Palmgren

Who the hell?

Matt Smith in the adaptation of American Psycho

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Music

Reading's Progress Theatre had a similarly lively challenge in their production of Trainspotting last month. Maintaining the momentum of the play when the audience already knows the ending is just one of the challenges they were up against.

Although I hope that theatre never gets to the same stage as cinema where most new productions are adaptations, prequels or sequels, I do think we should embrace the adaptation.

The key is to look at the adaptation as a new creative entity, and not in comparison to what has come before it.

Plays are able to tap into the unique intensity of being performed live and can shed new light on stories we thought we already knew. A play that tries to look or feel like a book or a film cannot work, but one that tries to embrace the spirit of the story and learn something new about the characters can be as exciting as any original piece of theatre.

Arts & Culture

You will have all heard, or said, at one time or another: ‘the book is better than the film’. But what should you make of theatre adaptations of much loved books and films?

Books that jump between locations and time periods may seem difficult to adapt yet there has been countless successful adaptations. Often the more difficult something is to portray on the stage, the more creative the play becomes.

Some excellent recent examples are Gisli Orn Gardarsson and David Farr's production of Kafka's Metamorphasis, and American Psycho, which was adapted into a musical staring Matt Smith.

Inventive writers and directors have shown that no book or film is unadaptable to theatre.

The problem with any visual medium, be it cinema or theatre, is that it will contradict the imaginary world that has been created by those who read the book.

Even more problematic are theatrical adaptations which have also been iconic films. Dale Wasserman's adaptation for the stage of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest is inspired by Ken Kesey's book but careful direction would be needed to drag it out of the long shadow cast by the film.

Food and Drink

Luke Hereford as Tommy in Progress Theatre’s adaptation of Trainspotting

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Discover great art with Art Weeks

Work by Faringdon artists David and Tara Parker-Woolway

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The List

Hall in Royal Wootton Bassett from April 9-12. Tickets are £9.50 (£8) from www.wblos.org.uk and from the town’s Post Office.

Oklahoma stars Mike Davies as Curly and Stuart Dark as Judd, who played Captain Hook and Tiger Lily in Peter Pan, along with a 22-strong cast and a substantial orchestra.

Music

Wootton Bassett Light Operatic Society (WBLOS) have won a NODA South West District 14 Regional Achievement award for last year’s Alice in Pantoland.

This comes after its very successful Peter Pan panto in January which saw four full houses.

The next WBLOS show is Oklahoma, on at the Memorial

Arts & Culture

WBLOS win Regional Achievement Award

Food and Drink

series of workshops and exhibitions exploring and celebrating analogue photography. This is just one of many of the hundreds of exhibitions that you will be able to feast your eyes on.

Artweeks is the opportunity for a wonderful day out: expect the unexpected, be inspired, diverted and delighted – and come home with a unique artwork of your own. You’ll be able to meet artists, talk about their work, watch demonstrations and maybe have a go yourself. Or simply feast your eyes on a huge range of creative activity, from painting, photography, textiles, sculpture and ceramics, to furniture, glass, mosaics, jewellery, digital art and much more.

For more details and to find out what’s on where visit www.artweeks.org

For Starters

From May 2 to May 26, Oxfordshire artists and craftspeople will open their studios to the public for the county’s most important arts festival.

This is Oxfordshire Art Weeks, which has more than 400 exhibitions and events across the whole of the county. Visitors are able to view spectacular art in a huge variety of different locations, from barns and halls in Cotswold villages, to city studios, galleries, open spaces, schools, homes and even a castle.

The first week of the festival will take place across the south of the county, with exhibitions along the Thames from Faringdon to Henley and the Ridgeway from Wantage to Thame. In the Faringdon/South Oxfordshire area there are more than 35 artists, craftspeople and makers opening their studio doors and putting up exhibitions for the public to visit. This year venues will be open from May 3 to May 11. There is a wide range of quality work to see from painting, drawing and photography to sculpture, jewellery and ceramics.

The second week will focus on beautiful North Oxfordshire where venues can be found from the lovely Cotswold towns of Faringdon, Burford and Chipping Norton across to the historic market towns of Bicester and Banbury.

The final week of Art Weeks is centred on Oxford itself, where nearly 200 art spaces in and around the city open their doors to the public. At the Gallery at The Old Fire Station there will be a

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

A storybook exhibition come to Oxford Many of Britain’s best loved writers and storytellers have transformed themselves into the characters they most loved as children in The Story Museum’s exciting new, interactive photographic exhibition called ‘26 Characters’ which runs from Saturday April 5 to Sunday November 2.

The Story Museum, which is found at Rochester House on Pembroke Street, Oxford, exists to celebrate children's stories and to share enjoyable ways for young people to learn through stories as they grow.

Storytelling Laureate Katrice Horsley as Mary Poppins

Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman as The Wicked Witch of the West

Neil Gaiman as Badger

Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman metamorphoses into the Wicked Witch of the West.

Terry Pratchett achieves outlaw status as Just William. And Neil Gaiman gets stripey as a wellknown woodland creature.

This is The Story Museum’s 26 Characters Exhibition where you can discover your favourite author’s personal inspirations.

Other authors taking part include Julia Donaldson, Anthony Horowitz, Kevin CrossleyHolland, Jamila Gavin, Charlie Higson, Shirley Hughes, Terry Jones, Geraldine McCaughrean, Michael Morpurgo, Francesca Simon and Benjamin Zephaniah.

Award-winning celebrity photographer Cambridge Jones has captured the gallery of rogues and rascals, wizards, witches and wild things, which unfolds through the Story Museum’s atmospheric and unfinished buildings.

Visitors to the museum will be able to explore some intriguing rough spaces - literally full of character - brought to life by designers who include Michael Pickwoad (Doctor Who) and Alix Harwood

Michael Rosen as Till Eulenspiegel

(Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, Hugo, Thor). Hunt for story extracts, and discover the reasons behind the authors' choices.

You’ll be able to see your favourite fabulists as you’ve never seen them before and meet a cast of characters, from Anansi to Boromir and all the way to Oz. Exhibition highlights include portraits hung in interactive themed spaces where you can hear the authors talking about their choice of hero and why they love stories and the chance to listen to story extracts recorded by Olivia Colman and Christopher Eccleston.

You’ll also be able to hear new stories specially created by Jamila Gavin, Geraldine McCaughrean, Kevin Crossley-Holland and Alex Kanefsky.

Browse through everybody’s books and discover more in the museum’s comfortable library and you’ll also be able to dress up and have your photo taken for the museum’s digital gallery.

There’s a talking throne you can make friends with. Tickets cost £7.50 or £5 concessions. For more details visit storymuseum.org.uk 36

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Adam Crosland is a man who creates. He does a bit of everything. He has selfpublished offbeat and sometimes quite rude comic novels. He has been a key member of Swindon’s own uncompromising band Babies Vs Rabies who recently split. Now, the artist, who finds a lot of inspiration from the farm where he lives, is branching out by creating his own solo album, within what seemed like minutes since his break-up with BvR and by working on his art as well as a novel for children. His most recent works include a series of satirical and comic postcards.

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

The creative mind of Ad

Adam Crosland is not the type of person that is wired up for conformity. Everything he does from anarchic art to his mindblowing musical expression is slightly off-kilter.

“So, I guess my essence lies in creation.

Could be making pictures, music or writing, but in general I’m happiest whilst making.

So that’s what I try to do mostly.”

Adam gets a lot of his artistic inspiration from his surroundings especially the smallholding where he lives with his girlfriend.

“My love of nature is kind of ‘deep rooted’ and plays a supporting role to my

passions, as much as my interest in satirizing modern social ideals helps fuel them. I’m hoping it all sort of balances itself out.”

Adam’s past musical projects include the renowned Le Neon, Forest Nightmare, Veer Luth, Band of Burt, The Meatles, Mr Hello and His Honesty Club and most recently Babies Vs Rabies.

“At the moment I don't see myself doing any more bands. I always said Babies vs Rabies was the last band I'd ever do.

“I think rock music is dying at a rate of knots, and is essentially futile. Music is very much part of me however and I will continue to write and record things. Just don't want 38

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mind of Adam Crosland For Starters Food and Drink Arts & Culture Music

to do gigs anymore. To be honest I've never really enjoyed gigging anyway.”

Adam’s debut solo album 'Sing for your Life and Fusty Books' is out now via iTunes. It’s definitely worth checking out.

“Artwise, I've just started writing a series of children's books called Brocolli Farm.

They're based around mine and Laura's smallholding, I guess.

It's fun tying my writing and art together. And I like the idea of doing things at a grass roots level, as well as a more high or even low brow level, depending on your perspective on things.”

For more on all things Adam Crosland you can visit his website at www.adamcrosland.com

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Bassett Rivers Echo Friday April 18, 2014

Scary News for Scary Times

65p

Professor Plum sought in murder inquiry PAGE 97

“WE THOUGHT IT WAS A DRIVE-THRU.” SAYS MANAGER

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT CRASHES INTO STATIONARY SHOP

By Hugh Dunnit City Reporter FIVE people are in a critical condition at Bassett Rivers Hospital after a fast food restaurant collided with a stationary store narrowly missing a mobile shop yesterday.

The High Street accident happened at just after midday after McDonger’s Restaurant lost control and careered across the street into the ‘Paper And Pens But Not Pencils R Us’ store.

Restaurant manager Toomach Saltcontent said: “We had recently installed a new microwave oven that meant we could go from

nought to tasty in seventy seconds. It was just too much power for us. We couldn’t handle it.

“Also, did you want fries with that?”

Four victims were taken to hospital after suffering head injuries from unidentified frying objects.

An accident investigation is now underway into the cause

of the crash.

Det Insp Scott Landyard said: “We’d told the manager to slow down on a previous occasion but he mustard got behind and was trying to ketchup. We don’t relish what we’ll find out or happen a pun.

“We’ve not seen anything like this since the stock market crash of 1989.”

JK ROWLING’S NEW BOOK REVEALED TO BE SHOPPING LIST

JK ROWLING’S new book Harry Potter And The Trip To Tesco has had mixed reviews since its launch last week.

One critic has even accused the world famous author of simply publishing her weekly shopping list.

Steve Snideremark, of The Times, said: “It is simply a list. She even spelt courgette wrong and crossed out milk and replaced it with margarine.

“It’s still a damn sight better read than the latest Dan Brown though and its denouement which takes place in the frozen food aisle is probably the best passage in any of her works to date.”

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Bassett Rivers Echo COMMENT All wildlife should be shot

The unprecedented reaction of protestors to council plans to cull all wildlife in Bassett Rivers Park is totally unexpected. Don’t they realise that the council has to spend money on the upkeep of the park and that having animals and birds roaming free doing their business willy nilly is absolutely ridiculous? They wouldn’t let these same animals, made up of weasels, tramps and otters and the like, go round their houses in order to use it as a public lavatory, so why should the council? These animals, with their teeth, their fur, their feathers, their cans of Special Brew and their whiskers are a menace and need to be hunted down before they destroy the environment entirely by pooing everywhere. The marksmen that are going in there to carry out the cull have assured the council that there will be no problems even from yobbish groups of badgers moving the goalposts as they are planning to napalm the football pitch first. If these protestors are causing a fuss now imagine what they will say when the council carries out the second phase of its plan, which includes cutting down all the trees and laying concrete over everything. You can’t expect our taxpaying money to go to mowing grass and clearing up leaves left by unruly oaks.

Correction

The Echo would like to apologise to the family of missing man Jack Dean (Missing Man Still Missing, April 12).

It was an unfortunate typo that saw our reporter leave out the letter ‘l’ in public when telling readers that a public helpline had been set up.The same reporter would also like to apologise for leaving the ‘o’ out of the word count and replacing the letter ‘b’ with ‘w’ in banker when describing Jack’s profession.

LETTERS

Bassett Rivers Echo, Monday, January 6, 2014

Gove is the best

I’M MADDENED by the continued denial that Michael Gove isn’t the best thing to happen to education since the invention of the chalkboard by William the Conqueror in 1066.

He is showing us that there is another way and that his reforms which will slowly phase out teachers are the best thing possible for our young children.

Without teachers children will have to learn on their own. There will be no namby pamby teaching them the alphabet or anything. It will be sink or swim.

Soon, all children will have to work out books for themselves by deciphering the meaning of letters just from their very shapes. They don’t need a teacher telling them that ‘a’ is for apple. Let them work it out for themselves. This will save our Government at least a hundred pounds which is millions.

I personally, was homeschooled by a parent who also didn’t believe in teaching and just communicated with me via grunts and throwing Wispa Bars at my head and it hasn’t done me any harm at all. In fact i iz gettin betta at spelling all the time just from lerning things from my siroundings. i donut no y peeple tink lerning iz diffcolt as using comon sents yu cun wirk out da mosd impotant thingz like dat rain comez from space and dat food advertz exist to feed da little peeple dat live in ya telliz.

Teechers are a complate waste of money and Mr Gove has the white eye dear.

Professa Adam Winklevozz, Bassett Rivers

Extension worries

I would like to complain in the strongest possible terms about my neighbour Mr Putin. He might own the bigger house but I

really think that his plan to extend his property into my most easterly corner where the water feature is goes completely against current regulations. I have complained to the council and they have sent him a strongly worded letter but apart from that they seem quite powerless. It is not good enough and makes a mockery of everything that this administration stands for.

Oleksandr Turchynov, Kiev

Star spotting

The other day a very funny thing happened when I looked up and I saw several members of the cast of Eastenders in front of me.

For a second I thought I had stumbled into a star-studded party the like of which you see in glamourous magazines like Heat or Take a Break but then I realised that I was actually watching television.

Luckily no-one else was in the room so no-one will ever know about my momentary mistake. Thank God for that as I would have died of embarrassment if anyone ever found out.

Amanda Munday, Bassett Rivers

Exploding pants

Has anyone else got the sudden need to run to the toilet?

Dave, Bassett Rivers

Complaint

I have to say that I found your article on the opening of a dentist in Bassett Rivers last Monday very offensive. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Dierdre, Bassett Rivers

Fast computer

I went to a shop the other day and was missold a computer. I was told it would run really fast but when I entered it into the 2.15pm at Kempton it only finished in third place. I want my money back.

Brian, Bassett Rivers

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Prepare to be schooled in the ways of rock For Starters

The Boys are back in town

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Music

We’ve seen plenty of covers band in our time doing The Ocelot but one act stands head and shoulders above the rest and they are Log Off. These guys are the Tenacious D of the local band circuit and they’re always at the top of their game. They get it. They know that people just want to have a good time.

At the start of March Log Off, made up of Nick Beere as well as the aforementioned Gaz, played a comeback gig at The Bear in Marlborough after taking a short sabbatical. And it was fantastic.

Like the 'D'. They were raucous, hilarious and always tongue in cheek. They were a pure pleasure to watch and every member of the packed crowd had a massive grin on their faces by the end.

Arts & Culture

The boy formerly known as Agony Boy is now 12 years old and wants to learn to rock by playing guitar.

And we have found him the best teacher around in the form of Gaz Saunders, the founder of Marlborough Music School.

For an hour a week Gaz visits our house and patiently manages to tear Agony Boy away from his iPhone and get him to ‘rock’ out or at least play something that’ll make the rest of us rock out.

But it’s not just acoustic, bass and electric guitar of all levels that Gaz and his school teaches. He also does vocal tuition, where he’ll teach you about live singing, pitching, harmonies, vibrato and delivery.

If that wasn’t enough the Mr Miyagi of rock music also teaches songwriting classes giving lessons in how to construct a song and take it to the recording stage and also help to build your own material.

His school also provides drum tuition, recording in the studio, and keyboard tuition from beginner to advanced.

The newest addition to the school is Rockstage which helps with band placement where you can learn how to play all contemporary/classic rock songs within a band environment.

It’s still early days for Agony Boy but with this kind of help we expect him to be selling out the O2 in no time!

Calll Gaz for all enquiries on 07961 881804.

Food and Drink

Gaz Saunders gets about a bit. The musician is not only the current manager of the fantastic George Wilding, who is courting interest from Sony and getting Radio 2 airplay, but you also might recognise him as one half of popular pub covers band Log Off who have just made a comeback from having a bit of time off. If that wasn’t enough he runs the Marlborough Acoustic Club every Sunday at The Marlborough in, you guessed it, Marlborough and has started up his own Marlborough Music School where he’s just taken on The Boy Formerly Known as Agony Boy as a student. He’s a busy man.

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Tues 1st

Thurs 3rd Fri 4th

Sat 5th

Mon 7th

Thurs 10th Fri 11th

APRIL LISTINGS

Film Night: The Trouble With Harry7.30pm free

Songs of Praise Presents Vienna Ditto + Super Squarecloud + Clementines 8pm free

Ode and the Bebops - Top skiffle band 8pm free Whole Lotta DC AC/DC tribute 8pm £6adv £8dr

The Ocelot Comedy Night 8pm free

Beaujacks 70s and 80s Rock Covers + Welcome Back Delta 8pm free Reggae DJ Night with Erin Bardwell 8pm free

Sat 12th

101% Pantera Pantera tribute 8pm £5adv £6dr

Thurs 17th

Songs of Praise Presents Black Hats + Cursor Major + The Racket 8pm free

Sun 13th

Fri 18th

Ezio Incredible guitar show 7.30pm £12adv £14dr

Charity Fundraising Night with Healthy Junkies + Fry Band + The Hamsters From Hell + 2 Sick Monkeys 8pm £6

Sat 19th

Snowblind Black Sabbath tribute 8pm £6

Thurs 24th

UK Subs + Slagerij 8pm £10

Sun 20th Fri 25th

Sat 26th Sun 27th Tues 29th

Shepherd’s Pie Classic Rock Covers 8pm free Toxic Top Covers Band 8pm free

A Foreigner’s Journey Foreigner and Journey tribute 8pm £8adv £10dr Gordon Giltrap and Oliver Wakemans Ravens and Lullabies 8pm £15 Open Mic Night All Welcome 8pm free

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Fri 4th - Nudybronque + Trapped on Amber Fri 11th - The Talks + Robb Blake Weds 16th - Salisbury Open Mic Fri 18th - Lo Fi Poets + Support

Fri 25th - Funke and the Two Tone Baby + Support

Mr B The Gentlema

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Arts & Culture

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For Starters

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It would be easy to dismiss Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer as a novelty act but he is so much more than that as he is a very talented parodist with real musical ability. The chap hop pioneer and rapper is now making a move into what he describes as chap-step and acid ragtime. With hits like ‘Straight out of Surrey’ Mr. B raps, or "rhymes", about high society, pipe smoking and cricket while playing the banjolele. Since he first started in 2007 he has become an Edinburgh Fringe favourite. You’ll be able to catch him at this year’s Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecouse from May 30 to June 1 where he’ll be joining The Stranglers, Boomtown Rats and Newton Faulkner on the main stage. Or failing that you can see him at Devizes Festival at Devizes Town Hall on Saturday June 21. Jamie Hill caught up with him for a quick chinwag.

Hello Mr B, how are you today?

I’m very well thank you. I am doing housework today which means obviously getting the staff to do the housework but watching them is keeping me pretty busy I can tell you.

What exactly is chap hop?

I think the best way to look at it would be to see it as if George Formby and Noel Coward had got together and formed hip hop instead of those lovely American chaps. It’s all about proper pronunciation and making sure your rhymes are the Queen’s English but at the same time still pretty dope.

So have you any advice for the budding chaps out there?

It’s all in the details dear boy. One piece of advice I can give is that you never match a pocket square with your tie. That is frowned upon. There are rules that need to be adhered to.

Any advice in the art of moustache growing?

It’s got to be perseverance. In the growth of any moustache we all have to go through a period that can only be described as the Ian Beale Stage that is to say that your moustache resembles a piece of dirty bumfluff on your top lip. You have to get through this stage before you realise a moustache’s true potential. There is nothing like a good twirling moustache especially if you’re a chap.

How should chaps get around?

Well, obviously every chap would love to have a Bentley. Unfortunately due to petrol prices and the fact that I gig all across the country I have to make do with a lovely Morris Minor which is perfect for

tootling around.

What do chaps do for leisure time?

Pipe-smoking and cricket. There’s nothing like it.

Maybe the occasional gin in moderation obviously.

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entleman Rhymer Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:19 Page 47

Cheltenham Racecourse Friday May 30 to Sunday June 1

LINE-UP:

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE FESTIVAL Korky Paul Tony de Saulles Phil Ardagh Jo Cotterill Jo Nadin John Dougherty Wendy Meddour Christpher Edge Karen Langtree COMEDY Friday - Paul Tonkinson Sunday - Wes Zaharuk Sunday - Gary Delaney

The List

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BIG TOP Craig Charles Bipolar Sunshine Wolf Alice Glitches Benin City Lloyd Yates Phoria Pixel Fix Racing Glaciers

Music

have been working on a compilation of chap-step and acid ragtime. It will be acid house for disc jockies during afternoon tea raves. I’ll be performing my first afternoon tea rave at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe so I’ve got a lot of work to do. The compilation will be ready later in the year.

What reaction have you had from the original artists that you’re parodying?

Well, Orbital, were present when I did an acoustic version of my rave medley and they are now big fans. It wasn’t meant to be an acoustic version but unfortunately my PA went kaput as soon as they arrived. Another fan is Nile Rodgers who is especially enamoured of my rapper’s delight tribute. Apparently he thinks it is pretty dope.

Arts & Culture

You’re playing Wychwood Festival this year. Have you any festival advice for chaps?

Well attire wise, wellies would be a must. We’re in England not Benacissim so there will be mud whatever you think. My other advice would be to take a small discreet hip flask with you. If you can’t secrete it around your person just in case security pick up on it you can always ask one of your jolly man-friends to carry it therefore freeing yourself from the worry of hip flask smuggling.

What can people expect from your live set?

Dope rhymes. Banjolele. Phat beats and elegance.

Are there any plans for a new album soon?

I’m still promoting last year’s ‘Can’t Stop, Shan’t stop’ but I

Food and Drink

MAIN STAGE The Stranglers The Boomtown Rats Newton Faulkner Gentleman's Dub Club The Real Thing 10cc's Graham Gouldman's Heart Full of Songs Bad Manners Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer La Chiva Gantiva Merry Hell Polly and the Billets Doux Gaslight Troubadors Thrill Collins

For Starters

Wychwood Festival

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Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:20 Page 49

Friday April 4

Blues Rock with attitude

HAMSTERS FROM HELL Saturday April 5 Rhythm and Blues

BUILT FOR COMFORT Friday April 11 Blues Rock

SNATCH IT BACK Saturday April 12 Rock, pop and indie covers

BALLOON ASCENTS “Utterly timeless and astonishingly contemporary pop quintet with subtle hints of folk”

MONTMARTRE

DARK EYES Friday April 18

Pop punk band on tour from Italy

THE SUNNYBOYS Saturday April 19 Rock n’ roll

THE AK POETS Sunday April 20

“A glorious new trio who swing from fragility to vitriol atop layers of intricate guitars, synths and melodic bass riffs.” ”

Party machine cover band

“A woozy mirage of pop noise to open the show that defies definition.”

JELLY + USELESS EATERS Saturday April 26

BLOOD RED STARS Saturday April 26

KOVA ME BADD Friday April 25 Original Punk Rock

Southern Cider Punk with an Irish twist

MICK O’ TOOLE

The Rolleston, 73 Commercial Road, Swindon, SN1 5NX 01793 534238 www.facebook.com/therolleston

Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:21 Page 50

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

This is New Music with Mark Muggeridge

This is Raglans

This Irish four-piece, led by singer Stephen Kelly, have a reputation as a live act that grows daily, especially after recent support slots for Haim, The Courteeners and their mates The Strypes. Their self-titled debut album came out at the end of last month and it features recent single, (Lady) Roll Back The Years as well as current hit, Digging Holes. Raglan start a 15 date UK tour on April 8 with an Oxford show on April 21 and Bristol on April 25 as part of the run. The sound they make is akin to that of The Lumineers, Of Monsters & Men and Kaiser Chiefs - folky, indie and revivalist; the soundtrack to a warm festival evening, singing at the top of your voice and losing it along with your mates in a field, grinning from ear to ear.

Big choruses, big sound, big stars in the making. It’s also worth checking out the video for Digging Holes which shows that this group of larrikin lads have more than a sense of humor. fb/Raglans

This is Fred Page

Over the last month, Universal Music have been touring a number of their newest acts throughout the UK as part of the Satellite Tour. By taking high quality music to smaller towns and venues Universal hoped to introduce artists to audiences that might otherwise not see them. 23-year-old, singersongwriter Fred Page was the laid back acoustic moment programmed between the more raucous Eliza and the Bear and Sons and Lovers. He was also the stand-out act of the event. Page has a reflective style of performance that draws the listener in and he’s found a unique space for himself stylistically between the pop wanna-bees who shadow Ed Sheeran and the bloke-folk types that wish they were in Mumford and Sons. His vocal style is reminiscent, oddly, of artists like Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading but that’s a real hat-tip being that both of these artists have considerable stage presence and gravitas. Fred’s debut single, Concrete is out on Young and Lost Club records and is well worth checking out. fb/FredPageMusic

This is Jungle

By the time you are reading this if you’ve not heard of and gotten out of your seat and shaken yourself to the mighty funk earthquake that is Jungle, I’ll be amazed. From here in mid-March when I am writing this, Jungle’s wicked, Busy Earnin’ is all over the radio particularly on Radio 1 where this infectious track has found fans such as Zane, Fearne, Grimmy and Huw Stephens. The band have just signed a deal with XL Records which might surprise some being that this is the same label that releases Adele and the XX. However XL Records founder Richard Russell is adamant that it matters not the style of music, if it’s sensational - which Jungle are then they will sign and release the music. Some of you keener music fans will know this outfit as plain old J & T who last year gave us tracks, Platoon and The Heart. The dance inspired video will have you running to buy that Adidas track-suit and breaking out those smooth moves. Brilliant! www.JungleJungleJungle.com 50

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The Gig Mon key

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

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

The Monkey takes a Punt

Us residents of Ocelotshire are a lucky bunch, as well as all the big music festivals we have on our doorsteps (Reading, Truck, End OF The Road etc) we also are able to enjoy a proliferation of smaller, DIY festivals that exhibit just how strong music is round these parts.

One of the longest established of these (and a major influence on other festivals like The Shuffle in Swindon) is The Punt in Oxford. Dating back to 1997 The Punt started life as part of the build up to Oxford Radio 1 Sound City (remember those?) and to this day successfully carries on its aim to showcase the best new and unsigned acts in Oxford.

A look at some of the bands that have had early exposure from The Punt reminds you of the quality of music in the City, with Stornoway, Young Knives and Foals, as well as the likes of The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, Spring Offensive and a multitude of popular and cult Oxfordshire band having played on its always strong bills.

This year sees 20 acts playing across 5 venues in Oxford city centre on ONE night – Wednesday May

The Purple Turtle 7pm - Hot Hooves

8pm Girlpower

The Cellar Bar

Turl Street Kitchen

The Wheatsheaf

8.15pm - Neon Violets

9pm - Hannah Bruce

9pm - Balloon Ascents

7.30pm - Trophy 8pm - Jordan Cabinet O’Shea

The List

9pm - Beta Blocker 9pm - Flights of & the Bodyclock Helios

10pm - Komrad

14, a thought that exhausts me, but a challenge I will be accepting.

A couple of the venues are free to get into (Turl Street Kitchen and the White Rabbit) with the others (The Purple Turtle, the Cellar and the Wheatsheaf) just a miserly fiver. But there are 100 all-venue Punt passes on sale for just £8, from Truck Store on Cowley Road or online from Oxfordmusic.net – which I reckon could prove to be the best £8 you will spend this year.

The line-up is brilliantly diverse ranging from pop to hardcore, via acoustic folk, hip-hop, punk and all ports in between (something for everyone then), so get yourself out and about to check out what you can.

We will be there and are already getting particularly excited at the thought of the slinky electro blues of Vienna Ditto, the blissful trip-pop of Flights Of Helios, the lo-fi indie-fuzz of Beta Blocker & The Bodyclock and the haunting melodies of Julia Meijer. Although, looking at the schedule I think we may need a time machine, if expenses will cover one.

9.45pm Swindlestock

10pm - Rawz 11pm - Julia Meijer 52

8pm Art Theefe

9.45pm Cooling Pearls

10.30pm - Huck and the Xander Band

The White Rabbit

8.30pm Salvation Bill

9.30pm - Lee Riley

10.30pm - Kid Kin 11.30pm Vienna Ditto

Mon key Bit Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:21 Page 53

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 Nudybronque – Moondog (EP)

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Music

This 5 track EP from Bicester artist Jack Little was released last year, but we just found it down the back of the sofa and thought it was well worth a write-up. Up beat acoustica can go horribly wrong, ending up as a lame Fran Turner rip-off. Happily there is more to Jack than that as he exhibits a good ear for a tune, bashes out some sturdy lyrics and has a voice that stays the right side of “original” although highly reminiscent of Just Jack and Jamie T. There are a few looser moments bit this was mostly well worth dusting off it. 3.5/5

You Me At Six – Cavalier Youth One of the few recent “pop-rock” bands to exhibit any longevity, YMAS are starting to look and sound like bona-fide arena fillers. This is a much more developed record than the last one, lyrically and musically.

However, it strays into “over-developed” territory, leaving a sterile sense behind along with the big singalongs.

Dan Croll – Sweet Disarray Dan Croll has been compared to the like of Vampire Weekend, Alt-J and Beck, and to be fair that steers you pretty well as there is plenty of influences from World Music through to 60’s Psychedelia within his alt-pop style. Infectious, enchanting and intelligent stuff this is a melodic yet soulful collection of tunes.

Itch – The Deep End Formerly frontman of politico folk punkers The King Blues, Itch has now moved into a no less acerbic blend of hip-hop, punk, pop, electro and rock, stuffing the record full of anthemic choruses, Rage Against The Machine style ranting and a phonebooks worth of special guests.

There are more flavours than you used to get in Woollies Pick ‘n’ Mix counter. Messy but credible stuff.

Ben Watt – Hendra Former Everything But The Girl man Ben Watt ditches DJ’ing to return to the fray with a fantastic record of languid folk, distorted rock and fizzing electronics.

Drafting in help from the likes of David Gilmour, Bernard Butler and Ewan Pearson has helped round things out, resulting in some beautiful and poetic songs.

Arts & Culture

Now Bristol based but with firm roots in mid-Wilts, this trio knock out stupidly good grunge and punk inflected altrock songs in their sleep it seems.

Taking a very direct and edgy path lyrically these 5 tracks are dirty, raw and dark anthems. Musically the band has a strong math-rock background and has taken these more complex musical characteristics, welded them to some huge riffs and big melodies and created a musical scud missile (smart enough to be guided down your chimney, powerful enough to blow the roof off) - a highly potent rock cocktail (rocktail?) that is both big AND clever. 4.5/5 Jack Little – Epitaph (EP)

And finally some ridiculously small reviews for some ridiculously big releases…

Food and Drink

Dead Royalties – Hormones (EP)

Reubens Rocket – Stay Here, Stay Love (EP)

A very chilled out second effort from Wantage artist Reubens Rocket. Based around the talents of youngster Ollie Base this a 5 track DIY effort built on melodies that have “summer” written all over them in much the same way as everything Jack Johnson has ever done. With dollops of Ed Sheeran and Newton Faulkner added into the mix the result is exactly what you would expect – inoffensive, back ground music that your mum would let you play in the car on a long journey. However, there is solid potential, and with a bit more of an edge Ollie really could be one to watch. 3/5 Send your links directly to ed@theocelot.co.uk

For Starters

Record of The Month Perennial Ocelot favourites, and with good reason, this is the first new material from Wiltshire’s Nudybronque in ages and my god it was worth the wait. Moving on from their indie-pop past into a more grown-up arena of musical experimentation complete with strange instrumentation, darker lyrics (girls, who would do that to their face? Is there any harm in ageing gracefully? Pump your lips, they’ll pump your stomach, eventually) and messed up song structures this is one of the most exciting, interesting and illogical recordings I have heard in some time. Despite this though, the hooks still get stuck in your head (especially Peachy Keen) and you will be humming along in no time and for BLOODY AGES! No mean feat for music as playful and creative as this. Astonishing stuff. Seek it out and love it too. 5/5

GROOVERS ON M

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

Travels around the local music scenes of Swindon, Oxford, Reading and Salisbury and their outl

Family Machine

Ox Th fo e rd bi t

By David Murphy Did you ever like a band so much you forgot to listen to them? Find an act’s output so reliably entertaining that your mind just files them squarely under ‘Good’ then moves on to worrying about other things? I had that recently when I went to see the album launch by the excellent Jess Hall and found The Family Machine playing support – suddenly I realised how long it had been since I had watched the band, or spun their album.

Admittedly, they don’t play hundreds of gigs, and aren’t the county’s foremost proponents of self-

promotion, but it’s still odd that I found myself surprised all over again by how good they sound; anyway, their up at the crack of noon laissez faire ambiance is one of the things I like about watching them, in a world where so many performers seem to be in a constant froth of hyperbole, onstage or online.

If you don’t know the band, they play a sort of subtle country pop with stoned grins and glistening electronic edges, whilst smuggling dark, serrated lyrics into our minds in the diplomatic bag of hummable melodies.

Admittedly, their most recent material might not have the immediacy of their older work, but it still washes over the ear gloriously, and “Quiet As A Mouse” might be their best track, a floating autumn leaf of a tune, buoyed up by the limpid vocals of We Aeronauts’ Anna – and, in true Family Machine form, it’s a cutesy stalker tale, half True Crime, half Beatrix Potter. Why not be won over by a machine of loving grace? www.youarethefamilymachine.com

By Dave Franklin of Greenmanmusic.biz Review of Wide Awake EP All music is informed by what has come before it but the art is to take those influences and building blocks and put them together in such a way that something new is created. If done well you end up with music that is both familiar in style and new in content; backward glancing sounds that are striding confidently into the future. Sam Green and The Midnight Heist are fully aware of this process and their latest e.p. Wide Awake, is a perfect example of how to make that idea manifest.

Roots music this may be, but whilst it channels the traditions of a number of cultural melting pots, namely

the acoustic blues of the Old South and the more pastoral folk sounds from this side of the water, the counterpoint seems to create something totally in tune with modern sensibilities.

Known for a furious stage performance, Wide Awake largely tames that whirling dervish and presents a collection of tunes of a slightly more reflective nature, though you can hear in songs such as Highway One a live beast just waiting to be unleashed.

By contrast This Old Road is a windswept masterpiece, all drifting sentiment and mournful violin, a timeless tale as relevant as it is ancient. In a similar vein, play the e.p.s swansong, By The River, and you can almost see John Martyn nodding his approval between the blues guitar and the lilting folk delivery.

In the recent trend where musicians are turning to the music of the past to inform the songs of the moment, none are doing it as eloquently and elegantly as Sam Green and The Midnight Heist. Not to mention…what a cool name!

Sam Green and The Midnight Heist

Sw

in The do nb i

t

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ON MANOEUVRES Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:21 Page 55

Reading and Salisbury and their outlying areas with our hand-picked team of music writers.

By Sid Siddle of Club Velocity

Funke and The Two Tone Baby

Sa T lis he bu ry bi

t

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The List

an apoplectic orang-utan' (Sound of Confusion).

Funke has appeared on Absolute Radio and has played as main support for Bob Log III, Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs, Treetop Flyers, Hazel O’Connor, Babar Luck, 3 Daft Monkeys, Eddie Spaghetti and TV Smith, alongside performing as a headline act at venues and festival stages throughout the UK. Anyway Dan will be heading to Ocelot favourite venue The Winchester Gate in Salisbury for a kickass gig on Friday April 25. This is one night that will be bloody brilliant. It’s free entry and kicks off at 8.30pm. See you there.

Music

Kent-based mechanical alt-blues band Funke and the Two Tone Baby is the pseudonym of multiinstrumentalist Dan Turnbull.

Described as creating 'new, exciting and innovative music' (R2 Magazine), in two years Funke has gone from pub gigs in Margate to performing 300+ shows and festivals across the UK and Europe.

Combining effects pedals, beatboxing and grooving bass lines with traditional instrumentation, powerful vocals and relentless energy that provides tracks with a 'distinctive and contemporary twist' (Artree Magazine) and gets people 'grooving like

Arts & Culture

Henry Rollins should know, he is a huge fan.

Since 1976 Tim has released many, many records. He has been playing solo for over twenty years.

Him and an acoustic guitar and a bag of merchandise. He has no one to answer to, only himself. He is a truly great songwriter. He has many songs that more people should be aware of. I personally find him very inspiring. Hopefully you do too. You’ll be able to catch him at The Rising Sun Arts Centre in Reading on Friday April 25 from 8pm. Tickets cost £8 on the door or £6 in advance from wegottickets.co.uk

Food and Drink

If you’re like me you are fed up to the back teeth with musicians calling it quits after a couple of years just because it gets a bit tough. They are 'part time punks' as Television Personalities sang .

That is why we all have got to respect the likes of Napalm Death, Chas And Dave, UK Subs, Converge, Hatebreed, Biffy Cyro, and even Status Quo. They are there year in - year out. They might

have gone through barren times sometimes years of no one really caring but they kept going and going. Never giving up. Total respect.

TV 'Tim' Smith for those who do not know, was once the lead singer of the UK punk band Adverts that started in 1976. If you are aware of him then you will know songs such as Gary Gilmore's Eyes and One Cord Wonders. They were a very underrated band.

He might have turned 58 now but he’s not done yet. He has been fighting and creating music for 38 years and is a proper artist and really should be seen as a British institution. He tours, tours and tours a bit more. This year he has already been all over Europe supporting his mates the UK Subs.

The likes of Mr Smith, are from

Re T ad he a different in era, years before the internet gb and it shows. Made it from a different mold.

For Starters

TV ‘Tim’ Smith

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Food and Drink

The Racket - like Banksy but louder

The List

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Music

George to see if they were interested in running through a few and before we knew it we had a new set.

“Things have evolved, yeah, we have two frontmen now, me and Jord, which really fills the sound out vocally and adds more energy up front and where Jord is writing the guitar parts with Jon now it's giving us so much more than before. There’s a psychedelic Brit pop feel to our tracks now especially the new version of Prat @ Number 12.

“New songs to look out for will be our next two singles Too Much Too Soon and Home Domestics They will be available to purchase, download, shoplift or whatever in the next couple of months.”

The Racket’s comeback gig will be on Saturday April 12 at The Castle in Prospect Place, Swindon.

Then they’ll be playing a Songs of Praise gig on Thursday April 17 at The Vic in Swindon alongside Cursor Major and The Black Hats.

They’ll be heading over Devizes way for a gig at The Bell by the Green on Friday May 30. Then on Friday June 6 they’ll be playing The Ocelot Birthday Party at The Vic in Swindon. On Sunday June 15 they’ll be playing The Fleece in Bristol before they head out on tour to Germany with fellow Swindon band Nudybronque from July 9 to July 14.

Arts & Culture

It’s been a bit quiet without them around but your ears will soon be ringing once again to the sound of The Racket.

After pretty much a year out of action, The Racket are back and louder than ever with a riot of attitude, swagger, gutter anthems and punked out indie.

Lead singer Plummie writes songs that are raw and uncompromising and he will now be sharing frontman duties with new member Jordan O’Sullivan.

He said: “Yeah, we have a new guy in, Jordan.

He's been in a couple of bands over the years. The first time I met him I saw him play with The Replays at The Vic and they smashed it to be fair. We didn't like each other at first, but then again does anyone really like anyone who's in another band with a bit about them?

“But yeah, we bumped into each other at a gig some time after maybe and had a good drink and a good bit of banter and realised we ain't too different and have pretty much the same music collection except for Status Quo - he can have that!

He mentioned that he hadn't been doing music for a while and really liked my solo material and he got involved in that and where he started knocking about with me he then met the rest of The Racket boys and just fitted right in so it just made sense for him to join us in the band.”

During the last 12 months Plummie has been concentrating on his solo music but he was missing the band.

He said: “It was alright I got to do some top gigs and got about a bit but it just aint the same without ya mates. I was used to Racket gigs with all day drinking out with ya pals and then get up and play. That all got lost when I went solo. Me and Jordan started writing more and more songs originally for the solo project but they just had The Racket written all over them so I rang Jonny Jim and

For Starters

Swindon noisemakers The Racket are back....

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

Ocelot94 26/03/2014 12:21 Page 58

Oh no! The very top of my head has been cut off by the layout guy!

Macauley Culkin to play pizza-themed Velvet Underground songs on a kazoo in Reading Sometimes life is a bit weird.

Just last month in The Ocelot film column we were pondering whatever happened to child star Macauley Culkin. You know the one. The kid who played Kevin McAllister in Home Alone.

Well only weeks later it’s revealed that he’s going to be coming to Reading as part of a band called The Pizza Underground.

The former child star who plays the kazoo and sings in the band will perform at the Oakford Social Club in Blagrave Street on Tuesday, May 20.

The New York based band is a comedy rock group who largely parody songs by The Velvet Underground with pizza-themed song names and lyrics.

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Tracks include Cheese Days and Take a Bit of the Wild Slice which includes the lyric: 'New York City wanted a change, buffalo chicken hey that's not strange, I said hey Ray, take a bite of the wild slice' If watching a former child star singing in the style of Lou Reed and playing a kazoo is not up your street just remember that the gig is actually free entry and will operate on a first come first served basis.

Rumours that you will have to avoid slipping over on some strategically placed marbles, whilst ducking a swinging paint pot at the same time as avoiding a cleverly placed trap door just to get in the venue have not been verified as yet.

This officially is the weirdest gig of the year.

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CABARET Friday April 25 New Greenham Arts BEN HART - THE OUTSIDER 8pm £12/£10 Having spent his life using magic to solve impossible problems, award-winning magician Ben Hart turns his attention to himself.

COMEDY NEWBURY

Saturday April 12

Arlington Arts Centre ANDREW O'NEIL: HEAVY METAL-A HISTORY 8pm Friday April 25 Corn Exchange JONGLEURS COMEDY CLUB 7.45pm £14/£12 READING

Friday April 4 South Street Arts Centre ANDREW O'NEILL - HEAVY METAL - A HISTORY* 8pm

Saturday April 5 Highlight Comedy Club Foster's Comedy Live with JOHN RYAN + GARETH BERLINER + BOBBY MAIR 8.30pm £17 Sun Inn, Castle Street "GO ON MY SUN!" COMEDY NIGHT 8.30pm Friday April 11

South Street Arts Centre CRAIG CAMPBELL - THRILLING MIC HUNT! 8pm

Saturday April 26 Highlight Comedy Club Foster's Comedy Live featuring EDDY BRIMSON + VINCE ATTA + NABIL ABDULRASHID + LUKE BENSON 8.30pm £17 DANCE NEWBURY

Sunday April 6 Arlington Arts Centre BTUK LITTLE MERMAID 2.30pm and 6pm Ballet Theatre UK’s dramatic re-telling DJ NIGHTS READING

Every Thursday

Oakford Social Club REMIX CLUB NIGHT 8pm to 1am Sub89 PROPAGANDA CLUB NIGHT 10.30pm Every Friday Face Bar RELOADED CLUB NIGHT 9pm

Wednesday April 16 to Thursday April 17 Corn Exchange ALIENS LOVE UNDERPANTS - Weds 1.30pm & 3.30pm Thurs 11am & 2pm £12.50 READING

Sunday April 6 South Street Arts Centre Garlic Theatre SORCERER'S APPRENTICE 11.30am Monday April 7 to Wednesday April 9 South Street Arts Centre ANDY'S NEW TOY 1.30pm - 4.30pm

Sunday April 13 and Monday April 14

The Hexagon ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Sun 6pm & Mon 2pm & 6pm FILM NEWBURY

Friday April 4 to Wednesday April 9 Corn Exchange HER (15) Times Vary £5.50/£7.50

Friday April 4 to Thursday April 10 Corn Exchange DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (15) Times vary £5.50/£7.50 Friday April 4 to Thursday April 17 Corn Exchange THE LEGO MOVIE (U) Times vary.

Friday April 11 to Thursday April 17 Corn Exchange

A night of proper acoustic goodness at The Corn Stores Papers, some energetic acoustics from Graham Young and some soulful goodness from Yasmin Yazdi.

There’s also dreamy singer songwriter Emily Charlotte Haynes, a bit of electro acoustic fusion with Macrothyst and high energy acoustic artist Josh Hetske. The night will be free entry.

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Macrothyst

The List

If you like your music live and acoustic you should head to The Corn Stores in Forbury Road on Good Friday (April 18).

From 7.30pm the popular central Reading pub will host a plethora of acts including some lazy lounge chillout from Pilots, a bit of urban funk with The

Music

South Street Arts Centre Scoundrels Comedy Club with MATT FORDE + HARRIET KEMSLEY + more tba 8pm £14

Friday April 25 Olympia COMEDY AND CURRY @ The Olympia 7pm, curry served at 7.30pm

FAMILY EVENTS NEWBURY

Arts & Culture

Thursday April 3 The Hexagon ALAN DAVIES: LITTLE VICTORIES 8pm

Saturday April 19 Highlight Comedy Club Foster's Comedy Live featuring OTIZ CANNELLONI + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + PRINCE ABDI + PADDY LENNOX 8.30pm £17

Friday April 25 Sub89 CUBED w/ Boddika 10:30pm £10

Food and Drink

Thursday April 10 Corn Exchange LEE NELSON 7.30PM £17.50

Thursday April 17 South Street Arts Centre LIAM WILLIAMS 8pm

Friday April 18 Sub89 THE CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB 9pm £10

For Starters

NEWBURY

Saturday April 12 Highlight Comedy Club Foster's Comedy Live featuring MARK MAIER + ANDREW O'NEILL + ALLYSON SMITH 8.30pm £17

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LABOR DAY (12A) Times vary £5.50/£7.50

Food and Drink

For Starters

GIGS AND CONCERTS NEWBURY

Wednesday April 2 Corn Exchange SUGGS: MY LIFE STORY IN WORDS AND MUSIC 7.45pm £26

Friday April 4 Corn Exchange CAFÉ CONCERT: CONSONE 1pm £7/£5 Corn Exchange THE DRIFTERS: THE OPTIMUM TOUR 7.45pm £25/£23 Saturday April 5 New Greenham Arts FAY HIELD & THE HURRICANE PARTY 8pm £12/£10 Thursday April 10 Arlington Arts Centre SOUTHERN TENANT FOLK UNION 8pm Friday April 11 Canal Bar AYRES JENKINS 9pm free

Arts & Culture

Monday April 21

Arlington Arts Centre CHANTEL MCGREGOR 8pm

Thursday April 24 New Greenham Arts LIVE AND LYRICAL 8pm £5 Open-Mic Talent night Saturday April 26 Corn Exchange VOULEZ VOUS: MAD ABOUT ABBA 7.45pm £20/£18 Arlington Arts Centre MICK RALPH’S BLUES BAND 8pm

The List

Music

READING

Mondays Jolly Anglers OPEN MIC NIGHT 8.30pm Free Entry

Wednesdays Pavlov’s Dog OPEN MIC 8pm free

Thursdays The Walkabout OPEN MIC 8pm free - all styles welcome Wednesday April 2 The Hexagon GOLDFRAPP 7pm

Thursday April 3 The Walkabout LIVE N’ ELECTRIC featuring LA TRAPPISTINE + FORMBY + CHASING WAVES + OUBLIETTES 8pm free

Saturday April 5 The Hexagon Britten Sinfonia presents MR BIG FAMILY CONCERT - Classical Music Alive 4pm Concert Hall THE ARMED MAN: A MASS FOR PEACE featuring SOUTH CHILTERN CHORAL SOCIETY + READING FESTIVAL CHORUS + TAMESIS CHAMBER CHOIR + READING A440 CHOIR £16/£14/£12 Queen Anne's School THE READING BACH CHOIR 6.30 p.m. - Wine and canapés available - Soloists - Soprano: CHRISTINA GANSCH + Baritone: SIMON LASKER WALLFISCH Pianists: TOM PRIMROSE + FINNEGAN DOWNIE DEAR £15/£13 /£8/£5 from 0118 947 8097 The Hexagon BRITTEN SINFONIA - CLASSICAL MUSIC ALIVE 7.30pm Sunday April 6

The Hexagon THE BOOTLEG BEATLES in Concert 8pm Risc and Global Cafe Readifolk presents SINGERS NIGHT 8pm £2 Thursday April 10

South Street Arts Centre HEIDI TALBOT 8pm The Walkabout OPEN MIC SESSION 8pm free

Friday April 11 Sub89 THE DOORS ALIVE + LOOSE MOORINGS 7pm £10

Saturday April 12 Jazz Café THE ORIGINALS + DJ - soul band - Dinner Including Entry : £34.50 - Entry Only Tickets : £8.00 Queens Arms Club Velocity/Mal Function/TBC presents THE TWIN DRACULA + NO ATLAS + TBC Doors 8pm 18 plus Sunday April 13

Risc and Global Cafe Readifolk presents FOLKLAW 8pm £6 (www.folklaw.co.uk)

Thursday April 17 Sub89 BRITISH SEA POWER 6:30pm £14 Concert Hall BENJAMIN GROSVENOR & THE ESCHER QUARTET - Classical Music Alive 7.30pm The Walkabout OPEN MIC SESSION 8pm free

Friday April 18 The Corn Stores LIVE N’ ACOUSTIC featuring PILOTS + THE PAPERS + GRAHAM YOUNG + YASMIN YOUNG + EMILY CHARLOTTE HAYNES + MACROTHYST + JOHN HETSKE 7:30pm free Saturday April 19 South Street Arts Centre SIR RICHARD BISHOP + support 8pm £9.20adv £10dr Rising Sun Arts Centre Bandoramma/Club Velocity presents JACK CADE + ROSS LEPPARD + JAMES HISTED 8pm 16 plus £5 (door) £4 (advance) www.wegoottickets.co.uk Sunday April 20 Risc and Global Cafe Readifolk presents ‘A CHEERFUL EARFUL’ THEME NIGHT 8pm £2

Fancy sticking two fingers up at the establishment with Mark?

Over the decades, Mark Thomas has poked his nose into enough things to cause a politician to resign, arms deals to collapse, reform inheritance tax law, force the odd multinational to clean up its act a little and accidentally become Guinness World Record

holder for political protests.

If you want to get a taste for yourself of his anarchic behaviour you can join him on his latest tour 100 Acts of Dissent when he comes to Newbury’s Corn Exchange on Thursday May 1.

Call 0845 521 8218 to book.

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South Street Arts Centre SHAKESPEARE RATTLE & ROLL - Musical celebration of Shakespeare's verse on his 450th Birthday. 8pm £11.20

Friday April 25

Saturday April 26 Sub89 ARE YOU LISTENING FESTIVAL 2014 @ The Bowery District 12pm £10 The Hexagon THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC 8pm Sunday April 27 Concert Hall READING SCOTTISH PIPE BAND 3pm

Sub89 DAN LE SAC VS. SCROOBIUS PIP + ITCH + SARAH WILLIAMS WHITE 7pm £12.50

Sub89 JOHN BRAMWELL (I AM KLOOT) - Seated Show 7:30pm £15

UPPER WOOLHAMPTON

Saturday April 5 Douai Abbey NONSUCH SINGERS conducted by Tom Bullard present RACHMANINOV VESPERS £12/£10 - UNDER 16'S FREE 7:45PM QUIZ NIGHTS READING

Every Monday Oakford Social Club THE OAKFORD SOCIAL PUB QUIZ 9pm

Thursday April 3 to Saturday May 3

The Watermill JANE AUSTEN’S SENSE AND SENSIBILITY times and prices vary Wednesday April 9 to Saturday April 12 Corn Exchange GUYS AND DOLLS 7.30pm £13/£10 (matinee Sat 2.30pm) READING

Thursday April 3

South Street Arts Centre ANDREW DAWSON PRESENTS THE RUSSIAN DOCTOR (PREVIEW) 8pm £9.20 Monday April 7 to Saturday April 19 Reading College Performing Arts Centre PROOF - Presented by Reading Rep 7.30pm with Sat 12th, Fri 18th and Sat 19th, 2.30pm Matinees £14/£11.20 Tuesday April 15 and Wednesday April 16 South Street Arts Centre Theatre Oikos present MERCURY FUR

by Philip Ridley 7.30pm £7.50/£5 Thursday April 17 The Hexagon HOT FLUSH starring Lesley Joseph 7.30pm

TALKS AND POETRY NEWBURY

Tuesday April 1

New Greenham Arts VAGINA DIALOGUES 7.30pm £12

Friday April 11 Arlington Arts Centre GLEN MATLOCK: I WAS A TEENAGE SEX PISTOL 8pm

Thursday April 24 Corn Exchange BLOFELD AND BAXTER - MEMORIES OF TEST MATCH SPECIAL 7.45PM £17.50

Saturday April 19

The Hexagon THE CASUALTY - A MODERN EASTER STORY 7.30pm Thursday April 24 to Saturday May 3 Progress Theatre LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN times and prices vary

The Baroness brings sparkling cabaret to Rising Sun Arts Award in 2013 for Female Performer of the Year, Maria was also recently given a five star review for her onewoman show in London at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.

The show begins at 8pm and tickets cost £10 on the door or reserved in advance by calling 01189 866 788.

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Emcee and Hostess of the recent Alternative Queen of Reading Competition, Baroness Maria von Hackemann brings her 1930s style Berlin cabaret show From Head to Toe in Berlin to the Rising Sun Arts Centre in Reading on Saturday April 12.

Shortlisted for the Sue Ryder

Music

Risc and Global Cafe Readifolk presents ALAN FRANKS 8pm £6 (www.alanfranks.com)

Wednesday April 30 Concert Hall LUNCHTIME ORGAN RECITAL WITH RICHARD BRASIER 1pm The Hexagon ENGLISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA - Classical Music Alive 7.30pm

NEWBURY Thursday April 3 to Saturday April 5 Arlington Arts Centre DAREN APPLEBY - QUILLS 8pm

Arts & Culture

Sub89 UK SUBS + ANTI NOWHERE LEAGUE 7pm £16 Oakford Social Club Transmission Music Group & Mammoth Howl presents COVES – live 8pm, Free Entry Rising Sun Arts Centre Club Velocity presents TV SMITH with support from SEASONS IN SHORTHAND + MATT WELLS 8pm All ages £8 (door) £6 (advance) www.wegottickets.co.uk

The Hexagon THE SOLID SILVER 60'S SHOW 8pm

THEATRE

Food and Drink

Thursday April 24 Sub89 TEK-ONE (LIVE!) + TYLER MAE @ The Bowery District 7pm £7 South Street Arts Centre Dave Swarbrick presents AN EVENING WITH SWARB WITH SAID THE MAIDEN 8pm The Walkabout OPEN MIC SESSION 8pm free

Tuesday April 29 Sub89 NINE BLACK ALPS @ The Bowery Distric 7:30pm £8

For Starters

Wednesday April 23 South Street Arts Centre LAETITIA SADIER + THE 3.1419 WONDERS + VIENNA DITTO 8pm

For Starters

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One May morning in Oxford

The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

Morris dancers: carefully avoiding gravy spills since 1642.

on May Morning.

It’s a bit surreal really. One early morning every year Oxford turns into a party in the streets with impromptu music and even morris dancers.

This year Magdalen Bridge will be open to pedestrians and closed to traffic from 3.30am until 9am to enable everyone to enjoy the singing in comfort and safety. The bridge will re-open to traffic as soon as it is safe to do so between 8.30am and 9am.

There will also be May Morning street activities around High Street, Radcliffe Square and Broad Street as well as many bars and restaurants across the city opening for breakfasts.

For more info visit www.oxfordmaymorning.com

Oxford May Morning is not a celebration for late starters. In fact you have to get up pretty damn early to take part.

In case you didn’t know May Morning in Oxford’s historic centre is a traditional celebration of the coming of Spring with dancing, singing and revelry of many different types – some going back into history and some with a more modern character.

The celebrations this year will start at 6am on Thursday May 1 with the choristers of Magdalen College choir singing Hymnus Eucharisticus from the Great Tower. Hymnus Eucharisticus was composed in the 17th century by a Fellow of Magdalen and has been sung every year from the Great Tower

Have a folking good time across Oxford this month

This year’s Folk Weekend Oxford takes place from Friday April 25 to Sunday April 27.

They've got some fabulous artists lined up - not least some of Oxfordshire's own best talent in the form of Young Folk Award winner Megan Henwood, and the ever-popular Telling the Bees.

If you like dancing you'll love the high-energy ceilidhs with Blackbeard's Tea Party and The Gloworms. Or perhaps you'll prefer to leap around to Police Dog Hogan who open the proceedings on Friday night. There’s also the wonderful Lester Simpson, and duo Paul and Liz Davenport. Festival patron Jackie Oates will be supporting Chris Sarjeant in a rare solo performance and Sunday headliners are the stunning O'Hooley and Tidow.

The centre point is the Old Fire Station on George Street, and just like last year, they've got wonderful folk hot-spots throughout Oxford. The Oxford Village

Oxford Folk Weekend patron Jackie Oates

Fête will again fill Gloucester Green with the spirit of Spring, with craft stalls, music, and morris dancing throughout the weekend.

New venues this year include the Pitt Rivers Museum for a number of family activities, and The Macdonald Randolph Hotel which opens its doors as a concert venue on Sunday afternoon. For the complete line-up visit www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk 62

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ART EXHIBITIONS Wednesday March 26 to Sunday April 6 The Theatre CHRIS FOTHERGILL - Behind the Scenes OXFORD

Saturday April 12 to Sunday April 13 Broad Street BOFFY ARTS MARKET www.boffyartsandevents.com

CABARET OXFORD

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

CHARITY EVENTS OXFORD

Tuesday April 1 to Saturday April 5 Bonn Square CHARITY LINK DOGS TRUST www.dogstrust.org.uk COMEDY CHIPPING NORTON

OXFORD

Thursday April 3

Glee Club Comedy Tour Show - PAUL CHOWDHRY 7.30pm £14/£10

Thursday April 3 and Friday April 4 Burton Taylor Studio JONNY & THE BAPTISTS with a raucous new show full of songs, satire and silliness. 8pm £10/£8

Saturday April 5 Glee Club SUZI RUFFELL + IAN MOORE + JOSH HOWIE + GEOFF NORCOTT 8pm £14.50 Saturday April 12

Glee Club HOLLY WALSH + JOHN GORDILLO + PAUL THORNE + EDDY BRIMSON 8pm £14.50 Saturday April 19 Glee Club PHIL NICHOL + DAMIAN CLARK + TIFFANY STEVENSON + ANDREW STANLEY 8pm £14.50

Saturday April 26 Glee Club TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + ANGELA BARNES + DAVE JOHNS + MICHAEL FABBRI 8pm £14.50 Wednesday April 30 Glee Club

Saturday April 19 The Theatre Jero Ferec Company presents FLAMENCO LIVE! 7.45pm £15/£13 OXFORD

Tuesday April 15 Old Fire Station DANCE SCRATCH NIGHT 7.30pm £5

Tuesday April 15 and Wednesday April 16 Oxford Playhouse THE RITE OF SPRING & PETRUSHKA from choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan, danced to Stravinsky’s thrilling and powerful scores. 7.30pm £21 / £19 / £14 / £11 Sunday April 20 New Theatre TAP FACTORY 7.30pm £23.90 to £26.90 Wednesday April 23

Burton Taylor Studio WILDE WITHOUT THE BOY 7.30pm £10/£8 Sunday April 27 New Theatre STRICTLY OXFORD 2014 6.30pm Tickets £16.90 - £42.90

Tuesday April 29 North Wall Arts Centre VISIBLE MUSIC presented by BALLET IN SMALL SPACES 8pm £13/£11 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

Lostalone rock up at The Oxford O2 in support of new album through Graphite Records.

This date follows on from their recent UK support slot with The Darkness and recent UK tours/supports with the likes of Paramore, My Chemical Romance, Tonight Alive, 30 Seconds To Mars and Evanescence.

Tickets cost £7 from o2academyoxford.co.uk 63

The List

Hugely exciting Derby rock three piece Lostalone will be heading to the Oxford O2 Academy in Cowley Road on Friday April 4.

This is in support of the release of their brilliant, bonkers and brand new, Dan Weller produced (Enter Shikari, Young Guns, Sharks) album ‘Shape Of Screams’ which comes out on Monday April 7

Music

Saturday April 12 The Theatre

Friday April 11 Cornerstone Arts LEE EVANS - Work in Progress 8pm £25

CHIPPING NORTON

Arts & Culture

Friday April 18 and Saturday April 19 Oxford Playhouse FLOWN - A captivating evening of circus packed with daredevil stunts, madcap humour and brilliant live music 7.30pm £21 / £19 / £14 / £11

DIDCOT

DANCE

Food and Drink

Tuesday April 22 Gallery at The Old Fire Station PLAYGROUND a new work platform 7pm free

Thursday April 17 The Theatre BYRON BERTRAM 7.45pm £13. Suitable for ages 14

Comedy Tour Show – MATT RICHARDSON 7.30pm £10

For Starters

CHIPPING NORTON

MATT RICHARDSON: HOMETOWN HERO TOUR 7.45pm £12. Suitable for ages 15+

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For Starters

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

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

The Cellar, Frewin Court EXTRA CURRICULAR weekly electronic and bass-heavy music night FREE B4 11pm £5after

Friday April 4 O2 Academy Oxford SWITCH FEATURING GORGON CITY 10pm to 3am £10 Friday April 18

O2 Academy Oxford Switch feat. SKREAM 10pm Over 18s Only FAMILY EVENTS CHIPPING NORTON

Saturday April 12 The Theatre COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS 2pm £8.50. Suitable for ages 6+

Thursday April 17 The Theatre DOGS DON’T DO BALLET 1pm & 3pm £8.50.

Suitable for ages 2+ DIDCOT

Sunday April 6 Cornerstone Arts COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS 2pm £9/£7

The List

Music

Wednesday April 30 Cornerstone Arts DIDCOT SIXTH FORM COLLEGE ANNUAL AWARD CEREMONY 7pm free

OXFORD

Tuesday April 1 to Saturday April 5 Pegasus Theatre ARABIAN NIGHTS by Pegasus Youth Theatre 7pm (Sat mat 1.30pm) Price £7, £5 concs., £4 Saturday April 5 Burton Taylor Studio THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE 11am and 2pm and 4pm £7.50/£5.50 Saturday April 12 Old Fire Station ADVENTURES WITH SAM: ON THE FARM 10.45am and 1.45pm £7.50/£6.50 Burton Taylor Studio WASH 11am and 2pm £7.50/£5.50 Tuesday April 15 to Tuesday April 22 South Park HEBBORN AMUSEMENTS FUN FAIR

Wednesday April 16 to Saturday April 19

Burton Taylor Studio HURRICANE BOY 2pm Weds 11am and 2pm Thurs and Sat £7.50/£5.50 Thursday April 17 to Saturday April 19 New Theatre DINOSAUR ZOO 2pm Thurs 11am and 2pm £15.40 to £30.40

Monday April 21 George Inn, Littlemore EASTER FUN DAY with Bouncy Castle and BBQ Starts 1pm Free Entry Thursday April 24

Court Place Farm Stadium EXTREME STUNT SHOW www.extremeeventseurope.com

Saturday April 26 North Wall Arts Centre ARTHUR'S DREAM BOAT presented by LONG NOSE PUPPETS 11am and 2pm £7 Burton Taylor Studio PINOCCHIO 11am and 2pm £7.50/£5.50

FESTIVALS CHIPPING NORTON

Thursday April 24 to Sunday April 27 The Theatre CHIPPING NORTON LITERARY FESTIVAL OXFORD

Friday April 25 to Sunday April 27 Venues across Oxford FOLK WEEKEND: OXFORD FILM

CHIPPING NORTON

Sunday April 6 to Monday April 7 The Theatre 12 YEARS A SLAVE (15) 7.30pm £8/£6

Thursday April 10 and Thursday April 24 The Theatre INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (15) 7.30pm (april 10) & (April 24) 10.45am Cinema Bambino £8/£6 Monday April 14

The Theatre AMERICAN HUSTLE (18) 7.30pm £8/£6

Tuesday April 15 The Theatre LOVE IS IN THE AIR (AMOUR & TURBULENCES) (CERT. TBC) 7.30pm £8/£6

Wednesday April 16 and Tuesday April 22 The Theatre THE MONUMENTS MEN (CERT TBC.) 7.30pm £8/£6 Wednesday April 23 The Theatre PARKLAND (15) 7.30pm £8/£6

Thursday April 24 The Theatre THE INVISIBLE WOMAN (12A) 7.30pm £8/£6 for under 16s

This May Hurt A Bit with Stephanie Cole at Oxford Playhouse

Celebrated theatre company Out of Joint returns to Oxford Playhouse with biting political comedy This May Hurt A Bit, from Tuesday April 22 to Saturday April 26.

Starring Stephanie Cole (Waiting for God, Doc Martin, Coronation Street), this new play explores one family’s journey through the digestive system of the NHS, and asks: what is

the prognosis for this much-loved, and fiercely debated, institution?

Nicholas James is in and out of hospital thanks to his ageing mother and unruly prostate. Or is it the other way around? Lost medical notes, mysterious stains and bodily malfunctions coincide with the arrival of family from overseas. Book online at www.oxfordplayhouse.com 64

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Monday April 28 The Theatre A STITCH IN TIME (U) 11am Tuesday April 29

The Theatre A FILM LOVERS FESTIVAL 7.30pm £12 GIGS AND CONCERTS

ABINGDON

Tuesdays Old Anchor Inn OPEN MIC NIGHT 8:30pm all welcome Saturdays Old Anchor Inn LIVE BANDS 9pm free BURFORD

Friday April 25

Mermaid Inn DEANO & CLARE 9pm free DUO PLAYING A VARIETY CHIPPING NORTON

Tuesday April 8 The Theatre PEATBOG FAERIES 7.45pm £17 DIDCOT

Friday April 4

Cornerstone Arts

Saturday April 12 Cornerstone Arts READING MALE VOICE CHOIR 7.30pm £10/£8 Friday April 18

Didcot Red Hot Blues Club THE LAURENCE JONES BAND at the Great Western Railway Staff Association Club 8pm £5 Thursday April 24 Cornerstone Arts HEIDI TALBOT 8pm £14.50/£13 FARINGDON

Tuesday April 1 Swan at Faringdon ROCK AND ROLL BINGO 8pm Thursday April 3 Swan at Faringdon FOLK NIGHT 8.30pm Thursday April 10

Swan at Faringdon OPEN MIC (PA provided. All acts welcome) 7.30pm Saturday April 12 Swan at Faringdon Live Music - TEDDY WHITE BAND 9pm Thursday April 17 Swan at Faringdon FOLK NIGHT 8.30pm

Saturday April 26 Swan at Faringdon Live Music - POWERTRAIN 9pm OXFORD

Every Wednesday Cape of Good Hope, The Plain OPEN MIC 8.30pm free TheJolly Postboys, Florence Park Road OPEN MIC 7.30pm free First Wednesday of every month

James Street Tavern OXFORD JAZZ KITCHEN JAM 8.30pm free www.oxfordjazzkitchen.com

Last Wednesday of every month The Half Moon TRISH ELPHINSTONE QUINTET 8.45pm free Every Thursday Cape of Good Hope, The Plain LIVE LOUNGE CAPE 8.30pm free The Half Moon, St Clements SPARKY’S FLYING CIRCUS - Weekly open music, poetry and song session 9pm Free Every Sunday

The Crown, Cornmarket Street JAZZ AT THE CROWN with OXFORD JAZZ KITCHEN 4pm to 6pm free The Half Moon, St Clements FOLK SESSION - A mix of folk led by Mick Henry. Open session, all welcome. 8pm 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

Tuesday April 1 Old Fire Station OXFORD IMPROVISERS - A monthly night of

Fairport Convention’s spring tour heads to The Cornerstone was emptying the dishwasher," Dave recalls. "The irony is I'd just spent two days chain-sawing firewood without incident."

The band’s semi-acoustic tour will visit The Cornerstone in Didcot on May 30 and The Theatre in Chipping Norton on June 1. The gig will feature a mix of new songs and longestablished favourites.

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Legendary folk-rock outfit Fairport Convention will welcome the return of long-serving member Dave Pegg on bass guitar when the band hits the road this spring. Earlier in the year, his son Matt had to stand in as bassist when Pegg senior badly injured his hand in a kitchen accident.

"In January, I severed a tendon in the first finger of my left hand while I

Music

Every Monday

Every Tuesday The White Rabbit OPEN MIC 8pm free Play for a drink!

The James Street Tavern THE SPARK SIDE OF THE MOON 8.30pm free

Arts & Culture

Friday April 18 Mermaid Inn DAN & ADAM 9pm free - featuring Dan Sealey from Ocean Colour Scene

Saturday April 5 Cornerstone Arts TUXEDO JAZZ ORCHESTRA 8pm £15.50/£14

The Port Mahon OXFORD UKULELES WORKSHOP 8pm £5

Food and Drink

Mondays Old Anchor Inn MONDAY NIGHT MUSIC GROUP (folk singing, poetry reading etc). 8:30pm and all welcome

HAZEL O'CONNOR: HERE SHE COMES TOUR 8pm £15.50/£14

For Starters

Sunday April 27 The Theatre THE BOOK THIEF (12A) 7.30pm £8/£6

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Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

improvised and new music from the Oxford Improvisers... 7.30pm £7/£5 with SIMON ROSE + PAUL STAPLETON Wednesday April 2 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) COASTS 7:30 pm - 10pm £6 (advance)

Thursday April 3 St John the Evangelist Church POLAR BEAR + SHIVER 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm £20 / £17 / £15 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) BLUE ZOO + PLEXIPHONES + DANIEL ZAPPI 8pm - 11pm £8 / £4 (NUS) Cellar Bar, Frewin Court CELLAR MUSIC PRESENTS... THE IRREPRESSIBLES + OPAL ONYX 8pm / Tickets £12.50adv Friday April 4

O2 Academy 2 LOSTALONE 6:30pm - 10 pm £7adv Wheatsheaf, High Street MUTAGENOCIDE + BONG CAULDRON + PIST + WELCOME BACK DELTA 6:45 pm 11:00 pm £5

Saturday April 5 East Oxford Community Centre COUNT DRACHMA + CLARE EWEN + JULIA MEIJER + FREADA @ Fusion Arts 7pm - 11pm

North Wall Arts Centre Spiro's BIG VILLAGE + support from MEGAN HENWOOD BAND 8pm £13.50/£11 George Inn, Littlemore GARY PEASE - Tribute to Rod Stewart 9pm £2 Sunday April 6 Jacqueline de Pre Music Building JAZZ ALL STARS 11am - 12pm £7 (adults) / £5 (child)

The List

Music

Monday April 7 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) Haven Club presents AARON KEYLOCK 8pm 11pm £6adv £8dr

Tuesday April 8 O2 Academy Oxford SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR 7pm - 10pm £20

Thursday April 10 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) Haven Club presents LARRY MILLER - from Reading - an amazing guitarist, fiery, rocky and loud!

Friday April 11 O2 Academy 2 Black Bullet Live presents MARTYR DE MONA + LEST WE FORGET + DEAD MESA + ICON 7pm - 10pm £8 Saturday April 12 O2 Academy 2 Upstairs featuring THE ORIGINAL RABBIT FOOT SPASM BAND + DUCHESS + BRICKWORK LIZARDS + TEMPLE FUNK COLLECTIVE 7pm - 11:30pm £6

Oxford Town Hall ICHI + BIRD RADIO @ The Old Museum 7pm 11pm £10 / £7 (concessions) Old Fire Station SUSANNE HODGSON QUARTET 7.30pm £12/£11 North Wall Arts Centre THE WILL POUND BAND 8pm £13/£11 Burton Taylor Studio EMILY MAGUIRE IN CONCERT 8pm £10/£8 Sunday April 13 New Theatre RUSSELL WATSON 7pm £28.90 to £89.90 O2 Academy 2 MATT CARDLE 7pm - 10pm £20

O2 Academy Oxford DEAF HAVANA + THE MAINE + THE PEOPLE THE POET 7pm - 10pm £15 Tuesday April 15

O2 Academy 2 Jar Music Live Presents Ones To Watch with FORTUNES + TOM DIBB 6:45 pm - 11:00 pm £7.50

O2 Academy Oxford ALKALINE TRIO + BAYSIDE 7pm £20adv Wednesday April 16

Truck Store LIZ GREEN 6pm - 7pm Free O2 Academy 2 LANTERNS ON THE LAKE 7pm £8.50adv The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) PAUL THOMAS SAUNDERS 7:30pm - 11pm £6 Albion Beatnik Bookstore OWEN TROMANS + DAVID GRIFFITHS + LUCKYFINGER + JAMES SUMMERFIELD 7:45pm - 11pm £5

Friday April 18 O2 Academy 2 It’s All About The Music Presents...FRACTURE + ONE WING LEFT + THE KITES + BALLOON ASCENTS 6pm £7adv Saturday April 19 George Inn, Littlemore UNDER SUSPICION - incredible Tribute to the Blues Brothers 9pm £2 Entry Monday April 21 O2 Academy 2 RAGLANS 7pm £6

Tuesday April 22 O2 Academy 2 YOUNG KATO + PIXEL FIX 7pm £8adv

O2 Academy Oxford MAGNUM - ESCAPE FROM THE SHADOW GARDEN TOUR 2014 7pm £20adv Wednesday April 23 O2 Academy Oxford NEW MODEL ARMY 7.30pm £20adv

Friday April 25 O2 Academy Oxford LA CHIVA GANTIVA 7.30pm £10/£15adv Saturday April 26 O2 Academy Oxford SKELETOR - The New Breed #3 featuring

Another glorious threesome of music with Gappy Tooth

We’ve been banging on about Balloon Ascents in this here periodical for the last couple of months and you’ll be able to see what the fuss is about this month.

The Oxford quintet, all shimmery guitars, melodic vocals have created a folk pop sound that is stunning on the ol’ earholes.

They’re headlining this month’s

Gappy Tooth Industries gig at The Wheatsheaf on Saturday April 25.

Joining them will be Montmartre, the new trio from former Oxford stalwart Jon Allen and Blood Red Stars who’ll bring some lovely rock fuzziness to the table.

It all kicks off at 8.20pm and costs £4.50 on the door.

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Wheatsheaf, High Street Gappy Tooth Industries presents BLOOD RED STARS + MONTMARTRE + BALLOON ASCENTS 20.20 – 23.00 £4.50 Monday April 28 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) Haven Club presents BUDDY WHITTINGTON 8pm Tuesday April 29

Wednesday April 30 The Art Bar (formerly The Bullingdon) PULLED APART BY HORSES + THE WITCHES 7:30pm - 11pm SHRIVENHAM

Thursday April 10 Prince of Wales, High Street EMILY WRIGHT TRIO 8.30pm free Thursday April 24 Prince of Wales, High Street DOM FRANKS TRIO 8.30pm free

Fat Lil's REPLICA 8pm Red Lion SUNNYBOYS ON TOUR FROM ITALY 9pm free - pop punk

OXFORD

Saturday April 19

Saturday April 26 Fat Lil's SHEPHERD’S PIE 8pm Red Lion DODGING THE BULLET 9pm free ROCK COVERS Sunday April 27 Fat Lil's MONTHLY BLUES JAM 3pm LADIES NIGHTS OXFORD

Thursday April 24

New Theatre THE DREAMBOYS 7.30pm £26.40 to £41.40 QUIZ NIGHTS FARINGDON

WITNEY

Tuesday April 29 Swan QUIZ NIGHT 8.30pm £1 per person entry

Fat Lil's AARON KEYLOCK BAND AND SUPPORT 8pm

OXFORD

Friday April 4

Saturday April 5 Fat Lil's BREEZE 8pm

Saturday April 12 George Inn, Littlemore DARTS EVENING WITH BOB ANDERSON 8pm £2 Entry for Local Charity Sunday April 27 Shotover Country Park

Tuesday April 1 Pegasus Theatre INSPIRED – CREATIVITY, CULTURE AND STORY 3pm - 5.15pm As part of Stories of Survival fortnight - Speakers including Adnan al Sayegh, Jenny Lewis with storytellers, artists, academics and young people, discuss how stories, creativity and culture effect, reflect, and are valued by societies. free - Suitable for all ages Tuesday April 8

Old Fire Station HAMMER AND TONGUE - The heart of Oxford’s live spoken word scene for over a decade 8pm £7/£5

Wednesday April 9 to Friday April 11 Old Fire Station Oxford Jam - the annual go to (un)conference for social entrepreneurs. various times. Free

Friday April 25 Burton Taylor Studio ANTHROPOETRY - BBC Radio 4 Slam Champion Ben Mellor takes you on a stand-up poetry and music fuelled tour around the body, attempting to get the measure of modern life through anatomical analogy.

7.30pm £10/£8 Tuesday April 29 Old Fire Station SHORT STORIES ALOUD 7.30pm £5/£3 THEATRE CHIPPING NORTON

Thursday April 3 to Saturday April 5 The Theatre CHAOS presents PAJAMA GAME 7.30pm with

A double bill of acclaimed theatre comes to Old Fire Station cover star and Art Brut lead singer Eddie Argos.

Comedy writer John Osborne brings his new play On The Beach, about the lives of seaside dwelelrs and Jim Moray and Eddie Argos collaborate for The Islanders, an indie musical about memories. The double bill starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £10.

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The List

A double-bill of acclaimed theatre pieces heralding seaside adventure and escapism, sails out on tour together and will arrive at Oxford’s Old Fire Station on Friday May 2.

The double bill, featuring Radio 4 star and award-winning writer John Osborne (of John Peel's Shed), award-winning folk singersongwriter Jim Moray and NME

Music

Friday April 11 Fat Lil's BON GIOVI 8pm

SPORTING EVENTS

TALKS AND POETRY

Arts & Culture

Friday April 25 Barrington Arms HYPERBOLICS 9pm free - pop, rock and indie covers band

THAMES VALLEY ORIENTEERING CLUB www.tvoc.org.uk/ To be confirmed

Food and Drink

New Theatre YES 7.30pm £42.40 to £58.40

Saturday April 12 Red Lion BEAT HOLES 9pm free BEATLES -PUNK STYLE!

For Starters

SKELETOR + A KILLER AMONGST US + FALLEN FROM GRACE + SANITY LOSS + CONTEK + GODSBANE + NEVER FOUND 6pm £7adv

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Food and Drink

For Starters

Sat matinee 2.30pm £14/£12

Wednesday April 9 The Theatre EMILY THE MAKING OF A MILITANT SUFFRAGETTE 7.45pm £14/£12 Sunday April 13

The Theatre TURN BACK THE CLOCK 7.45pm A TRIBUTE TO JOYCE GRENFELL £15/£13

Sunday April 20 The Theatre THE REDUCED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY PRESENTS THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (ABRIDGED) 7.45pm £16/£14 DIDCOT

Friday April 25

Cornerstone Arts IT'S YOUR ROUND! Theatrical Pub Quiz With A Pie and a Pint! - Cafe Bar 8pm £15/£13.50 Saturday April 26 Cornerstone Arts THE UNREMARKABLE DEATH OF MARILYN MONROE 8pm £14.50/£13

Arts & Culture

OXFORD

Monday March 31 and Tuesday April 1 Burton Taylor Studio FOR THEIR OWN GOOD 7.30pm £10/£8 Tuesday April 1 to Saturday April 5 New Theatre PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT - Tour Times vary £17.90 to £43.40

Oxford Playhouse TRANSLATIONS - Drama set in 1833. Rural Ireland. 7.30pm (8pm Fri) with 2.30pm matinee Thurs and Sat - prices vary

The List

Music

Wednesday April 2 North Wall Arts Centre VISITORS presented by UP IN ARMS 8pm £13/£11

Thursday April 3 to Saturday April 5 Old Fire Station THE CAP AND BELLS (Il berretto a sonagli) was written in 1916 7.30pm £13/£11 Friday April 4 North Wall Arts Centre AUSTENTATIOUS: AN IMPROVISED JANE AUSTEN NOVEL 8pm £13/£11

2011, UK graffiti artist Banksy spray painted ‘This Looks A Bit Like An Elephant’ on the side of an old water tank in Los Angeles. The disused tank was home to a man called Tachowa Covington who, in his seven years there, had furnished it with carpets, a stove and even CCTV. 8pm £10

Tuesday April 8 to Wednesday April 9 Burton Taylor Studio CAPTAIN AMAZING - This funny and poignant one man show thrusts us into the life of Britain’s only part-time superhero. 7.30pm £10/£8 Wednesday April 9 to Saturday April 12 Oxford Playhouse GUYS AND DOLLS 7.30pm with 2.30pm Sat matinee - £19 / £17 / £15 / £11

Thursday April 10 Burton Taylor Studio ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME 7.30pm £10/£8 Tuesday April 22 Burton Taylor Studio MATILDA & ME 7.30pm £10/£8

Tuesday April 22 to Saturday April 26

Oxford Playhouse THIS MAY HURT A BIT - Times and prices vary Friday April 25

New Theatre ELLEN KENT'S NABUCCO 7.30pm £17.90 to £53.90 North Wall Arts Centre WE WILL BE FREE presented by TOWNSEND PRODUCTIONS 8pm £13/£11 Saturday April 26 New Theatre ELLEN KENT'S AIDA 7.30pm £17.90 to £53.90

Sunday April 27 Burton Taylor Studio BANKSY: THE ROOM IN THE ELEPHANT - In

Eels come to Oxford New Theatre on Sunday June 15

In celebration of the release of their new album The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett on April 21, Eels will set off on a North American and European tour with stops in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London’s Royal Albert Hall before coming to Oxford New Theatre on Sunday June 15.

The new album from

singer/songwriter, multiinstrumentalist and EELS front man Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) is being described as “an extraordinarily vivid and intimate document of a personal struggle.”

The new album marks the 11th full-length release for EELS, whose debut Beautiful Freak was released in 1996.

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The List

Music

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

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That’s all Folk in Chippenham Chippenham’s biggest annual event – the Folk Festival, now in its 43rd year – will kick off this coming May Bank Holiday weekend from Friday May 23 to Monday May 26 with one of the most diverse and entertaining line-ups to be found.

The festival takes over the Wiltshire market town for four days, providing more than 200 separate events across nearly twenty venues, and the team behind the festival are expecting a record number of people to attend the event this year.

The weekend line-up features many forms of entertainment, ranging from formal concerts, through open-mics, to workshops, ceilidhs, story-telling, social dance, Morris and children’s entertainment.

Venues range from the 500seater Big Top on Island Park, through to smaller, more intimate spaces where you can get up close with the artists, through to the pubs and streets themselves, where many of the free

performances take place. Bank Holiday Monday also features a special street market in Chippenham’s High Street.

“We want to invite people into the town and the festival to experience some of the great events that we have on offer,” says organiser Bob Berry, “We have fantastic provision for families, top notch concert artists, the chance to try out many different dance styles in an array of workshops, storytelling, singing, high energy ceilidhs and much more besides.”

Headliners this year include The Wilson Family, The Demon Barber XL show, the Askew Sisters, Gavin Davenport, Belshazzar’s Feast, Beth Porter, Reg Meuross, Dave Gibb and Elly Lucas, Jed Grimes, Pete Coe and The Yirdbards.

The crux of the event – which contributes more than £1million to the local economy each year – is to feature the vast array of music and customs to be found throughout England.

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“Chippenham Folk Festival is a great traditional English event,” says Bob Berry. “It’s a celebration of all that’s great about the cultural history, tangible customs and wonderful music of England. We think that we are fairly unique among the hundreds of folk festivals in the British Isles for this approach.”

For further information on the festival, visit www.chippfolk.co.uk or telephone 01249 657190.

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ART EXHIBITIONS & CRAFT WORKSHOPS Monday February 25 to Sunday April 6 Salisbury Arts Centre SKIN DEEP EXHIBITION during opening times SWINDON

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

Fridays Riffs Bar, Greatfield CAFE @ RIFFS 10am Crafty Coffee Morning!

CHARITY EVENTS

SWINDON

Friday April 4

Revolution Bar LADIES NIGHT - Raising money for 'younite outreach project' - 8pm Til late. £15 COMEDY

First Sunday of every month Old Road Tavern COMEDY CLUB 8pm DEVIZES

Thursday April 3

Bear Hotel, Market Place MOONRAKERS COMEDY CLUB in the Cellar Bar 8pm £8adv £10dr SALISBURY

Sunday April 20

Monday April 7 Wyvern Theatre JON RICHARDSON 8pm SOLD OUT The Vic Ocelot Comedy Club with headliner MARTIN EVANS plus GARRETT MILLERICK + LAURA MCCLENAGHAN + MATT BANKS + Compere DONALD MACK 8pm free Wednesday April 9 Swindon Arts Centre HOWARD READ: HIDE & SPEAK 8pm £12

Thursday April 17 Swindon Arts Centre PATRICK MONAHAN: CAKE CHARMER 8pm £12/£10 Riffs Bar, Greatfield RIFFS COMEDY CLUB 8pm - Opener - KATE LUCAS + Open spot - BISHA ALI Open Spot RICK MURTAGH + Headliner - IVO GRAHAM £5adv - £7door Wednesday April 23 Wyvern Theatre JETHRO 7.30pm £20.50

Friday April 25 Swindon Arts Centre JO CAULFIELD’S CELEBRATION OF ANGER 8pm £14/£12 DANCE

Saturday April 26 Wyvern Theatre RISING ASPIRATIONS 6pm £11.50/£9.50 DJ NIGHTS/PARTY NIGHTS

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 SWINDON

Friday April 11 The Vic REGGAE DJ NIGHT WITH DJ JAMES DUBBLE J ALLEN AND ERIN BARDWELL 8pm free open til’ late FAMILY EVENTS

SALISBURY

Saturday April 5 Salisbury Arts Centre TOMTEN 11am & 2pm £7.50/£6.50 A delightful puppet show

Monday April 7 Salisbury City Hall CHRIS & PUI ROADSHOW - Check time with venue SWINDON

Thursday April 3 Swindon Arts Centre PIRATE GRAN Presented by Scamp Theatre 4pm £10/£8

SWINDON

Thursday April 3 Wyvern Theatre

The Acoustic Sessions play host to The Shudders and Ethemia In April it really steps up a gear and one that we’re especially looking forward to is The Shudders and Ethemia on Friday April 25.

It’s basically pirate folk meeting heartfelt folk. Plus there’ll be an open mic from 7.30pm. With Riffs serving tapas as well it sounds like the perfect evening.

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The new weekly night The Acoustic Sessions at Riffs in Greatfield near Swindon every Friday have been causing quite a stir in music circles just recently.

This is probably because they’re organised by the fantastic Brian Keen who knows a thing or two about music.

Music

Friday April 11 Salisbury Arts Centre TOM CRAINE: ‘CRYING ON A WALTZER’ 8pm £11/£9 concessions

Wednesday April 2 Wyvern Theatre BILLY PEARCE 7.30pm £19.50 Swindon Arts Centre KERRY GODLIMAN 8pm £12

Arts & Culture

CHIPPENHAM

SWINDON

Monday April 14 to Wednesday April 16 Wyvern Theatre AN EVENING WITH STARS OF STRICTLY 7.30pm £24

Food and Drink

Saturday February 8 to Sunday May 22 Swindon Museum and Art Gallery ACTION! EXHIBITION during opening times

Friday April 25 Salisbury City Hall RETURN OF THE GRUMPY OLD WOMEN 8pm

SWINDON ACADEMY GYM & DANCE DISPLAY 7pm £3.50adults £2children

For Starters

SALISBURY

Salisbury City Hall KEN DODD HAPPINESS SHOW 7pm

Food and Drink

For Starters

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Tuesday April 8 to Thursday April 10 Wyvern Theatre THE LITTLE MERMAID 7.30pm with 2.30pm matinee on Thursday - £19.50/£18.50

Wyvern Theatre REAL ALE FEAST 7.30pm A local brewer from Arkell’s will whet your whistle in the Restaurant

Swindon Arts Centre LITTLE HOWARD’S BIG SHOW FOR KIDS 2pm £8/£6

ASHTON KEYNES

Wednesday April 9

Friday April 11 to Sunday April 13 Wyvern Theatre THE GRUFFALO - Fri - 1.30pm and 4.30pm Sat and Sun - 10.30am and 1.30pm £12 Monday April 14 Swindon Arts Centre PETER PAN THE MUSICAL by Starbright Entertainments 11am and 2.30pm £9/£7

Saturday April 19 Wyvern Theatre CHRIS AND PUI ROADSHOW 11am & 2pm £13 FILMS

SALISBURY

Arts & Culture

Thursday April 3 Salisbury Arts Centre GLORIA 7.30pm £7

Sunday April 13 Salisbury Arts Centre KILL YOUR DARLINGS (FILM) 7.30pm £7 SWINDON

Tuesday April 1 The Vic Film Night THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY 8pm free

Friday April 4 Wyvern Theatre FILM - COCKTAIL 7.30pm £25.00 includes the cocktails you make and nibbles -in Restaurant

The List

Music

FOOD AND DRINK

SWINDON

Saturday April 26

GIGS AND CONCERTS

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

Tuesday April 1 The Swan BRADFORD-ON-AVON FOLK CLUB SINGAROUND 8pm free Friday April 4 George, Woolley Street THELONIUS 8.30pm free

Saturday April 5 George, Woolley Street THE ALLNIGHTERS 8.30pm free

Sunday April 6 George, Woolley Street ROB DARU WITH GARY SAY from 4pm free

BRADFORD ON AVON FOLK CLUB SINGAROUND – Floor spots. 8pm Free entry Thursday April 17 The Swan BLUES NIGHT 8.30pm free

Friday April 18 George, Woolley Street THE BUTTMONKEYS 8.30pm free Saturday April 19 George, Woolley Street KOHIBA 8.30pm free

Sunday April 20 George, Woolley Street ROBERT BRIAN JAZZ QUARTET from 4pm free Tuesday April 22

The Swan Bradford on Avon Folk Club presents KATHERINE HURDLEY & ALEX PERCY - driving rhythms and tight harmonies. Free entry. 8pm.

Friday April 25 George, Woolley Street GOD SAVE THE QUEEN 8.30pm free

Tuesday April 8 The Swan Bradford on Avon Folk Club presents KEVIN BROWN Floor spots. Free entry. 8pm.

Saturday April 26 George, Woolley Street UNCLE MORBIUS 8.30pm free Mount Pleasant Social Club CLEYHILL STOMPERS 9pm £5

George, Woolley Street THE PAT NICHOLSON TRIO 8.30pm free

George, Woolley Street RADIO BANSKA 8.30pm free

Friday April 11

Saturday April 12 George, Woolley Street DIANA JOHNSTONE & RAY BRADFIELD 8.30pm free Mount Pleasant Social Club TROY ELLIS AND HAIL REGGAE BAND 9pm £5

Sunday April 27

Tuesday April 29 The Swan Bradford on Avon Folk Club presents HILARY PAVEY Floor spots. Free entry. 8pm.

CALNE

Sunday April 13 George, Woolley Street PORT ERIN from 4pm free

Tuesday April 29 David Ryder Jazz Club, Marden House THE OXFORD CLASSIC JAZZ BAND 7pm for 7.30pm £7

The Swan

Second Sunday of the month

Tuesday April 15

CHIPPENHAM

A fitting tribute to Abba on the fortieth anniversary of Waterloo

2014 sees the 40th anniversary of the timeless classic ‘Waterloo’ by Abba.

To celebrate Abba Reunion, the World Class International live tribute show is coming to Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre on Thursday May 15 for one night only starring the original 'Frida' from London's West End.

Having taken Europe by storm in 1974 when they won the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo, ABBA went onto top pop charts worldwide for well over a decade.

Abba Reunion gives fans the opportunity to re-live the addictive phenomenon that swept the airwaves and discos during the 70's and 80's.

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Old Road Tavern FRENCH OPEN FOLK SESSION 8pm free

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

Friday April 11 Patriot's Arms LEWIS CREAVEN BAND 9pm free (blues rock)

DEVIZES

Friday April 4 Bell by the Green Nirvana Tribute: KIRVANA (20 year anniversary of Kurt's Death) w/ AUDIO PUPPY + 90's alt DJ. £10 otd. @ 8pm - Midnight Bear Hotel, Market Place THE TRIPLE JD BAND in the Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm - £5

Sunday April 6

Bear Hotel, Market Place JAZZ SUNDAY LUNCH in the Bear Grills Bistro & Bar – Noon – 2.30pm- book your table with Reception – 01380 722444 Friday April 11

The Lamb Inn, Devizes 90's Indie Night with BILLY GREEN in the front bar - Come and sing the classics. 9pm free

Bell by the Green ANTOINETTE 9pm (ex-Dead Lay Waiting & ex-Malefice) w/ tbc

Thursday April 24 Bear Hotel, Market Place OPEN MIC NIGHT in the Cellar Bar – Doors 7pm – Free Entry The Lamb Inn, Devizes GAZ BROOKFIELD w/ JACK MOORE & TAMSIN WHINTON in the Function Room FREE ENTRY. 16+. 8pm.

Friday April 25 Bear Hotel, Market Place TEDDY WHITE LITE in the Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm £5

HIGHWORTH

Saturday April 26 Goldfinger Tavern The Hyperbolics 8.30pm free MALMESBURY

Friday April 18 Theatre on the Hill Marlborough Folk Roots presents FEAST OF FIDDLES 8pm £17.50 available from Sound Knowledge Lamb Inn CORSAIRS 9pm free Punkabilly

Saturday April 19 Green Dragon ECHO 9pm free - pop, rock and indie covers Friday April 25 Lamb Inn EMIGLIOS 9pm free - acoustic punk songs Saturday April 26

Green Dragon BEAT HOLES 9pm free BEATLES -PUNK STYLE! ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT

Saturday April 5 Waggon and Horses JUGHEAD ROCKERS 9pm free Saturday April 12

Waggon and Horses GRUBBY JACK 9pm free FOLK TRIO

Sunday April 13 Rose and Crown EMIGLIOS - acoustic punk songs, 4pm start

Saturday April 19 Waggon and Horses EMIGLIOS 9pm free - acoustic punk songs

MARLBOROUGH

Wednesday April 2 Salisbury City Hall ALISON MOYET 7.30pm

Saturday April 26 Rose and Crown MISSIN' ROSIE 9pm free - folk rock band

SALISBURY

First Friday of the month

Thursday April 3

Catch the stunning Gaz Brookfield in Devizes on April 24 for the music.

He’ll be coming to The Lamb in Devizes on Thursday April 24 and he’ll have a bit of support from the always brilliant Tamsin Whinton and Jack Moore.

It’s a free gig and kicks off at 8pm.

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The List

That Gaz Brookfield bloke is pretty good. The singer songwriter, who is now Bristol based, but originally came from that there Swindon, has built up a bloody strong following.

If you go to one of his gigs you’ll see why as he sings with heart, humour and a real passion

Music

Bear Hotel, Market Place RAG MAMA RAG in the Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm £5

Sunday April 20

Saturday April 12 Green Dragon VOOZ 9pm free rock/punk

Arts & Culture

Saturday April 5 Bear Hotel, Market Place SHEPHERDS PIE in the Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm £5

Saturday April 19 Bear Hotel, Market Place KIRSTY CLINCH CD LAUNCH in the Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm - Music 9pm £2

Saturday April 5 Green Dragon MAD APPLE CIRCUS 9pm free - mix of ska/hip-hop/jazz, with swing and reggae

Food and Drink

Thursday April 24 Patriot's Arms MOORE & MOORE OPEN MIC 8pm - 10pm.

Every last Thursday of the month with artists Jimmy and Aidan Moore.

Friday April 18 Bear Hotel, Market Place CORINTHIAN CASUALS in the Cellar bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm - £5

Marlborough Football club OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm free (except Jan)

For Starters

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

Saturday April 12 Bear Hotel, Market Place OPERATION 77 in the Cellar Bar – Doors 8pm – Music 9pm £5

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Food and Drink

For Starters

Salisbury City Hall LET'S HANG ON 7.30pm

Friday April 4 Winchester Gate NUDYBRONQUE + TRAPPED ON AMBER 8.30pm free

Saturday April 5 Salisbury City Hall SALISBURY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 7.30pm Sunday April 6 Salisbury Arts Centre Live Lunch with SAGAT GUIREY 12noon free Friday April 11 Winchester Gate THE TALKS + ROBB BLAKE 8.30pm free Saturday April 12

Salisbury City Hall THE ILLEGAL EAGLES 7.30pm Salisbury Arts Centre Altar Club featuring MORE LIKE TREES + STONE DONKEY PILOTS + WILLOWEN + TWISTING RIVERS + DJ DAZ MAN Doors 7.30pm, Tickets £6/£5 adv

Arts & Culture

Wednesday April 16 Winchester Gate SALISBURY OPEN MIC 8.30pm free Friday April 18

Winchester Gate LO FI POETS + SUPPORT 8.30pm free Friday April 25 Winchester Gate FUNKE AND THE TWO TONE BABY + SUPPORT 8.30pm, Free

Saturday April 26 Salisbury City Hall FROM THE JAM WITH BRUCE FOXTON 8pm Wednesday April 30

The List

Music

Salisbury City Hall JOOLS HOLLAND 7:30pm SEEND

Wednesday April 2

Seend Acoustic Club THE BLACK FEATHERS – soulful vocals & great guitar work from SIAN & RAY, support from BARNEY GOODALL. £4. Floor singers welcome. 8pm Wednesday April 16

Seend Acoustic Club WESSEX CONTRABAND - Support from KATHRYN CLAIRE. £4. 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 April 1 Wyvern Theatre PAUL CARRACK 7.30pm £29.50 SOLD OUT

Baker Street GARY ALESBROOK QUARTET 8pm free - In demand trumpet players and current touring member of Kasabian, brings some Chet Baker inspired Jazz.

Thursday April 3 The Vic Songs of Praise presents VIENNA DITTO + SUPER SQUARECLOUD + CLEMENTINES 8pm free Riffs Bar, Greatfield KENYA PROJECT CHARITY GIG 8pm Friday April 4

Wyvern Theatre THE BARRON KNIGHTS 7.30pm £18.50 Riffs Bar, Greatfield ACOUSTIC SESSIONS feat. ROB LEAR & REAL

RAJ plus Open Mic from 19:30 Swindon Arts Centre ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW & THE LOW RIDERS: ZONE-O-TONE 8pm £20/£18 Rolleston HAMSTERS FROM HELL 9pm free Castle, Prospect Place MICK O'TOOLE 9pm free Southern Cider Punk Saturday April 5 Swindon Arts Centre Swindon Recital Series: MORE PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION 7.30pm £12/£10 The Vic WHOLE LOTTA DC 8pm £6adv £8dr

Riffs Bar, Greatfield MADAM RENARDS MINI FRINGE CLOSING PARTY 8pm Rolleston BUILT FOR COMFORT 9pm free RHYTHM & BLUES Woodlands Edge DARREN HUNT (rock covers) 9pm free Tap & Barrel MICK O'TOOLE 9pm free Southern Cider Punk Sunday April 6 The Plough, Devizes Road ROB TERRY TRIO 3pm free Wyvern Theatre OASIS UK 7.30pm £19 Tuesday April 8

Swindon Arts Centre THE MOVE 8pm £14/£12 Baker Street JAZZ SHOWCASE Ivo Neame Quintet 8pm free - Piano led all star quintet Thursday April 10 The Vic BEAUJACKS 8pm free Riffs Bar, Greatfield ALL EARS AVOW + SUPPORT 8pm - Tour Kick Off Show Friday April 11 Riffs Bar, Greatfield

The Illegal Eagles take roost at Salisbury City Hall on April 12

The Illegal Eagles have been thrilling audiences nationwide for over 17 years during which time they have established themselves as the definitive tribute to The Eagles.

The band will be coming to Salisbury City Hall on Saturday April 12 at 7.30pm.

Extremely tight harmonies and

an acute attention to detail are now synonymous with The Illegal Eagles.

The latest production brings you all the classics including Heart of the Matter, Life in the Fast Lane, Hotel California, Take it to the Limit, Tequila Sunrise, Lyin’ Eyes and a whole lot more.

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Rolleston SNATCH IT BACK 9pm free BLUES ROCK Saturday April 12 The Vic 101% PANTERA 8pm £5adv £6dr Riffs Bar, Greatfield INDIE NIGHT 8pm

Rolleston DARK EYES 9pm free ROCK/POP/INDIE COVERS Woodlands Edge SWITCH 9pm free - pop, rock & indie covers

The Vic EZIO 7.30pm £12adv £14dr Tuesday April 15

Swindon Arts Centre PATSY MATHESON 8pm £10/£8 Baker Street ANDY HAGUE QUINTET 8pm free - Drummer, composer, and trumpeter Thursday April 17 Wyvern Theatre THE ELO EXPERIENCE 7.30pm £21

Woodlands Edge COVER JUNKIES 9pm free - pop, rock and indie covers band

Sunday April 20 The Plough, Devizes Road TREFOR OWEN TRIO 3pm free The Vic SHEPHERDS PIE 8pm free Riffs Bar, Greatfield Riffs charity gig for Cancer Research UK 8pm - Bands so far are: NATURES + HOMELAND + BEAR HUNT + MOROSE + KTING VOAR Rolleston KOVA ME BADD 9pm free

Tuesday April 22 Baker Street DAVE NEWTON TRIO 8pm free - The countries number one Jazz pianist Wednesday April 23 Wyvern Theatre LUNCHTIME RECITAL 1pm £5

Rolleston JELLY + USELESS EATERS9pm free ORIGINAL PUNK ROCK Tap & Barrel KARL BROOKES 9pm free - solo performing contemporary covers

Saturday April 26 The Vic A FOREIGNER’S JOURNEY 8pm £8adv £10dr The GW Bar and Grill Gw Hotel Acoustic Showcase - Music from 7pm with MASON O'BRIEN + DREW BRYANT + BIANCA POLIZZI + RORY EVANS + THE DIRTY SMOOTH + REMEDY with Open mic / jams / duos from 10pm Swindon Arts Centre JOE DRISCOLL & SEKOU KOYATE 8pm £15/£13 Queens Tap DAVID MARX & THE AK POETS 8.30pm free Woodlands Edge HUMDINGER 9pm free - pop, rock and indie covers band Brookhouse Farm KEVIN LOVATT 9pm free JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE Rolleston MICK O'TOOLE 9pm free - Southern Cider Punk with an Irish twist Sunday April 27 The Plough, Devizes Road

A fab comedy club with Ivo Graham and Kate Lucas at Riffs amazing Ivo Graham who at the dainty age of 23 seems to be taking the comedy world by storm.

The Eton alumnus combines insightful stories of adolescence and fellow students with a sharp witted presence.

Tickets for the night cost £5 in advance and £7 on the door.

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The List

This month’s Riffs Comedy Club takes place on Thursday April 17.

Opening the night will be Kate Lucas, the winner of the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2014 award.

She will be joined by Bisha Ali and Rick Murtagh in the open spots.

Headlining the night will be the

Music

The Vic Songs of Praise presents BLACK HATS + CURSOR MAJOR + THE RACKET 8pm free

Rolleston AK POETS 9pm free ROCKNROLL The Messenger CHARLOTTE FOX 9pm free - 80s rock & pop + motown & soul

Friday April 25 The Vic TOXIC - TOP COVERS BAND 8pm free Riffs Bar, Greatfield ACOUSTIC SESSIONS feat. The SHUDDERS + ETHEMIA - Pirate Folk meets Heartfelt Folk plus Open Mic from 19:30 Royal Oak, Newport Street BROKEN IMAGE 9pm free CLASSIC ROCK COVERS

Arts & Culture

Sunday April 13 Swindon Arts Centre LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH MR LOVE & JUSTICE AND FRIENDS 3pm featuring PETE TAYLOR + JAMES DAUBNEY The Plough, Devizes Road ROANDAN TRIO 3pm free Castle, Prospect Place BANKSY 60s to today, starts 6pm

Saturday April 19 The Vic SNOWBLIND - Tribute to Black Sabbath 8pm £8 Riffs Bar, Greatfield SN DUBSTATION + SUPPORT 8pm - Reggae, Ska, and a twist of energy!

Thursday April 24 The Vic UK SUBS + SLAGERIJ 8pm £10

Food and Drink

Castle, Prospect Place THE RACKET COMEBACK GIG 9pm free Royal Oak, Newport Street CORSAIRS 9pm free PSYCHOBILLY

Friday April 18 The Vic HEALTHY JUNKIES + FRY BAND + THE HAMSTERS FROM HELL + 2 SICK MONKEYS A Charity Fundraising Event. 8pm £6 The Messenger STEVE SOLO 9pm free - 70s night Rolleston THE SUNNYBOYS ON TOUR FROM ITALY 9pm free pop punk

For Starters

ACOUSTIC SESSIONS JENNY BRACEY & SADIE FLEMING plus Open Mic from 19:30 Royal Oak, Newport Street COVER ADDICTS 9pm free POP,ROCK,INDIE

Arts & Culture

Food and Drink

For Starters

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PAUL BUCK TRIO 3pm free Castle, Prospect Place CHARLOTTE FOX 6pm free - 80s rock & pop Wyvern Theatre THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED 7.30pm £18 The Vic GORDON GILTRAP AND OLIVER WAKEMANS RAVEN'S AND LULLABIES 8pm £15 Tuesday April 29 Baker Street STUART HENDERSON QUINTET 8pm free - A hard swinging post bop trumpet led quintet The Vic OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm free Wednesday April 30 Roaring Donkey DAVID MARX 8pm free TROWBRIDGE

Friday April 4 Village Pump Folk Club @ The Lamb WINTER WILSON 8pm Friday April 11 Village Pump Folk Club @ The Lamb KEIRAN HALPIN 8pm £8 Friday April 18 Village Pump Folk Club @ The Lamb OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm £3

Friday April 25 Village Pump Folk Club @ The Lamb PEDALFOLK IN PURSUIT OF SPRING 8pm £5 SINGLES NIGHT

DEVIZES

Monday April 28 Bear Hotel, Market Place SINGLES EVENING in the Cellar Bar 7pm £5 TALKS AND POETRY

The List

Music

SWINDON

Thursday April 24 Wyvern Theatre

GRUMPY OLD WOMEN 8pm £21 with Susie Blake, Jenny Eclair and Kate Robbins THEATRE

SALISBURY

Thursday March 27 to Saturday April 19 Salisbury Playhouse WORST WEDDING EVER in THE MAIN HOUSE 7.45pm with 2.45pm Saturday Matinee Wednesday April 2 to Saturday April 5

Salisbury Playhouse THIS IS MY SONG inTHE SALBERG 7.45pm with 2.45pm Saturday matinee - £10 Wednesday April 9 Salisbury Arts Centre ONCE UPON A TIME IN A WESTERN 8pm £12/£10 Sunday April 13

Salisbury Arts Centre SCRIPTWRITERS DOO DAH SHARING 7pm £5 Tuesday April 15 to Wednesday April 16 Salisbury Playhouse THE LAST POST In a converted post van you'll be told where! £13/£9

Thursday April 17 Salisbury Playhouse I NEED A DOCTOR THE WHOSICAL at THE SALBERG - 2.45pm and 7.45pm £13/£9 Saturday April 19 Salisbury Playhouse PIRATE PAYE OF POOLE at THE SALBERG 2.45pm and 7.45pm £9 SWINDON

Tuesday April 1 Wyvern Theatre Madam Renards Mini Fringe featuring NOT IN FRONT OF THE WAITER by Swindon Community Opera and Polly Leach and THE INDISPOSITION OF DAVID PHILIPS BY MADAM RENARDS 7pm £12 Wednesday April 2 Wyvern Theatre

Madam Renards Mini Fringe 7pm £12 featuring PAPERHEARTS by Moonrock Productions and THE INDISPOSITION OF DAVID PHILIPS by Madam Renards

Thursday April 3 Wyvern Theatre Madam Renards Mini Fringe 7pm £12 featuring THE UNDERGROUND ORCHESTRA CHALLENGE BY SHAUN BUSWELL and THE INDISPOSITION OF DAVID PHILIPS by Madam Renards Friday April 4 Phoenix Theatre Madam Renards Mini Fringe 1pm PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE BY NEW COLLEGE and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

by Whole Hog Thursday April 10 to Saturday April 12 Swindon Arts Centre HAROLD JOLLIFFE ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL 7.15pm with 1pm performance on Saturday celebrating Swindon’s great drama talent!

Saturday April 19

Wyvern Theatre FAWLTY TOWERS In the Wyvern Restaurant 7.30pm - £45 including three-course meal Wednesday April 23 Swindon Arts Centre THE ONLY WAY IS DOWNTON 8pm £12/£10 THEATRICAL SCREENINGS

SALISBURY

Saturday April 5 Salisbury Arts Centre PUCCINI’S LA BOHÈME (OPERA) 5.55pm £16/£14 concessions -Screened live from The Metropolitan Opera in New York

Saturday April 26 Salisbury Arts Centre MOZART’S COSÌ FAN TUTTE (OPERA) 5.55pm £16/£14 concessions - screened live from The Metropolitan Opera in New York.

CoCo and the Butterfields bring the Fip Fok to the Swindon

CoCo and the Butterfields sprang to life in 2011 as a humble folk trio. Nowadays they’re more accurately described as a five-strong major kick on the South East music scene, a truly colourful, energetic and crowd-stamping act to be reckoned with,

featuring beatboxer EupheX and performing their own unique fusion of Folk, Pop and Hip Hop, or “Fip Fok” to their fans. You can see what all the fuss is about when they show up at Swindon Arts Centre on Thursday April 24 at 8pm.

Tickets are £10.

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Reader Survey

Curiosity will not kill the cat...

Here at Ocelot Towers we are constantly trying to make things better for our readers. With that in mind we do have to occasionally find out which of you blighters is actually picking up the magazine and whether you think there’s room for improvement. If you could answer the following simple questions and email them to stuff@theocelot.co.uk with SURVEY in the subject line or cut it out and send it to The Ocelot, 65 Rogers Meadow, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1DZ we would very much appreciate it.

1. Where do you live?

6. How often do you pick it up?

2. How old are you?

7. What do you like and/or dislike about The Ocelot?

3. Are you male or female?

4. What is your occupation?

5. Where did you pick up this magazine?

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Agony Girl

Everybody’s favourite advice columnist!

Six-year-old Agony Girl is obsessed with chasing the cat at the moment but she still has time to help with your problems. We read her the questions and these are her answers. Honest!

DEAR ANNABEL Why is there something rather than nothing? Why should anything exist at all? How come Spongebob Squarepants exists?

Carl, Swindon He doesn’t exist. He’s just a funny cartoon. I really like Spongebob though. He’s funny. I love Patrick.

He’s a starfish.

DEAR ANNABEL Is our universe real? How do we know that what we see around us is the real deal, and not some grand illusion perpetuated by an unseen force?

Stacey, Caversham Our universe is real. Because we need to live on something otherwise we would die with no food and it would be just like in Minecraft.

DEAR ANNABEL Do we have free will? Or are we all working to some divine purpose? Does God or some such all powerful being exist?

Norman, Devizes Well God does. But a giant doesn’t or a dinosaur doesn’t. I don’t have free will because I have to do what I’m told by the Mayor or The Queen of London.

DEAR ANNABEL Is there life after death? Do we become nothing, ghosts, go to heaven or get reincarnated as something else?

Gary, Hungerford We get to be dead and we go into heaven which is a sand country and there’s a farm there as well.

DEAR ANNABEL What is the difference between right and wrong?

Yannick, Abingdon Right means that you are doing something that’s right like feeding a pig if you’ve been told to and if you’ve been told to feed a pig and you milk a cow instead that’s wrong. Listening is right and kicking is wrong.

DEAR ANNABEL What is a number? Is it just a concept created by humankind as a well designed construction of abstract thought based on math?

Yannick, Abingdon It’s to help us count and do maths stupid!

Send your questions to stuff@theocelot.co.uk

Twisted Peel (www.twistedpeel.com)

Next month’s issue..

by Peter Roy

ay 1st

is out on M

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