Richard Brabin

I know, I know. Once you’ve witnessed the Chuckle Brothers and Public Enemy share a selfie, as happened at Common People last weekend, there really doesn’t seem to be a great deal to live for anymore. Like looking into the face of God himself, it makes the rest of the world seem that bit more colourless and bleak. But we must press on, attempt to rebuild and here’s a list of where to be and what to see in June.

10th June – Big Deal – The Bullingdon, Oxford

Big Deal are a genial but compelling act hailing from California, delivering a stripped back but wholesome brand of indie rock who have fallen a little by the wayside after being touted strongly by the British DJ contingent circa 2013. But with a new record Say Yes they look to pick up where they left off and already the new material is beginning to surface on our airwaves, Annie Mac playing Avalanche just the other day. Apparently. According to their Facebook. Investigative music journalism doesn’t get much better…

 

10th June – The Amazons – Modern Art Oxford

If Big Deal don’t prick the ears, perhaps something more localised will tickle your musical meat and two veg. The Amazons, hailing from Reading, are yet another band to come from the city ‘we bloody well gotta go until they build us a fecking shopping centre’. As of yet we are unsure whether the lads are avid environmentalists and love that particular rainforest or just really like that quaint, charming, little online bookshop. Come down to find out.

 

21st June – Brian Jonestown Massacre – O2 Academy, Oxford

This is proof positive that Oxford is beginning to reel in those larger American touring acts once again and promises to be a night of immense appeal. Anton Newcombe is certainly an unpredictable and chaotic performer, with a rap sheet that makes Pete Doherty seem like a shy, unassuming choir boy, and with a back catalogue of some incredibly significant work as well as some absolute dross, the only way you’ll get to find out which BJM comes to Oxford will be to get your backside to the O2 on the 21st.

 

25th June – MAIA – The Cellar, Oxford

Surely hitting the quintessential Oxford dwellers sweet spot, a folk band with avant-garde tendencies, MAIA find their way to the Cellar for what promises to be a strange and captivating evening full of wonderment, creativity and plenty of references to hills, trees and shrubs to boot. Probably. With just enough twee to keep the white, middle classes happy and a penchant for psychedelia to content the hipsters, was there ever a band more cut out for playing this fair city?

 

FURTHER AFIELD

22nd June – Preoccupations – The Shacklewell Arms, London

So after apparently causing offence under their previous name, Viet Cong, this Canadian four piece have managed to cause even more by changing it to what is one of the least emotive or provocative band names ever dreamed up. However, their music is simply phenomenal and their self titled debut was the album of 2015 for many. And by many I mean me. Redefining post-punk with unfathomed originality and brutality, this will undoubtably be a quite spectacular evening.

 

Thoughts, etc? @RichardBrabin