Strong-of-voice songwriter Mark Mulcahy is one of those musicians whose talent seems reflected in the artists who he works with – contributors to his albums have included Thom Yorke, Frank Black, Michael Stipe and Juliana Hatfield. He’ll be appearing in what it’s difficult not to describe as “intimate” surroundings at The Jericho, Oxford, on Friday 7 December, and it’s sure to be a memorable occasion.
Anybody out there reading this have kids? On Saturday 8 December, former Candyskins member Nick Cope will be launching his new CD of childrens’ songs, Why Is The Sky Blue?, with a morning session at The Story Museum in Oxford.
In the evening of Saturday 8 December, there’s a special free gig at Phoenix Picturehouse in Oxford. Phil McMinn, formerly of Fell City Girl and The Winchell Riots, will be launching his debut EP, and he’ll be supported by The Half Rabbits – appearing in an acoustic-only format for this performance – and Jordan O’Shea. There’s more taking place on this day, too, with good-looking gigs also happening at O2 Academy 2, The Rotunda and The Wheatsheaf in Oxford. Decisions, decisions…
Wallingford doesn’t get a whole lot of gig action beyond its annual Bunkfest event, so worthy of note is a show at its Portcullis Social Club on Tuesday 11 December. The folky duo Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou are playing the venue as part of their nationwide ‘Up The Club’ tour of working mens and social clubs. In support, more shades of folk with Pepe Belmonte and The Dreaming Spires (the latter playing acoustically).
On Wednesday 12 December The Bullingdon in Oxford plays host to Darren Hayman, ex-Hefner and described by Stewart Lee as “the thinking person’s indie-pop legend, and unaccredited national treasure”. Money raised at this show will be donated to the Prince’s Trust. Top local support from My Crooked Teeth and Trev Williams.
Support ACHKI – the Afrikan and Afrikan Caribbean Kultural Heritage Initiative – by going to East Oxford Community Centre on Friday 14 December. There’s a night of “Afrikan food, pseudo-Afrikan music and completely not-Afrikan music” featuring Senegalese master kora player Jali Fily Cissokho (now a resident of Witney), along with Nairobi and Duchess. Interesting stuff all round!
The weekend of Saturday 15 December and Sunday 16 December sees a veritable snow flurry of winter festivals. (Deep breath…) Gappy Tooth’s Winter Warmer takes place over the whole weekend at the Wheatsheaf, Oxford, including performances from The Graceful Slicks, Ulysses Storm, Undersmile and Dallas Don’t; there’s the PinDrop Midwinter Festival on the Sunday, at St John The Evangelist Church in Oxford, with The Epstein and Wild Swim; the Irregular Folk Christmas Special at The Cellar, Oxford, also on that day, with Alphabet Backwards and more; and in Witney on the Sunday there’s the second Witney Winter Festival at Fat Lil’s, featuring The Scholars, Very Nice Harry and more. Choose your early Christmas present from that list!
Full details of these and loads more gigs can be found in the events calendar.
Tell us about gigs you’ll be checking out in the next two weeks in the comments!