The lorry load of talent at this year's Truck Festival

Seventeen years ago an Oxfordshire music-lover invited a group of mates to a friendly farmer’s field to play some tunes and celebrate his birthday.

Using the flat bed of a truck as a stage, a clutch of county bands played into the night to a select, yet lively, crowd.

Years later the event founded by musician, and birthday boy, Robin Bennett and his brother Joe in their home village of Steventon, is still going strong.

Though with 150 bands and artists playing to more than 5,000 people, Truck Festival has shifted up a gear.

While Robin and Joe are familiar faces, gracing a clutch of its six stages with various bands throughout the two-day event, the event is now run by festival director Ralph Broadbent and the team from the award-winning Y Not Festival in Derbyshire.

With a stellar line up, boasting indie-rock luminaries The Cribbs, White Lies and Peace, Truck is among the big hitters of the festival world, yet it refuses to lose sight of its roots as a friendly gathering of like-minded souls with a heavy accent on local talent.

This year’s Truck gets underway tomorrow at the same site it has occupied since its early days – Hill Farm, 500-acres of mixed arable and pasture farmed by Alan Binning.

Other big names set to grace its stages include Oxford folk-pop act Stornoway, pop seven-piece Los Campesinos, Welsh rockers Kids In Glass Houses and New York hard-rocker Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier, better known by his stage name Andrew WK, who returns to the county just weeks after delivering a lecture at the Oxford Union on his favourite subject – partying.

Also booked are 90s Brit-pop act Dodgy, DJ Julio Bashmore, Nottingham boy wonder Saint Raymond, Sam Duckworth (aka Cape Cape Wear Cape Fly), and Los Angeles rock duo Deap Vally. They are joined by Swim Deep, Superfood, Slow Club, Dan Croll, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Canterbury, Itch, Eliza And The Bear, Lonely The Brave, Circa Waves, Flyte, Nothing But Thieves, Nordic Giants, Ella Martini, Black Moth and Darlia.

 
Trucking stars: Deap Vally, left, and Peace 

Familiar Trucking faces returning to the scene of past triumphs include Oxford jazz-blues swingers The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, Chris T-T & The Hood Rats, Danny And The Champions Of The World, Ralfe Band, Co-Pilgrim and The Dreaming Spires – boasting festival founders Robin and Joe.

The Oxford contingent is bolstered by Pixel Fix, Empty White Circles, Dance A La Plage, Brickwork Lizards, We Aeronauts, Toliesel, Flights of Heilos, Alphabet Backwards, The Relationships, The Family Machine, The August List and good time lads The Shapes.

“I’m very excited by the line-up,” says Ralph, who has spent the week on-site, supervising the set-up.

“It’s always strong, but this time we’ve gone for a few extras – with DJs like Julio Bashmore complementing the line-up.”

While other festivals have gone for heritage rock and pop acts, Truck remains devoted to new music.

Ralph explains: “Truck is aimed at younger people than many other festivals. It has a relaxed vibe and it seems to get good weather year on year, with people coming to chill out in the sun then getting involved in some late night action. We are always putting new things on to keep it fresh and exciting.”

Among the hotspots will be Hill Farm’s cattle shed, this year rebranded Barnival. “It sums up what Truck is all about,” says Ralph. “It will be a big old party in the proper carnival sense.”

He also tipped the festival’s Saloon Bar – with saddles for seats and Americana and other flavours on the stage; and the Beach Bar as musts. And with music ranging from acoustic folk to hip-hop, Americana, country, rock and dance, there is something for everyone.

“It’s very eclectic,” says Ralph. “For it’s size there’s a lot of action. But I’ve grown up arranging festivals and know it’s also important to embrace new and local talent, particularly for somewhere like this, which has a vibrant music scene.

“It’s the future; that’s where the next headliners are going to be. Local bands also put on a better show. It’s their home, they know people and they add to the atmosphere.

“As for the festival-goers, there are still a lot from the local area, though some fly in from as far afield as America.”

Musical highlights were too numerous to mention, but he is particularly looking forward to Friday night’s set by The Cribbs. The band, featuring twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and younger brother Ross, first played Hill Farm 10 years ago, and have previously featured former Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr.

Ralph predicted a great show: “They are an iconic band and always smash it when they play live.”

He goes on: “The atmosphere at Truck is unbelievable. We are working hard to make sure it runs smoothly – but I can’t wait to take some time out to see some of my favourite bands too.”

CHECK IT OUT
Truck festival runs from tomorrow until Saturday night.
Further details from truckfestival.com