Get on Down

The concept is so simple it's brilliant.

Take a group of mates who are crazy about local music, lock them in a radio studio for an hour every Saturday, throw in a random bunch of bands, and let them lose on the good folk of Oxfordshire.

They call this unpredictable experiment in local music radio The Download. And to followers of the Oxford music scene it is one of the highlights of the week.

Hosted by presenter Tim Bearder and his friend and producer Dave Gilyeat, the show has been broadcast on BBC Radio Oxford for over a year, picking up new listeners week after week.

"It is a madcap hour buried in the standard BBC local radio schedule," explains Tim. "Its remit has been almost Peelesque', driven by a passion to shine the spotlight on unsigned music.

"But it has remained something of a cult phenomenon."

So what makes this unique show so successful?

Well, the official answer is that it is a showcase of the county's musical talent, which has given more than 200 unsigned Oxfordshire bands their radio debut. But that is only part of the story.

The show's real appeal lies in its knockabout charm, the surreal insults traded by its hosts, and their blatant disregard for the conventions of radio broadcasting.

Forget straight-laced studio interviews; Tim's tongue-in-cheek band interviews are more likely to be conducted while parachuting out of an imaginary aeroplane, being mauled by lions at the Cotswold Wildlife Park, on a sinking yacht on Farmoor Reservoir, or while abseiling down White Horse Hill.

Or so he would have his listeners believe.

Since being inflicted on its first listeners in March 2005, the show has evolved into an eclectic beast, with hard screamcore' metal played alongside gently strummed acoustic tracks and avant-garde electronica.

Throw in band interviews by reporter and photographer Marc West; demo reviews by Nightshift editor Ronan Munro; gig reviews by Susie Healey, and contributions by an assortment of gig-and club-goers, and you end up with a revolutionary show, where no one is afraid to speak their mind - whether it's pulling apart a dodgy demo or sharing the latest Cowley Road gossip.

And the good news for live music fans is that the show has been freed from the confines of the studio, and has taken to the road.

Hugely successful Download Live nights have already been held at The Zodiac, and The Wheatsheaf, in Oxford, featuring the likes of Belarus, The Half Rabbits and The Rock of Travolta.

And now the crew are heading out to the furthest reaches of the county, to spread their love of Oxfordshire music. Next month they pitch up at the Mill in Banbury, for a night headlined by acclaimed Oxford indie-pop-punks Dive Dive. Further gigs are planned for west and south Oxfordshire.

"It's absolutely fantastic doing the Download Live nights," says Tim.

"At the start there was quite a lot of pressure. Would anyone actually turn up? Would we be able to operate the live equipment? Would anyone swear on the airwaves? Well yes, yes and unfortunately yes!

"Obviously The Download can't take all the credit for each of the sell out shows. In fact, all we've really done is prove what a lot of people knew already - a bill made up of entirely local bands is more than capable of pulling big crowds.

"It's a small step but it all helps to bring the exceptional talent we have in Oxfordshire to people that are currently just tuned into the mainstream."

And Tim admits to already being hyped-up for the forthcoming Dive Dive show.

"So far we've only done gigs in Oxford so we can't wait to hit Banbury," he says. "I've never been north of Bicester, but I'm told there is a lovely beach there, so I'm really looking forward to it!"

*The Download Live at the Mill, Banbury takes place on Saturday, July 1, and features Dive Dive, Harry Angel and NarcissisM. Tickets are £5.

* The Download can be heard on BBC radio Oxford every Saturday between 6pm and 7pm, and on listen again. Go to bbc.co.uk/oxford for details.

The Download Sessions, a CD compilation of 10 of the best acoustic sessions is available at independent record shops in aid of Children In Need. At the start there was quite a lot of pressure. Would anyone actually turn up? Would we be able to operate the live equipment? Weekend of hot reggae FOR a weekend of midsummer madness, you could probably do no better than popping down to the Crawley Inn near Witney this weekend.

The Midsummer Reggae Festival is set to kick off at midday todayfri9june and will rock on until midnight on Sunday.

Tonight's headliners will be Oxford free party favourites, the DestaNation sound system, followed by Roots Ting, from Kentish Town, tomorrow.

Sistren, Oxford's collection of female reggae Djs, will be playing all day on Sunday, while Rootsman Rack and King Elijah will end the evening.

A bouncy castle and children's cinema should make the weekend easy for parents. Weekend camping tickets are £8, and day tickets are £5. They are available from www.wegottickets.com, Avid Records and Polar Bear Records in Oxford, or Rapture Entertainment in Witney. f=85 Helvetica Heavy l=8.5q=lDownload presenter Tim Bearder (just check out that jumper!), who will introduce Oxford indie-pop-punks Dive Dive, pictured, in Banbury, on Saturday, July 1 Underground punk comes up for air FOR an underground punk band, Zebrahead have proved remarkably successful selling well over 850,000 albums.

Hailing from Orange County, California, Matty Lewis, Ben Osmundson and band are a premier league live act, who have been honing their skills since they started touring, way back in 1998.

On Wednesday they arrive in Oxford for a show at the Zodiac to promote new album Broadcast To The World.

The show is a rare chance for Oxford music fans to experience a scorching fusion of rap and punk, inspired by the likes of Fugazi, the Descendants and Rage Against the Machine, which leaves their imitators standing.

Tickets are £7.50 in advance.

Doors open at 7pm.

The show is open to ages 14 and over. Rockability LIGHT-hearted 50s rockabilly combo Vincent Vincent & The Villains are notorious as a unique and entertaining live outfit.

Complete with barbershop harmonies, swinging guitars and skiffle drum work, the foursome are a welcome reminder that rock 'n' roll isn't necessarily all about blazing amplifiers and trashing hotel rooms.

They hit Oxford's Corner Room on Saturday, June 24. More details next week. Big time hit OXFORD threesome The Young Knives proved they have well and truly hit the big time, by appearing on BBC2 music show Later With Jools Holland.

Henry Dartnell, 'House of Lords', and Oliver Askew appeared alongside Ray Davies, of The Kinks, and Primal Scream, last weekend, treating viewers to spiky funk-rock anthem Week Days and Bleak Days, and Here Comes the Rumour Mill.

And not only were they the most exciting band of the night, but they even helped out Primal Scream by giving them a spare guitar string after a breakage. Liked what you heard? The band's album Junky Music Make My Heart Beat Faster is available on Transgressive Records. Right on Q WHILE on the subject of national exposure, Faringdon's Belarus and north Oxfordshire's Thea Gilmore both feature on an album of Beatles covers, given away with this month's Q magazine.

Belarus contribute their wonderfully strung-out cover of Here, There and Everywhere, while Thea sings I Want To Tell You on the excellent Revolver Reloaded CD. Richie blues INDIGO signing, Richie Milton is not just a great interpreter of the blues, he is an impressive songwriter himself.

Together with band The Lowdown, they are a lively act, who can get a room buzzing without losing sight of their soul roots.

This week, they play The Monday Blues at the Bullingdon. Entry is £6. The music starts at 9pm, as usual, and winds up at midnight. PITY those hard-working souls at Truck Records. While the rest of us are enjoying the start of summer, they are slaving away in their bunker putting the finishing touches to the event of the summer Truck Festival.

Headliners have yet to be confirmed (despite outrageously irresponsible leaks by at least one music writer!), but the rest of the line-up has been unveiled to general rejoicing.

Among the names set to grace the stage at Hill Farm, Steventon, on July 22 and 23, are The Mystery Jets, 65daysofstatic, Belarus, Battles, Chicks On Speed, Fell City Girl, Emmy the Great, Forward Russia!, Mojave 3, Piney Gir, Regina Spektor, Youthmovies, Skindred, The Young Knives, and organisers Goldrush.

More details to follow...