Plan of Attack

Tonight, though, the landmark place of worship, in the heart of Jericho, will be filled with a rather different sound: something with a little more pace and rhythm than usual and just as much spirit.

In a bold collaboration with East Oxford’s hip eatery Oxfork, the church will play host to a homecoming show by one of the hottest bands in Oxford, Spring Offensive.

A huge draw on the Continent, where the band have been busy touring, the band (Lucas and Theo Whitworth, Matt Cooper, Joe Charlett and Pelham Groom) headline the show fresh from promoting new single Worry Fill My Heart and on the back of a wave of global interest in this refreshingly honest and down-to-earth bunch of lads.

“It’s going to be a great night,” anticipates guitarist Matt.

“Oxford nights are always our favourites as our friends come along. Some of our best experiences have been there.”

“The setting is also going to be incredible,” he enthuses. “I think our fans will suit it.”

I caught up with Matt as the band (which he jokingly describes as “really not that cool”) make their way through Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on the way to Switzerland for a weekend of gigging ahead of tonight’s show.

“I’ve got my lederhosen and fondue set!”

he laughs.

“We like Europe and have a growing fanbase there, which is not something we expected, I can’t see a better place to have one – apart from Britain! The people there are supportive and they really get us,” says Matt.

They’re not the only ones. Since the release of album Pull Us Apart, the band have been turning heads with their engaging harmonies, rhythmic guitars and thought-provoking, if sometimes slightly bizarre, lyrics.

“Our music repays repeat listenings,” he adds thoughtfully. “People have to take a chance on it. It doesn’t have to be shouted from the rooftop to get your attention. We want to lure people in with stories – and when they give it a chance, it makes it more rewarding and alluring.

“And people do listen intently, especially in Europe, though that might be a language thing – they probably have to listen harder to understand it!”

And he has another theory as to why Spring Offensive (who take their name from a poem by Wilfred Owen) are proving an unstoppable force.

“Sometimes different music becomes popular just because it’s the right time, and fits in with what people are craving and what’s cool.”

And, despite his protestations, few things sound cooler right now.

“It has all taken time,” admits Matt. “We have had to work hard for people to listen to us, as we are not the coolest band in the world, and don’t make music which is desperately current.

“But we have had a lot of support.”

And the love has been reciprocal. The band have made a name for themselves not by packing out huge venues, but by breaking things down to the smallest and most intimate level... even taking gigs to their fan’s very front rooms. The band’s living-room shows are the stuff of legend, particularly those in lounges across OX4.

“Those shows allow us to engage with people on another level,” says Matt.

“And when you play a living room, people listen more intently and get more from the songs. It’s a strange experience; you do become more aware of the songs as you are more exposed. But it’s a lot of fun. We get so many requests to do them.”

So where did the idea of the home visits come from?

“We wanted to give ourselves the opportunity to say thank you to people, which is something lots of other bands don’t do.”

And which was the best lounge gig?

“We did a phenomenal living room in Leamington Spa,” recalls Matt.

“It was full of students and was the most incredible experience ever. One of the guys was projecting David Attenborough’s Planet Earth on to us. I was covered in seagulls!”

The problem is, some house gigs prove so good it’s impossible to leave.

“To win our favour all you have to do is supply booze and copious amounts of cheese, then we’ll stay in your living room for ever!”

And while there certainly won’t be booze tonight, Matt is hoping for a bit of cheddar in the confessional at St Barnabas.

“I am really excited,” he says. “And the support bands are also incredible.”

They are Count Drachma, the South African-influenced side project of Stornoway’s Jo’burg-born members Ollie and Rob Steadman, and Liverpool band All We Are.

“They are two superb bands,” assures Matt. “It’s not often you fall in love with a support band, but these two are absolutely staggering.”

As befits the surroundings, the gig will be alcohol-free, but with what Oxfork’s Drew Brammer describes as a “virgin bar” serving booze-free cocktails.

“Churches are places we treat with respect and reverence,” says Matt. “And they are also where harmonies evolved, so it should work well for us. However, I promise one thing: there will be no preaching!”

* Spring Offensive, Count Drachma and All We Are play St Barnabas Church, Jericho, Oxford, tonight. Tickets are £6 from wegottickets.co.uk or £7 on the door. Gig-goers buying advanced tickets have been promised a free six-track live EP