ALL the talk this week has been about festivals, with three local gatherings announcing a clutch of big names. Truck Festival ended weeks of speculation by revealing that Spiritualized would be gracing the main stage for Saturday night’s closing headline set. Jason Pierce’s psychedelic blues-rock vehicle join the likes of Horrors, Ash and former Supergrass star Gaz Coombes at Hill Farm, Steventon, on July 19 and 20.
Equally exciting to Oxford music fans is the announcement that Londoners Treetop Flyers will also join the bill. Frontman Reid Morrison has close links to Oxford and is a Truck veteran himself.
Other new additions include The Joy Formidable, We Are The Ocean, Frankie & The Heartstrings, The History of Apple Pie and Bo Ningen. Tickets: truckfestival.com
- Truck’s rural cousin, Wood, has also revealed more names to appear on its rustic stage at Braziers Park, on May 17 and 19. They include Balkan gypsy jazz ensemble La Morte Subite, folk artist Jackie Oates, rockabilly act Jack Cade & the Everyday Sinners, Colorado’s The Wood Brothers and pop eccentrics Ralfe Band.
Also appearing are the brilliant Reichenback Falls, Oxford Ukeleles, Adam Barnes, Edd Keene, Jess Hall, Art Theefe, Rainbow Reservoir, Megan Henwood, The August List, Katy Rose & The Cavalry Parade, Until The Bird, Natureboy, Will Phipps, Milky Moon, and Rye Wolf. The highlight of the gathering, however, is likely to be a live rendition of the Bruce Springsteen album Nebraska by Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou, The Dreaming Spires, Danny the Champ, Jack Day, The Cedars, Case Hardin, The Redlands Palomino Company, Paul McLure, Mad Staring Eyes and The Arlenes.
Visit woodfestival. com.
- As reported today, Blur bassist Alex James is again teaming up with chef mate Jamie Oliver for another Big Feastival at his Kingham farm.
He will be joined from August 31-September 1, by Basement Jaxx, Rizzle Kicks, KT Tunstall, The Feeling, Norman Jay and the Cuban Brothers.
And then there are the chefs – among them Valentine Warner, Gennaro Contaldo, Bruno Loubet, and Gizzi Erskine. Tickets go on sale today. Visit thebigfeastival.com or call 0844 995 9673.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here