RICHARD BELL rekindles his love affair with Monday nights thanks to Free at The Purple Turtle in Oxford.

I’ve had a long and loving relationship with Monday nights at the Purple Turtle over the years.

When I was a mere fresher, excited and wild-eyed to see and experience all the sights and sounds this city could throw at me, it was Monday night that I found myself gravitating towards more than any other.

Throughout my second year I experienced what the Americans call the ‘Sophomore Slump’, in which a student, once lifted of the burden to prove themselves a capable and intelligent candidate, allows their studies to fall by the wayside as they start to experience all the other joys of student life.

Now, on a personal level, I blame my ‘slump’ entirely on Monday nights at the Purple Turtle (and 9am Tuesday lectures of course...).

In the time that I’ve known it, the night has been known as Happy Mondays and Dib Dab, but for the new year the night comes with a whole new moniker and a full rebranding into its present incarnation – Free.

Free naturally comes with free admission, but my favourite aspect of this rebranding is the free shots – not that getting a free shot could ever be considered a bad thing, but the way in which you earn yourself a free shot is absolutely unique to this night.

Music has always been the watchword on Monday nights, and it’s good to know that in its new guise nothing has changed.

The DJs are still the centrepiece of this fantastic night, and they still display that rare zeal for playing the kind of songs they would want to be dancing to if they themselves were on a night out (ie. the biggest and best indie and rock hits with the freshest tracks from the newest bands).

It transforms the event from being just any other indie evening into what can only be described as ‘the best indie night in the city’.

The indie music scene is a constantly evolving creature and this venue captures that spirit perfectly.

The DJs are true music ‘snobs’, which is brilliant because it ensures that you won’t hear a bad song.

And better still, the way in which you earn a free shot is simply by requesting a song the DJs like.

Drinks at the Purple Turtle are always cheap and it’s still no different.

That I’m late handing this article in because I’m hungover should tell you everything you need to know; the music is still great, the drinks are still cool and it’s still able to ruin my Tuesday mornings in the best possible way...