OCF present Osprey & Co / Starbelly / Mojo Demon / Charms Against The Evil Eye / Ben Jacobs
Schedule
Fri, 24 Nov, 2023 at 06:00 pm
Location
Oxford O2 Academy | Oxford, EN
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MARK ‘OSPREY’ O’BRIEN is celebrating forty years of playing and promoting live music in Oxford this year with a series of gigs.
Osprey, who was born and raised in the North East before moving
to Oxford in the 1980s, is widely recognised as one of the greatest
champions of grassroots live music in the city under his It’s All About the
Music promotion banner, putting on showcase events at various venues,
regularly giving opportunities to artists unable to get a gig elsewhere. He
is also a renowned musician and occasional DJ, a regular fixture on gig
line-ups and at events like Cowley Road Carnival.
He kicked off his 40th anniversary celebrations with a weekend of shows
in September and continues the party with gigs at The O2 Academy, The
Bullingdon and The Port Mahon throughout October and beyond.
Osprey talked to Nightshift about his formative years in music and some
of the highlights of his time as a musician and promoter.
“I’ve always loved music from a very early age; I grew up on Motown
and rock’n’roll, and northern soul took a hold of me when I started going
to youth clubs. We had our own dances. In the other room was my friend’s
older brother’s band rehearsing and we would listen and hope one day
to follow suit; we both got into Led Zep etc… he played guitar and I
played pots and pans and sang. I eventually left school and went up to the
mountains in Cumbria where I taught myself guitar and discovered Bob
Dylan and Johnny Cash. Discovering Dylan is what inspired me to write
my own songs and eventually form a band in the nearby town, Keswick.
I then started gigging but inviting other acts onto our bill is where the
promoter side of me comes from. There have been so many highlights
for me as a musician, but I think one of the best is when we played
Glastonbury in 97; that was something else: we got three encores. And
playing Oxford is always the biggest thrill, no matter which stage. The
biggest show I ever played has to be Gateshead Stadium to several million
people live on TV for Children In Need sometime in the 80s. The best
I’ve ever promoted are far too many: Candyskins and John Otway, and
most recently Barricane and Emma Hunter are ones that stick out.
“The worst memories and biggest challenges have to be losing The
Wheatsheaf and The Cellar. Obviously coming out of Covid too: that was
a challenge too, getting the local scene revved up again; there were lots of
negotiations with bands and venues and encouraging people that it would
all be okay. They were scary times, but we are here and still doing it!
And as a lifelong champion of grassroots live music, Osprey has a
message for musicians and fans alike: “my message is simple – keep on
keeping on, respect those that help you along, always believe in yourself
and never forget where your came from.”
Osprey plays the O2 Academy on the 24th November. Bands or artists
wanting to play at an It’s All About the Music show should get in touch by their facebook page
Starbelly
Oxford’s finest Glam Grunge glitter-stomping wine-spilling trio. Starbelly are a charity shop gothic faerytale with teeth shattering guitars, tribal rhythm and ethereal melodies that make every show a carnival
Mojo Demon
Come and dance to the psychedelic blues of the dynamic duo which is Mojo Demon!
They'll be playing songs from their acclaimed album (Lost and Found) and new numbers
which may appear on their anticipated follow-up recording.
Featuring Markus "Shakey" Butler on harmonica and Ady Davey on guitar and vocals,
with influences which include Howlin' Wolf, Lightning Hopkins, The Sonics, The Stooges,
Nina Simone and Led Zeppelin, this is sure to be a real treat
Charms Against The Evil Eye
HE EVIL EYE were discovered in one of the drawers of Oxford's Pitt Rivers museum. Once dusted down they began to make the kind of English psychedelia for which they are now renowned. Turns out they're all old hands - mitochondrial DNA analysis shows that the members ("Swiss" RICK NASH - The Drums, JULIAN MOSS - on the bass, harmonies and even some guitar, MATT SEWELL - singing and guitar) go back to the 80s, possibly even further. The songs are about the inevitable forces of the Universe, ancient stone monuments, Autumn, love and cats. "Charming stuff" said Oxford music mag Nightshift, puntastically, but this is clearly what the band are aiming for.
Ben Jacobs
(Guitarist/Singer-Songwriter) is a solo act from Oxford. He has been playing guitar for over 20 years and has developed a distinct and unique sound; his own material is typically bluesy, melancholy, funky and melodic. Influences include: The Red Hot Chilli peppers, Radiohead, The Beatles, Neil Young, Chuck Berry and Fink
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Where is it happening?
Oxford O2 Academy, Oxford, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
