With 40 acts playing seven venues, Saturday’s Oxjam Takeover will be the biggest so far. Tim Hughes talks to co-organiser Katie Herring

THIS weekend the city of Oxford will be invaded. Not by some hostile enemy but by an altogether more benign force... of musicians. For one night, seven venues will play host to 40 acts – ranging from gentle singer-songwriters to ear-crunching metal bands. And the whole thing is for charity.

Starting three years ago, the Oxjam Oxford Takeover is among the biggest dates in the city’s calendar, and has raised well over £10,000 for Oxfam.

Highlights of this year’s takeover include sets by Jordan O’Shea, Adam Barnes, Dubwiser, Alphabet Backwards, Deer Chicago and Mutagenocide. Also up are Toliesel, Swindlestock, Sweet William, The Black Hats, The Scholars, Dance à la Plage, Listing Ships, Duchess, Empty White Circles, Chris Ryder, Joshua Gilbert, Alex Lanyon, Jasmine Hill, Bright Works (see left), Jenny Bracey, Ed Templer, Stroke of Luck, Red Crow, Ellie Rees, Desert Storm, Olly Thomas, Jess Hall, Cooling Pearls, Urora J Young, Freada, Caandides, Go On Do It Jump, Dublings, Jabroni Sandwich, Bricks and Mortar, Ragged Claws, Samuel Zasada and Pixel Fix.

Action takes place at the Turl Street Kitchen, The Cellar, The Purple Turtle, St Michael at the North Gate, New Road Baptist Church, and The Wheatsheaf, before shifting to Cowley Road, where the O2 Academy hosts the official after party, with Radio One’s Huw Stephens taking to the decks for the club’s Propaganda indie-rock night.

“The line-up is stronger than ever,” says Katie Herring, from East Oxford, who helps publicise the event, and will also play as frontwoman of dance-pop band Duchess. “I’ve been involved in running the takeover since its first year, but this is the first time we’ve played one of the main venues, so I’m very excited.”

Last year’s Oxford takeover boosted the coffers by £8,000. “We are hoping to smash that this year!” says Katie. “We were inundated with applications, but it’s bigger than ever, with two new venues, which means we can give more chances for people to play.

“The metal stage at The Wheatsheaf is going to be great and I’m looking forward to visiting the churches which will host more acoustic acts.”

So who is she most looking forward to seeing? “Everyone,” she says diplomatically. “But particularly Brightworks, who have just released a single and who haven’t gigged for a while. I’m also looking forward to seeing Ellie Rees, an amazing country music artist from Wantage, who has just come back from Nashville.”

And what can the crowd expect from Duchess’s set at The Cellar? “It will be upbeat, dancey and heavy on percussion,” she says.

“Duchess sets are always happy escapism from day-to-day life and we hope to pass that on to the audience. I love to see people clapping away and dancing. Getting those trendy Oxford gig-goers moving is always an achievement!”

CHECK IT OUT Oxjam’s Oxford Takeover runs at seven venues from 3pm-3am. One wristband gives access to all venues. Tickets are £10, from wegottickets.com