Tim Hughes looks at the diverse range of local talent set to grace Oxford's musical event of the year - Common People in South Park

BLUES-rock, Balkan dance, experimental electronica and vintage jazz…

Not many cities can claim a musical scene as broad and diverse as Oxford’s. And that span of genres is showcased in May at the city’s biggest musical event for years – a huge festival on South Park.

Common People, which takes place on May 28 and 29, is headlined by Duran Duran on the Saturday and Primal Scream on the Sunday. Also playing are Public Enemy, Sugarhill Gang, Katy B, Chas & Dave, Ghostpoet, Soul II Soul and Craig David.

They are joined on the main stage by a local legend - Mercury-nominated artist Gaz Coombes – former frontman of Supergrass, who lives in Wheatley. But the local talent doesn’t stop there.

The event features a platform for local and up-and-coming acts – the Uncommon Stage - featuring 18 of the area’s brightest bands and artists.

Other musicians and performers get involved elsewhere.

The Uncommon stage is curated by Ronan Munro, editor of Oxford’s free monthly music magazine, Nightshift.

It is headlined on the Saturday by Oxford jazz-blues artists The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, fronted by Oxford Times arts writer Stuart Macbeth, and Eastern European party band The Balkan Wanderers on Sunday.

“It’s fantastic that so many local acts are getting the opportunity to play at Common People, with the opportunity to play to a whole new audience,” he says.

“And it’s great that we get the chance to show the variety of music that comes out of Oxfordshire – from hot jazz, reggae, hip hop and blues to doom metal, electronica, punk and even pirate pop.

“I’ve always tried to make musicians proud to come from Oxfordshire, and Oxfordshire be proud of its musicians and this weekend is proof that Oxfordshire is home to a wealth of music talent”.

Also playing are cello player Barney Morse-Brown – aka Duotone; lush folk-pop act The August List, Cowley rising star Cameron A.G, Chipping Norton’s Esther Joy Lane, rockabilly rebels Vienna Ditto, buccaneer-rabble rousers Peerless Pirates, experimental electronica types Maiians, Witney blues-rock-lovers Little Brother Eli, blues-pop act Death of the Maiden, Zaia, Neverlnd, Undersmile, Cassels, Inner Peace Collective, Cowley’s Young Women’s Music Project and singer-songwriter Julia Meijer.

Stuart Macbeth, from Thrupp, near Kidlington, said: “Nightshift have selected many of the best in Oxford for this stage - it's been done with characteristic good taste and insight. For me the likes of Undersmile and Balkan Wanderers are every bit as enticing as the Sugarhill Gang, Public Enemy and Primal Scream. Lure me away from Public Enemy, and I think it's the front row of the Uncommon Stage every time."

The Balkan Wanderers describe their sound as “indie-punky-pop music with a Balkan party element.” The line-up features Croatian singer Antica Culina, Emma Coombs, Stu Wigby, Clare Heaviside and Marc Witte.

Stu Wigby, from South Hinksey said: “We are very excited. When we first heard about the festival it sounded amazing and we had our fingers crossed that we’d get involved.

“There are lots of exciting going on – on the main stage, with Primal Scream and Duran Duran, but also on our stage. Ronan has tried to showcase the diversity of what’s going on in Oxford – with all its different styles. He’s done a great job.”

Sharp-dressed band Little Brother Eli are familiar faces in their native west Oxfordshire, but have rapidly acquired a following in Oxford too, as a result of their hectic gigging schedule.

The band consists of bassist Josh Rigal, singer Alex Grew, guitarists Linus Taylor and Adam Stowe and drummer Benji Page.

Josh said: “It is all quite exciting. It looks like it’s going to be a really great festival. The headliners are superb.

“We describe our music as bluesy garage rock but with pop choruses and hip hop elements. In fact there are tons of different elements. It’s going to be a great time for us, as our album, Cold Tales, is out in June so we’ll be playing lots of gigs.”

And what can the crowd expect? “We’ll be playing much of the new album – and hopefully people will really enjoy it.”

As far the rest of the bill, he praised Ronan on the diversity and signing of fresh talent.

“This is the best pick of all the acts in Oxford, and is a very exciting line-up. There is a real buzz at the moment. This is a really great place with tons of different bands who support each other and loads of people who like watching live music.”

Other local groups getting into the action include Dancin’ Oxford – which are celebrating their 10th anniversary year with an exclusive performance by Oxford urban dance crews, with a mix of high energy street dance, hip-hop and breakdance.

They will be joined by the festival’s community partners The Leys CDI (Community Development Initiative) – a youth project from Black Leys, working with children and young people aged 9-25 – who will stage a musical production, The Journey. The multimedia piece of work will showcase the talent of performers aged 9 – 80 by teaming up with the over-50s Clock House project.

There will be more local colour from the team behind Cowley Road Carnival, who are also a community partner.

Cowley Road Works, the charity that runs the annual spectacular, will host a Carnival café with displays from carnival performers. There will also be a chance to join in with samba classes and drumming taster sessions. Pushing the Brazilian flavour are carnival regulars Sol Samba, who will also be encouraging participation in their dance and percussion.

There will also be a taste of Mardi Gras, Temple Cowley-style, courtesy of the Temple Funk Collective – an eight-piece brass New Orleans-brass band who fuse their Deep South style with gypsy, jungle and hip-hop beats.

More brass comes from Horns of Plenty, who mix up township jazz, New Orleans jazz, Afrobeat, soul, reggae and Balkan music.

Dancing tunes will be played by Aidan Larkin - aka Count Skylarkin' - proprietor of the Disco Shed - made famous by appearances at festivals across the land, and a finalist in a national contest to find the shed of the year.

Common People founder Rob da Bank said: “The beating heart of all our festival adventures is getting people to discover new music and uncover new bands. Our curator, Ronan from the seminal Nightshift magazine, is an expert in these matters.”

Rob also hailed the wealth of artistic talent on offer over the weekend, saying: “When we started Common People it was all about spreading a bit of Bestival love at the start of the summer, so I’m really excited to be able to bring a taste of what we do at Bestival to Oxford.

“Creating a special little world to lose yourself in is a big part of our adventure, and we’re really excited to be sharing it with Dancin’ Oxford, the Leys CDI, the Cowley Road Carnival crew and all the other creative crews we’ve got coming down. So we’ll be seeing you for some madcap high jinks at South Park”.

* Common People is on May 28 and 29 in South Park, Oxford. Full details and tickets from commonpeople.net