Take a look at the gigs news and gossip in this week's Soundbites

* The big news this week is the word, yesterday, that seminal Oxford indie-rockers Ride are to reform. The band were scooped in their declaration by the organisers of Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival — who unveiled a banner the size of a house confirming the lads would play the event. The reunion ends years of speculation and questions — which the band’s Mark Gardener admits have cropped up at every interview he’s given for the past two decades.

Mark and bandmates Laurence ‘Loz’ Colbert, Andy Bell and Steve Queralt, will go on the road in May, playing shows in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Toronto, and New York. The closest shows to us are their gig at London’s Roundhouse on May 24 and the capital’s Field Day on June 7. Talking exclusively to The Oxford Times last night, Mark, a former Cheney School boy, hinted Oxford fans may be in for a bigger treat, however. “Oxford won’t be forgotten!” he said. “So keep your ears and eyes open.”

For those too young to remember, Ride were among the biggest bands of the ’90s and, along with Radiohead and Supergrass, put Oxford on the music map. Purveyors of what became knows as ‘shoegaze’ they paved the way for Britpop and gave Alan McGee’s Creation label its first UK chart breakthrough. If anything, they were even bigger overseas — achieving success in the USA, Europe and Japan. Since their 1996 split, the band’s members have kept busy. Guitarist Andy forming Hurricane #1 before joining Oasis as bassist — a move which saw him not only learning the instrument but also the band’s back catalogue before his debut. After Oasis broke up, he played with Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye — which recently also split. Mark and Loz joined the band Animalhouse with Supergrass producer Sam Williams. Mark toured and collaborated with Oxford’s Robin and Joe Bennett and their band Goldrush, as well as The Brian Jonestown Massacre. He has also had success as a solo artist and producer.

Loz, meanwhile, has played with The Jesus and Mary Chain, Supergrass and Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band. Mark insists the reunion has nothing to do with the break-up of Beady Eye though. “We’ve been talking about it for years,” he said. “The timing just felt right.”

* Monday sees the start of a week-long bonanza of live music. After last year’s inaugural Oxford City Festival, organiser Mark ‘Osprey’ O’Brien has excelled himself. Ten venues including the O2 Academy, Jericho Tavern and Cellar host more than 100 acts playing 30 shows. For a full list of bands, go to oxfordtimes.co.uk