Category: Earth
Two years ago I wrote a listing for Wood Festival, in which I decided that it might just be the best possible festival ever. I then went along to find out and it proved to be every bit as wonderful as I had hoped for. You can read my mega three reviews (one for each day) here, here and here. I also did a preview interview with co-creator Robin Bennett. Back then I decided that if I ever sprogged then Wood was the festival I wanted to go to over all others: now, two years later, I will be returning to a revived Wood Festival with my baby in tow.
Mary Epworth.
As always, Wood Festival remains a local affair, with plenty of home grown talent on show. Expect energetic Balkan gypsy jazz from La Morte Subite, delicate folk from Jackie Oates, raucous rockabilly from Jack Cade & the Everyday Sinners, eccentric pop from Ralfe Band and uke jamming from the Oxford Ukuleles. Plus, Adam Barnes, Edd Keene, Jess Hall, Art Theefe, Rainbow Reservoir, Megan Henwood, The August List, Katy Rose & The Cavalry Parade, Reichenback Falls, Until The Bird, Natureboy, Will Phipps, Milky Moon and Rye Wolf. Co-pilgrim have just joined the line up: read my exclusive interview with founder Mike Gale here. Oxford and the surrounding area, it seems, provide fertile breeding grounds for bands of all genres.
Photography by Clare Bennett.
Joining local bands are some top notch musicians from further afield: the aptly named Wood Brothers will be visiting from Boulder, Colorado and Canadian roots-rock songwriter Dustin Bentall is passing through, joined by Kendel Carson on the fiddle. Also playing are Mary Epworth, Danny & the Champions of the World, Washington Irving, Syd Arthur, Nick Cope, Jali Fily Cissokho, Julie Hawk, Flights of Helios, Marcus Corbett, and Ligers.
This also sounds rather interesting:
Back in 1982, Bruce Springsteen released 'Nebraska', a collection of sparsely recorded tracks originally intended as demos for his sixth studio album. Almost exactly 30 years later Clubhouse Records gathered 10 bands together to record the album’s 10 tracks live to 4 track cassette tape, just like The Boss did back in the day. They then performed the whole thing to a sold-out audience in London. Now, exclusively for Wood Festival, the album will be recreated live onstage once more. Joining the already announced Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou, The Dreaming Spires, Danny the Champion and Jack Day will be: The Cedars, Case Hardin, The Redlands Palomino Company, Paul McLure, Mad Staring Eyes, and The Arlenes, all playing their own sets as well as performing their Nebraska song. The original sessions were filmed for posterity and can be viewed online.
As I discovered in 2011, workshops and activities are a big part of Wood Festival, and for the musically minded, they include Make a Record Player from a Cardboard Box, Harmony Singing, and a Junk Samba Session. And don’t forget the campfire sing-alongs too! Tickets for Wood are flying out from www.woodfestival.com and Truck Store, Oxford. Watch a documentary about Wood Festival here, should you need any more persuasion. See you there!