The Festival Hub is the heart of the Oxford Festival of the Arts, and your first port of call for all things Festival related. Situated just off The Plain at Magdalen College School, the Hub is adjacent to Magdalen Bridge and opposite Sainsbury’s Local, offering Oxford residents a rare opportunity to access the beautiful Rose Garden.
Adding ambience – and sometimes dancing feet (!) – to this idyllic setting will be some of the best local gig musicians, including Bonnie and Tommy – who promise to pull on heartstrings with intimate harmonies and old school covers; The Shakes for a groovy evening; the beautiful voice of Klaara and her country-influenced songs; American with The Kirals; the gritty, bluesy covers by Bankside; high-octane foot tapping ska, rocksteady and reggae with a hint of the 60s and a penchant for early Beatles, with The Spiralites; a night with Tom Rogers who puts a new twist on these classic and nostalgic sounds, inspired by music from sides of the Atlantic ocean; the unique sounds of Rick Rainford; ‘Fingerpickin’, slidin’, rollin’ bass lines and good times’ with Scot Gordon Band (aka SGB); weekly Jazz jam sessions; and open mic nights hosted by none other than Lee Bo!
The festival hub with drinks by Bar Simple, will be open most days from June 27 until July 13, from 5pm onwards, with gigs starting at 8pm. No need to book just drop in free and treat yourself to a drink from Bar Simple.
Gigs schedule:
Friday 27 June: Bankside A bluesy, Oxford-based five-piece. Expect gritty covers from across the decades and earthy, evocative songwriting.
Saturday 28 June: The Shakes A seven-piece soul and funk collective which feature soul shaking rhythms sure to get you grooving through the streets.
Monday 30 June & 7 July: Lee Bo ‘Open Mic’ Join us for our Open Mic with the finest musicians in Oxford. Top PA, house guitar and keyboard available. A glorious way to start the week!
Tuesday 1 July: Klaara Singer/songwriter with country influence. She has performed in venues such as O2 Oxford and recently released a new single I’ll Be Found.
Wednesday 2 July: The Kirals A four-piece alt-folk/Americana.
Thursday 3 July: Bonnie & Tommy This duo promises to pull on your heartstrings with intimate harmonies and old school covers, featuring The Beatles, Johnny Cash and Ken Booth, ska, blues and beyond, just to mention a few…
Tuesday 8 July: Tom Rogers A new twist on the classic and nostalgic sounds of The Beatles and The Doors, as well as more modern artists like Paolo Nutini.
Wednesday 9 July: Rich Rainford Making big waves in Oxford’s live music scene with his unique atmospheric sound.
Thursday 10 July: Jazz Jam Featuring a live house jazz band and the chance for yourself to play along too.
Friday 11 July: Scot Gordon Band Aka the SGB. Expect soulful, stomping bluesy Americana from the Oxford 3-piece. Fingerpickin’, slidin’, rollin’ bass lines and good times!
Saturday 12 July: Spiralites High-octane foot-tapping ska, rocksteady and reggae with a hint of the 60s and a penchant for early Beatles!
