FORTY bands across four venues in one night. When it comes to live music, evenings don’t get much more exciting than Oxjam.

This celebration of local music has in the space of a year become one of Oxford’s biggest nights of music. Starting last year with a handful of bands, the event has exploded into a one-night festival featuring some of the biggest and best names in town. And, it is all for a good cause.

“This is not just an amazing night of music,” says organiser Katie-Louise Herring. “It is also raising money for Oxfam, so it’s win-win.”

Katie-Louise, better known as the lead singer of dance-pop act Duchess, can be forgiven for being excited about Saturday night’s bill. The musician and her team have secured a clutch of acts who would ordinarily pack out a venue on their own – but who have agreed to play for free to boost funds for the Oxford charity.

They include Fixers, Pet Moon, Sisterland, King of Cats and Beta Blocker and the Body Clock, who set up stage at Modern Art Oxford in an evening curated by the city’s Blessing Force collective of artists and musicians.

Joining them are long-serving reggae legends Dubwiser and one of Oxford’s hottest new bands Secret rivals – both of whom played alongside Duchess at Oxford Castle last month in a show celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Oxford Mail’s sister paper The Oxford Times.

Other names sharing the bill include Richard Walters, The Grinding Young, Kill Murray, Ollie Thomas, We Aeronauts, Family Machine, Black Hats, Grudle Bay, The Yarns, The Wooden Sky, Evening Hymns, Flights of Helios, Cat Matador, ToLiesel, Empty White Circles, The Scholars, Brickwork Lizards, ArtClassSink, We Are Goose, Ragged Claws, Robots With Souls, Dropout and Ioneye.

Other than Modern Art Oxford, shows take place at The Cellar, Purple Turtle and the Turl Street Kitchen.

“The event has been put together to celebrate local music and give bands a chance to showcase their talents while supporting charity,” says Katie-Louise.

Oxford’s night of music is one of just 40 taking place around the country.

Since being founded in 2006, Oxjam has raised more than £1.75m for Oxfam’s aid work – enough to buy 15,000 emergency shelters; 70,000 goats or 1,050 classrooms.

And organisers are hoping to raise £6,000 – twice that raised at last year’s inaugural event. And it promises to be an eclectic night, with artists playing everything from dub reggae to folk, rock, pop, electronica and more exotic sounds.

“I can’t possibly say what the highlights will be,” says Katie-Louise. “But the Blessing Force takeover at Modern Art Oxford is going to be very interesting. It will also see Fixers coming back, which is great.

“I’m also looking forward to seeing what happens at Turl Street Kitchen as there is a nice mix of things including comedy.

“The night will give people a chance to see bands who wouldn’t normally play stripped-down sets playing in different settings. And they are all doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. People really want to give something back to the music scene.”

East Oxford singer-songwriter Richard Walters will be performing an acoustic set featuring many of the songs on his new album Regret Less at the Turl Street Kitchen. “People love these kind of events,” he said, talking to The Guide before heading off to Ireland for the latest leg of his tour.

“It’s nice to be able to wander around and see different people playing. It’s like a festival; it gives people the chance to try everything out. It is also ridiculously good value – and because it’s all for a great cause, you can have a good time and feel like you’ve done something good.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Also eager to set up is Seb Reynolds of atmospheric electronic rock band Flights of Helios. He said: “When you are asked to support a cause as noble as Oxfam, you are never going to say no.”

He adds: “We have got some new material which we are excited about; this is going to be a big public outing for some new tunes.”

Fixers, one of Oxford’s most technically-brilliant and hotly-tipped new bands, will be playing their last gig of the year at Modern Art Oxford. Jack Goldstein said: “We’re looking really forward to the show, I don’t even know what to expect to be honest. I want it to be the audile equivalency of escaped zoo animals.

“When I think of the word Oxjam, I think of a thick mixture made from fruit pulp and sugar; blended with Ox tails!”

The night follows a series of Oxfam fundraising shows which have included a roof-top gig at the Said Business School, a G&D’s cafe takeover, a performance at the Castle Mound with Brazilian Carnival group Sol Samba, and a show at the Truck Store, in Cowley Road, featuring The Cooling Pearls, Nairobi and Dallas Don’t.

“Everyone who comes will be doing something good for charity and supporting local music,” says katie-Louise. “And at £10 for a wrist band it’s a very cheap night out.”

  • Oxjam is on Saturday. Wristbands costing £10 allow entry to all venues and an after-show party at the Turl Street Kitchen until 3am. They are on sale at the Truck Store or from wegottickets.com