Take a break from the sound of jingle bells and tired seasonal hits with a night of yuletide music designed to make you swoon with delight, writes Tim Hughes.

This Saturday the East Oxford Community Centre, off Cowley Road, will be transformed into an oasis of winter warmth – without the festive tat – for the Irregular Folk Christmas Party.

The night, organised by Irregular Folkster Vez Hoper, pulls together a trio of sublime acts all with an acoustic twist. Music comes from singer-songwriter Jordan Hunt, a former member of The Irrepressibles and Hidden Cameras; Jamie Doe’s solo project Magic Lantern; and cosmic drone-folk merchants The Flights of Helios.

As with previous Irregular Folk nights, there are no headliners, with each act getting equal billing.

We are particularly excited by the presence of Jordan Hunt. Vez told us: “Jordan first came to our attention when he supported The Irrepressibles earlier this year. He left the audience utterly awe-struck by his astonishing performance. His vivid, almost heavenly, vocals mix with a minimal landscapes that will leave you feeling transported to a place as special as that wonderful awe that happens only when snow starts heavily falling all around.”

She also waxed lyrical about the other acts, saying: “Some of you may have seen Jamie sing as part of the wonderful Ballina Whalers. His debut solo album, Love of Too Much Living, is a wonderful work of mesmeric beauty, both uplifting and bewitching.”

Oxford Mail:

Jordan Hunt:  Picture by Anna Lewenhaup

Flights of Helios – aka Chris Beard, James Currie, Sebastian Reynolds, James Maund and Phil Oakley – are one of Oxford’s most exciting bands, and have graced stages everywhere from Modern Art Oxford to the Glastonbury Festival.

“We’ve been watching them for a while,” says Vez. “It will be super exciting to have a rare acoustic set by them. Chris’s stunning, haunting vocals paired with the band’s unique blend of drone, fuzz-space-pop may well take you to Narnia and back!”

The music runs from 7.30pm-12.30am. Tickets are £10 in advance from wegottickets.com or from the Truck Store, Cowley Road, or £12 on the door (though, they may well have sold out).

Vez added: “We don’t have a dress code, but go on and dress up; you know you want to! Anything Christmassy goes: chunky jumpers, glitter, wings for the boys and white beards for the ladies.

“There will also be a good few other tasty Christmas trimmings. It’s going to smell, taste, look and sound like a treat to remember. We don’t do things by halves.”

oxfordmail.co.uk/music

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