Rob da Bank gazes out at the sweeping expanse of Oxford’s South Park and the spires beyond, and grins.

“We love it here,” he smiles. “It’s an historic site which has been preserved for hundreds of years, and looking out over the dreaming spires and cranes, it is exciting to think we will be putting up our main stage right at the bottom of this hill.

“It is a lovely site and is is going to be such a good place for a festival!”
He is right, of course, though, on a damp day in April, with the ground muddy underfoot, it is hard to imagine it.

In less than a month, however, the park will be home to the country’s newest music festival – Common People. This vibrant celebration of music and arts features a bewilderingly eclectic line-up with acts as diverse as 80s new-romantics Duran Duran, indie-rockers Primal Scream and Chas & Dave.

Also playing, over the May Bank Holiday weekend, are hip hop acts Public Enemy, Sugarhill Gang and Ghostpoet; Katy B; Soul II Soul; Craig David and Wheatley lad Gaz Coombes, former frontman of Supergrass, who was this week nominated for an Ivor Novello for his stunning album Matador.

The dance music DJ, promoter and father -of-three – real name Robert Gorham – is the driving force behind the long-running Bestival and Camp Bestival events, held, respectively, on the Isle of Wight and in Dorset. The festivals have cult appeal for their laid-back creative atmosphere, lack of commercialism, diverse line-ups and the elaborate fancy dress outfits donned by punters. 

Despite more than a decade’s involvement in 
staging big festivals, Rob says he has been bowled over by the excitement this event has generated around the city. “The reaction from people so far has been ‘wow, this is fantastic!” he smiles again.

He insists the festival, which has a 30,000 capacity, is not only a party, but a showcase for everything good about the city. 

The event features a platform for local and up-and-coming acts – the Uncommon Stage – featuring Oxfordshire bands and artists playing everything from vintage jazz to experimental rock. Entertainment will also be provided by the Blackbird Leys-based Leys Community Development Initiative and Cowley Road Works – the team behind the Cowley Road Carnival.

Local acts include The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band and Eastern European party band Balkan Wanderers, blues-rockers Vienna Ditto and Little Brother Eli and Chipping Norton’s Esther Joy Lane – who will play the main stage.
It will be the first time the city has been used for a major music festival since Radiohead’s homecoming show in 2001.

An attempt by a different promoter to stage an event there in 2014, called Oxford Oxford, fell flat because of poor ticket sales and confusion over the line-up. Common People is modelled on an existing successful sister event held on Southampton Common, from where it takes its name.
“We don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but no one else is doing a festival in South Park, and there’s a gap there,” says Rob.

“There is a lot of love for Common People in this city, but initially some scepticism over whether we would pull it off and give the park back as we found it. But with every festival we do, the most important thing is local interaction and giving something back. And we want to make Common People feel like Oxford’s festival.

“This festival feels like it is based in this location. We are not a bunch of fly-by-night operators doing a quick one.

“Oxford has such a rich musical heritage and that needs exposing. This is not a slam-dunk where we come in and sell 30,000 tickets. It’s a struggle for everyone – though tickets are reasonably priced and are selling well, which I am really happy about.”

The event, which will run from 11am to 11pm over the two days, will have no camping and daytime events designed to appeal to families and children.
“The fact it is a day show makes it a little less of a crusade to get here,” he says. “But we will be bringing a lot of the magic of Bestival – with good food, handcrafted signing and tents and more theatrical elements.

“Some people will be coming along wanting a party, but it is a day festival with arts, theatre, spoken word and a great kids area.

“This will be a family-friendly event and we are really buoyed by how many families are coming. It will be very safe and friendly, with picnics and a lazy vibe. Then in the evening it will feel more like a rock gig and open up that way.

“It will be colourful, vibrant and fun but with a bit less of the crazy hedonism and more of a family vibe.

“We are not money-motivated and I’d rather have a fun, successful show and build on that.”

The choice of Oxford for the second Common People festival owes much to Rob’s manager Ben Turner – a local man who went to school just up the road from the park at Cheney, in Headington.

“When we began thinking about a second city, Ben talked about Oxford a lot, along with the other members of staff who come from here.

"I have also DJ’d here a lot. In the past year I have been here more than most other places.”

So who is he looking forward to putting on here? “Well Duran Duran reigned supreme at Bestival and they loved it so much they wanted to come back and do something else. I also loved Primal Scream and Public Enemy at Bestival. But we are also representing a lot of new music with the likes of Katy B and Ghostpoet and Oxford bands. Out of the almost 20 bands on the main stage, there are many I don’t know.

"I want people to come along and discover new music.
And which Oxford acts is he excited about? “Well Gaz Coombes is Oxford royalty and is unmissable,” he says. “I also love Esther Joy Lane. She is someone I have supported for a while and her manager Vez Hoper is an old friend, so we thought we should have Esther on the main stage.

“I also know The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band from playing Bestival – and know they will get everyone dancing. I am not scared of putting things like that on as well as indie. People are open to different sounds, and they are real party starters!”

“We have also got Aidan Larkin and his Disco Shed and Tony Nanton. For a first year we have got a good spread of Oxford talent, and I hope the city feels its music is being represented."

Are there any bands he would have liked to have put on, but couldn't? "Yes, Ride!" he laughs, admitting he had been in talks with the Oxford 'shoegaze' band, who have been touring the world and topping festival bills since reforming last year.

"Hopefully next year," he says. "But there is always a long list of acts on the wishlist and I am really pleased with the line-up. It is typically diverse."
Now all there is to do is set the thing up.

“Oxford seems to be really looking forward to this,” says Rob, as he settles on the bench at the top of the hill.

“My favourite part of a festival is turning up at the gates as they open, and seeing smiling faces and great people. No one knows how it’s going to go until that time. It's not a breeze, and not the most relaxing way to spend your life. But I love putting parties on and seeing people have a good time.

"We know we can do this – and give the park back to the city as we found it, in perfect condition.”

Full details and tickets from commonpeople.net