Jam Packed (From Oxford Mail)

Jam Packed

6:00pm Thursday 8th July 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

Tim Hughes finds out about a festival where you can party hard... and all for a good cause.

WITH even the pokiest places seemingly holding their own festivals this summer, it can be hard to decide where to spend your well-earned weekends.

But one Oxfordshire gathering stands out not only as a first class festie, but as a worthy fundraiser – meaning you can party like a nutter while supporting a very good cause.

It’s called, quite simply Commotion, and it takes place this Saturday in the picture-perfect village of Kingham, near Chipping Norton.

The villagers of this Cotswold bolthole, home to former Blur bassist Alex James, have managed to pull together a dream of an event, which is getting bigger by the year raising thousands for charities Clic Sargent, the Rainbow Trust, and SSNAP, the unit at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital for sick newborns.

Headliners this year are Jam bass player Bruce Foxton’s band From The Jam, pictured top left, International Jetsetters (featuring members of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Ride), Oxford jive outfit The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, and one of the county’s biggest rock acts – Little Fish.

The ‘Rabbit Foots’ play fresh from their storming set at Glastonbury, while duo Little Fish, who hail from Oxford and Abingdon, play the all-dayer as a warm-up for their sets at Truck Festival, and Sonisphere at Knebworth.

Bruce is playing the festival as a tribute to his wife, Pat, who devoted 10 years to fundraising for The Rainbow Trust, before losing her battle against cancer last year.

“I’m so proud of how much Pat achieved,” he says. “She worked tirelessly and enthusiastically and had such a lot to offer, and it was wonderful to see how children and families benefited from all that she did.

“I can never hope to achieve what she did, but I know she’d have been glad for me to support Commotion – and that’s enough for me. It was helping to put the smiles on children’s faces that motivated her. And hopefully we’ll be seeing lots of smiles at Commotion.”

Bruce, whose distinctive basslines were the foundation for hits like Eton Rifles and Town Called Malice, will be joined on stage by drummer Mark Brzezicki of Big Country, and singer Russell Hastings whose faithful renditions of The Jam’s 18 consecutive chart hits make for a dynamic show.

The festival’s cause is also close to the heart of organiser Kate Woodward, pictured below, whose son, James, suffered from leukaemia as a baby.

“It promises to be a fabulous day,” said the mum of four, from nearby Bledington, pictured below. “We have the most amazing line-up of bands this year, and it looks very exciting.”

The festival has three stages, with space for new bands and singer-songwriters. Even kids get a look-in... and a chance to make some noise.

“A big inspiration for the festival was the importance of music education to young people,” said Kate. “James spent two years in Great Ormond Street Hospital, and one of the things that kept him going was music. Its role is phenomenal – and it’s important that kids get experience of performing.

“This is not just another festival, it’s a unique event. Kids in this area don’t often get much culture but here they get a mini-Glastonbury!”

Record producer and festival co-organiser Tim Mountain, from Kingham, agreed. “Commotion has been going for five years, but this is set to be our biggest one yet. It may be a small festival, but it has some quality acts.

“We are excited about Bruce Foxton coming. And I know Paul Weller is in the country, so who knows...! I’m sure he’d enjoy a trip to the Cotswolds, and if he wanted to join his old Jam bandmate, we wouldn’t turn him away!”

He also hoped local MP David Cameron might drop in. “We know the PM’s a big Jam fan and one of his favourite songs is Eton Rifles, so, of course, we invited him along too!”

* Commotion takes place in Kingham on Saturday, from 1-11pm. Tickets are £20 for adults (£5 for teens, students and OAPs, free for 12s and under) from commotionfestival.co.uk, Jaffe and Neale Bookshop, Chipping Norton and Rapture in Witney. Camping is available.