THE hot, dusty charms of rural Texas may seem a long way from Oxford, writes TIM HUGHES, but gig-goers tonight are set to get a full blast of the sultry heat of the Lone Star State.

Ryan Hamilton made his name with the band Smile Smile and indie-rock supergroup People on Vacation – co-founded with Jaret Reddick, frontman of loutish punk band Bowling for Soup – but this time around is coming on his lonesome own-some, with a show at The Cellar. The subterranean venue is the closest Oxford gets to the sweaty country clubs of the USA’s second-biggest state.

“This show will be like a sweaty, drunken, country bar in Texas!” he laughs. “If you’ve never been to a ‘saloon’ in Texas then you’ll have no idea what I’m talking about and I guess you’ll just have to come out to the show to experience it for yourself.”

He goes on: “I have a feeling this tour might just be the most rewarding experience of my career and I’m really looking forward to playing in Oxford. People seem to be genuinely excited about the show and the songs are sounding huge."

The show follows the release of his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Hell Of A Day which showcases his talents as a solo singer-songwriter. The album was supported by fans, cutting out the need for a record label.

He said: “I decided to crowdfund my album so that I could go directly to my fans and not have to deal with the hassle of all the greedy, two-faced stuff that goes on behind the scenes in the music industry.

“I’ve been blown away by the reaction so far and so I can’t wait to see what people think of the songs when I perform them in Oxford.”

Tickets for the show have been pegged at £7 (plus booking fee) – part of the artist’s commitment to reasonably priced gigs.

“For me, it’s not about the numbers or the money,” he says. “I’ve tried to start over, develop real relationships with people and leave the door open for people who want to talk, e-mail and tweet.

“All tickets on this tour are between £6-8 because I want to make my music accessible.

“There are so many artists who go through the ringer in this business, and I’m trying to do things differently.”

Ryan Hamilton plays The Cellar, Oxford, tonight. Go to wegottickets.com