ROB da Bank is always a cheery chap, but this week he seems even happier than usual.
With just one day to go until the gates open to his Common People festival in Oxford’s South Park, he is quietly confident that we are in for the best yet.
“It looks like it’s going to be a great weekend,” he says as he joins his crew putting the finishing touches to the site.
“The site looks great. The main stage is up and the sound and light equipment is coming in. The field has dried up nicely, summer seems to be here and I am enjoying the view over the dreaming spires.
“It’s mad how a few people can come together and build a mini wonderland in a city centre park in just a few days.
“And this year’s seems to have come around really quickly.”
More than 10,0000 people will descend on the park for each day of the weekend-long festival, which begins on Saturday morning. They will be treated to a rich line-up which puts many bigger events to shame.
Musically the bill is more diverse than ever, with a day of disco-themed fun on Saturday topped by The Jacksons and Prince’s former backing band, the New Power Generation, who will play in the shadow of the world’s largest disco ball which will be suspended over the park and the planet's largest bouncy castle!
Indie-rock band Ride will headline the Sunday line-up in a joint headline set with pop act James.
Ride
Other acts include Morcheeba, Boney M, Aswad, The Cuban Brothers, Jungle Brothers, Hak Baker and Oxford’s Easter Island Statues on Saturday, and Maximo Park, Sparks, The Sherlocks, Honeyblood, Low Island, Cut Capers,
Chainska Brassika and Elvana – an Elvis-fronted Nirvana tribute band – on Sunday. Sunday will also feature a set by the London African Gospel Choir who will perform songs from Paul Simon’s Graceland.
A smaller carnival stage features General Levy, Craig Charles, Fred V & Grafix on Saturday and DJs from Oxford’s Simple club nights on the Sunday – including Heidi, Haai, Em Williams, James Weston, Ebenezer, Rodney P & Skitz.
Local bands will once again play the Uncommon Stage, hosted by Oxford’s music monthly Nightshift.
They include Deadbeat Apostles, Tiger Mendoza, The August List, Candy Says, Earinade, Laima Bite, Premier Leisure, Worry and Inner Peace Records on the Saturday, and Brickwork Lizards, the Great Western Tears, Drore, Msry, Lucy Leave, Haze, 31 Hours, Ghosts in the Photographs, Self Help and the Young Women’s Music Project on the Sunday.
Also returning will be Count Skylarkin’ and Peepshow Paddy’s popular Disco Shed – a DJ booth in a real garden shed – complete with hanging baskets and gnomes. Highlights will include a joint DJ set by the former owner of the city’s legendary Zodiac (now O2 Academy Oxford) Nick Moorbath and one of the club’s best-loved DJs Nelly B Page featuring some of their favourite Zodiac floor-fillers.
Vintage sounds come courtesy of Pig’s Big Ballroom, hosted by DJ and radio presenter Greg Butler of the Shellac Collective, who will be spinning a selection of his own gramophone records.
There will be a strong Oxford flavour to the festival, with local food and drink suppliers, a pop-up by the Great Oxfordshire Gin Festival, and entertainment by Oxford Playhouse Children’s Theatre Tent, The Story Museum, Pegasus Theatre and Cowley Road Carnival.
“It’s a real celebration of Oxford,” says Rob.
“We have local bands, DJs, dance and theatre groups and food and drink.
“We are also blessed with a really fantastic site which is perfect for a festival.
“It is in the middle of the city, so people can go home to their beds at the end of each day, but it is surrounded by trees and feels like it’s in the country. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Rob is also responsible for the award-winning Bestival and Camp Bestival events in Dorset, and Common People is held concurrently with its sister festival in Southampton. However, Rob insists he has no plans to expand the festival or take it elsewhere.
“This is a well thought out plan and we are not thinking about starting any more,” he smiles.
“We are not rolling out some mad franchise. Oxford and Southampton are beautiful cities with a lot to offer and are perfect for these festivals, which have become landmark events in the summer season.”
With that huge bouncy castle, a Kids Garden, a gorilla circus, theatre spaces, inflatables, a have-a-go circus, tree climbing, dance workshops and a giant sandpit, the festival has made itself even more attractive to families with children. Rob says making Common People a family day out had always been his objective.
“This year we have gone for a much more family-friendly angle,” he says. “It has always been great for kids but we are doing more to keep it that way. We don’t want to rest on our laurels, though there is nowhere else you can do so much this bank holiday weekend for such a reasonably priced ticket.”
He adds: “Ticket sales are where we want them to be but it is a tough market out there, and every promoter knows that. It’s been a harsh winter and there’s lots of competition even without Glastonbury. Our line-up angle has changed and that also hasn’t been everybody’s cup of tea – though that’s not what Common People is about.”
He said more money had been spent on this year’s line-up than the previous two, which were headlined by Duran Duran and Primal Scream, and Pete Tong and Sean Paul, respectively.
“It’s going to be a fun weekend out for people of all ages. People can walk around and do whatever they like, but it still won’t feel over-run by kids and there is more than enough going on for everyone.”
“It’s a festival for Oxford – and a really brilliant weekend.”
- Common People Oxford takes place in South Park on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: oxford.commonpeople.net
- Alternatively, get your ticket on the gate
OXFORD COMMON PEOPLE - LINE UP
Saturday
The Common Stage
21.15 – 22.35 – The Jacksons
19.20 – 20.35 – New Power Generation
18.10 – 18.50 – Morcheeba
17.00-17.40 – Boney M
15.50 – 16.30 – Aswad
14.40 – 15.20 – The Cuban Brothers
13.40 – 14.20 - The Jungle Brothers
12.50 – 13.20 – Hak Baker
11.55 – 12.25 – Chainska Brassika
11.15 – 11.35 – Easter Island Statues
11.00 – 11.10 – Messy Jam Dance Company
The Uncommon Stage
21.45 – 22.45 - Deadbeat Apostles
20.15 – 21.00 – Inner Peace Records
19.00 – 19.45 – Tiger Mendoza
17.45 – 18.30 - The August List
16.30 – 17.15 – Candy Says
15-15 – 16.00 – Death of the Maiden
14.00 – 14.45 – Earinade
13.00 – 13.30 – Laima Bite
12.00 – 12.30 - Premium Leisure
11.00 – 11.30 – Worry
Carnival Soundsystem
21.30 – 22.45 – Fred V & Grafix
20.15 – 21.30 – Fineart
19.00 – 20.15 – DJ Yoda
18.00 – 19.00 – Burt Cope
17.15 – 18.00 – General Levy
16.00 – 17.15 – Back for Good
15.00 – 16.00 – Big Fish Little Fish
14.00 – 15.00 – Sir S*mbo Sound
13.00 – 14.00 – Drop Bomb Entertainment
12.00 – 13.00 – Natty Mark
11.00 – 12.00 – Light Roots Sound
Disco Shed
21.15 – 22.45 – Bam Bam Sound
19.45 – 21.15 – Count Skylarkin VS DJ Binge
18.15 – 19.45 – Del Gazeebo
17.00 – 18.15 – Euan Booth
15.45 – 17.00 – Tastes Like Chicken
14.00 – 15.00 – Disco Darrell Vs Steamin’ John Dash
13.00 – 14.00 – Soul Sessions
12.00 – 13.00 – Checkmate
11.00 – 12.00 – Lochie
Meet & Greets
11.00 – 18.00 – Peter Rabbit (throughout the day)
Pig’s Big Record Club
22.00 – 22.45 - Greg’s Greats 78s
21.00 – 22.00 – It’s a Wind Up
20.00 – 21.00 – Terry and Gerry
19.00 – 20.00 – DJ GG
18.00 – 19.00 – Vote Pedro
17.00 – 18.00 – Ms Chameleon’s Mechanical Melodies
16.00 – 17.00 – Tom Lumley
15.00 – 16.00 – Mick Howson’s 78s
14.00 – 15.00 – The Hooligans
13.15 – 14.00 – Brother Graham
12.30 – 13.15 – Li’ll Miss Lonesome
11.45 – 12.30 – Paul McCaffey
11.00 – 11.45 – Shellac Wake Up
Sunday
Common Stage
21.30 – 22.45 – James
19.35 – 20.50 – Ride
18.20 – 19.05 – Sparks
17.20 – 17.50 – Maximo Park
15.55 – 16.50 – London African Gospel Choir Presents Paul Simon’s Graceland
14.50 – 15.25 – Honeyblood
13.45 – 14.20 – Elvana
12.45 – 13.15 – Low Island
11.45 – 12.15 – Cut Capers
11.15 – 11.20 – Step2Dance
11.00-11.05 – Mini Professionals
Uncommon Stage
21.45 – 22.45 – Brickwork Lizards
20.15 – 21.00 – The Great Western Tears
19.00 – 19.45 - Drore
17.45 – 18.30 – Msry
16.30 – 17.15 – Lucy Leave
15.20 – 16.05 – Young Woman’s Music Project
14.10 – 14.55 – Haze
13.15 – 13.45 – 31Hours
12.20 – 12.50 – Ghosts in the Photographs
11.25 – 11.55 – Self Help
Carnival Soundsystem
21.30 – 22.45 – SIMPLE: Willow
20.15 – 21.30 – SIMPLE: Ross from Friends
19.15 – 20.15 – SIMPLE: Em Williams
18.15 – 19.15 – SIMPLE: James Weston
17.15 – 18.15 – Count Skylarkin’
16.15 – 17.15 – Big Fish Little Fish
15.15 – 16.15 – Rodney P & Skitz
14.00 – 15.15 – Craig Charles
13.00 – 14.00 – Danny Dread MSD
12.00 – 13.00 – Whit Magic
11.00 – 12.00 – Mr Clive White
Disco Shed
21.15 – 22.45 – Peepshow Paddy
19.45 – 21.15 – Kerry & K-Tel
18.15 – 19.45 – Bustmasta Barrydark
17.00 – 18.15 – TROL23 Vs Alex from Wigan
15.45 – 17.00 – Nick & Nell’s Zodiac Discotheque
13.30 – 15.00 – Dan Bossaphonik
12.15 – 13.30 – The Hip Drop W/Louche
11.00 – 12.15 – Thematics
Meet & Greets
11.00 – 18.00 – Paddington (throughout the day)
Pig’s Big Record Club
22.00 – 22.45 – The Shellac Roundabout
21.00 – 22.00 – Johnny Louche
20.00 – 21.00 – Flint Moore
19.00 – 20.00 – Neon Trotski and Tony Tunes
18.00 – 19.00 – Hip Bone Slim One Man Band
17.00 – 18.00 – DJ Reverend Turner
16.00 – 17.00 – Flashback Photograph
15.00 – 16.00 – DJ Henry Nurse 78s
14.00 – 15.00 – Paul McCaffrey
13.00 – 14.00 – Dr Damian Swings
12.00 – 13.00 – Tony Tunes Rockin’ Piano
11.00 – 12.00 – Shellac Wake Up
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