THREE of Oxford’s finest bands are lining up to celebrate Bonfire Night in spectacular style with a showcase of talent designed to show off the best of the city’s diverse music scene.

The Oxford Mail has teamed up with local promoters Coo, to stage Fireworks Night Goes Pop – a one-off evening of live music at Oxford’s Jericho Tavern.

The gig, which demonstrates the Oxford Mail’s support for up-and-coming local bands, is being tipped as the live event of the autumn.

The show, on November 5, features dynamic seven-piece jazz, swing and blues act The original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band; singer-songwriter Matt Winkworth and his Winkworth Originals; and country-rockers The Dreaming Spires.

The Dreaming Spires, whose sound has been compared to Teenage Fanclub and The Byrds, will be previewing material from their soon-to-be-released album Singing Sin City.

The band features the talents of brothers Robin and Joe Bennett, the brains behind Truck festival, in Steventon, which ran for 14 years and helped launch the careers of many local and national bands.

Robin, from East Oxford, said: “It is going to be a fantastic night. We are in great shape as a band, have some good songs, and are looking forward to the show.”

The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band’s headline slot comes as they round off a tremendous year, which has seen them win over crowds at Glastonbury and Truck festivals, and Bestival, on the Isle of Wight, where they topped off the festival in style with a rousing closing set, regarded as one of the best live spectacles of the summer. The set comes ahead of shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall.

Singer and pianist Stuart Macbeth said: “We can’t wait to play this show and introduce more people to the liveliest rhythm and blues and jump-jive band in the country. So long as it has a great bass line, a rockin’ rhythm section, and the kind of brass sound you'd associate with Frank Sinatra or Louis Armstrong, then that’s our kind of music.”

The band have a fierce reputation for lively, and frequently chaotic, shows which are guaranteed to get everyone dancing.

Stuart added: “Rudolf Nureyev said about ballet dancing, ‘you are paying us for our fear’. It’s like that with us. We push ourselves at every gig so that we might just fall off the edge. It makes every concert better than the last.”

Oxford Mail music editor Tim Hughes said: “We are very excited about this show, which will demonstrate just how diverse and exciting Oxford’s music scene has become.

“Be prepared to laugh, sing and dance... a lot! I can’t think of a better way of celebrating Fireworks Night.”

Fireworks Night Goes Pop takes place at the Jericho Tavern, Walton Street, Oxford. Early bird tickets are £7, £6.50 NUS, and more on the door – but with £1 off with that day’s edition of the Oxford Mail or an Oxford Mail loyalty card Go to wegottickets.com/event/137279