WHAT a year it's been for the Oxford music scene. We've cheered along as some familiar faces have hit the big time, while others have hung up their guitars and called it a day. We’ve danced at lovely new festivals, like Wilderness and the re-imagined Cornbury, and shed a tear for others, such as the much-loved Truck, which have come to the end of the road. We’ve seen huge chart names playing alongside cult acts, rock veterans, and stars of the future. So what have been the best bits, and what can we look forward to from 2012?

TIM HUGHES asks some of the county's musical movers and shakers for their moments of 2011... and tips for 2012 * Robin Bennett, of sublime country-rockers The Dreaming Spires, and founder of the late, lamented Truck Festival Highlight of 2011: The finale of last year’s Truck festival. Dreaming Spires were joined by Magic Numbers, Sarah Cracknell from St Etienne and other artists to perform the whole of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album. The atmosphere was incredible. Everyone was so enthusiastic.

Gig of the year: Sufjan Stevens at the Royal Festival Hall. It had everything: 10 musicians decked out in flourescent nu-rave outfits, amazing UV lighting and thousands of balloons falling from the ceiling. The final song was 35 minutes long.

Album of the year: Paul Simon’s new album So Beautiful or So What, was really interesting and not what I was expecting from him. It sounded very fresh and contemporary.

Strangest moment of the year: Our gig at the Rusty Bicycle on New Year’s Eve. We played for five hours, and there were people dancing on the tables.

Tip for 2012: Poledo. He’s a 17 year old (real name Evan Clements) from our home village of Steventon. It’s basically him and a laptop; he’s well worth checking-out.

Most looking forward to: Putting out our new album. It's been five years since the last one; having kids meant a lengthy hiatus. I’m also looking forward to seeing two of my favourite names: Tom Petty who is coming to Europe for the first time in 20 years, and the Stone Roses reforming.

New Year resolution: To play more gigs.

Style prediction: Suit jackets with a high break in a Mod style. I have one and no one else has, so I might actually be a style-leader.

* Brian Briggs, singer-guitarist with local heroes Stornoway Highlight of 2011: Playing a big outdoor gig at Somerset House, London. It was our biggest ever headline show, and we had a crowd of 3,000 people in our hand. It was a real thrill.

Gig of the year: I loved watching Wild Beasts at Glastonbury. They play atmospheric indie-dance which has a really sexy sound – even though they don’t particularly look sexy!

Album of the year: North Sea Radio Orchestra’s I A Moon. It’s a beautiful album with a soundtrack-like quality.

Strangest moment of the year: Playing a gig in an old prison in Australia, and having people on the other side of the world singing along to our songs. It was very unexpected as we hadn’t been there before and wasn’t even sure if they’d even heard of us.

Tip for 2012: The Hot Club of Cow Town, who pass through every year, are the most amazing bunch of musicians who play absolutely phenomenal hoedown country music.

Most looking forward to: We’ve started recording our next album which I’m very excited about, as I personally think it’s going to be better than the last one. I feel we have improved as a band in terms of how we arrange songs and as musicians. I am also better as a songwriter by virtue of the fact we are now doing it professionally. We are improving with age!

Style prediction: I’ve long been a lover of Christmas jumpers, which made a comeback. Now I hope that love of heavily-patterned knitwear will extend throughout the whole year.

New Year resolution: To learn the xylophone. I got a lovely one from Guinea, made of gourds, for Christmas.

* Sarah Dodds, glamorous singer with rockabilly-surf-rockers The Long Insiders Highlight of 2011: There was a sad end to Truck, but running the Burlesque Cabaret there last year was amazing. It brought together a lot of people who we’ve worked with and it was great to have them all in the same place at the same time. It was crazy and mad. And I still managed to wear stilettos!

Gig of the year: Urban Voodoo Machine. They are a fantastic gypsy-punk act. I saw them at The Gypsy Hotel, in London, which is also amazing.

Album of the year: I loved Mark Lamarr’s Rockin ‘n’ Rollin’ with Santa Claus Christmas compilation. Those songs are good to listen to all year round.

Strangest moment of the year: Walking into a gig in the Cellar on my birthday and having Stuart Macbeth from the Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, who was on stage, start playing Happy Birthday for me. What a way to make an entrance!

Tip for 2012: One Fathom Down. They play high-speed relentless psychobilly, with amazing guitars.

Most looking forward to: Our album launch this spring, followed by a tour which will see us take The Long Insiders message everywhere. The album hasn’t got a name yet, but its working title is Cat Gut and Engine Oil.

New Year resolution: To play more gigs; we need to do more. Getting out there and going for it is amazing.

Style prediction: This year will be all about the waist. I got a fabulous big belt for Christmas and it pinches everything in. We need to tighten our belts in terms of style as well as our pockets.

* Matt Sage, singer-songwriter and proprietor of the Catweazle Club open-mic session Highlight of 2011: Playing at Catweazle. It’s a really warm and intimate environment with a real connection between the audience and performer. There is no barrier, stage or PA. It’s an intense experience and as a performer you can really fly.

Gig of the year: Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at The Regal, in June. It was an amazing gig; a spiritual experience, which is what every gig should be, but so few are. It was like being in the presence of an Old Testament prophet.

Album of the year: Black Keys’ El Camino – I love that crunchy playing and retro sound. Also Tom Waits’ Bad as Me. Listening to it is like being in the hands of a genius; an old master.

Strangest moment of the year: I have been blown apart by the level of talent among the people who turn up to do their thing at Catweazle.

Tip for 2012: There are so many great artists out there: Matt Chanarin, Luke Keegan and the extraordinarily, over-worldly Ditte Elly Goard to name just three.

Most looking forward to: My own album, which should be out in the Spring. The songs are great. Who knows what might happen!

New year resolution: To remain open to new things and whatever may be going on.

Style prediction: Snorkles and flippers. Preferably down the Cowley Road.

Catweazle Club takes place at the East Oxford Community Centre, Princes Street, on Thursdays at 8pm (performers sign up before 7.45pm).

* John Spiers, melodeon player with bombastic folk-supergroup Bellowhead and one-half of duo Spiers & Boden Highlight of 2011: Playing the big sweep of British festivals; it’s fantastic what’s going on in this country. I got to see some great music.

Gig of the year: An amazing traditional French dance band called Blowzabella, who I saw at a club in Bath. I spent the whole night dancing along.

Album of the year: I’ve been going back and listening to a lot of brilliant music. One of the best is Caro Emerald’s Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor. It’s very good pop music with a retro feel.

Strangest moment of the year: Recording the theme tune for The Archers spin-off Ambridge Extra on BBC Radio 4 Extra. We did it in the studio where they record the show, which is full of props. It felt like being in a farmhouse where nothing could ever work.

Tip for 2012: One guy to look out for is an instrumental artist called Will Pound, who is the most amazing harmonica player. It’s a traditional folk instrument, but is something we’ve not had any virtuosity in.

Most looking forward to: We are now working on the new Bellowhead album.There is a weight of new material and we have started rehearsing at Keble College. I have got 25 pieces of music to learn off by heart. We are recording in the Spring with John Leckie and hope to release it at the end of the year. It’s a little bit less showy than the last album and we’ve gone a bit Cockney, as a lot of the songs are London-based!

New year resolution: To get my allotment clear of nettles.

Style prediction: We’ve seen printed knitwear come back into fashion, so now I think it’s time for cloggs.

* Philip Guy Davis, promoter of Oxford’s famous Monday Blues Highlight of 2011: Our Christmas Party was fabulous – it was like a Royal variety Performance of the blues! It’s the people on stage and the audience that make it.

Gig of the year: Ladies Sing the Blues, in Cheltenham. It featured great people like Connie Lush, Kyla Brox and other artists who play our shows.

Album of the year: Hamilton Loomis Live in England was a breathtaking album of incredible quality.

Strangest moment of the year: Meeting Chesney Hawkes at a party in London. He’s a really nice guy who did well with his one song... and lots of girls were swooning!

Most looking forward to: Putting on the Willie Nile Band in April. He is one of my favourite artists. I’ve been to hundreds of his gigs but have never been able to put him on before.

Tip for 2012: Oli Brown. He’s a young, rocking blues player with a polished performance and great stage presence.

New year resolution: To find a woman who’ll put up with me.

Style prediction: Mini skirts should get shorter.

The Famous Monday Blues takes place each week at the Bullingdon, Cowley Road.

lStuart Macbeth, bandleader of The original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band Highlight of 2011: We played some great places – like Truck, Glastonbury, Bestival, the Royal Festival Hall, Ronnie Scott’s and the Royal Albert Hall. But a highlight was headlining Cowley Road Carnival as we are a real carnival kind of band.

Gig of the year: Brian Wilson at Bestival. He knew exactly what people in the crowd wanted, which was all those great hits.

Album of the year: Heart of the Congos by The Congos. It’s not new, it’s from 1977, but I discovered it last year in the Truck Store on Cowley road, and love it. It’s great reggae.

Strangest moment: Hearing about the death of Amy Winehouse at Truck. She was a great singer and I was a big fan. We payed our respects by playing Valerie.

A quite sureeal moment was seeing our sax player Red on stage with members of the Scissor Sisters at Glastonbury.

Most looking forward to: Having an EP out in time for the festival season and then kicking up a storm in the great outdoors. I’m also looking forward to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee; I’ve got some great jokes lined up.

Tip for 2012: Spring Offensive. They’re a great Oxford band who deserve attention.

New Year resolution: To read the complete works of Dickens.

Style prediction: A lot more autumn colours in people’s summer wardrobe.