Worth the ride live music around Oxford (by Jon Horne 2001) © Touch Nottingham (internet magazine and What's On guide) Note: this article first appeared in March 2001, so the events mentioned have already happened. I've left the piece up because the venues are still there, and you'll still get some idea of what to expect if you go. Fancy a change from Oxford? The first thing most of you will do is jump on a train to London - although the more safety-conscious among you may prefer walking down the hard shoulder of the M40. Once you're there, the obvious place to start is the Jazz Cafe on Camden High Street - much loved by Touch reporters. Check out their absurdly over-designed website for details. Having exhausted such funky possibilities, buy a copy of Time Out - still by some distance the most comprehensive listings guide for London. Reading is served by two large venues. the Hexagon is the more formal, featuring the likes of Ray Davies, doing his show of old songs and autobiographical readings (21st). The Rivermead is a concert venue, featuring Ocean Colour Scene (7th), and the Fun Loving Criminals (23rd). For less well-known (and more interesting) music, the Bar Oz puts on triple-headers of local groups, every Sunday. Less regularly, 21 South Street hosts local bands, also in threes, most Saturdays - and if anyone makes it to 21 South Street to hear the fascinatingly-named Bloco-Electrico (17th), let us know what they sound like. Reading Jazz Club has live music two or three times a week. For details of music in the Reading area, Josaka is an excellent listings site. If you went to the Reading Festival sometime in the early 1980s and haven't gone home yet, the place to go is the Pied Horse in Slough, on the 31st, where (at the last count) thirteen groups from the Berkshire area are playing a Rock-athon. In a quieter vain, Bracknell hosts an annual Jazz Weekend in the Park, at South Hill Park (24th -25th). Nice. South Hill Park is also the home of the Wilde Theatre, which hosts acoustic music and jazz, as well as the usual arts-centre stuff. The Bier Keller is the place to go in order to hear the likes of Daft Lane (13th). Elsewhere, live music is harder to find: In Newbury, try the King Charles Tavern; in Hungerford, try the Railway Tavern; and in Marlow, the Crown and Anchor. If you make it through the magic roundabout without crashing, Swindon is fairly swingin'. The Arts Centre has the usual mix of ethnic dance troupes, exhibitions, and Radio 2 mainstays, such as Tom Robinson (24th). The Victoria is the Arts Centre's scuzzier cousin, with films every Monday, and live bands most other days. Go and see Wreckless Eric on the 16th; you won't regret it (actually you might - he's erratic as anything, brilliant one day, awful the next - but go anyway). Swindon's two main (indeed, royal) pub venues are the Queen's Tap, and the Kings. Swindon Web is a well-researched and easy-to-read guide to Swindon's thriving live scene. Before we move on, I should add that Swindon groups have great names, such as The Beergut Explodes, and Monkey Wah Wah. For an insight into the mind of a Swindon musician, read this wonderfully gonzoid BBS posting from Monkey Wah Wah's drummer: write to him if you like - he sounds as if he needs some friends. In Banbury, The Mill is the place for art, comedy, theatre, children's entertainment, and weekly jazz and folk nights. As with most council-run places, its music output is very comfortable, and leans toward the 40-something crowd. However, if you like blues, this is the place to go - as there are regular visits by grumpy middle-aged black men from Alabama who play guitar like the devil taught 'em how. Otherwise, you're stuck with the Chicago Rock Cafe, which hosts tribute bands and features a pair of psychotic bouncers who will drop you on your head, on the pavement outside, if you get too pissed (I've seen it happen). Best not to bother with live music and go to Hobson's Choice nightclub instead. in Bicester, the Star Inn has jam sessions on the third Thursday in every month. For the less participatory among you, get yelled at by Peter and the Test Tube Babies, at the Hobgoblin on the 9th. Witney has two rabidly competing live venues: The Pit (in Hollybush), and the Barn (at the Red Lion). There is always live music on, at one or both of these pubs. Go and see someone you've never heard of. It's just up the A40, and you should go. In fact, go now. Get there early. Oh, hang on a minute. Back in Oxford, don't forget Radiohead's triumphant return on the 7th of July. Lock your doors in case your house is invaded by 20-something males who want you to feel their pain. Much more fun will be ex-Inspiral Carpets' singer Tom Hingley's homecoming at the Skittle Alley, Horse and Jockey in Abingdon on the 9th. OK, you can go now. - - - read more rants and raves