Auld Reekie set for Oxjam Takeover

All this week we'll be previewing the Oxjam festivities. First up, Billy Hamilton looks at the Edinburgh billing...

Edinburgh’s music scene has mushroomed so quickly over the past twelve months that this week’s Oxjam jamboree could moonlight as a who’s who of Auld Reekie’s musical glitterati.

With over 20 bands playing five venues throughout the city, the Oxfam-affiliated Oxjam Takeover offers punters the chance to familiarise themselves with the grassroots of Edinburgh’s expansive musical lawn, while chipping in to help the world’s poorest communities fight mother nature’s ire at the effects of badly planned mass-industrialisation, better known as climate change.

Ali Millar, Edinburgh Oxjam’s Regional Manager, says: “Oxjam Edinburgh 09 forms just one part of a movement taking place throughout the country. Here in Edinburgh we are lucky to have such a great musical community who are keen to come forward and help Oxfam to fight poverty. It’s a great way to raise money, have a good time and promote the talent that there is in the city at the moment.”

A smattering of worthy bands such as the omnipotent Meursault, Frightened Rabbit, Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, Deadboy Robotics and Conquering Animal Sound have signed up to help promote the Oxjam cause.

Gigs are strewn across Cabaret Voltaire, Sneaky Pete’s, The Bowery, The Wee Red Bar and The City Cafe, and with a sling of scene-friendly local faces turning their hands to the wheels of steel the fun a frivolity is set to last all night.

Jamie Scott, one half of Conquering Animal Sound, explains his reason for getting involved.“Oxfam, to me, is one of the most fundamentally important charities we have... In addition to campaigning against the arms trade or social inequality, Oxfam and charities like it can be found in places where governments and politicians have failed their people, providing and caring for those who need it most. As a student in a prosperous western nation, I am very aware of how much better off I am than the vast majority of people on the planet, and it shames me to admit that I do very little to address this."

He continues: "In playing Oxjam, hopefuly I am in someway addressing my lack of charitable work and donations, and helping others to do so as well. It is all too easy to avoid charity workers in the street with sign up sheets or collection buckets, but when Oxjam comes right to our doors, into our social spaces, into our music, where these issues should rightly be, the least we can do is be part of it in some way."

Words: Billy Hamilton

Oxjam Edinburgh takes place on Friday 23 October 2009. Tickets are £7 and can be bought here.

The current line-up (which is subject to change) is as follows:

City Café
Conquering Animal Sound 4.10-4.55
Paper Beats Rock 6.30 - 7.15
The Last Battle 5.20 - 6.05
Pose Victorious 7.40 - 8.25
Le Reno Amps 8.50 - 9.45
Come on Gang 10 - 10.45

Sneaky Pete's
Chutes 7 - 7.40
The Little Kicks 8.05 - 8.50
Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers 9.15 - 10

Wee Red Bar
Snide Rhythms 7 - 7.40
The Shellsuit Massacre 8.05 - 8.50
My Electric Love Affair 9.15 - 10

The Bowery
The Occasional Flickers 6.30 - 7.15
Y'all is Fantasy Island 8.25 - 8.50
Jesus H Foxx 9.35 - 10
Meursault 10 - 10.45

Cabaret Voltaire
Dead Boy Robotics 5.45 - 6.30
Boycotts 6.55 - 7.40
Three Blind Wolves 8.05 - 8.50
Frightened Rabbit (Scott solo) 9.15 - 10

And if you can't wait till Friday there is an Oxjam preview gig at Sneaky Pete's tonight (Monday) with Super Adventure Club, Shields Up and Cuddly Shark.