Picking up where their acclaimed ‘American Lo Fi’ (2006) left off, Ox jumps down the rabbit hole with their stellar new release, ‘Burnout’- painting dust bowl soundscapes with a much more textured brush than ever before. This seven song treasure adds a dash of psychedelia to alt-country and indie rock in a sonic
candy store affair- and a brand new menu for the Canadian campus radio hit band.

Boasting substantial critical acclaim- and indie cult credentials, Ox has always happily occupied the underground- performing with bands such as, Songs:Ohia, The Violet Archers, Be Good Tanyas, The Sadies, Julie Doiron, and Women- they prefer the sweaty confines of clubs to the grand stage- and are reknowned for their unpredictable live show.

Ox claimed the notoriety of being the FIRST independent band ever to reach #1 on the Canadian National College Radio Chart- and has remained a staple on National Radio in their homeland. ‘Burnout’ represents their 2nd release on weewerk- also known for Great Lake Swimmers, FemBots, Barmitzvah Brothers, and Barzin.

I say that they’re crazy, colourful, hat wearing Canadians that were fucking brilliant in Le Pub last time they were here with their brand of country rock ‘n’ roll.

Others say:

“Hauntingly hushed songs of desperation and hard times spiked with references to Trans Ams, Camaros, 8-tracks, skateboards and banana-seat bicycles…there’s a cinematic quality to “Dust Bowl Revival”. – NO DEPRESSION

“Parched, weary, aching and rough-edged Americana recalling Neil Young, Wilco and Springsteen…Passionate!” – CMJ WEEKLY

“Touchingly organic, Ox’s live set sounds at once both timeless and unmistakably of its era. If there was ever a need to strip music down to its raw elements, Ox has the purity and grace to pull it off.” – DROWNED IN SOUND

Support comes from one of my favourite bands in South Wales, Bedford Falls.

Bedford Falls is not an emo band from Germany, an indie-rock band from the Pacific North West, a metal band from Arkansas or a pub-rock band from Edinburgh.  Bedford Falls is, however, 4 friends making music in their spare time.

They’ve been doing what they do together since 2003. Bedford Falls play melancholy punk rock that has been compared to bands like; Husker Du, Buffalo Tom, The Moving Targets, The Lemonheads, REM, The Weakerthans and Leatherface amongst others.   Basically pink rock with an ear for americana.
Tickets £7 from Diverse Music and wegottickets

Willy will be performing songs from the new Richmond Fontaine record as well as tracks from his past four albums. Anyone who’s seen him before knows what a gifted story teller this man is, be it through his songs or his novels, the gig promises to be a special one.

Support comes from:….

Jimi Alexander And The Satellites
Their current iteration sees The Satellites as a six-piece alt.country folk band, whose sound, in transposing the pastoral Americana of their influences onto the bleak but beautiful cityscapes of their native South Wales, is at once melancholy and affirming. Jimi Alexander’s songwriting identity, however, can be traced back to a childhood spent in expatriation – themes of searching and rootlessness emerge strongly in his lyrics, and Lucy’s mournful cello echo these sentiments strongly in songs that betray a saddening vulnerability, even whilst the explosive combination of percussion and bass that Tim and Robert produce drive their sound towards aggressive excursions in rock n roll. The band will be playing as a stripped down 3-piece for the gig.

Matthew David Scott
In keeping with the slightly literary theme of the night, we have a local (sort of) author contributing a short story between support bands.
Matthew David Scott was born in 1978 in Middleton, north Manchester. He left Manchester
in 1997 to read English Literature and Philosophy at Sheffield University and after graduating has lived in Edinburgh, and Cardiff, before settling in Newport. Matthew’s debut novel ‘Playing Mercy’ was published in May 2005. Matthew also contributes to a number of magazines including book and restaurant reviews for Welsh men’s magazine ‘RedHanded’, and has contributed to upcoming anthologies of short fiction inspired by the music of The Fall ‘Perverted by Language’ and The Smiths ‘Paint A Vulgar Picture’ – both published by Serpent’s Tail – as well as The Big Issue Cymru’s Summer Shorts.
Matt is also appearing at the Laugharne Weekend.

The Spirit Level
Ellie Harwood was born in the west of Ireland. Eventually her family relocated to Somerset, where she spent her teenage years living in a caravan in a hedgerow. Aged 18 she packed up her guitar and headed over the Severn to Cardiff. Nowadays she keeps the books tidy in the local library and spends a lot of time evangelising about the joys of country music. After earning her stripes in Silver Spurs, Cardiff’s slowest bluegrass band, she decided to rope in Rhodri Viney to realise some of her sadder, secreter musings. Bridging the gap between Mazzy Star and The Cowboy junkies, Ellie will make her Newport debut at the gig without Mr Viney, playing a set of solo acoustic numbers.

There’s a facebook event group here to keep you updated.

Tickets are available from Diverse Music, Newport, Spiller’s Records, Cardiff,
Derricks, Swansea and www.wegottickets.com and are £8 in advance and £10 on the night

See you there folks!

Bands to have played include Deadstring Brothers, Dolly Varden, The Redlands Palomino Company, Ox, Alan Tyler & The Lost Sons Of Littlefield, Morning Bride & James Walbourne as well as local scene favourites such as Lone Pine, Jimi Alexander & The Satellites, Blind River Scare, Stephen Light & The Black Sand Band and Silver Spurs.

For a full list of bands that have played and gigs we’ve got lined up, go to www.myspace.com/hot_burrito