Truck News

TRUCK full line-up announced, and the beer's cheap!

It's the month of July, which means it's the month of TRUCK!

We think we've just about finished fiddling around with the line-up and times- see the line-up page of our website - so start planning your itinerary (to be abandoned after a few pints of perry)...

If you've already got your ticket, you might like to think about booking our bus service from London, Didcot or Oxford, provided by Festival Coaches- it drops you off right at the main entrance to the site.

And don't forget to remind your friends that tickets ARE still available (contrary to the rumour we keep hearing that TRUCK is sold out) - we have added 700 to the licence capacity this year so you can still buy Weekend and Day tickets, either online or from our trusty shop outlets.

As Truck 12 rumbles ever nearer Truck Bar have contacted us with some very good news indeed- they have informed us that they will be holding the prices of lager, cider and delicious perry at £3 a pint for the FOURTH year on the trot!! A decision that is worth toasting we think........... Andy Roo from Truck Bar said "We like to think that we offer a unique experience for people who come to visit our quaint little watering hole, the staff are all volunteers and work without any payment, allowing us to maximise the amount of money we are able to pass on to Truck to support their valuable charity work." Great stuff, Truck Bar.

That's all for now- join in the exciting build-up by following us on twitter or joining our Facebook group and fanpage.

And keep an eye out for the TRUCK monster/beast on a street near you!

MONSTER GOES SHOPPING...

We're in to the final month countdown to TRUCK, and we're hearing reports of sightings of the famed TRUCK beast...

If you're not already signed up, don't forget to follow us on Twitter, for all the latest news and monster sightings!

You can also join our Facebook group and become a fan.

Or in the real world of flesh and fur, why not come and say hello in Abingdon Town Square (Saturday) or the Carnival in South Park, Oxford (on Sunday).

Don't forget, we've released additional weekend and day tickets so there are plenty available- HERE.

MY OTHER CAR IS A TRUCK...

If you ordered a car park pass online, you're about to get one of these - if you bought one in a shop, you'll already have one. Why not stick it on your windscreen now to let the world know you're a TRUCKER!- don't worry, the stick pretty well, we've had ours on our window for months already... if you don't have yours yet, additional Day and Weekend Tickets are available now- CLICK HERE to buy yours.

I SHOULD COCO!

Head down the Cowley Road and check out this monstrous billboard... and enjoy a mojito while you're at it!

Only 4 weeks to go til Supergrass and co in a field, have you got your ticket yet?

Available from all the usual outlets. Limited day tickets available online.

RIP MJ

Here he is as we'd prefer to remember him...

Dusty at the Rusty TONIGHT!

Additional tickets released for TRUCK festival 2009

After lengthy negotiations with the council, we've completed our licence amendment for this year. This means we are able to increase our site capacity from 5000 to 6000 -
After taking into account the 100 bands, and various stewards, crew, Rotary Club members, vicars, etc, we are able to release a further

700 weekend tickets
300 dayTrucker tickets (for each day).

The festival takes place in one month – on July 26th & 26th – at Hill Farm, Steventon.
These additional tickets are going on sale immediately through the following outlets:

wegottickets
theticketsellers - Telephone [0844 870 0000 24 hours]
gigantic
seetickets
ticketline

and from bricks & mortar establishments including Rough Trade Shops

+++ NEW ADDITIONS TO OXFORD DAY-

We’ve got a pretty definitive spread of Oxford music history now- new additions:

THE HOT RATS, Gaz and Dan from Supergrass’ new side-project with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich – one of their first ever gigs and it’s in the cowshed!

STARS OF TRUCK AND FIELD- a one-off local supergroup with Mark Gardener of Ride joining together with Robin and Joe of Goldrush (yes, that's us, the festival organizers..)

STORNOWAY – Oxford’s hottest new band, fresh from Single of the Week on Drowned in Sound for Zorbing , and performing 5 times at Glasto this weekend…

Here’s what else you can expect at TRUCK…
Ash, Damo Suzuki, Red Light Company, Vieux Farka Touré, Y!M!D! day in the barn with Wild Beasts, A Place To Bury Strangers, Fresh Out The Box cowshed rave with Total Science, DJ Food, Oxford Day with Supergrass, the Candyskins Yacht, Bob Harris Presents... Gary Louris & Mark Olson, Hot Club of Cowtown, Rock Sound day in the barn with Ghost of a Thousand…

For the most up to date news and general musings join our Twitter feed-

PS- don't miss Dusty at the Rusty , at the Rusty Bicycle pub on Magdalen Road this Thursday (25th June) from 8-11pm, with Dusty & the Dreaming Spires plus special guests Mark Gardener and Will Phipps. FREE ENTRY- Facebook event HERE.

Here's the flyer:

One Trucker made his own poster...

A certain Daniel James Quanstrom did this one for his own amusement. Thanks Daniel.

TRUCK is on the way!

It's that festivalmania time of year when the world goes Glasto-mad. It's also just over a month until TRUCK festival, so if you haven't got your ticket yet, it's time to make that change! (click here to head to our ticket page)

If a whole weekend sounds like hard work, we now also have Daytrucker tickets on sale for Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th.

There are so many great artists appearing at TRUCK we don't know where to start- some of them were all over the radio last night on the BBC, so if you're quick you can listen again to the various shows:

Wintersleep - in session with Zane Lowe

The Joy Formidable - in session with Radcliffe & Maconie

Stornoway - interviewed by Huw Stephens

The line-up is on our website, with additions being added as they are confirmed.
You can also follow us on twitter or join our facebook group to stay in the loop.

One just in- in addition to their headline appearance, Gaz and Danny from Supergrass will be playing one of their first ever shows as The Hot Rats, in the Barn on the Sunday. They've just been recording with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. Alright!

We're looking forward to recent 4AD signings Broken Records too- their Oxford show was amazing!

PS.... If you're going to Glasto, check out Stornoway at one of their many performances, and don't miss Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, of course.

If you're not going, head down to the Windmill, Brixton tomorrow night (Friday) for a dose of Tramps Like Us- Songs by the Boss covered by everyone from Danny & the Champions of the World to Jersey Budd.
Then, next Thursday (25th June) head over to the Rusty Bicycle in Oxford for Dusty at the Rusty with special guest Mark Gardener. It's free!

ASH headlining TRUCK FESTIVAL!

In case you missed our previous announcement... Some of us recently saw Ash, now back to the original 3-piece, at Bloomsbury Ballroom. They played all the hits from right across their career, including this one. There won't be a dry eye in the field. TRUCK tickets are available now from our tickets page. OH YEAH, it's the start of the summer!

SUPERGRASS headlining TRUCK FESTIVAL!

I know, we've already announced this, but... they really are! In case you've forgotten the glory of the 'Grass, here's a nostalgia-tinged promo clip for Caught By The Fuzz.. we've all been there. haven't we? Only a month and a bit to go. TRUCK tickets are still onsale from your usual outlets:

wegottickets.com,
gigantic.com,

seetickets.com

OXFORD
Scribbler
Videosyncratic (Cowley Rd & Summertown)
Music Box

ABINGDON
Mostly Books
Local Roots

WITNEY
Rapture

DIDCOT
Baby John's Guitar World

WALLINGFORD
Toby English Books

READING
Guitar works

HIGH WYCOMBE
Counter Culture

LONDON
Rough Trade East / Rough Trade Notting Hill

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN join the fun at TRUCK!

We're delighted that the stars of last year's Harvest festival, Hot Club of Cowtown, are joining the bill for Bob Harris Presents... at TRUCK festival. Bob is a big fan of the band, as are we. He'll be introducing and interviewing all the artists on the Sunday afternoon on the Market stage. The Line-up already includes Gary Louris & Mark Olson of the Jayhawks, Mike Heron (Incredible String Band) with Georgia Seddon, Pete Molinari, Eliza Gilkyson and band, Danny & the Champions of the World, and Angie Palmer. If you like any kind of folk, roots or americana music, you won't find a better bill anywhere this summer. Festival tickets are available now from our ticket page.

TRUCK: THE 2ND DELIVERY

Someone once said 'Life is like a box of chocolates'. And so is the next delivery of artists from TRUCK. But it's not a box of identical indie band Ferrero Rochers, it's more of a hand-crafted case of artisan swiss chocolates for everyone to enjoy. Ambassador, we're really spoiling you.

In today's delivery:

A sprinkling of the best guitar bands: the already mentioned WILD BEASTS, WINTERSLEEP, THE JOY FORMIDABLE, WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS, WHITE BELT YELLOW TAG
Mali music star (and son of Ali) VIEUX FARKA TOURE and his band.
A 90-minute improvised set from DAMO SUZUKI of CAN and an all-star cast of 'sound-carriers'. Shoegazetronics from A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS and SAD DAY FOR PUPPETS. South Africans DEAR READER. Some glacial Icelandic soundscapes from HJALTALIN. Welsh goodness from EUROS CHILDS and THE TRUCKERS OF HUSK.
TRUCK is here to support the local music scene so has dedicated the whole of Sunday's mainstage to Oxford based bands, 'Oxford Day' will include legend's like THE CANDYSKINS, DIVE DIVE, all topped off by by Oxford other brother's SUPERGRASS.
The now infamous Cowshed Rave returns with DJ FOOD and DK, TOTAL SCIENCE, LEE MORTIMER & FOAMO and Oxford's own TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS.
We have new stages from: NONCLASSICAL, BBC INTRODUCING with Bethan Elfyn, and ROCK SOUND MAGAZINE.

Check the lineup page on the website (here) for the full list of confirmed artists, and don't forget to follow us on twitter.

TRUCK tickets are available now, from shop outlets or online from wegottickets, gigantic or seetickets.
2 months to go and two thirds of the tickets are gone already...

Wild Beasts to play at TRUCK 12!

We're excited that recent Domino signings Wild Beasts will be joining the bill at TRUCK 12, headlining the barn on Saturday 25th July. Other recent additions include Oxford's rising stars Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, playing the barn for the second year in a row, and Vieux Farka Touré, son of Ali and a Mali music legend in his own right. We've been supporting locally-based charity Mali Development Group for a number for years, and have recently committed to a further 3 years' support for their AIDS education work in Bamako, capital of Mali, so we're especially pleased to establish a musical link too. Tickets for TRUCK are available NOW- head to our tickets page to see where.

Thanks Everyone!

WOOD was a great success so thanks to everyone who braved the slightly British weather. We'll see you all in a couple of months for TRUCK!

....YEEEHHHAAA! We've got ourselves a CONVOY-starting tomorrow!

Braker!Braker! This is You!Me!Dancing! come in please TRUCK...What's your twenty? Oxford's own small-but-perfectly-formed summer festival (that's us) have joined forces with You! Me! Dancing! Oxford's own small- but- perfectly- formed promoters to present an amazing series of gigs over the May bank holiday weekend, giving you all the taste for Truck, so when July comes round you'll all be begging for another hit.

We will be taking over the venues, and as Sarah Beaney would say 'bringing the outdoors indoors' so expect hay bales, bunting and plenty more surprises, and TRUCKING treats for anyone that comes wearing wellys.

Curious? Want to hear more? The weekend shapes up a little bit likes this:

THE XCERTS + DUSTY & THE DREAMING SPIRES + UTE
Saturday 2 May 2009, The Jericho Tavern – 18+ £6 adv

"Nothing short of ashtonishing" Kerrang! And for once Kerrang, we agree. Biffy for those of you that werent lucky enough to be party of the Zodiac generation.

THE TRUCK STOP BBQ
Sunday 3 May 2009 from 1pm, The Jericho Tavern Garden
feat. Burgers + Beers + Sunshine & Acoustic Loveliness till 7pm. Artists TBC.

THE JOY FORMIDABLE + DARTZ!+ CALORIES
Sunday 3 May 2009, The Jericho Tavern – 18+ £6 adv

Welsh born, London bred The Joy Formidable bring their dreamy-indie, perfect-pop for their first Oxford headline show. Don’t get us started on our love for Dartz, we’d be here for pages.. Drowned in sound say its “the best underground party you were never invited to”, Music week call it “Super-smart, magnificently melodic and overtly original pop.”We think it’s simply the best clash of Minus The Bear, Bloc-Party, Q and Not U and Fugazi you’ll probably ever hear. Joined by Calories, last seen supporting Dananananakroyd. Featuring former members of the late-great Distophia, it’s Les Savy Fav, it’s The Shins, its R.E.M, its hugely clever pop and you need to get here early to catch it.

ROLO TOMASSI + GRAMMATICS + PULLED APART BY HORSES
Monday 4 May 2009, O2 Academy Oxford, All Ages £7 adv

Rock Sound cover stars, Rolo Tomassi have been storming all over the UK recently with F*cked Up, The Bronx and Gallows and are set to round it all up with us, at the O2 Academy Oxford. Support comes from hotly tipped ones-to-watch, and Y!M!D! favourites, Pulled Apart By Horses and Grammatics.

So if you haven't broken your leg on a shopping trolley whilst jumping off the Magadalen bridge – we'll see you at the front!

Summer loving, Y!M!D! & Truck

Tickets are available now from www.wegottickets.com/youmedancing

Limited vintage Truck' Weekender' wristbands priced at £15 are available.

WOOD warm-up at Barracks Lane this Sunday..

Only a month to go until WOOD, and we're getting the mood with some warm-up activities: We'll be at the lovely Barracks Lane Community Garden in Oxford this Sunday from 2pm, so do come and join us for music and activities on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Entry is free.

Also, on Thursday evening the Wood Festival All-Stars and friends will be appearing at the Oakford Social Club in Reading, entry also free.

Tickets for WOOD, May 15th-17th at Braziers Park, are on sale now.

Have you seen these men?

It is believed that they are responsible for such hits as Girl from Mars, Shining Light, Envy and even that one from that Ewan MacGregor movie. Their only known location in England this summer is at a small Oxfordshire village known as 'Steventon'. Oh Yeah: it's the start of the summer. Time to cast off those winter gowns and frowns and purchase your TRUCK ticket.

Not got yours yet? Jump to the TICKET page >>

DJ Food to headline the Cowshed Rave at TRUCK...

Never let it be said that Truck is purely an indie guitar festival... there has always been a dance element to our music. More often than not it has been provided by our friends from Fresh Out The Box, who have ridden in the can with us since the dawn of time in 1998. This year they are bringing DJ Food & DK's audio-visual extravaganza to the barn, as well as Oxford's Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and several more names to be announced. The Fresh Out The Box Box will also be making it's first appearance outdoors, hosting DJs in a faraway field all through the day for those whose blood runs on beats not guitars. TRUCK tickets are available now- for outlets see the

Tickets

page.

ASH and SUPERGRASS at TRUCK! plus loads more...

We thought it was time for the first delivery of bands that are all confirmed to play at TRUCK 12 on 25/26th July. Sorry, no Megadeth! but we are pleased to announce some of our all-time favourite bands will be appearing at Hill Farm, Steventon:

Local heroes SUPERGRASS will headline on the Sunday night, while ASH shine a light and bring the hits to the Truck Stage on the Saturday.

Joined by the best new bands on the back of a truck, including RED LIGHT COMPANY and DETROIT SOCIAL CLUB.

Last year's favourites YACHT will play the Barn Stage in their only UK festival appearance. Sunday is Rock-day in the barn, with AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR, PULLED APART BY HORSES and CALORIES already confirmed; DATA SELECT PARTY and many more will appear on the Saturday. Over in the Beat Hive ERRORS, HELOISE AND THE SAVOIR FAIRE, CHEW LIPS, SPORTSDAY MEGAPHONE and NERVOUS TESTPILOT are all confirmed.

Inspired by our succesful experiment at WOOD last year, The Market stage will be run on solar power this year. It will feature new 4AD signings BROKEN RECORDS on the Saturday, and on Sunday will be curated by Steventon’s own Bob Harris, presenting GARY LOURIS & MARK OLSON (The Jayhawks), PETE MOLINARI and MIKE HERON and GEORGIA SEDDON (Incredible String Band songwriter performing with his daughter) with more great names to come.

Tickets costing £70 for the whole weekend are on sale from:

wegottickets
gigantic
seetickets

and these shop outlets:
OXFORD: Scribbler, Videosyncratic (Cowley Rd & Summertown), Music Box
ABINGDON: Mostly Books, Local Roots
WITNEY: Rapture
DIDCOT: Baby John's Guitar World
WALLINGFORD: Toby English Books
READING: Guitar works
HIGH WYCOMBE: Counter Culture
LONDON: Rough Trade East

Keep your eyes peeled for more announcements over the coming weeks.
We've worked out how to use Twitter so come join us – here.
Or visit our website.

TRUCK is an independent, family-run festival founded in 1998.
The local Rotary Club provide the food and the vicar sells ice-cream.
In 2008 truckers helped raise over £50,000 for charities and good causes.

WOOD:

We also run WOOD, a smaller event which runs entirely on renewable power, at Braziers Park, Oxfordshire on May 15th-17th. The line-up for WOOD includes Brakes, Karine Polwart, Spiers & Boden, Po' Girl and Meic Stevens, as well as a host of workshops and activities. The Supertrucker ticket will get you access to both events at a discount.

Happy Monday from all at Truck HQ

Greetings to you all this Martin Luther King day...

No doubt MLK would feel most vindicated that in a few hours, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as President of the USA. These are heady days and times we live in. Words like Change and Hope are in the air and what's more, even we 'Brits' have caught on. But we can't rely on the new president, inspiring though he is, to bring about all that change on our behalf. Most of us don't live in America, for one thing and making real changes is down to us - "be the change that you want to see in the world", said Gandhi. But it's hard to be like that all the time. We all try to do our best, but wouldn't it be exciting if in this year of 2009 we do a little more of what we dream of.

Being in the USA on this day 3 years ago left a big impression on me. If only we had a similar occasion over here. Here's a clip of a song my friend Danny and I wrote whilst we printed T shirts for Truck in summer 2006. (Click here to watch it on Youtube)
We'll be letting you know about Truck's dreams for 2009 shortly - but here's some dates for your diary.....
WOOD - 15th-17th May
TRUCK Twelve - 25th & 26th July
The event that tells you it's 6 months to go, EquiTruck, is at The Jericho on January 31st.
TRUCK ARTS weekly workshops for age 8-14 continue today at Fusion on the Cowley Road today, 4-6pm.
Visit the TRUCK website for all the latest.

All the best for 2009 and good luck Barack Obama, from Dusty & all at TRUCK.

PS- I've printed the words to the song below as my mother in law claims she can't hear them properly...

"It was Martin Luther King day, I was trying to remember what did Martin Luther King say, but his words get lost along the crowded airwaves. The Pope and all his cardinals were counting out the days and nights in roman numerals, keeping note of all the weddings and the funerals.. but that's a hard hard road to follow,

that's a hard hard light to see, if you see me here tomorrow, don't follow me.

The angels in the fables, keeping watch on all the shepherds in their stables, don't you think they wish that they could turn the tables? Well, I had a dream that one day we won't get stuck up like traffic on the highway and we'll live up to the finer things that we say..."