Causing A Scene

02/06/2026

Been struggling to find the words - a first time in life for me on that count - to describe/do justice to Sunday night. Up there with the best nights out ever, even if it did feel a bit like attending my own funeral. From arriving at The Bully to see all the staff adorned in 'I ❤️ Dale Kattack' t-shirts, to watching some of my favourite musical people playing some of my favourite ever tunes - including a few choice Gary Numan covers, obviously - to seeing so many people who've been part of the Oxford scene over the years - people I hadn't seen in years in some cases - to hearing people I respect and genuinely love saying lots of lovely stuff about me, it was quite the night and I'm glad it was so hectic I didn't have time to drink too much or come over all unnecessary at any point.

I can only repeat the thanks I said on the night - to Dave Holt for organising the whole thing and keeping it a secret until it was too late for me to say 'no' and generally being an absolute sweetheart; Bullingdon manager Paul Williams for hosting it, for making the Bully the best venue there is, and for a rather splendid box of wine at the end of the night; sound engineers Jimmy, Martin and Nic who, as ever, made everything sound amazing; Jamie Hyatt for stage managing the night (organising musicians really is like herding kittens); the mighty Tim Turan for being the master of ceremonies; all the artists who played and put so much effort into playing my favourite songs (special mention to Nigel Powell who played multiple times and is thus Oxford's equivalent to Phil Collins at Live Aid (and Nige is one of the few people I know who'll take that comparison as the compliment it's meant as) - Mark Cope; Unbelievable Truth; The Exact Opposite; Young Knives; Emma Hunter, and ATL? - who managed to play probably the most obscure Tubeway Army tune it was possible to play. And of course, as ever, to my absolutely wonderful wife Julia, without whom and all that...

Apologies to everyone I ended up hugging at any point - it's completely out of character for me and a trauma many of you might never fully recover from. I'll just leave you with this photo of Oxford music's two most handsome men. Sweet dreams, ladies.

And for those of you who haven't fallen asleep or retched all over your screen yet, Sunday's gig raised money for Causing A Scene - the community action group who are fighting for Oxford's grassroots venue scene. Give them a follow or even join up - it's only a quid. Only by standing together can we protect this fantastic scene and community for future generations to enjoy.

01/06/2026

27/05/2026

Causing a Scene just reached a milestone - our 100th community benefit society member. Welcome Richard Lawrence, whose wonderful letterpress works in Hurst Street are a work of art in themselves, but are also where some of Stanley Donwood’s most celebrated linocuts were printed. http://richardlawrenceprinter.co.uk/

As a community owned co-operative, our members have the final say on who runs the organisation, so if you haven’t done so yet, please consider parting with a measly £1 one-off fee to buy a little piece of community. The more members and followers we have, the more seriously we're taken in the corridors of power, so we would really appreciate less than 5 minutes of your time to sign up. CausingaScene.org/Membership

19/05/2026

A massive thank you to our brilliant panel of community ownership experts at The Bullingdon last night for their mixture of insights, information and inspiration.

It's clear that with an energised group of community spirited people, the community owned revolution isn’t just possible, it’s the future for grassroots music & arts spaces.

If you'd like to channel some of that community spirit, please come to our open meeting at the Oxford Retreat on Tues June 23rd from 6pm. Watch this space for more news.

And/or become a member and part owner of Causing a Scene for just £1.

More info at: CausingaScene.org

Thank you once again to:

Micaela Tuckwell - Chief Executive, The Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP)

Lenny Watson - Co-Founder, Sister Midnight

Steve Henwood - Co-Founder & Live Music Coordinator, The Bell Inn

18/05/2026

A quick reminder that this brilliant free event is tonight (Mon 18 May) at the Bullingdon. If you can't make the panel event at 18.15, come for the Social afterwards from 19.30 (see details on previous post).

Book your free tickets at: WeGotTickets.com/CausingAScene

14/05/2026

Panel + Social event reminder - Monday 18 May The Bullingdon

Causing A Scene presents a free grassroots activism panel featuring leaders from some of the UK's most celebrated community owned venues, which between them have raised over £1.75m - The Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP) + Sister Midnight & The Bell Inn, followed by one of our always buzzy music and arts scene socials - The Bullingdon Monday 18 May 2026. Doors: 17:45 – Panel session: 18:15 to 19:30, followed by the social until late.

Panellists:

Micaela Tuckwell - Chief Executive, The Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP) (Oxford's oldest, & the UK’s only community owned independent cinema).

Lenny Watson - Co-Founder, Sister Midnight (Lewisham’s celebrated community owned & run music venue & radio station).

Steve Henwood - Co-Founder & Live Music Coordinator, The Bell Inn (Bath’s world-famous live music venue & free house).

Book your free tickets at: WeGotTickets.com/CausingAScene

Kindly supported by Truck Store

08/05/2026

Sad times, but so many great memories. Thank you Ronan

Well, it would appear that the cat is out of the bag*. June's issue of Nightshift will be the last one. After 35 and a bit years, and as I near 60 and my knees finally give up what's left of the ghost, it's time to hang up the notepad** and pen and sail into a sunset filled with old Sisters of Mercy bootlegs.

I didn't want to make a big thing of it but my very dear friend Dave Holt decided there should be a final farewell event, which he's organised and only told me about when it was too late to say 'no'.

So, on Sunday 31st May there'll be a proper bunch of great local artists playing at The Bullingdon - Oxford musicians playing the songs of Oxford apparently. They won't tell me exactly which ones. What if I disapprove?***

Tickets are on sale now at https://wegottickets.com/f/20093 and all proceeds will go to the fantastic Causing A Scene community action group, who campaign for more local live music spaces.

So that's that. One more issue to come, which might well feature some mawkish sentimentality**** - still plenty of great gigs between then and now, kids!

* - I would never keep a cat in a bag. Martha and Troughton have free range of the Nightshift desk, which only partially accounts for the absolute state of it.
** - More an untidy scrumble of paper. Have you seen the price of notebooks?
*** - It's Oxford music, why would I not approve? Unless they all play a set of upbeat funky blues rock as some kind of huge practical joke at my expense, in which case damn their eyes! I disapprove.
***** - Just for a change, right?

30/04/2026

FREE GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY PANEL SESSION + MUSIC & ARTS SOCIAL - Monday 18 May 2026 Bullingdon

Join us for what promises to be an inspirational rallying cry of a session with brilliant guests, immediately followed by one of our always buzzy Oxfordshire music and arts scene socials.

GOOD DEEDS - How collective grassroots community action can save, create & own spaces for music & the arts.

A free to attend interactive panel session featuring notable leaders from some of the UK's most celebrated community owned venues, which between them have raised over £1.75m.

Mon 18 May at The Bullingdon – Main Room – Doors: 17:45 – Panel session: 18:15 to 19:30

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A MUSIC & ARTS SCENE SOCIAL.

From 19:30 to 22:30 in Little Bully (Bullingdon front room).

Panellists:

Lenny Watson - Co-Founder, Sister Midnight (Lewisham’s celebrated community owned & run music venue & radio station).

Micaela Tuckwell - Chief Executive, The Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP) (Oxford's oldest, & the UK’s only community owned independent cinema).

Steve Henwood - Co-Founder & Live Music Coordinator, The Bell Inn (Bath’s world-famous live music venue & free house).

Book your free tickets at: WeGotTickets.com/CausingAScene

Kindly supported by Truck Store

22/04/2026

Here’s a quick local authority led music, arts and culture survey for anyone who lives or works in, or even just visits South Oxfordshire / Vale of the White Horse (which they’ve collectively called South Oxfordshire).

These sort of initiatives often influence policy, so you all know what to do (hint - we need more community-oriented music and arts spaces).

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils are working with Flying Geese to research what people in southern Oxfordshire would like to make it a better place for the people who live here.

17/04/2026

As a Community Benefit Society, Causing a Scene is owned by and accountable to its members.

So as we close in on our 100th member, we thought we’d give our wider community a nudge to help us reach that milestone.

It costs a measly £1 (one-off fee) and gives you a say on what we do and who runs the organisation etc.

Most importantly, a healthy membership sends a powerful message to organisations that have the power to affect positive change for the Oxfordshire music scene, making it easier for us to open constructive dialogues.

Please consider joining today: https://causingascene.org/membership

Despite being a small volunteer organisation with limited funds, in the past year we’ve done things like:

• Held well attended quarterly music scene Social meet ups.

• Played a role in instigating Oxford City Council's new Live Music Fund.

• Addressed the full Council chamber in support of grassroots music.

• Organised a well-attended music mapping panel session as part of the Oxford Brookes Creative Industries Festival.

• Spoken about our mission on the main stage at Charlbury Riverside Festival.

• Set up and been interviewed for multiple media features on local radio and media.

• Helped block a planning application to redevelop the event space above the House Bar in Wheatsheaf Yard into flats, and ensured additional soundproofing is enshrined in the planning permission for the redeveloped Gladiator Club when it eventually reopens.

• Represented and advocated for the Oxfordshire music scene at events such as: the Night Time Industries Summit in Liverpool, Music Venue Trust’s annual report launch at the V&A, Music Venues Day in Shoreditch and Soho FarmHouse’s music industry meetup.

Please consider joining today: https://causingascene.org/membership