navigation
other links
Upcoming Rocket 88 Shows
Rocket 88 Press
Support great local bands
Daniel Horner
Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Opinion
For a while, plenty of talent serenaded Oxford by night, ranging from big names like Lenny Kravitz and Big Head Todd to performers like Adam Sandler to local legends like R.L. Burnside. But the last few years have seen a bit of a lull in bigger names being brought to town.
Not to worry. The music's not coming here? We'll make our own.
I have to admit to becoming a huge Colour Revolt fan since seeing them at Two Stick a few months ago. A great set and an enthusiastic sold-out crowd made for one of the most enjoyable concerts I've been to in years.
It's worth noting that Colour Revolt is a local band in the sense that they're from Mississippi, and if that doesn't make them "local" enough, I'm pretty sure they all live right here in Oxford.
What made that concert even better was the opening show. The only thing better than seeing a successful local band put on a great show was to watch another local band that hasn't "made it" yet putting on a set that could open for the Red Hot Chili Peppers any day.
I'm talking about Oxford's PF Flyers, who, for a lack of a record deal, are as talented as plenty of bands I've seen play in Oxford. And they're not alone. New(ish) names are becoming better-known, such as Rocket 88 and Gunboat.
When I was picking the school which I'd spend four years (ok, four and a half now...) attending, I put plenty of emphasis on the environment. I went to Hattiesburg a couple of times for cross country trips and didn't really like what I saw. Jackson's nice, but Millsaps and Belhaven just weren't my kind of places.
But I was sold on Oxford's reputation as an "arts and music mecca," and even though we potentially haven't pulled as many big-name pop performers onto our campus as our neighbors about an hour and a half southeast (Nickelback, Crossfade and Counting Crows have made visits to Starkville in the last few years), I think we're doing fine.
Sweet Tea Recording Studios might have something to do with that. Sweet Tea is a local recording studio near the Square that has brought some extremely classy acts into Oxford. We can probably thank them for concerts featuring Modest Mouse (with Johnny Marr of The Smiths, I might add), Elvis Costello and Jesse Lacey from Brand New, as all have recorded at Sweet Tea.
This is a town known for its creativity and talent (among other things). When we get the chance, we should always celebrate the concerts, film festivals, parties and everything else that Oxford is gifted with.
I guess my whole point of this column is to emphasize how refreshing it is to know that the music scene in Oxford is alive and well.
I'm looking forward to Double Decker, and I hope that a huge crowd comes out to support the musicians that Oxford has managed to pull in this year. With Lucero, Mayhem String Band and blues/rock legend Buddy Guy all making appearances, I'm going to have plenty to do on Saturday, April 28.
As long as Oxford keeps pulling in great crowds for concerts and festivals, good entertainment will continue to come to Lafayette County. So keep supporting local bands; the music scene will just get better for it!