Another busy month has passed and my Oxjam gig is now less than 8 weeks away; if stress levels weren't high before, they sure are now!
The biggest and most notable event of the last month was definitely the work I did with community radio station Voice FM. Not only was I given the opportunity to record an interview to be broadcasted nearer the gig date, but I also recorded an advertisement, which will be played three times a day every day right up until Oxjam day! You can listen to it here!
Trying to decide upon the perfect fundraising activities has also been a big cause of stress this month; from a bike wash to an Ann Summers party, from a hog roast to rice krispie cakes, either the ideas didn't feel right, or were too expensive for my conservative budget. After a few too many sleepless nights, I came to the decision not to incorporate any additional fundraising activities into the event beyond the already planned raffle and merchandise sale; after all, I don't want to take attention away from the bands who have kindly agreed to perform at the event. My fingers are firmly crossed that I've made the right decision!
Talking of the bands, I am finally in a position to announce the line-up (woohoo). Giving their time to help raise money for Oxfam are:
Eject Pilot Eject
Kicking off my Oxjam gig, Eject Pilot Eject is a punk trio from Cardiff, Wales. The band describe their music as "Bowie fronting The Clash playing catchy alt rock pop with a side of honesty".
Recluse
An indie trio hailing from Cardiff, Wales, Recluse were awarded Room Thirteen's Band of the Month status back in February 2010.
Counterhold
Gwent-based heavy metal band Counterhold will be bringing the thunder to my Oxjam gig. Describing their music as "progressive powerhouse melodic metal", it's inevitably going to be very dark and very, very loud bring it on!
Tempestora
Crossing the border in the name of Oxjam, Tempestora is a thrash metal band from Gloucester. The band have recently played Bloodstock and Tuff Rock Festival.
Blackwaters
A melodic rock group from Caerphilly, Wales, Blackwaters have recently headlined Swansea's Uplands Festival.
Crux
Local legends Crux were keen to get involved in Oxjam, telling me that they just love to get out there and play. Performing intricate prog metal, if they sound half as good live as they do on CD, Oxjammers will be in for a treat!
MelonHeadMan
Coming all the way from Kent to bring something a little different to Oxjam are southern rockers MelonHeadMan. The band recently wowed me with their exciting debut album, I just know they'll go down a storm at The Patriot Inn!
Blind Ambition
Set to play Hard Rock Hell in December, hard rockers Blind Ambition, who have supported the likes of Skindred, have promised to put on a show that's full of energy to entertain the Oxjam crowd. You may have seen them in the national news recently for their fans' widespread bus stop graffiti, to help promote the band!
Isolysis
Headlining Oxjam is my favourite musical discovery of 2010, melodic metal band Isolysis. Enjoying a fantastic year that has seen the band play Hammerfest II, Hard Rock Hell Road Trip and the Rock and Blues Custom Show, the Derbyshire-based band is going from strength to strength. When frontman Bane Isolysis expressed an interest in taking part in my Oxjam gig, I couldn't have been more thrilled!
I would love to say that everything is going smoothly and is completely under control, but that would be a big fat lie! In the last week it has been requested by the venue that the night is finished with a covers band and, as if that wasn't difficult enough to incorporate into an already crammed schedule, the live music has to end by 23:30 due to noise complaints by local residents! It never rains...
On a brighter note, Oxjam merchandise will soon be available! T Shirts and ladies vests have just been printed, the Oxjam CD, which has a donated track from every band, will be sent to be produced shortly and I've even got some paintball vouchers to sell, courtesy of the great people at Delta Force Paintball. If you would be interested in buying any Oxjam goodies, please email me at sian-jennifer.smith@roomthirteen.com
As I conclude this latest update, I am literally praying that the next one will be much more positive - only one update left until the big day! The next few weeks will see a monster marketing campaign kicking off, from handing out flyers to speaking to the local press, it's going to be a busy one!
Siān's Oxjam gig will be taking place at The Patriot Inn, Crumlin, South Wales NP11 4PT on Saturday 30th October 2010. For further information, please see Siān's official Oxjam page