Interesting little concept this, Lily Allen is going to play the O2 Academy (aka the Carling Academy Oxford, The Zodiac and The Venue), and limit the audience to people that can prove they have an Oxford postcode. Tickets are £15
Tag: oxford
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New Oxford Guide to Local Independent Shops launched
This is a great idea, a guide showcasing 85 of Oxford’s best independent shops. I like to support Oxford businesses where I can, and this can only help me.
It looks like there is a site coming to thinklocally.co.uk too, so that will be worth keeping an eye on.
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The Star – Oxford Pub Reviews
The Star is a proper Cowley Road-ish indie pub. Quite a few of these have disappeared over the past few years, but the Star is the same as ever thankfully. Some rock too, Iron Maiden and AC/DC playing during my most recent visit.
Opens nice and early in the day (handy when several places don’t, especially out of term time). It’s pleasingly ramshackle (a few less posters up than usual), dimly lit in the evening, and an older-style layout with divides creating almost, but not quite, booths. Couple of pool tables in the back room, and then beyond there is a large pub garden, with plenty of space for summertime drinking (which sadly seems an age away at the moment). IPA on tap, and the usual selection of identilagers. Can get very busy later in the evening, but earlier on for a Friday night meet-up and beer it is very acceptable.
The Star, 21 Rectory Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1BU. Telephone: 01865 248011
Wi-fi: None found -
Museum and Rock
Chilled weekend, had a walk into town, followed the city wall round a bit, and wandered through some of the more quiet streets to find our wafer to the Ashmolean museum. Looked around there, took a few photos:
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Then on for a pint at the newly reopened Gloucester Arms, which was a bit barren as they’ve just taken over, but was still very rock, and was starting to fill up nicely when we went home for dinner.
Took it very easy on Sunday, feeling nice and relaxed now.
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Goodbye Carling Academy/The Zodiac/The Venue, welcome the O2 Academy
Yes, it’s been nearly a year since the Zodiac on the Cowley Road became the Carling Academy, so Oxford’s main music venue was clearly long overdue another name change. It will now be the O2 Academy. Apparently as an iPhone user on O2, I’ll get priority booking for tickets (I only ever remember to buy tickets for gigs weeks after they’ve been announced, so this will be of little benefit). I am hoping however they will have powerful free wi-fi for me to use when I’m waiting for a bus nearby. Oh, and that they’ll get rid of the Carling only policy for lager on tap.
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Last chance to see (for almost a year)
The last phase of the Ashmolean museum refurbishment is about to start, and sadly it means a fine Oxford museum is going to be shut from 23rd December 2008 until November 2009. I for one am heading there this weekend to take some pictures of how it is now, to tide me over until then.
It’s well worth a look if you haven’t been before, great mix of ancient artifacts and art from more recent centuries. Will be interesting to see how the work turns out, the rooftop cafe should be particularly interesting, there should be a great view of Oxford from there.
BBC NEWS | England | Oxfordshire | Oldest museum to close for year
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Gloucester Arms to re-open, and will still rock!
Fantastic news, it looked like the Gloucester Arms was dead and buried, and doomed to reopen as a trendy bar or suchlike. Instead the lease has been bought up, and the new owner will keep it rock. Wonderful!
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Plan to pedestrianise part of Oxford City Centre
Hmmmm, not sure about this at all. Of course it would be good for the centre to be less full of traffic, however I think it may just jam things up a little further away. The plan fails to mention exactly where bus stops would be moved to, which is kind of important. I’m hoping in terms of ticketing they’re talking about basically mimicking the Oyster card from London, which is sort of here already, but only on one of the three main bus companies.
Traffic ban to ‘transform’ city (From The Oxford Times)
UPDATE: The County Council are already threatening to force through the changes.
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Magdalen Bridge to close on May 1st
Magdalen Bridge is to shut between 4 and 8:30 am on May 1st 2008, to inconvenience much of Oxford, and to prevent idiots jumping off a bridge to celebrate tradition. Let them jump I say, it provides needed income to jobbing photographers, who may be able to sell pictures to the national press when the jumpers hurt themselves. And it won’t mess up my bus journey in the morning.
Magdalen Bridge to close on May 1st – Oxford Times newspaper