By Tim Saunders on
A specially-converted Oxfam shop in London is to be the venue for a series of concerts in October, as part of the second annual Oxjam Music Festival.
Performers Jamelia, Fatboy Slim, and The Kooks will jam for Oxfam during the first week of the month, the exact location of the gigs being a secret until the night. The shop that hosts the event will also sell a wide range of unique music memorabilia, including items donated by Elton John, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Goldfrapp. Special badges designed by Jarvis Cocker, the Chemical Brothers, and the Kaiser Chiefs will also be available.
“I have always donated my unwanted records to my local Oxfam shop,” said British Big Beat musician, Fatboy Slim. “But performing in one will be a first for me, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
The first of the concerts takes place on October 1, when The Kooks take to the stage to play an acoustic set, followed later in the evening by former Pulp frontman, Jarvis Cocker. October 2 will see Jamelia perform her hit singles See It In A Boy’s Eye and Superstar, followed by beatbox musician, Killa Kela. Electronic pop group Hot Chip and DJ Bobby Friction will hit the stage on October 3, with Fatboy Slim and Emmanuel Jal playing the final concert on October 4.
The concerts are just some of the events in this year’s Oxjam Music Festival, an exciting month long fundraising extravaganza. Over 3000 events all over Britain are being held as part of it, with all proceeds going to Oxfam. Concerts featuring every type of musical genre imaginable are being staged, encompassing rock, classical, dance, pop, R&B, rap, techno, and more. Some of the more bazaar events this year include a 12 hour “buskathon”, featuring buskers in 12 British cities, and a “guitar relay”, in which a guitar will be taken from one end of the British mainland to the other, and being played at a different Oxjam concert each day on the way.
“Oxjam is all about thousands of small events adding up to something much bigger,” said The Kooks singer, Luke Pritchard. “So it’s great to join in by playing a small acoustic show. Even better, music fans can get involved by coming along to this show or going to a local Oxjam night.”
Last year’s festival attracted over 20,000 people to 1,100 events, and raised over $1 million. This year’s target is over $2 million, with the money going to fund clean drinking water, shelter, and medicine to over a million people worldwide.
More information on Oxjam, and the opportunity to win tickets to some of the events, can be found at www.oxfam.org/oxjam and www.myspace.com/oxjam.
Copyright © 2007 Look to the Stars
