Lunchtime Talk: 'Growing the grass roots: Live music in Oxford in the 1970s'

The 1970s saw music in Oxford move from pop and ballrooms to pubs, colleges, and festivals (and through prog-rock and punk) to the roots of bands we know today. 

A shortage of places to play (then as now!) saw new bands find new venues and develop a whole local music scene, crossing the ‘town and gown’ divide. Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes) became one of the top student venues, with many American bands (including the Eagles) playing there, while the New Theatre hosted Led Zeppelin, Bowie and many others. All of this somehow turned into the roots of what we have today.

In this original talk, Chris Church will cover these themes, look at how the music and action fitted into the changing times that were the 1970s, and give some credit to many great bands that came and went (and a few who are still around…).

In the 1970s Chris ran gigs at Oxford Polytechnic, helped with the annual Oxford Mayfly free festival, and managed (unsuccessfully!) various Oxford bands. Since then, he’s worked on environmental issues in Oxford and in London and recently co-authored a history of the UK environmental movement.

Tickets cost £6 and are available to buy online (via Plinth) or at the Museum shop. Tickets for this event also include free entry to the Museum’s galleries.

Part of the Sounds of the City exhibition and events programme.

Further information

Complimentary tea and coffee will be available to enjoy during the talk. We recommend arriving before the start of the talk if you would like to grab a refreshment.

Sales from tickets help support our work to deliver fun and accessible family activities, community engagement projects, schools workshops, exhibitions and special events for Oxford’s people in our Museum spaces.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Refunds will only be issued if the event is cancelled or if there is a significant change to the advertised programme.

Access

There is step-free, level entry access to the Town Hall via the entrance closest to Carfax Tower (to the left of the main steps as you face the Town Hall). Inside the Museum, Museum Makers is accessible via a platform lift to the Galleries and then a lift to the basement.

Accessible toilets are available in the Museum (close to Museum Makers) and in the Town Hall on the ground floor, before entering the Museum. Please contact the Museum team if you’d like to talk to a member of staff about your access requirements. Further access information can be found on our page dedicated to access at the museum.