Category Archives: music

Diary of Live Music in Abingdon

There are a lot of live music events in Abingdon, many of them in pubs, but also others at places such as the Guildhall, Unicorn Theatre and the Amey Theatre at Abingdon School.

Many of these events are only advertised within the pub itself on noticeboards or blackboards, or by following every pub on facebook or twitter. Most people in Abingdon don’t visit pubs regularly or follow every pub on social media so have no idea that most of these events are happening. To help with this, I have created a shared Google calendar to show these events. You can access it by clicking Live Music Diary at the top of this page. I have only just started adding events, so not all events are listed yet.

I will endeavour to visit pubs, look at web sites, facebook and twitter and try to find out what is going on to keep it up to date, but it will be easier if the pubs, bands or organisers can email details to me at info@abingdonbeer.co.uk.

Abingdon is full of talented musicians including world renowned jazz Saxophonist George Haslam who leads the Abingdon Swingtime Band (who can be seen at the Brewery Tap‘s beer festival on 24th March); homegrown talent Adam Matthews singer/songwriter/guitarist and member of Abingdon band Full Circle (will be performing covers and some of his own material at the Nags Head on 12th April). Other local bands include The Happy Men, and Nameless. Jon Spiers from Spiers & Boden and BBC2 folk award winning band Bellowhead who’s last album was number 1 in the UK independent charts and number 16 in the overall UK charts, was brought up in Abingdon and went to school at John Masons (you just missed Bellowhead performing in Oxford a few weeks ago). Folk at the Unicorn brings in some of the UK’s top folk performers to Abingdon. If you want to take part in the music, there are open mic sessions at several pubs including an acoustic session at the Kings Head & Bell every monday evening, and the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers and friends often have sessions in local pubs where they welcome other musicians to join in. The Skittle Alley has evenings of local bands and is so named because it started out using the Skittle Alley at the back of the Horse & Jockey pub in Bath Street, but kept its name after the pub closed in 2002, their next event is at the Royal British Legion Club in Spring Road on 16th March.

Pubs that have regular live music events include:

Apologies if I have missed anyone out.

Also check out ‘The Local’ on Abingdon’s own internet radio station Abingdon Xtra, which showcases local unsigned Oxfordshire bands.

March 10, 2013Permalink 3 Comments

Beer Festivals this weekend (May bank holiday) around Abingdon

This weekend (May bank holiday 5th-7th May) there are two beer festivals near to Abingdon, as well as morris dancing in town on Saturday.

Waggon and Horses, Culham


This is their first beer festival since the pub reopened last year. It is about 2 miles from Abingdon, which is a short cycle ride and not too far to walk and also has a car park. The beer list is:

  • Village Idiot 4.1%
  • Hi Ho Silver 4.3%
  • Zebedee 4.7%
  • Abandon Ship 4.2%
  • Oxford Scholar 4.5%
  • Cotswold Lion 4.2%
  • Broke Piston 5%
  • Adnams Southwold Bitter 3.7%
  • Black Sheep Bitter 3.8%
  • Hook Norton Bitter 3.6%
  • Smuggler 4.1%
  • Abingdon Bridge 3.6%

On Saturday there is music from the Dirty Earth Band in the evening.
On Sunday music from The Bembos in the afternoon and The Headington Hillbillies in the evening.
On Monday, music form Sub-Way in the afternoon.

Prince of Wales, Shippon


Another great pub within walking or cycling distance from Abingdon is having their 2nd beer festival between 4th and 6th of May with 20 ales from within a 30 mile radius of the pub and 10 ciders. Festival starts at 5pm on Friday

There is also morris dancing there this evening (thursday 3rd May) with Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers and Speckled Hen.

Mr. Hemmings Day of Dance


Mr. Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris dancers along with 7 visiting morris sides will be dancing in Abingdon this Saturday (5th May). This is an annual event celebrating the birthday of Tom Hemmings who was a prominent Abingdon Morris dancer in the early 20th century.

Dancing starts at the White Horse at 10:30am, working down Ock Street to Cross Keys and then into the town center where dancing will take place on the market place and outside town center pubs (Swan, Kings Head & Bell, Punch Bowl, Harp (former Plough on Station Yard).

May 3, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

2012 Beer Festivals in Abingdon-on-Thames

The first of this year’s beer festivals in Abingdon starts this evening (Friday 24th February 2012) at The Kings Head & Bell. There will also be a folk music session on Sunday afternoon starting around 3pm. Please come along with an instrument to join in with, or a song to sing, or come along to listen. The beer list is at the bottom of this post.

More beer festivals coming up in Abingdon in the next few months include:

  • 16th-18th March: The Cross Keys Spring Beer Festival
  • 23rd-25th March: The Brewery Tap Springtime Beer Festival
  • 6th-8th April: Broad Face Easter Beer Festival
  • 4th-7th May: Waggon & Horses in Culham, May Bank Holiday Beer Festival. It is worth making the short trip to Culham to visit this pub which has recently reopened as a freehouse with a good range of local beers.

Continue reading →

February 24, 2012Permalink Leave a comment