Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sandy-s-piano-bar-oxford"><a href="https://sandyspianobar.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sandy&#8217;s Piano Bar</a>, Oxford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/piano-801707-1024x711-1.jpg" alt="hand playing the piano" class="wp-image-181339" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/piano-801707-1024x711-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/piano-801707-1024x711-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/piano-801707-1024x711-1-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Sandy&#8217;s is an Oxford institution and a true sanctum of the old Joanna (Cockney rhyming slang for the piano!). What started as a dark basement hangout has become a classy cocktail bar and hub of Oxford&#8217;s most gifted musicians. There&#8217;s live music on almost every night, be it a professional band, an open mic night or the talented house tinkler taking requests. However it plays out, you&#8217;ll most likely end up singing, swaying and falling up the stairs at 2am.</p>



<p>Psst: if Sandy&#8217;s tinkles your ivories, the kooky little bar the <a href="https://themadhatteroxford.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mad Hatter</a> on Iffley Road should hit the right notes too. They host the very best student jazz bands, as well as touring professionals, and the remarkably reasonably priced cocktails are Alice in Wonderland-themed and served in all sorts of curious receptacles. Just look for an unsuspecting little door on Circus Street.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-o2-academy-oxford"><a href="https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">O2 Academy</a>, Oxford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/O2_Oxford.jpg" alt="Singer at O2 Academy Oxford" class="wp-image-181341" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/O2_Oxford.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/O2_Oxford-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/O2_Oxford-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/O2_Oxford-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Instagram @o2academyoxford</figcaption></figure>



<p>The O2 Academy Oxford can throw its weight around as well as any indie venue across the UK, attracting some of the hottest talents in the country. Last year it played host to big names old and new from Jake Bugg to Shed Seven, and already announced for the next couple of months are up-and-coming indie rock band Squid (27 Feb) and established rockers Doves (18 Mar). The building itself has been a nightclub and music venue for decades and it still hosts the main Oxford Brookes student night (so give it a wide berth on a Wednesday night).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-botanist-marlow"><a href="https://thebotanist.uk.com/whats-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Botanist</a>, Marlow</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/471399889_1123736109323612_5631496898309073232_n.jpg" alt="Man playing the piano at the Botanist" class="wp-image-181416" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/471399889_1123736109323612_5631496898309073232_n.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/471399889_1123736109323612_5631496898309073232_n-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/471399889_1123736109323612_5631496898309073232_n-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/471399889_1123736109323612_5631496898309073232_n-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Instagram @thebotanistuk</figcaption></figure>



<p>The Botanist may be best known for its unique cocktail menu, but the fun doesn&#8217;t stop there. Their live music nights are free and a favourite with locals – live bands come from across the country, playing anything that&#8217;ll get the place on its feet and usually taking requests. Their diverse food menu ranges from patatas bravas to Korean fried chicken to the Botanist&#8217;s famous &#8216;hanging kebabs&#8217;, and the live music is on most weekends. Check online for dates and make sure to book ahead.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-also-known-as-banbury"><a href="https://www.gamechangerpubs.com/also-known-as" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Also Known As</a>, Banbury</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/bf-akaxuprise-19-1000x667.jpg" alt="Man behind a bar underneath a 'Pizzas Live' sign, Also Known As bar Banbury" class="wp-image-181417" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/bf-akaxuprise-19-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/bf-akaxuprise-19-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/bf-akaxuprise-19-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/bf-akaxuprise-19.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Also Known As&#8230; what? You know it&#8217;s trendy when the name of the place doesn&#8217;t make any sense, and A.K.A. is no exception. It may be a small venue, but every weekend it&#8217;s bouncing with themed DJ nights and live sets from local musicians. They specialise in excellent cocktails that don&#8217;t break the bank, and Uprise Pizza runs the kitchen in case you get peckish.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-truck-store-oxford"><a href="https://truckmusic.store/pages/events" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Truck Store</a>, Oxford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/TruckStore-1-1000x1000.jpg" alt="man playing guitar for a crowd in a record shop" class="wp-image-181435" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/TruckStore-1-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/TruckStore-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/TruckStore-1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/TruckStore-1-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/TruckStore-1.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Instagram @truckoxford</figcaption></figure>



<p>The newest, coolest addition to Oxford&#8217;s live music scene, Truck Store is a record-store-cum-coffee-shop-cum-live-music-venue on Cowley Road. Over the past year they&#8217;ve been serving up the cream of up-and-coming indie artists like Bess Atwell (who shares a manager with Taylor Swift) and Fat Dog (playing at O2 Oxford in Feb) for album launch events. Major chance to up your style credentials and find your next musical obsession – there&#8217;s loads coming up in the next month, and we&#8217;re particularly buzzing about HotWax on 13 March.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-stables-milton-keynes"><a href="https://stables.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Stables</a>, Milton Keynes</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/thestables.jpg" alt="The Stables MK" class="wp-image-181431" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/thestables.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/thestables-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/thestables-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/thestables-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The Stables has hosted internationally renowned talent from Amy Winehouse to Dave Brubeck to 10cc, and their 400-seat Jim Marshall Auditorium is a Buckinghamshire institution. Upcoming gigs include The BBC Big Band playing <em>Rhapsody in Blue</em> and Rod Stewart&#8217;s lifelong co-writer and producer Jim Cregan. As well as concerts, they host around 250 educational events per year, from kids&#8217; camps to ceilidh classes and beginners&#8217; courses in a variety of instruments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-relais-henley"><a href="https://therelaishenley.com/events-calendar/live-jazz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Relais</a>, Henley</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/therelaisjazz.jpg" alt="greyscale image of a man playing double bass and man playing guitar" class="wp-image-181433" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/therelaisjazz.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/therelaisjazz-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/therelaisjazz-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/therelaisjazz-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>We&#8217;re big fans of this swanky riverside restaurant and hotel in Henley, and there&#8217;s no better time to visit than during their jazz sessions on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Book into the gorgeous Clipper Restaurant anytime from 7pm on a Friday or 12:30pm on a Sunday and you&#8217;ll get a prime spot for the music.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-craufurd-arms-milton-keynes"><a href="https://www.thecraufurdarms.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Craufurd Arms</a>, Milton Keynes</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/473672027_18480464671026961_8686658149412475063_n.jpg" alt="Someone holding a drink up at a gig" class="wp-image-181432" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/473672027_18480464671026961_8686658149412475063_n.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/473672027_18480464671026961_8686658149412475063_n-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/473672027_18480464671026961_8686658149412475063_n-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/473672027_18480464671026961_8686658149412475063_n-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Fair warning, the music tends towards the heavier stuff at the Craufurd Arms, but if leather boots and heavy black eyeliner are your bag then you&#8217;re in luck – this is one of the most happening metal joints in the South. Have a spool through their events page and don&#8217;t be put off by all the skulls.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lee-bo-oxford"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/leebomusic1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lee Bo</a>, Oxford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Will-Pope-1000x667.jpg" alt="Black and white photo of a man playing guitar to a crowd with a microbeanie on" class="wp-image-181434" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Will-Pope-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Will-Pope-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Will-Pope-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Will-Pope.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>OK, not a venue, but a local legend who&#8217;s well worth knowing. Lee is the man who makes live music tick in Oxford, bringing free gigs to pubs across the city. He runs three open mics weekly at different pubs around Oxford, plus regular &#8216;live lounges&#8217; (three 40-minute sets by the best local talent handpicked from the open mics). They&#8217;re all absolutely free, and regular venues include The Half Moon, The James Street Tavern, St. Aldates Tavern and the Old Bookbinders in Jericho. There&#8217;s a wonderfully welcoming community of regulars who are always thrilled to see a new face and hear a new voice. Lee has all the gear, so just turn up and see if you&#8217;re moved to song.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fat-lils-witney"><a href="https://www.fatlils.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fat Lils</a>, Witney</h2>



<p>If you&#8217;re tired of crowds of micro-beanies and baggy jeans, head to Fat Lils. Unashamedly tribute act-heavy, the lineup over the next few months features names like <em>Faux Fighters</em>, <em>Oasiz</em>, <em>The Rolling Clones</em> and <em>Pet Shop Boys, Actually</em>. Sing your heart out to your favourite bands, surrounded by mega-fans and away from all the posers. Bliss.</p>


Turn it up! 10 live music venues in Bucks & Oxon

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