Of course, there have been comedians at Truck in some of the smaller tents: but this is a full main-stage showbiz show with make-up and crazy hair. Of course, Mr Minchin is no ordinary comedian: he describes his act as a "funny cabaret show"; his songs, he says, just happen to be funny. "I'm a good musician for a comedian and I'm a good comedian for a musician but if I had to do any of them in isolation I dunno." Don't be so hard on yourself, Tim! We reckon this is one of the most exciting additions to any Truck Festival bill ever!
Tim has also been a big supporter of our friends at the (Oxford-based) Sumatran Orangutan Society, who are regularly seen in Orangutan outfits accompanying our own Truck Monster… here he is wearing one of their T Shirts! (like the shirts: you can buy one here).
FRIGHTENED RABBIT
We are very pleased about this addition too: Frightened Rabbit have been gradually expanding from Scott Hutchison's one-man bedroom project in 2003 to their present globe-straddling epic status, clamoured over by indie enthusiasts and major labels alike. Their new album appears this summer, and this will be their long-awaited first appearance at Truck Festival: it seems like the ideal home for the band.
FUTURE OF THE LEFT
Future of the Left was formed by singer/guitarist Andy "Falco" Falkous and drummer Jack Egglestone, both previously members of Cardiff band mclusky, in 2005; both incarnations have appeared regularly at Truck Festival, often in the Barn, and that is where they will be once more this year. Apparently Future of the Left have been playing a few Mclusky songs on their set recently, though no doubt we can mostly expect material from their recent EP and the new album The Plot Against Common Sense, which comes out this summer. Welcome back, gentlemen!
Also storming the barn will be TURBOWOLF who sound "exactly how you might imagine a band with that name should " (says Kerrang), and they are charged with bringing the rock back to the barn – no doubt they will prove more than up to the task. We are pleased to announce a first tranche of acts from the Thames Valley Delta, as we call it, and a few from further afield. There will be a trickle (truckle?) more to come shortly, so don't fear if your personal favourite isn't on this list. Here goes with some micro-descriptions. Do check out all of these artists if you haven't already heard them! In no particular order at all:
MAN LIKE ME are Johnny Langer and Peter Duffy, pockets filled with underground classics London Town, Single Dad, Carny and Lovestruck.
DELTA ALASKA are a five piece from Londonwho play pop songs as loud as they can. Sounds good to us!
JOHN J PRESLEY: the fragility of Josh T Pearson, the raucousness of Tom Waits and the orchestration of the Dirty Three. Enticing!
THE BLACK HATS. If you’re all about “high energy post-punk, skewed with some dub beats and ska riffs” then you’ve come to the right place.
CO-PILGRIM, Mike Gale (once of Black Nielson) and friends concoct melodic magic; their dreamy new LP is produced by Mark Gardener of Ride.
DUBWISER, Oxford's finest, indeed legendary, reggae band will get you in the mood for fun.
SPRING OFFENSIVE are a relentlessly inventive guitar band complete with rich harmonies, pounding rhythms and dark lyrics.
DEAD JERICHOS: this three piece New Wave / Psychedelic band are Truck regulars and will set the barn jumping once again.
CRASH OF RHINOS are five dudes from Derby in a band. OK!
FLIGHTS OF HELIOS: a drone/popular song/psychedelic ensemble from Oxford.
THE DREAMING SPIRES channel Big Star, Teenage Fanclub and the Everly Bros (via Steventon) on their new album on Clubhouse.
POLEDO, also from Steventon, wielding trashy riffs from the Dinosaur Jr playbook and big beats courtesy of Steve Jobs.
THE LAST REPUBLIC: the next big band to emerge from Wales? Soaring, bittersweet vocal melodies set against a sonic landscape of distorted grandeur!
TREVOR MOSS & HANNAH-LOU, Kent's original and best folk duo currently across the channel recording a new LP.
THE HI & LO– two musicians and a boot full of instruments from Leicestershire. They play stripped down original roots music.