A few gaps in the crowd tonight as the gig was rescheduled from May 22 with some fans sadly unable to make the new date. Regardless, we knew we were in for a special evening of music, especially given the support,  Wille and the Bandits (or Wille and the Bandit as Wille quipped from the stage) as it was just himself and bassist Harry Mackaill performing an acoustic set. Acoustic in perhaps the loosest sense was Wille played a storm on his pedal steel. Boy can this lad play! Highlights? The gorgeous ‘Love Me When the Fire’s Out’, ‘Got To Get Better’ sounded good acoustically and ‘When the World Stood Still’ was a song that works either in acoustic form or full band mode, such is the power of the song. Closing the set with a Robert Johnson cover ‘Cross Road Blues’ definitely left the crowd wanting more and indeed, you lucky people of Oxford get to see the full Wille and the Bandits at the Bullingdon, Oxford on September 16.

As this reviewer wrote in their 2018 gig review at the same venue, “At times it was like being in a revivalist/gospel meeting such was the sheer love and devotion coming from the stage to Beth and her band and then likewise back to the audience.” Still holds true tonight as Beth Hart is not a performer to ever give less than her whole heart and soul into every gig she performs.

Starting off her set by walking down an aisle in the stalls singing ‘You Still Got Me’, she is at ease with her audience. There is also a nice bit of couple romance with her husband Scott who was strategically sat in an stall’s aisle seat!

This time around Beth Hart’s set had a satisfying mix of the up-tempo tunes like ‘Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash’ (a co-write with Glen Burtnik) from her latest album, and her trademark showstoppers like ’Never Underestimate a Gal’ or ’Woman Down’. When she is sat playing the piano Beth Hart seems to go into a special musical place, where she communicates naturally with her audience through her songs and at times, otherworldly singing.

Her band are at the top of their game, with guitarist Jon Nichols (looking like Dave Grohl with blond curls!), going easy on the soloing when required, and a guitar player with passion & soul, not something many fellow guitarists have. A tight ass rhythm section of  bassist Tom Lilly (continuing the rockstar lookalikes theme, Rob Halford in a hat!) and drummer Todd Wolff (sorry Todd no lookalike came to mind).

With time marching onwards and a strict 11pm curfew, it was good to hear a personal favourite in ‘The Ugliest House on the Block’ including the backstory to the house she & Scott used to own. It was  quickly followed by ‘Boogieman’, one of her many personal songs and one with a dark lyric, yet uplifting music.

Beth listened to audience call outs for what to play next and her powerful & emotive take on the Eta James cover ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ was an excellent choice.

Rounding off the set with the topical ‘Don’t Call the Police’, indeed a there were a few shouts of “Henry” from the audience, it shows the power of music and how we are all given one very short time on this earth, and there is more that brings us together, like tonight’s superb show by Beth Hart, than keeps us apart.

Never been to a Beth Hart gig? Get along to one as soon as you can as this lady sings the blues with a lovely touch of soul and rock.

Review by Jason Ritchie

Setlist -

You Still Got Me
Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash
If I Tell You I Love You
Baddest Blues
Never Underestimate a Gal
Crashing Down
I Need a Hero
Woman Down
Without Words in the Way
The Ugliest House on the Block
Boogieman
I’d Rather Go Blind
Don’t Call the Police

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 24 May 2026.

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Power Plays w/c 25 May 2026

BABY JANE Midnight Highway (Sped Up) (indie)
ASTRAL ROCKS The Flame In Me (Astral Rocks Prodns.)
INDIGO SYNDICATE dwn4smr (indie)
THE SKBS The Prying Eye (indie)
AGAINST THE CURRENT Dead Man Walking (indie)
ICONIC Tears Keep On Falling (Frontiers)

Featured Albums w/c 25 May 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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