Witney Music Festival presents Black Hats + Secret Rivals + SPL/T

Event information

Black Hats - Earning an impressive live reputation on the vibrant and competitive Oxford music scene, Black Hats are Ian Budd (Bass & Vocals), Nick Breakspear (Guitar & Vocals) and Mark Franklin (Drums & Vocals).
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Their debut EP, Austerity for the Hoi Polloi (produced by Sam Williams – Plan B, Supergrass), garnered praise online from sites such as Muzu.tv, Stereoboard and Red Hot Velvet and received acclaim in local press such as the Oxford Mail and Ocelot Magazine.

Follow-up singles 'Button Down Shirt' and 'Gang of One' earned equal praise with the band finding commercial success in the US with their single 'No More Smoke...' - the song featured in both Shameless and The Magician on US TV.

High-profile shows at Truck Festival, Wychwood, Gathering Festival and support slots with Dodgy and NME darlings, Spector, have strengthened support that the band has already had from BBC Introducing Oxfordshire and BBC 6Music (Tom Robinson). Oxford’s respected music journal, Nightshift Magazine, has sighted Black Hats as ‘ahead of the current crop.’

Secret Rivals - Secret Rivals is a four-piece indie pop/punk band from Oxford, UK, known for their boy-girl vocals, sharp hooks, and emotional energy. Reuniting in 2023 after a nine-year break, their music blends 80s synth vibes with lo-fi indie punk, drawing influences from The Cribs, Pixies, and The Cure. Festival veterans of Bestival and Liverpool Sound City, they’ve received acclaim from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music and NME with tracks featured on Sky Sports’ Soccer AM

SPL/T - is a two piece dynamic band covering both function and original material. These two bring a new energy to the scene and are super passionate about what they do. From hauntingly beautiful vocals contrasted with heavy hard hitting drums and beautifully written harmony.