Going to gigs

The Oxfordshire music scene is lively, with lots of all-day gigs, festivals, events and a very busy and social gigging scene. The Carling Academy (formerly the Zodiac) on Cowley Road is the largest local venue, but there are lots of smaller venues. Many gigs are 14+ or 16+ but clubs and pub venues are usually for 18+ only. There are also occasional all-ages events or under 18 clubs -- keep an eye out in the local press, or Nightshift, Oxford's free monthly music magazine. If you’re into folk, Oxford Folk Club welcomes young people.

Quite a few pubs have live music but there are restrictions for under 18s. Legally you can go to a pub from age 14 as long as you don’t buy or drink alcohol, but in practice it's up to the landlord. So some pubs allow young people in for gigs, but others do not.

Lots of Oxfordshire's Youth Centres put on regular gigs. The Net Youth Centre in Abingdon, Leys Youth Centre in Cowley, Witney Youth Centre, and the Sweatbox in Wantage are all well known for their live music and DJ/club nights, but most Youth Centres run music projects (and have practice space, workers that know about music and more) so try the one closest to you first.

• Find your local Youth Centre.

Going to festivals

Age is not as much of an issue for the frequent festivals, battle of the bands and other all-day gigs that happen around Oxfordshire. Festivals are big in the county with one about every fortnight in summer months, and are open to all ages, although children usually need an accompanying adult. Some of Oxfordshire's more famous festivals:

• Truck Festival Small indie festival with a strong youth focus, popular with local young bands
• Cropredy Legendary folk festival in an Oxfordshire Village
• Cornbury Big-name festival with a family feel
• Garsington Opera Festival World-renowned month-long festival of opera in Garsington Manor

There are also smaller events all over the county, including events in the winter. Whatever your taste in music, you should be able to indulge it thoroughly.