Truck Festival is an annual independent music festival in Oxfordshire, England. Truck Festival started in 1998, founded by the Bennett family (including the brothers Robin and Joe of the band Goldrush). The Bennett family decided that mainstream festivals such as Glastonbury had become too commercial and predictable. Truck Festival is held in July at Hill Farm in Steventon, Oxfordshire, which lies between Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage. The festival also gave birth to the Truck Records label in 1999.
The main stage was originally constructed from three large flatbed trucks, giving rise to a common misperception is that this is where the name of the festival comes from. However, in 2007 Robin Bennett wrote on the official Truck website: "Contrary to popular belief, the name Truck actually came from a compilation CD I picked up, 'Ten Trucking Greats', the soundtrack of the movie Convoy."This Is Truck website – About the Festival
Overview Truck Festival has grown somewhat since its inception, but with an annual attendance of around 30,000 it is dwarfed by the likes of Glastonbury (around 210,000 people) and Reading/Leeds. Part of Truck's appeal to fans is that it can be viewed as a microcosm of these larger festivals, with a similar layout and facilities but on a more manageable scale. Due to a variety of factors, chiefly the layout of Hill Farm, it is highly unlikely that Truck has any potential for significant growth in the near future.
Hill Farm remains very much a working farm, shutting down only temporarily to allow the festival to take place each year. One of Truck's six stages is the so-called "Barn That Cannot Be Named"—a cow shed with a stage set up at one end—which, despite the rich smell of manure, remains an ever-popular place to watch bands and comedians at the festival. The Barn mainly plays host to metal, emo, hardcore and punk acts during the day, then on Saturday evening turns into an arena for drum and bass and other dance music, returning to its rock incarnation on Sunday.
Other stages include Trailer Park (renamed The Village Pub in 2008), a marquee in the main arena which features the more esoteric indie bands during the day, and breakbeat on Saturday night; the Lounge (renamed the Beat Hive in 2008), a smaller marquee which used to specialize in more ambient and chilled performances during the day, and trance during the night but now plays host to a number of local, national, and international bands and DJs as well as a range of electronic music; the Market tent, which is set in the market area a short walk from the main field and features mainly folk-oriented music, becoming a retro disco/karaoke venue on Saturday night; and the Theatre/Fringe tent (renamed the Pavilion in 2008), which hosts non-musical acts such as theatrical performances, stand-up comedy, performance art and spoken-word performers.
The festival prides itself on its family atmosphere, with all of the site services being provided by local groups: the food stall is run by the local Rotary Club, and ice cream is sold by the local vicar. All profits from the festival go to charity.
A compilation album is released each year on Truck Records to coincide with the festival, featuring tracks (mainly studio recordings) from various bands playing at the festival.
Several sister festivals have been launched in recent years. The annual Wood festival, at Braziers Park in Oxfordshire, was first held in 2008 and is run with an emphasis on the environment. EquiTruck has been held in January every year since 2006,BBC – Oxford – Entertainment – Equitruck at the midpoint between Truck Festivals, and is run by the Truck Festival bar staff. UniTruck was created out of the abandoned 2007 Truck Festival, which had to be moved to Oxford Brookes University at short notice. The first two festivals (in July and November 2007) were held at Oxford Brookes, followed by an event in December 2007 at Bucks New University in High Wycombe, which has become an annual event (now in November). Truck America was launched in April 2010, at the Full Moon Resort in New York City.Truck America
After a difficult 2011, with poor ticket sales threatening the future of the festival, Robin and Joe Bennett announced they would be stepping down. The festival continued in 2012 under the management of the Y Not Festival and the event was sold out.Hughes, Tim. "Oxford's Truck Festival IS Back – And It's Under New Management", Oxford Mail, 19 July 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012. Superstruct Entertainment, the live entertainment platform backed by Providence Equity Partners, owns the festival after it entered a definitive agreement for the acquisition of several live music and entertainment festivals from Global Media & Entertainment and Broadwick Live in April 2019.
In 2019 the capacity of the festival was 10,000.
Years
Truck One
Was held on 22 September 1998.
Truck stage Saturday 22 SeptemberNought ATL Nebula Fan Modine Black Candy Holy Roman Empire Swiss Merlin
Truck Two
Now extended to two days, Truck Two was held on the weekend of 10–11 July 1999
Sunday night headliners were King Prawn. Other acts included Black Candy, Lab-4 and Dustball.
Truck stage Saturday 10 July Sunday 11 JulyDustball Samurai Seven ATL Frigid Vinegar Wonderland Canola Nebula Mecca Four Way Trauma Chamfer Moonkat Holy Roman EmpireKing Prawn Whispering Bob Four Storeys Dolly Overground Hester Thrale Vade Mecum Murry the Hump Black Candy Winnebago Deal
Barn stage Saturday 10 July Sunday 11 JulyFull Frontal Assault Orko Saloon Skinny Arm The Stars of Track & Field (Oxford) Kamikaze Kitten Suntrap VenusBlack Candy Mindsurfer Callous The Return of Id Jacuzzi Fiasco Abraham Lincoln Dream Lowblow Merlin Tickets cost £5 for the weekend.
Truck Three
On the weekend of 22–23 July 2000. Bands that played included The Blue Aeroplanes and Rothko.
Truck stage Saturday 22 July Sunday 23 JulyNarco Seafood Whispering Bob Goldblade Pluto Monkey The Samurai Seven Canola Jack Drag Black Candy The Junket Twinjet Superstar The Rag Foundation Vade Mecum Red2 AutopsyUnbelievable Truth Tom Hingley Blue Aeroplanes Pecadiloes Matt Evans Four Storeys The Arlenes Medal Julie Murphy Vigilance Black Special Saloon Interseed Wingnut (james kennedy) Tim Cairns' band Relationships
Barn stage Saturday 22 July Sunday 23 JulyRothko The Klyvz The Edmund Fitzgerald KaitO Frogmen in Pursuit Hester Thrale Big Speakers Black Nielson The Rock of Travolta Deep Red Groove ScuzzsonicJOR Brutal Delux Mote Mindsurfer Headcount Inline Sk8ing Barbies Defenestration Autonomy High & Mighty Cobalt 60 Stoofa Dilutural Shouting Myke Waste Monkey
Tickets cost £10 for the weekend.
Truck Four
On the weekend of 21–22 July 2001, Truck was headlined by The Rock of Travolta, who had recently supported Radiohead on their homecoming concert at South Park. The lineup included local bands such as Four Storeys and The Samurai Seven, as well as cult Glasgow band, Cannon and John Otway.
Truck stage Saturday 21 July Sunday 22 JulyThe Rock of Travolta Goldrush Murry the Hump Dustball Jor Electralane The Four Storeys The Samurai Seven Tongue & Groove Blue Kite Marconi's VoodooBlack Candy Six by Seven Seafood Fonda 500 Don Mandarin Black Nielson Joel Plaskett Emergency John Otway Marianne Hyatt
Barn stage Saturday 21 July Sunday 22 JulyMo-Ho-Bish-O-Pi Meanwhile, back in Communist Russia... KaitO Finlay X-1 Manatee South Sea Company Prospectus Cannon Captain Howdy Moonkat MoozMenlo Park Chineseburn Smilex One Dice Faith in Hate Stoo*fa Coma Kai Antonia
Tickets cost £15 for the weekend.
Truck Five
Truck Five took place on 20–21 July 2002. As usual, the lineup was largely taken from the local music scene, including bands like Meanwhile, back in Communist Russia... and Eeebleee, but also with upcoming bands from further afield such as Lapsus Linguae.
Other acts included were; Antonia, Black Nielson, Caretaker, Cat on Form, Chris TT, Dustball, Finlay, Edible 5 ft Smiths, Fonda 500, Goldrush, Jetplane Landing, Jim Crosskey, KTB, Lapsus Linguae, Lightyear, Luke Smith, Mountain Men Anonymous, National Prayer Breakfast, Pug, The Rock of Travolta, Rachel Dadd, Scott Parker, Six Ray Sun, 65 Days of Static, South Sea Company Prospectus, Toby Kidd, Torqmada and The Young Knives.
Truck stage Saturday 20 July Sunday 21 JulyJetplane Landing Goldrush Fonda 500 Black Nielson The Young Knives Six Ray Sun McLuskySouthsea Company Prospectus Handsome Family Chris T-T Marconi's Voodoo
Barn stage Saturday 20 July Sunday 21 JulyThe Rock of Travolta Meanwhile, back in Communist Russia... Dustball Lapsus Linguae Cat on Form Edible 5 ft SmithsLightyear Jor Coma Kai Winnebago Deal The Band That Cannot Be Named Sextodecimo Caliber
Trailerpark Tent Saturday 20 July Sunday 21 JulySeafood The Samurai Seven The Four Storeys Mackating KTBTompaulin Tongue & Groove Antonia
Tickets cost £15 if they were bought before the end of June 2002, rising to £20 after.
Truck Six
19–20 July 2003 saw bands like British Sea Power and The Futureheads supporting Goldrush, who teamed up with Mark Gardener from Oxford band Ride to headline the festival.
Tickets cost £20 for the weekend if bought before the end of June 2003 rising to £25 after.
Truck Seven
Held on the weekend of 24–25 July 2004
Headliners on Friday were Japanese power trio Electric Eel Shock and on Saturday Brighton's Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. Other Acts who played included; Goldrush, Buck 65, Cristian Vogel, Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez, Black Nielson, KTB, Dive Dive, Chris T-T, Kaito, MC Lars, Trademark, Toulouse, Days of Grace, Tiger Club, eeeblee, Villa Real, Nervous Test Pilot, The Evenings, Piney Gir, Luke Smith, Igloo, I Love Lucy, Black Madonnas, Swearing at Motorists, Sunnyvale Noise Sub-Element, The Epsteins, The Shit, Stars of Aviation, Lach, Kate Garrett, Thomas Truax, Chantelle Pike, The Mon£yshots The Henry Big Band, The Orff Orchestra, and The Schla la las.
Tickets cost £25 if bought before the end of June 2004, rising to £35 after.
Truck Eight
In 2005 the event took place on 23–24 July and was headlined on Saturday night by Biffy Clyro and on Sunday by The Magic Numbers. Other acts near the top of the bill included The Raveonettes, MC Lars, Do Me Bad Things and Goldrush.
Tickets cost £27.50 for the weekend if bought before the end of June 2005 and £37.50 if bought after.
Truck Nine
The 2006 festival took place on 22–23 July. Tickets went on sale online from 1 March and sold out in a record eight days, although to safeguard against complaints from locals that outsiders were taking over a small, local event, tickets were also available from 1 February at just eight Oxfordshire shops.
The headlining acts were The Futureheads on Saturday and Mystery Jets on Sunday. Other acts near the top of the bill included Hundred Reasons, ¡Forward, Russia!, Goldrush, Brakes, MC Lars, Skindred and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (Saturday); and Regina Spektor, Young Knives, Seth Lakeman, The Electric Soft Parade, Buck 65 and Chicks on Speed (Sunday).
BBC 6 Music covered the festival for the first time, with Marc Riley and Andrew Collins among those in attendance. Truck Nine also abandoned the traditional early finish on Sunday night by allowing camping over two nights.
Tickets cost £40 for the weekend.
Truck Ten
Truck Ten was originally scheduled for 21–22 July 2007. Tickets sold out in just three days. However, due to flooding (see 2007 United Kingdom floods), the festival was postponed the day before it was due to start. A replacement event was quickly arranged at Oxford Brookes University, featuring some of the bands who were scheduled to play the festival.