It is an unfortunate but well-known fact that nightlife is in global decline – and Oxford is certainly no exception to this. In a city where the electronic music scene is sparse at best and, at worst, virtually non-existent, the impact of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis has been unforgiving. However, from the rubble of a lineage of lost venues and failed event productions, Simple stands as a cornerstone of Oxford’s electronic music scene. Simple is the longest running underground club night still alive in Oxford. Despite the threats of venue closure, rising costs and dwindling partygoers, Simple has stood firm, drawing in internationally renowned DJs to our small city, which is otherwise so desperately lacking in electronic music. Some recent headliners from the last few years include both industry legends and newly emerging favourites: HAAi, Batu, Call Super, Joy Orbison, Helena Hauff, Ben UFO, and Shanti Celeste – to name only a few.
How is it that in this small, unforgiving city – where venturing beyond Bridge incites genuine terror and Indie Fridays at the O2 is as ‘underground’ as most will go – that Simple has managed to stand the test of time? To find out, I spoke to local promoter Nick Gladwin, the man who brought Simple to life 26 years ago.
After a night out in Manchester that felt nothing short of revelatory, Nick returned to Oxford with a sense of frustration. The city’s underground rave scene had always thrived, but beyond those illicit gatherings, the presence of electronic music was small. That night in Manchester had been something different. It was a feeling of freedom that Nick couldn’t shake – a freedom he knew Oxford was missing. And so, he decided to bring it home.
Just like that, Nick’s brainchild Simple was born – fittingly named after a brand of soap. Simple’s philosophy has always been the same: straightforward, no-frills, good quality music. Their first venue was a cocktail bar on the end of Cowley Road, Bar Baby, which has now been turned into an estate agent’s. Eventually, as their reach began to grow, they secured their first big gig in The Coven. Nick described The Coven as one of the city’s only underground clubs, standing on Oxpens Road from 1978 until its closure 33 years later.
After the unfortunate closure of The Coven, Simple had the opportunity to move to a new venue, The Cellar. The Cellar was one of the last truly independent grassroots venues alive in Oxford. Standing on Cornmarket Street next to Plush, The Cellar ran live music events for nearly five decades, housing bands like the Foals. In 2018, however, Oxford lost The Cellar due to a planning application from the landlords who hoped to redevelop the retail space upstairs. They wanted to turn the venue into staff toilets and a storage space, an experience which the ex-owner Tim Hopkins described as ‘“absolutely gutting.” With the loss of that landmark venue, Simple have found themselves in The Bullingdon, where they have stayed ever since.
Nick tells me that the loss of all these venues has been “detrimental” to the electronic music scene in Oxford, and to the nightlife here more widely. Whilst The Bullingdon still houses electronic music nights, Nick says this is not enough to keep a scene thriving: “you need venues that complement each other.” The loss of The Cellar felt like the final nail in the coffin for Oxford’s dance music scene.
During the interview, we also discussed the effect of the pandemic on the music landscape in Oxford – another factor which has drastically changed things. Nick says that Simple tended to be passed down between students like a baton, but the pandemic caused them to miss out on two to three years of incoming freshers. According to Nick, the number of tickets they can expect to sell post-covid has almost halved and the scene has “changed completely.” Getting crowds in after the pandemic simply isn’t easy – since then Nick has been running Simple more as a labour of love than as a profit-generator.
Despite the rising cost of venues and DJ fees, Nick has remained dedicated to keeping his ticket prices affordable, so much so that they have decreased. “People aren’t partying and drinking like they used to,” he tells me. Despite the huge DJs he is drawing in, Simple is just not generating the enthusiasm that it used to. At the same time, mainstream club nights seem to have no trouble packing in 1,500 people weekly. “A lot of people just aren’t there for the music anymore,” Nick admits. “It’s frustrating to bring in these insane acts and not get the engagement.” In spite of this, Nick is dedicated to keeping his nights as financially accessible as he can.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom – Nick assures me that there is a silver lining. Despite the changing landscape of the dance music scene, Simple is by no means at death’s door. It’s still going strong, drawing exciting acts into Oxford and almost single handedly keeping the electronic music scene afloat for those select dancers who love the music. Nick also says that there is a certain beauty in the smaller and more intimate club nights – “You know that everyone on that dancefloor is there for the right reason. They love the music.” He tells me that he has been seeing some of the same faces there for 26 years, people who have grown and evolved with Simple. It’s great to see those same people coming back, reuniting on the dance floor.
With venues vanishing and crowds dwindling, the future of Oxford’s nightlife remains uncertain. But if one thing is clear, it’s that Simple endures as a landmark of Oxford’s music scene – not because it’s easy, but because people like Nick refuse to let it die. The music is still here, and the passion is certainly still here – we just need the spaces and the support to keep it alive.