History

How it all began

The concept for “Simple” was born in 1999 between good friends Nick Gladwin and Sean Holbrook.  After a particularly long and disappointing clubbing weekend in Manchester, Nick and Sean decided, over a much-needed cup of coffee, that there was no reason why they couldn’t put their heads together and stage events back at home in Oxford.

Simple launched soon after with a string of hugely successful bank holiday parties at the then Bar Baby on Cowley Road in Oxford.  A weekly radio show on the excellent online station, Mezzmusic, soon followed, whilst Simple also began hosting room 2 at The Coven on Saturdays.  Simple established its first regular monthly event in 2001, at The Cellar in Oxford.  After two years of top notch Saturday nights, they moved venue to the slightly larger Backroom @ The Bully on Cowley Road in October 2003.  The first Saturday of the month has come to be known, quite simply, as “Simple Saturday”.  In 2007, Simple teamed up with the owner of Simple's first home, Bar Baby, to completely refurbish and re-launch it as Baby Simple - the pre-party and after-party venue for many a night...

Over the last few years headliners have included The Freestylers, Switch, Mr C, Rennie Pilgrem, Erol Alkan, Groove Armada's Tom Findlay, Touché, Kissy Sell Out, Annie Mac, Streetlife DJs, Lottie, Audiojack ... the partying just won’t stop!