please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
As with all O'Neills pubs, recommended only because it was the only place in the vicinity to be showing a lower division football match on the telly. Otherwise, all 3 ales were off and it's as soulless as one would expect. Also, a band spent an age coming in and out of the back door with their equipment and leaving icy blasts from outside to pepper all and sundry. I'm also trying to get my head round the idea of Help for Heroes branded wine in an 'Irish' pub.
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Normally I dont like to get involved with spats between people and have silently been sitting back and looking at the current comments on this venue after been told about this arguement. But thought somebody had to put the record straight once and for all.
I am in fact speaking from the Band - Punchmonkey we WERE a long time standing cover band at Oneills Oxford for the past three years and loved every minute of it.
But the idea that we would at all cancel any gigs at this venue is a complete fabrication to make us look in a bad light.
People who have seen our band know we work our socks off and try to give the crowd MORE than what the average cover band. We keep our set as modern as possible and update with current charts.
To that point we have recently been Nominated for Oneills Taverns "Cover Band of the Year 2009" and this has proven haow far this band has come but what I dont like is when people attack this band and say we are no commital and let people down.
The Actual facts are simple the Manager decided to reduce the bands wages plan and simple. PM agreed we could not afford to cover the costs of travelling 100 miles to a venue that obviously didnt think we worth our wages.Yet every time we played 20 - 30 people actually turned up to see us and planned their weekends around our diary Fact !! So I wonder was this the right decision as this has alienated people.
To be clear and honest wE have NEVER cancelled a gig without a mass of notice for the venue and we have always provided a deputy band in our absence - Daft.
The reason they say that we missed gigs is to paint the venue in a good light which is more the fact that in truth they reduced our wages to a point where we would operate on a loss to play this venue - our expenses are considerable as we need a cab to transport an extremely large lights and Pa system.
So in the end we cancelled our entire diary and informed Oxford they would no longer have our services.
The rants are a testiment to how loyal Punchmonkey Fans are and I can only thank them for their support in 2009 and hopefully 2010. I add if you want to see us at Oxford again then request us and we'll see what we can do. Saturday gigs always made better sense as it is and was actually our suggestion.
With over a 100,000 hits on our web-site I love playing in this band and the recent endorsements from Shure Microphones and TC Helicon have only added an extra worth and dimension to this band and the show we provide.
I beg all of you to not argue over this just know that we are loyal to everywhere as long as a venue truly appreciates and values this band and what we do we remain faithful until the very end but when it effects finances a hard decision had to be made.
I personally miss playing at Oxford O'neills but the management made the decision to cut our wages if this hadnt happened we would still be there rocking with you now and for years to come..!!
Have a great Christmas . And New Years Eve we will be at Oneills High Wycombe with a whole host of my "personal" guests so if you have never seen Punchmonkey I cordially invite each and everyone of you to come and see an indie/pop/rock cover band that dares to be different.
Rhys (singer Punchmonkey)
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It used to be good in this pub when PUNCHMONKEY played there but now its shit cos they got rid of the BEST band that have played there nothing half as good as them, i dont bother going anymore.
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No, what is even more funny Musiclover81 is the fact that O'Neill's DO have bands on a Saturday night and have done for about two months now! FACT!! Although I guess you wouldn't know as you no longer go there and "wont go EVER again". Well, we won't miss you, it'll be a happier place without you! As for the fact that "They couldnt afford to pay Punchmonkey so they left as they thought by paying less money to "lesser" bands it was easier.(this was told to me by one of the bar staff)". I think you'll find that Punchmonkey were dropped after repeatedly failing to fulfill gigs at O'Neill's by pulling out at the last minute. Yep, they're a fantastic band.
Ger79 - 30 Oct 2009 17:09 |
loulou123 You are obviously a complete Idiot or a girlfriend of those losers Breeze.. AS "he" is a "she" next time actually look at my profile before you call me a liar. and I have a BF too before you start saying a fancy of them. they were just the best band EVER to play Oxford Oneills in our opinion.
Fact !! there are shite bands that play oneills oxford still and we wont go EVER again ..
Fact !! They couldnt afford to pay Punchmonkey so they left as they thought by paying less money to "lesser" bands it was easier.(this was told to me by one of the bar staff)
Fact !! Breeze were competition to PM and they are ugly and old and played the same boring set of songs each gig genius mind NOT !
Fact ! When times get tough you've got to keep differentiating yourselves from your competitors and there isnt a band that plays a more different set of "new" songs anywhere
Yes We love Punchmonkey and if you had actually seen the band then you'd know how good they are..not think you've seen them and just tell lies.
So crawl back under the rock you came from or blow the lead singer of Breeze because your obviously their BIG mouth PR..
Emzx
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Even more funny is the fact they dont play live bands on a Saturday in Oxford Oneills..and i've seen that Breeze and they were rubbish.
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What an idiot musiclover81 is! - In fact I wouldn't be surprised if musiclover81 is actually a member of the particular band he praises.
If so I've seen your band and your really average (and ugly!!) But I did get the feeling you were slightly up your own arse - proven by your comments below for everyone to see!
I did see a good band last Saturday in there though, think they were called breeze. Maybe musiclover81 and his buddies should check them out?!
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Good pub, great on Thursdays and Fridays with live music and they've bands on Saturdays as well now. Good bands too irrespective of what Punchmonkey's number 1 fan, Musiclover81, says. Was in last Friday and it was heaving. Great pint of Guinness too. Better than your average O'Neill's.
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Let face it since that stupid manager got rid of one of the best bands ever to play Oxford . They have gone down hill drastically. Its dead in there.. Me and the girls planned our monthly friday nite out around Punchmonkey gigs it was always brilliant and the place was rammed to the roofters.... !!
Now its empty and the Punchmonkey Band have been replaced with some seriously rubbish bands we dont bother anymore what a shame...
We have still gone to see Punchmonkey in Oneills, High Wycombe but to have them on our doorstep was heaven and a monthly event for us.
The bands in there now are just rubbish and you know what they say you pay for quality and they certainly dont have that anymore.
The key ingredient to a live music pub is the draw of the band and they cant get a good crowd with the rubbish they put on there now.
That manager should be sacked...!!!
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Two of the bouncers are really nice and have a great sense of humour. One is a complete ignorant t**t. See if you can spot the difference...
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Corporate blandness overload. Exactly the same as any other O'Neills anywhere.
That said, the Guinness is good and you won't be poisoned by the fare.
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good pint of Guinness, reasonably good food, and alright service.
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Was in there at the weekend with Punch monkey playing. Fantastic band. had a really good night.
anonymous - 11 Jul 2007 21:39 |
Like this pub. Always good bands playing.
anonymous - 15 Mar 2007 02:38 |
Just another crappy corporate concept of what an Irish pub should be like, feels like any other O'Neils.
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Hell hole. A lot of trouble goes down here.
anonymous - 16 Aug 2006 11:35 |
I came here to sing with a live band, PUNCHMONKEY, as a guest for their singer who was on holiday. The pub atmosphere was excellent, a lot better than various O'Neills I have been in. No sign of trouble and the bouncers were friendly. Place gets packed and it was soooo hot in there on stage but this added to the enjoyment of it all.
Go there if you want to see good live music and enjoy atmos with very friendly welcoming punters.
anonymous - 16 Aug 2006 08:40 |
Alright for watching the football and a quick bite to eat thats about it.
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Always busy and full of townies. Thank god that misserabe assistant manageress has left. She could really put a downer on the evening. The staff are slightly more cheerful and helpful than before xmas.
anonymous - 1 Mar 2005 17:49 |
I nipped into this pub for a quick pint last Saturday. I quickly learnt that you weren't allowed to stand at the bar, sit on a stool at the bar or smoke at the bar. All the staff cared about was getting people sat at the tables & ordering food. Even Yates down the road doesn't make it so blatant that they're just after customers' cash.
Dan - 16 Nov 2004 21:34 |
Not as bad as it could be, but it is pricey and takes ages to get served. Its saving grace is that it is open late.
Patrick - 1 Jun 2004 10:22 |
You know exactly what this place is going to be like before you even get in the door, another bloody Irish chain pub. They also have a real problem with 'hattitude' in here, my mate was chucked out for wearing a baseball cap that said Koh samui on it. Daft bastards.
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Yes this place is the second most boring place in Oxford. Wildly expensive - don't go here!
Peter - 9 Nov 2003 17:36 |
I didn't think it was that bad, but i've bin in better O'Neills, and come to think of it, more lively morgues.
Sean - 26 Oct 2003 13:23 |
Allan is on the ball with this one. There are loads of these places in city centres all over the place - don't go !!!
Andy - 29 Sep 2003 14:09 |
