THEY’VE just finished playing the biggest show of their career at Glastonbury but Oxford group The ‘Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band’ claim their more looking forward to headlining the Cowley Road Carnival this Sunday.

The talented seven-piece, a fixture on the Oxford music scene for the last three years, played in front of thousands of people during three shows on Glastonbury’s ‘Bourbon Street Jazz and Blues Stage’ last weekend.

Now the ‘Rabbits’ are preparing for their favourite gig of the year as they plan an extra special show to mark their headline performance at the Cowley Road Carnival in South Park on Sunday night.

Band leader and pianist, Stuart ‘Baron’ Macbeth, said: “Carnival is the highlight of our year and it’s a really big deal for us to play there.

“It’s our favourite gig of the year and the one we enjoy playing the most because we all live around Cowley Road.

“A lot of bands from all over the country get a real buzz from Oxford crowds because it’s a great cosmopolitan city and East Oxford has a great party spirit that comes alive during the carnival.

“Playing the carnival means more to us than Glastonbury.”

 The band will be further boosted by the news that their saxophonist John ‘Muggsy’ West, will return to the stage at carnival after missing Glastonbury last weekend as he recovered from a collapsed lung.

Stuart from South Oxford added: “Muggsy is delighted to be back as he was more worried about missing the carnival than missing Glastonbury.”

The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm band will headline the carnival after performances by The Empty Vessels, Secret Rivals and main stage openers the jazz funk band The Heavy Dexters.

The Heavy Dexters’, a six piece from Oxford are playing at the carnival for the first time this year.

Drummer Stephen Law said: “Cowley Road Carnival is undoubtedly one of the coolest events of the Oxford year, and we are delighted to be playing.”