Folk-rock legends Jethro Tull celebrate their 40th Anniversary as a band with a show at Oxford's New Theatre.

Tuesday's gig, called appropriately An Evening With Jethro Tull will feature an unannounced special guest - who, the band assure us, fans will know and recognise.

The show will see flute-bothering frontman Ian Anderson honouring friends, local musicians and many of the band's 26-odd former members,.

Over the past four decades, Jethro Tull have sold over 60 million albums and performed over 2,600 shows in more than 40 countries.

Anderson said he was taking this opportunity to thank Tull fans for their continued support, by performing a bumper show providing a comprehensive trip through their history.

Much of the two-hour show will focus on the first three albums - performing such early favourites as Serenade To A Cuckoo, My Sunday Feeling, Living In The Past, Bouree, A Song For Jeffrey and A new Day Yesterday.

The band will also treat fans to new, unreleased songs, as well as perennial favourites.

Anderson is a fiercely energetic performer, who shows absolutely no sign of slowing down - playing more than 130 shows last year, alone.

However, Anderson says the band will slow down and perform a mere 80-90 shows this year!

With the significant travel involved in touring, Anderson is acutely aware of climate change.

"I have a personal carbon footprint equal to Al Gore's!" he jokes.

"It's large and I'm not happy about it. But, like Al Gore, the upside is that I try to bring something with me on my travels to help awareness.

"Over the years I have planted tens of thousands of trees as a personal carbon offset."

In his personal life, Ian tries to be as green as he can - and takes trains, "travelling economy," he insists.

He uses a Toyota Prius which he call the Pious "because it makes me feel holier than thou!"

And not for the first time, as, throughout the drug-fuelled 60's and 70's Ian insists he never indulged in illegal substances, and followed a clean-living existence.

"However," he adds: "I reserve the right to attempt a more orthodox rock & roll lifestyle in later life!"

Tickets for Tuesday's show cost £25.50 and £28.50. Call the box office on 0844 847 1585.

The Guide still has tickets to give away for the show.

For another chance to win, simply answer the following question: The original Jethro Tull is famous for inventing: (a) the Cornish pasty; (b) the seed drill; (c) the threshing machine.

Email your answers by 7pm on Sunday to tim.hughes@nqo.com Usual rules apply. The editor's decision is final.

10:48am Saturday 5th April 2008

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