On a sultry Sunday afternoon in September, The Oakstone Trio - Josh Newman on fiddle and viola, Louis Thurman on melodeons, and Mitch Keely on guitar - arrived at The Hideaway in Guildford to play a brilliant, sold-out gig.
The trio hardly had time to cool off and set up as members of the audience had wandered in early, seeking shelter from the glorious afternoon sun. Luckily, the wonderfully efficient staff at The Hideaway had already laid out the cream teas and it wasn’t long before the polite debate of “jam first or cream first” rippled across the room.
Fortified by the cafe’s impressive selection of cold drinks (including a new, untried San Pellegrino flavour), Josh, Louis and Mitch were ready to perform within 20 minutes of setting foot in the place - one of the advantages of an intimate space where no PA was needed. Despite the heat, the energy that they put into their first set of tunes got everyone’s feet tapping. “These guys must play a lot for dancing!” someone whispered to their neighbour.
The Oakstone Trio grooving to Playford!
In addition to being superb instrumentalists, the trio also proved to be strong vocalists, performing individually, as well as together in gorgeous harmony. Our personal highlight was Louis’ beautiful version of Hares on the Mountain / Elizabeth Clare. (We had listened to the Chris Wood and Andy Cutting version almost obsessively many years before.)
This was Folk Inspiration’s first afternoon tea gig and from the audience’s reaction, The Oakstone Trio played an absolute blinder! Soon it was 6 pm and time for encores and thank yous.
“Brilliant idea perfectly executed. Marvellous performance by lads and great service by the café team in a great intimate setting. Never had Folk and cream tea before. They went very well together. Thanks again.”
(Thanks for your lovely comment Peter! Folk Inspiration xxx)
Given Guildford's association with the author Lewis Carroll, we couldn't resist making a reference to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in this post-gig blog. At the end of the Mad Hatter’s mournful tale about time stopping at 6 o’clock after the Queen of Hearts's tantrum, Alice asked: “Is that the reason so many tea-things are put out here?” “Yes, that's it!” said the Hatter with a sigh, “it's always tea time.”
On this particular Sunday afternoon, we all wished it would always be tea time with The Oakstone Trio!
Image credits: All photos by Jo Hughes, Folk Inspiration
Support The Oakstone Trio
Although they didn’t have any CDs to sell, the good news is there is a debut album coming soon! Follow them on social media for news of their album launch. You can also listen to Josh’s solo album on Spotify. All links are on The Oakstone Trio website.
Support The Hideaway and Matrix Trust
Make The Hideaway your go-to place for a relaxing breakfast, brunch or lunch in Guildford, they're open Tuesday to Saturday, and tell your friends about this hidden gem!
You can also make a donation to Matrix Trust
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