Top music on its way

A modest start to the Royal Oak Monthly Quiz last night with a small but high quality field of competitors. Astonishingly Pip was part of the winning team, although his contribution was questionable!

We've got a couple of cracking live music dates at the Oak this week, with the Bluegrass Boys in session on Thursday from 8.30; and on Friday, some terrific blues from The Big Blue.

Formed in 1993, the Big Blue is a hard gigging three-piece blues/rock band playing material written by band leader/ vocalist/ guitarist, Stuart Bligh, as well as some other names with whom you may be familiar such as Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and many more. The band have an impressive pedigree and have been featured on Radio 2's Paul Jones show amongst others. You can read more about the band on their website.


Hopefully we'll see you there?

Now, have we started something or what?

Following the beer commercial we posted a couple of days ago .... we've been passed a couple more. These are Australian ... so you've been warned!

Well and truly Twanged!!

Well they came, they saw and they rocked! The long-awaited return visit of the Twang Dragons, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday night saw a huge crowd pack the Royal Oak to the rafters. The band have certainly built up a following over here and this, their second visit to the UK saw them meet up with many old friends they'd made from tour No. 1 - and we weren't disappointed.

The band played their unique mixture of rock 'n roll and country - "Twang Rock", according to lead singer Lisa Hanson - "with a bit of Americana mixed in." Included in the set was a mixture of self-penned songs as well as some cover songs by such artists as Johnny Cash and the Eagles - not to mention a memorable country version of Pinball Wizard which cleverly morphed into Folsom Prison Blues!

The Twangs played a mammoth near 3 hour set - so we reckon we were well and truly twanged!

We can't wait to see them back here again next year!

Next up at the Oak is another evening of Bluegrass this coming Thursday and then, on Friday (2nd November), its the return of the Open Mic Night, with resident compere Steve Stone. Why not join us? If you can sing, play an instrument, recite poetry - then we'd love to see you!

Soon be Christmas?

Some great news for the Oak is on the horizon - it'll soon be Christmas!

We've been roadtesting our Christmas menu - and take it from us, it's going to be good! And we're also about to launch our new Lunchtime menu - more news here soon.

Our last Open Mic Night seems to have caused something of a stir - not least because of Mine Host Carmen's showstopping appearance with a cracking rendition of Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You"! The surprise appearance may not be the last time .... you'll have to join us at our next Open Mic night to find out!

Big news locally this week? The beak is back! Yup, Emu is making a comeback! Apparently, the latest incarnation of our most famous local resident puppet Emu is back on TV next month. His previous owner Rod Hull lived locally until his death a few years ago - and now his son is bringing the thing back.

We can't wait!

Our Bluegrass night at the Oak is becoming ever more popular and the boys will be there once again tonight (Thursday). The session begins at 9.00 pm and you're welcome to pop along and see what all the fuss is about! Tomorrow though, the Oak should see another great evening when The Dawgs hit the place. As their website says, why not say "Howdy" to The Dawgs? If your taste is Cajun or Hillbilly, you've really no excuse not to be there!

The music begins at 9 pm.

See you here?