Before I start, there are two things to declare: one being that this was the first time that I have visited the Cornerstone Arts Centre, which is odd considering that I live only about 15 minutes drive away. The second being that this is absolutely not the first time that I’ve seen Katy Rose Bennett perform a ditty or two. She is in fact a childhood friend whose family and various connected musical groups have been a part of my life for quite a few decades. So I’m definitely reviewing the headliner and a quarter of the singers of Isca with a bias and a lot of prior knowledge of the show. And to be honest, Katy and her brother Joe (with other brother Robin being in the audience as chief organiser of the event from Wood HQ) made it very clear that there were a lot of family connections, with plenty of banter with their parents who were also in the audience along with other family members. So we were all collectively friends by the end of the concert, given the level of audience participation that was actively encouraged throughout Katy’s set.
The Cornerstone Arts Centre lived up to its reputation of being one of the most underrated gems in South Oxfordshire. The seating ensured every attendee had a clear view, and for those arriving early, the Nourish Cafe provided a welcoming space for pre (and also mid) show drinks, maintaining its reputation as an open and safe community hub. The event happened on a night when it felt as though (and rumour had it this was true, according to Katy so she must be right) the floodgates had opened across Oxfordshire, the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot provided a very friendly, luminous, and - very importantly - dry sanctuary as well as an excellent outlet for humour of the same description.
This WOOD HQ event (which is part of the local warm-up for the beloved Wood Festival, happening this year from 15th - 17th May - get your tickets now!), saw currently Birmingham-based but very soon to be Abergervenny relocated - ‘folk luminary’ (apparently) Katy Rose Bennett, who was supported by Oxford-based a cappella sextet Isca for a performance that felt like a collective exhale in a venue that encourages exactly that.
The evening began with Isca, an a cappella group whose local reputation is growing rapidly after recent tours with the likes of Stornoway. Performing as a tight-knit but so laid back they might as well have been lying down ensemble, they immediately demonstrated why they are becoming a staple of the regional vocal scene. Their varied set was a masterclass in how to stand together as an a cappella group clearly not only at ease but also enjoying themselves. Lots of choir leaders in that group, I suspect. One local cricket captain, certainly.
Without the safety net of instrumentation, and in fact without the need for it either, they used their voices and bodies to produce all the right kind of sounds you’d expect to hear in the rearrangements to make them sound so familiar. Feet stamping to replace drums, voices mimicking other instruments - it was really fun to watch as well as listen to.
After the interval, we got Katy Rose Bennett as the headliner, who has been a fixture of the folk circuit for over two decades - and at this point, it is clear that this experience shows in her effortless and authentic command of the room. There was excellent discourse about useful nuggets of information (such as Birmingham having streets with houses on them as a way to introduce a song), and armed with her two beloved guitars and a voice that certainly carries with or without a microphone - she delivered a set that balanced vulnerability with not so quiet strength. One of my first memories of her on stage was in our school assembly, where she wore a wetsuit, snorkel and flippers to sing one of her first environmental songs that I’ll never forget. The outfit might have been suitable again this evening, actually.
As a leader of many choirs and singing workshops, Katy is well-known for her love of bringing people together through song - often leading large-scale harmony workshops - and this collaborative spirit was the heart of the second half. The audience weren't left as mere observers - true to her promise, Katy encouraged vocal participation from the crowd, but also knew how to quieten them too. Songs like "Did You See" - a hauntingly simple song - brought a stillness to the room that was almost tactile. Katy’s songwriting often explores themes of love and humanity, connection, nature - quite frequently water based - and on this night, that sense of community felt literal as the audience huddled together away from the deluge.
This concert was a testament to the power of the unadorned human voice to provide simple and emotional connection, as well as the power and complexity of having quite a few Bennetts in one location. Katy Rose Bennett and Isca offered a performance that was emotionally raw and ultimately joyful. For anyone who missed this Wood HQ happening, I highly recommend catching both acts at the upcoming Wood Festival from 15th-16th May, where they are sure to recreate this magic—hopefully under clearer skies. I’m fairly certain that they had quite a few Wood Festival goer regulars in the audience, given the quality of the harmonizing parts that you get to learn in Katy’s workshops. And no doubt a few more newbies will be coming along too.