‘Truly special’ Lost Trades

The Lost Trades at ACE Space, Newbury, on Saturday, April 20

Review by SIMON COATES

ANOTHER fantastic evening of music put on by the team at ACE Space and it was great to be a part of the large and appreciative audience.

The evening began with the first ever performance by Newbury band Serein, made up of ACE Space Open Mic night regulars Tom and Dan Digweed and vocalist Jen Williams.

While there were understandable first-gig nerves, the trio displayed impressive musicianship and it will be interesting to watch their development as they grow in confidence and increase their repertoire, sound and stage presence.

It might not be the worst thing in the world if the increasingly awful dad jokes were quietly retired though…

After the interval it was on to the main event – the Wiltshire trio The Lost Trades.

Another relatively new band (they formed in 2019), their members, Tamsin Quin, Jamie R Hawkins and Phil Cooper, have a huge amount of individual skill and experience which, when put together, leads to something truly special.

The band have been compared to Fleetwood Mac and I could see why.

Tamsin’s voice, to my ear at least, had more than a little Stevie Nicks about it, their harmonies were just as sharp and one track, early in the second half of their set, brought to mind The Chain – I wouldn’t have been at all surprised if they’d broken into a bassline so familiar to Formula One fans in recent decades.

But, unlike Fleetwood Mac, their harmony seemed to extend well beyond the music itself, as the three all clearly genuinely get on and enjoy each other’s company, and this led to an extremely happy feel to the gig.

Even song subjects as serious as death and the end of the world were given an upbeat treatment, with thoughtful, heart-felt lyrics, the band members passing their instruments around between them as they each took an equal turn in taking the lead on their own songs.

If you enjoy close harmony and highly skilled multi-instrumentalism, keep an eye on The Lost Trades; if they’re performing near you take the opportunity to see them live as you will be in for a treat.

The next two gigs, on May 24 and June 21, have a strong international feel with performances from The Hackles (US) and Charm of Finches (Australia) respectively – both of which are not to be missed.

Get your tickets early to avoid disappointment!