So here I am again. This is the third time I've been to the Catweazle Club over the years. Each time I've been to a different venue. The North Gate Hall is where I am tonight and where the club's spent most of its ten year history.

The Catweazle is Oxford's high brow acoustic night, more austere than the Exeter Hall, more focused than The Port Mahon.

Rachel Mari Kimber

Dave Noble

Matt Sage

Tonight I'm here because Welsh singer Rachel Mari Kimber is in town.

It's a big risk for a professional to throw their lot in against a mass of unsigned talent, especially here, where you get the cream of Oxford's crop.

There's the risk of being outshone by a hippy and a startling tabla rendition in E flat minor. It doesn't help that I like to treat evenings like this as a mini Eurovision Song Contests.

Play along next time you go to an acoustic night, give each performer a country of origin and then mark them out of ten.So how did the Welsh entry do?

Well the India sitar playing by Dave Noble was unique but lengthy. My brother had given the contest to Matt Sage's love outfit and their beautifully quirky song until it was snatched from their hands by a late entry from a pair of South African drummers.

But for me the Welsh took it by a nose. Rachel might have looked as if she'd been told how to wear trousers by Simon Cowell but her voice was beautiful and the guitar playing varied and robust. The songs were extremely folk but also pleasantly contemporary and even though she sometimes struggled against her own guitar the lyrics were delightfully emotive.

If she's not already played Cropredy she should do next year.