Andy Hill (Death of Hi-Fi) attends the Beat-It launch party at Fat Lil's, Witney

The road to stardom for many is seen these days in the context of glitzy TV karaoke competitions or chance discoveries by record company talent scouts. But in reality it’s wet and windy nights in January where only the bravest of souls venture out. It’s particularly apt that it’s one of these nights in Witney that saw the launch of a new music masterclass course. And thanks, to the good souls at Fat Lil’s, it couldn’t have had a better start.

Those who did brave the wintry weather last Thursday saw a feast of music from both old and new performers. Lottie ‘Exonic’ Carter kicked off the night with a blistering set of spitfire rhymes taking on a wide range of topics with an understanding that belies her age.

After a few tunes intermission, spun by yours truly, Keon Berry stepped onstage to deliver one of the highlights of the evening. Keon, a local beatboxer and one of the first people to sign up for the course, wowed the crowd with beats, bass and more all created using just his mouth and a microphone. He is definitely one for the future and, on this evidence, Beardyman, Shlomo and Beatfox face some serious competition.

To fill in a gap in the scheduling some old guy from Death of Hi-Fi demonstrated that talent and age needn’t be a hindrance to performing (of sorts) on stage, but the less said about that the better.

To round off the night in spectacular fashion Rory ‘Rawz’ Campbell, a rapper and youth worker from Oxford, smashed the stage with some powerful, thoughtful rhymes delivered over some heavy beats, the standout being a song dedicated to his son which samples his voice (like a less twee Two of Us).

The compère, Steve Larkin, steered the ship admirably and the crowd left to enter the maelstrom outside, awed and inspired.