Yes, it's a coffee shop... And while the java is pretty good, it's not what's drawing a very devoted group of music fans from up and down the East Coast to the small town of Ashland, Virginia.
Your first thought after walking into Ashland Coffe and Tea may be, "Okay, this is just a coffee shop." And yes, you will find the mismatced chairs, knicked tables, gently worn sofas, hungover college kids on laptops, cereal bowl-sized coffee mugs, chalk board menu and the conerstone book exchange shelves that answer back, "Yes, I am a coffee shop... a coffee shop with one of the best kept secrets in the Richmond area!"
When the famed "Listening Room" (the back dining room of the restaurant) is opened for business, Friday and Saturday (sometimes Thursday) nights see the transformation of this seemingly quaint coffee shop into a mandatory stop on the Alternative Country and Americana concert circuit of some very talented up and coming artists from all over the country. In many cases, the artists are on the verge of "making it" and you'll be able to see them live for a fraction of the price and you'll be able to say, "I knew them when..."
The Listening Room's intimate playing space makes it attractive to artists trying to build a loyal fanbase. It is not the place to go for deep meaningful conversation or loud chit-chat. There is an active Amtrak station adjacent to the restaurant, but some regular artists play the scheduled train passings/stops to their advantage. Listening Room regulars, Last Train Home, have a song written specifically for the occassion!
If you're a fan of BR549, Sam and Judy Miller, Junior Brown, Slaid Cleaves, The Flatlanders or even if you're just sick of what you hear on the local radio stations, you must give Asland Coffee & Tea's concert series a go. This really isn't the commercial country music of Shania Twain or Toby Keith.
Schedule, tickect purchases and artist information are available on the Ashland Coffee and Tea website. Do buy tickets in advance. One, it's cheaper; two the Listening Room is small and attracts regulars so shows sometimes sellout.
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