11th November 2016 (SCE #3)

The Details

Date: Wednesday, 11th November, 2015

Venue: St Margaret's House, Bethnal Green E2 9PL

Time: 7.30pm

Entry: £5.00

Travel: Bethnal Green Tube, 254, 388 and others

The Performers

Theo Bard is a man on a mission. Whether rocking late-night shows with his band, spellbinding listening audiences with his beautiful, heartfelt songs and storytelling to match, or singing his unique urban folk songs as a vagabond one-man-band busker, Theo always brings a music and a vibe that feels just right.

Website

 

Harry Harris has been writing songs for 10 years, influenced as much by English and American folk music as by indie-rock bands like Eels, Counting Crows, and The Hold Steady. Signed to Wild Sound Recordings, his latest album, Songs About Other People, is listed as one of the Telegraph's best folk albums of 2015, and is exactly what it says it is - 10 story songs about other people, some real, some made-up, some somewhere in between

Website

 

Simon Hopper is the founder and host of Song Club East. See earlier posts in this blog.

Website

The bar's been raised...

It was a night of lovely contrasts, beautiful songs and outstanding playing. Our guests Michael Garrett and Louis Brennan were both magnificent last Wednesday at our second SCE concert.

Michael Garrett

Michael's voice is light and  mellifluous; Louis' can make Tom Waits sound sweet. Michael draws us in with intriguing stories of historical characters and their devious deeds; Louis dares to tell the truth of his own heavyweight life experiences and challenges us not to look away. Both are consummate songwriters. Michael crafts his songs of others very finely, betraying a precise skill. Louis has an ear for a heart-skipping, 'did-he-really-sing-that?' line which demands a different kind of attention. They're both great artists and we were treated royally by their performances of the songs they've written.

Louis Brennan

We also found out a little about the what, why, when, how, where and who of their writing as they patiently responded to the host's (my) prompting. We learned that Louis likes to create in the prone position, that he listens to Leonard Cohen and that alcohol may play some part in the process. Michael is a fan of country music and loves writing as much as performing.

The host (me) played, too; a mixture of new and old, stories of London and California and sad songs with happy tunes (or 'Stealth Misery' as they're now known).

Our second evening was a top-quality affair. The bar's been set high.

Now for SCE#3: November 11th, 7.30 featuring Theo Bard - complete with recently released EP - a second guest TBC and yours truly.

If it's as good as SCE#2, it's going to be great.

14th October 2015 (SCE #2)

The Details

Date: Wednesday, 14th October, 2015

Venue: St Margaret's House, Bethnal Green E2 9PL

Time: 7.30pm

Entry: £5.00

Travel: Bethnal Green Tube, 254, 388 and others

The Performers

Louis Brennan is a Singer Songwriter from Dublin, Ireland based in London. His songs deal with anxiety on public transport, dissatisfaction in the workplace and the minutiae of modern despair. He enjoys a cool drink on a warm evening as much as any man and his dulcet tones and mellifluous plucking have graced the stages of many notable watering holes. A long player record of his sad ballads has been mooted for 2016.

Website

Michael Garrett is new to the folk circuit, pairing soft, powerful melodies with a distinctly narrative songwriting style. With  influences from traditional Irish folk, and occasional hints at Americana, Michael is quickly gaining popularity in London's growing folk music scene. 

Website

Simon Hopper is your host.

Website