Newham Music’s Spring Songwriting course ends with an informal open mic by participants who wish to share their new songs, followed by performances by the course leaders, Emma Scarr, Rob Corcoran and Simon Stanley-Ward. 

Pay what you can. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

Emma Scarr is an award-winning songwriter currently recording her 10th album of self-penned songs.

“Her songs have an unassumingly raw and direct character that derives as much from her plain-spoken writing as from the at times harsh and unforgiving local environment in which her stories and observations are set”  FOLK AND ROOTS

 “Emma is one of the best songwriters around. Her lyrics hover in perfect synchronisation over the right chords telling us what we need to know in the way we need to know.” THE LANTERN SOCIETY

Dublin troubadour Rob Corcoran is a much respected figure on the London roots scene, with folk legend Christy Moore including his version of Corcoran’s ‘Ringing That Bell’ on his recently released live album.

‘From the moment he steps on stage, Corcoran perspires authenticity in that fluent way that a hundred record execs have tried and failed to manufacture’ BBC 6 MUSIC

‘This man can surely sing, and he has a great band behind him. He says some things that need to be said’ CHRISTY MOORE

Described as a country singer at heart with a streak of surreal running through him, Simon Stanley-Ward‘s live shows are engaging, energetic and constantly evolving. At it’s best his performances can be gut-wrenchingly moving and moments later silly, self deprecating and hilarious.

‘Home grown talent! It sounded wonderful!’ BBC RADIO 2

‘Proper country music delivered with style. The album opener ‘Monster Song’ is quite simply one of the best country songs that this reviewer has heard in many a year. Superb album’ AMERICANA UK