Busking The Night Away

Forget Simon, Sharon, Louis and Danni – if you really want to be a star, The Halfway House pub in East Sheen is the place to be.

‘The Busk Factor’, set up by local musician Siobhan Dodd, is an open mic night with a difference. A new approach to musicians’ nights is needed in the capital, according to Dodd, who runs the event with her guitarist brother-in-law Dan Grinter.

“All the open mic nights we have seen in London have tended to be very serious,” she says. “We prefer the atmosphere of the event to be non-judgmental and fun.”

This unique theory certainly brings a lively quality to the evening. Participants receive party bags for performing, and the laid-back atmosphere is a breath of fresh air.

“Musicians deserve a treat for playing and singing”, Dodd says. “With the party bag idea, I had this great image of musicians swapping crayons and bonding over a lollipop.
It’s an extra quirk which adds to the atmosphere and keeps it fun.”

At the premiere event last month, the audience were treated to an acapella version of ‘If I Were a Rich Man’, a haphazard but inspired rendition of ‘Sheila’s Wheels’, and a fair bit of energetic dancing as the night wore on.

Another unique aspect of this event is the family connection – Dodd’s family band, ‘The Elastic Band’, headline the night, and there is a camaraderie amongst them rarely found among other musicians. Dodd pays tribute to Michael Upjohn’s ‘Buskers Express’, one of the longest-running open mic events in Surrey.

“There was a lovely atmosphere to it, and I first sang there aged 14,” she says. “Dan and I really appreciated the opportunities ‘Buskers Express’ gave us as young musicians, and we wanted to set up something similar in this area, to give those same opportunities to others. We don’t know of any events like this which offer a platform for new songwriters.”

Dodd has had her very own brush with fame – she auditioned for the first series of ‘X Factor’ – and she stresses that no matter what their standard, all local musicians should come along to The Busk Factor.

“People don’t have to have perfectly polished performances, they can ‘busk’ if they forget the words,” she says.

There are high hopes for the long-term status of the event, which runs every month.

“Buskers Express has been running for ten years,” says Dodd. “So that’s what we should try to aim for!”

'The Busk Factor' is on next at 'The Halfway House', East Sheen on Sunday 21st October at 8pm. To book a performance slot, email thebuskfactor@hotmail.co.uk.

www.myspace.com/thebuskfactor

Sam Blackledge