I paid a visit (long overdue) to The Original Songwriters showcase evening on 4/8 - an event that takes place every Tuesday at the FYMFYG Bar near Bethnal Green Tube Station. As always the evening is organised by the redoubtable force of nature (aka Pam Robbins) who has been running it for the past seventeen years or so.

I first got to know about TOS in about 1997 when I was managing Lucie Kaz, a talented singer from Hertfordshire. At that time we decided that she needed a live outlet for her performing and, after a bit of searching around, we discovered TOS. It was being held at The Orange (West 14) in Kensington in these days, and after appearing a few times there. Lucie became a firm favourite with the regulars (even having the honour of being selected to perform at the TOS Xmas party in 1998). TOS has been at its new location in East London for a few years now, but only seems to have grown in stature with the change of address.

I was particularly taken by the attention and respect that the audiences gave to each performer, something which couldn't be said for the crowds that used to attend the Kensington gig, where they seemed to see the evening as a social night out where they could compete in loud conversation with what was occurring on stage. Back then a House Band was in attendance every week, but now, I understand, only the first week of every month features the House Band as accompaniment for the artistes, and the remaining weeks are given over to self-contained individual acts or bands.

The night I attended, I took along my daughter Alice Hamilton who is a singer (she already does regular sessions for clients at EQ Studios) and, now that she is writing and recording original material (mainly co-writes with me) wants to find a sympathetic venue where she can perform. We both got a great welcome from Pam at the door (me, very flattered that she remembered me) and then went in to the main room - lots of space and a reasonably sized stage.

The evening is mc'd by Krysten Cummings who started proceedings by singing a couple of her own songs accompanying herself on guitar. Krysten is a brilliant singer, bang-on intonation with a marvellous sense of light and shade. When she sings, she invites you into her world and makes you the richer for the experience. You can guess I liked her! Alice likewise was blown away.

During the course of the evening, Krysten was always sensisive and sympathetic to the acts as she introduced them - always 'larging them up' and giving out little bits of information for us to find out more about them. There isn't space here to describe each act, but two in particular stood out. Matt Heanes, a brilliant soul singer did a great set winding up with his tribute to Marvin Gaye, 'What's Going On'.

The last act Ian Hornal, was well worth the wait. He held the audience spellbound as he sang his own songs accompanying himself on guitar. For his final piece he invited two members of 'The Feeling' on to the stage and we were treated to some harmonies that evoked the best of Crosby Stills and Nash.

Finally, I would highly recommend The Original Songwriters to any writer who wishes to give their songs a live outing -either by their singing them, or getting someone else to perform.

The Original Songwriters

Venue: FYMFYG Bar, 231 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 0EL

Contact: Pam Robbins, (07956 533481) This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it