Preview: St Boswells live local showcase

A whole set of music is devoted to budding musicians from around the Borders and southern Scotland, after which one of the finest buskers in the world will be taking to the stage.

Headlining the show, on Saturday April 30, Jenny Biddle will perform a set of original songs and covers from her extensive repertoire, built up over many years of busking and performing in her native Australia. With five albums under her belt, Melbourne’s Best Busker 2010-2012, Jenny Biddle plays a feisty guitar, gets that blues harmonica squawking, soothes your soul with her haunting piano parts and poignant lyrics, ingenious cover versions, empathetic original songs, and endearing personality, all from one 5-foot-tall songstress. Now based in Scotland, the Australian songsmith is working on material for her 6th album.

According to Australian producer and former Thirsty Merc guitarist, Sean Carey, “Jenny Biddle is one of the most talented people I’ve met. She can play just about any instrument with strength and soul, she writes amazing songs, interprets other artists songs as though she created them herself and she essentially lives and breathes music. She even builds her own b****y guitars! She’s the real deal and one of the most genuine, inspiring people I know.”

Jenny will be headlining the second half of the evening, while the first half will be devoted to those who have volunteered to play, sing or perform in some other way on our stage, in some cases for their very first time with a professional sound and lighting rig. Promoter Keith Farnish said, “It’s going to be a truly fascinating and energising evening for performers and audience alike. We would love to have a good crowd of people showing how much we value talent in the Borders.”

Tickets are available, priced £6 (£8 on the door) from www.musicglue.com/stboswellslive or at St Boswells Post Office. Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start, and people are invited to bring their own refreshments.