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STRING JAM CLUB SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 2011
Well-deserved winners Torino from Galashiels got together in late 2009 and this was their first ever visit to the club, but rest assured it won’t be their last. Citing their main influences as Radiohead, Turin Brakes and Birds of Tokyo, they have appeared on the same stages as Frightened Rabbit and Dawn of the Replicants & have built up a strong fanbase wherever they play. The String Jam Club offered a very special intimacy and connection with our very appreciative and listening audience which they really loved. Torino’s writing blends many influences from pop culture but their key ingredients have to be their great melodies and the powerhouse vocals of Paul Blackwood, a classically trained singer who must be the Borders best kept vocal secret. They already have an EP out called ‘Newton’s Law’ (available on iTunes) and we await their debut album with anticipation. A very popular choice, chosen hands down by the audience vote.  Photo by Mike Cossar http://www.facebook.com/Torino.Band VIDEO OF STRING JAM CLUB PERFORMANCE BY TORINO Winner of the Panel of Judges Award TOM CLELLAND  Photo by Chris Martin All the way from Lanarkshire, Tom touched our hearts with his engaging & deep storytelling songs. Described as “the van Gogh of songwriting” by the Glasgow Festival of Songwriting, he already has some impressive reviews under his belt and won unanimous approval from our judges. His carefully understated and delicate guitar accompaniment was deceptively simple, yet perfectly fitted the songs like a glove. Tom has been playing in folk clubs for over 10 years now and has three CDs to his name: Little Stories, Life Goes On, and a CD of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poems set to music by himself and various others. Tom’s main influences are Scottish folk music, especially story songs, and Texas storytelling songwriters, and that shines through his work. In his own words: “I can’t imagine a day without music.” http://tomclelland.tripod.com/ Outstanding Performance of the Evening CIERAN HOUSE  Photo by Chris Martin Originally from Dumfries & now living in Hawick, Cieran has been playing guitar since he was about 14 and started singing a few years later. Now in his early twenties, he recently began studying music in Newcastle and is hoping to put an EP together this summer. We hope so as his songs and very focussed performance made a deep impression on us all. In Cieran’s words: “Music is great fun and a great way to connect with others. When someone hears something I wrote and can relate it to their own life journey, I know I've done something right.” ----------------------------------------------------- Other entrants were Norman Lamont, Andrew Holbrook, Rob Nicholson, Fraser Kelly and Kirsty Law. The Professional Panel of Judges: Andy Gray of Merlin Music, Colin MacFarlane, & Bob Lawson Prizes included Merlin Music Vouchers, strings & gear from Merlin Music, cash prize from String Jam Club, free studio time at Sound Station Studio Galashiels Credits: Thank you to Chris Martin, Mike Cossar and Allie Fox for photos.
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