Rootsenanny

If you don’t have a plan for New Year’s Eve yet, you do now!

Roots Open Mic Night & The Bandwagon present: The Railway Inn’s 2nd Annual Rootsenanny!!

Join us this New Year’s Eve for a fantastic fundraising party in support of Music Venue Trust and Hammersley Homes! Featuring six original music acts, an hour of live party bangers from The Bandwagon, and a Disco to round the evening off.

Last year’s event was a sell-out success, so we know you won’t want to miss it! Grab your early bird ticket now for just £5, available for a limited time only!

Introducing the acts…

Lyla Skyrim

Lyla is a young singer-songwriter from Winchester, Hampshire, who has been writing songs since childhood. More recently, she has been able to demonstrate her original talent at Roots Open Mic and several other showcase events.

Drawing influence from several genres across just as many periods, her over-arching emo style is punctuated with new-romantic and gothic undertones—channelling flavours such as My Chemical Romance and The Cure into poignant and haunting acoustic melodies.

Lyla hopes to release her debut solo single later this year, which is sure to mark the beginning of a successful music career! In the meantime, enjoy one of Lyla’s Roots Open Mic performances here!

Inès Mazdon Delas

Born and raised in Winchester, Inès has been a musical geek from the start. From Frank Sinatra to My Chemical Romance, they would develop the most oddly eclectic taste in music…

Inès has always enjoyed writing music, teaching themself how to play a variety of instruments. Their first conducted piece was the notable “Hallowen” of 2008. (The spelling is intended.)

Graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2022, Inès has been working on their writing, performing at open mics, busking, and recently releasing their first album, ‘Chapter One’, on all streaming platforms. They have also been expanding their writing to theatrical platforms, completing their first musical, “Daddy Issues: A New Musical”.

🎶 Check out their music here 🎶

The Long Shorts

The Long Shorts are a songwriting duo based in the South of England. Chris & Dan grew up listening to the same classic rock and pop bands before picking up guitars to write songs together in their hometown of Winchester. Focusing on Chris’ songwriting, The Long Shorts play upbeat foot-tapping acoustic rock songs about love and life that’ll have you singing along all night.

Two years of gigging have seen them play small and intimate house concerts, mini-festivals and craft beer shops across the South of England. Recent highlights have included supporting Nigel Warne and Simeon Hammond Dallas at The West End Centre in Aldershot and headline gigs at The Place at The Savoy Theatre and Bluebell Roots in East Sussex.

Last month, they released their debut single, ‘In A Band’, soon to be followed by their first EP, ‘Long Story Short. Eager to share the story with you, it will introduce the band – long on friendship, short on time!

Margarita Sleepover

Margarita Sleepover is a narrative stamped by powerful yet nuanced vocal delivery, with a range and distinctive tone that conveys vulnerability and strength from a myriad of thought-provoking sentiments.

Music with a heart full of melodies and a soul-powered voice. Bringing a mix of simple yet raw emotion on a musical storytelling journey and embracing the unforgettable moments of life through the magic of acoustic music. A cocktail of midnight melodies that make up the Margarita Sleepover sound are stories everyone can familiarise with.

🎶Check out her music here🎶

Stevie Simkin and Never The Twain

Never The Twain plays originals and occasional covers drawing on British and American folk and roots traditions.  Stevie brings a wealth of experience with an intricate storytelling songwriting style & a performance that leaves the audience feeling every single note.

Whether performing solo or joined by Dan Conroy on violin, Never The Twain will have you hanging on every word as you experience stories of love, loss, lust, & even the end of the world.  It’s a journey you won’t soon forget!

Check out one of Stevie’s Open Mic performances here!

Simon Maggs + Chris Bluemel (People Like Us)

Simon (vocals & guitar) and Chris (violin) are 40% of the local band People Like Us.  Indie-folkie (sometimes protest-ie) songs draw on relatable real-life stories and contemporary social themes, occasionally with kitchen-sink drama narratives, wry lyrics and reflections on Simon’s northern roots.

Melancholy melodies, along with catchy and uplifting tunes, reflect the influences of the likes of Billy Bragg, The Smiths, Martin Stephenson, Frank Turner, and I Am Kloot.

🎶 Check out their music here 🎶

The Band Wagon

The Bandwagon are one of Hampshire’s best popular covers bands, playing a range of big, well-known pop & rock songs from across 7 decades. These guys offer an abundance of high-energy entertainment – perfect for a New Year’s Eve crowd looking to fill their evening with plenty of dancing & singing along!

Recent testimony includes:

“One of the best bands we’ve ever had here!”

“A really top band who always go down a storm here!”

“I honestly couldn’t recommend these guys more! Go book them!”

So come & see for yourself! You can check out the band’s socials @TheBandwagonUK for more details, but we guarantee they’ll be seeing in 2025 with a bang!

About the charities

Hammersley Homes‘ mission is to provide permanent support for adults who live with enduring mental health challenges and struggle with daily life. There is a growing scarcity of long-term supported housing options for this vulnerable group. Without the safety, security, and sense of community that long-term supported housing provides, they are at risk of falling through the cracks and becoming hospitalised, homeless, or unfairly imprisoned.

Music Venue Trust is a UK-registered charity that acts to protect, secure, and improve Grassroots Music Venues.  Since 2014, they have been working to ensure the long-term future of iconic Grassroots Music Venues. These venues have played a crucial role in the development of British music over the last 40 years, nurturing local talent and providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and performance skills.