ECMA Songwriters Tour making stop at Glasgow Square
Ian Sherwood believes real magic can come out of a songwriter circle.
An upcoming performance at Glasgow Square, and at other venues across the Atlantic provinces, gives Sherwood and four other musicians that opportunity.
As part of the ECMA Songwriters Tour, presented by Atlantic Presenters Association and SOCAN, songwriters representing different areas will be able to collaborate and perform together.
“You’re sort of at your peak of creativity as far as performing,” said Sherwood, the musician participating from mainland Nova Scotia.
It also features Mike Biggar of New Brunswick, Jordan Musycsyn of Cape Breton, Jon Pike of Newfoundland, and Andrew Waite of Prince Edward Island. All of the musicians took part in a two-day songwriting workshop with Ralph Murphy, songwriter, producer and author of Murphy’s Law of Songwriting.
Sherwood said he had heard positive comments from friends about the SOCAN Song House, which aims to provide insight into crafting a hit song, and was fortunate to be chosen for it in 2016.
He didn’t know many of the people in the group well, he said, giving him an opportunity to meet new people and “see what’s going on new-music wise.”
While he doesn’t typically focus on trying to write hit songs, Sherwood said the workshop made him a better songwriter and introduced him to other great musicians.
“When I write, I really try to write from my own perspective as opposed to finding a perspective a lot of people are going to be into,” Sherwood said.
He met most of the songwriters who will be on tour with him through the songwriting camp held during East Coast Music Week, with the exception of Biggar, who took the workshop a year earlier and Sherwood already knew.
He’s still not familiar with them, he said, and will get to know them better while they’re on stage together.
He’s expecting the unexpected and noted set lists can change in a moment if a musician’s song choice doesn’t match the flow established by the last song.
“That’s the excitement. You’re always on your toes.”
Sherwood said they’ve got a wide range of genres covered in the show.
The tour comes to Glasgow Square on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $23 in advance and are available at the venue, online at Ticketpro, any Ticketpro outlet or by phone at 1-888-3119090.