EMERGING artists and returning favourites will travel from across the globe to perform at the eighth annual SC4M Festival in Winchester next month.

Nine different countries will be represented at the one day indoor festival of Roots and Americana music, which takes place at The Railway on September 10.

Headlining is Australian singer Emily Barker, who will bring her full band to perform songs from her acclaimed new album Sweet Kind Of Blue.

From Sweden hails the genial Benjamin Folke Thomas, a big favourite in Winchester with his wry observational songs, featured on his new live album Acoustic Classics.

Other artists include Peter Bruntnell and Spanish singer Joana Serrat. A late addition to the bill is legendary Winchester punk band The Ba, who have reformed after a gap of 38 years!

The event takes place indoors, from 11 am to 11 pm over two rooms at the Railway Inn, and guarantees no mud and no clashes.

When the first event was held in 2010, the format of a one-day Roots and Americana festival was a new one. It has proved so popular that the format has now become more common, with similar events popping up around the country. This year, for the first time, organisers have introduced a theme.

Organiser Oliver Gray said:“After the strange year we’ve had, I felt strongly that my support for international understanding should be reflected in the music. The theme of this year’s festival will therefore be Internationalism, with artists representing nine different countries.”

“I’m also delighted to say that that all of the artists are either exciting newcomers or musicians who have played at the Railway before and been invited back”.

Tickets are on sale now at £32 (that’s less than £3 a band) from railwayinn.pub.