Sidcup Calling

04/09/2026

Sidcup Calling 2026 was... the best YET! I've only just recovered enough to let it all sink in and truly appreciate what an amazing community we're built.

The buckets are safely reunited with the hospice, and the funds we raised will be counted by their team. It can sometimes take a few weeks til we know the exact figure raised, but I've got a really good feeling about it. If you were unable to attend or wish to chip in a bit more, our JustGiving page remains open: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sidcupcalling2026

Special Branch, Dan Francis, Belinda Doherty, Tim Springett, 52 Fridays, Spiral Compass, Nathan Persad Trio, Simmons and the Stags, The Galactix, &Berlin, Modern Syndicate, radioSilence, The Spiders From Sidcup, and M.T. Pockets... you all truly delivered, with sets so perfect for the occasion, and you ALL picked up new fans on the day too which is amazing and deserved.

A huge thanks to Georgie and Dan Cooper, Dan Murphy, and Dan Francis for providing their luxury drum kit, amps, stage piano, and even guitars for our acts to use throughout the day, with zero hesitation and full trust - plus Dan Cooper for helping me with the sound during the daytime.

I'd love to thank Sean Simmons for helping so much with the charity side this year and designing the business cards and banner, Taylor Thomas and Emily Worsfold for running around with the buckets when we couldn't, and Taylor and The Stags for the most entertaining raffle draw that I've ever seen!!

And a huge thank you to all of those who donated raffle prizes - that's the most we've ever had by far!! Special mention to Reece Bailey for lending us his hat to use.

A massive thank you to Colin Richardson, Dave Patten, Martin Edwards, and Mason Pearce, for videoing and photographing the event throughout the entire day, so we can relive the memories and fill in the gaps we can't quite remember!! And Colin, thank you for providing customised Sidcup Caling merchandise to remember the day by, plus printing out running orders to put around the venue - that's such a thoughtful thing to have done.

And a HUGE thank you to all the lovely bar stuff, for working so hard the whole day, keeping up with such a busy bar and being so enjoyable and lovely - with a special thanks to John Reid, the guvnor, for helping so much behind the scenes and providing us with a place we can call our musical home.

Of course an enormous thanks the food team, Bangkok Box LTD, for cooking and serving such delicious food for us throughout the event, and also for contributing a generous donation on top of that.

I'd also like to give a particularly special thank you to the absolutely superb security team. They were such a hoot to work with, while doing such a brilliant job of looking after everyone with genuine care.

And last but absolutely not least, THANK YOU to every single one of you who came to watch on one of the busiest days of the year, donated so generously to our local hospice, and giving our musicians such a supportive audience to play to.

We'd love to do it all again in 2027. But if you can't wait that long, the magic happens every week! Please join us at our open mics on fortnightly Mondays, and our full band jam nights on opposite Wednesdays. The amazing acts you saw on Monday only scratch the surface of the wonderful community who see The Iron Horse as our musical home.

Ultimately that's what makes me so proud of this. It's amazing to make friends and play music together in itself. But once a year, we get to take all that goodwill, friendship, creativity, and talent, and come together to do something genuinely special with it, for people who really need it.

The hope, kindness, benevolence, and enthusiasm you ALL bring is genuinely inspirational.

I'm super proud to be a part of it, and you should too.

With lots of love,
Tom Monks xx

01/09/2026

While the Iron is hot, I'd love to point your attention to our JustGiving page. If you weren't able to make it yesterday or fancy adding more to the pot, we want you to still have an opportunity to contribute.

We unveiled this yesterday via QR codes around the venue as an opportunity for those who'd prefer to donate digitally, and want to put it out there for everyone else, especially while the dust is settling!

Since 2019, Sidcup Calling has raised over £4,000 for our Community Hospice, and we'd love to keep that going this year. There's no pressure whatsoever - no matter how modest or generous, every single penny makes a difference.

Once again a huge thanks to all of you who made Sidcup Calling 2026 what it was. Full writeup incoming once I'm caffeinated!!

Help Tom Monks raise money to support Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice

01/09/2026

I've just got home. I've been awake since my body woke me up automatically at 5:30am. It's now 2am the next day. Was it worth it? YES!!!

Thank you ALL so much - performers, audience, staff, the loveliest security team I've ever met, those who lent gear, those who helped with the fundraising, and those who contributed to the plethora of raffle prizes.

The community TRULY came together at full force!!

I don't wanna speak too soon but I feel like we've raised a substantial sum for our hospice. It'll take a little while to go through the formal process, but we'll let you know as soon as we can.

Full writeup coming soon. I need a b**r first and sleep. I frankly don't know how I can still type. Let alone unwind. But in the meantime THANK YOU ALL!!

~ Tom XX

31/08/2026

TODAY IS THE DAY!! From 2:30pm til late, we've got an amazing lineup of acts from The Iron Horse's open mics and jams coming together for a full day of live music, in celebration of this wonderful community we've built together over the last 12 years.

It speaks volumes that the event has basically put itself together. People have donated raffle prizes, lent equipment, arranged merchandise, travelled to Sidcup from across and even beyond the country, and chipped in however they can. It makes you realise how lucky we truly are to have this community on our doorstep.

And it's all in aid of our Community Hospice! Please bring cash for the buckets and raffle - but don't worry if you're cashless, we'll also have a card reader and QR codes around the venue too. We love to raise as much as we can for a cause so close to many of us.

Under 18's are welcome until 8pm if with a grown-up and away from the bar area. There'll be security looking after us, so please bring ID if you're blessed with youth and wanna stay later!

So come down, bring your mates, grab some raffle tickets, have a drink or twelve, eat some food, have a boogie, support some brilliant musicians, make some lifelong friends, and let's make this the best one YET xx

📍 Address: The Iron Horse, 122 Station Rd, Sidcup DA15 7AB
🚂 Nearest train station: Sidcup (opposite!)
🚌 Nearest buses: 51, 160, 229, 233, 269, 286, 492, Superloop SL3
🅿️ Free parking (shared with M&S) available via Greenwood Close off Hurst Road. Register your number plate at the bar

30/08/2026

Tomorrow is going to be amazing, and we can't wait. To ensure everyone's happy and nobody is caught off guard, there's a few things we would like to give you a heads up about.

‼️ Under 18s are welcome until 8pm if with an adult and not at the bar area. There will be security looking after us again this year. So if you're lucky enough to look youthful but want to stay for the remainder, please have your ID's at the ready just in case!

🚗 The Iron Horse has a small designated car park via Greenwood Close, shared with M&S. If you park there, register your plate inside the pub to avoid any fines. But spaces can be limited. Additional parking is available nearby, but be mindful of restrictions - we want to raise for our hospice, not traffic wardens! The Sidcup Station car park, right by the pub, is spacious, with all-day parking for just £3.50 on Bank Holidays.

🚍🚂The pub is VERY well served by public transport - adjacent to Sidcup Station and served by the 51, 160, 233, 229, 269, 286, 492, and Superloop SL3 buses.

⏰ If you are performing, please aim to arrive at least an hour before your designated slot, just in case - and advise your fans, friends and followers to do so too. Or even better, make a day out of it! If you're running late, let Tom know with as much advance as you can, so he can plan around it.

Now that's out the way, let's focus on fun, music, and charity, and we can't wait. See you tomorrow between 2:30pm and late-pm!! X

30/08/2026

Sidcup Calling is the "open day" for the public to experience the magic we've built up at The Iron Horse's open mics and jam nights. Tell everyone you know. In the meantime, let me introduce you to the final batch:

Tim Springett has an aficionado level of music, and more stamina than what seems humanly possible. His repertoire is LIMITLESS. Pick a random CD in your collection, point at a random track on the back, and he's probably done that. And he does marathons. Yes, he runs them as well, but also musically - when virtual gigs were a thing he did a livestream for FOUR HOURS. NON-STOP. And seemingly had no plans of ending it when his signal gave in. This was almost at sunrise by the way. A rock'n'roller, balladeer, multi-instrumentalist, and pure entertainer packed full of stamina, he is a local legend and we can't wait to welcome him on stage for Sidcup Calling, around quarter past four.

It's an honour to welcome back the wonderful radioSilence to Sidcup Calling this year! Lead singer John Leigh is one of the loveliest guys ever, and one of our most dedicated and sound supporters in Iron Horse history. His taste is immaculate and his bass-baritone voice strikes right through the heartstrings, and in a full band setting it shines! We can't wait to host his band at this year's event for a dose of indie rockers and the (very) odd classic. Armed with a full band in the form of radioSilence, they'll be on around 9 o'clock

And last but certainly not least... we're so excited to finally welcome &Berlin back for this year's event! One of the beauties of our events is seeing with performers once participating in our do's as individuals uniting into an "Iron Horse supergroup", and this group was the very first all those years ago, setting an amazing precedent. Specialising in rock and roll and classic tunes, Rory has flown all the way back from Canada for the occasion. Again, Sidcup truly does call! They're the second band after the raffle, around 7:30pm.

What an amazing lineup this is, and we'd love to thank every single one who's stepped up to demonstrate the power of their community. There's so many more we wish we could've squeezed on too, but we're confident this line-up offers a sufficient glimpse into the magic you've all built.

Free entry, but bring dosh for Community Hospice. Any amount, no matter how small or generous, would be enormously appreciated.
See you TOMORROW!

30/08/2026

Tomorrow there's not just booze, food, and a raffle, but also music! Here's some more acts to introduce to you.

Tom Monks is putting so much of his all into this event, he's writing about himself in third person. As well as hosting the open mic since emerging from sixth form in 2014, he's shared stages with contemporaries such as Laurie Wright, The Molotovs, and Another Day; legends such as Nine Below Zero, The Yardbirds, Dr. Feelgood, and Glenn Tilbrook; and well over a thousand others - probably including you. He put out his debut solo album last year too, which unexpectedly sold out with a full capacity gig at the Iron. He's on at 3pm, but if you miss it don't worry, he's in nearly every other bloody band!!

It's an immense pleasure to welcome Nova Halo back to Sidcup Calling. Nancy Dean's songs and voice are enormously acclaimed on our local scene and beyond, and deservedly so. From haunting melodies to shoegazey bops, love and outer space, saving the world with reverb and silks, her songs and style are utterly captivating. With tons of streams and shows under her belt and a beautifully pure and acrobatic voice, her band will be on about half eight.

Now for a NEW introduction to Sidcup Calling - Modern Syndicate!! George Greenland has been one of the most delightful additions to our events over the past year, with a frighteningly precocious encyclopedic knowledge about music. That deep dive song by that obscure artist you stumbled across and like? He probably has their whole catalogue! Joined by the live wire Reece Bailey on bass, plus the powerhouse Leo Pool on drums coming all the way from Sheffield (Sidcup really does call), they're on stage just after 8pm.

We are honoured to have Ryan Barquilla as a core fixture of our open mic and jam night community, so of course, he has a slot! Ryan is an enormous force of nature - a guitar virtuoso, a soaring and sultry voice, as happy to regularly play down our local Sidcup pub as he is to play Wembley Stadium. This year he's bringing back his band, Spiral Compass, to bless us with his original material - they're playing around ten past five.

What a day it's gonna be. 2pm til late, and you can find the full lineup on our page. Bring cash for the hospice x

29/08/2026

MORE FOR MONDAY!!

We are so excited for Special Branch to launch Sidcup Calling this year, to bring you a locally brewed dose of Maximum R&B! Dave Patten and Paul Lowther are two of the most supportive and beloved faces of our community. And combined with Andy on the harp and vocal, and Rob on bass guitar, they're a force! They don't so much "cover" songs as grab them by the scruff of the neck and give them a damn good hiding. They'll be kicking off the event at 2:30pm - talk about hitting the ground running!!

It's always a delight to have Belinda Doherty at the event. Belinda has been an infectiously enthusiastic fixture of our open mics over the last three years, gifted with a charmingly amazing voice and becoming part of our nights initially with the keenness to grow it in a live environment, which she instantly accomplished and then some. Her ability was always there but what's been real special is that we've seen her grow in confidence, and incredibly deservedly so, beloved for her talent and versatility. From show tunes to heartfelt ballads, please be sure to catch the "Hello Kitty Ambassador of Sidcup" around 3:50pm!

It is with pleasure to host Dan Francis back this year. He appeared at our open mic around late 2019 and modestly asked if he could play a couple of original songs on the house piano. He quietly stepped on, sat down, and unleashed his soaring voice, ivory mastery and SERIOUSLY sophisticated songs - like Elton John or Billy Joel golden era level. Like "wait, he WROTE THAT?!" level. To our pure joy he's been coming down near every fortnight ever since. It's a serious honour to have him on board. He's the third act on, around 3:25pm - even more reason to make a day out of it.

There really is something for everyone and it's all to raise money for an amazing cause, our local hospice. So please bring cash, make a day out of it, and tell ALL your friends x

29/08/2026

Two days to go, and here's the next batch of acts!!

Nathan Persad Trio hit the stage at around 5:40pm. Nathan is one of those musicians who is basically impossible to categorise, with over a dozen albums mostly written, performed, and played by himself spanning the last two decades. A multi-instrumentalist and true performer, he'll leave you in awe, hysterics, and tears... sometimes even at the same time. He's been part of the Iron Horse musical ecosystem for years with a repertoire so vast, we still don't know what's coming next - just when I thought I got to know him, he played a Red Hot Chili Peppers song! If you're a musician, he'll inspire you. If you're a spectator, he'll captivate you. Oh and he's got yet another album coming out next week too!!

And we're delighted to welcome back Simmons and the Stags this year!! Sean's amongst one of our most loyal and long-term supporters of our open mic, and he's also helped so much this year with the charity side. The Stags have been an entity for some time but last year, they graduated from a rotating cast of backing musicians to a proper, solidified, bonded band - and since then have generated enormous momentum with sold out venues, acclaimed singles, and performing alongside Pro Green and Republica! They're on just after 6, before the raffle.

The Galactix are the Iron's resident whippersnapper group - young and energetic, teleporting from retro anthems to fever-dream originals in their loudest attire, taking you on a sonic journey through SPACE and TIME. Since forming in late 2024, they've been handpicked to open up for the legendary Small Fakers, formed a one-off supergroup with Nine Below Zero, brought back the maxi single with 'Woodenships', and have landed the prestigious 100 Club in October! They're following the raffle, just after 7pm.

Bring dosh for the hospice, ID if you're blessed with youth but wanna drink or stay after 8pm (security will be looking after us), and all of your lovely friends. See ya tomorrow x

27/08/2026

Now let's introduce you to some of the wonderful acts you'll experience Monday!!

M.T. Pockets are the Iron Horse's house band, running our beloved jam nights since 2015, and we're so excited to see them close this year's Sidcup Calling from 10:15pm (give or take) with a raunchy, funky, soulful PARTY SET! Frontman Dan Murphy is an unbelievable force of nature, a true aficionado in funk and rock and soul, and his energy, enthusiasm and passion is truly contagious - and the rhythm section lift the atmosphere tenfold of any venue they grace.

It wouldn't be Sidcup Calling without The Spiders From Sidcup so of course... they're playing! These are an Iron Horse formed supergroup, united in a love of David Bowie on a mission to celebrate his music. Lead singer "Sidcup Colin" Richardson was destined to become a Spider since getting "picked" by the man himself through a television set in 1972, graduating from singing in his car to the Iron Horse stage eight years ago, flourishing ever since. Catapulted into a sonic spectacle with one of the hottest backing bands around, they'll be our pentultimate act of this year's event, from around 9:20ish.

And we're delighted to welcome 52 Fridays back to Sidcup Calling! Starring beloved long-time supporters Georgie and Dan Cooper, the Fridays boast an enormous holy-grail selection of songs that everyone knows, but not many people do - with something for everyone to sing and dance along to from start to finish, with occasional selections to captivate the afficionado's, all delivered passionately, authentically and with utter joy. We are so grateful for GeorgieDan and they've generously offered to help out with the sound and backline. Teamwork really makes the dream work, so be sure to watch a dream come true when they hit the stage around 4:40(hz).

And just to think this is only scratching the surface of the talent we have at the Iron! Plus there'll be food, there will be a raffle, and cos it's a pub, there will be a BAR! Don't forget to bring dosh for the Community Hospice x