Whenever I’m asked to photograph a musician whose music I’ve followed for a while, it’s always flattering. 

But when two local musicians asked me to go with them to Sofia in Bulgaria to shoot their performances, it was even more special. 

Rob Clamp from Romsey, and Steve Lowis from Southampton, had previous won and been the runner up respectively at the annual Sofia Singer Songwriter Festival, and they had been invited to return to entertain the crowds during the judge’s deliberations of this year’s competition. 

While in Bulgaria, the two musicians had arranged a small tour of this beautiful capital city, and were playing a selection of venues . Starting in a small basement bar, word soon spread that these two Englishmen would be playing, and the bar soon filled. Both soon had the audience singing along and were an obvious hit in Sofia.  

Hampshire Chronicle: Rob Clamp

READ MORE: Clarendon Half Marathon: Winchester Rotarian raises more than £4,000

The following evening, and after the success of the first show, Rob was asked to open for one of Sofia’s best known musicians, Stefan Voldobrev. Once again, a packed house was enjoying the warm evening, as some swapped the basement bar for a spectacular 800-seat open-air venue. 

As Rob began his set, the audience settled quickly, and were clearly enjoying the unique acoustic sounds from this up and coming performer. Rob’s style was certainly a new sound for the locals. Rob has wonderful songwriting skills, starting with humour and progressing to heartfelt sadness with a song about the losses of the First World War. 

Hampshire Chronicle: Steve Lowis

The following evening, both Steve and Rob performed individual sets at the festival competition, and showed the expectant crowd why they did so well at the previous events, and why they’d been invited back. The reception for them was heartwarming. To travel so far, and to perform in a language that wasn't a first language for the audience is not an everyday experience for most musicians, but to be received in such a welcoming manner was a joy to see. 

With the interest building in these two musicians, the National radio station, based in Sofia, were soon to pick up on the story. They invited the two in for a live interview and to play some of their songs live on the channel. With translators at the ready, the two were ushered through to the prime time studio and spent the next hour chatting with the presenters and playing their favourite songs in the studio. The feedback was, in the words of the production team, exceptional.

Both artists have already been booked for a return visit next year and Rob will be ensuring that Sofia is an important stop on his 2024 European tour. 

Congratulations to both Steve and Rob for flying the flag for Hampshire musicians. 

Review by Peter Nicholson