An open mic night to attract homegrown musical talent will be taking place at a town centre pub this evening, Thursday.

The event will take place at The York on Newport Street from 7pm.

Organiser Robbie Stevenson, also known as Robbie MC, wants to make the nights an ongoing thing, providing musicians in the town with opportunities to perform and get their names out there.

Robbie released a book earlier this year called From the Streets to the Stage, which follows "Young Jimmy", a young man who lives amidst anti-social behaviour and where trouble lurks around every corner.

He said: “In January I released my self-published first book, a crime fiction one on Amazon, which has sold over 100 copies.

“In September we put on a celebration event for selling 100 copies, which went really well.”

Having spoken to people who attended the event, he saw a demand for more events of a similar nature, so decided to follow the night up with quarterly From the Streets to the Stage events and monthly open mic nights.

Robbie said: “It will be for rappers and singers across the urban scene and commercial scene.

“That’s definitely the way forward, it starts off with open mic nights to give opportunities where people can show what they can do.

“Next year we will be running a series of competitions where prizes can be won, cash prizes, opportunities to work with producers and perform at my events.

“It’s giving people the opportunity to literally come from the streets to the stage.”

He added: “Especially coming from Bolton myself, it’s only right to give people from local and regional areas the opportunities.

“I’d like to thank Zach (Howarth) for his work contacting people and to Unsy from The York.”

From the Streets to the Stage is available for purchase here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/streets-stage-Robert-Stevenson/dp/B09R3BZJHJ/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1