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Topic Folk Club, Bradford
Newsletter 76, April 2008

Greetings:  and a warm welcome to the Spring Season at the Topic: 

We seem now to be fairly well bedded in at the Bradford Irish Club.  If you haven’t been yet, do come to one of the following great planned evenings and check it out.  For one last time: Bradford Irish Club, on Rebecca Street BD1 2RX (just behind the New Beehive).  See www.topic-folk-club.org.uk <http://www.topic-folk-club.org.uk/> for details of how to get there.

10 April     Debra Cowan and Pete Smith (April 10).    American folk singer of UK ballads teams up with possibly one of the best guitarists on the UK circuit.   They’ve both been seen at the Topic and elsewhere recently; but never before in the current line up.    It will be fascinating to see how their styles combine.  Featured Support from a duo from over the Pennines: Peter and Barbara Snape, who provide classical traditional British songs backed by classical traditional squeezebox.  £4 / £5 to come in: MC Tony Levy.

17 April     Bernard Carney (17 April).   If you haven’t seen Bernard before, do come and enjoy a masterclass in musical entertainment.  If you have seen Bernard before, you’ll know what I mean.  Very witty songs, effortless guitar, and a sense of humour that has made him a top artist in the corporate entertainment business in his native Australia.  He accepts specialised song-writing commissions, but the results transcend their immediate audience, as evidenced by the Bronchiodilated Blues, and a homage to Continuing Education (courses in glove-making a speciality ...).   Top stuff.   Featured Support from Leeds-based singer songwriter Troy Faid, who provides strong guitar virtuosity behind lyrics well worth listening to.   £4 / £5 to come in: MC Neil Etherington.

24 April     A Double Header evening (24 April):  Chris and Siobhan Nelson    impressed us with their Featured Support slot last year: a mixture of English and other songs, traditional and contemporary, voice (occasionally harmonised) backed by fiddle, guitar or mandola.   Danyluk and Card  also appeared last year as a Featured Support act.  They provide a fusion of folk and rock styles with emotive songs hewn from the traditions of their native Canada.   £4 / £5 to come in: MC. Simon Alexander.

Stop Press: there may be a programme change in respect of Danyluk and Card: check the Topic website

1 May        Tom Bliss (1 May).   It will be an absolute delight to see Tom play a full solo set.  Brilliant though his pairing with Tom Napper is, Tom’s songwriting skills and musical dexterity on a whole variety of instruments can best be seen unadorned and solo.  Expect songs of the sea; and probably of ghosts and inexplicable happenings as well.   Tom is one of the gentlest and most cheerful artists on the local circuit.   This is a treat for all the cognoscenti of the singer/songwriter’s art.  No Featured Support: but all you songwriters (and we have many in our lists), do come down and parade your own material at the feet of the master (he won’t bite).  £4 / £5 to come in: MC tbc.

8 May        Fil Campbell (8 May).   Irish singer of jazz, folk, and traditional songs, accompanied by guitar and flute and (probably) her percussionist spouse.   But there will be further details in the May Newsletter: or tap now into www.topic-folk-club.org.uk <http://www.topic-folk-club.org.uk/>

AND ONWARDS (as it stands at present)

May 15             Cockersdale   

May 22             Ember                         FS The Tupenny Celidh Band

May 29             DH:  Kate Bramley /  Pamela Ward and Paul Cherrington

June 5             Singers and Musicians

June 12           Soundsphere

June 19           John Conolly 

June 26           Singers and Musicians

July 3               Roger Sutcliffe           

July 10             Ruth Notman

July 17             The Hall Brothers + John Carey

July 24             Triple Whammy:  Ed McGurk / Mixing up the Medicine / Friendly Visit

July 31             Eddy O’Dwyer (tbc)

August             Singers and Musicians throughout

Sept 4              Roger Davies

Sept 11            tbc

Sept 18            Heather Dale

Sept 25            DH:  Notts Alliance / Ylem tbc

Oct 2               Singers and Musicians

 

But there’ll be another newsletter along before the April Guests arrive, let alone all this superb September stuff. 

See you all some Thursday at the BRADFORD IR.ISH CLUB.   8.30 start.  Floor singers always welcome, especially in the first half: get down prompt and early if you’d like a slot.  Some Featured Support slots available in June and July, primarily for acts we don’t yet know who’d like to showcase their material. 

John Waller   
Topic Newsletter Editor       
john@john-waller.co.uk           

Topic Newsletter No 76 April 2008

 

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