TOPIC INFORMAL NEWSLETTER 30 SEPTEMBER 2003
Greetings
Time for the October list already so soon! Good and varied it is too.
October 2 Kevin Loughran. Derby/Chesterfield-originated but now locally-based singer and guitarist, with a range of accessible popular and historic songs performed with his own unique interpretation. Kevin has been around for over 30 years, singing, playing and busking in clubs and pubs throughout the north and midlands. His repertoire includes vintage popular song, comedy song, mainstream folk, and a preference for "Americana” which includes Irving Berlin, Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, through to James Taylor and Steve Earle. He has a CD out Big In Keighley.
Featured Support is Ian Hill, also a local guitarist and singer who occasionally graces our singarounds.
October 9 Roy Wilcocks and Bridget Guest two voices in rich harmony, one guitar and many wonderful, relaxing, self-penned and imported contemporary songs, delivered with fun and humour. They have been performing together for over a decade. Ray is the traditional earthy folk and shanty singer, Bridget the singer/songwriter, with the beautiful and melodic voice. According to their publicity, her songs paint emotional pictures and sketch characters with insight and sincerity. Tonight’s Featured support Bradford’s own four-piece band Codarajo fiddle, whistles, guitar and accordion.
October 16 Darren Poyzer Wacky Manchester-based musician and entertainer with his own inimitable songs. While not a traditional "folkie”, Darren’s music is vibrant and original, with songs of the human condition ranging over topics such as Sunday morning football, global wars, popular culture, working-class life, friendship and love. Traditional folk singers tell it like it was. Darren writes and sings it like it is now. An enthusiastic gigger and organiser of gigs, he did a featured support slot for us earlier in the year, and proved himself a live and eminently watchable performer. Featured Support: Julie Ellison: a really serious and accomplished guitarist in a number of styles; classical, folk and rock.
October 23 Singers and Musicians a visit from the regulars at the Wibsey Gaping Goose singaround sessions (they meet every Wednesday from 8.30pm on Slack Bottom Road). This will be a lively evening, with the Goose’s regulars bringing banjos, accordions and mandolins (plus the usual guitars) to bear. Let’s have a good Topic Regular turnout too, and a noisy evening of cross-fertilisation. No theme in particular let’s just see what emerges. There’ll be ships, animals and drinking I’m sure.
October 30 Tom and Barbara Brown this is proper West-country tradition. Tom sings and plays concertina, melodeon, mandola and guitar, and is much in demand as a Folk Dance Caller. Barbara sings mainly (though not exclusively) traditional songs, mainly emanating from their west-country roots that include Padstow, Swindon, and the wonderful and legendary Bristol Troubadour. Tonight’s Featured support is Emily and Ben: York-based duo with guitar, fiddle and whistles, and with a repertoire of (mostly) traditional songs. A great traditional evening this will be.
Details of virtually all these performers can be found on our excellent, updated-weekly website. Log on! www.topic-folk-club.org.uk We have direct links to the websites of every artist who has performed since January 2002, and who is booked up to the end of 2004. So that’s an excellent reference resource for anyone wanting an update on currently-active folk artistes. Do use it!
The rest of the 2003 programme
November 6 Singers and Musicians theme of gunpowder treason and plot.
November 13 Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins - a nationally-known duo with a list of instruments as long as the rest of this line: Uilleann pipes, bodhran, cello, violin, whistles, voices …
Featured support: Friendly Visit. Another multi-instrumentallist trio based in Otley.
November 20 The Amazing Mr Smith. Now this will be something completely different. Making a very rare visit to the north, The Amazing provides a cascade of humour, musical puns, outlandish props and banter that takes your breath away. Featured Support: Wench All, female harmony
November 27 Emily Weygang and Ben Harker York-based traditional duo, featured on the cover, no less, of the current Tykes News. Featured support: Kevin Young, unaccompanied singer.
December 4 The AGM.. Come and sing an amendment to the substantive motion.
December 11 Keiran Halpin. We are very grateful for a return visit from this highly popular singer-songwriter, many of whose songs are now well into the public domain.
December 18 The Durbervilles. A five-piece band to add a bit of noisy oooomph to the pre-yuletide festivities and sandwiches. The occasion will as always be violently interrupted by the Featured Support: The Holbeck Mummers with a timeless brand of traditional theatrical buffoonery.
THE NEW YEAR -
This isn’t set in stone yet. Every chance that some of these Singers’ nights may turn into a late booking. But note our experimental move into an offering of Jazz, as well as three mainstream folk artists.
Jan 1 Singers and Musicians
Jan 8 The Barbara Baker Jazz Quintet
Jan 15 Singers and Musicians
Jan 22 Derek Gifford
Jan 29 Singers and Musicians
Feb 5 Phil Hare
Feb 12 Singers and Musicians
Feb 19 Geoff Higginbottom
See the website for bookings up till July!
One reason for listing these here is to invite offers to perform as Featured Support. There has been a Featured Support act booked for virtually every guest night for over a year now. Some have gone on to full bookings (though this is not guaranteed!). I’d like to fill the January-February slots above by mid-October if possible, so that details can go into the next issue of Tykes News. Volunteers welcome!
See you all some Thursday at the Melborn at one of the above events! 8.30 start. Be there by then if you want to perform a floor spot, which are still available every night even where there is a Featured Support artist booked. No smoking.
John Waller
Topic Newsletter Editor
j.waller@bradford.ac.uk
Website: www.topic-folk-club.org.uk, updated every week
Greetings and already it’s time to pester your inboxes again.
September 4 Kate Howden, Paul Jones and Tony Taffinder. This
is a great act to open the winter programme. Kate and Paul were already a
superb and well-balanced duo, their music full of intertwining guitar
lines, plangent melodies and thoughtful understated lyrics. Their Silver
Waters CD was one of my top five of 2002. Now they are joined by
multi-instrumentalist Tony, to add width to their stage presentation
(actually, he adds a great deal else, including acoustic bass guitar). The
three are just starting a 40-venue (and counting) tour of the UK, prior to
the recording of a new CD. Come and catch them while we can still afford
them! More at http://www.howdenjones.co.uk/ Featured Support this week
is Gerry Cooper, who has come back into folk circulation in recent months,
with his accomplished blues guitar style. There’s room for Floor Singers
too, so let’s get the new season off to a big start.
September 11 Simon Howarth and Andy May. Last seen on our stage
in May, Simon and Andy are currently part of Jez Lowe’s Bad Pennies
line-up. Though naturally self-effacing when backing Jez’s distinctive
style and delivery, when on their own (together) they open up to provide a
glorious range of self-penned and traditional material. Songs, guitar,
whistles, Northumbrian pipes; to name but a few of the instruments we’ll
see. More (on Simon, at any rate) at http://www.morpeth61.freeserve.co.uk/
Featured Support this week is from Fountainhead, a young folk/world music
trio who last performed a floor spot with us supporting Maggie
Boyle. Guitar, percussion, and strong voices in harmony: they have the air
of class about them. Room for floor singers too.
September 18 Karl Dallas. What to say about Karl? Activist,
campaigner, journalist, organiser, musician, performer, demonstrator,
circus hand, human shield, committed Christian he has been all these
things, and still is most of them. His style is immediate he is The Man
if you are on a demo and want someone with a guitar to come up with a
catchy tune and relevant chorus to sing as you march (or sit). He has been
active in the folk scene for 50 years (including being NME’s Folk
Correspondent during the glory years (NME’s and Folk’s)).
No Featured support yet so an opportunity for any number of floor singers
to come down and be (almost) sure of a proper spot.
September 25 Singers and Musicians: Theme: Drinking
songs. Well, that’s the traditional, second half of the evening. From
8.00pm, for about an hour, there will be a Special Press Showcase featuring
the recently-released CDs by Topic regulars Rahel Guzelian and John
Waller. This will be hosted by BCB Radio’s Folk Guru Tim Moon, and various
cultural big-wigs have been invited. There’ll be nibbles so if you fancy
coming for the singaround, come early and enjoy something different.
October 2 Kevin Loughran. Local singer and guitarist, with a
range of accessible songs performed with his own unique interpretation.
Featured Support will be Ian Hill, also a local guitarist and singer. But
more of October later.
A great start to the Autumn season. More on all this via the Topic
website: www.topic-folk-club.org.uk
The Autumn Season continues with some strong and varied acts.
Oct 9 Roy Wilcocks and Bridget Guest two voices, one guitar and
many wonderful, relaxing self-penned songs. Featured support Bradford’s
own four-piece band Codarajo
Oct 16 Darren Poyzer Wacky Manchester-based musician and
entertainer with his own inimitable songs telling it like it is
now. Featured Support: Julie Ellison: a really serious guitarist.
Oct 23 Singers and Musicians featuring a visit from the regulars
at the Buttershaw/Wibsey Gaping Goose singaround sesions (every Wednesday
evening from 8.30 on Slack Bottom Road)
Oct 30 Tom and Barbara Brown this is proper west-country
tradition: squeezebox, songs, dance tunes: you can almost hear the Morris
bells. Featured support slot available
November 6 Singers and Musicians theme of gunpowder treason
and plot and anything else even vaguely related.
November 13 Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins - a
nationally-known duo with a list of instruments as long as the rest of this
line: Uilleann pipes, bodhran, cello, violin, whistles, voices …
Featured support: Friendly Visit. Another multi-instrumentallist trio
based in Otley who pop in now and again to do floor spots.
November 20 The Amazing Mr Smith. Now this will be something
completely different. Making a very rare visit to the north, The Amazing
provides a cascade of humour, musical puns, outlandish props and banter
that takes your breath away. Featured Support: Emily and Ben, a somewhat
more sober duo providing a foretaste of what we’ll be getting next week.
November 27 Emily Weygang and Ben Harker - York-based duo with
guitar, fiddle and whistles providing mostly traditional songs. No
Featured support booked yet.
December 4 Singers and Musicians or it could be the AGM. Or
both. Come and provide an amendment to the substantive motion in song and
verse.
December 11 Keiran Halpin. We are very grateful for a return
visit from this highly popular singer songwriter, many of whose songs are
now well into the public domain.
December 18 The Durbervilles to add a bit of noisy oooomph to
the seasonal festivities and sandwiches. The occasion will as always be
violently interrupted by the Holbeck Mummers and their traditional brand of
seasonal theatrical offering.
Next Year, already. Yes, the booking lists are already filling up. But no
space for more listings here.
See you all some Thursday at the Melborn at one of the above events! 8.30
start. Be there by then if you want to perform a floor spot, which are
still available every night even where there is a Featured Support artist
booked. No smoking.
Log
On! To our
John Waller Website:
www.topic-folk-club.org.uk
Topic Newsletter Editor j.waller@bradford.ac.uk updated
every week Log on!
INFORMAL NEWSLETTER
Greetings and already it’s time to pester your inboxes again.
September 4 Kate Howden, Paul Jones and Tony Taffinder. This
is a great act to open the winter programme. Kate and Paul were already a
superb and well-balanced duo, their music full of intertwining guitar
lines, plangent melodies and thoughtful understated lyrics. Their Silver
Waters CD was one of my top five of 2002. Now they are joined by
multi-instrumentalist Tony, to add width to their stage presentation
(actually, he adds a great deal else, including acoustic bass guitar). The
three are just starting a 40-venue (and counting) tour of the UK, prior to
the recording of a new CD. Come and catch them while we can still afford
them! More at http://www.howdenjones.co.uk/ Featured Support this week
is Gerry Cooper, who has come back into folk circulation in recent months,
with his accomplished blues guitar style. There’s room for Floor Singers
too, so let’s get the new season off to a big start.
September 11 Simon Howarth and Andy May. Last seen on our stage
in May, Simon and Andy are currently part of Jez Lowe’s Bad Pennies
line-up. Though naturally self-effacing when backing Jez’s distinctive
style and delivery, when on their own (together) they open up to provide a
glorious range of self-penned and traditional material. Songs, guitar,
whistles, Northumbrian pipes; to name but a few of the instruments we’ll
see. More (on Simon, at any rate) at http://www.morpeth61.freeserve.co.uk/
Featured Support this week is from Fountainhead, a young folk/world music
trio who last performed a floor spot with us supporting Maggie
Boyle. Guitar, percussion, and strong voices in harmony: they have the air
of class about them. Room for floor singers too.
September 18 Karl Dallas. What to say about Karl? Activist,
campaigner, journalist, organiser, musician, performer, demonstrator,
circus hand, human shield, committed Christian he has been all these
things, and still is most of them. His style is immediate he is The Man
if you are on a demo and want someone with a guitar to come up with a
catchy tune and relevant chorus to sing as you march (or sit). He has been
active in the folk scene for 50 years (including being NME’s Folk
Correspondent during the glory years (NME’s and Folk’s)).
No Featured support yet so an opportunity for any number of floor singers
to come down and be (almost) sure of a proper spot.
September 25 Singers and Musicians: Theme: Drinking
songs. Well, that’s the traditional, second half of the evening. From
8.00pm, for about an hour, there will be a Special Press Showcase featuring
the recently-released CDs by Topic regulars Rahel Guzelian and John
Waller. This will be hosted by BCB Radio’s Folk Guru Tim Moon, and various
cultural big-wigs have been invited. There’ll be nibbles so if you fancy
coming for the singaround, come early and enjoy something different.
October 2 Kevin Loughran. Local singer and guitarist, with a
range of accessible songs performed with his own unique interpretation.
Featured Support will be Ian Hill, also a local guitarist and singer. But
more of October later.
A great start to the Autumn season. More on all this via the Topic
website: www.topic-folk-club.org.uk
The Autumn Season continues with some strong and varied acts.
Oct 9 Roy Wilcocks and Bridget Guest two voices, one guitar and
many wonderful, relaxing self-penned songs. Featured support Bradford’s
own four-piece band Codarajo
Oct 16 Darren Poyzer Wacky Manchester-based musician and
entertainer with his own inimitable songs telling it like it is
now. Featured Support: Julie Ellison: a really serious guitarist.
Oct 23 Singers and Musicians featuring a visit from the regulars
at the Buttershaw/Wibsey Gaping Goose singaround sesions (every Wednesday
evening from 8.30 on Slack Bottom Road)
Oct 30 Tom and Barbara Brown this is proper west-country
tradition: squeezebox, songs, dance tunes: you can almost hear the Morris
bells. Featured support slot available
November 6 Singers and Musicians theme of gunpowder treason
and plot and anything else even vaguely related.
November 13 Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins - a
nationally-known duo with a list of instruments as long as the rest of this
line: Uilleann pipes, bodhran, cello, violin, whistles, voices …
Featured support: Friendly Visit. Another multi-instrumentallist trio
based in Otley who pop in now and again to do floor spots.
November 20 The Amazing Mr Smith. Now this will be something
completely different. Making a very rare visit to the north, The Amazing
provides a cascade of humour, musical puns, outlandish props and banter
that takes your breath away. Featured Support: Emily and Ben, a somewhat
more sober duo providing a foretaste of what we’ll be getting next week.
November 27 Emily Weygang and Ben Harker - York-based duo with
guitar, fiddle and whistles providing mostly traditional songs. No
Featured support booked yet.
December 4 Singers and Musicians or it could be the AGM. Or
both. Come and provide an amendment to the substantive motion in song and
verse.
December 11 Keiran Halpin. We are very grateful for a return
visit from this highly popular singer songwriter, many of whose songs are
now well into the public domain.
December 18 The Durbervilles to add a bit of noisy oooomph to
the seasonal festivities and sandwiches. The occasion will as always be
violently interrupted by the Holbeck Mummers and their traditional brand of
seasonal theatrical offering.
Next Year, already. Yes, the booking lists are already filling up. But no
space for more listings here.
See you all some Thursday at the Melborn at one of the above events! 8.30
start. Be there by then if you want to perform a floor spot, which are
still available every night even where there is a Featured Support artist
booked. No smoking.
Log
On! To our
John Waller Website:
www.topic-folk-club.org.uk
Topic Newsletter Editor j.waller@bradford.ac.uk updated
every week Log on!
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