September 2010

Sept 16

Edwina Hayes

Singer songwriter Edwina Hayes has been described by Nanci Griffith as having “The Sweetest Voice in England”. Her version of Feels Like Home was featured in the major motion picture My Sister's Keeper. Touring the folk and acoustic circuits extensively, Edwina spends most of her time on the road performing her songs to an ever-increasing audience of fans.

Edwina performed locally at one of the Raggalds Acoustic series of concerts some months ago to a very appreciative audience. It was clear that she in turn greatly appreciated each member of her audience as she chatted companionably between numbers. This will be her first appearance at the Topic: definitely something to look forward to.
 

Sept 23

Sarah McQuaid

Sarah McQuaid, author of The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book, now lives in Cornwall, having been born in Madrid, raised in Chicago and holding dual Irish/American citizenship. Singer/guitarist and songwriter Sarah draws on the traditions of Ireland, America and the UK in her music. Her compelling style, characterised by velvety vocals - “as warm as a turf fire and as rich as matured cognac” wrote the Rough Guide To Irish Music - a distinctive acoustic guitar style and a natural warmth and ability to engage with her audience. Her stage manner has been likened to that of Joan Baez and she has a similar ability to interpret a wide variety of folk songs in various languages as well as writing a fair few gems of her own.

Recently Sarah has written a canon which she is encouraging prospective audience members to learn before the show so that they can join her in singing it. If you fancy having a go you will find a link on her website (www.sarahmcquaid.com) to download the sheet music.
 

Sept 30

John Tams & Barry Coope

Winners of Duo of the Year in 2008. John was also 2006 Folk Singer of the Year and now has six BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, two Honorary Doctorates and a Sony Gold Award.

"John Tams and Barry Coope confound expectations: rich, diverse, contemporary and utterly compelling. It simply does not get any better than this." - Colin Hall, What's On in London

John Tams, described by Mojo as one of the ultimate British songwriters, has had a career spanning four decades in every medium. A member of the Albion Band and Home Service he is perhaps best known for his work at the National Theatre and as Rifleman Daniel Hagman in the Sharpe television series. He is a five times winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Barry Coope, one third of prestigious á capella group Coope, Boyes and Simpson, was in the early eighties a member of innovative English folk band Muckram Wakes. Later he played with the folk “supergroup” Blue Murder.

Tickets for this event are now on sale each Thursday evening at the Topic Folk Club. Alternatively, to buy tickets by post, please email rahel@blueyonder.co.uk. Ticket price is £10 (£9 for members).
 

October 2010

Oct 07

Tich Frier

"A tremendously gifted and oft-welcomed back performer......Tich's live performances are always superbly enjoyable and involving” - Folk Roundabout

Tich Frier's repertoire can best be described as eclectic. It ranges through traditional and modern Scottish songs, Burns, his own compositions, hilarious parodies and music hall songs to contemporary classics all linked together with his inventive off-the-cuff stories.

As well as appearing at the Topic from time to time, Tich Frier has worked regularly on TV and radio (tracks from his albums have received airplay on national and local radio stations), appeared many times at the world famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe and for two years running performed as the one-man-band in 7:84 Theatre Company's production of The Incredible Brechin Beetle Bug, a pantomime by the great Matt McGinn.
 

Oct 14

Singers and Musicians

Oct 21

Suntrap

First time to the Topic and well recommended by several Topic attendees who have seen and heard them elsewhere, four piece band Suntrap are Sara Byers (vocals, accordion, guitar, whistles, bohdran), Paul Hoad (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Mary Wilson (vocals, violin) and Debbie Chalmers (violin). Together they perform a mesmerizing array of music including their own material and a good selection of traditional and contemporary folk repertoire. Songwriters Sara and Paul create original, innovative works drawing on English song tradition as well as American Folk and Country.

"All bring original songs to a mix that seamlessly blends the idiom of recent generations of singer songwriters with echoes of much more ancient traditions.” - Cambridge Folk Festival

Oct 28

Lynne Heraud & Pat Turner

Lynne Heraud & Pat Turner are two of the most experienced and established harmony singers on the folk scene. They have a leaning towards traditional English material, but occasionally diversify and perform their own material and Victorian/Edwardian songs. Their interpretation of both contemporary and traditional material is sensitive, moving and has plenty of humour.

Lynne and Pat have trespassed, touted, marshalled, organised and appeared at clubs and festivals in careers spanning two millennia. They offer a wide range of musical material, traditional, Victorian, Edwardian, Contemporary, Rude, Silly and Self-penned, all delivered with their unique blend of harmony and humour.

 

November 2010

Nov 04

Singers and Musicians

Nov 11

Winter Wilson - Winter Wilson

Not their first visit to the Topic, but a long overdue return for superb duo Winter Wilson who are, to quote Tom Lane of BBC Radio Lincolshire, “...deserving of national recognition - and make no mistake, Dave Wilson is in the very top tier of British songwriters.”

Lincolnshire based Dave Wilson and Kip Winter joined forces in 1995 and have steadily built a reputation across the UK for solid and engaging live performances, performing mostly original songs along with the odd well chosen cover.

Dave’s songs have a broad appeal, often relating to the sights and sounds of everyday local life. Great songs, great performance, and an off beat sense of humour give Winter Wilson a style that’s very much their own. John Tams described Dave Wilson as “ A magnificent song writer” and folk legend Vin Garbutt covered Dave’s “Storm Around Tumbledown” on his CD “Persona Grata”. Kip’s voice is one of the best in the business, coupling power and emotion to help bring out the character of the songs.
 

Nov 18

The Hall Brothers & John Carey with Michelle Plum

The Hall Brothers are well established local favourites who perform both their own original songs with a mixture of sensitivity and vigour, as well as their own arrangements of traditional and other contemporary material. Being brothers who have performed together for years and years gives their music an additional aspect of harmony and communication along with their natural warmth and easy humour. As if that weren't enough, there will be fiddle accompaniment from John Carey and they will be joined by Michelle Plum, singer and guitarist in her own right, adding an extra dimension to their musical output.

An evening with the Hall Bothers is always an uplifting experience which will leave you feeling satisfied that you've had a really good time.
 

Nov 25

Singers and Musicians - On this occasion we will be in the New Beehive Inn which is just across the road from the Topic's usual venue.
 

December 2010

Dec 02

Bowie Bliss & Cockerham -

The arrival of the trio of Bowie Bliss & Cockerham has been greeted with knowing nods, not because of any lack of quality - they're fantastic - but because master craftsman of song Tom Bliss retired, loudly, from touring in July 2009. But he didn’t say he'd never gig again, just not in the same hectic way, and six months without picking up an instrument was long enough it seems.

It was Tom's old mate Dave Bowie, seen recently with Steve Tilston and Sketch alongside Boyles Maggie and Gary, who got the ball rolling. Tom was happy to bring his 'greatest hits' to the party, but academia had overtaxed his brain, so any new material would have to come from elsewhere. Then a MySpace mail revealed that Philip Cockerham, (from Tom's ‘Behind The Wall’, and Tom and Dave's ‘Belladonna’) had a superb new album out, and was winning a large folk audience. They were rehearsing within a week.

Tom and Philip, an excellent guitarist, take turns in singing lead. Tom's brilliant story songs are well known - Phil's more contemporary works, highly regarded (not least by Tom), becoming so. These are underpinned by Dave's legendary bull fiddle, and lofted by three part harmonies and delicate interplay. This is one band you absolutely must not miss, and who knows when you'll get another chance to see them?
 

Dec 09

Kieran Halpin

"He has a voice that sells the songs the songs and cuts to the heart"

A regular and popular visitor to the Topic over the years, Kieran Halpin has a voice with such an edge to it that he sounds like he is living every song. He has managed to marry his intelligent and thought-provoking lyrics with great melodies and has developed over the years into a writer with a style of his own. All of this is underscored by an incisive wit in his introductions which helps an audience to understand where the song comes from and hint at where it might be going.

He is a successful songwriter with many of his songs covered by other artists such as Ilse De Lange, Vin Garbutt, Dolores Keane, Tom McConville, Niamh Parsons, The Battlefield Band, Flossie and the late John Wright. In fact his songs are performed in clubs, pubs and concert halls throughout the world, including a fair share of them in various Bradford venues. He has recorded albums in his native Ireland, Scotland, London, Nashville and Sydney.
 

Dec 16

Roger Davies

This young man, whose song writing skill can make Huddersfield and Brighouse sound exotic, is back again - no doubt pleasing his many local followers. If you're not yet a follower here's a good place to start to be one! Roger Davies, in true troubadour fashion, finds endless ways of portraying the beauty he sees in, and bringing out the poetry of, his beloved part of Yorkshire. His songs are well crafted stories and observations which draw you into his world along with their memorable melodies. Some you will almost certainly want to join in with and others will have you spell-bound. Roger's skilful guitar style unobtrusively accompanies his fine works of art. He comes across as a very personable and unpretentious artist who treats his audience with the respect they deserve, but with a good eye-twinkling measure of humour too.

In addition, if you're one of the audience on this night, you will also be playing a part in the recording of Rogers next CD – an album of live tracks recorded at various venues, the Topic being one of them. So come along and be involved, sing along with choruses and help to create that exciting 'live music' atmosphere.

Dec 23

Singers and Musicians

Dec 30

Singers and Musicians

2011