Club membership is £5 a year, running from 1st January. £1 off tickets, and get more involved with the club too if you want. Floor singers - please sign in by 8.30 on guest nights

Feb 16

Pete Morton - Entry: £6 (£5 members)

"not only impressive but a revelation......totally original" - The Guardian

Folk singer Pete Morton is a songwriter and performer originally from Leicester, who currently lives in London. With a wealth of great songs and stage presence, his show is dynamic and intense as well as approachable and fun loving.

Well known songs such as 'Another Train', The Shepherds Song, and 'Six Billion Eccentrics' are
now performed at gigs along side songs from the album 'Economy', which features the well loved rant: 'The Sock on the Line' and the anthemic 'When we Sing Together'.

Pete sings from the heart, delivering songs that tell compelling stories and speak of the human condition from a very unique perspective. With a passionate, strong voice and strident guitar style, traditional songs often rub shoulders with Pete's current writing with remarkable ease. His songs are an unruly mix of humour, politics, love and social comment, wrapping their way around the folk tradition.

Pete has recorded five solo albums of original material and a project album of traditional songs. 
His new album ‘Economy’ is his first set of original songs for over three years and is an insightful, informed, honest and sometimes questioning look at the modern human condition. These wonderfully crafted songs deal with all the prevalent subjects such as need, greed, trust, communication, conflict, love, relationships, basic humanity and yes, economy.

This is your chance to see one of the UK's finest songwriter songwriters in the intimate atmosphere of the Topic.

Feb 23

O’Hooley & Tidow - Entry: £6 (£5 members)

Since her departure from The Unthanks, the stark, haunting piano arrangements Belinda O'Hooley brought to the Mercury-nominated album The Bairns have evolved and migrated, combining rippling, neo-classical arrangements with traditional folk influences.

Together with Yorkshire singer-songwriter Heidi Tidow, these dapper-suited gentlewomen have created Silent June, their unpindownable, multi-layered debut album released on the No Masters label. It was one of MOJO Magazine's Top 10 Folk Albums of 2010.

O'Hooley & Tidow bring their intensely beautiful, poetic and wryly observant take on the human condition to the contemporary folk scene. Garnering increased attention and widespread acclaim, they have been winning over audiences countrywide with their irresistible blend of poignant, thought provoking songs, lush harmonies and cheeky northern banter.

They have appeared at festivals and arts venues nationwide and we are more than a little pleased to be able to announce that they are performing a close to home gig tonight at the Topic

"Intensely beautiful and poetic" Observer review of Silent June

 

Mar 01

Singers & Musicians

 

Mar 08

Jon Palmer Acoustic Band

Jon Palmer, who has impressed Topic audiences with recent floor spots, brings his 6-piece Yorkshire-based acoustic band to the Topic for the first time. Jon, Grolsch UK Songwriter of the year and published songwriter with Sony, is accompanied by Ricky Silvers (bass player with Five and Dimers and Last Orders), Matt Nelson (mandolin), drummer Bernie Gilmour (ex Cartouche and occasional player with Duncan McFarlane Band and The Hall Brothers) together with Nick Settle and Tom Cassidy (Big Fat Kill).

The Jon Palmer Acoustic Band is fast gaining a reputation on the local scene, having headlined at The Hardraw Gathering and appeared at the Otley Folk Festival ("the Jon Palmer Band were AWESOME at Otley, so glad we got to see them play" – Anna Shannon) and Otley Beer Festival. Expect well-crafted original songs, passion and vigour from this up and coming band.

 

Mar 15

St.Patrick’s – Singers' and Musicians' Night. If you don’t have anything specifically Irish in your repertoire, well, bring it anyway, no-one will mind!

 

Mar 22

Stanley Accrington

There isn’t much to be said about Stanley Accrington that hasn’t already been said. If you’re in dire need of a bit of intelligent silliness to lift the all-encroaching gloom (and who isn’t, these days?) then Stan’s your man. Every folkie over the age of about five will be familiar with Stanley’s wit and wisdom, his hands-on approach to audience participation, his wry observations on humanoid and non-humanoid life, to say nothing of his more serious side, self-written songs that will turn your tears of laughter into, well, a sniffle at least. It’s too long since Stanley was last seen at the Topic: come down for a spirit-lifting session like no other since whenever it was.

 

Mar 29

Caffrey/McGurk  

Traditional and contemporary songs from these two fine performers, Nick Caffrey and Ed McGurk. Each has appeared in various bands: Ed (vocals, guitar, whistles) formerly of Nevis, Litany and the Riot Band, is known to Topic regulars as a member of Bandersnatch; Nick is also formerly of Litany, plus The Wassailers and Th’Antique Roadshow (nothing to do with a Fiona Bruce-fronted TV programme).

 

Apr 05

Singers & Musicians

 

Apr 12

Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer

With tours to Australia and Europe as well as all around the UK, Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer seem to be taking the world by storm, establishing themselves as one of the best duos around on the international folk scene today. Once known mainly for their impressive instrumental skills on Scottish small pipes, accordion, guitar, flute, double bass and Swedish nyckelharpa, they are now also being acclaimed as impressive song arrangers and writers. Vicki & Jonny effortlessly blend traditional songs and tunes with contemporary interpretations and also create original self-penned tunes and songs that are entirely at home in the tradition. They have a sound that is both familiar and fresh: a great combination of vocal and instrumental talent.

 

Apr 19

Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar

Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar do not always perform together. Ciaran Algar plays fiddle, bodhran and bouzouki in the dynamic young band Tri, who supported top band Lunasa at Saltaire Live last year to great acclaim. Greg Russell is a talented 18 year old guitarist, concertina player and singer-songwriter from Chester. He has spent the last few years building quite a name for himself in the North Wales and Cheshire area with high profile support slots for Lau, Karine Polwart, Bella Hardy and Kerfuffle. He has also recently had headline slots at Conwy, Northwich, Frodsham and Chester Folk clubs and regularly performs at the Chester and Wirral Folk Festivals. He will also be supporting Steve Tilston and Spiers and Boden at individual shows in April and will also be appearing at Trelawnyd Folk at the Hall in June with Dougie MacLean, Jim Moray, Kris Drever, The Old Dance School, Fay Hield and Lucy Ward.

This should be a great night.

 

Apr 26

Marie Little

“You can’t please all the people all the time”, they say, but Marie Little comes close to doing just that, with something for everybody in her extensive repertoire. Whether humorous or sad, folk, country or music-hall, she delivers her songs with intensity and passion, interspersed with her renowned down-to-earth wit and humour. She has been performing probably for longer than she cares to remember, yet always delivers her songs with freshness and vigour. It’s a joy to welcome her back.

 

May 03

Singers & Musicians

May 10

Leon Rosselson Leon Rosselson

May 17

Dave Ellis & Boo Howard Dave Ellis & Boo Howard

May 24

Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts

May 31

Joseph Topping Joseph Topping

Jun 07

Singers & Musicians

Jun 14

Paula Ryan Paula Ryan

Jun 21

Brian Peters Brian Peters

Jun 28

Martyn Wyndham-Read Martin Wyndham-Read

Jul 05

Singers & Musicians

Jul 12

Roger Sutcliffe Roger Sutcliffe

Jul 19

David Newey and Shona Kipling David Newey and Shona Kipling

Jul 26

 Robb Johnson Robb Johnson