Thursday 23rd March 2023 at 7:30

_{Chris Ronald}

_{Since emigrating from his native England in 2002, Chris Ronald has earned a place as one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters creating and performing contemporary folk music. Ronald's stand-out signature sound is steeped in his British background, poetic lyrics, and a buttery fusion of Roots and Americana music.}

_{Chris is an international touring artist, giving concerts ranging from solo to full band. Whatever the format, Chris always draws on his abilities as a highly skilled singer, storyteller and musician (guitar, harmonica, ukulele), to deliver a show that is captivating and unique.}

_{Support: Hebble}

_{Hailing originally from Ireland and both sides of the Pennines, these experienced performers combine instruments with harmony vocals to play foot-tapping trad. songs and tunes. Hebble, who formed in February 2022, are Sam Hodgson (aka Samh), singer-songwriter, guitarist, & bouzouki player; Aidan Kilroy, bodhran player & singer; Helena Drumm, cellist & singer.}

_{Their repertoire includes trad. Irish, English and Scottish songs and tunes, as well as originals by Samh inspired by local history and landscape. They also like to throw some Appalachian and Americana into the mix from time to time.}

_{£7 (£6 members)}

_{www.facebook.com/TopicFCBradford}

 

_{THE TOPIC'S HOME}

_{The Topic is at Groove Pad, 48 Saltaire Road, Shipley BD18 3HN. It’s a bar/coffee lounge on two floors. The Topic has exclusive use of the downstairs coffee lounge area on Thursday Singers' and Musicians' nights. The larger bar and room-space upstairs is now used for Guest Nights (from 9th February 2023). The bar serves a fine selection of drinks and does table service to the cafe area if required. Groove Pad is situated next to the Aagrah Restaurant on Saltaire Road. Easy street parking is available nearby and it’s only a few minutes walk from Shipley train station and the bus terminus.}

_{Singers' and musicians' nights will continue to take place in the downstairs cafe bar.}
 

Coming Soon

30 Mar

_{Dougie MacKenzie & Brian Miller}

_{Dougie Mackenzie sang mostly Gaelic songs in his youth but was introduced to folk music at the famed Inverness Folk Song Club run by Duncan MacLennan, who mentored Dougie and gave him numerous songs. He is drawn to Scots ballad language and the stories it carries to us from the past.}

_{Brian Miller is one of the most esteemed singers and guitarists on the Scottish traditional music scene with performing and recording credits, including with his daughter Siobhan Miller, The Occasionals, The Singing Kettle and Tom Paxton. He is still a member of The Stars Band with Arthur Johnstone, Charlie Soane and Gavin Livingstone.}

_{Recently Brian and Dougie have joined forces in the studio and on stage. The album Along The Way by Dougie and Brian was recorded and produced by Ian McCalman at his Kevock Studio and he passed on a copy of the master to Ian Green for a listen. Ian was so impressed with the singing and the selection of songs, plus the quality of the recording, that he immediately contacted Dougie and invited him to join the Greentrax label. Dougie was delighted. After this collaboration Dougie and Brian have officially formed a duo together.}

_{£7 (£6 members)}
 

06 Apr

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

13 Apr

_{Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer}

_{With “two grand voices – individually and in harmony” (Folker - German Folk Magazine), the Anglo-German duo Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer offer a versatile miscellany of self-penned and imaginatively arranged songs, delivered with guitar, woodwind instrumentation and occasional percussion.}

_{I’ve never seen our audience so spellbound! - Malc Gurnham, Folk Club promoter}

_{So, what is it that makes this internationally touring pair so irresistible?}

_{Whilst Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer are acclaimed for their image provoking songwriting, expressive vocals and authentic musicianship, they are frequently recalled for their warmth, humour and their remarkable ability to engage with their audience. Karen’s natural theatricality and life affirming playful energy compliment charmingly with Paul’s calm geniality and combined they magically turn a great performance into a real event. In brief: enchanting, entertaining, uplifting.}

_{Great show! - Graham Norton}

_{Based in Staffordshire in the UK, the duo has toured its shows extensively taking in New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Ireland and most corners of the UK, wooing audiences with Karen’s southern German accent tinged with an ‘oatcake induced’ North Staffordshire dialect from Paul’s heritage. Their latest show ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck’ was a huge success at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.}

_{The pandemic has seen them focusing their attention on writing, recording and developing their online presence. Their live stream ‘Afternoon Tea with Paul & Karen’ is now in excess of 100 shows and still attracts a dedicated international following. The new album ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck’ was released in May 2022 and received a great amount of radio play, video attention and glowing reviews:}

_{Eclectic, performed with passion and with excellent musicianship - Folk & Honey}

_{Charming, varied and fun - Irish Music Magazine}

_{A first-class experience - Bietigheimer Zeitung}

_{Support Act: Heslop and Stringer}

_{Local musicians Mark (Heslop) and Matt (Stringer) joined forces in late 2021 to develop their shared passion for songwriting and live music.  Their songs are a mixture of their own personal experiences and stories from northern history and folklore.  They play guitars, violin and mandolin as a backdrop to their vocal harmonies.  Their first CD ‘New Beginnings’ was launched in 2022.}

_{£7 (£6 members)}

20 Apr

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

27 Apr

_{Den Miller}

_{Strong melodies, catchy sing-along choruses and intelligent lyrics are the trademark of songs composed and performed by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Den Miller. Den is an engaging and entertaining live performer, delivering his music and his message with clarity, energy and a good deal of humour.}

_{His latest album "Join All The Dots" presents a quirky outlook on modern life's issues and challenges, including relationships, parenting, war and terrorism. Den shares an unusual viewpoint that entertains and is thought-provoking, to make connections between situations and events that seem to be unconnected.}

_{Come and enjoy a performance which has been described as "A splendid evening, rated one of the best for a year at this very discerning club. Den's songs and his style - from wildly comic to deeply poignant - make listening a pleasure, and an experience not to be missed."}

_{A splendid evening, rated one of the best for a year at this very discerning club. Den's songs and his style - from wildly comic to deeply poignant - make listening a pleasure, and an experience not to be missed - Horsham Folk Club}

_{Den can deliver a hefty punch with a killer turn of phrase that becomes a real mindworm to match the musical earworm content. 'Why-didn't-I-think-of-that?', unforgettably air-punching statements - David Kidman, Join All The Dots review in FATEA Magazine}

_{This is an extremely well-written song ... particularly good lyrics ... I think that's really good! - Alan Raw, BBC Radio Leeds}

_{Beautifully crafted ...this is someone who works hard to get things just right. Great, intelligent lyrics - Yorkshire Music Collective}

_{Support: The Boothtown Rats}

_{Duo Boothtown Rats are Michael Shaw (guitar, vocals) and Charles Henderson (double bass, vocals) who deliver a mix of folk music, folk-rock, Irish and a splattering of our original music.}  

_{£7 (£6 members)}
 

04 May

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

11 May

_{Reg Meuross}

_{Reg’s clever and imaginative lyrics have earned him the title of  “Master Storyteller” (PennyBlack Music) and led Mike Harding (Mike Harding Folk Show) to introduce him onto the stage of The Royal Albert Hall as  “one of the finest singer-songwriters this country has produced”.} 

_{Whether it’s a village hall or the Albert Hall, Reg brings to the stage a collection of extremely beautiful songs, performed with humour and depth, and sung with the voice of an angel. Reg has that rare gift of being able to touch people, through his songs and performance, on a really human level. His words and music paint pictures that remain with the listener long after the song has been sung.}

_{A mighty songwriter and an equally fine singer - Martin Carthy}

_{A deep well of compassion and insight into the human heart and spirit - Mike Davies, Folk Radio UK}

_{Intelligent and thought-provoking songs, beautifully made and skilfully delivered - The Times≈}

18 May

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

25 May
 

_{Musicians from Sheffield - Double Header}

_{Cobalt Tales}

_{Cobalt Tales are singer-songwriter female duo Pat and Nuala, based in Sheffield though originally from Wigan and Stockport. Pat sings powerful vocals, plays acoustic guitar and harmonica on occasion, and Nuala plays bass guitar, sings harmony and adds clarinet, whistles and acoustic guitar. Their combined influences and writing talents cover a wide variety of song styles. They deliver music from the heart that stirs the soul. ​}

_{Pat and Nuala met in the Scottish Highlands and formed Cobalt Tales in 2016. They enjoy touring throughout the UK and playing festivals, live music venues, cosy folk sessions, charity fund raisers and local community events.}

_{Cobalt Tales released their debut album, 'Ever Changing Blue' in 2019.}

_{Harmonies are gorgeous, supersoft... Well done! - Edwina Hayes, Singer-songwriter}

_{Somewhere between Dylan and Mary Chapin Carpenter you'll find Cobalt Tales! Good stuff! - R. Sandland, Tamworth}

_Auka

_{Auka comes from an Old Norse word meaning to grow or augment - a term that perfectly sums up the band’s organic and original approach to music-making. Relative newcomers to the UK folk scene, Auka released their debut album Evergreen in 2021 and have since been going from strength to strength.}

_{A central theme in Auka’s Celtic-inspired instrumental music is their shared passion for the natural world, especially that of their beloved Sheffield and its surrounding Peak District. Combining influences from a diverse range of musical backgrounds, the band’s compositions ebb and flow from moments of delicate calm to those of frenetic energy. Kirsty Lomax’s lyrical Irish flute and whistle melodies are accompanied by intricate and precise rhythmic guitar from Matt Gilchrist – which is further underpinned by expressive jazz-folk double bass from Joss Mann-Hazell (Mishra). The three instruments weave between melodic and accompanying roles to create a unified and organic sound.}

_{A striking homage to the natural world - Songlines Magazine}

_{Ehereal and euphonic - utterly stunning - BBC Introducing}

_{£7 (£6 members)}
 

01 Jun

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

08 Jun
 

_{Lizzy Hardingham}

_Sing

15 Jun

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

21 Jun

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

29 Jun
 

_{John Ward Trio}

06 Jul

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

13 Jul
 

_{Roger Sutcliffe}

_Sing

20 Jul

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{Sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 entry}

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