TOPIC INFORMAL NEWSLETTER No 19, 10 JUNE 2003
Another brief reminder of this (and next) week's excitements at the Topic.
Thursday 12 June we welcome Pete Morton. Pete plays guitar and sings a mixture of traditional and self-penned songs. Most of his own songs are in traditional style. Paraphrasing his publicity, he has a unique and involving style of music, his stage shows are intense and dynamic, and his songs tell compelling stories, speaking of the human condition in an original style. We are promised an unruly mixture of humour, hope, politics and religion; where social comment, love songs ands an unusually powerful spirituality wrap their way around the folk tradition.
Pete has been playing the folk club scene for about 15 years, including overseas tours. Usually performing solo (as this week) he has nonetheless collaborated with others, notably Urban Folk in the dying years of the last century. He has at least five albums out (plus others with others) and I'm sure he'll bring some to sell.
I haven't heard Pete perform myself, but I am looking forward to an enjoyable evening. Not least because Featured Support this week is the 8-piece Bradford harmony singing group Achord. I have heard them, for example at the Roy Bailey Anti-War gig organised by Karl Dallas last November. Some individuals in the group may be familiar to sharp-eyed Topic regulars. Achord are getting regular bookings around the region (in fact, this Thursday is part of their preparation for a big gig the following week) so do come along and listen. And just because we have a booked featured support doesn't mean you can't come and do a regular floor spot.
Thursday June 19 sees us play host to The Lost Boys. This established trio (apparently mixed-sex, despite the name) has been somewhat coy about giving us details of their vast repertoire, but we can expect vocals, guitar, mandolin and banjo employed to provide "a mixed bag - something for everyone - a rich combination of folk, blues and ballads. They have been to us before under a different name, so Topic regulars with long teeth (to go with their sharp eyes) may recognise them.
Featured Support for the Lost Boys is John Waller. Yes, me. Sorry. But I can promise at least three songs that only the most large-eared of Topic Regulars will have heard before. Not all those tired ones off my CD. But including - wait for it - the long-awaited Second Chapter of Bengt Olaffson's Norwegian Cow trilogy.
I hope you can make it to one or both these evenings.
John Waller
Topic Informal Newsletter.
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