At: Groove Pad, 48 Saltaire Road, Shipley BD18 3HN
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Topic Newsletter Archive

TOPIC FOLK CLUB, BRADFORD

At Glyde House, Glydegate, Bradford BD5 0BQ

Newsletter No. 154 - March 2015

Hello all,

Well, Spring is almost upon us, so help make winter a distant memory by lighting up Thursday evenings: come down to Glyde House, see what's happening at the Topic. 

Plenty, so read on...

5th March: Singers and Musicians 8.15 pm start. Free entry

12th March: Rod Clements.
From the beginning of Lindisfarne to his current solo album Odd Man Out, the career of Rod Clements reads like a who’s who of contemporary British folk roots. After three decades in he business spanning over thirty albums and several chart hits, Rod Clements is ‘a man emerging from the Lindisfarne years and carving his own unique furrow in inimitable style’ (BBC Radio Scotland). Rod’s latest album shows him to be ‘a consummate artist who has never rested on his laurels, either as a songwriter or as a live performer, and whose future is assured as ‘a cult artist in the making (Simon Jones).

Rod’s main (but by no means only) claims to fame are playing on Ralph McTell’s iconic Streets of London and composing Meet Me on the Corner, one of Lindisfarne’s best loved numbers heard regularly today either on air or still sung in clubs, as well as being used in the BBC TV drama Life on Mars.     £6/£5

19th March: Jon Palmer Acoustic Band.
The Jon Palmer Acoustic Band is a 6-piece folk, roots and rock & roll combo based in and around the musically vibrant West Yorkshire market town of Otley. The line-up includes guitars, mandolin, whistle, double bass, violin, and drums. Everyone sings!

Describing the band as “a cross between The Pogues and Bruce Springsteen’s Seeger Session Band – with a bit of Waterboys and Saw Doctors thrown in for good measure”, Leeds Music Scene said the Jon Palmer Acoustic Band left them “spellbound and desperate for more!” Jon is a former winner of the Grolsch UK Songwriter of the Year, and a published songwriter with Sony.

The band’s new album, “Where The Mountains Meet The Sea”, is out now.  £6/£5

A blur of hedonistic delight – Fatea Showcases

Jon Palmer is a very fine songwriter… if the band were a heavy electric group they’d be The Levellers, but that would lose the subtlety of the acoustic performance. - R2 Magazine (Rock n Reel)

Genuinely well written songs – Maverick Magazine

they explode out of the same box as The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, and The Waterboys… a fantastic band – The Troubadour Show

26th March: Keith Kendrick and Sylvia Needham.
Keith and Sylvia sing mainly English traditional and traditionally influenced contemporary songs and work extensively all over the UK, Europe and beyond. Both have a very wide ranging repertoire, strong voices and uncannily compatible and complementary styles of delivery, affording an exciting enhancement in duo and between them produce a striking a capella sound. With a formidable history of performing experience behind them their recording work is matched only by their live gigs which are always a vocal and musical revelation as well as a hoot! They also frequently accompany themselves and play lively dance tunes on three different systems of the only English invented musical instrument – the concertina.     £6/£5

A wonderful advert for English folk music – Lawrence Heath, Guildford Institute Folk Club.

..breathtaking harmony work that leaves the listener gasping.... The Folk Mag.

TOPIC NEWS

A Song for The Topic

As you will know by now from previous newsletters, THE TOPIC SONG is a chance for fun and creativity, a cost free way of celebrating our 60th anniversary and would be a valuable shared experience for Topic members and others who patronise the club. We could include poems as well, short stories perhaps.

No rules no prizes (apart from praise).  These “Topic Songs” could played on Singers and Musicians nights and floor spots throughout 2015, even collaborated on so that it can be a group effort.

We will have to set a cut off date which could be Spring 2016 and plan what to do with what we have, maybe look towards a grand performance in the Autumn. The excitement's building already...

Bradford Festival 2015

The Topic will be taking part in this year's Bradford Festival, which takes place from Friday 12th June to Sunday 14th June 2015. We will be having our own stage on the Saturday afternoon, so watch this space for details, times etc.

Other news

We are sorry to hear that Howard Sharpe, the manager of Glyde House is currently unwell: we wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back soon.

There is a fair amount of refurbishment going on at Glyde House at the moment which shouldn't affect Topic evenings, but should there be any unforseen delay, please bear with us.

Holidays...an interesting idea.

As mentioned previously, if you fancy a short break with a difference, or are planning a holiday on the south-west in the spring you could spend two days on Dartmoor (14th/15th April) which will include, among many activities, folk singing, open mic and a gig with the legendary Phil Beer. For more details email Daf Edwards on dafedwards53@gmail.com or see the poster which will be on display on club nights from hereon.

Usual stuff

For performers who may be thinking of approaching the club for a booking, please note that the bookings organiser is Sue Gaffney, email address : sue.gaffney@btinternet.com

If you would like to become a member of the Topic Folk Club, it costs just £5.00 per year, running from 1st January. Being a member entitles you to the lower ticket prices shown in this newsletter, as well as the chance to become more involved in the workings of the club if you would like to.

If you’re visiting the club for the first time, be sure to come and say hello, and if anyone has any suggestions for the club, for example if you would like us to try to book a particular artist, we’d like to hear them.

The Topic runs on Thursdays at Glyde House, Glydegate, Little Horton Lane, BD5 0BQ  8.30pm start. (Singers & Musicians nights start at 8.15pm). Like all the clubs in the area, our aim is to provide good quality live entertainment to suit all tastes of those interested in folk music, and we thank you for your continued support.

Floor singers are always welcome, especially in the first half. Please try to get there by 8.15 pm if you’d like a slot – it helps the MC to plan the evening.

To find the Topic on Facebook search for "Topic Fc"

Tony Charnock, Topic Newsletter Editor  
Topic Folk Club

tocharn@gmail.co.uk