At: Hullabaloo, 41 Westgate, Shipley, BD18 3QX

Est: 1956

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Topic Newsletter Archive

TOPIC FOLK CLUB, BRADFORD

At Glyde House, Glydegate, Bradford BD5 0BQ

Newsletter No 190 April 2018 

Hello all,

Hopefully the topsy-turvy weather is behind us (after today,that is!). We only had to cancel one Topic night due to the snow, luckily a singers and musicians night, not that those nights aren’t important but having to cancel a guest night would have been more of a hassle all round.

Nothing topsy-turvy about the coming Thursday nights at Glyde House though….

5th April : Singers and Musicians.

12th April  : Kieran Halpin
If the measure of a songwriter is the number of artists singing their songs – then Kieran Halpin must be considered a great modern writer: his songs can be heard in folk clubs, pubs and festivals all over the world sung by the famous and not so famous. Often the songs are better known than the writer himself.

Kieran’s songs cover every conceivable subject from love, loss and celebration, to the more global concerns that face all of us today and he is often described as a modern protest song writer, never afraid to tackle topics that will provoke opinion and debate. If you are a fan of lyrics – then Kieran’s music is for you. £6/£5

19th April: Phil Walker & Karen Pfeiffer
With their unique onstage-chemistry and their widely praised harmonies, the Anglo-German duo Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer entertain and engage their audiences wherever they perform, combining original material with a fine choice of folk favourites. Karen has a clear and powerful voice: she also adds alto recorder, tin whistle and percussive instruments to Paul’s vocal and individual guitar style.

The duo hails from Staffordshire, although Karen is originally from Stutttgart, Germany, where Paul discovered her busking in a city centre park. He invited her to perform in England and the two of them have now been playing music together since 2012. 

In addition to their UK tours, these two exceptional musicians (Stuttgart press) have established a significant reputation in Ireland and Germany and therefore sometimes the odd German folk song, or even a German ‘joke’ will find its way into a fantastically entertaining night (Secret Sounds). £6/£5

26th April: The Twangles
The Twangles are: Kevin Loughran: Vocals, Guitar; David Bowie Jr: Bass; Phil Snell: Mandolin, Fiddle, Guitar.

Kevin Loughran has been a face on the West Yorkshire scene since the mid-1970s. He has long been resolute in presenting a variety of song entertainment but is a notable interpreter of ‘vintage’ popular song from the 30's and 40's. 

Dave Bowie Jr is the go-to bass player for many well-known performers. He brings his formidable technique and impeccable good taste to various ensembles such as The Phil Cockerham Trio, regular performers on the West Yorkshire music scene, including of course The Topic.

Phil Snell appears in many different collaborations, perhaps currently capped by the solid and highly entertaining duo Gerry Cooper and Phil Snell -also familiar to Topic audiences -and is also much admired and hired for his excellent sound engineering and recording skills. 

It will be great to see these stalwarts of the local acoustic music scene performing together at the club for the first time. £6/£5

NON-TOPIC EVENTS

THE BRIAN LAWTON LEGACY PROJECT.

As mentioned in the last newsletter, this is an ongoing project during the next 12 months concerning photographs taken by Brian Lawton which cover much of the history of folk music and folk festivals in West Yorkshire. It’swell worth visiting the website http://www.brianlawtonproject.org.uk, to which new material is being added on a regular basis.

IMPORTANT: THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING  - MONTHLY REMINDER

Having considered the response to the proposal for earlier start/finish times, the committee has decided to implement a starting time for guest nights of 8 pm to finish at 10.30 pm, starting in September 2018. 

USUAL STUFF

MEMBERSHIP: If you would like to become a member of the Topic Folk club it still only costs only £5.00 for the year. Membership runs from 1st January and entitles you 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. You can join or renew your membership on any club night.

For performers who may be thinking of approaching the club for a booking, please email: info4topic@gmail.com

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, 8.30 pm start. (Singers & Musicians nights normally start at 8.15 pm). 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, though may be limited when we have a booked support act - please check. 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